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Designer Brandon Maxwell on Virtual Awards Show Fashion and Those Lady Gaga House of Gucci Photos
Brandon Maxwell is soaking up all the red carpet fashion moments of the 2021 awards season while hunkered down in his native Texas amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The fashion designer — who was named creative director of Walmart's elevated fashion brands, Free Assembly and Scoop, on Tuesday — tells PEOPLE he's always believed that "dressing should be for yourself" and seeing celebrities embrace that concept for virtual awards shows is "really exciting."
"Everybody always thinks you need somewhere to go, and I always was like, you can just dress up to go to the kitchen. My mom has videos of me doing that when I was little. I would just want to style my girlfriends and play dress up and stuff," the CFDA Fashion Award winner and Project Runway judge, 36, says. "[Celebrities] aren't going anywhere, but they're still getting ready at home. They look absolutely beautiful and inspiring."
The designer jokes that he also likes getting a peek at award show attendees' massive homes and backyards, which many have used as Instagram photo shoot backdrops in lieu of the traditional red carpet.
"I'm a big award show watcher. Growing up, awards shows were kind of this thing where I was like, 'Oh, there's a whole world outside of my front door that I have not even seen'," Maxwell continues. "They really allowed me to dream."
Last month, the designer opened up about his love of pop culture — and PEOPLE magazine — in a heartwarming Instagram post after seeing First Lady Dr. Jill Biden wearing one of his designs on the cover of a recent issue.
For President Joe Biden, 78, and his wife's first White House interview since being sworn into office on Jan. 20, Dr. Biden, 68, chose a fuchsia wool crepe midi dress from the American designer (a similar style has sold out on Net-a-Porter). When Maxwell saw the new first lady gracing the cover of PEOPLE in his design, he felt an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and "gratitude."
"I think everyone has a publication that defined their childhood, and growing up in a small town, pre-internet and social media, PEOPLE was mine," Maxwell wrote on Instagram. "Because it was always available at the check out counter, I would slide a copy into my parent's grocery cart and pour over the pages when I got home, learning about who and what was happening in the world outside my county lines. They always ran great specials on what the stars in Hollywood were wearing, and they mixed those moments with human stories, too. I dreamed a lot about what my life could be like when reading those pages."
Reflecting on the career highlight and what it meant to see the First Lady wear one of his designs, Maxwell tells PEOPLE, "it's an honor."
"I'm so grateful that anybody chooses to wear us, they don't necessarily have to be famous" he explains, "I saw a woman in Austin wearing our red jumpsuit and I was so excited. It's never not thrilling. [My team and I] are just happy to be a small part of any woman's day."
One woman who's supported Maxwell since the inception of his career is Lady Gaga, who hired him as her design director in 2009 before promoting him to lead the creative team at the Haus of Gaga.
Even as the pop star's go-to collaborator and the consulting fashion force behind many of her most iconic looks, Maxwell admits seeing the recent photos of Gaga in-character and wearing fabulous outfits while filming the new movie House of Gucci is just as thrilling for him as it is for the rest of us.
"The hair, the makeup and everything else is just so great. I'm excited. I go to the movie theater, like everybody else to watch movies once or twice and sometimes more. I'm excited to see her in another film," Maxwell says of the pop star, who made her acting debut in 2018's A Star Is Born.
"I love that there are teasers. She is a great actress, so I think it's going to be exciting."
- Whatever You Do, Don't Ask Country Duo Thompson Square Where They've Been: 'We Never Stopped'
- American Idol Favorite Wade Cota Opens Up About His 140 Lb. Weight Loss — and What It Means for His Career
- Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's Wedding Festivities Kick Off: 'You Can Feel All the Love'
- Allie Colleen Gets Real About Country Music in Nashville: 'This Is a Hard, Hard Town'


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Welcome back to a new work-week and the Monday Edition of the Business News Headlines. On tap for you today:
- Good news for smaller retailers this holiday season;
- Some small retail tips to promote business;
- Things got political today for Amazon;
- Are dollar stores killing Americans?
- Economist Paul Volker has died a look back;
- Tough times for 3,200 truck drivers;
- Wait! What happened to Bitcoin?
Those stories plus a conversation with Laura Kinnard from DMBizMixer about a host of upcoming business education and networking options for you. To listen to that conversation, recorded at our favorite coffee shop, Ground for Celebration in Windsor Heights, Iowa...just click here.
Thanks for listening.
- December 9, 2019

domain: news


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Sony’s highly anticipated PS Vita went on sale in Japan (Sadly the US and EU Regions will have to wait till February 2012 to see the handheld in their nearby stores) but the PS Vita made record sales as it sold 321,000 Units on its opening weekend which is double the launch sales of the first PSP and is a close call to the opening sales of the Nintendo 3DS at 371,000 units on its launch weekend. This is an amazing feat for Sony to achieve considering who they are competing against.
Earlier this year Nintendo launched the Nintendo 3DS this was the first handheld gaming console to allow users to play games in 3D without the need for the dorky glasses and give a whole new meaning to the 3 Dimensional world, but due to bad launch titles the 3DS had a rather unsettling launch and it later picked up speed when Nintendo introduced the ambassador program and did a price cut on the handheld. But this weekend Sony launched the PlayStation Vita exclusively to Japan and they made a good sale of 321,000 units being sold which is really amazing and it comes really close to the 3DS’s launch day sales by only 50,000 units.
What is really astounding is how many years ago the PSP sold 166,000 units in the same time frame as the PlayStation Vita did and years afterwards Sony has managed to double their launch date sales which is amazing considering how highly anticipated the hand held has been. Now that Sony and Nintendo have their cards on the table things will only get better in the future as each company will work on more games for their handheld and even revised versions of the handheld (Keeping my fingers crossed for 3DS Lite).
Currently the handheld is only available in Japan but the handheld can be switched to an English language too (UK and US English) people who want the console in the US and EU regions will have to wait later next year for the Vita to hit their nearby GameStop, GAME or other retailer. While the Vita has a lot of great launch titles with Uncharted: Golden Abyss being my personal favorite I can see why there is so much hype for the PS Vita in Japan.


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The stunning success of Baahubali has turned Prabhas into a household name across the country. No wonder, Prabhas is a hot property for brands right now and several brands are said to be eager to strike long-term endorsement deals with the star.
The latest news is that Prabhas is going to be the new brand ambassador of Gionee, one of India’s leading smartphone brands. With 1.25 user base, Gionee has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years and Prabhas’ association with the brand is expected to propel the brand’s popularity even further.
Currently, the actor is busy preparing for his upcoming action film Saaho.
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There will be another round of trade negotiations in April 2017 prior to Sri Lanka and India entering into......the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA),
State Minister of International Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe said.
Speaking at a Cabinet media briefing yesterday, he said that there is no fixed time frame within which the accord has to be entered into. Negotiations are continuing and the next round of negotiations will be in India in April, he added.
"We have to seek avenues to enhance our exports which have been falling drastically as a percentage of the GDP. Signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is a major way to expand our exports. Hence, we are looking at not only ETCA, but several FTAs with countries such as Singapore, Thailand and China," he said.
According to Central Bank data exports in the year 2000 were at a record high at 33.3% of GDP but dropped to 12.8% of GDP in 2015. The same drop applies to exports to India as well. In the year 2009, exports to India, as a percentage of GDP, was around 0.8% and it remained at 0.8% in 2013 as well.
Despite the enthusiasm of the government to sign the ETCA many professional bodies as well as economists had expressed concern over the ETCA. Recently, a group of independent economists said, in a letter to the President, they wanted to contribute to the on-going discussions on proposed international trade agreements, particularly the controversial Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India and the proposed FTA to be signed with China.
"In view of this, we urge the government to consider our view point when pursuing negotiations with any country relating to preferential trade liberalizations. We, as professional economists, do not believe that mere growth of foreign trade would lead to improved living standards of the people or to the wellbeing of our citizens. The purpose of any economic strategy should be to promote national interests such as growth of national product, better social equality, reinforced environmental sustenance and enhanced national sovereignty rather than mere trade promotion. Therefore, we believe that policies, strategies and plans have to be geared to and compatible with realizing these harmonized composite national development goals," their letter said. (ceylontoday)


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By Emily Main
When you slather on sunscreen, you'd like to think that it's protecting you against sunburns and skin cancer, right? That's not always the case in the United States, where lax guidelines and regulations have made sunscreen your weakest tool in the fight against ever-increasing rates of melanoma, according to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG).
For the seventh year in a row, EWG has released its sunscreen ratings, based on the findings of the group's research scientists and public health experts, who analyze the safety and efficacy of 1,400 sunscreens, lip balms, makeup products, and lotions with SPF.
What did they find? Just 25 percent of those products offer safe sun protection against both UVA and UVB rays without also being littered with unsafe sunscreen ingredients, says Nneka Leiba, EWG's deputy director of research and the lead researcher on the project. "Sunscreen awareness may be improving, but overall sun protection is not," she says.
A big part of the problem, she says, is that regulation on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is weak. In December, the agency finally instituted new rules that will require that claims of "broad-spectrum"—meaning that products protect against both sunburn-causing UVB rays and skin-cancer-causing UVA rays—be independently tested and validated. Also, the use of the terms "waterproof" and "sweatproof" will be banned. But, says Leiba, "the bar they set was so weak that most products didn't have to change formulations in order to meet those requirements." Ninety percent of the products sold in the U.S. meet the new FDA guidelines, she adds, but just 50 percent of U.S. products would pass muster under Europe's much stricter safety rules.
Why Sunscreens Can't Keep You Safe
That's not all. American shelves are littered with products that lull users into a false sense of security, don't provide full coverage, and expose people to toxic chemicals that could actually be increasing their risk of skin cancer. EWG's report highlighted a bunch of those products, and here are their picks for the six worst kinds of sunscreen:
#1: Sunscreens with Retinol
Retinol, or vitamin A, can increase the risk of tumors on sun-exposed skin, according to a number of government tests. Yet it's commonly added to sunscreens and lotions owing to its antiaging effects. "That's especially concerning in light of the fact that melanoma rates have risen 2 percent each year over the past decade, says Leiba. It's become such a risky ingredient that the Canadian government is considering requiring warning labels on vitamin A–containing products that say the ingredient "may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Please limit sun exposure while using this product and for a week afterwards." Exactly what you want to read on a bottle of sunscreen, right?
#2: Sunscreens with SPFs Higher Than 50
SPF is a measure of protection against sunburn-causing UVB rays only, not of cauncer-causing UVA rays, and UVA protection in these products is poor, according to EWG's analysis, says Leiba. High-SPF products also lull you into a false sense of security. "Because they protect you longer from UVB rays, you may not get burned, which you associate with time to go inside," she adds. Thus, you stay outside longer and absorb too much skin-damaging UVA. The FDA has proposed rules that would prohibit companies from advertising SPFs higher than 50, which they call "inherently misleading," but those rules have never gone into effect.
#3: Sunscreens that Contain Oxybenzone
Oxybenzone is a chemical sunscreen agent that gets absorbed by your skin. The problem with it, says Leiba, is that it penetrates the skin very easily and gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Once inside your body, it mimics the hormone estrogen, which, over the long term, can lead to reproductive issues and thyroid problems, and autism researchers suspect that the chemical is also neurotoxic. More than half the products EWG analyzed contained oxybenzone, and government studies have detected the ingredient inside the systems of 96 percent of Americans. Read labels carefully to avoid it. It can also be listed as benzophenone or benzophenone-3.
#4: Sunscreens in Powder, Spray-on, or Towelette Form
Anything you could potentially inhale shouldn't be saturated in sunscreen chemicals that act like hormones in your body, EWG warns. Plus, "when you're spraying on sunscreen, it's hard to tell if you're getting the amount of coverage you need," Leiba says. The same goes with powders and towelettes. In fact, this is the last summer you'll see either product on store shelves. The FDA has said that it won't allow powder- or towelette-based sunscreen products to be sold after the end of 2013.
3 Surprising Skin Cancer Risks
#5: Sunscreen/Bug Repellent Combos
They're unnecessary and potentially harmful. Bug repellents can contain effective but potentially irritating chemicals that you need only apply once a day, whereas sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours. Beyond that, you don't need them, says EWG. Unless you're on a long hike in the wilderness, bugs are mostly pesky at dawn and dusk, not during the heat of the day when UV rays are strongest.
#6: Moisturizers, Lip Balms, and Makeup with SPF
Fewer than 10 percent of these meet EWG's criteria for providing UVA and UVB protection, and for that matter, most products on the market can't claim "broad-spectrum" protection as defined by the FDA. So any claims that they can prevent skin damage from sunlight are overstated, EWG has found. Plus, most women apply these just once a day, and any protection they do offer will last only a few hours. If you really like those products, see below.
Better Bets for Safer Sunscreen
What sunscreens should you buy? There are some good ones out there, EWG found. When they look at sunscreen effectiveness and safety, the EWG researchers use models to determine how much of a sunscreen you absorb and how quickly it breaks down when exposed to sunlight. Also, they analyze ingredients for any, like vitamin A, that raise red flags.
Their 2013 sunscreen database highlights the most effective products with the fewest harmful ingredients, and breaks them down into the following categories:
• Beach & sport sunscreens
• Moisturizers with SPF
• Lip balms with SPF
• Makeup with SPF
MOST importantly, realize that sunscreen should always be your THIRD line of defense against skin cancer and sunburns, recommends EWG, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the World Health Organization—among many other advocacy groups. The first should be to seek shade or stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV radiation is strongest. The second, to cover up with hats, long sleeves, and long pants. Once you have these defenses in place, then cover your exposed skin with sunscreen.


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Tuesday, April 14 1pm and 6pm
Wednesday, March 27 1pm and 6pm
Identity theft is becoming more common and sophisticated than ever. Sessions participants will learn the methods that identity thieves use to acess confidential information, tools for preventing ID theft, and steps to take should identity theft occur.
Member Discount at Ferguson Center for the Arts
The Ferguson Center has suspended performances until May 15. They are working to reschedule the shows affected, and will share those details as they become available. In the meantime, patrons should keep their tickets.
An exciting new season has begun at the Ferguson Center for the Arts and as the 2018/2019 Season Sponsor, Langley members can take advantage of a special 10% or 20% discount, depending on the show, when purchasing tickets. Call the Ferguson Box Office at 757-594-8752, or go online at
fergusoncenter.org to purchase tickets using the special Langley discount code.


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Barbera – it’s the quintessential Italian red. From the north-western region of Piedmont, where the Barbera grape is the most widely planted variety, its succulence and sour cherry flavors leave you craving a plate of the region’s hearty cuisine.
Up until the 1980s it was the people’s wine, a mainstay on any peasant table, a simple wine made to be drank locally, and sold by the cask. But today, something has changed. A glass of Barbera can ask premium prices in chic wine bars in New York, London and Sydney.
In the mid-1980s, thanks to the intuition of some producers, a radical transition revolutionized Barbera. First, Giacomo Bologna carried out the first trials of aging in wooden barrels, then Arturo Bersano began experimenting with labels. Barbera, traditionally a wine drank young, discovered a newfound potential to age.
“In the 1980s, for the first time, producers started looking outside of Italy, new techniques were introduced in winemaking, and the television began to present agriculture in a positive light,” said Daniele Chiappone, producer from the Erede di Armando Chiappone winery. Today, Barbera finds itself able to compete with other Piedmontese internationally recognized wines.
In 2014, the creation of the Nizza DOCG appellation was another milestone in this transformation. The Nizza Monferrato municipality in province of Asti is a historical area for Barbera production. Previously, Barbera made here could be produced as part of the Barbera d’Asti Superiore (subzone Nizza) appellation. Now, simply Nizza will refer to Barbera produced within this zone according to a new production protocol, including the use of 100% Barbera grapes and a minimum of 18 months aging, including six in wooden barrels.
The Nizza appellation is fruit of several decades of work carried out by the producers to give value to this unique, biodiversity-rich area. “We wanted to do with Barbera from Nizza what Barolo and Barbaresco have done, to give value to the territory, not just the grape variety,” said Paolo Avezza, small-scale vigneron. “The terrain, climate and microclimates all create a unique wine. Even five kilometers down the road you will get a different Barbera. As the French say – terroir.”
The result? A wine of incredible freshness, elegance and purity. A wine that no longer just finds itself on farmhouse tables the year after harvest, but one that can age splendidly up to 15 or 20 years. A simple wine, but never dull.
“In coming together to create the Nizza appellation, for the first time we producers started to talk to one another,” said Daniele Chiappone. “Now, whether big or small, we talk and share information. This has been the true miracle of Nizza.”
On April 19, Giro del Nizza, an open day at selected wineries in the Nizza Monferrato area, was organized by the Slow Food Piedmonte e Valle d’Aosta convivium, giving the chance for Slow Food members to discover the local viticulture.
All photos: © Alessandro Spinelli


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Auto Services in Illinois
Auto Repair & Service
Address: 4800 W 111th St, Bedford-Park
Phone: (708) 422-4800
Auto Repair & Service, Auto Oil & Lube
Address: 10134 S Western Ave, Willow-Springs
Phone: (773) 239-3553
New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers
Address: 6060 S La Grange Rd, Hometown
Phone: (708) 354-2700
Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers
Address: 1030 W Reynolds St, Pontiac
Phone: (815) 842-1143
Auto Repair & Service, Auto Transmission
Address: 946 W Wrightwood Ave, Park-Ridge
Phone: (773) 327-6652
Auto Repair & Service, Brake Repair, Tire Dealers
Address: 25 Gostlin St, Dolton
Phone: (219) 933-9782
Tue, 11 Feb 2014 19:28:00 EST
A Missouri Ford dealership's Super Bowl weekend sale cost it big when the improbable happened. Hutcheson Ford ran a promotion from January 29 to February 1, called the Super Weekend Sale. The gist was, if any customer purchased a vehicle between those dates and either the opening or second-half kickoff of the big game was returned for a touchdown, the dealership would refund the purchase price.
Fri, 05 Sep 2014 20:04:00 EST
In the dealership's defense, it seemed like a safe bet. According to the mathematicians, there was just a 2.5-percent chance of either half opening with a touchdown return. But that didn't stop Seattle's Percy Harvin from doing his part to ruin Denver's evening, returning the second-half kick for an 87-yard touchdown run. Twelve Hutcheson customers were eligible for refunds thanks to the return, with prices ranging from $10,000 to $55,000, according to Automotive News. The total amount shelled out by the dealership? $300,000.
"At least we're not like that furniture guy that lost $7 million," dealership marketing manager Kathleen Frazier told AN. We think it was a big success." The dealership did take out insurance to cover its losses, meaning the $300K won't come entirely from its pockets.
There's an evergreen debate among auto enthusiasts about whether they would prefer to have the latest and greatest car of today or a certified classic from yesteryear. What if you had to further define that, though, and the choice was between a brand new 2015 Subaru Legacy or a turbocharged Datsun 240Z with a hatch that wouldn't close? Roadkill aimed to find out that and more in one of its best videos to date.
Wed, 25 Jun 2014 17:59:00 EST
According to the hosts, Subaru came to them, handed over some money and challenged Roadkill's project cars against its latest Legacy. The result is every bit as good (or better) than any automotive-themed show you could find on television.
Things start simple with a figure-eight race in a rodeo arena with the Subaru taking on Roadkill's 1968 Ford Ranchero, originally built for ice racing. From there the Legacy races a 1968 Dodge Charger with no windows around and off-road rally stage. Finally, the Subie goes head-to-head against the Rotsun, the aforementioned turbocharged 240Z, through an abandoned neighborhood. Plus, there's a bonus drag race challenging them all.
Connected cars are coming en-masse. We know this much. How, though, remains something of an open question, especially as two of the world's largest tech companies are preparing to battle for control of your car's dashboard. On the one hand, we have Apple and its CarPlay system. And now, we know what Google has been working on with Auto Link.
Its new name is Android Auto, and yes, it's based off the Android architecture that is the primary challenger to Apple's iOS mobile operating system. Announced at Google's I/O conference today, Android Auto functions similarly to CarPlay - owners will need to plug their smartphones into their cars to access the full breadth of capability.
In Android Auto's case, that means a wealth of voice controls to limit distracted driving. Google's marquee apps will be available when the interface arrives in production models later this year, including Google Play Music, Google Maps and voice-activated texting and text playback. Meanwhile, developers will be able to begin designing custom apps for the new system via an upcoming software development kit.


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The Top Five Cryptos That Stand Out This WeekDavid Kemp
The press noted that once again they can see a crypto renaissance in most African countries. Crypto adoption keeps growing and boosting its speed across the continent. Africa seems to be experienced another crypto rebirth.
The continent of Africa is doing great and is making significant success. African countries have achieved significant results. There are plenty of advanced with crypto trade volume. This applies to its ownership and regulation. Most spheres are moving forward trying to adopt cryptocurrencies. Greater adoption of crypto means a lot to the continent’s economy. The change may transform many areas and help people live a better life.
Arcane Research has recently carried out the research. They reported that the number of people entering the term ‘Bitcoin’ has increased. The list includes Kenya and Ghana. Some other countries that seem to have plenty of people interested in crypto are Nigeria and Uganda. Some of the most active users who may soon become cryptocurrency owners are located in South Africa. The mentioned regions have entered the list of top ten African countries where the percentage of the population ready to learn more about the crypto industry is the highest.
Luno’s report illustrates the continent of Africa as one of the greatest regions among those ready to adopt cryptocurrencies and let the crypto industry enter their daily life. The continent is known to have low crypto adoption as of yet. At the same time, African countries have an incredible domain opportunity. This kind of combination is unique and very promising. If the crypto market uses the right strategies and tactics, crypto may soon become the changing factor in many African territories.
The two agencies pay attention to the fact that the continent mostly exhibits younger people. As we know, younger populations are more willing to adopt new trends. Besides, Africa experiences financial crises. Currencies often fail in that part of the world. There are millions of underbanked people as well as unbanked individuals. Finally, their local means of payment are rather expensive.
Africa May Serve as a Hub for Crypto
Africa’s trade volume used to belong to Nigeria. The country has always dominated it, but the agencies announced that the largest number of crypto owners live in South Africa. Now Nigeria is the second after South Africa – the former has eleven percent users while the latter boasts thirteen percent of internet users who are ready for crypto adoption.
We can also compare the continent to the rest of the world. We will see that South Africa is ranked fifth for cryptocurrency adoption. The statistics cover connected residents only. Trade activity has surged. Also, the country’s financial regulators issued a document claiming that cryptocurrencies as well as activities cannot stay ‘outside’ and should also enter the regulatory perimeter.
Greater P2P Volumes
P2P trade in Nigeria is speeding up. It has produced over nine million USD. In Kenya experts have also noticed a spike. Egyptian and Moroccan sources have announced record trade activity in the past few weeks. It is important to mention that P2P volume increase has occurred due to the activities happening in Sub Saharan Africa and its regions. The data illustrates that the territory has finally beaten out Latin America. The current demand for cryptocurrencies is surging. Despite the crisis and the pandemic, people do want to get familiar with the crypto market to see what benefits it may bring.
Interview with Gen2 on The Capital07 Oct, 2020 Colin Baseman
TOP 10 crypto world news for October 2, 202002 Oct, 2020 Annabella Cornelly
TOP 9 crypto world news for October 1, 202001 Oct, 2020 David Kemp
TOP 10 crypto world news for September 30, 202030 Sep, 2020 Judy Rubio
TOP 9 crypto world news for September 29, 202029 Sep, 2020 Endy Callahan
TOP 10 crypto world news for September 28, 202028 Sep, 2020 Colin Baseman


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A Wendy’s franchise in Winnipeg has linked with a home delivery service.
SkiptheDishes, the Winnipeg-based food delivery service with operations across Canada and the U.S., launched a pilot program this year with Wendy’s restaurants, offering to bring fast food dishes right to a client’s door.
“It’s taken off, it’s exceeded our expectations for sure,” said Tim MacLeod, a Wendy’s franchise owner, told the Winnpeg Free Press. “On the very first day we might have expected two or three orders per store, and all of a sudden we’re getting reports that one store had 21 orders in one day. It’s pretty exciting.”
SkiptheDishes has a record for growth. After starting in Saskatchewan in 2013, it quickly grew and moved to Manitoba. Now its head office in Winnipeg has around 300 employees, and the company has received funding from the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.


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A negative profit turn for U.S. hotels in October gave way to robust growth in November as GOPPAR climbed 6.1 percent year-over-year (YOY), the second-highest increase of 2019, according to data from HotStats. While strong in November 2019, year-to-date (YTD) profit growth was somewhat muted—up just 0.3 percent.
Profit & Loss Performance Indicators
November 2019 vs. November 2018
RevPAR: +1.7% to $162.67
TRevPAR: +3.2% to $260.28
Payroll: +2.0% to $97.29
GOPPAR: +6.1% to $91.23
November was a strong revenue story, particularly on the food and beverage front, according to HotStats. RevPAR increased 1.7 percent YOY, led by a 1 percent uptick in average room rate, while F&B RevPAR grew 4.1 percent. The combination resulted in a 3.2 percent YOY increase in total revenue, which is now up 1.5 percent YTD.
Labor costs on a per-available-room (PAR) basis increased 2 percent in November 2019; however, the strong revenue led to a 0.4-percentage-point decrease in labor costs as a percentage of total revenue. Other YOY costs in November 2019 grew, including sales and marketing (up 2.3 percent) and administrative and general (up 11.5 percent). Total overhead costs on a PAR basis increased 1.2 percent.
Profit margin grew 1 percentage point to 35.1 percent.
“After an October dip, it’s good to see the U.S. hotel industry back up on the revenue and profit side, in what has been a rather choppy year,” said David Eisen, director of hotel intelligence, Americas, HotStats. “Despite a strong November, the U.S. is set for slightly above to flat growth for the year.”


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GM Will Repair Faulty Fuel Gauges on 867,000 SUVs
After a defect investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, General Motors has agreed to pay to repair the fuel gauges in several of the company's SUVs. Over time, the contacts in the SUVs' fuel-level sensors could wear and cause an incorrect reading on the gas gauge.
The issue affects the 2005-2007 Buick Rainier, 2005-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2005-2007 GMC Envoy, and 2005-2007 Saab 9-7. GM says 867,335 vehicles are potentially affected.
NHTSA first opened an investigation into this issue in April 2011 after receiving over 5000 reports of incorrect fuel level readings, which could lead drivers to inadvertently run out of fuel. There were 58 reported cases of engine stalling due to low fuel levels.
GM dealerships will notify owners that, if they have a problem with faulty fuel gauges, the sensor will be replaced and GM will pay half of the repair cost. The company also will reimburse owners who previously paid to have the issue repaired.
Sources: Detroit Free Press, NHTSA
Genesis GV70 3.5T vs. 2023 Audi SQ5: Speedy Creatures
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Take the Latest EV Battery Breakthrough News With a Grain of Salt
Is This the Next-Gen 2024 Toyota Tacoma? The Previews Begin
New All-Electric Jeeps Leak Out of Stellantis Dealer Meeting


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- The company has officially revealed the launching date of the smartphone series in India
- It is confirmed that the devices will be official in the country on February 4
- Oppo originally announced the smartphone series in China last year
Oppo Reno 7 series making noise for the past couple of days for its India launch, and now the company has officially revealed the launching date of the smartphone series in the country. So let’s get into the article to check out the launching date of the latest Oppo smartphone series.
It was rumoured that Oppo will launch its new smartphones in the country in the first week of February and that is turned true, as the company officially confirmed that the latest Oppo Reno 7 series will be official in the country on February 4.
The Chinese smartphone brand has also confirmed that the devices will be available via Flipkart along with its official website and the retail stores of the country.
Oppo didn’t reveal the number of devices to be announced in India as the company Launched 3 smartphones in this particular series in China last year.
So let’s wait for the official launching of the upcoming smartphones series in India and we recommend you to stay tuned with us for the latest updates from the technological world at your fingertips.
Read interesting news, reviews as well as tips & tricks on TechnoBugg website, and stay updated with the latest happenings of the tech world on the go with Technobugg App. Also follow on Google News and join our Telegram channel for the latest updates.


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The Asda account is one of the biggest advertising contracts in the UK and is estimated to be worth £100m.
Saatchi & Saatchi has worked with the retailer since 2009, but the end of its contract also means the end of Asda’s 20-year relationship with Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi’s parent company.
Saatchi & Saatchi was founded by Charles and Maurice Saatchi in 1970, but the brothers left to form M&C Saatchi in 1995 after a row with the company’s shareholders.
The company was used by Baroness Thatcher to create the “Labour isn’t working” poster in the run-up to the 1979 general election and was also behind the British Airways advert that proclaimed the airline “The World’s Favourite Airline”.
At Asda, Saatchi & Saatchi has overseen the retailer’s “Price Lock” campaign that pledged to keep the price of key grocery items such as milk at a consistent price.
Its Christmas advert for Asda last year attracted 620 complaints because of claims it was sexist by showing a mother organising a family’s Christmas. However, these complaints were dismissed by the Advertising Standards Agency.
Asda is thought to be considering signing up JWT London or VCCP to be its new advertising agency. The company, which owned by US retail group Walmart, declined to comment.
Last week, Asda reported like-for-like sales growth of 0.7pc for the 12 weeks to July 5, a slowdown on the 1.3pc in the first quarter of the year.
Andy Clarke, chief executive, said Asda’s strategy of holding down prices on essential food items such as milk is “working”. He said there was “significant” price inflation among its rivals, despite the voucher campaigns launched by Tesco and Sainsbury’s, and pledged that Asda will not be distracted by “gimmicks”.
The change of agency at Asda comes after Chris McDonough, formerly of Molson Coors, was hired as its new marketing director earlier this year.


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When Covid-19 first emerged and began infecting people around the world, it seemed to have limited relevance to sustainable development.
But as all sustainability practitioners now know, the deadly disease is much more than a public health issue. It is no surprise, then, that many of our most-read stories this year are about the pandemic’s impact on Asia’s environment and communities.
While Covid dominated headlines, this was also a year that saw many businesses pledge to curb emissions and continue searching for solutions to waste management, a massive challenge that the region continues to grapple with. Our stories on waste, energy and palm oil were well-received, as they have been in the previous years.
Here are the best-read stories of 2020.
1. Guarding against the coronavirus, sustainably: Are reuseable face masks the answer?
A news story even before the coronavirus was declared a global health pandemic, it reported on the shortage of disposable face masks as the outbreak gained ground. This led enterprising producers to create and sell their own reusable face masks, which are more environmentally-friendly than the throw-away ones if used a minimum number of times, but offer varying levels of filtration.
Our top-read story for the year resonated with readers at a time when hand sanitisers, face masks and toilet paper were flying off supermarket shelves as the public and health authorities digested the latest news and scientific findings about the novel coronavirus. It reflected the search for more sustainable options and, perhaps, offered a glimpse of the surge in use of disposable items that was to come.
2. Covid-19 has made HR the most important job in sustainability
This opinion piece highlighted the role of the human resource manager during a pandemic, as companies grappled with their workforce in lockdown and tried to minimise job losses. It argued that in the post-Covid-19 world order, the role of the Chief HR Officer (CHRO) was likely to become even more prominent.
Written by former diversity and sustainability executive for Unilever Amita Chaudhury and Eco-Business deputy managing director Junice Yeo, the article called HR managers the “most critical sustainability leaders” that businesses could have in the Covid era, as they protect the well-being of their employees, engage them to go the extra mile, and instill a moral compass rooted in sustainable values.
3. Why we will never be able to recycle or incinerate away ocean pollution
In another opinion piece, Vincent Kneefel and John Duncan of the World Wide Fund for Nature argued that while improving recycling systems is fundamental to improving the plastic pollution problem, it is not nearly enough to effect transformative change.
Challenging readers to rethink quick fixes and new wonder materials that promise to solve our erstwhile battle with plastic waste, they said packaging redesign and a shift to reusable materials is essential. All plastic packaging should be reusable, recyclable or compostable, and a global binding international agreement that increases accountability for all stakeholders will also drive progress on the issue.
4. Why plastic-clogged Philippines must face up to dearth of waste disposal and recycling
This story put the spotlight on food and consumer goods companies in the Philippines, which still continue to manufacture and use more single-use packaging than the country’s waste disposal facilities can cope with. This has contributed to the country’s ranking as the world’s third-biggest polluter.
But industry players say they have little choice as no other material has been found to be as effective in ensuring the safe transportation of food in an archiplego of 7,641 islands. Poorly resourced municipal governments, poorly located dumps and the low recycling rate of low-value plastic material compound the problem.
Putting a lens on the nuances in geography and politics that the Philippines faces in solving its plastic woes, it was the most well-read story about the country in 2020.
5. Cheap virgin plastic is being sold as recycled plastic—it’s time for better recycling certification
An exclusive by Eco-Business, this story revealed an emerging market dynamic borne out of the coronavirus-induced collapse in the price of oil: Mixing cheaper virgin plastic and selling it as 100 per cent recycled material.
According to a source, one of the ways that a mix of new and used plastic has been falsely marketed as 100 per cent post-consumer content is in reuseable “eco” bags made in China and sold worldwide.
The story flagged the lack of transparency in the recycling business to ordinary consumers and to multinationals under pressure to use recycled plastic to meet their sustainability commitments. It also discussed if certification is the way to go.
6. Petronas is Asia’s first oil company to set net zero target
Eco-Business has reported on carbon majors like Shell, Total, and BP setting climate goals, but this story marked a milestone. For the first time, an Asian oil company has declared that it wants to be carbon neutral.
Malaysian oil company Petronas’ net zero aspiration by 2050 signalled hope that other fossil fuel firms in the region could follow suit in making bolder commitments on climate action.
7. Asia’s ticking solar time bomb: Without recycling laws, the region could drown in hazardous waste by 2030
Solar power is expanding faster in Asia than anywhere else in the world, but no country in the region has adequate policies to deal with the panels at the end of their useful lives.
By 2050, the world could be saddled with 78 million tonnes of solar panel waste and three out of the five countries with the largest amounts of waste will be in Asia, namely China, Japan and India. Experts say governments need to begin rolling out recycling laws.
Republished by various organisations like the ASEAN Centre for Energy, the article shed light on an issue that renewable energy companies will have to deal with in the coming decades.
8. Palm oil giant Wilmar quits High Carbon Stock Approach citing governance issues
Stories about the world’s largest palm oil trader tend to draw intense interest, and this story about its decision to quit the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) was no exception.
Critics said Wilmar International’s resignation from HCSA, a civil society organisation that determines which forests should be protected according to their conservation value, was to avoid being held to their no deforestation, no peat, and no exploitation commitment. But Wilmar said it was due to poor governance of HCSA.
The popularity of this article shows that when big companies make climate commitments, the public cares about how they deliver on those promises.
9. New laws in Singapore appear to give employers ‘almost unfettered power’ over migrant workers’ movements
Initially lauded for its containment of the virus, Singapore came under scrutiny when failure to address its spread among migrant workers in a timely manner led to a surge in infections in crowded dormitories, where about 320,000 low-wage workers live.
As Singapore eased out of a partial lockdown on 2 June, new laws were imposed requiring these workers to obtain their employers’ consent in order to leave their dormitories. Non-governmental groups criticised the new regulations for seemingly giving many employers “almost unfettered power over workers’ movement”.
The story may have struck a chord with readers as the pandemic exposed deep inequalities between the city-state’s lowest earners and the rest of the country, who were able to go shopping and resume small social gatherings soon after the partial lockdown lifted.
10. Singapore researchers invent device that produces electricity from light and shadows
New inventions have always piqued the interest of our readers, especially those related to low-carbon energy.
The shadow-effect generator developed by researchers from the National University of Singapore excited readers, possibly because of its potential to produce electricity in indoor environments.
The generator was found to be twice as efficient as conventional solar technology when exposed to the effect of shifting shadows. And because it costs 10 times less to manufacture than solar panels available today, the device could be easily scalable and commercialised.
This story is part of our Year in Review series, which journals the stories that shaped the world of sustainability in 2020.
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After receiving $8.65 million in funding last week, mobile social networking startup Path has finally announced the launch of a commenting feature for their iPhone application.
Known as Path Chat, the feature can be found when users download version 1.4 of the program, an update that was released to the general public on Monday.
Previously users only had the option of adding emoticons to photos as a means of commenting or through direct text messages to users, the new features simply adds traditional commenting to the mobile platform.
The video joins the networks strict limit of 50 maximum friends and 10-second videos.
Currently Path is only available on iPhone and iPod Touch devices.


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he investment in Pi Innovo will further enable Dana to enhance its in-house electric-vehicle capabilities by providing turnkey software and control solutions for its entire portfolio of technologies.
Tier 1 supplier Dana has acquired a non-controlling stake in Detroit-based Pi Innovo, a leader in embedded software solutions and electronics control units for the light vehicle, commercial vehicle, and off-highway markets.
With this Dana says its ability to design, engineer, and deliver a complete vehicle integration for e-propulsion systems and e-accessories, including battery chargers, electro-hydraulic power steering systems, and e-air compressors has positioned the company as a leader in vehicle electrification. The investment in Pi Innovo will further enable Dana to enhance its in-house electric-vehicle capabilities by providing turnkey software and control solutions for its entire portfolio of technologies.
James Kamsickas, chairman and CEO, Dana said: "Software and controls are essential in the functionality of increasingly complex e-powertrain architectures, playing a critical role in maximising efficiency and managing the systems used throughout the vehicle. Pi Innovo's exceptional team of engineers leverage more than 25 years of experience to provide proven, safe, and flexible solutions to meet the growing demand for automotive embedded controls in the e-Mobility market and beyond."
When combined with Dana's complete systems capabilities for e-propulsion, the companies will be able to further enhance the flexibility, robustness, and efficiency of the entire vehicle systems, while meeting the latest functional safety requirements.
Dr. Walter Lucking, CEO, Pi Innovo said: "Pi Innovo has developed advanced software and controls solutions and production ECUs to enable the efficiency and safety of electric vehicles. Dana's capabilities across the entire mobility spectrum will give Pi Innovo further access to a growing customer base, and the company's experience in vehicle electrification makes it an attractive partner for bringing customers complete turnkey solutions."
Pi Innovo is a provider of sophisticated modular software and controls solutions for a wide variety of applications, including electric and hybrid vehicles that adheres to the highest functional safety requirements.
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Commercial Scene : Partnerships Involved in Sale of Retail Complex
A California limited partnership has paid nearly $18.5 million to another limited partnership for the 97,226-square-foot Peter’s Landing office and retail complex at 16400 Pacific Coast Highway, overlooking the Huntington Marina in Huntington Beach.
The partnership, known as Peter’s Landing Partners Ltd. and whose general partner is the Brentwood-based investment company R.J. Nathan Inc., said it may expand the complex by putting an upscale grocery store on the site. The complex is anchored by the restaurants of MacArthur Park, Reuben’s and Red Onion. It is currently 95% leased.


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(Seoul=NSP News Agency) soon ki Lee Journalist = SK Innovation(SK Inno) and LG Energy Solution(LG) agreed to end all battery disputes ongoing at the US ITC on the 11th(Korean time).
Accordingly, all litigation proceedings from April 2019 have been completed.
Through this agreement, it was decided that SK Inno would pay LG a total of KRW 2 trillion (KRW 1 trillion in cash + KRW 1 trillion in royalties) in accordance with the agreed method, and that they would withdraw all domestic and foreign disputes involved, and would not file additional disputes over the next 10 years.
In particular, this agreement eliminated uncertainty over the operation and expansion of the US battery business, allowing SK Inno to operate its 1st plant in Georgia and build its 2nd plant, and actively invest at home and abroad to develop the global electric vehicle industry and create ecosystem.
“We have decided to make a sound competition and friendly cooperation for the development of the electric vehicle battery industry in Korea and the United States,” said Kim Joon, CEO of SK Inno and Kim Jong-hyun, CEO of LG, “In particular, we would work together to strengthen the battery supply chain and promote eco-friendly policies that the U.S. Biden government is pushing for.”
NSP News Agency soon ki Lee Journalist email@example.com
Copyright ⓒ Korea's economic news agency NSP NEWS·NSP TV. All rights reserved-Redistribution Prohibited.


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Latest News on Independent Media Trust
Showing of 0 - 10 from 5 results
Independent Media Trust - Total results - 5
Jul 07, 2015
Reliance Industries to sell 3.1% stake in Network18 for Rs 173.55 crReliance Industries-owned Shinano Retail Pvt Ltd's Offer for Sale to sell 3.25 crore equity shares, scheduled to open on 8 July, has set a floor price at Rs 53.40 per share.
Jan 02, 2015
Reliance Industries completes Network18 open offers, buys Rs 17 cr worth sharesIn separate filings, Independent Media Trust said it acquired 54.14 lakh shares for Rs 16.34 crore in TV18 Broadcast while buying 2.60 lakh shares of Network18 Media for Rs 1.06 crore.
May 30, 2014
Raghav Bahl resigns from Network18Bahl in a letter to employees of the group said he and his wife Ritu are exiting from shareholding of the group he had founded in the early 1990s.
May 30, 2014
Network18 gains 17% in early trade post RIL takeoverThe script of Network18 Media made a positive opening and further zoomed 17.38 percent to Rs 53 - its 52-week high level on the BSE.
May 29, 2014
Reliance takes full control of Network18Reliance has said that IMT will use the funds to acquire control of Network18 and TV18, resulting in ownership of around 78 percent in the former and 9 percent in the latter.


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Inflammation and dysbiosis were the two most studied health conditions for probiotics related research between 2016 and 2020, according to a newly constructed database by a group of Hong Kong researchers.
Australia’s health foods brands Caruso Natural Health and Juice Plus were recently fined for false claims and advertising breaches respectively, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced in a statement.
The dietary supplements market is set to grow by 4% annually running up to 2018, with Singapore, Hong Kong and Norway being the top spenders by household consumption, according to Euromonitor International.
Raisio has just launched its Benecol yogurt drinks line in Hong Kong, its latest push to broaden its reach in the emerging Bric markets. Wing Kee Produce will act as the Finnish company’s local distributor.
In the midst of an investigation into the pricing practices employed by it and other infant formula manufacturers in China, Biostime has admitted that the terms of its agreements with distributors “may” have broken anti-trust laws.
As Vitafoods Asia closes its doors on a successful three-day debut edition in Hong Kong today, event director Chris Lee shares impressions of the show with Shane Starling, and ponders refinements to the event in 2012.
Next week’s Nutracon Asia conference in Hong Kong will include a special one-day workshop on the regulatory state of play for dietary supplements and functional foods in Asia Pacific, giving case studies and showing areas of opportunity.
German drugs group Merck KgaA, the maker of Seven Seas cod liver
oil supplements, said yesterday that it will launch a range of
natural joint health products in Asia in the coming year after
estimating the potential market to be worth...
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) has
prompted increased demand for immune-boosting natural remedies,
including the natural bee product propolis, reports New


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The average price of gasoline in the Birmingham metro area is currently $2.19 a gallon and $2.37 nationally. Prices have risen steadily over the last month after bottoming out in late January when you could find prices as low as $1.72. Where I live, prices have jumped almost 20 cents in the last week alone, with a huge 10 cent jump in one day this past weekend.
So what is causing gas prices to jump so much?
The Reasons Behind The Increases
You might think that the reason for the jump in prices is oil. The price of a barrel of oil, the main ingredient in refined gasoline, is currently trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange for $50.76 for light, sweet crude. Brent crude, the global standard, is trading for $60.48 on the ICE Futures Europe. Both are up over last week, but down substantially from a year ago. And in reality, there actually is no shortage of oil to drive the price increase.
What really is happening are several events that have created the “perfect storm” in recent weeks. The first is a steel worker’s strike and an explosion at an Exxon-Mobil plant in Torrance, CA. The strike is affecting 12 refineries that account for almost a fifth of total U.S. production. The refinery explosion is affecting Southern California more than the rest of the country.
The second issue is the weather. The colder than usual winter weather across much of the country has increased demand for heating oil, which means that not as much gas can be produced. Combine this with the yearly seasonal change over in gasoline blends, when refineries switch from winter blends to summer blends, and stocks are normally lower due to this, and the amount available to drivers is much lower than usual at this time of year.
The third reason is global uncertainties, especially with the state of affairs in Libya. The North African country holds the continent’s largest oil reserves, but has been mired in violence for weeks. Libya is currently only producing at one-third it’s capacity.
But as noted earlier, oil prices have slumped with the increase in domestic production the last few years, decreased demand for gas as efficiencies increased, and production by OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia in particular, have been maintained even as the price of crude dropped. In fact, there is so much oil in this country that we face the possibility of running out of storage space for it according to the U.S. Department of Energy in a recent report. It currently is at its highest level in 80 years.
Should oil storage reach it’s limit, which is a very real possibility by the beginning of April, the price of oil could collapse to as little as $20 a barrel, analysts say. In the short-term, that could be very good for drives as gas prices could once again drop sharply by the Summer driving season.
However, once oil levels are lowered following this, it is inevitable that gas prices will once again rise later in the year.
What You Can Do About It
The best thing you can do to stave off the gas price increases is conservation. Don’t drive as much, plan out your trips to make the most of your time out by combining tasks. Make sure your tires are inflated to their proper level – cars with properly inflated tires use less gas than those with under inflated tires. Choose to drive a car with higher gas mileage than say a large truck.
Another simple trick you can do is to buy prepaid gas cards. Grocery store chain Publix, with stores across the Southeast, recently ran a promotion for an extra $10 on the purchase of a $50 gas card when purchased at the same time as a $100 grocery order. You drive, you eat, and if you had the $150 available you were able to get a 7% return on the purchase. Even if you don’t score bonuses like this, buying gas cards is still a good idea if you have the money available.Costco, Sam’s Club and Murphy Oil locations at Walmart stores all offer lower prices for customers who use their prepaid cards than customers who pay cash or by plastic. It’s their way of ensuring return customers. Another plus to buying cards now is that when prices go up again, and they will, you bought gas at the current value of $20. Finance majors will understand that, but trust me, it makes sense.
The easiest way to save money is to use technology to help find the lowest prices in your area. Two of the most popular apps are GasBuddy and Waze, which are peer operated sites with real-time pricing information for stations across the country. Waze has also become popular with being able to give driving directions including real-time traffic and alternative route information.
Finally, one important thing to remember is that it does matter where you get your gas if you are looking for low prices. If you think that it’s more expensive at your local Shell station than the mom and pop station down the road, that’s because it is and for one simple reason. All those “branded” stations, the ones affiliated with big oil companies like Exxon, Shell, BP and others are ALL under contract for the right to use that name, even if the station is locally owned. The name recognition does help bring in traffic, and to some there is a comfort in stopping at a recognizable name. But those stations pay fees to keep the name on the street, for their customers to have the ability to use the company’s credit card, and most importantly, the are obligated to buy their gas from the oil company or their contracted suppliers at specified rates. That’s why you see the same price, or close it it, from station to station. Independent stations, on the other hand, don’t pay those fees and have the ability to buy their gas from any supplier and for any price they want, thus the often lower prices at these locations.
Bottom line: prices change due to market, geo-political issues, storage capacity and refinery issues. There’s not much you can do about those factors. But by taking simple steps everyday, you can make it a little less painful at the pump and keep more money in your pocket.


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Banksy Art To Be Sold At Auction In Auckland
Banksy, the elusive and controversial British street artist who has won a world-wide fan base, is arriving down under.
Three works by the mysterious Banksy will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity when they are offered at a sale of Collectable Art at the International Art Centre in Parnell, Auckland, next week (June 30).
Each of the three numbered screen prints is expected to sell for between $15,000 and $20,000.
One of the Banksy prints, Golf Sale is one of the first Banksy works released in 2003 and is based on the famous photograph of a protester standing in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989 after Chinese military’s violent suppression of the 1989 Democracy Movement.
As in the photograph, the black and white print features a man standing in front of tanks but unlike the photograph, the man in the Banksy print is holding a sign reading ‘Golf Sale’.
Banksy, who has never been publicly identified but is believed to have been born in Bristol, England, and is in his late 40s, was later reported to have said that among other things, the print paid tribute to those who dared to stand up to authority,
International Art Centre director Richard Thomson said Golf Sale and the other two Banksy works, Weston Super Mare (produced in 2003) and Soup Can (2005), were all bought in 2005 from Banksy’s agent, Pictures on Walls of London, by a private New Zealand collector when he was living in London.
Banksy has won a world-wide following and his fans include Hollywood actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who are reported to have commissioned Banksy to produce art for them in a rare move by the artist.
“One version of his Soup Can print brought nearly $60,000 so there is a real demand for his art. He is probably the most sought-after street artist in the world.
“The New Zealand owner has had them since 2005 and it is very rarely that they come up for sale in New Zealand. In fact, there may only have been one Banksy work ever offered for sale in New Zealand.
“This is an incredibly rare opportunity for those interested in acquiring a work by Banksy as most of his work is sold through auction houses in London and New York.”
He said the Banksy works had created a buzz of excitement and they had been fielding calls from around New Zealand and offshore.
The sale also includes an assortment of Len Castle ceramics from the Ron Sang Collection and a collection of Toss Woollaston works, including a never before seen oil of Bayley's Hill.
“New Zealand has produced a range of very highly respected and very talented contemporary artists and we are not really surprised at the level of interest this sale has already generated,” Mr Thomson said.
Note to Editors: The sale is due to begin at 6.30pm on Tuesday, June 30, at the International Art Centre, 202 Parnell Road, Auckland. If you wish to attend the sale please allow time to set up before the sale begins.
Images can be downloaded from: www.internationalartcentre.co.nz


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After a string of teasers over the past month, the world’s first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor has been made official at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. The first to introduce this technology is Chinese phone maker Vivo.
Unveiled at CES 2018, the technology is not a prototype but an actual working device that comes integrated with Synaptics’ ClearID in-display fingerprint scanning tech. While it may sound like black-magic, the sensor isn’t much different than your usual fingerprint sensors.
How It Works
When you take Vivo’s new smartphone in your hand, you’ll notice that it’s just a chunk of metal and glass with no fingerprint sensor on the back or even the front. You just need to wake the screen and the phone will explicitly tell you where the finger needs to be placed to authenticate by displaying a graphical fingerprint UI at the very bottom of the screen.
If you were hoping to unlock the phone simply by placing your finger in the general area of where the fingerprint sensor resides, well it seems that’s not an option. You’ll first have to wake the device and then scan your finger to unlock.
Then, all you need to do is press your registered finger on that impression and voila, the phone has been unlocked. It works in a manner similar to the capacitive fingerprint scanner, but will now make it possible for the phone makers to design more aesthetically pleasing phones. There would no longer be a circular sensor at the rear or front, the ones we’ve gotten used to, and it is a good thing.
The Tech Underneath
We did have an inkling of ongoing work in the said department but Synaptics’ in-display sensor was first revealed earlier last year. Vivo is just one of the five Tier-1 hardware makers that Synaptics said it is working with to implement the new biometric technology.
As you can see in the image below, the fingerprint scanner has been sandwiched between the OLED panel and the glass of the display, which would then have been connected to the internals.
The in-display fingerprint sensor has an optical image sensor that scans the image of your finger. This data is then passed onto an AI processor that’s said to be trained to recognize 300 different characteristics of your fingerprint. This is core technology which helps the sensor to distinguish between different users.
Pricing And Availability
At CES 2018, Vivo has currently only shown the smartphone with its in-display fingerprint sensor. The Chinese phone maker has not shed light on the pricing and availability details for this device but explicitly said that it’ll announce further deets in early 2018. We cannot quote an expected price for the device yet, but the in-display biometric authentication tech could spell the end of separate sensors in 2018. We could see other phone makers adopt this technology, if the implementation does work in the market.


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Three Legal Updates for 2017
With Christmas just around the corner, many businesses will be winding down ready to enjoy a well-earned break.
But before you tidy off your desk and turn on your out of office, take a few moments to read about these three legal updates for 2017 so you’re aware of legislative changes that could affect your business in the New Year.
Gender Pay Gap Reporting
Gender pay gap reporting is just over four months away, so hopefully you’ll have already started thinking about an internal audit to highlight any areas of risk if you employ over 250 people.
You’ll have 12 months to gather figures, calculate the gender pay gap and publish your findings after the April 2017 deadline and it’s well worth considering now what your next steps are going to be after you’ve submitted your report.
Mobile phone use whilst driving
If you have employees that drive as part of their role, then no doubt you’re aware that November saw a big crackdown on illegal mobile phone use whilst at the wheel. It’s expected that as well as the annual drink driving checks that ramp up during the festive season that police will continue to be extra vigilant on the use of mobile phones whilst driving.
Therefore, it’s a good idea just to remind your employees that they risk their drivers license (and therefore job in some cases) if they fail to follow the correct procedures regarding mobile phone use whilst driving. If necessary, now might be a good time to provide them with hands-free devices if they don’t already have them.
Following the recent judgement against Uber where staff labelled as self-employed were given rights as ‘workers’ including rights to minimum wage, holiday pay, and the right to bring various sorts of employment claims, it’s a good idea to review the statuses of any individuals noted on your books as self-employed sub-contractors to ensure you stay on the right side of the law.
So keep these legal updates for 2017 in mind to ensure you remain on the right side of the law in the New Year.


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Sony has unveiled a new lineup of Bravia TVs that “mimic the human brain” to replicate how we see and hear. The devices use a new processing method that Sony calls “cognitive intelligence.” The company says it goes beyond standard AI to create an immersive visual and sound experience: While conventional AI can only detect and analyze picture elements like color, contrast, and detail individually, the new Cognitive Processor XR can cross-analyze an array of elements at once, just as our brains do. By doing so, each element is adjusted to its best final outcome, in conjunction with each other, so everything is… This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Sony
Struggling to come up with social media content? Looking for a process to fuel your content creation? In this article, you’ll discover a repeatable system you can use to develop a pipeline of content ideas that never ends and a four-part system to create headlines that will guide content creation for multiple social media platforms. […]
The post Social Media Content Ideas: A Perpetual Idea System appeared first on Social Media Examiner | Social Media Marketing.
Nearly four years after it first launched video ads, Amazon Advertising has released a tool in its DSP to help advertisers create video content without any video assets. “The process is quick, easy, free and does not require any prior production resources and design expertise,” said Abbas Fazalbhoy, senior product marketing manager, on the ecommerce…
Research shows that using nonverbal cues can help make communicating over video more effective.
Workers who communicate with their colleagues mainly through videoconferencing are far less effective at building relationships than when the communication is done face-to-face, according to a study we recently completed and just submitted for peer review. We also found two important ways employees can overcome the downside of video meetings.Read Full Story


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Stephanie Brinley, senior analyst at IHS Automotive, explains why the Lincoln's new Continental Concept and Honda's next-generation Civic caught her eye.» Read More
Over the last two months, I've heard roughly the same thing time and again from people in the auto industry and in Detroit. It's a variation of the general theme, "Chrysler, or more specifically it's owner Cerberus Capital, wants to break the UAW once and for all."
I've been doing "live shots" on the Michigan housing market. I wish I could preview what the candidates would say about the current housing recession in our country, but they really haven't said anything, so I don't have a clue what to tell you. I do know this: the neighborhood I have been standing in is what I like to call "America." Friendly folks, living on nice little manicured lawns in nice little brick and shingled houses.
Third-quarter profits are expected to be the weakest in five years, but much of the slowdown may be confined to the financial sector.
Within the next 24 hours, we will know if Chrysler and the UAW have worked out a new contract or if the union is on strike. Unlike the GM talks two weeks ago, it's a little tougher to handicap the odds of a strike at the country's #4 automaker.
Negotiators from Chrysler and the United Auto Workers were set to resume contract talks after the union set a deadline for wrapping up negotiations this week. The struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker has been given a 72-hour strike notice by the UAW as they negotiate a new labor agreement.
Ford Motor said on Tuesday that its retail sales of vehicles in China rose 30 percent in the first three quarters from a year earlier to 149,455 units.
As earnings season kicks off Tuesday with Alcoa's results, analysts have been lowering their already bearish forecasts.
The United Auto Workers union has set a Wednesday deadline for reaching a new labor agreement with Chrysler LLC and has threatened to strike the automaker if a deal is not reached by that time.
Here we go again, round two of the UAW contract talks, and this time the target is Chrysler. Here in Michigan, though, I'm getting a different vibe that I did two weeks ago covering the two strike at the GM.
Negotiators with the United Auto Workers union and Chrysler remained at the bargaining table Saturday evening as efforts to reach a tentative contract agreement intensified, a person briefed on the talks said.
Quick, when I mention Hyundai, what do you think? If it's along the lines of "well made cars for the middle and entry level markets" you are not alone. In fact, this reputation for solid but inexpensive cars has the Korean automaker at a crossroads.
Momentum has been building toward the United Auto Workers accepting a tentative contract with General Motors, though members at some key locals backed it by narrow margins in results released Thursday.
Today in Germany, DaimlerChrysler is officially changing its name to Daimler AG. While this is a formality, this change made me realize just how much the German automaker has benefited from selling Chrysler. Yes, I know what you are gonna say: "They paid $38 Billion for Chrysler and sold it for $7 Billion. Where's the benefit?"
DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes Car Group division achieved a 7.4% rise in sales in September to a record 124,600 vehicles, boosted by the new C-Class sedan, it said on Thursday.
Sometimes those of us covering the auto business fall into the trap of believing the "conventional wisdom". Take the idea with gas prices still holding at roughly $3 a gallon, small, fuel efficient cars will be big sellers.
Sitting high in the cab of the hulking lime-green TerraMax truck, a driver can be excused for instinctively grabbing the steering wheel. There's no need. TerraMax is a self-driving vehicle, a prototype designed to navigate and obey traffic rules -- all while the people inside, if there are any, do anything but drive.
The ill-fated merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler in 1998 will officially fade into history's rear-view mirror on Thursday if shareholders approve changing the German carmaker's name to just Daimler.
General Motors said U.S. sales rose nearly 4% in September, boosted by incentives on its pickup trucks, while Ford Motor and Toyota Motor posted declines.
As I watched the latest sales numbers come in for the month of September, I was expecting another month of the Big 3 posting lackluster numbers. And while the sales figures by mid-afternoon Tuesday were not great, the sales last month were not a disaster.
GM’s good fortune should trickle down to this auto-parts company, which gets 80% of its sales from the Detroit carmaker.Investing can be confusing. Luckily, Cramer has mapped out some road rules for all you Home Gamers trying to navigate the jungle that is Wall Street. Think of it as "Mad Money 101" –- some fundamental advice to keep in mind as you play the market. Whether you're a first time investor or a seasoned financier, it's always good to remember the basics.


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- OpenSea has disabled the sale of a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT after the previous owner obtained an injunction in a Singaporean court stopping its sale.
- The NFT is caught up in a dispute in which the former owner claims that he was fraudulently swindled in a loan deal where the NFT was collateral.
NFTs have gone mainstream, but in a world first, a Singaporean court has frozen the sale of a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT which is caught up in the middle of a dispute in which it was used as collateral for a loan deal that went sour.
Singaporean law firm Withers KhattarWong announced that it had successfully obtained a worldwide proprietary injunction on behalf of an NFT owner to freeze its sale and ownership transfer. The action was the first of its kind, and as a bonus, the court’s ruling officially designated NFTs the status of assets in Singapore.
The claimant is an NFT investor who owns a number of BAYC NFTs and used one of them, BAYC No. 2162 as collateral to borrow Ethereum on NFTfi, a lending marketplace that accepts NFTs as collateral. In his court filing, the investor described the NFT as unique since “it is the only one wearing a beanie and has a jovial expression.”
On NFTfi, the investor entered into an agreement with a pseudonymous actor known as Chefpierre in March and a second to refinance in April. Chefpierre pledged to hold the NFT in escrow until the loan was fully repaid and agreed to an option for refinancing. However, when the investor didn’t manage to repay the loan in the agreed time, Chefpierre foreclosed the loan and took possession of the BAYC NFT. This was despite the option for refinancing which the investor asked to explore.
OpenSea, the largest NFT trading platform globally has officially frozen the sale of the NFT. In a statement to one outlet, a spokesperson for the platform said that this was in line with its policy of stamping out crime and fraud from the platform.
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While we don’t offer details about enforcement actions on individual collections, I can share that our platform policies and Terms of Service explicitly prohibit the use of OpenSea to buy, sell or transfer stolen items, fraudulently obtained items, items taken without authorization and/or any other illegally obtained items or launder money.
Currently, the floor price for BAYC NFTs, which refers to the lowest price you can get the NFT for, stands at 96.24 ETH, or $191,000. Data shows that BAYC #2162 is currently owned by Chefpierre, who owns 276 other NFTs, but comes with a disclaimer that says, “Reported for suspicious activity.”


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The Flower Mill held its annual holiday open house this past weekend.
Kara Vette takes a look at the holiday decorations at The Flower Mill’s open house. Customers who attended registered for the chance to win prizes. Winners included Dianna Hawkins, Lea Anne Miller, Barb Fisher, Emmett Reeves, Holden Bruce, Shelby McCartney, Robin Salfrank, Trudy Baker, Landon Mitchell, Charlotte Wright, Jackie Martin, Amanda Vette, Cathy Lesher, Kali Dick, and Angelina Whitaker.
Bella Hurst is pictured preparing a specialty drink at “The Buttercup,” a new feature at The Flower Mill.


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Travelers have until April 2 to save a few bucks, but most places that process first-time passports require reservations.
Fielding Buck has been a business reporter since 2014 with a focus on logistics, supply chain and GIS. Prior experience includes extensive entertainment reporting. He loves photography and dogs and lives in San Bernardino County.
Latest TweetsTweets by Fielding Buck
There is a demand for truck drivers, making it a career option for people without four-year college degrees.
The popular quick service chain will be giving away classic baked goods with beverage purchase.
The Riverside chain’s offer celebrates National French Toast Day.
Lines started forming at Best Buys for deals on televisions and gaming systems. At other malls, shopping traffic was more muted.
Bread bowls have been a seasonal favorite on the Riverside restaurant chain’s menu since 2008.
The company is in the midst of peak season with full warehouses.
The Cal State San Bernardino student was among the victims of last weekend’s Las Vegas shootings.
Subway is freshening up its decor in a way that draws attention to its fresh vegetables. The sandwich chain has announced its rolling out a new interior design called Subway...
Pizza Hut plans to hire 14,000 full- and part-time delivery drivers by the end of the year, the Texas-based chain announced Tuesday. That amounts to nearly 3,000 hires a month....


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|↑ Photo = Getty Images|
Some people say that drinking coffee makes your heart beat faster.
However, studies have shown that drinking coffee is unlikely to increase premature atrial contractions (PACs).
Atrial premature contraction is an irregular heart rhythm caused by premature beats in the upper chambers of the heart, the atria.
When the atria produce electricity faster than the expected beat, causing the heart to beat It may not feel unpleasant, but it is normal for a healthy heart.
Some people feel like skipping one heartbeat or adding one heartbeat.
A research team led by Professor Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, USA, conducted an experiment on 100 healthy coffee drinkers to see how irregular the heart beats when drinking coffee, and found this fact, HealthDay News. ) was reported on the 25th.
Most of these people drink around one cup of coffee a day.
For two weeks, the research team abstained from drinking caffeinated coffee on some days and no caffeine on other days, and that they always wore an electrocardiogram piece that could record the electrical activity of their heart.
As a result, the number of premature heart contractions was 58 on the day they drank caffeinated coffee, and 53 on the day they didn’t consume caffeine, almost no difference.
However, the number of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) was slightly higher on days when coffee was consumed than on caffeine-free days.
Premature ventricular contractions are premature contractions of the lower chambers of the heart, which increase the risk of heart failure if frequent.
The number of premature ventricular contractions was 154 on the day they drank caffeinated coffee and 102 on the non-caffeinated day.
Regarding this, Professor David Kao, a cardiologist at the University of Colorado College of Medicine, found that the number of heartbeats per day is around 100,000, he explained that only
In addition, the average sleep time per day on the day when caffeinated coffee was consumed was 397 minutes, which was 35 minutes shorter than the day when caffeine was not consumed.
If you are worried about changes in your heart rate that appear when you drink coffee, you need to look at what happens when you abstain from coffee, the researchers suggest
The results of this study were published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, an American medical journal.
[오은채 디지털뉴스부 인턴기자 firstname.lastname@example.org]


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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was met with calls for economically alienating Russia. Countries were encouraged to impose sanctions, reduce trade with Russia, and offset any economic and resource dependencies. One year after the invasion, this blog explores changes in the trade values between EU and Russia, and a shift in EU’s economic alliances. There have been significant changes in the trade between EU and Russia over the past year, but the results are not as dramatic as they were initially thought to be. These changes have been driven by different EU member states and across a variety of sectors, resulting in important consequences for the future of EU-Russia trade.
Breaking trade ties with Russia has not proven easy for the world. According to estimates by the New York Times, Russia’s trade volumes with non-EU countries such as Brazil, Japan, China, India, and Turkey has increased. Average monthly trade volume after the invasion saw the largest increase with India by 310% followed by Turkey by 198%, compared to the 2017-2021 monthly average. Exports to Russia by China and Turkey increased after the invasion, while exports from Russia increased to non-EU countries such as India, Turkey, Brazil, China, and Japan (in descending order). This is not a good sign given the increasing aggression Russia has shown in Ukraine.
Despite the vast amount of analysis and views produced on the invasion, there is still no consensus on how effective sanctions have been in isolating the Russian economy. In February 2022, there were 10,971 sanctions in place on Russia in a variety of sectors such as finance, trade, vessels/aircraft, and on specific individuals. In spite of these numbers, there are some who argue that these stream of sanctions have proven to be underwhelming.
Russia has also been able to compensate for many of its losses resulting from the war, sanctions, and loss of trade partners, with the help of new trading partners, increased prices of oil and gas, and a strengthening of the value of the Ruble. However, Russia has not been able to manage the full economic fallout of the sanctions. There are sectors where Russia’s economy has suffered serious injury. Take the case of the cargo industry. The Port of St. Petersburg experienced an 85% drop in container volumes versus the previous year. This is a major shock for freight and logistics companies. Similarly, although most sanctions target high-technology goods to diminish Russia’s military capacities, the IT and microchip embargo extends to sectors such as the automotive industry whose output has reportedly plummeted to levels not seen since the Soviet era.
EU trade with Russia
The EU has had an important role to play in the economic retaliation against Russia. Not only has the EU been an active advocate for imposing sanctions on Russia, but the EU itself has imposed over 5,000 of the 10,971 economic sanctions currently in place on Russia. Sanctions, uncertainty and the pressure to stop economic exchanges with Russia has led to a significant fall in EU-Russia bilateral trade. EU imports from Russia between January 2022 and October 2022 (latest available data) have fallen by 36%, from €20 billion to €13 billion. At the same time, EU exports to Russia have decreased by 41% from €7 billion to €4 billion. (Figure 1)
However, despite the pressure to arrest economic relations, trade between the EU and Russia has not grounded to a halt. Several industries were responsible for slowing down the pace of economic disintegration between the two regions. EU imports from Russia of product categories such as pharmaceuticals, metals such as nickel, aluminum, and zinc, arms and ammunitions, and textiles such as silk, cotton, and leather, increased between January 2022 and October 2022. EU exports to Russia also increased in a variety of sectors, but most prominently in the pharmaceutical sector.
Figure 1: EU monthly import and export values from Russia (2022)
Source: Eurostat, Author’s Calculations
Even though the EU has been united in its stance to impose economic sanctions against Russia, there is significant variation in the degree to which EU economies have managed to reduce their trade with Russia. Firstly, not all EU countries have seen an equal decrease in their trade with Russia. In fact, imports from Russia increased for some EU member states such as Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Slovenia. For these countries, imports from Russia increased in product categories such as pharmaceuticals, miscellaneous chemical products, fuels and oils, fertilizers, aluminium and its products, optical, medical, and surgical instruments, and electric machinery. Hungary had the largest increase in imports from Russia between January 2022 and October 2022 of €1 billion, followed by Austria of €260 million. Other EU member states significantly reduced their imports from Russia. For instance, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands reduced imports from Russia by more than €1.5 billion each.
Exports to Russia also increased for some EU member countries such as Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovenia between the same period. Similar to imports, several EU member states saw significant reductions in their exports to Russia. For instance, Germany recorded a decrease of €1 billion in its exports to Russia over the 10-month period. Germany was followed by France and the Netherlands, that saw a decrease in exports to Russia by close to €300 million.
The map below represents the change in trade between EU member countries and Russia between January and October 2022. Countries in red increased trade with Russia between this period, while countries in blue decreased trade with Russia. Although countries such as Greece, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy are on the extreme ends of the spectrum in terms of change in trade values, changes by other member states with Russia have not been very large. Barring these five countries, the change in trade values ranged between an increase by €188 million and a decrease by €1.02 billion which represents a change of only 0.08% and 0.4% with respect to the total trade between the EU and Russia.
Figure 2: Change in Trade with Russia (January to October 2022, million euros)
Source: Eurostat, Author’s Calculations
The varied trade responses of European member states towards Russia are also reflected in the countries’ political stance towards the aggressor. For instance, on multiple occasions, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known for being close to the Kremlin, has called for an end to the sanctions on Russia. At a time when Europe is preparing for a new round of coercive measures against Russia, Orban has made promises to veto any future sanctions on Russia’s nuclear industry. Russia is a global supplier of nuclear material and technology and almost 50% percent of Hungary’s electricity needs are sourced from nuclear energy. These clashing political alliances among Member States have proven to be in detriment of Europe’s ability to act in a time of crisis.
EU trade dependency on Russia
This fragmentation in EU member states’ responses is not the only reason decoupling with Russia has been difficult for the EU. Both EU and Russia are large economies important for global trade, they share strong cultural ties, and both are global powers that are strategically important to each other. For instance, Russia is the primary supplier of rare gases such as krypton, neon, and xenon, crucial for the production of semiconductors. In 2021, the EU sourced half of its rare gases imports from Ukraine and Russia. So far, the EU has been able to mitigate disruptions in the supply chain as a result developing inventory reserves, a process that can be traced back to 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea. However, the limited availability of alternative global producers and the growing demand driven by the digitalization of the economy, make rare gases used for the production of microchips a commodity of strategic priority for Europe.
In addition to this, as identified in our last ECIPE blog, “Russia’s Import Dependency Problem,” there were several strategic trade dependencies between EU and Russia in 2021. These dependencies are also contributing to making this decoupling process harder for the EU. However, in 2022, the EU has made efforts to reduce these dependencies on Russia. As it can be seen in Figure 3, there was a fall in the value of EU imports from Russia in 8 out of the 10 product categories between August to October 2022 and August to October 2021. This included a fall of 37% in ferrous products, of 43% in Vanadium Oxide imports, and a decrease of 57% in fuel oils of petroleum from Russia. Imports of gas oils, however increased by 28%, and of nickel mattes increased by 71% over the same period.
Figure 3: EU imports of dependent products from Russia (August-October 2021 and August-October 2022)
Source: Eurostat, Author’s Calculations
At the same time, the EU has also seen an increase in the number of suppliers for some of these dependent products after the invasion. Particularly, in order to reduce its pain points with Russia in gas and fuel imports, between January and October 2022, imports of gas oils increased from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, while imports of fuel oils increased from countries such as United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Iraq.
In short, trade between the EU and Russia has decreased since the invasion of Ukraine. Yet, the differences across EU members states tell a more nuanced story. Not all member states have been able to reduce trade with Russia; in fact some states saw an increase in trade values during the same period. Another important area of change has been the reduction in trade dependencies of the EU on Russia. Imports by the EU in 8 out of 10 product categories fell in cumulative trade for August to October 2022 compared to their cumulative trade values in August to October 2021. Decoupling has been difficult for the EU and Russia as both are large players in the global economy. Many important changes have taken place over the last year, and yet it is still too soon to sketch out what these changes mean for the future of EU-Russia relations, but also for the future of global trade.
 Changes in trade between the Netherlands and Russia may be biased due to the Rotterdam Effect and should be analysed with caution.
 Part of the complexity of assessing the impact of this small in trade values but large in its strategic dependency is because rare gasses are not available in trade data at the material level, and are aggregated in the HS code 280429 “Rare gases and other than argon”.
 Before the war both countries sat within the same value chain of noble gasses though in different stages of the process. Russian crude neon is purified in Ukraine, and about half of the world’s semiconductor-neon is exported by two Ukraine companies.


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( 02-01-2019 - 11:26 PM ) - Views: 40
Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said tra fish exports will continue to increase in the last months of this year so total export value will reach 2.1 billion USD, up 22 percent compared to 2017.
The export value of this product in the first nine months of the year surged year-on-year by 24 percent to 1.6 billion USD, the association said.
Hoe was quoted by congthuong.vn as saying that from late September to now, the price for raw material of tra fish in the Mekong River delta has stood at 35,000-36,000 VND (1.5-1.55 USD) per kilo. With that price, farmers earn from 6,000 VND to 9,000 VND per kilo.
Now, tra fish processing enterprises are purchasing raw materials to process export products for higher demand on global markets by the end of 2018.
However, they have faced a shortage of raw material for export processing because many farmers have stopped tra fish production as they lack fingerlings, Hoe said.


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Once the enfant terrible of the monetary marketplace, Bitcoin has become achingly mainstream. The square-jawed Winklevii, (identical) poster-children of the 1%, now control 1% of the Bitcoins in circulation and, while money can’t buy you love, Bitcoins can get you an A-list OkCupid subscription.
Whether you’re bullish about Bitcoin or can’t bear the thought of it, the recent flurry of coverage around the virtual currency has highlighted the extent to which technology is disrupting our relationship with money, and changing our attitudes toward who should be creating and controlling it. A recent survey commissioned by Contagious, the trends consultancy I work for, found that 45% of 25-34-year-olds in the U.S. would be happy to use a currency issued by a private entity or brand and 36% of them would be comfortable if sovereign currencies were replaced altogether.
A future in which Dannon Dollars jingle against Pepsi Pesos and RuPaul Rupees may sound farfetched but it is far from fantastic; we are already beginning to see branded currencies gain traction. Last year, for example, Nike created an online auction in Mexico in which the only form of payment accepted was the miles you’d run. The distances logged by the Nike+ system were converted into “money” you could buy Nike products with. While the auction may have been limited in scale it offers a glimpse into the potential of NikeFuel, the brand’s proprietary data metric. And, as wearable fitness devices proliferate, more currencies related to physiological and behavioral data could be on their way.
It might be some time before we’re all buying our groceries with NikeFuel, but other forms of branded currency are already ingrained in the payment landscape. In parts of Africa, pre-paid mobile airtime acts as a de facto currency, with its attractions mirroring those of Bitcoin: It isn’t linked to an individual government’s stability, and it can often be traded anonymously. Like Bitcoin, the use of airtime as money has raised the shackles of regulators, worried about the ramifications of networks effectively issuing their own currency.
The use of airtime as money is particularly prevalent in Zimbabwe, where rampant hyperinflation forced dollarization in 2009. The effect of this is a shortage of small denominations, meaning shoppers are frequently short-changed: A situation that has resulted in shouting matches and physical fights. “I have been slapped a few times for not having change,” one bus conductor told AFP last year. Coming to the aid of bus conductors across the nation, Harare-based startup Yo! Time launched a service that let people redeem change as mobile phone airtime. As of January, Yo! Time was processing more than 9,000 payouts a day for clients; six months previously the figure was 2,000.
Egypt’s retail landscape suffers many of the same denominational difficulties as Zimbabwe, with shop owners routinely substituting small change with low value items like gum. Noting the frustrations this frequently caused, mobile network operator Vodafone advanced its Micro Recharge pre-pay cards, priced between 5 and 30 British Pence, as a solution. Dubbing them “Fakka”–Egyptian for small change–and designing the cards to be small enough to fit into cash registers, Vodafone went about positioning them as an alternative form of cash.
A future in which “one country, one currency” is replaced by “one corporation, one currency” may sound like something out of an abandoned David Foster Wallace fiction, but the idea is not particularly novel. Until 1913, and the advent of the Federal Reserve Bank, much of the money circulating in the United States was privately issued. It is estimated that in 1860 there were more than 1,600 private corporations issuing banknotes in the U.S., and over 8,000 varieties of notes. Meanwhile government-issued currency accounted for less than 4% of the total money supply. While this period of free banking was once considered an era of “wildcat” banks, it is now generally acknowledged that price levels then were actually quite stable as compared to recent times.
Back in 1976, Nobel Laureate F.A. Hayek advocated a complete separation of money and state, noting that there “is no justification in history for the existing position of a government monopoly of issuing money. It has never been proposed on the ground that government will give us better money than anybody else could.” Recent years and multiple debt crises have made this statement even more relevant. With faith in governments and central banks dipping we could very well be at the dawn of the privatization of money.
While “privatization” is a word that tends to immediately make social liberals foam at the mouth, allowing people to choose whichever form of currency they trusted most could well be a very good thing. In the best-case scenario it would function as a check against the government, forcing them to regulate money more responsibly. At the very least, it would add some color to the nation’s wallets. Forget dead white men on greenbacks….Beyonce Bucks anyone?
—Arwa Mahdawi is North American strategy director for Contagious Communications, New York. She also regularly contributes articles to The Guardian on technology and communications. Follow her on Twitter at @ArwaM.
More information about Contagious’s survey on attitudes to new currencies can be found here.
[[i]Image: Flickr user Hardchessesandyou]