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December 16, 2016
With an event keynote from Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and several major automakers in attendance with activations, the focus for driverless cars will be a bit more focused in 2017. Based on 2016 news coverage, we expect the focus to be on safety, with spotlights on features like parking assist, collision avoidance and emergency braking.
While the concept of autonomous automobiles is still exciting, consumer curiosity has pivoted to safety, placing the spotlight on sensor technology. In addition to automakers, CES 2017 driverless technology exhibitors also include companies like NVIDIA and NXP Semiconductor.


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Like many large technology companies, Apple Inc. has limited recognition of worker organizations. Apple does not recognize any trade unions in the United States, while it does recognize some unions and works councils in Europe, and a union in Japan. The majority of industrial and labor disputes involving Apple occur indirectly through its suppliers and contractors, notably Foxconn plants in China.
Apple is one of the most valuable corporations in the world, hitting a trillion dollar capital valuation in 2018, and becoming the first American company to reach a two trillion dollar valuation in 2020. Since the 1980s, Apple, like other Silicon Valley companies, shifted assembly operations and other manufacturing services from the United States to countries with lower labor, overhead costs and flexible scaling. Apple directly employs 147,000 workers including 25,000 corporate employees in Apple Park and across throughout Silicon Valley. The vast majority of its employees work at the 500 retail Apple stores globally.
Apple relies on a larger, outsourced workforce for manufacturing, particularly in China. One Foxconn factory nicknamed "iPhone city" located in Zhengzhou, alone employs 350,000 Chinese workers to exclusively work on the iPhone. As of 2021, Apple uses hardware components from 43 different countries. The majority of assembling is done by Taiwanese original design manufacturer firms Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron and Compal Electronics in factories primarily located inside China, but also Brazil, and India.
In contrast to China, at the start of 2010, workers in Brazil had higher wages, stronger labour protection and nearly double the minimum wage. In 2012, by the time Foxconn opened a second Brazilian factory located in Jundiaí that focused exclusively on Apple products, the local IndustriALL affiliate Brazilian Metalworkers Union (Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores Metalúrgicos; CNTM) already had experience organizing Foxconn workers at the first non-Apple plant. After a 5-day strike in 2014 involving 3,700 workers, Foxconn made a collective agreement with the Metalworkers Union to match their salaries with the higher paid non-Apple contracted Foxconn workers. A prior strike happened in February 2013 for similar demands.
Main article: Foxconn unions
|Founded at||Foxconn City|
In the summer of 2006, the British, Chinese and US press reported poor working conditions in an iPod factory operated by Foxconn.[note 1] Apple promised to investigate, while Foxconn responded by suing two of the mainland journalists involved. Foxconn later dropped the lawsuit. In response to media pressure and local interventions by Shenzhen municipal state officials, Foxconn promised to form a union. However, nothing materialized as of November 2006. On the last day of that year, the Shenzhen branch of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions took the unusual step of establishing Foxconn's first union, initially with 118 members out of the more than 240,000 workers at Longhua Science and Technology Park. In March 2007, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou's special personal assistant, Chen Peng,[note 2] was elected as the union's first chair. Despite being the largest 'unionized' company in the world, with over 90% of Foxconn's 1.4 million workforce registered; the Foxconn Federation of Labour Unions (Chinese: 富士康科技集团工会联合会), more commonly known as Foxconn Trade Union (Chinese: 富士康工会) is by and large a company union dominated by management rather than workers.
Main article: Foxconn suicides
Foxconn again made global headlines in 2010, when over a dozen workers committed suicide due to strenuous working conditions. Apple responded by bringing in the Fair Labor Association, a US based NGO as external auditor from 2012 to 2016. One of the Association's findings was that the Foxconn Trade Union failed to adequately represent workers. The Economic Policy Institute criticized the FLA report for giving Apple and Foxconn 'undue' credit, despite ongoing issues including forced overtime and the continued use of underage labour. Foxconn promised in 2013 with the help of Fair Labor Association to prepare genuine representative elections through an anonymous voting process to elect up to 18,000 new union committees.
In a 2017 Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM) report, Jenny Chan criticized the limited worker participation inside the Foxconn Trade Union and the lack of awareness or involvement of workers in the first democratic union elections held in early 2015.
Ahead of the iPhone 5 debut in 2012, employees in French Apple retail stores voted to go on strike after collective bargaining negotiations stalled. Solidaires (SUD), the main trade-union involved– represents 25% of the 1,000 French employees.
In 2011, Apple directly employed 50,000 workers worldwide; 30,000 of them in retail Apple stores. In February 2012, the first works council was set up in the Munich Apple retail store. In an interview with Manager Magazin, a ver.di union representative cited excessive overtime, high noise level and insufficient health measures as motivating factors for workers to form a works council, as well as a lack of collective agreements. In December, retail workers at the Frankfurt Apple store elected a works council, a second one in Germany, making a General Works Councilmandatory.
Ahead of the iPhone 4S launch in 2011, workers in the Rome Apple retail store went on strike, featuring the slogan "Strike Different", a wordplay on Apple's "Think Different". Strike demands included higher monthly bonus schemes of US$200, limiting employee surveillance and increasing staffing.
On December 18, 2014, retail workers of Apple Japan announced a union affiliated with Tozen using the slogan "Work Different", a wordplay on Apple's "Think Different".
Apple employees launched a website called AppleToo on August 23, 2021, with a tag line "It's time to Think Different" a play on Apple's slogan "Think Different". #AppleToo is a reference to the #MeToo movement and the sharing of personal stories — in the case of Apple, about discrimination by human resources and management. The website started publishing some of the personal stories of past and current Apple workers including contractors. The project was led by program manager Janneke Parrish and security engineer Cher Scarlett, as well as other anonymous employees. According to Scarlett, by the end of August they had received nearly 500 reports from workers.
On September 3, 2021, the group published an open letter to Cook and the rest of the executive team, calling for signatures from fellow workers. The letter made five requests including increased privacy of personal information; transparent and fair compensation; an audit of all third-party relationships; increased accountability across leadership and human resource teams; and a process for sharing group concerns.
In October 2021, Parrish was fired from Apple, who stated she had interfered with an internal investigation by deleting material from her company phone and computer. Parrish stated she had only removed files containing her personal and financial data. Parrish told the New York Times she believed the firing was retaliation for her organizing work. In November 2021, Scarlett left Apple after reaching a non-board settlement with the company regarding the charge she had filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) nearly three months prior. She later said that Apple had tried to stipulate in a prior separation agreement that she refused to sign that she describe her decision to leave the company as a "personal decision, rather than fleeing a hostile work environment after attempting to exercise my rights and help others organize".
On November 19, 2021, Apple posted a memo affirming employees' rights to discuss pay and working conditions. While not an official response to one of the group's requests about a company-wide statement clarifying employee rights, Parrish referred to the memo as a victory for the group, and said it would "help end a systemic culture of silence around our working culture and pay equity." Veena Dubal, a law professor, stated "This is a win for workers because it shows that Apple knows they would have lost had this been adjudicated," referring to Scarlett's NLRB charge and the penalty that would have been assessed by the NLRB. Dubal also highlighted how little the enforcement of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 does to deter employers from violating these laws. Scarlett later tweeted that she had made four demands to Apple on September 2, 2021, the day after she filed the NLRB charge, one of which had been for the affirmation Apple had posted.
In December 2021, Scarlett revealed that the NLRB had rejected the withdrawal request with the non-board settlement asking Apple to make 22 changes to the language in the document, including language suppressing her from helping other Apple employees organize and file charges against Apple for a period of one year. She also confirmed that the memo posted in November was a part of the settlement she reached, but that Apple had only left it up for the week Apple had given the company off for Thanksgiving, which she said did not uphold the agreement's requirement of the memo being published "in a prominent and visible location". In a statement to The Verge, she said she would have been "interested in [withdrawing the charge without the settlement] to avoid witnesses having to give testimony," but that the group decided to follow through with the charges in the face of potential retaliation because of how the company handled the posting of the memo.
According to Scarlett, the group continued to grow, despite her and Parrish's departures.
On February 18, 2022, The Washington Post (The Post) reported that at least a "half a dozen" Apple retail locations were working on unionizing, with two looking to file petitions with the NLRB in the "near future". Employees reported that recent compensation adjustments from the company had backfired, with many reporting their raises were not enough to cover inflation. One worker told The Post, "I have a lot of co-workers and friends who I genuinely love and they do not make enough to get by." Others have criticized that while the company used to pay competitively, it has not been reflective of the record profits reported throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as described in a Medium post by an Ohio worker, Matt Herbst. Herbst said that more than 100 retail employees reached out to him to share similar stories.
Organizers alleged that since they started union activity, managers had begun surveilling workers and giving anti-union speeches. Rebecca Kolins Givan, an associate professor at Rutgers University warned that union busting activity by Apple against organizers could "tarnish" their brand.
In May 2022, Vice shared a leaked memo, allegedly proving that Apple is training Apple Store managers to persuade employees against unionization.
In 2022, Apple hired Littler Mendelson, known as an "anti-union" law firm, to represent them.
In May 2011, exactly one decade after the first Apple store opened, Cory Moll launched the Apple Retail Workers Union in San Francisco, citing compensation, pay, benefits and hiring processes as motivations. In November, Apple launched a private training for managers on how to "manage worker unions". A source contacted CNET News to clarify that the training was not related to retail employees. In April 2013, according to a tweet Moll posted, Moll left the company on his own accord.
Apple Together is a solidarity union made up of corporate and retail workers, founded by Scarlett, Parrish, and other anonymous Apple workers. The website states that it is the evolution of the #AppleToo movement using the phrase "From #AppleToo to Apple Together", and the group has used the tagline "Think Equitable", a play on Apple's slogan "Think Different". The logo uses an outline of the Apple logo connected to an italicized lowercase letter 'a' in the center, resembling an at sign.
On December 24, 2021, Christmas Eve, the group staged a walkout in some retail stores and called for a consumer boycott, urging the public not to shop at the retailer on the busy holiday shopping day. The group set out a list of demands on Twitter, including hazard pay, living wages, benefits for part-time workers, and several specific requests due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as N95 masks and sanitization stations, and more strict rules around customer interactions. The walkout involved at least 50 retail employees across stores from three states, and comes following news of retail conditions around mental health issues, subpar wages, customer abuse, and poor management of the COVID-19 pandemic. The walkout started at the Jacksonville, Florida retail store, where recent aggression from customers had been ignored by the store's management.
On April 29, 2022, the group wrote an open letter to corporate management speaking out against the company's return-to-office plans asking for more flexibility around working remotely, pointing to what the group alleged would have an adverse impact on the company's diversity. The letter stated "being in the office at least 3 fixed days of the week ... will make Apple younger, whiter, more male-dominated, more neuro-normative, more able-bodied, in short, it will lead to privileges deciding who can work for Apple, not who'd be the best fit".
The corporate employees reportedly supported retail efforts to unionize, including by donating funds via The Solidarity Fund for organizing efforts. Several union organization representatives "hang out" in the union's Discord server to assist in unionizing efforts. As of May 2022, Scarlett and Parrish were members of the union as advisors.
On February 21, 2022, retail workers at the Apple store in Grand Central Terminal, in New York City, voted to affiliate themselves with Workers United. An organizer had reached out to Scarlett "distraught" after the union's prior partnership had unexpectedly dissolved. Scarlett, who had previously work for Starbucks, was helping unionize the coffee chain and connected the organizers to her Workers United contact, reviving the effort. In April 2022, the workers began gathering signatures to file a petition for union representation with the NLRB.
In 2022, Communications Workers of America (CWA) launched an effort to help Apple Retail stores unionize.
On April 20, 2022, the first Apple store in the United States filed a petition for union recognition with the NLRB. The store is located in Atlanta, Georgia and of the 30% of authorization cards required for the 107-employee location in Cumberland Mall, the workers gathered 70%. The union, led by Derrick Bowles and Sydney Rhodes, refers to themselves as Apple Workers Union. The vote was scheduled to take place on June 2, 2022, but was later withdrawn after what workers alleged to be "intimidation".
In May 2022, CWA filed an unfair labor practice report against Apple, claiming the company held captive audience meetings to counter unionization efforts. Also in May 2022, CWA filed another complaint, alleging Apple interrogated workers about labor activity, prohibited the posting of pro-union flyers and held mandatory anti-union presentations at the World Trade Center store.
On May 25, 2022, workers at Oxmoor Center in Louisville, Kentucky announced their union drive with CWA.
In September 2022, workers at Apple's Penn Square store in Oklahoma, filed a motion with the NLRB to hold a union election. A reported 70% of store staff showed interest in joining the union.
On May 3, 2022, Apple employees working at the Genius Bar at Towson Mall in Baltimore, Maryland sent a letter to Tim Cook notifying the company of their intention to file for union recognition with the NLRB called the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, or AppleCore. The union is affiliated with International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The workers filed a petition with the NLRB on May 4, 2022, and voted 65–33 to join the union on June 18, 2022.
In June 2022 retail workers in Apple Glasgow filed paperwork to unionise, the first in the UK to do so. Affiliated with GMB Union under the banner of Apple Retail Workers Union. John Slaven of GMB stated that "These workers have shown tremendous courage and resilience to organise themselves. Apple speak the language of social justice but in practice it is the same story of low pay, unfair shift patterns and lack of respect. These workers realise they need an independent voice and that can only come through unionisation".

domain: news


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U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) announced today that he will oppose H.R. 1890, the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015. This bill which would award the President with Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) -- commonly known as Fast Track Authority -- was passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee last week.
Rush explained, "Our recent history has taught us that the trade deals our country has enacted have a negative impact on the American workforce. I believe the underlying trade bill, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), that is currently being negotiated will only further erode America's manufacturing jobs, particularly the automobile industry. These trade bills have been nothing more than a tourniquet that denied the flow from the poor to rise to the middle-class.
"Therefore, we must be mindful of this lesson and not repeat this mistake again. Our country needs a new balanced trade model that creates more jobs in the United States instead of sending them overseas. For this reason, I will vote NO on H.R. 1890, the so called Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015."


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(KRON) San Francisco cannabis lovers will have to wait a little longer for supervisors to establish regulations over where to allow new recreational marijuana stores in January.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to hold off on a temporary measure that would allow existing stores to sell recreational pot starting Jan. 1 and give the board more time to hash out rules.
The board needed to vote on the temporary cannabis measure Tuesday to be ready for sales on Jan. 1.
Supervisors in this pot-friendly city are having a difficult time agreeing to where to allow new recreational stores as critics, many of them older Chinese immigrants, have spoken up against marijuana use around children.
The board will take up cannabis regulations in two weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday.
- 4.7-EARTHQUAKE RATTLES SOUTH BAY
- PHOTOS: BOY’S INJURIES AFTER BEING THROWN FROM WATER SLIDE
- MOTHER OF TWO KILLED IN SOUTH SF HIT-AND-RUN
- BART POLICE OFFICER ATTACKED BY ALLEGED FARE EVADER
- COPS: 2ND-GRADE TEACHER CAUGHT WITH COCAINE IN PURSE
- JOB PAYS $10K A MONTH TO LIVE IN CANCUN


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Full Tilt Cuts UK Player Rewards by 20 Percent
Full Tilt announced a 20 percent reduction of reward points for its UK-based customers effective on Tuesday, Dec. 16. Following the region's recent change in gaming tax laws, players will now receive eight points per dollar raked instead of 10 points per dollar raked.
Due to a new online gaming point of consumption tax, the rate at which players based in the UK accumulate Full Tilt Points will change. From Tuesday, December 16th, players will earn 8 Full Tilt Points per $1 raked for all ring games and tournaments.
If you no longer reside in the UK and have not yet updated your address, please contact [email protected] so we can amend your details.
The VIP program rewards players around the world an effective rakeback of between 10 to 35 percent based off what tier level a player has achieved. Due to these changes, UK players will now only be able to achieve an 8 to 28 percent rakeback rate.
According to PokerFuse, Full Tilt cited the new 15 percent point of consumption (POC) tax on gross profits generated from players in the United Kingdom as the main reason for the change. The enforcement of the POC tax began earlier in December and is part of a broader UK gaming regime, the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill.
While the tax is the sole responsibility of gaming operators, it is no surprise to see them pass along the costs to its consumers.
What is a bit of a surprise, however, is the quickly implemented changes by Full Tilt for United Kingdom players since the gaming operator announced in September in a FAQ on its website that there were no plans to reduce the VIP benefits to UK players.
The reduced benefits to United Kingdom players are in addition to other benefits reductions announced to all Black Card members, the most loyal players on Full Tilt.
We just want to let you know that from 00:00 ET on Tuesday, December 16th, the rate at which Black Card players can convert their Full Tilt Points to cash will change to $1 for every 250 Full Tilt Points.
If you’re a Black Card player and want to avail of the $1 for every 200 Full Tilt Points rate, simply convert your points before Tuesday, December 16th.
As anticipated, Full Tilt poker players in the UK are less than pleased with this announcement and have taken to the poker forums and social media to express their displeasure with not only about the changes, but also in how they were implemented with little notice to the community.
TwoPlusTwo poster "ontheupandup" drove this point home when posting, "It's also worth noting that UK players were only informed of these changes on the evening of the day that they were implemented lol...
And for me, and I assume all other UK black card players, FTP have not said anything about changing the conversion rate from 1$/200FTPs to 1$/250FTPs, despite implementing this change yesterday. UK BCs who haven't found out about this change from e.g. this thread, may well not be aware of this.
So not only are these changes pretty brutal for UK players, I'm pretty dissatisfied with how FTP has gone about implementing them."
Full Tilt sister company PokerStars also recently announced changes to its rake structure and benefits programs with promises of more to come. Starting in 2015, PokerStars players in the United Kingdom and a handful of other countries will be raked on rebuys and add-ons in tournaments, along with unannounced changes to the VIP program's benefits.


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Apple's recently updated iMacs seem to be having issues with its graphic interface.
According to a report from AppleInsider, more than a few owners of the new shiny iMacs are experiencing unexpected interface freezes.
Just like turning frigid, the system will look and behave like it's running, but is totally unresponsive to any touching of the controls. Some suspect foul play by the new ATI Radeon HD graphics card, as most instances occur when playing games or running any video-intensive tasks.
So far Apple is aware of the problem but has yet to release a permanent fix for it. Desperate users have tried to re-install older Mac drivers with mixed results. For now, the best you can hope for is to reset the system when this occurs.
Is Apple losing touch with its "Just works" motto? If this is going to be a trend, then we should all wait for a Service Pack for the upcoming Mac OS X Leopard before making the upgrade.
This article was originally a blog post on CNET Asia.


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By Gregory Karp, Chicago Tribune –
CHICAGO — BP has released information on which Midwest service stations sold recalled gasoline that left thousands of motorists with hefty auto-repair bills during the past two weeks.
By now, motorists with misformulated gasoline from BP’s Whiting refinery probably already know it because their vehicles will have acted up — starting hard, stalling, rough idling.
BP has posted a searchable database, by state, on its website. Users of the database will sometimes have to know the address of the service station because results are limited to 10. The bad gas affected service stations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, plus one station in Ohio, according to the database.
The formulation mishap has led to about 8,600 claims from motorists each trying to recoup hundreds of dollars from BP that they spent for car repairs, BP said. Typical repair bills for draining the fuel tank and cleaning the fuel system are $300 to $1,200. BP said phone calls to its claims center are “trending lower” than last week.
The company last week recalled 4.7 million gallons of gasoline from the refinery. Gasoline now being shipped from the Whiting refinery has been tested and meets quality standards, BP said.
Of the claims currently being processed, 64 percent are from Indiana residents, 28 percent from Illinois residents and 5 percent from Wisconsin residents. An additional 3 percent are believed to have traveled through the three-state region when the off-specification fuel was in circulation, BP said.
BP has begun paying claims and expects payments to accelerate this week as motorists’ receipts for car repairs begin arriving by mail. To speed payments, BP is accepting sales receipts, credit and debit card records and repair bills electronically.
The company now has 159 call center operators and 140 claims adjusters in place.
Consumers who bought the bad gas and need to file a claim can call 800-599-9040 or submit an online inquiry at http:///www.bpresponse.com. The database of stations can be found at http://bit.ly/UbGPzo.


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The European Parliament has been vocally pushing for an investigation into Google’s alleged anticompetitive strategies since November. And on Wednesday, Margrethe Vestager, the European Union competition commissioner, announced in Brussels that such an inquiry is moving forward and that Google is being formally accused (through what’s called a “statement of objections”) of abusing its power in its ubiquitous services like Internet search and Android.
The charges are centered mainly on digital shopping for now, but they could evolve to include other types of Web services as the investigation progresses. As the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times report, the concern is that because of its control over information services like search, Google is able to subtly but forcefully direct users to its own offerings ahead of others, even when the competitors provide better-quality services that users end up choosing more often. Multiple sites, including Yelp, have complained about this.
“I’m concerned that Google has artificially boosted its presence in the comparison shopping market with the result that consumers do not see what’s relevant for them,” Vestager said.
The investigation could lead to fines or other legal action against Google. But the company has been able to dodge similar consequences before. The Federal Trade Commission conducted an antitrust investigation of Google that concluded in 2013 without any legal ramifications. In March the Wall Street Journal published an internal FTC report, which supported the idea that Google was in violation and needed to be penalized.
As Ars Technica points out, Vestager’s goal seems to be setting an example of legality, not interfering in commerce. She said, “We’re not here to create a market, to pick winners, we’re here to enforce EU competition law.” The results of this probe could shape the standards other Internet companies are held to in the future.
Google will have 10 weeks to respond and defend itself in a hearing. In some initial statements on the Google Europe blog, senior vice president of search Amit Singhal wrote, continuing, “While Google may be the most used search engine, people can now find and access information in numerous different ways—and allegations of harm, for consumers and competitors, have proved to be wide [off] the mark.”


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Image Source: Getty Images
One of Canada’s fastest growing companies in the last few trading sessions Litespeed (TSX: LSPD)(NYSE: LSPD)Burned investor wealth at an accelerated pace. At the time of writing, LSPD shares have fallen 57% from record highs and dips are available for purchase.
Lightspeed is valued at a market capitalization of $ 10 billion and, despite a recent pullback, stocks have increased 258% since the March 2019 IPO. Two key factors that may result from the sale of LSPD shares are: Short seller report And the company’s disappointing guidance that continues recently Quarterly results..
Lightspeed reports $ 133.2 million in revenue in the second quarter
Lightspeed is a company that operates in the fintech space and provides small businesses or small businesses with cloud-based payment solutions. In the second quarter of 2022, which ended in September, Lightspeed reported revenue of US $ 133.2 million. This was a 193% increase over the previous year.
Approximately 50% of sales came from acquisitions, but intrinsic revenue from the company’s core businesses, including subscriptions and transactions, increased 58%. Lightspeed’s trading revenue increased 320% to $ 65 million and total trading volume surged to $ 18.8 billion. The number of customer locations using the LSPD platform was 156,000 at the end of the second quarter.
Despite the significant increase in revenue, Lightspeed reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $ 8.7 million. This was broader than the $ 2.8 million loss in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted losses were $ 0.08 per share compared to a loss of $ 0.05 per share in the second quarter of 2021. By comparison, analysts forecast a quarterly adjusted loss of $ 0.09 per share.
Currently, the company forecasts third-quarter 2022 sales of $ 140 million to $ 145 million, showing continuous growth of only 7%. This guidance disappointed investors and analysts as Wall Street forecasts December quarter sales of approximately US $ 182 million. In addition, Lightspeed’s estimated revenues ranged from $ 520 million to $ 535 million in 2022, well below the 2022 analyst’s estimated $ 676 million.
What’s next for LSPD stocks?
As mentioned earlier, investors have the opportunity to buy high quality growth stocks with a lower rating. LSPD shares are currently valued at forward prices in multiples of 15, which may seem expensive.However growth stock Order a premium rating. Lightspeed is still unprofitable, but it is expected to reduce its loss per share from $ 1.16 in 2021 to $ 0.21 in 2023.
The company’s CEO, Dax Dasilva, remains optimistic about the long-term outlook for LSPD, saying: With the addition of Ecwid and NuORDER, Lightspeed continues to roll out innovative technologies that give our customers greater insight, control and confidence in the future. “
Analysts tracking stocks have set an average 12-month price target for LSPD stocks at $ 125. This offers a possibility of more than 90% increase from the current level.
Lightspeed (TSX: LSPD): Buy this TSX stock dip
https://www.fool.ca/2021/11/27/lightspeed-tsxlspd-buy-the-dip-on-this-tsx-stock/ Lightspeed (TSX: LSPD): Buy this TSX stock dip


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In autumn 2019, Apparel Insider will celebrate 50 people who are having a major influence on sustainability in the global apparel and textile industries. The ‘50 Global Stars of Sustainable Textiles’ will spotlight people who are driving positive, meaningful change in our industry.
This might include the technology specialists who are working on the latest recycling solutions, the chemical experts who are helping to improve the environmental profile of the textile chemicals sector, or pioneers in the cotton sector who are developing new ways to grow cotton in a more sustainable way.
We are now seeking YOUR help to provide nominees for sustainability stars, who will be featured in a special publication to be produced later in 2019. This will be published online at Apparel Insider as well as in a printed brochure to be distributed at leading textile conferences during 2019/20.
To nominate an individual please email Lorna Quarmby for further information at: firstname.lastname@example.org


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Unauthorized Message to Blame for "Misrepresentation of Feeding People Food to Dogs"
Nulo says its not opposed to feeding human food to pets.
In the November issue, we ran a news item about a press release we received from a pet food company warning dog owners about the dangers of feeding human food to pets. We were highly indignant that a pet food company that describes itself as blending giddy devotion with sound nutritional principles would blame human food for causing pet obesity and other health problems. It seemed like a throwback to the sort of messages promulgated for decades by the mainstream, corporate giant food makers, who routinely preach against upsetting pets tummies with table scraps or unbalancing their diets by augmenting pets meals with human food.


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New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax Council (GST Council) is going to meet today on October 7 to discuss several pending reform agendas. The Finance Ministry said that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 52nd GST Council meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. In the meeting, decisions will be taken on many issues including reducing tax on jaggery, reducing tax on millets, which will impact the pocket of the common man.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman can take a decision regarding reduction in GST rates on millet i.e. coarse grain. 5% GST is applicable on packaged products of millet. Because, the government is promoting the use of millets. Therefore, GST rate on coarse grains i.e. millets can be reduced to zero percent. At the same time, the GST Council may consider reducing GST on jaggery from 28% to 5%. Apart from this, the Council can exempt Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) from GST.
Council Will Take Decision on the Rejected Proposal of Fitment Committee
The Fitment Committee of the GST Council looks at the tax rates and has rejected more than a dozen proposals from the industry or left it to the Group of Ministers to decide on rationalizing the rates. These issues can be discussed in the GST Council meeting and a final decision can be taken.
- The Fitment Committee has rejected the proposal to reduce GST on lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles from 18% to 5%.
- The proposal to reduce compensation cess on cigarettes has been rejected.
- The proposal to cut the services supplied by the business has been rejected.
- The Fitment Committee has rejected the proposal to give tax exemption to the Flying Institute.
- The GST Council can take a final decision on all these matters today on October 7.
GST Council has to take decision on these Proposals Also
- The GST Council can also take a decision on implementing reverse charges mechanism on steel scrap in its meeting today on 7th October.
- The meeting may also decide to allow advocates with 15 years of practice to be eligible as judiciary members in the GST Tribunal and increase the upper age limit for the Chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal from the present 63 years to 67 years.
- For some specific cases, additional time for filing appeals in tax disputes can also be considered.
- The GST Council may consider changes in the GST registration form to include one person company.
- The GST Council may provide detailed clarifications in case of services provided through advertising services, data centres, mail and courier.
- The GST Council is also considering exemption from GST on gardening services provided on contract for maintenance of public parks, lawns and public gardens.
- There can be discussion regarding new updates to implement 28% GST on online gaming companies. Companies have raised objections regarding some points in this. At the same time, the government has also sent notices to many companies regarding payment of GST.


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Electric car maker Tesla has announced that it is releasing a new software update, the company is releasing a new version of their Navigate on Autopilot software.
The new version of the Navigate on Autopilot will allow you to use the feature without having to confirm lane changes using the stalk.
In the Autopilot settings menu, a driver can press the Customize Navigate on Autopilot button which will now display three additional settings – Enable at Start of Every Trip, Require Lane Change Confirmation, and Lane Change Notification. Through the Enable at Start of Every Trip setting, Navigate on Autopilot can be set to automatically turn on each time a driver enters a navigation route. Once enabled, anytime a driver is on a highway and uses Autopilot with a location plugged into the navigation bar, the feature will be on by default. If a driver selects ‘No’ to Require Lane Change Confirmation, lane changes will happen automatically, without requiring a driver to confirm them first. Drivers can elect to get notified about an upcoming lane change by receiving an audible chime as well as a default visual prompt. Additionally, all cars made after August 2017 will also have the option to have their steering wheel vibrate for the alert as well.
You can find out more information about the new Navigate on Autopilot from tesla ocer at their website at the link below. The update is being released as an over the air update in the US first and then it will be headed to more countries.
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Brook Mays Music files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Brook Mays Music Co., a 105-year-old seller of musical instruments, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, hurt by disappointing holiday sales last year.
The company, founded in Dallas in 1901, has annual sales of about $150 million. The privately held concern owes its lending group, led by JPMorgan Chase & Co., about $41 million.
Brook Mays, which operates 62 stores in eight states under 10 different brands, blamed the bankruptcy filing on lower-than-expected 2005 holiday sales, which caused it to default on a $60 million loan, according to its Tuesday filing in a Dallas bankruptcy court.
JPMorgan has agreed to lend Brook Mays $10.6 million to keep the company in business during its Chapter 11 case, the filing said.
Brook Mays listed assets of $10 million to $50 million and debts of $50 million to $100 million in the filing.
At a bankruptcy court hearing Wednesday in Dallas, Judge Stacey G. Jernigan cleared the company to tap about $5.1 million of the loan proceeds until a final hearing on the financing package is held July 28.
According to court papers, the court scheduled a hearing for Friday to consider approval of auction procedures governing the sale of Brook Mays' assets. No other information was available regarding the proposed sale.
Company representatives weren't immediately available for comment.
Brook Mays listed music instrument maker Yamaha Corp. of America, owed about $6.5 million, as its largest trade creditor. Horn manufacturer Conn-Selmer Inc., owed about $5 million, was No. 2, followed by piano maker Kawai America Corp., owed about $1.6 million.
Brook Mays' bankruptcy filing comes less than two weeks after Boston instrument maker First Act Inc. said it was paid $16.7 million by Brook Mays' insurers to settle a civil lawsuit filed against the Dallas firm in 2003.
In that case, a jury in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts found Brook Mays liable for making false advertising statements and interfering with First Act's business relationships.


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Long-range shooting has grown in popularity in recent years, and the technology behind long-range cartridges has grown, too. Here's a look at what's popular in the precision-rifle circuit.
Catering to the growing popularity of the .300 Norma Mag. cartridge prized by long-range shooters, Silent Legion offers a purpose-built suppressor to quiet shots and reduce recoil.
The .300 Norma is becoming popular for long-range shooting, and this new bolt-action rifle from MasterPiece Arms answers calls from precision-rifle shooters.


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AWS re:Invent 2019: The New York Times: Improving customer care with Amazon Connect¶
The New York Times was looking to radically transform its computer telephony integration (CTI) system supporting its customer-care operations. After evaluating other solutions, the company chose Amazon Connect because of its ease of migration, flexibility, and customer-centric capabilities. Learn how The New York Times successfully rewrote its IVR and call workflows using Amazon Lex for natural language detection, and how it is using Amazon Transcribe to stream call data to a datastore and is writing Amazon Lex bots. Hear how the company was able to leverage cutting-edge technology, at scale, while reducing operational costs.


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BTCC is one of the world's largest, yes most confusing, cryptocurrency trading.
Despite this, BTCC was forced to suspend Yuan deposits on more than one occasion.
Cash withdrawal fees are 0.30% with a $30 minimum. Bitcoin.
Both companies will offer value to a different set of customer.
BTCC is in a period of flux.
16/09/2017 · Regulation Beijing has ordered all affected bitcoin exchanges to post a notice of their closure by midnight on Friday. Now, the exchanges are urging customers to withdraw their funds as regulators have also set a deadline for them to come up with plans to allow withdrawals “in a risk-free manner.” Also read: China’s Regulatory Crackdown Forces [.
28 Oct 2018.
Take a quick look at CnLedger, a Twitter-based Chinese crypto news information.
of global Bitcoin trading denominated in the Chinese yuan was commonly set at.
9 they would be halting Bitcoin withdrawals completely, with BTCC.
ordering them to set a deadline for ceasing their trading services;.
11 Sep 2017.
Plan drawn up to ban public trade in cryptocurrency ahead of key party meeting.
Earlier this year, the PBoC forced bitcoin exchanges to halt coin withdrawals.
over capital flight, as the renminbi has gained strongly in recent months.
Profitable cryptocurrency trading for all traders.
In 2017 the largest cryptocurrency exchange was hacked.
change the interface by 40 parameters; select graph type; set time limits; use 70.
Deposit and withdrawal methods for fiat money.
Customers can top up their accounts in CNY, euros, yen, rubles or dollars.
27/09/2017 · BTCC has stopped accepting yuan and cryptocurrency deposits today as it prepares to shutter its operations in China this month. Chinese cryptocurrency giant BTCC, the operator of the oldest cryptocurrency exchange in what was previously the largest trading market in the world, has stopped accepting deposits today at 12:00 noon, Beijing time.
27 Sep 2017.
Cryptocurrency exchange provider BTCC told its China-based users today that they must withdraw funds by October 30th ahead of a previously.
Bitcoin Exchange BTCC Tests Withdrawals Before Deadline, Localbitcoins Set Records | Major Chinese Bitcoin exchange BTCC appears to be testing withdrawals ahead of the planned March 15 deadline. A user cited by news r.
Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies Will Fuel Tech Boom in Africa: Expert | Hermann Djoumessi, CEO of Africa Digital MarketPlace, says Bitcoin could be the engine for African.
Bitcoinzebra.com Hats Bitcoin Stuff Here’s What Just Went Down Two men from Minnesota who bonded amid growing protests against police brutality are sharing their story of friendship after. 10 Aug 2019. This Stock Was Down 30% — Here's Why I Bought (a Lot) More. Chart Industries is in the driver's seat to profit from one of
16 Sep 2017.
Now, the exchanges are urging customers to withdraw their funds as regulators.
Btcc announced that “Btcchina will completely shut down its exchange.
We will close all CNY to cryptocurrencies trading one asset at a time.
Customers can withdraw their funds whenever they want. Huobi’s notice also gave some details about how it will deal with withdrawals. While CNY deposit service has stopped, digital asset deposits and withdrawals, as well as CNY withdrawals, will remain open. “BCC withdrawal service will be enabled before September 20th,” the exchange wrote.


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September 6, 2019
H-E-B, headquartered in San Antonio, announced it would open its first-ever store in the West Texas city of Lubbock. Construction on the more than 120,000-square-foot store at 114th Street and Quaker Avenue is scheduled to begin in early 2020, with opening slated for later that year.
According to H-E-B, the store’s design will “reflect the look, feel and traditions unique to Lubbock.” The in-house design is being spearheaded by several Texas Tech University graduates. The store will be environmentally sustainable, incorporating energy-efficient features such as CO2 refrigeration units and LED lighting.
In addition to groceries, the store will include an H-E-B pharmacy, curbside pickup, and the company’s branded Texas Backyard, which offers outdoor plants, pottery, grills and other essentials.
For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Amy Sorter


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Giant SUV puts the ship in flagship
I know what you’re thinking: “Man, that kidney grille is massive!” Yes, it is, and it’s also exactly as big as BMW wants it to be. The X7 is the Bavarian marque’s all-new flagship ‘Sports Activity Vehicle’, and it aims to be the most imposing, regal vehicle on the road.
It certainly seems destined for President Ramaphosa’s motorcade. At its core, though, it’s an executive family vehicle designed to comfortably seat seven people. Two variants are offered at launch – the xDrive30d, producing 195kW and 620Nm, and the quad-turbo M50d, which squeezes 294kW and 760Nm from the same six-pot engine.
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Hell Let Loose has arrived on consoles, and here's a look at its crossplay functionality at launch for those curious about cross-platform play.
Here are the best keybinds for playing Call of Duty: Vanguard on a mouse and keyboard, and also how to play KBM on consoles.
Battlefield 6 has been developed with next-gen consoles in mind, but EA has confirmed that the game will still release on Xbox One and PS4.
YouTuber JackFrags has showcased the many benefits PC Warzone players receive over their enemies on Xbox and PlayStation.
You can now choose which modes you want to have installed.
Everything you need to know about Black Ops Cold War on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Here are all of the new game modes coming with Warzone Pacific's new Caldera map, including Vanguard Royale and more.
One of the Warzone Pacific developers has responded to player complaints about the loadout drop changes in Caldera.
Warzone's Gas Masks have long been a source of frustration to players, but the Pacific update is finally bringing a...


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The Japanese company has developed two new features for its cars that will be introduced starting next year. The first is called the “Auto Shut Off” and will be fitted to most Toyota models 2020 in the United States. As the name implies, the system will automatically shut down the engine after a specified period of time.
The new feature is designed to prevent prolonged operation of the motor at idle in the case of care of the owner. This can be potentially dangerous if the driver parks the car in his garage and accidentally leaves it opened.
According to the brand, in addition to the automatic engine, future systems will be able to send your smartphone notifications.
The second security feature is called “Automatic Park”. It will be used on models 2020, which is equipped with an electronic handbrake. The system will automatically put the car in Park or include an electronic Parking brake if the driver inadvertently comes out of the car, not moving the transmission mode “P”. Toyota says that the technology is based on the current audible and visual warnings.
Toyota said that the new features are part of their “unwavering commitment to continuous improvement”. Although the owners don’t have to rely on the system, they will be useful to those drivers who often forget about basic things when using the machine.


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By introducing the Motorola RAZR, the company once again raised the design benchmark for the industry and unleashed consumer frenzy for the ultra-sleek “must have" mobile handset.
Noted by industry experts as a game-changing feat of design and engineering, the Motorola RAZR measures just 13.9mm thin. The mobile handset’s radical and revolutionary design transformed consumers’ expectations for how a mobile handset should look and feel.
“The RAZR is Motorola’s design philosophy made real: technology, design, and exceptional communication in one," said Ron Garriques, president, Mobile Devices, Motorola. “The development was a journey we took to find and express the soul of our company. This milestone proves Motorola’s philosophy of engaging consumers and keeping them wanting more."
History in the Making
The Motorola RAZR launched on the global stage in Hong Kong. The game-changing handset made its U.S. debut with Cingular Wireless and created a sensation among consumers. Since its introduction in the fourth quarter of 2004, Motorola posted an industry-leading performance in handset sales up 42 percent versus fourth-quarter 2003 shipments. And in its second quarter 2005 sales, the Motorola RAZR V3 had sold more than five million units globally, a record that was topped in the third quarter of 2005 with sales of over 12 million units globally. By achieving the 50-million-unit milestone today, the Motorola RAZR has claimed its place as a global cultural design icon.
Celebrity and Fashion Status Symbol
As the “must-have" in mobile communication, the Motorola RAZR has appeared in the hands of celebrities and on the pages of every fashion magazine since its launch in November of 2004. Riding on the success of the RAZR in Silver, Motorola introduced the special-edition RAZR in Black at the 77th Annual Academy Awards in early 2005.
In September 2005, the iconic mobile was created in hot pink being seen in the hands of Hollywood’s “it" girls, including tennis pro Maria Sharapova. In November 2005, consumers were able to purchase the Motorola RAZR Magenta at T-Mobile. By February 2006, two other varieties of pink were offered at Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless stores across the U.S.
Recently, the Motorola RAZR has continued its course as a fashion-forward mobile device via the new MOTORAZR V3i DOLCE & GABBANA edition. Motorola has teamed with high-end fashion designers, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to dress-up the MOTORAZR V3i DOLCE & GABBANA with a spectacular gold and silver finish and engraved it with the signature Dolce & Gabbana logo.
Awards presented to Motorola in honor of the ground-breaking RAZR V3 include:
- 2004 Editor’s Choice Award – “Fashion Phone" Category
- CES 2005 Best of Innovations Award – Wireless Communications Category
- 2005 GSM Association Award – Highly Commended Mobile Handset
- Andrew Seybold’s Outlook for Mobility Innovation Award
- 2005 IDEA Winner
- 2005 Wireless Week Excellence Award – Special Recognition Honor
- SID 2005 Display of the Year Award – Silver Award
- PC World’s 2005 World Class Award – Mobile Phone Category
- Laptop’s 2005 Mobile Innovation Award
- 2005 Chicago Innovation Award
- IPO 2006 Inventor of the Year Award
Phone of Firsts
A major accomplishment in design and engineering, the Motorola RAZR V3 leads the industry in space-saving technology. With multiple patents, a combination of metals and new advances such as an internal antenna and a chemically-etched keypad, the Motorola RAZR is now a household name. Its revolutionary design continues to influence and inspire Motorola’s comprehensive portfolio of mobile handsets, as is evident in the Motorola SLVR™ candy-bar line-up and the new and ultra-revolutionary Motorola Q™ device, which is transforming the QWERTY experience. www.motorola.com


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Coles launched the $50 million Nurture Fund in April 2015 to help small and medium sized businesses innovate and grow.
Since then, they have offered more than $21 million in financial support to over 50 Australian food and liquor producers.
From Australia’s first quinoa processing facility, to chickpea tofu, to home grown garlic and to Australian first prawn farming technology, the Coles Nurture Fund is helping Aussie producers bring their big ideas to life.
Small and medium sized businesses can apply for a grant of up to $500,000 to help them develop new market-leading products, technologies and processes.
Farmers and producers affected by bushfires or drought can also apply for a grant to help renew their business.


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BMW ‘committed' to Mexican plant despite Trump
BMW has told the BBC that it is "absolutely" committed to a new plant in Mexico despite Donald Trump's hostility to imported cars.
The president-elect has threatened to impose a "border" tax on firms that make cars in Mexico for the US market.
BMW is spending $1bn on a plant in Mexico, while other firms are investing in the US or moving production back.
On Sunday Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) announced a $1bn (£816m) plan to produce three Jeep models in the US.
FCA will also move the production of a Ram pickup truck from Mexico to the US.
Last week Trump criticized General Motors for building cars in Mexico for the US market.
"General Motors is sending Mexican-made model of Chevy Cruze to US car dealers tax-free across border. Make in USA or pay big border tax!" he tweeted.
He also threatened Toyota with a border tax if it went ahead with a plant in Mexico.
BMW sales and marketing director Ian Robertson told the BBC that the firm was "absolutely" committed its new plant in San Luis Potosi, which will make its 3 Series cars for sale across North America.
He added that the company was investing $1bn in its plant in South Carolina and pointed out that BMW was the biggest exporter of cars, in terms of value, from the US.
"I don't think there's any discussion that BMW is not at home in the United States. Yes we are building a plant in Mexico. Yes we built a plant in Brazil last year. Yes we are building plants in other parts of the world as our capacity increases. But that's part of a normal strategic manufacturing direction," Robertson said.
Last week Ford cancelled a $1.6bn plan to build a plant in Mexico and instead decided to expand operations in Michigan.
Ford boss Mark Fields said the decision was partly due to falling sales of small cars and partly a "vote of confidence" in Trump's policies.
On Sunday, FCA said it would invest in a plant in Michigan, so that it can produce two new Jeep sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and take on the production of a Ram truck, currently made in Mexico.
Also, an Ohio plant will be retooled to make a new Jeep pickup truck.
As a result, FCA says that 2,000 jobs will be created.
Its announcement was the second phase of a plan, first outlined in January, to expand in the market for pickup trucks and SUVs. (BBC)
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The energy sector has been hit by sub-standard goods being imported into Zimbabwe, affecting unsuspecting consumers in the country. Consumers are buying sub-standard solar panels and light bulbs among other appliances.
Speaking during a citizen engagement on renewable energy and energy efficiency workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority’s engineer in renewable energy, Tobias Mudzingwa said that consumers should buy products from well-known brands to avoid buying substandard products.
“Our market has been flooded with these Chinese or let me say sub-standard products,” said Mudzingwa.
A test that was done on one of the LED bulbs labeled 20 watts showed that the light was actually 7,5 watts a sign that the product was sub-standard.
Consumers who participated during the engagement had earlier on raised a question on why the energy savers were not brighter saying it was negatively affecting eyesight.
The engineer said that ZERA was making inspections countrywide to make sure that the sub-standard products are phased out
“The technology of LED is the best technology but iri kungosangana nema sub-standard products,” (The technology of LED is the best technology but it is being let down by sub-standard products) Mudzingwa said .
Sub-standard energy products found their way into the Zimbabwean market before the coming in of Statutory Instrument 21 of 2017 which bans the importation, manufacture, distribution or selling of any or all lighting products which do not meet the Minimum Performance Standard according to Mudzingwa.
ZERA has been encouraging Zimbabweans to use the solar energy and also use of LED lights to save electricity as it cannot meet the demand.
The country is importing electricity from Mozambique (50 megawatts [MW] ), South Africa (400MW) and Zambia (150MW) to meet the public demand.


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Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of the strengthening Singapore dollar, what will be the impact on plans to revive and rejuvenate the tourism and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sectors.
Written Answer by Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong
1. A stronger Singapore dollar helps dampen inflation and preserve the purchasing power of businesses and households by making imports cheaper. However, a stronger Singapore dollar may also make it more expensive for foreigners to visit Singapore.
2. Thus far, Singapore remains an attractive destination for travellers. In the first half of 2022, Singapore received 1.5 million visitor arrivals, nearly 12 times more compared to the same period in 2021, which recorded 119,000 visitor arrivals. Tourism receipts reached an estimated S$1.3 billion in the first quarter of this year, a 213% year-on-year increase over the same period last year, albeit from a lower base due to COVID-19 restrictions last year.
3. Singapore cannot compete for MICE events on cost alone. Our value proposition must rest on the quality of our products, services, experiences, efficiency, and connectivity to the region and the world.
4. We have secured a robust pipeline of MICE events in the second half of this year, including Medical Fair Asia, Food and Hotel Asia Food & Beverage, Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and Milken Institute Asia Summit 2022. We also continue to see strong interest from event organisers, which indicates that Singapore remains a choice location for world-class MICE events.
5. That said, we will still need to watch our cost competitiveness carefully. STB will continue to support event organisers through the Business Events in Singapore (BEiS) scheme, the unique leisure experiences in our In Singapore Incentives & Rewards (INSPIRE) Global scheme, and the support provided by our tourism partners through the Singapore MICE Advantage Programme (SMAP).


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The expectations earlier in 2022 that inflation might become muted as the year progressed have been completely undermined. Several recent reports show inflation at a decades-high level. The producer price index posted an annual increase of 10% in February, and the consumer price index rose 7.9% that month, the largest year-over-year increase since January 1982. There are worries that inflationary pressures could cause a recession later this year.
Still, not all household items are going up in price, and the price of food at elementary and secondary schools is plunging. Conversely, the price of this household item is soaring.
The next several months will be affected by the sharp rise in oil prices brought on by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The oil shortage could last for years if sanctions on Russia’s oil supply continue, even as the U.S. and other large oil-producing nations ramp up production. Ukraine is among the largest producers of wheat in the world. There is no ready way to replace a drop in their exports. In short, inflation may go from high single digits to double digits within the next month. (These are the states with the highest gas prices.)
The prices of many household items rose rapidly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recent release. Gas prices and energy led the increases, with the price of fuel oil soaring. And these figures predate the March increases in the price of gasoline. The costs of many foods also rose. The prices of new and used cars jumped by double digits, triggered by a chip shortage.
The price spikes raise several policy questions. The Federal Reserve finally hiked its key interest rate on Wednesday – the first time since 2018 – with a quarter point increase. Policymakers also said they expect six more quarter-point rate hikes this year and at least three more in 2023. However, as inflation accelerates, there will be a debate about whether these rates should be raised more often in 2022 or by larger steps.
Not every item covered by the consumer price index rose. However, out of dozens of items, only a small number fell in price. The largest drop in price — over 40% — was for food at workplaces and schools. The government does not supply explanations for the movement of individual items in the index, but presumably a drop in the number of people who go to an office and children who go to school was the trigger. It is a rare case in which the pandemic brought down prices.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed February’s BLS consumer price index summary and listed the 10 items that posted an annual decline in price.
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Last February, Coca-Cola, one of the world’s largest plastic polluters, announced a new global goal. It said that 25 percent of all of its products would be sold in reusable and refillable packaging by 2030.
That commitment, if met, could keep billions of single-use plastic bottles from polluting the world’s waterways and oceans while also reducing the company’s carbon footprint. At a time when Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the upcoming COP27 climate change conference has drawn criticism from environmental activists, working towards making this important promise a reality could help the company show that it means what it says.
Our oceans need Coca-Cola to achieve its goal and with the help of its bottlers to significantly grow the use of refillables around the world. Meeting this promise will help ensure that billions of plastic bottles don’t pollute and devastate our seas for many years to come.
We could all drink to that.


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Perth, August, 2018: Tech startup Bamboo has announced it is adding to its team two fintech pioneers from US micro-investment platform Acorns – which now has US$800 million assets under management.
In the United States, Acorns has reached three million users and it’s last investment round was led by Blackrock with US$50 million.
Raiz Invest, or Acorns Australia, is listed on the Australian stock exchange and has a market cap of more than AU$50 million. The financial services platform rounds up small change to make micro-investments into a diversified share portfolio.
“Acorns introduced the concept of micro-investing into listed assets on the sharemarket. We are pleased that two of the early members from the project have recently joined the Bamboo team,” said CEO and co-founder of Bamboo Phil George.
Former founding Acorns (US) team Colton Dillion and Taylor Culbertson will add further expertise to the existing team of ex-Google and ex-Uber staff growing the Bamboo cryptocurrency micro-investment platform.
Mr Dillion and Mr Culbertson managed the Acorns (US) pre-beta development team and drove the acquisition strategy for the first two million application downloads.
Bamboo has simplified the process for investing in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin by giving users access to cryptographic assets via its mobile phone app.
“The Bamboo platform will be built utilising micro-investments as the first step in onboarding a high volume of users,” said Mr George.
Bamboo chief technology officer and co-founder Peter Hume said the Bamboo platform was designed to simplify the process of investing in cryptocurrency.
“Cryptocurrency investment is niche, cliquey and highly technical. We see the potential and promise of blockchain and wanted to extend this opportunity to everyone,” said Mr Hume.
Bamboo is developing a platform that will allow users to save while they spend by turning their rounded-up spare change from everyday purchases into crypto micro-investments.
The Bamboo platform is scheduled for release later this year.
For more information, visit getbamboo.io.
Acorns is a US leading micro-investment platform which allows customers to automatically invest in a low-cost, diversified portfolio of exchange-traded funds. From Acorns mighty oaks do grow. You can access Acorns via the app for iPhone, Android or desktop. Visit Acorns.com for more information.
Bamboo is a micro-investment platform that allows anyone to seamlessly purchase cryptographic assets, like Bitcoin. It’s an easy, secure, and effective way to participate in the blockchain revolution. All you need is a mobile phone and a bank account to get started. Bamboo offers a range of investment options, tailored to suit your interests. Choose to invest in the cryptographic assets of your choice, or pick a diversified portfolio.


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On Friday, the American Travel Association announced it will review the top 20 Wi-fi hotspots across the country to see which hotels and other resorts have an average of at least 10 Wi-fans per hotspot.
The American Travel Alliance’s review will include hotels and motels, as well as all of the more than 30,000 Wi-FI hotspots in the U.S. and Canada.
The Association expects that the review will be completed by May.
The results of the review won’t be released until mid-July, according to the association.
The ATA expects to have the results out by Aug. 15.
The top 20 hotspots are listed below, along with an analysis of how much data is being used by each.
Wi-Fi is the most widely used type of mobile Internet service in the world.
Wi-Fans are wireless devices that use cellular signals to broadcast content to the public.
The average hotspot in the top-20 is located in New York City, with an average Wi-Fan of 10 WiFans per device.
Los Angeles tops the list with a Wi-fan of 9.8.
The bottom 20 hotspot hotspots range from the most remote places to the most crowded ones.
The New York area tops the rankings for the lowest average WiFan usage.
New York’s average is 6.3.
The California and Florida regions are the only ones in the bottom 20 with lower WiFAN usage.
The New York region has the lowest WiFANS per hotspots at 6.2, while the Florida region has WiFAP with an impressive average of 5.5.
According to the ATA, a WiFANTime survey conducted in July of 2016 showed that about 20 percent of the hotels and hostels surveyed reported an average number of WiF-enabled devices per hotel room.
The highest WiFAA-rated hotels and hostsels in the country, according the association, are located in Los Angeles and Miami.
The average WiFA-rated hostel is in Florida with an WiFAG average of 10.4.
The ATA has released its 2016 Hotels of the Year list in December of last year.


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A survey of takeaways in Glasgow has found the average size of a portion of chips has increased by more than 80% since 2002.
Campaign group Obesity Action Scotland (OAS) said it had visited 30 outlets and found that the average single portion of chips weighed 380g.
That compared with an average serving of 210g, detailed by the Food Standards Agency's portion booklet in 2002.
OAS has called for new laws to control portion sizes and a calorie cap.
The group collected 40 samples of chips from Glasgow takeaways in the last two weeks of May.
It found that more than 92% of the servings were bigger than the 2002 average of 210g.
Eighteen of them were more than twice as big, with the largest portion weighing in at 755g. The smallest was 120g.
Lorraine Tulloch, from Obesity Action Scotland, said the servings were well beyond healthy levels.
She said: "What is served as a portion of chips has grown significantly since 2002.
"Today's average bag of chips contains around half of the daily recommended calorie intake for a woman.
"We are urging action to improve the out-of-home food environment to ensure people have access to smaller portions and are aware of the calorie content of the items they are purchasing."
According to Food Standards Scotland, chips are the most popular food consumed out of the home in Scotland.
However, Paul Jaconelli, who has run a chip shop in the Maryhill area of Glasgow for more than 30 years, said customers would vote with their feet if portion sizes were cut.
He said: "People would complain about the size of the portion they were getting before they would complain about the price.
"The portion size is something that has evolved over the years. It is about the expectation of the customer. They would soon let you know if the portion sizes were too small and they would just take their business elsewhere.
"In my experience people come to the shop for the quality, the portion size and then the price. They want value for money."
The Scottish government published its healthier future plan last month, which said nearly one billion visits had been made by Scots to eateries outside the home in 2015 alone.
It said: "With more than 30,000 out-of-home food outlets in Scotland, the role that the out-of-home sector can play should not be underestimated.
"Establishments that embrace healthier options with fewer calories, provide clear nutrition information and offer a greater proportion of smaller portion sizes will help Scotland to progress towards its dietary goals."
Food Standards Scotland is due to launch a consultation on ways to make the sector healthier in the autumn.
Its head of public health nutrition, Heather Peace, said: "The findings are in line with other studies, including our own survey which showed that around a quarter of main meals bought outside of the home contain more than 1,000 calories, equivalent to half the daily calorie needs of an average woman.
"Food Standards Scotland will propose measures in a consultation later this year aimed at improving the food and drink available when we're eating out, including actions to support calorie reduction, improving information for consumers and increasing healthier choices."


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Designed as the “Ultimate Family Adventure Vehicle” and boasting the highest NRCan-rated fuel economy of any eight-passenger family SUV, the award-winning Honda Pilot is back for 2014 and goes on sale today with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSR
With the new Special Edition (SE) trim level, fuel efficiency and a go-anywhere, do-anything capability that fits the lifestyles of active families, the 2015 Honda Pilot goes on sale today with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $35
The all-new, third generation 2016 Honda Pilot will go on sale this summer ready to take the mid-size SUV segment by storm, with more of what active families seek in a three-row SUV – sleek and athletic styling, outstanding power, sophisticated technology,
With more family-friendly utility, more advanced technology and more quality attributes than ever before, the all new, third generation Honda Pilot will go on sale on July 31 with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $35,490.
The fully redesigned 2016 Honda Pilot has received a 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) when equipped with optional front crash prevention, bringing Honda one step closer to fulfilling the company’s goal to
The redesigned and refreshed 2019 Honda Pilot arrives in dealers on August 24, bringing with it a long list of upgrades. The numerous changes include a bold exterior styling, an available new hands-free power tailgate, substantial powertrain refinements, u
Tested on challenging terrain, the all-new 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport will be the most rugged Honda SUV ever, with standard all-terrain tires, steel skid plates, off-road tuned suspension, and expanded all-wheel drive system capabilities.
Prior to its full reveal this fall, the all-new 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport will make its competition debut at the 2022 Rebelle Rally, an extremely challenging eight-day competition through unforgiving desert conditions from October 6-15.
The largest and most powerful SUV in Honda history, the all-new 2023 Honda Pilot is the ultimate family SUV with rugged new styling, more passenger and cargo space, and a top-of-class combination of off-road capability and sporty on-road dynamics.
The editors at Car and Driver have honoured nine Honda models with 2023 "Editors' Choice" awards, recognizing each vehicle as the best in its respective category, and wholeheartedly recommending them to buyers.
The all-new 2023 Honda Pilot SUV, designed, developed and built* exclusively in America, has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) highest accolade, the 2023 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) rating.
Honda today unveiled its trio of rugged TrailSport SUVs that will compete in the grueling 2023 Rebelle Rally, an eight-day off-road competition through the unforgiving desert conditions of the American Southwest.


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The CEO of Volvo - Jim Rowan - confirmed that the worst part of the chipset shortage is over and the company has restored full supply level. Volvo car sales fell 22% directly because of chip supply chain delays, an issue that also affected every other automaker to one degree or another.
Volvo’s structure can be confusing, it is no longer just a Swedish automaker - it is a global company that belongs to Geely Holding. The group owns Volvo and Zenseact (software company) and M mobility company. Volvo owns 46.5% stake in Polestar with another 30% owned by Lynk&Co - another company owned by Geely. This corporate circle resembles a tail eating snake, never ending business structure.
Volvo made a strategic decision to form the HaleyTek joint venture with ECARX that will develop an infotainment platform for the entire Volvo Group - that means Polestar and Lynk&Co. New vehicle battery assembly line has been recently opened in Ghent, Belgium and it will supply specialty battery packs for heavy-duty vehicles.Volvo XC90 prototype
Chipset shortage is just a part of the problem. As the global production levels slowly go back up the inflation takes its toll with the prices rocketing sky-high. Many manufacturers have been increasing prices of their electric cars and many cars are no longer affordable which in turn slows down the EV adoption.


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Leading distributors weigh in on the trends in Asia’s fast-moving kids’ content sector.
It was standing-room-only for the keynote presentation by Netflix’s Andy Yeatman at MIPJunior last month. Producers from every genre are undoubtedly eager to be in business with the streaming giant, and the kids’ TV segment is no different. Significantly for Asian content creators, the two new global kids’ originals unveiled by Yeatman at the market both hail from the region: YooHoo & Friends was created by Korea’s Aurora World, based on the company’s hit toy brand, and Mighty Little Bheem comes from India’s Green Gold Animation.
The other big piece of news out of Asia this MIPJunior came from China, where Zoland Animation revealed it is launching Zokast Kids.TV, a subscription VOD platform for children in partnership with France’s M.E.I. Group.
Both developments illustrate the transformations in the fast-changing kids’ programming industry in Asia, with new platforms creating a wealth of opportunities for both homegrown outfits and international players.
“Everyone has understood that Asia is going to be the next big thing,” observes Rajiv Chilaka, founder and CEO of Green Gold, which is a partner in the inaugural ATF Animation Pitch. “We want to find talent—students, artists, studios. We’ll help [the winning entry] produce a pilot and if it works, make it happen.”
Green Gold is not the only producer-distributor keen to help take Asian concepts globally. That has been a fruitful initiative for France’s Cyber Group Studios, which has taken on titles from production houses in South Korea, China, Hong Kong, India and, most recently, Singapore, where it worked with Omens Studios on Leo, The Wildlife Ranger.
At ATF this year, 9 Story Distribution International will be showcasing Luo Bao Bei, co-produced by Magic Mall Entertainment in Beijing and Cloth Cat Animation in the U.K. “It is a unique property based on a famous and well-established Chinese character,” says Federico Vargas, senior director of distribution at the company.
A number of companies are also looking to up their co-production initiatives across Asia. FUN Union, for example, is working with CCTV Animation in China and the Riki Group on a new show for primary-school-aged kids, Krash and Hehe.
China has also been a critical co-pro territory for ZDF Enterprises, according to Peter Lang, the VP of ZDFE.junior. “China is one of the most important partners in the region in terms of co-productions,” Lang notes. “We are always open to evaluating new projects that have strong storytelling and reputable partners.”
Meanwhile, digital platforms in China are giving international distributors new pathways into the country. FUN Union, for example, took BabyRiki into China with the main local digital platforms. “It launched July 8, and by the end of August we had 145 million views,” says Christine Brendle, the CEO of FUN Union.
At MIPCOM, France’s HARI International clinched a deal with China’s Mango TV for Grizzy & the Lemmings. “It will give visibility to the program in the territory, and hopefully that will have a domino effect in the region,” notes Adeline Tormo, the head of sales at HARI International.
The proliferation of online platforms has been a boon to distributors working in the region over the last year. “We have established strong connections with pan-regional platforms as well as local platforms—Amazon in India, tonton in Malaysia and Doonee in Thailand,” reports Raphaelle Mathieu, VP of sales, acquisitions and new media at Cyber Group. “Digital platforms are very dynamic in the region and are always on the lookout for new business opportunities, which makes it very refreshing to work with them. While their needs can be quite close to free- and pay-TV operators, they are more flexible regarding the production date of a program and remain quite open-minded on acquiring 2D animation, which allows some of our programs to have a second life. On the other hand, as digital platforms are big players in the industry, when a title catches their attention and fits their needs, they are ready to invest more to get the first run and exclusivity.”
Vargas at 9 Story expresses a similar view. “I believe there is a real potential for explosive growth in the digital sector still to come, in traditional territories across the region as well as emerging markets where data is becoming more accessible for downloads and streaming more reliable. Traditional linear services will continue to be home for brand building. And while new digital players will always need a volume offering for their subscribers, we will see more first-run content on select platforms.”
Martin Krieger, head of global distribution at Studio 100 Media, has observed the “impressive” rate of growth at emerging platforms. However, “TV still is our main focus with regards to the first window,” he explains. “In terms of establishing a high awareness level for a property, it is still the most important medium, especially for our merchandising and licensing partners.”
For Krieger, preschool is a strong seller in Asia, particularly content “with at least a light curriculum [combined with] fun and comedy elements. It is important for us as a studio to package educational elements suitably without lecturing the kids, so the shows are perceived as fun rather than pure learning. We think this approach is also appealing to kids and buyers across Asia.”
Preschool also features prominently for Superights, which is bringing to ATF Helen’s Little School—a show that promotes “edutainment and social development,” says Safaa Benazzouz, sales manager at the company—as well as Emmy & Gooroo and Story Time!
It’s a similar view at FUN Union, which is rolling out BabyRiki, KikoRiki and PinCode to Asian buyers this ATF. “The beauty of the three brands is you attract the child and the family. If you catch them with BabyRiki, the parents trust you, the children love you, and it’s a natural transition from there to KikoRiki and PinCode,” says Brendle. “The children recognize the difference in the animation, but at the same time, there’s a familiarity. That works well for us.”
On BabyRiki in particular, Brendle says the show was “developed with a huge amount of input from early learning specialists and children’s psychologists. It hones in on the core skills that are usually recognized as the foundation of any good education—communication, cooperation, creativity and critical thinking. Each of the episodes features some aspect of this learning, and at the same time some cognitive skills learning. And the look and feel are unique, with the combination of CGI with live video. The big musical component, plus the foundation learning, makes for a really lovely recipe.”
At HARI, Tormo sees interest in dialogue-free comedies, such as the company’s own Grizzy & the Lemmings. “Non-verbal shows targeting all ages are very well adapted to the new consumption modes of programs on smartphones and tablets. With a large number of smartphones and the high development of internet networks in the region, Asia is a favorable ground for the consumption of those kinds of programs.”
Rainbow is looking to build on its strong presence in Asia with a brand-new gender-neutral preschool comedy, 44 Cats. Andrea Graciotti, head of TV sales, describes the show as a “great physical, character-driven comedy with strong storylines based on powerful musical assets. It is about how cats see the world and is very easy for young kids to relate to, both boys and girls. Key themes are friendship and altruism, and the stories will promote tolerance and diversity and offer important life lessons.”
The company will also be touting new episodes of Regal Academy, which has rolled out to platforms in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, in addition to its slot on Nickelodeon.
Cyber Group’s success in Asia stems from the diversity of its catalog, Mathieu explains. “Traditional kids’ buyers need more and more brands and properties that already have [awareness],” she says, referencing top sellers like Zou and Zorro the Chronicles. “In the preschool and tween markets, the main trend is that buyers are looking for entertaining kids’ productions that also transmit good values to children,” she adds. “All of our productions have in common the transmission to future citizens of important values such as solidarity, respect for wildlife and curiosity about other cultures. On the other hand, for some other broadcasters, the goal is to provide fun and entertaining programs, where comedy and creativity are the key selling points. From one country to another, or one broadcaster to another, each player has very different editorial requirements.”
Indeed, 9 Story’s Vargas says that a key evolution for the company in the region has been moving from a “pan-regional approach to a more territory-specific strategy. Asia contains so many diverse markets and each market has its own unique sensibility and demands. We tend to look at the Indian subcontinent, China, Southeast Asia, Korea, Japan and Australia as the separate areas of focus. Each market is quite different from the others and cannot be catered to with a generic, one-size-fits-all approach.”
Nonetheless, there have been some standout titles across multiple markets for 9 Story, among them its PBS Kids slate—Peg + Cat, Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, Wild Kratts and Nature Cat. “Series with an educational curriculum tend to perform well within the territory,” Vargas says. “Live-action series are also performing well. Animated comedies with an element of slapstick humor have also been popular across the territory. We see strong demand across all age categories, from preschool right through to tween.”
For ZDF Enterprises, a particularly strong area has been its portfolio of tween dramas, among them Mako Mermaids—which is airing on HBO in Southeast Asia, MCOT in Thailand, GMA in the Philippines and on Netflix—and Wolfblood. “Preschool programs are also working well in the region,” Lang adds. “Our new School of Roars, produced for CBeebies in the U.K. and Universal Kids (Sprout) in the U.S., had a tremendous response in Cannes during MIPCOM, and we are eager to introduce the property to buyers in Asia at ATF.”
For kids’ distributors heading to ATF, the mood is upbeat about the prospects for new deals at the market and into 2018. At HARI, Tormo is focused on free-TV and VOD deals for Grizzy & the Lemmings, “especially since we now have two seasons to sell. Pay TV has been secured for both seasons with Turner worldwide. We are very excited about our new collaboration with Mango TV in China and we hope that this enthusiasm for the series will spread throughout Asia. The idea is to cover the main territories in all the regions to ensure the best exposure,” paving the way for an L&M rollout.
FUN Union is taking a similar path for its portfolio of shows. “In China, once the popularity was there we got a huge amount of attention. We will announce before the end of the year a large toy licensing agreement, we have signed a book publishing agreement and we have [apparel] for children and a whole bunch of accessories lined up.”
Mathieu from Cyber Group has been encouraged by the arrival of players like Canal+ in Myanmar and is seeing territories such as Mongolia open up to the company. While China and India remain Cyber Group’s strongest markets in the region, Southeast Asia has been developing quickly and Mathieu is eager to ramp up business in South Korea and Japan. “As both countries have strong local animation production, there is little space for foreign acquisitions,” she says. “Therefore, we are trying to build strong business relationships with key players to really understand their needs and try to find a match.”
9 Story plans to continue its “tailored” approach to the region, Vargas says. “Asia is a huge and complex market that cannot be well served by a generic strategy. It’s important for us to understand the nuances of each territory within Asia Pacific to offer content that will resonate with its diverse fan base.”
China, Southeast Asia and India are among Vargas’s key markets and while the company has built up a strong presence in the region, “there is always room for improvement,” he says. “We’d like to increase our penetration across smaller territories and stay focused on the digital space across all markets as it has the potential for dynamic growth.”
Like others surveyed here, ZDFE.junior’s Lang highlights China, both for co-pros and finished content sales, as a major hub for the company’s business in Asia. The pact with HBO Asia for live-action series has also been a significant driver. “The Philippines is also very successful for us, where H20: Just Add Water, Mako Mermaids and Wolfblood are performing very well. And we are looking at developing new partnerships in Indonesia, where we would like to do more over the next few years.”
Benazzouz says that Superights has clinched deals across the pay- and free-TV landscapes with such partners as Disney, Animax and TVB. “Our ATF plans are to find broadcasting partners for our highlights and also to sell the free-TV window of our biggest sales hit, Pat the Dog, after Turner’s first pay-TV window,” she says. “We will also be looking for new IP to distribute.”
On the road ahead for the kids’ sector in Asia, Lang notes, “We still believe that the market will remain strong over the next few years as new digital platforms and OTT channels are launched on a regular basis. We also expect a rapid shift towards mobile consumption, something that we have already seen over the past years, and which is even more acute with kids.”
Pictured: 9 Story’s Luo Bao Bei.


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|A federal court overruled a FCC regulation that allowed cable companies a monopoly over high-speed Internet provision over cable TV lines. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that high speed internet was a telecommunications service and was thus governed under the same legislation that initiated the breakup of the Bell Telephone monopoly.|
This ruling, if upheld on appeal, would mean that consumers would have a choice of high-speed Internet providers using their cable lines. The increased competition would drive down broadband prices and increase service options for millions of users across America.
Gamblers might have the option to pick taylor-made broadband packages including closed loop packages that would bring online casino gambling within their state’s jurisdictional control, rather than leaving it as an item on the Federal agenda.


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Xbox summer sale will offer huge discounts on popular Xbox, Windows 10 and PC games
Xbox fans have something to be extremely happy about as Microsoft has announced the ultimate summer sale on games from July 5-11. The sale will feature 40 to 60 per cent discount on over 250 Xbox games. Windows 10 games, for the first time, will also feature the same discounts.
In addition, Microsoft will also offer Xbox One consoles with special pricing. Xbox Live Gold members will receive an additional 10 percent discount.
Many of the prospective deals will be for popular games like Ark: Survival Evolved, Dark Souls III, Doom, The Division’s first DLC and Quantum Break.
The sale will also feature deals on backward compatible games for Xbox One, likeCounter-Strike: GO, Left 4 Dead 2, The Witcher 2 and South Park: The Stick Of Truth.
Microsoft has also announced at least 30 deals for PC games as well, and will see titles like Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Rise of Tomb Raider and Quantum Breakgo on sale.


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This year, Singapore is celebrating its 48th birthday. iTwin has joined in the celebration by providing a 48% discount off its devices for 3 days only. You..
iTwin introduces iTwin Connect. On the outside, it looks exactly like the standard iTwin. However, according to iTwin, they uses a completely new hardware..
If you are going to buy iTwin, now is a good chance. They are having a Boxing Day promo with 50% off. It is valid till 1st January 2013. This is not the first..
Want to get iTwin? I think now is a good time. iTwin is giving 40% off the usual USD99 from 22nd to 28th November 2012. If you have been waiting, go grab it..
iTwin has sent out a newsletter to announce that it is now available on MAC OS X. And it is cross platform compatible. Plug one end to a PC and the other to a..
iTwin is conducting a Giveaway contest from now (actually starts from 6th January 2011) to 6th Feb 2011. There are 3 iTwin to be won…


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Germany: Inflation rises in June
June 29, 2016
Consumer prices in June rose 0.1% over the previous month, according to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistics Office (Destatis) on 29 June. The result came in below May’s 0.3% reading.
Inflation rose in June, increasing from May’s 0.1% to 0.3%. Meanwhile, annual average inflation was stable at May’s 0.2%.
Harmonized consumer prices in June rose 0.1% over the previous month, which was down from May’s 0.4% increase. Average HICP inflation rested at 0.1% in June.


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The Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks and American Airlines Center announced today a new five-year partnership with Lexus North America, which includes exclusive naming rights to the south Platinum Level Club at American Airlines Center, along with the Platinum Garage structure located at the corner of All Star Way and North Houston Street.
"Lexus has a tremendous track record of mutually beneficial partnerships with sports franchises and sports venues across the United States," Dallas Stars Owner and Governor Tom Gaglardi said. "Our organization believes strongly that the Lexus brand delivers the positive name recognition that aligns with the Dallas Stars corporate identity. Lexus' three decades of their commitment to pursue perfection in everything they do as a company makes them the perfect fit for the Stars and American Airlines Center."
In addition to naming rights for the Platinum Level Club and Platinum Garage, Lexus will support community initiatives with both teams. Lexus will now be the title sponsor of the Dallas Stars Little Rookies program, Dallas Stars Youth Hockey Program and a sponsor of the Mavs Hoop Academy.
"The Dallas Mavericks are proud to partner with Lexus to elevate the fan experience at the arena," Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban said. "The Lexus Platinum Club will be a prime destination for our premium customers at American Airlines Center and we look forward to associating their brand of luxury and service with ours."
"Lexus is extremely happy to be entering a relationship with top-flight organizations like the Stars, Mavericks and American Airlines Center," said Jeff Bracken, Group Vice President and General Manager - Lexus Division. "This alliance gives us an opportunity to directly engage with our Lexus owners, foster new relationships and provide community benefits that align well with our Lexus brand. In addition, we look forward to becoming a part of the Greater Dallas Fort Worth community when our corporate headquarters relocates to Plano in 2017."
Lexus launched in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since that time, Lexus has expanded its line-up to meet the needs of global luxury customers. Lexus is now going beyond its reputation for high quality vehicles with the integration of innovative technology, emotional exterior and interior designs, and engaging driving dynamics and performance. With six models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers eight F SPORT models and one F performance model. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 235 dealers who are committed to exemplary customer service.
About American Airlines Center:
Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation's top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, the American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Venue's Today Magazine named American Airlines Center the 4th busiest arena in the U.S. and the 9th busiest in the world in 2014.