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Republic Wireless Beta to resume this Summer
Republic Wireless is planning on resuming its beta testing of the system in the Summer. It will look to sign up those who were not able to buy a phone during the first Beta test, and those who requested news about the carrier via email. Those names (with those who missed out on the first Beta last November getting preference) will be divided into what Republic is calling "alphabetical waves" and offered a chance to sign up with the company. Emails will be going out in a week and those notified will have another week in which to claim a spot with one of the alphabetical waves. When you find out what group you are in, you will find out the date when you will be able to place an order. If it all sounds too complex, the thing to remember is that you will be notified one week or more in advance when you can sign up and when you will receive your phone.
2.3. Republic said more models will be made available to its customers. Just don't expect the Apple iPhone 4S to be available thanks to those high subsidies. If any iPhone makes it to Republic's line-up, it would be the budget priced Apple iPhone 3GS. The mobile operator says it might offer new apps designed for non-Republic customers who want to use its VoIP service. This could allow customers from other carriers to save minutes and possibly save money by switching to a lower priced plan with fewer minutes.
The carrier said it will continue to listen to feedback from customers while continually working on improving the time it takes for the UMA to switch back and forth between Wi-Fi and Sprint's 3G pipeline. Back in March, the company said it had decided to eliminate baby steps and had quadrupled the number of employees. It sounds like Republic Wireless is ready to become a force in the wireless world.
source: RepublicWireless via Electronista


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Yesterday, Al Jazeera TV invited me to their news programme to talk about the mysterious mass poisoning of vegetable plants in Australia. It set me thinking. In today's world, food can become a soft 'terrorist' target which can be more lethal than bombings. The more the food -- from farm to fork as they say -- is concentrated in the hands of a few companies, the bigger is the threat.
Al Jazeera asked me about the increasing concentration of food, and my reply was that at present not more than 10 food companies, of which the predominant share belongs to 4 or 5 agribusiness companies, controls bulk of the global food supply. Such a concentrated system makes the entire food chain more vulnerable. My suggestion is that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that is behind concentration of food in the hands of a few agribusiness giants, need to ensure that diversity of food systems is maintained for global food security.
"What happens if next time the 'poisoning' is of rice and wheat grains?" I was asked. "The impact will be global," I replied, adding "This is where the world needs to appreciate the diverse farming systems that exist in India. Even if 'poisoning' of nursery plants had taken place in India, its impact would have been minimal. It wouldn't have sent the vegetable prices zooming as is being experienced in Australia.
In a way, increasing control over the food chain is akin to monoculture. The world has failed to draw any lessons from the Irish Potato famine that happened some 200 years ago. One disease erupts and the entire crop was wiped out resulting in an unprecedented famine. The same can happen now, only the scale and scope is different.
This is probably the first time that a food sabotage -- whether through a terrorist activity, vandalism or business rivalry -- at such a large scale has been observed anywhere in the world. Seven million plants, including 4 million tomato, brinjal and capsicum saplings, were reportedly poisoned with a herbicide in sprinklers in a major nursery.
Veggie prices likely to rise after plants poisoned
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) _ Was it a competitor or just a vandal who poisoned 7 million vegetable plants at a seedling nursery in Australia?
The sabotage _ estimated at a loss of 23.5 million Australian dollars ($20.3 million) _ could more than double produce prices across the country due to decreased supply.
About 4 million tomato seedlings were poisoned, as well as bell peppers, melons and eggplant. The region of Bowen, in northern Queensland state, grows the majority of
Australia's winter vegetables.
Police investigations found that a herbicide was introduced in late June into the irrigation system of the Supa Seedlings nursery, which sells its seedlings to farmers for planting. Workers noticed the wilting and dying plants between June 20 and June 25.
Townsville Police Acting Inspector Dave Miles said police were considering a range of motives. ``It could be a grudge, it could be competition based, it could be the result of time-established market share, or it could be an act of vandalism,'' Miles told reporters Wednesday. He said 12 detectives were working on the case and would investigate possible links with three previous poisonings since 2002.
The owners of Supa Seedlings declined to comment to the media about the poisoning. Denise Kreymborg of the Bowen District Growers' Association told Sky News Australia that the poisoning affected 350 hectares of production land with the potential to produce about 200 tonnes of fresh produce. She said about 30 growers would be affected. She said growers would continue harvesting their established crops in the next two months, with prices likely to spike around September when the lost seedlings would have been on the market.
`You can expect prices to double or even triple, we don't know for sure,'' Kreymborg said. ``There's still going to be tomatoes, capsicum, melons, zucchinis and eggplants grown in this area, just not as much.'' #

domain: news


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A delivery worker of Zomato prepares to leave to pick up an order from a restaurant in Mumbai. File / Reuters
CEO Deepinder Goyal said in a post late on Monday the service "Zomato Instant" would rely on a densely located network of so-called food "finishing stations," which will house bestseller items from restaurants and use a sophisticated demand prediction algorithm.
"Nobody in the world has so far delivered hot and fresh food in under 10 minutes at scale," Goyal wrote on LinkedIn and Twitter. "We were eager to be the first."
Within hours, Zomato's announcement sparked a flurry of responses. A lawmaker questioned the business model while executives raised concerns about rider safety on Indian roads.
Zomato, which counts China's Ant Group as an investor, did not respond to requests for comment.
Many on social media urged a rethink, saying food can wait as even ambulances in India take longer to reach patients. Some on LinkedIn questioned the need for such a model.
"I don't want to eat food that someone has brought to me while keeping his life at risk," wrote Gunjan Rastogi, a researcher at India's RSB Insights & Analytics.
Karti P. Chidambaram, an Indian lawmaker, tweeted: "This is absurd! It's going to put undue pressure on the delivery personnel."
The Zomato CEO's Monday announcement started by saying: "We will start with a clarification ... we do not put any pressure on delivery partners."
After it failed to convince many, Goyal issued another tweet on Tuesday stressing that delivery will be "safe" for riders who will face no penalties, urging people to understand the model "before the outrage."
"Quick commerce" grocery startups in India have been a rage with SoftBank-backed Blinkit and rival Zepto expanding rapidly. Reuters reported in January delivery bikers said they faced pressure to meet deadlines, which often led to speeding, for fear of being rebuked by store managers.
Critics say risks are too high on Indian roads. Even in cities, most roads are riddled with potholes and motorists violate basic rules. The World Bank says India has a death every four minutes on its roads and crashes kill around 150,000 people each year.
Nevertheless, many customers have been hooked to quick commerce grocery services to meet their instant shopping needs.
"I would be happy to get my food in 10 minutes," said one LinkedIn user, Sonu Sekharan.
The two parties discussed the roadmap and outreach campaigns to step up the traffic safety level of this activity and examined the quality regulation applicable to motorcycles and their drivers.
The award is comprised of two categories. The first category is for Companies and aims to recognise the best two companies in the delivery service as well as the best two companies in delivery service via smart platforms and apps.
A video clip went viral on the social networking sites of an Indian young man delivering food orders on a horseback amid heavy rains in Mumbai, India.
The story of Saud Bin Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, 70, baffled many, and social networking sites were buzzing with the elderly man’s story, which many saw as more like a fantasy, especially since doctors were unable to find a solution to make him sleep.
A 102-year-old American doctor Gladys McGarry, credit the secret of her long healthy life to consuming large amounts of water, exercising and following a healthy diet.
The flights will not be limited to hotel guests only, but anyone can book the plane for a trip of up to 12 hours, according to Bloomberg.


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They might not have the virus-prone reputation of their desktop brethren, but don’t kid yourself – mobile devices are under constant threat.
Fortunately, owners of Samsung’s newest Galaxy smartphone should be well protected, thanks to the copy of McAfee VirusScan Mobile that will come pre-installed on every Note 7, Intel Security Group announced Tuesday.
In a statement, Intel Security corporate vice president John Giamatteo said that with an ever-increasing number of consumers use their smartphones to connect online, mobile devices are now “the tip of the spear” for new hacking methods, noting that by collaborating with Samsung, his company was ensuring the Korean tech giant’s customers would continue to enjoy a safe mobile Internet experience.
A recent report by Intel Security’s McAfee Labs division highlights the growing number of security threats faced by mobile Internet users.
Among other findings, it discovered that mobile malware rates grew by 23 per cent quarter over quarter during the first three months of 2016, with new mobile malware incidents growing by 17 per cent and new ransomware rising by 24 per cent during the same period.
Overall, McAfee Labs found that mobile malware rates had more than doubled over the last four quarters, and that mobile consumers were now facing 305 new threats every minute, or more than five every second.
One emerging attack method, according to the report, is mobile app collusion, in which apps appear benign viewed independently, but might be malicious when they run on the same device and share information.
Also highlighted by the report is Pinkslipbot, a powerful strain of malware designed to steal personal and financial data from infected machines which has been systematically enhanced since 2007. McAfee detected more than 4,200 unique Pinkslipbot binaries during the first quarter of 2016, according to the report.
Meanwhile, according to McAfee Labs vice president Vincent Weafer, more than 4.3 million attempts were made every hour encouraging the company’s customers to connect to risky URLs; more than 5.8 million infected files were exposed to customers’ networks; and 1.8 million potentially unwanted programs attempted to install or launch themselves.


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Like it or not, Facebook's trademark "Like" button is set to get more expressive.
The social network has announced plans to launch a new set of emoticons to replace the traditional button. The "Reactions" will allow users to express a range of emotions including love, happiness, anger and sadness. However, "dislike" will not be one of them.
It comes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company was working on adding a button other than "Like" to express empathy:
"You know not every moment is a good moment (right)... If you are sharing something that is sad,you know whether it's something in current events... like the refugee crisis that touches you... or a family member passed away...then.... it may not feel comfortable to like that post. But... uh... but your friends and people wanna be able to express that they understand and that they relate to you, so I do think that it is important to give people more options than just 'Like'."
The move follows heavy demand from users to create a Dislike option.
The six new buttons appear as animated emoticons and pop up when the "Like" button is long pressed.
The company studied comments and reactions most commonly expressed across Facebook before coming up with the new designs.
It plans to launch the pilot across devices in Ireland and Spain, before rolling the feature out to everyone.
|like it or not||tetszik vagy sem|
|CEO - Chief Executive Officer||vezérigazgató|
|current events||aktuális események|
|to pass away||elhunyni|
|wanna - want to||akar valamit|
|relate to||kötődik, kapcsolódik|
|to press a button||megnyomni egy gombot|
|to come up with||előjönni valamivel|
|to roll out||kibocsátani|
|features||jellemzők (itt az új ikonokra utalnak)|


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Vegan or bust!
Our friends over at Generation V have turned us on the creation of the first vegan fried egg in history! Called Sunny Side Up™, the vegan fried eggs were created by Yvonne and Tony Bishop-Weston of Foods for Life and are sold through Redwoods Whole Foods.
A marvel of modern vegan food technology, the eggs are made from tofu and ackee (a fruit from Jamaica), and have been fortified with omega 3 made from algae. Sounds kinda healthy and strange, but there’s proof that it’s good. Redwoods new Technical Director Fritz D’Embrio testifies, “We have market tested Sunny Side Up™ in transport cafes on the M1 and truck drivers have been unable to detect the difference.”
The press release reports “the Sunny Side Up™, will be available in Sainsburys, Tescos and Walmart (£4.99 – $8.99) as part of a Traditional British Breakfast pack that contains a vegan fried egg, ready fried vegan sausage, vegan rasher, saut éed mushrooms, Heinz baked beans, and melted vegan cheese on a toasted crumpet.” Mmmm…
We Americans will have to get over the fact that it’s not yet available in the US. However, vegan New Yorkers can enjoy the omelets at The Organic Grill in the meantime.
Update: SV reader Susan L. just sent an email informing me that she’s tried an Asian import version of this food and it was pretty awful. So Sunny Side Up may not be the world’s first vegan fried egg ever, but hopefully it’s the best.


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Sure, we could offer up excuses to explain why ChannelPro failed to cover so many interesting stories this week. I mean, we’re busy over here, our typing fingers are continually exhausted, the coffee machine is busted. Probably better though just to ‘fess up and post our latest roundup of unreported stories you’ll probably want to know about.
One shoe down. Another poised to drop? Easily the biggest story we’re only finally discussing now was Monday’s late word that disti kingpin Ingram Micro has purchased Ensim, a San Jose, Calif.-based operator of a cloud computing marketplace that “has over 5,000,000 seats deployed worldwide and is used by over 20,000 small, medium, and large sized organizations and government agencies through service providers, system integrators, msp's [sic], and resellers,” according to the Ensim website. When the still officially pending deal closes, Ensim will supplement Ingram Micro’s already vast existing cloud marketplace.
“Ensim is an exciting addition to the Ingram Micro Ecosystem of Cloud and will expand our ability to help channel partners bring cloud services to businesses of all sizes,” said Jason Bystrak, executive director of Ingram Micro’s cloud computing unit for the Americas in a statement provided to ChannelPro via email. “Ingram Micro continues to make investments that accelerate the sales cycle for our channel partners from the core to the cloud.”
That, however, is about all Ingram Micro has had to say about the acquisition so far, which can’t help but leave one with a lot of unanswered questions about…
Hey, wait a minute. Ingram Micro. Cloud. That rings a bell. Oh yeah, Ingram Micro’s 2016 Cloud Summit takes place next week in Phoenix. Could company executives have more details in store for us about Ensim’s place in the distributor’s big cloud picture? Stay tuned. ChannelPro will be onsite at the conference and reporting everything you need to know about it.
So what’s the deal, vendors? I mean you usually have a few noteworthy new products for us to discuss in this piece, but this week it was more like a flood. Here are a few you might want to check out besides the Dell, LOGICnow, RapidFire Tools, and Veeam launches we did manage to get around to:
- Axis Communications released the AXIS Companion Line (pictured), which includes cameras, storage, software, and other video surveillance components priced to fit small business budgets.
- Canon added 11 (count ‘em) new printers and copiers to its imageCLASS product line, including models targeted at the small/home office market and midsize businesses.
- D-Link, not to be outdone by Axis in the surveillance arena, announced that its DGS-1100 series gigabit Ethernet switch product family now contains two new devices specifically designed for IP surveillance applications.
- Epson shipped the Expression Home XP-430 Small-in-One, a compact wireless printer intended for consumers that could also be a fit for cramped home and branch offices with modest printing requirements.
- Fujitsu introduced new PRIMERGY dual-socket servers powered by the Xeon E5-2600 v4 processors Intel shipped last week.
- InfoArmor unveiled VigilanteATI Accomplice, a new SMB-focused and somewhat unfortunately named (“vigilante” and “accomplice” aren’t things one typically aspires to be) edition of VigilanteATI, the company’s advanced threat intelligence solution.
- Lexmark released new versions of its Kofax TotalAgility customer business process automation tool and Customer Communications Manager solution.
- Schneider Electric launched AccessXpert, a cloud-based solution that gives building owners, managers, and security teams mobile access to video surveillance, intrusion detection, access control, alarm management, and other systems.
And one last new product, for anyone looking to out-premium their premium laptop-toting friends. HP unveiled the eye-catching HP Spectre, which at 10.4 mm thick (about the same as a AAA battery), is now the world’s thinnest notebook, according to HP itself. That HP chose to pull the wraps off the sleek black-and-gold device at the New York Times International Luxury Conference (held, so very appropriately, in Versailles, France) makes clear the company has bling-hungry hardware buyers squarely in its sights.
Oh, and those vertical bars on the lid? That’s HP’s new logo.
But enough about products. Let’s talk about vendors instead:
- Avnet this week announced the results of its 2016 Avnet Tech Games competition. In addition to $1,000 scholarships, the 27 college-aged winners will all receive a special tour of the distributor’s Global Solutions Center in Chandler, Ariz., and hear from Avnet execs about preparing for a career in the technology industry. Kudos, Avnet, for combining good deeds with a good time.
- CA Technologies completed the spin-off of its ERwin data modeling unit to private equity firm Parallax Capital Partners.
- Citrix added new partner program incentives and resources for resellers targeting mid-market customers.
- Palo Alto Networks updated its NextWave partner program with new specializations, enhanced margins, and more.
Tell the truth: Do you have a business plan? No? Don’t worry, you’re far from alone. According to 2015 research from Wells Fargo, two-thirds of small businesses are plan-less, a finding that inspired the bank to create the Business Plan Center, a free online business plan writing tool that 10,000 small businesses have utilized so far, according to a press release published Tuesday. Might be a good time for you join them too. You’ll have a hard time reaching your full potential without a business plan, and you can’t beat the price.
And from the Your Tax Dollars at Work department. At the other end of the price-to-value spectrum comes this story about the app that TSA agents use to select travelers enrolled in the TSA Pre-Check program for random airport searches. The system, which basically just generates random numbers, is scarcely more sophisticated than the random number generator yours truly coded 30+ years ago on his very first computer (a Commodore VIC-20, and if you’re familiar with that name you’re old too). The price tag? $336,413.59, according to the results of a Freedom of Information Act request. Not bad for a day’s—make that hour’s—work.
This week’s stats ticker:
- Amazon Web Services will cross $10 billion in annual sales this year, according to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
- Worldwide IT spending will dip 0.5 percent in 2016 to a still hefty $3.49 trillion, according to Gartner.
- Worldwide converged systems sales grew 8.3 percent in 2015 to $10.6 billion, according to IDC.
- Global 3D printer revenues rose 33 percent in 2015, according to CONTEXT.
Immersive misery. With the help of virtual reality goggles you can visit far-off lands and have thrilling adventures without ever leaving your home. Or you can immerse yourself in the debilitating pain, nausea, and extreme light sensitivity associated with migraine headaches, thanks to the folks at Excedrin, who this week rolled out The Migraine Experience, “the world's first augmented reality migraine simulator.” In all seriousness, we applaud the pain relief brand for seeking to raise awareness of the truly severe tribulations endured by 36 million migraine sufferers in the U.S. alone. We’re guessing, however, that this isn’t exactly the kind of marketing hook hardware makers will use to entice consumers into buying recently-released VR products like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.


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Remake of Final Fantasy VII will be released in March 2020
The remake of the popular role play Final Fantasy VII will be released for PlayStation 4 on March 3 next year. Gamemaker Square Enix announced this during the E3 trade show.
The date was announced by Square Enix director Tetsuya Nomura during a Final Fantasy concert in Los Angeles. A short new trailer for the game has also been released.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake was officially unveiled in 2015. After that, development remained silent for a long time. Nomura says the game was announced too soon afterwards. Later it turned out that the remake does not appear as a single game, but that the story is published in parts. The first part will be released next year, but it is not yet clear when the rest will be published.
Final Fantasy VII was released for the first PlayStation in 1997 and is one of the most popular parts in the Final Fantasy series. It was the first part in the series that was playable in 3D.
Many details about the game are still unknown. The press conference of Square Enix will take place in the night from Monday to Tuesday, and more information will probably be released.


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Three decades after the 1989 Chicago Motor Show was the stage for the debut of the original MX-5, Mazda has today unveiled the MX-5 30th Anniversary Edition at the 2019 Chicago Motor Show, which runs until 18 February.
After 30 years and more than 1 million units sold, Mazda feels that the MX-5 has grown into more than simply Mazda’s creation. It now belongs to the enthusiasts around the world who have supported the development of the model and helped it become the world’s best-selling two-seater roadster. Launched as both a tribute to these MX-5 fans and as a mark of the high hopes the firm has for the future of its sports car, the 30thAnniversary Edition is exclusively offered in the newly developed Racing Orange body paint, a strikingly vivid colour that marks out this special MX-5.
In addition to Racing Orange, the MX-5 30th Anniversary Edition features forged aluminium Rays wheels developed exclusively for the MX-5 in cooperation with Rays Co Ltd. and a 30th anniversary badge displaying the model’s serial number. Other unique features include orange brake callipers, and for the first time in the UK, Brembo front brakes.
Inside, the bespoke feel continues with orange accents on the seats, door trim, dashboard, steering wheel, air vents and gear lever, while Recaro seats and Alcantara trim on the door trim and instrument panel add a sense of exclusivity. The 30th Anniversary Edition also features Apple Carplay and Android Auto as standard. Just 3,000 cars will be produced globally, and fittingly for one of the world’s biggest MX-5 markets, the UK will receive 600 – 400 convertible and 200 RF. Marked out by its black two-tone roof, the Retractable Fastback RF is £29,895, while the convertible is £28,095.
Commenting on the launch of 30th Anniversary MX-5, Mazda Motors UK Managing Director, Jeremy Thomson, said: “in the three decades since the launch of the original model over 130,000 Mazda MX-5s have been sold in the UK. This is a sports car that has resonated with enthusiastic British drivers ever since its debut and four generations on it’s as popular as ever. Along the way, it has remained true to the original principle of being an affordable, lightweight and above all fun-to-drive roadster. Today it is the very essence of the Jinba Ittai driver-and-car-as-one philosophy that goes into every Mazda.”
Adding, “and with its unique detailing, generous equipment levels, exclusivity and bold Racing Orange paint, the 30th Anniversary Edition is the perfect way to celebrate three decades of this iconic sports car”.
As with all 2.0-litre 2019 Mazda MX-5 models, the 30th Anniversary features the new 184ps version of the Skyactiv-G engine, while across both body types this range-topping special edition comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, Bilstein dampers, strut-brace and limited slip differential. Available to order now, the first UK customer deliveries will begin in the summer.


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D – At the Fairtrade Awards 2018, Brands Fashion won second place in the category “Manufacturers”. The award is conferred by the non-profit association TransFair e.V. Brands Fashion was the only textile company nominated for the award. The CEO of Brands Fashion Dr. Uli Hofmann and the company’s CCO Silke Rosebrock were presented with the award on March 21, 2018 during a gala at the Ellington Hotel in Berlin. The jury’s decision was based on the fact that the award winners carry out pioneering work for more fairness in the cultivation of cotton and across the textile supply chain.
Brands Fashion develops and produces high quality and fashionable working clothes as well as fashion collections for renowned companies in Europe and the USA. The textile specialists pursue the aim of making all collections out of 100% biological cotton as far as possible.
The confectionery manufacturer, Ferrero, that implements fair cocoa took first prize at this year’s Fairtrade Awards. Third place went to the “Fair Coal” project of the confessional youth associations that are creating perspectives for small farmers on the Philippines with sustainable charcoal made of coconut shells.
The Fairtrade Awards honour companies and civil societies that assert themselves in an exemplary way for the Fairtrade system and Fairtrade-certified products. The award was conferred for the sixth time this year.


text: On February 18, 2004 Sojuzpatent's patent attorneys participated in a conference organized by the Association of the Russian Patent Attorneys. The topic of the conference was the recent amendments to the Russian Customs Code. The amendments discussed came into force on January 1, 2004 and make it possible to fight against the counterfeit products during the customs clearing procedure. The owners of copyright, trademark and the appellation of origin of goods can apply now to introduce their IP objects into special State Customs Register to prevent the unauthorized entry of the grey import into the territory of the Russian Federation. The main panelist was Mr. Shyrigin, Head of Department of the State Customs Committee.


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Pakistan and China might sign a deal for investment in agriculture sector under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The aim is to explore the neglected agriculture market of Pakistan and enhance its production to feed the growing Chinese population.
According to the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of National Food Security, the deal might get signed during Prime Minister Imran Khan visit to China in November.
According to the officials if the deal is finalized it will be a ‘government-to-government sovereign deal’. The goal of this agreement will be to increase production in agriculture sector and export products to China.
It is possible that the Chinese firms give buy-back guarantees to farmers as they buy grains from them. Chinese investment will be in collaboration with Pakistani companies but they will not be allowed to purchase land.
This new development has come at a time when the mega CPEC project is being criticized by western institutions. It may soon be inspected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).’
A Chinese delegation headed by the Vice-Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs MA Aiguo has met the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar on their visit to Pakistan.
Bakhtyar said that collaborative effort, cold chain management for fruits and vegetables, proper marketing strategies will increase the export of Pakistan agriculture items to China and other nations.


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STOMP it anytime, anywhere.
Download the new STOMP app today.
FairPrice has responded after a customer found "greenish and furry" patches on some waffles that were purchased from NTUC FairPrice in Tampines Mall.
Stomper Elle shared photos of the waffles with Stomp.
She said told Stomp: "I opened the box on Tuesday (Sep 3) at about 10am, wanting to have the waffles for breakfast.
"I was looking forward to having them and I couldn't really comprehend what I saw. I thought it was part of the chocolate chip flavour.
"It was greenish and furry. I even asked my husband to verify whether I was seeing things and then I threw it away.
"I only bought it about a month back and was quite stun to see these greenish patches that looked like mould. It only expires in May 2020.
"Thankfully we checked before toasting them and putting into our mouths."
Responding to a Stomp query, a FairPrice spokesperson said: "FairPrice takes food safety and quality issues very seriously and is committed to uphold a high level of food safety standards.
"We have since been in contact with the supplier, and understand that checks on existing batches do not reveal any anomalies.
"Nonetheless, we appeal for the reader to contact us to provide an actual sample of the product in question to assist in our investigation into the cause of the alleged quality issue.
"We can be reached at our Customer Relations Hotline at 6552 2722 or at email@example.com."


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Hough: Apple May Head to $600, For Real This Time
Were you in line this weekend to get one of the new iPhones? Some nine million people were. That's one reason Jack Hough says that Apple is manufacturing a growth spurt that could send its shares to $600 over the next year. (Photo: Getty)
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... mm ... realizing this past weekend to get one of the new I Phones ... some nine million people were across the globe and that is one reason jackals says that Apple ... the music is manufacturing a growth spurt ... that could send the shares to six hundred dollars over the next year ... see the stock right there for eighty seven climbing up from five hundred mark ... check out there and use a six hundred could be in the seats are using the new phones are a ... lot although I like the old phone but added value in multicolored one year late to the the love child of a ... care bear and a bag of Skittles or something like that I mean let's invite her ... voyeurism okra ... but you know ... they sold nine million phones the first three days ... that compares with five million a year ago now economically very clean comparison because they launch the more countries show the week ended on overall as the credit but the nine billion but it is still a lot of that sold The the higher end market the real key here is that all of these phones contribute positively to company margins they're not giving away the store here so ... you know it's one thing is Apple's cheap all times earnings ... are one Wall Street analysts like look for catalyst positive developments going forward ... we now have won this quarter and next with the phone so you can expect some solid earnings this quarter and because of the delay in some countries begin to get the phones ... that's can spill over into next quarter ... to some other things coming down the road you know ... that there should be a night and I pad introduction around October November of ... last year's model sold okay not great did the big Chris's mom that was open was a little bit chunky ... and people watched the stuff to say that there's one the works now that's the that's a twenty five percent lighter than a person ... that can sell well ... there's a deal in the works between Apple and China Mobile which is the country's largest carrier it doesn't yet have a deal with on ... the day of seven hundred fifty million subscribers that compares with one hundred million for Verizon ... here's a three hundred million Americans are ... so that's a lot of potential for cellphones ... and it's really not too early to begin thinking about the I phone sixteen one analyst it was that it was pouring out that ... he talks with the partisans ... this could be scheduled for in June or July want rather than a fall launch ... and this is the farm is likely to have a bigger screen that's a big selling point terms of reasons to upgrade your phone that's a pretty big ... here's my thoughts so this is a stock that he he he went all the stocks travails writer was seven hundred and with under four hundred briefly at ... this move around alot ... this is still in a wildly profitable company yet ... what used to drive that start making such a momentum stock ... was the reputation of them not only rolling out new products all less chunky died and a slightly bigger sure but any new revolutionary products now I don't see the revolutionary products on the in the immediate future for the company I don't see any either but did you know that's really the key is they don't have to have ... the TV and everyone is expected to have a watch they don't have to have a computerized helmet that dispenses cold beer or anything new ... that would be nice mall got all the extremely night I'll venture out to the daily ... deals with the products that we know about at the company is on a trajectory from good earnings growth to keep in mind ... this company holds cash equal to one third of its market value and it generates about another ten percent each year when you've got a good dividend now I've got share repurchase ... I think that demand is going way higher in coming years and I think the stock will rise to me ... it's a cheap starting point for investors and to get the idea is this a value higher than me is while we talked to ... Jack L thank you very much thankful


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The Amazon Prime Membership price is increasing in the United States of America for the third time in history. Amazon announced the news along with its fourth-quarter financial results.
Amazon Prime is used by over 200 million people. It allows for free two-day shipping of Amazon items, access to streaming libraries of film, TV shows, music, and much more.
The last increment was in 2018 when the price jumped from $99 to $119 for the yearly subscribers.
Annual membership of the Amazon Prime Membership Price is set to increase to $139 per year instead of the current price which is $119 per year. The monthly membership will also move from the previous $12.99 per month to $14.99 per month.
On February 18, 2022, Amazon will be releasing the new prices which will affect both the new and existing clients. Even though the new prices will be released on February 18th, the already existing customers will only see the change a bit later on March 25, 2022.
In simple terms, if you are not an Amazon Prime yet, but would love to enjoy the current price, you should try your best to sign up before February 18 to save $20. If you are currently a Prime member and your yearly renewal will happen before March 25, you’ll get one more year at the current $119 price. Next time, though, you’ll see a $139 renewal.
This is only the third time the Amazon Prime Membership price increased in the US. Originally, Prime membership was $79, a price that lasted nearly a decade. In 2014, the company increased the price for the first time to $99. In 2018, it increased the price again to $119, where it’s stayed for the past four years.
Read Also: Facebook’s Daily Active Users Dropped For The First Time In History
Judging from the trend, it looks like Amazon is planning to increase pricing for Prime by $20 every four years or so. However, in its earnings report, the company pointed to “the continued expansion of Prime member benefits as well as the rise in wages and transportation costs” as the reasoning behind today’s increase announcement.
So far, the price increase appears to only affect customers in the United States. However, it is possible other areas of the world could see changes at some point in the future.
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- Business of Brands
- 1 min read
Samsung users most satisfied with the brand: CMR
When it comes to smartphones, Samsung's consumers are most satisfied (97 per cent) followed by Lava (94 per cent) while 98 per cent Xiaomi users were happy with their phones' battery life...
According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), 98 per cent Samsung and 98 per cent Oppo users rated their phones the highest.
Mobile phone brands, including Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and one domestic brand -- Lava have been ranked highly by key stakeholders, on various parameters, such as brand loyalty, advocacy, preferences, product features, pricing, distribution and promotion.
Read Also: Samsung Mobiles tops consumer-focused brand list: Report
"If we were to look, beyond tier-1 cities, more and more Indians are coming online and getting connected. They put a premium on intangible factors, such as trust and reliability from their mobile phones. Similarly, for retailers, its factors such as consumer pull to timely pay-outs, that matter the most," Satya Mohanty, Head-User Research Practice at CMR, said in a statement.
"While it is a given that the Korean and Chinese brands rule the hypercompetitive Indian mobile market, what is fascinating is how major Indian brands -- MILK, are no longer in the fray, with the strong exception of one dominant player, Lava," added Mohanty.
When it comes to feature phones, Samsung's consumers rank it the highest for reliability (97 per cent), followed by Lava (93 per cent).
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Embracing the Cheerios effect
Inspired by the need for connection, the brand - for the first time - is rolling out a masterbrand campaign for all seven lines of those floaty little Os.
For the first time in its long history, General Mills is giving Cheerios a single voice.
The CPG company has unveiled a new masterbrand campaign that spans all seven lines of the cereal brand, which together represent a 14% share of the market.
The branding is built around the concept of connection, says Jason Doolan, director of marketing, cereal, General Mills, and is inspired by the “Cheerios effect.”
An actual scientific term named after the cereal, the Cheerios effect occurs when small objects floating in liquid are drawn together.
“The Cheerios effect is a perfect metaphor for what people do in life as well,” says Glen Hunt, chief transformational officer and CCO at Cossette, which created the campaign. “[There is] this idea that at our very core, we are these simple little Os.”
The campaign soft-launched in September with a 15-second teaser commercial that features Cheerios coming together in a bowl, explaining the effect.
In October, the brand will ramp up its efforts, with new longer-form spots rolling out on TV and online. The floating Cheerios continue, but are overlaid with voiceovers of people telling stories of connection with loved ones. For example “Lisa and Annie” tells the story of cousins who struggled to connect growing up, but found a way in adulthood. The camera pans out to show that Annie is deaf, and the pair communicates via sign language.
The campaign will drive people online where they will be encouraged to share their own tales of connection. It will roll out across all the brand’s touchpoints, from in-store to digital. Updated packaging (featuring explanations of the new masterbrand positioning layered on top of the existing package) will also roll out in the fall, helping explain the new positioning. The campaign will be in market until spring 2015.
“In the world of features and benefits, the yellow box of Cheerios was very simple and pure. Honey Nut Cheerios provided more flavour and indulgence and attracted a different consumer,” Doolan says. “So we built a 14% share in the category by respecting what’s unique about each business. But at the same time, you can’t deny the fact that they’re all a simple, floaty little O.”
Each individual line will maintain its own brand identity, Doolan says, and individual brand communication (such as Honey Nut Cheerios’ Bee mascot) will still be used occasionally to help drive specific brand targets. But he says they are still very early in the planning process, and the new masterbrand push will take up the majority of the media spend in the coming months. This new positioning will become the brand’s core messaging, designed to lift the entire line.
The cereal category has been stagnant to declining, Doolan adds. On-the-go meals and QSRs have been taking away share from the cereal space, prompting the brand’s deep dive.
The decision was made back in the winter to build the masterbrand campaign around shared values with Canadians. “Before the Cheerios effect [inspiration], we were spending some time on the issue of connection,” he says. “We live in an increasingly disconnected society. With all the technology available to us, real human connection is on the decline. But when we looked at the heritage of the brand, we’ve always had a theme [of connection] behind the subset of Cheerios, whether it’s a toddler and her mother, two children playing or a young couple. We believe that by sharing stories of connection we can inspire people to come closer together.”


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ICANN has started termination proceedings on Domain Services Rotterdam, a Dutch registrar, for failure to pay accreditation fees.
The company owes ICANN $5,118.83 in dues but has failed to pay up despite breach notices dating back to May, according to an ICANN termination notice (pdf)
Domain Services does not have any gTLD domains under management, so no registrants will be affected by the termination, which is due to kick in November 21.
The registrar was accredited in March this year.
ICANN has suspended the accreditation of Korean registrar Dotname Korea over failures to comply with Whois accuracy rules.
The company was told this week that it will lose the ability to sell names for three months.
“No new registrations or inbound transfers will be accepted from 7 October 2014 through 5 January 2015,” ICANN compliance chief Maguy Serad told the company (pdf).
The suspension follows breach notices earlier in the year pertaining to Dotname’s failure to show that it was responding adequately to Whois inaccuracy complaints.
Other breaches of the Whois-related parts of the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement were also alleged.
The company has until December 16 to show compliance of face the possibility of termination.
ICANN has approved Moniker’s request for a partial waiver of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement based on European privacy law, despite the fact that the registrar is based in the US.
The data retention waiver for Moniker was one of a few granted to members of the KeyDrive group of registrars that were approved by ICANN yesterday.
KeyDrive is based in Luxembourg, but the waiver request was granted because complying with the 2013 RAA could violate German privacy law and Moniker’s data is stored in Germany.
Registrar’s technical backend services provider as well as data storage and collection occur on servers hosted and operated in Germany, and is subject to German law. Accordingly, ICANN has determined that it is appropriate to grant Registrar a data retention waiver
Group members Key-Systems AG (a German company) Key-Systems LLC (an American company) also received waivers yesterday.
InternetX, part of Germany-based United Internet, and http.net Internet also had their requests approved.
The waiver process was introduced because the 2013 RAA requires registrars to store customer data long after their domains expire, which registrars’ lawyers say forces them to break local laws.
An EU directive implemented in many European countries says that companies cannot store personal data for longer than it is needed for the purpose for which is was collected.
If you have an account at NameCheap, now might be a good time to think about changing your password.
According to the registrar, hackers based in Russia are using a haul of a reported 4.5 billion username/password combinations to attempt to break into its customers’ accounts.
Some attempts have been successful, NameCheap warned.
The attackers are using credentials stolen from third-party sources in a large-scale, automated attempt to log in to user accounts, disguised as regular users, the company said in a blog post.
The vast majority of these login attempts have been unsuccessful as the data is incorrect or old and passwords have been changed. As a precaution, we are aggressively blocking the IP addresses that appear to be logging in with the stolen password data. We are also logging these IP addresses and will be exporting blocking rules across our network to completely eliminate access to any Namecheap system or service, as well as making this data available to law enforcement.
While the vast majority of these logins are unsuccessful, some have been successful. To combat this, we’ve temporarily secured the Namecheap accounts that have been affected and are currently contacting customers involved requesting they improve the security for these accounts.
Affected users have been emailed, the company said.
NameCheap suspects the attack is linked to a reported cache of 1.2 billion unique username/password combinations amassed by a hacker group from databases vulnerable to SQL injection.
The registrar pointed out that its own systems haven’t been hacked. Customers should only be vulnerable if they use the same username and password at NameCheap as they use on other sites.
Telefonica Brasil, part of the massive Telefonica group of telecoms companies, has lost its registrar accreditation after failing to pay its ICANN fees.
The company, which had revenue last year of $14.6 billion, is facing termination of its Registrar Accreditation Agreement over the pitiful sum of $3,082.12.
It’s also embarrassing because Telefonica is applying for the new gTLD .vivo, its consumer brand in Brasil, which will require it to sign a Registry Agreement with ICANN.
I don’t think the loss of the RAA affects the company’s ability to get its gTLD contracted and delegated.
According to ICANN (pdf), Telefonica also failed to comply with the Registrar Information Specification, a pretty basic rule in the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement requiring registrars to provide their address and names of officers and any parent companies.
The company has no gTLD names under management, so registrants will not be affected by the termination, which will take effect September 25.
ICANN sent its initial breach notice in July, but Telefonica did not comply before the August deadline. It also received a breach notice over an unpaid $10,000 bill a year ago.


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Here are this week’s top headlines on startups, entrepreneurship, innovation and tech around Africa.
Re: Next billion users: Google is not relenting on its bid to capture the next billion internet users. The internet giant has just launched an app targeted primarily at emerging markets. "Datally", they call it and what it does is very simple -- prevent other apps from wasting your precious mobile data. Read more on Techpoint.
Even more African unicorns. According to MyBroadband, "three of Africa’s largest telecommunication tower companies plan to pursue share sales in either London or New York early next year, taking advantage of high industry valuations to fund expansion". Read more on MyBroadband.
Naspers' financial health. Naspers is the South African-based multinational internet and media group behind well-known companies like MultiChoice (DStv), SimilarWeb and Konga. Over the past six months leading up to September 30, Naspers recorded a 39% revenue growth year on year, with 82% of that coming from business outside South Africa. Read more on Innovation Village.
DStv and GOtv subscribers on the rise. Still based on the Naspers report, MultiChoice saw an increase in DStv subscriber base to 6.6m South Africa and 2.6m in the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa. But no other platform saw more growth than GOtv, which grew to 3m subscribers. Read more on TechCentral.
Kenya launches new country-level domain. Kenya has introduce the .ke country-level domain which brings to life the possibility of custom domains such as ni.ke, mi.ke and bi.ke. Read more on Techweez.


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On the occasion of Emirati Women’s Day this year, IHG Hotels & Resorts hosted a session to discuss and recognise the journey of six prominent Emirati women across various professional fields.
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has successfully concluded its ‘Sharjah Summer 2021 Campaign’ with a huge turnout of visitors who availed the wide range of promotions, amazing experiences, and exclusive offers in Sharjah’s luxury hotels to spend their summer vacation.
Dubai Airports, operator of the world's busiest international airport, Dubai International (DXB), has for the first time collaborated with the UAE's Federal Youth Authority (FYA) to create the Dubai Airports Youth Council.
According to the latest Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the Middle East, research analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) state at the end of the second quarter (Q2) of this year, the hotel construction pipeline in the Middle East declined once again to 531 projects/152,448 rooms.
Expedia Group Media Solutions, the global travel advertising platform connecting marketers with hundreds of millions of travellers across the Expedia Group brand, today released its Q2 2021 Travel Recovery Trend Report. The quarterly report combines Expedia Group first-party data and custom research with actionable insights to help travel marketers on their road to recovery.
Leading independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has announced the launch of its hotel Innovation Lab to help drive innovation in the travel, tourism and hospitality as the industry recovers post pandemic.
In line with its commitment to give back to the community, the teams from Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman, Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman and Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche held a blood donation drive.
Jazeera Airways recently took delivery of its seventh Airbus A320neo aircraft from Airbus in Toulouse, France.
Majid Al Futtaim, a leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia has opened the doors of the eagerly awaited Mall of Oman in Muscat.
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) was recently awarded the ‘Best Airport in the World’ title at the renowned Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.


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Pinch A Penny Awards Top Franchise Business Honor
Pinch A Penny Pool Patio and Spa, the largest pool service, retail and repair franchise business, just announced that franchisees Susan and Chip Campbell will receive the brand's Founder's Award for 2019. This award recognizes those leading franchisees who are a stellar example of the brand's commitment to value, quality, service and its family values. The Campbells received the high honor at the pool company's yearly expo in Orlando, Florida.
Chip and Susan Campbell acquired their first location in Tampa, Florida, two decades ago. Since then, they have transformed three under-performing locations into some of the brand's top stores by volume. This husband-and-wife franchisee team have two stores they own and operate in Sarasota and Lakeland, Florida, currently.
Brand CEO and President John Thomas praised the couple, saying their willingness to help other franchisees grow, their work ethics and their investment in the development of their employees are exactly what the Founder's Award embodies. According to the CEO and President, the success of the Campbells is a testament to the potential for success for those who take advantage of the brand's franchise opportunities.
Pinch A Penny has held its expo every year for more than three decades, and the 2019 event was attended by 99 percent of the people in its system. Each year, the expo brings together the brand's 250-plus franchises along with their family members and teams. Over the three days of the expo, the brand hosts networking events and educational sessions, in addition to a dinner in which top-performing franchisees are honored. The event ends with a day-long trade show with vendors demonstrating services, products and tools in the service, retail and pool industries.
Established in 1975, Pinch a Penny has since grown to over 250 stores across Texas and the Southeast. This brand has been honored with many top franchise rankings, including the Franchise Times Top 200 and Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list. Currently, this pool franchise brand has franchise opportunities available in many markets, including Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina. The initial investment for this brand ranges from $249,100 and $589,800, which includes a $37,500 franchise fee.
Scooter’s Coffee Franchise Business Secures Financing
Scooter’s Coffee, the coffee franchise business that has had a strong wave of growth nationwide over the last year, has just announced it is partnering with ApplePie Capital to offer existing franchisees.
The Doc Popcorn-Dippin' Dots Snack Franchise Businesses Pointing to Philadelphia
Doc Popcorn and Dippin' Dots units in the area, including in the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Cherry Hill Mall, the two companies are focused on expanding the co-brand concept in the city.
Chem-Dry's Pan India Franchise Business Agreement
Floor and carpet cleaning franchise business leader Chem-Dry has just announced the signing of a Master Franchise Agreement with Arunabh Sinha, an entrepreneur, for Pan India.


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You have searched for "Phase 2"
Showing 51-60 of 1043
WHILE water supply to households in numerous parts of Klang Valley has resumed with intermittent or constant supply following disruptions over the past week, consumers in certain areas are now dealing with another related problem: dirty and putrid water streaming out of their taps.
ANGER, frustration and confusion were the order of the day when consumers in parts of Klang Valley woke up to dry taps yesterday.
PASIR GUDANG: Those wanting to purchase affordable homes in the state should ensure that they are adequately prepared with all the necessary documentation and finances before applying for loans.
ALTHOUGH residents are relieved that next week’s scheduled four-day water supply interruption has been called off, they were caught unawares by Friday’s cut.


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A brand new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) says India’s consumption market is again on the expansion monitor after a 12 months, having been disrupted by the pandemic. Whereas development projection for the consumption market was made earlier than Covid-19 struck, BCG says that the financial system has utterly unlocked and there was an uptick in demand throughout classes.
It says India’s consumption market will triple by 2030, although there may very well be a lag of 1-2 years induced by the pandemic. The consumption spurt shall be pushed by urbanisation, larger disposable incomes, and nuclear households.
BCG additionally notes that retailers should develop new methods to tide over challenges which will emerge within the post-Covid world.


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Consumer goods companies last year started hiking prices in response to rising raw material costs and labor shortages due to the pandemic.
Consumer Goods Companies
For most food companies, out-of-home consumption accounts for 20-25% of their total sales. The segment had taken a severe beating during the first two waves of the pandemic...
Brand Equity looks into what brands are doing for people in rural India in the post-Covid world...


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By Cara Alwill
Say cheese! Lady Gaga has partnered with Polaroid to roll out the first Gaga-themed products by the end of this year. A spokesperson for Polaroid told the Wall Street Journal that Gaga would be developing (get it?) "imaging products" that include both the company's signature instant-film cameras as well as digital devices, but that’s as far as the details go so far.
Gaga, who will make an appearance at the Polaroid booth at the 2010 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas today, said in a statement, "I am so proud to announce my new partnership with Polaroid as the creative director and inventor of specialty projects. "The Haus of Gaga has been developing prototypes in the vein of fashion/technology/photography innovation — blending the iconic history of Polaroid and instant film with the digital era — and we are excited to collaborate on these ventures with the Polaroid brand. Lifestyle, music, art, fashion: I am so excited to extend myself behind the scenes as a designer, and to — as my father puts it — finally have a real job."
Lady Gaga has some other partnerships under her belt as well. She recently teamed up with Dr. Dre to create Heartbeats headphones for Beats by Dr. Dre. But this partnership seems the most ironic for the “Paparazzi” singer. Looks like she’ll be in control of the camera now!
What do you think of Gaga and Polaroid teaming up?


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The four-day international food and beverage exhibition, titled “Eighth Selangor International Expo”, has started in Malaysia. For the first time, Bangladesh participated in the fair along with 23 other countries from around the world. The Bangladesh pavilion has allocated free stalls for Bangladeshis with special significance.
The fair is part of the International Business Conference of Global Brands and Industrial Entrepreneurs organized under the auspices of the Selangor State Government.
For all the latest news, follow the Daily Star’s Google News channel.
Selangor State Crown Prince Tengku Amir Shah inaugurated the conference and trade fair at the KLCC Convention Center in the capital Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, October 6, 2022.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony as the chief guest, Chief Minister of Selangor State, YB Dato’ Seri Amirudin bin Shari, “Through SIBS 2022, Selangor is taking the lead in supporting the economic recovery and reinvention, not just for Selangor, but for Malaysia and ASEAN friends.”
In the Bangladesh pavilion, Bangladeshi cuisine restaurant Bachelor Point, Pitha Ghar and Alo Chhaya presented traditional Bangladeshi dishes. In addition, food and beverage products of PRAN and Monnu Ceramic Tableware products (dinner set, tea set, coffee cup, bowl) are also on display.
Many Malaysian visitors, including diplomats, industrialists, investors and expatriates from participating countries, visited the Bangladeshi stand.
Bangladesh High Commission Counselor (Consular) GM Russell Rana, First Secretary (Commercial) Pranab Kumar Ghosh and Bangladesh and Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) Director Mahbub Alam also came to the pavilion on opening day.
Pranab Kumar Ghosh, said: “Apart from one million expatriate Bangladeshis, there is a demand for our food products among migrants from other Asian countries. It is expected that the export market for food products Bangladeshi people are still increasing thanks to this fair”.
On the opening day, Brishti Khatun, a Bangladeshi student from the Culinary of Sunway University in Malaysia, and Dil Afroz Nahar from Bangladesh attended a masterclass in Bangladeshi cuisine demonstration and cooking.
They presented different information about Bangalee cuisines and food quality to the visitors.
Dil Afroz said, “Traditional cuisine, one of the main ingredients of traditional Bengali hospitality, has been famous for a long time. But on the international scene, the presentation was not so. We can do it thanks to this fair.
“I am delighted to have been able to present a different identity of Bangladesh on the international stage today,” said Brishti Khatun.
The fair will remain open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until October 9. No entrance fee will be charged to visitors. The Bangladesh High Commission has invited expatriates to visit the “Bangladesh Pavilion”.
Mentionably, this largest business summit and trade show has 906 booths from 623 companies from 24 countries, setting a new record.
The host state government of Selangor expects over 30,000 investors to visit the fair this year.
Dato Teng Chang Khim, adviser for industry and commerce of the State Council, hoped to achieve the target of 10 billion ringgit in foreign investment through this fair after the corona outbreak.


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U.S. Bound Travelers from Mexico and Canada Air Travel Screening Requirements
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that starting on July 29, 2017, new enhanced screening measures will be in place. The additional screening applies to all US bound travelers who board flights in Mexico and Canada, regardless of citizenship.
The new air travel security measures will be required at approximately 280 airports around the world. Any electronic devices larger than a smartphone must be charged and removed from its protective cover inspection.
The new air travel screening measures include
- Enhanced overall passenger screening
- Increased screening of personal electronic devices
- Increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas
- The use of advanced technology
- Expanded canine screening
- Establishment of additional pre-clearance locations
- Electronic device inspections
As it did with the US bound flights, new requirements may be imposed upon airports or airlines that do not comply by the deadline.
Due to the new screening measures, Air Canada and WestJet advise US bound passengers to arrive at their departure gate at least two hours prior to departure. This is to make sure travelers have enough time to comply with the security measures and board their flights on time.
In March 2017, the United States Transportation Security Administration ended baggage and travel restrictions that required travelers from certain Muslim countries on direct US bound flights. Those restrictions included the requirement to check electronic devices larger than smartphones as checked baggage.
Then in June 2017, with an executive order, DHS announced a 90-day travel ban on travelers from Libya, Syria, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan. The ban applies to all US bound travelers unless they could prove a close relationship with a US citizen.


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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia follows through on a commitment to facilitating cross-border trade on a blockchain.
On December 26, officials at Saudi Arabia’s customs office announced the completion of a blockchain pilot that links the nation’s cross-border trade platform, FASAH, to the blockchain-powered global shipping platform TradeLens. The pilot program is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy, develop its digital infrastructure, attract international investors, and become a logistical hub.
The TradeLens platform was unveiled in August 2018 by technology giant IBM and Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk. At that time, the program boasted 94 different participants and had already recorded 154 million shipping events.
The intended result of the integration of FASAH with TradeLens is to “ensure immutability, traceability, reduced reconciliation, auditability, and compliance” for services related to trading goods across borders. Blockchain technology is a key component of achieving these goals; Saudi Customs has been exploring use cases for blockchain “to create a real solution for a fragmented peer-to-peer business ecosystem” and solve problems inherent to blockchain technology, such as scalability and data interoperability.
In its announcement, Saudi Customs expressed the desire to be a key player in the advancement of blockchain technology adoption:
“By being an early adopter to the blockchain, Saudi Customs is committed to educate, experiment and extend to the broader ecosystem by setting realistic expectations, experimenting, understanding the decentralized nature of this technology and preparing to migrate away from the traditional platform technology.”
Last February, blockchain company Ripple announced it had agreed with Saudi Arabia’s central bank to use its xCurrent software to facilitate the settlement of cross-border payments.
Nathan Graham is a full-time staff writer for ETHNews. He lives in Sparks, Nevada, with his wife, Beth, and dog, Kyia. Nathan has a passion for new technology, grant writing, and short stories. He spends his time rafting the American River, playing video games, and writing.
ETHNews is committed to its Editorial Policy
Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter @ETHNews_ to receive the latest Saudi Arabia, Saudi customs or other Ethereum business and finance news.


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FTSE 100 Expected to Open Higher After Latest UK Employment Data
0642 GMT - The FTSE 100 is seen opening higher as investors assess the latest U.K. employment data. IG futures data show the London index rising 18 points. The U.K. unemployment rate was little changed at 3.8% in the three months to June while the number of people in employment increased 160,000 over the quarter and average earnings excluding bonuses rose 4.7%, according to the Office for National Statistics. "Overall, today's data has shown once again that the labour market is as tight as it can be but the important thing to note is the wage growth," AvaTrade analyst Naeem Aslam writes. The labor market has been described as extremely constrained recently with many available positions, he says. (email@example.com)
AstraZeneca's Lynparza Supplemental New Drug Application Granted Priority Review by FDA
AstraZeneca PLC said Tuesday that its supplemental new drug application, or sNDA, for its cancer treatment, Lynparza in combination with abiraterone, has been granted a priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Abrdn Sells GBP225M Shareholding in HDFC Asset Management
abrdn PLC said Tuesday that it has sold 12.8 million shares in HDFC Asset Management Co. for 225 million pounds ($271.2 million), with the proceeds to be used for general corporate purposes.
Sage Group to Buy Lockstep for Undisclosed Sum to Drive Growth
Sage Group PLC said Tuesday that it has agreed to buy cloud accounting technology provider Lockstep for an undisclosed amount to accelerate the growth strategy.
Watches of Switzerland 1Q Revenue Rose Amid Luxury Demand; Backs FY 2023 Views
Watches of Switzerland Group PLC said Tuesday that its performance for the first quarter of fiscal 2023 was robust as demand for luxury products continues to increase, and reiterated its previous guidance.
Ted Baker Agrees to $254.3 Mln Takeover by Reebok Owner Authentic Brands
Ted Baker PLC said Tuesday that it has agreed to a 211 million pound ($254.3 million) final cash offer from Juicy Couture, Reebok and David Beckham brand owner Authentic Brands Group LLC.
Contact: London NewsPlus; firstname.lastname@example.org
(END) Dow Jones Newswires


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Angola: Inflation falls to 28-month low in August
Inflation came in at 19.8% in August, which was down from July’s 21.4%. August’s reading marked the lowest inflation rate since March 2020. Elevated oil prices in recent months have strengthened the kwanza, which kept imported inflation at bay. Additionally, fuel and food subsidies helped ease domestic prices pressures.
Finally, consumer prices increased 0.76% in August over the previous month, slowing down from the 0.81% increase logged in July. August’s result marked the weakest reading since April 2015.


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The 3rd China Digital Summit
Will be Held in Fuzhou from October 12th to 14th
Web Editor:International daily
The site of press conference. Zou Jiahua/Photo
[Fuzhou Evening News] On the 17th, the State Council Information Office of China held a press conference on the preparation of the 3rd China Digital Summit. The 3rd China Digital Summit will be held in Fuzhou from October 12th to 14th this year. According to reports, at present, the preparations for the summit are well underway. Many new features and highlights will be presented to the guests on the summit.
In order to comply with the online exhibition trend and keep the epidemic prevention and control, this summit will set up a online summit platform, which will simultaneously show the pomp of the summit online. The Production Exhibition will be revealed online to fully demonstrate the latest achievements of cloud computing, VR, artificial intelligence and other fields. At the same time, new technologies such as instant face-scanning and digital identity certification will be fully used during the summit to further improve the digital services in the conference. A number of digital improvements such as full coverage of 5G network venues, subway face-scanning, and intelligent parking will be unveiled during the summit, allowing guests to experience the infinite charm of digital society. (Zhao Xinyue)


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About the game
Rogue Company is a third-person multiplayer shooter game that features cross-play between the eligible platforms - Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
Rogue Company Articles
Rogue Company, shooter by Hi-Rez Studios announced for 2020
Hi-Rez Studios have announced a new shooter that is slated for a 2020 release, named Rogue Company. It will be a third-person shooter with crossplay from the get go, available on all mainstream platforms and exclusive to Epic Games Store.


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On the fifth of the next three months, Terra Virtua will host exhibitions featuring people from the 'Heroes and Villains' collection.
Artist Jim Wheat will release the entirety of his new crypto-art collection, Heroes and Villains, on NFT marketplace Terra Virtua. The ‘Donald Trump’ series will be the first to drop on Donald Trump’s birthday via an online exhibition on June 14.
On the fifth of the next three months (July, August, September), Terra Virtua will host exhibitions for artwork featuring people from the Heroes and Villains collection. The collection will feature a number of well-known names such as Jordan Belfort, Real Wolf of Wall Street, and Lewis Hamilton, as well as everyday people.
To conclude the collection, Jim’s 50th NFT Coffee Table Book will be released on October 5, to celebrate Jim Wheat’s milestone birthday. The NFT book will contain the entire collection of all 20 Heroes and Villains, also available in three versions.
Commenting on the release, Jim Wheat said: “It’s so exciting to be able to release my artwork as NFTs for the first time with Terra Virtua. My artwork is all about expressing myself and being able to animate certain elements really helps bring my creations to life. I’m hoping that through NFTs, art becomes more accessible for all and I’m fascinated to see what the future holds for the industry!”
Jen Naiff, Head of Marketing and Digital Growth at Terra Virtua, added: “We’re thrilled to showcase not only the ‘Trump series’ but Jim Wheat’s entire Heroes & Villains collection. Jim’s whole ethos is about creating art for disruptive times and those times are happening now as NFTs continue to disrupt the way we create, consume and think about art.”


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The photographer Charlie Xia showcases a rare, unique perspective on China's landscape.
Traditional, colorful, oil-paper umbrellas clustered like flowers in Luang Prabang, Laos on May 10, 2014. (Attila Terbócs/ Flickr)
A large group of people trek carrying personal belongings through Ladakh, India on July 10, 2014. (Christopher Michel/ Flickr)
In remote northwestern China, Kazakh herdsmen complete a long migration each year through the Gobi Desert.
This giant panda, native to south central China, strolls through a park in Chengdu province, China on May 27, 2014. (Andrew and Annemarie/Flickr)
Three schoolboys walk and talk on a street in Nagore, India on May 1, 2014. (Nagoor Dargah/Flickr)
Two little Chinese boys play with beach sand in Sanya, Hainan Province, China on June 1, 2014. (Hai yizhe/Flickr)
Most of the fireworks exploding in the U.S. skies this weekend will have come from China, the world's largest producer and exporter.
Locals peer out of their homes as the sun slowly breaks the mist in Hangzhou, China on June 8th, 2014. (Katarina Ahlner/Flickr)
Rush hour takes on a new twist in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as the streets are dominated by two wheeled vehicles on May 5, 2014. (hermitsmoores/Flickr)
From a distance, the colorful buildings lining a valley look like a pack of boxes in Gangtok, Sikkim on May 8, 2014. (Kartik MS/Flickr)


text: X-Bionic has been honored for the fifth consecutive time as the “most innovative brand” at the Plus X Awards in Cologne, Germany, an international innovation prize celebrating the most innovative brands in 23 categories including technology, sports and lifestyle. This is the tenth year of the awards. The Swiss high-tech sportswear company, led by designer Bodo Lambertz, was voted for by a jury of trade journalists and personalities from 25 different sectors, supported by the testing institutes Hansecontrol Cert and Tüv Süd Product Service. The four winning products by X-Bionic were the Effektor Women, Precuperation/Recovery Suit, XSocks Trekking Merino, and X-Socks Speed Two. Products were judged on design, quality, functionality, ease of use, ergonomics and environmental aspects.


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Nutmeg is a UK-based online investment management startup backed by the likes of Tim Draper that intends to pull off something of a bank job by disrupting the world of financial investing. And it has some heavyweights to help it. It launched last year after raising $5.3 million from Pentech, Tim Draper, Spotify board member Klaus Hommels and Armada Investment Group chairman Daniel Aegerter. Clearly the idea is to capitalise on consumer disillusionment with banks and existing investment models. Nick Hungerford, Nutmeg’s founder and CEO spoke to us about the launch and what Nutmeg is trying to achieve in making investing as transparent and democratic as possible.
With a minimum of £1,000 ($1,612) invested, Nutmeg advisors manage your portfolio and invest the money on your behalf, up to your own level of risk. In the UK this market is worth £500 billion, and while traditional investment managers pay 1.36 percent commission in fees, Nutmeg’s charges start at 1 percent and go as low as 0.3 percent.
It could certainly spice up competition amongst some of the financial world’s biggest players.


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Market analyst firm CMR has just released its analysis of the tablet space in India for Q2, 2019. According to the report, it looks like Lenovo is on the top in terms of the market share. The report also notes that this comes even after the overall tablet market shrunk by 20 percent. CMR noted the decline while comparing the total number of devices in the market between Q2 2019 and Q2 2018. Also Read - Lenovo Yoga S940 premium laptop, Yoga A940 all-in-one desktop launched in India; prices start from Rs 139,990
Lenovo tablet market share detailsAlso Read - Lenovo IdeaPad C340 Review: Best back-to-school laptop?
The report also revealed that Lenovo Tab 4, Tab 8 and Tab 7 were at the top of the chart. These three tablets account about 70 percent of the total Lenovo tablets in the market. Kanika Jain responsible for Client Device Research in the Industry Intelligence Group at CMR issued a statement. Jain went on to add, The tablet market continued to decline, with hardly any noticeable trends in replacements or upgrades. The new user addition is also minuscule due to the absence of any particular defining feature. Lenovo continued to lead in the quarter, on the back of a strong showing by its popular tablet models. Also Read - Lenovo Tab V7 with 6.9-inch display, 5180mAh battery launched in India: Price, specifications, availability
Talking about other Tablet makers in the market, Samsung came on the second spot and iBall on the third spot. The report also noted that Lenovo experienced growth in the segment even without launching a new product in Q2. Talking about numbers, Lenovo accounts for 32 percent market share in the tablet segment. Samsung holds 17 percent, iBall accounts to about 15 percent and Apple has 14 percent market share.
It also stated that the iPad Mini-Series and the new Apple iPad Air helped Apple increase its market share and reach the 14 percent mark. The report also predicted that Samsung could increase its market share with the launch of its latest Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2019. CMR added that the tablet segment is likely to register a healthy 11 percent growth this year as compared to 2018.


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To Infinite, and beyond! Today, Microsoft is hosting an hour-long showcase. According to Xbox’s Aaron Greenberg, the event will laser-focus on upcoming games for Xbox platforms. That means we likely won’t get any hard info about the Xbox Series X price or release date. But hey, at least we get to see what Master Chief’s been up to. Who knows—we might even see his face. (Probably not.)
The showcase will stream live on YouTube starting at 12:00 ET, preceded by a pre-show starting at 11:00 ET. Plop down and watch the English-language stream below. Or, if you’re looking for streams in other languages, those can be found over at Xbox’s official YouTube channel.


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SAN MATEO, CA: Biz360 has enhanced the capabilities of its Market360 product by expanding it globally. The new version includes 50,000 print titles and 1,000 online sources from around the world, which Market360 analyzes in their native languages. So far, Oracle, Hyperion, and McData have adopted the new product. With its global client base, Biz360 found that 25%-30% of their coverage was coming from outside the US.
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TOKYO: Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said today that it was important to look not just at price moves of individual goods but at the... ...http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/bojs-kuroda-says-must-look-at-long-term-price-trend/articleshow/46052033.cms
TOKYO: Japan's retail sales rose for a sixth straight month in December, providing evidence of a gradual recovery in private consumption as the... ...http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/japan-retail-sales-rise-for-six-straight-month-in-sign-of-recovery/articleshow/46050405.cms
Japan Inc has changed too much for traditional monetary and fiscal incentives to work on their own. So the ripest targets for the Bank of Japan... ...http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/william-pesek-japan-s-hope-may-be-its-hinterlands-115012801498_1.html
Last week, the central bank sharply cut its inflation forecast, and Governor Haruhiko Kuroda conceded it may take longer than expected to hit the... ...http://economictimes.feedsportal.com/c/33041/f/534034/s/42bc7570/sc/2/l/0Leconomictimes0Bindiatimes0N0Cnews0Cinternational0Cbusiness0Cboj0Emay0Ehave0Eleeway0Ein0Emeeting0Einflation0Etarget0Ejapans0Eeconomics0Eminister0Carticleshow0C460A255910Bcms/story01.htm
6:21am IST TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's exports grew the most in a year in December, helped by a weak yen and pickup in overseas demand led by... ...http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/us-japan-economy-trade-idINKBN0KZ01420150126
The inflation-oriented Abenomics is...


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NEWS - Thursday, September 16, 2010
Radiant Silvergun Announced for XBLA
Microsoft announced today that Radiant Silvergun will be released on Xbox Live Arcade in 2011.
The classic shooter will be joining Ikaruga, which was released back in 2008. Radiant Silvergun has long been one of the most highly sought after shooters on the Sega Saturn, regularly fetching high prices on eBay and other auction sites.
Treasure and Microsoft have wanted to bring Radiant Silvergun to XBLA for a while now. Back in 2008, Treasure president Masato Maegawa told 1UP that they wanted to bring the game over, but not as a simple port. He mentioned that Ikaruga was originally supposed to be a six-month project, but that they company spent some two years polishing it.
True to his word, the Xbox 360 port will feature online co-op, downloadable replays and a "secret Ikaruga playing style."
Look for Radiant Silvergun next year.


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State-run China Central Television has called the iPhone’s location-tracking a “national security concern,” The Wall Street Journal reports. The broadcaster criticized the “frequent locations” function in iOS 7; researchers quoted in the report claimed those with access to the data could learn state secrets. It’s noted that CCTV’s broadcasts are very influential in China, though not always accurately representative of the views of the country’s leaders. While Apple only holds a 6 percent share of the Chinese smartphone market, the company has an 80 percent share of the high-end $500+ market, according to research firms.
Apple has had a number of recent issues in China. Last April, Cook publicly apologized for misunderstandings with the company’s warranty policies; Apple made changes to those policies in China. That apology was met with praise from media and China’s Foreign Ministry. Last July saw Apple adding a power adapter page to its Chinese website to help users identify official Apple chargers, following two reported incidents in the country involving shocks from third-party chargers — soon after, the company announced its USB Power Adapter Takeback Program. In October, Apple was criticized for showing too much loyalty to the Chinese government after pulling an app that allowed anonymous browsing.
The iPhone 6 will reportedly feature haptic feedback, according to Chinese site Laoyaoba. A tactile feedback linear motor would allow the phone to send differing, subtle vibrations to users through the touchscreen. Users would also be able to feel vibrations on specific areas of the screen. It’s claimed this new motor would cost two to three times more than the current $0.60 vibration motor featured in the iPhone 5s. Apple did publish a patent application in 2009 relating to haptic display technology, and although it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility, we would consider the inclusion of haptic feedback in the iPhone 6 to be unlikely.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has started shipping its microprocessors to Apple as of this year’s second quarter, The Wall Street Journal reports. There have long been reports of Apple using TSMC for its chips in order to decrease dependence on Samsung, which previously manufactured all the microprocessors for Apple’s smartphones and tablets. It’s unclear how many chips TSMC has shipped thus far; Apple will still use Samsung for some of its microprocessors for now. TSMC and Apple will continue working on “more advanced chips” next year, a source said. A previous report claimed TSMC would make A8 chips for this year’s new Apple devices, and would start producing A9 chips in this year’s third quarter for future iPhones and iPads.
Recent leaks of alleged iPhone 6 parts point to various questionable color options on the upcoming devices. A parts leak on Czech site letemsvetemapplem shows three SIM card trays for the iPhone 6 in what appears to be space gray, silver, and gold, matching the colors of Apple’s iPhone 5s. Although it’s not a surprise that these would be the colors for Apple’s upcoming device, the gold color on the card tray does look a bit darker than the current 5s gold, though that could be due to the way the photo was taken. Also included in the leak are the power flex cable with power button and volume flex cable with mute and volume buttons. Based on the power flex cable, it does seem likely that the position of the power button will be on the side of the phone, as has been rumored and seen in various mockups.
Today, MacRumors posted photos of alleged rear shells for the upcoming 4.7” iPhone 6. The leaks show an unfinished silver shell provided by Moscow company Feld & Volk, and more interestingly, a dark gray rear shell from a separate source. The latter part appears darker than the current space gray color — nearly black, like the original iPhone 5 — but as always, these photos should be taken with a grain of salt.
Apple has updated its Health app in iOS 8 beta 3. The app now uses the M7 chip — currently only found in the iPhone 5s — to track steps, as pointed out by 9to5Mac. A full week of data is added to the app instantly from the M7, similarly to the step tracking app Breeze; users of non-M7 devices can manually input step data. Health can also now track caffeine intake, as caffeine has been added to the app’s nutritional categories, currently requiring manual entry of caffeine in milligrams. A number of already available App Store apps can track caffeine intake.
A little less than three weeks after releasing the second beta of its upcoming iOS 8 software, Apple has released beta 3 to registered developers. We’ll update here with any notable information on what’s included in the new beta.
Update: Apple also released new betas of Apple TV Software, as well as Find My iPhone 4.0 and Find My Friends 4.0. 9to5Mac reports that enhancements in the latest beta include new toggles for Handoff, App Analytics, and upgrading from Documents in the Cloud to iCloud Drive. Some new wallpapers and a few other UI tweaks are also included.
According to a report from IThome.com, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou announced at a recent shareholder meeting that new manufacturing robots are in the final testing stage. The first company to take advantage of the new robots’ capabilities will be Apple, presumably for the iPhone 6. Called “Foxbots,” these robots will cost between $20,000 to $25,000 each, and 10,000 are expected to be deployed. Each robot reportedly has a production capacity of 30,000 units, although it’s not clear what time frame that number speaks to. Foxconn previously announced plans to deploy a million robots on its assembly lines, and has already deployed at least 20,000 robots for other projects.
The Federal Trade Commission has accused T-Mobile of making “hundreds of millions of dollars” through unauthorized “premium” SMS subscriptions offered by third-parties. T-Mobile kept 35 to 40 percent of charges for “content such as flirting tips, horoscope information or celebrity gossip,” which cost users $9.99 per month, the FTC claims. It’s also said that even after T-Mobile was made aware of these fraudulent charges, the carrier sometimes continued to bill customers for the services. A T-Mobile bill excerpt included in the FTC report alleges the carrier included the charges under the vague line of “usage charges.”
The FTC is seeking a court order to prevent T-Mobile from continuing these practices; refunds are also being sought by the commission. T-Mobile has not yet responded to the accusations.
Apple is extending its AppleCare+ purchase window to 60 days starting today, 9to5Mac reports. Previously only available within the first 30 days of purchase, the plan costs $99 for recent iPhone and iPad models and can be purchased in Apple stores or online. Additionally, Apple is discontinuing its AppleCare plan without protection for iPhone and iPad today in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. The company is now only offering the more expensive AppleCare+ plan for those devices.
Apple has released iOS 7.1.2. The update “improves iBeacon connectivity and stability.” Other bug fixes and security updates include a data transfer bug fix, and a fixed issue with data protection class of Mail attachments – it was a known issue that iOS 7.1.1 was not encrypting email attachments within the Mail app. iOS 7.1.2 is available over-the-air or through iTunes.
Recent iPhone 6 mockups feature a basically accurate design, but the antenna breaks will differ from what’s been seen thus far, Nikkei reports. Numerous pictures have shown white stripes connecting the antennas in the iPhone 6 — as seen in the above graphic from Nikkei — but color-contrasting stripes will reportedly not be part of the final design. The stripes are likely a placeholder for another material, potentially glass, but quite possibly Liquidmetal. It’s also noted that the iPhone 6 may contain a curved display. The screen would have a seamless fit with the device’s aluminum shell. [via G for Games]
Audi has announced it will bring Apple’s CarPlay to its cars, to be available “in the first Audi models starting in 2015.” Interestingly, Audi was not introduced as an initial CarPlay partner in March. The announcement notes there is “intensive dialog” between Audi and Apple on CarPlay integration. No specific models were mentioned in the release.
Apple retail stores are now selling and activating T-Mobile and AT&T phones with prepaid plans. The T-Mobile devices must be activated in store with $50 or $70 worth of service, and the offer is limited to one device per customer. 9to5Mac also confirmed AT&T is now selling iPhones with prepaid GoPhone plans. A report earlier this month noted Apple would introduce prepaid and month-to-month plans.
Apple’s upcoming 4.7” and 5.5” iPhones will enter mass production next month and might become available at the same time, Bloomberg reports. The report claims the phones may ship to retailers “around September,” which corroborates some past reports claiming a September release. Bloomberg also notes the 5.5” iPhone is “more complicated” than the 4.7” version, leading to lower production efficiency “that must be overcome before manufacturing volume can be increased.” A number of reports have indicated the 5.5” iPhone would be released after the 4.7” model — but Apple could be pushing for a simultaneous launch, with the larger device debuting with a more limited supply.
Foxconn and Pegatron, two of Apple’s largest manufacturing partners, have begun hiring workers to produce the iPhone 6. The former is recruiting more than 100,000 people, a Chinese continental record, according to reports from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News and Reuters. The bulk of the orders will go to Foxconn, which is said to be responsible for 70 percent of production; Pegatron will handle the rest. High demand is expected, with Pegatron adding 30 percent to its workforce in one mainland factory.
Police officers in New York, London, and San Francisco claim they’re seeing a drop in smartphone theft, and Apple’s Activation Lock may be the reason, The New York Times reports. New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón both believe the Apple “kill switch” is leading to the drop, as police officers in San Francisco and London said iPhone robberies have decreased in their cities by 38 percent and 24 percent, respectively, since Apple released the feature. New York police have also noted a drop in Apple product theft when comparing the first five months of 2014 to the same period in 2013.
Apple’s Activation Lock requires an Apple ID and password before anyone can turn off Find My iPhone, sign out of iCloud, or erase and reactivate a device. Bloomberg reports that Google and Microsoft will soon follow Apple by incorporating a “kill switch” feature into their new operating systems.
T-Mobile has introduced Test Drive, a new program that lets prospective users try out the T-Mobile network for free while using an iPhone 5s. Upon signing up for the program, T-Mobile will send you an iPhone 5s, which can be used for free for seven days to make unlimited calls, texts, downloads, and so forth. After that time, the phone must be returned in good condition to a T-Mobile retail store. The iPhone 5s must be ordered online — it will be delivered by mail and must be signed for by someone 18 or older.
T-Mobile has also announced its Music Freedom plan, which now lets users stream music from any selected streaming service, including iTunes Radio, without counting toward a 4G LTE data allotment. It’s included for free with any Simple Choice rate plan. Additionally, T-Mobile will launch its own streaming service on June 22 — Rhapsody unRadio, an app which offers unlimited streaming with no skip limits and no ads. It’s included with the carrier’s newest Unlimited 4G LTE plans and costs $4 a month for users with other plans.
Apple’s iPhone 6 could contain a barometer and air pressure sensors, according to 9to5Mac. The report claims that new references within Xcode 6 and iOS 8 are dedicated to altitude tracking and will require new Apple hardware. It’s possible that altitude tracking abilities might be incorporated in the new iPads and iWatch, as well. Barometer hardware could track altitude more quickly and accurately than current altitude-measuring apps that work based on GPS and motion chips. References to ambient pressure tracking were also found within iOS 8, meaning that other air pressure sensors within new devices could alert users to changes in the weather.
Apple has released iOS 8 beta 2 to registered developers. The release is available over-the-air through Settings. 9to5Mac reports that a new Apple TV software beta has also been released. We’ll update in the near future with any pertinent information on what’s new and notable within iOS 8 beta 2.
The Unicode Consortium has announced version 7.0 of the Unicode Standard, which includes 2,834 new characters and approximately 250 emoji. Emojipedia has the full list of brief descriptions for the new emoji characters, including Thermometer, Hot Pepper, Derelict House Building, Waving White Flag, Man In Business Suit Levitating, Dagger Knife, Reversed Hand With Middle Finger Extended, and many more. Added Unicode symbols include currency symbols for the Russian ruble and Azerbaijani manat, among many others.
Apple must provide support for the Unicode update to properly represent the emoji in iOS. In March, it was reported that Apple was “working closely” with the Unicode Consortium to include more diverse characters in emoji; it’s unclear whether the Version 7.0 updates were part of that collaboration.


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Australia’s newest luxury brand is hoping slow and steady wins the race.
Infiniti will hit the Australian market with a whimper and not a bang when its two-model line-up of cars goes on sale in three dealerships beginning at the end of August.
Nissan’s luxury brand announced pricing and specifications for its FX SUV and M mid-sized sedan this week as it prepares to take on the established names including Lexus, BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
Infiniti Australia general manager Kevin Snell is keeping his expectations for 2012 sales figures closely guarded but admits this year is about establishing the brand, not selling lots of cars.
“Ultimately our brand and our reputation will be built on the experience of our first customers,” says Snell.
He says the brand will push a customer-focused agenda that will include free 24-hour roadside assistance for all Infiniti owners – that will cover the owner even if they are not driving an Infiniti at the time.
“It’s about covering the customer, not the car,” says Snell.
But while expectations are low initially, Snell has grand hopes of becoming a major force in the local luxury market within the next decade.
He is hoping to grow rapidly in Australia as Nissan ramps up the brand around the world with a range of new or updated Infiniti models.
“It’s not in the short-term or medium-term about volume. It’s about a global long-term vision to become a global player,” Snell says.
The smaller G series coupe and convertible will hit local showrooms by the end of the year before the all-new sedan arrives in late 2013.
Beyond that a compact SUV is in the works for 2014 or 2015, as is an all-new hatch that is being developed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz which should arrive at about the same time.
One new model Snell, and most people at Infiniti, aren’t talking about is a production version of the Emerg-E supecar concept.
Snell wouldn’t be drawn on the likelihood of something inspired by the Emerg-E joining the local line-up anytime soon, despite the company’s attempts to position itself as a performance-focused luxury brand.
Globally the company has yet to commit to putting the car, in any form, into production.
For full details on Infiniti's local line-up including specifications and prices see our separate story.