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The FAO Food Price Index Continues to Decline
Related blog posts
Marking the third consecutive monthly decline, the FAO Food Price Index fell 2.3 percent in June 2022 from the previous month, driven by declines in vegetable oils, sugar, and cereal prices while meat and dairy prices rose. Despite this continued decline, the index is still 23.1 percent above June 2021 levels.
The Cereal Price Index dropped 4.1 percent from May but is still 27.6 percent above June 2021 levels. Despite highs in May, wheat prices declined by 5.7 percent due to new harvests in the northern hemisphere, improved crop conditions for major producers, high production prospects from the Russian Federation and a decline in global import demand. Maize prices also fell by 3.5 percent, driven by pressure from seasonal availability in Argentina and Brazil and improved crop conditions in the United States. Rice prices rose in June due to demand for Indica and basmati rice.
The Vegetable Oil Price Index declined by 7.6 percent from May due to drops in palm, sunflower, soy, and rapeseed oils prices. Palm oil prices continue to fall, driven by rise in outputs for major producing countries and an increase in export supplies from Indonesia. Sunflower and soy oil prices are also declining due reduced global import demands following a period of rising costs.
The Dairy Price Index and the Meat Price Index rose 4.1 percent and 1.7 percent from May. Unlike dairy and meat, the Sugar Price Index fell 2.6 percent from May, reaching its lowest level since February.
The latest AMIS Market Monitor addresses the ongoing changes in agricultural markets, including changes in production, utilization, stocks, and outlooks for trade. The featured article highlights outcomes from the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference and emphasizes the need for constructive and sustained engagement to address issues such as export restriction and prohibitions which contribute to price volatility and inflation. Ongoing crises such as Covid-19 and the conflict in Ukraine continue to impose challenges on agricultural markets specifically reflected in major commodities like wheat.
Wheat production is predicted to drop for 2022 as production prospects are lower in the EU, Argentina, and Iraq. Wheat utilization is expected to increase from the previous month but decline from 2021-2022 values due to a drop in demand for feed use and industrial use. Wheat trade is also anticipated to rise, driven by demand from Asia and larger shipments from Australia and Russia. Global wheat ending stocks are forecasted to remain near opening levels due to buildups in Canada, China, Russia, and Ukraine which counteract drawdowns.
Maize production is anticipated to rise due to improved outlooks in China, India, Russia, and Ukraine, albeit still 1.2 percent below 2021 levels. Maize utilization is forecasted to increase, driven by stronger than anticipated feed demand, yet still set to decline 0.3 percent from 2021-2022. Maize trade outlook rose in June due to higher-than-expected demand from the EU and shipments from Brazil, yet trade is still expected to decline from 2021-2022 by 3.0 percent. Global maize ending stocks are predicted to remain near opening levels from revisions in China, Ukraine, and the US.
Rice production is forecasted to rise in 2022 as production in India counteracts declines in Viet Nam’s 2022 outlooks. Rice utilization is predicted to exceed its year-earlier record by 1.1 million tonnes as global per caput food use steadies. Rice trade is anticipated to change slightly as India is forecasted to remain the world’s largest exporter. Global rice ending stocks are forecasted to still be at their second highest despite downward adjustments to carry outs in Cambodia and Viet Nam.
Soybean production is forecasted to be slightly lower from the previous month due to downward revisions in the US. Production is also expected to rebound, reaching a new year to year record high. Following a large contraction in 2021/22, soybean utilization is expecting a 2.7 percent year to year recovery due to lower forecasts for the US and China. Soybean trade is predicted to remain unchanged from the previous month as fewer export prospects for the US are counteracted by shipments from Brazil. Soybean stocks are forecasted to scale down slightly due to reductions in the US, however, global ending stocks are predicted to rebound by more than 20 percent.
Lexie Goldman is a Borlaug-Ruan intern with IFPRI's Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division (MTID).


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This week and next week are some busy weeks for us! Today, we’re flying over to London to join the Digital Publishing Innovation Summit by Innovation Enterprise. Next week, we’re Read more
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Alcohol vendors make big changes to stay in business during coronavirus crisis
By Alexa Santos, Digital Producer
Restaurants, bars, and many other small businesses have been dealing with major changes to their standard operating procedures amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 16, the governors of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut announced the closure of all restaurants and bars, except for takeout and delivery orders, in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.
As of March 22, all "non-essential" businesses in the tri-state needed to eliminate their in-person workforces. But in all three states, liquor stores have been deemed "essential businesses" that can remain open.
Also, temporary changes in liquor laws gave restaurants and bars the ability to sell alcohol as part of their takeout and delivery menus.
That means bars, breweries, distilleries, wineries, and liquor stores are working out new ways to do some business during this difficult time.
Rooftop Reds, a rooftop vineyard in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, has started delivering for the first time since being in business.
Rooftop Reds is a seasonal venue, that opened for the spring and summer on March 1. Shortly thereafter, they had to close the space due to the coronavirus pandemic. Managing partner Devin Shomaker says 75% of the staff was laid off.
Getting creative, they decided to start delivering their craft wines as a way to keep the business alive.
Shomaker says it was a huge relief that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo deemed alcohol as an essential business, allowing for businesses like Rooftop Reds to use deliveries as a lifeline.
"It's been absolutely vital that we are able to continue doing this outreach delivery service, and have some revenue coming in," Shomaker says.
Rooftop Reds is delivering to all of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island City. Ideally, Shomaker hopes their home delivery service is popular enough to potentially allow him to hire some of his staff back on to assist.
Shomaker decided to partner with one of Rooftop Reds' neighbors in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Transmitter Brewing, to bring more variety to their delivery services.
Transmitter Brewing is a local craft brewery. Cofounder Rob Kolb says it's vitally important that people support their local spots through takeout and delivery options during this time. "If we go out of business, that affects this neighborhood," Kolb said.
Here is a list of several venues that are open for alcohol pickup and/or delivery in the tri-state area:
Note: Each day, things are changing, and more businesses may choose to close their doors or alter their delivery & takeout options. You can check with locations directly, if you want to be sure.
Brooklyn Kura (at participating wine & liquor stores)
If you are a business that is still open, click here and let us know.


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The theme of the week is “context”. For the second week, Netflix is spending hundreds of millions of dollars for film rights. To put that in context requires “ent-splaining” everything from “content arms dealers” to “portfolio theory” to “Pay 1 theatrical films”. (And if you don’t know what those terms
Last week, the NFL media rights story went from “potential” to “actual” news. (The latter happens, the former is rumors.) Not to toot my own horn, but I wrote last week that the Disney-NHL deal would set the template for the NFL deal (and all future rights deals). And I
Last week’s news was notable for how much “lots of news with no news” that came across my inbox. In other words, part of me thinks that following the news closely last week probably resulted in more misunderstanding than wisdom. Which we’ll get to, but first, a few companies reported
On Wednesday sports in America made their triumphant return! “The MLS Is Back” tournament declared that, well, the MLS is back. This follows the June return for most of European soccer, starting with the Bundesliga and continuing to the English Premier League, the most popular global sports league. Yet not
Here’s why this week’s column is late. I started writing a Tweet thread, and then it went long. So I moved it to this column. Then that went so long, so I moved it to its own post. (Fingers crossed Wednesday.) So I’m starting from scratch midway through the weekend.
If you own a retail company, you know what you should do? Enter the TV business. In the glorious tradition of electric companies and liquor salesmen, now the big box and online retailers are entering the biz. Here come the retailers! Other Contender for Most Important Story of the Week


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How Generative AI is Reshaping the Customer Experience
Contributed article by Marc Ferrentino, President & COO at
ChatGPT has captured our collective attention
over the past few weeks. From writing rap songs to planning beach vacations, OpenAI’s large language model (LLM) is resetting the
public’s understanding of AI’s capabilities.
Of course, generative AI has more functional
and consequential applications than picking a beach destination. For
businesses, this technology offers an entirely new way to interact with and
From creating engaging content to powering
unprecedented chat experiences to ushering in a new era of support automation,
generative AI promises new ways for businesses to meet shifting customer
AI-generated content will create better
The key advancement of generative AI is its
ability to not only analyze or aggregate existing information but to create new
outputs. Paired with natural language processing, this technology is capable of
generating organic-sounding, conversational responses to prompts.
That has significant implications for
businesses at a time in which content has become central to delivering
meaningful digital experiences. Delivering quality user journeys means creating
and updating vast libraries of content across various owned and third-party
properties… a process that requires significant effort across the enterprise,
from sales to marketing to operations.
Though ChatGPT isn’t going to take over as
your staff copywriter any time soon, LLMs do offer a path to more efficiently
creating content at scale. Imagine taking a description of a product or a blog
post and generating a list of FAQs from it. Or automatically generating a
response to a customer review in order to streamline workflows.
What’s more, AI-powered analytics systems can
in turn monitor the usage and impact of these knowledge resources and
automatically create additional content assets to fill the gaps in customer
This isn’t just a matter of saving time and
money. By increasing a business' capacity for creating high-quality content on
the fly, generative AI improves the business’ ability to deliver better digital
experiences to each and every customer.
Conversational experiences will augment
Various applications of generative AI have
already been woven into consumer search experiences. Popular search engines
like Google no longer strictly rely on keywords and backlinks, and instead use
AI to better understand the actual intent behind a user’s search query.
But the real difference maker will be the
proliferation of conversational experiences, which are increasingly used to
augment or even replace search in certain cases.
Not only can generative AI assist with natural
language understanding (NLU), it can return information in a more
conversational format. These thorough, readable answers lend themselves to more
“encyclopedia-style” searches like “how does knowledge management work?” or
“why do I need a CRM?”
Chat can also take the history of the
conversation into account, allowing a user to ask follow-up questions and dig
deep into certain topics. This makes chat ideal for sales and customer support
use cases (more on that in a moment).
Chat will never replace search entirely;
search will remain a superior solution for actionable, intent-focused queries
like “best CRM for SaaS companies” or browser-centric experiences like
ecommerce. But more users will gravitate towards conversational experiences for
certain tasks as the technology continues to advance.
Bing and Google have already announced conversational interfaces and this trend
will continue as the legacy search engines attempt to retain market share.
Automated customer support will improve
One of the best use cases for generative
AI-powered chat is customer support; perhaps no component of the customer
experience is as ripe for disruption. Chatbots and other automations have been
widely adopted as companies attempt to efficiently scale their support
offerings, but technological limitations often still lead to unsatisfactory
Generative AI is changing that. Just as with
search, its ability to understand the meaning of queries — rather than match
keywords — powers hyper-specific responses to user questions.
Backed by this technology, support chatbots
will provide conversational experiences that feel more like an interaction with
a real person. And not only will they reliably surface FAQs and support content
relevant to the individual user but, thanks to its automated content creation
ability, the AI will be able to intuitively create new content based on data
collected through support interactions.
Improving these interactions will ultimately
lead to improved customer loyalty and lifetime value.
Generative AI is still only as good as the
knowledge it possess
As impressive as ChatGPT and other early-stage
generative AI systems are, they’re still limited by the data on which they’re
trained. AI can’t use information it can’t find; a problem presented by
companies with poorly structured or siloed databases.
Knowledge graphs, which structure complex and
disparate data sets in a way that allows AI systems to draw connections between
different things in the world around us, will play a critical role in
businesses’ ability to get the most out of this new technology.
By investing in knowledge graphs and data
protections now, companies can set themselves up to hit the ground running as
generative AI tools become increasingly available on the market. That will mean
a more intuitive, positive digital experience and happier, more loyal


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ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit is irked that the NCAA Football video game series from EA Sports is still out of commission.
The game was discontinued – or put on hiatus – after EA Sports settled a class action lawsuit by former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon, who also filed against the NCAA. The NCAA lost the initial case and is in the process of appealing the decision. In the meantime, the most popular college football video game on the market was left in limbo much to the chagrin of gamers, including Herbstreit, who blames the game’s demise on O’Bannon.
“Ed O’Bannon ruined that for all of us,” Hebstreit told SEC Country.
At the heart of the lawsuit was athlete compensation for the use of their likeness in the game. O’Bannon’s lawyers argued that EA Sports was making millions off a game that was popular because of student-athletes that received no money.
Herbstreit contended players didn’t care about the use of their likenesses; they just loved the game.
“I’ve never met one player in college football that’s like, ‘They can’t use my name and likeness! I need to be paid!’ ” Herbstreit told SEC Country. “They’re just thrilled to be on the game. They love being on the game. It’s like the biggest highlight of their life, is to be on the game.”
Herbstreit does have a stake in the former EA Sports franchise since he was one of three announcers in the game and was compensated for his work.
The franchise has been dormant since its last release in 2013, though EA Sports’ Facebook page teased fans last week with a video of a heart monitor coming to life. The page contended it was the game’s way of displaying its excitement for the national title game and not a sign of the game’s resurrection.
“I can’t believe Ed O’Bannon took that game away from us,” Herbstreit said.
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And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook


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Walmart Foundation Funds Research for Improved Denim Dyeing Method
A Texas Tech University Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI) research project has been awarded more than $470,000 in funding by the Walmart Foundation.
The study, titled “Foam Indigo Dyeing of Cotton Yarns: Machine Design and Process Control,” is aimed at reducing the amount of water, contaminants, time, labor, floor space and expense needed to apply indigo dye to denim yarns. The research team is attempting to determine machine design parameters and process controls necessary for the foam application of pre-reduced indigo on yarns to help provide a more cost-efficient and ecologically sound method of dyeing denim.
“Walmart has long been a mainstay of the retail sector in this region of Texas, and cotton has long been ‘king’ here,” said FBRI Managing Director Dean Ethridge. “Now the Walmart Foundation is enabling crucial developmental research into one of the most dominant cotton textile products in the world – indigo dyed denim.
“Success in this project would reduce the water used to indigo dye denim by more than 90 percent,” he added. “It would introduce a new paradigm for indigo dyeing that would enable drastic reductions in costs and drastic improvements in environmental impacts. Without a doubt, it would be among the greatest legacies of Texas Tech University’s Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute.”
By using foam application, which saves on water and is more environmentally friendly, researchers hope to make the process of indigo dyeing of denim – which is one of the largest cost components of denim fabric manufacturing – more cost efficient. Indigo dye is a natural organic dye that has been synthetically produced and used as the main colorant of denim, particularly blue jeans, for more than 100 years.
“Coloring cotton is actually a very complex process, and innovations such as foam technology over conventional liquid-phase dyeing may ultimately result in lower process costs and hence a better value for the customer,” said Robert V. Duncan, Texas Tech vice president for research. “This application of basic science to achieve better industrial results is exactly the sort of research that we intend to expand upon in the future.”
In addition to Ethridge, other members of the research team include Noureddine Abidi, FBRI director of Biopolymer Research; Howard Malpass, an indigo dye consultant; and Ralph Tharpe, Casey Bownds, Larry Griffin, Gerald Gohlke, Bryan Gregory and Larry Lundberg, all of American Cotton Growers Denim in Littlefield, TX.
Source – Texas Tech University


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Struggling to generate interest in its upcoming Xbox One, Microsoft will announce "FIFA 14" will be packaged with all Xbox One consoles sold in Europe, according to a report from MCV published Monday.
The site quotes sources within Microsoft, stating Microsoft will reveal the partnership with publisher EA during its Gamescom conference Tuesday. The bundle will retail for £429.99. This is believed to be an attempt to bring the value prospects of the Xbox One and the Playstation 4 closer together. In Europe, the PS4 is £80 cheaper than its competition.
EA's "FIFA" series is one of the best selling titles each year, topping 3 million copies in the United Kingdom alone. In the United States, it has surpassed "Madden NFL" in annual sales. There is no word whether Microsoft will bring a similar bundle to the U.S.
Both Microsoft and EA declined to comment on the report.


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It seems like Hungarian AutoHop has just entered Romanian, Croatian and Serbian market and it already changed its name - the ridesharing service has been acquired by BlaBlaCar, a well known platform from France, for an undisclosed amount.
Startup Underground (SUU) is an annual gathering of startups, leaders, innovators, venture capitalists, journalists, bloggers – members of the Hungarian entrepreneurial ecosystem. It is an intensive, one-day long program featuring a startup competition, several panel discussions, and workshops. This year it will take place at Corvinus University of Budapest and it starts on Thursday, April […]
One of the leading European accelerators, Seedcamp, today announced the 20 finalists of its first Hungarian Seedcamp event in which these startups get the chance to get mentored by both local and international mentors. Seedcamp's team and mentors might also decide to invest 50,000 Euro in one or more startups, like they have at previous Seedcamps, previously called Mini Seedcamps that are held almost each month of the year across Europe and the Middle East.
The leading European startup accelerator, Seedcamp, will be holding its first ever Seedcamp startup event in Budapest. While Seedcamp has been present in Central and Eastern Europe in Ljubljana, Zagreb and Prag, this is the first time it will hold an event in the capital of Hungary - in partnership with the European Entrepreneurship Foundation.
Contextual advertising network Etarget has just launched a new product called Retarget that lets you create remarketing campaigns. Retarget lets you target users that have already visited your website and know something about your products or services.
Basically, you add a code snippet to your website and then Etarget knows when a users comes from it to one of the websites in their network, for example one of the 500 websites they've partnered with in Croatia.
This week we had opportunity to cover the announcement of airtAI, a Croatian fintech startup whose solution is based on artificial intelligence and is directed towards smaller banks that want to better assess the needs of their clients. Exclusively for Netrokracija airt’s CEO Hajdi Ćenan reveals the details.
Applications that control the operation of oil platforms and plants for the processing of derivatives are directly responsible for a safer and cleaner world, and one of the best is created largely in Croatia.
We are delighted to present you Blockchain from the Bloc(k), the first podcast about Balkan's blockchain scene by Netokracija and æternity Ventures, asset management company investing in Blockchain startups.


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Bank card corporations and choices have been impacted by a “credit crunch” attributable to coronavirus in line with ClearScore. Nonetheless, in constructive information, the worst of mentioned crunch may now be over and customers may be capable to be optimistic in regards to the future.
Analysis from ClearScore has discovered that the common variety of pre-approved bank cards is now again to 79 % of January’s ranges, from a 49 % low in July.
Moreover, the variety of loan merchandise is now sitting at 62 % of January’s ranges, greater than double April’s 30 % on the top of lockdown.
This improve in merchandise is mirrored by an elevated urge for food from customers.
The identical analysis discovered that 34 % of persons are prioritising switching or taking out a brand new bank card, whereas 20 % mentioned they had been more likely to apply for a private loan within the subsequent six months (primarily based on a survey of 1,273 respondents).
READ MORE: Martin Lewis bank card warning: ‘It isn’t worth it’
Nonetheless, additionally they warned that if a second wave of coronavirus is on the horizon, there’s a threat that these tendencies may reverse.
Moreover, as cost holidays and the governments help schemes come to an finish, additional stress might be added onto the populous.
ClearScore detailed that in the intervening time 28 % of customers are prioritising paying down short-term debt, versus planning for the long run.
It was calculated that With a 61 % improve within the variety of pre-approved bank cards accessible in August (38.31) in comparison with July (23.72), the common shopper may save £626 by switching current bank card money owed to a brand new bank card this month, primarily based on a regular stability of £1,300 with consultant APR 35 % (ClearScore buyer’s common) and month-to-month repayments of £50.
Justin Basini, the CEO and co-founder of ClearScore, commented on the corporate’s findings: “The pandemic has supplied a chance for a lot of to hit the reset button on their funds and take the time to organise their spending and pay down any excellent debt.
“With authorities and trade monetary schemes set to wind down by the top of October, now could be the time for individuals to take advantage of the credit score choices at the moment accessible if they’re out there for credit score.
“While the supply of credit score merchandise has elevated, it’s vital for customers to totally perceive the phrases of any merchandise they may take out to see them via the approaching months.
“Our analysis has proven that the common bank card APR has risen by a weighty 32 % in the course of the course of the previous eight months.
“And with nearly half (47 %) of individuals admitting to not figuring out the APR on any of their credit score merchandise (together with bank cards, loans and mortgages), this substantial improve in APR over the past eight months may find yourself costing unsuspecting customers dearly.”
Bank cards might be helpful monetary instruments however they are often harmful if abused.
Steering and neutral recommendation on the right way to choose and use bank cards safely might be sought from the likes of Residents Recommendation and the Cash Recommendation Service.


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KOLKATA: A high-powered working group led by Reserve Bank of India deputy governor Subir Gokarn has projected that country's savings rate may rise to around 38-39% of GDP by the end of 12th Five Year Plan if economic growth returns to 8% level. The savings rate was 33.3% at the end of March 2012.
But the panel said there will be downside risk of a stagnating savings rate or even lowering of this due to increasing retail credit penetration which led consumers to spend in anticipation of future income. Large shocks to growth and high inflation can play spoilsport too.
""Going forward, it is recognised that the attainment of higher grow th target during the Twelfth Plan would be contingent upon a turnaround in public sector savings and sustaining the momentum of private corporate sector savings,"" the panel said in its report submitted to the Planning Commission.
The average gross domestic savings rate during the Twelfth Plan works out to 36-37%, with household savings rate seen rising gradually over the Twelfth Plan period, reflecting the impact of favourable demographics. The 12th Five Year Plan covers a period between 2012-13 and 2016-17.
""Notwithstanding the positive impact of the evolving demographic profile, the household savings rate could remain stagnant or even decline as financial liabilities increase with greater retail credit penetration,"" the report said.
India's gross domestic savings rate has increased near-steadily over the Five-Year Plans and is among the highest in the world in the recent period. The recent savings rate of the country is comparable to Indonesia, Thailand and Korea but much lower than that of China, Malaysia and Singapore. Consumer states like the US and the UK had their savings rate as low as 11% levels in 2009, while the rate is 17% for France and 21.4% for Germany. Among emerging economies, Brazil had a low savings rate at 16.5%.
The panel, where economic advisor to the finance ministry Kaushik Basu was also a member, pointed out that while the country's household sector savings rate has stabilised, trends in private corporate sector savings and public sector savings have influenced the changes in the domestic savings rate in recent times.


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(WXYZ) — The Marijuana Regulatory Agency is taking steps in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Per an executive order signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday, licensed marijuana provisioning centers and adult-use retailers may provide home delivery services, according to a press release.
The MRA must approve the delivery procedure used by the designated licensed facility or adult-use establishment. The MRA is also encouraging the use of home delivery when applicable.
Temporarily, the use of home delivery will be allowed for patients and customers whose residential address may not be the address identified on their state issued identification card.
The MRA will also allow curbside pickup; customers can stay in their cars in the parking lot of a center or adult-use establishment. Customers may complete an order including payment for their product via the internet or they may place their order once parked at the facility.


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NEW YORK -- SoftBank Group-backed Indian startup Oyo Hotels & Homes has bought Hooters Casino Hotel, its first property in Las Vegas as it eyes further expansion in the U.S. market.
The deal, announced by Oyo Friday, was handled by its American partner Highgate, which will oversee operations at the rebranded Oyo Hotel & Casino.
The two companies paid $135 million for the property, said a person familiar with the matter.
The hotel is located near the city's tourist hub, the Las Vegas Strip, and has 657 rooms across 19 floors, as well as a 35,000-square-foot casino.
The new addition marks the budget chain's foray into a higher-end segment of the U.S. hotel market, as it adapts to a business environment different from home.
Founded in 2013 by then 19-year-old Ritesh Agarwal, Oyo has a portfolio comprising over a million rooms -- compared with 140,000 just a year ago -- across 23,000 hotels and 125,000 vacation homes. It grew to its current scale by reforming independently run, and often underdeveloped, budget accommodation with standardized design and practices, operating them under its brand.
The startup has raised funds from investors including Airbnb and Sequoia Capital, apart from Softbank's Vision Fund.
Oyo also provides apps that range from booking rooms to managing a hotel, and has developed algorithms that calculate a hotel's projected occupancy rates and revenue.
In June, Oyo announced its plan to invest $300 million in the U.S., where it operated dozens of hotels. But some raised concerns over whether Oyo could adapt its approach, which has achieved huge success in developing countries, to the American market.
"With our newest hotel in Las Vegas, we are excited to cater to a completely different audience segment and are certain that this will be the perfect start to OYO’s journey in Las Vegas," Oyo CEO Agarwal said in a statement Friday.
Abhinav Sinha, COO and partner at Oyo Hotels & Homes USA, said the company is "increasingly exploring new ways to connect with our customers, from millennials, to young executives and families, in every city we enter."
Positioned as a flagship property for the Indian chain, the Las Vegas hotel will be renovated to reflect Oyo's brand, which is expected to be completed this year. Paragon Gaming will continue to operate the casino.


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The northern port city of Hai Phong ranked second with US$1.07 billion , accounting for 10.8% and followed by Hanoi with US$835.3 million, or 8.4%.
The agency reported that in the first five months of this year, 53 cities and provinces in the country attracted US$9.9 billion of FDI, equivalent to 81.6% of that in the same period last year.
Of which, the processing and manufacturing industry lured US$5.18 billion, or 52.3%, while real estate enjoyed US$1.07 billion, and retail and wholesale sector attracted US$1.02 billion.
Notably, LG Innotek added US$501 million to its factory in Hai Phong, raising total investment in the project to US$1.05 billion, while Regina Miracle International Vietnam injected an additional US$260 million to its sportswear factory.
Economists said that the increase of investment in projects in equipment and garment will bring more opportunities for domestic enterprises to learn from FDI firms and take advantage of their strengths. This is also what Vietnamese businesses need to do to enhance their competitiveness and engage deeper into global supply chains.
So far this year, 86 countries and territories have invested in Vietnam, led by the Republic of Korea with US$2.63 billion, accounting for 26.5% of total FDI, followed by Japan with US$1.52 billion and Singapore with US$1.11 billion.


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U.S. businesses are seeing what one legal reform group is calling "explosive growth" in litigation filed under a law that was originally championed by South Carolina's former governor and U.S. Senator, Ernest "Fritz" Hollings (D-SC).
The South Carolina Civil Justice Association was among thirty-two organizations to sign on to a letter commending the leadership of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee for holding a hearing on possible reforms of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Reform of Hollings-sponsored Telephone Consumer Protection Act to be considered in U.S. Senate hearing
Reform of an anti-telemarketing law sponsored by former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings (R-SC) and signed into law in 1991 will be discussed during a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing at 10 a.m. Wednesday.


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In this period, Remedy appears to be involved on several fronts at the same time. Just a few weeks ago, we saw the announcement of the highly anticipated Alan Wake 2, but not only that. The talented Finnish studio had already announced that it was working on a project with the Epic Games Store and on the development of the single player campaign of Crossfire X. Along with all this good fortune, a few minutes ago the team and Tencet have announced a association which will lead to the creation of a new intellectual property unpublished.
As already mentioned above, the announcement is fresh today, to such an extent that Remedy and Tencent wished to launch a press release in which they reveal all the first details of this collaboration. The title in question is now called code name “Avant-garde”, and it would be a multiplayer experience with co-op elements. But it doesn’t end there, Vanguard will introduce itself as A free-to-play PvE shooter that will combine the Remedy story-making experience and action play in one immersive multiplayer experience.
The game, currently in development, will be powered by Unreal Engine and will be released for PC and console platforms.. Remedy will develop and release the game worldwide, with the exception of certain Asian markets, where Tencent will localize and release Vanguard. Game development is currently in the prototyping phase, and IThe budget will be typical for a Remedy AAA game.
Remedy has signed a global development / license / distribution agreement with Tencent for its cooperative multiplayer game named Vanguard (in development).
Tencent will localize and release the game in Asian markets + develop and release a mobile version https://t.co/qoPbehipbK pic.twitter.com/hrq6ABrmyf
– Nibel (@Nibellion) December 28, 2021
âVanguard marks Remedy’s debut in the games-as-a-service business model. We’re building something new and exciting for cooperative multiplayer. Expanding our capabilities to take on editorial responsibilities is the next step in our business development. We are delighted with this long-term partnership with Tencent and can confidently say that this is a great way to support Vanguard’s ambitious plans. Vanguard is a global opportunity and Tencent can support Remedy internationally and lead operations in Asia and mobile markets. “, said Tero Virtala, CEO of Remedy Entertainment.
While waiting to discover the next Remedy games, you can buy Control Ultimate Edition on Amazon at this address.


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Kojima Productions is getting a Los Angeles, California-based office, and it's looking swanky. Can you picture yourself working in an environment like that? What a lovely patio view. The team will assist with development on M... more
Nintendo's latest fiscal report is not all that hot. But the general annual report does a much better job of putting a positive spin on the company's present and future.
The first dozen or so pages of the report are incredibl... more
[Update: Telltale is mistakenly credited for the LEGO games in the source report, but it should be Traveller's Tales.]
French game studio Ubisoft released its fiscal year 2013 earnings earlier today, trumpeting its tidy profi... more
Nintendo's fiscal year 2013 report was just released today, and the details are... well... umm... they're certainly something alright. Neither hot nor cold. Just... there.
For the year ending on March 31, 2013, Nintendo poste... more
Nintendo has been trying its best to prove that its hardware is not just for children, but then things happen and it's back to the kiddie corner. The most recent roadblock has been a nonsensical eShop restriction that prevent... more
In the fallout of Capcom's cancellations of Mega Man Universe and Mega Man Legends 3, many folks likely forgot that there was still one big Mega Man title in development: Rockman Online, a Korea-exclusive 2D side-scrolling MM... more
Fez developer Phil Fish said some things about the Japanese games industry the other day. People gave him flack, but he wasn't the first one to air such grievances. Former Capcom R&D head Keiji Inafune has been saying thi... more
During the EA Game Changers event at the 2012 Game Developers Conference, Maxis announced SimCity. It'll be coming to PC in 2013, which clearly isn't soon enough.
Curvy roads were announced first, much to the applause of the... more
Longtime readers will know that I love so-called "lifestyle" galleries. This is when a company shows you how to enjoy a gaming system in real life by making a bunch of people dress like derping douchebags while striking force... more
Merry Christmas to all the wonderful, beautiful people come to Destructoid every day for their gaming news and related nonsense. We truly do love you all, and we're so happy that you've stuck around all this time.
The h... more
Confirmed: Japanese teens hate Nintendo Wii!
In Nintendo's financial results briefing, speaking on product appeal, Satoru Iwata shared some age-demographic charts for both Japan and USA. The data for Japan shows that te... more
Since Sonic Generations was first announced back in April, the heartstrings of many fans have yet again been pulled one way or another, as they hope that Sega doesn't screw up yet another Sonic game. Even our very own Jim i... more
While I wish I could have stood around and looked at pretty girls all day, the Great Robot in the Sky sent me to Tokyo to write about videogames, so I had to enjoy them in passing, doing my best to snap a quick shot as I ran to my next appointment. These hastily snapped, semi-lit photos go against everything I've learned as a lifelong photo enthusiast. Forgive my quick and dirty job. more
Here's a gallery of pictures from the TGS show floor so that you may enjoy the sights without the hassle of dodging people or fighting off heat exhaustion. You won't have to deal with the sweat or the pushing, either.
Sony has released a ton of utterly astounding photographs of douchebags waving a PlayStation Move around, letting the world know that in order to enjoy the PS3 waggle-dong, you need to look like an impossibly smarmy prick.&nb... more
Why is it when you want something really bad but can't have it that it all of the sudden looks so much more attractive to you? The PlayStation Vita is that way for me now. I'm close to raging now, overcome with portable gamin... more
The show floor at PAX is absolutely nuts, just like it always is. It's crowded, flashy, fun and sometimes kind of smelly. Still, we're having a great time here.
Luckily they gave us media members time to run around the ... more
Want to see what the online components will look like on the PlayStation Vita's shiny OLED screen? Want to see what a portable game system with day-one messaging and online capabilities looks like? These new screen grabs show... more
3D Realms are at it again, posting another job ad on Gamasutra (for senior and junior programmers). Sure, there's nothing special about a developer looking to hire. In fact, it happens everyday. But it's not every day... more


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Publisher My.com released a new update for its free-to-play online first-person shooter Warface today. The update includes a new Blitz mode map titled “Residence.” The map is set in a luxury villa owned by the game’s primary villian, Oberon White — the driving force behind Blackwood.
Also added with this update are two new weapons; the ZX84 A5 Custom high-performance sub-machine gun and the Atheris GQ50 sniper rifle. Both of these can be read about in detail on the Warface site.
Finally, My.com also announced the launch of a new server for the Asian market. This is the first regional server to be located in Hong Kong and will provide players in Asia with a lower ping — and hopefully a better game experience.


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Last week, three brand new Retreat Coaches were welcomed to Workout Away and assigned to the new Etu Retreats brand.
When it comes to instructor recruitment, Workout Away has taken a non-traditional approach compared to most other retreat providers. Before starting as an in-resort coach, all new team members are required to complete required training courses to ensure they are equipped to deliver the five-star service that Workout Away has become known for.
After completion of the online training sessions, team members complete a full day of initial training in London which is a mix of physical and guest experience education.
Etu Retreats is a new low-cost, high-value retreat concept from Workout Away. The Etu concept is simple, removing extras such as complimentary gift packs and private dining to build a fitness retreat geared towards the price-conscious traveller.
For more information visit - https://www.eturetreats.com


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Thanks to the NSA PRISM revelations we've all lost our innocence about government cyber-spying, but how far down that rabbit-hole has law-enforcement gone? Revelations from the Def Con hacking conference in Las Vegas show that such tactics are old hat for another US anti-crime department: the FBI. For instance, one ex-official said that the bureau's analysts (shown above) can routinely turn on the microphones in laptops and Android devices to record conversations without a person's knowledge. On top of such in-house expertise, a private sector cottage industry has sprung up around cyber surveillance, marketing programs that can also hack handheld devices and PCs. One company even markets "zero day" bugging software that exploits unknown security holes -- meaning crime lords can't just patch their browsers to avoid detection.
[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]


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Ryan Reynolds’ New Investment in Payments Provider Nuvei
Does every company that Ryan Reynolds touches turn to gold? We’re about to find out.
In 2020, the actor and business guru sold his gin company Aviation American Gin for $610M. He’s also expected to make $300M from his 25% stake in Mint Mobile’s sale last month.
He’s become a powerhouse marketer with his agency Maximum Effort — using it to jumpstart the companies he invests in.
Between 2017 and 2020, Mint Mobile’s revenue grew by 50K% (Reynolds invested in 2019). Here’s his next challenge…
Bringing the Reynolds Touch to fintech
Yesterday, Reynolds announced an investment into the Canada-based global payments company Nuvei (amount undisclosed). But Reynolds is no expert in payments tech…
- “I know about as much about fintech as I did about gin or mobile a few years ago. But Nuvei is impressive…”
- The announcement was followed by several Nuvei commercials starring Ryan Reynolds.
But selling to businesses is different than selling to consumers. It’s uncertain whether Reynolds’ marketing can boost Nuvei as he did with his consumer brand investments.


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India`s global trade engagement rises to 54% of its GDP
New Delhi: India`s global trade in services and goods has risen phenomenally in the last five years to constitute over 54 per cent of its gross domestic product, reflecting a greater integration with the world economy.
In 2003-04, the country`s exports and imports in both
services and merchandise in relation to its GDP was only 30.9
per cent. These have now crossed well over half the size of
the Indian economy, according to the official data released
here on Tuesday.
"India`s greater integration with the world economy is
reflected in the trade openness indicator," a Finance Ministry
paper on the state of the economy said.
The merchandise trade as a percentage of India`s GDP
increased from 23.7 per cent in 2003-04 to 41 per cent in
2008-09. "If the services trade is included, the indicator is
higher at 54.2 per cent in 2008-09, reflecting greater degree
of openness," the paper said.
"In the last 4-5 years our exports and imports are
growing phenomenally...increasing external trade reflects
India`s greater openness. However, the ongoing global economic
crisis has briefly interrupted the integration of India with
the world economy," CRISIL`s Principal Economist D K Joshi
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Apple, Samsung 'tablet war' overshadows Berlin tech show
The repercussions of Apple's billion-dollar patent victory over Samsung were still being felt at Europe's biggest consumer electronics show, as the South Korean firm launched a host of new gadgets.
After losing the biggest patent case in decades, Samsung came out fighting at the IFA show in Berlin which opens on Friday, with a sweeping media launch of smartphones, tablets, a "smart PC" and a voice-controlled camera.
But as Samsung made every effort to shrug off the defeat with a dazzling array of new toys, there were concerns the court case could stifle innovation as firms fear to launch new products that could be the target of patent suits.
"Behind closed doors, you can be sure that there will be serious discussions taking place, device makers talking to different platforms makers," said Florian Mueller, an intellectual property expert.
"There will be private meetings in which it will be a big issue," he added.
"An overprotected market can stall innovation and infringe competition ... We are not there yet, but we have to keep an eye on this," he said.
"For the moment, I don't fear a lack of competition," said Mueller, although he believed high-tech manufacturers would be wary of the power of the patent courts in future.
Juergen Boyny, from consumer affairs think tank GfK, said the "tablet war" between Apple and Samsung—which forced the South Korean firm to pull one of its products out of last year's show—was a "limited conflict."
"It will not stop the development of innovation, nor will it stop smartphone or tablet sales," he told AFP.
"Everyone at the moment is developing tablets."
Indeed, IFA organisers say the global market for consumer electronics is poised to defy the economic slowdown and post a two-percent gain this year to around $1.1 trillion.
"It's innovation that drives growth," said Rainer Hecker, the president of the German federation that organises the IFA.
The show opens on Friday to the public, with more than 1,400 exhibitors unveiling the latest touch-screen tablets, 3D televisions without special glasses and smaller, smarter and more interconnected devices to wow punters.
Samsung's main competitors, however, were to be absent from this year's IFA.
Apple never exhibits at international fairs and neither Google, which has just launched its Nexus-7 mini-tablet, nor Microsoft, set to unveil its "Surface" tablet soon, is setting up shop at this year's IFA.
The landmark victory of Apple over Samsung is poised to shake up the sector and could slow the momentum of Google and its Android system, analysts say.
Apple won more than $1 billion in the case last Friday, after a California jury found the South Korean electronics giant infringed on dozens of patents held by the iPhone and iPad maker.
Samsung has pledged to keep fighting the case, and said that if it stands "it will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices."
(c) 2012 AFP


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The latest earnings reports from Orlando-based Darden Restaurants shows the company's third quarter net income dropped 18 percent as it dealt with soft sales at one of its signature brands, Red Lobster.
One person has died from injuries she received during a crash in Orlando on Tuesday night.


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The regulator expects consumer prices to grow by 3.5-4% per year at the end of 2018
MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. The Bank of Russia has decided to keep the key rate at 7.25% per annum, noting that monetary policy is highly likely to shift to a neutral stance in 2019.
"Though annual inflation remains below the target, it is tending to return to 4%," the regulator said in a statement following its board meeting on Friday. "The balance of risks is shifted towards proinflationary risks. Uncertainty persists over how strongly the tax measures may affect inflation expectations and how the external conditions will develop," the statement said.
The decision was expected as the majority of analysts projected on Thursday that the Central Bank would keep its key rate, waiting for the business’ reaction on the upcoming VAT hike and amid growing inflationary expectations.
According to the regulator, monetary policy is likely to shift to a neutral stance in 2019. "Given the effect of the planned fiscal measures on inflation and inflation expectations, monetary conditions should remain to some extent tight to limit the scale of secondary effects and stabilize annual inflation close to 4% over the forecast horizon," the Bank of Russia said on Friday.
Meanwhile, the balance of risks is shifted towards proinflationary risks, which the regulator said is related to uncertainty persisting over how strongly the tax measures may affect inflation expectations and how the external conditions will develop.
The regulator expects consumer prices to grow by 3.5-4% per year at the end of 2018, and annual inflation to temporarily overshoot 4% in 2019. "The annual growth rate of consumer prices is expected to return to 4% in early 2020," it said.
According to the Central Bank, annual inflation remains low. "It stood at 2.3% in June and is expected to hold within the 2.5-2.6% range in July in line with the Bank of Russia’s forecast," the statement said.
The Bank of Russia forecasts that in 2018 the Russian economy will post a 1.5-2% growth rate, which corresponds to its potential amid the remaining structural limitations.
"The FIFA World Cup made a positive contribution to the annual GDP growth rate in Q2 (0.1-0.2 percentage points)," the statement said.
The regulator’s board of directors will hold its next key rate review meeting on September 14, 2018.


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While Olajide ‘KSI’ Olatunji has been deep in the thick of a heated feud with his brother Deji Olatunji for the last month, it looks like he’s trying to move on and get back to his old ways on YouTube.
KSI’s YouTube channel might be primarily focused around music and other comedic content of late, but he started out making videos on the popular FIFA franchise back in 2009.
After almost 10 years since his first upload, KSI has announced his return to the game that started it all for him.
Just in time for the new year, KSI uploaded a video on December 31 in which he gets an unexpected visit from the fictional “Owner of EA Sports.”
When asked why he’s there, the Owner says that it’s because FIFA needs KSI to return.
“The FIFA community have shown their frustrations over the past few months,” the Owner says in the hopes of persuading KSI to the cause.
Featuring many clips from upset streamers, the video highlights many of the main problems that people have had with the game recently.
According to the Owner, KSI is the “spark” the FIFA community needs to get back to greatness.
While KSI is initially hesitant, telling ‘The Owner of EA SPORTS’ to “fuck off,” he eventually relents after being granted his terms of a “$1 million payment.”
After KSI is showered with fake money, the words “KSI IS BACK” and “FIFA 19 COMING SOON” are revealed.
The release of the video wasn’t without some hiccups as it was soon deleted soon after he originally uploaded it, with KSI joking that EA didn’t want him posting it.
No date for the first video was given, but fans of KSI will nonetheless be happy to hear that FIFA content will once again grace KSI’s channel.


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Financial Inclusion is growing and fast
- Financial inclusion is growing, and fast. Kenyans excluded from any form of financial service dropped from over 40% of adults to 17% between 2006 and 2016.
Access to any form of formal financial service has dramatically increased from about 27% to over 75%.
- And that growth is continuing: The number of Kenyans not using any form of financial service declined from 25.1% in 2013 to only 17.4% in 2016.
Inclusion was driven by largely by mobile money services, used by over 71% of adults, as well as mobile banking services such as M-Shwari, Equitel and KCB-M-Pesa. Just a few years after their introduction, mobile banking services are already used by 17.5% of Kenyans and have become the most common banking solution among youth aged 18 to 25.
- Almost a third of Kenyans already have a mobile money account in their name by the time they are 18 years old.
Well Told Story, with FSD Kenya and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched a report on an area of finance we still don’t know much about: young people’s financial pre-journey, the period before they become adults. One of the findings was that Kenyan entrepreneurial spirit starts young: teenagers have usually started making their own money such as pocketing their parent’s grocery store change or selling second hand clothing.
- If Kenyans could effectively compare bank accounts they could, in some cases, save up to KSh 10,000 every year.
FSD’s Price of Being Banked Report found a lack of transparency in the varying costs of running a bank account in Kenya. FSD’s researchers had to make up to six visits per bank in addition to consulting tariff guides at branches and online to determine the cost of a transaction, showing how hard it is for the average customer to make comparisons.
- Over 71% of adults use mobile money in Kenya
Usage of mobile money payments grew by 36% in 2016 to a record level of 1.5 billion transactions, compared to 1.1 billion transactions in 2015. This amounted to a value of almost KSh 3.4 trillion. The gross number of customers recorded – which includes multiple usage and dormancy – has continued to grow, reaching 35 million in December 2016 compared to 29 million in December 2015.
- Sending money to Africa is more expensive than anywhere else in the world.
The average cost of sending money to Africa is almost 10%, compared to the global average of just over 7%. Sending to Kenya from the UK is only 7% but still, the UN Sustainable Development Goals say that by 2030 the global average price for remittances should not exceed 3% of face value, with even the most expensive countries not being more than 5%.
- M-PESA is estimated to have lifted 194,000 households, or 2% of Kenyan households, out of poverty.
The impact is more significant in female-headed households and seems to be driven by changes in financial behavior such as increased financial resilience and saving as well as occupational choice. This is especially true for women who moved out of agriculture and into business.
- While Africa may not be “rising,” its economies are dramatically changing: 23% of sub-Saharan Africans now live on $2-$5 per person per day.
Even through a period of high growth, large numbers of people did not reach middle class and the stable jobs, disposable income, homes and cars that come along with it. Still, absolute poverty and a new class of consumer emerges, what FSD Africa calls “cusper” households that get by on $2-$5 per day while straddling the formal and informal worlds.
- School fees are expensive for the ordinary Kenyan family, especially at secondary level. Even a low-cost rural school may charge KSh 20,000/year per student, in areas where typical families earn KSh 6000-7000 per month.
From research, including the Financial Diaries, we know that families in Kenya struggle to pay school fees. Still, they are willing to sacrifice for schooling due to the high payoff that education can bring over the longer term, for the child and for the family as a whole.
- Poor Kenyans save more than they borrow, but only 9% of typical household savings go into formal accounts.
FSD’s Financial Diaries, a 2012-13 study on how poor Kenyans manage their money, found that the median household held the equivalent of 129% of their monthly income in financial assets, versus only 53% in liabilities. This financial asset accumulation is higher than we have observed among low income people in other countries. However, the majority of this money is mediated informally.


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Adidas plans another sale of Yeezy products by Kanye West after severing ties
Munich, Germany - Adidas plans another sale of its stock of the Yeezy range of products launched together with scandal-hit rapper Kanye West, the German sporting goods group said on Friday.
Shoes and clothes from the Yeezy collection will be available via digital platforms and will be gradually launched from August 2, Adidas said at its headquarters in Herzogenaurach in the southern German state of Bavaria.
A "significant" sum is to be donated to organizations working to combat hate, discrimination, racism, and antisemitism.
West launched expensive lifestyle products together with Adidas - a highly lucrative business for both sides. Yeezy meant billions in sales for Adidas, especially in the US, with very high-profit margins.
But the sporting goods giant announced in May that it would sell parts of its stock of products in the Yeezy range even after parting ways with West. It staged a first sale in May, also linked to a donation.
Adidas faces growing costs after cutting ties with Kanye West
Earlier this week, Adidas said it expects a negative operating result of around $498 million for this year, down from an initial estimate of $770 million.
Write-downs on the remaining Yeezy inventory are estimated to be $440 million, $110 million less than previously thought.
In addition, costs for a strategic review remain unchanged at up to $220 million.
Cover photo: Collage: SCOTT OLSON & Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP


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The research has been conducted prior to the release of the next stage of PSD2 coming into effect mid-September. The Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) will mean that shoppers will be required to provide two sets of security information – that could be a password or PIN, biometric information, or device information like a mobile number – to authenticate an online purchase.
Results of the study also indicated that at least 45 per cent of users would become increasingly frustrated with a brand if they were to face a lengthy checkout process, but just 23 per cent admitted they would abandon their basket and shop with another for the sake of convenience.
While only a small per cent of the 4,000 individuals from the UK,France, Germany and Spain surveyed wanting convenience over data security, the report indicates that many respondents felt uncomfortable offering up additional information for the sake of security surrounding their personal finances, with over 30 per cent feeling uncomfortable giving biometric information, and over 20 per cent not wanting to provide a mobile number.
Some organisations, including Facebook and Twitter, already offer this additional level of security as an option when signing in to an account but when the SCA is live, it will be mandatory for certain organisations to use the two-factor authentication process.
Other interesting statistics from the report include:
- 40 per cent of consumers being suspicious about the added level of security
- 44 per cent have not completed an online purchase because of the complex security involved in buying
- 62 per cent of French consumers preferred security over convenience
PrivSec Conferences will bring together leading speakers and experts from privacy and security to deliver compelling content via solo presentations, panel discussions, debates, roundtables and workshops.
For more information on upcoming events, visit the website.


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Pokémon Go, an augmented-reality game available on iPhone and Android, was released last week (and it probably already ruined your life). There was so much excitement for the game — which got us walking, biking, or running after Pokémon — that the servers overloaded. It's probably the first time a video game server crashed from people...walking around.
So, we're all outside and chasing after Zubats and Rattata, since most of us are just trying to advance as Pokémon trainers. But for the first time ever, a video game has a lot of us actually running around — and it's all anyone can talk about. Do you even know what a Zubat is?!
We've seen one clear trend emerging, however, among people talking about their Pokémon Go life: they're all exercising, whether they want to or not!
Except for this person, who clearly found the hack.
And those who have figured it out have some theories about who the mastermind behind this scheme might be:


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In its early years, much of Amazon Web Services' (AWS) growth came from the avid embrace of its bread-and-butter cloud computing and storage services by startups and cloud service providers such as Netflix (NFLX) , Instagram, Dropbox, Pinterest and Spotify. Quite often, these companies wanted to be spared the trouble of running their own data centers, and found AWS to be a convenient alternative.
Traditional enterprises that already had their own data centers were also spending money on AWS. But much of it was the result of individual teams and departments taking the initiative to use Amazon (AMZN) for certain workloads or projects, rather than large-scale deals that CIOs were signing off on.
Today, as AWS barrels towards a $15 billion annual revenue run rate, the story looks a lot different. Global 2000-type companies are making "strategic" decisions to move a large chunk of their workloads to AWS, and in some cases shutter many of their data centers along the way. GE and Capital One were among the companies to announce such moves last year.
This transformation has a lot to do with how AWS has evolved from a provider of basic cloud infrastructure (IaaS) services into a platform supporting thousands of apps and value-added managed services that collectively make it easy for enterprises to migrate critical workloads to the cloud and generally replicate much of what they've been doing within their own data centers.
This year's AWS re:invent conference, which runs from Monday to Friday in Las Vegas and is expected to attract thousands of partners, developers and customers, should provide the next chapter in the company's efforts to get big business to stop worrying and love the cloud. Another goal is to keep clients from giving Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet's (GOOGL) fast-growing cloud operations a look.


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Uber Loses U.K. Court Fight Over London Business Model
Uber Technologies Inc. and its London rivals will have to overhaul their business models in the city after losing a bid to challenge part of a landmark ruling which led its drivers to be re-classified as workers.
U.K. judges ruled that the tech firm should enter into a direct contract with passengers when providing car journeys and therefore assume more responsibility for each trip booked on their app. Uber had sought clarity over comments made in a portion of a Supreme Court court ruling given earlier this year.
Uber and others “will need to amend the basis on which they provide their services,” after the court concluded that “in order to operate lawfully, an operator must undertake a contractual obligation to passengers,” the judges said Monday. They also said London’s transport regulator will need to reconsider its current guidance to reflect the ruling.
The ruling shows that the battle over worker rights in the U.K. gig economy didn’t end after the nation’s top court ruled earlier this year that Uber must treat its drivers as “workers,” giving them access to vacation pay, rest breaks and minimum wage while they’re using the app.
The U.K. isn’t the only key market where Uber and its rivals like Deliveroo and Bolt Technology OU are grappling over the future of their operating models. The European Union is gearing up to announce proposals that would push for gig workers to be considered employees rather than self-employed and could cost the sector as much as 4.5 billion euros ($5.1 billion) more a year.
The labor group that led the Supreme Court case, which forced Uber to reclassify its drivers as workers, said Monday’s decision will help prevent Uber and others from dumping risk on its drivers. The ruling will also give better protections for riders.
“If the obligation must be undertaken by the operator, the operator will have a powerful incentive to ensure that the drivers it uses are reliable and, if something does go wrong, a remedy against the operator is likely to be worthwhile,” the judges said in their judgment.
Uber said it will comply with the ruling, but that the judgment applies to every private hire operator in London, not just it. While the ruling directly impacts the U.K. capital, it has implications for other U.K. cities and the guidance each city transport regulator gives private-hire vehicle operators.
“Every private hire operator in London will be impacted by this decision, and should comply with the Supreme Court verdict in full,” said an Uber spokesman. All operators in London will also be required to account for value-added tax going forward, he said.
While Uber has now reclassified all its U.K. drivers as workers and has since formally recognized the GMB labor union, giving drivers increased powers to collectively bargain, others in the industry have been slow to react to the ruling.
Monday’s decision “will fundamentally restructure the private hire industry in London,” the App Drivers and Couriers Union said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Transport for London, which remained neutral during the case, said “all operators will need to carefully consider the court’s judgment and take steps to ensure that they comply with it, including considering whether any changes to their way of working are required.”
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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Shop Owner Will Deny ‘Openly Gay’ Customers
The owner of a Michigan auto repair shop has announced he won’t hesitate “to refuse service to an openly gay person or persons.”
Brian Klawiter, the owner of Dieseltec on Ottawa Avenue in Grandville, posted the statement to his company’s Facebook page on Tuesday because he says the voices of those who have Christian, conservative values are often overshadowed by those who do not.
“I want to have a voice about this,” Klawiter told 24 Hour News 8 Wednesday. “I want to be heard about this… It’s challenging to decide to say I’m on the opposing side of what’s seen as the popular view…
“Apparently if you are white (or close to it), you have a job, go to church, and own a gun…That translates into racist, privileged, bigot… Our rights as conservative Americans are being squashed more and more everyday…” the post reads in part.
The line that’s drawing the most conversation is the one that addresses “openly gay” individuals.
“I would not hesitate to refuse service to an openly gay person or persons. Homosexuality is wrong, period,” Klawiter wrote. “If you want to argue this fact with me then I will put your vehicle together with all bolts and no nuts and you can see how that works.”
Warman1138 April 16th, 2015 at 8:16 am
Does this mean another group of fools will start jumping up and down flinging money at this guy?
CHOCOL8MILK April 16th, 2015 at 8:22 am
I”m certain that he’s hoping to cash in on the gofundme potential.
Warman1138 April 16th, 2015 at 8:37 am
The bonus of satisfaction that a successful scam brings is often in the level of intelligence of the marks also.
Larry Schmitt April 16th, 2015 at 9:22 am
Would that include people like the “effeminate heterosexual” from SNL? (I can’t post a link, I’m at work) Where does this buffoon go to get his gaydar calibrated? Do “openly gay” people use a different kind of money?
whatthe46 April 16th, 2015 at 9:47 am
someone is looking to jump on the gofundme band wagon.
Suzanne McFly April 16th, 2015 at 9:50 am
Jimmy Fleck April 16th, 2015 at 11:37 am
That is what it looks like to me too. Why would a car repair shop even know if a customer was homosexual? Seems like he is jumping up and down shouting look at me! look at me! hoping to be criticized so he can get people to give him money.
whatthe46 April 16th, 2015 at 11:48 am
it makes absolutely no sense what-so-ever. guess he’s tired of working too.
Dwendt44 April 16th, 2015 at 1:32 pm
The pink tutu is a dead giveaway.
whatthe46 April 16th, 2015 at 9:48 am
some white people aren’t happy if they don’t have someone it hate. they don’t care about race or ethnicity, just have to hate about something. and that means hating white people even if you’re a racist, because of your sexual orientation. what a christian.
arc99 April 16th, 2015 at 10:39 am
you took the words right out of my mouth.
since the inception of our republic, the most conservative elements in our country have always needed some group of people to hate whether it was native Americans, Chinese, Jews, Irish, blacks, communists or now gay people and Muslims.
Guy Lauten April 16th, 2015 at 12:26 pm
they elevate themselves by putting someone else down. they are so afraid of being at the bottom of the shit-pile that they have to find someone else they can deem “lower than them” so they can dump on them. anyone different from them is fair game for their narcissistic insecurity.
Bunya April 16th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
….but to disguise their hatred as their “religious belief” is pretty cowardly, if you ask me.
whatthe46 April 16th, 2015 at 10:45 am
well unlike the nasty pizza place, you make more money at any given time repairing cars. i hope he loses a lot of business from the straight community. when his income starts to look like that of a failing pizza joint, that will be sweet KARMA. the fool.
Snick1946 April 16th, 2015 at 10:49 am
Not sure why but the auto repair business has more right wing whack job shop owners than you will find in any other sort of business. I’ve been in places with overtly political signs up on the walls, etc.
mea_mark April 16th, 2015 at 11:06 am
I noticed that too, but I am in Texas and thought it just might be that they were Texans. smh
Snick1946 April 16th, 2015 at 11:17 am
Some of these places sort of try to shame you for using a credit card to pay for their services. I had my car in one place that had a Visa logo on the door and the owner got angry when I offered mine to pay for repairs- I got a lecture about going into debt, etc. I politely suggested if he felt that strongly maybe he needed to remove the logo on his door. Just nuts.
mea_mark April 16th, 2015 at 11:40 am
If you put it on the card and the repair was done wrong the credit card company can protect you. That’s what they are afraid of, the credit card company coming down on them.
tracey marie April 16th, 2015 at 5:42 pm
AE is the best for service jobs and travel, they cover everything!
Dwendt44 April 16th, 2015 at 1:29 pm
With the proliferation of ‘rewards’ cards these days, I know people that charge groceries, and even small purchases under $5. The seller that takes a credit card pays a fee for that, and he also gets a percentage taken off the top of the charge too.
Snick1946 April 16th, 2015 at 11:20 pm
Right. But, this was an unexpected emergency repair to my electrical system I needed to have done so i could get to my job, around $300 total. That is not small change and is the sort of expense that a lot of people put on plastic then pay off in a month or so, which I did. This guy was just being a dick. .
tracey marie April 16th, 2015 at 5:41 pm
Naw, the inspection place i go to has a toothless guy who has worked there since he was 12, his sins are also toothless and have worked there since he bought it and they live in two rusted trailors behind the shop. They hunt, hate blacks and hispanics(they are half hispanic) and have a target with the President on it.
Guy Lauten April 16th, 2015 at 12:17 pm
Strangely enough, I think you’ll also find that the average education level of auto repair shop owners is at an 8th-grade level.
Hmmmm… coincidence? I think not!
Guy Lauten April 16th, 2015 at 12:30 pm
I wonder: If someone who is “straight-looking” (whatever THAT means) came in, had some $500 or more in auto repairs done, and THEN went back to get their car with their same-sex significant other, would the shop owner refuse to take their “gay” money?
granpa.usthai April 16th, 2015 at 6:12 pm
he would have to deny payment for ‘services’ he’d already rendered to the gays!?!
but I don’t think he could legally hold their property if they’re willing to pay.
I guess he’d have to give ’em a ‘freebie’
and make another sign?
Bunya April 16th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Great idea! He can put a huge sign on his door, “NO F@GS ALLOWED”. Maybe put another sign right by the street, so passing motorists will know not to waste their time patronizing their shop. Then, in a few weeks, he can replace that sign with a “going out of business” sign.
Larry Schmitt April 16th, 2015 at 2:49 pm
And that’s right before he retires to the nearest NO F@GS ALLOWED island, after a bunch of other bigots throw money at him through his Gofundme account.
Bunya April 16th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
You’re right. I forgot. Bigotry pays (big time) in this country.
Larry Schmitt April 16th, 2015 at 2:47 pm
“Apparently if you are white (or close to it), you have a job, go to church, and own a gun…That translates into racist, privileged, bigot…” No, your actions prove you’re racist and bigoted. These people you want to deny a service don’t want to be your friends, they just want to buy something. They want to give you money. You operate a business. Don’t you get it? You’re so stupid you want to turn away paying customers simply because of who they love. You, sir, are an idiot.
tracey marie April 16th, 2015 at 5:39 pm
At least he outed himself as an inbred phobe.Now GLBT people need to go to his shop, if he refuses or causes injury sue him into bankruptcy
whatthe46 April 16th, 2015 at 7:21 pm
yeah, but why take the chance, this fool may really hurt someone. best to run him out of business.
tracey marie April 16th, 2015 at 7:22 pm
No, they can make him refuse service because of them being gay then sue, or have a mechanic check the vehicle then sue.
granpa.usthai April 16th, 2015 at 6:07 pm
a bolt with no nuts is like a PBJ sandwich with skimpy fixin’s.
what a Headline!
OPENLY GAYS DRIVE MECHANIC OUT OF SHOP AND INTO CLOSET
whatthe46 April 16th, 2015 at 7:20 pm
frambley1 April 16th, 2015 at 8:55 pm
I’m just wondering if he opened a GoFundMe account just before or just after he announced his intentions. Gotta cash in on bigotry while you still can.
tracey marie April 17th, 2015 at 12:28 am
someone did but it was closed
Ronald L April 16th, 2015 at 9:23 pm
>> “I will put your vehicle
together with all bolts and no nuts and you can see how that works.”
This guy is all nuts, for sure
tracey marie April 17th, 2015 at 12:28 am
One of his suppliers has pulled out, he just killed his business
jybarz April 17th, 2015 at 3:45 am
This bigoted guy is suicidal… business-wise or whatever.
Another one down the toilet!
So well deserving!
rg9rts April 17th, 2015 at 7:12 am
And how does he determine openly gay??
Glaisne April 17th, 2015 at 12:56 pm
“Apparently if you are white (or close to it), you have a job, go to church, and own a gun…That translates into racist, privileged, bigot… ”
Exactly right! That is exactly what you are and you are proving it through your actions and statements, conservatard. There goes another conservatard business about to go under by alienating his customer base. Good riddance!
“Our rights as conservative Americans are being squashed more and more everyday…” the post reads in part.”
Your rights to be a bigot? Your rights to discriminate? I got news for you sparky, them ain’t rights! Moron.


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Stepping up the efforts to thwart phishing assaults, Google is contemplating utilizing Android and iOS units similar to bodily safety keys. The tech big has stated that’s going to implement the performance of safety keys like its personal Titan Safety Key into the cell units, the place these units will use Bluetooth to confirm they’re in shut proximity to the gadget the person needs to log in to.
“Like bodily safety keys, this helps stop a distant attacker from tricking you into approving a sign-in on their browser, giving us an added layer of safety towards the type of ‘individual within the center’ assaults that may nonetheless work towards SMS or Google Immediate,” stated Google engineer Daniel Margolis in a weblog publish. He added that the corporate will probably be rolling out this tech in additional locations within the subsequent two months.
The tech big will even develop the varieties of Google Immediate challenges customers might even see within the case of unsuccessful and/or suspicious login makes an attempt. Therefore, there may be going to be a brand new Google Immediate problem for which customers might want to join their cell units to the identical Wi-Fi community because the gadget they’re attempting to log into. Google additionally plans to ramp up phishing protections for its Google Suite purposes like Docs, Sheets and Slides.


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“The nationwide lockdown impacted the operations of the Company with capacity utilization at manufacturing plants at their lowest levels in April 2020,” said Narayan Krishnamohan, managing director, BASF India in a media statement on Thursday.
Operations gradually improved during the quarter with the partial lifting of lockdown across the country. Low customer demand coupled with supply chain disruptions adversely impacted demand from automotive, construction and consumer durables, he added.
The German-based company reported sales of Rs. 1,796 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020, as compared to Rs. 1,613 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, representing an increase of 10% YoY, the company said.
The company’s total expense for the quarter rose 13% to Rs 1,809 crore for the June quarter.
“As intimated to Stock exchanges, the Company’s construction chemicals business stands transferred to Master Builders Solutions India Private Limited with effect from July 1, 2020. The Company has received net consideration of Rs. 5,951.6 million in advance on June 30, 2020 towards the said divestiture,” the company said in its BSE filings.
The company’s agricultural solutions business reported a profit of Rs 41 crore, and chemicals business reported a profit of Rs 9.5 crore whereas other businesses like materials, industry solutions and surface technologies reported a loss during the quarter under review.
“The Agricultural Solutions business recorded strong growth on account of its diversified product portfolio and a favorable monsoon. Growing consumer demand for personal hygiene and health were drivers for a surge in demand for the Nutrition and Care segments of the Company,” said Narayan Krishnamohan.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Brands & Companies
- Electronic, Car Cos Hit Top Gear to Step Up Festive Output
Companies manufacturing cars, smartphones, televisions, refrigerators and washing machines are ramping up festive season production by up to 50% compared with the corresponding period a year ago, anticipating robust sales and buoyed consumer sentiment in the next three-four months.Amid Curbs, India-Russia Trade Via INSTC Booms
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) has been facilitating a higher volume of trade between India and Russia via Iran over the last three months amid the West’s sanctions on Moscow following the Ukraine war.Market Share of Private Fuel Retailers Falls 50-80% in a Year
The combined share of private players—Reliance-BP, Shell and Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy—has shrunk by 50-80% in the fuel retail market year-on-year and even the taxes imposed in July on exports or the official mandate to sell more in the domestic market hasn’t helped.
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We are pleased to announce that is now possible to submit the application for the eighth edition of the International Design Contest organized by Trieste Contemporanea.
You can check the competition notice on
The competition deadline is June 10th, 2008.
The entry is free.
The 2008 edition of the International Design Contest Trieste Contemporanea is promoted by our Committee under the patronage of CEI (Central European Initiative), of the Provincia of Trieste, of the Fine Arts Academy of Venice and of the Department of Architectural Design and Urban Planning of the University of Trieste.
The designers from Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine are called to apply and submit a project for a new vessel for drinking to be made with the glass blowing technique.
The winning designer will be awarded a prize of 4000 Euros and will be invited in Murano (Venice) to assist to the execution of the prototype. The CEI prize (3000 Euros) will go to the best designer from one of the CEI countries not part of the EU and the BEBA prize (1000 Euros) will go to the youngest selected designer.


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With the rise of self-driving technology, many people are looking toward the automotive future with an eye of wonder. Fully autonomous cars would mean drivers could relax and not have to handle the total operation of the vehicle - that would be done on its own through the use of sensors, communication devices and handling technologies.
However, the push toward autonomy doesn't come without serious security concerns, namely the potential for hacking. In the not-so-distant future, cars will be wired to interact with other cars and transportation infrastructure, such as traffic lights and parking spots. Cars will also be tracked and logged with software for GPS devices, which means much of the transfer of driver data will be done online.
Cyber security thus becomes a major issue because hackers would technically have the ability take over the handling and communication of your car while you're driving, according to Fortune.
"I think it goes without saying that if you don't get security right, automated cars don't get off the ground," said Woodrow Hartzog, a law professor at Samford University, according to Fortune. "If we have a mistake with some kind of cybersecurity with a car, we have an immediate physical threat."
But the problem goes beyond just personal driving. Though hackers could potentially crash your car, they could also disrupt the entire traffic system in the country.
"The economic opportunities are very different for car systems than PC's, tablets and smartphones," said Egil Juliussen, director of research at IHS Automotive, according to CNBC. "There is very little information in the car that can be easily turned into revenue for the average hacker. Instead the reasons for hacking and controlling cars are more sinister, such as creating traffic chaos, murder-for-hire, cyber warfare and related terrorist acts."
Just as is the case with all technological innovations, improvements will have to be made before the final product can be safely released to the public. Even then, security concerns will still likely affect many buyers' attitudes toward self-driving cars and the issues that come with them.
Upgrades and serious prevention measures will have to be implemented in cars themselves to help deter many cybersecurity threats. Many industry insiders believe self-driving cars could be less than a decade away. Lux Research data indicates that up to 50 percent of cars sold worldwide could be self-driving by 2035, according to CNBC.
CoverHound can provide pricing for auto insurance with its easy-to-use services.


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VMG invested in baby food brand Little Freddie last year alongside Hillhouse Capital.
Asia-based investment company Hillhouse Capital and private equity firm VMG Partners have jointly invested in British organic baby food maker Little Freddie.
Alongside the deal, Hillhouse and VMG have announced a strategic partnership to co-invest in innovative consumer brands as they aim to expand their global reach. They have allocated up to $100 million towards the initiative.
Founded in 2014 by husband and wife duo Piers Buck and Taslim Ho, Little Freddie’s mission is to make it easier for parents to access organic and nutritious baby food options for their children.
Since the brand’s inception, the business has grown to a roster of products including pouches, cereals, and snacks.
Its range is widely available in China, including in-store at Sam’s Club, as well as online at T-Mall and JD.com. In the UK, its products can be found in-store at Boots, as well as online at Ocado, Amazon and Tree of Life.
The funding will be used, in part, to help drive further expansion in both China and the UK.
This investment marks Hillhouse Capital’s and VMG Partners’ fourth joint investment, and the first made under their new agreement.
Hillhouse founder Lei Zhang said: “We are very pleased that this investment marks the latest step in our expanding cooperation with VMG to help brands leverage innovation to fuel their global expansion.
“Our previous collaborations with VMG on Ancient Nutrition, Solid Gold and Stone Brewing show the tremendous potential of brands that understand the value of offering consumers a truly differentiated experience.”
Mike Mauzé, founding partner and managing director at VMG Partners, said: “We are thrilled to be working closely with Hillhouse Capital to create globally reaching, impactful consumer product companies, building upon the success of our previous collaborations.
“Hillhouse has unparalleled expertise in the Asian market and we are honoured to be working collaboratively with their team in this long-term partnership.”
Hillhouse Capital partner Cao Wei added: “Little Freddie is a high-quality, trusted brand that has tremendous potential in Asia and other parts of the world, as parents have become increasingly savvy about what they feed their children.
“We strongly believe that brands able to identify and meet unique and unmet consumer needs will excel in the new and rapidly changing retail landscape.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2019
6K Adds Seasoned Go-to-Market Executive Kevin O’Shea as Chief Commercial Officer and Battery Market Veteran Dr. Richard Holman as VP of Battery Products
North Andover, MA., September 5, 2019 — 6K, 6K, the world’s leading developer of microwave plasma technology for materials production used in additive manufacturing, battery and other industrial markets, today announced that it has expanded its executive leadership team with two new executive hires. Reporting to CEO Aaron Bent, PhD., Kevin O’Shea has joined as Chief Commercial Officer and will lead the company’s commercial efforts globally. Richard Holman, Ph.D., has joined as Vice President of Battery Products and will drive 6K’s strategy and development of technologies for the emerging battery market for electronic vehicles, power tools and more.
“6K’s UniMelt™ system is a platform technology that significantly enhances material options in various markets. We have constructed a world-class team to help manage the rapid growth within our individual business units and industry focus areas,” said Aaron Bent, Chief Executive Officer of 6K. “Following our Series B-2 Investment, the company is at the doorstep of our commercial launch. Having the go-to-market experience Kevin brings to 6K is absolutely critical to our success across markets such as batteries and additive manufacturing.”
Prior to joining 6K, Kevin O’Shea had held various commercial roles for Merck KGaA, Sigma Aldrich, and Dow Electronic Materials, and was CEO of Soulbrain Sigma Aldrich JV. Kevin received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his MBA from Clark University.
Bent added, “The UniMelt platform represents a true paradigm shift in the way materials are produced for the battery sector driving costs down and increasing throughput 10-fold. Dr. Holman’s technical background with the development of materials like Li-Ion combined with his experience leading product development will propel 6K significantly forward for our batteries business.”
Dr. Holman spent over 10 years at A123Systems where he joined at its inception and ultimately served as Director of Core Cell Engineering, followed by six years at 24M technologies where he served as VP of Product Development working on next-generation lithium-ion technology. He received his Ph.D. in materials science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
6K will be exhibiting at the upcoming Battery Show, September 10-12 in Novi MI. Attendees are encouraged to visit 6K’s booth #1731 to learn more about the company’s UniMelt platform and technology offerings.


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Cambodia and South Korea trade valued at $884 million
The bilateral trade between Cambodia and South Korea was valued at $884 million as of December 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 14 percent.
Figures from the Korean International Trade Association showed that from January to December 2020, Cambodia exported $317 million of products to South Korea, a year-on-year decrease of 18 percent. Cambodia imported $567 million of goods from South Korea, sliding down 5 percent.
Like other trade partners, the two countries suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facing the downward growth of bilateral trade in 2020, the two countries have placed high hopes for trade growth on the soon-to-be finished draft of a free trade agreement (FTA).
Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak said recently the two sides are going to finish the trade pact draft soon and the two countries are expected to ink it within the year.
His comments came after four rounds of negotiations on the FTA had been made, in what officials called ‘positive progress’.
Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC), said Cambodia’s trade with partners will likely benefit from FTAs.
“The availability of COVID-19 vaccines has been announced and some countries have used those vaccines already. And the growth of Cambodia’s economy and of other countries is expected to increase in 2021 because we have the RCEP trade agreement, (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership between the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam),” Heng said.
Cambodia’s products exported to South Korea are mostly clothes, footwear, travel goods, beverages, components for electronic equipment, rubber, pharmaceuticals and agricultural products.
Exports of fresh mangoes from Cambodia to South Korea were started formally last year.
Imports from South Korea include vehicles, electronics, kitchen appliances, beverages, pharmaceuticals and plastic products. Khmer Times


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Facebook is closing its Seattle offices for a week, after a contractor who spent time there was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The contractor was last seen in the company’s Stadium East office on Feb. 21.
Facebook closed both the location’s Stadium East and Stadium West offices until March 9, which would be the end of the incubation period. It is also encouraging all Seattle-area employees to work from home until the end of March.
More than 5,000 people work for Facebook at nearly 20 offices across the Seattle area.
“We’ve notified our employees and are following the advice of public health officials to prioritize everyone’s health and safety,” Facebook said in announcing the closures.
Earlier this week, an Amazon employee tested positive for coronavirus. That person had reportedly had dinner at Facebook’s Arbor Blocks location in Seattle, but that was not cited as a reason for Facebook’s offices closure decision, according to GeekWire.
Amazon and Microsoft are also recommending working from home for employees based in the Seattle area (and in Microsoft’s case, also the San Francisco Bay area).
In addition, in the past day, IBM has cancelled its annual Think conference and Apple has become the latest tech company to pull out of the SXSW event in Austin this month, reports NBC News’s Dylan Byers.
Companies that had already pulled out of SXSW include Netflix, Facebook, Amazon and Twitter.


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- Coretronic ships 7.69 million BLUs in June
- Compal sees over 10% growth on month in June revenues; Inventec suffers small decline
- Compal and Wistron to evenly share Dell consumer notebook orders for 2015
- Young Fast reports 33.45% decline in revenues for June 2014
- IC substrate suppliers look to strong sales in 2H14
- Power supply market to grow US$3.5 billion in 4 years, says IHS
- Applied Materials introduces CVD, CMP systems for 3D architectures
- Tablet quarterly shipments fall for the first time, says DisplaySearch
- IC design houses set for higher gross margins
- Lighting-use LED market scale to reach US$4.88 billion in 2014, says LEDinside
- Young Optics reports over 6% on-year increase in June revenues
- HannStar reports over 30% decline in June revenues
- Digitimes Research: Competition in emerging markets remains the focus for smartphone industry
- Taiwan market: Acer expands projector business
- UMC June revenues hit all-time high
- Synnex Technology sees decreased June revenues
- Digitimes Research: China market sees mixed LED bulb pricing trend in June
- Delta Electronics June revenues up on year
- Power inductor maker Magic to debut on OTC securities market
- Epistar June revenues hit record for 4th time straight
- Lite-On Technology sees increased June revenues
- EU to probe China PV makers, say Taiwan makers
- PC rebound in mature regions stabilizes market in 2Q14, says IDC
- Foxconn chairman to make keynote at China Eco Forum Global
- VIS revenues grow in June, 2Q14
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