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The craft beer scene is exploding in the Beaumont area! Proof: For the second year in a row, The City of Beaumont’s Craft Beer Festival, which happens September 24, sold out in just days. From festivals to bars and on store shelves around town, people in Beaumont are ordering up unique, local craft beer.
“It’s so popular! More and more people in this area have a craft focus when it comes to beer,” said Emily Wheeler with the City of Beaumont Events, “we certainly focus on Classic Movie Nights with the Alamo Draft House type of feeling. We want to draw in the population that is going to keep our community growing and that is a younger group.”
Bobby Beaver with Giglio Distributing believes the craft beer movement directly correlates with a change in a consumers demand for quality.
“20 years ago people weren’t as concerned with what they were drinking,” said Beaver, “they just wanted something cold that would give them a buzz. As times have changed, so have the consumers palates.”
“These days there are just so many different varieties and flavors and new styles, that it has transformed the expectations of what beer is and what it can be,” said Jeff Wheeler, General Manager of 2-Row Distributing.
So, what is craft beer anyway? According to the Brewers Association, craft beer is made by a brewery that is small, independent and traditional. In Beaumont Giglio Distributing and 2-Row Distributing put out dozens of flavors and styles of craft beer on store shelves and in bars around town. For the Beaumont beer festival, there will be plenty of options.
“Our goal is to provide something that anyone and everyone can enjoy,” said Jeff Wheeler, “whether you have the most sophisticated palate or are just getting your feet wet, there will be a style or brand available. We will even have some brews that sort of transcend what is expected from beer with flavors of tart cherry, citrus, coffee, chocolate and even chili pepper.”
Besides enjoying unique flavors and combinations, drinking craft beer is also supporting people who live in the Southeast Texas area.
“I think it is important to support local beer because it is important to support your neighbors,” said Beaver.
“Knowing where and who your products come from is becoming more and more important to more people,” said Jeff Wheeler, “I think craft beer fits perfectly within that movement. There’s a lot to be said about being able to run down the street or to the next city over to visit the artisans responsible for crafting your favorite suds.”
For example, 2-Row Distributing just signed on Galveston Island Brewing Company, a small batch artisanal brewery started up by a former tug boat captain.
“They are focused on making some of the best darn beer on the market today,” said Jeff Wheeler, “their flagship brand is called Tiki Wheat and is brewed with half wheat and half barley paired with coriander and notes of honey sweetness making it an extremely refreshing brew.”
Galveston Island Brewing Company is just one of the more than 30 beers that will be on tap for the Beaumont Beer Fest at the Downtown Event Centre. Other Brands include: Cedar Creek, Lazy Magnolia, Goliad, Karbach, Goose Island and Southern Tier to name a few. Cody Schaeffer and Wes Hardin will perform and food vendors will also be on site for the indoor/outdoor event. Tickets for the September 24 festival are already sold out which Emily Wheeler says shows more events like this could be in the works!
“It’s important to support community events so they can keep happening.” said Emily Wheeler, “If people support them, it encourages city leadership to create more fun activities to do here.”
From movie nights to craft beer festivals, the City of Beaumont is working to bring people together one event at a time!
“We may all disagree on almost everything in today’s world, but craft beer affords an opportunity to put all of that aside and just enjoy something for what it is: a thoughtfully crafted adult beverage,” said Jeff Wheeler.
For more information on the Beaumont Craft Beer Festival click here.


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LG have admitted to Stuff.com that they are working on an iPhone touchscreen after complaints about the sticky touchscreen on its new Renoir.
Click to enlarge
If the Renoir adopted the technology it would certainly help close the gap between the functionality of both units. That aside, the unit still has an 8 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, HSDPA and WiFi, so there is still a lot to like. Of course, those that have already bought the handset will miss out on the new interface, but that’s progress.

domain: news


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Cryptocurrency-related threats followed prices, dropping significantly after the market slump in May, according to a recent report by a leading internet security company. Detections are down by about a quarter, but Russia remains the hardest-hit country, with the United States also in the top three.
ESET: 1 in 10 crypto-focused threats detected in Russia
Software threats in cryptography, and malware mining in particular, are highly dependent on developments in the cryptocurrency market, cybersecurity firm ESET concluded in its T2 Threat Report 2021. However, the decrease in cybercriminal activity surrounding cryptocurrency “does not mean that everything was like that.” “Quiet,” noted the authors of the study, which covers the second trimester, and added:
Cryptocurrency investment scams, in which fraudsters lure their unsuspecting victims to fake investment sites or impersonate government authorities and even celebrities, are becoming more popular than ever.
The US Federal Trade Commission announced in May that victims have lost at least $80 million to this type of fraud in just a few months since October 2020. Meanwhile, one Russian cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, Finiko, has received more than half of $800 million. of crypto funds sent from Eastern Europe to scam addresses, blockchain forensic firm Chainalysis revealed in a preview of its latest report on the geography of cryptocurrency.
However, ESET’s detections of all crypto-related threats in T2, 2021 decreased by 23.6%. At the same time, some countries are still severely affected by this phenomenon. Notably, the Russian Federation still tops the list, accounting for 10% of all cases. It is followed by Peru with 6.8%, while the United States is in third place with 5.3%, according to the report.
“In the past few months, we could see that while crypto software discovery rates fluctuated along with cryptocurrency prices, crypto agent discoveries were not affected by the same factors,” said Jiří Kropáč, Head of Threat Detection Labs at ESET based in Slovakia. He explained that crypto companies, like prices, are affected by government regulations and major investments in certain currencies.
Krupach added that crypto surfers don’t rely much on the volatile market. The ESET executive explained that “there is no reason for cybercriminals to abandon it if the value of the coin drops, because it is a reliable tool, which brings profits as well as opportunities for extortion.”
The European cybersecurity firm also said it continued to monitor crypto domains during the reporting period. ESET noted that “depending on the nature of this activity – running crypto software in the background of hacked websites – the most visited crypto domains are still adult content portals, free streaming sites, torrent sites and forums”.
Do you agree with ESET that cryptocurrency threats in cyberspace are affected by cryptocurrency prices? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
photo credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikicommons
disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. Neither the Company nor the author shall be liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.


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Bleacher Report CEO: Sites with a casual audience are ‘dead’
Already, 2017 is shaping up to be the year of devotion.
Last year digital properties wowed with big numbers on social platforms, but the name of the game now is loyalty, according to Dave Finocchio, CEO of Bleacher Report, who was the guest of this week’s Digiday Podcast.
“Sites that have honest-to-God fans and loyal readers will be fine. Sites that grew up with passers-by readers are dead. They’re dead. My take is if all you are is a site people spin through a couple times a month and you’re monetizing them with display or Outbrain or whatever, a couple years from now you’re dead. If you have real fans and you can get brands integrated, you’ll be fine.”
Below are more highlights from the episode:
Bleacher Report was founded to make sports media fun again
“Sports was getting to the point where it wasn’t entertaining enough. At the end of the day, sports is entertainment and market wasn’t celebrating that. There wasn’t social content. There were a lot of long articles and diatribes.”
Bleacher Report wants to be a “lifestyle brand” for young males
“If you look at the male millennial space, there are not brands that are influencing that generation at scale and shaping the behavior of those consumers. Sports is the best to do that. Sports is the only category where men content about on a consistent basis.”
TV advertising during games won’t reach young sports fans
“If you’re on TV, do you think young people are sitting and watching the commercials? Um, no. Are there less young people watching the game to begin with? Of course, yes.”
The way to compete with the duopoly is differentiation
“They’re going to be totally transactional. Everybody buys the same products off the shelf. If they’re just doing that, we all know when you’re flipping through your Facebook feed you’re not stopping and looking at too many of the commercials that run. If you’re big enough in the content space and you’re able to weave brands very cleverly into content that people are sharing organically, that’s what we have. That’s offering something to an advertiser, for a male millennial demo, that they really can’t get anywhere else.”
Facebook is often not being evil, just disorganized
“They’re less machiavellian than people think, and sometimes they’re just being disorganized. They have competing interests. We’re pretty patient. A lot of people think there’s some evil plan in place. I don’t think there is. There’s an ad sales team in charge of driving revenue, and there’s a media team that’s trying to help publishers. They’re trying to figure it out.”
More in Media
Adalytics Research asks, ‘Are YouTube advertisers inadvertently harvesting data from millions of children?’
Publishers’ Q2 earnings reveal digital advertising is still in a tight spot, but digital subscriptions are picking up steam.
Experts reflect how the failures of social media and online advertising can help the industry improve the next era of innovation.
Ad position: web_bfu


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New-age tech stocks like Zomato, Nykaa, Paytm, and PB Fintech are recorded falling down by 6%.
Shares of food-tech startup named as Zomato, which have been seen under a pressure conditions, keep on falling down by 5.87% to INR 55.35 on the BSE market.
It is estimated that nearly 31% of the downfall took place in the last month. From the peak of INR 169.10 in November last year, by 67% in the last 5 months has decreased.
Shares of one of the most popular beauty markets, Nykaa fell 2.15% to INR 1,466.55. Nykaa also witnessed investors’ anger, in the last month the market value of Nykaa has fallen by 19%. From the peak of INR 2,574 in November 2021, the stock fell pointing to the overall negative market sentiment.
Fintech payment transactional giant Paytm’s shares fell 5.76% to INR 553.75. The recent development of Paytm Mall is planning to exit the company has further added to its distress.
The valuation of Paytm Mall is recorded from $3 Billion to $13 Million in the last three years after Jack Ma sold his entire 43% stake in the company for INR 42 crores.
Whereas, the shares of PB Fintech, which holds PolicyBazar, also fell by 5.66% to INR 616.20. It opened at INR 650.05 a day ago and sank to INR 611.55.
Central banks across the world are showing strictness over the policy rates between the rise in inflation. Investors have opposed the risk factor. India is no exception to it, and the new-age tech stocks are facing the impact of this negative sentiment as investors are worried about the lack of profitability of these startups.


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Peter Nuñez has learned what a lot of veteran fleet managers already know: A new truck runs longer between repairs than an older one, enhancing reliability and customer service. And his first new truck, a Freightliner 122SD, is such a treat to drive that he wishes he had the time to do it. As it is, his dad gets all the fun.
The 31-year-old former construction worker is the founder and president of Nuñez Trucking, composed of 17 dump trucks operating in the Austin, Texas, area. He also brokers loads to about 30 owner-operators, and revenues in December were his best ever. His trucks haul sand, gravel, and stone to residential and commercial building sites.
“We delivered 63,755 loads last year, an average of 1,200 loads per week,” Nuñez says. The long-wheelbase, multi-axle straight trucks often encounter rough terrain and need to be rugged, and he ran traditional premium brands up until a year ago. That’s when he bought a custom-spec’d 122SD, Freightliner’s upscale severe-duty model. He says it’s built better, but cost $20,000 less than a premium brand with comparable specifications.
Components include Meritor steer and drive axles, four Watson & Chalin lift axles, and a 505-hp Detroit DD15. The diesel and its exhaust aftertreatment equipment have been very reliable, and fault codes seldom appear. “Mechanics talk about how much of a pleasure it is to work on,” Nuñez says.
The 122SD’s aluminum cab is roomy and quiet, and an Allison automatic transmission is a work-saver. “Not having to shift creates a much more pleasant ride for the driver,” in this case Nuñez’s father, Pedro. “It allows my dad to focus on what’s going on around him and keep both hands on the steering wheel, looking forward, instead of fiddling around with a stick shift. He says it’s one of the most comfortable trucks he’s ever driven.”
Nuñez started out buying used trucks and running them to about 1 million miles, but average mileage in the fleet is now 250,000. “I don’t want over 650,000 [miles] for a 15-liter engine and 500,000 for a 13-liter. Based on my experience, that’s when you have a downhill slope for reliability,” he says. “You have to get used to the idea of spending $180,000 for a new truck instead of $80,000 for a used one, but that extra $100,000 is equity that you get back when you trade,” at least on his schedule.
The 122SD is “a luxury that I always wanted but couldn’t afford. Now I can afford it but can’t drive it,” he says. “As soon as you think you’ll have a chance to drive, the phone starts ringing.”
Which isn’t a bad problem to have.


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Predicted strong jobs data set to fuel inflation fears
A flurry of UK economic data is due out on Tuesday and Wednesday, including wage figures and the latest UK unemployment rate, which fell to 4.8 per cent in the three months to May from 5 per cent. The last figures also showed the number of job vacancies had hit 862,000, higher than it had been before the pandemic struck in March 2020.
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said that if the figures show continued strong jobs growth that should in theory help wages.
“After all, if job vacancies are surging and firms are having to compete to attract and retain talent, then that could see workers get better terms and conditions,” he pointed out.
In May, wages surged 7.3 per cent year on year, which Mr Mould said was partly explained by heavy job losses during the pandemic and the furlough scheme’s launch in 2020.
“Plus a lot of the job losses have been among the least well-paid and gig economy workers, but some of it could – just could – be the result of staff shortages,” said Mr Mould.
The day after the jobs numbers, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will release the latest inflation data for July. In June, inflation, based on the consumer price index, was 2.5 per cent, above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target and the highest figure since August 2018, as energy and food costs rose.
Although for the average worker, pay is outpacing inflation meaning that they are better off in real terms, that won’t be the case for everyone, especially those who are still on furlough or have been unlucky enough to lose their job.
“Nevertheless, that trend could be good for consumer confidence, consumer spending and thus the wider economy – although central bankers will be on alert for sustained increases in pay as that can help to entrench inflation, and the usual response then is tighter monetary policy in the form of higher interest rates,” said Mr Mould.
Last week, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said he believed the recent surge in consumer prices will be a temporary phenomenon as the UK emerges from the pandemic.
The Bank has warned inflation will hit 4 per cent this year, higher than previously forecast and double the rate it aims for but policymakers decided to leave interest rates unchanged at 0.1 per cent.
The strength of the Covid-19 recovery was recently underlined by official figures that showed that gross domestic product (GDP) – a measure of economic output – increased by a further 1 per cent in June, creating five consecutive months of growth, following a sharp fall amid the height of the pandemic.
The economy also accelerated from 0.6 per cent growth in May, the ONS said.
However, ONS deputy national statistician for economic statistics Jonathan Athow pointed out: “GDP is still around two percentage points below its pre-pandemic peak.”
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Online furniture and home goods company Pepperfry has announced to onboard industry veteran Anand Batra as the new company Chief Financial Officer (CFO). According to the company, this will be Batra's second stint with the company, his first being a five-year stint during the early days of the firm's inception.
In his new role as CFO, Batra will spearhead the organisation's corporate strategy, fundraising efforts, financial operations, and legal and secretarial functions. His appointment is effective immediately and he will be based at the corporate office in Mumbai.
A seasoned finance professional, Batra has more than a decade of experience in venture capital, business management, financial planning and operations, fundraising, strategy, and investment banking.
Prior to joining Pepperfry, Batra worked as executive director at Z3 Partners, a tech and digital fund, where he was involved with the fund's investments in Dealshare, Shipsy, Gramophone, and Cyfirma.
Prior to joining that, he was a principal in the investing team at IvyCap Ventures, focusing on early-stage investments in Indian consumer and technology-enabled businesses.
“Before starting his career as an investor, Batra headed category management for the home goods business at Pepperfry. He has also headed the financial planning and strategy function at the firm, where he led fundraising efforts, apart from helping shape the company's omnichannel strategy and launching business categories,” Pepperfry said in a statement.
“Anand's contributions during our formative years were invaluable and had helped steer our business through several transformational changes. I am a fan of his wide world view and look forward to working with him to chart our future through India's rapidly evolving digital and retail landscape,” said Ambareesh Murty, co-founder, and CEO, of Pepperfry.
“Pepperfry is a differentiated brand in the eCommerce space and has undisputedly built a community-based platform defining home and living. In its decade-long journey, it has shown all the makings of a strong consumer brand,” Batra said.


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With the Christmas holiday season approaching we would like to take this opportunity to confirm our ordering and despatch times. Our offices will be closing on 24 December 2015 and shall reopen on 4 January 2016.
UK CustomersRead article
The last order time for delivery before Christmas is 3pm on Tuesday 22 December. Delivery will be Wednesday 23 December.
Camira had the pleasure of welcoming HRH The Duke of Gloucester and Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Dr Ingrid Roscoe, to our Mirfield headquarters on Wednesday 2nd December 2015 to present us with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development category 2015.Read article
We’re delighted to announce that Grant Russell has joined us as Chief Executive of Camira Group, which is part of our long-term succession planning and global business development strategy.Read article


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FCC approve HTC Dream Android phone
We’ve all heard about it for sometime now; the much whispered about HTC Dream, the former “Googlephone” as it were. Well the news is the HTC Dream has just received approval from the FCC.
The FCC has listed the handset as “Dream” and the model number is “DREA100”, and appears with a WiFi Interoperability Certificate carrying 802.11b/g WiFi.
If this is indeed the mush talked about HTC Android mobile phone it appears that HTC, Google, and carrier T-Mobile are now free to actually announce the coming of the HTC Dream in September with a possible October launch date.
Apparently more investigation has revealed the mention of the “jogball” which is similar to that seen on the many videos of the supposed Dream.
Rumour has it that the HTC Dream is compliant with Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and this round of testing is conducted only on GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850?1900 and also WCDMA 1700 which happens to be T-Mobiles 3G frequency.
Source — Engadget


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The preliminary I/O 2021 “Program” — because it’s known as this 12 months — of classes was once launched lately and we have now our first glimpse at what to anticipate from Google’s developer convention.
Traditionally, the overall Google I/O classes record isn’t published till after the kickoff keynote as some merchandise are stored underneath wraps till they’re introduced onstage, and that may probably proceed in 2021.
For 2021, the largest “What’s new” occasions are categorised as “Keynotes” and given a collection time at the agenda. But even so that major one and the Developer presentation, others come with:
Android, Google Play, internet platform, Gadget Finding out, Google Assistant, Subject matter Design, Chrome OS, Flutter, Firebase, Google Pay, ARCore, and sensible house
There also are a number of different “What’s new” movies classified as “Periods”:
Android Accessibility, Android/Google TV, Jetpack Compose, Android checking out gear, Android privateness, Android Media, Put on, Seek, Android Gadget Finding out, Android for Automobiles, Internet Vitals, design gear, Jetpack, Android Gradle plugin, foldable/pills/massive monitors, and Android building gear
Workshops, AMA, and Finding out Lab
But even so keynotes and classes, I/O 2021 will see interactive “Workshops” the place instructors stroll you thru codelabs and the place Q&A is imaginable. There can also be Ask Me Anything else Periods, with each requiring a reservation. In lieu of bodily Sandboxes, the Finding out Lab will probably be house to workshops, courses, demos, tutorials, and sources.
There’s recently a consultation known as “(*12*)Now could be the time: What’s new with Put on” and a “” workshop. Each, at the side of a speaker bio, interestingly drop the “OS” from the title of smartwatch platform, which is formally known as “Put on OS by way of Google.”
Get an summary of all that’s new for Google’s smartwatch platform. We’ll duvet the newest platform updates and percentage a spread of recent APIs, gear and extra to lend a hand jumpstart your building for wearables.
Android 12 will have to get a big chew of the keynote to sing their own praises the anticipated visible overhaul. There are a slew of classes discussing different adjustments and trends, together with one known as “.”
Widgets are getting a brand new glance in Android 12! Sign up for this Consultation to be told extra about the entire tactics we’re making it more uncomplicated to construct helpful, discoverable, and wonderful widgets on Android and Assistant.
As of DP3, the one exchange made to widget design is rounded corners, like the remainder of the running machine. Extra updates may well be coming as widgets get renewed pastime. We’ve already noticed the redesigned widget picker, however there may well be an “more uncomplicated” option to expand and cause them to glance nicer. In the meantime, this consultation additionally mentions widgets with Google Assistant.
Android + Assistant
Talking of Assistant and Android, Google continues to inspire app builders to combine each.
Discover ways to simply upload voice features on your Android app with Google Assistant. On this Consultation, you’ll see the right way to briefly information customers into your app with a voice command the use of App Movements.
Now that you simply’ve added a layer of voice interplay on your Android app, be told what’s new with Android Shortcuts and the way they are able to be prolonged to the Google Assistant.
FTC: We use source of revenue incomes auto associate hyperlinks.


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The Federal Government Is Ramping Up Anti-Retail Theft Efforts
“It’s a crime that’s occurring out in our streets that is becoming large enough where the federal government is announcing its involvement,” said a top DHS official.
The federal government is augmenting its efforts to counter organized retail crime, which leads to almost $70 billion in losses per year.
Organized retail crime is the large-scale theft targeting retailers with the goal to resell the items for profit that has increasingly become a threat to the economy and public safety and has increased due to prevalence of the e-commerce marketplace. Officials from Homeland Security Investigations and the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists announced on Wednesday a partnership to combat organized retail crime as well as an educational guide for law enforcement officials, financial crime investigators and others.
“We’re here announcing the federal government’s role in [fighting] organized retail crime. It’s a crime that’s occurring out in our streets that is becoming large enough where the federal government is announcing its involvement,” said Tom Welch, unit chief of the Homeland Security Investigations Financial Crimes Unit, at a media event hosted Wednesday by Ialmmigration and Customs Enforcement, which houses the investigations unit. “Clearly, we've been involved for a while, but this is our outreach because we need your help. The federal government cannot handle anything by itself.”
The partnership with the association of anti-money laundering specialists is a “great example.” Homeland Security Investigations has also partnered with the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (CLEAR). This is in addition to the agency’s work with federal, state and local enforcement partners, financial institutions, retailers and the public, Welch added.
The investigations unit “has developed Operating Boiling Point in response to the rise of [retail crime], increase of organized theft groups (known as OTGs) and the increase of supply chain security threats,” said Maria Michel-Manzo, division chief for the unit’s Financial and Fraud Division. “Through Operation Boiling Point HSI aims to increase its public-private partnerships like we have built with ACAMS and CLEAR and develop actionable investigative and intelligence leads from information received from the public, law enforcement, financial institutions and retailers to disrupt and dismantle [organized retail crime] and [organized theft group] organizations and lastly to develop a robust public awareness campaign, like this one today.”
The 53- page guide outlines the following three principles for effectively combating organized retail crime and organized theft groups: bringing financial institutions into the public awareness and education efforts (alongside law enforcement and retailers); establishing public-private partnerships and information sharing among the groups; and bolstering anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing programs in organized retail crime investigations.
Government Executive asked during the event how many personnel Homeland Security Investigations has dedicated to organized retail crime and if that is enough, and what more the agency would like from Congress in terms of personnel or funding.
Homeland Security Investigations has 30 field offices in the United States and over 80 field locations globally, said Michel-Manzo. “Staffing is an issue and we’ve been asking Congress as much as we can when they ask for [the unit’s] input for more staffing, so we can keep up with our uniform partners,” she continued. “As they grow, we need to grow too because we are the investigative arm of DHS and we do respond to all our uniform officers.”
Right now, all Homeland Security Investigations field offices are working with their task forces (with federal, state and/or local officials) to combat organized retail crime, Michel-Manzo added. She also noted that the new guide has several case studies for investigations the unit has worked on.
Following up on those remarks, Lauren Kohr, senior director of anti-money laundering in the Americas at ACAMS, underscored the importance of the partnerships. Countering organized retail crime is a “whole front approach and not just one agency,” she said.
The fiscal 2022 appropriations package provided $2.27 billion for Homeland Security Investigations, which was an increase of $128.7 million above the fiscal 2021 enacted level. President Biden’s budget request for fiscal 2023 proposes $2.3 billion for the unit.


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The open banking wave is starting to spread.
One of the latest signs of that comes this month from Germany, where Hamburg-based Deposit Solutions, a company that launched in 2011 and sells open banking technology, recently announced it had raised $100 million in capital in a round led by Vitruvian Partners, a Munich private equity firm.
The funding round reportedly stands as the second largest ever for German FinTech.
Deposit Solution’s software enables lenders to connect with retail banking clients and helps financial institutions provide their customers with a selection of third-party deposit products under their existing client relationship. The company “now connects more than 70 banks from 16 countries to more than 30 million savers,” it said in a statement announcing the funding. The capital will help fund international expansion — perhaps in such countries as France, Italy and Spain — and other forms of growth.
Another recent deal designed to further the spread of open banking involves Equifax, the consumer and business insights expert. The company recently formed a strategic alliance with consents.online, a digital consent management and AISP-accredited open banking platform.
Equifax said the partnership marks the first time that U.K. consumers and small businesses have been able to manage the sharing of their financial information. The company noted that the alliance was established to develop solutions for the U.K.’s open banking initiative, which gives online banking customers the ability to share their financial data with FinTechs. Equifax added that the partnership enables consumers and small businesses to provide consent to organizations to access financial data.
While open banking is not exclusive to European markets, recent PSD2 and open banking regulations that came into effect earlier this year offer an opportunity for other jurisdictions to learn by example.
North American Focus
North America is one such market, as two-thirds of banks view open banking as a competitive imperative, suggesting that it is more open than Europe or Asia-Pacific to the data sharing required to make it a success.
Even in countries with no open banking regulations, the tilt toward that future is ongoing.
Canada, for instance, seems ready to embrace a model that encourages the sharing of financial data across FinTech firms and FIs. One sign comes from the country’s federal budget, which outlines moves to boost the country’s financial services sector, and specifically mentions open banking.
“The government proposes to undertake a review of the merits of open banking in order to assess whether open banking would deliver positive results for Canadians with the highest regard for consumer privacy, data security and financial stability,” the budget said.
Open Banking Hurdles
Despite the spread of open banking partnerships and alliances, and at least initial support from government, hurdles remain – and those challenges go beyond the different cultures found at FinTech firms and longstanding financial institutions. Those banks might seem “overwhelmed” by the sheer number of startups and young companies vying for open banking business relationships, according to one analysis.
“You would think, with these regulations coming out, it would make it easier for banks. What is happening is it has made the space more crowded,” said one U.K.-based banking expert. “Startups are not standing out from the crowd.”
But banks cannot afford to wait around. That’s underscored by a recent survey report that found 63 percent of banking customers are “willing to share financial data with a competitor to get a better deal.” Sixty percent would consider moving to a competing financial institution if that experience lagged.
Open banking is a work in progress. But the money is flowing and partnerships are forming, and that means a clearer picture of how that effort is developing will come soon enough.


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Wireless USB is to incorporate proximity technology so that in future you'll just have to get close to your PC to download your pictures or sync files. NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology that's already widely used in security cards as well as Transport for London's Oyster card system.
The 'touch-and-go' NFC tech is to be incorporated into the second specification of Wireless USB, version 1.1. It's due out late next year and will see speeds increase to a potential 960Mbps. The first specification of Wireless USB, 1.0, is currently coming onto the market in the form of Wireless USB hubs from manufacturers such as Belkin and Iogear.
The announcement of Wireless USB 1.1 was made this morning at the USB-IF (Implementer's Forum) Developer's Conference for Wireless USB at the Amsterdam Hilton.
Digital cameras to benefit
"Digital cameras are one of the great opportunities for Wireless USB," said Ravencraft during his keynote speech this morning. He also warned about the challenge that new technology poses to the consumer. "It has to be extremely easy or the consumer won't use it."
Tech.co.uk is at the USB-IF Developer's Conference for Wireless USB in Amsterdam, finding out more about the new standard for wireless device connections as well as the new super-speed wireless standard, USB 3.0. According to the USB-IF, that'll be 10 times faster than USB 2.0.
The new specification will also mean better options for first-time association of devices, improved power efficiency, and support for UWB (Ultra-Wideband) frequencies above 6GHz. That last point is important; it means the technology will work with future mobile phones to share data.
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Dan (Twitter, Google+) is TechRadar's Former Deputy Editor and is now in charge at our sister site T3.com. Covering all things computing, internet and mobile he's a seasoned regular at major tech shows such as CES, IFA and Mobile World Congress. Dan has also been a tech expert for many outlets including BBC Radio 4, 5Live and the World Service, The Sun and ITV News.


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Hefty fines on horizon for breach of data protection.
Under The Criminal Justice & Immigration Act, which became law a few weeks ago, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is given the power to impose substantial civil penalties on businesses that deliberately or recklessly breach data protection rules.
The move comes just weeks after the Information Commissioner revealed that nearly 100 security breaches were reported last year. These included lost laptops with unencrypted information as well as lost paper records, computer disks and memory sticks.
"Hardly a month has gone by in recent times without news of yet another high profile data security breach," said Caroline Egan, a data protection expert at Hammonds in Birmingham.
"And, until now, the powers of the ICO have been limited to issuing enforcement notices and naming and shaming offending companies.
"Under this new law the Information Commissioner has far greater powers at his fingertips to tackle companies and public bodies which don't go far enough to protect data.
"This should serve as a warning to organisations in the West Midlands."
As well as triggering serious new financial consequences, breaching data protection rules can also severely impact on a company's reputation.
Mrs Egan added: "Individuals who suffer financial loss as a result of a breach of the Data Protection Act can already sue the data controller for their loss and for distress caused.
"If there is a major security leak, allowing identity theft, the sums involved can be huge.
"And this is without calculating the impact of the loss of trust amongst customers and employees not to mention the high profile investigations carried out by the Information Commissioner.
"In the future, we are likely to see the ICO wielding its new powers to fine - a potentially crippling blow to some businesses.
"With the Commissioner looking to bare his new found teeth, and signal a clampdown on information security breaches, businesses would be very wise indeed to review their own internal security measures and data handling procedures to ensure they aren't the first to take the rap."
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|Publication:||The Birmingham Post (England)|
|Date:||May 20, 2008|
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The fashion designer decided to break her silence after months of keeping a low profile
Imagine being married for 10 years. You’d built a life, had children, and believed that what the two of you built together was unbreakable. Then imagine waking up one day and that life you worked so hard to build comes crashing down, smashing into a million pieces and there’s nothing you can do. This is what it’s been like for Harvey Weinstein’s estranged wife, Georgina Chapman. The fashion designer and co-owner of the fashion company, Marchesa, had been keeping quiet as the sexual harassment accusations surrounding Weinstein continues to grow as more and more women keep coming forward. Chapman recently decided to break her silence and sat down for her first public interview with Vogue.
In a candid interview, Chapman, 42, says that once the New York Times story about her soon to be ex-husband broke, she wasn’t able to fully process the information until a couple days later and says that in five days, she lost “ten pounds”. Although the NYT described incidents from before Chapman entered the picture, making it difficult for her to make any decisions, she quickly realized that those incidents were not the only ones. She decided to remove herself and the couple’s children from the situation.
Chapman’s fashion company, Marchesa, which she co-owns with long-time friend and business partner, Keren Craig, came under fire as the Weinstein scandal blew up. Many believed that the fashion designer’s career was over as no would “ever wear a Marchesa dress again”. Marchesa’s runaway show, which was supposed to advertise its 2018 fall collection, was canceled in January and Chapman herself believed it was the right thing to do. “We didn’t feel it was appropriate given the situation,” she said. “All the women who have been hurt deserve dignity and respect, so I want to give it the time it deserves. It’s a time for mourning, really,” she lamented.
Actress Scarlett Johansson made headlines after she showed up to the Met Gala held on May 7 wearing a Marchesa dress. The Avengers: Infinity War star defended her choice to support the fashion company saying, “I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful.” The actress furthered her support by adding, “It is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers.” Vogue editor, Anna Wintour, praised Johansson for her public display of solidarity. “Georgina is a brilliant designer, and I don’t think that she should be blamed for her husband’s behavior. I think it was a great gesture of support on Scarlett’s part to wear a dress like that—a beautiful dress like that—on such a public occasion,” she said.
As the reports against her estranged husband kept pouring in, Chapman isolated herself and didn’t leave her house for about five months. “I was so humiliated and so broken… that… I, I, I… didn’t think it was respectful to go out,” she said. She recounted a moment where she was going up the stairs and had to stop because she felt like “all the air had been punched out of my lungs.”
Chapman’s main concern in all of this is, of course, their children. The former couple shares a daughter, India Pearl, 7, and a son, Dashiell, 5. The interview was very emotional for the mother of two, which was to be expected, but when she started to speak about their children, that’s when she really began to break down. “I have moments when I just cry for my children. What are their lives going to be? What are people going to say to them?” As most children tend to do, Weinstein’s kids “love him.” As of now, they’re too young to fully understand what is going on and what has happened with their father.
Unfortunately, society and the entertainment industry were quick to side Chapman alongside her then-husband, claiming she must have known something was going on. Chapman claims her innocence of having absolutely no knowledge as to what the movie mogul was doing to all these women, as do her close friends. She also refuses to let others, as well as herself, label her a victim. “I don’t want to be viewed as a victim…I don’t think I am. I am a woman in a s**t situation, but it’s not unique.”
Some of Chapman’s close circle of friends who have been by her side this entire time include, Keren Craig, Golden Globe nominee, actor David Oyelowo, who has been friends with Chapman for about 25 years, and not very surprisingly, Hilary Clinton’s former top aide and ex-wife of “disgraced politician,” Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin. Chapman and Abedin would have play dates with their sons prior to the scandal and once the scandal broke out, Abedin right away reached out to offer her support for Chapman. “This particular club, ironically, it’s not such a small one: women who have had to endure it in such a public way, women like Georgina and me. People don’t feel sorry for us; you don’t get that empathy,” Abedin told Vogue.
“I have moments of rage, I have moments of confusion, I have moments of disbelief!,” Chapman says. It truly has been a trying several months for Georgina Chapman, but she has faced and accepted what has happened with grace, respect, and dignity. This should count for something because it means something.
You can check out the entire Vogue article here.
Source: Read Full Article


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Global Healthcare specialist VIKAND has appointed Stephen Schueler as a new Director for its Advisory Board.
Schueler is the Chairman of European Maritime Finance, InerFuel, and CEO of Enerjen Capital and has extensive experience in advising companies in the maritime, finance, technology and supply chain sectors.
Schueler’s previous roles include working at AP Moller-Maersk as the company’s CCO where he was responsible for all the worldwide offices, Global Head of Retail Sales and Marketing at Microsoft and he started his career at Procter and Gamble where he worked in Latin America, Asia and Europe and rose to the position Senior Vice President, Head of Global Retail Operations.
“We’re really pleased that Stephen has joined our Advisory Board as he has a proven track record of scaling companies like VIKAND that have global growth ambitions. We have tripled in size during the past 12 months and his maritime experience will prove invaluable as our business seeks to work with some of the major ship operators in commercial shipping, offshore and energy sectors,” said Peter Hult, VIKAND CEO.
Schueler added; “I am proud of the opportunity joining the VIKAND team, the company has great momentum as the global leader in maritime health care. Ensuring the mental and physical well-being of seafarers is paramount and I look forward to helping the company grow in a sustainable way.”
This appointment follows that of Raphael Sauleau, CEO of Fraser Yachts and Klaus Stoltenberg, co-owner of Constellation ApS, who joined VIKAND’s Advisory Board.


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This week in tech has been a week of apps. First up there's Chrome, whose Keep and Sheets apps have been given an upgrade. Sheets is faster, handles bigger spreadsheets and works offline, while Keep still isn't as good as Evernote. Chrome Apps are coming to the Mac too, with a new section in the Chrome Web Store devoted to OS X-friendly programs.
Spotify has a new app too: Spotify Shuffle, a subscription-free version for smartphones. The iOS and Android apps don't require subscriptions any more either, and the service has signed an exclusive deal with Led Zeppelin to stream its back catalogue to the three people who haven't pirated it in the 14 years since Napster came along. The deal didn't impress Duncan Geere, who thought it sets up streaming for an exclusivity arms race where listeners will be the losers.
Exclusivity is already common in video streaming, and this week we compared the two titans of video streaming, LoveFilm and Netflix so you can see which is right for you. Meanwhile, the Netflix app is getting some new neighbours on Apple TV: the US networks ABC and Bloomberg joined the Apple TV home screen, alongside movies app Crackle. There's still no iPlayer, though, meaning iTV still can’t quite cut it as a standalone service.
Google's HDMI Chromecast dongle is great for streaming content from an Android device directly to a television set, but falls short of the Apple TV platform when it comes to full-on display mirroring. However, that could soon be about to change, judging by code spotted within the Android 4.4.1 update which is currently rolling out to Nexus smartphones and tablets. Read more
There's an app for pretty much everything these days, and it's easy to spend hours browsing the selection in the Google Play Store. That can be a downside as it can be a problem to separate the wheat from the chaff. That's why we're here. We've tirelessly trawled Google Play looking for the best downloads on offer. Read more
The dawn of fully customisable smartphones mightn't be too far away, with Motorola revealing its modular phone prototype is almost ready for action. In a Google hangouts chat Moto CEO Dennis Woodside said the mysterious Project Ara initiative, which will allow users to slide in and out their processors, RAM and camera modules is close to being realised. Read more
The subject of backwards compatibility is a sore one for Xbox One owners, but a method posted online promising to unlock Xbox 360 games gave hope to the non-savvy few. Except, of course, it's a scam. Read more
To celebrate the release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in cinemas on December 13, Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and TechRadar are offering three lucky winners the chance to get their hands on some awesome exclusive merchandise! To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, just answer a simple question.
We're still smiling every time we pick this up. It really is astonishingly well built at this price. The keyboard is great and the screen is a joy. We remain bemused though delighted that HP has managed to make something that punches so colossally above its weight in terms of fit, finish and pleasure in using.
The screen is to die for and the form factor is ideal for media consumption. It's light, it's bright, it's fun and it's thin. The battery life is really impressive, and the sheer diversity on offer, be it through the uprated CPU, screen, or GPU, mean that we struggled to put it down at times.
This is the best phone on the market full stop. For functionality, innovation and just overall effect it has in the hand, we can't help but recommend the HTC One to anyone looking to buy a new smartphone.
How do you decide which mobile phone is the best one for you? Well this is where we make it easy, because here we have our continually updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones currently available.


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The inflation experienced in 2021 was primarily a byproduct of various supply restrictions caused by the pandemic. The shuttering of the global economy in the spring of 2020 was accompanied by massive government income replacement schemes and business continuity initiatives. While production slowed to a crawl as workers were not going to factories, home-bound consumers naturally shifted their purchases from services to goods. With demand exceeding supply, shortages began to drive up the price of many products. Subsequent waves of Covid-19 delayed the rebound in services spending while additional fiscal relief measures earlier this year worsened the overall supply/demand imbalance in goods.
Supply chain constraints are likely to extend into next year as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 may further delay recovery in services and continue to skew consumer purchases towards goods. Any virus induced hesitancy on the part of production workers coming to their jobs could put further pressure on supply chains that are already stretched.
The Worst is Likely Over
Before the emergence of the Omicron variant, the global economy was exhibiting signs of a peak in supply chain bottlenecks which would likely lead to a peak in the inflation rates. According to the national and regional purchasing managers surveys in the U.S., production is beginning to exceed new orders and there is a slight improvement in delivery times and a reduction in prices paid. While anecdotal, there are reports of easing congestion at the two main west coast Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The quicker goods can get off ships and onto shelves or into warehouses, the faster inflation rates can recede.
A recent example of the economics of supply-side inflation can be seen in the auto industry where demand for cars has increased during the pandemic, while the supply of new automobiles is greatly constrained by the severe shortage of semiconductor chips, which are largely produced in Asia. This has caused sharp increases in car prices, which along with the shortage of inventory, have begun to crimp demand. The semiconductor manufacturing industry, seeing the price of semis for automobiles move higher and under some pressure from governments, began to repurpose their factories away from chips made for phones and computers to those used in cars. Increased chip supply is allowing global auto manufacturers to ramp up production which should begin to alleviate price pressures moving into 2022.
What Could Cause Inflation to Persist
By their very nature, supply constraints tend to be temporary in a globally competitive economy. Accordingly, the development of persistent, or secular, inflation should be more a function of demand growth driven by continually rising incomes.
The last great inflation of the 1970’s was largely fueled by the ability of powerful unions to negotiate cost of living wage adjustments. This perpetuated a wage/price spiral by putting additional money in consumer pockets which allowed businesses to consistently pass along higher wages and other input prices to the ultimate consumer.
Another byproduct of the pandemic is a trend that some are dubbing “the Great Resignation.” The post-World War II baby boom generation started hitting retirement age at the turn of the century with labor force participation rates beginning a natural descent which the pandemic increased dramatically last year. The participation rate is recovering, but there may have been an acceleration of retirements in this demographic group which may have permanently reduced the economy’s labor supply.
To the extent that a tight labor supply becomes more permanent, wages would need to increase to attract workers. Mitigating factors to this possible rebirth of a long dormant wage/price spiral would be both the greatly reduced bargaining power of American unions and the push for businesses to invest in productivity-enhancing technology and software to offset rising labor costs.
Market Signals of Peak Price Pressures
Apart from wage pressures, the most significant cost for businesses and consumers is energy. While some of the sharp year-to-date increase in prices across the energy complex was a rebound from last year’s recession-induced depths, prices continued to climb to ever higher levels throughout the summer and early fall. The outbreak of the Omicron wave and some jawboning by governments around the world has caused a roughly 15%-20% decline in energy prices in the U.S. which should help reduce year-over-year CPI rates over the coming months.
Dollar strength over much of 2021 should have been a bigger factor this year in dampening import and overall commodity prices, but the global economic rebound and supply constraints delayed this historical effect. In addition to energy, commodity prices are generally showing signs of peaking as global growth naturally slows from this year’s sharp policy enhanced rebound. This is currently reflected in a notable decline in the breakeven inflation rates signaled by the difference in yield between treasuries and like maturity inflation protected securities.
The pandemic may have dealt globalization a damaging blow as a longer-term disinflationary force with economies scrambling to reshore their supply chains. But technological advancements in productivity, and the demographics of an aging population in most developed market economies, should continue to prevent a persistent outbreak of inflation. This is especially true now that many central banks around the world are beginning to contemplate incremental withdrawal from extreme monetary ease.
What This Means for Investors
Central banks are being forced to react to the magnitude of global inflation, but so far, the moves can be best categorized as a slight removal of excessive ease. While the Fed officially retired the term “transitory,” there is strong evidence that inflation rates should begin to fall with authorities hesitant to react too aggressively to price increases that are already beginning to mute demand.
Monetary policy remains generally supportive of markets with negative real yields continuing to drive cash into equities and other high returning assets. Fiscal policy will no longer be a tailwind to the economy and markets, but consumers seem ready to have the torch passed from the government to businesses as the primary support to their spending. The failure to date to pass another fiscal initiative in Washington will delay any onerous corporate tax increase, therefore allowing businesses to maintain their healthy profit margins.
Please read important disclosures here.


text: I think it's safe to say that we are all relieved to know that News Corp. has decided not to publish O.J. Simpson's controversial book If I Did It and that it will not air Judith Regan's Fox interview with Simpson. Several bookstores, including Border's, had decided to donate all proceeds from the sale of the book to charity. Erin Crum, a spokeswoman for HarperCollins, said today that some copies of the books have already been shipped to stores. Those books will be recalled and destroyed, she said. The New York Times reported yesterday why executives at News Corp. decided to pull the plug on the project. Read the NYT article at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/20/business/21simpsoncnd.html?ref=media.


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The largest flawless vivid blue diamond in the world is expected reach a price of bewteen $21-25 million when it is sold at auction next month.
Known as 'The Blue' the stone has been put on display in New York ahead of its sale next month in Geneva.
Head of Jewelry at Christie's Rahul Kadakai said:
"Thirteen-carat vivid blue being the strongest saturation in a blue diamond, deeply saturated rich blue color and flawless. So the stone is internally and externally bereft of any imperfections.
"So this is the largest flawless vivid blue diamond in the world. So in simple terms, it's the best blue diamond in the world."
Very little in known about the age of the stone, or where it was mined.
'The Ocean Dream' diamond will also be going under the hammer in the sale. It is a five and a half carat blue-green diamond which could make between $7.5 to $10 million dollars.


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Activision has set aside $500 million in total to develop, manufacture and promote the Bungie's Destiny series. That big number was revealed by Activision chief executive Bobby Kotick at the Milken conference in LA, as reported on by Reuters.
Sony announced today that it expects to report a net loss of 130 billion yen ($1.3 billion) for the 12 month period that ended on March 31, 2014. That compares with a loss of 110 billion yen ($1.1 billion) forecast in February, a reduction from its October 2013 projection of a 30 billion yen ($294 million) profit. Sony won't report its consolidated results for the fiscal year until May 14, but it published a preliminary earnings report on Thursday to get investors prepared for the news.
Glu Mobile has acquired Diner Dash maker PlayFirst, according to this GII report. The transaction is expected to close this month. Glu Mobile bought the company by offering PlayFirst shareholders 3 million shares of the company's common stock and by taking on $3.55 million of PlayFirst's debt.
Angry Birds maker Rovio may have spent too much time focusing on its number one hit game franchise. According to this Gamasutra report, Rovio's profits were cut by more than 50 percent during the 2013 fiscal year.
Microsoft has finally completed its acquisition of mobile phone maker Nokia. The completion of the acquisition follows approval from Nokia shareholders and various governmental regulatory agencies around the world. Microsoft announced on Sept. 3 of last year that it intended to acquire Nokia for a total of $7.5 billion in cash. The deal consisted of approximately $5 billion and an agreement to license Nokia's patents for $2.17 billion.
Advocacy group Free Press is not happy about the FCC's future changes to the Open Internet Order of 2010. They have several useful links that will make it easier for you to let your voice be heard at the FCC and multiple articles on why FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposal will do more harm than good to Net Neutrality.
Social and mobile game maker Zynga reported a first-quarter loss of $61 million, compared to a $25 million loss from its previous quarter and a profit of $4 million the same period a year ago. Zynga also announced that its founder Mark Pincus, who had already stepped down as its chief executive officer, would leave his role as chief product officer, basically ending his executive duties at the firm. Pincus remains the chairman of the board.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and NetEase have inked an agreement to license Blizzard Entertainment's Heroes of the Storm to a NetEase-affiliate in mainland China for a term of three years. Heroes of the Storm is Blizzard's upcoming free-to-play, online team brawler featuring heroes from more than 20 years of Blizzard gaming history. Gamers will be able to play some of their favorite characters from the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes, and team up with friends to battle other teams online.
Last week Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to entertainment streaming service Netflix asking the company to weigh in on the proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable. This week Netflix gave its opinion... to shareholders.
"If the Comcast and Time Warner Cable merger is approved, the combined company’s footprint will pass over 60 percent of U.S. broadband households," Netflix CEO Reed Hastings wrote in a letter to shareholders, adding, "Comcast could control high-speed broadband to the majority of American homes."
Online game maker NCsoft has invested an estimated $4.8 million in South Korean web comics firm Lezhin Entertainment, according to GII.
NCsoft said that the ₩5 billion ($4.8 million USD) investment in Lezhin will offer opportunities to leverage its IP in new ways, and that it will also allow Lezhin to leverage its portfolio of intellectual property for creating interactive entertainment.
Sony Computer Entertainment announced this morning that it has sold all of its holdings - its entire 9,520,000 shares - in Square Enix to SMBC Nikko Securities. An income of nearly 4.8bn yen will be marked down in Sony's financial report for the year ending 31st March 2015, with the exact sale price of the shares to be revealed tomorrow. Sony's annual financial report for the year ending March 31, 2014 will be released on May 14 and will likely contain a forecast for the year ahead that will include the sale of the shares.
CCP Games recorded a loss of over $21 million for financial year 2013, the company announced today. This is a major decline from a profit of $4.6 million in the previous year. Revenues for the company rose to $76.7 million from $56.3 million. So what caused the massive drop for 2013? According to CCP, a massively increased R&D budget. That budget climbed from $16.5 million in FY 2012 to $56.5 million in FY 2013. The costs are likely related to the development of Eve: Valkyrie, Eve Online, Dust, and costs related to the now cancelled World of Darkness MMO.
Capcom announced that it is building two new research and development facilities in Osaka, Japan. The cost of these new facilities is estimated at around eight billion yen, or $79 million. Construction of the first building (R&D Building S) began in May of 2013 and is expected to be completed by January 2015 at a cost of 2.5 billion yen, or $24.6 million. Construction on the second building (R&D Building N) began this month and is expected to be completed in February 2016 at a cost of 5.5 billion yen, or $54.1 million.
Last week we asked our readers, "How Will Oculus Rift Be Affected By Facebook's Acquisition of the Device?" A slim majority of our readers believe that the Facebook acquisition of the popular VR gaming technology company is very bad news.
Wargaming CEO Victor Kisyli has pledged that his company will invest $10 million into improving and developing features that support eSports in 2014. At a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, Wargaming CEO Victor Kisyli said that there has been a huge upswing of interest in World of Tanks for eSports in the last two years. In 2012, 30,000 pro players took part in 120 World of Tanks tournaments, while in 2013 that number climbed to 200,000 players across more than 1,000 World of Tanks tournaments, according to Wargaming's calculations.
Activision Blizzard announced today that its first expansion for Diablo 3 is selling like hotcakes. Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls topped 2.7 million units in the expansion's first week of availability, according to Activision Blizzard.
The data is based on internal company sales tracking and reports from key distribution partners. We assume that these numbers also include digital direct-to-consumer sales by Blizzard.
Diablo 3's first expansion pack launched on PC and Mac on March 25.
In late February Sega announced that it would split Atlus away from its parent company, Japan-based Index. Sega acquired the original North American publisher of Tactics Ogre, Disgaea, Steambot Chronicles, Trauma Center, the Persona series, and many other popular Japanese games in September 2013 in a deal that cost the company an estimated $140 million.
Phil Spencer has been named the new Head of Xbox at Microsoft. In his new role he'll be in charge of Xbox Live, Xbox Music, Xbox Video and Microsoft Studios. Spencer says that he will employ a "gaming first" philosophy at the Microsoft division, making sure that video games are the most important component of the Xbox One.
Last week former id Software programmer and founder had very little to say about Facebook acquiring the company he recently joined (save that having some financial backing would help them avoid future scaling issues).
But over the weekend, Carmack responded to a post on the blog of Peter Berkman, detailing why he thinks Oculus VR being owned by Facebook isn't such a bad thing. Carmack sympathizes with fans who wanted Oculus Rift to follow a model similar to what Valve did with Steam, he says that virtual reality is too significant a technology to remain at that level.
eSports brand Electronic Sports League (ESL) announced that parent company Turtle Entertainment GmbH, has entered into an agreement to acquire U.S. -based ESS Agency and that it would open a full production studio and offices in Los Angeles, California. This will mark the seventh international office for the eSports company to date. ESL’s North American operations will be conducted from two U.S. offices, New York and Los Angeles.
In an interview with Game Informer, Oculus VR vice president of product Nate Mitchell expressed his surprise to the publication about the general negative reception it received from fans concerning the acquisition by Facebook earlier this week.
King Digital Entertainment went public this morning on the New York Stock Exchange after raising about $500 million in an IPO that valued the company at about $7.6 billion.
But the Candy Crush maker and litigious patent and trademark holder fell short of its valuation with a tepid response from the market; shares opened at $20.50 well below the expected $22.50, and are - as of this writing - trending downward ($20.29).
Facebook announced this afternoon that it would purchase VR headset maker Oculus for $2 billion with a combination of cash and stock. The company will pay $400 million in cash and 23.1 million shares worth about $1.6 billion. Oculus employees will also eligible for an additional $300 million if the company achieves certain targets.
"This is a long-term bet on the future of computing," said Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg Tuesday on a call with analysts. "I believe Oculus can be one of the platforms of the future."
Disney has acquired YouTube video network Maker Studios. The company has paid $500 million to acquire the outfit, which is best known for carrying the videos made by YouTube star 'PewDiePie.' Last year PewDiePie beat such stars as Miley Cyrus and One Direction to become YouTube’s most watched star in H2 2013.
Chinese online game company Giant Interactive Group Inc. (also known as Giant Interactive has become a private company again, thanks to a buyout deal involving the company's Chairman and two investment firms. The company has been publicly traded for seven years. The deal was led by company chairman Shi Yuzhu and included investments from Hony Capital and Baring Private Equity Asia.
Majesco continues to have financial challenges, as evident by its fiscal quarter 2014 results. For the quarter ended January 31, 2014, Majesco reported earnings of $21.9 million in revenue, down slightly from the $23.5 million earned in the same quarter last year. The company also posted a net loss of $4.5 million, compared to a loss of $2.1 million in the same period a year ago. On a non-GAAP basis, Majesco realized a Q1 loss of $4.1 million, versus $1.1 million in the same quarter last year.
In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Candy Crush Saga maker King today said that it plans to price its shares between $21 and $24 for its initial public offering and that it plans to sell 22.2 million shares.


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Bridgestone Ireland was at the Junction 14 motorway services near Monasterevin, Co Kildare to carry out tyre safety consultations for HGV drivers for three days in October.
Continental has launched the CompactMaster EM, a new telehandler and compact loader tyre.
Pirelli has completed testing on its new 18 inch Formula 1 tyre, which will replace the 13 inch tyre for next year’s season. The program was concluded with a wet tyre test in France at Paul Ricard, performed by Alpine driver Daniil Kvyat.
Hankook Tire has confirmed it will launch its Winter i*cept RS3 tread pattern to the European market in 2022.
The winner of the British Cross Country Championship’s Modified Production class is Terratoura A/T ambassador Edd Cobley.
Apollo Tyres has introduced the new Vredestein Traxion Versa Green tyre, which it says has been developed specifically for use on steep alpine slopes.
Cooper Tire Europe has partnered with Goodwood to present a unique Rally Sprint event at the 78th Goodwood Members’ Meeting,
Cooper Tires, the exclusive tyre supplier to the FIA World Rallycross Championship, has further reinforced its presence in the sport through its title sponsorship of this month’s Portuguese round.
Conserving agricultural soils as finite resource for the production of food, feed and fibre for a growing world population is of utmost importance.
Continental high-performance summer tyres are being used as original equipment on the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance.
Pirelli has launched its new Cinturato Winter 2 for medium-sized cars and CUVs. This new tyre features new technologies pioneered by the Italian firm


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- YPB Group (YPB) has received commitments from investors for a $600,000 placement
- A total of 100 million shares will be priced at $0.006 apiece
- EverBlu Capital is Corporate Adviser and Lead Manager and will receive six million shares and a six per cent fee on the amount raised
- Funds raised will be used for the technical development of Motif Micro and the Connect Platform, costs related to the placement, and general working capital purposes
- YPB has ended the day 14.3 per cent in the red with shares trading for 0.6 cents apiece
YPB Group (YPB) has received commitments from sophisticated and professional investors for a $600,000 placement.
A total of 100 million shares will be issued at a price of $0.006 per share which represents a 15.1 per cent discount to the 15 day volume-weighted average price.
The company will not seek security holder approval for the issue of the shares.
EverBlu Capital is Corporate Adviser and Lead Manager in relation to the placement and will receive six million shares and a six per cent fee on the gross amount raised under the placement.
Funds raised under the placement will be used for the technical development of Motif Micro and the Connect Platform, pay for costs related to the placement, and general working capital purposes.
“I thank our placement participants for their support and welcome them to our register,” CEO John Houston said.
“The funds raised will advance the further development of our key Motif Micro and Connect technologies while we accelerate revenue generation from existing and recently signed clients together with our numerous mature prospects,” he added.
Motif Micro is YPB’s multi-patented, high-security and invisible-to-the-eye smartphone-readable anti-counterfeit technology.
In early September, the company achieved a breakthrough in this technology in which it can now read authentication marks on curved surfaces and signed a second contract in early December with a Thailand company.
YPB’s Connect platform was launched in 2015 as a way for brands to engage with customers. It was predicted that this tech would become vital in a world where e-commerce and border trade is rapidly growing.
It’s sold on a monthly subscription basis and the codes are sold on a per unit basis.
YPB Group has ended the day 14.3 per cent in the red with shares trading for 0.6 cents apiece


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Web users under the behavioural microscope
Under the microscope ... online publishers are pushing ahead into the controversial realm of behavioural targeting.
Photo: James Davies
For years advertisers were told that when it came to audiences size was the only thing that mattered. Now digital publishers are refining their pitch, selling the behaviour of their online audiences as the next frontier in advertising.
In coming months Ninemsn, Fairfax Digital, News Digital Media and Google will push into the controversial area of behavioural targeting.
Rather than create an environment to attract a certain demographic that can then be sold to advertisers, behavioural targeting pushes ads at internet users based on pages they view, the search terms they use and personal details handed over when registering for web services.
Rather than assuming a reader is interested in the ad, online publishers will be able to serve up commercial messages when readers are at their most receptive. A little piece of coding, known as a cookie, is picked up and stored by a user's browser, allowing publishers to group internet users together by interest and then sell them on to advertisers. So if you are a cat owner you will never have to see another dogfood ad, or so the theory goes.
"At its simplest it is about selling people rather than selling pages," said Mal Dale, head of digital at the media buyer Mediacom.
Although an individual's identity is never revealed, fears of privacy invasion remain high. "The words behavioural targeting are very emotive because as its heart it is about observing human behaviour," said Ed Smith, the chief commercial officer of News Digital Media.
In Britain the controversy surrounding the use of behavioural tracking by internet service providers has reached fever pitch. There a company, Phorm, has come under fire for a secret trial it conducted with the country's largest internet service provider, BT, in which it monitored every action of thousands of BT customers online to enable it to send targeted ads to their computers.
Such are the concerns, Google is adopting a less threatening nomenclature, preferring to call the system it plans to introduce in Australia "interest-based advertising". It is even co-opting internet users, asking them to help it refine the areas that may be of interest to them. "So that you can receive ads that are more interesting to you," says its publicity.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau is following the lead of its British counterpart and is developing guidelines for advertisers involved in behavioural targeting, among them the condition that users must be told clearly what it is and gaining their consent for its use. The bureau's chief executive, Paul Fisher, said: "We will be looking at that very shortly."
Controversy aside, the industry expects that ads for behavioural targeting might take as much as 15 per cent of the $500 million-plus display advertising market.
Ninemsn, jointly owned by PBL Media and Microsoft, has been targeting the users of its Hotmail and Messenger services by age and sex. By the end of this financial year it says it will be able to follow those people - who provided personal details when they signed up for those services - as they move around the Ninemsn network. Ninemsn's advertising operations director, Dominic Finnegan, said: "No one else will have the size of the inventory pool that you can target by age and gender. So we'll know when a male aged 16 to 34 pops up, say in the Wide World Of Sports and if we have an advertiser interested in getting to them then we can serve up an ad instantaneously."
News Digital Media places more emphasis on behaviour than demographics, arguing it is a more reliable indicator of receptivity. NDM's Mr Smith said the Holden Barina target market might be young women but putting its audience through a demographic filter would only prevent an older male, for example, from seeing that ad. "Lots of people buy outside the target market ... we prefer to look at the content they are looking at," he said.
Yahoo7! says it has segmented its audience into 140 categories based on interests and activity crossed with demographic data harvested from registration details for Yahoo! products. It says in the first quarter of this year targeting ads made up 20 per cent of bookings on its network, up from 8 per cent the previous year. Although audience size is key to advertisers, it is not everything. "It's not really about volume as the key to behavioural targeting is to target the right person at the right time," said Damon Scarr, national media sales director.
Fairfax Digital is gearing up to deliver behavioural ads across its entire network, which encompasses RSVP, smh.com.au. theage.com.au and mycareer, among others, with a new product, FD Connect. Fairfax executives say they will be able to aggregate audiences for advertisers based on what they read, the interests listed, demographic profiles and the suburbs they live in. Fairfax's sales pitch to media buyers will rely on its large AB audience and deep engagement with sites to give it the edge. Its strategic sales director, Anita Perri, said: "As our audience moves through their life stages, we understand their purchase and consumption habits change. This is going to allow us go on the journey with them, removing the reliance for advertisers on traditional contextual media buys. "Advertisers can now reach large pools of their target audience with minimal wastage. Our audiences also benefit from more relevant ads being served to them."
All claim to be able to retarget users, that is, using the cookies on ads to identify the same people who move in and out of their networks. That is not to say guesswork has been eradicated. Assumptions are still being made about the length of time between a consumer beginning a search for a product and buying it, for example, three months for a car. That in turn determines the type and number of ads to be served to that person.
Mediacom's Mr Dale, who acts for clients such as Foster's, Dell and Procter & Gamble, says the biggest challenge is keeping the data relevant.
"How accurate and current that data is [will] be fundamental to the success. Some products have a narrow purchasing cycle."
He said advertisers needed to be satisfied that the data is current. If people were in the market for a home insurance product for two weeks, once they had bought what they wanted, it would be good to for the advertisers to know.
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UBS Faces Client Backlash Over Options Strategy
A complex investment strategy pitched as low-risk by stockbrokers at UBS has triggered a backlash from clients of its securities unit.
Amazon Deal Opens Door to Bigger Footprint in India
Amazon has signed an agreement that would give it the option to take a significant stake in one of India's largest retailers.
Google Disables YouTube Channels It Linked to Hong Kong Influence Operation
Google pulled 210 YouTube channels from its platform, saying that they appeared to be part of a coordinated disinformation campaign in response to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
CMA Orders RBS and Santander to Fix PPI Breaches
The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority ordered Royal Bank of Scotland and Santander U.K. to fix payment protection insurance breaches after they failed to properly inform thousands of customers that they had the policy.
GW Pharmaceuticals in Talks With U.K. Regulator Over Epilepsy Drugs
A U.K. health watchdog said that it is in talks with GW Pharmaceuticals over recommending the company's cannabis-derived medicine for use by the country's National Health Service to treat epilepsy.
India's Oyo Buys Las Vegas Hooters Hotel
Oyo Hotels & Homes and its partner Highgate pay $135 million for the Hooters Casino Hotel in Las Vegas as part of a global expansion.
FAA Seeks Pilots' Input to Establish New 737 MAX Procedures
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is asking pilots from airlines that fly the Boeing Co. 737 MAX to participate in simulator testing to help validate new procedures for the plane that was grounded in March following two crashes.
Walmart to Reopen El Paso Store Months After Shooting
Walmart plans to reopen the El Paso store where a gunman killed 22 people, but it will first entirely renovate the interior and add an on-site memorial.
Some Coca-Cola Stocks Fizz More Than Others
Coca-Cola is supposed to have the same flavor everywhere, but that's not the case for Coca-Cola stocks. Some of the soda giant's bottling partners offer fizzier growth than others.
FDA Focuses on Novartis Delay in Reporting Drug-Test Data Manipulation
Regulators examining test data manipulation for a gene-therapy drug made by Novartis are zeroing in on the company's two-month delay in launching a formal inquiry.


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Disney World announced a variety of special events, discounts and more coming to Walt Disney World’s Passholders in 2019. Potion Purple Pandamonium First off, Disney World announced a special Potion Purple Premiere Pop-Up Event in...
- Jurassic World: The Ride will feature Mosasaurus Aquarium Sequence
- Disneyland Increases Blockout Days for Cast Members
- Disney Skyliner Gondola system Ride Times Revealed
- Disney announces Hollywood Studios 30th Anniversary Details
- Holidayz in Hell Maze Announced For Universal Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights


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According to a study, the Salmonella prevalence on tested foods on sale in the United Kingdom was low but highest for imported frozen chicken.
Researchers from the Quadram Institute and the University of East Anglia in England isolated Salmonella from 42 food samples.
Salmonella isolates collected from food using whole genome sequencing (WGS) were compared to isolates from humans in the UK.
Raw foods were collected at retail in Norfolk, including 311 samples each of chicken, leafy greens, and pork, 279 prawns, and 157 salmon between May 2018 and November 2019.
Positive chicken results
Work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and published in the journal Microbial Genomics.
A previous study by some of the same scientists found that imported chicken and salmon were more likely to be contaminated than domestic products.
In the latest work, 17 percent of 88 imported chicken samples contained Salmonella related to human-derived isolates, but in domestic chicken, the figure was only 2.3 percent of 214 samples. However, most imported chicken samples were frozen while domestic chickens were mainly chilled, so that the differences may be due to unsafe cooking practices associated with frozen chicken. Chicken samples that contained Salmonella Enteritidis originated from multiple countries, including Poland.
Salmonella was isolated from 30 chicken, eight prawns, and four pork samples and included 14 serovars, of which Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella Enteritidis were the most common. Salmonella Enteritidis was only isolated from imported chicken.
Salmonella Newport twice and Salmonella Enteritidis (nine times) were only isolated from imported chicken samples. Salmonella Kedougou and Salmonella Mbandaka were found once and Salmonella Ohio twice from domestic samples. Salmonella Infantis was isolated 14 times from both domestic and imported chicken.
Linking food and human samples
Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium was the only type found in multiple commodities. Isolates were collected from two domestic pork and one domestic chicken sample from three supermarkets.
All Salmonella Weltevreden-positives in the study were four samples of black tiger prawns from Vietnam, one from Indonesia, and one of unknown origin. Other samples were positive for Salmonella Bovismorbificans, Brunei, Derby, Newport, Reading, and Schwarzengrund.
Closely related human isolates were collected up to three years before or a year after those from food samples. According to researchers, further epidemiological data are required to assess the source of human cases.
Only monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Salmonella Infantis found in food were similar to isolates from sick people.
A quarter of contaminated foods harbor diverse Salmonella strains that wouldn’t have been detected if only a single isolate were sampled.
“Whole genome sequencing identified foods associated with clinically important Salmonella and foods with genetically diverse Salmonella, which may hinder outbreak investigations and source attribution,” said Dr. Samuel Bloomfield from the Quadram Institute and lead author of the study.
Researchers looked at each sequence for genes that confer resistance to antibiotic drugs. They found 5.1 percent of chicken and 0.64 percent of pork samples had genes that would make them resistant to multiple antibiotics. This information could be useful for directing treatment.
”Food sources, farming and production practices, and consumer behavior are constantly changing, altering the types of foods associated with foodborne disease. Preventing future salmonellosis outbreaks relies on continued surveillance of Salmonella on retail food with the high resolution of WGS to relate food and human isolates.”
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)


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In an effort to return Maserati to its former glory, this month the Italian auto maker showed off its first all-electric SUV and coupe in separate virtual events, and announced its intent to sell only electric vehicles by 2030.
The 107-year-old company, now under the Stellantis umbrella, has been dogged by aging products and declining sales, problems Maserati is now tackling with fresh investments to create a stream of new vehicles and pivot to EVs.
Folgore – the Italian word for lightning – will denote all of Maserati’s upcoming battery-electric vehicles, the first of which will be the attention-grabbing GranTurismo Folgore coupe, arriving in 2023. With “way over” 1,200 horsepower, three independent electric motors, and a 0-100 kilometer per hour time in the low two-seconds, Maserati appears eager to tempt customers away from Tesla’s delayed second-generation Roadster. The Maserati will also be available as a convertible, called the GranCabrio Folgore.
The brand’s second electric model, the compact Grecale Folgore SUV, is slated to hit Canadian showrooms in fall 2023. The company gave no information on price or driving range, but did confirm the SUV will have a large 105 kilowatt-hour battery pack and a substantial torque output of 590 lb-ft. More important for the brand’s revival effort is the fact the Grecale is pitched at the booming compact luxury SUV market, an arena in which Maserati has never before competed.
“It is a fast growing segment,” said Francesco Palermiti, global product planner for Maserati. He expects the compact luxury SUV market to grow by 60 to 70 per cent in the coming years, with sales in the segment eventually reaching more than 500,000 units worldwide
Before the electric SUV arrives, the all-new Grecale will first be offered later this year as a gas-powered SUV. Initially, drivers will get a choice of two internal-combustion engines: a two-litre turbocharged motor assisted by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, or a three-litre twin-turbo V6 similar to the one found in the brand’s MC20 supercar . The price for the base-model Grecale GT will be $75,200, right between the larger $97,690 Maserati Levante SUV and the $53,690 Alfa Romeo Stelvio.
In the US, these SUVs are purchased as second or third vehicles, while in Europe they are family cars, and in China they appeal to new luxury consumers, Palermiti said.
The Grecale shares its basic platform with the sweet-handling Stelvio, but the Maserati is larger, with a wheelbase stretched by 83 millimeters in order to offer additional cargo capacity and interior space, Palermiti said. It will have more legroom for rear-seat passengers than the Porsche Macan or Range Rover Velar, he added. Maserati will be competing head-to-head with the Macan, as well as high-performance versions of the Mercedes-Benz GLC and the BMW X3.
Originally planned for last year, Maserati had to delay the unveiling of its new SUV. “Supply chain interruptions delayed the Grecale prototype quality testing and the Grecale’s unveil,” Bill Peffer, CEO of Maserati Americas wrote in an email. “However, this delay has not impacted our future plans for other models.”
By 2025, every Maserati – including the MC20 supercar, the next-generation Quattroporte sedan, and the next-gen Levante – will be available as a fully electric vehicle. Notably absent from the plan is Maserati’s existing mid-size Ghibli sedan, which is widely rumored to be discontinued after the 2023 model year. By 2030, the brand is aiming to phase out gas-powered cars completely, although whether that happens or not will surely depend on consumer demand.
The success of Maserati’s new Grecale – and of Maserati’s Folgore electric models – will be crucial to turning around the brand’s declining sales, which peaked in 2017 at roughly 50,000 units worldwide. Before the pandemic, sales were down to 26,000 vehicles in 2019, and dropped again to 17,000 in 2020. Last year, global sales finally bounced back almost to prepandemic 2019 levels.
The brand’s revival has been a long time coming. As a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Maserati struggled to get the investment it needed. Now under the Stellantis ownership, the Italian brand has committed to spending around 800-million euros ($1.12-billion) to create a new production line for the Grecale and launch 10 new or revised models between 2020 and 2023, all of which will be designed and built in Italy. Across its 14 brands, Stellantis plans to invest 30-billion euros ($42-billion) through 2025 to electrify its entire lineup.
Shopping for a new car? Check out the Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price.


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Over the past year, customers have become familiar with the effects of food shortages. Items like chicken wings and ketchup packets have been a few of the products that have been hard to come by, and now Taco Bell is facing their own shortages which are affecting quite a few menu items.
Taco Bell posted a message on their website that reads: "Sorry if we can't feed your current crave. Due to national ingredient shortages and delivery days, we may be out of some items." According to Taco Bell fans online, things like chicken, beef, tortillas, and hot sauce are all seeing shortages across menus which is impacting tons of menu items. Obviously, items like beef and tortillas are a part of so many of Taco Bell's popular meals so it's presenting a special challenge.
Packaged hot sauces at Taco Bell are one of the items fans are upset about being hard to get. One Twitter user said: "My Taco Bell told me there’s a mild sauce shortage and they ran out. That’s one product shortage too many. Now it’s serious." Although it's likely that the shortage is related to the pandemic because individually wrapped ketchup packages saw a shortage earlier this year as the supply chain struggled to keep up with demand for things like takeout meals.
Taco Bell has not been specific about what items are out of stock where, but the chain did tell CBS the following:
Due to national transportation delays happening throughout most of the industry, we may temporarily be out of some items. Apologies for the inconvenience and we hope to feed fans' current Taco Bell cravings again soon.
Alexis Morillo is the Associate Editor at Delish.com where she covers breaking food news and viral food trends.


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PHOENIX — Uber is taking a step into the future and it may be eliminating its drivers in the process.
According to the East Valley Tribune, the transportation app is starting to test self-driving cars and they’re already here in the Valley.
A few bulky hybrid Ford Fusions with Pennsylvania license plates have already been spotted in the East Valley and, according to Uber, are mapping and gathering data throughout Phoenix.
Uber has been working on this technology for over a year after hiring robotics experts from Carnegie Mellon University.
Although the cars are self-driving, there are currently drivers behind the wheel observing the operation of the new cars.
While the self-driving car may be new to the Valley, Uber introduced this technology to the street in Pittsburgh in May.
“Real-world testing is critical to our efforts to develop self-driving technology,” according to an Uber blog post from May. “Self-driving cars have the potential to save millions of lives and improve quality of life for people around the world.”
By eliminating drivers, Uber could drastically cut their costs and increase their profits. This would also eliminate the issue of sketchy drivers, background checks and whether drivers should be consider employees.
- Self-driving Uber car fatally runs over pedestrian in Tempe
- Uber self-driving trucks begin shipping freight across Arizona
- Man accused of sexually abusing female inmate en route to Arizona
- Waymo to start charging Phoenix-area riders who use its driverless cars
- South Mountain Freeway 35 percent done, on track to open next year


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The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival acknowledges the few complaints that have been received regarding the theft of personal items.
It has been brought to our attention that there is a syndicate of thieves who purchase tickets to public festivals and events in and around Cape Town. They dress according to required dress codes so as to blend in with the crowd.
Our sympathies to all who may have become victims of any theft during our 2018 event. Security is increased year on year, and we will continue to increase security accordingly going forward in which to better prevent such situations for our future events.


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In the News
Why should robotics businesses invest in Lithuania? The country may not yet be known as a robotics powerhouse, but the Lithuanian economy offers a unique combination of technical talent, openness to innovation, and connections to the rest of Europe.
I had the good fortune to visit Lithuania after attending RoboBusiness Europe 2016 in Odense, Denmark. The Lithuanians I met showed me their country’s industriousness, its modernity, and its potential to help not only robotics makers and users in nearby Scandinavia, Poland, and Germany, but also beyond Europe.
That’s not to say there are no challenges. The Baltic nation isn’t on the radar of many U.S. investors or robotics organizations looking for partners, and the Lithuanian economy needs help with the transition from academic research to commercialization.
Lithuania does have some success stories, and I’ll go into more depth soon about my visits to Kaunas University of Technology and companies such as electric vehicle maker Elinta Motors and autonomous guided vehicle maker Rubedo Sistemos. But first, let’s look at the overall environment for robotics in Lithuania.
Lithuania is business-friendly
Lithuania is No. 1 in the EU for the ease of starting a business, according to the World Bank’s “Doing Business Report” for 2016. Forbes named it as one of the top five entrepreneurial hubs in Europe.
The country was also named No. 1 in Central and Eastern Europe for technological readiness by the World Economic Forum’s “Global Competitiveness Report” for 2015-2016.
With a population of nearly 3 million people, there are relatively few barriers for those who invest in Lithuania. While it conforms to European Union regulations for safety and environmental protection, Lithuania doesn’t have a lot of extra red tape or corporate taxes, explained Rasa Cincyte, an investment advisor at Invest Lithuania.
“Unlike in many countries around the world, the economic developments in Lithuania have not disappointed at the beginning of this year,” said a Swedbank AB report on the effects of the global economic outlook on the Nordic-Baltic region. “Despite a very uncertain global environment and volatile financial markets, we have seen stable or improving consumer and business confidence, while retail trade and manufacturing growth has accelerated.”
The report also cited the Lithuanian economy’s competitiveness and growing exports, and Swedbank has been looking at expanding further into Lithuanian banking.
An affordable talent pool
Another reason to invest in Lithuania is that...