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As seen in NKNews.org
A Singaporean national at the center of an NK Pro investigation last year was on Thursday charged with 161 counts relating to United Nations North Korea luxury goods sanctions, court records show.
Investigation by NK Pro – NK News‘s sister publication – throughout July and August 2017 revealed that several companies directed by Ng ‘Leo’ Kheng Wah, 55, played a role in exporting goods including high-end liquors, designer watches, perfumes, and musical instruments for sale at boutique luxury shops in Pyongyang.
At the time, Ng called the allegations “baseless” and “fake,” but at 0930 Thursday, case number SC-906704-2018—Public Prosecutor vs Ng Kheng Wah—opened in Singapore State Court.
“Ng Kheng Wah, 55, is said to have engaged in a conspiracy with general wholesale trade company T Specialist International and two others – Sherly Muliawan and Li Ik – to commit the offences,” Singapore’s Straits Times reported on Frday.
Ng is the director of several Singaporean firms, including OCN (S) Pte Ltd and T Specialist International, two companies revealed by NK Pro last year to have supplied a wide range of luxury goods to Pyongyang’s Bugsae Shop and Pothonggang Ryugyong Store.
Pictures exclusively revealed by NK Pro, in particular, showed the two stores stacked with brands including Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Burberry, and Montblanc.
Japanese brands for sale at the stores – forbidden by the country’s law – included Sony, Panasonic, Yamaha, Seiko, and Pokka, as well as flat-screen TVs, laptops, jewelry, and cameras on display.
Tellingly, stickers bearing the brand name ‘OCN’ could be seen on multiple products within the stores, even including on plastic bags, with the ‘T Specialist’ name also printed on several Singaporean-brand products offered for sale.
Corporate documents filed in 2016 by T Specialist reported a little over $170 million (all figures in Singapore dollars) in revenue, showing the scale of Ng’s company activities, despite the company having almost no online or physical footprint in Singapore.
“Ng currently faces 161 charges while T Specialist International faces 88,” the Straits Times elaborated surrounding the charges brought against him on Friday.
Ng was offered bail of half a million Singapore dollars and could face a five-year prison sentence, as well as fines of up to $100,000 for each charge, the Singaporean newspaper added.
Ng’s colleagues, Sherly Muliawan and North Korean national Li Ik, were also accused of engaging in the conspiracy, though no details were provided about them in court documents, the Straits Times said.
But Ng, speaking through company representatives or locally hired lawyers, repeatedly denied all charges to NK Pro journalists last year.
“Our client has complied with all applicable laws and regulations and unequivocally deny any allegations to the contrary,” Chern Yang See, the lawyer formerly representing OCN / T Specialist director Ng ‘Leo’ Kheng Wah, told NK Pro in August last year.
The United Nations Panel of Experts (PoE) in a report earlier this year recommended that the Security Council designate two associates of OCN/T Specialist as sanctions violators.
The PoE’s report not only confirmed the companies’ exports of sanctioned luxury goods to North Korea, but also shed light on OCN/T Specialist’s reported illegal financial relationships in the country, including one with a bank sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department.
“Our clients have no knowledge of the authenticity of the sale of goods in DPRK as included in your letter and no knowledge of how any such goods ended up in DPRK,” OCN representatives told the Panel of Experts.
The companies’ new law firm Edmond Pereira Law Corporation on Wednesday said that its client had not replied to a Monday-dated request by NK Pro for explanation surrounding the-then ongoing Singaporean government investigation into his activities.
Edmond Pereira Law Corporation is, notably, the same firm that was used by the Singapore-based Chinpo Shipping Company (Private) Ltd to defend against claims it had facilitated a shipment of arms to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions.
While Singaporean authorities initially fined Chinpo USD$180,000 for the case, Edmond Pereira Law Corporation was successful in eventually persuading the Singaporean High Court to overturn the charges in May last year.
Ng is being represented by a team of attorneys from the firm, including Edmond Pereira, Amardeep Singh, and former Singaporean track-and-field star Goh Chui Ling.
“Chui Ling has been involved in criminal cases, involving corruption, cheating, and even breach of international sanctions,” her bio reads on the firm’s website.
“Notably, Chui Ling assisted Mr. Edmond Pereira as he went before a three-judge High Court panel in 2017, which overturned the State Court’s decision in a high-profile criminal case involving the breach of sanctions under the United Nations (Sanctions – Democratic Republic of Korea) Regulations 2010.”
“In terms of comments, give me some time to discuss with my client,” Goh said when contacted by NK News.
Asked whether or not Singapore had ever punished individuals there for violating sanctions relating to North Korea, a Singaporean MOFA spokesperson last week provided a broad statement to NK Pro.
“Singapore takes its obligations under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) seriously. We will not hesitate to take criminal or regulatory action against any individual or entity that breaches our laws and regulations which give effect to the UNSCRs.”
Singapore is one of the “few countries that submit detailed National Implementation Reports to the UNSC in a timely manner,” the spokesperson added, saying that it cooperates “closely with and aid the UN Panel in its investigations as far as possible.”
“We have continuously stepped up our counter-proliferation efforts,” the spokesperson continued. “Specifically for the DPRK, we have instituted a prohibition on commercially traded goods (regardless of whether they are prohibited by the UNSCRs) that are imported, exported, transhipped or brought in transit from or to the DPRK.”
Ng has been charged with abetting the violation of Section 5(1) of the United Nations Act, along with Section 109 of the Penal Code “and others,” according to legal filings.
The United Nations Act of 1992 is meant “to enable Singapore to fulfil its obligations respecting Article 41 of the Charter of the United Nations.” Article 41 allows the UN to impose sanctions.
Section 109 of Singapore law is abetment, and pertains to the “support and encouragement of others” in the commission of an offense: a crime for which individuals can be fined up to USD$500,000 and/or imprisoned for up to ten years.


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Over the past few weeks we have seen a lot of information and images of the next OnePlus flagships known as the OnePlus 10 and OnePlus 10 Pro. New information about the OnePlus 10 Pro has been leaked today at the XDA Developers Forum, quoting a post on Weibo from Digital Chat Station.
According to recently leaked information, the OnePlus 10 Pro supports 80-watt wired and 50-watt wireless chargers. In this way, the next flagship of OnePlus allows users to charge fast.
Other information previously leaked about the OnePlus 10 includes a 6.7-inch 120Hz LTPO display with 1440p resolution. There is a large punch for the 32-megapixel selfie camera in the corner of the screen.
It is also rumored that the phone has a 48-megapixel sensor as the main camera, a 50-megapixel ultraviolet sensor and an 8-megapixel sensor with a telephoto lens that provides 3x optical zoom.
We also know that OnePlus 10 will be equipped with ColorOS 12 operating system, which is based on Android 12.
OnePlus has chosen the Snapgragon 8 Gen 1 chip for its next flagship, and the RAM will be 8 or 12 GB of LPDDDR5. The storage memory of these phones will probably be 128 or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 type.
There are also rumors about the battery capacity, which refers to a capacity of 5000 mAh.
The OnePlus 10 series is expected to be unveiled early next year.

domain: news


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Washington: The trend of smartwatches goes higher, Search engine giant gaining momentum to join the new market with its upcoming device Google Watch.
We have seen one from Samsung and Sony entering their new smartwatches in the market. Now Google is eyeing to develop one of its own.
As we have reported earlier that Google smartwatch have entered mass production and now aimed o make an early impact next year.
We’ve heard that watches from Microsoft and LG may also be forthcoming, while an Apple iWatch is also widely predicted.
A filing with the US Patent Office from early May 2013 showed a “smart-watch with user interface features” – it sounds pretty clear to us what that might mean.
The watch displayed in the illustration has two touchpads on either side of the display face. The patent says that you’ll be able to use these to “pinch, stretch and scroll on a platform with limited space available for user input.” This could mean it will interact with Google Glass.
It’s possible that the watch will also rely on a Google Now-style use of information cards, and after word that the watch will integrate the personal assistant features of Google Now, it seems even more likely.
One thing that the Google smartwatch is rumored to be going big on is Google now, which some sources reckon will lie at the heart of the watch.
If so, this means we could be talking to our Google watch – very Google Glass style, then – to check emails or see what the weather forecast holds. We expect this also means you’ll need a phone that supports Google Now in order to take advantage of the watch’s core features.
A recent report claims that Google is hard at work to solve the ongoing problem of the smartwatch battery. Apparently it’s looking at methods to reduce the power consumption so we won’t be taking it off our wrists to charge quite as often.
We’ve also heard that the Google watch could be manufactured by Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility.
Anonymous tipsters contacted Android Authority and claimed the watch already exists in a physical form and has been seen in its Berlin, Manchester and Google’s Mountain View offices.
Motorola already has an exercise watch available, the Motoactiv. Could this give us any hints to the possible design of the new Google Watch or should we expect something radically different?
The Motorola aspect is particularly interesting, though not all that surprising now that it’s owned by Google – and that Motorola released its own smartwatch, the Motoactv, in 2011.
The same sources also state that the watch is “not a standalone device yet”, claiming that it needs to be tethered to a smartphone to function properly. This part isn’t so surprising given that Google Glass works much the same way.
As for the name of a Google watch, many are predicting that it could use the same name as Google Glass – in other words, it will be a Google Glass watch. We’re not so sure about this, since we’d have thought it will be a totally separate and somewhat more consumer-orientated product than Google Glass is. (And yes, we know Google plans to sell Glass to the wider world too).
Android Police’s Artem Russakovskii wrote on Google+ that the watch currently existed under the name of Google Gem. While the final name could well be something different, we have to say we’re warming to Gem.
Rumors also continue to abound that Google will launch its own retail stores, although it will take some time to rival the all-conquering Apple Stores, of course.
The stores would enable consumers to get face-on with Google Glass as well as Android phones and, potentially, the Google watch.
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Standard Chartered Bank’s SC Ventures and Deutsche Bank have successfully completed the first stablecoin swaps on the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN). The pioneering transaction saw the exchange of USDC and EURS stablecoins. These transactions were securely facilitated via SC Ventures and Deutsche Bank’s digital currency wallets, as reported by Financial Express.
Moreover, the transactions employed SC Ventures’ private key for signing, thereby ensuring the highest levels of security. Hence, the transaction not only indicates the potential for large-scale digital currency exchanges but also upholds the standard for secure, encrypted transactions in decentralized finance.
Innovating for the future with UDPN
Launched at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year, UDPN aims to pave the way for a seamless integration of regulated stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The network infrastructure serves to link digital currencies with commercial banks and e-commerce platforms. Designed with this level of interoperability in mind, UDPN is already under rigorous testing in a sandbox environment by numerous banks. These tests focus on future stablecoin, CBDC, and digital foreign exchange transactions.
To carry out these landmark stablecoin swaps, SC Ventures utilized UDPN-based Software Development Kits (SDKs) and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). These tools enabled the creation of decentralized identities and linked digital currency wallets, thereby simplifying the swap process. Additionally, Deutsche Bank executed its end of the swaps through a graphical user interface, demonstrating another layer of user-friendliness and technological prowess. Both financial institutions leveraged UDPN business nodes to connect to the network, thereby making the transactions not just secure but also efficient.
The proof of concept test initiated by SC Ventures used these UDPN-based tools to their full extent. Consequently, this stablecoin swap serves as a pivotal event in demonstrating how traditional banking institutions can effectively utilize digital currencies. It also showcased how these financial entities could employ UDPN’s capabilities for a broader range of digital currency transactions in the future.
However, it’s crucial to note that while this was a significant step in digital currency transactions between major banks, the system still has to undergo further tests and validations. Various financial entities are participating in the UDPN sandbox environment to push the network towards operational readiness. Given the magnitude of these preliminary stablecoin swaps, it’s evident that the financial sector is eagerly moving towards a more integrated and efficient digital currency ecosystem.


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By Reginald Tucker
LVT, along with its various iterations, has led the flooring industry in terms of dollar and volume growth as well as its share of the retail showroom space. That’s due in large measure to the well-documented waterproof attributes LVT, WPC and SPC products provide. But that doesn’t mean retailers shouldn’t consider showcasing other hard surface alternatives on the show floor.
Bamboo and cork flooring are two such categories. Thanks to innovations in visuals, durability, resilience and even hygienic properties, suppliers are looking to give retailers, specifiers and consumers more reasons to take another hard look at bamboo and cork.
One area where suppliers say these alternatives can effectively compete is performance. Case in point is Wellmade Performance Flooring’s HDPC strand bamboo offering. According to Steve Wagner, director of sales and marketing, the product is fully waterproof—a trait that helps it compete toe to toe with virtually any product on the market and virtually eliminates moisture-related flooring failures. “The product is perfect for areas prone to moisture, like kitchens, bathrooms and basements,” he said. “Plus, click installation (without acclimation) is quick and easy, and HDPC strand is damp-mop approved for easy cleaning.”
The benefits don’t end there, Wagner said. Bamboo, he noted, still represents a great eco-friendly option. And because the wear layer is natural, repeat patterns are eliminated. “The next generation of bamboo flooring definitely deserves a second look from retailers,” he said. “Wellmade is producing natural strand on a HDPC platform that has all the performance benefits associated with rigid core products.”
Other major suppliers of bamboo flooring are also looking to drive continued interest in bamboo by touting the category’s inherent features and benefits. In the case of Cali Brands, the product’s durability is the key driver. The company boasts having one of the strongest bamboo flooring products available with a Janka hardness scale rating of 5,500—that’s four times harder than oak. “Both residential and commercial customers opt for our fossilized bamboo namely for this extreme durability,” said Laura Nieto, communications and public relations specialist.
And like Wellmade, Cali Brands is also touting bamboo’s aesthetic attributes. While Nieto agreed there have been incredible advancements in wood imaging technology in real-wood vinyl look-alikes, she said it’s still hard to beat the real thing. “There remains a solid segment of customers who prefer natural materials and want that richer, more organic aesthetic,” she explained. “Despite Cali Vinyl’s skyrocketing success, bamboo flooring—both in solid and engineered—remains a big part of our business.”
And let’s not forget about the eco-friendly traits of the product. “Conventional wood flooring sources material from trees that take 30-50 years to reach their full mass, but bamboo can be continuously reharvested every three to five years without harming the plant’s system or surrounding habitat,” Nieto said.
Cork bounces back
In much the same way that bamboo suppliers are leveraging the performance, aesthetic and eco- friendly attributes of the category to entice retailers and consumers, cork flooring producers and marketers are working hard to keep that category top of mind. If waterproof is what consumers want, then cork certainly delivers, suppliers say.
“There’s a reason this product has been around for 150 years,” said Ann Wicander, president of We Cork. “Cork is naturally waterproof given its natural ability to seal at the seams—spills don’t affect the floor. You can even install it using a waterproof adhesive and seal it with a waterproof urethane. It’s like the cork stopper in the wine bottle; it expands and provides a waterproof seal.”
We Cork’s latest salvo in the waterproof flooring battle is a product called Corkoleum, a durable, waterproof, glue-down offering that’s ideal for a variety of scenarios such as bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms, as well as light-commercial applications such as gyms, physiotherapy rooms and libraries. “It will last as long as the building,” Wicander said.
The product’s resistance to moisture is not the only draw. Cork also provides sound dampening as well as thermal insulation. (It helps retain both the heat in winter and the coolness in summertime when the air conditioner is running.) Plus, it’s also more comfortable underfoot.
“Cork is a great way to insulate sound within the room and above the ceiling—especially if you need to be isolated from the kids when you’re working,” Wicander explained. “It’s also ideal for an aging population who might be looking for something that’s more comfortable than SPC.”
An added bonus for the specialty dealer, according to Wicander, is the profit opportunity. With WPC and SPC approaching commodity status, cork—a natural material that’s green and renewable—can boost the retailer’s profit margin. “Dealers can make 40%-60% margin with our product,” she said. “And since it requires more skilled labor, the retailer can charge more for installation.”
And let’s not forget about the aesthetic appeal that many of today’s cork products offer. Thanks to advancements in screening and digital printing technologies, cork can be visually altered to mimic virtually any surface or material—natural or otherwise. This addresses one of the major disadvantages of cork flooring for traditionalists—who may embrace the eco-friendly benefits for which the product is known, but have possibly grown tired of the original, dated cork look.
A prime example of this innovation can be found in the newly launched Green Flow program from Calgary, Canada-based Opus Floors, a supplier of several innovative hard surface products, including cork. “Most visuals currently available in cork resemble the natural cork look, but with our ultra-high-resolution digital print program, we can offer retailers everything from wood visuals to concrete looks to natural mosaic patterns,” said Vern Verkley, owner. “The digital technology used in producing the visuals for the product offers fewer repeats in the patterns, making for a more beautiful, natural looking floor.”
It’s an area where several cork suppliers say they are focusing their attention. “With today’s printing technology, you can have any visual you want,” We Cork’s Wicander said. “We have the capability to offer design customization for our clients.”
Advancements in cork go well beyond designs and waterproof performance. Suppliers have also made improvements in areas such as core construction and antimicrobial technologies.
At Ecore, for instance, the company incorporated cork and vulcanized composition rubber to produce a beautiful and sustainable floor that rivals the acoustic properties found in traditional resilient flooring. The new product line, called Origins, is 3.2mm thick and is available in 12 x 24-inch tiles that can be installed in a brick/subway or herringbone pattern.
With respect to antimicrobial enhancements, Torlys is looking to raise the ante with its CorkWood line. The engineered product, which features a real cork veneer, combines the beauty of hardwood, the durability of laminate and the comfort of cork. But the main feature, according to Peter Barretto, president and CEO of Torlys, is the CorkPlus Blue backing, which boasts Microban technology designed to inhibit the growth of mold.
“One of the biggest challenges the industry faces with waterproof is mold and mildew problems when it gets under the floor,” he explained. “We’ve been focusing on Microban to make sure we don’t have those problems. We’ve been featuring it for several years now, but you’re going to see us doubling down on antimicrobial technology moving forward.”


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Hostess Brands Inc. agreed to sell many of its bread brands – including Wonder and Nature’s Pride – to rival bakery business Flowers Foods as the liquidating company prepares to shut itself down.
Flowers, which owns the Tastykake and Nature’s Own brands, will pay $390 million total for a chunk of Hostess’ assets.
Flowers, of Thomasville, Ga., will spend $360 million for the Wonder, Nature’s Pride, Butternut, Home Pride and Merita labels as well as 20 Hostess bakeries and 38 depots.
Hostess, based in Irving, Texas, will sell Flowers its Beefsteak bread brand separately in a $30-million arrangement.
In November, a federal bankruptcy judge gave Hostess the go-ahead for an “orderly wind-down” after the company declared bankruptcy and clashed with its striking baker’s union.
The 82-year-old pastry maker will trim much of its 18,500 employee headcount while trying to rid itself of snack brands such as Twinkies and Ding Dongs.
For now, Flowers will serve as the so-called stalking horse bidder for Hostess’ bread brands, which means it may still have to compete against other offers. The final deal must be approved in bankruptcy court and clear any regulatory hurdles.


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The unionization push at Amazon has come to a head in Upstate New York as the e-commerce giant awaits the results of yet another election.
Votes by Amazon workers at the “ALB1” warehouse in Castleton-on-Hudson, N.Y., will be counted starting Tuesday morning, at the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB’s) regional office in Buffalo, N.Y.
The fulfillment center’s roughly 400 workers began voting last Wednesday and could cast ballots through Monday.
“Amazon would like to see ALU go away, but we’re here to stay,” said Derrick Palmer, an Amazon worker and vice president of Amazon Labor Union (ALU), in a statement. “The vote in Albany is the next step in this journey. If we win, we will celebrate and prepare for negotiations. If we aren’t successful, we will continue to fight for workers and prepare for another election. Some facilities may require multiple union elections before we prevail.”
Amazon did not immediately respond to Sourcing Journal’s request for comment.
The decision by workers in New York comes six months after nearly 8,000 Amazon employees won an historic unionization election at the e-commerce giant’s “JFK8” facility in Staten Island.
Last week, a group of 800 Amazon workers who want to form a union with ALU filed for an NLRB election at a facility in Southern California’s Inland Empire, called “ONT8.”
ALU cited data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in its claims that ALB1 has seen higher rates of serious worker injuries than warehouses operated by other companies.
In 2021, the total injury rate at Amazon warehousing and logistics facilities in New York State was nine per 100 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs), 29 percent higher than at non-Amazon facilities, which had seven serious injuries per 100 FTEs. The rate of the most serious injuries at Amazon warehousing and logistics facilities (eight per 100 FTEs) was 40 percent higher than at non-Amazon facilities in the state (5.7 per 100 FTEs).
And it is not just injuries workers and labor rights activists are concerned about. OSHA opened multiple probes into Amazon after three deaths in three separate New Jersey warehouses across July and August.
The N.Y. warehouse handles the packing and shipment of large and heavy consumer goods, and is one of four Amazon facilities where fires broke out recently. More than 50 workers inside the JFK8 warehouse were suspended on Oct. 4 following a worker safety protest in response to a fire at the building.
ALU has filed 27 unfair labor practice charges against Amazon with the NLRB in relation to the ALB1 vote. The organizer claims that Amazon has violated agreed-to election rules by threatening to fire ALB1 workers who were scheduled to serve as election observers.
Amazon lost the effort to overturn the Staten Island unionization election in September, after accusing the Brooklyn office of the NLRB of violating labor law by appearing to support the union drive.
An NLRB administrative law judge recommended dismissing all 25 of Amazon’s election objections, with the tech titan itself alleging that labor organizers intimidated workers to vote in their favor.
In its statement, the ALU accused Amazon of using the “classic union-busting tactic of ‘delay and stall.’” An NLRB regional director will next weigh in on the decision. Amazon still has not conceded defeat.
“I am just one of many faces making up the new labor movement, built on solidarity and mutual aid,” said Sarah Chaudry, an ALB1 worker in the facility’s pack department. “No matter the outcome, and despite all the union-busting and unfair labor practices, we recognize that a union election is just one step in a much longer struggle. I will continue to fight for my fellow workers’ rights until we have our union at ALB1 and until all Amazon workers secure their right to a union.”
Unfortunately for Amazon, the fight from employees won’t be slowing down any time soon. On Friday, workers at a Stone Mountain, Ga. facility charges with the NLRB on allegations of coercive statements such as threats or promises of benefits, and concerted activities including retaliation and discipline.
The Stone Mountain warehouse codenamed “ATL2” recently had approximately 50 employees stage a walkout during the company’s inaugural Prime Early Access event advocating for safer working conditions. The walkout occurred one day after a worker passed out on site from heat exhaustion. The following week, another employee passed out on the job.
Amazon employees have held previous walkouts this year at the same location in an ongoing campaign demanding the company pay them a minimum of $24 per hour. In September, Amazon said it was increasing the average hourly starting wage from $18 an hour to more than $19 an hour, which is based on a range of $16 to $26 per hour. The company expects to incur about $1 billion in costs related to the wage increases over the next year.
Similar walkouts occurred at another Georgia facility and two Amazon distribution centers in Joliet, Ill., during the sale event.
And on Saturday, the Bessemer, Ala. warehouse that spurred the first Amazon unionization push despite twice being unsuccessful, again filed a complaint with the NLRB alleging Amazon was interfering with employee rights via interrogation, coercive statements and concerted activities like discipline. The workers also made accusations that Amazon laid off employees based on their pro-union beliefs.
Employees at these facilities are gaining more allies as news of the unionization attempts picks up. In late September, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters staged a rally outside Amazon’s Seattle headquarters, with 1,000 members calling for the company’s workforce to band together and urging improvements in working conditions.
Earlier that month, the union launched an Amazon Division focused on organizing the company’s employees in the warehouse and logistics space.


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LONDON — The overall slowdown in U.K. retail sales is taking its toll on Boots.
Boots Group plc said Boots the Chemists' sales for the second quarter ended Sept. 30 will rise 0.8 percent year-on-year. For the first half, sales are expected to be up 1.1 percent, the company said in a statement Thursday.
"Trading conditions have been difficult throughout the first half, with consumer spending softening further over the last quarter, and we see no sign that the market will get any easier for the rest of the year," Richard Baker, chief executive of Boots Group, said in a statement.
Boots routinely publishes percentage estimates due to the timing of its fiscal calendar.
Beauty and toiletries, which grew 3.2 percent in the quarter and 3.3 percent in the half, were a bright spot, however. "The encouraging performance of our health and beauty businesses in a tough retail climate reflects our renewed focus and investment in these growing markets," said Baker in the statement.
Boots the Chemists invested in new beauty departments, self-selection merchandising units and the relaunches of its No. 7 and 17 brands, the statement said, adding sun care "continued to perform well." Baker said that the sale of Boots Healthcare International is "on track."
BHI's sales growth in the second quarter is estimated at 9 percent. In the half, a sales uptick of 7.6 percent is forecast. Boots said its Boots Retail International divisions sales grew 12 percent in the half and that it has inked a deal with M.H. Alshaya Co. to open eight Boots stores in the Middle East "with a view to further expansion."
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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Sony Interactive Entertainment have announced they will be releasing a free, four-day demo for their highly anticipated racing game Gran Turismo Sport from October 9-12 via The Playstation Store.
If you are a Playstation Plus member, you will be able to pre-load the demo starting on October 7 and will be able to access the demo on October 9 at 12:00 a.m. PT. If not, then you will have to wait until October 9 at 6:00 p.m. PT like everyone else.
Credits up to $1M and personalized vehicle customizations will be transferable to the full game. Gran Turismo Sport releases in North America on October 17.


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Good things come in small packages
Gocycle, which specializes in folding e-bikes, has launched a new line of three bikes that can be packed down in just 10 seconds.
Last year’s Gocycle GX earned a place in our roundup of the best electric bikes, thanks to its impressive battery life and quick folding, and the company says its new G4 lineup is even better.
Folding electric bikes are handy for commuters who use public transport, but need a quick way to hop between the train station or bus stop and their office. They’re also great for people who don’t have room to securely store a full-sized bike. That’s particularly important since e-bikes are often targeted by thieves and vandals – particularly for their batteries.
The new Gocycle G4, G4i and G4i aren’t just easier to fold and wheel around, they’re also lighter to carry onto trains or upstairs. Whereas previous Gocycle models have used an aluminum-magnesium alloy to keep weight down, the new range have a carbon fiber mid-frame and single-sided carbon fibre front fork, helping shave 1kg off the total weight.
On the performance side, a new G4drive electric motor can kick in even at low speeds, which should make it easier and safer for commuters to get away at traffic lights and junctions, and increased torque promises easier handling on tight streets.
Neat and tidy
The new range is available to pre-order now direct from Gocycle, with prices starting at $3,999 / £3,399 (about AU$7,000). That’s higher than many e-bikes we’ve tested, but far from the most expensive, and easily explained by the extra engineering necessary for the lightweight folding design.


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Afeela: With their new brand “Afeela,” the Japanese electronics and media company Sony has become the tech giant that might have figured out how to make the rubber meet the road. The company is working with Honda to make a new electric vehicle (EV) starting in 2026. It will probably be made at Honda’s facilities in the US to take advantage of new tax credit rules for EVs.
The joint venture, called Sony Honda Mobility, will focus a lot on subscription features and Sony’s huge library of video games and media properties for in-car entertainment. These will be sold under the brand name Afeela. When the driver and passengers are waiting for the EV to charge or when the self-driving features are turned on, these services will be used. CEO Yasuhide Mizuno has said that the company wants to offer leases for up to 10 years, which is much longer than most people own cars today. This will be supported by frequent software updates and feature additions that can be done over the air.
It could change how cars are made and how people use them
You are not the only one who thinks all of that sounds more like a toy or appliance than a car. But when two big companies like Honda and Sony back something new, it could change how cars are made and how people use them.
The latest prototype is a sleek EV sedan with screens across the width of the dashboard, 45 sensors and cameras for semi-autonomous driving assistance, and all-wheel drive, and hints that augmented reality and “virtual worlds” will be built into the driving experience.
This could open up a whole new market for Sony
Izumi Kawanishi, who is the COO of Sony Honda Mobility, has said that software is the most important thing and that the company wants to switch from selling hardware to selling software. With Honda’s manufacturing know-how, this could open up a whole new market for Sony, which already has a huge presence in entertainment media and the devices we use to watch it.
The name “Afeela” has been made fun of on social media since it was first shown at CES earlier this month. But because the EV market is growing so quickly, this joint venture will face a lot of problems over the next three years. Afeela is a sign that the market for electric vehicles (EVs) is growing, as real, serious companies jump in to own the digital future of cars, which will be made up of subscription services, data, and software-driven features.


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DETROIT – Multiple nonessential businesses have been cheating by skirting loopholes and taking advantage of the sheer workload of law enforcement.
JOANN Fabrics and Crafts has publicly declared itself essential but has been denied by the state, and has since reapplied.
After receiving numerous text messages and emails that offered discounts for curbside pick-up, Local 4′s Paula Tutman went to investigate and placed an order at its Rochester Hills store. When she picked up the order, she asked why the store was open during the mandatory nonessential shutdown and the employee said the store wasn’t open.
The retailer had been lobbying to remain open since Gov. Whitmer’s executive order that closed all nonessential businesses.
So what’s essential?
“No person or entity shall operate a business or conduct operations that require workers to leave their homes or places of residence except to the extent that those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations.”
On Monday, March 30, Jo-Ann Stores sent a letter to the Attorney General’s office, asking again for an exemption since the store could provide materials to perform face masks.
The chain was granted a narrow scope of what the stores could sell and deliver by way of curbside pickup.
“We have reviewed your inquiry in the context of the language and intent of the governor’s order and determined that JOANN Fabrics can operate curbside pickup with the minimum amount of people necessary to facilitate delivery of only those materials that could be used to create personal protective equipment, like masks.”
The stores are allowed to do curbside deliveries, but only for items that can be used to construct personal protective equipment.
Tutman’s order with the store included crafting paint, masking tape and scissor. While it’s just paint, the world does not shut down for the folly of it. The idea is to keep people home so they do not spread or contract the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus. There are multiple businesses going under because they’re obeying the law and some aren’t.
Nonessential employees who are still working can file a complaint for working in hazardous conditions with the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The Attorney General’s office added a new section to its website, Know Your Employment Rights, to provide Michigan residents with more information on the legal rights of employees and employers under the executive order.


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Reef-safe sunscreen will soon be available for free at these Maui beaches
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Maui is making it easier for people to lather on reef-safe sunscreen at busy beaches.
A partnership with several companies and community organizations will allow the installation of 20 free mineral sunscreen dispensers at beach parks across the Valley Isle and at Hulopoe Bay on Lanai.
Officials said Raw Elements — an FDA-approved, non-GMO verified and cruelty-free certified brand — will be used for the dispensers. They create SPF products with certified organic ingredients.
The new dispensers make it easier for people to abide by a law which banned non-mineral sunscreens.
Free mineral-based sunscreen will be installed at the following locations:
- Kamaole 1, 2 and 3 Beach Parks
- Keawakapu Beach (2 locations)
- Pohaku Beach Park
- Papalaua Wayside Park
- Baldwin Beach Park
- Hookipa Beach Park
- Launiupoko Beach Park
- Kalepolepo Beach Park
- Kanaha Beach Park
- Haycraft Beach Park
- Whalers Village (4 locations)
- Waianapanapa State Park
- Honolua Farms Food Truck at Honolua Bay
- Hulopoe Bay, Lanai
This initiative supports the unanimous Maui County Council Ordinance outlawing all non-mineral sunscreens, which went into effect in October.
Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.


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L.A. jumps up to world’s 8th most expensive city for travelers and expats, study says
Los Angeles is now the eighth most expensive city in the world for tourists and foreign businesspeople, a study released Thursday said, as a rising U.S. dollar has pushed the City of Angels ahead of pricey metropolises including Tokyo and Shanghai.
L.A. — which ranked 27th last year — is now only slightly cheaper than New York, which ranked 7th on the list of 133 cities compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Singapore remains the world’s most expensive place for visitors and expats, followed by Zurich, Hong Kong, Geneva, Paris and London. The three cheapest cities were Lusaka, Zambia; Bangalore, India; and Mumbai.
The Worldwide Cost of Living survey, which has been conducted for more than 30 years, looks at prices of 400 goods and services, though it does not include the cost of accommodations.
Simon Baptist, chief economist at EIU, said in an interview that for Angelenos, the cost of goods and services in fact is not rising much because inflation has remained relatively low. But the sharp appreciation of the dollar against many other currencies since mid-2014 is making many American cities relatively more expensive for foreigners. And that could cut into the number of tourists coming to Southern California and curb their appetite for purchases.
“We know that international tourist arrival [numbers] are quite sensitive to this,” said Baptist. “They are less likely to come to the U.S., and those that do are likely to spend less.”
Los Angeles welcomed a record 6.7 million foreign visitors last year, up 3.4% over 2014, and they spent $6.4 billion, the city said.
Mexico, China, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom were the top sources of overseas visitors. While Mexico supplies the most foreign tourists, China’s numbers are growing the fastest of any country, up more than 13% last year to 779,000.
Business travel, Baptist said, is less susceptible to fluctuations in exchange rates. “It’s less responsive to prices, and while the U.S. is expensive to travel to, there’s still lots of business to be done there,” said Baptist, who is based in Singapore.
While that may be bad news for some Southern California hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions, it’s good news for Americans looking to travel overseas for work or pleasure. “For U.S. companies, the costs now of hiring or sending workers overseas has gone down substantially,” said Baptist. “We might see U.S. companies sending more staff overseas because they are going to find it a lot cheaper to fund expat packages than in the past.”
Other U.S. cities in the EIU’s top 50 included Chicago (21st), Minneapolis (24th), Washington (26th), Houston (31st), and San Francisco (34th), which rose 25 spots from the 2015 survey.
While San Francisco’s relatively low ranking compared to L.A. may surprise many Californians, Baptist said a number of goods and services covered by the study were substantially pricier in Southern California than in the Bay Area, including wine, rice, clothing, dining, gasoline and insurance for luxury cars.
“That’s not to say San Francisco is a super cheap city,” said Baptist. “Bread in San Francisco is more expensive than in L.A., as is milk and cigarettes.”
Although accommodations were not included in the data used to compile the rankings, EIU found that the cost of a high-end, furnished two-bedroom apartment was nearly identical in L.A. and San Francisco — about $5,400 per month.
Chinese cities also climbed up the ranks of expensive places in this year’s survey — even though the Chinese currency, the renminbi, has dropped about 8% against the U.S dollar since last summer. Chinese cities moved up an average of 13 positions, and according to EIU, Shanghai is now as expensive as Tokyo, which was the world’s most expensive city for most of the last 20 years.
Seoul, which was ranked 36th five years ago, has also gotten significantly more expensive and jumped into the top 10 this year, with prices comparable to L.A. and Copenhagen. Seoul is the most expensive city for everyday food items, EIU said. An average loaf of bread costs $12.44 in the South Korean capital, EIU found, compared to $5.72 in Los Angeles.
The cities with the biggest moves down the EIU charts in the past year included Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia, and Bogota, Colombia. Rio is now half as cheap as New York — which should be welcome news to the nearly half-million people expected to travel to the 2016 Summer Olympics in the Brazilian city.
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Whether marijuana is a rare treat or a daily habit, cannabis novices and experts alike come out to play April 20.
In honor of the stoner holiday, this week’s hump day rolled up a variety of ways to accompany coitus with cannabis. Plenty of marijuana users across the country report positive results from getting high, but not too high, and engaging in sexual activity.
As with alcohol, substance consumption complicates aspects of consent. Using marijuana as a coercive substance — as in, getting someone high to take advantage of them — invalidates the “freely given” aspect of consent. The same goes for administering weed without the knowledge of the consumer.
The big D: Dosage
Intensity and type of high depend on the amount, experience and strain. According to research, small quantities of marijuana produce minimal inhibitory effects and perhaps even improve the experience. Low doses can actually improve performance as a result of


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THE ACTIVITIES OF CASH, CLEARING, AND BI-RTGS OPERATIONS RUN AS USUAL ON 18TH MAY 2007
Bandung (Admin). In relation to the Government's decree on collective leave of 2007, Bank Indonesia will continue to operate on a limited basis on Friday, 18th May 2007.
Accordingly, BI-RTGS system, clearing and cash activities will continue to operate as usual; however, no foreign exchange transactions will be conducted between Bank Indonesia and the banks.
"With cash and non cash payment system remain in operations, Bank Indonesia expects to accommodate the needs of banking transactions and that economic activities will continue to run as usual during the holiday season," stated S. Budi Rochadi, Deputy Governor - Payment System.


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Opening Statement: Republican Leader Dusty Johnson Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Hearing: “Trade Policy and Priorities”
Washington, November 17, 2021
Remarks as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to all the witnesses before us.
American farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality crops, livestock, poultry, and dairy products in the world, and they produce them efficiently. That value proposition is well-known by our customers around the globe, who purchase more than 20 percent of U.S. agricultural production.
For example, more than half of America’s soybeans (and 60% of South Dakota’s) are exported overseas. That international demand exerts upward pressure on prices and means billions of dollars for American producers.
Trade accounts for $56 of the average price received for each hog marketed in this country. These are real numbers that drive local rural economies from the farmgate to main street.
The price American farmers and ranchers receive for their production depends, in part, on the strength of the United States as an exporter and as a negotiator.
At the end of the last Administration, we made some positive progress on a phase one agreement that included numerous sanitary, phytosanitary and biotech provisions that increased the accessibility and predictability of the Chinese market.
We should not let that progress be lost between administrations and need to continue to be aggressive.
A natural first step would be for this Administration to prioritize trade—and our trading relationships—and work harder to give agriculture a seat at the table.
Frankly, this Administration’s approach to trade must become more ambitious. Every day that we fail to lead, other nations will fill the void.
It took nine months for President Biden to nominate a Chief Agricultural Negotiator, and we are still awaiting a nominee for Under Secretary for Foreign and Agricultural Affairs.
It is imperative that the priorities of each of our witnesses—and farmers, ranchers, and foresters across the country—are represented, especially as the US seeks to achieve expanded market access, increased exports, and a more level playing field.
The Administration must also continue to seek pragmatic solutions to our supply chain crisis, which is putting a significant strain on our producers and the US economy.
The full Committee heard from a slate of witnesses a few weeks ago about the combination of challenges contributing to this crisis and breaking consumer confidence including rapidly rising inflation, skyrocketing energy costs, and a shortage of available goods and labor.
When our supply chain falters, our trading relationships suffer. I’m glad to hear many of our witnesses will be speaking to the importance of passing the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, which I’m leading with Rep. Garamendi. I’m grateful for the support of so many on this committee that are helping us build momentum on that bill.
I look forward to the remarks of our witnesses, and to learning not only about their priorities, but their thoughts on a pathway forward.
With that, I yield back.


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Super Smash Bros. (Wii U / 3DS) director Masahiro Sakurai has recently confirmed via the Miiverse forums that the next iteration of their fighting game series will feature a stage based on the Wii franchise Super Mario Galaxy – and provided the above screenshot of the stage.
While it does look like they are going for more visual than gameplay appeal, his comments highlight that there may be more at hand for the stage:
Pic of the day. A new stage, Mario Galaxy!! The pull of gravity emanates from the center of the planet, so this will require using brand-new tactics.


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Bulgaria's New Car Market Posts 25% Increase Over Four MonthsBusiness | May 16, 2014, Friday // 14:12| views
In April 2014, demand for new passenger cars in the EU increased for the 8th consecutive month, with a rise of 4.6% in registrations.
In April 2014, new passenger car registrations increased by 7.4%, totaling 4,336,013 units, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
In April 2014, Germany was the only major market to face a downturn (-3.6%). All other significant markets contributed positively to the overall 4.6% expansion of the EU market, with growth ranging from 1.9% in Italy, 5.8% in France, 8.2% in the UK to 28.7% in Spain.
From January to April, all major markets posted growth, contributing to the overall 7.4% upturn of the EU market. The increase in passenger car registrations in this period ranged from 2.9% in Germany, 3.7% in France, 5.0% in Italy to 12.5% in the UK and 16.2% in Spain.
According to the survey of ACEA, new car sales in Bulgaria have registered an increase of 13.9% in April yoy to 1,632 units.
For the first four months of 2014, the registration of new cars in Bulgaria increased by 25.2% to 6478 units. According to this indicator Bulgaria ranked fifth among all 28 countries, and was surpassed only by Portugal with an increase of 43.7%, Lithuania (27.7%), Ireland (26.6%) and Poland (26%).
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Researchers from the University College of London have discovered that CBD can help improve your memory and decision making. Learn how you can boost your brain health with CBD today.
Marijuana is commonly associated with forgetfulness, but it turns out when Cannabidiol, or CBD, is isolated from marijuana (or hemp) it actually works to improve your memory and decision making.
Those were the findings of a recent study conducted at the University of College London. In the study, researchers gave 15 participants who had no prior history of cannabis use, 600 mg of CBD on different occasions for one week, and then 600 mg of a placebo.
The study results showed that when given CBD, blood flow increased to the participants’ hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memories, and to their orbitofrontal cortex, which is the area responsible for decision-making.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Michael Bloomfield, a professor of psychiatry at UCL, said in a press release: “’To our knowledge, this is the first study to find that CBD increases blood flow to key regions involved in memory processing, particularly the hippocampus. This supports the view that CBD has region-specific blood flow effects in the human brain, which has previously been disputed.”
If you want to improve your memory and decision-making ability by CBD, We will remind you that Phenopen cartridges offer 500mg of highly-concentrated hemp extract liquid. The difference when it comes to PhenoPen is that there’s 300mg of CBD inside each pre-filled cartridge, as well as other cannabinoids and terpenes.


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The best apps for the iPhone and iPad are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Apple has released a list of the best iOS apps that are compatible with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus and 6S, with some of the apps being the latest in the wave of apps.
The list, which is based on a review of hundreds of apps by the Wall Street Journal, includes more than 400 titles.
Here are some of our favorites.
Read moreRead more”It’s been great to see the breadth of content, the variety of content and the diversity of the products, and it’s been an honor to be part of this team,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering.
“We look forward to the apps from the Apple community on our platforms.”
Some of the most popular apps on iOS include:Video Editor:Video editing apps have become increasingly popular on iOS, especially with new features that make editing videos and photos easier.
The Wall Street Times has described the popularity of editing apps like Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects.
For example, in a recent review of Adobe After Effect Pro X, the Journal said:Adobe Premiere Pro X has a very powerful editing suite, but it lacks some of Premiere’s other features, such as the ability to record and save clips.
That makes it hard to use in a traditional way.
With this app, you can make the same edits in minutes and edit them quickly with your iPhone.
This app is a great example of a product that is perfect for the iPad.
Read the full article


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It's popular with diners, but Uber Eats is taking a hefty cut from small food outlets, which feel they have to be on the platform to survive.
Although it's less than two years old in New Zealand, the food-delivery service could already be earning tens of millions of dollars a year in fees from restaurants.
Uber Eats launched in New Zealand in March last year, and now operates in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga and Hamilton. About 1100 restaurants have signed up, and thousands of Kiwis use the service each month, though Uber won't disclose just how many.
Uber's vice-president and head of UberEverything, Jason Droege, says Kiwis' use of the app has surprised the San Francisco-based ride sharing company.
"When we launched [in North America] back in December 2015, it was hard to imagine the success that we've had so far," says Droege. "We're really pleased with the success we've had here.
"There's no way I could have imagined it was going to be as successful or connect with eaters or restaurants in the way it has."
Uber began as a ride sharing business before branching out into food delivery. In this country, it carries passengers in the same six cities, as well as Queenstown, where Uber Eats is set to begin some time in the New Year.
Uber Eats started in 2015 as UberFRESH, a service that provided lunch in a Santa Monica, California, trial area. When Droege joined the company four and a half years ago, his job was to figure out what other businesses Uber could get into. "We ran a bunch of experiments in 2014 and one of them was UberFRESH," he says.
"We found that food delivery was a very, very big opportunity."
Today, Droege is focused on boosting the size of Uber Eats, which is now in 298 cities in 35 countries.
"We're launching in suburbs in Delhi (India), small cities in Australia ... we haven't found a city that is too small to launch this in quite yet," he says.
"Forty per cent of the new eaters that we get actually have never been Uber customers, so we're finding them to be very complementary to the rides business.
"When we launched in Toronto in 2015, we didn't really know if this was a developed market or a developing market or a global trend.
"The most surprising thing for us is the concept of getting food from a restaurant you want in about 30 minutes turned out to be a pretty universal need.
"Consumers want access to more and more restaurants, they want it delivered faster and they want it at a lower and lower price.
"As those things get better, we see consumers using [Uber Eats] less as a monthly treat and more as a different way to eat or consume food from a restaurant."
Ordering food from a restaurant to be delivered and eaten at home has proven so popular that "virtual restaurants" - without a dedicated kitchen or dining area - are now popping up all over the world to trade solely on the platform.
There are now about 1600 virtual restaurants selling via the Uber Eats app, with the concept particularly popular in the US and Britain. Uber expects to have 400 virtual restaurants signed on in Britain alone by the end of the month.
In New Zealand, there are about a dozen.
Restaurateur's three virtual restaurants
Auckland restaurateur Jasper Maignot, founder of Royal Oak eatery Happy Boy, operates a standard restaurant, but he gets as many as 180 additional orders each week, thanks to three virtual restaurants he operates just to trade on Uber Eats.
Maignot says the appeal of launching Donburi Fury, Thunder Burger and Kimchi Power as virtual restaurants was being able to use the resources already available in the physical restaurant: manpower, and products already on site which could be cooked in different ways.
"It's [about] expanding the catchment of the restaurant in a way."
Donburi Fury was his first virtual restaurant, and started four months ago. Following demand, he decided to start two more within a month of each other.
Maignot says the virtual restaurants have hit capacity in Happy Boy's kitchen, so he won't introduce more, but he is toying with the idea of setting up a "satellite kitchen" dedicated to virtual restaurants.
On average, his businesses get about 400 orders a week through the app - 180 of which are for the virtual restaurants.
Another virtual restaurant owner is Conor Kerlin, co-founder of Mexicali Fresh and a serial restaurant owner. "The problem with the restaurant business these days is wherever there is inconvenience there is opportunity, and people want things quicker and when they want it, and so Uber Eats really has caused a bit of destruction in the regular sit-down restaurants," he says. "People would rather pay a bit more and get it sent to their front door."
Kerlin operates Hot Lips, which specialises in Nashville-style fried chicken, out of the kitchen of his Ponsonby restaurant Ha! Poke. He has four more virtual restaurants in development.
California-born Kerlin says he launched the virtual food brands on Uber Eats with the idea that, "if you can't beat them, join them".
He says it's a good way to test new food concepts.
It's [about] expanding the catchment of the restaurant in a way.
"With regular restaurants, you have to be staffed and have people out the front even if there's nobody there ... with virtual restaurants, you can basically turn it on and off whenever you like, you have much more control when you're serving, and it's much easier to manage staff," says Kerlin.
"You can launch a brand, provide something and do a lot of testing to see if it holds up to be something that could be bricks and mortar.
"It's a good testing model as it's like: 'Okay, before we invest $400,000 in building a restaurant, let's actually see if people like our food first'."
Research by Morgan Stanley this year found that online food delivery was about 4 per cent of New Zealand takeaway restaurant sales. In Australia it was 10 per cent, and 34 per cent in the UK.
Takeaway sales surpassed $2.7 billion last year, according to the Restaurant Association's latest hospitality report.
Andy Bowie, New Zealand country manager for Uber Eats, says he expects virtual restaurants to take off here as they have in other markets.
"We are actively helping restaurants fill specific cuisine gaps in neighbourhoods around New Zealand cities, which also enables them to test new concepts without investing in a whole new restaurant," says Bowie.
"Chefs and restaurateurs can be more creative than ever before, experimenting with new trends and cuisines using their existing kitchens."
Commission fees for virtual restaurants are the same as they are for conventional operators - 35 per cent for most and 20-25 per cent for chains bringing in large numbers of orders. As well, diners pay a delivery fee, typically about $7, although that varies with the time of day.
But Maignot says he does not believe current commission fees are reasonable.
"At this stage Uber Eats is dominating the market in Auckland ... and that's why they can put that margin on the deliveries," he says. "Once you've got it as a source of income for the business, you sort of outweigh it.
"You have to take it into consideration because it is a big part of the reality of business these days - people do want to eat in the comfort of their house."
Maignot says restaurants and hospitality joints are in a way forced to be on Uber Eats because of its cult following. "Uber Eats has got sort of this brand [reputation] like Apple has, like Mac computers - very easy, very user-friendly."
Uber says different restaurants pay different service fees, "addressed on a restaurant by restaurant basis".
"We do work with businesses that are going to provide large-scale or large benefit back to our business and how it grows the marketplace as well," says Bowie.
He could not say whether commission fees would decrease with time or competition.
You have to take it into consideration because it is a big part of the reality of business these days - people do want to eat in the comfort of their house.
"We definitely see that eaters are very much taking to the platform by storm, we're seeing order frequency trends grow. Having said that, we're also seeing the same growth with restaurants," says Bowie. "Because there are so many eaters jumping on board, these restaurants have an opportunity to gain incremental sales and grow their business ... they are seeing value behind it as well."
Several factors go into the commission rate, he says, including the need to pay drivers, as well as software engineers around the world who develop the technology that makes the service possible.
"Running a full delivery fleet for a small restaurant is a very complex thing to do, so we're hoping to be able to provide that platform to them at a rate that is able to complement their business.
"[We believe the platform] actually provides immense opportunities for growth to these restaurants that they might not normally have."
Though it's relatively new, Uber is already earning millions of dollars from Kiwi businesses. Given the 1100 restaurants on the platform, and assuming Uber earns at least $100 a day per restaurant, over a year that amounts to about $40 million.
Uber Eats commission rates 'extortionate'
One Auckland business owner who runs an Indian takeaway says Uber Eats' commission fees are too high - particularly for small and medium-sized businesses.
"If a business is selling $100 worth of food, about $41 [after GST] is going to go to Uber Eats," says the business owner, who wants to remain anonymous.
He says it would work out cheaper to hire a person to deliver the food itself, but the popularity of Uber Eats means that being on the platform is essentially a way of marketing the business, and "that's where the customers are".
Uber Eats policy says businesses must not increase their prices on the platform and they should be the same as those offered in-store. However, the takeaway owner says that is not feasible and many users do increase their prices on the app to accommodate the high commission fees.
"Consumers are paying higher prices. Suppose we sell something for $20, with Uber Eats we have to sell the same thing for $28. That means they are paying extra, plus a delivery fee," he says. "Uber is charging commission from the shop owner and they are charging the buyers a delivery fee. It's extortionate."
Most Indian takeaways on Uber Eats charge higher prices on the platform, says the business owner. "They can't survive [otherwise], they are already selling food at margin in their own premises."


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Turkiye’s export increased by 3 percent in October from a year ago to stand at $21.3 billion, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) released on Nov. 29.
Imports grew more than 31 percent on an annual basis to reach $29.2 billion.
Consequently, the country’s foreign trade balance posted a deficit of $7.87 billion, leaping nearly 422 percent compared with October 2021.
The export-import coverage ratio declined from 93.2 percent a year ago to 73 percent last month.
Excluding energy and gold imports, Turkiye’s imports exhibited an annual increase of 12.8 percent year-on-year to $18.6 billion, TÜİK said.
“The foreign trade surplus, excluding energy products and non-monetary gold,was $1.13 billion dollars in October. Energy products and non-monetary gold excluding the export-import coverage ratio was 106.1 percent,” it said.
Germany remained Turkiye’s largest export market in October. Data from TÜİK showed that exports to Germany amounted to $1.69 billion. Iraq ranked second in the top exports market list at $1.42 billion, followed by the U.S. at $1.3 billion.
Exports to Russia and the U.K, amounted to $1.15 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively. The share of top five countries in Turkiye’s overall exports was 31.3 percent in October.
The manufacturing sector accounted for 95 percent of all exports, while the agriculture sector’s share was 3.1 percent and the mining and quarry’s 1.7 percent.
Imports from Russia stood at $4.99 billion, China came second at $34.6 billion. Last month Turkiye imported $2.38 billion worth of goods from Switzerland and imports from Germany amounted to $1.96 billion. Imports from the U.S. were $1.2 billion.
On a seasonally and calendar adjusted basis, exports and imports fell by 2.9 percent and 4.6 percent in October from the previous month, TÜİK said.
In the January-October period, Turkiye’s exports climbed to $209 billion, rising 15.4 percent from the same period of 2021. Imports grew 39.4 percent in the first ten months of the year annually to more than $300 billion.
Consequently, the foreign trade deficit widened 168 percent in January-October from a year ago to stand at $91 billion.
In the latest edition of its Medium-Term Program, the government said that the foreign trade deficit is expected to be $105 billion at the end of 2022. It forecasts that the trade deficit will shrink to $80 billion next year as it expects energy import bill to decline from an estimated $103.5 billion this year to $85 billion in 2023.


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News tagged ‘hdmi’
Friday, 13 Jan 2012
For those that require their HDMI cables to extend beyond standard lengths, you'll need to use an HDMI repeater to achieve the distance required reliably. But now, a company demonstrates a straightforward solution using a point-to-point optical cable.
Thursday, 22 Sep 2011
Sanus adds a brand new line of Super Slim HDMI cables to the Sanus Elements offering of AV accessories. Each model features a wire gauge that is 45% thinner than traditional HDMI cables, allowing for easy bending in tight spaces.
Tuesday, 12 Jul 2011
HDMI Org has confirmed that the Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables are deemed unlicensed and thus should not be sold.
Friday, 15 Apr 2011
WAVI, the world's first wireless HDMI kit to feature two-way wireless USB control designed to stream PC content to the big screen, is offered as a pair of devices that bridges the gap between the home office and living room.
Monday, 31 May 2010
Depending on a Wii's analog outputs is a thing of the past now with Neoya's latest HDMI adaptor known as the Wii2HDMI. The new fangled converter supports 480i, 480p and 576i display modes.


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According to the GSM Association, the EU’s mobile data market grew by 40 percent to 7 billion Euros in 2007- text messages not included. Operators invested more than 20 billion Euros in enhancing their mobile networks and services.
This has paid off, as in the year to April 2008, the number of 3G users in the EU doubled to 112 million, that’s 22.5 percent of all Europeans. And here comes one exciting conclusion: Europe has adopted 3G faster than any other region of the world. In North America, 18.4 percent of the people are using 3G, in the Asia-Pacific region the percentage is 3.7.
One of the reasons for this major increase is 3G adoption is competition from technologies like Wi-Fi, since it makes the prices drop. Tom Phillips, Chief Government & Regulatory Affairs Officer of the GSMA said in the press release that “this gives mobile users the convenience of being able to access email, the Internet and other multimedia services wherever they travel within Europe. We expect prices to continue to fall as operators further innovate around tariffs and more and more Europeans use these services as a part of their everyday lives.”
I wonder how big the influence of the upcoming iPhone 3G will be. That shiny object might boost the number of adopters even more.


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The launch of a prestigious London restaurant has been hampered by what its operators have called a "nightmare" trying to get a phone line installed by BT.
Savini at Criterion in Piccadilly Circus opened at the end of last year but claims still to be without a functioning phone line four months later.
The business estimated that it had made around 1,000 calls to BT, as well as having dealt with several appointments, no-shows from BT's engineers and demands for payment, despite the fact that it claims to have paid in full throughout.
Savini's chief executive Sebastian Gatto said: "It is ridiculous that one of the world's biggest telecoms companies has been unable to provide us with the most basic service.
"The effect on our business is unquantifiable, but there can be no doubt it has been very damaging. The only way that our customers can make a reservation is via our email address, email@example.com, which is not always convenient. Moreover the situation has meant we have been unable to undertake a proper marketing and communications campaign which is vital for any new undertaking."
No-one from BT was available to comment as this article was posted online.
Savini at Criterion occupies the site vacated by Vox Restaurant, trading as Criterion, after it went into administration.
Vox Restaurant hit trouble after it was hit by an unexpected £500,000 bill as a result of a 60% rent increase on the site.
The original Savini restaurant in Milan opened in 1884 and became a haunt for celebrities such as Maria Callas, Luchino Visconti and Charlie Chaplin in the 1950s. It was taken over in 2008 by the Gatto family.
A BT spokesman said: "We apologise for the delay in providing service to Savini at Criterion restaurant. We're trying to provide them with phone and broadband as quickly as possible."
Criterion administrator lifts lid on rent troubles >>
Criterion ceases trading >>
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Sports goods is a niche sector, which has been a shining beacon of growth for India’s exports. The traditional clusters of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and Jalandhar account for more than 70 percent of the sports goods production in the country. According to a study by the Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank), India currently manufactures more than 300 types of sports goods and is one of the largest manufacturers in Asia, after China and Japan. Exports of sports goods from the country have increased from US$ 166.1 million in 2010-11 to US$ 278.9 million in 2019-20, registering a robust CAGR of 5.9 percent during this period. As per estimates by India Exim Bank, there remains an untapped export potential of US$ 227.4 million in the sports goods industry. If realized, it could help exports from the sector reach the US$ 500 million mark. Given India’s significant untapped potential in the sector and the Government of India’s overall focus on building a self-reliant manufacturing in the country, the Study opines that the time is ripe for India to push for appropriate reforms to address the challenges in the sports goods sector, enhance domestic capabilities and improve export competitiveness. Clusters such as Meerut in Uttar Pradesh will form the cornerstone in realizing the vision of a strong and AatmaNirbhar sports goods in the country.
The Study analyses the global trends in trade of sports goods, the performance of Indian sports goods exports over the recent years, and key aspects of India’s competitiveness in the international market. Based on a thorough analysis, comprising desk research and interaction with stakeholders, the Study identifies major challenges for the sector in India and recommends pertinent strategies for alleviating these concerns, including those arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Study discusses a multi-faceted approach to improve the competitiveness of the industry including product and market diversification; building capacity for bidding in international sporting events; promoting bundling of complementary sports goods and sportech products to fetch better margins; removing policy bottlenecks that impede growth in exports or promote imports; branding of Kashmir willow bats through a GI and marketing its positive attributes in the international market; providing fiscal incentives to companies for mechanization, and testing and certification of products; mechanizing the production of footballs; investigating possibility of raising tariffs on import from China; focusing on innovation and R&D; setting up plug and play facility for foreign investments; establishing common facility centres in the key sports goods clusters for the benefit of MSMEs, and spreading awareness through seminars and workshops.
The Study titled ‘Indian Sports Goods Industry: Strategies for Tapping the Export Potential’ was released by Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, during an event jointly organized by India Exim Bank and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for the launch of the Ubharte Sitaare Fund on 21st August 2021, at Lucknow. The event had speakers from the Ministry of Finance, India Exim Bank, SIDBI and entrepreneurs from the MSME sector. The event was attended virtually and physically by more than 150 participants from the Indian business community.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the efforts taken by the Government of India to impart a renewed energy to the MSME sector in the country. She noted that the Ubharte Sitaare Programme, which was announced in the Union Budget 2020, has been operationalized despite the pandemic, and is assisting companies through a mix of structured support comprising equity, debt and technical assistance. Launching the Ubharte Sitaare Fund (USF) of India Exim Bank and SIDBI, she emphasized that the Fund would make investments in export-oriented units by way of equity and equity-like products, and thereby help script a new paradigm of growth in exports from the MSME sector.
In her address, Ms. Harsha Bangari, Deputy Managing Director, India Exim Bank further underscored the readiness of India Exim Bank to partner future export champions under the Ubharte Sitaare Program and provide them with financial and advisory services to help realize their true potential. Ms. Bangari highlighted that as part of USF, the Bank would look at investing growth capital in enterprises that have potential for quick scale up and value creation, and handholding them through the growth phase.


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Amazon Summer Sale 2018 Upcoming Offers: Upto 80% Off On The Next Sale
by Rohit Singh I am a Web Designer
It’s that time of the year when everyone starts hunting for a new AC to beat the heat that has almost arrived or will surely arrive in the coming months. Encashing the chance, Amazon has introduced Summer Sale on its e-commerce website giving cashbacks and other deals on air conditioners and coolers. The sale is up only for the weekend (April 21 and 22). Here are some of the top deals you can avail on ACs and coolers:
Amazon India is hosting another Summer Sale for large appliances which includes air conditioners, coolers, and refrigerators among other electronics along with home products. The Amazon summer appliances sale will begin from April 21 and interested buyers will have the opportunity to avail huge discounts on consumer products until April 22.
Voltas 1 Ton 3 Star (2018) Split AC (Copper, 123CZA, White) is on sale at 33% discount. The MRP of the AC is 41,590 but as a part of the offer, users can buy it for as low as Rs 27,990. Another AC from the same company is up for sale at 38% discount – Voltas 1.5 Ton 3 Star (2018) Split AC (185JY, 183JZ1, White). The MRP of the appliance is Rs 47,990, while the offer price is Rs 29,990. Another 1 Ton Split AC from the company is available at 39% discount for Rs 27,490.
Amazon India is hosting another Amazon Sale for large appliances which includes air conditioners, coolers, and refrigerators among other electronics along with home products. The Amazon summer appliances sale will begin from April 21 and interested buyers will have the opportunity to avail huge discounts on consumer products until April 22. Apart from huge discounts, buyers will also be able to avail no-cost EMI offers as the e-commerce portal has partnered with several brands for the Amazon summer appliances sale. The sale will have offers like no-cost credit card EMI having tenure up to 24 months along with exchange offers with doorstep pick-up and delivery without any extra cost.
Godrej 1 Ton 3 Star Inverter Split AC (Copper, GIC 12 RINV 3 RWQH, White) can be purchased for Rs 29,990, down from 44,500 (33% discount). The same company is also offering 1 Ton 5 Star Inverter AC at Rs 31,990, which is 38% discounted from the MRP of Rs 51,500. It’s 1.5 Ton 3 Star Split AC is also up for Rs 31,990, down from Rs 49,500, which is 35% discount.
As part of the Amazon summer appliances sale, Amazon India will be offering upto 35 percent off on ACs along with no cost EMI offers, upto 25 percent off on refrigerators along with no cost EMI offers, upto 35 percent off on air coolers and fans, upto 35 percent off on television sets, upto 70 percent off other home products and automotive summer store. As per reports, Amazon India has partnered with more than 1500 brands for the summer appliances sale. That being said, ICICI bank credit card users will also get an additional 10 per cent cashback on all their purchases. You can also take some extra cashback with these amazon coupons.
Some of the other brands that have ACs and coolers available at discounted priced are Mitashi, Crompton, Whirlpool, BPL, Carrier, LG, Bluestar, Maharaja Whiteline and more.Coming to the products that will be listed during the sale, LG 1.5 Ton 3 Star Inverter Split AC will be available at a price of Rs. 37,990 instead of Rs. 46,990.00, Blue Star 1.5 Ton 3 Star Split AC will be available at Rs. 36,990 instated at Rs. 45,000 and the Voltas 1.5 Ton 3 Star Split AC will retail at Rs. 32,490 instead of Rs. 50,990, among many others. As for refrigerators, LG 188 L 3 Star Direct-Cool Single-Door Refrigerator will be going on sale at Rs. 13,990, Haier 258 L 3 Star Frost-Free Double-Door Refrigerator will retail at Rs. 20,490 and the Haier 258 L 3 Star Frost-Free Double-Door Refrigerator will be available at Rs. 20,490.
Brands like Symphony also have coolers available at lower than usual prices on Amazon. These include 45-litre coolers, 70-liter coolers with trolley, 61-litre, 51-litre and more versions. Talking about television sets, Sony 80 cm (32 inches) Bravia KLV-32R302E HD Ready LED TV will be available at Rs. 21,990 instead of Rs. 26,900 while the Micromax 109.3 cm (43 inches) 43 Binge Box Full HD LED Smart TV will be retailing at Rs. 28,990 instead of its MRP of Rs. 42,990. These are just a few of the appliances that will be on offer during the Amazon summer appliances sale and interested buyers can head to Amazon.in between April 21-April 22 to avail these offers.Meanwhile, Amazon India had launched 6 new fulfillment centers located last month which are situated in Coimbatore, Lucknow, Gurugram, Pune, Mumbai, and Bhopal along with 25 additional delivery stations which will be used exclusively for the fulfillment of large appliances as well as furniture category.
Apart from this, Amazon India also has a specialized network of 15 fulfillment centers which are spread over 1.3 million square feet and have 5 million cubic feet of storage space along with 60 delivery stations which will be used exclusively in order to cater to the customer buying large appliances as well as furniture across 400 cities. Moreover, in order to cater to the increasing demands large electronic appliances like refrigerators, air coolers, air conditioners and washing machines, the e-commerce portal has also expanded its storage capacity in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, and Ahmedabad.In case you are not sure which AC to buy for your room, here’s a brief explainer and points to take care before purchasing one.
Created on May 4th 2018 00:03. Viewed 991 times.


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Survey: Operators positive on sales, margin expectations
Restaurant industry same-store sales set records in October, according to the latest NRN-MillerPulse survey, and restaurant operators reported more optimism as margin outlooks for the near term turned positive for the first time in nine months.
MillerPulse, an operator survey exclusive to Nation’s Restaurant News, polls about 100 restaurant operators each month on sales, profit trends, performance and sentiment outlooks. Respondents cover all regions of the country and represent concepts in the casual-dining, fine-dining, quick-service and fast-casual segments. Together, the group of respondents typically represent restaurants that book about 19 percent of industry sales.
The November survey, which looks at October results, reported an average industry same-store sales gain of 3 percent, compared with a 2.9-percent increase in the previous month, and a 3.7-percent increase from October a year ago. The latest result is the best 2-year trend on record, up 6.8 percent, according to the report.
“This is really surprising,” said Larry Miller, restaurant securities analyst at RBC Capital Markets in Atlanta and creator of the monthly MillerPulse surveys and research.
“This is the best month in the three years I’ve been doing this, particularly with quick-service, and nothing in the economy or with jobs has changed that dramatically,” he said. “My sense is that we are going into the holidays, and consumers are tired of being depressed.”
Miller attributed the industry-wide jump in sales mostly to an increase in traffic as opposed to a rise in average check.
The quick-service segment, which includes both fast-food and fast-casual brands, set two records in October. Same-store sales increased 3.9 percent compared with 2.9 percent in September, and a two-year increase of 7.3 percent for October trumped a 5.5-percent two-year increase for September, according to the survey.
And while full-service restaurants, which include both the casual- and fine-dining segments, showed a drop in October same-store sales compared with September, the segment hit a record two-year sales trend with a 6.4-percent increase for October compared with a 5.1-percent increase for September.
Industrywide, year-to-year guest traffic rose 1.4 percent in October, compared with relatively flat results in September. It was fueled by an increase of 2.7 percent at quick-service restaurants.


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Why Did a Stonewall, Louisiana Burger Favorite Close Their Doors?
I had heard that "the burgers at McCoy's are worth the drive" so one day I decided to make the drive and let me tell you it wasn't just the burgers that made me fall in love with McCoy's, their mac and cheese and the banana pudding were scrumptious.
McCoy's Butcher Block has been a community favorite since they opened and after 7 years they will be closing their doors.
Brandon the owner of McCoy's Butcher Block took to Facebook to break the devastating news. So far the post has garnered hundreds of comments from residents who are crushed to see the burger joint go.
Why Did McCoy's Butcher Block Decide to Close Their Doors?
The owner cited the rising cost of food and the drastic change in the economy. We have heard from several business owners and how they have had to raise prices in order to keep up with inflation, however, this is one of the first businesses in the Ark-La-Tex to blame inflation for having to call it quits.
Here is what the Facebook post said:
"After a lot of praying, I have made the very tough decision to close McCoys, didn’t think this day would come. I was told in the beginning if we made it past the 3-year hump with a restaurant we would make it, that was way before the drastic change in our economy and the food cost doubling in a year . 7 years later it’s time to move on to something different.. I am so very thankful for all the friends I have made here, all the customers that we have had and the support that helped us make McCoys what it is… Thank you all!!! Brandon"


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BRADLEES GETS IN SWIM WITH EARLY MARKDOWNS
Byline: Mark Tosh
NEW YORK — Bradlees Inc. has taken the plunge.
The 122-unit discounter became one of the first stores in the Northeast to mark down swimwear this year with a 25 percent-off promotion that began Sunday. Although swimwear has been on the floor at Bradlees since Feb. 1, it has not been promoted in ads or with price cuts, according to Celia Clancy, senior vice president and general merchandise manager for women’s apparel.
To jump-start sales, Bradlees featured six suits on the cover of this week’s advertising circular and two more pages of suits inside. The ads were shot on location in Florida by Bradlees’s in-house advertising department working with an agency.
She declined to specify results, but noted that swimsuit business for the first part of this week has been above plan.
As part of its effort to stand out from other mass merchants, Bradlees overhauled its advertising, dropped low-margin categories that are driven by price promotions and has been trying to upgrade its apparel assortments.
The chain filed Chapter 11 last June and recently disclosed plans to close 12 stores by May as part of its restructuring effort.
Although a few department stores have featured swimwear in ads, Clancy said the those stores have yet to break price on their lines. Bradlees does not do a lot of regular-price advertising.
One of the pluses of having a swimwear sale in March, Clancy noted, is that it gives the chain a read on the current assortment and what lines it can “drive for second-quarter business and real summer selling.”
The best-selling styles include the “hot and cold bright” suits, which are featured on the advertising circular cover, licensed junior swimwear featuring Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes characters, mix-and-match tops and bottoms, and cotton coverups.


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India storage market revenue achieved 23.1 percent growth to $81.8 million in Q3 2018, IDC report showed.
Increased storage spending from professional services organizations drove the growth in Q3 2018. Professional services, banking, manufacturing, telecommunications and government industries contributed close to 82 percent of external storage market in Q3 2018.
“Infrastructure modernization to improve agility and scalability is of high importance for today’s organizations. This trend is compelling organizations to deploy/consider new age storage solutions,” said Dileep Nadimpalli, research manager, Enterprise Infrastructure, IDC India.
Organizational demand for high performance and low latency storage solutions led to a triple digit growth of All Flash Arrays in Q3 2018. Majority of the vendors started offering NVMe based flash arrays to drive an incremental growth in the coming quarters.
Midrange external storage segment accounts for more than 66.9 percent of the total Q3 2018 external storage market. Both entry-level and high-end storage segments declined in Q3 2018.
“OEMs are focusing on new technologies and innovative pricing models to ensure traditional external storage consumption in the market in the wake of increasing acceptance of cloud storage solutions across organizations,” said Ranganath Sadasiva, director, Enterprise Solutions, IDC India.
Dell has 30.3 percent of the storage market share. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has 18 percent market share in Q3 2018.
The enterprise storage systems market is expected to grow at a single digit compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for the 2017 – 2022 time-period – driven by spending on digital transformation initiatives across industries.


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Bitcoin, the heartthrob and the global virtual currency giant has seen a humungous Upswing ever since for the initial time it entered the virtual payment arena 12 years ago since March, when it was at just its beginning at $5,000.
On the Saturday, for the initial time ever, Bitcoin, the pioneered Virtual Currency ever witnessed its worth surpass $30 thousand to scale at its record ever initial high. As per the compiled data from the Bloomberg News Agency, during December 16 broke out its previous record of $20,000, as when the initial Decentralized Virtual Cryptocurrency soared out to record high of $30,823.30 at 1313 GMT.
It is therefore obvious that ever since March and its evolution commenced just 12 years ago, the virtual currency Bitcoin has witnessed a spectacular upsurge, when it just stood at around $5,000, prompted thoroughly via the up thrift provided by Online Payments giant PayPal, thereby announcing and indicating that it would provide direct access for the account holders for utilization of the Cryptocurrency.
Post the PayPal’s declaration in October, analysts at asset banking giant JPMorgan Chase associated the cryptocurrency to gold.
They further intensified the Bitcoin’s Comparison to Gold by stating that: “Bitcoin could strive more robustly with gold as an ‘alternative’ currency over the forthcoming years specified that millennials will become over time a more vital constituent of investors’ universe.”
The Germany-backed Analyst Timo Emden stated that: “the huge craving for taking a risk”, generally associated and is indicative of buying the Bitcoin remains literally unshakeable. He further added that there is every possibility of better historic highs that could follow up as the era progresses.”
Post the unit bettered $1,000 for the first time in 2013, it progressively began to fascinate the attention of financial institutions and has witnessed rough worth swings.
A numerous central bank has meanwhile rejoined to the upsurge of cryptocurrencies and the deteriorating global habit of cash by broadcasting plans for bank-backed digital units.
Numerous central banks including those of China and Sweden — but also the US Federal Reserve — are also challenging digital applications in response to Facebook’s current moves to manufacturing its peculiar digital unit, Libra.
Debate has meanwhile stormed over the standing of the digital asset, launched in late 2008, as to whether it should be seen as a form of currency, an asset or a product.
Free from any central bank, bitcoin has clearly arisen as an attractive opportunity for investors with a craving for the exotic – although criminals have also selected up on its under-the-radar application.


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Mexican egg rolls, Thai pasta, barbecued beef sandwiches, ice cream, wine and beer. It was a foodie’s dream come true at the sixth annual A Taste of Huntington Beach last Sunday in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa.
Carrying forks, plates, and glasses, about 2,000 people attended this year’s event. Tastes and sips were provided by 45 restaurants and 40 wineries plus breweries.
“This is my first time here,” said Huntington Beach resident Kim Latten, sampling bread pudding from King’s Fish House and pizza from B.J.’s. “I’ve only been eating for a half hour and I am already full, but that isn’t going to stop me.”
Some opted for little tastes, and others went back for more of their favorites.
“I love all kinds of Italian food,” said Jenny Estelle, who had a plate full of samples from Jersey Joe’s. “After I’m done with this, I’ll head over to the Sebastiani’s booth for some more.”
Awards were handed out in seven categories.
•”Best Taste” went to Lugatti’s Italian Restaurant.
•”Best Dessert” honors were awarded to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and TomGirl Baking Company.
•Pete Mallory’s Sunset Grille won for “Best Decorated”.
•For “Best Food Presentation,” judges chose Duke’s Surf City, TomGirl Baking Company and Shades, Waterfront Hilton.
•BrewBakers took “Best Brew.”
•BV Wineries scored “Best Sip.”
•”Most Enthusiastic” went to Erika’s Catering. Dressed as Alice in Wonderland, an enthusiastic Erika Reardon, owner of Erika’s Catering, handed out sparkling pink cupcakes on a silver tray. Meanwhile, the Queen of Hearts, in full costumed regalia, prepared additional yummy desserts to a waiting crowd.
“Today is all about the food,” Reardon said. “And it’s all about the cupcakes.
“We’ve participated in the past, and it is just a wonderful day to get to know people and show them what we can do.”
Along with an abundance of culinary delights, tables of silent auction items were on display, and an impromptu live auction was held for a new Dell laptop computer, donated on the spot by Huntington Beach-based MB Systems Technology.
Master of Ceremonies Matt Liffreing was on the microphone, and in the background, live Surf City sounds kept things lively.
“There is something for every palette at Taste of Huntington Beach,” Liffreing said. “It is one fantastic event.”
Proceeds from the event benefit the Children’s Wing of the Huntington Beach Central Library and the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, Camp Pendleton.


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New vice president for Asia joins Sage with 22 years of experience; additional global partner leadership appointment announced.
A Microsoft study finds that 70% consider themselves mobile workers today yet only 41% feel empowered by their organisation to embrace the demands of the digital workplace.
The new Surface Pro may look familiar on the outside but has lots of changes on the inside.
Grab launches Phase II of ‘Grab 4 Indonesia’ with new goals.
These are the first flagship smartphones from Samsung in 2017 to deliver new innovations.
Twenty-year technology industry leader joins from Insight Enterprises, where she was managing director and senior vice president of Asia Pacific.
Malaysia Digital Hub is an initiative that supports tech and digital co-working spaces MTEP aims to attract gifted and ambitious individuals from all around the world to Malaysia
Companies collaborate with Malaysian IT training provider, Iverson Associates, to upskill workforce with various levels of data science courses and certifications.
By 2020, cloud, hosting and traditional infrastructure services will come in more or less at par in terms of spending.
He will oversee the development of new payments technologies that will deepen financial inclusion and increase access to mobile payments services across Southeast Asia.


text: Nokia on Thursday reported its earnings results for the first quarter, during which it narrowed its losses but saw revenue and handset volumes plummet. The Finnish cell phone vendor posted a loss of -$0.03 per share, beating the Street’s EPS expectations of -$0.05, but revenue fell 20% from the year-ago quarter to $7.6 billion. Wall Street was expecting $8.61 billion in Q1 revenue. Where handset sales are concerned, Nokia’s Lumia Windows Phone shipment volume climbed to 5.6 million units from 4.4 million in the prior quarter, but overall handset volume dove 30% to 61.9 million units. In North America, Nokia shipped just 400,000 phones, down from 700,000 in the holiday quarter. Nokia shares slid more than 12% on the news.


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Dell has become SonicWall's largest channel partner less than a year after selling the security vendor, according to its CEO. Dell completed the sale of its software group, including SonicWall, in November...
Vendor releases software patch and full list of affected devices dating back to 2012
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