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Lack of money, mortgages led to First Horizon's exit
- Neil Adler
- Staff Reporter
(Page 2 of 3)
Among the names analysts mention as possible buyers are Winston-Salem, N.C.-based BB&T Corp., Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks Inc., Arlington-based Virginia Commerce Bancorp Inc. and Cardinal Bank.
Clineburg said Cardinal will take a look.
Steve Reeder, executive vice president of retail banking at Virginia Commerce, said his bank "possibly could be interested" in some of the First Horizon branches.
Dale Phelps, CFO of Millennium Bankshares Corp., said the Reston-based bank has already contacted First Horizon and expressed interest.
One potential hiccup in selling the branches is that many of them are not stand-alone buildings and don't have drive-through service.
With First Horizon unloading its 13 branches in the Washington and Baltimore areas, as well as 21 branches total in Atlanta and Dallas, it should be able to focus on the roughly 200 branches under the First Tennessee Bank brand, analysts say.
The 34 branches had a pretax loss of $10 million in the second quarter, "a drag on earnings," said analyst James Schutz, who covers First Horizon Bank as a senior vice president for Birmingham, Ala.-based Sterne, Agee & Leach Inc.
Besides the fate of First Horizon Bank's local branches, the other key question is what will happen to Terrie Spiro, a longtime local banker who has been serving as regional president of First Horizon Bank since it entered the region in late 2003.
Industry insiders say Spiro won't have a hard time lining up a new employer, but they are still speculating on where she'll land.
"She'll turn up somewhere else, she always does," said Dave Danielson, president of Vienna-based Danielson Capital. "She's very experienced and knows a lot of people." (For more on Spiro, see Page 57.)
n E-mail: Nadler@bizjournals.com Phone: 703/258-0825
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America relies on the small business that line the streets in all of its communities. More than 99% of the businesses in the United States employ fewer than 500 people, and historically, these small firms have created two-thirds of America’s net new jobs.footnote1 For these businesses and the communities they call home, navigating the impacts of the coronavirus is not only critical to their future, it’s paramount to the nation’s recovery. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Support (CARES) Act, adopted in March, included the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for exactly this reason, providing up to $659 billion in loans to small businesses so they could continue to pay their employees and certain operating expenses.
As part of its efforts to help small businesses during this time, Bank of America was the first to accept PPP applications and as of May 15 has received approval from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for 322,000 loans to small business clients for more than $26 billion in relief. So far, 98% of the applications are for companies with fewer than 100 employees and 81% are for companies with 10 or fewer employees. Nearly a quarter of the applications were from companies from low-to-moderate income neighborhoods.
“The payments are going exactly where they were supposed to go: to very small businesses in big numbers across the country,” says Brian Moynihan, the Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America.footnote2 The average loan size so far is $80,000.

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S KOREA: Red Bull plans 35% price cut - report
Red Bull is set to drop its price in South Korea
Red Bull is to drop its retail price in South Korea by 35%, according to a local report.
A can of Red Bull will drop from KRW2,900 (US$2.67) to KRW1,900, the Korea IT Times said today (28 January). The change comes after Red Bull lost its leading market share to Lotte Chilsung's Hot Six, which costs KRW1,000, the report said.
In the US, a can of 25cl Red Bull costs $2.69 from online retailer Netgrocer, while its Total Zero 25cl can, launched last year, has an SRP of $2.19.
Red Bull entered the South Korean market in 2011 and is distributed by Dongsuh Food, the report said.
In the US, energy drinks companies are facing closer scrutiny from lawmakers. Earlier this month, two senators wrote to 14 companies, including Red Bull, asking for details of product ingredients and company investigations into health risks to children.
This month, Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd takes a look at the global development of commercialised iced coffee drinks and asks, would a figurehead provide the necessary boost to take the category fro...
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Social media sites are all the rage now days, anyone who’s anyone is on some form of social media site, The past few years have seen the launch of Facebook and Twitter, both sites have taken the world by storm, for business owners Facebook is golden as they can advertise their company all over the world, here is some advice on how to integrate these tools into the marketing and recruiting efforts of your company.
Cardiff is set to welcome another landmark piece of architecture to its cityscape after proposals were approved yesterday for a stylish new university teaching centre. The new state-of-the-art postgraduate centre at Colum Drive, Cathays Park, will feature an elliptical Harvard-style lecture theatre as its centrepiece. The exterior finish includes a five-colour, vertically stacked terracotta rainscreen cladding, along with buff brick, curtain walling and powder-coated aluminium doors and windows. The Cardiff Business School development will be constructed using an environmentally beneficial twin skin system, with developers aiming to reach a BREEAM rating of “excellent’ for sustainability. A source at local sales and marketing company A Vision Network said, “I’m really looking forward to seeing the centre opened. It will be a beautiful addition to city, as well as a fantastic resource for business students.”
Mae Jemison has achieved more in her fifty-five years on Planet Earth than most people can hope to achieve in their entire lifetime. Not only does she hold the unique distinction of being the first African-American woman to venture into space, she is also a dancer, has appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and holds nine honorary doctorates in science, engineering and the humanities. Small wonder, then, that this former NASA astronaut has been selected to lead a foundation that is destined to take humanity to the stars.
It was supposed to be an homage to ‘The City That Never Sleeps’, but now it seems that Cardiff’s big plans for a Big Apple makeover will have to be toned down for a more realistic, if not so exciting scheme. Cardiff’s waterfront was to be lined with New York-style high rise apartment blocks and offices until plans were axed as the extent of damage done by the credit crunch became clear. Now a more modest £200m proposal will be built instead.
Over the past 12 months, staff and shoppers at St David's Dewi Sant in Cardiff have raised a staggering £14,287 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, the centre's Charity of the Year. Throughout the year, numerous fundraising events were held in the shopping centre, the highlight of which was the Great Daffodil Appeal, part of Marie Curie's nationwide scheme to get everyone wearing a daffodil in March in support of the charity's nurses. Managing Director of A Vision Network, a sales and marketing company based in Cardiff said, “For one Shopping Centre in Cardiff, raising over £14,000 is amazing, especially in 12 months.”


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Attackers can potentially snoop on the encrypted traffic of over 25,000 iOS applications due to a vulnerability in a popular open-source networking library.
Some of the world's leading cryptographers are concerned about the increasing number of malicious programs that hold computers and mobile phones to ransom, in many cases by abusing the encryption algorithms they designed.
Cryptography experts at the RSA security conference on Tuesday picked holes in U.S. plans to require that law enforcers be given a way to break encryption to exercise lawful intercept rights.
The U.S. House of Representatives may vote on a controversial cyberthreat information sharing bill this week, despite major privacy concerns from many digital rights groups and security researchers.
Apps used by millions of iPhone and iPad owners became vulnerable to snooping when a flaw was introduced into third-party code they used to establish HTTPS connections.
Google plans to serve most of its ads over encrypted HTTPS connections by the end of June, a move that will protect against some ad hijacking attacks and will encourage website owners to enable encryption on their Web properties.
More than two dozen U.S. government websites should be urgently upgraded to use encryption, as whistleblowers are potentially at risk, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
VMware is combining iOS and Android encryption features with its own network virtualization platform to offer more secure access to enterprise applications and resources.
In Silicon Valley, the recruiting game is extremely competitive, according to Ron Harrison, founder of Jivaro Professional Headhunters, a specialist in placing technology candidates.
In the latest blow to Internet of Things (IoT) security, an analysis of smart home devices has found flaws that could give attackers access to sensitive data or allow them to control door locks and sensors.
Google forgot to renew one of its TLS certificates, leading to service disruption Saturday for people using Gmail through third-party email clients.
The Mozilla Foundation plans to reject new digital certificates issued by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) in its products, but will continue to trust certificates that already exist.
The unique attack method used to disrupt the code-sharing site GitHub over the last week could have been prevented if more websites enabled encryption, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said Wednesday.
Microsoft has blacklisted a subordinate CA certificate that was wrongfully used to issue SSL certificates for several Google websites. The action will prevent those certificates from being used in Google website spoofing attacks against Internet Expl...
The mystery high-severity flaw that people were expected to be fixed in OpenSSL is no Heartbleed, but it is serious and users should update.
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For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
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The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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- News tagged "electric car"
Wednesday, 23 Nov 2016
Chinese electric car manufacturer NextEV has just announced the the NIO EP9, and it is calling it the world's fastest electric supercar.
Monday, 16 Feb 2015
A week or so ago, Apple-leased cars packed with sensors and cameras were spotting roaming the streets, and now rumors are rife that Apple is possibly working on a self-driving or electric car that could "give Tesla a run for its money."
Friday, 20 Jul 2012
Arizona is so hot that the fully-electric Nissan Leaf is suffering from battery problems, with owners complaining that they have lost about 30% worth of charge.


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McDonald’s has become the first restaurant company to set approved science-based targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The Science Based Targets initiative is a collaboration between WRI, WWF, CDP and the UN Global Compact.
McDonald’s announced last week that it will partner with franchises and suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at its restaurants and offices by 36% by 2030 from a 2015 base year. It also plans a 31% reduction in emissions intensity across its supply chain by 2030 from 2015 levels.
The global food chain expects that these actions will prevent 150 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere by 2030. This is the equivalent of taking 32 million cars off the road for an entire year. The targets will allow McDonald’s to grow as a business without growing its emissions.
“To create a better future for our planet, we must all get involved. McDonald’s is doing its part by setting this ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address the challenge of global climate change,” said Steve Easterbrook, president and CEO of McDonald’s
“To meet this goal, we will source our food responsibly, promote renewable energy and use it efficiently, and reduce waste and increase recycling.”
To meet its targets, McDonald’s will work across its supply chain, offices and restaurants to be more efficient through improvements such as LED lighting, energy efficient kitchen equipment, sustainable packaging, and restaurant recycling. It will also place more emphasis on supporting sustainable agricultural practices and taking action on the largest segments of its carbon footprint: beef production, restaurant energy use and sourcing, packaging and waste, which together account for around 64% of its global emissions.
“McDonald’s footprint touches all parts of the world. Their announcement matters because it commits one of the world’s biggest companies to deliver, with the full breadth of their food chain system, significant emissions reductions based on science,” said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the U.S.
“While private-sector actions can’t entirely solve the climate crisis facing our planet, significant announcements like these, and coalitions like these working on climate together, create momentum and movement toward the scale of solutions that we ultimately need.”


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An Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) between the UK and India would be formally launched during the visit of the UK Prime Minister to India, later this year. This was agreed during a meeting between Indian minster for commerce and industry Piyush Goyal and UK secretary of state for international trade Elizabeth Truss, at a meeting in New Delhi on February 6.
The two ministers carried out discussions on the entire range of bilateral trade and economic relations in a spirit of mutual understanding of each other’s priorities and trade sensitivities, said an India-UK joint statement released today. They also reviewed progress in removing market access barriers on both sides and ongoing cooperation in response to COVID-19.
Reiterating their commitment to long term India-UK partnership, both ministers agreed to deepen trade cooperation between the two countries through an ETP.
“Taking forward their commitment from the 14th JETCO on July 24, 2020, India and UK trade ministers reviewed the ongoing engagements between the two sides for an ETP, as part of the development of a roadmap that would lead to a potential comprehensive FTA, including considerations on an Interim Agreement on preferential basis,” the joint statement said.
In order to formally launch the ETP during the visit of the UK PM to India, later this year, the ministers committed themselves to make concrete progress on trade and investment front to deliver quick gains for both countries including joint timelines for further advances, the statement added.
The ministers agreed to further accelerate the process towards launch of the ETP, and committed to interact on a regular basis, while identifying quick and concrete bilateral deliverables that could cement the ETP and immediately benefit the people of both countries.
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Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons eyeing Ipswich move
- Credit: Google Maps
Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons is looking to expand its UK portfolio with an eatery in Ipswich, it is understood.
Plans for a new eatery – in place of the Pizza Hut restaurant at Anglia Retail Park – have been submitted to Ipswich Borough Council.
The plans seek approval to add new signage to the building and introduce a new drive-thru lane, and are pending consideration.
A much-loved chain in Canada, Tim Hortons was founded by former Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player Tim Horton in 1964 and now has more than 4,000 locations worldwide.
It currently has 28 locations across the UK and is known for serving food such as chicken burgers and paninis, as well as doughnuts and milkshakes.
A spokesman for Tim Hortons was unwilling to discuss the plans.
Representatives from Pizza Hut have not confirmed when the restaurant closed, it was not one of the sites included in the list of 29 locations nationwide announced for closure last year.
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Under lockdown rules all restaurants are currently closed but the chain's branch at Copdock interchange remains open for collection, while takeaway outlets in Foxhall Road and Norwich Road are also open for delivery.
Plans for a new Burger King restaurant at the retail park were also approved last year, following an application by Ipswich Borough Council's commercial arm, Ipswich Borough Assets.


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Computerworld - https://www.computerworld.com/article/3269123/web-browsers/opera-launches-touch-a-mobile-browser-aimed-at-one-handed-use.html#tk.rss_all
Opera Software today launched a new mobile browser dubbed Touch and upgraded its desktop browser so that the two can better stay in sync.
The Oslo-based browser maker rolled out Opera Touch, an Android application that features one-hand operation and focuses on search, with the latter dominating the screen as users launch Touch.
[ Further reading: Google’s Chromium browser explained ]
“The current browsers are not doing their job properly,” argued Maciej Kocemba, an Opera product manager, during an early-Wednesday live-streamed launch event that was made available later as a recording. He then showed how designers had cast the browser’s UI (user interface)


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Halo 4 could add microtransactions
Executive producer says 343 Industries currently “looking at” adding cosmetic bonus items for a small fee.
Halo 4 could become the latest AAA title to introduce microtransactions. 343 Industries executive producer Dan Ayoub told Digital Spy that the studio is currently “looking at” offering cosmetic items for a small fee, similar to those available for Gears of War: Judgment.
“I think Halo certainly has the potential for those kinds of things,” Ayoub said. “We don’t have too much to talk about in terms of our plans down that line, but it’s certainly something we’ve seen the fans of Gears are enjoying, and if it’s something we think our community is going to enjoy, it’s something we’ll seriously talk about.”
Gears of War: Judgment currently offers various armor and weapon skins, ranging in price from 240 Microsoft Points ($3) to 400 Microsoft Points ($5), as well as bundle packs.
If Halo 4 does add microtransactions in the future, it will follow not only Gears of War: Judgment, but also Tomb Raider, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Dead Space 3, among others.
Microtransactions will be a staple of future games, if recent comments from Electronic Arts and Ubisoft are any indication. EA chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen said in February that consumers are “enjoying and embracing” microtransactions, while Ubisoft Toronto manager Jade Raymond said last month that microtransactions are essential to the future of AAA games.
Halo 4 today introduced the Castle Map Pack, the game’s third and final map pack. Developed by Certain Affinity, the expansion adds new maps Daybreak, Outcast, and Perdition. The content is available as a free download for those who hold a $25 Halo 4 War Games Map Pass or as an individual download for $10.
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While all eyes are usually on the dial, the least-considered component of a watch is a crucial part of the timepiece and can call for no fewer than 80 manufacturing stages. We present what watch straps are all about and a selection of the market players.
Like watchmakers and all the watchmaker suppliers, watch strap manufacturers are being directly hit by the consequences of the crisis currently affecting the industry. Fewer watches sold by the brands, unsold stock, a reduction in the number of watches produced and, consequently, fewer orders for watch straps. Locked in a vicious circle, strap producers are strapped.
But that is not the only challenge facing them right now: another thorny problem for the players in the watch strap industry is the ever more complex legislation, such as the REACH convention (standing for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). Imposed by the European Union since 2007 to protect consumer health and the environment, this includes standards that often prove costly to apply for watch strap manufacturers. For example, the leather that goes into watch straps must undergo specific tests to ensure it does not exceed a certain threshold of any chemical substance which is potentially harmful to consumers. This is impacting leather tanning and processing and can affect quality, much to the dismay of the manufacturers.
Yet it is true that even before REACH, straps were already subjected to numerous tests –resistance to UV, dry and wet rubbing, dirt and even twisting and stretching, to cite a few. It is difficult to determine exactly how much these tests cost, but off the record some brands are talking about at least 1,000 euros for a simple test, which does not even guarantee that the whole batch is compliant.
Another convention with which strap manufacturers have to comply is the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). The aim of this agreement is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals does not threaten the survival of the species. It lists nearly 34,000 plant and animal species. CITES provides a certificate proving that an animal was hunted legally and not poached. Watchmakers are demanding this valuable certification ever more frequently in a bid to control the origin of all the materials they use. One African crocodile species, Niloticus, which is highly valued for watch straps, made the headlines a few years ago following a report showing its violent capture and killing, denting the image of the major watchmaker groups. Where alligator skin is concerned, in the interests of their image the brands tend to source their supplies from the United States, where the regulation on trade limits potential excesses. Consequently, manufacturers are having to juggle between legal obligations, brand demands and difficult market conditions. Europa Star met some of these unknown artisans who have been doing vital work for the watchmaking industry and its millions of customers ever since humans decided to take their watches out of their pockets and wrap them around their wrists.
Source: Europa Star 5/16 Winter 2016 Magazine Issue


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India Has Become Entrepreneurial Country: Prateek Toshniwal
Angel Investor and Chartered Accountant Prateek Toshniwal shared his opinions on the Recession, funding winter and layoff. He also shared the way forward and promising sectors for future
The big layoffs from companies like Meta, Byjus, Unacadmey and many others have shown that economic slowdown or funding winter is a real thing. It also tells many things about the startup culture in India and the race for higher valuations. Amid all this Prateek Toshniwal, Angel Investor and Chartered accountant shared his opinion on various aspects
What motivated you to pursue a career as a venture capitalist?
I always wanted to become a chartered accountant and after my CA I joined KPMG. I worked in the international taxation domain. I did a lot of structuring for big Multi National Companies and startups as well. I did a lot of work on the research side and valuation assignment from 2016 to 2018. I thought to explore the area of startups due to my research and it was new. I started investing in 2018 and invested in 32 companies individually.
What are the common mistakes by startup owners?
It is about learning rather than mistakes. The only mistake that startup owners make is either they go after a product which is too new and gives a high valuation or they build a product which is not in demand. I always say that to build your business your valuation will come over and find a product that solves the challenges of the masses.
What are the types of startups that you find lucrative or interesting?
I have different answers as my opinions have changed. Earlier I was interested in ed-tech, fin-tech, and health tech but now I am interested in clean energy, agriculture, web 3.0 and gaming
How do you see the funding winter?
The first quarter of this year was still good but after that business slowed down and startups could not cope with the businesses that they expected to do in the next quarter. The main reason for this is the global corrections that are happening and it is not only for India but for any other country. However, India is doing very well in comparison. It is expected to remain for six to eight more months after that we will see more unicorns
What impact will the recession have globally and in India?
The impact has already been there for 8 months and might be there for another few months. The impacts will include valuation corrections which means doing the right valuation and some companies might shut down due to overvaluation in which employees will lose their jobs. If every industry their decision cautiously we might see improvement in employment post-recession. I don’t expect any long recession in any Asian country. India will survive and also has not much depreciated. If the world depreciated 40 per cent India just depreciated 10 per cent. However, there might be some effects which may stay a little longer than expected.
What could be the reasons that are not getting affected?
India has become an entrepreneurial country. Due to growth and the China effect, India is becoming a manufacturing hub. Almost all the MNCs want to come to India as they see India as a growth factor and have a lot of growth potential for example If other countries give 10-12 per cent, India might give 6-8 per cent.
What do you think is the best sector to invest in for any VC at these times?
I think VC will invest in future sectors like clean energy or carbon neutral, blockchain, electric vehicle, and web 3.0. However, it used to be ed-tech, and fintech but not anymore. The defence sector has huge opportunities, a recent defence expo in Ahmedabad witnessed almost $15 million of investment.
What do you think might be the reason for the layoffs?
It was always about the funding that they could not secure. It is also about the expansion that was not needed and the demand that was present earlier but could not happen not now here. It is not just about the funding that has stopped but also about the business that has been hampered.
Do you agree with the term called startup bubble?
I disagree with the startup bubble term. I hardly see any company which could be called a bubble. However, there might be some sector-specific companies. India has created startups like Nykaa, Byjus, OYO, Zomato, BharatPe, and Paytm and none of them is a bubble as they are running businesses and growing. Recession not only hampers the economy but also businesses.
How do you see the initiative of going completely cashless?
Cashless is a global trend and any Indian going abroad cashless is also a trend. As India is a growing nation and tends to be a developed nation, I see going cashless as a great shift. Now you have all the financial services in one app and It also reduces the chances of leakages that are any sort of financial crime. However, It is impractical to go completely cashless with a population of 1.3 billion people.
How do you see the investment of VCs getting affected across the globe?
As a Venture Capitalist, I would want to invest in the countries like India, Africa and UAE and would avoid places like USA and London as they are more affected by Global events. Africa could become present India in the next 10 to 15 years. However, I would still stick to India but for global investment, Gulf Cooperation Council and Africa belt are preferable.
What is your advice to startup owners?
My advice for startup owners would be that they should optimise their expenses and should simply go for their business without expanding much. They should also drop their dream of valuation for a couple of months and should run for business overvaluation.
Around The World


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Habursky most recently served as the Assistant Vice President of Advocacy at the Independent Community Bankers of America where he was named to The Hill’s Top Lobbyist list and AssociationTRENDS 2019 Top Association Lobbyist.
The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) has announced the hiring of David Jessup as its new regional lobbyist. David brings significant government affairs experience to the position, serving most recently as the Chief of Staff for Michigan state Senator Jim Marleau where he became an expert on the budget process, coalition building, and media relations.
The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) has announced the hiring of Lisa Cox, CMP as its new Senior Director of Trade Show & Events. Cox brings significant trade show experience to the position, serving most recently as the Vice President of Events at the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, where she oversaw 13 meetings and the annual trade show.
Today, IPCPR, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, launched a brand new grassroots website, cigaraction.org. This site will be a great resource not just for retailers, but for the broader public to get involved with public policy issues that affect premium cigars.
As part of our coverage of the IPCPR 2018 trade show, we wanted to bring in some other cigar media members, along with our expanded team here at Developing Palates, to have a discussion about the event and surrounding topics.
Earlier today, D.C. District Court Judge Amit Mehta issued an injunction prohibiting the U.S. Food & Drug Administration from enforcing its warning label requirements on cigars and pipe tobacco. The warning label requirements for packaging and advertising were slated to go into effect on August 10th.
Today, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, Cigar Association of America, and Cigar Rights of America were pleased to announce the adoption of language in the FY 2019 budget as approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations that works to protect premium cigars from overreaching and burdensome regulations, as proposed by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.


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All per share amounts are presented on a diluted basis.
In a release on
"2013 was a terrific year for VF with record gross margin and earnings per share," said
"Among many noteworthy brand performances, two significant milestones included The North Face brand passing
Fourth Quarter 2013 Review
Revenues rose 8 percent to
Gross margin improved 80 basis points to 48.2 percent, compared with 47.4 percent in the same period of 2012, with improvements in nearly every coalition. The higher gross margin reflects the continuing shift of our revenue mix toward higher margin businesses as well as lower year-over-year product costs.
SG&A as a percent of revenues rose 10 basis points to 32.7 percent in the fourth quarter. This increase includes the impact of an incremental investment of nearly
Operating income on an adjusted basis grew 11 percent to
Net income on an adjusted basis grew 7 percent to
Full Year 2013 Review
Revenues increased 5 percent to a record
Gross margin rose by 160 basis points to a record 48.1 percent, compared with 46.5 percent in 2012, with improvements in nearly every business. For the full year, the improvement in gross margin reflects the continued shift in our revenue mix toward higher margin businesses as well as lower product costs.
SG&A as a percent of full year revenue rose 50 basis points to 33.6 percent. This increase includes the impact of higher marketing expense that increased the SG&A ratio by 60 basis points, including the nearly
Operating income on an adjusted basis increased 11 percent to
Net income on an adjusted basis rose 13 percent to
Revenues for the Outdoor &
Fourth quarter revenues for The North Face brand rose 12 percent globally driven by more than 30 percent growth in direct-to- consumer sales and a mid single-digit increase in the brand's wholesale business. By region, The North Face brand's revenues were up 10 percent in the
Revenues for the Vans brand in the fourth quarter were up 14 percent with strong, double-digit growth across all geographies, as well as in the brand's wholesale and direct-to-consumer platforms. Revenues in the
Revenues for the Timberland brand were up 13 percent in the fourth quarter. In the
Fourth quarter operating income for Outdoor &
Jeanswear fourth quarter revenues were flat at
Fourth quarter revenues for the Wrangler brand were up 5 percent driven by strength in the
Operating income for Jeanswear in the fourth quarter rose 2 percent to
Imagewear revenues were up 9 percent in the fourth quarter to
Sportswear had a strong quarter with revenues increasing 14 percent to
In a business environment that continues to be challenging for premium denim, fourth quarter revenues for the Contemporary Brands coalition were up 1 percent to
International revenues in the fourth quarter increased 11 percent, up 10 percent on a constant currency basis. Revenues in
Direct-to-consumer revenues grew 14 percent in the fourth quarter driven by a 32 percent increase in The North Face brand, a 12 percent increase in the Vans brand, 8 percent increases from both the Timberland and Nautica brands, and a 44 percent increase in the Kipling brand. Fifty-three stores were opened across our brands during the quarter bringing the total number of VF owned retail stores to 1,246. For the full year 2013, direct-to-consumer revenues grew 13 percent and accounted for 22 percent of total VF revenues compared with 21 percent in 2012.
Balance Sheet Review
Inventories were up 3 percent compared with
"As we look to 2014, we are confident in the continued global success of VF's portfolio of powerful brands and platforms," Wiseman said. "Our proven execution and financial discipline makes us the best positioned company in our industry to consistently deliver products and experiences that consumers want and returns that shareholders have come to expect."
Key points related to VF's full year 2014 outlook include:
-Revenue expected to increase by 7 to 8 percent including growth in every coalition. Outdoor &
-International revenue should grow 10 percent, driven by high- teen growth in
-In 2014, to better represent the operations of its direct-to- consumer business, VF will begin to include its concession locations in its direct-to-consumer revenues. Concessions are retail locations (outside the U.S.) where the company is responsible for all aspects of operations without ownership of the retail space. After adjusting 2013 direct-to-consumer revenues for this change, direct-to- consumer is expected to grow at a high-teen percentage rate in 2014 and should represent 26 percent of total VF revenues. Direct-to- consumer growth in 2014 will be driven by approximately 150 store openings, comp store growth and an expected increase of more than 30 percent in e-commerce revenues.
-Expect continued margin expansion, including a 90 basis point improvement in gross margin to 49 percent, and about 60 basis point increase in operating margin to 15 percent.
-Earnings per share should increase 11 to 13 percent to
-Expect record cash flow from operations, approaching
-Expect to spend approximately
-Other full year assumptions include a 23.5 to 24 percent effective tax rate, a negligible impact from changes in foreign currency and capital expenditures of approximately
In terms of quarterly revenue comparisons in 2014, the cadence should be similar to that of 2013 - although at a higher percentage increase per quarter. Accordingly, we expect mid single-digit growth in the first half of 2014 followed by high single-digit growth in the second half of the year. First quarter earnings will face a tougher comparison against last year's first quarter earnings per share due to the inclusion of
Share Repurchase Authorization
Repurchases under VF's new program will be made in open market or privately negotiated transactions in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-18, subject to market conditions, applicable legal requirements and other relevant factors. This share repurchase plan does not obligate VF to acquire any particular amount of common stock, and it may be suspended at any time at the company's discretion. VF had approximately 440 million shares of common stock outstanding as of
VF's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of
((Comments on this story may be sent to firstname.lastname@example.org))
All per share amounts are presented on a diluted basis.


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It’s official, the Aptera Motors investment offering has re-opened – you can now invest in Aptera at $10.50/share as we continue on our journey to bring solar mobility to life.
In the last three months, we’ve been hard at work on our Gamma vehicle, the third stage of our four stage development roadmap. Now that we’ve moved into our final assembly location in Carlsbad, California, the next six months will be focused on supply chain and manufacturing build-out with the goal of ramping to full-scale production in 2023. As of today we’ve received over 30,000 reservations representing over $1 billion in total pre-order value. Strategic agreements with Red Viking, Elaphe, and Yazaki are just a few of the supply-side agreements we’ve cemented to bring us closer and closer to a commercial launch.
We couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come for Aptera – the support from our community of investors and fans like you is what makes it all possible. We invite you to learn more about investing in Aptera at this link, and we can’t wait to share the journey towards a solar future with you all.


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The European Parliament backed plans to take “high and upper-middle income” countries out of the bloc’s tariff preference system, the House informed on Wednesday following a vote on the issue.
The vote also secured parliamentary oversight of decisions on which countries get preferences, stiffened safeguards for the EU textiles sector and extended product coverage to include minerals of particular value for some developing countries.
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay among other Latin American countries remained out of the benefit which the parliament says is aimed towards doing more “for poorer countries.”
The updated generalized system of preferences (GSP) removes tariff preferences, such as today's reduced or zero duties, for EU imports from countries where per capita income has exceeded 4.000 dollars for four years, reflecting the fact that many GSP beneficiaries (including Russia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia) now compete on an equal footing with the EU in world markets. The update was approved with 503 votes in favor, 107 against and 37 abstentions.
The Parliament has focused on making the system more transparent, more predictable and more generous for the countries that remain in it, said Christofer Fjellner before the vote, adding his hope that in 10 years, when the Parliament will next update the scheme, we will have even fewer countries participating in GSP scheme — because there will be fewer poor countries in the world due to benefits that this system has brought them.
The update will reduce the number of countries that enjoy preferential access to EU markets from 176 to around 75. It will also reduce the total value of imports that qualify for EU preferences from €60 billion in 2009 to about €37.7 billion in 2014, thus creating room to increase preferences for the remaining beneficiaries.
The new rules will enable 3 new countries — Pakistan, the Philippines and Ukraine — to apply for zero EU duties to be charged on their exports to the EU under the GSP+ incentive scheme. To qualify, these exports would have to account for less than 2% of the EU total GSP imports (up from 1% today) and the countries would have to prove that they abide by 27 international conventions in the field of human rights and sustainable development.
However, to ensure that the GSP+ concession does not lead to import surges that harm EU textile and clothing producers, the EU parliament negotiated with the Council a rule that tariff preferences for these products will be suspended for a given country if EU imports from that country grow by 13.5% or more in a year (down from the Commission proposal of 15%), or if imports of specific products exceed 6% of total EU imports of these products (down from the Commission proposal of 8%).
Parliament also voted to extend the range of products covered by the GSP to include some raw metals (aluminum oxide, lead, cadmium and others), that are of particular value to countries (most in Africa) that would remain in the GSP scheme.
This is the first time that Parliament has exercised its power, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, to legislate on the GSP.
Most of the high and upper-middle income countries to be removed from the GSP, such as Colombia and Peru, have already negotiated alternative free trade agreements or other preferential deals. But several countries in this category — including Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Saudi Arabia — have yet to reach alternative agreements.
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Look argies, and others, isn't this wonderful. Your goods will now cost even more to import into the EU. On top of the export taxes CFK charges. Now don't you worry about us. (I know you will). We'll be OK. We'll just buy what we want from somewhere else. And don't worry about CFK. She'll be OK too. She'll just increase your taxes or reduce your incomes. Not a problem, is it? Because you all love her. And she loves you too. Because of all the money you give her! Isn't life grand in the Paradise of South America?Jun 13th, 2012 - 09:27 pm 0
great news love thisJun 13th, 2012 - 09:28 pm 0
Poor Argtardia...devoid of love...I feel a poem coming on:Jun 13th, 2012 - 10:46 pm 0
Devoid of Love
the night falls with a silent sigh, lost are you.
the light for which you lust
flares once, then dies,
smothered by the all-encompassing turkey-necked one.
all hope must surely perish.
your heart beats no more.
how could you not understand?
your dark thoughts surround you, crying,
save us from ourselves.
Argtardia you are doomed.


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Cannes (Tentatively) Embraces Virtual Reality
Something new happened at the 69th Cannes Film Festival – for the first time in its history the festival offered a selection of virtual reality shorts and a pavilion dedicated exclusively to the new technology. Included in the VR slate were Invasion! , an animated six-minute short by Madagascar co-director Eric Darnell ; San Francisco’s Penrose Studios’ Allumette, based on Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl”; the “first person reality short film” The Doghouse by Denmark’s VR studio Makropol; and Giant, a “virtual reality experience of war” by Milica Zec and Winslow Tuner Porter III that had already raised quite the buzz at Sundance. To emphasize the connection between this year’s edition of Cannes and the new tech, a VR headset was included in the Market’s welcome bag.
“VR movies are a new art form, wholly different from cinema, a stage play or the opera that came before”, says Penrose’s Eugene Chung on the studio’s website. “We see ourselves not only as storytellers, but also as VR world builders.” Eric Darnell has a similar stance: “ VR is not an extension of cinema, but its own thing, a brand-new language”, he told Reuters.
Not everyone in Cannes was as enthusiastic about the exploration of virtual reality for storytelling. “I think we’re moving into a dangerous medium with virtual reality, Steven Spielberg told The Guardian at the première of his The BF. “ The only reason I say it is dangerous is because it gives the viewer a lot of latitude not to take direction from the storytellers but make their own choices of where to look. I just hope it doesn’t forget the story when it starts enveloping us in a world that we can see all around us and make our own choices to look at.”
Nonetheless, Spielberg has signed on as an advisor to The Virtual Reality Company – one of the pioneers of the VR/cinema mind meld- and, according to the company’s co-founder Robert Stromberg, the Golden Globe-winning filmmaker (and recipient of a Cecil B. deMille award) is exploring the tech’s capabilities with the goal of creating his own VR narrative piece. Spielberg’s adventures in the brave new world of virtual reality have already led him to come on board as director for Ready Player One, an adaptation of Ernest Cline’s eponymous bestselling novel about a virtual reality world named Oasis.
Cannes’ tentative embrace of narrative virtual reality is part of a whole trend that has already taken over other festivals this year. Sundance and Tribeca had a more enthusiastic approach to VR. Tribeca featured a Virtual Reality Arcade with 18 titles in genres as varied as documentaries, live action fiction and animation. Sundance created a special sidebar dedicated to VR in its New Horizons section, with an equally diverse selection of 31 titles – and Park City hosted a variety of lounges sponsored by the three main purveyors of VR headsets, Oculus, Samsung and HTC.
The migration of VR from the gaming world – where it’s been a staple for a long time –into narrative storytelling has been encouraged precisely by this rapid growth in affordable hardware. So far independent filmmakers and VR studios like VRC, Penrose and Makropol have taken the lead in creating narrative content for these new platforms, but the big players are also exploring the potential of the new tech. Disney has created an interactive 360 video for The Jungle Book (available exclusively in select IMAX theaters in the US) and has unveiled Star Wars: Trials on Tatooine, labeled “a Star Wars VR experience “for the HTC Vive headset. Fox is also hot on the VR trail with The Martian VR Experience, a three-minute interactive piece created by The Virtual Reality Experience and the Fox Innovation Lab that allows the user to fly over and experience the surface of Mars.
Expect to see VR all over the upcoming ComicCon, and making inroads in the fall festival cycle- this trend has just begun. As movies aim to offer more and more unique and immersive experiences to retain and grow their audience VR seems like the logical next step.


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Ravenheat has appointed Mike Maher as area sales manager to join its growing sales force.
Responsible for Birmingham and the Midlands region, Mike will be tasked with strengthening relationships with the company’s existing network of merchants, as well as developing relationships with new customers.
Prior to joining Ravenheat, Mike has gained extensive knowledge and experience within the machine tooling and metalwork industry.
The annual HVR Awards took place on Thursday 14 October in a virtual format with the live stream serving as an incredible celebration of the very best products, businesses and initiatives from across the heating and ventilating sector....
The £35m Royal College of Physicians at The Spine in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter (KQ Liverpool) has opened as one of the world’s healthiest buildings, using Waterloo’s industry-leading air distribution products....


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Here's episode 17 of Talkin' Tech, the weekly podcast from the MobileTechTalk team. Join us each week for discussion and opinions, news, sneak peaks and more from the world of mobile technology and beyond.
This week we look at:
Microsoft breaks it’s Windows 10 mobile upgrade promise… people are strangely surprised. http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/20/11271306/microsoft-windows-10-mobile-upgrade-list
Some idiot sold a rejigged “enterprise” version of Google Glass to a SF Pawn shop, now its on ebay http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/19/11269910/google-glass-enterprise-edition-pictures-ebay-listing
DxOmark tested the S7 Edge’s camera, it just blows everything else away http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s7-edge-best-smartphone-camera-dxomark-680966/
Nextbit cancels the CDMA Variant of the Robin, because building smartphones is hard, but CDMA certification is just fucking worse http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/17/11253400/nextbit-cancels-verizon-sprint-robin-refunds
Pope Francis is now on Ins


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Google adds screen time management to Chromebooks
Parents have more control over how kids use laptops following a Family Time update.
Google's fast Bluetooth pairing feature works across multiple devices
The update is rolling out on Android and will come to Chromebooks next year.
The best laptops to give as gifts
From a Chromebook to the new MacBook Air.
ASUS' latest low-cost Chromebooks are available now
They pack narrow bezels, 10-hour batteries and a mix of USB-A and USB-C.
Samsung added LTE to the Chromebook Plus V2
It will cost you $100 more than the base version.
The Asus C423 is an ultra-thin mid-range Chromebook
It also has access to Google Play.
HP's x360 14 is its thinnest Chromebook convertible yet
It's now available for pre-order, with prices starting at $599.
Chrome OS revamp delivers a new look and Linux app support
You'll also find a night mode and ubiquitous voice dictation.
Lenovo's refocused Yoga line centers on premium laptops and Chromebooks
It's no longer just for the company's convertible notebooks.


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The iTunes Store said Tuesday it had passed a milestone, selling more than 3 billion songs since launching four years ago.
In April, the Cupertino-based company said it had sold more than 100 million iPods. It reached that milestone in the five and a half years since the first iPod was sold. –Yahoo News (AP)
Selling 3 billion songs in four years is impressive but if you put that number into perspective with 100 million iPods sold that only works out to be 30 purchased songs per iPod ever sold. That is a LOT of ‘ripped’ music on to the world’s iPods!


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Today is World Pasta Day! Italians invented more than 300 types of pasta: long and short, small and figured. And we chose 12 the most popular types and made for you an interesting info-graphics. Save and share with your friends!
In honor of the International Chefs Day, korzinka.uz team visited one of the most famous chefs of Uzbekistan,
5 products which strengthen our immune system, save them to be healthy!
We are very proud that the expansion of korzinka.uz supermarkets leads to the creation of new jobs with favora
In the previous article we’ve told you about the breads under our own trademark korzinka.uz. Today we want
Learn about different kinds of melons together with the expert Isokjon Temirov. You can read the articl


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1. Salesforce announced plans to hire 1,500 new employees in Dublin, Ireland over the next five years. The hiring is a sign of Salesforce's efforts to enter markets outside of the US, and the company already has more than 1,000 employees in Ireland. In addition to the new Dublin hires, Salesforce said it will make a $2.5 billion investment in the United Kingdom over the same time period, through hiring employees and building a data center. —BLOOMBERG
2. Bryan Murphey, Ebay's former vice president, will serve as the CEO of Breather, a Canadian real estate e-commerce company. Breather creates software that allows companies to rent office spaces, similarly to its popular competitor WeWork. Murphey will take the place of Breather's founder and former CEO Julien Smith, who stepped down last fall. —BREAKIT
3. Google plans to increase the price of its G Suite cloud software in April. The price hike comes as Google has improved and updated its line of productivity tools — and it's the first G Suite price change since the service was introduced. G Suite Basic Edition is rising from $5 to $6 per user per month, and G Suite Business Edition will rise from $10 to $12 (G Suite Enterprise's price will stay the same). —FORBES
4. ServiceNow wants to lead the charge toward a "digital transformation" of the modern workplace, as its stock has tripled since 2016. In an interview with Barron, CEO John Donahoe discussed the company's growth and said part of ServiceNow's success is based in the fact that “no [customer] said they could afford to skip the digital transformation.” One analyst who spoke to Barron estimated ServiceNow could reach $10 billion in revenue by 2025. —BARRON
5. Financial Review explains that although Dropbox reports hundreds of millions of users, the majority of those are using the free service rather than paying, and Dropbox might want to change that. —FINANCIAL REVIEW
6. Wynd, a French point-of-sale startup, just raised $82 million in funding. —TECH CRUNCH
7. Adobe released its third update in the past month, meant to fix a potential security breach in its Experience Manager software. —SC MAGAZINE
8. Zendesk might be coming for some of Salesforce's and HubSpot's market shares. —FOOL
9. A new report from HTF MI broke down the "key players" in the SaaS market. —THE TOKEN CLOCK
10. BigCommerce announced it's moving to Google Cloud after using a mixture of IBM's Soft Layer and Amazon Web Services. —ZDNET
Written and curated by Sean Wolfe. He is a tech reporter based in Brooklyn, New York, and has previously worked at Business Insider and GIE Media. Follow him on Twitter at @seanthomaswolfe.
Editing team: Lon Harris (editor-in-chief at Inside.com, game-master at Screen Junkies), Krystle Vermes (Breaking news editor at Inside, B2B marketing news reporter, host of the "All Day Paranormal" podcast), and Susmita Baral (editor at Inside, recent bylines in NatGeo, Teen Vogue, and Quartz. Runs the biggest mac and cheese account on Instagram).


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Bic has finally unveiled the Bic M1, a new mechanical pencil with a 4.4-inch wide nib, and a new line of premium mechanical pencil models.
The new Bic mechanical pens, which come with a Bic-branded Bic Micro Mechanical Pen and Bic Bic Electronic Mechanical Pen, will hit the market starting in the fourth quarter of next year.
The BicM1 will feature a 7-point, 8-gram nib with a 1.4 mm tip.
Bic says the Bics Bic micro mechanical pencil will offer “the same precision, precision and precision you’d find on a Bics pencil.”
The new mechanical pen has a 5-layer structure and weighs just under 1.5 ounces.
The pen features a 4-in-1 design, including a metal clip for attachment to a BIC M1.
Bics has also added an optional clip to the back of the BICM1.
A “bic” logo is on the pen, and the Bisto logo on the nib is also part of the design.
The company says the new mechanical pens are the culmination of the company’s partnership with Apple and Samsung.
“We’re excited to be working with Apple on the Biscuits app,” Bic CEO and co-founder Tim Clements said in a statement.
“The Biscuit app lets you share notes with friends and family on your favorite platforms, and Biscuests Bic is one of our most popular products.
We’re working hard to make Bic even more useful to you.”
Bic launched its Bic electronic mechanical pencil in 2017, and since then it has released an increasing number of high-quality mechanical pencil designs, which have gained popularity with customers.
Earlier this year, Bic introduced the Bikon mechanical pencil that can be used to sketch, edit, and create digital drawings.
The current lineup of Bic products includes the Bizpen, Bistol, Bixby, and Mini.


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US confirms program to protect domestic semiconductor IP
Washington has unveiled its new Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program, which will speed up patent applications for semiconductor manufacturing innovations.
The Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) says the aim of the scheme is to fast track the examination of IP applications relating to 'processes and apparatuses for manufacturing semiconductor devices, will be advanced out of turn for examination (accorded special status) until a first action'.
The USPTO will begin accepting petitions to participate in the program today (Friday, December 1, 2023). The pilot program will be available until December 2, 2024, or until the USPTO accepts 1,000 grantable petitions.
“Fast tracking examination of patent applications related to semiconductor device manufacturing speeds bringing key innovations to market and strengthens our nation's supply chain,” said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “From innovations in phones to cars to other everyday devices, our goal with this program is to get more cutting-edge technologies into the hands of consumers faster while reducing our dependence on the foreign supply of semiconductor chips.”


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Officials from the price supervision and anti-monopoly bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission found 360buy.com, Suning Appliance and Gome Electrical Appliances to have manipulated prices and cheated consumers after numerous complaints, the Beijing News reported yesterday.
The NDRC said the retailers did not commit to the price cuts after its random check of 15 appliances sold by them showed they still have a gross profit margin between 4 percent and 22.43 percent rather than "zero profit" as they had claimed, the newspaper said. Some products were also out of stock.
The NDRC has sent three teams to the companies and investigations "are still under way," according to the planning agency.
In response to the allegations, online vendor 360buy yesterday apologized for failing to deliver on its price-cut promise.
Suning yesterday admitted there were management defects during its promotion campaign and promised to improve.
Suning and Gome joined the price war launched by 360buy CEO Liu Qiangdong after he said he will seek "zero profit" on home appliances sold at 360buy.
2.国家发改委：National Development and Reform Commission


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Calls for Amazon investigation over alleged privacy breach
A group of American lawmakers and child-advocacy groups are accusing Amazon (AMZN) of breaking a privacy law that protects children. A year ago, Amazon launched a smart speaker specifically for kids, the Echo Dot Kids Edition. The launch came after a National Public Radio study showed most households are purchasing smart speakers to entertain children.
According to The Wall Street Journal, lawmakers and advocacy groups want the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Amazon Amazon for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act with the Echo Dot Kids Edition because it doesn’t allow parents to delete children’s private information captured by the device.
Sign up for Bagels & Stox, our witty take on the top market and investment news, straight to your inbox! Whether you’re a serious investor or just want to be informed, Bagels & Stox will be your favorite email.
$23.3 billion up for grabs in the smart speaker market
Amazon is the world’s top smart speaker company in terms of market share. It held 35.5% of the smart speaker market at the end of 2018, while Google (GOOGL), Alibaba (BABA), and Baidu (BIDU) held 30%, 7.3%, and 5.7%, respectively, according to Strategy Analytics.
ResearchandMarkets estimates that the global smart speaker market was valued at $4.4 billion in 2017, and forecasts it to exceed $23.3 billion by 2025. This attractive revenue opportunity is making the market crowded. Keen to grow its hardware business and diversify outside its core advertising industry, Facebook (FB) has also ventured into the smart speaker market—it launched Portal last year, a smart speaker with video-calling capabilities.


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Recently, they introduced the latest generation of the Cinturato P7 line-up. The focal points of the development were safety, reliability, efficiency, and increased performance.
This was aided by feedback from premium car manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Alfa Romeo, or Jaguar, which all rolled out the factory gates many cars fitted with earlier generation P7s.
The new tires feature pioneering technologies that sort out some age-old issues that appear due to low road temperature and extreme weather conditions, like poor grip, aquaplaning and longer braking distances.
Pirelli’s new and innovative thread compound is made out materials that can change their characteristics due to ambient temperature. That means constant grip, precise handling, and reliability regardless of how hot or cold it is outside.
The new tire improves on its predecessor stellar dry road grip and has far better handling in wet conditions while also reducing the risk of aquaplaning. This makes it a lot safer on wet roads than the earlier generation.
Due to these innovations, the new compound is also offering grater mechanical resistance and better grip in multiple driving situations. The thread pattern and the tire were designed to deliver optimal balance on the road and reduce the heat usually generated by the tires.
This leads to an improvement in resistance absorption and durability, which means decreased tire wear and more miles than usual can be covered with a set of these tires. The manufacturer claims an overall 6% increase in tire lifespan from earlier generations.
These improvements also result in a lighter tire, which in turns translates into lower fuel consumption, making the new Cinturato P7 a more efficient and environmentally friendly and Pirelli’s first ‘Green Performance’ tire.
Braking distances are also reduced by perfecting the thread pattern alongside the world’s biggest car manufacturers to work in cooperation with the car’s electronics, making the tires more effective. Pirelli estimates a reduction in braking distance between 7% and 10% when braking from 60 mph (97 kph) and bringing the car to a stop.
Being marketed for premium vehicles means that the comfort characteristics of the tires are as important as performance and safety. With that in mind, the Italian rubber specialists also improved both ride and acoustic comfort in the new tire.
It’s now more silent and feels better on bumpy roads than the first generation.The noise canceling system features a sound absorbing device applied to the inside circumferential wall of the tire, reducing noise by 50%.
Apart from the revolutionary materials used, the Cinturato P7 comes with all cutting-edge Pirelli technologies like the ‘Seal Inside’ puncture protection layer that prevents the tire from losing pressure in case of an accident. A choice or ‘Run Flat’ construction is also available, making the tires almost bulletproof.
The Cinturato P7 comes in sizes ranging from 15” to 20” and is not the cheapest tire in its category, but with the technologies is utilizes and the vast improvements in safety, handling, durability, comfort and efficiency it should be a top choice for even the most demanding drivers.


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Cigar Club Mareva proudly announces the opening of its newest club and lounge, Mareva Pristina, situated in the heart of Pristina, Kosovo. This marks the fourth addition to the esteemed Mareva family, following the success of its flagship club in Split, Croatia, as well as branches in Tallinn, Estonia, and Beirut, Lebanon.
The grand opening of Mareva Pristina took place this September, amidst an atmosphere of celebration and camaraderie. Distinguished guests, including renowned cigar passionado Rocky Patel, graced the occasion, with Marko Bilic, the founder of Club Mareva, extending his congratulations remotely. Last week, the festivities continued as Marko Bilic himself joined the celebration in person, commending Visar Rexhepi, the founder of Club Mareva Pristina, and Trim Gashi, the partner and manager of Mareva Pristina, for their dedication and vision.
The event saw the presence of esteemed personalities such as Jeremy Casdagli, the producer of Casdagli Club Mareva line of cigars, Ferit Raat, an honorable member of Club Mareva from Turkey, and Dimitry Mirchev, the Mareva ambassador for Kosovo and Albania. Guests were treated to an unforgettable evening filled with live music and the opportunity to savor the exclusive Club Mareva Especial cigar. Additionally, guests had the pleasure of indulging in the Rocky Patel LB1 cigar, emblematic of Rocky Patel’s membership to Club Mareva Pristina opening and partnership with CSWC.
Marko Bilic expressed his gratitude to all attendees and pledged to enhance the cigar community experience in Kosovo and Pristina with a series of forthcoming activities and engagements.


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The looters assaulted with crow bars and also screw cutters.
They burst shops in the Fordham community of the Bronx till they pertained to 2 glass doors side-by-side. The door to the left caused a tattoo shop, the one to the right to a watch and also precious jewelry shop. They shattered the best door and also eluded around the sharp glass teeth left along the sides.
Inside, they discovered a prize situation full of silver and gold watches and also notebook computer. They turned once again, sending out glass flying. They got what they might quickly, missing out on a number of watches in the back. After that they got to above and also took down display screens of ruby pendants, jewelry, arm bands and also rings.
They were lengthy passed the moment the shopkeeper, Francisco Araujo, showed up hrs later Tuesday to locate his family members organisation gutted. By his matter, he shed $150,000 of goods. Just a shelf of gaudy Tee shirts with alcohol consumption and also sex phrases was left.
Mr. Araujo claimed he was simply starting to obtain his life back after the coronavirus took off throughout New york city greater than 2 months earlier and also services like his, which were thought about inessential, were required to shut. He was preparing to resume following week when the state’s stay-at-home order was raised. Currently, he does not understand exactly how he can.
” I’m 100 percent with individuals that are objecting for justice, yet is this justice?” Mr. Araujo claimed. “You’re eliminating me.”
The robbery that appeared in New york city throughout demonstrations over the fatality of George Floyd has actually struck numerous shops, consisting of Macy’s’ flagship store in Herald Square and Nike and Coach stores in Manhattan. But in the Bronx, many of the victims were not brand-name retailers but small businesses owned by immigrants and minorities who were already in free fall from the coronavirus.
The Bronx, the city’s poorest borough, with 1.4 million residents, has been the hardest hit by the health crisis: It has the highest rates of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
The economic fallout has shut down stores, restaurants and businesses, and left thousands of people out of work. The unemployment rate for the Bronx soared to 16.5 percent in April from 4.7 percent in February, compared with 14.6 percent for New York City as a whole.
The looting has left a trail of smashed doors and windows, wiped out shelves, and shattered hopes for recovery along the Grand Concourse, one of the Bronx’s signature thoroughfares. It also tore up stores on Fordham Road and Burnside Avenue, two popular shopping corridors. Many of these businesses were already struggling before the looting, with no income coming in to cover their rent and expenses.
“These aren’t large franchise businesses — these are small, mom-and-pop stores that are barely getting by,” said State Assemblyman Victor M. Pichardo, a Democrat, who represents the area. “The looters who came in attempted to destroy a very important and vital part of the Bronx.”
Mr. Pichardo said he saw the damage for himself on Burnside Avenue early Tuesday morning. “Burnside was a war zone,” he said. “There was trash everywhere. Fires were just put out. Businesses had been raided.”
He headed over to Fordham Road. It was bad, too.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president, and other Bronx officials, community leaders and residents gathered at a noisy intersection on Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse to condemn the looting and call for peaceful protests. Many of them helped sweep up debris and consoled business owners.
Nearby, Black Lives Matter demonstrators handed out food and water.
“What happened was a direct assault on what we’re trying to accomplish,” Mr. Diaz said. “What happened last night was not a protest. What happened was criminal.”
The prior night’s mayhem and looting brought out a heavy police presence across the city on Tuesday night, and some store owners posted security guards out front, or in some case, hunkered down inside themselves for a long night of keeping watch.
It turned out to be mostly quiet in the Bronx, though there were reports of a few break-ins there and in other parts of the city. But it was too late for the stores and businesses that had already been wiped out on Monday night.
The looters helped themselves to jewelry, sneakers and designer clothing. At bodegas and pharmacies, they made off with lottery tickets, sodas, candy and toilet paper, among many other items.
At Good Life Pharmacy, the looters punched holes in the front door and window. The owner, George Yirenkyi, was home when it happened but rushed over when he saw the looters on the store’s security camera. “We just couldn’t stop them,” said Mr. Yirenkyi, 58, an immigrant from Ghana.
He opened the pharmacy eight years ago and has 10 workers, all of whom live in the Bronx. “I can’t describe it — all your investment, all the years you’ve invested in it,” he said. “You think about all your employees, and now there’s no work.”
A few doors over, Ten Chen, 39, cried as he recounted how his liquor store was ransacked. An employee hid in the bathroom and called him at home. Mr. Chen called 911, but he said it took too long to get through. The store’s security camera caught dozens of people drinking and smashing bottles, ripping down shelves and grabbing money from the register.
“They go inside and take anything they want,” said Mr. Chen, an immigrant from China. “They broke everything.”
Another business owner, Stephen Mensah, said the looters trashed the pharmacy he opened three years ago, shattering his dream for a better life along with the display cases. “You work toward your goals,” said Mr. Mensah, 57, who immigrated from Ghana in 1988. “We thought we were getting there.”
In the Fordham and Morris Heights neighborhoods in the West Bronx, there were sheets of plywood where window displays should have been. Doors were broken. Piles of sharp glass were scattered on sidewalks and streets.
Store owners and workers picked through what was left of their businesses, like shellshocked survivors returning to inspect the damage after a tornado.
Some owners said they had allowed their business insurance to lapse during the shutdown, while other owners said they had insurance but were unsure whether the looting would be covered.
Geraldine White, 64, a Bronx resident, walked up to a hair braiding shop with plywood over the window. She taped up a handwritten sign: “Black Lives Matter But Please Don’t Loot.” Next to it, someone else had put up a photograph of George Floyd.
“I’m sticking it here to ask people, please don’t loot. It doesn’t make any sense,” Ms. White said. “You should demonstrate for the right reasons.”
Mr. Araujo, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, said he has to reopen his watch and jewelry store, Cibao Multiservices, to support his five children and eight employees. But he did not yet know where to start.
“We have to fix the store and we’re not making money,” said Mr. Araujo, 45, as he paced back and forth, a cigar in hand.
Shattered glass carpeted the store floor, making a crunching sound like gravel when walked on. Outside, a contractor was sawing a plywood plank.
Mr. Araujo said he was appalled by the police brutality that had ignited the protests in New York and around the world. And he supported the protests but not the looting that followed.
“Black lives matter, all lives matter, but what about my life, my family’s life?” he asked. “My family’s life matters. You cannot justify doing something wrong because something wrong happened.”


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E. coli is one of the deadliest forms of food poisoning. Once contracted, it can cause kidney failure, seizures, and even breathing problems. Swallowing a small amount of E. coli, even just a bite, can lead to a severe bacterial infection.
So, when a New Jersey Panera Bread restaurant started receiving complaints of E. coliillnesses just last month, it led to a growing concern that there was something really wrong happening. Then, more and more states began to have reports of similar illnesses. Another outbreak linked to romaine was discovered.
The Worst E. coli Outbreak in Over a Decade
The statistics are showing that this is worst E. coli outbreak since 2006, when contaminated spinach from a California farm killed three people and sickened 205 others in 26 states.
As of last week, the outbreak has been spread to over 29 states and has made over 149 people sick. Over 17 people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) as a result of this outbreak. And one person in California has already died. And the case counts only continue to grow. As it takes several days (2-10 days) for E. coli infections to show symptoms and about 2-3 weeks for cases to be reported and linked to an outbreak, it is likely more cases are going to be linked.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have linked this outbreak to contaminated romaine lettuce, grown in the Yuma region of Arizona. But an actual grower linked to the entire outbreak has yet to be found. Only the Alaska cases have been linked to one specific farm – Harrison Farms. The lack of information about a specific source had paralyzed lettuce growers in Arizona and California.
A New Jersey woman has already filed a lawsuit toward Panera Bread. Several other lawsuits have also been filed. Two other restaurant chains have also been linked to the outbreak – Red Lobster and Texas Roadhouse.
Warnings from the CDC
The CDC has warned others: “Before purchasing romaine lettuce at a grocery store or eating it at a restaurant, confirm with the store or restaurant that it is not chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region. If you cannot confirm the source of the romaine lettuce, do not buy it or eat it.”
The CDC has advised the food industry to continue to be vigilant, despite no recall initiation by the Food and Drug Association. The CDC states “Do not serve or sell any romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region. This includes whole heads and hearts of romaine, chopped romaine, baby romaine, organic romaine, and salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce. Restaurants and retailers should ask their suppliers about the source of their romaine lettuce.”
Some companies, like McDonald’s, have voluntarily stopped serving salads in the midst of the outbreak,
How to Know If You Have Been Infected With E. coli
Not all forms of E. coli bacteria are harmful. Most varieties of E. coli are actually very harmless. The nasty strains can cause serious health problems. One type is E. coli O157:H7. If infected, you will suffer severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, and even bloody diarrhea.
Contamination mostly comes from water or food. Raw vegetables need to be checked properly. Undercooked ground beef needs to be cooked properly. If you are very young or a senior citizen, you will be at a greater risk of developing a severe form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) upon infection. Specific groups of E. coli (STEC E. coli for instance) can damage your small intestine. This turns into a bloody diarrhea.
Here are some examples of ways someone becomes infected with E. coli:
Who Is More at Risk of Developing Serious Health Problems from E. coli?
If you are a young child or an older adult you are more at risk of getting a serious kidney infection. This is because when you are young your body is still developing and when you are old your body is declining in strength. Either can put your immune system at risk.
Your immune system also plays a factor into how well you will be able to take an infection. A weak immune system is more susceptible to falling gravely ill. If you have AIDS, cancer, or take any medications with weakening side effects, there is a higher chance that you can become seriously ill.
By: Sue Giplaye, Contributing Writer (Non-Lawyer)


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The Volcom stone is plastered everywhere. The President Richard Woolcott, despite the company's success, still lives in a trailer in front of his favorite surf spot in Laguna Beach. The company was born in Woolcott's bedroom in Newport Beach in 1991. He's known as Wooly in the industry.
The founder and owner of the world’s leading snowboarding company, Jake Burton’s name is
synonymous with snowboarding. Jake’s influence on the sport of snowboarding is unrivaled.
Since 1977, his company has supported the best riders in the world and created snowboarding
gear that sets the standards for the rest of the industry. This season, Jake is embarking on a new
adventure. He and his family plan to follow winter around the globe for ten months, snowboarding
on six continents and testing plenty of Burton products along the way.


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By Kimberly Chin
Autodesk Inc. said profit rose in the third quarter as sales climbed 13% due to strong demand for cloud-based offerings as the Covid-19 pandemic continued to spur remote working.
The software services company's net profit was $132.2 million, or 59 cents a share, up from $66.7 million, or 30 cents a share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were $1.04 a share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected an adjusted profit of 96 cents a share.
Revenue rose to $952.4 million from $842.7 million a year ago. Analysts were looking for $943.3 million.
Operating expenses increased 7.4% from a year earlier to $700.7 million while costs rose 5.3% to $83.7 million.
Write to Kimberly Chin at email@example.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 24, 2020 16:30 ET (21:30 GMT)Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.


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“This is really the first time we’re going to help you monetize on mobile,” says Zuckerberg and it’s big news.
Facebook is now officially in the mobile ad network biz. They call it Facebook’s Audience Network and it’s all about putting third party ads on mobile apps.
The Audience Network uses the same targeting as regular Facebook ads. Actually, it uses the same everything as regular Facebook ads, all you have to do to include the new mobile option is check another box. You can create a banner ad, an interstitial, even a native ad if you want to blend in with the scenery.
Rather watch than read? Here’s a nifty video that shows you how it works:


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French new car sales rose 6.3% in June, the second consecutive monthly rise after nearly a year of steady declines, pointing to a modest recovery in one of Europe’s worst-hit auto markets, according to Reuters.
French automakers’ association CCFA reportedly said in a statement new car registrations in June totalled 217,799 units compared with 204,946 a year earlier.
On an underlying basis – assuming the same number of working days in June versus the year-ago-period – sales fell 3.4%. There were 22 working days in June this year compared with 20 in June 2003, the report noted.
“In showing a better performance than in June 2002 and June 2003, June 2004 underscores the return to stability in the French auto market already observed in May,” the CCFA reportedly said.
In May, French new car sales rose 4.8%, the first underlying rise in almost a year, and, for the first-half of the year, new car sales slipped 0.1% to 1,067,840 units versus 1,069,160 a year ago Reuters said.
Renault saw sales rise 12% in June thanks to popular new models, while sales at rival PSA Peugeot-Citroen fell 2%, the news agency added.


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Amazon has just released a new font called Ember Bold for the Kindle Oasis, Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Voyage. This new typeface will give older readers and people with vision problems an opportunity to have the text in an e-book a little bit bolder, resulting in a smoother reading experience.
One of the biggest complaints that people with vision problems had with the Amazon Kindle line of e-readers is that regular weight fonts difficult to read. This has resulted in many users switching to Kobo e-readers, which have more versatility in font selection and allow for the importing of custom fonts. Others have elected to download specific apps for their smartphones and tablets. It looks like Amazon has just solved one of the biggest lingering issues with the advent of Ember Bold.
You should get the 5.87 firmware update pushed out to your Kindle e-reader within the next couple of days via WIFI. Once the update is installed you merely have to open up an e-book and select the new font from the dropdown menu.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times.


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Many of our readers have been wondering if they can use the medical marijuana card they got in their home state when they go to visit Las Vegas or somewhere else in Nevada, and luckily, the answer is yes.
States like Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania let people use their out-of-state medical marijuana card assuming the patient meets the state’s requirements. That means a medical marijuana patient who goes on a business or pleasure trip to somewhere like Vegas isn’t going to have too hard of a time getting their medicine.
That said, at least in Nevada, this has been a contentious issue. Back in July, Nevada’s attorney general said that people coming to Nevada with California doctors’ recommendations should not be able to purchase marijuana in the state.
Attorney General Adam Laxalt wrote a letter to Nevada health department Director Richard Whitley explaining why he disagrees with this policy.
“A recommendation from a California physician ad (sic) a driver’s license from another state cannot be used to obtain medical marijuana from a Nevada dispensary,” the letter said, according to the Las Vegas Sun.
As of now, Nevada businesses appear to be accepting out-of-state cards regardless.
Source: The 420 Times
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With autumn officially arriving next Tuesday, Erie County lawmakers are proposing the use of federal CARES relief money to help establishments set up outdoor dining spaces during the winter months.
Members of the Legislature on Thursday introduced a proposal to set aside up to $1 million to help restaurants acquire equipment and cover costs of labor related to setting up dining shelters outside their walls.
"The concern right now is with our region, we have cold weather that's around the corner. It's coming really soon. And there's only so many restaurants right now that have the outdoor dining space that can be utilized with the weather," said Legislator Frank Todaro. "We’re lucky that we had a great season. But the cold weather's coming. With that, many restaurants cannot actually function without heaters, without any enhancements that are required to keep their business open, to keep the capacity at a level that they can sustain to keep their doors open."
It's unknown how many restaurants may come forward. Todaro says according to the National Restaurant Association, 90 percent of restaurants are barely meeting their financial commitments. The fear is that with cold weather looming, some restaurants that are already in a state of limbo may never reopen.
During an appearance at a tourism-related news conference in Buffalo Thursday, Osteria 166 owner Nick Pitillo spoke of the impact the pandemic has left on his establishment.
"My business is down almost 65 percent," he said. "But every morning, I get up and I fight, I fight for my family. I fight for my business. I fight for my team. Frankly, I fight alongside all of us."
County lawmakers say the ability to use CARE dollars would give many restaurants a fighting chance as they continue to comply with social distancing rules heading into cooler weather.
Todaro says the proposal is now in the hands of the Poloncarz Administration, but within the Legislature there are signs of unity in getting it passed. So, how soon before they might act?
"We just made a statement today that we want to get this conversation moving along quicker than scheduled," he replied. "So it looks like in a couple weeks here, we're going to be talking about this."


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Xiaomi Mi A2 launch is set for August 8. Ahead of its official debut, Mi A2 has been listed on Amazon India. The listing also mentions that Mi A2 will be exclusive to the e-commerce site and users can click on the ‘Notify me’ option to get notifications when the Mi A2 become available. The camera and processor specifications of the Android One phone have also been mentioned on the dedicated page. Xiaomi Mi A2 India launch was confirmed on Twitter by Manu Kumar Jain, the company’s Vice President and Managing Director for Xiaomi India.
Xiaomi Mi A2 comes with Android One branding with regular software updates promised for the next two years. The phone runs a stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi has confirmed to indianexpress.com that Mi A2 will support Qualcomm QuickCharge 4.0 exclusively in India. This is in contrast to the Europe and other markets, where Xiaomi Mi A2 will support QuickCharge 3.0. Mi A2 price in India will likely be close to Rs 20,000. Mi A2 will come in three colour options: Black, Gold and Blue.
Xiaomi Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite were launched at an event in Madrid on July 24. Xiaomi has said that Mi A2 Lite is not coming to the Indian market for now. Though Mi A2 is available in three storage variants, it looks like only 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model will make it to India. Of course, we will have to wait for an official launch to know more. Xiaomi Mi A2 was launched in Spain in three storage variants – 4GB RAM/32GB memory, 4GB RAM/64GB memory, and 6GB RAM/128GB memory.
Xiaomi Mi A2 gets a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a screen aspect ratio of 18:9 and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It sports a metal unibody design and the display is covered by a 2.5D curved glass. Mi A2 is powered by the Snapdragon 660 processor and it is backed by a 3010mAh battery. The phone comes with 12MP+20MP dual-rear cameras with each sensor having a f/1.75 aperture. It sports a 20MP selfie camera with AI portrait mode.