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Skylink and its sister service CS Link had a total of 1.96 million active cards as of the end of February, according to Jaromir Glisnik, member of the board at M7 Group.
Quoted by Digizone, he added that of these, 1.25 million were in the Czech Republic, with the remainder in Slovakia.
Most of these cards offered basic “free” programming, with customers only required to pay a so-called service fee. However, next month this fee will increase from CZK33 (€1.28) to CZK55 a month.
Glisnik said that the rise was due to the higher cost of running the service.
He also pointed to the fact that the broadcasters Nova and Prima are asking cable, DTH and IPTV operators fees to distribute their channels.
Although he also conceded that Skylink and CS Link would lose customers following the price rise, it would be in the order of several percent rather than a big exodus.


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U.S. Supreme Court might put more money in Alabama coffers. But how much?
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday might have opened the door to more revenue for state and local governments in Alabama — but maybe not as much as expected a few years ago.
In a 5-to-4 ruling in South Dakota vs. Wayfair, the nation’s high court reversed a 1992 decision that prevented state and local governments from requiring internet retailers that weren’t located in their areas to pay sales taxes.
The growth of e-commerce in the decades following the ruling cut states off from a significant source of revenue. Retail associations also protested the decision, saying it forced brick-and-mortar shops to pay taxes that internet companies didn’t, putting them at a disadvantage.
Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the court’s earlier decision in Quill Corp. vs. North Dakota “has come to serve as a judicially created tax shelter for businesses that decide to limit their physical presence and still sell their goods and services to a state’s consumers.”
“It is unfair and unjust to those competitors, both local and out of state, who must remit the tax; to the consumers who pay the tax; and to the states that seek fair enforcement of the sales tax, a tax many states for many years have considered an indispensable source for raising revenue,” Kennedy wrote.
Rick Brown, the president of the Alabama Retail Association, cheered the Supreme Court’s ruling on Thursday, calling it “a landmark day for Alabama’s retailers.”
“No longer should out-of-state online-only businesses have an unfair price advantage over our friends and neighbors who own local businesses,” Brown said in a statement. “Today's decision means all retailers — online, local, large and small — should be treated the same when it comes to collecting sales taxes, clearing the way for a more level playing field.”
In a dissenting opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that states and local governments already collect four-fifths of the tax revenue owed to them, with that number rising as high as 96 percent from the largest retailers. Roberts wrote the burden of the decision would fall heaviest on small businesses that would have to figure out sales tax law in more than 10,000 jurisdictions in the country.
“People starting a business selling their embroidered pillowcases or carved decoys can offer their wares throughout the country — but probably not if they have to figure out the tax due on every sale,” he wrote.
State officials were only beginning to estimate what the decision would mean for the state’s bottom line Thursday, and how existing Alabama law would work with it.
"The Alabama Department of Revenue is reviewing this decision and will determine over the coming weeks how this will affect tax collections in Alabama," the Alabama Department of Revenue said in a statement.
Under a 2015 statute, internet retailers can choose to collect taxes on sales for the state, in exchange for a 2 percent discount. Roughly 200 separate entities, including Amazon, Spotify, and LL Bean, participate in the Simplified Sellers Use Tax Remittance Program.
For years, the were repeatedly frustrated. Some officials Thursday agreed with Chief Justice Roberts that the state might already be collecting a significant percentage of the available revenue out there.state looked to Congress to allow them to collect internet sales taxes, but
“The big numbers they were throwing out years ago if we got a reversal (of Quill), we’ve kind of closed the gap on that,” said Kirk Fulford, deputy director of the Legislative Services Agency, on Thursday.
The state gets half of the receipts in the program. County and municipal governments each get 25 percent. 75 percent of the state’s share goes to the General Fund, which pays for most noneducation services in the state, with 25 percent going to the Education Trust Fund.
The program brought $52 million into Alabama’s coffers last year. It is one of the very few growth revenues available to the state’s General Fund, which pays for state prisons and Medicaid, providing health insurance to more than 22 percent of the state’s population -- mostly children, the elderly, and the disabled.
Legislators will need all that money and more when they begin work on the 2020 budget next March. Besides likely growth in Medicaid and Corrections costs, the Legislature will have to find about $11 million in matching funds to pay for the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and pay back borrowed money.
New revenue "would certainly be better news,” said Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, the chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund committee. “I can’t say it would solve all of our problems.”

domain: news


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Today Canon launched the latest in their entry-level Digital Rebel series – the 12.2 Megapixel XSi. Called the 450D in the rest of the world, the Digital Rebel XSi extends the resolution of the Canon...
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NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions, today introduced the NVIDIA® GoForce 2150 handheld media processor. The first product from the MediaQ, Inc. acquisition, the NVIDIA GoForce 2150 is the industry's...


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June 4, 2019
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Donald Trump promised Britain on Tuesday a “very, very substantial” post-Brexit trade deal with the United States.
Brexit supporters have said rapidly agreed trade accords with the United States and other countries will make a prosperous “Global Britain” outside the European Union.
Both Britain and the United States would need to determine the scope of negotiations, but past experience of Washington’s dealings with other would-be trade partners shows what it is likely to seek and the limits on what it would offer.
BRITAIN’S NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (NHS)
The U.S. ambassador’s comment that Britain’s NHS should be “on the table” in a trade deal caused an uproar in Britain.
There are two areas of U.S. interest. First, it would want its companies be allowed to bid for NHS contracts, although tenders are generally open already.
The second area concerns the reference prices the NHS sets for its purchases of drugs.
The United States, which sought to challenge a similar scheme in Australia during trade negotiations, argues that lower set prices are unfair on its pharmaceutical companies and leave U.S. consumers footing the bill.
Britain could exempt its health service from trade talks, as France did for audiovisual services in the EU-U.S. TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) negotiations, although this could limit what Washington would want to offer.
Spending on the NHS totaled 144.3 billion pounds ($183.0 billion) in 2016/17, according to an April 2018 parliamentary briefing paper. OECD data shows that per capita expenditure on health in the UK was $4,246 in 2017 compared to an OECD average of $3,992 and $10,209 in the United States.
Washington is a net exporter of farm products, notably of meat and animal feed, but normally also wants its counterpart to accept its farming standards.
As an EU member, Britain currently does not allow in hormone-treated beef or chlorine-washed chicken, but would be free to do so once it leaves the bloc.
This could create some complications if it also had a comprehensive trade agreement with the European Union and would be forced to ensure most U.S. meat did not cross to the continent.
Britain already imports feed, most of it genetically modified (GM), but it could be urged to speed up approval of new GM strains and incorporate GM products in human food — something not done in the European Union. EU negotiators say that in TTIP talks that the United States also did not want to allow food containing GM crops to be labeled as such.
The “Buy American Act” is a roadblock for any potential U.S. trade partner. It and a series of other laws stipulate that U.S. federal, state and local authorities should purchase American-made goods wherever possible.
It is not a sector that the United States has shown any willingness to open up. It is further complicated by the fact that Washington cannot negotiate something that is a state or local area of competence.
Banking is regulated at both federal and state level and is another area that negotiators in Washington would struggle to open up.
The Europeans wanted financial services to be incorporated into TTIP, while the United States said that discussions on that sector should only proceed “in parallel” and not be part of any agreement.
Import tariffs are typically low for products traveling between pre-Brexit Britain and the United States. A key U.S. demand though would be reduction or removal of import duties for cars — currently 10% for those entering Britain versus the 2.5% rate the United States charges. Washington has also expressed a wish to include clothing and textiles. This is the limited area that Brussels wants to discuss with Washington to ease trade tensions.
Britain ran a trade surplus for goods with the United States in the period 2014-2016, according to EU statistics office Eurostat, but that switched to a slight deficit in 2017 and 2018, which might improve its bargaining position toward a U.S. administration determined to cut its trade deficit. In services though, Britain has a large surplus.
The U.S. Treasury’s negotiating objectives for a U.S.-UK deal include this line: “Provide a mechanism to ensure transparency and take appropriate action if the UK negotiates a free trade agreement with a non-market country”. That means securing a U.S. trade deal could cramp Britain’s ability to seal a free trade agreement with China, the world’s second-largest economy and which London is keen to court.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Catherine Evans)


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The local learning and skills council has surveyed the impact of the outbreak in the county - one of the worst hit in the country. It says Cumbria will be feeling the effects well into the winter and then the coming year.
Student recruitment will be down next year, there have bee delays in assessments (which will affect the achievement of qualifications), and many apprentices have been laid off.
Placements in the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors have been difficult to find. The construction industry has also been hit with business incapable or unwilling to undertake refurbishments.
Students and staff in infected areas have suffered from depression and emotional problems.


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Ever since Apple first introduced Face ID in 2017, there have been a lot of debates going on whether you even need fingerprint scanning anymore or not. Since Apple adopted the bezel-less notched display design, the only choices it had to place the fingerprint scanner was at the back of the phone or beneath the screen. While Apple chose to rely solely on Facial Recognition for biometric security, Android manufacturers have been trying various approaches, with a lot of brands already offering in-display fingerprint scanning solutions. Vivo started the trend, with others like Huawei and Xiaomi soon jumping onboard. And now, with its 2019 flagships, Samsung is all set to make somewhat of a default feature on Android flagships. But things might just get a lot more interesting as we have confirmation that Apple is actually working on something that might bring back the Touch ID on next gen iPhones.
Touch ID Spanning The Entire Screen?
Based on a recent patent that Apple filed, it seems like Apple has finally worked out a way to include a fingerprint scanning method without compromising on the design of the iPhone. The patent talks in detail about “an acoustic imaging system configured to obtain an image of the features of an object contacting a surface of a user input surface“. It also goes on to state that this acoustic imaging system “may be configured to resolve an image of a fingerprint of a user contacting an input surface of an electronic device by mapping the ridges of the user’s fingerprint to the input surface.” So basically, Apple will place acoustic transducers beneath the iphone screens, which will send out sound signals, and based on their reflections off the fingerprint ridges, the system will be able to generate an image of the user fingerprint.
And the best thing about this technology is that since its based on acoustic waves bouncing around, it could possibly allow fingerprint scanning to be done anywhere on the screen and not just a designated area. If that is indeed the case, it would make Apple’s fingerprint scanning solution one of the best ones in the industry.
Biometric Scanning: More Than Just Touch ID?
Reading the patent in detail, we uncovered some more interesting facts about what Apple might have in store for us. The patent goes on to say that this system could be able to recognize more than one biometrically-unique surface characteristics such as handprints, ear prints, and so on). In an example, the acoustic imaging system is said to be able “to map the biometrically-unique features of a user’s ear (e.g., size, shape, skin patterns, and so on) each time the user raises the electronic device to the user’s ear”. In another example, it’s mentioned that the acoustic imaging system can “map the biometrically-unique features of a user’s hand print (e.g., skin patterns, scar patterns, and so on) each time the user grasps the electronic device in the user’s hand”.
This means that a phone could not only determine if you’re holding your phone in your left hand or right hand, it could also potentially behave differently according to the hand you’re using. Not to mention, that being able to scan features of a user’s ear can unlock a whole new world of customization and biometric authentications.
Apple’s next generation iPhones are not due until after September 2019, and considering that it’s the year after the S models, Apple is expected to usher a host of new features and design changes to its iPhone lineup. Well, we sure have our ‘Ears’ open for the new iPhones.


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(TELEGRAPH) — The greeting card giant Hallmark has been heavily criticised for sexualising young girls on a 13th birthday card.
Consumers threatened to boycott the company over the “shameful” card, a picture of which was posted on Twitter.
The offending text on it read: “You’re 13 today! If you had a rich boyfriend, he'd give you diamonds and rubies. Well, maybe next year you will – when you've bigger boobies!"
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Tweeters said they could hardly believe the rhyme had been printed on a card for a child, branding it “shocking,” “horrid”, “sick” and “gross.”


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The latest Android distribution stats are in as of June 3rd, and things are looking up for Jelly Bean. On the rumoured eve of an Android 4.3 announcement, Jelly Bean, including Android 4.1 and 4.2, now makes up 33% of all users. Coupled with Ice Cream Sandwich at 25.6%, nearly 60% of users run Android 4.0 and above.
Changes from last month are minor, Android 4.2 finally got a bit boost, almost doubling from 2.3% to 4% in less than a month, on the strength of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Android 4.1 also jumped 2.9% from last month as more customers upgraded from older devices; 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 saw slight drops this month.
It also appears that manufacturers are making good on their word to upgrade ICS users to Jelly Bean, as much of the Android 4.1 gain came at the expense of 4.0 — the former gaining 2.9% and the latter losing 1.9%.
There are some unfortunate conclusions to be made here: while it’s gratifying to see Android 4.0+ rising to 60% of all users, Gingerbread’s demise is taking far larger than it should and it is hampering the rollout of apps that take advantage of newer platform features only possible on ICS and above.
Source: Android Developers


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30 Million Americans might buy an electric vehicle as their next car, poll says
【Summary】30 million American consumers will probably choose an electric car as their next vehicle, according to a recent poll by the American Automobile Association.
A recent study showed that more than 30 million American consumers will probably choose an electric car as their next vehicle, according to a recent poll by the American Automobile Association (AAA). AAA is a federation of motor clubs throughout North America with 55.6 million members in the United States and Canada.
The choice is likely because electric vehicles generally require less maintenance than common internal-combustion engine cars, and because many electric cars are packed with other futuristic car technology that buyers want.
The number indicated by the survey, 30 million people or more, is the equivalent of 1 in 7 car buyers in America, or about 15 percent of the entire U.S. car-buying population.
And with younger Americans, the number of them who say they will purchase a electric car increases. According to AAA, 1 out of 5 of these buyers are interested in an EV as their next car.
"With their lower ownership costs and compatibility with emerging autonomous technologies, electric vehicles are poised to be a key vehicle of the future," said AAA director of Automotive Engineering, Greg Brannon, in a press release. Additionally, prices for electric vehicles are dropping, making them more affordable for all drivers.
Recently Elon Musk and Tesla, have done wonders to help boost the image of electric cars said AAA.. "Tesla, standout in AAA's evaluations,has helped widen the appeal of electric vehicles by showing they can be stylish, performance-focused, and filled with cutting-edge technology," Brannon said.
The survey also showed that 70 percent of car buyers consider fuel economy to be an important factor to consider when selecting a new car. Following that is safety features, the brand, design, and smartphone connectivity.
resource from: www.thedrive.com
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
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- Automotive Supplier Continental AG to Integrate AEye’s Long-Range Lidar in a Full-Stack Autonomous Driving Solution


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Global timeshare company Uber might be forced to shell out hundreds of millions of dollars in case a class action started by thousands of Australian taxi and hire car drivers is successful.
Over 6000 people have joined the activity, covering drivers around Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.
The action addresses the period before Uber was legalized in those jurisdictions and alleges it functioned illegally because the company knew its drivers weren’t properly licensed and licensed when it first entered the market.
This will be a landmark case about the alleged illegal operations of Uber in Australia and the catastrophic effect that has had on the lives of hard-working and law-abiding taxpayers here.
The law firm’s Elizabeth O’Shea stated it might be the most significant class action in Australian history.
When you look at a number of the value drops in cab licenses and their contraction in earnings for a number of these individuals across the nation, and given how many men and women are likely to be affected, we are talking hundreds of millions of dollars.
An Uber spokeswoman said the company hadn’t received any notification of a class action.


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Shares of EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. fell Thursday after the Israeli networking chip maker priced a stock offering far below the shares' previous value.
EZchip late Wednesday priced its secondary offering at $10.50 for each common share. The stock ended Wednesday's regular session at $11.55.
The offering is for 3.9 million common shares, of which 712,600 shares are being sold by the company and the rest are being unloaded by funds affiliated with Goldman, Sachs & Co. and JK&B Capital.
In case there's greater demand than expected for the stock, the selling shareholders also granted underwriter Jefferies & Co. an option to buy another 472,500 shares to sell. EZchip gave Jefferies an option to purchase 107,000 additional shares.
If the overallotment of shares are sold, the selling shareholders will be cashing out their entire holdings in EZchip.
EZchip expects to receive $7.1 million from the stock sale and selling shareholders should get $31.6 million before expenses, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
EZchip also said its current and former employees will exchange their stock and options of EZchip Technologies Ltd., a majority owned subsidiary, for shares of EZchip Semiconductor and cash.
Proceeds from the stock offering will be used to pay cash to employees who exchange their EZchip Technologies shares so they can pay taxes incurred from the exchange.
After the exchange, EZchip will own all of EZchip Technologies.
The offering is scheduled to close on Dec. 22.
Shares of EZchip slid 76 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $10.79 in midday trading. The stock has traded between $9.95 and $18.12 in the past 52 weeks.


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Saini will be responsible for steering the company into the next-generation technology era
Tertiary healthcare Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals has appointed Shashank Saini, a technology specialist with a cross-industry experience of over a decade, as its Head of Digital Health. An alumnus of AIHM, Chandigarh, Saini will further firm up the technological foundations of the company as it aims at expanding its reach across the country over the next few years.
Saini brings with him deep and cutting-edge knowledge of technology, engineering and analytics across IT, print & electronic media including digital marketing services. Saini led the sales vertical at DocOnline, OYO, DocTalk Solutions Inc, Practo and Airtel. He has a wide interest in healthcare and in his last stint, he headed sales division at DocOnline. He is also an active member of Project StepOne, a pan India health initiative of many doctors and technologists.
Saini will be responsible for steering the company into the next-generation technology era at a time when COVID-19, which has fuelled unprecedented growth in the digital healthcare sector.
“It gives me immense pleasure to become a part of an organization which is redefining the provision of healthcare in the country. I hope to use my experience and expertise to further push the boundaries of what technology can achieve with a view to develop robust and sustainable business strategies thereby taking the company to even greater heights,” said Saini.
“We are delighted to welcome Saini as our new Head of Digital Health. With a proven track record as a successful leader in sales and marketing, he has consistently delivered results over the years. He has a deep understanding of technology and business administration. I have tremendous confidence in his capability to align Ujala Cygnus’ world-class patient care with global best sales and marketing and digital strategies to drive and extend the next phase of our group’s market leadership,” Probal Ghosal, Chairman, Board of Directors, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals.
Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder and Director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, said, “Saini’s technical acumen as well as intuitive understanding of technology will go a long way in guiding the company in the right direction when digital health has become the need of the hour. With helming the technology element of the company, there is no doubt that Ujala Cygnus Group will achieve even greater successes in the coming future.”


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The launch is three years in the making.
I love this game.
Why does the article fail to mention its purchasable on the Xbox One as well?
This looks amazing would love to see this come to PSVR.
Underwater stuff is great in VR - PSVR release please.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Improve Your Brand Management, Minimise Your Tax Compliance Risk.
Published on 13.12.2018
- Seventeen years of Brand Finance studying the value of intangible assets has revealed glaring inaccuracies in financial accounting, mostly due to a dearth of knowledge.
- Internally, this lack of knowledge of what intangible assets are owned and what they are worth is causing a misallocation of investment and ineffective brand management.
- Misunderstanding of intangible asset value has also led to billions of dollars in company fines and the introduction of a new global initiative to tackle base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), which is putting brands at the top of the business agenda.
Learn about the Brand Finance view and join in the debate.
Let us know your thoughts on financial reporting practices at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The increase, effective Nov. 1, 2007, comes in response to rising costs resulting from well publicized changes in Chinese export trade policy, coupled with record price levels within the petrochemical business sector.
On July 1, the Chinese government eliminated its Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds to Chinese exporters, which has impacted many domestic industries including inks and colorants.
Additionally, supply of some materials is becoming increasing limited due to plant closures as China moves to reduce the negative impact of these facilities on the environment.
“The availability of low-cost pigment supply from China has caused capacity to diminish in the United States and Europe,” said Kent Wishart, president of Graphic Sciences. “China now produces 75 percent of the world’s organic pigment, which is used not only in printing inks, but in virtually everything that has color.
Intermediates that are used to manufacture pigment are also largely produced in China. After being awarded the 2008 Olympic Games, the Chinese government has become increasingly active in its focus on environmental quality. As a result, plants that are significant polluters are being closed, which could lead to shortages of pigment supply. This could result in further raw material price increases, in addition to those resulting from elimination of VAT refunds. Graphic Sciences has excellent relationships with its suppliers so no interruption is anticipated, but costs are still going up significantly.
“Graphic Sciences will continue to explore every opportunity to reduce operational costs to help offset the impact of these events, while maintaining the high level of product quality and service its customers have come to expect,” he added.


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While Overwatch 2 will bring over all the heroes that the current game has, it will also be getting some new heroes as well. The first new hero that was confirmed was Sojourn but Blizzard is also working on others.
According to Game Informer who was given an early look at the game last month, they did get to see a little of some fo the new characters that will be seen getting in the future.
They added that based on the silhouettes of the heroes, three out of the four upcoming heroes could actually be women adding that one had short hair with pointy ears and a pointy tail.
No additional details about the game were given at this point but we do know that besides getting some new characters, we will also be getting some new maps and modes


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Lightspeed Commerce, formerly known as Lightspeed POS, has announced plans to sell 7.7 million subordinate voting shares at a price of $93 USD per share through a public offering in Canada and the United States (US).
The offering, which remains subject to customary closing conditions, would give Lightspeed aggregate gross proceeds of over $716 million USD, prior to underwriting commission and offering costs. The deal is expected to close around August 11. Lightspeed initially disclosed plans to sell seven million shares Monday morning, but upsized its planned offering to 7.7 million shares Monday afternoon when it announced pricing.
UPDATE (08/11/21): The offering has officially closed and Lightspeed has secured approximately $688.4 million USD in net proceeds.
UPDATE (08/13/21): Lightspeed’s underwriters have exercised their over-allotment option in full, increasing Lightspeed’s aggregate gross proceeds by approximately $107.4 million USD, to a total of $823.5 million.
Lightspeed plans to use the fresh funding to strengthen its financial position and pursue its growth strategies.
In a May 27 short form base shelf prospectus, Lightspeed disclosed plans to raise up to $4 billion CAD over the next 25 months through new issues or secondary offerings. These types of offerings serve as a means for public companies to raise capital and can be used to support a variety of business strategies. Lightspeed’s latest offering would count towards this total.
Lightspeed intends to use the new capital to strengthen its financial position and pursue its growth strategies. These growth strategies include expanding Lightspeed’s customer location footprint, building on its successes in payments and financial solutions, accelerating its average revenue per user (ARPU) expansion by introducing new modules, expanding its presence within verticals, and pursuing “strategic and value-enhancing” acquisitions.
The proposed public offering is set to be underwritten by Morgan Stanley and Barclays as joint lead book-running managers, and supported by BMO Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets. Lightspeed has granted the underwriters an over-allotment option to purchase an additional 1.155 million subordinate voting shares through the offering.
Founded in 2005, Lightspeed provides cloud-based commerce and point-of-sale software to retailers. The Montréal-based company, which trades on the TSX and NYSE under the symbol ‘LSPD,’ has made a number of major acquisitions over the past year, acquiring ShopKeep, Upserve, and Vend.
In June, Lightspeed revealed plans to acquire two California-based e-commerce companies, Ecwid and NuORDER, for a combined total of $925 million USD. During its Q1 2022 earnings call last week, Lightspeed said these acquisitions would help transform the company into a one-stop, e-commerce platform.
In the first quarter, Lightspeed saw strong revenue growth amid pandemic reopenings, posting total revenues of $115.9 million USD, an increase of 220 percent. The company attributed its increase in revenues to a combination of strong organic growth and its previous acquisitions. Lightspeed also generated a net loss of $49.3 million, compared to a net loss of $20.1 million during Q4 2021.
Lightspeed said that its first-quarter results were boosted by economies reopening and the increasing adoption of its cloud-based commerce platform, but also noted the increasing threat of the Delta variant of COVID-19. During its latest earnings call, Lightspeed expressed caution regarding its short-term outlook given the unpredictability of the current environment, but expressed excitement about its longer term prospects.
Last week, Lightspeed also announced the general availability of Lightspeed Payments for hospitality merchants in Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Over the coming months, Lightspeeds plans to make its payments offering available to Asia-Pacific-based merchants.
Feature image courtesy of Lightspeed


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Earlier this week we got a look at how GoldenEye 007 would have looked if it had been remade for the Xbox 360. That gameplay video released months after Xbox Head Phil Spencer revealed that Microsoft had considered bringing GoldenEye to the Xbox 360.
"GoldenEye rights are so challenging, looked at this many times," said Spencer at the time. "Lot's of different parties to work with, we've always given up." Regardless of specifying that it was a rights issue, the reasoning behind GoldenEye not hitting the Xbox 360 was translated into being a code issue.
Spencer has come out to reconfirm that it has been a rights issue and not a coding issue. However, Spencer's response does somewhat confirm that the gameplay we saw earlier this week was real
@ShahnoorAli GoldenEye has always been a rights issue, not a "getting code to run" issue.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) August 24, 2016
With attention being brought back to the death of GoldenEye for the 360, there's hope that maybe Nintendo will get the message and jump on the remastered games train.


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Reliance Mentioned to Launch Latest Tech
Reliance Jio will launch a price range laptop computer priced at $184 (Almost Rs. 15,000) with an embedded 4G sim card. Reliance mentioned to launch latest tech with low-cost JioPhone in India’s extremely price-sensitive market, two sources informed Reuters.
The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate has partnered with international giants Qualcomm and Microsoft for the JioBook, with the previous powering its computing chips primarily based on expertise from Arm, and the Home windows OS maker offering assist for some apps.
Jio, India’s greatest telecom provider with greater than 420 million prospects, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The laptop computer shall be obtainable to enterprise prospects reminiscent of faculties and authorities institutes from this month, with a shopper launch anticipated inside the subsequent three months,
Since its launch late final 12 months, the handset has been India’s top-selling sub-$100 (almost Rs. 8,200) smartphone, accounting for a fifth of the market during the last three quarters, according to Counterpoint.
The JioBook shall be produced domestically by contract producer Flex with Jio aiming to promote “a whole bunch of 1000’s” of items by March, one of many sources mentioned.
The launch of the JioBook will prolong the full addressable laptop computer market section by at the very least 15 p.c, Counterpoint analyst Tarun Pathak mentioned.
The laptop computer will run Jio’s personal JioOS working system and apps will be downloaded from the JioStore. Jio can be pitching the laptop computer as a substitute for tablets for out of the workplace company staff.
Jio, which raised round $22 billion (almost Rs. 1,80,000) from international buyers reminiscent of KKR & Co and Silver Lake in 2020, is credited with disrupting the world’s quantity 2 cell market.
When it launched low-cost 4G knowledge plans and free voice providers in 2016, and later the 4G smartphone at a price of simply $81 (almost Rs. 6,600).


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Liu Wen has landed the March 2016 campaign from Spanish fashion brand Mango which focuses on the 90s minimal trend. The new season mixes relaxed knitwear with lace adorned dresses and tops.The images were photographed in London at a studio with colorful backdrops. Mango has started a new campaign strategy, releasing a new campaign each month like the Kendall Jenner one released in February.
The top Asian model says about the new Mango campaign, “The collaboration with MANGO was amazing. I really appreciate the soft, minimal trend because I enjoy keeping things simple yet beautiful. All the clothes I wear in the campaign have simple lines and are made from soft fabrics such as silk, which is ideal for any time of the day. I think everyone will love this collection, especially when they actually feel it in the stores!”
Mango March 2016 Campaign
Mango March 2016 Campaign Video
The clothing featured in Mango’s March 2016 campaign will appear in stores starting today. Take a look at the official film below featuring Liu Wen set to the soundtrack of ‘Blue Monday’ by New Order. The lightweight fabrics and airy shapes look great in motion!
Shop Mango’s New Arrivals:


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PowerA will unveil an Android-powered hand-held gaming system at E3 next week, marking the latest move into the growing field of mobile gaming.
Judge Alsup has ruled that the entire infringement point in the case between Oracle and Google was moot, as the Java APIs in question were not copyrightable, and therefor were open to use by anybody for free. This decision sets a landmark precedent in software law and copyright law, and will surely be tested in
A new report on heavy data users shows that iPhone owners account for a vast majority of the heaviest data users, but the data is unclear as to why that is.
There is a lot of talk about Google's upcoming tablet, which allegedly will be manufactured either by ASUS, Pegatron or a third source. However, we now have what are probably the final specs of the product which is to be revealed in just a few weeks.
There have been a fair bit of rumours about a Google Nexus tablet going around as of lately and now some more detailed rumours have appeared. The 7-inch Nexus tablet is aid to be produced by Asus and it's expected to start shipping next month.
Dual SIM smartphones have had something of a slow start and we have yet to see a decent high-end model for the business traveller that doesn't want to spend a fortune on roaming fees. Samsung's new Galaxy Ace DUOS in unlikely to attract many business users, but the new Android 2.3 handset does at least
Eight out of 10 smartphones shipped in the first quarter of this year were powered by Google's Android or Apple's iOS platforms, highlighting the continued dominance of the two companies in the mobile industry.
ASUS unveiled the PadFone and PadFone Station at Mobile World Congress in February this year. Today, the Taiwanese company has announced that the PadFone and PadFone Station will go on retail from 2 June next month, and exclusive to local teleco StarHub.
Security firm McAfee has warned of a significant increase in malware across all platforms in the first quarter of this year, with mobile devices and Macs being increasingly targeted.
Unlocked versions of the Samsung Galaxy S III are available for preorder from an Amazon reseller and other stores around the internet.
After meeting approval by regulators throughout the world, Google has announced that it has closed its deal to acquire Motorola Mobility, giving it access to a huge portfolio of important mobile phone patents.
Google's Android OS has so far ended up in just about every device imaginable, but apparently one market has so far been ignored, the humble desktop. Taiwanese VIA Technologies spotted this omission though and has developed the APC – or Android PC – which actually is more of a motherboard than a complete solution.
LG has just finished polishing off an update for the user interface on its Android 4.0-running smartphones which while not bringing anything all that remarkable to the table, does carry with it a number of convenient additions which LG says will help make users' lives easier in getting tasks done with a faster and simpler
It's been over six months since we last reported about FXI's Cotton Candy "computer on a USB stick" and although the hardware remains mostly the same, the company has spruced up the product design in time for the launch. The company is in fact shipping its first pre-order units as of now and if you placed an
Google's mobile operating system Android is continuing to dominate the market with significant growth in market share in a number of the world's major markets.
There's no doubt tablets are evolving, but the question is in which direction and Toshiba's new 13.3-inch Regza AT830 tablet is a product we don't really get. Admittedly, Toshiba has kitted it out with a 1600×900 display which is better than your average 10-inch tablet, but with 1080p models on the horizon, this feels like
What was expected to be known as the Wildfire C appears to have been given a last minute name change and should instead appear as the Desire C when it launches, potentially later this month. Pictures of the handset first appeared last week, but now more detailed information has appeared courtesy of Vodafone Portugal. Updated: Now
Notion Ink Adam II is the sequel to the innovative but flawed original from 2011. Will this updated product fix the broken?
Yet another Xperia phone seems to have found its way into the rumor mill in picture form. Its model number is S39h and obviously comes in a white color. Unfortunately, its origins are unknown, but if you're a fan of Sony phones, there's nothing wrong with more.
Parting with Ericsson seems to have been a good move by Sony, as so far this year we've seen a big increase in new devices from Sony Mobile and the company has announced its first two LTE equipped handsets, although for the time being they remain exclusive to the Japanese market. The Xperia GX and


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10 Things You Never Knew About the McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case
A Renewed Look at the Evidence in the Infamous Case
It has been nearly 30 years since the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit went to court, but interest in the case remains high. People around the world dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous” and a prime example of runaway juries. A look at the facts of the case, however, tell a different story.
Despite what most people think, plaintiff Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old grandmother, was not driving when the coffee spilled. She was a passenger in her grandson’s car. As the car was parked, she tried to hold the cup securely between her knees while removing the plastic lid. However, the drink tipped over, spilling scalding hot coffee all over her lap, according to the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
Here is some of the evidence presented to the jury:
- McDonald’s Knowingly Sold Their Coffee at Scalding Hot Temperatures.
It was company specification to sell their coffee at temperatures of 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Liquid at These Temperatures Can Cause Third-Degree Burns in Seconds.
McDonald’s coffee, if spilled, causes full thickness burns (third-degree to the muscle/fatty tissue layer) in as little as two seconds. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an adult can suffer third-degree burns after being exposed to 150-degree water for two seconds.
- The Plaintiff Suffered Third-Degree Burns Across 16% of her Body.
Ms. Liebeck was hospitalized for eight days and had to undergo a variety of procedures including skin grafting and whirlpool treatment for debridement. She also suffered permanent scarring as a result of the burns, as well as disability for over two years.
- McDonald’s Knew About the Danger.
From 1982 to 1992, there were more than 700 reported claims to McDonald’s of people suffering severe injuries from their hot coffee, including burns to the genital area, perineum, inner thighs, and buttocks. It was not only adults that were injured, but also infants and children.
- McDonald’s Would Not Lower the Temperature
Despite knowing the risk of harm, McDonald’s testified – through its own witnesses – that it did not intend to turn down the heat and it did nothing to warn consumers about the dangers.
A quality-control manager testified that not only were consumers unaware of the risk, but that consumers would not anticipate such severe burns if coffee was spilled.
- McDonald’s Agreed That the Coffee Was “Not Fit for Consumption.”
At trial, the fast-food giant admitted that the drink was “not fit for consumption” as sold because of the scalding hot temperature and risk of injury to the consumer. The jury agreed, finding that the coffee was “unreasonably dangerous” and was sold in “breach of the implied warranty of fitness.”
- The Plaintiff Had Tried to Settle the Case for $20,000.
McDonald’s initially refused to settle the case. Eventually, a jury would award the plaintiff $200,000 in compensatory damages (reduced by 20% as she was found to be partially at fault for her injuries) and $2.7 million in punitive damages.
- A Judge Later Significantly Reduced the Punitive Damages.
Punitive damages were later reduced by a trial judge to $480,000; however, the parties agreed to a “post-verdict settlement.” The confidential agreement prevented further appeals, which could have taken years to resolve.
- McDonald’s Conduct Was Considered “Callous.”
The Court refused to grant McDonald’s request for a new trial. The Judge found the chain’s conduct regarding the sale of scalding hot coffee and failure to warn customers about the risk of harm if spilled was callous. For ten years, McDonald’s had seen hundreds of reports of customers receiving third-degree burns after spilling coffee, but they did nothing. Injuries included burns to the “genital area, perineum, inner thighs, and buttocks.”
- The Plaintiff’s Burns Were Substantial.
According to Ms. Liebeck’s treating physician, the 79-year-old’s burns were some of the worst scald burns he had ever seen.
THE TRUTH ABOUT HEADLINE-MAKING LAWSUITS
News headlines often spin lawsuits as being frivolous or juries as runaway. However, every case has its own facts and evidence serving as the basis for how a specific verdict or settlement is reached. The judge and jury are presented with all of the evidence, testimony, and law in a case. They are the fact-finders and decision-makers after weighing all of the evidence — evidence and facts that are often not known to the public or reported in news headlines.
The McDonald’s hot coffee case involved far more than what most people realize. There are always two sides to a story and the McDonald’s jury heard both before reaching their verdict. And, ultimately, the case was instrumental in eventually changing how coffee is served, including improved lids, insulated sleeves, and safer temperatures for consumers.


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Back in 1966, the Lamborghini Miura was introduced, a car that would change automotive history forever and a name that made Lamborghini famous worldwide … today the Miura is one of the most highly sought after models made in Sant’Agata with prices well into 7 figures … celebrating her 50th anniversary in 2016 was reason enough for Automobili Lamborghini SpA to put together a few special events … one of which being the Miura Tour held in June that saw no less than 20 different Miura taking a 500km trip through Italy, visiting some of the most amazing cities, from Bologna over Parma, Portovenere, Viareggio, Lucca and Florence.
As 2016 comes to an end the factory wanted to make sure the celebration concluded in style, taking the stunning, yellow Lamborghini Miura SV from the Museo Lamborghini on a trip to the famous bull breeding farm in Spain, where the Miura name came from.
175 years ago the Miura farm was founded in Lora de Rio, Andalusia, Spain … when the late Ferruccio Lamborghini visited the farm owned by Don Eduardo Miura back in 1966 he decided to name his new mid-engine, game-changing supercar after those fighting bulls … the Miura farm being one of the oldest and highly reputed ‘ganaderías’ in Spain.
Today this farm is still owned by the Miura family, Eduardo and Antonio are in fact sons of Don Eduardo, and what better way to celebrate the famous Lamborghini Miura than to take one of those amazing cars to the very place that inspired her name, accompanied by six models from the current lineup.
The bright yellow Miura SV was joined by a yellow Aventador, a silver Aventador Superveloce, a blue Aventador Superveloce Roadster, a green Huracan, a red Huracan and an orange Huracan Spyder … on December 2 these seven Bulls drove 600km from Madrid to Lora del Rio to meet the Miura family on their farm.


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Good news for Smart subscribers here in the Philippines! Smart Telecom – a Philippine mobile service provider plans to launch a free service for subscribers who agree to receive unlimited advertisements on their cell phones, company officials said Tuesday.
Subscribers will get 100 pesos (US $2 or €1.3) worth of prepaid service every month, and every ad they view on their phones will earn them extra service and other rewards, said Ardie Balderama, marketing officer for Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprise Inc., a subsidiary of Smart Communications Inc.
“For our subscribers, it will be like earning money by watching commercials on television or viewing print ads in newspapers and magazines, except they will do it through their mobile phones,” he said.
The service will be available by invitation only and limited to 10,000 subscribers every month, he said.
Sales director Noli Romualdez said the provider was negotiating with several corporations keen on creating mobile-based advertisements for personal care, food and service products, among others.
The new phone service will be launched June 1, using the Smart network.
Smart is owned by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the largest telecoms provider in the country.


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Samsung Galaxy A8s touted as the apparent “Real Galaxy” is set for global launch today. The smartphone is widely expected, by Samsung loyalists, to be a flagship handset having premium pricing. Samsung loyalists can also watch the livestream of the launch of the Galaxy A8s.
It is also possible to watch the Samsung Galaxy A8s launch livestream from India as the event would be watchable from 1:30 PM IST. Though this event would be held in China, it is possible for Indian loyalists to catch the livestream of the event. Samsung loyalists can click here to navigate to the official Samsung livestream page.
At this point in time, this launch assumes significance considering the fact that the Samsung Galaxy A8s seemingly competes with the likes of recent Chinese smartphone models like the OnePlus 6; when the former hits India it could go head to head with the latter; at this juncture, it is worth noting that multiple Chinese brands have been dominating the smartphone market scene in India leading to Samsung relegating to positions below the Chinese brands (OnePlus and Xiaomi mostly).
Hence, the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A8s seems potentially important for Samsung. As per rumour mills, the handset would reach India and have price tags starting from Rs 35000. It is also expected (by Samsung smartphone loyalists) that the Galaxy A8s would feature the Infinity-O display. This means that there could be potentially no notch-type display sported by the handset.
Other apparent technical specifications of the Samsung Galaxy A8s have also surfaced, as per these the smartphone offers:
With the apparent competition between Samsung Galaxy A8s and OnePlus 6 being the focal point, it is worth taking a look at the key technical specifications of the OnePlus 6; the Chinese “flagship” comes with:


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Traffic. We’ve all been there, and nobody likes it, and sometimes it feels impossible to get around. Joby Aviation’s solution? Going vertical.
Air Taxi Product Lead, Tom Prevot, says saving one billion people an hour a day is the mission of Joby’s aerial ridesharing service built around an electric aircraft designed to fly over the most congested highways in cities around the world.
Joby’s electric aircraft will execute the flight service, and Prevot and his team are developing the platform that will utilize partnerships with players like Toyota and Uber to create a frictionless door-to-door customer experience from one app with one payment transaction – yep, one!
With the promise of reducing travel frustrations and giving people more time for living, the aircraft’s interior design mirrors more of a passenger car experience vs boarding a plane, and once in flight, noise levels blend into the urban landscape to aid community adoption.


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Samsung Galaxy A02s, Galaxy A03s, and Galaxy A21s smartphones have reportedly started receiving the Android 12-based One UI 4.1 update in select regions. The Android 12 update for the Galaxy A02s comes with firmware version A025FXXU4CVF4, while the update for Galaxy A03s has firmware version A037FXXU1BVFB. The update for the Galaxy A21s carries firmware number A217FXXU8DVF6. The update is said to bring the latest OneUI skin by the South Korean tech giant along with the June 2022 security patch. With the update, all three phones will get a new UI design, Colour Palette picker, camera/photo editing features, and Google Duo live sharing among others.
As per multiple reports by Sammobiles, Samsung Galaxy A02s, Galaxy A03s, and Galaxy A21s started receiving the One UI 4.1 update based on Android 12 in select markets along with the June 2022 security patch. As mentioned, the software update for the Galaxy A02s reportedly has firmware version A025FXXU4CVF4, while the update for the Galaxy A03s comes with a firmware version A037FXXU1BVFB and the update for the Galaxy A21s has firmware number A217FXXU8DVF6.
The updates are reportedly available for Galaxy A02s and Galaxy A03s units in Russia and Galaxy A21s models in Serbia. It is said to include fixes for more than 60 vulnerabilities affecting the software alongside system improvements.
If past updates are any indication, Samsung is likely to broaden the rollout of its latest update to other markets in the coming days. The update brings Android 12 features alongside upgrades under One UI 4.1 to the Galaxy A02s, Galaxy A03s, and Galaxy A21s models. The One UI 4.1 update lets users customise devices with unique colours based on the wallpaper. The custom colour palette now appears in more apps and there is a Smart Widget feature to combine multiple widgets into one. Google Duo live sharing, new camera improvements, Samsung keyboard, AR emojis, Smart Switch, Quick Panel, and improved low-light portrait photography are the other major highlights of One UI 4.1.
Eligible Samsung Galaxy A02s, Galaxy A03s, and Galaxy A21s devices in the aforementioned regions will receive the latest update automatically. Interested users can also manually check for the update by heading to Settings > Software update > Download and install. Users are recommended to update their Samsung Galaxy A-series smartphones while they are connected to a strong Wi-Fi and are put on charging.
iPhone 14 Pro Models Said to Offer 128GB Storage, Same as iPhone 13 Series
iPhone 14 series has been part of several leaks and rumours for the past few months. The upcoming Apple iPhone lineup could include four models — iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Max, and iPhone 14 Pro Max — and they are expected to be launched on September 13. The iPhone 14 Pro models were earlier speculated to come with increased storage capacity over the previous models. They were claimed to start with 256GB of storage, compared to 128GB of the iPhone 13 Pro models. Now, in a new development, a market research analyst suggests that upcoming Pro models will continue to offer 128GB of storage.
Earlier, research firm TrendForce reportedly suggested that the iPhone 14 Pro models will start with 256GB storage. Now, a new report by MacRumors, quoting Haitong International Securities Tech Research Analyst Jeff Pu, said that the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models will continue to offer 128GB of storage as its predecessors, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro.
The analyst has reportedly mentioned that the iPhone 14 Pro models will be available in the same storage capacities — 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB — as the iPhone 13 Pro models.
Earlier this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that iPhone 14 Pro models could be launched at a higher price than their predecessors. The ASP of the iPhone 14 Pro series is estimated to climb by about 15 percent to $1,000 – $1,050 (roughly Rs. 79,000 – Rs. 83,000) for the upcoming iPhone 14 series, compared to the iPhone 13 series ASP. The iPhone 13 Pro was unveiled in India last year with a price tag of Rs. 1,19,900 for the base 128GB storage model.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 14 series on September 13. The iPhone 14 Pro models could be powered by the new A16 Bionic chip. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max, on the other hand, are expected to pack the A15 Bionic chip that is available on the current iPhone 13 devices.
OnePlus Co-Founder Pete Lau Hints at Upcoming Foldable Phone
OnePlus is reportedly gearing up to launch its first foldable smartphone sometime soon. In a new update, OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau shared pictures of a hinge on Twitter on Friday to offer hints about the development of a foldable smartphone without confirming the name and other details. Samsung currently has an early lead in the foldable smartphone category. Xiaomi recently introduced Xiaomi Mix Fold 2. Moto Razr 2022 has also arrived in China. OnePlus’s sister firm Oppo also marked its presence in the foldable smartphone market by unveiling the Find N foldable at the end of last year.
Pete Lau on Twitter posted pictures with the tagline “What do you think this is?”. This could be possibly the folding screen hinge mechanism of the upcoming OnePlus phone. Although the company has not confirmed anything, it is largely speculated that the OnePlus Fold may break cover soon. It is rumoured to come with Android 13.
The Oppo Find N sports a 7.1-inch inward folding display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 5.49-inch cover OLED display. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. For optics, the Oppo Find N has a triple rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary sensor, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, and a 13-megapixel telephoto lens. A 32-megapixel camera on the outer screen, a 32-megapixel camera on the inner screen, 4,500mAh battery with 33W SuperVOOC wired charging support are the other key highlights of the phone.
Samsung currently dominates the foldable smartphone market as per a report by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC). The company recently unveiled its latest foldable smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 . Huawei, Motorola and Xiaomi are also introducing new foldable models. Huawei with its Mate X and Mate X2 foldable smartphones marked its presence in the space, while the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 and Moto Razr 2022 debuted in China recently.
Samsung to Charge Less for Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4 Screen Repair for Care+ Subscribers: Report
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 were launched globally at the company’s Unpacked event this week. To encourage users to buy the new foldable devices, the South Korean smartphone company is reportedly lowering the repair cost significantly under the Samsung Care+ subscription plan this year. The Samsung Care+ plan comes with coverage for drops, spills and cracked screens. Eligible subscribers could change their damaged screen of new foldable phones by paying $29 (roughly Rs. 2,300).
The foldable phones by Samsung come with one year of Samsung Care+ accidental damage protection. As mentioned, this covers the devices from accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement. However, after the warranty period, users have to pay the full price for a foldable screen replacement.
As reported by The Verge, the repair costs for the new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 now start at $29 for fixing a broken screen. The screen repair for the previous generation Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 costs $249 (roughly Rs. 19,800) out of the standard warranty for people with the $11 (roughly Rs. 800) per month Samsung Care+ plan. As per the Samsung Support page, the out-of-warranty screen repairs without the Samsung Care+ costs up to $480 (roughly Rs. 38,200) for these models.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are set to hit stores in the coming weeks with minor upgrades over their predecessors — the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Pre-booking for the devices in India will start on August 16 at 12pm (noon). Both the new phones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and support a variable refresh rate. They have Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus protection on the display and rear glass and are IPX8 rated for dust and water resistance.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes at a starting price of $1,799.99 (roughly Rs. 1,42,700), while the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 starts at $999 (roughly Rs. 79,000).
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What's in store for live exports in 2021?
04 March 2021
- Demand for live cattle in South-East Asia is forecast to rebound upwards this year
- Low livestock supply and high prices remain key challenges for the export industry
- Market conditions for sheep trade in the Middle East remain challenging, yet consumer demand remains.
Live cattle exports
Australian live cattle exports faced many challenges in 2020, with high cattle prices, a rising Australian dollar during the second half of the year and weakened consumer purchasing power in Indonesia. Consequently, total live cattle exports fell 19% year-on-year to reach 1.06 million cattle, with a 26% fall in feeder exports, a 17% fall in breeder exports and a slight rise in exports of slaughter cattle, driven primarily by Malaysia.
Encouragingly, demand for live cattle from Australia’s key market, South-East Asia, is expected to see some recovery during the second half of 2021. GIRA has forecast imports of live cattle to lift by 10% this year, largely off the back of a likely rebound in consumer confidence following COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs.
MENA cattle imports are forecast to lift by 4%, with increases expected for all countries except Turkey and Saudi Arabia (GIRA). However, competitive presence across these markets is likely to continue building.
Regardless, challenges for the Australian live export trade remain. With the national herd at a 25-year low, this is expected to constrain the availability of livestock for export for some time. MLA’s Cattle Industry Projections, released in February, forecast live cattle exports to contract 9% to reach 962,000 head this year.
Indian Buffalo Meat will continue to be a key competitor for Australian live cattle, particularly in South-East Asia. Current forecasts indicate India will increase boxed exports by approximately 20% year-on-year in 2021 (GIRA), after a fall in exports during 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
Live sheep exports
Live sheep continue to be an important export for Australia. However, in 2020 export volumes reached a historic low, in part reflecting the gradual, long-term decline in the national sheep flock. In 2020, sheep exports reached 812,000 head, a 27% decline on 2019 levels. While there were numerous challenges associated with COVID-19, high Australian sheep and lamb prices and a higher Australian dollar during the second half of the year also weighed on global demand for sheep.
Import demand for sheep in the Middle East region was notably lower in 2020 relative to previous years. The drop was driven largely by various COVID-19 impacts, including lower oil prices, lower consumer confidence and incomes, reduced tourism and social gatherings.
Fortunately, overall consumer demand for live sheep in the Middle East is expected to see some recovery, with volumes consumed expected to lift around 4% in 2021 on 2020 levels (GIRA). Live sheep imports will continue to be a key source of fresh sheepmeat in many Middle East markets due to consumer preference, with demand increasing to meet growing populations and incomes.
However, while in-market consumer demand in MENA may be trending upwards, this is unlikely to align with live sheep exported from Australia in 2021. This is due to a combination of changing market conditions including supply constraints, changed import arrangements in Australia’s second largest live sheep market of Qatar and reducing demand for both live sheep and chilled carcases. Importers will supplement Australian live sheep supply with sheep from other countries to meet demand.
© Meat & Livestock Australia Limited, 2021


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Tag Archives: tesla
In December, Red Giant Entertainment is publishing a new line of comics, previously seen during this year’s Free Comic Book Day. That saw four comics bagged together and given away free, but the publisher isn’t stopping there. They have announced …
It is reported that the ashes of scientist maverick and genius Nikolai Tesla (pictured above) are to be moved from the Tesla museum in Belgrade, Serbia, where they have been kept since 1957. His remains will now be kept at …
I think the pieces fit together pretty well. Perhaps. A bit.
Disney have an awful lot on their schedules.
Some pretty sketchy ‘evidence’ but take a look, anyway.
Is nerd-dom really ready for some huge sci-fi, Brad Bird style?


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Croatian Post has boosted its postal service fleet with 26 new electric mopeds. The company’s green fleet has been continuously expanding for years and with electric mopeds it will reach 246 electric vehicles, including 40 four-wheelers.Read More
Canada Post recorded a loss before tax of $779 million in 2020, even while delivering record-high Domestic Parcels volumes. The postal service had reported a year-to-date $709 million loss before tax in the third quarter of 2020.Read More
Walgreens has launched Same Day Delivery in under two hours for retail products. Customers nationwide are now able to order more than 24,000 items directly from Walgreens for Same Day Delivery.Read More
Omniva has revealed its first quarter results – with the group’s operating income totalled €39.5 million for the three months of 2021, which is nearly 10 million more than during the same period last year.Read More
Sendle, the 100% carbon neutral shipping service designed for small businesses, has expanded its executive team with the appointment of Dennis Oates as Chief Logistics Officer, and Ned Sizer as Chief Financial Officer, both of whom recently joined the company.Read More
Amazon.com, Inc. has announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2021.Read More
IBC will soon open its fifth container freight station (CFS) in Dallas, Texas. With the addition of the new station, IBC will operate five CFS’s with others located in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York.Read More
The Mail & Express Review (MER) Magazine is our quarterly print publication. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, MER is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.


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Jaksta Video Converter for Mac is an ultra fast, easy-to-use converter specifically designed to convert large video files to many popular...
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Selling actual things, is very profitable for Apple compared with Google's digital business. Analog world trumps digital world. And in this day and age!
The company has reportedly acquired the startup which is still in the beta stage of testing its app.
Apple has added a new MacBook to its lineup. The company claims that this offers a full-sized Mac experience in the thinnest and lightest form so far.
Interestingly, one spot where Apple has some catching up to do would be streaming sports on mobile devices, according to Adobe's Digital Index survey.
Patent licensing firm Smartflash may still be celebrating a $533 million victory against Apple, but the companies aren't finished in the courtroom.
Apple has unveiled a repair extension program for a selection of MacBook Pro notebooks exhibiting video problems.
It's likely this will build on Apple's own AirDrop technology. But this may be one of the first steps in recent years that may combat illegal file sharing.
LastPass has unveiled an app vault suitable for Mac users to keep their digital information safe and secure.
While I would never rule out Apple deciding to purge Intel out of the Mac and switch to an ARM solution, this isn't going to happen anytime soon.
The computer giant wants to bring Windows to the masses again -- in the form of a tiny desktop box.
Even with Apple Pay serving as your digital wallet, there remains the need for physical cards and that is where the Q Card Case comes in handy.
A recent ITG research report indicates that people are adopting Apple Pay. Google Wallet is also doing better than expected and Apple's awareness of mobile payments may be helping.
The software helps users move files from their Android, iOS, and Windows devices to an Intel-powered laptop running the Chrome OS.
The new drives will come in 1TB or 2TB versions, starting at $899. The company even throws in an enclosure to transform the original Mac Pro SSD into an external USB 3.0 storage device.
Security update for Safari browser on Mac OS X removed from distribution after causing problems. No word from Apple yet on disposition.
There aren't as many sales as on Black Friday, but there are a few good specials if you are looking for an iPad mini, iMac, or MacBook.
Unlike Apple itself, this retailer is offering discounts on all iPads and Macs, including at least $200 savings on the Mac Pro.
If you're worried you're getting a little too attached to your smartphone, one telco is offering its customers an app for switching off.
For the second straight year, the company will give out the cards instead of discounting its products. All iPads will come with a $50 card, and all iMac and MacBook purchases will include a $100 card.
Apple has issued the first patch for OS X 10.10 Yosemite, fixing, among other things, a pervasive and frustrating bug that affected Wi-Fi connectivity for some Mac users.


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January 26, 2008 |
AHMEDABAD: When Ratan Tata drove Nano at the Auto Expo, the world applauded Indian enterprise. Nano has spurred the present breed of designers to take India to the world through their designs. Pinnen Ferina, Renault, Ford and General Motors among others are looking at Indian designers for their future models. Finally, the world has woken to the paradigm shift in Indian automobile industry, says National Institute of Design's principal designer (faculty of industrial design)
October 8, 2008 |
Nano replica AHMEDABAD: With the news of the Ratan Tata's dream car Nano's mother plant to be set up at Sanand in Gujarat pouring in, Tata Motors share got the much-needed support. The news came as a breather for the the company's falling scrip. The share price of Tata Motors which had been declining over the last 10 consecutive sessions closed on a positive note on Tuesday at Rs 316.60. Earlier, Tata Motors' share had been declining and had come down from Rs 422.85 on September 19 to Rs 313.85 on October 6. The share had touched an all-time high of Rs 830 on November 10, 2007 after which it had been on the downswing.
October 23, 2008 |
Nano in Pics Disputed Indian projects KOLKATA: The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government has clarified that the 997-odd acres at Singur, originally meant for the Nano project, will not be handed to farmers who lost their land. It will be used for industrial purpose only. In a statement on Wednesday evening, the government said that regardless of the circumstances, "the land would be used for setting up of industries only.
January 11, 2008 |
Nano in pics Auto Expo in pics Industry reactions to Nano Special: Peoples' car Skoda Fabia in pics Glam and auto PARIS: The launch on Thursday of Tata's low-cost car at just $2,500 points the way to a higher standard of living for the billions of people in the developing world but at the price of increased pollution,...
April 22, 2008
By Sudhakar Ram Ratan Tata said that the Nano was inspired by watching a family of four delicately balance themselves on a two-wheeler. The inherent danger that this represented and the urge to make a difference to the middle-class Indian triggered the initiation of the Nano one lakh rupee car project. It is not surprising to see an Indian company launching the world's lowest-priced cara testimony to our design and value engineering expertise as well as our world-class manufacturing abilities.
September 3, 2008 |
Singur Saga NEW DELHI: Tata Motors sought new sites on Wednesday to make the world's cheapest car after suspending work on its plant in Singur in the face of huge farmer and political protests. A Tata statement announcing the suspension late on Tuesday fell short of declaring the company was pulling out of West Bengal for good. But it would be "highly optimistic to think of a return to normalcy at Singur in the next few days -- nothing has happened in the past few months," a senior company official told reporters.
January 5, 2012 |
In a chat with ET Now, Tony Munroe , Mumbai Bureau Chief, Reuters, talks about Ratan Tata's meeting with several editors and the issues raised. Excerpts: Tata Group's Chairman Ratan Tata met with a lot of editors. What were the broad contours of the discussion? What kind of concerns were raised? There was a lot of talk about the Nano and how the car has perhaps not met expectations. There were questions about when diesel version of the Nano would be launched.
December 1, 2010 |
NEW DELHI: Automaker Tata Motor's much hyped 'world's cheapest' car Nano has failed to meet expectations as it witnessed a massive decline to 509 units in November this year compared to 3,065 units sold in the previous month. The decline came during the month when the company had asked customers to bring back the people's car to add safety devices to prevent it from catching fire. While the company had insisted it was not a 'recall', it said that the addition of safety devices, a lesson learnt from some of its brand new Nanos catching fire, was optional.
December 20, 2010 |
MUMBAI: Tata Motors has launched its first television commercial for Nano to revive the sales of the world's cheapest car that fell to a record low of 509 units last month. The commercial, created by Rediffusion Y&R, portrays Nano as a spacious and sturdy car and shows two-wheeler owners envying its performance. "We are aiming for the masses and twowheeler customers also fall under that," Tata Motors spokesman Debasis Ray said. "We want to highlight the proposition of the car, its reliability and durability and to position it as a family car," he added.
August 31, 2008 |
RAJKOT : The Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industries (RCCI) has invited Tata Motors here to shift its small car project 'Nano'. RCCI President Rajnibhai Bavisee in his letter to Tata Motors chairman, Ratan Tata, said the company can reduce Nano's price further if the project is shifted here. The spare parts being used in the 'Nano' are supplied from here and transportation charge saved will help the company to reduce its (Nano) price further by shifting the project in the city, Bavisee said.


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The medical software and services group said the agreement would provide its products with “extended and immediate” sales representation in the US and other international markets, while CorTech would add IB’s software and exclusive algorithms to its portfolio.
The product suite includes IB’s StoneChecker software, which helps analyse kidney stones, as well as IB Neuro which provides tumour biology data and the IB Delta Suite which helps clinicians distinguish tumour progression from treatment effects.
IQ-AI said IB’s products would complement those of CorTechs, which specialises in assessing neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.
David Smith, IB’s chief executive, said the deal meant IQ-AI’s products would have “direct sales representation worldwide” for the first time, and that the firm was “very excited” about the shared revenue potential of the agreement.
“CorTechs Labs has a well established and rapidly growing sales and marketing team who can introduce IB's portfolio to their existing and new clients”, he added.
In mid-afternoon the shares were 8.3% higher at 1.3p.
--Adds share price--


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The majority of British exporters saw their sales grow last year, according to a new report out today from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
Fifty-nine per cent of businesses sending their goods overseas recorded sales growth in 2014, according to the survey.
Just over one-third of exporters had such strong growth last year that they needed to expand their production capacities in order to meet international demand, the survey found. Only three per cent of respondents said weak demand forced them to reduce capacity.
But despite the growth reported by most firms, the survey also found that few new businesses had joined the fray. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they had been trading internationally for more than a decade. Only six per cent said they had been exporting for two years or fewer.
BCC director general John Longworth said while he was encouraged by the results, politicians need to do more to support new exporters and close Britain’s trade deficit.
“As the election debate rages, Britain’s political parties have failed to set out how they will address the export challenge,” Longworth said.


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Instant delivery. No fees. Choose from hundreds of retailers like Amazon, Target, Whole Foods and more.Poland-based bitcoin and altcoin exchange Bitbay is set to launch a trading platform in India in a move that will see unprecedented support for the trading of.Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Cameroon Congo Djibouti Egypt Ethiopia South Africa Show more.
Payucoin | India's Leading Bitcoin Exchange PlatformBitcoin price started to surge and weekly volume of bitcoin trading nearly doubled.
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Coinbase - Buy/Sell Digital CurrencyFind out who is Accepting Bitcoin around the world in this article.
buy bitcoins | eBayA number of bitcoin operators in India have begun suspending their businesses following a warning from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) against use of such virtual.
How to buy and sell bitcoins with credit card - 247 exchange
Polish bitcoin co sets up shop in India - Times of IndiaIt manages an online marketplace where consumers can purchase merchandise using digital currencies.But experts believe these arbitrage opportunities will come again.Launched in 2013, Unocoin lets customers buy, sell, store, use and accept bitcoins.
We make it super easy to securely buy, use and accept bitcoin, following KYC-AML guidelines.Bitcoin is a form of electronic money independent of traditional banking. Polish bitcoin firm BitBay sets up shop in India.
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Legality of bitcoin by country. the Reserve Bank of India had no plans to regulate bitcoin. deciding to transact in some other currency in a shop if they.Before Forbes, I worked as a news reporter in the UK and my home country of Bermuda,.Bitcoin store for electronics. 70k items directly from Apple, Lenovo, Samsung.
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Bitcoin operators shut shop in India amid RBI warningIndia is a country where 87% of transactions are done in cash.We offer an easy way to compare the price of bitcoin to INR with our charts and currency exchange rate.As we progress into 2014, number of businesses accepting bitcoin is skyrocketing.In difference of buying Bitcoins directly or mining with own hardware or contract,.More people have started looking at Bitcoins and interest has surged.
Read more about Bitcoin operators shut shop in India amid RBI warning on Business Standard.
Bitcoin - WikipediaThis resulted in long queues at the ATMs and banks for weeks.
Buy bitcoin | PaxfulAn Indian wallet provider is claiming to offer the highest interest on Bitcoin.
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On this a user usually pays up to 15% in bank charges and conversion fees.They bought Bitcoins in the US and sold them in India making a decent profit.Coinsecure is the fastest Bitcoin exchange in India to buy and sell Bitcoins.Sandeep Goenka, founder of Zebpay, one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in India, said that post demonetization his exchange is now adding about 50,000 new users per month and the queries have gone up by 30 percent.While RBI is yet to come out with a clear regulatory framework for bitcoins, which have been gaining currency.


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New Mexico small businesses hit amid rising unemployment due to coronavirus
RIO RANCHO — Small business owners in New Mexico are pleading with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to ease some coronavirus restrictions as federal numbers Thursday showed another spike in the number of people applying for unemployment.
The businesses pressed this week for the Democratic governor to consider modifying some of the restrictions after she halted nonessential business activity last month.
Some are requesting her to allow small businesses to operate at 20% capacity while others in rural areas said they should be allowed to reopen if there are few COVID-19 cases in the areas where they do business.
Following the criticism aimed at Lujan Grisham, her spokesman Tripp Stelnicki sent a tweet Thursday comparing a group he declined to name to a “death cult.”
The tweet was quickly denounced by the Republican Party of New Mexico, which recently held a video conference call with small business owners and said it thought the tweet was directed at the party.
Farmington Mayor Nate Duckett said the restrictions in northwestern New Mexico have hurt small businesses so badly that some may never reopen.
“Unfortunately, the public health crisis has become an economic crisis,” Duckett said.
He asked for the city of about 45,000 people to be declared an “economic emergency area” — a symbolic act he hopes influences other mayors follow to put pressure on the governor.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 19,494 people in New Mexico applied for unemployment benefits last week compared to a revised number of 26,132 the week before. Both are among the highest of weekly unemployment claims in state history.
MORE:New Mexico gets 3rd surge in a row on unemployment claims
Filings for unemployment aid generally reflects the pace of layoffs.
The Labor Department report said Thursday nationally 5.2 million more people sought unemployment benefits last week — another sign the wave of layoffs continues to engulf the U.S. economy since the coronavirus struck.
About 22 million people in the U.S. sought jobless benefits over the past month. That’s easily the worst stretch of U.S. job losses on record. It means that approximately one in seven workers have lost their jobs.
It’s not known how many of those seeking unemployment benefits in New Mexico were working at small businesses. But small business owners said their employees are suffering the most under the restrictions because big chain stores like Walmart continue operating and are hiring.
MORE:New Mexico waives waiting week for unemployment, extends call hours
On Wednesday, Lujan Grisham said any significant relaxation of the business restrictions was not a possibility. However, her administration is considering exceptions for nonessential businesses that can provide curbside service and maintain social distancing.
Stelnicki suggested in his tweet that a group that he did not name wanted to “accelerated illness & death” and compared the group to a “death cult” whose opinions he said should not be published.
Asked by email if he was referring to Republicans or small business owner critics of Lujan Grisham, Stelnicki declined to answer the question and said that his “tweet speaks for itself…I have nothing else to say about it.”
The Republican Party of New Mexico’s recent video conference call with small business owners focused on the impact of the state shutdown.
Stelnicki’s “outrageous tweet, suggesting that Republicans want to get more New Mexicans to contract COVID-19, is shocking and disgraceful,” the party’s statement said. “The tweet is disgusting and twisted, and the Governor’s Office is way out of line with this monstrous claim. Nothing is further from the truth.”
There are around 160,000 small businesses in New Mexico and they employ about 340,000 workers, according to the U.S. Office of Small Business Administration. They range from breweries to retail shops and vendors serving the state’s oil and gas industry.
Kathy Diaz, the owner of Monroe’s New Mexican Restaurant in Albuquerque, said she had to lay off about 50 employees.
“It trickles down to vendors and suppliers,” Diaz said. “It’s not their job they are losing. It’s the pride of working.”
MORE:As unemployment claims rise amid coronavirus, Las Cruces-area workers face uncertain pay
Rory Veronda, 50, owner of the Empire Board Game Library on Albuquerque’s historic Route 66, said he let go all nine of his employees just before the restrictions were enacted. He’s staying busy by delivering board games to parents who are buying games for their bored children.
“I think a lot of small businesses are being forced to be creative,” Veronda said. “That’s the only way we are going to survive.”
Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras.


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The boom in new businesses is back, as Irish start-ups have surged to record levels, new figures have shown.
A total of 25,695 new businesses were registered last year - which is the highest annual figure on record, according to Vision-Net's latest business barometer.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
The annual figures also showed start-ups have seen a major bounce-back from the COVID pandemic.
The number of new company start-ups last year was a 13% increase on pre-pandemic levels in 2019, and 17% higher than in 2020.
The legal, accounting and business sector was the biggest contributor to new company start-ups in 2021, with a total of 4,592, up 4% year-on-year.
This was followed closely by financial intermediation, up 27%; wholesale and retail, up 55%; and construction, up 19%. The community, social and personal activity industry was the only sector to experience a decline in start-ups in 2021, with a drop of 26%.
Dublin was the centre of start-up activity last year, accounting for 11,815 of new registrations. It was followed by Cork (17%), Kildare (17%) and Galway (15%).
A total of 444 company insolvencies were recorded in 2021 - a decrease of 6% year-on-year. The most insolvent sector last year was legal, accounting and business, with 80 insolvencies.


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Blog: US government buys up meat to help drought-hit farmers
Dean Best | 14 August 2012
Obama and Vilsack in Iowa to view drought-hit crops. (c. USDA photo by Dave Kosling).
The US government has moved to offer some assistance to farmers affected by the country's drought and announced plans to buy US$170m of meat.
The pork, lamb and chicken will be used for US federal food programmes like food banks and for school food.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said: "These purchases will assist pork, catfish, chicken and lamb producers who are currently struggling due to challenging market conditions and the high cost of feed resulting from the widespread drought. The purchases will help mitigate further downward prices [and] stabilise market conditions."
The announcement came as President Obama begun a three-day campaign trail in Iowa, a rural and key battleground state in the upcoming election in November.
US pork producers said they were "grateful" for the move.
"This purchase will help pork producers who are struggling with the effects of this severe drought, which has adversely affected much of the nation's corn crop," said R.C. Hunt, president of the National Pork Producers Council. "In fact, many producers still face the prospect of severe losses because of record-high feed prices, which have gone up because of the drought."
Danone completed its US$12.5bn acquisition of WhiteWave Foods this week. The move will roughly double Danone's presence in North America, where WhiteWave is a top four dairy player. ...
Premier Foods plc revealed today (28 March) it has secured a deal with its pension scheme trustees that will see the UK food maker reduce its pension burden....
Hain Celestial, under the scrutiny of the investment community in recent months and facing some challenges in its domestic market, has announced another shuffling of its management pack....
FrieslandCampina, which today served up higher profits but lower sales for 2016, is ready to offload the last non-dairy business owned by the Dutch cooperative giant....
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- Dairy dampens Danone in Q1


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DES MOINES - Iowa motorists who buy gasoline without ethanol soon could see a price jump at the pump.
Iowa's largest pipeline operator, Magellan Midstream Partners, will no longer ship 87 octane regular gasoline to its Iowa terminals. Instead, the pipeline operator will start shipping 84 octane fuel, which can be blended with more expensive 91 octane fuel to produce the regular 87 octane product. Iowa requires a minimum 87 octane fuel at gas pumps.
The bad news for consumers the 87 regular octane fuel without ethanol will probably cost more - possibly a lot more - at the pump. The price for 91 octane premium gas without ethanol also could spike, according to the Des Moines Register.
The change takes effect Sept. 15. Meanwhile, the cost for ethanol-blended gas - purchased by an estimated 82 percent to 83 percent of Iowa motorists - is expected to remain about the same.
The change is driven by pipeline customers, including refiners, petroleum traders and petroleum marketers. They want greater flexibility to mix products and more uniformity across states, said Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine.
Iowa and Nebraska are among the last states in the country to require a minimum octane of 87, he said, but shipping the 84 octane still allows for the product to be mixed with a higher octane product to reach the required 87.
Heine said other traders, refiners and marketers are also looking for more uniformity among the states. Allowing them to blend their own mixtures increases efficiency and reduces the risk of a shortage, he said.
A new study commissioned by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association estimates the wholesale cost of the blended regular 87 octane gasoline without ethanol will be 30 cents a gallon more than ethanol-blended fuel after the change. It costs distributors more not to offer ethanol blends, in part the government subsidizes it.
Depending on the scenario, one industry official said, the increased demand could drive the pump price for regular 87 octane gasoline 30 to 52 cents higher per gallon than ethanol-blended fuel.
The fuels association sees Magellan's switch as a potential boost for ethanol.
Monte Shaw, the organization's executive director, is urging Iowa gasoline retailers to consider selling 89 octane E15 gasoline - which is 15 percent ethanol - in addition to E10 ethanol that already is widely sold. He believes E15 gas could sell for about a nickel per gallon less than E10 gas and would be a good second option for gas stations with just two gas tanks. E15 is approved only for 2001 model year and later vehicles.
"Getting to this next level of ethanol blend would be a big sponge for corn" sales and a boon to Iowa's agricultural economy, Shaw said.
Only a sliver of Iowa gasoline sales involve E15 fuel, but if the ethanol-blended product were sold on a widespread basis here it could be a model for the rest of the nation, he added.
Other parts of the country already have made the change from 87 octane to lower octane gasoline for various reasons, and Shaw expects other Iowa pipeline operators to follow suit after Magellan's product shift.
Iowa gasoline retailers said last week they weren't sure yet how the upcoming changes will affect gasoline prices.
"Every day could be different because you are dealing with a commodity that is traded 24 hours a day. We are out there scouring trying to find the cheapest price that we possibly can," said Mike Thornbrugh, government and public affairs manager for Tulsa-based QuikTrip, which has 20 stores in the Des Moines area.


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Greeley Municipal Court Hours
Starting November 1, 2018, the City of Greeley Municipal Court will be changing its hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., including the Express Window. The Court offices are open Monday through Friday.
This change only affects when the Express Window closes. The change is due to a very low number of payments being made versus the operational costs. The Municipal Court has a drop box available for people wanting to make payments outside of open hours, as well as the availability for people to pay online.
Oct 10, 2018


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Target building sold: Furniture USA is the new owner; sale occurred earlier this month
The building that once housed Austin’s Target store has been sold to a Sioux Falls, South Dakota.-based furniture company.
However, how the building will be used is still in question.
The new owner, Furniture USA LLC Austin, did not return several calls made to the company by the Herald on Wednesday and Thursday.
Furniture USA is the parent company to a number of brands, including Furniture Mart USA, Furniture Mart, Ashley Homestore, Unclaimed Freight Furniture and Carpet One.
According to its website, it employs over 1,000 employees in 40 stores and five distribution centers in five states, including Rochester, which has an Ashley Homestore.
On Dec. 6, a limited warranty deed was conveyed to Furniture USA MN-LLC from Target, according to records at the Mower County Recorder’s office.
Jacqueline DeBuse, with Target’s communication department, confirmed Wednesday the sale had occurred earlier in the month.
An accompanying document, an easement agreement between Target and the city of Austin, was also transferred to Furniture USA, according to county records. Signing the document was William A. Hinks.
The Target store was closed in January 2015 after being in Austin for 17 years, affecting 82 employees.
The store was one of 11 closed by the company that year.
Having the store filled “is exciting,” said City Administrator Craig Clark, noting that a new retail operation would also boost sales tax revenue.
“It’s a new chapter,” he said.
While not sure of what kind of operation was going into the space, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy Forstner said it was always good to see empty storefronts fill.
“An increase in traffic to that area greatly benefits other retail outlets,” he said. “We’ll be interested in seeing” what the new space will house.