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Key Developments: The Swatch Group SA (UHR.VX)
14 Mar 2014
Latest Key Developments (Source: Significant Developments)
The Swatch Group SA:Says a Dutch court has sentenced Tiffany & Co to pay it 402 million Swiss francs ($448.79 mln ) in damages in a lawsuit following the end of a collaboration between the two groups-Reuters.The Netherlands Arbitration Institute sentenced Tiffany to pay Swatch damages after it pressed claims against the U.S. jeweller in Dec. 2011.Swatch said the court had integrally dismissed a counter-claim filed by Tiffany in Mar. 2012.Tiffany could not immediately be reached for comment. Full Article
Harry Winston Diamond Corp Receives All Required Regulatory Approvals For Sale Of Luxury Brand Segment To The Swatch Group SA
Harry Winston Diamond Corp announced that it has received all required regulatory approvals to the Company's proposed sale of luxury brand diamond jewelry and timepiece division, Harry Winston, Inc., to The Swatch Group Ltd. (the Transaction). The Company expects that closing of the Transaction will occur on or about March 26, 2013. As previously announced, the Company will, in connection with the closing of the Transaction, change name to Dominion Diamond Corporation. Full Article
Reuters reported that The Swatch Group SA said it was buying watch and jewelery brand Harry Winston and its 535 employees for $750 million plus up to $250 million of net debt to complement its high-end watch portfolio. Full Article
- Target Corp has been sued by Swatch Group SA, which accused the second-largest U.S. discount retailer of illegally selling watches that copy its own.


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UNITED SIKHS DEMAND AMAZON REMOVE OFFENSIVE ANTI-SIKH MERCHANDISE
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advocating on behalf of the global Sikh community, UNITED SIKHS today called upon Jeff Bezos to immediately remove several products sold on Amazon.com, which disrespectfully feature the sacred Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) and Khanda, including toilet seat covers and bath mats. Darbar Sahib is a Gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is considered the holiest Gurdwara and the most important pilgrimage site for Sikhs.
“It’s shocking and extremely disappointing that Amazon offers these products for sale,” said Rajesh Singh, UNITED SIKHS Operations Manager. “The merchandise featuring the disrespectful placement of Darbar Sahib and Khanda show a total lack of understanding on behalf of Amazon and its employees. We demand Mr. Bezos address this issue immediately.”
Through its mission to advocate for Sikhs around the world, UNITED SIKHS actively monitor incidents of anti-Sikhism. To date, the organization has received numerous complaints regarding toilet seat covers and floor mats featuring Darbar Sahib and the Khanda sold on Amazon.
In an effort to educate Amazon’s staff and prevent anti-Sikh products from being sold on the site in the future, UNITED SIKHS offered Sikh Awareness Training to Mr. Bezos. It has also reached out to the manufacturers of the merchandise to demand their production to be ceased immediately.
To receive the latest updates on this issue, please follow UNITED SIKHS on Facebook (@UNITEDSIKHS.org).
ABOUT UNITED SIKHS
Associated with the United Nations Dept. of Public Information UNITED SIKHS is a global humanitarian charity that advocates for civil and human rights across 11 chapters. Our International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy helps advance the economic, social and spiritual empowerment of minorities and other marginalized groups and individuals in need, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social status, age or ability. We achieve this by protecting and enforcing the civil and human rights of minorities and marginalized groups in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Visit us at www.UNITEDSIKHS.org
Megan Daly UNITED SIKHS 323-514-0078 firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: news


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Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
- The US isn’t in a recession at the moment according to different kinds of data.
- The labor market in the country is still thriving, as seen in monthly nonfarm payroll gains.
- Real personal income less transfers has also seen monthly gains again after declining.
You can’t go far without hearing someone talking about a recession.
The debate whether the US will see a recession, or even if it’s experiencing one now, is almost everywhere.
“I do think this is a more uncertain and more hotly contested question than perhaps ever in American history,” Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, told Insider when asked whether she thinks the US is in a recession and if not yet, whether this will be the case in 2023 or if the US can avoid it.
But robust monthly payroll gains along with other economic data points suggest that the US isn’t in a recession right now, and a plethora of economists and experts agree.
The National Bureau of Economic Research’s Business Cycle Dating Committee, the semi-official arbiter of determining when recessions begin and end, hasn’t said that the US is in a recession. However, the debate and concerns about what a recession could look like and if the US will enter one soon is hot.
CEOs and other leaders have talked about a potential recession. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, told CNBC that there could be a “mild recession induced by the Fed.” David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, said at The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council Summit that there’s “a very, very reasonable possibility that we could have a recession of some kind.”
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also talked about a recession next year on 60 Minutes. “There’s a risk of a recession,” Yellen said. “But it certainly isn’t, in my view, something that is necessary to bring inflation down.”
Economists that Insider talked to agree that the US isn’t in a recession just yet, so we looked at the data ourselves to see how the economy is doing and when a recession might appear.
First, let’s look at the data
The NBER’s “traditional definition of a recession is that it is a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.”
“The committee’s view is that while each of the three criteria—depth, diffusion, and duration—needs to be met individually to some degree, extreme conditions revealed by one criterion may partially offset weaker indications from another,” per the site.
NBER considers a wide range of economic indicators when determining a recession, and as will be seen below, most of those continue to show signs of a robust economy. The team of economists doesn’t follow a hard and fast rule for dating downturns, however.
“There is no fixed rule about what measures contribute information to the process or how they are weighted in our decisions,” NBER says about deciding peak and trough dates.
Looking at US payrolls, there has been robust growth. Gains have been strong throughout 2022, even getting back to the pre-pandemic employment level this past summer. Based on preliminary data, 263,000 jobs were added in November, more than economists expected.
Monthly payroll growth as reported by businesses and other employers has slowed compared to earlier this year. Nevertheless, the labor market doesn’t indicate a recession right now.
“I think if you look at all the data from the labor market, it does not suggest that we are currently in an economic downturn,” Nick Bunker, economic research director at Indeed Hiring Lab, told Insider. “That, of course, could change.”
Outside of monthly payroll changes, US job openings have been high, with 1.7 openings per unemployed person as of October. Places are still hiring even as some industries like tech lay off workers. The unemployment rate increased in October from 3.5% to 3.7% but is still relatively low. The rate was also 3.7% in November.
“The reason we’re not in a recession is that the labor market still is performing very well in the US economy,” Ken Kim, a senior economist at KPMG, told Insider. “So people are still finding jobs and getting a paycheck and spending it on goods and services.”
Real personal income excluding payments from the government has been increasing, with four straight months of gains after falling earlier this year. And real personal consumption expenditures continued to climb as seen in the below chart, showing consumers are still spending.
With about two-thirds of GDP being consumer spending, Pollak said “it’s hard to see a recession” because of strong consumption and real income growth.
Strong consumer spending can also be seen in retail sales. A measure of retail trade and food services sales was 6.5% higher in November than a year ago without adjusting for inflation. Looking at inflation-adjusted figures, sales in November held steady since January 2022 and below sales in November 2021.
“Gains in employment, gains in industrial production, gains in income levels, strong nominal sales figures — none of that stuff sounds particularly recessionary to me,” Jack Manley, a global market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, told Insider.
Manley did note some drags on growth, including the housing market that has slowed and saying “net exports continuing to narrow.”
Here’s what experts are saying about a recession in 2023
Some Wall Street experts and economists think the US could avoid a recession next year, and that even if one comes, it will likely not be as severe as the downturns after the 2008 financial crisis and the early Covid pandemic.
Goldman Sachs Research suggests a chance that the US just “narrowly” avoids a recession. And according to JPMorgan Asset Management, a “near-term recession is too close to call” although the report states if there’s a recession in 2023, it likely will be mild. The report adds “lower inflation and slower growth over the next few years seem very likely.”
As Insider’s Brian Evans reported, economists at Bank of America think there will be a mild recession too.
“Following the Fed’s recent 50bps rate hike, our BofA economists remain cautious on the US economy, and continue to expect a mild recession starting in 1Q23 with negative US GDP for 2023,” a Bank of America note said.
Fitch also thinks a recession could happen some time next year, although later than what Bank of America economists said.
“Fitch expects the U.S. economy to enter genuine recession territory — albeit relatively mild by historical standards — in 2Q23,” Olu Sonola, head of US regional economics at Fitch Ratings, said in a statement.
Kim said KPMG Economics thinks there will be a mild recession with unemployment hitting around 5.5% some time next year, well above the current 3.7% but far below the near-15% unemployment in the Covid recession and 10% peak after the 2008 financial crisis.
And a mild recession may also be brief.
“Using the Global Financial Crisis as a benchmark, that was a nasty six quarter recession in length, a year and a half, which is awfully long,” Kim said. “So we’re not looking for that type of severe recession.”
While some think a recession is on the horizon, there’s a chance that the US may not enter one at all.
“I don’t think anyone knows whether we’re going to have a recession or not,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said. “And if we do, whether it’s going to be a deep one or not, it’s just, it’s not knowable.”
Bunker, who thinks we’re not in a recession, doesn’t have a forecast as to when a recession could happen. He is watching labor market data closely.
“I think we would need to see a significant deterioration in the labor market for me to think we’re in a recession, and we have not seen any significant deterioration yet,” Bunker said.
Manley said that “while there certainly are a whole lot of drags on this economy, there are a lot of things going right too,” adding “it’s too hard to call” if and when the US will be in a recession. Manley added though that we are in a slowdown and that will continue in 2023.
“And that given the lack of imbalances in the economy, given the enormous demand for labor that’s out there, even if we do get a recession in 2023, it should be mild, should be mellow, should be technical in nature,” Manley said, “very different from what we experienced in 2020, very different from what we experienced back in 2008.”
This article will be regularly updated with the latest economic data and recession forecasts.


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- Manly-based company started selling their 'stand up pouches' last year
- Marketed as cocktails on the go, they are now available in retail stores
In 1965, South Australian winemaker Tom Angrove patented the half-gallon flagon (shortened to ‘goon’) of wine.
More than half a century on, this classic Aussie invention, lovingly known as the goon bag, silver pillow, boxed wine, cask – call it what ye will – has been given a distinct upgrade.
Manly-based company SOPHisticated cocktail co launched late last year selling ‘stand up pouches’ of premium Margaritas, Cosmopolitans and Espresso Martinis.
Their ready-to-drink cocktails have been sold online only, but are now for sale in independent liquor stores across NSW.
Partnering with Australian producers, SOPHisticated cocktail co uses Mr Black and St Ali coffee in its Sassy Essie (Espresso Martini), Tequila Tromba and East Coast limes in Tarti Margi (Margarita) and a local distilled Vodka in Cosmo Carrie (Cosmopolitan).
“In our first 4 weeks, we sold over 400 bags online, far exceeding expectations,” said the founder of SOPHisticated cocktail co Vicki Lyon.
“In late December we started getting enquiries from independent stockists, boutique hotels and rental properties and are now stocked in several across NSW. Incredibly, about 30% of our online sales are from repeat customers,”
“With the restrictions of 2020, there was rapid demand for online sales nationwide and now we’re seeing real growth in in-store retail too. The cocktails bags are perfect for at-home entertaining, holidays, camping trips, boating days and picnics. Each 1.5 L bag serves hassle-free premium quality 13-15 drinks,” she said.
The Margarita is by far the biggest seller, with the popularity of premium tequila rising by almost 46% above any other spirit category.
SOPHisticated cocktail co. was founded on the belief that cocktails should taste fantastic and should be shared with friends. The products use only locally grown fresh-pressed fruit, premium alcohol and locally roasted cold-brew coffee.


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SUDBURY, MA- Paani Indian Cuisine, which has been ranked as one of the best Indian restaurants in Massachusetts, will serve gourmet Indian food at the New England Choice Awards gala on Nov. 19, 2022 at Hilton Woburn in Woburn, MA.
“We’re very excited to showcase and serve our gourmet food at the New England Choice Awards gala,” said Paani owner Vimi Verma. “The menu is specially designed for NECA, and we hope that attendees will enjoy the mix of Indian food prepared for this occasion.”
This year, Paani has catered to several major events, including Woman of the Year 2022 and Boston Real Estate Times Excellence Awards.
“We create an exciting and customized menu for various types of occasions and events, including holiday parties and, of course weddings,” added Ms. Verma. “We also host special birthdays, anniversary and company parties at our restaurant. We can host up to 90 people in our restaurant.”
Situated in a beautiful location in Sudbury, Paani seats 75 guests with an outside patio seating for 35. The restaurant is located at 530 A Boston Post Road in Sudbury, MA, right off Route 20.
Paani Indian Cuisine has been ranked as one of the best Indian restaurants in Massachusetts by Best Things Massachusetts and is the only woman-owned Indian restaurant in Greater Boston. It serves both North and South Indian cuisine, and includes a bar, ambiance and an open layout with big windows looking outside. It offers buffets for lunch and a variety of food menus for dinner, including soups and salads, vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers and main course entries and seafood.
In addition to providing a fine dining experience at the restaurant, Paani also provides catering services for special occasions, corporate events and weddings. To book, please visit Paani’s website at http://www.paani-restaurant.com/.


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Just one Bitcoin transaction uses the same amount of electricity as a British household for nearly two months, new figures have shown.
The amount of energy needed to run the cryptocurrency has soared to record annual highs of 77.78 terawatt hours the same as the entire electrical consumption of Chile.
The carbon footprint of a single transaction is the same as 780,650 Visa transactions or spending 52,043 hours watching YouTube, according to calculations by Alex de Vries, a blockchain specialist, at PWC.
“People react with disbelief, but the figures are true,” said Mr de Vries who founded the Digiconomist blog to highlight the impact.
The huge energy footprint of the currency was noted several years ago, but when the Bitcoin bubble burst in 2018, sending prices tumbling from a high of almost $20,000 (£15,600) at the end of 2017 to below $4,000 (£3,135), consumption also crashed and has only recently started soaring again.
The problem lies in the practice of Bitcoin ‘mining’. Crypto-currencies work through blockchain, a technology that creates a communal ledger of transactions that is held by everyone, rather being kept in a centralised database, such as a bank server.
A blockchain ledger cannot be altered without everyone knowing, so it prevents fraud, but to keep it accurate, and to make sure the virtual currency is only spent once, users can offer to verify the transactions, for which they are paid in Bitcoin, a process called ‘mining’.
Available revenue for verification currently stands around £4.6 billion a year making it a lucrative industry. But the ‘mining’ process is incredibly energy-intensive, involving huge rigs of custom-built computers which endlessly calculate numbers in the hope of finding a specific one that allows it to confirm the deals, and create a new ‘block’ in the blockchain.
There are around four million computer rigs worldwide constantly crunching numbers, yet astonishingly 98 per cent of them will never get the number first, and so will never verify the transactions, despite the huge electricity outlay.
Mr de Vries added: “They are sort of participating in a massive lottery and every 10 minutes one gets lucky and gets to produce the next block.
“The shocking thing is the average lifetime of a bitcoin mining machine is one and a half years, because we have a new generation of machines which are better at doing these calculations.
“That means it’s impossible for 98 per cent of the devices during their lifetime to make the calculation that actually results in a reward. So the rest are just running pointlessly for a few years, using up energy, and producing heat, and then they will just get trashed because they can’t be repurposed. It's insane."
Each Bitcoin transaction uses around 657.39 kWh of electricity, the equivalent of 59 days of electricity for an average British household.
The massive computer rigs are also creating a mountain of e-waste, most of which ends up in landfill because it is so tricky to recycle. Calculations show that annually the Bitcoin mining produces 10.71 kilotons of e-waste, the same amount as produced by the country of Luxembourg.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain companies say that many people trading with Bitcoin are aware of the problem and are taking steps to offset the carbon footprint of their transactions.
The company Mattereum is establishing a blockchain to record the provenance of items, such as fine wines, memorabilia or carbon offsetting certificates, so that its authenticity cannot be questioned. They believe that such an approach is environmentally friendly and can help tackle climate change by reducing waste.
Anton Shelupanov, Managing Director at Mattereum, said: “Technology is improving too with new protocols which are much faster and more energy efficient than first generation blockchains.
“There are also new ideas: for example transporting mining equipment between cold locations where it's winter so that it can be used for heating dwellings.
“Miners should be using electricity from companies which guarantee that it comes from renewables.”
However charities have warned that many companies set up in countries where coal-fired power is cheap, rather than sourcing their electricity from renewables.
Andrew Hatton, Chief Technical Officer, at Greenpeace, said: “Bitcoin’s profligate wasting of energy is made into an even more serious problem by many bitcoin ‘mining’ facilities being located in regions with a lot of coal-fired power.
“This is not just a problem with blockchain technologies but also a wider challenge for the future of the internet as it grows and becomes more complex.
“It’s vital that the emissions savings the internet can facilitate in areas like transport aren’t frittered away by powering the information economy with Victorian fuels.”


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McDonald's sales fall in Asian markets
McDonald’s sales in Asia fell last month, raising fears of the impact on companies of weakening consumer confidence in China.
Sales were weaker than expected in all regions, but analysts were especially surprised by declines in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Jim Skinner, McDonald’s chief executive, attributed the weak sales to an “increasingly challenging global economic environment” but was optimistic that the world’s largest restaurant chain by sales could still deliver long-term growth.
McDonald’s said that global volatility and austerity measures in Europe would “significantly pressure” its second-quarter results and that the impact of currency fluctuations would cut its earnings by up to nine cents a share. Shares of McDonald’s fell 0.4 per cent to $87.99 in midday trading.
Global same-store sales at McDonald’s rose 3.3 per cent year-on-year, led by a 4.4 per cent rise in the US and a 2.9 per cent increase in Europe. Sales in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, however, declined by 1.7 per cent in spite of projections of growth. – (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2012)


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Portree iCentre set for summer make over
PORTREE information centre is being temporarily relocated this week to allow for refurbishments to take place.
The VisitScotland iCentre, which welcomed 151,000 visitors last year, was to be moved to the nearby Royal Hotel on Bank Street with works due to start on Tuesday, May 2.
Refurbishment is expected to take two weeks and be completed before the busy summer season begins.
Scott Armstrong, VisitScotland regional partnerships director, said: ‘Portree iCentre is hugely popular with visitors, and it has been so well used that it is now in need of refurbishment.
‘The new-look iCentre will allow us to deliver information in a modern environment where visitors can choose from a variety of tools to help them see, do and spend more during their stay.’
The centre make- over will include an upgrade of digital facilities and free wi-fi following research which showed visitors prefer to use their own devices to access content.
The new layout will also include racking for literature, large scale wall graphics and local and national wall maps to help visitors plan their journey.
New zoning is also being introduced to assist visitors with finding everything they need.
It is hoped the refurbishment will increase the impact the iCentre has on the visitor economy, encouraging locals and visitors to spend more time on Skye.
Mr Armstrong extended thanks to The Royal Hotel for its assistance during the works.


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How deep is your Android loyalty?
Almost all Android devices have been using USB-C for over half a decade. Even Amazon’s $60 Fire 7 tablet made the switch this week, removing micro USB from one of its latest consumer gadgets for good. Apple has also opted for USB-C on many of its devices. From the iPad Air to the MacBook Pro, nearly every product in its lineup uses everyone’s favorite modern connector except the iPhone.
Apple has resisted moving the iPhone away from Lightning, even as its proprietary port has aged and slowed down year after year. Rumors have always pointed to a portless future, suggesting that the company would rather eradicate cables altogether than abandon its MFi program. That’s all changed in the past two weeks as recent word hinted at a switch to USB-C starting with the 2023 iPhone 14. This isn’t the first time the company has considered the change, although this time the phone may already be in testing – more concrete evidence that a transition could be happening.
Before going to the comments to ask you what site you are on, listen to me. The iPhone remains incredibly popular, particularly but certainly not in North America. A lot of our audience uses the latest hardware from Samsung or Google, but they probably have plenty of relatives who prefer Apple’s ecosystem. Maybe you are in a relationship with an iPhone user, or a lot of your family members or friends have moved on from Android. In a world where Apple is finally ditching Lightning for USB-C, you’ll be able to share charging cables, headphone dongles, and other accessories without having to consider brands. The only thing more utopian is the widespread adoption of RCS.
Of course, a switch to USB-C would also solve one of the biggest complaints many Apple critics – including us – have with the iPhone. AP alumnus Michael Crider wrote something last year on this exact topic, describing Apple’s frustrating reluctance to move its iPhone to a modern connector as the only thing keeping it from checking out the competition. . I wouldn’t be surprised if any element of our audience agreed, no matter how small.
There’s only one way to find out. Would you ever consider trying out an iPhone if Apple made the jump to USB-C, or is iOS a complete non-starter for you? And please, everyone – keep the comments civil.
Would Apple’s move to USB-C entice you to try an iPhone?
TCL 6 series TV review: The perfect TV for that PS5 you still can’t buy
#Weekend #Poll #Apples #Switch #USBC #Tempt #iPhone


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Is a diverse diet the healthiest way to go? Maybe not
from ABC News
Encouraging people to eat a variety of foods, also known as dietary diversity, may actually backfire, according to a new scientific statement by the American Heart Association. The suggestion that people try to eat a variety of foods has been a basic public health recommendation for decades. Now, experts are warning that it may actually lead to just eating more calories — and to obesity.
7701 Las Colinas Blvd., Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063


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The General Department of Customs and Excise mobile team at Chrey Thom International Checkpoint in Cambodia’s Kandal province has decided to ban imports of six types of vegetables from Vietnam – Chinese cabbage, broccoli, ladyfingers, small lemons, pumpkin and garlic chives.
The decision came after Cambodia Import Export Inspection and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CamControl) officials in Kandal province discovered traces of pesticides on the six types of vegetables that could cause health problems for consumers.
Moung Dara, the chief of the mobile Customs and Excise team, told The Post on Monday that during the past three days, his team worked with Kandal province’s CamControl officials to conduct quality checks on more than 20 types of fruits and vegetables imported from Vietnam through the Chrey Thom international Checkpoint.
He said: “After the poisonous pesticide was discovered, we seized and destroyed all of it and instructed our Cambodian vendors to stop importing those products from Vietnam. But the next day, we still saw the six vegetables being imported. So, our authorities have decided to officially ban the import of them from Vietnam.”
Kandal Camcontrol branch manager Ou Manrin told The Post that agricultural pesticides are commonly used for killing insects and helping vegetables grow, but they can become harmful to consumers if they are not properly decomposed before the vegetables are shipped.


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This news doesn’t bode well for Tile.
Family tracking service Life360 has been selling the location data of millions of its users, according to a new report from The Markup.
The company — which describes itself as a “family safety platform” — aims to allow family members to track each other through a smartphone app available on iOS and Android. The platform is currently used by 33 million people around the world.
According to The Markup’s reporting, Life360 sells its user’s location data — including information tied to children and adults — to several data brokers that then sell that information to third-party companies. That said, Life360 states that it doesn’t sell the location data of children under 13. Two former Life360 employees say that the company is one of the largest sources of location data in the tech industry and that it doesn’t ensure its location data can be traced back to individual users.
In a statement, Life360 CEO Chris Hull said that selling location data is an “important part” of the company’s business model and that it has “no means to confirm or deny the accuracy” of whether it’s one of the largest sources of location data in the industry.
Life360 is in the process of acquiring Bluetooth tracker company Tile for about $205 million USD (roughly $260 million CAD). While Tile has experienced success in the past, the company is likely under pressure from Apple’s recently released AirTag Bluetooth tracker and its ability to leverage the billions of Apple devices in the world to create its crowdsourced network.
Big news: Tile is joining the @Life360 family! We’ll continue as our own brand, delivering the excellent experience our customers deserve. Lots of exciting things ahead! https://t.co/zJGcNiXW5U
— Tile (@TheTileApp) November 23, 2021
In a press release, Life360 said that Tile’s tracking network of Bluetooth trackers will expand its current reach by 10x.
Tile most recently revealed a refreshed Bluetooth tracker lineup, including a new Mate, Sticker and Pro tracker.
Source: The Markup


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By: Pallavi Sethi
January 13 2023
The American retail giant is not giving away gift cards worth $500. The alleged credit scheme is a fraud.
A Facebook post with over 50K views in the past 24 hours promotes a false credit scheme. It claims, "Walmart has been discriminating against 40+ y/o women for years! All 40+ women are eligible for 500$ Grocery Crеdit. Answer 4 questions only." Users are invited to click on the post to participate. However, the credit scheme is bogus: the American retail giant is not giving away grocery or gift cards worth $500 to its consumers.
One significant giveaway of the deceptive scheme is that the official Walmart Facebook page has not shared the post. Instead, it was shared by a Facebook page called "Women only." The page has no association with Walmart and, aside from the bogus scheme, has no other posts on its feed. The post urges users to "answer 4 questions" to claim the $500 grocery credit. However, the link to participate takes you to a website with the message "Deceptive site ahead." It reads: "Attackers on 111huhhi.info may trick you into doing something dangerous like installing software or revealing your personal information (for example, passwords, phone numbers or credit cards)." There is also no such digital offer mentioned on Walmart's website. Lastly, the majority of comments on the posts are by users with fake profile accounts.
Logically has reached out to Walmart for comment. This is not the first time fake Walmart schemes have circulated on social media. Fact-checking organizations, including Reuters, have debunked similar claims in the past.
According to a TransUnion study, digital fraud schemes in the U.S., including phishing and identity theft, were up by 25 percent in the first half of 2021. Melissa Gaddis from TransUnion explained that increasing numbers of online transactions have resulted in a higher chance of "digital fraud."
Walmart is not giving away a $500 grocery credit to anyone, including women over 40. We have rated this claim as false.


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The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been on shelves for a little over six months now and already, the device has sold over 30 million units worldwide. Despite its success, rumors of another Galaxy device, the Samsung Galaxy S4, have already sprung up and the Galaxy S3’s successor is already the talk of the Android world leading into 2013. But how does the rumored Galaxy S4 stack up against the current model? Here, we take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S3 versus the rumored Samsung Galaxy S4.
Samsung’s Galaxy S3 took the Android world by storm this year. The device, which was announced and released back in May, went on to smash all of the previous Samsung sales records set less than two years ago by the Galaxy S3’s predecessor, the Galaxy S2. And for good reason. The Galaxy S3 is arguably the best Android smartphone on the market and it’s certainly one of the best Android smartphones of all time.
That being said, it’s also going to be a difficult device to replace. Of course, critics and consumers alike were saying that in the build up to the launch of the Galaxy S3 as well but Samsung proved that it could top its previous model.
Critics and consumers will be looking for the same from the Samsung Galaxy S4 and thus far, all signs point to a device that will trump the current Galaxy model. Since November, rumors of the Galaxy S4 release date and features have been swirling around. And while it may seem early, consider the fact that the iPhone 5, which was released in September, already has the iPhone 5S on the table. It’s never too soon for rumors in the world of smartphones.
But how does the rumored Samsung Galaxy S4 stack up against the Samsung Galaxy S3, one of the best selling Android smartphones of all time? Here now is a close look at how the rumored Samsung Galaxy S4 stacks up against the current Galaxy model, the Galaxy S3.
As we mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has been out in the United States since June. It arrived on several carriers that month, just shortly after Samsung released it in other regions of the world and hit other carriers in the month of July. So needless to say, the Galaxy S3 has been a fixture on the Android market for quite some time now.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is obviously not out yet but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t seen a plethora of rumors regarding both its launch date and its release date.
Right now, there are four reports already that have suggested that the Galaxy S4 will be launching in February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It’s the same conference where Samsung introduced the Galaxy S2 in 2011 and it’s certainly a viable place for Samsung to announce the phone.
However, last year, the Galaxy S3 was announced at a separate event in the United Kingdom during the month of May. Samsung likely did this for an assortment of reasons but one of them was to lessen the gap between its launch in regions like Europe and the United States. Typically, Americans have had to wait a bit before flagship Android devices arrive. By announcing the device closer to its actual release date, Samsung was able to keep Americans in the mix.
It could be that it does something similar with the Galaxy S4 and announces it at its own event and releases it shortly afterwards. Right now, the Galaxy S4 release date is pegged for the first half of the year, around the middle of it, so both MWC and a separate event are both possible at the moment.
With the design of the Galaxy S3, Samsung employs a polycarbonate material that is easy to grip and more importantly, is durable. The design itself is, as Samsung says, inspired by nature and features a slick curved design that is as nice to look at as it is to hold.
Specific measurements of the Galaxy S3 include a design that is 8.6 mm thin and weighs 133 grams. Both of those aren’t top of the line in terms of slimness and weight, but they definitely aren’t bad either.
The design of the Galaxy S4 is currently unknown and likely will be all the way up until its released. This is because, like the Galaxy S3, the device is probably under lock and key with only the people close to the project knowing exactly what it will look like.
In the build up to the launch of the Galaxy S3, several different possible devices were leaked and that was seemingly by design. Samsung wanted to keep the final look of the Galaxy S3 a secret. And it accomplished its goal.
The same could happen with the Galaxy S4. We should see several planned leaks emerge and then finally see what the device is all about come launch day. What Samsung has up its sleeve exactly is unclear but expect whatever it is to sport a thin design, a durable build quality and some tweaks to the Galaxy S3’s fantastic design.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 sports a beautiful 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen that offers 1280 x 720 resolution and a 306 pixels-per-inch count. That’s among the best on the market right now but the display on the Samsung Galaxy S4 will very likely put it to shame.
Rumors suggest that Samsung will be showing off a AMOLED HD display at CES that may check in at 4.99 or 5-inches in size. It apparently has 1080p resolution and a 441 PPI count which places it right up there with the Droid DNA, the first 1080p smartphone to launch in the United States. The Droid DNA launched on Verizon back in November.
The Galaxy S4 is rumored to have a display around that size and given the Droid DNA’s display, we expect Samsung to offer a 1080p display, at the very least, on the Galaxy S4.
There are rumors out there about an unbreakable flexible display but there are also reports that suggest that Samsung is not yet ready to bring that type of technology to the market and will instead just opt for the 1080p technology for the Galaxy S4.
Either way, expect the Galaxy S3 display to be trumped by the Galaxy S4’s.
One of the bigger drawbacks of the Samsung Galaxy S3 was its cameras. While Samsung included some solid cameras, they weren’t the best and weren’t even the best that Android had to offer. That honor was bestowed upon the HTC One X which included one of the best rear cameras of 2012, on par with the iPhone even.
The Galaxy S3’s cameras can do all of the basic things like shoot 1080p video and they are backed up by some fantastic software, but it’s becoming clear that Samsung will likely improve the cameras with the Galaxy S4.
Thus far, rumors suggest that the Galaxy S4 will be sporting a 13MP camera in the rear. Megapixels aren’t everything but it would be shocking to see Samsung not outfit its next-generation Galaxy device with a fantastic camera. Consumers want it and it would help to make the phone a better all-around device.
Look for the Galaxy S4 to sport, at the very least, better cameras than the Galaxy S3 and quite possible one of the best rear cameras that money can buy.
Besides the camera, display and design, the Galaxy S3 is an extremely attractive device. It has a speedy processor, lots of storage options, lots of RAM, a decent sized battery and of course, Near-Field Communication support which allows it to take advantage of Google Wallet or ISIS mobile payment services. Here is a full rundown of the Galaxy S3’s specs.
- 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display with 1280×720 resolution
- 1.5GHz Dual-core Snapdragon S4 Processor
- 16GB/32GB Storage (MicroSD card slot)
- 8MP Camera/1.9MP Front-Facing
- 2100mAh Battery (Removable)
- 2GB of RAM
Because the Galaxy S4 is still in the shadows, most of its features remain firmly in the dark. However, rumors do state that it will have a quad-core processor, that may be Samsung’s Exynos 5440 processor.
The rest of its specs are unknown though we suspect that at the very least it will have a large battery, NFC, 2GB of RAM, and several storage options like its predecessor, the Galaxy S3.
One other things that consumers might expect is built-in wireless charging which is available on devices like the Nexus 4 and Droid DNA and could possibly be coming to the Galaxy S4 as well.
Samsung made it a mission to get software out quickly to its flagship Galaxy devices and one of the benefactors of that new found policy was the Samsung Galaxy S3 which was one of the first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices to receive the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. In fact, as of today, all five Galaxy S3 variants in the U.S. now have Android 4.1.
Android 4.1, before Android 4.2, was considered to be the best version of Android which means that the Galaxy S3 is now even better than it once was. Better yet, Samsung likely isn’t done. The Galaxy S3 should at the very least get Android 4.2, possibly in a swift manner and it will almost assuredly get Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie as well. Who knows, maybe the Samsung Galaxy S3 will be close to first to that as well.
Fact of the matter is, the Galaxy S3 runs a fantastic version of Android, sports some powerful TouchWiz features including Multi-Window View which will be coming to U.S. owners in the next year, and relatively fast upgrade times. Not bad for an aging device.
The Galaxy S4 may have a leg up on the Galaxy S3 though as it may include the bright spots from Samsung as well as a new version of Android, Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. Key Lime Pie is likely going to be coming at Google I/O in May and rumors suggest it will be on board the Samsung Galaxy S4 when it arrives.
At the very least, it will have Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. So, at the very least, expect it to launch with some relatively fresh Android software and quite possibly, some powerful features from Samsung’s end as well.
The U.S. is spoiled in that Samsung offers the Samsung Galaxy S3 on the five biggest carriers in the country. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon all offer the Galaxy S3 on their networks. Everyone besides T-Mobile offers the device on their 4G LTE high-speed network which means that the device can pull down speeds 10 times faster than typical 3G.
T-Mobile’s device does run on its high-speed HSPA+ 42, which at times, is comparable to 4G LTE. So the Galaxy S3 is no slouch in the data speed department. That won’t change with the Galaxy S4 and actually, there should be more options for customers looking to snag the next-generation version of the device.
That’s because, the device will almost assuredly become available on all five carriers once and again and given that T-Mobile will be launching its 4G LTE network in 2013, the device should come capable of running on its new network, something that the Galaxy S3 does not offer.
No carriers have been rumored thus far for the Galaxy S4 but it would be surprisingly to see any of these five miss out in 2013.
One of the nice aspects of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is the fact that because it has been out for several months now, it’s price has fallen dramatically from the original $199.99 and $249.99 price tags that it used to have.
Now, the device is featured at low prices, particularly at Amazon Wireless where the device is often available for as little as a penny. Even when it’s not on sale, the Galaxy S3 price is often lower than many high-end smartphones. Right now, Verizon’s Galaxy S3 is $60, AT&T’s $80 and Sprint’s is a penny. T-Mobile’s device is a little harder to get and is much more expensive.
T-Mobile’s Galaxy S3 has had a premium on it and it checks in at just under $300 on-contract with a price at $280. Once the Galaxy S4 launch gets closer, we imagine that the price will drop.
The Galaxy S4 should follow a similar price format as the Galaxy S3. There are currently no rumors to speak of but it would be strange to see Samsung move out of its sweet spot and offer a 16GB Galaxy S4 for anything lower than $199.99 on-contract.
Keep in mind, that price will likely be undercut by Amazon soon after the devices launch but it won’t be as deep as the discounts on the Galaxy S3 right now.
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Beautiful Cars Archive
Canadian corporation Campagna Motors emerging three-wheeled cars is ready to presentation a new model into production. Model T-REX 16S will use BMW motorcycle engine. T-REX 16S will go into series production in addition to T-REX 14R and T-REX 14RR. Power 1.6-liter engine for the T-REX...
Today we famine to show you really beautiful example of car alteration. This is 1963 Buick Riviera with tuning by Fesler. The Scottsdsale, Arizona, dweller, co-owner and CEO of toymaker Ronin Syndicate, Tony Diaz, began his pursuit of the dark side a few years ago,...
Aston Martin has released their updated version of Aston Martin Rapide S. This sleek, sporty four-door speedster features updated styling and a new heartbeat under the hood, namely the Rapide Gen 4 AM11 engine. This 550hp engine will push the Rapide S to 60mph in...
Guangzhou Trumpchi GS5-BEV Pure Electric Vehicle Concept. Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group brought this pile of letters and numbers to the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, to show off its all-electric drivetrain in a performance-oriented SUV body. The Trumpchi GS5-BEV Pure Electric...
Volkswagen revealed its brand-new Crossblue Concept plug-in hybrid SUV today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This is the vehicle’s global debut, and it was an impressive showing. The Crossblue boasts seating for six, a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain with 35 mpg...
For those seeking thrill and speed, Oakley Design has launched the Aventador LP760-4 Dragon Edition, which will be produced in only 10 units. The Lamborghini Aventador LP760-4 Dragon Edition gets an aerodynamic body kit such as such as redesigned front bumper, carbon fiber accents, fixed...
For connoisseurs of one-of-a-kind mean machines, Ferrari has always been a top choice. A Special Edition of the brand’s FF, touted to be the fastest four wheeler in the world, was custom-made for a Czech customer and was displayed at SF Motors, the local Ferrari...
When Australian carmaker Holden brought out the Hurricane in 1969, they pretty much invented the concept of the concept car. Three years ago a re-made Hurricane came out, but perhaps the best tribute to the original is that even now it still looks futuristic. A...
Luxury car tuner DMC is one of Germany’s most renowned names in the league of car modifiers. The company has been known to give Lamborghini and Ferrari automobiles exclusivity unlike never before. DMC has recently waved its magic wand on the Lamborghini Aventador too, unveiling...
BMW’s return to the DTM this year after nearly 20 years was marked with driver Bruno Spengler winning the drivers’ title, the BMW Team Schnitzer finishing in top spot in the team standings, and BMW claiming the manufacturers’ honors. To commemorate this event and the...


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ITAHARI: Panchdhare Youth Club members and locals of Itahari-4 today padlocked Itahari Small Urban Drinking Water and Sanitation Consumer Corporation (IUDWSCC) office indefinitely accusing the Corporation of erratic water supply .
More than 100 locals, who gathered in front of the Corporation office, chanted slogans demanding uninterrupted and regular water supply to the consumers.
Surya Rai, chairman of Panchdhare Youth Club, said the Corporation had failed to supply water to the locals for the past few weeks.
He claimed that some IUDWSCC employees were selling water to Dharan instead of supplying water to Itahari people. IUDWSCC employees have admitted that they sold water to Dharan from Corporation's Itahari reservoir.
Rai said Itahari consumers were forced to resort to padlocking for their repeated requests fell in deaf ears.
The protesting consumers warned of stern action if the Corporation failed to pay heed to their demands that it stop supplying water to Dharan and resume regular water supply to Itahari consumers.
Chief of IUDWSCC, Hari Katwal admitted that the Corporation was supplying about 20,000 litres of water to Dharan residents.
"The problem occurred after one of our water pumps broke down," Katwal said.


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Furious parents attacked the Football Association and sportswear giants Nike over the special World Cup strips due out next spring.
The 2014 white “home” and red “away” tournament editions will follow last month’s unveiling of new standard England strips.
The FA will net £25million a year from Nike through their contract as the team’s official clothing suppliers.
But the flurry of new shirts, shorts and socks, costing more than £70 a set, will force parents to spend a fortune on football-mad youngsters trying to dress like the stars.
Netmums.com founder Siobhan Freegard said yesterday: “Another year, another kit – and another way for Nike and the FA to cash in on cash-strapped parents. Families who have shelled out on the latest version will be furious to hear it is going to be out of date in less than 12 months.
“While splashing out on new strips every few months maybe easy for those on Premiership level wages, it’s not possible for normal mums and dads who are struggling to get by on basic pay.
“The FA claims it wants to do more to help grassroots football fans – so it should consider the impact of constant kit changing.”
Angry father Richard Sparkes, 41, of Greenwich, south-east London, said: “It’s outrageous. I feel sorry for the parents who can’t afford to keep shelling out over £40-£50 on a new football shirt.
The FA claims it wants to do more to help grassroots football fans – so it should consider the impact of constant kit changing
“They could have brought out a new kit now to use at next year’s World Cup.”
Another parent, Pauline Baker, 42, from Tonbridge, Kent, said: “They’re blatantly exploiting parents and children – they know lots of kids want to have the new shirt like their England idols.”
The latest strips for Frank Lampard and the boys were unveiled last month amid criticism the white shirt resembled the 1970s jersey worn by old rivals Germany.
The team wore it for the first time against the Republic of Ireland last week and turned out in the red one for the match against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
But the strips will lose their appeal for youngsters when the new World Cup kits are launched months before the contest starts in Brazil.
An FA spokesman said: “The initial home and away kit will be worn and available for one year initially.
“After that, the home kit will be on a two-year life cycle and the away kit on an 18-month life cycle. This is consistent with the current kit timings and with other international federations.”


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Facebook For ‘Every Phone’ App Launches
The new app offers access to the social network from over 2,500 different mobile devices.
Yesterday, the Facebook for Every Phone app was launched, which offers access to over 2,500 different mobile handsets and aims to boost international usage. The app includes Facebook’s main features; the News Feed, Inbox and Photos. You can also upload your photos and look for friends from your phone’s list of contacts.
The Facebook for Every Phone app is designed to tap into a wider audience, by offering its services to those of us who don’t own a smartphone. Facebook has also partnered with 20 carriers worldwide to offer free data access to their app for 90 days. It can be downloaded via m.facebook.com, by entering ‘d.facebook.com/install’ directly into your mobile browser, or from the app stores GetJar, Appia and Mobile Weaver. Here’s a video introduction to the app:


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After Facebook went down on Thursday, one thing was certain: People don't like to go without their favorite social networking site.
Research in Motion launched a BlackBerry for Business blog Friday, bearing a post from its lead contributor simply named "Roger," who has been a RIM marketing employee since 2001.
Enhance your TV experience with extra channels, on-demand movies and more
Following a day of frenzied reports about an upcoming $100 million donation to a struggling school system, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Friday the creation of a new foundation called Startup: Education.
Google has integrated its Chrome Web Store with its Checkout online payment system, as it gets ready to open the application marketplace to end users later this year.
Casual game publisher PlayFirst and market research firm Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. weigh in on the casual games market spread across social network, mobile, and PC platforms. Not surprisingly, gender plays a role.
Reports are circulating that RIM will officially unveil its tablet device at the 2010 BlackBerry Developer Conference in San Francisco next week. The RIM tablet would be entering a market currently dominated by the iPad and about to get much more cro...
Ah yes, the on-again, off-again HP Slate running Windows 7. Before CES, it was a buzz-worthy expected product, but its brief appearance in Steve Ballmer's CES keynote left some rather disappointed. But a new video making the rounds on YouTube shows w...
Many Facebook users were unable to access the social networking site for up to two and a half hours on Thursday, the worst outage the website has had in over four years, Facebook said in a posting.
The hottest concept mobile phone right now doesn't come from Apple, Google, Motorola or HTC. It was developed by a designer in his spare time as part of a Mozilla Labs project.
A new three-core processor from Marvell, the Armada 628, is a 1.5GHz processor with three CPUs on one chip. Designed for powering smartphones and tablets, this tri-core processor can purportedly deliver dual stream 1080p 3D video to your mobile devi...
Update - 2:55PM PDT: Facebook appears to be back up--at least for us here in PCWorld's San Francisco offices. The Facebook Twitter feed notes, "Facebook may be slow or unavailable for some people because of site issues. We're working to fix this quic...
Full-size scanners and multifunction printers that scan, fax, and print are so 2009, right? And good luck lugging one of those huge beasts around with you on the road. Enter the PlanOn DocuPen Xtreme X05, a scanner that has the shape and size of an e...
It'll likely arrive someday, just not as soon as we'd like. Verizon Communications chief executive Ivan Seidenberg has tossed a bucket of icy water on smoldering rumors about a certain Apple smartphone coming to the largest U.S. wireless network.
If you're sick of buying a brand new cell phone every other year, you're certainly not alone. Consumers are holding on to their phones for longer than ever these days, according to the latest survey from J.D. Power and Associates.
Intel's AppUp store now allows Australian users to purchase applications. The AppUp application store for netbooks was launched to the public last week at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, but Australian users were restricted to downloading...
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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The units will come with a new architecture, which means that the turbo will be mounted beneath the engine, unlike in the current EJ series mills that have a high-mounted turbo, while the intercooler will stay on top of the cylinder block.
As for the aforementioned STI powerplant, this will offer 300 hp, just like the current engine, but will ask for 10 percent less fuel in return.
Of course, the big question is whether the turbo version will be offered on the upcoming BRZ sportscar, alongside the 200 hp naturally aspirated 2.0-liter unit that is expected to be offered for the vehicle.
The aftermarket potential is a key asset of Subaru vehicles, with the tuner-friendly attitude of the carmaker’s products bringing beneftis in terms of both direct sales and image. However, just like the rest of the automotive industry, Subaru is moving on to become a greener company and we are curious to see how these two sides will be balanced.


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The number of mobile subscribers worldwide was expected to rise 20% to 1.91 bln at the end of 2005 and cross the 2-bln-mark in 2006, driven by China and India, where mobile phones are only now reaching vast swathes of their 1 bln+ population. By 2010, Informa says, the Asia-Pacific region would contribute almost half of the mobile subscribers globally as subscribers rise to 1.3 bln from 843 mln 2005. Informa forecast 2.7 bln mobile subscribers worldwide by 2010. 46.5% of these subscribers will continue to be on 2G networks, followed by 29.6% on 2.5G networks and 23.8% on 3G networks.
Web Summit 2018


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Blizzard is Working on “Multiple” Diablo Projects
The studio may be bringing us a Switch port while also working on a future installment of the franchise.
By Chris Morse
Diablo III has been chugging along rather smoothly these days, with the console ports well established and new seasons emerging every so often to keep things fresh, but what’s coming next for the Blizzard franchise? With all of the hype surrounding World of Warcraft and its next expansion over the past few weeks, community manager Brandy Camel decided to give Diablo some love in the form of a video posted on the official Twitter account for the franchise, discussing the future of the series and what fans can expect moving forward.
Stay awhile and listen – we have exciting updates to share about the future of Diablo. pic.twitter.com/J7S3HHcWQC— Diablo (@Diablo) August 8, 2018
The main takeaway here is that there are “multiple Diablo projects in the works,” which is as direct a tease as can be made short of actually announcing a new title. The “multiple” here is particularly interesting because it may mean that Blizzard has something other than a new sequel in the works, which will likely be a Nintendo Switch port of Diablo III based on earlier rumors and speculation. Recent Blizzard job postings have also hinted at a new, unannounced project, so there is plenty of room to guess what might be coming next for the franchise.
“Some of them are going to take longer than others,” Camel explained, referring to the Diablo projects that are currently in the works. “But we may have some things to show you later this year.” That shorter timeframe may make sense for a Switch port and would line up nicely for the holidays. If we had to guess at what another related project may be, this being the 14th season of Diablo III would probably indicate that we are well due for the next full sequel. The game originally launched back in 2012.
Blizzard also announced that Diablo III seasons would be themed from now on, revealing that season 14 will be the “Season of Greed,” giving players bonuses to Treasure Goblin spawn rates through the entirety of the season. For more information on themed seasons and what the upcoming season will feature, head on over to the official website’s announcement blog.
In the meantime, we admit that we’re more than ready to see a Diablo IV, so hopefully that’s in the cards before too long. Otherwise, if we hear more later this year as promised, we’ll be sure to keep you posted here on Dead Entertainment.
Weekly Horror News Round-Up November 7: The Walking Dead, Friday the 13th: The Game, Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Plus, Hulu pulls the plug on Castle Rock, the Resident Evil film reboot adds to its cast, Demon's Souls get a fancy character creator, and more.
Weekly Horror News Round-Up September 19: Resident Evil, Stranger Things, Demon's Souls
Plus, check out the full trailer for Scare Me, Blumhouse and Amazon pull back the curtain on 4 movies, Scream 5 gets another star, and more.
Review: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 Once Again Delivers Retro Castlevania-Style Goodness
Koji Igarashi and Inti Creates keep the past alive in this latest 8-bit delve into the Bloodstained world.
Review: Boss Fight Books' Resident Evil Explores the Storied Origins of Survival Horror
Philip J Reed's deep dive into the video game that started a legendary horror franchise is more than just a trip down memory lane.


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ADVERTISERS' self-regulatory codes aimed at reducing children's junk-food marketing are failing, health groups have claimed.
The groups point to an advertising watchdog ruling that found popular show Junior MasterChef is not primarily directed towards children and therefore is exempt.
The Obesity Policy Coalition says the industry-funded Advertising Standards Bureau's ruling means junk-food advertisers ''effectively have free rein'' in popular shows such as The Simpsons and Junior MasterChef, despite the latter being one of the highest-rating programs for children under 12 this year.
The Advertising Standards Bureau dismissed a complaint, made by the anti-obesity campaigners, involving an advertisement for Magnum Gold featuring Benicio Del Toro in a bank heist to get to the ice-creams. The bureau found that the ad was primarily directed towards adults.
Fiona Jolly, the head of the bureau, said the code was meant to prevent advertising for unhealthy foods in programs aimed at children. Under the ''responsible children's marketing initiative'', signatories commit not to advertise food products in media ''directed primarily to children''.
But Jane Martin, senior policy adviser for the obesity coalition - which includes VicHealth, Cancer Council Victoria and Diabetes Australia - said the onus should not only be on adults.
''Just because a parent is in the room, it doesn't mean an advertisement doesn't have the same impact,'' she said. ''Why do parents have to be the arbiters? Where is the responsibility of advertisers?''
Australian Food and Grocery Council's Dr Geoffrey Annison said the codes, introduced almost two years ago, had reduced junk-food advertising to children.
''Given the number of food companies in Australia, given the number of advertisements … it's a very small number that have attracted complaints … and the number of complaints that have been upheld is very small,'' he said.


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A long article in the Wall Street Journal says essentially one thing: People are holding lower stock levels in their pantry, and buying less items at a time.
The Great Depression replaced a spendthrift culture with a generation of frugal savers. The recent recession, too, has left in its wake a deeply changed shopper: the just-in-time consumer.
It’s an interesting phenomenon, and one which makes complete sense when we think about it. If we buy in bulk we may save a little per unit, but the downside is often a drop in quality and freshness, and the potential to overestimate consumption and have items sit in the shelf for years.
We have also see several cases of manufacturers reducing packet sizes, though sadly not the prices to match. But are we also seeing the lower pantry levels in New Zealand? Are the average shopping trolley sizes going down?


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It’s no secret that the Vita is performing poorly in the West. The expensive handheld from Sony is a wonderful machine, but its hist cost of entry and lack of software make it an unattractive option for gamers looking for sophisticated experiences on the go.
Sony is hoping to at least remedy the software problem in 2013 with a number of high-profile releases. One of the more interesting, and charming, games to come out of Sony’s initiative is Tearaway, a new action/adventure game from Media Molecule. PlayStation fans have come to know and love Media Molecule for its LittleBigPlanet franchise, and now its bringing a new kind of game to the Vita.
Tearaway will be available exclusively on the PlayStation Vita on October 22. Physical copies of the game will feature reversible cover art for those want to display the female protagonist on the box.


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TechAlliance challenges area innovators to bring meaningful ― and fast ― change to Main Street
FOUR BUSINESSES IN Southwestern Ontario will be awarded $15,000 each in funding with the introduction of the new 5-10-15 Main Street Innovation Challenge that aims to “support the transformation of main streets and serve the small business community struggling as a result of COVID-19.”
Launched by TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario, the Digital Main Street Community Collaboration Program challenge is open to businesses throughout the London region that bring forward technology-enabled solutions that put transformation for Main Street businesses at the forefront. The challenge is intended to produce ideas rooted in “inclusive and disruptive approaches to economic recovery and community prosperity.”
‘The challenge is a fast one: businesses will have just five days to submit an idea’
The challenge, however, is a fast one: businesses will have just five days to submit an idea (submissions close on February 10), and from there a panel of judges will have just five days to select the winners (which will be announced on February 16). The winning proposals will have to be fast-acting, too — winners will need to implement their proposal and be able to report back on it by mid-March.
“It was meant for a rapid evaluation period so we see rapid results,” explains Karen Chalmers, director of partnerships with TechAlliance, adding that they’re looking for “pilot solutions that businesses are ready to implement and report on by March 16.”
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Dressed up as a competition, what you have is essentially a very speedy pandemic recovery grant program, with public money being kicked in by the provincial government and the feds, through FedDev Ontario — a way for them to quickly support businesses looking to expand their digital presence in response to the pandemic.
“Providing businesses with the tools they need to adapt, recover and grow is a key part of our economic recovery plan throughout reopening and into the future,” says Ontario’s economic development minister Vic Fedeli. “This Digital Main Street Community Collaboration project through TechAlliance is just one example of how Ontario’s recovery will be driven by innovation.”
The challenge is open to businesses from London and the surrounding counties of Elgin, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex and Oxford, with the six-member judging panel being drawn from economic development figures in each region.
“It’s a very diverse group,” Chalmers says.
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Chalmers adds that they have otherwise left things open-ended in terms of submissions. “Innovation comes in so many forms,” she says, so they are really hoping to see something surprising, different and “outside of the norm.”
London Mayor Ed Holder calls the challenge a “solid example of how innovation can help transform businesses and prepare for opportunities.”
For more information, check out the challenge’s website. Kieran Delamont


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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — DOPE Cider House and Winery hosted its grand opening in Youngstown Saturday.
Youngstown native and owner Hanna Ferguson said it’s the culmination of five years of hard work. She brews all the cider in-house.
Ferguson comes from a family of winemakers, which is how she first learned to brew wine — and eventually, cider.
It was a big hit with her friends, who encouraged her to her to turn her beloved hobby into a profession.
“This is the first Black-owned cidery in the state of Ohio and as far as breweries, there’s five breweries total in the state of Ohio that are Black-owned. Representation matters and I just want people to feel comfortable when I come in,” Ferguson said.
DOPE is next door to Penguin City Brewing downtown. They have six different ciders on tap.
Ferguson said they hope to eventually bottle their ciders to sell in grocery stores.


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The Alaafin of Oyo’s youngest wife Olori Badirat Olaitan Adeyemi, who is set to turn a year older in few weeks, got a brand new car as early birthday gift from her husband, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
The pretty Olori couldn’t hold back her joy after she got the new car from her husband as an early birthday gift.
She shared the photo of the car on her Instagram with a caption, birthday gift came so earlier… Thanks my King ? ? ?


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Toyota Moves R&D To China
Establishing R&D centers in China by foreign automakers is a huge trend. Of course, the trend was led by GM, which already has an alphabet soup of tech centers (PATAC, CAERC, and CATC) in the Shanghai area. Now, Toyota follows with their own. Following prevailing fashion, it will be called TMEC.
According to a communiqué from Toyota City, ToMoCo will establish the Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd. (TMEC) in the Southeast Economic Development Zone in Changhus. Changhus is in the sprawling outskirts of Shanghai.
The R&D Center that sounds like an engine factory will be 100 percent owned by Toyota, but will share the fruits of its labor and laboratories with its joint venture partners. TMEC will start partial operation in April 2011.
Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco says that they will be busy pouring concrete for a while before concrete research will be conducted: “We’ll be building a test track, and assorted other facilities. It will probably be taking into 2013 before the center is in full swing.” Soon Shanghai, one of the world’s most populous cities, will also be the city with the most test tracks.
One of the main jobs of TMEC is the Chinesefication of Made-for-China Toyota product. The center “aims to tailor vehicles to the demands of Chinese consumers.”
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No, it’s not déjà vu. A 2005 Porsche Carrera GT straight set the record for most expensive car sold on Bring a Trailer. It stole the crown from one various 2005 Porsche Carrera GT which was sold earlier in the month. It went for a paltry $ 1.9 million, whereas the new record holder sold for just $ 2 million.
The former record holder had 780 miles on the clock. Tthe hat is more than three times as much as the 250 miles the new record holder has. There are also a few other differences. The first record holder was a flashy one Guards Red, where tThe new car is the much more common GT Silver Metallic. This one also came with Terracotta interior as opposed to the first car’s black leather.
These are some really striking differences for the discerning Carrera GT buyer. They probably should have bought both for safety.
Both cars are mechanically identical, comes with a 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V10 that has one 8,400 rpm redline and a six-speed manual gearbox.
The red car held the price as the most expensive car sold on the Bring A Trailer for under two weeks. Previously, it beat the last record holder – -one 1961 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster sold in July 2021 – with over $ 400,000.
So why the higher price? Well, the new record holder benefits from a fresh, $ 18,000 service that included a new water pump, battery, belts, connectors, tires and TPM sensors. The other 80,000 you ask? That value comes either from the lower miles or man ‘s endless need to build each other up.
Be sure to tune in next week when another different 2005 Porsche Carrera GT sells for $ 2.1 million. It will certainly be a sight to behold for the rich, while the rest of us poor people watch in utter horror.


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VCash, is dead.
Digi decided to pull the plug on their e-wallet solution after being in the market for only two years.
Theyâ€™ve notified users via SMS for their refunds and the e-wallet will stop its service by 30 Nov this year.
VCash was one of the first e-wallet services in the country where users can use the app to pay for purchases simply by scanning QR code.
Users can also transfer money to others who donâ€™t have the app, besides using the app to buy reloads, gaming credits and pay bills.
The app also allowed users to withdraw to â€œwithdrawâ€ your money in cash at a Digi store with a minimum fee.
You can still download the app on your favourite app store but it doesn’t allow you to register.
It’s a peculiar decision by Digi, given that the government is pushing towards more people to adopt e-wallets with the stimulus announced during Budget 2020.
We hope that with the government trying to make more people use e-wallets, the other companies that are providing cashless services can still sustain in the long run.


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A huge dose of relief to Africa's AIDS crisis came recently from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.
Bristol-Myers Squibb, a Manhattan-based drug maker, announced two far-reaching measures. The company, which holds the patent on a drug known as d4T or Zerit, said it was abandoning legal efforts to stop makers of the drug's generic, low-cost brand from selling it in African countries. Bristol-Myers also decided to offer Zerit and another AIDS drug, didanosine, for $1 per day to African patients. By contrast, one dose of the two drugs costs $18 in the United States.
In another welcome development, Merck & Co. and GlaxoSmithKline announced they would offer several AIDS drugs at prices that only cover the cost of production.
AIDS is devastating many African countries. Conventional approaches to treatment no longer seem realistic. In the sub-Saharan part of the continent, 25 million people are HIV-positive. That's 70 percent of the total number of known AIDS cases globally. Last year, 2.4 million Africans died from AIDS-related causes. In South Africa, about 20 percent of the adult population are infected.
No African government has the financial resources to spend the minimum $10,000 it costs each year in the West to treat a patient with AIDS. The same is true of the Caribbean and much of Asia, where AIDS is spreading at an alarming pace.
Pharmaceutical companies long resisted appeals to significantly cut the prices of AIDS drugs for impoverished nations. They came around only after an Indian manufacturer of generic drug versions sought to provide AIDS drugs to South Africa and other poor countries for as little as $600 per patient per year.
Though responding only after their hands were forced, the major manufacturers deserve praise. Drug research and development is very expensive -- and companies are not charitable institutions.
In the case of d4T, Yale University, whose researchers developed the drug, acted admirably by endorsing the move by Bristol-Myers.
Some drug manufacturers may be tempted to recoup their losses in Africa and the developing world by charging more to patients in the United States. That would be a mistake.
Many of those infected in the United States are too poor to afford the cost of medication. Asking them to pay even more would make a mockery of the generous gestures made to Africa's sufferers.


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Nokia 5 certified by FCC, to launch globally soon
The smartphone Nokia 5 was launched in February at MWC, 2017. Now the device Nokia 5 with the model number TA-1044 certified by the Federal Commission Certification (FCC) ,which confirms its early arrival in the market. Now the HMD global has decided to launch the device in 120 global markets including United States.
The device Nokia 5 comes with the cost of €199, and it may depend on various markets.
The affordable device Nokia 5 sports touchscreen display of 5.20-inch with a resolution of 720 pixels x 1280 pixels. It has 2GB RAM, internal storage capacity of 16GB, which can be further expanded up to 128GB via microSD card slot. It has the dimension of 149.70 x 72.50 x 8.05mm. It is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor and runs on Android 7.1.1. It has dual-SIM functionality.
The camera section of the device includes a rear camera of 13MP and a front-facing camera of 8MP. It is powered by non-removable battery of 3000mAh.
Connectivity wise, it features Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, USB OTG, 3G and 4G. Sensors on the phone include Compass Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor and Gyroscope.
Stay with us for more information.


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Small carriers supporting cell phone unlocking to gain access to Apple's iPhoneThe recent push to legalize mobile device unlocking is getting support from a number of smaller wireless carriers, who see the movement as a way of getting Apple's iPhone on to their networks.
Apple sells an unlocked version of the iPhone directly to consumers.
Bloomberg on Wednesday reported that several regional and rural wireless providers have thrown their support behind legislation in Congress that would allow wireless customers to unlock their devices without carrier permission. The Competitive Carriers Association (CCA)which represents carriers includingU.S. Cellular, T-Mobile, Cricket, and NTelos wants Congress to undo a recent decision by the Library of Congress that went into effect in January, forbidding mobile owners from unlocking their devices without permission.
Following the Obama administration's endorsement of legalizing unlocking, the momentum appears to be with the unlock movement.
For smaller carriers, unlocking phones would open up the possibility of the owners of those phones moving away from the larger wireless services, which often purchase exclusive access to handsets, leaving lesser carriers with lesser devices. Locking cell phones, Librarian of Congress James Billington wrote in his notice banning locking, is an essential part of the wireless industry's dominant business model.
AT&T, responding to the recent unlocking push, has already said that it will unlock a device for any customer whose account is in good standing and has been active for at least 60 days and who has fulfilled the device's service contract.
Unlocking phones would likely be a first step toward trying to encourage greater competition in the wireless arena. The disparity in size between the major national carriers and the smaller players can sometimes be described in orders of magnitude. Verizon, the nation's largest carrier, has 98 million subscribers, while AT&T has 78 million. U.S. Cellular, meanwhile, has six million customers, and some smaller CCA members have as few as 2,000.
That sort of size difference leads organizations like the CCA to push not only for wireless unlocking as a means of leveling the playing field, but also increased access to spectrum and limitations on consolidation among the larger players.


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January 10, 2014 – Daily Herald – How Hanover Park plans to revive Barrington Road shopping center
More than two years after buying an aging strip mall for $2.8 million, Hanover Park officials are ramping up their efforts to turn the property over to the private sector.
Trustees on Thursday directed village planners to seek developers’ formal proposals to revive the Hanover Square Shopping Center on Barrington Road. The goal is to sell the mall to a developer whose vision ties in with Hanover Park’s long-term plans for a nearby Village Center — an ambitious hub of retailers, restaurants and housing. Read Full Article
ULI Chicago conducted a technical assistance panel in August 2012 addressing retail issues in Hanover Park.
Review the Irving Park Road Corridor TAP Report
See additional coverage on the Irving Park Road Corridor TAP


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TOKYO— Toyota Motor Corp. TM -0.75 % will recall 1.9 million of its flagship Prius hybrid vehicles to fix faulty software in the hybrid system, hinting at the challenges ahead for the world's biggest car maker and others as they expand their fleets of hybrid vehicles using ever more electronic parts.
Toyota said Wednesday it will recall all vehicles of the latest, or third-generation Prius, which has been in production since 2009. It said the defective software could result in certain transistors overheating, possibly causing the hybrid system to shut down and bringing the vehicle to an unexpected stop.
The number of the company's flagship hybrids to be recalled is the largest ever for the model, far outstripping the 397,000 recalled world-wide in February 2010. The Prius first went into production in 1997.
The setback comes after Toyota said last week it expects a record profit for the current business year. It didn't provide details of the cost of the recall.
It also shows the challenges Toyota and other global car makers face as they use more electronic parts and share parts between models, and as they try to reduce costs—a strategy that itself could increase the number of recalls.
"Car makers need to bring together their wisdom to avoid recalls as they use more electronic parts…and try to share these parts," said Hiroshi Ataka, an analyst at IHS Automotive.
Toyota has received a total of 451 reports of the software problem dating back to May 2011. No injuries have been reported due to the problem.
A Toyota spokeswoman said it took time to identify the cause of the damage to the transistors.
Toyota is the world's first car maker to mass produce hybrid vehicles, and is arguably the most advanced in terms of gasoline-electric power system know-how.
But the complexity of the electronic parts makes it difficult to quickly detect the causes of problems in some cases, Mr. Ataka said. It is especially difficult to recreate the conditions under which problems occur, he added.
The recall shouldn't significantly affect Toyota's long-term sales, as the company has committed to quickly repairing problems once their causes have been identified. This is something it has prioritized since coming under fire for responding slowly to customer complaints during high-profile global recalls in 2009 and 2010.
Still, customers are keeping a close eye on the company's quality controls. Toyota's reputation for quality is vital to its strength, helping lift it to the world's No. 1 spot in global sales.
Of the 1.9 million Prius hybrids to be recalled, 997,000 will be recalled in Japan, 713,000 in North America, 130,000 in Europe and the rest in Asia, the Middle East and other regions.
Separately, Toyota said it would recall a combined 295,000 2012 RAV4 sport-utility vehicles, 2012-2013 Tacoma pickup trucks, and 2012-2013 Lexus RX 350 SUVs sold in the U.S., Canada and other markets to fix systems controlling vehicle stability, traction and anti-lock brakes.
Write to Yoshio Takahashi at firstname.lastname@example.org


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(123movies) Watch ‘Ms. Marvel’ Free online streaming At~Home
Marvel Cinematic series! Here are options for downloading or watching Ms. Marvel streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch the anticipated Marvels series at home. Is Ms. Marvel available to stream? Is watching Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix, or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found a faithful streaming option/service.
Watch Now: Ms. Marvel Online Free
Like Kamala Khan herself, we’ve fangirled out and circled the Ms Marvel release date on our calendars. Arriving at a very busy moment for streaming services (Obi-Wan Kenobi is still dropping new episodes, while we wait for Stranger Things 4 to finish up), the newest member of the MCU is shaking things up. At least once she gets her powers.
Marvel’s had a steady release of TV shows and movies all year long, with Moon Knight recently aired its finale and Thor: Love and Thunder scheduled to hit theaters in July. The next highly-anticipated Marvel TV series is Ms. Marvel, with its first episode premiering, Wednesday, June 8.
Wondering how to stream Ms. Marvel on Disney+? Here’s everything you need to know about the new Marvel TV show, including plot details and how to watch Ms. Marvel online for free.
Ms. Marvel on Disney+ Release Date, Run Time, Episodes
Ms. Marvel’s first episode will premiere on Disney+ on Wednesday, June 8. Similar to other Marvel TV shows, there are a total of six episodes slated for the first season of Ms. Marvel, with the show’s finale airing on Wednesday, July 13.
We expect each episode of Ms. Marvel to run between 35 to 45 minutes, with episode times varying slightly on a weekly basis.
How to Watch Ms. Marvel Free Online
Disney+ does not offer a free trial, unfortunately, but there are other ways to stream Ms. Marvel for free on Disney+.
If you are a Verizon subscriber, you may be eligible for their “Disney+ On Us” deal giving you access to six months of Disney+ for free. Sign-up now or register for the free streaming deal with your Verizon plan here. This way, you’ll be all set to stream Ms. Marvel on Disney+ during its June 8 release.
Where To Watch Ms. Marvel Online
With a new Jurassic World coming out very soon, you may want to rewatch all the movies. Or if you haven’t given the science fiction adventure films a shot, now is your chance.
Watch Now: Ms. Marvel Online Free
Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic Park III can all be streamed using a HBO Max or Hulu subscription. If you’d prefer to rent the movies, only the first two are on Prime Video. Otherwise all three films can be rented on YouTube, Apple TV+, or Google Play Movies & TV.
The sixth film in the franchise, Ms. Marvel, will be released in cinemas on June 10, 2022. Right now it’s not confirmed where the movie will be streamed after its big screen release.
Is Ms. Marvel on Netflix?
Ms. Marvel is not available to watch on Netflix. If you’re interested in other movies and shows, one can access the vast library of titles within Netflix under various subscription costs depending on the plan you choose: $9.99 per month for the basic plan, $15.99 monthly for the standard plan, and $19.99 a month for the premium plan.
Is Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus?
No sign of Ms. Marvel on Disney+, which is proof that the House of Mouse doesn’t have its hands on every franchise! Home to the likes of Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic, ESPN, STAR, and so much more, Disney+ is available at the annual membership fee of $79.99, or the monthly cost of $7.99. If you’re a fan of even one of these brands, then signing up to Disney+ is definitely worth it, and there aren’t any ads, either.
Is Ms. Marvel on HBO Max?
Sorry, Ms. Marvel is not available on HBO Max. There is a lot of content from HBO Max for $14.99 a month, such a subscription is ad-free and it allows you to access all the titles in the library of HBO Max. The streaming platform announced an ad-supported version that costs a lot less at the price of $9.99 per month.
Is Ms. Marvel on Hulu?
They’re not on Hulu, either! But prices for this streaming service currently start at $6.99 per month, or $69.99 for the whole year. For the ad-free version, it’s $12.99 per month, $64.99 per month for Hulu + Live TV, or $70.99 for the ad-free Hulu + Live TV.
Is Ms. Marvel on Amazon Video?
Unfortunately, Ms. Marvel is not available to stream for free on Amazon Prime Video. However, you can choose other shows and movies to watch from there as it has a wide variety of shows and movies that you can choose from for $14.99 a month.
Is Ms. Marvel on Peacock?
Ms. Marvel is not available to watch Peacock at the time of writing. Peacock offers a subscription costing $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year for a premium account. As their namesake, the streaming platform is free with content out in the open, however, limited.
Ms. Marvel on Disney+: Plot Details, Spoilers, Cast
Ms. Marvel casts Iman Vellani in the titular role of a 16-year-old Pakistani-American school student from Jersey City who somehow always feels out of place — even at home. This all changes when she gains the ability to harness cosmic energy, giving her superpowers much like the heroes she’s always looked up to.
Other noteworthy cast members include Matt Lintz as Kamala’s best friend and Aramis Knight, starring as Red Dagger.
Interested in streaming the new Marvel TV show when it airs? Subscribe to Disney+ today so you’re ready for Ms. Marvel‘s premiere on Wednesday, June 8.


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Chinese manufacturing giant, Xiaomi, has been doing quite well in the global mobile phone market. The company made a huge statement in the flagship mobile phone market with the Xiaomi 12S series. The Xiaomi 13 series continues the same trend and it is doing quite well. In a recent Weibo post, Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, pointed out that the screen of Xiaomi 13 has the highest brightness in the Android camp. He claims that the display effect is very good and users will not lack anything.
According to reports so far, the peak brightness of the Xiaomi 13 series hit 1900 nits. The global brightness hit 1200 nits while the screen power consumption has been reduced by 22%. This mobile phone comes with Samsung’s latest E6 screen material. Specifically, the E6 material is the 6th gen screen substrate sold by Samsung. For OLED screens, the luminous substrate is a very important key technology. This is because it directly determines the display quality of the screen. Before E6, there were materials such as E4 and E5. The larger the number, the newer the material.
Gizchina News of the week
Xiaomi 13 screen brightness is way higher than the previous generation
The Samsung E6 substrate screen that this Xiaomi flagship uses has a peak brightness which is 900 nits higher than that of the E5 substrate. In addition, the brightness is 1100+ nits higher than that of the E4. Moreover, the Xiaomi 13 has a visual four-equal-sided design. The three borders are only 1.61mm, the chin is 1.81mm, and the screen-to-body ratio is as high as 93.3%.
In terms of battery life, Xiaomi 13 has also improved significantly. The device comes with a large 4500 mAh battery. According to official tests, the Xiaomi 13 DOU has a battery life of 1.37 days, surpassing the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, which has a DOU battery life of 1.28 days. The Xiaomi 13 has thus become a new generation of battery life monsters.


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The dip in consumer spending due to the economic downturn has caused concerns among many retailers who are paying top dollar for retail space.
Market watchers said they do not expect any rental growth in the 4th quarter, but some retailers may be holding out for concessions.
Orchard Road, Singapore’s prime shopping district, is set to welcome four new malls next year – ION Orchard, [email protected], Orchard Central and The Mandarin Gallery.
Orchard Central is expected to open in the first quarter of next year, ION Orchard by mid-2009 and [email protected] by end of 2009.
The new revamped Mandarin Gallery at The Meritus Mandarin Hotel, currently undergoing a S$200 million facelift, is due to open in October 2009.
The four-storey Mandarin Gallery will have 130,000 square feet of retail space, with rental rates ranging from S$12 to S$60 per square foot. About half of the space has been leased.
The landlord said it will find ways to help tenants cope with the tougher business climate, but it said cutting rents may not be best thing to do.
“Rental rebates is not a solution… It would help (but) at the end of the day… it is a lot more effective if we come together, put our efforts, and even our finances together, to try to sustain the shopping, the spending and the traffic,” said Patrina Tan, senior VP of Retail, Marketing & Leasing, Overseas Union Enterprise (OUE).
OUE said it will try to woo shoppers to the mall with brands that are new to the Singapore market.
Many tenants along the shopping belt are locked in to their rental rates for up to three years, with the option to negotiate new deals thereafter. Analysts said high-end retailers tend to have the upper hand during such negotiations compared to mass market retailers.
“If the landlord feels that this tenant is important, if it’s a part of the mall’s image that he is trying to build up, he may be a bit more flexible in the rental negotiations. And it’s not just rentals, it could be other terms or incentives like rent-free periods,” said Nicholas Mak, director of Consultancy & Research at Knight Frank.
With festive shopping round the corner, analysts said landlords might prefer to wait a little.
Analysts also expect retail rents to drop by one per cent this quarter.
Tan Huey Ying, director of Research & Advisory at Colliers International said: “It depends on when the economy is going to recover. But if the two integrated resorts were to proceed and open as scheduled, then I think there is some likelihood that the market may see a revival in the second half of 2010 or the first half of 2011.”
While many of the projects along Orchard Road will open as planned, market watchers expect about 20 per cent of the upcoming retail projects, especially those in the suburban areas, to be deferred till 2010 due to construction delays.
Source : Channel NewsAsia – 19 Nov 2008


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Also intriguing was the final bowing-out of the BTR old guard with the departure of Alan Jackson, the former managing director. Two new, and it has to be said, independent non-executive directors were also appointed. Simon Robertson, who resigned from Kleinwort Benson after disagreements with its German parent, Dresdner, is joined by Alain Gomez, who retired last year as chairman and chief executive of French defence group Thomson- CSF after rowing with the Paris government over an alliance with General Electric.
Pre-tax profits may have been down 13.4 per cent, to pounds 1.26bn, but what excited dealers was the glimmer of a turnaround. Mr Strachan has said he will dispose of businesses with combined sales of pounds 2.3bn. Around pounds 1.75bn of this target has already been achieved - which explained the pounds 247m fall in sales to pounds 9.53bn - with 25 more smaller companies to go. Growth in specialist engineering, building products and polymers helped offset some of the sales loss.
After a disastrous spell during which it has been one of the worst-performing shares in its sector, BTR is picking up steam. With the dividend cut, it has freed up cash for investment. Some poor performers have gone, and more are set to join them. Mr Strachan still faces a huge task in refashioning the group, but there are signs he can do it.
The shares continue to trade at a 25 per cent discount to the market, so there seems little downside from here. BTR is a buy, with the proviso that it may be up to three years before the promised land is finally reached.Reuse content


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Posted December 4, 2014
Citing the inadequacy of past, centrally planned food security policies, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Alan Tracy proposed an initiative to provide “genuine food security to the world’s wheat importers” by fully liberalizing global wheat trade. Tracy presented the concept of a global wheat food security initiative at the 25th Annual International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) Mideast & Africa Conference & Expo in Cape Town, South Africa.
“Wheat is the most important food grain in the world,” Tracy said. “It provides 20 percent of the calories consumed every day on earth and 20 percent of the protein for the poorest half of human population. Demand is growing, but not every country that consumes wheat can produce wheat. Thus, wheat is both the world's most planted grain and the most traded. Creating a government-to-government sectoral trade agreement, similar to the current initiative to achieve global free trade in environmental goods under the World Trade Organization (WTO), that eliminates trade barriers would assure importing countries of guaranteed access to the world's exportable wheat supplies.”
Tracy noted that the call in 2011 by the G20 under the leadership of French President Sarkozy for internationally controlled emergency wheat stockpiles and other measures largely proved unworkable. He also criticized India’s food security demands that appeared to derail hopes for a WTO trade facilitation agreement in Bali, Indonesia, earlier this year.
"India's demand for an exemption from WTO subsidy rules was not really about food security," he said.
Admitting that such an initiative faces many challenges, Tracy said government trade officials and industry representatives from several countries have expressed an interest in exploring this concept.
“Given a fair chance, we can compete very well because we produce the highest quality wheat in the world,” said Paul Penner, a Hillsboro, Kan., wheat farmer and president of the National Association of Wheat Growers. “We agree that lower tariffs, less government intervention and freer global wheat trade would expand opportunity for farmers and their customers and we are eager to see how stakeholders respond to this idea.”
Tracy also asked flour millers at the IAOM meeting for their support within their own governments if the idea takes root.
“In exchange for eliminating tariffs, licenses and other trade barriers, the world’s wheat buyers would have guaranteed access to exportable wheat supplies even when world supplies are down,” Tracy said. “It also would encourage sound investment in wheat production and create a more level playing field on which exporting countries can compete. I believe, with your support, we can genuinely boost food security that is so critical to peace and justice in this growing world.”
USW is the industry’s export market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” USW activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service.