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"China is the future," said Saab chairman Victor Muller, as he emerged from meetings in Beijing waving a memorandum of understanding with China's largest dealer network -- his second attempt to bail out the Swedish automaker with fistfuls of renminbi.
The future of Saab at this point, especially if it partners with an extensive dealer network, may be as a prestige player in the Chinese market, trying to stand out among the 100 or so automakers on the scene with its foreign cachet and colorful history. The Chinese love foreign brands, which is why General Motors (GM) sells more cars in China than in the U.S.
But in making that move, the company could lose a lot of what we know as Saab -- it's been a technology innovator for educated consumers, with a proud aircraft heritage that helped it gain a leading edge in safety and environmental friendliness.
Losing its cachet?
Saab has long traded on its Swedish roots and Scandinavian quirkiness (those ignition keys on the floor!). Saab has excellent technology in the Phoenix platform that underpins the new 9-3, but lacks the money to develop it further. Saab will struggle to keep its Trollhattan operations going, especially when making cars in China for the Chinese market starts looking like a much faster route to profit.
Volvo, now owned by Zhejiang Geely, is thinking the same way -- given Swedish labor rates and export costs, CEO Stefan Jacoby is contemplating making Saabs in China for the export market. Those cars wouldn't be Volvos as we know them.
Muller got serious with talks in China after his Russian play, selling a stake to colorful Russian investor Vladimir Antonov, was complicated by a lengthy European Investment Bank background check. Raising funds through Swedish property leasebacks is also taking too long for this CEO in a hurry.
China promises a more ready lifeline, though it's the lack of government approvals that sunk his venture with Hawtai Motor Group. The absence of those same official stamps could also kill Saab's new China deal with Pang Da Automobile Trade, which will provide $99.87 million for 24 percent of Saab's parent company, Spyker Cars.
Buying Saabs for company lots
Pang Da, which raised almost $1 billion with an IPO just last month, is buying Saabs as much as it's buying into Saab. The deal calls for the company to spend $63 million to buy cars in two waves. Right now, Muller is just trying to get Saab producing cars again, but this deal will inevitably make the company a bigger player in Asia than it's been able to be in the west.
There are some advantages to that because the Chinese market is huge -- it edged out the U.S. last year with 12 million sales compared to 11.6 million here. And Muller, who always thinks big, is seeing exponential growth -- up to 40 million by 2020. But Saabs that would sell to the mass market in China will have to be built to a price. They're unlikely to be in the vanguard of anything, and won't find much of a following abroad. It's the same reason Chinese automakers have had trouble building a sales beachhead in the U.S. -- the cars aren't up to western standards.
If the Pang Da deal goes through -- a big if -- Saab hopes it will gain a year's breathing room to plan a future. But as it tries once again to get to a new normal, Spyker still faces a fundamental problem. It didn't buy a whole company, just part of one. The years in the GM family had turned what was once a Swedish independent into a mere division, with many services, from billing to dealer support, absorbed into the parent company. Muller told me in an interview at the New York Auto Show that he knew this going in, but the reality of what it meant for daily operations soon became readily apparent.
All of this helps to explain why Muller is a frequent flyer to China. The auto industry's future may be over there, but Saab's definitely is.


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August 17, 2023
We’ve spoken here before about how critical it is for the Fed to maintain a sense of “street cred” in the eyes of the public. Specifically about how important it is for them to have the public believe that they can keep inflation at a 2% rate. (I don’t necessarily buy their argument why 2% annual inflation is a good thing but that’s a conversation for another time.)
It’s imperative that they make everyone believe this because 1) if they can’t control inflation what good are they, but more importantly 2) if the country expects higher inflation/costs, they’ll behave accordingly. Higher wages will be demanded, prices will rise…
Last week a number of inflation-related reports came out. And they weren’t all that encouraging.
Prices and the Prices of Prices
On Thursday, consumer prices were released. And they proved as sticky as ever.
The year over year headline number showed a rise of 3.2% (vs 3% previously) and the core number (minus food and energy) was essentially unchanged at 4.7%
On Friday producer prices (the prices that go into consumer prices) came out. Producer prices have been pretty flat since November of 2022. This month they rose .8% over 12 months up from .2%. The core number, however, remained sharply higher, rising 2.4%.
We’ve explained in detail the relationship between producer and consumer prices. How the former drives the latter. We used Germany as an example. In an April weekly update of Streetlight Confidential we noted that Germany’s inflation rate was posted at 4.9% while its wholesale prices — the prices charged at the supplier level — rose 16.2% and producer prices — prices paid by manufacturers for raw materials — spiked a staggering 25%.
Two months after those reports had been posted…
In February, German producer prices made a new record high for the third straight month at 25.9%… Wholesale prices reached another record peak of 22.6% in March and… Inflation has exploded from 5.1% to 7.3%.
The point I want to make is that producer prices impact consumer prices. And the sticky prices we’ve been seeing are bound to keep the Fed on their guard.
Believing the Pitch
The other report had to do with consumers’ beliefs… i.e. the Fed’s cred.
On Friday, the University of Michigan released its consumer sentiment index. The overall index edged lower to 71.2 from 71.6 suggesting the optimism that had been reported for the last couple months had cooled somewhat.
The inflation expectation report is likely to cause even more hand wringing at the Fed. The one year expectation came in at 3.3% while the five year expectation printed 2.9%.
Now, given that a year ago prices were raging 8%-9% higher a year, these numbers might seem outstanding. And they are much better.
But the Fed has a goal. A 2% goal. And 3% does not meet that goal.
The New York Fed maintains a similar survey and their June inflation expectations showed 3.8% one year out and 3% both three and five years out.
It would seem like the Fed is starting to lose the battle for public confidence.
And that’s one they can’t afford to lose…
Editor, Streetlight Daily

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Students still traveling to America despite Trump’s travel ban
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Students are continuing to visit Trump-led America despite the President’s controversial travel ban.
According to youth travel site StudentUniverse, youth travel to the US has not been as negatively affected as initially feared.
One week into his presidency, President Trump signed an executive order, which banned refugees entering America for at least 120 days and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen) for at least 90 days.
This controversial order caused an instant knock to youth interest in travel to the States: StudentUniverse saw a 19% drop in bookings during the week after the ban, and a poll of the company’s customers showed UK students were 82% less interested in visiting or studying in the US following Trump’s inauguration.
However one month on from Trump’s initial travel ban, and after various restrictions have been put in place, bookings to the US are only down 6%.
Dan Baker, Head of Marketing at StudentUniverse, said: “For many people, the travel ban imposed by President Trump has caused anxiety and concerns about upcoming student travel plans, but we are pleased to see it hasn’t dented students’ desires to travel. America is a fascinating and fun destination so it’s great to see young people are still enticed by all it has to offer.”
Elsewhere, other destinations are seeing a huge increase in popularity as adventurous students opt to travel further afield.
StudentUniverse have seen spikes in bookings to Thailand (380%) and Australia (280%), as well as India (225%), New Zealand (200%) and Bangladesh (200%).


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The show covers all sectors of the fresh produce trade and provides a comprehensive picture of new ideas, latest innovations, products and services at every link in the international supply chain.
The Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency (Apia) is organizing Tunisian participation in the international fruit and vegetable fair “Fruitlogistica 2023”, which will take place in Berlin from February 8 to 10, 2023. The fair covers all sectors of the fresh produce trade. and provides a complete picture of new ideas, latest innovations, products and services at every link in the international supply chain. According to Apia “exhibiting on the Tunisian pavilion represents an opportunity for national companies to find many opportunities for networking and contact with the main decision-makers in the sector as well as to increase their visibility in terms of production techniques, marketing …”. According to the organizers, the stand, turnkey dedicated to companies in the Tunisian pavilion, includes in particular: decoration and signage, layout of the floor, partitions, lighting and signs, basic furniture , cleaning of the stand in addition to continuous assistance before and during the show.
Current issues in the fresh produce industry
As part of the “fruit logistica”, many events will take place live on site and in the online stream such as the “fresh produce forum”, the “tech stage”, the “future lab” and much more… In compact and high-quality expert panels, current issues in the fresh produce industry as well as innovative solutions in terms of equipment and machinery are discussed and debated. It should also be noted that other events will be held online.
Exhibitors from 86 countries and professional visitors attend “Fruit logistica” every year to realize their full business potential in the international fresh produce trade and write their own success story!
The logistics sector in hall 26 is one of the main themes of “Fruit logistica” as the leading trade fair for the global fresh produce industry. The current global trade situation (Corona pandemic, climate change, wars, rising energy and crude oil prices) has shown, not only how adaptable and innovative this sector is, but also its importance for Europe. fruit and vegetable industry.
In addition to fresh produce, machinery makes up a large part of the exhibition, the classic logistics segments of transport and warehousing, robotics, artificial intelligence and cargo drones are now also indispensable components of an industry innovative, sustainable and scalable logistics.
For example, modern telematics systems — digital tachographs that are automatically read and evaluated at the touch of a button — are becoming increasingly important, from driving and rest times to order management and time recording.
It should be noted that the “Fruit logistica” fair will focus on the digital revolution in agriculture. The global demand for food is increasing. New technologies and digital solutions can help meet this growing demand and reduce food waste. At the same time, digital technologies are helping agriculture become more productive, profitable and sustainable. These new technologies will change the industry. Individual processes and digitized production methods are already part of everyday farming. This is why, with “Smart Agri”, a new thematic section will be added to the machine section.
In the new “Smart Agri” exhibition area, innovative companies present digital solutions for pest control, climate and soil monitoring systems, “Artificial Intelligence” to predict fruit crop yields, systems decision support, fruit harvesting drones, precision farming software solutions and much more.
We want to give thanks to the writer of this write-up for this remarkable content
“Fruit logistica 2023”: For better visibility | The Tunisian Press
You can view our social media profiles here and additional related pages here.https://www.ai-magazine.com/related-pages/


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Following a healthy diet and lifestyle are good weapons in the fight against cardiovascular disease, and they're becoming easier to follow. A report from the American Heart Assn. (www.heart.org), Dallas, indicates the amount of products labeled vegetarian and vegan, which it says are better for the heart, are increasing in the market.
People with a low incidence of coronary heart disease tend to have low blood cholesterol levels and also tend to have diets not only low in total fat but relatively high in plant foods that contain dietary fiber, notes the FDA. This might be why global launches of vegetarian foods and beverage shot up 60 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to figures from Innova Market Insights.
Studies show vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some forms of cancer, the AMA adds. The caveat is that vegetarians and vegans often must find other sources of essential nutrients -- such as iron, magnesium, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, potassium and calcium – that are plentiful in animal foods, the association points out.
Beans, whole grains, soluble fiber and fish containing omega-3 fatty acids can lower the risk of stroke by keeping cholesterol from forming plaque buildup in the arteries, the AMA says. Oatmeal can lower plaque’s ability to form clots that can cause blockages. Whole-grain cereals (like Cheerios) can help reduce cholesterol, and foods containing potassium, calcium and magnesium can lower blood pressure, which can reduce strain on the blood vessels and inflammation.
Ingredients made from fiber- and protein-rich pulses provide nutrients and minerals like iron and zinc while also being good for the heart. Pulses can help lower cholesterol and control diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) − conditions that can lead to heart disease, says John Sievenpiper, associate professor in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto. Sievenpiper's research and review of studies also find that eating pulses can help in satiety and help people lose weight.
Ingredion (www.Ingredion.us.com), Westchester, Ill., which produces pulse proteins and flours, says pulses are "nutritional powerhouses," high in dietary fiber and protein and rich in micronutrients. Its Homecraft clean-tasting pulse flours and Vitessence pulse protein-based products can add protein and fiber to cereals and snacks, and are said to be more cost-effective than some animal-based proteins.
Yogurt is also getting the heart-smart green light. Studies reveal eating yogurt is linked to having healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. According to research noted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, "Compared with nonconsumers, yogurt consumers appear to have better metabolic profile, such as a lower body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, levels of triglycerides, fasting glucose and insulin and blood pressure but higher HDL [good] cholesterol. When you weigh less, your heart stays healthier, because it doesn't need to work as hard to carry and nourish your body," the research notes. "The lower your weight, the lower your risk of heart disease."
Cutting the fat
A high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol level in combination with a low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol level increases the risk of heart disease. Unlike other dietary fats, trans fatty acids raise the "bad" LDLs and lower the "good" HDLs.
"The FDA’s action in June to eliminate trans fat will help prevent cardiovascular disease and save lives," points out AMA president Steven J. Stack. "We commend the FDA for its decision to remove partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) by 2018. PHOs are the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods."
Companies that make snacks, margarine and creamers, baked goods and refrigerated doughs have been eliminating PHOs and other trans-fats from their formulations for several years. ConAgra, for example, says it began removing trans fats from its microwave popcorn in 2013; Orville Redenbacher popcorn contains no trans fats per serving. General Mills, which owns Betty Crocker and Bisquick, says it labels more than 95 percent of its products as having 0g trans fat, and is eliminating trans fats from many other products.
Roger Lowe, spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturer’s Assn. (www.gmaonline.org), Washington, adds that the food industry has so far removed about 86 percent of artificial trans fat since 2003, with more reductions to come. "The industry has been responding," he says.
However, the cost to research and test new heart-smart ingredients and to reprint labels and repackage products hasn't been cheap; manufacturers can spend as much as $200,000 per product, estimates Roger Clemens, a pharmacology professor at University of Southern California. "The flaky texture of a croissant, or a pie crust are really expectations," he says. "It takes a lot of food science to understand the chemistry of those interactions to duplicate it without compromising the product," he says in a recent report.
Healthy fats such as omega-3, a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid containing alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, have been shown to help fight heart disease and stroke. Omega-3 is being added to foods from margarine, breakfast cereals and cereal bars to peanut butter and functional drinks, though good amounts are available naturally in salmon, tuna and some plant foods, especially flax. Archer Daniels Midland (www.adm.com), Chicago, provides a new flaxseed oil rich in omega-3 ALA, says Julio Lopez, nutrition research and innovation manager.
Cargill (www.cargill.com), Wayzata, Minn., which makes high-oleic canola oil, says its market research on consumer perspectives of fat and oils in North America found that after sugar, fat is the most important ingredient consumers are watching for on food product labels. "Sixty-seven percent check for saturated fat in the products they buy," explains Mark Christiansen, managing director of Cargill Global Edible Oil Solutions – Global Specialties. "About 50 percent of all consumers are likely to purchase a product with a No Saturate claim." The company has lowered the saturated fat content in its specialty high-oleic canola oils, such as Clear Valley 65, available at 7 percent, and Christiansen says that sat fat amount in Clear Valley oil will be even lower.
Going with the grain
Food technologists are also finding that plant and whey proteins, fiber, bran and maltodextrins can replace trans fat in foods and beverages, sometimes adding a richer texture and bulk.
Grain Processing Corp. (www.grainprocessing.com), Muscatine, Iowa, has been developing fat replacement applications with its Maltrin maltodextrin, which is derived from carbohydrates such as corn, potato, wheat and tapioca. The product adds texture and bulk and provides a smooth, creamy mouthfeel without adding extra fat in baked goods, dairy products, salad dressings and sauces, spreads, frostings, fillings, processed meat, frozen desserts and extruded products and beverages. The company's TruBran corn bran has been demonstrated to add fiber in snacks, cereals, baked foods, nutrition bars, beverages, supplements and other foods.
Litesse polydextrose dietary fiber and fat replacer from DuPont/Danisco (www.danisco.com), St. Louis, is water-soluble and also acts as a bulking agent. The fiber can lower LDLs, reduce blood pressure and inflammation and control blood sugar levels. Tate & Lyle's Promitor soluble fiber helps maintain texture in sugar-reduced baked goods and offers several health benefits including promoting growth of "good" bacteria in the digestive system.
Natural oat fiber products from Grain Millers Inc., (www.grainmillers.com), Eden Prairie, Minn., have many uses in ready-to-eat cereals, bakery products, meat extenders and snacks, to name just a few. Soluble oat fiber in cereals, such as Kellogg's Kashi (www.kashi.com) Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oats, is said to support healthy cholesterol and can promote healthy blood pressure.
ADM's CardioAid line of plant sterols provides heart health benefits through cholesterol reduction, says Lopez. "Both the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority have approved claims around the consumption of plant sterols and their effect in cholesterol reduction. We're working to help formulate plant sterols into products with heart-health benefits. Our Fibersol soluble fibers offer natural-source of vitamin E, and our line of functional extracts from fruits and veggies are rich in naturally present antioxidants that may also play a role in promoting heart health."
Salt has long been scrutinized as a contributor to hypertension. On that basis, too, the AMA applauded the FDA "for taking a major step toward reducing the amount of sodium added to the nation's food supply." But most sodium consumption comes from food processing, not the salt shaker or being naturally present in foods.
"Reducing overall sodium intake will help rein in high blood pressure and help prevent the devastating consequences of heart disease currently affecting millions of Americans," says AMA President Steven Stack. "With most dietary sodium added by food processors and restaurants, even highly-motivated individuals find it difficult to reduce their sodium intake. The [FDA's] voluntary guidelines are a blueprint for further action, but the onus is on the food industry to now take the necessary steps to reduce sodium in its products, and help us improve health outcomes for all Americans."
Sodium replacement usually involves one of four substitutes: potassium chloride (which usually necessitates taste modifiers or bitter blockers), blends of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, new forms of salt or the introduction other flavors – everything from monosodium glutamate to yeast extracts to the spices and citrus flavors in Mrs. Dash.
There has been a long line of potassium chloride products, including Nu-Tek Salt, LomaSalt from Dr. Paul Lohmann Inc., Potassium Chloride USP/FCC Granular from Morton and Premier from Cargill.
Nu-Tek, Dr. Paul Lohmann and Cargill also offer potassium chloride-sodium chloride blends.
Alberger flake salt and Soda-Lo from Tate & Lyle rely on the physical modification of salt crystal shapes to enhance sensation of saltiness.
Cargill's FlakeSelect line includes everything from potassium chloride-sodium chloride blends to special grinds of sea salt. Likewise, SaltTrim from ADM/Wild Flavors offers three solutions. Original SaltTrim is designed to work in conjunction with a customer’s own potassium chloride. SaltTrim Plus combines SaltTrim with the correct amount of potassium chloride to create the best possible formula for the product. A third option is Sea SaltTrim, which can reduce sodium content up to 45 percent with natural labeling options.
Sea salt is a popular choice for processors. It sounds natural, has a little less sodium than table salt and usually picks up valuable minerals from the water from which it's derived. ICL Performance Products provides Salona, a natural low-sodium sea salt derived from the Dead Sea in Israel. A&B Ingredients has Two Seas Sea Salt, harvested from the Dead Sea and the Red Sea.


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The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is warning of a slowdown in most of the world's largest economies, citing concerns about ongoing trade tensions, policy uncertainty and a decrease in business and consumer confidence.
In its Interim Economic Outlook released Wednesday, the OECD is forecasting 3.3 percent growth worldwide this year, down from 3.6 percent in 2018.
The report highlights lower estimates for China, the world's second biggest economy, as well as those in Europe as the main stresses on the global economy.
It also says tariffs China and the United States have imposed on each other have hurt both economies and boosted inflation. Forecasts for the U.S. economy show it slowing from 2.9 to 2.6 percent growth.
"A sharper slowdown in any of the major regions could derail activity worldwide, especially if it spills over to financial markets," said OECD Chief Economist Laurence Boone. "Governments should intensify multilateral dialogue to limit risks and coordinate policy actions to avoid a further downturn."
The OECD slashed its expectations for the euro area from 1.8 percent last year down to 1 percent in 2019, with Germany's growth expected to be cut in half and Italy expected to fall into negative growth this year.
Uncertainty about Britain's exit from the European Union remains a weight on the economy there with individuals and business unsure of how the eventual resolution will affect them. The OECD projects Britain's growth to be cut nearly in half this year, down to less than 1 percent.
Turkey is another major source of concern, with the OECD seeing that country's economy plummeting from a nearly 3 percent growth rate in 2018 to a negative 1.8 percent rate this year.
"Financial markets have stabilized and external competitiveness has improved, but weak confidence, high corporate debt service burdens, tight monetary policy and soft demand in euro area markets still weigh on domestic and external demand," the report says. It shows a Turkish recovery back to 3 percent next year.
Argentina and South Africa are rare bright spots among the projections in Tuesday's report.
The OECD estimates Argentina to improve from a negative 2.5 percent growth rate to negative 1.5 percent his year, and to breach into positive territory in 2020. The report expects South Africa to double its growth to 1.7 percent in 2019.


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This is part three of a three-part series detailing the 2020 application and hiring trends for companies in the service sector, through the first half of 2020. In each section, we’ll be comparing the trends to the January average, which acts as a benchmark.
In part three we detail industries that were beneficiaries of the social distancing guidelines.
Food & Grocery Delivery
Food & grocery delivery workers are helping to bridge the gap between restaurants and grocery stores, and their customers. These businesses have thrived during the pandemic, causing an influx of applications.
When COVID-19 regulations first came in March, applications jumped by 110.4% over a single week. This is the largest one week increase in applications across any industry of the services sector this year.
This influx of applicants is due in large part to the decrease in demand for similar on-demand services. Scooter & bike sharing companies were all negatively affected by the pandemic. With a decrease in job opportunities in these industries, the workforce shifted towards food and grocery delivery.
The hiring trends we see follow a similar path as the applications. From late February to mid-March, we saw a 99.6% increase in hires made.
Hiring for food and grocery delivery peaked in late March, at 140.2% above the January average. With more people stuck at home, there was a tremendous initial increase in demand for food and grocery delivery services. With many restaurants being forced to shut down their dining, they pivoted to delivery services as their primary form of income.
Since the application and hiring peaks in late March, there has been a steady decline towards the January average. This regression is to be expected. As restaurants and grocery stores begin to reopen and increase capacity, there has been less of a demand for these services.
The long-term implications of the coronavirus on the food and grocery delivery business remain unclear. Americans significantly increased their usage of these services over the past few months, but restaurants are beginning to reopen at normal capacity. We will have to wait and see as to how much the coronavirus has impacted long-term consumer behavior.
Quick Service Restaurants
Dine-in restaurants saw dramatic decline in business, while quick service and fast food saw an increase in demand. They were able to provide a safer alternative to consumers who were dissuaded from dining in.
Applications for quick service restaurants were 34.8% below the January average in early March before rising 88.9% over 3 weeks. As unemployment rose with many other industries going through layoffs, demand for jobs in these industries rose.
There was some fluctuation in April. We saw applications decline to 25.0% below the January average in the first half of the month, before rising an additional 63.9% over the remainder of the April. Through May, June, and July, we’ve seen applications return to averages closer to what we saw prior to the pandemic.
Hiring followed a similar trajectory as applications. In early March, hires were 34.8% below the January average, before rising 92.0% over the next month. Hiring for quick service restaurants reached its highest point on May 11th at 80.9% above the January average.
Chipotle is an example of a quick service restaurant that was aggressive in establishing “contactless” experience with drive-thrus early on. This accounted for a 10.0% increase in sales for the second quarter. Companies like Panda Express looked to increase their workforce by more than 30,000 employees while investing $40 million in health and safety measures, as well as a new delivery platform.
In May, restaurants began to embrace takeout and open up dining in limited capacity, causing a regression for applicants and hiring to the mean. Up until that point, quick service restaurants were thriving, even with many of their indoor dining rooms remaining closed.
While the coronavirus sparked growth for quick service restaurants, it’s unclear if this is indicative of a “new normal” long-term. QSR predicts that we could see a transition into an era of chain-dominated growth, as smaller chains begin to wither. Regardless, quick service restaurants have been clear benefactors from the social distancing guidelines caused by the coronavirus.


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This article originally appeared in HBMA RCM Advisor
Patient responsibility for medical care is exploding and putting tremendous pressure on healthcare financial executives from the largest and most sophisticated health systems to solo practitioners. Direct mobile patient payment is a novel solution to augment the collection efforts to patient self-pay balances and should be a part of the revenue cycle strategy to ensure success in an evolving payer landscape.
Direct mobile patient payment features drive payment performance from the hardest source to collect: patients.
- Patients receive actionable SMS text messages and make payments within hours.
- There is no app to download or portal to log into.
- Augment existing collection toolsets without disruption workflows and especially cash.
- Minimal lift to implement and go-live; hours rather than weeks or months.
- Modernized patient experience they have come to expect.
The Importance of Patient Payments
Patients’ average annual deductibles have increased 53 percent over the last five years. Whether they have an annual deductible or not, patients now share a greater portion of their medical costs through copays (66 percent for a PCP visit) and coinsurance (24 percent). During the 2016 open enrollment period, CMS reported 90 percent of the 12.7 million consumers in the health insurance exchange program selected a high-deductible health plan.
Never before have patients been financially responsible for so much of their care. The impact of this new and growing responsibility is experience in a number of ways. Since 2000, over $576 billion worth of medical services provided by hospitals of all kinds have gone unpaid. Sixty-eight percent of patients with bills of $500 or less did not pay off the full balance in 2016 — up from 53 percent in 2015 and 49 percent in 2014.
This new reality of patients as payer number two behind CMS has led to 82 percent of healthcare organizations citing patient collections as their largest revenue cycle challenge. It costs four times as much to collect from a patient as it does from an insurance company. Existing strategies and toolsets are not performing, leading to 82 percent of providers and 92 percent of hospitals to rethink their current payment systems for consumer-like patient payment solutions.
Patients Expect a Consumer Billing Experience
Consumerism in healthcare is a broad subject, the reality of which remains debatable. There is, however, one place patients are behaving as consumers, and that is paying by the phone. Ninety-nine percent of Americans have a cellphone today. Medical providers finally have the opportunity to make themselves easier to do business with.
A McKinsey & Company report on consumerism in healthcare found that 70 percent of patients prefer a digital solution to an in-person interaction, and 80 percent report preferring digital when it comes to making their payment.
Despite growing data and requests for a modern retail or consumer experience, 86 percent of patients continue to receive confusing paper medical bills, while healthcare organizations collect just 20 percent with some form using a mobile device.
The consumer experiences in retail and hospitality have bled over to healthcare and represent an opportunity to succeed or fail to meet patient expectations with real financial and patient satisfaction implications.
What Does Today’s Patient-Centric, Consumer-Focused Revenue Cycle Strategy Look Like?
U.S. healthcare is evolving and that is what makes this an exciting space to work within. The weight of the patient’s dollar to revenue cycle systems and the strategy to collect that dollar must provide options and align with modern trends. Effective revenue cycle managers are providing patients with payment options and closely watching how effective those option are, along with the costs to collect per each option.
Mailing paper statements, as nearly 100 percent of healthcare financial executives reported sending and manning call centers remain viable components to a self-pay collections strategy. But these are the two most expensive options with decreasing efficacy as demographics change and consumer preferences changed. Savings and patient satisfaction gains are available through convenient electronic payment options as patients continue to request such options.
Thanks to the regulatory requirements of Meaningful Use and efforts to engage patients, 90 percent of medical providers offer a patient portal and 92 percent of patients have “adopted” their portal.
Despite broad offering and adoption rates, usage remains very low. Portals were built for viewing, downloading, and transmitting clinical data and evolved into “patient engagement” platforms offering patient-to-provider messaging, scheduling, prescription refills, and of course, billing. User experience is blamed for poor portal usage rates; a log-in and password are required, navigation can be difficult, and they have no benefited for a purpose-built design.
A mobile-first, purpose-built approach to patient self-pay billing should leverage the powerful trend toward the use of SMS technology. Ninety-eight percent of SMS texts sent are read and 90 percent of those are read within three minutes (compared to email where 70 percent of messages are ignored). A direct mobile patient payment approach allows a patient to make a payment directly from their phone without an app to download, portal to log into, or links to chase around the internet.
Direct mobile pay requires:
- minimal work to integrate and bring live
- will never be considered an “IT project”
- leverages existing financial channels to route and reconcile payments back to medical service providers.


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Gadgets Now Bureau16 May, 2021, 09:52AM IST
Asus launched its latest flagship smartphones — the Asus Zenfone 8 and Asus Zenfone 8 Flip globally. Both the smartphones are powered by the most powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. The handsets run Android 11 operating system and feature full HD+ display.
The Asus Zenfone 8 comes in Obsidian Black and Horizon Silver colour options and its price starts at $599 (Rs 45,095). On the other hand, the Asus Zenfone 8 Flip comes with a price tag of $965 and it will come in Galactic Black and Glacial Silver colour options. Both the smartphones will be made available for purchase in Europe and US in the coming weeks. Click here for the full story.
The Taiwanese tech company also unveiled its latest gaming laptops under TUF Gaming and ROG series. The new lineup includes ROG Flow X13 2-in-1 convertible gaming laptops, ROG Zephyrus M16, ROG Zephyrus G14, ROG Zephyrus G15, ROG Strix G15 and G17, TUF Dash F15, TUF Gaming A15 and A17, TUF Gaming F15 and F17. The new laptops are powered by the latest generation Intel and AMD processors along with Nvidia RTX series graphics cards. Click here for the full story.
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 10S in India in two storage variants. The base variant packs 6GB RAM and 12GB storage and is priced at Rs 14,999 and the top-end variant packs 6GB RAM and 128GB variant has been priced at Rs 15,999. Click here for the full details.
The company also launched the Redmi Smartwatch in India at a price tag of Rs 3,999. The device comes with an LCD touch display and offers over 200 watch faces. Some of the health features available on the smartwatch include heart-rate monitor, sleep tracking and guided breathing. Click here for the full details.
Chipmaker Intel has launched the new 11th Generation Intel Core H-series mobile processors (code-named “Tiger Lake-H”), led by the flagship Intel Core i9-11980HK gaming laptop processor.
The 11th Gen Intel H-series processors, based on 10 nanometer SuperFin process technology, feature up to 8 cores and 16 threads, with single and dual-core turbo performance up to 5.0GHz. Additionally, the central processing unit (CPU) can directly access high-speed GDDR6 memory attached to the graphics card, enabling gamers to experience higher framerates with lower latency, and load large textures faster, claims Intel. Click here for the full details.
Chipmaker MediaTek has launched a new processor in its Dimensity range — called Dimensity 900 5G chipset. This processor is built on the 6nm node, supports Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, FHD+ 120Hz displays and a 108MP main camera. The new MediaTek Dimensity 900 will power devices that are expected to be launched in the global market in Q2 2021, said the company in a press statement.
The Dimensity 900 5G SoCs integrated with a 5G New Radio (NR) sub-6GHz modem with carrier aggregation and support for bandwidth up to 120MHz. The processor is equipped with an octa-core CPU consisting of two Arm Cortex-A78 processors with a clock speed of up to 2.4GHz and six Arm Cortex-A55 cores operating at up to 2GHz. Click here to read more.
Tech giant Google won a deal to provide cloud services to Elon Musk's SpaceX, which has launched a slew of Starlink satellites to provide high-speed internet.
SpaceX will set up ground stations within Google's data centers that connect to the Starlink satellites, enabling fast and secure internet services via Google Cloud, the search giant said. This service is expected to be available in the second half of 2021 for enterprise customers, the company said. Click here for the full story.
Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a prototype of a moveable electric cremation system which claims to be using first-of-its-kind technology that involves smokeless cremation despite using wood, the Ministry of Education said. As per an official release, the moveable electric cremation uses half of the wood otherwise required for the cremation and is still eco-friendly because of the technology that uses combustion air system. "It is based on wick-stove technology in which the wick when lighted glows yellow. This is converted into a smokeless blue flame with the help of combustion air system installed over the wicks," the release said. Click here for the full story.
Krafton has finally announced the pre-registration date for its India-exclusive battle royale game, Battlegrounds Mobile India. The South Korea-based video game developer had earlier said that the game will go on pre-registration before launch. The pre-registrations for Battlegrounds Mobile India will go live on May 18. Though Battlegrounds Mobile India will be coming to both Android and iOS devices, for now the developer has announced pre-registration dates for Android devices only. Click here for the full story.


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Dogs across Australia now have a new addition to their meals as Chobani, an Australian yogurt brand, releases a plain, low-fat and lactose-free yogurt for dogs – Daily Dollop.
Made with simple yet effective ingredients including skim milk, lactase and live yogurt cultures, Daily Dollop is intended for dog-owners seeking a healthy snack for their canine companions. It’s packed with probiotics and gentle on tummies.
Available in early September and exclusively sold in the chilled pet food section at Woolworths supermarkets, Daily Dollop yogurt is a healthy option to introduce into dogs’ diets. It can serve as an addition to daily meals, an easy snack or as a mix-in to spice up dry food.
“At Chobani, we always strive for our products to be delicious, nutritious, natural and accessible and we’re so excited to now extend our range to include dogs!” Chobani Australia general manager Growth, Olivia Dickinson said.
“There’s only three ingredients in Daily Dollop yet it’s filled with an abundance of protein and calcium to help keep dogs healthy.”
High in protein and calcium, Chobani’s Daily Dollop helps strengthen bones and teeth and can be slowly introduced to dogs’ daily food, allowing them to become accustomed to the taste.
Gourmet pet food options have become increasingly popular in recent years, with the pet food production industry now worth $2.6 billion a year in Australia.
With around 40 per cent of households in Australia including at least one dog, many are considered part of the family. It’s only natural that owners are focused on the welfare of their pet, including what type of food they’re fed.
With Daily Dollop now on shelves, health-conscious pet parents can add it to their baskets as a nutritious addition that comes recommended by veterinarians.
“Yogurt is such a great source of nutrients for pets, especially dogs, and Daily Dollop serves as a welcomed addition to their daily protein and calcium intake,” Animal Emergency Service veterinarian Dr Brooke Schampers said.
“I highly recommend Aussies start getting on board with feeding their canine friends a bit of yogurt during mealtime.”
Launched in Australia in 2012, Chobani has become one of the nation’s go-to yogurt brands, offering premium products to Australians and now, their pets too!
For more information about Chobani Australia, visit www.chobani.com.au.


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DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL - Ongoing construction has claimed another retail victim in the Cherry Creek North neighborhood.
Little Me's, a children's clothing boutique at 3000 E. Third Ave., shut down on Sunday after the annual Cherry Creek North Sidewalk Sale.
Owner Jennifer Riches posted a letter in the long-operating store's window stating that the construction that has made it difficult to access the popular shopping district has taken too much of a toll on her store — and, she believes, others in the area.
"I knew I would face many challenges in this venture, but in the twenty years that I have been shopping in Cherry Creek North, lack of foot traffic was not one that I had anticipated," Riches wrote. "It appears the construction is only going to move closer to our area and we simply cannot make it through another season like the last."
Riches was one of a number of merchants who have t old the Denver Business Journal over the past month that the lane and road closures made to accommodate building construction and storm-sewage repairs have strangled out customers who no longer want to fight traffic backups to come into the area.
Read the full report on the Denver Business Journal: http://bit.ly/UqjUWh.
(© 2014 American City Business Journals. All rights reserved.)


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WeUsThem named 1 of 10 Innovative Businesses in Canada
WeUsThem has been nationally recognized by the Canadian Business Magazine’s Top Ten New Innovators List in its inaugural year.
Been recognized alongside businesses such as Shopify in the Top Ten New Innovators List, the recognition celebrates Canadian companies who prioritize creativity, social impact, sustainability and inclusivity.
“It’s an honour being named alongside these innovative and progressive companies in the top 10 New Innovators list” says CEO of WeUsThem Ashwin Kutty. “WeUsThem was forged on the values of Diversity, Inclusivity, Equity and Community, and we believe these values are the baseline of our success.”
As a full service advertising agency, WeUsThem serves an elite clientele nationally and internationally including the Canadian Space Agency, Global Affairs Canada, Telus Inc, the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, the Sinai Health System, Dalhousie University and others.
“Being listed alongside other such innovative organizations across the country is a true reflection of those who continue to help build our success at WeUsThem” says Faten Alshazly, Principal and CCO at WeUsThem.
With an international reach that authentically engages with customers and clients in over 142 countries, WeUsThem is a recognized leader in the advancement of inclusive marketing and community practices supporting national and international brand affect positive social change and elevate underrepresented voices through creating thoughtful and respectful content that truly reflects the communities their clients serve.
About WeUsThem Inc.
WeUsThem is an internationally recognized full service ad agency. From broadcast, digital and print media to the design, development and strategic management of online and social properties, Mobile Apps and eBooks, advertising and media buying, brand strategy & development, as well as managing experiential and experimental campaigns across industries, sectors and consumer profiles, WeUsThem services its enviable global roster of clients that boasts the likes of Telus, Kaplan International, Canadian Space Agency, the Government of Canada, the Kempinski Group and Sinai Health System.
WeUsThem strives to be a recognized leader in the advancement of inclusive marketing and community practices by influencing positive social change and elevating underrepresented voices through creating thoughtful and respectful content that truly reflects the communities their clients serve.
For media inquiries please contact:
e: [email protected]


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The company has reportedly tested two iWatch prototypes and progress is described as good. Apple has yet to determine a final screen size and prototypes are being powered by a 100 mAh battery. CTech believes that size battery to be far to small considering that the Samsung Galaxy Gear is powered by a 315 mAh battery and has received criticism over its battery life.
The prototype is also said to feature the ability to wirelessly charge from one meter away.
You can find a Google translation of the article here.


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The Air Jordan 1 continues to be the silhouette of choice for Jordan Brand heading into 2021. The genesis of the Jordan Brand legacy is the gift that keeps on giving as the model continues to outdo itself.
While plans for 2021 are still up in the air, one thing is for sure — more AJ1s are on the way. Rumors of an Air Jordan 1 High OG “Pollen” have surfaced as a black, yellow, and white pair is in the works.
The pair is reportedly releasing on August 21, according to Pyleaks on Twitter.
Take a look at the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Pollen” mock-up below as we anticipate official release information later in 2021. Be sure to take a look at our Air Jordan release date page to make sure you’re on track of every upcoming drop.
Air Jordan 1 High OG “Pollen”
Style #: 555088-701
Release Date: August 21, 2021


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Connected TV Advertising Extends to New Media Placements and Application Contexts for Digital Video Advertisers
Redwood City, CA – YuMe, a leading independent provider of digital video brand advertising solutions, and VidZone™, one of the largest global music video applications on a connected TV device, announced their advertising partnership in the US. VidZone is an ad-supported application available for free on the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. YuMe will now be the exclusive ad serving platform for VidZone in the US and will have exclusive rights to VidZone’s sponsorship media.
VidZone launched successfully in Europe in 2009, receiving rave reviews for its vast content and superb quality. VidZone has been downloaded by more than 7.5 million PS3™ users and has delivered over 3 billion ad impressions. This free application is now available to users across 19 countries and includes thousands of music videos, artist interviews, concerts, and more. YuMe will bring the power of its YuMe for Publishers (YFP) ad serving platform to VidZone, supporting their launch in the US market.
“This partnership will showcase the powerful combination of the technology behind YuMe’s platform and the audience within the VidZone network,” remarked, Bryan Everett, EVP of Business Development at YuMe. “We’ll be serving our own YuMe pre-roll ads and providing a technology layer that handles the decision-making and optimization for other advertising partners brought on by VidZone.”
Partnership Benefits for Advertisers
YuMe’s ability to serve targeted ads via its YFP platform in addition to VidZone’s ability to feed the consumer desire for relevant content provides an attractive opportunity for advertisers.
The VidZone app offers a “TV with benefits” approach to advertising via interactive pre-roll video and sponsored ad units, providing measurable advertising through a high definition experience. Limited clutter enables marketing to audiences that are notoriously difficult to reach through other outlets. VidZone users are in discovery mode – actively searching and selecting music video content that fits their exact needs.
“We look forward to launching VidZone into the largest global advertising market and aligning ourselves with one of the strongest pre-roll partners in the US,” said Adrian Workman, CEO of VidZone. “We look forward to not only bringing added value to our users via relevant ads but to solidifying a partnership based on the strong technology behind YuMe.”
YuMe is a leading independent provider of digital video brand advertising solutions. Its proprietary data-science driven technologies and large audience footprint drive inventory monetization and enable advertisers to reach targeted, brand receptive audiences across a wide range of Internet-connected devices. Designed to serve the specific needs of brand advertising, YuMe’s technology platform simplifies the complexities associated with delivering effective digital video advertising campaigns in today’s highly-fragmented market. YuMe is a privately held company headquartered in Redwood City, CA with European headquarters in London and nine additional offices worldwide. The company is backed by Accel Partners, BV Capital, DAG Ventures, Intel Capital, Khosla Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Samsung Ventures, Translink Capital and WestSummit Capital. For more information, visit www.YuMe.com/pr, follow @YuMeVideo and like YuMe on Facebook. Current YuMe logos can be found at www.yume.com/news/logos.
YuMe is a trademark of YuMe. All other brands, products or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
About VidZone™ on PlayStation® 3
With Major music labels on board as well as thousands of Independents, you can count on getting the latest music videos from the biggest names – including regular exclusives and world premieres, all on demand and straight to your TV. VidZone has over 55,000 videos across 19 territories including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and US.
– Across 19 countries
– Free to users
– 55,000 music videos
– 100’s live concerts
– 100’s artist interviews
– 50+ exclusive artist playlists
– 7.5 million app downloads
– Key 16-34 year old demographic
– 49 minutes average session time
For more information, visit http://us.playstation.com/


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‘My Name Is Khan’ to launch Reliance BIG Cinemas in NepalBy Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Thursday, February 11, 2010
KATHMANDU - India’s most talked-about upcoming film “My Name Is Khan” will serve as the launchpad for a new venture of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group in Nepal.
On Friday, when the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer film releases worldwide, including cinema halls here, it will also be screened at Nepal’s first multiplex under the BIG Cinemas banner — India’s largest cinema chain and a division of Reliance MediaWorks.
Reliance MediaWorks, that operates about 400 screens in India, Malaysia and the US, has now entered Nepal with a multiplex at Kathmandu’s new shopping mall, NLIC City Centre, in collaboration with Nepali company Cinestar.
The new multiplex has three auditoriums that can together seat 900 people. It is also offering “great food and beverages” at the food court at the mall, officials said.
The theatres will be inaugurated with the Karan Johan-directed “My Name Is Khan” as well as Hollywood horror flick “The Wolfman”, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Simon Merrells, Gemma Whelan and Emily Blunt.
The Nepal venture of BIG Cinemas comes within two months of it launching a multiplex in Malaysia’s Kedah. With these new theatres, there will now be seven multiplexes in Kathmandu itself with two more in the offing.


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HTC has taken its chest out with the announcement of the HTC Vive Pro, the highest resolution virtual reality device on the market, but at too high a price for all players to access the device. Sony is following a very different strategy with its PlayStation VR, which is technically much lower, but at a much more affordable price after the last sale of 100 euros.
PlayStation VR now for only 299 Euros with camera included
PlayStation VR will not be by specification the best virtual reality device on the market, but its price is €299 after the last permanent rebate applied by Sony. Also included in this price is a camera required for its operation and a copy of VR Worlds. This rebate will be implemented from tomorrow and will be permanent.
In this way Sony continues to try to give new impetus to its virtual reality platform, PlayStation VR came onto the market about a year and a half ago and had since sold more than two million units worldwide and 12.2 million compatible games.So far it has been the best-selling VR device, showing that Sony’s strategy of offering a modest product in features but at a tighter price has been a success. There are currently some 150 games available for PlayStation VR, a very decent figure that shows that VR still has a long way to go.
Meet David, the visionary CEO of Optocrypto, a dynamic leader at the forefront of technological innovation. With an unwavering passion for the ever-evolving world of technology, David is dedicated to unraveling the myriad benefits of the latest advancements. As a seasoned professional, he brings a wealth of expertise to the table, steering Optocrypto toward new heights of success.


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Update (3:26 p.m.): Canvas as well as other Amazon Web Services applications are back online after the root of the outage was identified.
According to the Canvas website, they are still waiting for full resolution from Amazon Web Services and will continue to provide updates. As of 2:15 PM, users should be able to access Canvas services but some areas may be still affected by the outage.
Original post: Canvas went down at noon today and there is currently no timetable for its return, said Olga Finneran, communication coordinator for internal communications.
Amazon Web Services, the cloud services division of Amazon, is experiencing a large-scale networking issue which is affecting Canvas and a number of other companies relying on it.
“We are working with Amazon to diagnose the problem and waiting for updates on their mitigation timeline,” the UT ServiceNow website announced.
This post will updated with more information.


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According to sources, the new software for WhatsApp poses great risk to phones. So, malware can steal user data and hack the device accordingly. For a long time, the popular messenger developers have diligently maintained a safe ecosystem, however it seems that now new loopholes have appeared in it.
Currently, a huge repository of data and personal information that users constantly exchange is at risk: while exchanging messages; the phone owners risk catching a new virus in the form of spyware, which is distributed via WhatsApp, after which the phone is hacked.
In addition, Android-based malware can not only leak through chats but also monitor users revealing confidential information about them. The new ‘virus’ was named Open Development Project; measures are currently being taken to neutralise the threat.


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Las Vegas Market returns next week for its Summer 2022 trade show to bring the best in furniture, home decor and interior design.
The biannual trade event, run by showroom operator International Market Centers, will occupy the entire World Market Center from Sunday through July 28. There will be more than 2,500 brands in the furniture, home decor and apparel industry.
“Las Vegas Market offers a cross-category sourcing experience like no other gift, home décor and furniture buying event,” said IMC CEO Bob Maricich. “Other markets specialize in one or two vertical categories, but Las Vegas Market is the only buying event in the U.S. where buyer can source this breadth and depth of gift and home furnishings products.”
This year, brands such Wild Republic, Hobo Bags and Hammond’s Candies are bringing new gift lines and products to the show.
More than 50 events will be held during the trade


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Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) receives an average “Buy” recommendation from analysts
Shares of Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT – Get a rating) received an average “Buy” recommendation from the twenty-nine brokerages that currently cover the business, Marketbeat.com reports. One equity research analyst rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six issued a hold recommendation and twelve issued a buy recommendation on the company. The 12-month average price target among analysts who have reported on the stock in the past year is $157.56.
A number of equity research analysts have published reports on WMT shares. UBS Group cut its price target on Walmart shares from $180.00 to $165.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a Wednesday, May 18 report. Truist Financial cut its price target on Walmart stock from $150.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock an “na” rating in a Wednesday, May 18 report. MKM Partners cut its price target on Walmart stock to $159.00 and gave the stock an “na” rating in a Wednesday, May 18 report. Jefferies Financial Group cut its price target on Walmart stock from $175.00 to $155.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a Wednesday, May 18 report. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group lowered its price target on Walmart shares from $175.00 to $160.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a Wednesday, May 18 research report.
WMT stock opened at $121.70 on Friday. The company has a debt ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.86. Walmart has a 52-week low of $117.27 and a 52-week high of $160.77. The company’s fifty-day moving average is $142.69 and its 200-day moving average is $141.66. The company has a market capitalization of $333.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.17, a P/E/G ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 0.50.
Walmart (NYSE: WMT- Get a rating) last announced its quarterly results on Tuesday, May 17. The retailer reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.30 for the quarter, missing analyst consensus estimates of $1.48 per ($0.18). The company posted revenue of $141.60 billion in the quarter, versus a consensus estimate of $138.05 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 19.05% and a net margin of 2.26%. Walmart’s revenue grew 2.4% year over year. During the same period last year, the company achieved EPS of $1.69. As a group, analysts expect Walmart to post EPS of 6.4 for the current year.
In other news, CEO C Douglas McMillon sold 9,708 Walmart shares in a trade that took place on Thursday, April 28. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.41, for a total value of $1,499,012.28. Following the completion of the sale, the CEO now directly owns 1,536,571 shares of the company, valued at $237,261,928.11. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, accessible via this hyperlink. Insiders sold 29,124 shares of the company valued at $4,100,950 during the last quarter. Insiders of the company hold 48.44% of the shares of the company.
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently changed their positions in the stock. Eagle Capital Management LLC increased its position in Walmart shares by 2.3% in the second quarter. Eagle Capital Management LLC now owns 30,602 shares of the retailer worth $4,315,000 after purchasing an additional 682 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its position in Walmart shares by 1.6% in the second quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 14,109,245 shares of the retailer worth $1,989,686,000 after purchasing an additional 225,224 shares during the period. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management increased its position in Walmart shares by 4.1% in the third quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management now owns 4,596 shares of the retailer worth $641,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the period. Center for Financial Planning Inc. increased its position in Walmart shares by 5.7% in the third quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. now owns 2,190 shares of the retailer worth $305,000 after buying 118 additional shares during the period. Finally, Crake Asset Management LLP bought a new position in Walmart stock in the third quarter worth approximately $38,748,000. Institutional investors hold 30.79% of the company’s shares.
About Walmart (Get a rating)
Walmart Inc operates retail, wholesale and other units around the world. The Company operates through three segments: Walmart US, Walmart International and Sam’s Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores and discount stores; members-only warehouse clubs; e-commerce websites, such as walmart.com, walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com and samsclub.com; and mobile commerce applications.
This instant alert was powered by MarketBeat’s narrative science technology and financial data to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reports. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat’s editorial team prior to publication. Please send questions or comments about this story to [email protected]
Should you invest $1,000 in Walmart right now?
Before you consider Walmart, you’ll want to hear this.
MarketBeat tracks Wall Street’s top-rated, top-performing research analysts daily and the stocks they recommend to their clients. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the market hits…and Walmart wasn’t on the list.
Although Walmart currently has a “Buy” rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
See the 5 actions here


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- Aston Martin DBX Coupe to join DBX SUV already on sale
- Likely to be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain
- New model will be unveiled in 2022
The Aston Martin DBX Coupe will arrive next year, as the British luxury brand moves to offer two versions of its first SUV. The new car will become the flagship of Aston Martin’s SUV range when it arrives, and is likely to be available as a plug-in hybrid.
Since its arrival last year, the regular Aston Martin DBX SUV has proven to be a sales success, accounting for over half of all cars sold. The addition of the DBX Coupe would give Aston Martin a more style-focused model as a direct rival to the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and Lamborghini Urus.
The news comes from Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers, who has revealed plans for Aston’s future, including an update of the models in the current range alongside the new DBX Coupe.


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LAFAYETTE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Another concert is coming to Onondaga County. Apple Valley Park in LaFayette will host the Allman Betts Band on Saturday, June 19. River Kittens will open the show.
Tickets go on sale on Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m. at applevalleypark.com.
Events at this outdoor series will be socially distanced. Fans will be able to purchase tickets in roped-off pods for parties of 2, 4, or 6.


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Microsoft has made plenty of noise about how it is moving to embrace the cloud. With Office 2016 it shows that it can deliver. Office-centric teams gain plenty with its latest incarnation. Individual users may want to buy even if just to get the included 1TB of storage.
At ChefCon last week, Microsoft Technical Fellow and top engineer Mark Russinovich dropped a bombshell: He said that Microsoft one day could “open source” the entire Windows OS–in other words, give it away for free.
Microsoft has announced that it will fire around 18,000 employees over the next year, or almost 15% of its global workforce of 127,000. The bulk of the layoffs — 12,500 — will be former Nokia employees who are no longer needed after the acquisition. The mass job-cut is occurring for two key reasons: There is a lot of ‘synergy and strategic alignment’ to be made following Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia — and, of course, tons of space must be made so that Nadella can successfully reorient the company towards his Mobile And Cloud vision.
Microsoft’s new CEO, just 12 months after Steve Ballmer declared that Microsoft was a “devices and services” company, is changing the behemoth’s course yet again. Starting from fiscal year (FY) 2015 — i.e. today — Microsoft is now all about mobile and cloud. In a letter that was emailed to Microsoft employees today, Nadella gushes forth with incredibly bold statements that try to define what he wants the company to be, and attempts to outline the extraordinary measures that must now be undertaken to actually get the company there.
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Sub-Saharan Africa’s prospects improved in 2017 as global financial conditions were more favourable, commodity prices rallied and inflation slowed helping revitalize demand. While conditions will remain tough, balancing the now and the next will lead to bigger gains. The 6th Nielsen AFRICA PROSPECTS REPORT highlights shifting country priorities and sources of growth, with multi-dimensional, comparative, integrated indicators.
There’s a new retail revolution underway, and it’s going to affect the global food industry in ways the market hasn’t seen before. The revolution comes at the hand of store-branded products, which continue to gain share across all major geographies.
We’ve been talking about health and wellness for years. There are two critical forces at play that are shifting this topic from niche to mainstream: increasingly complex needs and massive digital engagement.
Around the world, consumers are looking for a taste of the good life. And it’s not just those who are wealthy. Sales of products in the “premium” tier are growing at a rapid pace. In fact, the growth of the premium sector in many markets is outpacing total growth for many fast-moving consumer goods categories.
Grabbing a bite to eat outside of the house is a weekly occurrence for almost half of global respondents, but are we stopping to savor our entrees or eating grub on the go? As it turns out, we’re doing quite a bit of both.
We’ve become so accustomed to our fast-paced lifestyles that it’s even crept its way into how we consume food. This is especially the case when you look at breakfast. So what does the future of the most important meal of the day look like?
While today’s consumers certainly scrutinize the foods that fill their pantries, they aren’t just eating at home. In fact, eating out isn’t just for special occasions; it’s a way of life for nearly half of global respondents.
The ins-and-outs of what a healthy diet looks like may vary somewhat around the world, but simplicity resonates globally. While there is some variation across regions, the story stays the same: Artificial is out, many of us avoid food with long lists of ingredients and consumers are intent on removing the bad and adding the good.
As a consumer group, Millennials are just starting to flex their spending power, which will grow significantly in the coming years. While they’re years from fully establishing themselves, they’re already having a marked impact on the global consumer landscape.
Nearly two-thirds of global respondents say they follow a diet that limits or prohibits consumption of some foods or ingredients. Taking a closer look, a majority of global respondents say that when it comes to ingredient trends, a back-to-basics mind-set, focused on simple ingredients and fewer artificial or processed foods, is a priority.
Consumers around the world are increasingly focused on clean eating and the benefits of eating more healthfully, with 70% of global respondents saying they actively make dietary choices to help prevent health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.
When it comes to choosing specific products, do consumers prefer global brands or local ones? The answer depends primarily on the category, and there is a surprising amount of agreement across regions.
As multinational companies continue to expand into new markets, often providing access to a greater range of products for local consumers, are local companies getting lost in the shuffle? Not necessarily so. In fact, many local companies are thriving.
Many consumers appear to have strong preferences about the origin of the products they buy, but how important is this attribute really when they consider a purchase? How does it stack up against other selection factors?
To better understand how younger respondents view the importance of dietary considerations, we asked six Millennials from different parts of the globe to explain how their eating habits differ from those of their parents.
For both baby food and diaper brands, 70% of global respondents say they have switched brands. Their reasons for switching baby food, however, are somewhat different than their reasons for switching diapers.
From the pureed food on spoons to the formula in bottles, you’d be hard pressed to find a parent who didn’t want the best for their baby. And they're willing to spend for it. But for baby care manufacturers, there’s plenty at stake in the battle for baby bucks.
When it comes to taking a risk on a new product purchase, why do consumers choose one product over another? What needs and desires drive new product purchasing, and which attributes are most influential in the path to purchase?
Nearly half (49%) of global respondents in Nielsen’s Global Health & Wellness Survey consider themselves overweight, and a similar percentage (50%) is actively trying to lose weight. But men and women are not necessarily aligned with the steps they take in the battle of the bulge.
Half of consumers around the world say they’re actively trying to lose weight, and 75% of them plan to achieve that goal by changing their diet. But the road to good health isn’t always paved with good intentions. So do desires materialize where it counts—at the point of sale?
Despite our best intentions to eat healthily, the contents of our shopping carts don’t always align with our objectives. And when we look around the globe, not everyone places health attributes atop their list of important considerations when they shop for food.
Health and wellness are hot topics around the globe, and they have been for years. Despite the immense amount of attention devoted to the topic, however, the obesity rate is high—and rising. The good news, however, is that consumers around the world are taking steps to take charge of their health.
Much like the products we buy or the devices we prefer watching content on, services, too, tend to vary according to where we live. According to Nielsen’s 2014 Local Watch Report, this regional consumption of services plays a critical role in the type of healthcare consumers are receiving


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For the best places to stay see the top all inclusive resorts.
Above: the soon-to-debut Royal Club Decameron Indigo
By the Caribbean Journal staff
An all-inclusive resort is coming to Haiti.
In what could be a big boost for the country’s nascent tourism development, Colombia-based hotel and resort chain Decameron will be opening a resort in Haiti.
The company will take over management at the Club Indigo Resort on Haiti’s Cote des Arcadins, which it calls “one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean.”
The property will be rebranded as the Royal Club Decameron Indigo.
The 390-room property includes two adult pools and two children’s pools, a buffet restaurant, two a la carte restaurants and five bars, along with a spa.
Of the 390 rooms, 350 have sea views.
The property is slated to debut in December 2015, according to the company’s Web site. When that happens, it will become Haiti’s first all-inclusive resort in the modern era.
The Club Indigo property was actually the site of the former Club Med property, once Haiti’s most-famous all-inclusive. Now, decades later, this property is going all-inclusive again.


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the Number of deaths in the covid-19 rose on Tuesday to more than 2,000 in China. At the same time, a positive trend can be tracked. The number of new infected with a virus, 1.749, for the first time since the end of January, less than 2,000 people. Also, in Hubei, the province in which the majority of the cases were found, which reported a reduction in the number of new cases.
it is, however, too early to declare the fight against the spread under control.
" It looks like a drop in the number of new cases. However, it is still too early to tell whether the decline will continue. Each and every scenario is still possible, " said Tedros Ghebreyesus, the world health organisation's director-general.
to get back to normal ruljangs for nyårsledigheten. The government has a difficult balancing act-to go in between to shake the life into the economy and help control the spread of the virus.
Recently said the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, according to state television, that China will achieve this year's growth target, in spite of the virus.
But, so far, go to China AB is far from it, and economists are warning of an increase in unemployment, if not, the contagion will soon be under control.
another complication is that when they do return they are often forced to sit in quarantine before they can return to work.
it is Not only the output is affected. Also, consumer spending has ground to a halt as a result of so many people sitting at home in isolation from each other. Many of the restaurants remained closed, and the shopping malls are empty.
a reduced or delayed payment of wages, which does not help to boost consumer spending.
the Company also reported problems with the logistics. The supply of raw materials is delayed, the whole chain is broken. This applies not only to that of China. Car makers across the world do not have the components, as a result of the virus. Hubei province is a center for the production of parts for the automotive industry.
in Countries such as south Korea, Singapore, and Japan have all warned of serious economic consequences, and the announced stimulus program.
On Wednesday, was launched at the same time, the evacuation of the cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, where passengers had to stay in quarantine for two weeks outside of Yokohama, Japan. The ship is the place outside China, which has the highest number of people infected, 542 of the 3, the the 700, they have been diagnosed with covid-19.
for more information, see a Difficult to predict the development of the covid-19< Updated Date: 21 February 2020, 01:35


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L.L. Bean will no longer accept returns after one year unless there are manufacturing defects, saying it has lost $250 million over five years because of unsalvageable returns.
L.L. Bean to limit no-defect returns to one year after purchase
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The Hut Group posts record full year revenue
The Hut Group has posted record full year revenue with growth of 38.1% at constant currency to £2.2 billion.
In the year to 31 December 2021, the health and beauty retailer’s adjusted EBITDA performance was also strong at £161.3 million compared to £150.8 million in the previous year.
THG said returning customers generated 78% of D2C group revenue across the year. Following its acquisition of the Dermstore skincare brand, US revenues now account for over 19% of group sales.
Matthew Moulding, chief executive of THG, said: “In our first full year as a public company, 2021 saw us scale revenue and expand our business model, well ahead of targets set at IPO.
“Alongside significant revenue growth, FY 2021 saw us acquire and successfully integrate a number of complementary businesses, deepening our vertical integration across both Beauty and Nutrition and expanding our reach to consumers across the globe.
“The operational resilience and performance of our Ingenuity infrastructure, especially during our peak trading period was a highlight, as was the opening of our automated warehouse at our ICON technology campus, delivering material improvements and cost savings across our global storage and delivery infrastructure. “
Last month, THG announced that former ITV chief executive Charles Allen would become its new chair.
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Nissan North America has decided Hawaii will be one of its initial launch markets in the US early next year.
The company said that the state has shown a commitment to clean energy and is a recognised leader in the introduction of electric vehicles.
Nissan and Hawaii are working towards a partnership to promote the development of an EV network. As part of this, the automaker has committed to make the Leaf available early in the state.
NNA’s sales and marketing chief, Brian Carolin, said: “Through its work in fostering zero-emissions mobility throughout the state, Hawaii is demonstrating that it is EV-ready. These efforts, along with strong consumer interest, led us to name Hawaii as an early launch market.”
Earlier, Nissan said the LEAF would retail for US$32,780 and up before a federal tax credit of $7,500. Lease costs begin at $349 a month.
Ted Peck, programme administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office, said: “I’m looking forward to these vehicles being available. We’ve been transforming our buildings to be cleaner, more efficient, and renewable. Now we can transform our cars. This is good for consumers and good for our environment.”
NNA has already taken more than 8,200 orders in the US from potential buyers who have paid a $99 refundable reservation fee.


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The composer for No Man’s Sky has confirmed that the game will be receiving new content in an update. No Man’s has just received update 1.09 on PS4 and PC but the game has been yet to see any new content yet.
This is the first time that we’ve had confirmation of new content coming to the game, with Hello Games previously saying that their main priority was to work on issues that were present in both the PC and PS4 versions.
It’s unclear what this content will contain or when it will release.
Nope, no audio changes yet. There will be for our first content update.


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In its most recent move in a series of changes designed to increase engagement between the United States and Cuba, and in line with the Administration’s policy, on March 16, 2016, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended the existing Cuban Assets Control Regulations (Cuba Sanctions Regulations) in three key areas: (1) travel to Cuba, (2) financial transactions, and (3) establishment of physical presence (local offices) in Cuba. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to simplify the transit of authorized cargo through Cuba, while making a more favorable licensing policy for U.S. exports of items that assist the Cuban private sector in exporting its goods.
These changes come a few days before President Obama’s historic trip to Cuba, the first time a sitting president has visited Cuba in almost 90 years. While the amended regulations, effective immediately, continue to expand the number and scope of Cuba-related transactions in which U.S. persons can engage, they do not eliminate the United States’ nearly comprehensive embargo on trade with Cuba. U.S. persons may not engage in Cuba-related transactions unless they meet the criteria for license exceptions or exemptions, or are otherwise authorized by specific license from the U.S. government.
OFAC Sanctions Revisions
Specifically, OFAC implemented new measures in the following areas:
Educational travel and exchanges may now be conducted without a sponsoring organization. OFAC is authorizing people-to-people educational travel for individuals as long as the traveler engages in a full-time schedule of educational exchange activities. The educational exchange must support the U.S. policy of engagement with the Cuban people and the predominant part of the traveler’s activities must not be with Government of Cuba or Cuban Communist Party officials.
2) Salaries for Cuban Nationals
OFAC is authorizing the hiring and payment of salaries to Cuban nationals in the United States on a nonimmigrant status.
3) Cuban-Origin Merchandise
U.S. persons located in a third country may now purchase Cuban-origin merchandise for personal consumption in a third country. They may not, however, bring such Cuban-origin merchandise into the United States, including as accompanied baggage.


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Walmart said Friday that its Neighborhood Market in Richardson will temporarily close at 2 p.m. to allow a cleaning crew to sanitize the building.
The store at 1501 Buckingham Road will reopen Sunday at 6 a.m.
The closing is a response to “renewed increase in positive COVID-19 cases, and we want to assist health officials working against the pandemic,” Walmart said in an email.
Richardson is located in both Dallas and Collin counties. Collin County’s COVID-19 cases tripled in one week.
When the store opens on Sunday, Walmart said it will continue to conduct employee health assessments, and all unvaccinated employees must still wear face coverings. Walmart said it’s following CDC guidelines for its stores and still asking even fully vaccinated people to wear masks “in public indoor settings in counties with substantial or high transmission.”
This is the second local store in a week that Walmart has closed for deep cleaning related to COVID-19. Other retailers and restaurants have been temporarily closing again recently. Temporary closings were a more common occurrence in 2020 but have also become more frequent with the omicron variant spike.


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The relationship between Google and Microsoft is somewhat tumultuous, made more so during Apple’s iPhone event where the Cupertino company managed to bring Microsoft onto stage in a collaboration, seemingly snubbing Google in the process. In the past we have also seen how Google has made it difficult for Windows Phone to run some of their apps.
However could all of that be changing soon? According to a post on Reddit which cites an Arabic website, it has been suggested that Google could be prepping some of their apps for Windows 10. There was no specific mention to Windows 10 Mobile, but given that one can always surf on over to Hangouts, YouTube, Drive, Docs, and etc. via the browser, this has led to speculation that these apps could be headed onto Windows 10 Mobile.
This sounds like good news if it were true, but what’s even better is that we might not have to wait too long to find out. The report goes on to add that their source has told them that Google could actually announce their Windows 10 Mobile apps tomorrow at Microsoft’s event. The Redmond company has officially announced an event for tomorrow.
The event is expected to be the platform in which Microsoft reveals new Lumia phones, a new Surface tablet, very possibly the Microsoft Band 2. Take it all with a grain of salt for now, but remember to check back with us tomorrow for all the official details.


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TicorBraun Flex partners with How2Recycle to provide more recyclable packaging options for customers
TricorBraun Flex has partnered with standardized recycling labeling system How2Recycle, enabling TricorBraun Flex to offer additional recyclable packaging options for customers. TricorBraun Flex joins How2Recycle with PolyRecycle, a pre-approved, flexible polyethylene (PE) film packaging material.
How2Recycle is a standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. Variations in recycling programs, unclear labeling, and inaccurate recyclability claims can make proper recycling a challenge for consumers.
"We are proud to partner with How2Recycle, joining its mission to take the guesswork out of recycling for consumers, and simplifying the process for our customers who seek sustainable packaging options," said Glenn Sacco, Vice President, Commercial, TricorBraun Flex. "We're ready to help customers with their packaging needs, no matter where they are in their sustainable journey."


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Singapore based Dole Packaged Foods has signed on Wondrlab to help launch the brand in India. The agency will provide strategic and creative direction for its marketing activities.
Dole Packaged Foods sells a line of packaged shelf stable fruit, frozen fruit, dried fruit, and juices.
The agency has already worked on the Diwali campaign which consisted of three films.
Mudit Mathur, general manager – India, Dole Packaged Foods, said, “At Dole, we want to champion an equitable world where everyone – irrespective of age, income, location, race or gender. has access to healthy nutrition, and that is what we are now bringing to India. Our portfolio of clean label products - no added sugar or preservatives should contribute to building a healthy nation. Wondrlab understood our brand values and philosophy right from the beginning; partnering with them will take our brand to our consumers in the most strategic way.”
Rupen Desai, global CMO, Dole Packaged Foods, said, “Diwali is usually synonymous with unhealthy food as a form of celebration. We believe that good health and nutrition should be like sunshine – available, accessible and affordable to everyone, even during Diwali. To help launch our new healthy offer, we needed a progressive partner and Wondrlab’s platform-first approach was a perfect fit. We are excited about the initial response on the campaign; and have large expectations from the partnership with Wonderlab.”
Rakesh Hinduja, co-founder and managing partner – content platform, Wondrlab, said, “We are very excited to have Dole on board and look forward to a fruitful partnership. For a festive season brief, the most important factor is to break the clutter, especially when it comes to a new brand launch. That was the attempt in using the consumer insight of the ‘gifting paradox’, where you want to purchase the best gift for others, but when you find the perfect gift, you have to fight the temptation of keeping it for yourself. It was great fun curating the campaign for the platform. We look forward to creating more fresh, exciting work together.”


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New Delhi: This young man has experimented with the game of SEO and online celebrity marketing, which has improved his game as a digital player.
In the past few years, many experts have commented on the rapid growth of businesses and real estate due to the advancement of technology. They predicted that many industries would depend on the digital world to survive and thrive. No one knew then that one day this would really be the case, which we all live in today. Blame it on the disease, or anything else, is digital and the fact that social media is the need of the hour and something that almost every professional, professional, developer businesses, businesses, and brands around the world on which they depend. their growth to the next level and reach a wider audience. Believing in the power of numbers is another expert in the field named Mrinal Parasar, who over the years has emerged as an SEO expert and online manager.
Today, he has come to speak in his opinion that the concept of SEO has changed dramatically. He said that due to the constant change in Google’s algorithm, search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly evolving. Deeper into the topic, the Muzaffarpur, Bihar youth, who is currently pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science from Lovely Professional University, said that initially, only webmasters will link their pages to websites with tons of keywords for getting high rankings on search results; however, today, with changes to Google’s algorithm all those websites that quickly adopted black hat SEO tactics have seen their rankings drop in Google. Therefore, they are now focusing on using appropriate and common keywords in their content.
Mrinal Parasar said a few years ago, people focused on just filling the website with more and more content, rather than paying attention to the quality of things. Things have changed now for the better, because Google prioritizes well -written and informative content. So, in order to get high rankings on Google, SEO focuses on writing the best, most relevant keywords.
He believes all of these changes over the years have changed the math game for the better and will continue into the years to come. Mrinal Parasar hopes to improve his career as a retailer and walk with these changes every day to better serve all his customers.
For more information, follow her @mrinal_prashar


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This bug was too much
LoL: Key Item Has Been Re-Enabled After Two Week Absence
LoL Patch 13.10 has introduced brand-new items, insane item updates and made major changes for support players in League of Legends. One of those changes was to the item Wardstone, which is a late game item for supports to be able to hold more control wards. But with the changes, a bug has made its way into the game.
Multiple players have complained about the Wardstone bug in the LoL Patch 13.10 bugs megathread on Reddit, and now Riot is taking action by disabling the item until they've got a fix for this known issue.
LoL Patch 13.11 Will Re-Enable Watchful Wardstone
League of Legends has multiple known bugs and while some take longer than others to get fixed, this new bug is so annoying that Riot has even gone and disabled the root of the problem – Wardstone.
- This K/DA mousepad from Logitech is amazing quality and it looks incredible. I've got it and I love it so much.
The item has been updated in Patch 13.10 with some new stats. The item is also not going to transform automatically anymore, with players having to purchase the upgraded version of the item. With this change, the item has received better and more stats. Now though, a bug has plagued the community.
According to multiple players, purchasing Wardstone causes them to lose the 1100 Gold it costs, but instead of getting an item they get... nothing. Any control wards they had previously will also disappear. This bug was noted by multiple players and it sems Riot has finally found a fix.
On June 2, 2023 the official League of Legends Dev Twitter has sent out a tweet stating that the bug has been fixed and that Watchful Wardstone is back in action on Summoner's Rift.
This isn't the first big bug we've heard about. There have been multiple other bugs in recent times that have caused runes or items to be disabled. Earlier this season the Cookie Delivery rune had been disabled due to a bug, while Waterwalking and Ryze also had its fair share of issues.
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An analyst this week said that customers should beware of relying on Skype for Business, as its founders want to buy the VoIP service back from eBay and have filed lawsuits that could jeopardise use of essential code that the founders still own. He said to put off using the service until the courts settle the lawsuits.
Nonetheless, Skype's 16 million users worldwide still continue to enjoy the free communications service.
Does your company use Skype for Business? Do you think the current law suit makes Skype use risky?


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Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum
Mains level: Potentiality of India-US trade
• On her maiden visit to Asia, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai held bilateral meetings with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and relaunched the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF).
Challenges in the recent times:
• Raised import tariffs and the withdrawal of benefits to Indian exporters under the U.S.’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) which triggered retaliatory trade barbs.
• That marquee American businesses (Harley-Davidson and Ford) have left India has not helped optics, even if their motivations may not have been solely linked to difficult trade norms.
• Joe Biden administration shutting the door on new trade pacts and being cold to restoring the GSP status.
Outcomes of the Meet:
• Revival of a mechanism – an opportunity: This in itself is significant. The TPF was last convened — from machinations towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) to the failure to even reach a mini-trade deal towards the latter half of the Donald Trump administration days. This, she has said, could be considered, while nudging India to set targets for tariff reductions and easing market access across sectors.
• The TPF statement also outlines the sectors and goods and services that need quick attention.
• Future possibilities of tariff reduction: Forum resolved to take economic ties between the two countries to the ‘next high level’ and exchanged views on ‘potential targeted tariff reductions’.
• Re-energize working group in different sectors: The two sides decided to activate working groups of the Trade Policy Forum (TPF) on agriculture, non-agriculture goods, services, investment, and intellectual property to meet frequently and address issues of mutual concern in a mutually beneficial manner. The idea is to deliver tangible benefits to farmers and businesses of both countries by resolving outstanding market access issues.
• ‘Restore GSP benefits’: The Indian side has sought restoration of the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) benefits by the U.S. and said this would help industries from both sides in integrating their supply chain efficiently. The United States noted it ‘for suitable consideration’.
• Social Security Totalization agreement: The Forum also agreed on the significance of negotiating a Social Security Totalization Agreement in the interest of workers from both sides, and pursuing further engagements for reaching such an agreement.
• Reversal of past misgivings: Whatever misgivings may have existed at the beginning of the Biden administration, Ms. Tai’s visit, that follows trips by key U.S. Secretaries, indicates U.S. interest in engaging with India in significant spheres.
• It looks at India as a key partner in rebuilding critical supply chains in a post-pandemic world seeking to cut its dependence on China, is clear from its desire for integration in areas such as health, medical devices and pharma.
• Boosting Indian Industry: For example, India’s pharma exports account for 40% of the U.S.’s generic drugs supply and Ms. Tai has assuaged its concerns about delays in U.S. regulatory inspections of pharma units.
Challenges for the future (some pointed out by Ms Tai):
• Indo-U.S. trade never really lives up to its potential.
• India’s unpredictable regulatory shifts,
• Tariff- and non-tariff barriers
• Removing barriers: Spur a more open approach towards a market. India must pro-actively steer away from the protectionism that is leading the globalised world adrift.
• Building supply chains: India must seize this fresh initiative with the U.S. to cement its place in the new supply chains being envisaged.
Q.1) With reference to the Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv, consider the following statements:
1. Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is designed and developed by DRDO.
2. The Prime Minister started the National programme of Simulation Training for NCC cadets with the aim to scale up simulation training facilities for all the three wings of NCC.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2


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DETROIT (AP) -- Auto parts supplier Denso Corp. plans to invest nearly $1 billion in North America over the next four years and add more than 2,000 jobs as it works to localize its operations.
The investment from the Japanese company was announced Tuesday during press previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It will increase research and development, expand current production and add new capacity.
Denso says more than $750 million of the investment and more than 1,200 jobs will be in the U.S. The company says it is looking at investing at locations in Michigan, Tennessee, Iowa, California and North Carolina, and it plans a new assembly and warehouse facility.
The company says a plant in Maryville, Tenn., also will make equipment used by Denso in manufacturing.