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Biotechnology could provide a more environmentally sustainable alternative to egg protein production
(News from Nanower) Egg protein is one of the most important protein ingredients in the food industry. A first assessment of the environmental impact of fungal egg white protein production – ovalbumin Trichoderma reesei shows that ovalbumin produced by precision fermentation reduced the need for land use by almost 90% and greenhouse gases by 31-55% compared to the production of chicken-based counterpart.
A study by the University of Helsinki’s Future Sustainable Food Systems research group together with VTT shows that the ovalbumin produced by the fungus could alleviate the environmental impact associated with egg white powder. This is particularly the case for the use of low-carbon energy sources in production (Natural food, “Ovalbumin production from Trichoderma reesei culture and low carbon energy could mitigate the environmental impact of egg-based ovalbumin”).
Egg white powder is a commonly used ingredient in the food industry due to its high quality protein. Annual consumption of egg proteins in 2020 was about 1.6 million tonnes and the market is expected to grow further in the coming years.
Growing demand raises questions about both sustainability and ethics. Parts of the egg white powder production chain, such as the rearing of chickens for egg production, cause high levels of greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to water scarcity, biodiversity loss and deforestation. In addition, intensive chicken farming has led to the outbreak of zoonotic diseases by acting as an important repository of human pathogens.
The search for sustainable alternatives to animal proteins has been of growing interest in the food industry. Cell culture, also called precision fermentation when used in the production of recombinant ingredients, provides a biotechnology-based solution to decouple animal protein production from animal production using a microbial production system to produce certain proteins.
“For example, more than half of the protein content of egg white is ovalbumin. VTT has succeeded in producing ovalbumin with filamentous fungi Trichoderma reesei. The gene, which contains drawings of ovalbumin, is transferred by modern biotechnological tools to a fungus that then produces and secretes the same protein as the chickens. The ovalbumin protein is then separated from the cells, concentrated and dried to the final functional product, says Dr. Emilia Nordlund from VTT.
Cell culture products generally require more electricity than typical agricultural products, and therefore the type of energy used affects the level of environmental impact. However, the amount of agricultural inputs needed to produce microbial ovalbumin – such as glucose – is generally much lower per kilogram of protein powder.
“According to our study, this means that ovalbumin produced by the sponge reduced the need for land use by almost 90 per cent and greenhouse gases by 31 to 55 per cent compared to the production of chicken-based counterpart. In the future, when production is based on low-carbon energy, precision fermentation has the potential to reduce the impact by up to 72 percent, says Dr. Natasha Järviö from the University of Helsinki.
In terms of the environmental impact of water use, the results were less convincing and showed a high dependence on the presumed location of the ovalbumin production site. Overall, the study shows that precision fermentation technology has the potential to increase the sustainability of protein production, which can be further enhanced by the use of low-carbon energy sources.


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Traders in Eldoret town and its environs have expressed varying opinions about the state of the economy in the wake of the concluded August 9th Election.
Traders, both retail and wholesalers, matatu and boda boda operators, hawkers among others, have said though normal business operations have resumed, they are struggling to cope up with the high cost of living occasioned by an increase in the prices of goods and services, two weeks after the polls.
They have appreciated the normalcy that is witnessed in Uasin Gishu County as business owners resume their daily activities after closure due to the elections.
Sheila Kirwa a business operator residing at Outspan centre on the outskirts of Eldoret town and selling wholesale goods said the customer demand is better compared to the elections period while at the same time decrying the high cost of living.
“Customers have begun coming back, not as scarce as they were during days before and after elections. Despite the high cost of living, we have to keep striving to make sure we pick up from where we left before elections,” said Kirwa.
On the other hand, Boda Boda operators have expressed joy and satisfaction over an improvement in number of customers they serve per day, boosting their daily income compared to during the elections period when people had travelled to their rural homes to vote, leaving a few in the urban areas.
Simon Nyamae, a boda boda operator in Eldoret town said business had picked up and that they are forced, due to high cost of living, to go an extra mile to earn enough to fend for their families’ daily needs.
“People have resumed work and the business is improving, there are more customers in the morning and evening as most people head to work in the morning and go back home in the evening,” said Nyamae.
Kevin Koech, a shoemaker in Eldoret town attributed the current situation where, businesses operating in to the prevailing political atmosphere of uncertainty in the country and hoped that it may end in order for every activity to return to normal as it was before the electioneering period.
The business community further expressed worry as they anticipate less earnings from their businesses should the Supreme Court of Kenya hearing the petition challenging the presidential elections results, rule that a re-run be conducted, which will in turn affect the customers influx once more.
With regard to the election petition before the Supreme Court, the business people want judges to consider their businesses and the general economy, when ruling on the petition as it will impact adversely on businesses which will halt their operations if there is to be a re-election exercise.
James Tarus, a matatu operator plying the Eldoret Town-Outspan route said that the Supreme Court should expedite its ruling on the ongoing presidential elections results petition in order for business activities to fully return to normal as people are still fearful and weary awaiting the outcome of the apex court in country.
By Ekuwam Sylvester and Mercy Jemutai

domain: news


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An eastern Iowa trucking company has announced a $525 million transaction that will make it the nation’s eighth largest trucking fleet.
Heartland Express is based in North Liberty. Contract Freighters Incorporated (CFI) is based in Joplin, Missouri. Heartland Express is acquiring CFI’s logistics unit in Mexico as well as CFI’s truckload unit.
CFI has facilities in Missouri, Michigan, Arkansas, Texas, Florida and Mexico. The addition of those six locations will give Heartland Express ownership of 30 terminals in the U.S. and Mexico.
After the acquisition is complete, Heartland will have 5500 semi tractors and nearly 18,000 trailers in its fleet. However, CFI vehicles and terminals will continue to operate under the CFI brand and executive management.
Heartland Express began in 1955 as a hauler of Whirlpool washing machines. According to a news release from the company, adding CFI to its roster of companies means Heartland Express will have total assets of nearly $2 billion and will generate an estimated $1.3 billion in annual revenue.


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Last updated on May 22nd, 2022 at 06:54 PM
PUMA and telecom company Motorola partner up to celebrate the reinvention of technology and sport style with an exclusive RS-X sneaker drop.
For 90 years, Motorola has pioneered innovation – be it from delivering messages from the moon to creating the first mobile phone or developing the first 5G-upgradable smartphone, motoz3 with 5G moto mod.
This collaboration brings together two cultural reinventors: one through sport and style, the other through tech and innovation for a nostalgia-packed collection, inspired by Motorola’s mobile phone designs.
“We are excited to partner with a brand that is equally committed to pushing innovation and culture forward,” said Adam Petrick, PUMA’s Global Director for Brand & Marketing.
“Together with Motorola, we are taking the sneaker game to the next level with a brand-new iteration of the 80s RS style designed with tech-inspired details.”
“With over 90 years of innovation, Motorola has created some of the most beloved mobile phones that defined moments in fashion and pop culture.” said Renata Altenfelder, Motorola’s Global Brand Marketing Lead. “This collaboration with PUMA celebrates how style and technology continually inspire one another.”
Decked with a sleek mesh and textile upper, RS-X Tech is fitted with the original RS technology on the midsole.
Completing the look with stylish leather overlays, an embossed textile heel piece and molded sock liner with specific RS PUMA branding, the sneaker’s debut in PUMA Black – Vapourous Gray – PUMA White colorway.
PUMA x MOTOROLA CAPSULE COLLECTION DROPS IN RETRO STYLE Inspired by Motorola’s mobile phone designs, RS-X Tech Motorola highlights specific cues that celebrate the mobile phones of the 80s, 90s and 2000s.
With textures on the outer sole that are reminiscent of the mobile phone’s keypad, the sneakers are decked with “hellomoto” badging on the side and MOTO batwing subtly placed on heel badge. Made for a new generation of hustlers, it drops in a futuristic colourway of PUMA Silver – Sodalite Blue.
Continuing with this theme across season-appropriate apparel like tees, track top and shorts, the collection features Motorola colourways from the 80s and quirky graphics that represent different milestones in the evolution of communication – from pagers to brick phones followed by QWERTY keypad phones.
The RS-X TECH Motorola and RS-X Tech sneakers with extreme design details and a sleek, futuristic color palette drop globally on PUMA.com, PUMA stores and leading retailers on May 4.


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Ding Dong, It's David Chang
David Chang is opening a new, delivery-only restaurant in New York City this spring. No, you're not having déjà vu. This isn't Maple, the Chang-backed delivery-only meal service that launched last spring and brings fresh meals to offices around the city. This is Ando, a new concept that Fast Company reports is set to launch sometime this spring.
With chef JJ Basil, formerly of wd~50, in the kitchen, Ando will deliver Momofuku-style food to customers via UberRUSH. Orders will take place on an app designed by San Francisco-based Expa, and food will ideally come in Chinese-style take-out boxes, Chang says.
Milk Bar's Christina Tosi is also part of the plan. To start, she'll sell three Ando-exclusive cookies: a salt-and-pepper, a chocolate chip and a Ritz Cracker. If they're anything like the exclusive sugar cookie Tosi makes for Maple, they're going to be worth saving room for after devouring items like a "gigantic cheesesteak" and the "KFC-style chicken bucket," which Basil and Chang are also testing out for the menu.
Like the Momofuku restaurant group, Ando is named after instant noodle inventor Momofuku Ando. In Spanish, ando also means "I walk,"—"fitting for delivery service," Fast Company points out.
The rollout will be slow so that the new company can work out kinks before expanding. Ultimately, however, Ando has "a pretty big vision for [itself]," Expa partner Hooman Radfar, Chang's cofounder on the project, says. "We want to make this feel great—like Momofuku at home."
Beyond Ando, Chang is setting his sights on growing the Momofuku company even further. With the recent opening of Nishi and the expansion of Fuku, the company has already been expanding at a rapid rate before this new delivery arm. Fast Company reports that Chang is considering hiring "a more seasoned executive to run the company" and bring it to where Chang wants it to grow.
Hey, it's Chang's world. We're all just living in it.
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The upcoming battle between solid-state disk (SSD) drives and traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) is looming, and the heat in the controversy is reminiscent of the old iSCSI vs. Fibre Channel debates, even though the game hasn’t really begun.
SSDs have been around for decades, but until recently they have been outrageously expensive. Prices are coming down, but from a cost-per-gigabyte perspective they’re still outrageously expensive. However, if you do the numbers on a cost-per-IOPS basis, SSDs are a fantastic deal—provided you have the need for speed.
The cost debate was fueled earlier this year when Joe Tucci, EMC's chief executive officer, predicted that SSD drive pricing will be on parity with high-end Fibre Channel drives within two to three years—a tad optimistic, perhaps, but who am I to argue with him?
The advantages of SSDs are well-known: They’re blazingly fast, at least on read operations (30 times faster than high-end Fibre Channel drives, according to EMC officials), and they consume a lot less energy (hardly a reason to buy them, but an advantage nonetheless).
|Ray Lucchesi Silverton Consulting|
In preparing their drives for use in enterprise-class disk arrays, SSD manufacturers mitigate this problem with technologies such as wear leveling and over-provisioning, but it’s nevertheless a potential problem if you’re considering SSDs for enterprise applications (as opposed to using them in portable systems or consumer devices).
Ray’s article provides an in-depth, realistic look at both the advantages and disadvantages of SSDs that circumvents the vendor hype surrounding the SSD vs. HDD debate.
In our next issue, we’ll cover the SSD market in detail, relying on data from the Objective Analysis semiconductor research and consulting firm.
Despite the controversy surrounding the reliability issue, and debates over the actual performance differences between SSDs and HDDs, solid-state devices will eventually play a key role in enterprise storage systems—whether they replace or just augment HDDs. This trend will be fueled by the leading disk array vendors—obviously, EMC, but other vendors such as Hitachi Data Systems, Sun and, more recently, IBM have also announced plans for SSDs. And last month, Intel introduced much-anticipated SSDs for both portables and enterprise-class arrays (see “Intel debuts SSD drives at IDF” at www.infostor.com).


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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Millan Foundation is hosting its second annual Celebrity Online Auction October 21st through November 5th 2010.
Millions of homeless dogs in our nation's animal shelters and rescue organizations need a second chance. Every year 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized, most of them healthy, adoptable, and scared. The pet overpopulation problem in the U.S. continues to be shocking. The Millan Foundation is a leader in helping to address these problems through financial support, education, and awareness.
Last year's event proved quite successful, with more than $40,000 raised for the Foundation, and this year looks just as promising with an incredible list of auction items, including a Tom Brady signed jersey, a New Jersey Nets Package that includes two tickets to a game and your child gets to be the honorary ballboy/girl, a private visit to the set of "BONES," VIP tickets to the "Chelsea Lately" show, Lakers VIP packages, luxury vacation packages, and tons of celebrity-signed merchandise, products, and experiences, including Gloria Estefan, Jacqueline Bisset, Gisele Bundchen, and Owen Wilson.
Plus -- bidders have the opportunity to be Cesar Millan's VIP guest at one of his 2011 seminars! The top item last year -- "Spend a Day with the Dog Whisperer!" -- is being auctioned off once again.
All proceeds from the auction will go directly to the Millan Foundation for their continued support to assist non-profit animal shelters and organizations engaged in the rescuing, rehabilitation, and re-homing of abused and abandoned dogs.
Bidding is now open! The auction closes at 8 p.m. on November 5.
Supporters and fans may also participate in a special raffle for the chance to join Cesar on the road during his 2011 U.S. tour.
THE MILLAN FOUNDATION's goal is to provide financial support to assist non-profit animal shelters and organizations engaged in the rescuing, rehabilitation, and re-homing of abused and abandoned dogs. The Foundation also creates and delivers community humane education programs to help promote the importance of spaying and neutering, with the goal of reducing or eliminating pet overpopulation. To learn more about the Millan Foundation's programs, please visit www.MillanFoundation.org .
CONTACT: Allegra Pickett of Millan Foundation, +1-818-441-5040 Ext. 120
SOURCE Millan Foundation


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HP buys Palm
HP buying Palm for $ 1,200,000,000.
What happens to the Palm brand is unclear at this writing. HP says that the CEO, Jon Rubenstein, will remain in the company.
HP has big plans for the mobile operating system WebOS.
And The company wants to build it into smart phones and other connected devices. If this means that they will abandoning Windows 7 nobody know.
If Hp will stay on the mobile market remains to be seen.
Todd Bradley, executive vice president, have said in a statement.
– The innovative of the operating system is an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobile strategy.
The next planned product launches, will be left unchanged, according to the website Engadget.


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According to NSBA Survey, Small Business Owners Vote, and Often
Hey Elected Officials, We’ve got Something to Say.
76% of small business owners say they have contacted their elected officials regarding a small business issue, and 40% report that their elected officials know who they are.
Headed for a Vote of Discontent over Failure to Understand?
Whether Republican or Democrat, an overwhelming percentage of small business owners (88% total, 86% Republican, 89% Democrat) report that they do not think that Congress understands small business issues, and a majority (87% total, 96% Republican, 53% Democrat) do not think that the current administration does either.
National Small Business Association (NSBA) – The Politics of Small Business


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Company recalls more than 2,000 pounds of sausage due to possible metal contamination
CLAREMONT, N.H.- A company is recalling approximately 2,686 pounds of ready-to-eat sausage products due to possible metal contamination.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Service, North Country Smokehouse is recalling kielbasa sausages produced on February 7 and February 8.
The following recalled sausages were shipped nationwide.
1-lb. vacuum-packed packages containing “NORTH COUNTRY SMOKEHOUSE ORIGINAL OLD FASHIONED POLISH STYLE KIELBASA” with “USE BY 05/09/19.”
12-oz. vacuum-packed packages containing “NORTH COUNTRY SMOKEHOUSE *NATURAL OLD FASHIONED POLISH STYLE KIELBASA” with “USE BY 04/23/19.”
1-lb. vacuum-packed packages containing “KILCHURN ESTATE® SMOKED KIELBASA” with “USE BY 05/09/19.”
Officials say the problem was discovered on March 18 by FSIS inspection program personnel during a routine review of establishment consumer complaint records. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Daniel Sarapin, quality assurance manager, North Country Smokehouse, at 603- 543-0234 ext. 207.
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Delivering on its promise to push out builds to the Fast ring on a speedier basis to testers and developers playing with Windows 10 Technical Preview, Microsoft released build 10049 Monday and it's the first one involving the impending new browser codenamed Project Spartan.
Noting that last week's builds were "BIG" ones as well, the most current release illustrates the steady progress being made with Build 10049 is about a week newer than the release of build 10041 for PCs.
What that means, according to Microsoft's Windows blog, is that while this release boasts Project Spartan involvement it's basically a mix of fixes and tiny improvements.
The blog then lists out issues corrected, such as PC freezes when manually locking a PC and windows showing up on the desktop behind several tasks such as Start Screen and Snap Assist.
The blog also notes several known issues for the current build, including a blue screen popping up after logging in and Outlook email indexing not working.
"As I mentioned on Friday, we are also working on the next build of Windows 10 for phones and plan to support a bunch of additional phones in the next build for phone as well as some great new features. As always, I'll share info with you on that as soon as I can," writes Gabe Aul.
Noting that the build is focused heavily on Project Spartan, Aul acknowledges there is still a "ton of work" to do with Spartan.
"As with all other new features we've introduced, we have a ton of work left to do with Spartan so expect to see some bugs and rough edges in this first preview. As always, we look forward to hearing your feedback via the Windows Feedback App," writes Aul.
According to one report, the initial Spartan preview does feature a good amount of the functionality previewed back in late January when Microsoft demoed Spartan at a Windows 10 event.
The initial Spartan peek includes the integration of the new browser and Microsoft personal digital assistant technology Cortana. It also includes the capability to annotate webpages with a mouse or a pen.
Aul, in a blog post this past weekend, wrote Microsoft is also prepping the next test release of its Windows 10 Mobile and that it's on schedule to support most Lumia Windows Phones.
"This testing will allow us to support A LOT more phones for the next flight. I get a ton of questions every day on Twitter about when your favorite phones will be usable, and I'm happy to report that the vast majority will be supported with the next flight (full list below)," wrote Aul.
Microsoft has said that Windows 10 will hit the market later in 2015.


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A pioneering new product developed by Chevron Traffic Management, in partnership with our digital services provider Highways Resources Services has been named Highway Industry Product of the Year.
SMART SIGN (now known as Dynamic Speed Sign) is a revolutionary speed sign which can remotely change the speed displayed at road works using a secure internet platform. It is a product which removes the need for operatives to be present to check or change speed signs, thereby reducing risk and improving safety standards. It also improves road user experience as speeds can be increased to 60mph when there are no workers present.
Speaking following the online awards ceremony, Matt Morphet, Chief Operating Officer, Chevron TM said: “We are delighted to win this award. I believe that ‘SMART SIGN’ will change the way schemes are delivered. It improves work zone safety, the customer experience and helps increase site productivity. It ticks all the boxes but what makes it really special is its simplicity. We have looked at what is already used across the industry and what the general public are familiar with and have improved it with innovative digital technology. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it’s available.”
Described by the judging panel as “a true example of innovation and collaboration,” SMART SIGN has been used on projects including the M4, M62, M20 and M23 Smart Motorway Projects.
Roger Poeth, HRS Director, commented: “To win Highways Product of the Year is a huge achievement and is testament to the partnership between HRS and Chevron TM and our collaboration with Highways England and the wider industry with whom we engaged to ensure SMART SIGN meets the need of the industry. We initially trialled SMART SIGN on the M6 J2-4 SMP and it has since been used on a number of other highways projects. In total, Smart Signs have been operational for over one million hours on projects across our motorways network. I am honoured and proud to create an innovative product which will make such a positive impact on our industry.”
For further information on Dynamic Speed Sign, contact Roger Poeth at email@example.com


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The product has recently been introduced under the brand Accofil
Intas Pharmaceuticals has launched their first biosimilar, filgrastim, in Europe, through their wholly-owned subsidiary Accord Healthcare. The product has recently been introduced under the brand Accofil and has already won two tenders, in Netherlands and the UK respectively. In addition, Intas is also the only company from India to have two of its products, filgrastim and peg-filgrastim filed for registration in the US, through its collaboration partner.
According to the company release, Accofil is a biosimilar product of Neupogen (filgrastim) and will offer patients cost effective therapy that is comparable in quality, safety and efficacy. Accofil is indicated for the treatment of reduction in the duration of neutropenia and the incidence of febrile neutropenia, mobilisation of peripheral blood progenitor cells, severe congenital, cyclic, or idiopathic neutropenia and persistent neutropenia in patients with advanced HIV infection.
Binish Chudgar, Vice-Chairman, Intas Pharmaceuticals said, “The launch of our filgrastim in Europe is another demonstration of our commitment to global healthcare at affordable prices. Accofil (filgrastim), which was developed at our own laboratories and manufactured at our own cGMP approved site in Ahmedabad, showcases our expertise in biopharmaceutical development and its manufacture. This is only the first of many biological products that we will launch in EU and other regulated markets over the next few years.”
EP News Bureau – Mumbai
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Nintendo has announced a very useful feature that you’ll be seeing in the Super Nintendo Classic Mini.
Simply called rewind, the feature allows players to rewind the game to retry a section, take a different route, or do anything else that benefits from being able to go back in time.
Much like the rewind in games like Forza and Gird, this feature lets you start over without losing your progress. The Classic Mini consoles already support save states, to bring classic games to modern standards, but this is a genuinely innovative addition.
The rewind time depends on the game, Nintendo said. Something like Super Mario RPG will take you back a few minutes, but you’re looking at around 40 seconds in a game like Super Mario World.
Rewind relies on the same tech that enables save states. The same suspend feature now lets you go through the suspend point like a video, and resume wherever you want.
This feature, as well as the ability to choose different visual frames for the included games, were unveiled at gamescom this morning. The trailer above does a good job of demonstrating both additions.
The Super Nintendo Classic Mini is out September 29 worldwide.


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Today, JTI has announced the launch of Ploom X, a new Heated Tobacco device featuring upgraded technology to enhance the consumer experience. This product is adding to JTI UK’s ever-evolving range of reduced-risk* and alternative products. With an exceptional and high-end aesthetic, the Ploom X device uses modern heated tobacco technology and is already available in Japan.
This launch sees the product now available in the Greater London area at selected retailers, at pop-up stores in Shoreditch, online nationwide at www.ploom.co.uk and in selected online vape stores.
Ploom X is the newest device in the market and represents the cutting edge of the next generation of heated tobacco products. Offering an alternative but familiar tobacco experience by heating tobacco instead of burning it, it provides consumers with a modern product for those seeking a real tobacco experience, without the smoke. The significant technological upgrades, include:
A redesigned HeatFlow system and a higher heating temperature to ensure a more consistent nicotine delivery and a more enhanced flavour delivery from the first puff.
One simple heating mode which makes the device easy for consumers to use. Adjustments to the airflow system enabling a more consistent vapour delivery and increased vapour volume.
Longer session times of up to 5 minutes and the ability to use more EVO tobacco sticks per charge, with up to 22 sessions with just one charge.
JTI’s Director of Marketing, Mark McGuinness said: “The launch of Ploom X marks a milestone in JTI’s story and also sets a new paradigm in the heated tobacco category. Ploom X is a truly innovative product that will exceed consumer expectations, making their tobacco moments even more pleasurable and truly unique.”


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FCA Ends Crypto ETN Ban
Posted by Colin Lambert. Last updated: March 11, 2024
The UK’s financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has ended a three-year ban on crypto exchange traded notes (ETNs), after announcing that it would no longer object to applications for approval from recognised investment exchanges.
On the same day, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) said it would start accepting applications for bitcoin and ether ETNs in the second quarter of the year with the exact launch date to be confirmed “in due course.” The LSE has also published a crypto ETN factsheet.
The two announcements represent a key milestone for institutional investors looking for exposure to cryptocurrency markets in the UK, following years of grumbling about the regulator’s hardline stance compared with European peers.
On Monday, however, the FCA said it would allow applications for ETNs to go ahead as long as the launch comes from recognised exchanges. “The Financial Conduct Authority will not object to requests from Recognised Investment Exchanges (RIEs) to create a UK listed market segment for cryptoasset-backed Exchange Traded Notes (cETNs),” the FCA says.
The change of stance from the FCA comes two months after US regulators green-lighted spot bitcoin ETFs in a regulatory watershed moment. It also only applies to professional investors with the regulator maintaining its ban on retail participation in these markets.
Bitcoin has been printing new all-time highs in recent sessions, pushing above $71,000 on Monday, buoyed by inflows into US ETFs. Blackrock’s bitcoin ETF has hit $10 billion faster than any other US peer in history, demonstrating institutional appetite for the digital token.
The FCA banned the sale of crypto ETNs to retail customers in October 2020, taking a hardline stance compared with other European jurisdictions such as Germany and Switzerland.
In its latest statement, however, the regulator emphasises that exchanges will have to ensure appropriate controls are in place to maintain orderly and proper trading conditions fit for professional investors. It has left the ban in place for retail consumers, noting that it believes that crypto derivatives are “ill-suited” for this client segment due to the harm they pose. “As a result, the ban on the sale of cETNs (and crypto derivatives) to retail consumers remains in place,” the announcement continues.
In the LSE factsheet, meanwhile, it says ETNs are debt securities that provide exposure to an underlying asset class by tracking their performance. Investors will be able to trade the new bitcoin and ether contracts in London trading hours and they will be settled through EUI (Euroclear UK & Ireland) or Euroclear Bank & Clear Stream Bank (ICSD). The new contracts will be physically backed, non-leveraged and the underlying bitcoin or ether will be stored in cold storage or equivalent, including cold staking.


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China’s SMIC to build a new Shanghai plant
China‚Äôs SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp) will invest $8.87 billion to build a plant in Shanghai. SMIC announced the news on Friday, saying it plans to expand capacity, amid a global shortage as Beijing aims to become independent in the sector.
The expansion by the country‚... Read more
US puts extra sanctions on Chinese chip manufacturer SMIC
The United States has added dozens of companies to the list of those that may be cooperating with the Chinese army. Such companies must meet strict conditions in order to trade with the US.
According to the US Department of Commerce, the sanctions are the result of Beijing's attempts to use cons... Read more
Biden continues China trade ban, shifts emphasis
The next US President, Joe Biden, does not intend to put an end to the trade war his predecessor started with China any time soon. This is contrary to what analysts expected.
In an interview with the New York Times, Biden says that he has no intention of taking immediate action on the China poli... Read more
Chinese trade block extended to SMIC
US President Donald Trump has added some new names to the list of Chinese companies associated with the Chinese army. These include SMIC, a chip manufacturer, and CNOOC, a major oil company.
The trade ban is a further step in a series of blockades imposed by the US Government for security reason... Read more


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Ford invests RM1.5 billion to develop next-gen automatic transmission for FWD cars
May 22, 2017 5:29 pm
Ford has just announced that the company will be investing US $350 million (RM1.5 billion) in its Livonia Transmission plant in Michigan to develop...
2022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class updated with mild facelift and new 48V MHEV...
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By Robert Haugh
The Good — The Leg Drop Award:
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) has created an online Marketplace where Santa Clarans can shop for energy-saving devices like smart thermostats, lighting and electric vehicle chargers.
And get discounts on electric yard care equipment.
The Bad — The Jabroni Award:
It’s a popular Santa Clara tradition. But the City is now studying alternatives to the Annual Cleanup Campaign and may get rid of it.
It’s an idea that Councilwoman Karen Hardy has been pushing since she was first elected four years ago.


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All posts about
03.01.2023 | Lifestyle
Samsung added new models to its monitor lineup at CES 2023. Including the revolutionary Odyssey...
05.01.2022 | Lifestyle
Samsung has announced the release of The Freestyle, a brand-new portable screen, and entertainment device.
03.01.2022 | Lifestyle
Samsung unveiled its latest MICRO LED, Neo QLED, and Lifestyle TVs ahead of CES 2022....


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Idealab Venture Fund Gets Off to a $350 Million Start
© 1999 Los Angeles Business Journal
by Benjamin Mark Cole
Armed with $350 million in fresh cash and hunting for early stage Internet start-ups. Pasadena-based idealab Capital Partners has closed its second venture capital fund.
Pension funds, university endowments and institutional investors ponied up the money. Locally, funds came from Caltech and the Los Angeles Country Retirement Association. On the national scene, investors are MIT, Mellon Ventures, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan.
So intense is investor interest that the new fund has become the biggest single venture pool ever filled in Southern California, said Bill Elkus, managing director at idealab Capital Partners. Bill Gross, who heads the wildly successful idealab, is co-founder and managing director of ICP.
Which might make some competing funds a bit nervous.
It seems that venture funds everywhere are targeting Internet companies. In recent weeks, Jim Montgomery of Santa Monica-based Digital Coast Partners, and Brad Jones of Brentwood Venture, have announced they are raising funds of $250 million and $500 million, respectively.
Elkus is hardly unaware that a "gold rush" of venture money is chasing Internet start-ups. Indeed, some fund managers finance only Internet infrastructure companies, figuring growth on the Web is inevitable. But selecting winners and losers who sell over the Internet is a task for the dauntless -- a category that evidently includes Elkus.
"We invest in early stage start-ups, from content providers to business-to-business to retailers to infrastructure," said Elkus. "But we try to get in early. It's risky. The typical company we invest in loses money and will for years."
So how long will the flood of money into all things Internet continue? Elkus said it might be longer than many think.
"Yes, there is a lot of money out there, but there are also a lot of deals," he said. "You see people leaving Disney and Microsoft to start a company. You see talented and experienced people who want to start their own company."
Elkus said the Internet has altered the playing field and gives small companies a chance to beat the big guys.
"In the past, I have written studies on the advantages of large businesses -- access to capital, ability to market, economics of scale," said Elkus. "But the Internet changes the calculus. Look at eToys - a small company that has bested Toys R Us on the Internet. Now eToys doesn't have all the brick-and-mortar that Toys R Us has, and doesn't need it. That's the kind of thing that can happen on the Internet."
Already, with ICP's first fund, Elkus helped take public such companies as GoTo.com, eToys and MP3.com. Two other idealab Capital Partners, portfolio companies, Tickets.com and NetZero, have filed to go public.
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Budweiser and Godaddy's 2015 Superbowl Commercials, and why Godaddy's ad was the perfect marketing advertisement.
Scroll down to see both commercials side by side.
After Budweiser released their 2015 Super Bowl ad, "Lost Dog" (nothing to do with beer I must add. You don't even see a clear Budweiser bottle), GoDaddy went ahead and unveiled their 2015 Superbowl commercial, mocking "Lost Dog", with their production of "Journey Home". After tens of thousands of online users took to social media to complain about the ending of the commercial, where the dog is being sold online by its owner, Godaddy went ahead and pulled the commercial.


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A brand new report from The Independent this weekend provides an fascinating take a look at why and the way Apple is “working onerous to interrupt into its personal iPhones.” Ivan Krstić, Apple’s head of safety engineering and structure, spoke to The Unbiased for the report and defined why Apple feels the necessity to make investments so closely in safety.
Notably, Krstić additionally addressed the potential for Apple opening up the iPhone to third-party app shops and sideloading attributable to impending regulation in the European Union.
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Some of the widespread arguments in help of sideloading is that the overwhelming majority of iPhone customers would nonetheless select to make use of the App Retailer. Sideloading would merely be offered as a separate selection for many who selected to make the most of it. Krstić, nevertheless, believes that’s a “nice misunderstanding.”
“That’s a terrific misunderstanding – and one we have now tried to elucidate time and again. The fact of what the choice distribution necessities allow is that software program that customers in Europe want to make use of – generally enterprise software program, different instances private software program, social software program, issues that they need to use – could solely be out there exterior of the shop, alternatively distributed.”
In some of these eventualities, the end-user wouldn’t even have a selection to make use of the App Retailer. As an alternative, they’d be pressured to make use of a third-party system – which Apple believes wouldn’t be as safe because the App Retailer.
“In that case, these customers don’t have a option to get that software program from a distribution mechanism that they belief,” Krstić defined. “And so, actually, it’s merely not the case that customers will retain the selection they’ve right now to get all of their software program from the App Retailer.”
Apple govt Craig Federighi has also vehemently spoken out towards sideloading. In a speech two years in the past, Federighi referred to sideloading as a “cybercriminal’s greatest pal.” In an interview at WWDC this yr, nevertheless, Federighi acknowledged that Apple might don’t have any selection however to adjust to EU rules on sideloading and third-party app shops.
Elsewhere in The Unbiased’s piece, Krstić provides some fascinating perception into Apple’s safety practices and the general business of information breaches, safety, and encryption. Krstić, for example, touched on how Apple oftentimes clashes with governments on the subject of defending consumer knowledge.
“We don’t see ourselves as set towards governments,” based on Krstić. “That isn’t what any of this work is about. However we do see ourselves as having an obligation to defend our customers from threats, whether or not widespread or in some instances, really grave.”
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Electronic options trading technology vendor OptionsCity Software has launched Freeway Analytics, a visualization engine and an exchange simulator based on sub-millisecond futures market data.
Freeway Analytics allows traders to simulate the performance of different strategies in different market conditions over time, taking into account latency and historical futures market data.
"Automated trading is more popular than ever, but it remains incredibly time-consuming and expensive to build, test and deploy new trading models," says Victor Glava, CTO at OptionsCity.
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The South Florida community generously donated 14,000 toys (and counting!) to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital on Saturday during its annual Spread Joy Toy Drive, with a total estimated toy value of over $350,000. Each year, the holiday tradition brings together corporate partners and individuals who donate new, unwrapped toys to help bring extra cheer to patients who are admitted at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital during the holidays and throughout the year.
“We are blown away by the incredible generosity of our community, as well as our corporate sponsors and volunteers, who made this year’s Spread Joy toy drive so successful,” said Lauren Tulowitzki, director of Annual Giving at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation. “It can be challenging when children are admitted to the hospital through the holidays, and these donated toys will absolutely make a difference! It’s so magical to see the joy, smiles and comfort that these toys bring to our patients and families.”
On the eight days of Hanukkah and on Christmas morning, every patient admitted at Nicklaus Children’s will wake up with a gift bag of toys and other goodies tailored to their age range. The remaining toys are used throughout the year for patients and their siblings as birthday presents and prizes, milestone gifts, going-home gifts, and for therapy and education.
This year, the toy drive was sponsored by Delta, Pacin Levine Attorneys at Law, CVS Pharmacy y Más, Dunkin’, Shake Shack and Jersey Mike’s. During Saturday’s toy drop-off at the hospital, the musical entertainment was provided by Y-100 and 93.9 MIA, both iHeartMedia radio stations.
In addition to the drop-off, there are many more ways to support Nicklaus Children’s patients and families this time of year, including purchases from our Amazon lists and the Virtual Toy Drive, which has so far raised $13,000 for the purchase more toys for patients!
Learn more and help spread joy to Nicklaus Children’s patients at www.nicklauschildrens.org/spreadjoy.
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The internal opposition comes as Democratic leaders are pushing for a vote on the bill by summer, in an effort to pass what has become a central element of the party's broader antitrust agenda.
The American Innovation and Choice Online Act, S. 2992 (117) -- led by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) -- would ban major tech firms like Amazon and Google from favouring their products over their competitors.
For example, the legislation would bar Amazon from promoting its own private-label products over rival items on its e-commerce platform. The bill marks the most serious attempt at tightening oversight of the tech industry in years and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with support from both parties earlier this year.
Several Democratic senators have privately expressed deep reservations about voting for the legislation, particularly with a midterm election looming. Big Tech pays out a fortune to lobby US politicians and the last thing they want is to support parties who might vote in favour of a law which will prevent them from screwing over their customers.


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On Sunday, June 28, Pinnacle Peak Patio in North Scottsdale closed its doors for good.
The Western-themed restaurant opened in 1957 as a small store, selling beer and bait to fishermen on their way to nearby lakes. The owner also offered a simple steak dinner — a 32-ounce Porterhouse steak cooked over mesquite wood.
In the years since those early days, Pinnacle Peak Patio evolved into a popular tourist destination and a well-loved Valley restaurant. The place probably was best known for its "no necktie" policy and for cutting off the ties of customers who dared show up to the spot in a shirt and tie.
As we told you last year, the restaurant's closure comes after the McElhanon family, who owns the property on which the restaurant sits, sold the land for $2.4 million to a developer who plans to build luxury homes.
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The good news for Pinnacle Peak Patio fans is that you'll now have a chance to own a piece of the restaurant's history. On Saturday, July 11, local auction company SAM Auctions will host a live auction at the restaurant during which buyers will be able to purchase everything from oak barrels and bull horns to a Jack Daniel's jug and a hand-crank telephone.
The auction will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Pinnacle Peak Patio, 10426 East Jomax Road in Scottsdale. Potential buyers can view the
Pinnacle Peak Patio Decor & Antiques Auction catalog online.


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Is Europe’s over-supplied auto industry at a tipping point?
Within days of Mitsubishi announcing it will cease production in the Netherlands and the collapse of Sweden’s Saab Auto, it is General Motors’ turn to say that it is seeking major concessions from unions as it considers factory closures in Europe after its Opel-Vauxhall unit had a “horrendous” fourth quarter.
True, management and unions have a deal ruling out layoffs and plant closures at Opel/Vauxhall until 2014 — in theory. But that plan was hatched when the auto makers and many others envisioned Europe’s economy on a path to a sustained recovery after the 2009 recession.
GM, in surprisingly rude health in the U.S. after emerging from bankruptcy protection but with the U.S. government still an important shareholder, doesn’t seem to be in the mood to sustain heavy losses for another couple of years. Stonewalling by unions over fresh concessions might work but could prove a Pyrrhic victory if GM simply abandons Opel/Vauxhall come 2014.
After all, Europe’s car market suffers from 20% to 30% over capacity. Demand is set to shrink by either side of 5% this year. European governments no longer have the stomach or the cash for more industry bailouts. Peugeot Citroen, Fiat-Chrysler, and Renault-Nissan, all with struggling European car businesses of their own, are surely crossing their fingers that GM will wield the ax.
So self-help is the order of the day at Opel/Vauxhall — though it looks neither painless nor easy in a capital-intensive and fiercely competitive industry where intercontinental alliances that create value for shareholders remain the exception rather than the rule.


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J.J. Taylor, Southern Wine launch joint venture in Minnesota
- Alex Ebert
- Staff Writer
Beer distributor J.J. Taylor Distributing Co. of Minnesota is creating a joint venture with Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc., that will bring Southern’s products to Minnesota.
The venture, announced last week, is currently without a name, but the operation will likely bring new jobs into the Twin Cities, said Mike Bamonti, president and general manager of J.J. Taylor Distributing Co. of Minnesota.
Bamonti said the new venture will allow suppliers and retailers “one-stop shopping” for their wine, spirits and beer needs.
Suppliers will still order products through both companies, but customers will receive shipments on one truck, and the venture will ship and store both companies’ products from J.J. Taylor’s 600,000-square-foot Minneapolis distribution center.
Bamonti said he expects the joint venture to generate new revenue. He said that company “expenses continue to rise,” and “it’s a challenge every day to be better than the year before,” but that the new venture will raise his firm’s service “to the next level.”
Florida-based Southern Wine and Spirits of America Inc. has operations in 29 states, and is looking to expand into Indiana. Currently the firm’s only Midwest presence is in Illinois.
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The idea that free Wi-Fi and consumer goods go together has not been lost on Coca-Cola. This is what’s going on in Brazil & South Africa:
In Brazil the Coca-Cola brand is reaching out to venue owners of all sorts with an offer of Free Wi-Fi in partnership with Fon and the carrier Oi.
More than 300 Wi-Fi hotspots offer the free Coca-Cola Wi-Fi service in Rio de Janeiro alone. The website suggest that Coca-Cola Wi-Fi has plans to expand to other parts of Latin America but thus far the website doesn’t redirect to show hotspots in other parts of Lat Am.
I’m guessing that other LatAm carrier partners will jump on this opportunity in due course.
In Brazil venues are invited to take part in the Coke’s new Wi-Fi network via the website. It’s not clear from the website what venues are being charged for a Coke Wi-Fi hotspot but it is presumably not free.
The benefit to venues of course is a ready-made managed ‘free’ Wi-Fi service that arguable will attract more customers into shops and cafés.
Earlier this week it was announced that Coca-Cola has turned some South African soft drink vending machines into Wi-Fi hotspots with some help from BT Global Services. This is a trial addressing the need for Internet connectivity in underserved areas.
So what’s Coca-Cola getting out of this?
Not easy to put a figure on the ad value but the cost of consumer-grade Wi-Fi APs at $20 a pop is certainly no show-stopper. Add to this the cost of broadband connections. I haven’t talked to the Oi people about this yet but I imagine they are not in this for charity
The market for SMB free Wi-Fi is huge on paper with countless millions of locations all over the world. Fon has recently launched an SMB offering addressing precisely this big but arguably hard-to-reach segment.
Coca-Cola Wi-Fi could be indicator of a new wave of (partly) brand-sponsored free wireless. I’ll be watching this very closely.
Below: The Coca-Cola Wi-Fi network in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


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This resurgence of “Friends” mania is reaching a fever pitch ahead of the show’s 25th anniversary and LEGO has joined into the hysteria by announcing a “Friends” themed LEGO set.
— GEEKSPIN (@geekspinco) August 8, 2019
The set will be released just before the 25th anniversary of the show and it’s sure to sell out fast.
The set will boast 1,070 pieces and be set around the famous Central Perk coffee shop. All the characters from the show will be included in the set too.
Closer look at the new #LEGO #friends #CentralPerk set featuring; Ross, Phoebe, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Gunther and Joey! @DavidSchwimmer @LisaKudrow @MatthewPerry @CourteneyCox @JenniferAnnistn @slate_michael @Matt_LeBlanc @lego @FriendsTV pic.twitter.com/eHMd2kaKO1
— Matthew Ashton (@matthew__ashton) August 8, 2019
The set will be available September 1 and will cost $59.99.
Are you a big enough fan of “Friends” to grab this LEGO set?


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By Homi Kharas and Meagan Dooley*
East Asian trade is set to rise even further in importance because the scale of the region’s economic recovery is larger and faster than anywhere else. Asia was already the second most integrated regional trade network after the European Union in 2019, with regional trade at 58 per cent of total trade. East Asia’s trading system is likely to become more inclusive and sustainable with its rapid shift to digital platforms.
East Asia is leading the global e-commerce revolution. Business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms (e-commerce, online travel, advertising technology, transport, e-services and digital media) generated US$3.8 trillion in revenue in 2019, with US$1.8 trillion of it in Asia. E-commerce alone accounted for US$1.9 trillion in revenue globally and US$1.1 trillion regionally. China is at the front, accounting for 45 per cent of e-commerce transactions. Online sales already represent 12 per cent of total retail sales in Asia, compared with 8 per cent in Europe and North America. The digital economy is expected to add US$1 trillion to Asia’s GDP in the next 10 years.
The e-commerce movement is evolving to include cross-border transactions. Cross-border B2C e-commerce generated an estimated US$404 billion in sales in 2018, up 7 per cent from the year before. Business-to-business (B2B) sales account for 80 per cent of cross-border e-commerce, but B2C represents the fastest growth. China is the global leader, home to most of the largest online retail and auction sites. Cross-border transactions now account for 10 per cent of e-commerce sales in China. COVID-19 has likely driven these figures higher as consumers turn online.
There is still considerable room for growth. E-shopper penetration — the share of the online population that make purchases online — is below 50 per cent in Asia, much lower than other regions. Digital divides still hamper progress — only 56 per cent of the region has internet access. But the region has seen dramatic growth since 2010, with notable progress in Thailand (up 44 percentage points), Brunei (up 42 percentage points), Cambodia (up 39 percentage points) and Vietnam (up 38 percentage points). ASEAN countries are adding 125,000 new users every day. Around 94 per cent of the region is covered by a 4G network.
These digital consumers represent a new market. It’s estimated that 40 per cent of internet spending in China and 30 per cent in Indonesia represents new consumption, rather than substitutes for in-person purchases. E-commerce platforms are tapping into unmet consumer needs.
Digital platforms are also fostering inclusion. For consumers, they are driving down prices, adding choice, and reducing transaction costs. Simultaneously, digital platforms are expanding the reach of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Digital platforms are also opening up opportunities for those in lower-tier cities and rural areas. This is where the majority of East Asians still live, so digital growth is translating into inclusive growth.
E-commerce platforms are connecting younger and peri-urban consumers with international brands. Tmall, one of Alibaba’s platforms, is providing preferential rates to international companies and allowing firms to sell on their platform without a license to operate in China. 29,000 brands came onto the platform in 2020 and 80 per cent entered the Chinese market for the first time. Of Tmall users, 45 per cent are from lower-tier Chinese cities. These platforms are connecting consumers outside major metropolitan areas with the region, and offering younger consumers, whose preferences will dominate for years to come, choices from throughout the region.
One feature that makes cross-border purchases on digital platforms easy is the presence of digital wallets that can be used for any product on the platform. As payment modalities become integrated, markets too can become more integrated. AliPay is acquiring local mobile-money startups across the region.
The growth of fintech is dramatically expanding financial inclusion. More individuals have access to a range of financial services without needing an account at a formal financial institution.
Inclusive economies tend to have more dynamic MSMEs. Digital platforms serve MSMEs in different ways. First, they reduce financial costs. Credit card fees cost US small businesses an average of 2 per cent of gross sales. Alipay and WeChat Pay, on the other hand, have no transaction fees on their digital commerce platforms and a 0.1 per cent fee on outside transfers.
Second, e-commerce and fintech players are using real-time transaction and social media data to improve risk assessments and to offer loans to MSMEs. Ant Financial’s online lending model is designed to take three minutes to apply and one second for money to be disbursed into the merchant’s account with zero manual operations. Ant’s small and medium-scale enterprise-dedicated service Mybank reached 25 million SMEs by its fifth anniversary in 2020. Mybank also focuses on filling the financing gap for female-owned MSMEs, adding to inclusion.
East Asian growth powered by digital platforms will be strong and inclusive if the region invests in digital infrastructure and human capital. Governments also need to coordinate on oversight and regulatory mechanisms to ensure that new platforms are accessible and not exploitative. ASEAN countries have formed an e-payments coalition to support the development of a regional digital payment framework. More will be needed through international agreement and cooperation to protect data privacy and strengthen cybersecurity.
*About the authors:
- Homi Kharas is a Senior Fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development program at the Brookings Institution.
- Meagan Dooley is a Senior Research Analyst in the Center for Sustainable Development program at the Brookings Institution.


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The EU is set to green-light Deutsche Telekom’s acquisition of Tele2 in the Netherlands, according to a Reuters report.
In its preliminary analysis the EC raised competition concerns about the effect of the merger on the mobile retail market, notably in the residential segment.
However, Deutsche Telekom argued that the combination of the number three and number four operators in the Dutch market would account for only 25% of the mobile market, making it the number three player.
Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile Netherlands agreed to acquire Tele2 NL last December in exchange for €190 million cash and a stake of 25% in the combined company.
UPC Poland adds download-to-view to Horizon Go. digitaltveurope.com/2018/12/10/upc… https://t.co/4B8k0VPX1P
10 December 2018 @ 21:30:00 UTC


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In Hawaii, hotels are taking note that guests are less willing these days to forsake their fitness routine while on vacation and are putting more thought and resources into fitness centers and programming.
Additionally, speciality gyms, focused on a certain style or technique, including CrossFit, TRX suspension, high-intensity interval training, cardio-boxing, spin classes, and a host of others, are booming. According to a 2016 report from International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, attendance at these specialty gyms, like SoulCycle and Equinox, grew 70% from 2012 to 2015, and high-end boutique fitness studios are grabbing an increasing share of the total fitness market.
A Hotels.com 2017 survey of 8,400 adults across 28 countries found millennials in particular are taking their exercise habits on the road with them. While 80% of 18-to-35-year-olds said keeping fit is one of the most important parts of a vacation, just two-thirds of baby boomers said the same. Also, a higher proportion of travelers ages 18 to 35 (34%) said hotel fitness facilities were the most important consideration when selecting a hotel than those who chose proximity to good restaurants (27%) and nightlife (9%).
The hotel industry has taken notice, with 85% of hotels offering an exercise room or fitness facility in 2016, up from 63% in 2004, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association's Lodging Survey.
In Hawaii, new properties as well as resorts completing upgrades are looking toward their fitness offerings, and several have given their gyms more prominent play than ever before. Here are three resorts doing something special with their fitness programs.
Hapuna Beach Resort: Scheduled to be reflagged as the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort at the end of June, the property is wrapping up a $46 million renovation. Previously, guests used an adequate but unspectacular fitness center in the golf club across the street from the resort. The refit has added a Westin Workout facility with ocean views. The fitness center includes a CrossFit studio, a stand-out offering considering that the majority of hotels do not offer the equipment needed for the Olympic-style lifting required in CrossFit. The property will also be installing the signature RunWestin running program, which includes a run concierge who offers maps, local advice and organized group runs.
Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach: The latest addition to Waikiki's bustling oceanfront corridor, the Alohilani held its official grand opening May 8. The property features the Island Club and Spa, which included a fitness center. In addition to personal training, the Island Club also offers numerous classes, including a handful of different yoga and Pilates workouts, TRX training, Zumba and full body conditioning. What gives the Alohilani's fitness offerings a special twist, though, are the two rooftop clay tennis courts that are complimentary for guests and a set of outdoor batting cages (there is a fee to use these).
Turtle Bay Resort: This property on Oahu's North Shore has traditionally offered robust fitness programming. In recent years Turtle Bay has introduced a surf training package, bundling accommodations with meal planning, massages and stretching sessions. The resort also offers an oceanfront fitness center with panoramic views and packs the weekly schedule with a variety of classes. No matter how much of a fitness buff a guest is, they are bound to find something new to try. The roster includes a Tahitian dance class called Hiva Fitness, a cardio drumming workout dubbed Pound and a Hatha yoga session set to deep house music as well as barre, fitness boxing, TRX, Pilates and spin classes.


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California Lawmakers Poised for New Plastic Bag AssaultJames Nash
California would become the first U.S. state to ban disposable plastic bags under a deal reached between three Democratic state senators whose party controls the legislature.
Senators Alex Padilla of Pacoima, Kevin de Leon of Los Angeles and Ricardo Lara of Long Beach said in a statement yesterday they would announce legislation today to prohibit single-use bags.
California joins Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington in considering bans on disposable plastic bags, while eight more states are looking at taxes and fees to reduce use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. About 90 cities and counties in California already have passed ordinances outlawing the sacks, according to Environment California, one of several groups advocating for local and statewide bans.
“Single-use plastic bags are one of the most common garbage items removed from California’s beaches,” Nathan Weaver, oceans advocate for the environmental group, said in a statement. “They are a direct threat to ocean wildlife.”
The plastic-bag industry has resisted efforts to outlaw its product, contending that the bans are being pushed by grocery-store chains motivated by profits on selling paper and reusable bags. Los Angeles required retailers to charge 10 cents for paper bags when the city ban took effect Jan. 1.
“It’s yet another job-killing, big-grocer cash-grab masquerading as an environmental bill,” Mark Daniels, chairman of the American Progressive Bag Alliance, an industry trade group, said in a statement. “Large grocery chains are pushing this bag ban and tax scam so they can keep the tax as a new revenue stream, all at the expense of their customers.”
Californians dispose of 19 billion plastic bags a year, accounting for about 2.2 percent of the state’s waste stream, according to a legislative analysis of a proposed plastic-bag ban in May 2013. The bags disproportionately end up in the ocean, the analysis said.
Padilla, who introduced a bill last year for a statewide ban, said he’d gained support from two fellow Democrats who opposed his previous bill. The measure, which needs 21 votes to pass the Senate, got 18 last year. If passed by the Senate, the bill would move to the Assembly, which is also controlled by Democrats.
John Mann, a spokesman for Padilla, said the new bill will mirror last year’s by banning plastic bags first at grocery stores and pharmacies, then at convenience stores; and allowing the use of recycled paper bags and reusable plastic bags as substitutes.
Last year, Los Angeles became the largest U.S. city to outlaw plastic shopping bags. San Francisco has banned the bags since 2007, according to PlasticBagLaws.org, which supports the laws. The District of Columbia imposed a ban in 2009, according to the National Council of State Legislatures.


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Microsoft has pledged that an ongoing shortage of European channel stock of its Surface Pro 4 tablet "should be temporary". The fourth iteration of the vendor's enterprise-targeted tablet launched on...
Former Avnet boss Patrick Zammit appointed European president
CEO Meg Whitman reveals that a 'tier-one service provider' has 'dramatically' reduced its business with the vendor
Spanish giant sees boost to bottom line but declines in Spain and America cause sales to slip
Distribution titan makes third acquisition of 2017 with Benelux buyout


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Three bits of Starbucks news today.
First, cast your mind back to the débâcle almost a year ago when the Mermaid launched its mobile app. The idea was to get customers to send in their orders ahead of time so their coffee would be ready when they arrived.
The trouble was that customers were still standing in long lines just to pick up their lattes. Rather than wait around, many simply cancelled their orders.
That part of the problem seems to have been fixed, so now it's time for the next step: no cash at all. It's a concept that's being tested at one downtown Seattle location (on the mezzanine of an upscale financial-services building) where customers presumably all carry smart phones loaded with Starbucks apps and a credit balance. Plastic and gift cards are still accepted as payment, but tips have to be in cash.
One assumes the location was chosen for its lack of visibility from the street, and for the presumed affluence of its clientele. "Cashless" isn't much help if you don't have a bank account or a mobile phone, after all.
Second item: the new Princi bakery at the flagship Starbucks Roastery just east of downtown Seattle. I've sampled several items, from cornetti to sandwiches to pizza, and found them terrific. Some, admittedly, more terrific than others. And often in need of salt.
But the Seattle Times sent a couple of food writers who just savaged the place. There's an unforgiving paywall, so I'll provide a taste:
"... oil-drenched eggplant one had a texture that went beyond creaminess to the point of soggy-dissolving, and a metallic taste. A pasta salad with roasted vegetables had the overriding, insistent flavor of roasted peppers and nothing else, with its s-shaped lengths of caserecci noodles tasting remarkably plain.
And so on. Meow!
Finally, in case you weren't previously notified, National Green Juice Day is coming up at the end of next week, Jan.26th, to be exact. Evolution Fresh, the cold-pressed, high-pressure-processed juice brand that Starbucks bought four years ago, is partnering with HelloFresh, a weekly recipe-kit delivery service, to deliver 100,000 bottles of green juice to encourage customers "to maintain their 2018 health and wellness resolutions."
Evolution Fresh established National Green Juice Day two years ago to encourage people to stick to their New Year's resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle. Every bottle of Evolution Fresh green juice (15.2 fl oz. ) is made with at least one full serving of vegetables.
Note: I hold 200 shares of SBUX but don't drink green juice.


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Your regular update for technical and industry information
Regulators and legislators are moving forward with efforts to adopt new requirements applicable to the production of organic food products sold in the European Union (EU).
The new EU Regulation addressing organic food production was endorsed by a wide margin in late November by the EU’s Council’s Special Committee on Agriculture, following approval by the EU Parliament earlier this year. Once adopted, the new Regulation will enter into force on 1 January 2021, which will give organic food producers approximately three years to adopt the Regulation’s new framework.
Key aspects of the EU’s Regulation on organic food production include:
The complete text of the Commission’s fact sheet on the EU’s new organic Regulation is available here.
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Two work colleagues for an IT company who cracked the clues to a buried treasure competition have given away their prize to a complete stranger in an incredible random act of kindness. The prize — a new Fiat car.
Alex Rawson and Danny Lane had decided to enter the competition — a nationwide treasure hunt requiring participants to decipher clues to find the whereabouts of a set of car keys that had been buried somewhere in the UK. The clues to their location were released on Tuesday, October 18, and took the form of three puzzles that would reveal the precise location of the keys using the what3words app.
Upon deciphering the clues and learning that the keys were buried around 100 miles south of them in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, the pair decided that rather than make the lengthy journey with the prospect of someone else getting there first, they would try to help someone close to the buried treasure win the car instead. A twist of fate led them to Simon Muirhead, the owner of a roofing company.
The Stretford-based colleagues who work for RM Education had seen details of the unique treasure hunt launched by Scrap Car Comparison, a website that connects people wanting to get rid of scrapped or damaged cars with those wanting to buy them, in the weeks leading up to the date the vital clues were revealed and planned to win the Fiat for themselves.
Mr Rawson, 51, from Stretford, Greater Manchester, said: “We looked at the location on Google Maps and saw there was a business nearby called RM Roofing. As we work for a company called RM Education ourselves, this felt like fate, so we called the number on their website and got through to Simon.
"After convincing him we weren’t prank callers and texting over the details on the Scrap Car Comparison website, we stayed on the phone while he made his way to the nearby location of the keys, and tried to help him find exactly where they were.
"The moment he found them we were celebrating together. It felt so good to spread some good fortune and play a part in making someone’s day. We’re over the moon to have helped someone get a brand-new car.”
Mr Muirhead, 40, from Bearley in Warwickshire, beat almost 3,000 entrants who tried to decipher the clues. Some of the participants had travelled from as far afield as Sheffield, Birmingham and Leicester in an attempt to claim the car first. Mr Muirhead said: “I can’t quite believe it. I was just about to leave for work and I had a call from an unknown number, then the next thing I know they’re talking me through how to find the keys to a brand new car. I almost lost out on it as other people were turning up to try and find them, but I’m so pleased I dug them up before anyone else.
"My partner has a car that’s around a decade old and has been concerned about a noise it makes, which could have led to a costly repair or two, but now we've got the perfect replacement. When I woke up this morning, I never thought I would be getting a car for free, it’s been incredible to actually win something.”
The Fiat 500 was chosen by Scrap Car Comparison for its reliability, fuel economy and suitability for city driving and longer motorway journeys. The hybrid model is worth more than £12,000.
Dan Gick, managing director at Scrap Car Comparison, said: “As we have seen that people who have to scrap their cars are having an increasingly difficult time of purchasing a new one, we wanted to spread some joy and give anyone the chance to get a new one absolutely free.
"What we didn’t expect was that the hunt for the keys itself would help to show that even in tumultuous times, there’s still a lot of goodwill in the country. It was amazing to learn about the incredibly kind act from Alex and Danny, and hope that thanks to them, Simon (or his partner) are able to enjoy the new car, and worry a lot less about having to repair it any time soon”.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
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It looks like slow production at California-based Fisker Automotive is having an impact here in Michigan.
No doubt the Republicans in congress will be jumping all over this news as A123 Systems laid off 125 people from its two battery manufacturing facilities in Romulus and Livonia this week. A123 received a $250 million grant from the Department of Energy in 2009 for advanced battery development.
While Fisker has reportedly begun production of the Karma plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan, deliveries will be well below the planned 7,000 in 2011. Fisker claims it will ship 1,500 cars by the end of the year. It's not clear when production will hit anticipated levels but A123 isn't waiting to find out.
Fisker isn't A123's only customer but they may well be the biggest right now. A123 also has contracts to supply lithium ion batteries to medium duty truck maker Smith Electric Vehicles as well as General Motors for its upcoming Chevy Spark EV.
#EV #A123systems #electricvehicles #bev #fisker
A123 Systems lays off 125 workers at Michigan battery plants
Battery maker A123 Systems, which has been celebrated as one of Michigan's biggest alternative energy successes, laid off 125 workers at its Livonia and Romulus …
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With the recent conclusion of the United Nations COP27 held in Egypt, an increased focus has been placed on ensuring sustainable practices are upheld across all different industries and countries.
Recently, Singapore has also announced its accelerated climate action targets, with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, signalling the government’s push towards the green transition.
The manufacturing industry, which has known to be resource intensive and emissions heavy, is also under greater pressure to transform it’s processes and take part in sustainable practices. So, what can manufacturers do to improve sustainability outcomes in their factory?
Improved product design
Manufacturers are at the forefront of industrial innovation, and have the power to create products that score better on sustainability goals. Not only can physical products be designed with more sustainable materials, production of these products can also be modified to reduce the amount of emissions during this stage as well.
Green transformation across all operations
Today, manufacturers are empowered by technology to enable the green transformation across all areas of operation. For instance, using data analytics and innovative technologies, companies can better track energy use and factory emissions, giving clear business insights on which areas of production can and need to be changed in order for emissions to come down.
Upskilling people for the green transition
People are key to driving sustainability in the business. Investing in employees to take up courses on sustainable manufacturing and business is a great way to help existing workers be part of the company’s green targets. Upskilled workers can then take on hybrid roles, blending their engineering background with a focus on sustainable systems to help the company make concrete steps towards its goals.
Employees can also form internal groups to champion environmental causes, which helps to motivate people to support the issues that they actually care about, and drive change in a real and authentic manner.
Manufacturers have a long journey ahead to improving sustainable outcomes in the factory. What’s heartening is that more people are recognising the need the industry to do better at protecting the environment. Taking meaningful action, no matter how small, will help us to build towards a better future together for the next generation.


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Mobile game publishers are losing a court battle to prevent people from using their games for mobile devices, a victory for privacy advocates.
The European Court of Justice has granted the mobile game industry’s appeal against a decision to ban the practice.
The court said the ban is not proportionate, as it could “interfere with the enjoyment of users’ right to use mobile phones”.
It also said the court must consider the potential consequences of banning such a widespread practice, such as a ban on access to mobile devices to play games.
The appeal is due to be heard in the Netherlands on 30 May.
The case involves two mobile game companies, Faze and Playmaker, which say they are in breach of European laws because their games include features that allow users to browse the internet, play video games and upload screenshots.
The companies argue that such features would be incompatible with EU data protection laws, and therefore the ban on the feature is justified.
The courts rejected their arguments and ordered the bans to go ahead.
Faze said in a statement that the ban was “a blatant violation of EU law”.
The company said it has been in talks with the European Commission, the European Union’s executive body, since the case was launched.
Playmaker said it is considering an appeal.EU law prohibits the blocking of websites or applications that allow players to browse, share or send files, as well as the blocking or restriction of access to a person’s mobile phone.
It says EU data rules protect users’ fundamental rights to privacy and security and that they can be effectively protected by EU legislation.


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Donna Karan’s fall 2009 collection will be fur free.
And it’s because of Tim Gunn.
The make-it-work fashion expert has become the latest celebrity to lend his voice to animals by narrating PETA’s new skins video which he sent with a personal appeal to Donna Karan and Giorgio Armani.
The two designers are known for using rabbit fur in their collections.
Since Tim’s appeal, Donna Karan has indicated that she has “no plans” to use fur in the future.
No word from Mr. Armani yet.


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The recalled string cheese was produced by a plant in upstate New York (it carried expiration dates ranging from October 25 through February 11). Consumers previously complained that the cheese discolored and spoiled well before its posted date. Though it's been three months since the recall, shelves in New York and New Jersey still remain bare and they will likely stay that way until long after the snow has melted.
Parents are finding the lack of supply to be a real challenge. "There is one string cheese that has captured the kid market," Jake Daehler told FOX News. "My son doesn't want the health store stuff. He wants what's familiar. He wants Polly-O." Another parent, Clair Behrle, took to Facebook to voice her frustrations. "My child could be the poster child for 'I only WANT Polly-O String Cheese.'" Behrle added that her child is actually 19 years old, but still a fan of the stretchable cheese. "She does not like any other," Behrle said. "At this point we have not found it for sale since the recall."
The string cheese shortage isn't limited to the New York area. FOX News reports that the product is missing from shelves in Detroit and Los Angeles as well. A store manager at Vincente Foods in Los Angeles has repeatedly placed orders since the recall but still hasn't received his full order.
FOX News reached out to Kraft to find out when the kid-friendly cheese might come back to supermarkets. Spokeswoman Joyce Hodel did not give specifics: "There are many variables that could affect how products get back into stock after a recall." Hodel declined to share further details about Kraft's recall process.
Are you searching for Polly-O String Cheese? Where have you found (or not found) it?
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The activity and fitness tracking wearable devices market has been growing in recent years thanks to competition between innovative companies like Jawbone and Fitbit. Now the market is in the process of evolving as technology improves and manufactures with significantly more research and development capacity, namely Microsoft and Apple, have stepped in over the past nine months with their latest hardware, The Microsoft Band and the Apple Watch.
This led Rachel Metz of MIT’s Technology Review to wonder if these sensors’ “technology [is] really accurate enough to turn wearable devices into digital medical tools?”
In her research Metz interviewed cardiologist and genomics professor of the Scrips Research Institute Eric Topol, who said:
“We’re at an inflection point, or transition, from lifestyle health stuff to medical metrics.”
Metz then conducted a review to see how close the Microsoft Band and Apple Watch came to providing accurate medical metrics that could be useful for providing more than just general activity levels, and maybe provide something that doctors and health professionals could rely on for the care. For this test she spent several days wearing the Apple Watch and the Microsoft Band during her normal bike commute to work. While biking with either device she also wore a Polar H7 Bluetooth chest strap, which is described as “one of the most accurate consumer devices for measuring heart rate.”
While results varied, and as she says “sometimes they varied a lot,” Metz found that the Band’s average measurements were consistently closer to the chest strap’s measurements than the Apple Watch. She notes that while the Band could be as many as 13 beats per minute off from the Polar device, the Apple Watch could be off by as much as 77 beats per minute. She also added that the Microsoft Band was sometimes within a beat or two per minute.
Overall her review showed that all of these devices still show inconsistencies that most likely prohibits the current generation of wearables from serving as professional grade medical monitors that give profoundly insightful and actionable metrics to everyone. Notably, some of the issues arise from taking measurements at the wrist themselves since everyone’s wrist and body type is different, as well as that the measurements are being taken from across the skin.
But none of this is to say she didn’t find a significant amount of hope for wearable devices providing more helpful health monitoring and that there is a great deal of innovative research continuing for new types of sensors and refining the current technology that is making its way into consumers’ hands.
In the meantime, while research continues to improve for better sensors to provide more medical grade measurements, it appears that the Microsoft Band is the best option for accurate heart rate monitoring from an activity tracker by a fair degree.


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The average wholesale prices of 18 kinds of vegetables shed 1.2 per cent from a week earlier with the prices of celery and cabbage dropping 8.8 per cent and 8.4 per cent.
The average wholesale price of aquatic products dropped 0.7 per cent and the prices of eggs shrank 0.4 per cent.
The cost of pork went down 0.3 per cent, while beef and mutton went up 0.2 per cent and 0.1 per cent.
Food accounts for about one third of China's consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation.
The CPI grew 3.2 per cent year on year in October, up from 3.1 per cent in September, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.


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President Donald Trump has taken to social media to blast the retail chain Nordstrom for dropping a clothing brand headed by his daughter, Ivanka Trump. Nordstrom had asserted that they had discontinued selling the Trump clothing brand because of underwhelming sales.
On Feb. 8, the president used his personal Twitter account to knock Nordstrom for its private business decision to stop selling Ivanka Trump's brand.
"My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by [Nordstrom]," Trump tweeted out. "She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!"
Trump's statement was then retweeted by his official @POTUS account, a profile that has historically only addressed government issues.
On Feb. 3, Nordstrom announced that it would cut Ivanka Trump's brand from its stores for the spring season. The retail giant had been facing pressure from the Grab Your Wallet campaign, a group advocating for customers to boycott Trump family products, but management asserts that the decision was based on sales.
"In this case, based on the brand's performance, we've decided not to buy it for this season," Nordstrom told Bloomberg Technology.
Whether or not Nordstrom had cut Ivanka Trump's brand due to political concerns or sales, the president's tweet has given ethics experts pause. Trump has already been under heavy scrutiny from ethics watchdogs for placing his organization under the management of his two eldest sons instead of a blind trust.
Norman Eisen, who had served as former President Barack Obama's chief ethics officer, took to social media to blast Trump for knocking a private company, USA Today reports.
"Outrageous," Eisen tweeted out in response. The former White House ethics officer recommended that Nordstrom should pursue legal action against the president under California's Unfair Competition Law.
General counsel Larry Noble of the Campaign Legal Center believes that Trump's latest tweet is a symptom of the president's overall conflicts of interest.
"He should not be promoting his daughter's line, he should not be attacking a company that has business dealing with his daughter, and it just shows the massive amount of problems we have with his business holdings and his family's business holdings," Noble told CNN Money.
Noble noted that the only reason that Trump will likely not face repercussions for the tweet is because presidents are largely exempted from conflict of interest laws.
"If he was any other government employee, this would be illegal," Noble concluded.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer later told reporters that the president was justified in blasting Nordstrom on Ivanka Trump's behalf.
"This is a direct attack on his policies and her name," Spicer said, according to Talking Points Memo.


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Pradhan outlines four-point identification programme for Ujjwala beneficiaries. The government saved more than Rs 216.72 billion of LPG subsidy outgo in the past two financial years (2014-15 and 2015-16) thanks to the implementation of the Direct Benefit Transfer in LPG (DBTL) scheme that eliminated ghost or duplicate connections. The scheme, under which cooking gas subsidy is transferred directly into bank accounts of beneficiaries to cut down leakages, was rolled out beginning November 2014. “If DBTL was not there, the government would have had to spend around Rs 150 billion more in 2014-15,” petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan said at a seminar on energy subsidies here.
Oil ministry’s Joint Secretary Ashutosh Jindal, who was also present on the occasion, said the savings accruing as a result of DBTL stood at around Rs 70 billion last fiscal, lower than the gains of Rs 146.72 billion in previous financial year, due to the slump in crude oil prices. India had 181.9 million registered LPG consumers as on 1 April 2015 including 148.5 million active consumers implying a gap of 33.4 million duplicate, fake or inactive consumers, according to the oil ministry. Eliminating these unclaimed 33.4 million consumers helped save Rs 146.72 billion in 2014-15, Pradhan said. DeMario Davis Authentic JerseyShare This


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by Peter Schiff, Schiff Gold:
Are consumers getting close to the end of their road of debt?
There are some indications that they might be and that’s not good news for an economy built on consumers spending money they don’t have.
Total consumer debt grew and set yet another new record in November, according to the most recent data released by the Federal Reserve. But the rate of growth slowed and credit card debt contracted slightly for the third month out of the last four.


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December 2012 was a record month for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store with more than 2 billion apps downloaded, according to a press release issued from Cupertino. The robust December numbers were no doubt fueled by holiday purchases of new iOS devices. Apple also announced today that customers have downloaded over 40 billion apps since the App Store opened in 2008 with nearly 20 billion downloaded in 2012 alone.
"It has been an incredible year for the iOS developer community," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Developers have made over seven billion dollars on the App Store, and we continue to invest in providing them with the best ecosystem so they can create the most innovative apps in the world." Apple said there are now over 775,000 apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, with developers having been paid over seven billion dollars by Apple. Apple added that its App Store now has more than 500 million active accounts. Apple releases this data on the heels of a report from The Sociable which estimates there are now 800,000 apps available on Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google Play app store.
As I mentioned, Apple's healthy December app numbers were undoubtedly driven by a large number of people receiving new iPods, iPad minis and iPhones during the holidays. While we don't yet know these numbers, expect to hear them during Apple's earnings call in two weeks. Based on the number of apps downloaded in December, these numbers should be vigorous indeed and should help drive Apple's PPS up in coming weeks, making it a bargain at its current price of $523.90 at end of the trading day Monday.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Eni Adeoluwa, a well-known Nigerian male fashionista and social media influencer, recently traveled to Kano to take part in the exciting Sallah celebrations.
The charming design icon surprised his admirers by uploading a series of stunning images from his trip to the colorful metropolis.
Eni Adeoluwa had the opportunity of meeting renowned actor Ali Nuhu during his tour, adding an extra layer of excitement to his already spectacular journey.
The images of their interaction instantly went viral, eliciting a flurry of ecstatic replies from fans and followers alike.
Eni Adeoluwa exuded confidence and impeccable fashion sense, effortlessly showcasing his unique style alongside Ali Nuhu, a talented actor who has garnered numerous accolades in the Nigerian film industry. Their dynamic chemistry and joyful expressions radiated the essence of the festive occasion, captivating the hearts of their admirers.


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These days everyone wants to be an Internet infrastructure company. Attracted by sky-high market valuations, nearly unlimited growth potential and the creative ferment surrounding the build-out of the next-generation Internet, everyone from Scientific-Atlanta
Not satisfied with a near-monopoly in the chip industry, Intel ($30 billion sales)
yesterday unveiled two networking products. "Intel's semiconductor chips are known as a building block for the PC," says Brett Helm, the general manager of Intel's Network Equipment Division. "Now Intel wants to build components to the Internet."
The two new products Intel announced yesterday, the XML Accelerator and the XML Director, are designed to sort and speed business-to-business transactions on the Web.
The NetStructure line is designed specifically to work with data in XML (extensible mark-up language), the up-and-coming format used by businesses exchanging information on the Web.
Essentially the two devices focus on speeding the delivery of transaction information over the Web by reading and prioritizing individual data packets according to information like time sensitivity. "The Internet itself has no way to guarantee on-time delivery of any particular packet of information," says Warren Wilson, an analyst with the Boston-based firm Summit Strategies. "The Internet can't recognize who sent something, where it needs to go or create policies about how certain data should be handled." Intel says the Director can give preference to data packets pertaining to transactions that are worth more than $1,000, for instance, or that are sent by one of a company's leading customers.
According to Wilson, much in this field called "intelligent networking" is focused on labeling data packets using standard Internet protocol. "Intel is leaping a step beyond even that," he says. "By using XML to tag all the key information in a data packet, then, you can be really sophisticated about sorting them and make more intelligent routing decisions."
The rationale behind Intel's move is obvious--The majority of semiconductors are little better than commodity products. Even on the high end, chips like Intel's flagship Pentium III have increasing competition from shops like Advanced Micro Devices
"But bandwidth and networking capacity has to grow even faster to optimize the Internet."
The big question is whether Intel can pull this off. Despite its size, Intel is hardly an established networking player. And it's entering a space dominated by a troika of sharklike competitors. Nortel
Still, Intel should at least garner the attention--if not the business--of its many influential customers. "When your trusted supplier of microprocessors comes to you and says 'I have these networking boxes,' you'll look closely at them," says Summit Strategies' Wilson. "And when they're talking about XML capabilities no one else has, you'll look even more closely."