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Companies that control the world's food
The agriculture and food production industry employed more than one billion people as of last year, or a third of the global workforce. While the industry is substantial, a relatively small number of companies wield an enormous amount of influence.
In its 2013 report, "Behind the Brands," Oxfam International focused on 10 of the world's biggest and most influential food and beverage companies. These corporations are so powerful that their policies can have a major impact on the diets and working conditions of people worldwide, as well as on the environment. Based on the report, these are the 10 companies that control the world's food.
In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Chris Jochnick, director of the private sector department at Oxfam America, discussed the impact that these 10 companies have on the world. "If you look at the massive global food system, it's hard to get your head around. Just a handful of companies can dictate food choices, supplier terms and consumer variety," Jochnick said.
These 10 companies are among the largest in the world by a number of measures. All of them had revenues in the tens of billions of dollars in 2013. Five of these companies had at least $50 billion in assets, while four had more than $6 billion in profits last year. Additionally, these 10 companies directly employed more than 1.5 million people combined — and contracted with far more.
Nestle is the largest of these 10 companies. Converted into dollars, Nestle had more than $100 billion in sales and more than $11 billion in profits in 2013. The Switzerland food giant alone employed roughly 333,000 people.
Many of these companies and their brands are extremely well known. One reason is that they often spend huge sums on advertising. Nine of these 10 companies were among the 100 largest media spenders in the world in 2012. Coca-Cola (KO), the world's sixth largest advertiser, spent more than $3 billion in 2012 on advertising. Unilever's media expenditure, at $7.4 billion, was the second-highest worldwide.
With such scale, many of these companies' policies — including advertising, food ingredients, environmental impact, and labor practices — have an significant impact on millions of lives. Often, these companies have been reluctant to address issues related to their environmental impact and the quality of life of workers in their supply chain. According to Jochnick, many of these companies are "unaware of the social and environmental impact that they are creating or facilitating."
However, not all the companies are reluctant to address these problems. None of the 10 companies was better-rated by Oxfam than Nestle, which was closely followed by Unilever. Still, even these companies had problems, according to Oxfam's 2013 report. In 2011, Nestle discovered cases of children working in its cocoa supply chain, as well as instances of forced labor. A supplier of palm oil for Unilever was accused of illegal deforestation and forcible land grabs.
A strong public profile, as well as consumer awareness, may lead these companies to address issues of concern. "A company that is good and trusted ought to be a company that is aware of, and taking steps to avoid, serious human rights or social or environmental problems that it is part of," Jochnick said.
Some companies have taken steps towards becoming better corporate citizens. General Mills and Kellogg, which have been among the 10 companies Oxfam studied, have implemented new policies to address important issues such as climate change. Both companies recently committed to disclosing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years.
Based on Oxfam International's 2013 report, "Behind the Brands: Food justice and the 'Big 10' food and beverage companies," 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 10 companies that control the world's food. We also added information on each company's revenue, net profit, total assets, and employee count from their most recent annual report. Data were translated from foreign currencies based on the exchange rate on the final date of each company's reporting period. Information on companies' brands come from corporate websites and Oxfam. Data on 2012 advertising expenditures are from Advertising Age's report, "Global Marketers 2013," and are estimates. Estimates for Mars Incorporated, which is privately held, are from Forbes' report "America's Largest Private Companies 2013."
These are the companies that control the world's food.
Associated British Foods
> Revenue: $21.1 billion
> Advertising spending: N/A
> Profits: $837 million
> Employees: 112,652
Associated British Foods is a U.K. food manufacturer that has built out a global presence largely through acquisitions. Associated British Foods operates sugar factories, sells food ingredients to wholesale and industry customers, and manufactures consumer products such as Mazola corn oil and Twinings tea. According to Oxfam, the company received low marks for its practices in water use, having failed to conduct impact assessments, while also failing to adopt strong practices in managing its water supply chain.
> Revenue: $46.9 billion
> Advertising spending: $3.0 billion
> Profits: $8.6 billion
> Employees: 130,600
Coca-Cola is among the most valuable brands in the world. In total, Coca-Cola and its bottlers sold sold 28.2 billion cases worth of drinks, of which 47% were "trademark Coca-Cola." In total, sales for The Coca-Cola Company were nearly $47 billion in its latest fiscal year. Overall, The Coca-Cola Company scores well for a number of practices, including addressing inequality for women working in production and supporting female empowerment for workers in its supply chain. The company is also well-rated for its land-management practices.
> Revenue: $29.3 billion
> Advertising spending: $1.2 billion
> Profits: $2.0 billion
> Employees: 104,642
France's Groupe Danone has a truly global presence. Its largest market, by sales, is Russia, followed by France, the U.S., China, and Indonesia. According to the company, Danone is the world's largest seller of fresh dairy products, which accounted for 11.8 billion euros in revenue, or over half of the company's total sales in 2013. Danone is also among the world's largest sellers of early life nutrition products and bottled waters. Danone received high scores for its policies in a number of major issues, including transparency and managing water resources. However, the company also received low scores in other policies, including its handling of land and farming issues. Danone received the lowest score of any company from Oxfam for its policies regarding women's issues in agricultural production.
General Mills (GIS)
> Revenue: $17.9 billion
> Advertising spending: $1.1 billion
> Profits: $1.8 billion
> Employees: 43,000
General Mills owns a number of America's best-known brands, including Betty Crocker, Green Giant, and Pillsbury. No company received a lower rating from Oxfam for its overall approach to major policy issues. General Mills had the lowest scores in awareness and policies regarding climate change. Recently, however, General Mills announced new initiatives designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain. As part of the announcement, General Mills also pledged to implement specific emissions targets, to review supplier practices, and to name its largest suppliers of palm oil and sugar in order to improve transparency.
> Revenue: $14.8 billion
> Advertising spending: $1.1 billion
> Profits: $1.8 billion
> Employees: 30,277
Among the top food companies, Kellogg is the smallest by revenue. Still, as of 2013, the company had nearly $15 billion in sales, a similar amount in total assets, and more than 30,000 employees. Kellogg also owns a large number of very well-known brands, including Kellogg's cereal, Keebler, and Pringles, which it acquired in 2012 for $2.7 billion. According to Kellogg, it is the world's leading cereal company and the second-largest maker of cookies. In all, Kellogg makes 1,600 different foods, which it sells in more than 180 different countries. Kellogg received a lower overall rating from Oxfam for its practices than all but two of the other 10 companies. However, in a recent release, Oxfam praised Kellogg for its pledge to cut greenhouse emissions in its supply chain.
> Revenue: $33.0 billion
> Advertising spending: $2.2 billion
> Profits: N/A
> Employees: 60,000
Mars is the the only one of the world's 10 largest food companies that is privately owned. Mars owns several well-known chocolate brands, such as M&Ms, Milky Way, Snickers and Twix. Mars also owns a range of food brands such as Uncle Ben's rice, as well as chewing gum and candy-maker Wrigley. Among the big 10 global food companies, Mars received the lowest policy ratings for water and land issues. In both cases, Oxfam penalized the company for its lack of knowledge of its environmental impact, as well as for its supplier policies.
Mondelez International (MDLZ)
> Revenue: $35.3 billion
> Advertising spending: $1.9 billion
> Profits: $3.9 billion
> Employees: 107,000
In 2012, Kraft Foods split into two separate companies, Kraft Foods Group and Mondelez. While Kraft Foods Group took North American grocery brands, Mondelez took its snacks and candies brands, which include Cadbury, Nabisco, Oreo, and Trident, among many others. The company had over $35 billion in revenue and more than $72 billion in assets as of last year. It also employed 100,000 workers worldwide. According to Oxfam, Mondelez received low marks for its transparency, as well as for its handling of issues related to climate change and workers.
> Revenue: $103.5 billion
> Advertising spending: $3.0 billion
> Profits: $11.2 billion
> Employees: 333,000
By many measures, Nestle is the largest of the 10 food companies, with more than 92 billion Swiss francs in revenue last year — net profit and total asset figures that dwarf other food companies — and roughly 333,000 employees. Nestle is also the top-rated company by Oxfam for its approach to major policy issues. It received the highest scores for addressing transparency, water use, and climate change of any major food company. In its 2013 report, Oxfam highlighted Nestle's efforts in addressing labor abuses the company discovered in its cocoa supply chain in the Ivory Coast.
> Revenue: $66.4 billion
> Advertising spending: $2.5 billion
> Profits: $6.7 billion
> Employees: 274,000
In addition to owning famous soda brands such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Gatorade, PepsiCo also controls food brands such as Tostitos, Doritos, and Quaker. PepsiCo also employed nearly a quarter of a million people worldwide at the end of 2013. Pepsi was among the world's biggest advertisers. Advertising Age estimates that PepsiCo's worldwide media spending totalled $2.5 billion in 2012. According to three groups that measure brand value — Interbrand, BrandZ, and CoreBrand — Pepsi is one of the world's most valuable brands in any industry. While PepsiCo received a lower score on policy issues than three other companies reviewed by Oxfam, it has developed a reputation for company responsibility in at least one area. CEO Indra Nooyi has pushed for healthier products in her time at the helm of the company.
> Revenue: $68.5 billion
> Advertising spending: $7.4 billion
> Profits: $6.7 billion
> Employees: 174,381
Unilever products are hardly limited to food and drinks. The U.K.- and Netherlands-based group also makes personal care and home care products. Still, its foods and refreshments businesses accounted for almost 23 billion euros of the company's nearly 50 billion euros in revenue last year. Brands owned by Unilever include Lipton tea, Hellmann's mayonnaise, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, to name only a few. Unilever generally scores fairly well for its efforts in addressing policy issues. Oxfam rated it above all other companies for its worker and farming policies. Only Nestle received a higher overall rating for its handling of the issues highlighted by Oxfam.
24/7 Wall St. is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.


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The G52sports Limited Edition is a feature phone and comes with some incredible features to meet the taste of high mobile and sophisticated professionals.
This is according to officials who were nonetheless coy about further specifications.
"Just as any serious device maker will do, we are looking at increasing the average revenue per user with easy and offer positioning and user scenarios.
"The end user earns flexibility, independence and a sense of control," said Global Head of Rlg,
"Watching TV on a mobile phone gives a handset or any device equipped with a TV receiver an added dimension and brings significant benefits to the user," he said.
The G52 Sports Limited Edition comes on the heels of the successful G51 TV phone, which won a number of local and international awards including the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG) Product of the Year.
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The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset is becoming more of an actual reality now. The company announced today that developer kits of the Oculus Rift are now shipping out to developers. In fact, the company says that units actually started shipping out Wednesday, so some developers may have already gotten theirs.
It feels like yesterday when we were hearing about the prototype of the VR headset, and after an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign back in August, the Oculus Rift has made headlines all other the internet. The company even made an appearance at CES, where it showed off the VR technology to attendees.
The company says they shipped over 10,000 developer kits, so we should be seeing quite a surge in support for the VR headset before it officially ships out to Kickstarter backers and the general public. The first game, however, to receive official support for the VR headset is Valve’s Team Fortress 2.
Furthermore, with dev units shipping out, Oculus has opened up its developer portal on its website. There you’ll find everything you need to get started creating content for the VR headset. In the meantime, if you’re not a developer, you get the honor of waiting it out before the public will have the chance to receive their own units.


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theBITmovie Holiday Tour Focuses on Bitcoin’s Impact—Now and In the Future
“How does Bitcoin impact your life now, and how can it change how you consume and engage in transactions in the future?”
theBITmovie documentary filmmakers and Bitcoin early adopters Scott Glass and Lee Poichuk are on a mission: to explore the everyday experiences and potential of Bitcoin on their 30-day, 40-city tour across North America during the holiday season. According to Wikipedia, Bitcoin is an online payment system where payments work peer-to-peer without a central repository or single administrator. It is often described by the media as cryptocurrency or digital currency.
In addition to documenting their own use of Bitcoin while visiting nearly every major U.S. and Canadian metropolitan area, Glass and Poichuk will also interview Bitcoin consumers, merchants, entrepreneurs, technology innovators, legislators, investors and others in search of an answer to their central question: “How does Bitcoin impact your life now, and how can it change how you consume and engage in transactions in the future?” As part of the tour running through December 21, Glass and Poichuk will also participate in charitable activities using Bitcoin.
With regard to his motivation for the project, Glass said, “We’ve come on this journey to not only promote Bitcoin, but to also gain a true sense of where things are really at. In our experience, Bitcoin use is still in its very early stages. We want to educate viewers as we educate ourselves by becoming completely immersed in the world of Bitcoin.”
While the initial goal was to show what Bitcoin currently means to users’ everyday transactions, Glass said that as their journey has progressed it’s become just as significant to explore the currency’s future.
“Through our own trip experiences and interviews, we’re finding that Bitcoin has a huge potential to make an impact on how we as humans interact economically. Whether it’s earning, spending or even donating money, we want to illuminate how revolutionary a currency like Bitcoin can be.”
Glass and Poichuk are making Bitcoin-funded donations to charities in the local areas they are visiting. In Boston they volunteered for a Thanksgiving lunch event at The Women’s Lunch Place, a welcoming day community for women who are experiencing homelessness or poverty. At the event, they also donated $500 in CVS gift cards bought on Gyft.com using Bitcoin. In other cities, the team plans to continue its philanthropic work, including contributing to local charitable organizations through Bitcoin. Additionally, the team will also educate and give guidance to local organizations’ administrators to help set them up to accept Bitcoin for donations.
The filmmakers' journey started in Toronto, Canada, on November 22 and includes stops in the following metro areas: Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Pensacola, Austin, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit to name a few.
To follow the team’s journey, viewers can subscribe to theBITmovie YouTube video diary updates, or follow the project’s social media profiles on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Filmmakers Scott Glass and Lee Poichuk are currently conducting a 30-day, 40-city tour across North America to explore the viability and day-to-day consumer use of Bitcoin. Their experiences and discoveries will be reflected in the documentary, theBITmovie (watch announcement video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLsoQq5bUFg). The project’s goal is to educate consumers on the reality of using Bitcoin, which has received both positive and negative attention in the media.
According to Glass, “We’re still very early in the Bitcoin game. This is an exciting technology and people shouldn't be intimidated by it. You don’t need to be super technical to start transacting in Bitcoin. The Bitcoin community at this stage is very welcoming and there are resources to help people understand it.”
In addition to producing theBITmovie, Glass is founder of IHM Media Group, a multi-national media organization historically focused on Electronic Dance Music media. Co-producer Poichuk graduated Toronto Film School in 2013 and his film work includes projects ranging from action shorts and talk shows to corporate projects.


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Waymo sued Uber nearly a year ago, adding to Uber’s woes with allegations of a bold high-tech heist orchestrated by its former CEO, Travis Kalanick, and a former Google engineer.
Working with bike-sharing service Jump Bikes and a fleet of 250 motorized bicycles, ride-hailing app to provide another option for commuters.
“This is my way of showing my support in a way that I think everyone can get behind, which is with our bellies!" said organizer Kevin Vuong.
The company has alerted some customers that personal information including names and email addresses may have been illegally accessed.
Getting out of the red would be a dramatic shift for the Uber, which has been losing billions of dollars per year.
Amazon has signed on as a partner for Toyota’s new mobility alliance, which will develop fully autonomous electric vehicles to deliver packages, pizza and people to desired destinations.
VW says the collaboration will help bring self-driving cars to the roads quickly, while Hyundai gave a date of 2021.
Researcher, public speaker, and author of 400 scholarly papers and articles on transportation-management issues in which he makes the case that it’s imperative to rethink and redeploy urban transit in the lead-up to vehicle automation.
Authorities said Lindy Lou Layman, 29, tore down several paintings and poured red wine on some while yelling obscenities after she got too intoxicated on a date with prominent Houston trial lawyer Anthony Buzbee.
In 2017, top brands were guilty of tone-deaf advertising, trashing the NFL, racist undertones and corporate chaos.
Estimates on how far away we are from a driverless future vary widely, but completely driverless trucks are already being used far from traffic, on remote resource properties.
The company says it does not know how many people were affected, but that it was contacting roughly 1.13 million current and previous customers who financed vehicles through the automaker.
New privacy rules give EU regulators more authority to fine Big Tech for improperly collecting or sharing user data
The ruling could make it much harder for startups to argue that they’re simply a button on a smart phone, and therefore not accountable to their workers and clients.
Rebecca Dykes’ body was found beside a motorway east of Beirut with a rope around her neck after she was last seen at a bar in the city’s Gemayzeh district Friday night.
The former Uber security employee detailed in a letter what he described as the formation of separate internal teams, which worked to infiltrate chat rooms and scraped websites for data on competitors.
Now may be an appropriate time to rethink the role of the human resources department, writes Jennifer Wells.
Under John Tory, Toronto has become increasingly ride-hailing-friendly — and that's a concern for public transit
Lyft calls its service similar to Uber on price and time, aims to win over Toronto customers with enhanced ‘experience.’
Ridership growth strategy being released next month will recommend ways to compete with increased options at people’s disposal.
“My childhood self would never have dreamed of seeing a gay kiss on TV at the Olympics but for the first time ever a kid watching at home can,” Kenworthy later tweeted.


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HMSI looks to educate kids about road saftey through this new initiative
Starting from New Delhi, CRF 50 Fest will cover 12 cities and expects to train more than 6,000 kids across the cities
NEW DELHI: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) flagged off the 'CRF 50 Fest' in New Delhi on Wednesday. The event is aimed at educating kids about ‘road-safety.’ in an engaging manner. More than 500 kids participated in activity today.
Honda CRF 50 motorcycles are specially designed for imparting training to children in the age group of 9-12 years on the dynamics of safe riding.
“Under our ‘Catch Them Young’ approach, we believe in cultivating safe-riding habits from an early age," said Y. S. Guleria- Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, HMSI. "We want the future riders of India to be responsible citizens on the road and lead to a safer road environment. CRF 50 Fest is a small step towards creating safety advocates for the society helping us achieve our dream of – Making safe riding an everyday habit.”
Starting from New Delhi, CRF 50 Fest will cover 12 cities including Chandigarh, Lucknow, Indore, Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, Bengaluru, Pune and Ahmedabad. The company said that it expects to train more than 6,000 kids across the cities.


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A major food safety scandal involving fake rice recently rocked China; news reports suggested that the grains were made by mixing potatoes with industrial synthetic resin. There were also rumors of the “cheap but profitable” rice being exported to other Asian countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and India.
The fake grains supposedly cannot be distinguished from natural rice when raw. The only way to identify plastic rice is by cooking it – it remains hard and is difficult to digest. One publication explained that soup cooked with plastic rice will form a plastic film over the top, which burns when heated.
Health experts are warning people that these grains, if consumed, could wreak havoc on the digestive system. According to an official from the Chinese Restaurant Association, eating three bowls of plastic rice would equal consuming one plastic bag!


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What’s driving the share price surge at Sovereign?
The share price of Sovereign Food Investments shot to a high of R13 on Friday after its cautionary announcement of talks that if successful could have a material effect on the share price.
The share price movement (on a small volume) may force Country Bird Holdings to increase its offer to more than R9 for control of Sovereign if it chooses to resume its bid.
Country Bird holds 34% of Sovereign and in September will be allowed to relaunch an offer that was suspended by the takeover regulation panel in 2016.
Market commentators were puzzled by the announcement given that any transaction that would have a material effect on the share price would be a substantial one and would require the approval of at least 75% of the shareholders.
It is unlikely that Country Bird would approve a trans-action that might complicate its attempts to get control. Country Bird CEO Marthinus Stander said on Friday he had noted the announcement. "We have no knowledge of what they are doing. If it’s significant I assume they’ll need our backing."
One former Sovereign investor said it was possible the board had found a white knight who would be prepared to out-bid Country Bird.
"It’s possible even Country Bird would be persuaded to sell its stake at around R13 a share," said the investor. All the players were keen for some industry consolidation, he said. Sovereign was capable of generating earnings of as much as R2 a share if management kept its eye on the business.
Earlier speculation of a tie-up with Daybreak Farms has been dismissed largely because of that company’s operational and debt challenges.


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Engineers and developers have been working on technical improvements for Bitcoin. At this stage, the most likely is that the next bitcoin technology breakthrough will be achieved through the Schnorr+Taproot soft fork.
Better scalability, interchangeability, and scripting innovation
Bitcoin Optech contributor Steve Lee (also the head of the Square encryption team ) said that the Schnorr+Taproot soft fork brings "a whole new world, a world full of possibilities."
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Specifically, the proposal can provide greater scalability for multi-signature applications or complex smart contracts that include multiple uses of cryptocurrencies.
The Schnorr algorithm provides an easy way to create cryptographic signatures. Therefore, the efficiency of Bitcoin transaction verification can be significantly improved. Lee said that the Schnorr signature takes up 11% less space than the existing model.
The Schnorr signature is superior to the currently used elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA). This new technology adjusts signatures and keys to help drive innovative solutions.
In addition, the Schnorr signature can be compatible with existing private keys. Therefore, with this proposal, scripts for digital currency payments do not need to be limited.
Most notably, Lee said that through the multi-signing mechanism, Schnorr signatures make key aggregation possible. That is, Schnorr allows multiple signatures to be combined on one input.
Compared with ECDSA, Schnorr signature has a significant advantage. Lee explained that in designing bitcoin, Nakamoto did not use this algorithm, probably because Schnorr was patented. Fortunately, the patent has expired.
Taproot brings interchangeability
In addition, the program will improve privacy by ensuring proper interchangeability. In this regard, Lee emphasizes that with Taproot, all the output for payment will look the same.
Taproot is a solution for signing transaction scripts that enhances interchangeability. Coinmonks' Kento U says:
"From the transaction content, the main function of Taproot is to homogenize the transaction output based on Pay-to-PubKey or Pay-to-ScriptHash (P2SH). The result will be that the details of Bitcoin transaction output are difficult to be Distinguish from the outside world."
“In a nutshell, Taproot allows Bitcoin transactions to look exactly the same on the blockchain browser and cannot be distinguished, which naturally guarantees the privacy of Bitcoin transactions.”
The proposal has entered the “ecosystem feedback” phase of the Bitcoin consensus upgrade cycle. Lee estimates that the Schnorr+Taproot soft fork proposal will enter the deployment phase in the spring of 2020.


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Digital TV News: Amino Communications
Amino Technologies becomes Aferian
Jun 21, 2021 – Amino (LSE AIM: AMO) has announced a change to its company name after launching a new strategy to become a software-driven growth business. Amino Technologies plc will be renamed Aferian plc.
News categories: Aferian, Donald McGarva, Content Distribution, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, UX, Worldwide
Amino acquires 24i Media
Jul 15, 2019 – Amino Communications has announced that it has acquired privately-held 24i. 24i provides the Amino Group with a broader and deeper product set, talented development capability, complementary skills and a greater geographical reach.
News categories: Amino, 24i Media, Donald McGarva, Martijn van Horssen, Digital TV, MandA, UX, Worldwide
Amino to showcase 'Operator Ready' Android TV at NAB Show 2019
Apr 1, 2019 – Amino has announced that it will be showcasing its ‘Operator Ready’ Android TV solution, powered by its Google certified AminoOS software, at NAB Show 2019. AminoOS gives pay-TV operators the agility to customize and brand an advanced user interface via an Android TV deployment.
News categories: Amino, Donald McGarva, Android TV, Digital TV, NABShow, UX, Worldwide
Opera TV provides end-to-end OTT app generator for broadcasters
Jul 14, 2016 – Opera TV has announced the launch of the latest update to its TV app technology, Opera TV Snap 3.0. The latest version brings a complete end-to-end over-the-top (OTT) app generator for broadcasters, content providers, and video on demand (VOD) services.
News categories: Opera Software, Aneesh Rajaram, Apps, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Streaming, Worldwide
MCTV selects Amino TV devices and service assurance platform
May 31, 2016 – Amino Communications has secured a contract to provide TV devices and its Engage service assurance software to Ohio-based North American service provider MCTV.
News categories: Amino Communications, MCTV, Donald McGarva, Bob Gessner, Cable TV, Digital TV, Set Top Box, USA
Amino software powers Cincinnati Bell Fioptics TV
Feb 15, 2016 – Amino Communications and Cincinnati Bell have started the migration of Cincinnati Bell’s legacy IPTV devices to Amino’s Enable TV software platform. The upgrade will give Cincinnati Bell Fioptics entertainment customers a rich media interface and advanced applications.
News categories: Amino Communications, Cincinnati Bell, Donald McGarva, Tom Simpson, Digital TV, IPTV, Middleware, Set Top Box, USA
Amino integrates VUDU service into IPTV platform
Oct 24, 2013 – Amino Communications (AIM: AMO) has announced that it is to integrate VUDU's subscription-free, video-on-demand movie service into its Live Home Media Centre IPTV platform.
News categories: Amino, VUDU, Donald McGarva, Digital TV, IPTV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Streaming
Amino and Ittiam team for HEVC demonstration at Telcovision 2013
Oct 24, 2013 – Amino will demonstrate at Telcovision 2013 how network operators can use High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) technology to extend the reach of their IPTV service - and deliver a quality user experience even over low speed broadband connections.
News categories: Amino, Ittiam, Donald McGarva, Dr. Sriram Sethuraman, IPTV, Set Top Box
Amino launches TV App store - powered by Opera - at IBC 2013
Sep 13, 2013 – Amino Communications (AIM: AMO) is to partner with Opera Software in the delivery of the Amino TV App Store for its Live Home Media Centre - powered by Opera Software's Opera TV Store application platform, and providing hundreds of free apps.
News categories: Amino, Opera Software, Donald McGarva, Aneesh Rajaram, Apps, IBC2023, IPTV, Set Top Box
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- Barb upgrades API with BVOD, SVOD, video-sharing and non-TV device data


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Vacationers reserving luxury trips to Europe have not canceled amid the Ukraine war, says vacation advisor Jessica Griscavage of Runway Journey. Pictured, Grignan, France.
Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no conclude in sight, how are Americans’ European family vacation designs remaining influenced? It is dependent on whom you ask, but total the answer seems to lie someplace between “not at all” and “slightly.”
Journey app Hopper noted a fall in flight lookups for the Continent as early as February, together with a notable rise in airfares. But a single vacation advisor claims she’s observed no minimize in enthusiasm for European bookings or departures from her purchasers.
Jennifer Griscavage, founder of Runway Travel, an independent affiliate of McLean, Virginia-based McCabe World Travel, has been “incredibly fast paced scheduling European vacation” regardless of the war in Ukraine.
“The most significant impression we have viewed is worry about traveling to any of the countries that share a border with Russia or the Ukraine,” she explained, in individual by purchasers scheduling a “bucket record” vacation to the Russian port city of St. Petersburg as component of a Baltic Sea cruise.
“Unfortunately, cruise lines have had to cancel stops in St. Petersburg [so] most of our purchasers have moved these sailings to 2023,” she additional.
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Individuals are prepared to vacation as their omicron fears fade
Here’s wherever People want to journey overseas
That news isn’t really excellent for locations near the conflict zone or bordering possibly Russia or Ukraine, as they experienced previously suffered greater drops in all round visitors thanks to the pandemic, in accordance to the European Travel Commission in Brussels. The Czech Republic observed an 81% drop in arrivals very last calendar year as opposed to 2019, adopted by Finland, at -80%, Latvia at -78%, Estonia at -77%, Slovakia at -76% and Lithuania at -74%, stated the And so on.
Nonetheless, the image may perhaps be brighter for places farther west. Inspite of “some mild considerations,” Europe is “however a go” for Runway Travel’s mainly perfectly-heeled shoppers. “Italy, Greece and France in specific have been really well-known,” Griscavage reported.
Audrey Hendley, president of Global Vacation and Life-style Expert services at American Convey, claimed although the impacted areas aren’t key locations for prospects, the corporation is matching card member donations, and donated $1 million to relief efforts and delivered 1 million resort space evenings to guidance refugees.
“These are not huge locations for us,” she claimed. “Nevertheless, each individual vacation spot is important each customer is significant.”
Researchers at Hopper report an effects on look for demand, bookings and airfares throughout Europe in the months major up to, and adhering to, Russia’s Feb. 27 assault on Ukraine.
In accordance to their report “How is the Russia-Ukraine War Impacting Travel?,” flight lookups for trips to Europe (aside from Russia and Ukraine) are 9% underneath envisioned amounts presented pent-up demand for vacation following the omicron variant surge. Booking volume had begun to decide on up in January through mid-February as omicron subsided but have now returned to concentrations viewed at the starting of the year.
“That’s not necessarily a powerful drop,” stated Adit Damodaran, pricing analyst at Hopper.
“It is really just that [searches] experienced been escalating at a selected rate, but now it is really variety of tapered and leveled off underneath in which we would have expected,” Damodaran reported.
The invasion looks to have had a lot less of an impression on Hopper’s existing transatlantic bookings than Covid did. While about 20% of the app’s prospects who’d bought “terminate for any motive” security with their Europe trips exercised their ideal for a refund amid the pandemic, just 15% have done so in the course of the present disaster in Ukraine.
“It could be that a great deal of our tourists are likely to Western Europe,” Damodaran claimed. “If they have by now booked that trip they could possibly just determine, ‘I may possibly as perfectly just continue with it.’
“But individuals just thinking about reserving are additional hesitant,” he included. “They are not going make a new reserving to Europe.”
Vacationers not having prepared European excursions are postponing rather than booking alternate destinations, reported Damodaran. “In a much more usual 12 months, Europe would be about 30%, or virtually 1-third, of our bookings [and] it really is now about 15%.” he stated.
Flight searches and precise bookings may be down but airfares are up, Hopper uncovered. Fares to Europe are 16% greater month about thirty day period. That could possibly seem to be like a good deal, but, in accordance to Damodaran, the price tag of jet gasoline rose 70% in 2021 in the wake of the pandemic — and then 30% once again in the first 3 months of this yr by yourself, heading to $2.86 a gallon from $2.20, in accordance to the U.S. Vitality Info Administration.
“The magnitude of what we’ve observed just because the commencing of 2022 has been huge,” he mentioned. “We assume that increase in jet gas selling prices to show up in airfare.”
To wit, domestic U.S. airfares are up 36% considering that Jan. 1.
“We generally assume that to be closer to 7% to 8% in a extra ordinary 12 months like 2019,” Damodaran explained. Carriers ordinarily try to eat some of the price tag of a lot more high priced jet gas “mainly because it at some point has an effect on travelers’ willingness to fork out.”
Moscow’s attack on Ukraine and the effect on worldwide strength marketplaces could make an presently terrible state of affairs worse.


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Published on Friday, December 7, 2012
Less than three weeks to go until Christmas and the cold weather has hit. So, take a load off, grab a cuppa and read up on all the social media news that's fit to be writ...
You knew we had to start with it... The biggest story in the world this week was undoubtedly the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy. Shortly after the news was broken by Clarence House it was revealed that the Duke and Duchess had made the announcement early amid concerns that it would become public on Twitter and repeated on other social networking sites. Their decision comes amid growing concern that the internet appears beyond the reach of regulation, reinforced by Lord Justice Leveson's report last week which labelled it an "ethical vacuum". Indeed, the Duchess's pregnancy has been the subject of fevered speculation on the internet ever since the couple married and showing no signs of slowing down, within hours of the announcement hundreds of Royal foetus' had taken to Twitter, tweeting from within the Royal womb. Have a look at a few of the better tweets here.
Staying in the Twittersphere, with the announcement that His Holiness Pope Benedict has launched his own Twitter profile, it's clear that Kate and Wills aren't the only ones taking note on the social network's ever growing clout. Promising 'pearls of wisdom' in the Pope's own words, the Vatican has said that the Pope's decision to join Twitter was based on his firm conviction that the Church must be present in the digital arena which represents the 21st century's forum for exchanging dialogue and ideas. The Pope, who has chosen the handle @pontifex (meaning 'Pope' and 'bridge builder' in Latin) has said that the tweets will be delivered in multiple languages including Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish with more languages potentially being added in the future. Within hours of it launch, @pontifex was trending and had more than a hundred thousand followers. No word yet on whether the Holy Father will prove to be more popular than Lady Gaga who currently holds the most followers at 31,797,340.
One minute, you're the toast of the town; the next, you're toast. After being heralded last week for their creative Middle Earth inspired safety video (which has racked up nearly 10 million views on YouTube), Air New Zealand was thrown into the spotlight this week after an embarrassing PR blunder — the airline published a joke on its website that implied a disgraced female shot putter had testicles. The joke about Belarusian shot putter Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who was stripped of her gold medal at the London Games for doping, landed the company in hot water on social media where it was accused of transphobia. Twitter users hammered the airline, calling on it to apologise for the "unbelievably offensive" joke, and pledging to boycott its services. Deciding to gloss over the incident rather than apologise, Air NZ responded by tweeting: "not everyone likes our xmas cracker jokes so tell us your tacky kiwi jokes & we'll add our favourites into the cracker".
A report looking at social media in the FTSE100 has found a correlation between social media performance and daily share price movement. The report suggests that the companies doing better at social media are seeing positive changes in their share price. The Social Media in the City study also found that two-thirds of FTSE 100 companies perform below average on the main social media networks. There will also some surprises among the top ten best performers in that they come from some unexpected sectors; for instance mining firm Vedanta and computer chip maker ARM Holdings are both in the top 10. The report also looked at social media performance by industry, revealing that pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies and oil & gas producers are the most social media savvy amongst the list of 19 industries while the travel and leisure sector comes in at 11th. Looks like we all have some work to do...
Finally, to round out the week, Unruly Media have released the top 20 most shared social video ads of 2012. While household brands such Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, P&G, Nike and Volkswagen all feature prominently in the 2012 chart it was a little-known non-profit that scooped the most amount of eyeballs this past year. Kony 2012, created and released by the not-for-profit Invisible Children, was by far the most shared ad of 2012, generating 10.1 million shares since it launched on March 5. What's interesting to note is that while for years big brands put their pounds into the 30-second ad, the success of Kony shows that with engaging content and a comprehensive distribution strategy, the right 30-minute video can be even more powerful.
Move scroll bar (above) left to right for more videos!


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- Between Monday and Tuesday, the CEO of Amazon sold shares of his company worth 1.95 billion dollars.
- Bezos decided to make this big sale a week after the company revealed its quarterly results.
- Between November 2020 and February this year, the CEO sold Amazon titles worth close to $ 7 billion.
Jeff Bezos had announced in February that he would cease to be Amazon’s CEO for the third quarter of 2021 and, in theory, he had already made this decision for quite some time.
So it’s no coincidence that Bezos is accelerating his stock sales in recent months. Between November 2020 and February this year, the CEO sold more than $ 7 billion worth of shares in his own company.
Now, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bezos sold in just two days (Monday and Tuesday) more Amazon shares worth close to $ 2 billion.
As it turned out, on Monday this week the richest man in the world downloaded 1.27 billion dollars in shares while on Tuesday he repeated the operation for 684 million. This gives a total of 1,954 million dollars acquired from the sale of Amazon papers.
What is striking is that the sales were made a week after Amazon reported its quarterly results, which beat Wall Street expectations as its e-commerce business booms. On the other hand, after Bezos sold his shares, the shares are already down $ 50, from $ 3,327 that traded on Tuesday to 3,277 that trade at the moment. While on Monday the shares closed at 3,377, that is, 100 USD more than this Thursday.
According to Bezos himself, the sale of shares is not destined to his vacation plans but to finance his space exploration company, Blue Origin, which continues to grow. What’s more, yesterday it announced that it will launch its first crew of astronauts into space this summer. Bezos also earmarked additional capital for Day One Fund, an organization he launched in September 2018 to provide education in low-income communities and combat homelessness.


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Swordfish has been on the eco-worst list of seafood choices for as long as I can remember. Between high mercury levels and ocean-savaging fishing practices, this protein has been banned from my shopping list for 20 years.
But the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program now rates Hawaiian, Canadian and some U.S. swordfish as “best choices,” while discouraging the purchase of imported and certain U.S. swordfish. (Click here for the fishy details.)
And just this month, Whole Foods Market introduced sustainable swordfish that has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). If you’re interested, shop quickly: The fish will be available only through August and while supplies last.
Whole Foods has been working with an “incredibly special fishery” in Nova Scotia, says Dan Rand, one of the natural/organic food chain’s port buyers. He and his colleagues hand-select and grade swordfish as it arrives on dock, and they choose fish that meets specific criteria: white meat, firm texture and bright blood lines. These requirements help ensure that the cooked fish has a mildly sweet flavor, optimum moistness and a meaty texture.
“To get this many fishermen on board 100% with the MSC fishery sustainability program is no easy task, and it is a testament to their commitment to the future of the fishery and the fish,” Rand says.
Caught one at a time by harpoon, a swordfish is targeted only when it’s mature. Whole Foods is working with the Canadian government to avoid overfishing, which means swordfish are caught over three 5-day intervals.
“As [Whole Foods] customers better understand the importance of certified sustainable seafood products and the rigor of the MSC’s independent, internationally recognized standard, the more consumers can play a role by their choices in realizing the vision of oceans teeming with life for this and future generations,” says Kerry Coughlin, MSC’s Americas Region director.


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ITC Ruling In Apple VS HTC Case Expected Tomorrow
The International Trade Commission is expected to make a ruling tomorrow, December 6, in the Apple versus HTC case; Cupertino is expecting the Commission to agree with the company stance that phones running Google’s Android operating system are iPhone rip-offs.
The upcoming ruling will not only be the first final one in an “Apple versus someone else running Android case” (HTC, Samsung, Motorola) but, if siding with Cupertino, the Commission could impose a U.S. import ban for HTC devices. If, on the other hand, the ITC will share HTC’s view, this will mean that the Taiwanese phone-maker will have a (theoretical) upper hand in negotiating favorable terms in settlements with Apple.
According to an October 31 Canalys reports, HTC sold 24% of smartphones in the U.S. during Q3, while Samsung came in second with its 21%, both ahead of Apple’s 20%. Back in July, HTC’s CEO Peter Chou was ready to start a patent war with Apple but with tomorrow’s ruling, a very significant battle (if not the war itself) will come to an end.


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Grab a Winter Beer
And Plenty More Pints
At Pinelands Brewing Co.
by Liam McKenna
I won a New Jersey Press Association award for this story back in April. I figure this is an ideal time and story to start a new online portfolio. I’ve been writing for The SandPaper, a weekly newspaper on Long Beach Island, for a year now.
In my eyes, business writing was one area where I really improved. Winning an award helped affirm this belief. A love for craft beer certainly helped me do the write-up, though.
12.17.2014 — For those looking to step up their beer game from that of a poor, ignorant college kid to that of a connoisseur, look no farther than the new Pinelands Brewing Co. in Little Egg Harbor Township, right off Route 539. This is the perfect time to check out its neat holiday brews.
Take a taste of the company’s All the Fixin’s. The name says it all. It’s a seasonal porter, a dark beer, featuring cranberries and sweet potatoes. No, that is not a typo that this writer will have to correct in next year’s first issue. This beer is as bold as it looks.
Brewmaster Jason Chapman said the inspiration for the beer simply came from the time of season. He says brewing darker beer typically happens in the chilly months. Add in the seasonal fruits that can get thrown into the mix, such as those cranberries, and brews can get interesting toward December.
“We had the desire to do a seasonal brew this year. As soon as pumpkins came out, we brewed a pumpkin ale. And we said, ‘Let’s do something more wintry,’” Chapman said.
He said new ideas for pints come from conversation. That was certainly the case for All the Fixin’s. Chapman met some guys connected to a cranberry farm. They hooked Chapman up with some cranberries, and it was time to start conjuring up some recipes.
“We were trying to figure out what to do with the cranberries. We didn’t want to do a run-of-the-mill cranberry amber recipe,” he explained. “We decided to do a porter. And at the same time, a friend of mine had a truckload of sweet potatoes. It’s widely known that breweries have brewed with both, so we figured why not throw it together in one beer.”
This was the first time Chapman had brewed with sweet potatoes. However, he just incorporated the ingredient in the same manner he uses with pumpkin — adding it during the “mash” process after it had been oven-roasted. During this step, Chapman described the sweet potatoes as “steeping with the grains” to extract the flavor. As for the cranberries, Chapman added those into the brew in the same manner as he does with blueberries: while the beer is boiling in the brewing kettle. There, the cranberries burst open, adding their flavor to the beer.
“It’s a caramel-y porter, and it’s got that little bit of tartness and fruitiness from the cranberries,” Chapman said.
Using Chapman’s prior knowledge, Pinelands was able to “pretty much” nail the recipe on the first attempt.
“It’s a calculated experiment,” he said. “We were very, very pleased with the results.”
The beer came out close to Thanksgiving, and that’s how the brew got its title.
For those who may not be adventurous enough to taste All the Fixin’s, the brewery does have plenty of other options.
“Some of these brews aren’t too far off-style,” Chapman said. “We’re a small brewery. We’re testing the waters.”
Among these other brews is the staple: Pitch Pine Ale — a now awarding-winning American pale ale, thanks to a great showing at the Atlantic City Beerfest back in April. From this writer’s intermediate beer knowledge: it’s super good and super smooth and no, it’s not too hoppy, Mom. Chapman has been working on the beer since 2007. He has personally been brewing since 2001. After brewing the beer for seven years, he considers the award validating, even more so because the brewery had been open for just one month.
“I was ecstatic. I don’t know how else to say it,” Chapman said. “We love what we’re doing and where we are.”


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“They are made from coffee filters,” Odegard explained. “They are reusable, washable, and there’s a replaceable filter, and you can use it up to 30 days.” A perfect mask for many of its customers. “And, it smells like coffee so it’s a cool bonus,” Odegard said.
Wearing a coffee filter as a COVID-19-fighting mask isn’t entirely as ridiculous as it sounds. As Melitta—the German company credited with inventing the paper coffee filter—will tell you, they already make a standard-sized cone filter that fits the face perfectly.
The disposal of face masks and medical waste during the COVID-19 pandemic is putting increasing pressure on the environment. According to statistics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mainland China, 116 million tons of masks were consumed every day.
Common Grounds Brew and Roastery has rolled out a “COVID Relief Blend,” which is packed into 12-ounce bags for $20 each. They’ve sold 21 as of Thursday and will give $5 from each sale to “Get us PPE,” a platform trying to bring such equipment to workers leading the fight against coronavirus.
In an email to staff obtained by CapRadio, he wrote that he would be giving “100 percent authority on all company-wide decisions” to its director of retail operations. Two current Temple workers confirmed that they received the email.
While businesses across the country are floundering amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants and food companies are in full operation providing for their customers. Workers may be grateful to still have jobs, but conditions can be precarious since these employees don’t have the luxury of working from home.
“It’s a horrible position for medical workers to be in, and a horrible situation we’re in right now with the virus,” she said in a story published on Starbucks’ website. “I felt really helpless. I think a lot of us feel really helpless right now. So, I just thought, ‘What’s one thing that I could do right now that might make a difference?'”


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Denim veterans Michael Glasser and Joie Rucker are looking to score two hits within a year at Nordstrom with the launch of Easy Money.
The label will be introduced at Nordstrom stores nationwide beginning the first week of December, and will mark Glasser and Rucker’s first venture into producing a product that retails below $100. It follows the launch at Nordstrom’s earlier this year of Glasser’s Cj by Cookie Johnson line.
Issa Rae stopped by WWD's NYC headquarters to talk about season two of "Insecure," which premieres this Sunday on HBO. Click link in bio for all the details. #wwdeye (📷: @jgreenery; Styled by @mayteallende)
A Stella McCartney sketch of a custom dress made from protein-based silk in partnership with biotech lab Bolt Threads. The dress will be displayed at The Museum of Modern Art's upcoming design exhibition, "Items: Is Fashion Modern?"


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Two new hotels for Muscat
Travellers to the Omani capital now have two new places to stay. Rotana has opened the Sundus Rotana Muscat, the group's first hotel in Muscat. Next to the airport and close to the new Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, the four-star hotel has 215 rooms and suites, three restaurants and a fitness centre and wellness club. Rooms cost from Omr46.80 (Dh447) per night including taxes.
Meanwhile, Crowne Plaza has opened its second hotel in the city, the Crowne Plaza Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. The hotel is situated next to a nature reserve and has 296 rooms, five restaurants, two swimming pools and a large fitness area. Rooms cost from Omr68.45 (Dh650) per night including taxes.
New Radisson Blus for Ajman and Saudi Arabia
In the UAE, visitors to Ajman now have a smart new choice in the form of the centrally-located 148-room Radisson Blu Hotel Ajman. The property has four restaurants, a gym and spa, and offers a free shuttle service to selected shopping areas in Dubai. It also has a private beach at a different location. Rooms cost from Dh420 per night including taxes.
In Saudi Arabia, two new Radisson Blu hotels have opened, in Buraidah, between Riyadh and Medina, and in Jeddah on the Red Sea coast. The Radisson Blu Hotel, Jeddah Al Salam has property has 142 rooms and suites, two restaurants, an outdoor pool and wellness facilities. Rooms cost from Sar730 (Dh715) per night including taxes. The Buraidah hotel has 122 rooms, 12 villas, two restaurants, a spa and fitness centre. Rooms cost from Sar441 (Dh410) per night including taxes.


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Michael Saylor, Chairman & CEO of MicroStrategy incorporated, made a boggling revelation through his tweet on February 1, 2022:
Between December 30, 2021, and January 31, 2022, the company purchased approximately 660 bitcoins for roughly $25.0 million in cash, at an average price of approximately $37,865 per bitcoin, inclusive of fees and expenses. As of January 31, 2022, the company had about 125,051 bitcoins bought for an aggregate purchase price of $3.78 billion and an average purchase price of roughly $30,200 per bitcoin, including fees and expenditures.
MicroStrategy’s BTC buying spree
They are known for their continued addition of BTC to its treasury. Here is a graph showing the previous bitcoin purchase history.
Total holdings of MicroStrategie’s bitcoin are now worth $4,800,746,363.48 at the time of writing, as per the reports by CoinMarketCap. Bitcoin is trading at $38,403.87 with a 24-hour trading volume of $20,436,093,940. It is down 0.30% in the last 24 hours.
Despite bitcoin’s recent collapse, MicroStrategy shows no indications of halting its Bitcoin purchases. In a recent interview, Chief Financial Officer Phong Le said,
“Our strategy with bitcoin is to buy and hold, so to the extent, we have excess cash flows, or we find other ways to raise money, we continue to dump it into bitcoin.”
MicroStrategy will continue purchasing bitcoin this year, Le said, but it is unclear if it would acquire more than last year; the business has no intentions to sell the asset. He added that MicroStrategy is also considering buying bitcoin-backed bonds if the market gets more liquid, probably in the next year or two. “We’re continually exploring different ways to be additive to our shareholders as it relates to bitcoin,” he added.
Is MicroStrategy’s software business prospering?
MicroStrategy reported a net loss of $90 million or $8.43 a share in the fourth quarter, below average projections for a profit of 89 cents a share.
MicroStrategy’s shares have plummeted 19 percent since Thursday, ending at $370.45 on Monday. Le traced the dip primarily due to the more significant selloff of technology and bitcoin-related stocks. They reported a net loss of $36.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, increasing from a loss of $14.2 million in the prior-year period. Revenue, meanwhile, climbed 0.5 percent to $128 million for the period from a year earlier. As per the information from Tradingview, they are presently standing at $373.


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Indian funding deal value in the first three months of 2019 is over half of last year's total
- Through 159
deals, India saw PE-VC investments worth $10 billion in Q1 2019.
- The investment value is 26% up from the same quarter in 2018.
- It’s still large ticket deals and not the number of deals that has contributed to the growth.
In the first quarter of 2019, India has seen a great deal of activity in the
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The total investment value is up by 26% from the same quarter in 2018.
According to a report by Grant Thornton, the total PE, VC funding stood at $20.5 billion in 2018 through 786 deals. Now, in 2019, the country has already seen an investment value of $10 billion in just three months, which goes on to show that India is set to witness a higher funding and bigger deals this year.
The major beneficiaries so far this year happened to be companies related to infrastructure holding 48% of the investment value in Q1 which were worth $4.9 billion.
In the tech deals, it was Delhivery and Firstcry’s funding from Softbank that contributed to the investment growth from the VC side. Delhivery had raised $395 million from Softbank in early March, while the Japanese investment firm had pumped in $150 million in the babycare startup Firstcry.
However, the investment value growth continues to be because of large ticket deals. Number of deals from the VC segment stood at 94 in Q1 19, while Q1 18 had seen 124 deals, stated Venture Intelligence.
Large ticket deals drive rise in private equity investments in India this year
Delhivery becomes India’s first unicorn in 2019, thanks to SoftBank
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Archive for category WWE ’12
As if November wasn’t packed full of big releases already, THQ has officially revealed the next iteration to their WWE simulation titles. The Smackdown vs Raw titling was dropped for the next title, with the new one simply being called WWE ’12, and with the announcement, THQ promises some huge changes to the ever popular wrestling titles (more so than past titles). Bigger, badder and better is the tagline, and it might just be a proper description for the title.
Some of the new features have already been announced, including the mysterious Predator Technology. THQ described it as a system that “delivers a fresh and strategic gameplay experience that looks, feels and plays better than ever before.” Action is supposedly more fluid, animations are more realistic, the AI has been improved, and there is a new submission system called “Breaking Point”. This has a new mini-game that includes a scramble to the ropes for a rope break, something fans have been asking for for a very long time.


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Sony has decided to lean on distribution to increase its IT and AV profile with Midwich handling the SMB and education space for IT and both distributors handling the sale of products into the corporate market.
In their role as premier distribution partners Midwich and Imago are expected to increase market share and support Sony as it moves to increase its presence in markets including digital signage.
In a statement, Raj Pandya General Manager for Sony B2B Channels, said that it had made the moves to respond to a changing market that was being driven by a diverse customer base.
Darren Lewitt, divisional director at Midwich, and Ian Vickerage, managing director at Imago, both talked of adding value to Sony and helping the vendor take market share.
C2000/Maverick was unavailable for comment.


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For merchants who can slash that processing cost, particularly on higher ticket items like electronics and precious metals, the digital currency is attractive, says Tony Gallippi, co-founder and chief executive officer of BitPay.
Preferred Rewards, a groundbreaking program that recognizes and rewards
clients for choosing Bank of America for more of their banking and
Merrill Edge for their investment needs, is now available for clients in
California, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. , July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- InnoPharma, Inc. today announced the first generic launch of Olanzapine for Injection, 10mg/vial (the generic equivalent of Zyprexa® injection), in Canada.
Notice of BIOX fiscal 2014 third quarter conference call Canada NewsWire
- Third quarter financial results to be released on August 12, 2014 -
TSX symbol: BX TORONTO , July 30, 2014 /CNW/ - BIOX Corporation (TSX: BX) will release
its third quarter financial results for fiscal 2014 on Tuesday, August
12, 2014 , after 5:00 PM Eastern Time .
MONTRÉAL, July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Boralex Inc. ("Boralex" or the
"Corporation"), through its subsidiary Boralex Europe S.A., has
acquired Calmont 14 MW wind power project in the Midi-Pyrénées region
in France .
The back-to-school season is fast approaching and with nearly 4,600
convenient locations nationwide, students can count on Rite Aid to be
their one-stop-shop for this year’s trendy back-to-school items.
Back-to-school brings shopping for clothes, buying school supplies and
securing updated health information for children, but why not also use
this time to take a few simple steps to help ensure their safety?
New York Times International Luxury Conference will bring together
some of the biggest names in fashion, art and technology to explore how
these industries have become increasingly intertwined in recent years,
creating new business opportunities.
SAO PAULO , July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (BM&FBOVESPA: GOLL4 and NYSE: GOL), (S&P: B, Fitch: B-, Moody's: B3), the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America ("Company") in compliance with article 157, §4 of Law no.
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (GT) said it earned $213 million, or 76 cents a share, in the second quarter, up from $181 million, or 67 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.
Faster Speeds Offer Enhanced Customer Experience at 12 Stores Across Greater Boston Region BOSTON , July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast Business today announced that J.P. Licks, a local chain with 12 hand-churned ice cream parlor-cafes serving the greater Boston area, is using Comcast Business Internet , Business WiFi and Business Voice to provide public Internet access for customers while also maintaining separate, secure connectivity for its internal communications.
plc , the business process, procurement and technology services
provider, today released the results of a survey, entitled “The
2014 Insurance Technology and Spending Trends Report.” 1
The survey encompasses responses from 75 insurance industry
practitioners conducted at the Acord Loma Forum, May 4-6, 2014.
Focus (LSE: MCRO.L), the leading provider of enterprise
application modernization, testing, and management solutions , today
announced that it has received Department of Defense (DoD) Information
Assurance Accreditation for several of its change management and testing
tools available to the U.S. Air Force, enabling the Air Force to
accelerate application delivery and enhance IT modernization efforts.
Introduction Represents Brewery's First Foray into Single Serve Packaging CHICAGO , July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoping to acquaint even more beer lovers with its distinctive brew, Burnside Brewing Co.
Survey Finds Recent Retirees and Near-Retirees With 401(k)s Have Considerable Savings and Are Comfortable That They Are on Track to Meet Their Financial Goals
The Actual Experience of New Retirees, the Generation Experiencing an Increasing Reliance on Defined Contribution Plans, is More Positive than that Expected by Workers Nearing Retirement BALTIMORE , July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey on retirement spending by T.
PayByPhone, a flagship product of leading international payment
technology company, PayPoint, has announced its mobile parking payment
app is available in the Amazon Appstore for Amazon’s new Fire phone, as
well as Kindle Fire devices.
Bryant , the nation’s leading women’s specialty apparel retailer,
is excited to announce that the brand will offer an exclusive NFL
Capsule Collection, which will debut just in time for football fans to
gear up for kickoff.
Alexco Announces Increase to Previously Announced Bought Deal Unit Financing Canada NewsWire
/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES / VANCOUVER , July 30, 2014 /CNW/ - Alexco Resource Corp.
PITTSBURGH , July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Unique Pizza and Subs Corporation ("Unique," OTC Markets Groups Inc.: OTC Pink: UPZS), a Delaware Corporation, is pleased to announce it has signed a distribution agreement with Larasan Pharmaceutical Corporation ("Larasan"), a nature-based pharmaceutical company that produces and distributes health-enhancing products.
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2013 Ford Mustang teaser
However, as we saw in recent spy shots, a facelifted version is due in the interim. This facelifted Mustang is scheduled to arrive as a 2013 model, and the good news is that we'll see it unveiled this week at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.
This latest teaser reveals some of the details of the facelifted car.
A revised front-end will be key to keeping the Mustang popular for another year, with influences from its Shelby GT500 cousin expected to feature. Things like a protruding upper grille and a smaller lower intake are expected, as is LED detailing. The teaser image also reveals that the tail-lights are getting some changes as well.
As for the powertrain lineup, the current 3.7-liter V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 will remain, though they will likely produce slightly more power than their respective 305 and 412 horsepower outputs.
Note, many of the changes featuring in this facelift will apply for the Shelby Mustang GT500 as well, which we previously reported would get a kick in horsepower to somewhere between 570 and 620 horsepower.
Stay tuned for more info on the 2013 Ford Mustang as its breaks by following our dedicated Los Angeles Auto Show page.
Thanks B for sending in the tip!


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In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said the following about Donal Trump: “While he may have some catchy soundbites, his statements on the economy are dangerously incoherent. They are deeply misguided, and they reflect an individual who is temperamentally unfit to manage the American economy.” (emphasis added)
In one sentence Hillary reveals her economic illiteracy. The POTUS cannot “manage” the U.S. economy. No one in the world can manage any economy, let alone our $19 trillion economy. Imagine if someone said “I can manage your town’s economy. Just give me the power and I will create a vibrant downtown with great boutiques, restaurants,and other shops.” An economy thrives when entrepreneurs have the freedom to produce, distribute and sell and what consumers want. This is called free enterprise. Politicians cannot create wealth. Government cannot create wealth. Murray Rothbard pointed this out decades ago. Free people are the engine of the economy.
Throughout the primary campaign, I did not hear Hillary articulate any statement that indicates she knows how an economy really works. She should read Kel Kelly’s essay. So should Bernie and Donald. After they read the essay, they would not make foolish remarks about the economy, interest rates, banking, etc.
As the general election unfolds, I will continue to highlight Hillary’s economic illiteracy. Yesterday, President Obama stated in his endorsement of her candidacy, she is the most qualified individual ever to run for president. That is a true statement, if economic illiteracy is the criteria by which to measure a “qualified” presidential candidates.


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According to a Feb. 10 report in AllAppNews, you can get all the inside news and take part in the glamor and glitz of “Music's Biggest Night” now by using the official Grammy's iOS app for iPhone , iPod touch and iPad. That's right! You can get a heads-up on tonight's Grammy Awards ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and share this info with your friends now with this iOS app.
The Grammy Awards bring together musicians from all over the recording industry world to celebrate music achievements. This official app gives you insider news, fresh content, live streaming, exclusive videos, photos and direct access to behind-the-scenes VIP Grammy events. Plus, you can listen to Grammy nominees through streaming Grammy Radio, get trending Twitter feeds from fans and artists, join the online conversation and share this insider info with your friends. This app is free.
Check out the slide show!
The Grammy Awards are the only awards that honor artistic accomplishments independent of commercial success or chart ratings. You can use this app to follow the music community and Grammy news 365 days a year, always getting fresh content and the latest insider news.
Just a reminder, tonight's Grammy Awards ceremony is broadcast live on CBS at 8 to 11:30 p.m. EST and aired on the West Coast 8 to 11:30 p.m. PST.
Tap or click on iPad Examiner to get free apps and games for your iPad, iPod touch and iPhone.
Remember to check out the slide show and see for yourself how cool this official Grammy Live app is for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.


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The new Amsterdam? Turn Brighton into 'dope destination', says councillor
- Filed under:
A councillor in Brighton wants to capitalise on a Dutch proposal to ban tourists from its cannabis cafes - by offering Brighton as an alternative.
Home Affairs spokesman for the aptly named Green Party, Ben Duncan, says Brighton's seafront cafes would be licensed and the drug legalised under his plans.
He told The Sun: "Think of all the millions our shops and hotels would make if all those tourists being turned away from Amsterdam by the Dutch Tories came here to spend their holiday cash instead!
"Of course, in Brighton and Hove, we know only too well the damage that the current drug policy of complete criminalisation of drug use is causing rather than seeing it as a health issue.
"Cannabis use can be harmful, but all analysis shows that it's much less likely to harm you than, say, driving a car, or crossing a road.
"So what about it? Brighton, the liberal, tolerant, tourist capital of Europe?"
We're sure the locals might have a thing or two to say about that idea...
Last week a judge in the Netherlands upheld a new law to stop foreign visitors from entering cannabis cafes, meaning they could be banned by the end of the year.
Under the new law, Dutch residents will still be allowed in Holland's famous coffee shops as long as they have valid identification or a new 'weed pass'.
The ban is due to commence in three southern provinces next month and go nationwide by the end of the year.
The restrictions came as concerns grew that tourists were solely visiting the country for drugs and that foreign dealers were selling them illegally back at home.
But some cafe owners have said they will lose 90% of their business if the ban goes ahead.
What do you think about Brighton being the new 'spliff centre' of Europe? Leave your comments below...
Netherlands bans tourists from its cannabis cafes
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A top adviser to President Trump maintains that voluntary caution, not state lockdown orders, drove the precipitous shutdown in commerce when the coronavirus hit. Now, he is arguing that people should feel more comfortable about public health and have the confidence to return to normal quickly.
“Even after states impose their mandates, there's not much difference across them — between the states that do it later or sooner or more harsh or less harsh than others. That's kind of interesting,” said Tomas Philipson, acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
Instead, concern about the virus, along with government incentives to not go out, is what “drove the reduction in behavior that we saw,” the former University of Chicago professor told the Washington Examiner. “Most behavior had already been curtailed before lockdowns had been imposed.”
As an example, he cited restaurant industry data showing that most eateries were already empty before state lockdowns began.
He said a similar logic applied now that states were reopening. Individual consumer choices and private sector behavior will determine how quickly the economy bounces back, not state policies regarding reopening. Just because a state is open doesn't mean consumers will “rush back,” Philipson said. For instance, Georgia, one of the first states to reopen at the end of April, hasn't seen a large uptick in business.
“I think it's up to the consumer, how much fear there is on the demand side of this, that will drive how quickly this goes,” Philipson said.
The likelihood of people going out and spending at establishments is closely tied to how well the virus is contained, economists say.
Philipson, who is an expert in health economics, said that for any infectious disease, there's “self-limiting aspects” to people's behavior, saying that if there was a second spike in transmission, people will again change their behavior to protect themselves better.
Philipson has long studied the effects of viral outbreaks on personal behavior. During the AIDS outbreak in the early 1990s, Philipson published research skeptical of governmental involvement in epidemics. Instead, he focused on the consequences of private choices, rational and often informed, to engage in risky conduct.
He doesn't, however, expect a second wave of the virus to erupt and foresees that fears about the virus will decline.
“What we actually are seeing now for the states that are opening up is that the cases are flat or declining even, even though we're increasing testing a lot, which is very comforting,” Philipson said.
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British sportscar maker, McLaren revealed the official tech-specs of their latest Ferrari rivaling sports car, 650S and they are much better than expected. With just a 50PS jump in power, McLaren has managed to achieve outstanding performance figures with the 650S, as compared to the MP4-12C, on which the former is based.
McLaren Automotive will return to the International Geneva Motor Show this year with its fastest, most engaging, best equipped and most beautiful series-production supercar yet. The McLaren 650S joins the range as an additional model alongside the 12C and sold-out McLaren P1â„˘, and learns from both models as well as 50 years of competing in the highest levels of motorsport.
Based on the McLaren MP4-12C, the McLaren 650S will make it’s global premiere at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. But, prior to that, official photos of the car have been leaked online. And that’s not all. A walk-around video of the McLaren 650S is also now online.
Geneva Motor Show just got a wee bit more exciting with McLaren announcing its 650S supercar reveal. Designed and developed to offer the enthusiast driver a one stop shop in luxury, engagement and excitement, it all comes together for McLaren Automotve in this dramatic yet beautiful styling.
McLaren Automotive is strengthening its global retailer network has appointed a retail partner in Thailand. McLaren Bangkok is the 8th location in Asia, and marks the 30th market worldwide.
Supercar makers McLaren have announced that a new system which makes existing car windscreen wipers a thing of the past, is set to arrive post 2015. This system of keeping windscreens clean and free of any water, dust, debris, etc in bad weather, is similar to that seen on fighter jets.
Video and images have been released to showcase the high performance McLaren P1 smashing record at Nurburgring Nordschleife. The hybrid supercar has posted a time of less than 7 minutes attacking the ring in record time.


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Homebase signs up to offer low energy lightbulb recycling
Homebase, one of the UK’s leading home improvement retailers, has signed an agreement with Recolight to provide in store collection facilities for low energy lightbulb recycling.
Over the next six weeks, Recolight’s Bulbstore Mini collection containers will be rolled out across Homebase’s 320 stores nationwide, providing customers with safe and convenient facilities for them to dispose of their old energy saver lightbulbs.
Nigel Harvey, Recolight chief executive, said, ‘Recolight is committed to making it as easy as possible for people to recycle their old low energy lightbulbs, and to raise awareness of the importance of doing so. Homebase has over 70 million customers through its stores each year and we believe this partnership will enable us to spread the recycling message more widely and provide convenient collection locations for customers to take their old lightbulbs.
‘We are delighted by the commitment made by Homebase. This is a really exciting development which will be integral to helping us to raise recycling rates as more low-energy lightbulbs start to reach end-of-life in the coming years.’
As part of the partnership with Homebase, volunteers collecting light-bulbs in their community under the Recolight CoBRA scheme will also be able to use Homebase stores as drop off points, further improving facilities for low-energy light bulb recycling.


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Google has made great strides with Android, and a ton of developers have flocked to growing mobile platform. Bu not everything is rosy, though. One major concern among developers is that piracy levels are very high on the platform. Google in July announced plans to combat piracy with DRM methods. But there’s another major problem that is arguably much more problematic for Android developers when it comes to getting paid for their apps, and it isn’t getting nearly as much attention as we think it should,” pingdom writes.
You can only pay for apps in 13 out of the 46 or so countries where Android phones are available. For those of you who like stats, 13 in 46 works out to less than 30%. Contrast this with Apple’s App Store, which supports paid apps in 90 countries. This’s a huge advantage iPhone developers currently have over Android developers.


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In an effort to support its grants program for environmental and technology research, the Lindbergh Foundation has opened an online auction that includes a live segment during Sun ’n Fun.
The grants are in amounts up to $10,580, the amount required in 1927 to build the Spirit of St. Louis. The auction will also support the foundation’s awards and education programs. The public can enter the auction online by sending a PDF of the bid via e-mail. All online bids must be received by 4 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, April 13.
The 2010 Lindbergh Award Celebration at Sun ‘n Fun on April 14 will include a reception, live auction, and dinner along with presentations by Cessna CEO Jack Pelton, Michael L. Ducker, chief operating officer of FedEx Express, and John and Martha King. The live auction will include the highest bids from those entered online; they will be noted as absentee bids.
Items included in the auction are Forward Vision’s enhanced vision system, a 10-day African safari for four, a day at King Schools and dinner with John and Martha King, an aerobatic flight with Sean D. Tucker, a ride with Fantasy of Flight director Kermit Weeks in his P-51, a bronze sculpture by Erik Lindbergh, and a Garmin Nuvi 1490T (the newest model).


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#rental car prices
The timing isn’t the best for a top-end sedan.
The Taurus was once America’s favorite family car, the top-selling model of the 1990s that popularized the aerodynamic look. Then a radical redesign failed to catch on, consigning it to an ignominious dotage as a rental car fleet mainstay. Now, Ford Motor is betting that this faded star can make a comeback, this time in China as a top-of-the-line sedan aimed at businessmen with a weakness for legroom and power-reclining massage seats.
That won’t be easy. With a starting price of 248,800 yuan ($39,000) that tops out at 348,800 yuan for the most expensive trim line, the Taurus is crossing into luxury sedan territory dominated by BMW’s 3 Series, Audi’s A4L, and Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class. It’s also almost double the price of Great Wall Motor’s H6, the best-selling SUV in China. The country’s buyers have been ditching traditional sedans for roomier utility vehicles and minivans, sometimes called MPVs (for multipurpose vehicles).
The Chinese market has slowed sharply since April, when Ford introduced the car there. Since then, a stock market rout and a weakening economy have sapped car demand, which was also hit by stricter vehicle registration curbs imposed by cities trying to stem worsening traffic and air pollution.
Things got so bad that the government in October cut a 10 percent vehicle purchase tax by half to encourage sales—but the incentive won’t apply to the Taurus because its 2.7-liter engine is too large to qualify. “The segment where it will play doesn’t grow anymore,” says Jochen Siebert, Shanghai-based managing director at JSC Automotive Consulting. “But Ford should be able to win some market share, provided they get the price right.”
To help position the Taurus as a high-end business sedan worthy of its luxury-level sticker price, Ford has signed up actor Chen Daoming to endorse the model. He’s well-known for playing emperors in Chinese period dramas, including a popular 2001 epic on the reign of the 17th century Qing dynasty monarch Kangxi.
Whether that will help lend the Taurus an imperial touch remains to be seen. Yang Song, a sales executive who owns a Jaguar XJ sedan and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, says he may consider buying a Taurus because it’s “good value for money,” though he thinks it lacks aspects found in BMWs, which he says have “firmer doors.” (Local drivers like a satisfying thud.) “It looks good for people using it in business,” says Yang, 50, while checking out the Taurus at the Guangzhou auto show in November. “I like that it’s spacious and exudes gravitas.”
The original 1986 Taurus was a hit with American buyers, its design standing out from the boxy shapes that were standard for family cars. By 1992 it had displaced Honda Motor’s Accord as the top-selling car in the U.S. reaching a sales peak of 409,751 vehicles that year. A radical restyling in 1995 and a price increase caused sales to slump, and Taurus ceded the No. 1 title in 1997. Its fading consumer appeal left it relegated to purchases by rental companies before being shelved in 2006. Although it was resurrected in the U.S. in 2009, the model has never again approached the popularity of its ’90s heyday.
Besides being on the wrong side of China’s SUV mania, analysts say, the Taurus is unlikely to become one of the mainland’s biggest models because of its price. Ford’s car costs more than twice the average sticker price for the 10 top-selling cars in the country, about 100,000 yuan, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The best-selling model, Volkswagen’s Lavida, starts at 109,900 yuan. Ford’s Focus compact, starting at 99,800 yuan, was seventh in sedan sales in China in the first 10 months of the year, with 207,200 units, down 37 percent from a year earlier.
While Ford’s SUV models are doing well in China, the sedan sales slump there has dragged down Ford’s retail deliveries by 0.4 percent this year through October, after expanding 19 percent for all of last year. The automaker recorded four consecutive monthly declines from June to September before snapping the streak in October after the government halved the 10 percent purchase levy. Still, Ford is betting that the car, made by its joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile, can draw buyers, in part because of creature comforts such as more legroom and an electric massage function for back seats—where affluent, chauffeur-driven Chinese typically ride. “The Ford Taurus will give the business elite a prestigious user experience,” Chen Xu, deputy general manager of Changan Ford Sales, said in a release marking the start of the model’s sales in November. “We believe the Ford Taurus will have an extremely good market performance.”
Even if the timing isn’t the best to launch a top-end sedan, Ford needs to offer a vehicle like the Taurus if it wants to be a serious competitor in China, says Yale Zhang, a managing director at researcher Autoforesight Shanghai. “Ford needs to fill in every segment to compete in,” he says. “They didn’t have something in the big sedan segment until this.”
The bottom line: Ford is introducing the Taurus in China at a sticker price as high as $54,500, just as buyers are eschewing sedans in favor of SUVs.


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Every Boxing Day, shoppers go wild for the sales at Next - so many will be super excited to hear the retailer is offering big discounts in store from the early hours of tomorrow.
Joining many other stores and online retailers up and down the country, Next will be getting involved in the Black Friday festivities - and the sales start from 3am.
As originally reported in the Chronicle Live and verified by Next, the retailer will launch discounts across fashion, home and kidswear on Friday 24 November.
The sale will officially open to everyone online on the Next website from 3am.
Next has stores at Kingswood Shopping Centre, St Stephen's Shopping Centre, Anlaby Retail Park and has an outlet at Princes Quay.
The high street retailer attracts plenty of custom and early risers for its annual summer and Christmas sales, so we expect an overwhelming response from customers after some bargains and cheap Christmas gifts.
The move marks the first time the retailer has participated in the international sale event, which includes many other major online and high street retailers like Debenhams and Very.co.uk.
What deals will be available?
The specifics are still being kept under wraps, but Next is promising 70 per cent off a whole range of items across all departments including men’s and women’s fashion and children’s clothing and homeware.
Top tips if you're shopping the Next sale
- Make a list - and bookmark the items you actually want.
- Team your shop up with a voucher code: websites like Voucherbox and HotUKdeals are perfect for hunting down the latest promos.
- If you're heading in store, pick a quieter high street, such as a retail park branch - as you'll have a better chance at finding items you actually want. These stores are often bigger and out of the way for most people. In Westfield, however, you may not stand a chance.
- If you're an impulse shopper and find items you think you 'want', hold on to them for a while whilst browsing. This will give you a chance to mull over it - and if you start asking yourself 'whether you'll actually wear it' you probably won't.


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The Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s end-of-year Market Report reveals that 114 million litres of sparkling wine and Champagne, the equivalent of 12.7 million cases, have been sold in the UK so far this year.
This compares to 99 million litres, or 11 million cases, during the same period in 2015.
The data from sales in shops, supermarkets, restaurants and bars does not include December and some of November, but spend has already reached over £1.9 billlion.
Sparkling wine forms the Lion’s share of the bubbly which sold the equivalent of 2.6 million cases (24m bottles) in the off-trade in the 12 weeks (to 5th November), up 25% on the same period last year.
Champagne sold just short of a quarter of a million cases (or three million bottles) in the UK off-trade, up 7% in the 12-week period than in the same period last year.
This last quarter represents the best sparkling wine and Champagne sales figures posted all year in shops, supermarkets and off-licences there, reports the WSTA which adds that government data trends indicating that the UK has been drinking ever more responsibly over the last 10 years – with consumption dropping by a fifth – but sparkling wine has become the popular choice.
Pubs and bars are also helping boost sales with ‘Fizz Fridays’ and Prosecco promotions now a common feature.
In the on-trade sparkling wine sold the equivalent of over 1.3 million cases (16 million bottles) worth £768 million the 12 weeks to the 1st October, 37% up on the same period last year.
The sparkling wine category includes Prosecco, Cava and English sparkling wine, amongst others.
English wine makes up just 1% of the UK’s sparkling wine sales, however production is set to double to 10 million bottles per year by 2020 and by 2022 six vineyards alone are planning on producing more than one million bottles per annum.
Sparkling wine accounts for approximately two thirds of all English wine produced as the chalky soils and climate at vineyards in the south of England are similar to those found in the Champagne region. However UK Government continues to put the highest tax on sparkling wine points out the WSTA.
This year’s boost in sales of sparkling wine will give the UK Exchequer £714 million from VAT and duty.
Wine duty in the UK is equivalent to £2.08 per 75cl bottle of wine and £2.67 on a bottle of sparkling wine. This compares to 5p duty on a bottle of sparkling wine in France a no duty at all in Italy.
“There is no sign of the bubble bursting when it comes to the British drinkers’ love for fine fizz,” commented the Chief Executive of the UK Wine and Spirit Trade Association Miles Beale, “Wine is now the nation’s most popular alcoholic drink and continues to play an extremely vital role in our pubs, including as part of the broader British food and drink revolution.
“Fizz in particular, is now a mainstay of a successful pub, showing the increasing diversity of our industry and the modern consumer.
“It’s vital that government comes out in support of the wine trade which as a whole generates £17.3bn in economic activity.
“We would like to remind government that cutting excise duty boosts business and brings more money into the Treasury.”
Following the freeze in wine duty in the 2015 budget, wine duty income increased on the previous year by £139 million (up 3.6%) from April 2015 – March 2016 inclusive.


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Bandar Raya Developments Bhd (BRDB) has yet to appoint an independent international property valuation firm to manage the tender exercise for the sale of BR Property Holdings Sdn Bhd, which owns the successful Bangsar Shopping Centre and Menara BRDB as well as the CapSquare Retail Centre and the Permas Jusco Mall.
The tender exercise to dispose of the prized assets came about in late September after BRDB’s board of directors decided to call off a plan to sell BR Property Holdings to Ambang Sehati Sdn Bhd.
Ambang Sehati, BRDB’s major shareholder with 18.88% stake, had earlier proposed to buy the four assets for RM914mil.
Ambang Sehati is the investment vehicle of BRDB chairman Datuk Moiz Jabir Mohamed Ali Moiz. Ambang Sehati would also be invited to participate in the tender exercise.
Meanwhile, an outstanding issue in the earlier proposed sale to Ambang Sehati was the identities of those who own the much-talked-about 23.6% block of shares in BRDB held in a nominee account by Credit Suisse.
This block is said to hold some sway in deciding whether the deal would have gone through.
Bursa Malaysia had highlighted via a letter to StarBiz earlier this month that statements published in the media, which were attributed to the exchange’s chief executive officer Datuk Tajuddin Atan, concerning enquiries into the owners of the 23.6% block of shares in BRDB were inaccurate.
In its letter, Bursa Malaysia stated that “as a matter of policy, the exchange does not comment on whether it is looking into matters concerning companies or individual.”
BRDB said it had answered all queries raised by Bursa Malaysia.
News Source: The Star