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Singapore carpool startup Ryde has just announced its IPO listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today (March 6).
This follows their announcement in September last year, where they expressed their goal to raise US$17 million for their IPO. In a news report by BNN, this decision represents a strategic move for the ride-hailing company in expanding its innovative transportation and delivery services to a broader market.
Ryde was founded in 2014 by Terence Zou as a carpooling app, it has raised S$1 million from a venture capital company two years since their inception. They subsequently received an additional S$2.5 million to support their service expansion efforts in 2017.
The startup has also previously entered into a partnership with ComfortDelGro in 2017, and acquired Singapore logistics provider Meili Technologies last year.
Challenges ahead for Ryde despite the IPO
But the path ahead might be extremely challenging for the homegrown startup. According to disclosed financial statements, Ryde has incurred a net loss of S$4.96 million for the 2022 financial year despite raising approximately S$8.8 million in revenue.
In their preliminary prospectus, the company has also stated in they may not be able to continue raising sufficient capital or achieve profitability as it is dependent to reduce the amount of driver partner and consumer incentives paid relative to the commissions and fees they receive for their services.
The prospectus also stated that the startup is also facing doubt from auditors, who questioned the sustainability of the business.
Amidst stiff competition from other ride-hailing applications, notably Grab, Ryde has spent almost S$2 million on marketing efforts to differentiate itself. It has managed to increase the number of unique active users by 17,000 for the 2022 financial year.
Despite their best efforts, Ryde still has a long way to go to catch up with their competitors, as Grab reported 32.7 million unique monthly transacting users for that same year. According to an article by Tech In Asia, Ryde commands 2.5 per cent of the mobility industry, making them the fifth-largest player in the sector.
The startup has since expanded its range of services and is working towards becoming a “super mobility app.” With the proceeds from the IPO, Ryde has earmarked funds for marketing and growth beyond Singapore, as they hope to explore potential markets in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
However, in the light of many tech layoffs in recent months, the tech industry has been experiencing many uncertainties and pressure, hinting that Ryde’s IPO might not be as smooth-sailing as they thought.
Featured Image Credit: Ryde


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China’s richest man Zhong Shanshan tried journalism, farmed prawns and sold turtle pills before founding Nongfu Spring water
During the Cultural Revolution of 1966-76, Zhong’s parents were seen as intellectuals meaning that his education was cut short. Dropping out of junior school, he helped support his family, working as a bricklayer and carpenter for the next 10 years.
Zhong twice failed the college entrance exam after it was reinstated in 1977, but followed his parents’ advice and finally was able to enrol at what is now called Zhejiang Radio and TV University.
After graduation, he worked as a reporter for the Zhejiang Daily. In 1988, the declaration of the Hainan Special Economic Zone made Zhong decide to quit his job and move to the island province. There he first established the Pacific Post newspaper, then, after its failure, a mushroom business.
The climate of Hainan did not favour growing mushrooms and soon Zhong had lost his money. He had more success selling curtains, earning thousands of dollars, but then lost all that when he started a prawn farming business.
He then met fellow Hangzhou native Zong Qinghou, CEO of Wahaha, which sold bottled water, juices and various health products. With Hainan being a special economic zone, Zhong was able to buy Wahaha’s products at a lower price. However, follow gossip claiming he started shipping them to Guangdong on the Chinese mainland and pocketing the difference, the relationship reportedly soured.
Inspired by the potential in the health foods market, in 1993, Zhong established Hainan Yang Sheng Tang to launch various supplements including turtle pills (turtles have long signified health and longevity in China). Despite a positive response in the market, intense competition in the industry caused Zhong to think about possible ways to grow. He concluded that no matter what happens, people need to drink water, and in 1996 he started Nongfu Spring.
Over the last two decades, Zhong has also launched beef jerky, bottled tea, juices and various beverages. But it’s water that has led to him being crowned the richest man in China after Nongfu Spring’s hugely successful IPO in September 2020.
- Meeting fellow Hangzhou native Zong Qinghou, CEO of Wahaha, was a major turning point
- After a chequered business career in Hainan, today Zhong’s beverage company and other holdings are worth US$66.8 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index

domain: news


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Greg Mankiw has a post up where he points his readers to an article at the Boston Globe where the author argues that claims about the decline of American manufacturing are widely exaggerated and bordering on hysterical. Greg likes this article presumably because it goes against the conventional narrative and lefties that would use it as a foundation to argue for a real industrial policy, a currency re-evaluation on the part of the Chinese, or whatever other sundry ideas they might have.
The problem is that while Greg has gone to bed solid in the truth that absolute manufacturing output in the US has increased (I will show why this is a half-truth below) they are also sleeping on an absolute false truth in the belief that American manufacturing is more concentrated in medium and high tech production.
Anyway it is a confused article and I do not know why Mankiw calls it a “A nice piece by Jeff Jacoby.”
…..“Near the root of the unease for many of those polled is the worry that the United States no longer makes enough stuff.’’ When asked why US manufacturing jobs have declined, 58 percent cite off-shoring by American companies to take advantage of lower labor costs.
There’s just one problem with all the gloom and doom about American manufacturing. It’s wrong.
Americans make more “stuff’’ than any other nation on earth, and by a wide margin. According to the United Nations’ comprehensive database of international economic data, America’s manufacturing output in 2009 (expressed in constant 2005 dollars) was $2.15 trillion. That surpassed China’s output of $1.48 trillion by nearly 46 percent. China’s industries may be booming, but the United States still accounted for 20 percent of the world’s manufacturing output in 2009 — only a hair below its 1990 share of 21 percent.
Ok, so there is a confused set of claims here. On the one hand, Jeff cites Americans’ belief that manufacturing jobs are being off-shored as evidence of an irrational anxiety but then says that this is an irrational anxiety because American manufacturing is growing every year. It is like Jeff has never heard of the magic of productivity. That is Americans could be right that they are loosing jobs in manufacturing but wrong in the assumption (if they make that assumption because the evidence cited in the article does not indicate they do) that absolute American manufacturing has decreased (which it has not). Productivity makes both claims possible, thus neither irrational. But rather than wave my hands in the air about who or who is not irrational let me just throw up some…you know data.
This graph shows US manufacturing value added as a percent of economy wide value added and employment.
Clearly relative to the total economy American manufacturing has been in decline and employment even more so. I am going to go out on limb here and suppose that the declines in employment are significant enough to be absolute. But whatever the case the relative decline of manufacturing both in terms of value added and employment has been significant enough that the sector is in value added terms is only 13% of the US economy. In this sense Donald Trump’s observation sounds about right.
“We do health care; we do lots of different services. But . . . everything is made in China, for the most part.’’
Part of the reason is that fewer Americans work in factories. Millions of industrial jobs have vanished in recent decades, and there is no denying the hardship and stress that has meant for many families. But factory employment has declined because factory productivity has so dramatically skyrocketed: Revolutions in technology enable an American worker today to produce far more than his counterpart did a generation ago. Consequently, even as America’s manufacturing sector out-produces every other country on earth, millions of young Americans can aspire to become not factory hands or assembly workers, but doctors and lawyers, architects and engineers.
But then he goes way-off track:
A vast amount of “stuff’’ is still made in the USA, albeit not the inexpensive consumer goods that fill the shelves in Target or Walgreens. American factories make fighter jets and air conditioners, automobiles and pharmaceuticals, industrial lathes and semiconductors. Not the sort of things on your weekly shopping list? Maybe not. But that doesn’t change economic reality. They may have “clos[ed] down the textile mill across the railroad tracks.’’ But America’s manufacturing glory is far from a thing of the past.
What Jeff is claiming here is that not only has American manufacturing become more productive, which it has, but that it has shifted into exotic high value-added product lines like sexy fighter jets and whatever version of Viagra American executives are gulping down.
Problem is, that it is simply not true. In fact, the very best spin that can be put on the data is that medium and high tech manufacturing as a percent of total manufacturing has been stagnate since 1984 and the Reagan revolution. In economy wide terms medium and high tech manufacturing (bottom plot) has stagnated with the rest of the US manufacturing sector.
Funny that Greg Mankiw should have such a relative definition of “nice” when it comes to a consideration of the facts and such an absolute definition when placing himself as the arbiter of sober second thought.


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Tab: TCL Debuts a New Tablet
Could it crack into the American market and fight Apple for a slice of the market?
TCL this week announced the launch of the TCL Tab, a new tablet being brought out in collaboration with Verizon.
While mostly associated with TVs, TCL has been releasing products in the United States in other categories, including the TCL Pro smartphone, which arrived in the spring. Now, the TCL Mobile devision has also brought out a tablet, as part of a collaboration with Verizon.
The TCL Tab weighs 11.5 ounces and comes with 4G LTE capability. It also offers an eight-inch Full HD+ display and comes with Android 10 pre-installed. The device, which does not come in a WiFi-only version, is available now and retails at $199.99, in Suede Black color.
“There has been a large increase in demand for affordable tablets capable of supporting in-home initiatives for learning and working, while also keeping the entire family entertained and connected,” Eric Anderson, Senior Vice President of TCL Communication, North America, said in the announcement.
“With the TCL TAB, we have engaged with Verizon to create an Android tablet that will provide family households with the network and tools necessary for both a productive and entertaining mobile experience.”
Android tablets have been around since 2009, even before the debut of the iPad in 2010, but most of the early ones, such as the Verizon-exclusive Motorola Xoom, failed to displace Apple’s tablet. Eventually, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab and Amazon’s Kindle Fire emerged as the main challengers to Apple in the category, although the competition has never been especially close.
As of last month, per Statcounter, Apple held nearly two thirds of the North American market share in the tablet category, with Amazon and Samsung second and third, each with just over 13 percent of the market. This was roughly even with where those numbers had been for much of the last year.
Beta News describes the TCL Tab as a “spiritual successor to the Nexus 7,” which it describes as “undoubtedly the greatest Android tablet of all time.” The Nexus 7, which Google developed along with Asus, released two generations but was discontinued in 2015.
Along with its new mobile endeavors, TCL continues to release well-received TVs, mostly with the Roku TV interface, although the company has started to put out lower-end models with Android TV.
Trendforce said this week that a record number of TVs were shipped in the third quarter of 2020, and that TCL moved 7.33 million units, representing a 29 percent increase quarter over quarter and a 52.7 jump year over year. That was good for third worldwide, behind only Samsung and LG, both of which are more established as global TV brands.
Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.


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Nokia N99 5G 2023: 12GB RAM, Quad 108MP Primary Camera with 8700mAh Battery As we know Nokia is well known and trusted in the world of phones for its quality and durability. Following this, the Nokia, a famous tech Company has decided to launch Nokia N99 5G 2023 this year. This smartphone, which is going to be another impressive phone. In 2023, we have also introduced you to many upcoming phone-level Nokia series with fantastic hardware that should hit the market this year, such as Nokia Edge Lite 2023, and Nokia Edge Mini 2023.
So, do you want to buy a sophisticated phone at a reasonable price? Then Nokia N99 5G 2023 is the phone to think about. We will start by checking out the N99 5G 2023 Release Date, Price, Features, and Specs.
Nokia N99 2023 Release Date:
Officially no date has been announced by company for the release of the N99 5G 2023. It is expected that the phone will launch in the last quarter of 2023 with its advanced features and impressive specifications.
Nokia N99 5G 2023 Specs:
Nokia N99 5G 2023 is coming with a great caliber of impressing customers. This smartphone is expected to come with a sizeable 6.8-inch AMOLED with 4K resolution in three colors – Blue, Red, or Black. As protection, it will have seventh-generation Corning Gorilla Glass.
It has big storage and a big RAM in it. So far, we learnt that this smartphone is expected to come with 10GB/ 12GB of RAM and 256GB/ 512GB of onboard storage (expandable to 512GB via MicroSD card). It has so many awesome features.
This handset supports fast charging and equipped with 8700mAh battery capacity.
This phone will be available on the market with a huge camera feature. Nokia N99 5G 2023 has camera features of the Quad-sensor on the rear setup, including a 108MP primary lens + 12MP secondary shooter + 8MP depth sensors on the rear and a 32MP primary wide-lens shooter.
Operating System & Other:
When it comes down to the processor, you are getting Qualcomm’s best processor, Nokia device can take power from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G chipset built on the process. Also, the new Nokia smartphone is going to have the latest Android 13 version. The phone will offer you 5G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPRS, and so on.
What sensors does this Nokia N99 5G 2023 phone have?
It will include all the necessary sensors such as – on-screen fingerprint scanner, Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, etc.
Nokia N99 5G 2023 Price:
The Nokia N99 5G 2023 has been leaked, and the phone is expected to roll out in the global market, soon. The expected price of N99 5G is €310 Euro in Europe and $345 USD in the USA.
- Nokia N99 5G Price in USA – 345 USD
- Nokia N99 5G Price in UK – 290 GBP
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Europe – 310 Euro
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Nigeria – 2,63,990 NGN
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Australia – 550 AUD
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Saudi Arabia – 1,290 SAR
- Nokia N99 5G Price in UAE – 1,270 AED
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Russia – 32,990 RUB
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Nepal – 45,500 NPR
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Malaysia – 1,600 MYR
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Singapore – 470 SGD
- Nokia N99 5G Price in Philippines – 19,990 PHP
Thanks for staying with us a long time and it is worth it to get one for yourself. So, if you are looking for a high-performance mobile handset, please drop a comment to let us know!


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An Australian court has extended the block of sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 after Apple filed an appeal against the decision to lift the ban, which was due to happen today.
Reuters reports that the ban of the tablet in Australia will continue until 9 December to let the High Court hear Apple’s appeal. The court will decide next week if Samsung can continue selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia before a final hearing in 2012.
Samsung said in a statement that Apple “had no basis for appeal” and the Korean company would vigorously oppose it.
Earlier in the week, the court lifted the temporary ban on the Android tablet, noting that because the average lifespan of the device was 12 months, blocking the sale of the tablet would effectively kill it off in Australia, giving Apple the victory.
It’s the latest move in Apple and Samsung’s ongoing smartphone and tablet patent disputes which span across the globe, including Japan, the US and Europe.
Apple alleges Samsung has infringed on the design of its iPhone and iPad. Samsung has also countersued, saying Apple has infringed on its wireless patents and has tried to ban the sale of the iPhone 4S in four countries, including Australia.


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Guac Won't Cost You Extra If You Order Miley Cyrus' Burrito at Chipotle
This is all thanks to a TikTok Challenge.
Miley Cyrus is beloved for her incredible music talent but also her well-known antics. Now her special kind of diva appeal is being honored via a Chipotle burrito!
Chipotle has been known to be active on social media, especially during the pandemic, as they shared DIY recipes ranging from their tortilla chips to their guacamole on its TikTok. So, recently when TikTok users began an “If Miley Cyrus comments, I’ll do something” challenge, it was only a matter of time before Chipotle joined in on the fun.
Chipotle’s contribution was, of course, a “If Miley Cyrus comments, we’ll make a Miley burrito in our app” post:
@mileycyrus down? #chipotle #burrito #mileycyrus♬ TO THE TOP - Mat Cache
Miley quickly responded with her favorite order, which is now known as the perfectly named Guac Is Extra But So Is Miley Burrito.
The Miley-inspired burrito sounds delicious, and is filled with white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, roasted chili-corn salsa, tomatillo-red chili salsa, romaine lettuce and guacamole. In a fun bit of irony, guacamole – which famously costs extra at Chipotle – is not extra on a burrito named Guac is Extra!
The menu item in Miley’s honor is vegetarian, in honor of the songstress who for a while lived a strictly vegan lifestyle but has since expanded her diet. “I’ve had to introduce fish and omegas into my life because my brain wasn’t functioning properly,” she shared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast in September.
This burrito will be available exclusively on the Chipotle digital menu for a limited time.
It’s pretty certain Miley Cyrus is a big deal and has been for a long time, but you know you are major when a burrito is named after you!


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Uber, Otto expand self driving truck effort
October 12, 2016
Uber owned Otto trucks is planning to double the size of its fleet, create partnerships with independent truckers and launch an on-road freight haulage business next year.
Separately, Otto founder Anthony Levandowski has laid out a vision of "no touch freight" which he argues will lead to far greater efficiencies in logistics and truck economics.
According to Lior Ron, Otto co-founder, Otto will expand its fleet of trucks from six to around 15. The company is also setting up partnerships with independent truckers.
Next year, Otto technology equipped trucks will begin hauling freight deliveries to warehouses and stores.
Otto was founded by a number of former Google employees who had had key positions in that company's self driving car programme.
The start-up was bought by Uber for an estimated $680 million in August.
Otto wants to compete directly with brokers, and already begun selling services to shippers, truck fleets and independent truck drivers.
The acquisition of the company has been seen as Uber acquiring vital technology and expertise for its own self driving car project, which is currently undergoing trials in Pittsburgh.
However, Ron has underlined that Uber is planning to develop Otto as a free-standing business to take on established players in the trucking and logistics market.
The company has begun a campaign to attract independent truckers to sign up, and claims to have had expressions of interest from thousands of truckers in its offering.
Otto is also reported to have begun actively selling brokerage services to shippers and truck fleets.
The company's pitch is that it can cut shippers and freight companies' costs by using their technology platform to better match freight to vehicles.


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Honda has lowered its annual operating profit forecast by 67 percent. The announcement on Wednesday is the Japanese automaker’s third profit warning this year. Honda now expects operating profit for the business year to March 31 at $2 billion, down 81 percent from last year.
Honda outlined cost-cutting measures to reduce non-urgent spending, including delaying the launch of medium to large diesel vehicles in the United States and Japan to concentrate on hybrids and small cars, and delaying indefinitely expansion of car output capacity in India and Turkey.
The company said it will go ahead with plans to introduce a small car below the Fit/Jazz subcompact for emerging and other markets in two to three years. A new sporty hybrid based on CR-Z will go on sale in late 2010. Honda also will continue to develop small diesel engines. (Reuters)


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Tough Mudder has signed yet another brand as a sponsor.
This time it is Celsius Holdings, the maker of the global fitness drink by the same name. The beverage will be a presenting sponsor of the 2018 Tough Mudder North America Challenge event series which includes Tough Mudder Half, Tough Mudder Full and the newly launched Tough Mudder 5K.
Tough Mudder’s other sponsorship and distribution partners include Merrell, Amazon, KILL CLIFF, Guinness, Vega, Samsung, Olympus, Lucozade Sport, Nexcare, Toyo Tires, Kingstone Press, Black Tower, For Goodness Shakes, Bosch, TREK, Head & Shoulders, L'Oreal Men Expert, Käserei Loose, Snapchat and Live Stream.
This move fulfills a major marketing initiative for Celsius, whose slogan and targeted demographics’ goal is to “Live Fit.” The drinks are dietary supplements that contain a proprietary thermogenic MetaPlus blend, proven to accelerate metabolism, provide healthy energy and burn body fat when combined with exercise.
Tough Mudder is a good fit for Celsius since its fan base are educated consumers who care about what they put in their bodies, says John Fieldly, Celsius Holding Inc.’s chief financial officer and interim president and chief executive officer.
“Celsius is an innovative drink that’s proven to function as a healthier, energizing pre-workout drink that gives participants a clinically proven training tool before and during the big day,” Fieldly tells Marketing Daily. “It’s a brand consumers integrate into their daily workouts and training, and many of them find us through their trainers. We’re targeting cutting-edge consumers who realize it’s not what your drink doesn’t have, it’s what your drink does have and what it’s doing for you.”
Celsius aims to increase its brand awareness by tapping into Tough Mudder’s extensive fan base. The sponsorship and 2018 Tough Mudder season kicks off March 3-4 at East Walker Ranch in the Los Angeles area. The series includes more than 100 events across North America during Tough Madder weekends, and more than three million loyal fitness enthusiasts committed to the Tough Mudder lifestyle (also known as “Mudder Nation”) The drink will be available before select events. Last year, is was tested for receptivity as a Tough Mudder Local Sponsor in 10 cities.
The partnership includes consumer engagements and sponsored branding on one of the teamwork obstacles, Everest, across all event formats. Additionally, Celsius will serve as an official sponsor of the Toughest Mudder and World’s Toughest Mudder race series.
Celsius also will have a brand presence on multiple video platforms as Tough Mudder has grown into a media and entertainment brand with content featured on CBS, The CW, Facebook and YouTube, garnering millions of viewers throughout the year.
The sponsorship comes as Tough Mudder, founded in 2010, is launching a new brand platform, “Tougher Together,” says Jerome Hiquet, CMO, Tough Mudder.
“It has transformed from being just a live-event company to a global media, sports events, health and wellness lifestyle brand,” Hiquet tells Marketing Daily. “It is an important time to re-highlight what the brand was built on and represents not only to new customers, but our community of 3 million-plus.”
“Tougher Together” is more than just a campaign, but an all-encompassing new brand platform that will be shared and articulated throughout the customer journey, he says.
“It reflects our overall higher purpose – teamwork, camaraderie, inspiring to do extraordinary things together and lending a helping hand to anyone who needs it regardless of socioeconomic or cultural backgrounds, an important message especially in this ever-disconnected world.” Hiquet says.


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Madras High Court orders review of Nokia tax demand
CHENNAI (Reuters) - A court ordered tax authorities in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday to reconsider a nearly $400 million sales tax claim against Nokia on handsets made at the Finnish company's Chennai plant.
Nokia, which is embroiled in a separate tax dispute with the authorities that stopped the plant from being transferred to Microsoft as part of the sale of its mobile phone business, had appealed to the Madras High Court after receiving a demand notice for about 24 billion rupees ($396 million).
The court on Tuesday asked Nokia to deposit 10 percent of the disputed tax demand within eight weeks as a precondition for the two sides to discuss the claims afresh, according to a copy of the court order seen by Reuters.
Tamil Nadu authorities had alleged that handsets from Nokia's Chennai plant were not exported but instead sold in India, the company said in March, calling the claim "absurd".
Nokia is "weighing its options for legal recourse", it said in a statement on Tuesday after the court order. "(Nokia) would like to reiterate that it continues to see the Tamil Nadu claim as without merit and will defend itself vigorously," the company said.
Nokia last week closed the deal to sell its handsets business to Microsoft, but left the factory out of the deal. It would operate the Chennai factory as a contract manufacturing unit for Microsoft.
(Reporting by Sriram Srinivasan; Writing by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by John Stonestreet)
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China's shadow banking sector growing rapidly, third largest in world - FSB. Full Article


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This latest development suggests that the SEC has sent Tesla subpoenas.
The recent story surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk's tweet in which he announced that he was considering taking Tesla private with "funding secured" has been developing more each day. There have been many rumors and reports that an SEC investigation was underway. However, little information was validated. In the meantime, Tesla and Musk have released a few announcements regarding the matter.
Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2018
Now, a tweet from Charles Gasparino at FOX Business Network claims the scoop that the SEC has ramped up its investigation and has already sent subpoenas to the company due to the talk of privatization and funding. Gasparino reminds that subpoenas are an indication that the investigation may be entering a more formal stage. The New York Times reported that this information originally came from a "person familiar with the matter."
SCOOP: SEC ramps up investigation into Tesla privatization plans; sends subpoenas to Tesla regarding privatization plans and Musk's statements involving "funding secured"--sources Subpoenas signal investigation has reached the "formal" stages -- sources more now @FoxBusiness *
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) August 15, 2018
The SEC mandates that public statements by company executives cannot be false. Musk's "funding secured" statement must be able to be backed up with actual funding that was in place at the time he made the public announcement. According to The New York Times:
It has become clear since then that neither Mr. Musk nor Tesla had actually lined up the necessary financing aside from having preliminary conversations with some investors.
The Twitter post by Mr. Musk, who has considered taking Tesla private in the past, was something of a flip remark, said several people familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly about the episode.
Initially, Musk said that he had prior verbal approval of a deal with the Saudi Arabia sovereign wealth fund. However, the wealth fund has declined to comment. The automaker has since formed a special committee to evaluate going private.
I’m excited to work with Silver Lake and Goldman Sachs as financial advisors, plus Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Munger, Tolles & Olson as legal advisors, on the proposal to take Tesla private
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 14, 2018
We'll keep you updated as this story continues to develop.


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Both fresh and frozen dates are quite conservative so you would usually be ok to use the product up to 2 weeks after the expiry date, as long as it has been correctly stored.
In 2020, just under two million motor vehicles were sold in the United Kingdom, down from its peak at around 3.1 million units in 2016. This figure represents a decline of almost 30 percent year-on-year.
According to Statista, roughly 74 million new cars will be sold in 2020 worldwide. During 2018, a total of 896,007 personal vehicles were sold in California, which ranks first in terms of US car sales....YearNumber of Cars Sold201717.13 million201817.21 million201916.96 million•Aug 7, 2021
Automakers sold more than 17 million vehicles in the U.S. for a fifth consecutive year in 2019. Available credit, low unemployment rates and healthy consumer sentiment all contributed to a robust market for U.S. auto sales in 2019. For 2020, analysts expect U.S. sales of roughly 16.7 million to 17.1 million vehicles.


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After nearly a year off the shelves, GlaxoSmithKline's diet pill alli--recalled after reports of tampering--is back in most U.S. stores, and it's got some updates that should make any future tampering easier to spot.
GlaxoSmithKline is recalling supplies of its OTC weight-loss drug alli in light of reports from U.S. consumers who found the wrong drug when they opened their bottles.
Drug tampering not only poses threats to consumers but is also disruptive and expensive for drugmakers. In the latest case, GlaxoSmithKline sent out an alert Wednesday warning that someone has been altering its over-the-counter weight-loss drug alli.
GlaxoSmithKline announced today that bottles of its alli over-the-counter weight-loss drug were tampered with, and warned consumers to look out for suspect packages.
Some U.S. consumers found the wrong drug when they opened their packages of alli, the GlaxoSmithKline weight-loss pill, the company said. Glaxo is warning alli users to check their packages carefully and avoid taking any pills that might not be authentic.
GlaxoSmithKline has buyers interested in taking the diet drug Alli off its hands, if Roche could just get its manufacturing issues fixed.
GlaxoSmithKline's ($GSK) good news: It has found a buyer for European rights to a portfolio of consumer products it has been trying to unload for some time. The not-so-good: It's still stuck with Alli, the weight-loss drug, as supply problems weigh on its ability to market the brand.
Omega Pharma will get GlaxoSmithKline's ($GSK) manufacturing plant in Herrenberg, Germany, as part of the $612 million acquisition of GSK's over-the-counter healthcare brands in Europe.
GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) wants to make a deal already. After hawking a portfolio of consumer drugs for months, the company managed to unload 17 of them to Prestige Brands Holdings in December. Now, it
GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) can thank Greece and Angela Merkel if its attempt to sell an OTC drug portfolio stalls. Europe's inability to get its act together is frustrating some M&A, as satisfactory


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There is a one-in-four chance of a US recession in the next 12 months, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
Negotiators from China and the US begin official trade talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in an attempt to prevent a festering of an ongoing dispute between their two countries.
The United States’ national debt has hit $22 trillion for the first time, according to a statement by the US Treasury.
Colin Campbell, told us earlier that Donald Trump is willing to accept a smaller funding offer for his wall project because his approval ratings are declining.
Some red flags emerge indicating the US economy could hit a downturn.
US President Donald Trump calls for American pioneering in artificial intelligence amid worries that US is trailing China on the technology.
The White House has not ruled out the possibility of another government shutdown as a temporary deal that ended the last one will expire in a week.
Stocks pulled back sharply around the world on Thursday after reports that the United States and China would not be able to reach a trade deal.
Factory orders in the US fell more sharply than expected in November.
The shutdown cost $11 billion, almost two times the $5.7 billion Trump had asked for his border wall, a US congressional body says.
The US charges the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei with technology theft and sanctions violations.
Beijing has launched a lawsuit against Washington’s trade tariffs at the World Trade Organization’s top court.
The Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion cut tax package appeared to have no major impact on businesses’ capital investment or hiring plans, according to a new survey.
The longest-ever US government shutdown is damaging the world's largest economy, a Reuters poll of economists shows.
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the United States and China are still far away from resolving their trade dispute.
US home sales cratered in December, causing price growth to slip to the lowest level in more than six years.
US consumer sentiment deteriorated in early January to its weakest level since Donald Trump’s US presidential victory in 2016.
Ivanka Trump is not being considered to run the World Bank herself but is busy looking for a candidate, according to the White House.
China's 2018 trade surplus with the United States surged to a record $323.3 billion.
The risk of an economic recession in the United States has grown to the highest level in seven years, according to a survey by economists.
The European Union stands firm in its refusal to include agriculture in a new trade deal with the United States, an EU official says.
New Trump administration policies aimed at curbing China’s access to American innovation have halted Chinese investment in US technology startups.
A group of US negotiators are in China in an attempt to end a trade war that has rattled world’s economy.
An official report shows that US manufacturing activity slowed sharply to a two-year low in December amid a plunge in new orders and hiring at factories.
US stock index futures fell sharply on Thursday after Apple Inc stunned investors with its first sales warning in more than a decade.
A measure of US consumer confidence posted its sharpest decline in more than three years in December.
Wall Street was back in sell-off mode early Thursday, with the Dow falling two percent amid worries over slowing economic growth that have dented sentiment for most of December.
US President Donald Trump has compared the Federal Reserve to a blundering golfer after the stock market tanked yet again.
The partial shutdown of the US government that began Saturday has added another threat to a growing list of risks to the US economy.
The US Treasury secretary has called a meeting with the country’s top bankers to ensure investors amid falling stocks.
The US economy slowed in the third quarter more than previously estimated.
US President Donald Trump has discussed firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
The US stock market tumbled on Thursday as the Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate hike and the threat of a partial US government shutdown fueled investor anxieties.
Wall Street stocks have tumbled after the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates while pledging a cautious approach to additional interest rate hikes next year.
US President Donald Trump has urged the Federal Reserve, the US central bank, to not make "another mistake" by raising interest rates.
Malaysia has filed criminal charges against American financial services company Goldman Sachs.
US President Donald Trump has again attacked the Federal Reserve for considering raising interest rates.
The risk of a US recession in the next two years has risen to 40 percent, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
The US is likely to feel the effects of sharply economic slowing growth elsewhere in the world, the IMF chief economist has warned.
US stocks lost around $1 trillion in value at the start of December as an ongoing rout deepens.
Record imports in October drove the US trade deficit to the highest level in a decade.
US stocks gave tumbled again , knocking 600 points off the Dow Jones Industrial Average and putting the benchmark S&P 500 on track for its worst week since March.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has tentatively agreed an oil output cut but is waiting for Russia to declare its commitment.
Iran says the European Union plans to use its own currency instead of the US dollar in all oil deals, worth over €300 billion.
US business optimism has waned over uncertainty caused by tariff disputes, rising interest rates and continued labor shortages, the Federal Reserve says.
Iran says the US envoy’s recent meetings with OPEC member states in Vienna are unprofessional and meddlesome.
The dollar remained under pressure Wednesday as an inversion in part of the Treasury yield curve caused concern about a possible US meltdown.
China and the United States have started working toward removing all the tariffs they have imposed on each other in a trade war, the Chinese Foreign Ministry says.
President Trump has threatened to retaliate against General Motors for its decision to slash jobs by cutting the automaker’s federal subsidies.
US President Donald Trump is denying reports that he is unhappy with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The US arms exports up 13 percent in 2018, bringing American companies $192.3 sales.
The US trade deficit with China hits a record high despite President Trump's steep tariffs on Chinese products.
The massive growth in the US trade deficit with China has cost an estimated 3.4 million American jobs, according to a new report.
US President Donald Trump has once again criticized the Federal Reserve, calling the nation’s central bank the “biggest risk” to the US economy.
Wall Street stocks have tumbled amid mixed corporate earnings and mounting geopolitical unease over Saudi Arabia and Italy's budget standoff with the European Union.
Ron Paul has warned that rising interest rates and a housing bubble are negative factors for the US economy which will lead to a “big bust.”
The US federal budget deficit rose in fiscal 2018 to the highest level in six years as spending climbed.
Sears Holdings Corp filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, throwing into doubt the future of the century-old retailer that once dominated US malls but has withered in the age of internet shopping.
The United States has played down international concerns that its ongoing trade war with China threatens the global economy.
US stocks fell sharply again Thursday following a huge sell-off the previous day.
US President Donald Trump has again criticized the Federal Reserve, saying the country’s central bank has gone “crazy.”
The US trade deficit spiked in August to its highest level in six months.
The Trump administration thinks an anti-China provision included in the recent free trade deal between the US, Canada and Mexico can be used in future agreements as well.
US President Donald Trump has no plans to release tax returns despite a recent investigation by the New York Times.
US President Donald Trump engaged in "dubious tax schemes" that included "instances of outright fraud," a report says.
A fierce global trade war would hurt the United States economy significantly, making households poorer and destroying jobs, a new report shows.
China rules out more trade talks with the United States under pressure, a day after American tariffs imposed by the Washington on Chinese goods took effect.
China and the United States imposed new tariff hikes on each other's goods Monday.
US ports are fearful that they will be big losers amid the escalating trade fight between Washington and Beijing.
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk’s comments about Saudi funding has made him subject of a criminal probe as Riyadh reportedly clinches a $1-billion deal with Lucid Motors, Tesla’s rival.
China decides to retaliate US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on 200 billion dollars’ worth of Chinese imports, amid an escalating trade war.
The US may be in for another recession as soon as late 2019, warns American credit unions chief.
The gap between white- and non-white households widened in 2017, US government data shows.
President Trump has directed aides to proceed with tariffs on about another $200 billion of Chinese goods.
US President Donald Trump has called on Apple Inc. to shift production to the US and out of China.
Trump has warned that he would cause the “ruination” of Canada if he imposed tariffs on Canadian-made cars.
US President Donald Trump says that he has tariffs ready to go on a further $267 billion worth of Chinese imports.
Workers in the United States do not have good conditions despite US President Donald Trump’s claims, says the country’s labor leader.
The US president renews his vow to entirely withdraw from NAFTA trade pact.
After days of intense negotiations, the US and Canada have failed to agree on a deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The WTO director general said if the US were to leave the institution, such a move would cause chaos.
Trump suddenly nixes promised federal pay raise due to "serious economic conditions" in the United States.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization (WTO), a move that would throw global trade into wild disarray.
US-China trade talks have concluded with no major breakthrough, with the two sides launching new tariffs on $16 billion worth of imports from the other country.
US economic growth will slow steadily in coming quarters after touching a four-year high in April-June, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
The greenback has fallen as investors pulled out of the safe-haven currency with optimism rising over upcoming US-China trade talks.
US President Trump says he expects little progress in upcoming trade talks with China.
A new study has found that the chief executives at the 350 largest companies in America earned 312 times more than their average employees in 2017.
President Trump has defended his moves to implement tariffs on imports from China and US allies.
The US trade deficit widened in June for the first time in four months as exports fell and imports grew.
Trump and his administration "absolutely support" the Federal Reserve's independence, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has claimed.


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Chicken processed in a factory infested with cockroaches made more than 500 Americans sick with Salmonella poisoning this year. Almost 2 million pounds of ground beef tainted with the most dangerous E. coli strain — which is banned from sale — were shipped to restaurants across the country, causing people to start falling ill last month. And this spring at the Food Safety Summit, of all places, more than 100 were sick with food poisoning after dining in Maryland.
Food activists tend to get excited about theoretical or undetermined threats: Do we face a runaway gene pool from modified, crossover foods? Is sugar worse than fat? Are we ceding control of our bodies to shady multinational calorie factories?
And yet more than 100,000 Americans already get sick every day, right now, because of all too real food safety problems we could do something about this very minute.
We can do something about it politically, if that’s the best motivator. Food gets people fired up — so many people getting sick from their food also gets people fired up. The FDA is taking baby steps getting antibiotics out of animal feed, decades after declaring it would do so; the Obama Administration has been painfully slow writing the rules that would give teeth to a landmark 2011 act; and Congress refuses to fund the “boots on the ground” the new laws require if they ever want a chance to be effective. Every one of those levers can be pushed by a motivated public.
And you can do something about it right at home, without strafing the White House with e-mails for or picketing an FDA hearing. Simple steps like tossing your beloved reusable grocery bags in the washing machine once in a while, or reconsidering the merits of foods cleaned by “irradiation,” or seeking out a more reliable supplier, from organic door-to-door vans to massive Costco. Consumers can make their kitchens a haven for good food and good health without having to worry 24/7 about the food supply.
In recent months the government has created an image of cracking down on bad food, with an unprecedented and indeed welcome series of prosecutions of alleged major violators. The executive who sent forth more than a half-billion raw eggs — from conditions inspectors found to be filthy — was indicted in May. The Jensen brothers, who unknowingly made changes to their Colorado family farm that helped lead to the deaths of 33 people from tainted cantaloupe, have pleaded guilty and face years of probation and financial straits. The notorious Peanut Corp. of America executives, allegedly so cynical in shipping tainted nuts from crumbling warehouses face a wall of federal charges in Georgia.
Those are promising steps after decades of largely ignoring the worst perpetrators of foodborne illness outbreaks. But in the meantime, the numbers of Coloradans getting sick from their food isn’t dropping, and with some bacteria, it’s actually getting worse. About 48 million Americans will get sick from a foodborne illness this year, many of those preventable; more than 100,000 will have to go to the hospital, and 3,000 will die.
The FDA has said it needs at least $200 million to enforce the landmark 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act. The Congressional negotiations this year are starting at $25 million, and are likely to drop from there.
And still industry wants to speed up the massive chicken factories to a point where three dangling carcasses are flashing by an inspector every second. Hospitals beg the FDA to block mass feeding of farm animals with anti-biotic, which leads to superbugs in humans that resist all known medicines — yet when the FDA finally issues a rule, it’s voluntary, and relies on the kindness of pharmaceutical companies.
We can worry all day about the existential threat of GMO foods — and we support labeling so consumers know what they are getting into with each package. But how about taking on real food safety issues right now, where the science is clear and only the willpower is lacking?
Michael Booth and Jennifer Brown are co-authors of “Eating Dangerously: Why the Government Can’t Keep Your Food Safe . . . and How You Can,” from Rowman & Littlefield. They will discuss their work at Boulder Book Store on June 24, at 7:30 p.m.


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Warner Bros. Discovery revealed new key details about its upcoming streaming launch during a press event held on Wednesday. The media officially announced that the new streaming platform would be known as “Max”, with its tagline being, “Max — the one to watch.”
Max will consist of content from both the HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming platforms. CEO David Zaslav is looking to launch this new unified platform as a means of giving subscribers access to Warner Bros. Discovery’s broad content portfolio, thereby using the company’s diverse range of programming to expand its customer base.
The new platform will offer three subscription tiers. For $9.99 per month, users will have access to the ad-supported version, for $15.99 per month, users will be able to make use of the ad-free version, while $19.99 per month gives users access to the “ultimate” ad-free tier, which offers up to four concurrent streams and 4K streaming options. Aside from the “ultimate” tier, the other tiers all match current HBO Max pricing.
Max is the one to watch [because] its the place every member of the household can go to see whatever they want at any given time,” Zaslav said. The service will launch on May 23.


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The PlayStation-exclusive downloadable content for Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag will be available on other platforms six months after launch, according to a trailer advertising the library of upcoming PlayStation 4 games.
You can see both Ubisoft titles mentioned in a section of the video below promoting exclusive content for multiplatform titles (1:15-1:29). Ubisoft and Sony announced during E3 that the PlayStation 3 and PS4 versions of each game would feature an hour of exclusive gameplay. An asterisk in the video points out that the content is exclusive to PlayStation platforms for six months.
Assassin's Creed 4 will receive three exclusive missions for Aveline, the player character in the 2012 PlayStation Vita title Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation. For Watch Dogs, the exclusive content totals four missions that center on protagonist Aiden Pearce's quest for revenge against an internet mogul.
Ubisoft will launch Assassin's Creed 4 Oct. 29 on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U; Nov. 15 on PS4; Nov. 19 on Windows PC; and Nov. 22 on Xbox One. Last week, the publisher delayed the release of Watch Dogs — the open-world thriller will now be available some time after March 2014.
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The Jakarta Post
The German government, through the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) institute, has said it would provide assistance to empower earthenware and pearl jewelry artisans in West Lombok and Mataram in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
Besides building capacity for the craftspeople, the Regional Economic Development (RED) program, which began in 2011, will also help them promote their products to a wider market.
'We will provide advice to earthenware craftsmen in Banyumulek village, West Lombok, and gold, silver and pearl artisans in Sekarbela, Mataram city,' NTB RED GIZ regional coordinator Prayitno Basuki said recently.
Apart from providing support in product design innovation, added Prayitno, the program would also help the artisans with marketing to help them reach a wider market, especially the international one.
In Banyumulek village, more than 80 percent of residents rely on pottery making for all or some of their livelihood since the 1990s. Almost every household makes earthenware, such as jars and large bowls.
The village is home to more than 200 pottery curio shops selling various types of distinctive Lombok earthenware, ranging from urns, bowls, lamp stands and jugs to ashtrays and piggy banks.
'We have brought in potters and tutors from Australia and Bali to enrich the designs. For marketing, RED has provided a market and directly connected the craftspeople to overseas buyers. RED has also done the same for the pearl craft center in Sekarbela village, Mataram city,' said Prayitno.
He also said that the RED program, which would end this year, was expected to build capacity for potters and pearl artisans in Lombok.
Meanwhile, Banyumulek Green Tourism Village Cooperative head Sri Amin, 35, said the mentor program carried out by GIZ, through the RED program in Banyumulek, was very beneficial, especially for financial management capacity and product marketing.
Based on data from the Banyumulek village administration, 3,835 families live in the village and 1,800 of them make pottery in the cottage industry involving a total 6,000 residents, including children.
'Previously, potters in the village sold their products to middlemen at cheap prices, but they can now sell their products to the cooperative. We have also provided loans for those who need them,' said Sri.
Sri added that the cooperative had also created the Green Tourism Village concept, which allowed visitors to observe the pottery-making process in the homes of villagers, visit the park in the village and buy pottery.
Potter Udin, 45, said the RED empowerment program from GIZ greatly benefitted craftsmen.
'We had only been serving the local market, or selling our wares to visitors. We sold most of our products to the middlemen from outside the area, such as from Bali. We now earn more profits as we can sell our goods at a higher price, thanks to direct access to overseas buyers through the cooperative,' said Udin.
The middlemen would usually buy a small-sized pot for Rp 5,000 (43 US cents) and a large piece for Rp 15,000. In the curio shops visited by tourists, the same goods sell for Rp 35,000 and Rp 75,000
Though the program is improving livelihoods in the village, the future of Banyumulek remains uncertain. As of 2013, 80 percent of the villagers were categorized as living below the poverty line, according to the government.
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Just a few days before the New Year, the Bangkok-based Bawarchi Indian restaurant chain announced a “splendor opening” of its first outlet in Myanmar’s “most commercially major city Yangon”.
Continue reading »
Our resident culinary expert Phyo delves into fusion cuisine, looking to dishes that will satisfy both her Asian cravings and her fussy husband's Western leanings.
The newest addition to Yangon’s growing list of international restaurant chains, Tony Roma’s, is known for its “legendary” ribs and mammoth portions.
Beginning the New Year with the best of intentions and a staunch resolution to 'be healthier', Phyo tries her hand at salads.
I am starting my 2015 column with healthy food recipes for the New Year.
Among Shan State residents, Thibaw Ma Nan Htay restaurant comes recommended as one of the best places to eat traditional Shan food in Taunggyi.
The Blind Tiger – the first venue to bring speakeasy-chic to Yangon – is a surprisingly edgy yet unpretentious addition to the Yangon restaurant scene.
Crêpes are the perfect weekend treat: they’re easy to make, and involve a minimum amount of hassle in the kitchen. Here, Phyo shares her crêpe recipe – with a tropical twist.
Our resident culinary expert Phyo decides the mercury's dropped sufficiently to dabble with soups.
Port Autonomy restaurant is the newest addition to Pun Projects’ growing collection of high-toned hangouts at the Yangon docks.
Page 3 of 27


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Market Insider | Biggest Moves Premarket: Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Halliburton, Best Buy, Uber, Tesla & more
Johannes Eisele | AFP | Getty Images
Halliburton (HAL) – The oilfield services company reported quarterly profit of 32 cents per share, 3 cents a share above estimates. Revenue also beat Wall Street forecasts. Halliburton said its bottom line received a boost from international growth and that it was able to optimize its performance in a soft North American market.
VF Corp. (VFC) – VF Corp. is exploring strategic alternatives for its Work unit brands, which focus on outfitting industrial, service, and government sector workers. VF said the goal is to focus on a simplified portfolio of higher growth, consumer-oriented brands.
Best Buy (BBY) – Best Buy is investigating allegations that CEO Corie Barry had an inappropriate romantic relationship with a fellow executive. Barry said she is cooperating fully with the electronics retailer’s board and that she looks forward to a quick resolution.
Uber (UBER) – Uber sold its Eats business in India to Ant-Financial backed Zomato, in exchange for a 9.99% stake in its local rival. Uber Eats has struggled in India since launching in that market in 2017.
Logitech (LOGI) – Logitech reported quarterly profit of 84 cents per share, 5 cents a share above estimates. The maker of computer peripherals also seeing its revenue come in above Wall Street forecasts. Results were helped by growing demand for gaming and video conferencing products.
Tesla (TSLA) – Tesla rebuffed a petition to U.S. regulators calling for a recall of 500,000 cars for an alleged unintended acceleration issue. Tesla said the petition was “completely false” and was put forth by a short seller.
Boeing (BA) – Boeing is in talks to borrow $10 billion or more to deal with costs related to the 737 Max grounding, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to CNBC. Boeing has already secured at least $6 billion and is in talks with other lenders as well, sources said.
L Brands (LB) – L Brands was upgraded to “overweight” from “sector weight” at KeyBanc, which said the Victoria’s Secret parent is increasingly likely to engage in some sort of “value-creating” transaction.
Morgan Stanley (MS) – The investment bank’s stock was downgraded to “neutral” from “buy” at Citi, which feels Morgan Stanley’s stock is now fairly valued after a 27% rise over the past three months.
Costco (COST) – Oppenheimer upgraded the warehouse retailer’s stock to “outperform” from “neutral” and called it a “top pick.” Oppenheimer points to attractive valuation, upbeat top-line trends, and prospects for a special dividend.


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Will Uber drivers ‘strike’ over rates in NJ? Should they?
Should New Jersey Uber drivers follow their peers in New York and "strike?" Will they?
"NY Uber drivers protesting today starting at noon," wrote a poster to the Uberpeople.net forum Monday, as New York drivers planned a service slowdown. "They are asking all drivers to shut off the app for 24 hours. Meanwhile in NJ a quick glance at the pax app and we have a ton of cars on the road at 85 cents a mile. What is wrong with Jersey uber drivers? We are screwed!!!"
At issue is the company's decision to cut fares by 15 percent — a move that prompted hundreds of drivers to rally at its New York headquarters Monday. The company has roughly 30,000 registered vehicles in New York City.
Tuesday morning in Mercer County, Uber was showing typical availability — with a wait time of just a few minutes for a ride, at the new normal rates. The app was also advertising the 15 percent rate cute in the area.
Uber drivers work as independent contractors within its system, and work as much or as little as they'd like — so a "strike" doesn't apply in quite the same way it does with normal employees of a company, unionized or otherwise.
But those calling for the New York City service stoppage have said they hope it'll force Uber to reconsider its rate cut.
Uber also automatically raises rates when few drivers are on the road, to prompt more to make themselves available.
"Before, we made little, not much — but enough to feed the family," Mohammed Rahman, a New York City driver and father of two said. "But this is really, really bad."
It's hard to say how much support there is for a stoppage in New Jersey. Just a handful of people replied to the forum post suggesting one .
"Let's be smart about the NJ price cuts," another poster wrote. "We can do it! We don't need every driver to strike but if we can get a decent amount it'll work! Do you guys want to make money or not?
Uber announced the price reduction Friday A company spokesman said its data shows the fare reductions help drivers but bringing them more business, and that the rates could be increased if they don't work.
"Every city has busy months and slow times. In New York things tend to be quieter after the holidays. So we lowered prices to get more people using Uber, which is good for drivers because it means less time waiting around for trips," spokesman Matt Wing said. "As we have always said, price cuts need to work for drivers."
Reporting by the Associated Press was used in this story.


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After a frenetic nine days, L.A. Beer Week 2014 ended on Sunday, and after speaking to the brewers, barkeepers, and beer fans attending the events, I’d say it was a successful showcase of the rising tide of craft beer in Los Angeles.
Here are a few highlights and takeaways from the celebrations:
L.A. Brewers Guild Festival in Chinatown
Taking the place of the festival that had closed out L.A. Beer Week in years past, the kickoff celebration in the Chinatown central plaza was a success, and it set the tone for the week of beer-focused events and showcases. The festival featured all of the member breweries from the nascent guild as well as a couple dozen guest breweries from Orange County, San Diego and a few farther-flung regions; live music; and several informational panels on topics such as the history of brewing in Los Angeles and food and beer pairings. The only real criticism of the event that I heard was regarding the lengthy wait for the bathrooms toward the end of the festival. Not bad for the L.A. Brewer’s Guild first major event.
More than tap-takeovers and beer dinners
There was a wider variety of events during the weeklong celebration of craft beer culture than before. From cask-ale festivals to musically focused events such as Eagle Rock’s Battle of the Bands or Brewer’s Karaoke, Beer Week gave craft fans in Los Angeles a variety of ways to meet the people behind the pints. There were educational panels for hopeful brewery owners, several beer- and food-focused events, and the Battle of the Guilds at Mohawk Bend that pitted suds brewed in San Diego and San Francisco against hometown beers. (The Los Angeles Brewers Guild won the popular vote, while the attendees also voted the Pupil from San Diego’s Societe Brewing as the best beer of the evening.)
So much new beer
While there was no organized push for local breweries to create new brews for Beer Week this year, there were still many new beers hitting taps and bottle shops for the celebration. Some highlights were Vulcanizer, the hoppy collaboration between Beachwood Brewing and Drakes Brewing; Longevity, Eagle Rock Brewing’s team-up with the Maltose Falcons to commemorate the homebrewing club’s 40th anniversary; Arrivant, another new farmhouse ale from Monkish Brewing; Maitai Hop Tonic, a coconut-infused India Pale Ale from Smog City; and El Segundo Brewing’s potent Power Plant triple IPA. And that’s just a small sample of all the new brews and special one-offs made to keep our mugs full during the celebration.
More changes in store for next year
Now that L.A. Beer Week is under the purview of the Brewers Guild, expect further changes to the format next year. One of the biggest challenges that the organizers will need to address is a possible scheduling conflict with 2015’s Great American Beer Festival. The Denver-based industry competition is the biggest event for craft breweries in the country, and next year’s festival is scheduled for Sept. 24-26 -- what would be the closing weekend of L.A. Beer Week. The organizers of Beer Week have also told me that the late-September schedule is also difficult as many local venues have exhausted marketing funds during the busy summer months. Expect a change in dates for Beer Week 2015 -- possibly to earlier in the summer.


text: The People’s Republic of China is commonly seen as a country having a very low standard of protection of intellectual property rights. Some commentators say that the Chinese government wittingly accepts this fact viewing it as profi table for the country as an opportunity of developing the Chinese industry on the basis of already existing and verifi ed technological solutions. China’s access to the World Trade Organisation on 11th December 2001 meant that it also had to adhere to provisions of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement), a document creating a minimum standard of protection for different kinds of intellectual property rights. Already existing legal provisions of the Chinese legislation had to be adapted to TRIPs standards and certain new measures had to be undertaken. Moreover, a number of steps were taken by the Chinese authorities, from establishing new institutions and special courts up to campaigns promoting the protection of intellectual property rights in the society. Notwithstanding the remarkable efforts made by Chinese authorities in a relatively short period of time the marketshare of products infringing intellectual property rights in China is still enormous, there is admittedly some improvement, visible on the basis of objectively collected and analysed data. One should also note that further development of the Chinese economy, based on research and development of new technologies, requires the Chinese authorities to guarantee a high level of protection for intellectual property rights.


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Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Imagine someone stealing and using your credit or debit card, all while it remains in your wallet or purse.
That happened to a South Jordan woman who learned the hard way about this ever-increasing fraud.
"It's one of those situations where you should be aware of your surroundings, and I missed it," said Kristin Ting.
That miss could have cost Ting $750. She believes an identity thief was looking over her shoulder when she filled out an order form during a Christmas gift show. She believes the thief snapped a picture of her information.
"It's the only place I can think of where he would have all that information all in one place," she said. "I still had my credit card."
Whoever got her credit card information used it to order two professional graphics tablets from Staples. The thief even used Ting's shipping address and a phone number just one digit off her number.
However, the crook used his or her own email address. Ting suspects the person wanted shipping notifications so they could pick up those tablets from her porch.
- Keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates and the phone number to report fraud for each company in a secure place
- Don't lend your card to anyone — even your kids or roommates
- Don't leave your cards, receipts, or statements around your home or office
- During a transaction, keep your eye on your card -- get it back before you walk away
- Carry your cards separately from your wallet
"Probably he was just going to pick it up because people aren't home, there are lots of packages just going around on the doorsteps right now," Ting said.
Staples stopped delivery one day before those tablets were expected to arrive on her porch. Police said that likely tipped off the culprit; no arrests have been made.
Ting said she has changed the casual way she has treated her personal security when it comes to using credit and debit cards.
"Be aware of your surroundings," she said. "Thanks to my husband, we caught this early. Just stay on top of your credit card information; check regularly."


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Yellowstone stars at war... over COFFEE! Show creator Taylor Sheridan is SUING Cole Hauser's coffee brand for 'unfair competition and false advertising' - because its logo is too similar to his own business
- Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan's Bosque Ranch filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas against Free Rein, Cole Hauser's coffee company
- It accuses Free Rein engaged in 'false advertising' and 'unfair competition'
- The lawsuit claims Free Rein uses 'a brand mark strikingly similar to Bosque Ranch’s registered trademark, potentially misleading consumers'
While fans wait for the second half of Yellowstone's final season to debut next year, some legal drama has started between the show's creator and one of his stars.
Bosque Ranch, a wide-ranging business empire founded by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, has filed a lawsuit against Free Rein, Yellowstone star Cole Hauser's coffee company.
Bosque Ranch, which also has a coffee range, claims that Free Rein uses 'a brand mark strikingly similar to Bosque Ranch's registered trademark, potentially misleading consumers.'
Bosque Ranch's brand mark infuses the letters B and R like a cattle brand, while Free Rein also infuses the letters F and R.
This latest drama between Yellowstone mastermind and one of his stars comes after Sheridan's much-publicized feud with Kevin Costner, who plays Dutton family patriarch John Dutton.
The nub of their dispute was reported to be Costner's desire to cut down his workload for the fifth - and final - season. Sheridan, for his part, said he was disappointed by Costner's decision to cut back his work on the show but insisted the pair were on good terms but insiders also pointed to Sheridan's huge ego after his major film and TV successes.
Yellowstone star Cole Hauser's Free Rein coffee brand merges the letters F and R like a cattle brand (seen above on Hauser). His Yellowstone creator, showrunner and co-star Taylor Sheridan's Bosque Ranch's brand mark infuses the letters B and R
Sheridan's wide-ranging business empire Bosque Ranch also has a range of coffee (packaging seen above). The company claims that Free Rein uses, 'a brand mark strikingly similar to Bosque Ranch's registered trademark, potentially misleading consumers'
Creator: While fans wait for the second half of Yellowstone's final season to debut next year, some legal drama has started between the show's creator Taylor Sheridan (left) and one of his stars, Cole Hauser (right)
The lawsuit alleges that Bosque Ranch has been using the intertwined B/R brand mark since 2004, and secured federal registrations in 2020.
Bosque Ranch launched its Craft Coffee brand in June. Hauser turned the brand Longhorn Coffee, based in San Angelo, Texas into Free Rein in August.
The company launched its first coffee brands with the F/R logo in October. Bosque claims Free Rein did so without their authorization.
The lawsuit alleges the two similar brand marks will cause 'consumer confusion' since both Sheridan and Hauser are connected to Yellowstone and both actively promote their brands.
Bosque Ranch is seeking 'permanent injunctive relief, damages, and profits from the defendants under both the Lanham Act and Texas law for the alleged infringement.'
Bosque Ranch launched its Craft Coffee brand in June. Hauser turned the brand Longhorn Coffee, based in San Angelo, Texas into Free Rein in August. The company launched its first coffee brands with the F/R logo in October. Bosque claims Free Rein did so without their authorization
Hauser plays Rip Wheeler on Paramount Network's Yellowstone, who has been a fixture on the show since it debuted in 2018.
Rip Wheeler is a ranch hand on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, run by Kevin Costner's character John Dutton.
He's also married to Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), John and the late Evelyn Dutton's (Gretchen Mol) only daughter on the show.
The lawsuit news comes just over a month after Paramount confirmed the show's final episodes will debut in November 2024.
This comes just months after it was reported that the 68-year-old leading man would be exiting the series in the first half of season 5.
The studio did also soften the blow to fans of Yellowstone, which has seen its popularity soar after episodes started airing on CBS. The network announced two spin-off series, one entitled 1944 and the other is a contemporary series, which is currently titled 2024.


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With ride-hailing services like Uber actively exploring taxi services backed by self-driving cars, one of Japan’s biggest car manufacturers is now moving into this space as well. Nissan has announced its plans to launch its very own self-driving taxi service in Japan. Nissan is partnering with DeNa for its Easy Ride self-driving taxi service that’s going to be launched on March 5th in its home country.
Since the service is backed by fully autonomous cars, they will be tested in a limited area initially. Riders in the Minato Mirai district of Yokohama in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture will be able to use a new app to call one of these self-driving taxis.
These cars will be geofenced along a 4.5 kilometer route running between Nissan’s global headquarters and the Yokohama World Porters mall. As we’ve seen in other tests of fully autonomous cars, there will always be a safety driver behind the wheel who will take over should anything go wrong. A remote operations center will monitor all of the trips to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
While they’re in the car, riders can use the in-car tablet to browse selections of almost 500 recommended places of interest and events in the vicinity. They will also be able to download about 40 discount coupons for retailers and restaurants in the area on their own smartphones.
Nissan and DeNa says that after the initial public testing is completed, they plan on expanding this self-driving taxi service to a wider market by 2020.


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By Bernd Debusmann Jr
Tag Heuer CEO Stephane Bianchi warned customers to be wary of tempting online sales prices
Counterfeit and ‘grey market’ luxury watches are diseases on the industry, according to Tag Heuer CEO Stéphane Bianchi.
Bianchi was appointed as the CEO of LVMH’s watchmaking division in November 2018. In his position, he directly leads the Tag Heuer brand. Additionally, the CEOs of Hublot and Zenith report to him.
In his first interview in the Middle East on the sidelines of the Formula E Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia – in which the Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E team made its debut – Bianchi said that counterfeits are becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated.
“Counterfeiting and grey market [sales] are two big diseases in the watch industry,” he said. “What we’re observing is that counterfeiting is more and more precise. Sometimes it’s very well done.”
To combat counterfeit watches, Bianchi said the company is currently working to develop blockchain technology that will be used for verification purposes.
“We’re thinking of blockchain technology to deliver some certificates to guarantee that your watch is the right one,” he said. “Otherwise, sometimes you can’t make the difference.”
While Bianchi said that monitoring watches sold by official Tag Heuer retailers is “easy”, on the second-hand market, customers may “never know.”
“People have to be careful if they see a very good price on the Internet,” he said. “That’s not normal, and what’s not normal is weird. It’s a big deal for us.”
Additionally, Bianchi said that Tag Heuer is increasingly cracking down on grey market sellers.
“We’re cutting it as much as possible. Everyone who does a grey market sale with Tag Heuer, we cut the deal,” he said. “We’re tracking our watches. We know if we sell watches in a certain country and we find the same watch in another country, then we’ve got to investigate.”
According to some estimates, the sale of counterfeit watches costs the industry as much as $618 million of the original manufacturers’ retail selling prices.For all the latest fashion trends from the UAE and Gulf countries, follow us on Twitter and Linkedin, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.


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Texas Roadhouse and Starbucks sign leases at The Block at Pima Center
July 25, 2018
Texas Roadhouse and Starbucks signed leases in June to open restaurants at The Block at Pima Center, located on the northwest corner of the Loop 101 and Via de Ventura on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. The mixed-use development currently contains 1.5 million square feet of office, flex, medical and light industrial space – and that amount is expected to double in the next three years. Both Texas Roadhouse and Starbucks plan to open at The Block at Pima Center in early 2019.
“We are very excited about the traction our leasing efforts have gained,” said Curtis Brown, principal with Mainspring Capital Group, which is leading the development effort. “Landing such well-known brands as Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks and others is really great for building our momentum as we complete phase one and open up leasing for the second phase.”
An undisclosed restaurant brand has also reportedly signed a lease at The Block at Pima Center. Principals at Mainspring Capital Group would not name the restaurant, but said it’s the first Arizona outpost of an iconic brand. “The real testament to the site coming of age is the signing of our ‘mystery’ restaurant brand,” Brown said. “They could have selected any location in the Western U.S. for their expansion towards this end of the country and they chose The Block. That speaks volumes.”
The Corritore Company will handle leasing for phase two of The Block. “We are extremely excited about what will be the best freeway infill development opportunity along the 101 in Scottsdale. This trade area is underserved and in desperate need of retail, restaurants and services,” said John Corritore, president of The Corritore Company. “The area’s variety of entertainment is expanding, which will make this an even more appealing destination. We intend to attract the best restaurants and retailers to this highly visible project.”


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Motorola said to plan Android tablet computer – Business Mirror
Gadget Venue (blog)
Motorola said to plan Android tablet computer
Motorola Inc., maker of the Droid smartphone, is planning to release a tablet computer based on Google Inc.'s Android software to challenge Apple Inc.'s …
LG Ally to get Android 2.2 Froyo?
Motorola Droid Android 2.2 OTA update delayed indefinitely
Motorola Droid Upgrade Process to Android 2.2 Halted Indefinitely?
Filed Under: News


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TELECOMS operator TalkTalk said yesterday it expected to reverse a decline in revenue growth in this financial year as it expands its product range and adds more customers onto its own network.
Although the company said first-half revenue slipped two per cent to £828m and its broadband customer base fell slightly in the second quarter to 4m, it gained customers on its more profitable fully unbundled network – which the company runs itself rather than using BT equipment.
The company has recently launched a pay-TV offering using the new YouView box.
Shares rose almost 10 per cent.
City A.M. Reporter


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UK spend on global travel is predicted to reach £63.4 billion in 2025, up 58% on 2015, according to a new report from Visa. On average, each UK household is set to spend £9,300 annually by 2025, up from £6,500 in 2015.
The study, conducted with Oxford Economics, looked at current travel patterns of Visa-branded cardholders across the globe combined with industry estimates and forecasts for travel. According to the study, the UK will rank as the second-biggest spenders on foreign travel in Europe by 2025, just slightly behind Germany, and the 4th globally.
Spend by older travellers is forecast to drive overall growth in the UK over the next decade. The number of outbound trips taken by over 65 year olds is set to grow at 6.5% annually between 2015 and 2025, compared with 3.8% for 35 – 64 year olds, and 1.3% for under 34 year olds.
Globally, estimated cross-border travel around the globe will rise dramatically to £979.9 billion in 2025. Roughly 282 million households will plan at least one international trip per year by 2025, up nearly 35% from 2015. By 2025, China is predicted to have the highest level of household spending in 2025, reaching £167.1 billion.
Travel spend amongst households with annual earning over £13,000 ranked by projected 2025 spend.
|Rank||Country||2025||Increase over 2015|
|2||United States of America||£87.7 billion||33%|
|4||United Kingdom||£63.4 billion||58%|
|5||Russian Federation||£32.2 billion||118%|
|6||Hong Kong, China||£31.0 billion||78%|
|10||South Korea||£22.5 billion||63%|
The study identified key drivers expected to impact global travel over the next decade, including a growing middle class globally, greater Internet connectivity and improved transportation infrastructure across many countries, and an aging global population with more time for leisure travel.
Kevin Jenkins, managing director UK & Ireland, Visa Europe, commented: “Britons’ love of travelling shows no signs of abating. In the next decade we’ll see an expanding travelling class that will spend a growing portion of their household income on international travel.
“More foreign trips mean more decisions to make on spending money overseas. Using a card at home is a familiar daily ritual and more people begin to realise, through experience, that card payments and ATM withdrawals abroad are not only convenient, but easily available and safe. Wherever the foreign destination, paying can remain just as familiar.”


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They don`t crack safes or slither through windows at night, but they are thieves nonetheless.
They seldom get caught because what they steal is work time.
Persistent theft of on-the-job time can devastate a company, said personnel expert Robert Half of Palm Beach. Half, who annually surveys business time theft, said it cuts into productivity levels and, consequently, often drives up overtime expenses.
The problem has reached such proportions, he said, that employers will record $170 billion in time-theft losses this year.
(After collecting information from 330 large and medium-sized U.S. companies, Half said the average employee wasted four hours and 29 minutes a week in 1986. Based on federal labor department data, Half calculates that wasted time is equal to $170 billion.)
TIME THEFT IS MORE THAN GOOFING OFF
Half said all employees are entitled to take work breaks, attend to a personal matter now and then, or even goof off a little. That`s not how he defines time theft.
Time theft, he said, includes such things as habitual late arrivals or early departures, taking unwarranted sick time, using company time to operate other businesses, taking inordinately long lunch or coffee breaks, constant socializing with other employees, and spending excessive amounts of time on personal telephone calls.
(One New Orleans financial services company reported that one of its employees ran three businesses from her office desk. She sold videocassettes, exercise equipment and designer clothing over the telephone. A Long Island firm fired a supervisor who punched time clock cards one hour after employees had left so they could collect overtime. In Kansas City, two seemingly busy employees spent most of their day sending romantic messages to one another through the company`s electronic mail system.)
``The huge toll time theft takes on corporate productivity, profits and stability ultimately make it a threat to employer and employees alike,`` Half said.


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In a week when the tragic effects of the coronavirus made such an impact in Kilkenny another international tech company has released data showing the huge effort everybody is making to lessen the effects of the virus
Apple has released what it calls ‘mobility data trends’ that are based on requests on Apple Maps.
The company says it hopes this data tool will “support the impactful work happening around the globe to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
“This mobility data may provide helpful insights to local governments and health authorities and may also be used as a foundation for new public policies by showing the change in volume of people driving, walking or taking public transit in their communities.”
The graph above demonstrates the dramatic drop in people walking, driving and taking public transport in Ireland from mid-March, when the strict social restrictions came into effect.
The biggest drop is seen in driving directions, reflecting that people are staying close to home, following the instruction to exercise within 2km of home.
Apple assures users of its devices that Apple Maps does not associate mobility data with a user’s Apple ID, and Apple does not keep a history of where a user has been.
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Canada boosts university funding to help women entrepreneurs stay ahead
Gender equality is more than just good practice; enough studies have shown that given the right support, a business environment that includes women entrepreneurs actually helps bottom lines and fuels economic growth.
According to research conducted in Canada, advancing women’s participation in the national economy could add as much as CA$150 billion to the country’s GDP.
With only 16 percent of businesses in the country currently being owned or led by women, the federal government has launched a nationwide initiative to lift female participation in the economy.
The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) is a government-led female empowerment initiative involving a CA$2 billion investment that aims to double the number of women-owned businesses in Canada by 2025.
A national-first, the WES is a “whole-of-government” approach to helping women grow their businesses through access to funding, talent, expertise and business networks.
As part of the strategy, the government has launched the Women Entrepreneurship Fund (WEF), through which 74 women entrepreneurs will receive funding support totaling close to CA$20 million to grow their businesses and pursue opportunities in markets abroad.
In addition, the government is also allocating close to CA$12 million to the WES Ecosystem Fund (Regional Stream), to be disbursed to nine organisations for projects supporting women entrepreneurs.
As centers for teaching and learning, universities naturally play a pivotal role in securing the country’s future.
Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo will receive some CA$1.385 million to use its incubator/accelerator space to support women entrepreneurs at the early start-up stage and those looking to accelerate and scale their businesses, focusing on the non-tech sectors and women creating social enterprises.
With the extra cash, the institution will establish three programmes providing support for budding women entrepreneurs, all of which will be affiliated with the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, as well as the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation.
According to Kitchener Today, these include the following:
- Female Founders Bootcamps–intensive one- to two-week programmes to support female entrepreneurs in the early stages of non-tech ventures and female social entrepreneurs in a variety of industries
- Female Founders Accelerator–a six-month to year-long accelerator programme providing space, mentorship and programming in Waterloo Region for women entrepreneurs in non-tech and social startups from across Southern Ontario
- Indigenous Women Building Businesses–a series of workshops for Indigenous women who are starting and growing businesses aligned with Indigenous culture and values
“This new funding from the government of Canada will help Laurier provide more resources and mentorship so more women, including Indigenous women, will have the support they need to launch their own businesses and pursue their dreams,” Global News quoted Deborah MacLatchy, Laurier president and vice-chancellor, saying in a statement.
“I am so excited to watch the next generation of women entrepreneurs and how they will innovate, problem solve and drive our economy.”
York University in Toronto, meanwhile, will receive some CA$1.868 million to develop and deliver the Fempower programme. The programme supports women entrepreneurs by providing business education and resources, female-centred advice and real solutions for overcoming barriers by making introductions and opening doors to opportunities.
“Our government believes that women’s economic empowerment is not just the right thing to do; it’s good for the bottom line,” Small Business and Export Promotion Minister Mary Ng said in a press release on the funding announcements.
The WES, she said, was launched for this very reason.
“It’s a smart investment,” Ng added, “… with an economic and social return.”
Davenport MP Julie Dzerowicz said women entrepreneurs and business leaders of Toronto and Ontario already make “incredible” contributions to Canada’s economy. Initiatives like the WES, she said, is proof of the government’s seriousness in boosting these efforts by supporting women’s economic empowerment.
“I’m proud to be part of a government that takes women’s economic empowerment seriously,” she said.
“From tackling pay equity to modernising parental leave, this government is taking action on gender equality, and that’s good for Canada and good for Ontario because when women succeed, we all succeed.”


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Steve Cohen, the founder of Point72 Asset Management, credits his interest in cryptocurrencies to his son. Mr. Cohen, whose net worth is a massive $16 billion, took time to learn about crypto over a span of 6 months. He met with as many people as possible to gather knowledge on this new market before he ventured in. The 65-year-old billionaire has participated in fundraising for the NFT tech startup RECUR.
What is RECUR?
Recur is a technology-based startup company that deals with “on-chain branded experiences.” The company makes it easy for customers to purchase NFTs and resell them. On September 13, 2021, Steve Cohen jumped into the NFT craze. The hedge fund billionaire led a Series A $50 million fundraising for RECUR. Mr. Cohen has an independent venture capital firm called DIGITAL that is dedicated to metaverse-related project financing.
Before this, Mr. Cohen’s last action in the crypto industry was in early August when his Point72 Venture firm participated in a $21 million funding of Messari.
What is Radkl?
Radkl is a trading firm dedicated only to digital assets trading. The new crypto trading firm launched on September 14, 2015. The company did not disclose the amount of financial support it received from Mr. Cohen. However, the spokeswoman for Radkl said the company would be trading crypto assets under the expertise of a team from GTS in New York. GTS is a market maker in all types of tradeable financial instruments, trading over 10,000 financial products globally.
Is Steve Cohen Going All-in in Crypto?
It would seem like the hedge fund billionaire has finally made up his mind about the issue. Talking at the Skybridge Alternatives Conference, he said that his son, a crypto maniac, has really convinced him that crypto was something he needed to do.
Investing in an NFT startup company and a digital asset trading firm in a span of one week shows full support for the still budding ecosystem. Mr. Cohen is one on a growing list of billionaires who have been forced to take the matter of cryptocurrencies and NFTs seriously after trying to avoid them for so long. The crypto community indeed thanks Cohen’s son 🙂
Mr. Cohen has expressed interest in the metaverse, and he is doing something about it. RECUR is building a virtual world in which people can interact through avatars and trade NFTs. He expressed his amazement at the possibility of people buying virtual real estate, outfits, and cars for their avatars like in Axie Infinity.
What Does This Mean for NFTS?
This development is good for the NFT space. Moreover, billionaires dipping their feet into the murky waters that are NFTs will cause the industry to become legitimate. Such powerful people influence a large following of potential investors who are likely to follow in their footsteps.
Elon Musk with Tesla, Jack Dorsey with Square Inc., Michael Saylor with MicroStrategy, and now Steve Cohen with Point72 Ventures are already been onboard the crypto bus. Apart from that, nations are also adopting cryptocurrencies. The crypto revolution is more real now than ever.


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An otherwise routine June 18 hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee is taking on a new meaning with the June 12 advertising agreement between Google and Yahoo. The panel's topic is "Privacy Implications of Online Advertising," but lawmakers are sure to plunge into the details of the proposed deal.
With that hearing already set, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wisc., chairman of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, rushed to assure voters his own panel would be scrutinizing the deal.
"We will closely examine the joint venture between Google and Yahoo," Kohl said in a June 12 statement. "This collaboration between two technology giants and direct competitors for Internet advertising and search services raises important competition concerns."
If ultimately approved by federal regulators, the deal would combine the world's two most popular search engines.
"The consequences for advertisers and consumers could be far-reaching and warrant careful review, and we plan to investigate the competitive and privacy implications of this deal further in the Antitrust Subcommittee," Kohl said.
With the deal announcement, both Google and Yahoo went to great lengths to address the antitrust concerns of Washington. The companies stressed the deal is not a merger and is non-exclusive. Both companies pointed to similar deals that passed scrutiny between Google and AOL and Ask.com.
Google and Yahoo also agreed to delay submitting the deal to regulators for more than three months in order to buy time for the companies to negotiate with the government.
"The truth is, this kind of arrangement is commonplace in many industries, and it doesn't foreclose robust competition," Omid Kordestani, Goolgle's senior vice president of Global Sales and Business Development, wrote on the Google Public Policy blog.
Kordestani noted that Toyota sells its hybrid technology to General Motors, even though they are the No. 1 and No. 2 car manufacturers globally. In addition, Canon provides laser printer engines for HP although the two companies are direct competitors.
"Google and Yahoo will continue to be vigorous competitors, and that competition will help fuel innovation that is good for users," Kordestani wrote.
Tougher than usual scrutiny, though, is likely to dog the deal.
"A move this aggressive will undoubtedly set off bells, whistles and sirens in Washington and Brussels," the Association for Competitive Technology's Mark Blafkin wrote on the ACT's blog. "Deals like this between No. 1 and No. 2 players in a market are usually frowned upon. Google and Yahoo obviously knew this going in and have gone to a lot of trouble to structure this deal in a way to avoid regulatory scrutiny. I'm just not sure it's enough."