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On today's episode, we discuss what "going back to the office" may actually mean, the dawn of “tiered-access journalism,” video safe havens for brands, possible surges in travel plans, Facebook's new video speed dating app called Sparked, why the Rubik's Cube was invented, and more. Tune in to listen to the discussion with eMarketer principal analysts Jillian Ryan and Jeremy Goldman, and analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch.
The excitement over social audio is palpable, judging by the number of companies building out apps or features to support it, and by the number of news reports and opinion columns covering it (our own “Clubhouse and Social Audio 2021” report included). But any marketer that’s active in social media should weigh the drawbacks of entering social audio right now. Here are some key issues to consider before jumping on board.
Where in the world do people use social media the most?
The social audio craze continues: Reddit is the latest platform reportedly considering the rollout of Clubhouse-like audio features.
Taking the pulse of Gen Z: The new Piper Sandler survey of US teens captured TikTok’s continued dominance over Instagram, the growth of Chinese ecommerce marketplace Shein, and the rising interest in secondhand retail.
Black History Month is an important time of year for Martell Cognac. This year, the Pernod Ricard spirits brand took its activism and community involvement work to Clubhouse, hosting a series of conversations with Karen Civil, a creator and digital marketing strategist with more than 1 million followers on Clubhouse. Pernod Ricard’s Stroud shared how the brand developed the idea and what it learned by using Clubhouse.
On today's episode, we discuss Facebook letting users choose how their News Feed looks, Clubhouse adding tipping, tech giants betting people are ready for augmented reality (AR) glasses, making the most of "micromoments," Apple making a car, what happens when you look down at your phone while walking, and more. Tune in to listen to the discussion with eMarketer analysts Nina Goetzen and Blake Droesch, and senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Sara M. Watson.
A new way to shop: Snapchat is reportedly planning to integrate fashion recommendation app Screenshop into the platform to help spur users to make purchases through the social video app.
In Q1 2021, Facebook and Twitter both made big moves to defend their beliefs about news and politics on their respective platforms.
TikTok and IPG Mediabrands tap creators: The partnership brings creators into the early stages of the campaign creation process, something that’s likely to become common as creators become even more important for short-video marketing.
Facebook continues its pivot to video
Instagram for kids draws government scrutiny: Two US senators and two US representatives made their skepticism very clear in a statement regarding the company's new plan to roll out an Instagram for kids.
Tipping comes to Clubhouse: The social audio app will now let users tip hosts, likely a play to keep creators on the platform as they’re in danger of being poached by bigger players like Twitter and Twitch.
Facebook targets streamers: The company launched a new dynamic ad solution tailored for companies promoting their streaming services and associated movies and shows.
Where is Clubhouse most popular?
On today's episode, we discuss the different ways brands might get involved on social audio apps like Clubhouse, what kind of Summer Olympics we can expect this year, common ad tactics that are alienating people, America's payments revolution, how retailers are using Facebook Shops, what we know and don't know about the ocean, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analysts Jeremy Goldman, Nicole Perrin, and Debra Aho Williamson.
LinkedIn joins the race against Clubhouse: The platform is the latest to announce its own live social audio feature. It could stand out in the audio wars by focusing more heavily on structured events like conferences and webinars, which would also help it attract B2B marketers.
Facebook is making it simpler to curate News Feeds: The platform has clarified tools, streamlined access to information about how its algorithms work, and gave users the option to choose how content is shown to them.
Twitter will let brands advertise alongside wholesome content: The platform is rolling out a series of topics that brands can sponsor in a separate space from more sensitive content.
Spotify takes on Clubhouse: The company is entering the live social audio space with its Locker Room acquisition—but Spotify is still primarily a listening-focused app, which could hurt its ability to compete against social-focused competitors.


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Twitter on Tuesday rolled out new advertising features and revamped the algorithm that decides which ads users see as part of an effort to lay the groundwork for rollout of future e-commerce features, the social networking company told Reuters.
The new features come as Twitter looks to grow its performance advertising business, a strategy aimed at generating quick sales that made up only 15 percent of Twitter’s business last year. The effort could help Twitter meet its goal of doubling its annual revenue by 2023.
The San Francisco-based company is positioning itself to eventually enable brands to sell products through the service by first improving its ability to display relevant advertisements to users and increasing the likelihood that they will click on the advertisement.
“Performance advertising is a very big opportunity … that is relatively untapped for us,” said Kamara Benjamin, Group Product Manager at Twitter, in an interview. “Ultimately, this will lead people to install apps, visit websites, and find products that suit their needs.”
Advertisements promoting downloads for mobile games and other apps, which are a major type of advertisement on social media sites, now allow users to start the download without leaving the Twitter app, the company said Tuesday in a blog post. Previously, users had to leave Twitter to download other apps.
Twitter added it was working on new tools that companies could use to advertise to find customers who are more likely to make in-app purchases.
Multi-product slideshow ads can now direct users to different websites when they click the ad, while brands previously could only select one target. This increased the number of clicks on advertising campaigns that were aimed at increasing website visits by 25 percent, the company said.
Twitter also improved the advertising algorithm, showing the advertising to a wider audience at the beginning of the campaign so that it could better measure user interest, Benjamin said.
These algorithm improvements resulted in a 36 percent increase in ad campaigns that received at least five downloads during the period the ad ran on Twitter, the company said.
© Thomson Reuters 2021

domain: news


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Facebook has been striving to do more in the VR sector and will soon launch its Horizon service in 2020. The last step taken by Facebook in the VR area is the acquisition of Beat Games. We will see in the following days whether this is related to Horizon or not.
Facebook’s AR/VR Content Manager Mike Verdu said that Facebook’s acquisition of Beat Games is just the beginning. Facebook can acquire the world’s best VR companies and their products by offering them absurd amounts of Facebook stock. The number of VR companies in the world to reject such an offer, we think, is not more than the fingers of a hand.
Facebook acquired Oculus VR in 2014. Since then, it’s been working hard to create hardware and research teams, and now they produce qualified products such as Oculus Quest and new features such as hand tracking and Oculus Link. All this effort and money was spent in order not to fall behind companies like Google, Microsoft and Apple. Now Facebook has to take right steps in their new projects and win the next round in order to be among these companies.
Horizon is a new service of Facebook where you will control your character with hand gestures and controls, communicate with people and navigate different places. This virtual world, announced to be launched in 2020, will allow you to meet your friends, participate in various events and play games. The application has such a unique mechanic that it will even get rid of the legs so that it doesn’t weigh on your character!
According to Facebook spokespersons Oculus ID will be used to access the application. But you’ll still need a Facebook account to connect to the system. The reason for this is to prevent security problems and to communicate with your Facebook friends in the application.
Keep following us for the latest mobile marketing news in the industry!


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Application security startup ArmorCode raises $14M from Ballistic Ventures
Application security operations startup ArmorCode Inc. today announced that it has secured $14 million in new funding.
The Series A round was led by Ballistic Ventures, which also included Sierra Ventures, Cervin Ventures and several individual investors. The new funding brings Armorcode total venture capital raised to $25 million, including an $8 million round in January.
Founded in 2020, ArmorCode aims to transform AppSec into a scalable and cost-effective process, making applications secure by delivery. The company’s platform consolidates application security tooling, streamlines application security processes, increases business agility and improves developer productivity to help companies take charge of increasingly complicated application security environments.
The company’s platform seeks to address the issue in which many organizations prioritize speed over security when releasing software. Businesses prioritizing shipping applications leads to many applications launching without the necessary security checks and leaves organizations vulnerable. ArmorCode says its platform solves this problem by delivering a unified view into customers’ AppSec posture, vulnerability and compliance management, and DevSecOps workflow automation.
The ArmorCode platform includes application security posture management which simplifies AppSec operations by providing a centralized view of all security findings across application and infrastructure security. The platform offers a streamlined continuous integration/continuous deployment pipeline and DevSecOps orchestration for tighter collaboration between developers and AppSec engineers.
The service also offers Continuous Compliance with industry-standard compliance regimes, including SOC2, GDPR, FedRAMP and OWASP Top 10, among others.
“The need for applications to ship fast, ship secure and compliant has become more critical than ever,” Nikhil Gupta, chief executive officer and co-founder of ArmorCode, said in a statement. “This funding and being able to close it in only two weeks provides further evidence of the importance of improving AppSec and breaking down the silos separating development, security and operations.
Since launching out of stealth in May 2021, Armorcode says it has seen strong growth, including seven-figure annual recurring revenue and customers that include Fortune 100 enterprises.
A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:
Show your support for our mission by joining our Cube Club and Cube Event Community of experts. Join the community that includes Amazon Web Services and Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy, Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and many more luminaries and experts.
We really want to hear from you, and we’re looking forward to seeing you at the event and in theCUBE Club.


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Fisheries legacy to continue as management share changes
SUPPORTING local fishermen will be a renewed focus of Fisheries on the Spit under De Brett Seafood boss Gary Heilmann, who increased his 50% share to 100% on December 31 after Sandy Wood-Meredith announced plans to retire.
Mr Heilmann said the Mooloolaba fish shop would otherwise stay the same.
"We don't want to interfere with what's a good operation," he said.
All staff in the business would be retained, and the establishment's successful approach to providing quality fresh seafood for loyal local customers and tourists alike would continue.
De Brett Seafood owns the lease for the two adjacent premises on Parkyn Pde, as well as the wharf directly behind both shops.
Mr Heilmann said discount seafood prices continued to be unlikely, even though it was sold almost directly from the wharf, because fierce competition meant he had to pay fishers top dollar.
Local prices would remain "on par" with those in Sydney and Melbourne, he said.


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Consumer Confidence Index Drops
U.S. consumer confidence fell more sharply than expected in February as Americans took a dimmer view of the economy mainly because of a dearth of new jobs, a report published Tuesday said.
The Conference Board, a private research firm, said its index of consumer confidence dropped to 87.3 in February from a downwardly revised 96.4 in January. Economists had forecast a drop to 92.5. February’s reading was the lowest since October.
“People are not happy. The big problem is the jobs situation. The lack of jobs has people scared,” said David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor’s in New York. “When people are scared they don’t spend money, and the consumer has been the mainstay of this economy.”
At the same time, people’s spending tends to be more influenced by their income than by their confidence, he added.
Indeed, even as the Conference Board’s report showed confidence in the economic outlook wavering, two reports earlier on Tuesday on chain-store sales showed that consumer spending remained healthy.
The International Council of Shopping Centers and investment firm UBS reported that sales at U.S. chain stores fell 0.2% in the week ended Feb. 21, though in a year-over-year comparison, sales climbed to their best level in nearly five years.
The second report from research group Redbook said that the Presidents Day holiday helped increase U.S. chain-store sales, especially for department stores, by 5.6% on a year-over-year basis for the week ended Feb. 21. February sales were up 1% compared with January, Redbook said.
In the confidence report, the number of consumers saying that jobs were hard to get rose in February to 32.1%, up from January’s 31.6%.
Consumers’ view of the future also deteriorated, taking the expectations index down to 96.8 from 107.8, while the present-situation index declined to 73.1 from 79.4.


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Expansion scheme at Kingsway Business Park
Construction has started on 11 new industrial units at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale ranging in size from 3,000 sq ft to 15,500 sq ft.
The speculative development - called Logic@Kingsway - will be completed in March 2019 and will offer occupiers small units to rent next to J21 of the M62.
Posted by Aahmed on 29 Jun 2018 at 13:22
Relaxing reflexology gets a foothold in Rochdale
A solution for stressed out office workers may have been found in Rochdale – after massage therapist and reflexologist Michelle Mills moved to Globe House business centre in the town.
It’s proved to be a great move for Michelle, after deciding to open her own premises earlier this year. She...
Posted by Aahmed on 29 Jun 2018 at 13:19
A measure of business success as council industrial units fill up
The 1st of 40 new industrial units to help growing businesses in Rochdale have been snapped up, bringing 15 new jobs into the borough.
The 7 units in Dodgson Street are now home to a variety of different businesses, including a company selling fruit gifts, an internet trader, a kitchen manufacturer and a...
Posted by Aahmed on 27 Jun 2018 at 10:07
Sitting pretty: new furniture store opens with council help
It’s so-fa so good for the new Heywood furniture business, Simpson Furniture, which has just opened its doors at Church Place.
Owners, Karen and Gary Simpson chose Rochdale after the council furnished them with support, including a £5,000 start-up grant and 80 per cent off their business rates during their first...
Posted by Aahmed on 15 Jun 2018 at 11:13
On the right track: new Rochdale link road boosts train station access
Rochdale’s excellent transport links have moved up a gear, with the opening of a new link road to connect Oldham Road and Rochdale railway station.
The £300,000 Lincoln Street link , which was funded by the GMCA, means easier access to the borough’s major railway station and car park from...
Posted by Aahmed on 1 Jun 2018 at 13:51
Town Hall Square shaping up for £3m revamp
Town Hall Square is set to undergo a massive redevelopment as part of plans to put it at the centre of a transformed public realm in the heart of Rochdale.
The news comes just weeks after the first stage of a major £8.9m Heritage Lottery Fund bid was approved for...
Posted by Aahmed on 30 May 2018 at 09:36
Council kickstarts Drake Street regeneration with celebration event
The revival of one of Rochdale’s most famous historic shopping streets has moved a step closer, following the official launch of the Heritage Action Zone project in the town centre.
The project will see Historic England work with the council to redevelop Drake Street and its surrounding areas over...
Posted by Aahmed on 17 May 2018 at 15:00
At the double! Ex service personnel bag jobs on Rochdale Riverside scheme
Two ex-members of the armed forces are forging a new career helping to build the new Rochdale after landing jobs at Willmott Dixon, the local contractor building the £80m Rochdale Riverside retail and leisure development.
Carl Herbert and Gary Dearden are both Rochdale born and bred, but their time in...
Posted by Aahmed on 17 May 2018 at 10:00


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On Thursday, General Motors said it will offer an unlimited data plan for more than four million Chevrolet and GM vehicles sold in the United States. The $20 a month data lan will be available through AT&T and within vehicles that are equipped OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Perhaps more importantly, GM says that it has more of these vehicles on the road than any other carmaker in the United States, at least for now.
Of course, the company is hoping that this new plan will boost data subscriptions, reports GM Global Connected Customer Experience and Urban Mobility director of global communications, Vijay Iyer. The company has not, however, disclosed just how many subscribers it currently has.
It is important to recall that OnStar currently offers several plans: $10 a month for 1 gigabyte of data service; $20 a month for 4 gigabytes of data service; or $40 a month for 10 gigabytes of data service.
GM, then, is reporting it will offer a 1-gigabyte plan for $10 a month in addition to its $20 monthly unlimited plan.
GM says that mobile wi-fi hotspots (in cars) have been on the incline since the company launched this service. Furthermore, demand is up roughly 200 percent over demand in 2015. In addition, GM reports that Chevrolet owners/passengers, alone, streamed the rough equivalent of 17.5 million hours of video in 2016.
With that, GM North America and global head of Chevrolet, Alan Batey, comments, “We have contractors bidding jobs in their Silverados, families streaming movies in their Suburbans and Malibus, and everyone tapping into the cloud for music. With the most affordable unlimited 4G LTE data plan in the auto industry, the widest availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and new connected services like OnStar AtYourService, our momentum can only grow.”
Now, Ford has its own system that is similar—SmartLink automotive connectivity, powered by Verizon—but it is not exactly up to par with what Chevy is offering (and is planning to offer). But, of course, that is very likely to change in the coming years as network-ready vehicles continue to grow in popularity and demand.


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Turkey's, strong textile industry, on Far East's radar
by Özge Yavuz
ISTANBULNov 02, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Özge Yavuz
Nov 02, 2015 12:00 am
Turkey is one of the few centers for textile and garment production, and is now under the radar of Far Eastern companies due to its proximity to Europe. House of Pearl Fashions Ltd. - one of the biggest conglomerates in India - has increased its targets for the garment-buying office they opened in Istanbul back in 2011. The holding's CEO, Pallak Seth, said they are willing to turn Istanbul into a buying center along with Hong Kong.
Seth said their office in Turkey has outscored their Far Eastern offices in a short period and Turkey offers everything the textile and garment industry needs, including high-quality production, qualified human resources and design. "We are extremely pleased about the quality of products and production in Turkey. The richness of raw materials and production quality of the plants in Turkey cannot even be compared to those in the Far East," Seth said. He further underlined that in the coming years, Turkey - which is highly valuable due to its proximity to Europe, Africa and the Middle East - is set to become one of the two-biggest buying centers along with Hong Kong - the most important center for the Far East.
Spring Near East Manufacturing, the buying office of House of Pearl Fashions, established four years ago in Turkey, had a turnover of $100 million last year it earned from the sale of garments produced in Turkey to various large textile chains in the U.K., Germany and the Netherlands.
House of Pearl Fashions is a holding company active in 35 countries with headquarters in India. Seth said while the current turnover of the holding is around $1.1 billion, and expressed that soon they will increase their production and buying in Turkey. "The main reason behind achieving such success in Turkey in a short amount of time is the high-quality of production here. Furthermore, design in Turkey is powerful, and we are extremely pleased with our office in Turkey," Seth added.
Seth underscored that when production costs are compared, the difference between Turkey and the Far East is not that great. Moreover, given the quality and the proximity to Europe, he does not think Turkey is unaffordable. Ercan also said they can easily reach their budget targets.


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Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council Lands Major Deal With New Media Partner
Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council and SIIKETV Network (www.siiketv.com)wish to announce their official media partnership; the integration between technology and fashion for the newly developed sector will streamline exchanges between fashion and entertainment within the SIIKETV Network online television (TV) station.
The direct connection between SIIKETV Network and Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council, along with it’s initiatives both in the arts and fashion environment would digitally premier exclusive seasonal Sierra Leone Fashion Week’s events, with a focus on driving positive change as a global provider of content to consumers and businesses around the fashion world across multiple formats, including print, digital, mobile and live events.
“It is my pleasure to announce that Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council’s Sierra Leone Fashion Week, Sierra Leone Next Top Model, Sierra Leone Got Talent will be exclusively stream on SIIKETV Network”. “SIIKETVNetwork is known for its strength in state of the art technology and digital distribution of independent films and creating original contents”. “This partnership offers strong support for our Council,” said Ms. Knox, Founder, President and Executive Director of Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council Inc.
“The digital streaming of Sierra Leone fashion contents provides a wider visibility for the rest of the world to connect with Sierra Leone fashion and arts sector throughout the fashion and entertainment industries”.“SIIKETV Network brings our subscribers a unique experience while enjoying the luxury of SIIKETV,” “Our subscribers love fashion and style and this partnership is a strategic move to not only stream fashion contents but to also showcase the beauty of Sierra Leone culture and talents worldwide,” said Mr. Ibrahim Ibou Koroma of SIIKETV Network.
Sierra Leone Fashion Week Comes to Freetown
The Sierra Leone Fashion Week makes a comeback in Freetown, Sierra Leone for 2017
Freetown, Sierra Leone: In April 2017 the Sierra Leone Fashion and Art Council will be hosting it first Sierra Leone Fashion Week since the Ebola outbreak in 2014. We are very excited to bring this year’s SLFW back to Freetown which will be the foundation of our SLFW tour for this year.
S.L fashion week will feature multitude of designers each with new and innovative fashion styles all which explores the versatility, the talents and cultural heritage of Sierra Leone to the fashion world.
The Sierra Leone Fashion Week is a Fashion franchised platform dedicated to promoting Sierra Leonean brands on a global spectrum and establishing a more diverse culture of fashion throughout the industry in several fashion capitals around the world such as New York, London, Milan and Paris. This year’s first showcase will be hosted in Freetown, Sierra Leone from April 23-27. (See Calendar below).
© 2017 Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council. All Rights Reserved.
Sierra Leone Fashion & Art Council is a non- profit organization with a primary goal to create international opportunities for Sierra Leone in the fashion world, SLFAC is also dedicated to facilitating solutions for businesses to connect with brands using local resources.


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Yanks reward soggy fans with ticket offer
The Yankees rewarded all fans holding valid tickets for Thursday’s game against the Blue Jays and who braved the inclement weather with a free ticket offer.
Fans may redeem their valid Aug. 22, 2013, tickets – regardless of whether they were used to attend the game – for a free Grandstand Level or Terrace Level ticket at Yankee Stadium to any of the games Sept. 2-4 against the White Sox, subject to availability.
Fans may also choose to use Thursday’s valid tickets as a coupon for 50 percent off the purchase price of a ticket in any other non-Suite seating location to one of the games against the White Sox, subject to availability. Please note that the Yankees can only accept tickets with valid bar codes for the game of Aug. 22, 2013.
Tickets may be redeemed or presented as a coupon at Yankee Stadium ticket windows only starting at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23. Windows are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and until two hours after the scheduled starting time of any home game.


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Blog: Coke – you can’t use that word anymore
Olly Wehring | 25 July 2006
Any casual Coca-Cola observer must have noticed that the drinks giant gets more than its fair share of critics. Barely a week goes by without a lawsuit or an accusation targeted at the company.
Coke’s take on the matter? Responding to yet another legal challenge last week, a spokesperson for Coke described the company as an “easy target” for attention-seeking claims.
The latest attack on Coke, however, strikes me as just a shade over the top. The company has come under attack for using the word ‘psycho’ in one of its adverts for new drink Coke Zero. The campaign, which suggests that life would be easier if there were fewer downsides, includes the phrase “blind dates without the psychos”.
Mental health campaigners in Scotland have attacked Coke for their use of the word ‘psycho’, calling it “extremely derogatory” and have claimed it increases the stigma around mental illness. “It is used to trivialise serious mental illness and as a shorthand for horrendous crime,” said the director of campaign group See Me.
“It was never our intention to offend people,” a spokesperson for the company told The Scotsman.
It strikes me that Coke often offends people whether it intends to or not.
Would the thought of working in a morgue stop you from drink driving? ...
You would be forgiven for thinking that the US cider boom is over. Sales growth of as much as 90% in the past few years has shrunk to double figures. ...
The drinks industry could do more to benefit from new technology. ...
The soft drinks world is abuzz today over what an executive shake-up at PepsiCo might mean to on-going speculation over CEO Indra Nooyi's successor....
- Brown-Forman's march on premium whisk(e)y -Comment
- Are consumers getting tired of consuming?
- Where does AB InBev see the future of beer?
- SABMiller in Cent'l & E Europe - What is for sale?
- Interview - Harviestoun Brewery MD Toby Knowles
- Brown-Forman to buy BenRiach Distillery Co
- Bacardi rolls out new global Martini ad - video
- Brown-Forman appoints new GTR marketing head
- Guinness Nigeria sees YTD sales, profits tumble
- Bacardi recruits ex-News International exec
- Global Scotch whisky insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Consumer and Market Insights: Wine Market in China
- Global non-Scotch whiskies insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- What Next for Beer and Brewers Following the MegaBrew Deal?
- Emerging Drinks Industry Trends


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We continue our new blog category “Maxpay in Media” with another insightful interview from Maxpay’s CEO Artem Tymoshenko for The Papers news site. The interview was published after the Money20/20 in Las Vegas at the end of October 2019. It breaks down the main topics of the event – from cannabis banking and AI to the global payment systems and cooperation between Fintech and corporations.
In this blog post, we have gathered the most thought-provoking ideas from Artem Tymoshenko on these subjects. To read the full interview with more information on the presented issues and topics visit The Papers website.
The reason Fintech companies thrive in India lies in the amount of unbanked population
In 2019 India became one of the leaders in Fintech adoption, as Indians are more likely to own mobile phones than bank accounts, which opens a lot of possibilities for a Fintech industry. Also, according to the EY Global Fintech Adoption Index report, 99,5% of the population know about mobile payment platforms.
Cannabis banking opens new possibilities for small banks
It is expected that cannabis banking will become more mainstream in the nearest future, with legal cannabis spending reaching over $30 billion in just two years. It means that both banks and PSPs should get ready for it, and smaller banks have an opportunity to use this niche sector to build up the audience, as it’s harder for them to do that in traditional business verticals.
Considering the emergence of a new, banks and Fintechs need to size up the situation and to come up with ways to optimize the payment ecosystem
The concern arose after Facebook announced its cryptocurrency project with Libra digital currency and Calibra digital wallet, the latter was later rebranded to Novi.
“If you want to know my opinion on a new global payment system, I will agree that if Facebook or Google will implement their currency and make it obligatory to use their services (a matter of time now), the financial market will be affected devastatingly”, – believes Artem Tymoshenko.
AI is an important component in improving banking services
Some banks continue to use old apps that are quite inconvenient for their clients. Meanwhile, Fintechs have set the pace with implementing AI technologies, which provide better and more accessible services for customers. Thus, the banks should also look into AI technologies and be ready to apply these to meet clients’ expectations.
The key to the payments industry’s development is collaboration and partnership
For instance, big companies reach out to smaller ones for innovative technologies, and the latter use corporations’ massive resources to grow. And, to be successful, Maxpay cooperates with acquirers and businesses. As our CEO mentioned in the interview, one of Maxpay’s mottoes is “merchants first” and by collaborating closely with banks, other startups, anti-fraud platforms, we support it every step of the way.
Maxpay is reminding you that successful online business requires effective payment processing and security for your clients’ info. If you’re looking for a reliable PSP or a gateway provider, contact us.


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Fans of Facebook's mobile app and burgeoning integration with various online services should have something to look forward to in 2012 – founder Mark Zuckerberg, during the first week of a cross-country tour promoting the social networking giant's upcoming IPO, indicated that once the social giant goes public, its goal will be to focus on improving its mobile and advertising experiences.
Zuckerberg indicated that Facebook is "just getting started" with the app, and that the network plans to increase integration with other online apps while working to create a "transformative" ad experience.
Zuckerberg went on to explain that another key element in Facebook's strategy of integrating with other online apps will be to bring people together through Facebook in more ways than ever before.
"Over the next 10 years or so, every consumer category should be transformed to be built around people … People will listen to music and watch TV with other people [through Facebook] … We only recently reached this tipping point."
After Facebook's initial public offering (which is estimated to reach between $77 billion and $96 billion based on a price range of $28-$35/share), it will be interesting to see what changes are implemented not only in Facebook's mobile app, but their advertising strategy as well. For more information, check out the original article linked below.


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As Ford Motor Co. commenced producing the Fusion at its Flat Rock site in Michigan as part of its bid to increase supply of the mid-sized sedan, it is already thinking of building another model at the factory. According to Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of the Americas, they "certainly have the flexibility for the future to do more."
Hinrichs remarked that they are trying to set Ford's capacity up to meet demand. He noted that the growing demand for Ford's trucks, for Fusion, and for other product lines. The Ford Fusion is in position of challenging the Toyota Camry as the best-selling car in the US despite having an average price premium of over $2,300 per vehicle. The strong demand for the Fusion overwhelmed Ford's Hermosillo site in Mexico, the only plant where the car had been made.
According to Hinrichs, they could have sold Fusion more if they had more. He added that Ford expects the sales momentum to stay in the US and around the world. Ford's Flat Rock site now produces the Fusion and the Mustang sports car, although each is underpinned by different vehicle architectures.
According to Hinrichs, since the Mustang and the Fusion sit on two different platforms, Ford will be "introducing two right now," adding that the carmaker certainly has the "flexibility for the future to do more." Ford is adding nearly 6,500 new workers this year in the United States to man the new lines intended for the hiked output. The additional shift of 1,400 new hires at the Flat Rock site will increase Fusion capacity by over 30 percent, Ford said in a statement. [source: Ford]


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There will always be a need for logistics in the modern age. Ecommerce and home shopping, as well as growing commercial demand, ensure this. There are some tech startups funded to more than $1 billion in the name of making logistics smarter. What are their secrets?
The Logistics Market in Brief
Firstly, we need to consider the logistics market in the US. Right now, the cost of couriering and tracking across the States balances at around $1.6 trillion per year. This has grown by about a third in the past decade. Arguably, evolutions in e-commerce and trading relaxation may exacerbate this.
Regardless, it is not hard to understand the importance of logistics across the US. Trucking in the USA makes revenue of around $790 billion per year alone.
Additionally, while FedEx, UPS and Kenan Advantage dominate US logistics, they depend on third-party technology. Many startups in the US are of ‘unicorn’ status due to dependence on their innovation. The term ‘unicorn’ in investment refers to a company worth more than $1 billion through funding.
Considering the unicorns of logistic tech, what are the more prominent companies doing to change the face of transportation? What is it they offer to have ascended to such financial growth?
Unicorn Startups in the US Making Bank on Logistics
In the US, the leading logistics unicorn may be one you are already familiar with. DoorDash is a San Francisco firm less than a decade old, specializing in door-to-door food delivery. Via an app, users can connect to local restaurants and businesses for doorstep meals.
This simplification of logistics removes the need for a middleman. Crucially, angels and investment firms have helped DoorDash achieve more than $2.5 billion in funding over the years. It is a double unicorn.
Flexport, meanwhile, provides US users with its leading source of freight forwarding. The service helps business owners manage the paperwork and administration required in large-scale logistics chains. Specifically, it is a service that streamlines the process. This allows users to set up big logistics contracts with one simple contact.
That one simple contact is, of course, Flexport. Flexport is worth more than $1.3 billion at the time of writing, with interest from bodies such as M Ventures.
Nuro.ai, meanwhile, is just entering unicorn status with a little over $1 billion in investment. Nuro’s operation revolves around self-driving technology. While this is very much an evolving sphere, companies such as Nuro could help to make e-commerce even more efficient.
Will Logistics Innovations Ever Cease?
With more and more of us trading overseas, it is unlikely innovations in logistics will ever be unwelcome. To that end, now is an inspiring time for investors looking into ventures in transportation tech.
In fact, angels, VCs and interested third parties may find lucrative options across databases such as Fundz. As large as the biggest courier brands may be, they rely on innovative startups to keep pushing efficiency targets.


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The Town of Paonia is planning to sell off surplus property in December. Items include cars, trucks, SUVs, equipment, bicycles, two-way radios, various computers, electronics equipment, and other miscellaneous items.
A 1972 International dump truck and a 1970 Kaiser 6x6 truck formerly used by the U.S. Forest Service are among the vehicles for sale.
No sale date has been set, but the town is considering a Saturday morning between now and the end of the year, possibly Dec. 12 or 19. A full list of items is available at town hall. Those wanting to preview items can contact the town at 527-4101.


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Tomorrow evening in New York, a major street art exhibition ‘Taking Back The Streets’ opens with some serious Brazilian representation. The event is from the brand WAT-AAH which is an interesting project/brand designed to try and get kids to drink water instead of sugar-filled soft drinks. As they put it on their website:
“A small company with a big ambitious idea to make water not a default health necessity kids consume because they have to, but the cool and simple choice kids make everyday because they want to”
The brand came about when a brand savvy mother of two tried to suggest her boys drank water instead of sugary-pop, and was told water wasn’t cool. So now with the additional help of Street Art they are trying to convince a generation of carbonated soft drink lovers that water is cool, and a healthier option. Even Michelle Obama, the US first lady has been involved with this one. It is not the first time street art and water have combined, hopefully this is more success full than the BNE v Banksy water day affair!
In addition to the street art, there will be music on the opening night, including a headline appearance from Legendary hip hop DJ and producer Large Professor, who was part of the production team on Illmatic, one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made, and still an absolute classic today.
Back to the artists, and it is a star-studded who’s who of street artists totalling 69 artists from 16 countries. They include New York graffiti legend Cope2, Shepard Fairey, Jef Aerosol, Swoon, Icy & Stot, Pez, JPS and Stinkfish among a host of others. The Brazilian representation includes Speto, Rafael Sliks, Sipros and Gustavo Nénão
If your in New York, then get yourself along to this one, it should be good. Also check out some of my photos of the Brazilian artists involved can be seen below.
WHEN: October 14, 2014. Doors open to the public from 7.30, and Wednesday 15th. I believe that’s it..
WHERE: Artbeam , 540 West 21st St., New York, NY 10011


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A bank worker from Clonsilla who has just published his first book admits it will start some “uncomfortable conversations” for readers.
Paul Cunningham self-published his debut novel, Snared, after receiving countless rejections from literary houses who felt the subject matter was “too dark”.
The book about a paedophile hunter in Dublin is available on Amazon from this Friday, July 5 and Paul (34) says he hopes it gets people talking for the right reasons.
He told Dublin Gazette: “There are some parts of the book that are uncomfortable for people to read and I am aware of that.
“But I felt it was important to raise these issues in a book rather than have people have to confront them in real life.”
Paul wrote and released the song, Sooner or Later, in 2015 which charted successfully in Nashville, but more recently he has turned his writing skills to fiction.
He said: “I stumbled across a video on YouTube showing a paedophile hunter in the UK. I was just disgusted at the whole idea of grown men targeting children like that.
“My book is all based in Dublin with familiar locations like Grafton Street and the GPO, so hopefully Irish people will be able to relate to it.”
Paul’s protagonist starts out with an ulterior motive which is not entirely noble – but his mindset alters as he learns more about the seedy underworld of grooming minors.
He said: “My fictitious character, Frankie, lures men from internet chat rooms and dating apps in the same way the hunting groups do in their videos.
“Snared takes readers on an eye-opening journey and it tackles a very topical issue which needs to be addressed. And there is a big reveal and a plot twist at the end.”
Paul devoted an hour a day to the project and revealed it had taken him over three years to get his book published.
He said: “It’s been an arduous journey getting Snared to this point. Some agents and publishers refused to even read a sample of the manuscript because of the subject matter.
“One Irish publisher really loved it and said it was gripping and edgy, but pulled back because of marketing concerns, but that gave me the confidence to release it myself.
“Yes, my book attempts to deal with a taboo subject matter. But we need to educate future generations so they can identify when they may be in danger.
“If Snared plays a small role in this, it will have done its job.”


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Someone @you, overseas promotion -- Finland station (security ex
ISLE promotion team will travel to Helsinki, Finland for the international security and security fair FINNSEC on 2-3 October. Conduct investment promotion for ISLE 2020, invite more international buyers and industry elites with decision-making influence to visit the exhibition and purchase.
FINNSEC Finland international security exhibition has been held since 1996. It is held every two years in Helsinki, Finland. In 2013, the exhibition covered 9,466 square meters with 335 exhibitors, attracting 21,908 professional visitors.
Finnish services include business, tourism, finance, communications and public services. With a developed information industry, China has one of the highest rates of Internet access and mobile phone ownership per capita. The exhibition covers data protection, fire alarm system, fire extinguisher, industrial health and safety, safety installation, security system.
In 2020, ISLE has set up 6 new scene experience exhibition areas, including security monitoring and information release scenes. The new mode of order + exhibition + interactive experience will help buyers and exhibitors achieve rapid and effective docking.
At the exhibition, ISLE team visited well-known monitoring system enterprises such as hikvision, dahua and jingyang.
ISLE team is actively promoting ISLE 2020 to professional buyers attending the event and publicizing ISLE's system integration exhibition area. In the communication, they believe that China's technology is becoming more and more mature and advanced, and the development of the world cannot be separated from China's supply chain. They are interested in looking for suppliers of large-screen security monitoring solutions in China, with plans to visit and purchase ISLE 2020.
The ISLE has a bigger layout and more big news
Continue to be surprised, please stay tuned
February 24-27, 2020
Shenzhen international convention and exhibition center (fuyong new hall)
Great platform,great business opportunities, great future
For more information about the exhibition, please visit the ISLE website：
Exhibitor pre-registration has been started, looking forward to your call:
👤 Ms.Chen：020-8926 8256（Working days）
👤 Ms.Liang：020-8926 8296（Working days）
Audience appointment registration has been opened, welcome to follow the WeChat public number, please consult for details：


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On Monday, Chrysler's Sergio Marchionne also disclosed that the company plans to spend more than $2-billion at its Windsor assembly plant to get it ready for a new minivan
Chrysler Group will begin replacing potentially defective air bag inflators made by Takata Corp in more than 371,000 U.S. vehicles in early December, according to documents filed by the automaker with U.S. safety regulators
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced Wednesday it will spin off sports car maker Ferrari into a separate company, a move to unlock the luxury brand’s value and distinguish it from its mass-market parent
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will finally cement the two automakers' partnership Monday as a fully merged company trading on the New York Stock Exchange
Fiat SpA appears to has cleared the last major hurdle to finalizing its merger with Chrysler Group LLC, but weak sales in recessionary Brazil could weigh on the combined company’s stock when it begins trading in New York next month
Can Canada's auto industry compete with low-wage jurisdictions in Mexico and the U.S. Deep South without depending on government handouts?
Chrysler Group LLC said on Monday its head of U.S. sales, Reid Bigland, has been appointed to lead the Alfa Romeo brand for North America, as it prepares for a relaunch aimed at reaching sales of 150,000 in four years
After a record 40 million recalls in the first half of this year, automakers are realizing they need safety advocates on their senior management team
Canadian car factories will begin shutting down next week to prepare for the arrival of new vehicles, including the first Canadian-made car to be sold worldwide
U.S. safety regulators said on Wednesday they have opened two investigations into Chrysler Group vehicles involving possibly faulty ignition switches
The time frame is one of the first details Apple has provided about plans for the device since the smartwatch was unveiled in September
Michael Walker: It’s time to abandon the notion that world interest rates are going back up to historic levels
When a great investor like billionaire Li Ka-shing speaks, it’s best to keep an eye on the direction of his feet as well as his mouth
Terence Corcoran: Will the handwringing over the uncertain future of Greece within Europe and the future of the euro now please stop?
RBC is the first big bank to drop rates after five-year bond yields fell in the wake of the central bank's cut last week, rate-tracking sites say


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Lavazza Group, official coffee partner at the French Open since 2015, has furthered its commitment to supporting tennis by renewing its collaboration with the French tournament until 2025
The 2022 tournament will see Lavazza host 70 points of sale, 300 coffee machines and 20 qualified baristas for tournament spectators | Photo credit: Roland Garros
Italian coffee roaster Lavazza is extending its partnership with the French Open tennis tournament, also known as Roland Garros, until 2025.
The first partnership agreement between the two organisations was signed in 2015, with Lavazza outlining how the 2022 tournament will provide an opportunity to present the company’s annual results for 2021 while reaffirming its commitment to sustainability.
The 2022 tournament will see Lavazza host 70 points of sale, 300 coffee machines and 20 qualified baristas for tournament spectators. Additionally, two fan corners in Paris – located at the Publicis Drugstore on the Champs Elysées and the Roland-Garros kiosk at the Paris Opera, will sell various Lavazza products made specifically for the French Open.
“Our investment in the world of sport is a strategic development opportunity for Lavazza Group. Partnering with Roland Garros for seven years is in line with our internationalisation strategy and consolidates our presence in one of our most important markets, offering all tennis enthusiasts the authentic experience of Italian coffee in all its forms,” said Giuseppe Lavazza, Group Vice President.
France, where Lavazza opened its first foreign branch 40 years ago, is the second largest market for the company after Italy.
Lavazza has a strong of history of supporting tennis events, having celebrated a decade of sponsoring the Wimbledon Championships
in 2021. The Italian company is also the official coffee partner of Arsenal Women
, as well as the exclusive coffee supplier at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal’s men’s matches, a similar partnership to the one agreed with Italian football club Juventus


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Will privacy and security concerns cause Chinese consumers to rethink the Apple Watch?
Prospective Chinese Apple Watch buyers may be put off by increasing privacy concerns, especially related to mobile payment functions, analysts warn.
Last week CEO Tim Cook officially launched the Apple Watch, the company's first brand new product since the release of the original iPad. The Apple Watch has been described by executives as the easiest Apple device on which to use the company's mobile payment solution – Apple Pay – besides its leading iPhone smartphones.
However, industry insiders in China’s fast-growing online payment industry warned that Apple Pay, which mainly uses near-field communication (NFC) technology, may have major security issues.
“Apple Pay is no safer than any other devices using NFC technology," said Wang Bo, the CEO of Beijing-based One Card Technology, which has been promoting NFC technology to Chinese retailers in recent years.
Wang’s research team found Apple Pay had at least two main security-related issues. He said there is a chance that users' banking information might be leaked when downloading data to use Apple Pay. The use of fake NFC point-of-service machines, similar to chip-and-pin skimmers which steal credit card information, could also allow criminals to steal banking information from Apple Pay users.
Less obvious security issues include potential privacy risks. Wang said it may prove easy for users' locations to be leaked when wearing an Apple Watch, pointing out that manufacturers of wearables have often failed to secure the data they collect in the past.
As Apple Watch tracks heart rate and number of steps taken, if hackers got access to the device they could steal health data. Apple Watch's reliance on Bluetooth or WiFi to connect to users' iPhones also leaves it vulnerable to attacks.
"As the device is utilizing both it will also be interesting to see how that data can be used to track individuals in physical spaces," Ken Westin, senior security analyst at US cybersecurity firm Tripwire, told CSO.
“Cyberspace is like an invisible web which tracks and copies your information. Users should be aware that their information could be leaked at any time,” Wang said.
He was dismissive of Apple's claims that it won't collect customer data, pointing out that using Apple Pay or Apple Watch requires providing private information to Apple. In the US, Apple has met with the Federal Trade Commission to discuss how to protect the information and identities of customers, such as prohibiting the sharing of collected data with third parties.
Chinese-US relations have been strained in recent months over multiple accusations of cyber spying on both sides. Many of Beijing's complaints are related to the revelations of former US security contractor Edward Snowden. Last month, it removed major US tech manufacturers, including Apple and Cisco Systems, from approved state procurement lists, citing security concerns.
Despite potential security and privacy problems, fans of Apple products in mainland China have grown steadily.
There are more than 30 million Chinese iPhone owners, more than one tenth of the global total.
"I think [mainland] China is going to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, market for the Apple Watch from day one," Ben Bajarin, the director of consumer technology practice at US consultants Creative Strategies, told the South China Morning Post.


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Motorcycling legend Kenny Roberts has commissioned RMD Motors to auction off some rare and exclusive motorcycles from his collection, presumably to make room for more. The Japan-based company is known the world over for its collection of rare and classic motorcycles for sale, many of which are retired grand prix machines fortunate enough to escape […]
Kenny Roberts Return to the Indy Mile [video]
The "King" rides the Yamaha TZ750 34 years later
In a year that saw Yamaha riders James Stewart, Valentino Rossi, and Ben Spies capture the perfect “trifecta” of World Championships, perhaps one of the most memorable moments for race fans around the world, was “King” Kenny Roberts’ return ride at the infamous Indy Mile in late August.
As a year end surprise, Yamaha is pleased to offer race fans around the world a video of this monumental occasion. The video features both archival footage from Kenny’s victory in 1975 as well as the events surrounding this recent monumental motorcycling event.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S. wishes all race fans a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.


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We’ve just published the 47th edition of the Hagerty Price Guide, and as the editor I’m here to tell you: It’s a wild one.
To stay current with the market, the Hagerty Price Guide is updated every four months. Our team of specialists and analysts pour over mountains of recent, confirmed sales, private and dealer listings, input from marque experts, and data from the insurance side of the business.
This edition, those data sources sending a loud and clear message: Values are rising. An astonishing 56-percent of the vehicles we track gained in value in the latest price guide, with only 7-percent losing value. This is the broadest growth we’ve seen since 2014—and our coverage has grown considerably since that date.
In other words, the appreciation we saw in 2021 was not just confined to big-dollar online sales or select cars. Still, there were some vehicles that stand out.
Late model Porsches are smoking hot
For years now, air cooled Porsches have been the hot commodity. No doubt, they're still the ones everyone wants— the purest expression of Porsche performance. However with air-cooled 911s firmly out of the range of what anyone could reasonably call "affordable" for years now, it was only a matter of time before water-cooled 911s would have their day. In the latter half of 2021, that day arrived.
The biggest movement for any Porsche was seen by the 997-series 911 Turbo S Coupe, with an average increase of 67-percent, it is one of the biggest movers of the publication. Even the standard Turbo Coupe rose by 60-percent. Call it substitution, or just a tempering of opinions towards water-cooled 911s, but every 996 and 997 experienced some degree of appreciation. Outside of 911s, the Carrera GT appreciated by 30-percent, and the earlier 911 SC posted modest gains.
Japanese cars are becoming an ever bigger part of the market
While top tier models like the Mark IV Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Acura NSX continue to gain ground and dominate headlines, the more affordable Japanese cars are also appreciating quickly. The biggest gains in the Japanese segment were posted by the 1988-91 Honda Prelude Si, which posted gains of up to 55-percent on average.
Likewise, although most of the focus has been on newer Japanese cars, older models also posted serious gains. The 1966-70 Honda S800 appreciated 40-percent on average, and 1963-70 Datsun Roadsters gained an average of 24-percent. All told, the Japanese segment of the mainstream collector car market continues to grow.
Muscle Cars continuing their rise
A little over a year ago, the "smart" line was that muscle cars had their day, and that the big movement in the classic car market would be for newer, likely imported metal. Like so many expert opinions, this one has been proved profoundly wrong by the last twelve months. Muscle cars posted their strongest gains in more than a decade.
Even with a tapering of auctions where these cars are regularly sold toward the end of the year, they still posted solid gains While we didn't have any more Hemi Cuda Convertibles come up for sale, plenty of GTO Judges, LS6 Chevelles, and Boss 429 Mustangs did bring ever higher values.
A rising tide lifts all boats
There were some clear winners in the 47th edition of the Hagerty Price Guide, but the real story is that there were almost no losers. No matter what classic car is in your garage, there's a good chance it's worth more now than it was even four months ago.
Editor's note: I'm excited to announce that starting this year, the Hagerty Price Guide will be updated four times a year, rather than three.


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WizKids has now announced their first batch of Unpainted Dungeons & Dragons miniatures, Nolzur’s Marvellous Miniatures, featuring monsters and heroes for use in your campaigns.
A new Icons Of The Realm collection is now available for you to start snapping up from WizKids for your Dungeons & Dragons adventures. See what you think of their massive Giants and some smaller (yet mighty) heroes.
Wizkids is bringing out a new card based party game to bring out the wizard in us all.
Star Trek fever has hit Wizkids and they have released their new game Star Trek: Frontiers. Beam up to the action!
Warren breaks out his Gamehacker
Toolkit for bodging your games
and we delve deeper into
crafting Wargaming Campaigns.
WizKids are looking ahead to the release of Storm King’s Thunder, the next big adventure for Dungeons & Dragons and their massive miniatures.
Sit back and relax (maybe with an ASMR Video?)
and join us for The Weekender XLBS…
Wizkids have given us a peek into their new line of unpainted miniatures coming quarter 4 of this year.
WizKids have announced a new expansion for their Dice Masters game focused on Dungeons & Dragons. Faerun Under Siege will include a new Starter Set, new Collectors Box and a whole range of new foil packs for you to snap up and open hungrily looking for rare cards…
WizKids have announced their next expansion set for Marvel Dice Masters. The focus now is going to be on Spider-Man where you’ll not only get a new version of the web-slinger but also some of the Sinister Six and more…
Wizkids expands their superhero universe with the upcoming release of Dice Masters’ DC Comics War of Light.
During this year’s Origins Wizkids and Nickelodeon have reached an agreement to bring us more games.
WizKids have let slip the new Age of Ultron Starter Set for Marvel Dice Masters that is coming soon. It was spotted over on Sidekicks & Shields where they also talked about the new dice too…
Wizards of the Coast announced their next expansion for the D&D universe is headed our way this fall in Rage of Demons! Gamers will get to explore the Underdark in all gaming formats from traditional tabletop to computer gaming.


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| Jun 8, 2014
| 5:28 PM
The machine harvester cut across Ronnie Leimgruber's alfalfa field, blades whirring, leaving behind a thick trail of leafy legume ready to be dried and baled.
"You've got to drive like hell, drive fast and get as much as you can," said Leimgruber, a...
| Dec 26, 2013
We've known that U.S. automotive exports are increasing, but now the Detroit News reports the country could export more cars than ever before this year. Auto exports could reach 2 million cars and trucks in 2013, up from around 1.8......
| Jan 28, 2014
You might have heard that Honda is a net U.S. exporter, sending more U.S.-built cars to international markets than it imports into the U.S. for sale. But don't take the news at face value. Here's why. The automaker, which includes......
| Dec 10, 2011
| 3:49 PM
Kirk-Habicht Co. in Essex doesn't do much business in Europe, but problems on the continent are buffeting the manufacturer all the same.
Its employees rely on a heavy wire to make springs tough enough for trucks, and the only plant they know of that...
| Dec 24, 2011
| 6:52 PM
A former assistant vice president for M&T Bank in Baltimore has been charged with mail fraud, prosecutors said, after she defrauded a federal export credit agency and an international corporation to pay American Express bills and her taxes.
| Dec 16, 2012
| 5:54 PM
ISLE OF WIGHT – The United States' historically high cotton prices of 2011 are history.
But the country's cotton industry is starting to deal with an international trade problem created by the volatile market: cotton contract forfeitures, said...
| Sep 6, 2012
| 8:56 AM
The European Commission will probe complaints that Chinese solar panel manufacturers are trying to dominate the hyper-competitive industry by resorting to shady import tactics.
The government body said Thursday that it will launch a formal...
| Mar 16, 2012
Douglas Oberhelman is the most outspoken business leader in Illinois.
As CEO of Peoria-based Caterpillar, he has placed himself — and the issue of Illinois' fiscal crisis — centerstage through a series of sharp-tongued op-eds bemoaning the...
| Apr 29, 2013
| 9:00 PM
Confidential surveys of water officials, water users and others involved with the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta offer some telling insight on why the delta is stuck in a perpetual quagmire.
When it comes to fixing the hub of California’s water...
| May 6, 2013
| 3:00 AM
Deadly industrial accidents in the developing world are tragically common, but the recent collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh that took the lives of more than 500 workers has captured the American public's attention, and no wonder. Knowingly or...
| Sep 1, 2011
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman offers his plan in advance of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama....


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Tesla Inc said on Tuesday it reduced the price of its Model S “Long Range” sedan by 4% in the United States, days after the automaker reported record quarterly deliveries.
The automaker, which is expected to report third-quarter results on October 21, reduced the price to $71,990 from $74,990 in the United States. It also reduced the starting price of the Model S by 3% in China.
Previously this month, Tesla reduced the starting price of its Chinese-made Model 3 sedans by about 8% to 249,900 yuan ($37,042).
Tesla has been slashing prices on various models in its lineup at the same time some other automakers are trying to make inroads in the electric vehicle market by introducing their own electric cars.
Tesla said it has made deliveries of 139,300 vehicles in the third quarter, an all-time record, yet shares dropped as some analysts doubted if the automaker could hit its ambitious year-end target.
Last week, the company’s CEO Elon Musk informed employees that Tesla has a chance to produce a half-million cars by 2020.
The automaker said in January that 2020 vehicle deliveries should exceed 500,000 units, a forecast it has left unchanged regardless of the coronavirus crisis.
This means the automaker will have to boost deliveries to almost 182,000 in the fourth quarter to reach that target.


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Leaders of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union said that the Port of Nassau Partnership’s proposal for the development of the Nassau Cruise Port shows a commitment to partnering with port stakeholders. These comments followed a recent meeting and presentation with the Partnership’s local and international principals.
“From the presentation, we can say that this group has met our basic requirements. One: we will still be operating near Festival Place. Two: we are not shut out of the port. Most cruise ports are like a fortress or compound where operators are like ‘we’ll let you interact with the tourists when we feel like it,’” said Wesley Ferguson, recently elected President of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union.
“The presentation we saw is an open concept. We want to be leaders and not followers. Let’s let our port show other ports how to treat the taxi drivers and other business owners who deal with the visitors. Let’s show them that taxi drivers and cruise port operators can operate like partners, not like someone pushing you aside and telling you what to do,” Mr. Ferguson added.
According to Gerald Strachan, president of Cruise Ports International (CPI), which controls 60 percent of the Port of Nassau Partnership, the meeting was in keeping with his vision to engage key stakeholders, highlight key elements, and most importantly, hear the stakeholders’ concerns. The end goal is to see how best to accommodate concerns should his group’s proposal be successful.
“The Bahamas Taxi Cab Union is one of the oldest unions in the country and we acknowledge that its members are integral to the successful operation of the cruise port. So we want to ensure that we have an ongoing dialogue with them, even now. We want them to know who we are and exactly what we have planned to support their businesses,” said Mr. Strachan following the recent meeting. CPI Directors Craig Tony Gomez and Robert Pantry also participated in the meeting.
Mr. Strachan added: “As a Bahamian-led group, it is important to let the taxi drivers know that they have a voice when it comes to what we’re proposing for the port and that our design definitely has their business in mind. What do they need? What is important to them? How can we work together to design the best possible cruise port that operates at a high, global standard? The key word here is together.”
Representing the Cruise Line Group, which controls 40 percent of the Partnership, were Marie McKenzie, Vice President, Global Ports and Caribbean Government Relations at Carnival Corporation, and Russell Benford, Vice President Government Relations, Americas at Royal Caribbean Cruises. The cruise group comprises four leading cruise companies – including Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line – which represents more than 90 percent of cruise traffic to Nassau.
Also participating in the presentation was Tim Blackenship, a manager at Moffat & Nichol. The Partnership proposes to hire the engineering firm which specializes in cruise destination infrastructure and terminal facilities. Mofatt & Nichol’s cruise and maritime destination project experience in The Bahamas include: The Marina at Atlantis, Hurricane Hole, Ocean Club, Arawak Cay, Baker’s Bay, Castaway Cay, Coco Cay, British Colonial Hilton, Baha Mar, Royal Island, Andros Island, Rose Island, Our Lucaya, and Emerald Bay.


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A new version of Acronis Backup and Backup Advanced is now available
Acronis has announced new releases of its Acronis Backup, Backup Advanced, and Backup Cloud solutions, which offer a combination of improved performance, quality, and reliability. New features have also been added to make the buying and upgrade process easier and more seamless.
Acronis Backup and Backup Advanced have been updated to version 11.7, which appears intended more as a transitory step toward an update to version 12. Still, this is a major update in its own right and Acronis says that this is its best-performing release yet, with expanded storage support and something called variable block deduplication, which allows businesses to store up to 24x more data with the same amount of RAM, thus reducing overall storage costs.
On top of that, Acronis has extended its operating system support to include Microsoft Exchange 2016, Windows 10, and more.
The cloud-based solution, Acronis Backup Cloud, has also been updated to version 5. It now features automated service management tools, self-service backup monitoring, and a centralized dashboard that combine to make it easier for users to monitor and manage their data and backups.
Version 11.7 of Acronis Backup and Backup Advanced is now available, while version 5 of Acronis Backup Cloud will be available to download later in March.


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After several high-profile defections from the tablet market last year, competitors to Apple’s iPad continue with dogged determination to topple the market-defining device, but the latest figures suggest their efforts are just not working – and that the iPad is set to kill off a range of copycat business systems.There's no need to be stubborn about it: forcing users to use tablets they don't want isn't going to make anybody happy.
US firm ChangeWave Research found that over one in five companies is planning to buy tablets for their employees during this quarter – and 84% of them will be iPads.
That may come as little surprise to those already using iPads, but what is most surprising about the figures is that they represent a 7% jump since the last ChangeWave survey.
That’s right: not only are iPad rivals failing to dent Apple’s market share dominance, but they are actually losing ground as a resurgent ‘new iPad’ raises the bar for rivals that have already struggled to differentiate themselves. Devices from Samsung, in second place, accounted for just 8% of planned tablet sales – down 2% from the last survey.
This is a significant finding because it goes contrary to the fundamental tenets of competitive markets – which suggest that the more players in a market, the lower the market share even leaders will be able to secure. ChangeWave’s figures suggest that despite a market that’s filled with putative functional replacements, iPads are only getting more and more popular.
Part of their appeal, in the business mobility space at least, is a multi-purpose design that’s outstripping the ability of even recent unified-computing (UC) systems to keep up. UC was sold heavily on its ability to deliver newfangled IP-based phones with fancy features like videoconferencing and a corporate phone book – but an iPad can do this and more out of the box.
Cisco Systems, which is big in the UC market, has tried to acknowledge this trend with the launch of its own tablet – the Cius – but the device remains irrelevant for most users, largely because it’s only intended for business users.
But why buy it? If you can get the same functionality from an iPad that both meets business requirements and keeps employees happy – well, why not? Apple design guru Jonathon Ive addressed this in an interview this week by pointing out that the company's rivals are working so hard to make their solutions different that they're not paying enough attention to making them different.
Sure, there's value for many people in thinking differently – but there's no need to be stubborn or dogmatic about it. If the iPad is the best and most accepted solution out there, the latest figures show, companies are just going to buy them. As the BYO computing trend has confirmed, there’s no point pushing unwanted mobile devices onto employees; go with the flow and the transition will be easier for everyone.
Has your company bought tablets other than iPads? Why?
[HY13] [Original here]


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Hasbro announced over the weekend that it is pulling a Trolls doll from store shelves after receiving complaints that a button on the toy is inappropriately placed under its skirt. The decision also came a few days after Jessica McManis created an online petition urging Target, Walmart, and Amazon to remove the said toy from their selling areas.
The doll, which is officially called DreamWorks Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy, has two buttons. The first one is placed on her stomach that when pressed will cause the doll to sing and say lines such as, “How about a hug?” The second button, meanwhile, is found on her bottom under her skirt that when pressed will prompt the doll to make sounds such as “Whee!” and “Oh!”, as seen on a video shared by former senate candidate Sam Parker on Twitter, which has now over 800,000 views.
Is @Hasbro normalizing grooming & facilitating child abuse? ??
— Sam Parker ?? (@SamParkerSenate) August 5, 2020
According to the petition, the placement of the second button makes the doll “not okay for a child’s toy.” “What will this toy make our innocent, impressionable children think? That it’s fun when someone touches your private area? That pedophilia and child molestation are ok? It’s not ok! It’s not fun!”, read a portion of the petition, which has now garnered over 460,000 signatures. “It’s damaging and has long term affects [sic] on a child’s mental/physical health!”
In a statement, Hasbro spokesperson Julie Duff said that the second button “was designed to react when the doll was seated.” The toymaker recognized that the “placement of the sensor may be perceived as inappropriate,” but made it clear that it was “not intentional.” Duff added that Hasbro is “happy to provide consumers with a replacement Poppy doll of similar value” through their Consumer Care team.”
Voiced by Anna Kendrick, Poppy is one of the main characters in the computer-animated musical comedy film Trolls World Tour, which premiered for on-demand video streaming in April. The movie, which also features the voices of Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, James Corden, Ron Funches, Kelly Clarkson, among many others, had the biggest opening day and weekend for a digital title ever.


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U.S. retail sales have been the silver lining in a slew of weak economic data pushed by the Easter holiday.
The Thomson Reuters chain store sales index expects an 8.2% increase in monthly sales from the 25 retailers it tracks. This follows on a sharp increase in jobless claims to 474K.
Here's the breakdown:
Limited Brands which operates Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works posted a 20% increase in same-store sales in April. It did however report a drop in sales at its La Senza stores. This company revised its earnings outlook to between $0.37 - $0.39 a share.
This morning Costco announced an 11% increase in U.S. same-store sales for April. While its international segment saw a 16% growth in same-store sales.
Macy's Q1 same-store sales were up 10.8% for the month, crushing expectations. Sales were boosted by southern climate zones.
BJ's Wholesale Club posted a 12.2% increase in sales to $871.7 million. Macy's


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Huawei is going to unveil the successor to its P10 lineup later this month and we’ve already seen multiple leaks concerning the devices. It’s believed that the company is going to launch three models of the upcoming handset – the Huawei P20, P20 Lite, and P20 Pro. Several purported lifestyle images of the P20 Lite have now been leaked online and they reiterate the reports we have heard so far about the design changes that this smartphone will bring to the table.
Previous reports and leaked images have suggested that the entire P20 lineup is going to move to a bezel-less display. That’s evident in these latest leaked photos.
It’s also evident that the handset will feature an iPhone X-style notch at the top. This is the result of the company trying to maximize the screen release estate with the bezel-less display so expect to see this notch on all three models of the P20.
As far as the P20 Lite’s specifications are concerned, this handset is likely going to feature a 5.84 inch display with a 2280×1080 pixel resolution and will be powered by a Kirin 659 processor from Huawei. It may also feature a dual camera system at the back alongside an LED flash.
Huawei is going to conduct a launch event for the P20 family on March 27th in Paris.


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CNET heads to San Diego for Comic-Con, America's pre-eminent entertainment geekfest.
Only just announced at the company's Gamescom briefing, P.T. or "playable teaser" is a horrifying and brilliantly ambitious effort to promote the relaunch of a classic horror franchise.
Google's new self-driving car prototype surprised even robo-car experts and suggests the company is further along than expected.
Bigger isn't always better. Apple's retina-equipped iPad mini is leading the field at the high end, with Google's Nexus 7 dominating the entry-level and mid-price market.
The debut of the Web-based game Monster Madness heralds the rise of HTML5 and the descent of browser plugins.
The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III is an overall great camera that delivers significant improvements over the RX100 II, but not everyone will think it's worth the extra cost.
Even if you don't take advantage of its gaming prowess, the Nvidia Shield Tablet is one of the most versatile -- and affordable -- high-performance 8-inch Android slates you can buy.
Samsung keeps bringing up old technology to knock off four Apple design patents pointed in its direction.
Palm's webcast showed the Palm Pre loading a big, chunky site in 7 seconds -- about 4x faster than our iPhone test. Is it a coup, a cache or a crock?
The AirStation AC 1750 DD-WRT Router is an excellent choice for savvy users who want deep levels of customization.
When is Batman's Commissioner Gordon an upgrade over Iron Man? In HTC's latest series of ads, starring an intense Gary Oldman.


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We have been hearing for a while now that Microsoft is going to release a new Lumia device sans the Nokia brand. Microsoft has already confirmed the #MoreLumia event for November 11th and the fact that the Nokia brand will no longer be used with Lumia smartphones. Pictures and specifications of Microsoft Lumia 535 have been leaked from China, giving us a good look at what Redmond might be showing off at the event on November 11th.
It appears that the pictures actually show a dummy of the Lumia 535 as opposed to an actual unit, but it still gives us a good idea of what the device is going to look like when it finally becomes official. The Lumia 5xx series is already quite popular due to its competitive pricing and reasonable specifications so Microsoft is expected to build on that legacy.
According to leaked specifications the Lumia 535 is going to have a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 processor with 1GB RAM and 8GB onboard storage. There may be a 5-inch qHD display, 5 megapixel rear and VGA front camera, dual-SIM support, 1,900mAh battery with the entire package weighing in at 145.7 grams.
If these specifications are to be believed then clearly it is a device that will be targeted towards the low-end segment of the market. With Lumia 5xx series already established in that segment this new device ought to perform well, but we’ll have to wait and see if customers develop any interest in it.


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Samsung has sold more than 3 million units of its big screen Galaxy Note II smartphones in 37 days after its launch, it was announced today.
Samsung, which was the world’s largest maker of smartphones in the July-September quarter, said it took 37 days for the oversize smartphone to reach the sales figure.
Galaxy Note II was released first in South Korea in September and in the U.S. and other countries in the following month.
Samsung’s Note category took off in the market, overcoming skepticism about its big size making it look awkward when held close to the face.
The Note was one of the few 5-inch smartphone in the market when the first model was unveiled last year, making some people believe it would become a “tweener” that is neither a tablet nor a smartphone.
But phone manufacturers began to expand screen sizes this year.
Even Apple released a bigger iPhone this year, bumping the screen to 4 inches.
The Note series is one of the two key mobile devices from Samsung on the high-end smartphone segment, along with flagship Galaxy S III smartphone, helping Samsung rake in profit for the business division that is responsible for more than 70% of the company’s quarterly sales.
The latest iteration of the Note features a screen measuring 5.5 inches diagonally and a digital pen for note-taking.
Samsung is pinning its hope on the Note II and the S III to maintain its market lead during the crucial fourth-quarter holiday season, when a number of new gadgets are vying for attention from consumers in the crowded market.
Research firm IDC said Samsung topped the global smartphone market in the July-September third quarter with 56.3 million sales, more than double Apple’s 26.9 million iPhone sales.
The two companies controlled combined 46% of the global smartphone market, according to IDC.
INSIDE THE SAMSUNG NOTE 2
- Processor: 1.6 GHz quad-core processor
- OS: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
- Display: 140.9 mm (5.55″) HD Super AMOLED (1,280 x 720)
- Dimension: 80.5 x 151.1 x 9.4 mm, 182.5g
- Battery: 3,100mAh
- Memory: 16/32/64GB User memory + 2GB (RAM) and microSD slot (up to 64GB)
S Pen Optimized Features:
- S Note, S Planner, Email with hand-writing integration
- Quick Command, Easy Clip, Photo Note, Paper Artist
- Popup Note
- Popup Video Play
- USB 2.0 Host
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5 GHz)
- Main camera: 8 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash
- Best Photo, Best Group Pose, Low light shot
- Full HD (1080p) Playback & Recording
How the iPhone sold
Apple’s iPhone 5 sold 5 million units in its first three days, eclipsing the Galaxy sales.
Apple also said over 100 million devices were updated to its new iOS software when it was released.


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Monthly Archives: December 2018
Diageo, the British multinational alcoholic beverages company which includes brands such as Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, and Guinness is trialing..
Country singer Brett Eldredge launched last week an interactive Alexa skill promoting the release of his new album, Glow Deluxe. Developed..
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Voice Assistant Year in Review with Ahmed Bouzid, Tom Hewitson, and Karen Kaushansky – Voicebot Podcast Ep 74
A lot happened in voice assistant land in 2018. An all-star panel breaks it down for you this week with..


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Oct 26, 2016
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Kumho Tire announced a multiyear extension of their marketing partnership in the U.S., Canada, and Korea. The brand will introduce the first-ever ‘Handles’ platform, which will debut at the beginning of the 2016-17 season.
Kumho Tire will continue to serve as the presenting partner of the NBA D-League All-Star Game, with the brand featured on jerseys, on the court, and through courtside signage. Kumho Tire will also have brand presence at the NBA All-Star Game.
The expanded partnership also includes increased promotional efforts, which provide customers and dealers access to experiences throughout the season, including at marquee NBA and NBA D-League events.


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Digiday Research: Retail media plays catch-up to Amazon
Envious of Amazon’s swelling ad business, which accounted for $3.4 billion in fourth-quarter revenue in 2018, leading retailers have been eager to develop digital ad offerings of their own. Those offerings continue to trail significantly in the eyes of most media buyers, however.
In a survey of 71 media buyers by Digiday this March, a relatively small number said they currently advertise on platforms outside of Amazon. Whereas 90 percent of marketers spent money with Amazon, only 23 percent did so on Walmart. Roughly the same number of media buyers utilized eBay and Target, 17 percent and 16 percent respectively. Meanwhile, just 8 percent of media buyers advertised on Kroger.
Additionally, media buyers’ plans to increase spending on retail media platforms closely mirror their existing spending habits. Eighty percent of buyers in the Digiday survey said their Amazon budgets will grow this year while 20 percent will spend more on Walmart. Fifteen percent of media buyers said they would not increase their spending on any retail-media platform.
Unlike Amazon, which has invested heavily in a self-service system and simplifying its ad products, other retail media platforms can be “daunting for brands to figure out,” said Todd Bowman, senior director of Amazon and eRetail at Merkle. “Companies like Walmart or Target might have 50 to 100 ad units for marketers to pick from,” he said.
In the past, companies like Target and Walmart also had multiple overlapping teams marketers could work with that added to the confusion and hesitation by marketers. Until Walmart decided to bring all of its media capabilities in-house, buyers could either coordinate campaigns with Triad Retail Media or directly with an internal Walmart media team. Meanwhile on Target, buyers were working with either a national media group or a specific shopper-marketing team.
Amazon’s ad products are also notoriously confusing, but buyers are committed to figuring them out because of its sheer scale and performance. Smaller players may not have the same luxury.
Advertising performance is also an obvious consideration for many. “Outside of Amazon, it’s hard to demonstrate a ROI on any of these platforms,” said Jason Goldberg, chief commerce officer at Publicis. Rather than try performance-driven campaigns that produce meager results, he noticed that many of the clients are currently using e-commerce retail platforms as brand awareness platforms. But as spending by marketers is increasingly scrutinized to lead to measurable outcomes, advertising on alternative e-commerce retail platforms with less hard data on outcomes will continue to prove difficult to justify.
Instead, most of the money being spent on the likes of Walmart, Target, eBay or Kroger is experimental spending. “It’s not meaningful spending at the moment. The spending that is happening is about relationship building,” added Goldberg. Companies advertising on these retail e-commerce platforms may be doing so because of larger retail agreements, similar to Amazon, which requires them to commit to certain spending levels. As a result, money allocated to these platforms is often being repositioned in small amounts from other areas like trade budgets.
Lastly, the data component is keeping potential clients away from e-commerce retailers. Part of that gets back to how e-commerce retailers are selling media. Because Amazon is a self-service platform, companies can see results and optimize campaigns in real-time. Additionally, years of advertising on Google and Facebook has conditioned many marketers to expect instant access to campaign results and optimization tools.
When marketers start work with other e-commerce retailers, it’s an adjustment because most are operating a managed-service system. Because it’s through a managed service and not a self-service “the reporting for clients can come halfway through a campaign or even after it’s over,” said Bowman. He added that a company may wait for weeks until after the campaign has run to send the results because retailers will want to wait until in-store transactions come through.
Until companies like eBay, Walmart, Target or Kroger are able to offer companies similar advertising experiences to the ones they’ve become accustomed to on Facebook, Google and Amazon, marketers will walk, not run, to advertise with them.
Cheat Sheet: Inside Carrefour’s ‘competitive’ retail media pitch to advertisers
As it stands, 20% of Carrefour's store sales are already influenced by its digital ad sales.
‘Mindset that this is going to be long-term’: Inside Visible’s influencer marketing strategy for Pride and beyond
The digital-only phone carrier from Verizon, believes that fostering an on-going relationship with influencers will allow the audiences to get to know the brand authentically.
How Complexland 2.0’s gamefied virtual shopping festival increased sponsorship revenue by 60%
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SponsoredIdentity solution fatigue is setting in: How to keep moving
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How Untuckit embraced virtual clienteling software to drive sales
Untuckit’s live chat sale conversion rate is over 20% — a point of pride for the company as all retailers struggle to keep online shoppers happy.
‘A symbiotic relationship’: Why social media platforms are getting in front of the growing creator economy
Social media platforms are rolling out the red carpet for creators, in hopes of capitalizing on the growing creator economy.


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ATLANTA, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Carter's, Inc. (NYSE: CRI), the largest branded marketer in the United States of apparel exclusively for babies and young children, announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Mike Casey, and its President, Joe Pacifico, will present at the Bank of America 2008 Investment Conference on September 15, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
To listen to a live broadcast of the presentation, please visit the Investor Relations section of the Company's website, http://www.carters.com .
Carter's, Inc. is the largest branded marketer in the United States of apparel exclusively for babies and young children. Carter's markets its Carter's and OshKosh B'Gosh brands, two of the most recognized brands in the marketplace. Collectively these brands are sold in more than 4,000 department and national chain stores and through more than 390 Company-operated stores. The OshKosh B'Gosh brand is also sold in more than 30 countries worldwide. Carter's Child of Mine and Just One Year brands are available at Wal-Mart and Target, respectively. OshKosh B'Gosh's Genuine Kid's brand is available at Target. Carter's is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Additional information may be found at http://www.carters.com .
Vice President, Investor Relations
SOURCE Carter's, Inc.
CONTACT: Eric Martin, Vice President, Investor Relations of Carter's,
Web site: http://www.carters.com


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Medical device maker Abbott Laboratories said its first-quarter earnings fell from a year ago, but grew when adjusted for its spin off from AbbVie.
Abbott Park-based Abbott (NYSE ABT), which separated from its AbbVie pharmaceutical business on Jan. 1, said earnings fell to $544 million, or 34 cents per share, for the quarter, compared with $1.24 billion, or 78 cents per share, a year ago, when the results included earnings from AbbVie.
Adjusted income from continuing operations rose to $674 million, or 42 cents per share, up from $645 million, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier, but missing a FactSet poll of analysts for adjusted earnings of 41 cents per share.
Sales for the quarter increased 1.8 percent to $5.38 billion and was up 3.5 when excluding foreign exchange rate effects. Sales in emerging markets, which comprise more than 40 percent of Abbott's total sales, rose 15 percent on an operational basis to $2.2 billion. Sales were driven by 9 percent operational sales growth in its nutrition division, including 14.8 percent international growth, and 6.4 percent operational sales growth in diagnostics.
Abbott also reaffirmed its full-year guidance for adjusted earnings of $1.98 to $2.04 per share and second-quarter earnings of 43 cents to 45 cents per share. Analysts were expecting 2013 earnings of $2.01 per share and second-quarter earnings of about 43 cents per share.
Abbott shares were up 2 percent to $37.17 a share Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Downers Grove-based manufacturer Dover Corp. (NYSE: DOV) said its profits rose 7 percent to $210 million, or $1.20 per share, from $196.1 million, or $1.05 per share, a year ago. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations was $1.10 per share, which beat a FactSet poll expecting a profit of $1.09 per share, but the company’s quarterly revenue of $2.04 billion, up 4 percent from a year ago, was lower than expectations for revenue of $2.07 billion.
Dover said it still expects full-year revenue to grow 7 to 9 percent, indicating 2013 revenue of $8.67 billion to $8.83 billion, and earnings from continuing operations of $5.05 to $5.35 per share. Analysts had forecast full-year earnings of $5.23 per share on revenue of about $8.73 billion.
Dover stock was down 3 percent to $69.94 a share Wednesday afternoon.


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Hello! In the gallery were added new photoshoot for Adidas Originals COEEZE Apparel Collection. Enjoy!
Hello! In the gallery were added new outtakes from Kylie’s Jenner for Adidas Originals ‘Falcon’ Collection. Enjoy!
Kylie Jenner has announced that she is officially partnering with Adidas as their newest ambassador. In the gallery were added new photoshoot for Adidas Originals Fall/Winter ‘Falcon’ Campaign + behind the scenes pics. Enjoy!
Two years after fronting a campaign for Puma, Kylie Jenner has swapped sides and landed herself as the face of Adidas Originals’ new Falcon Dorf sneakers.
The collaboration may not come as a surprise to come, thanks to her family’s ties with the brand (brother-in-law Kanye West designed his Yeezy lined for Adidas, and her sister, Kendall Jenner is also an ambassador), the brand have also revealed another special reason they chose the 21-year old beauty mogul as the new face.
Both Kylie Jenner and the Adidas Originals’ Falcon Dorf sneakers were born in 1997, making it a seminal year for the sportswear label.
“I love 90s style, and it’s really inspired many of the colour choices in my collections. From my dark matte lip kits to the bold eye shadow palettes, these looks are definitely a throwback to that time,” says the reality TV star. “I’ve always loved Adidas and it’s been really exciting now being part of the Originals family, especially for the launch of Falcon.”


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November 18, 2011 |
United States Census Bureau California North Dakota New Jersey Illinois Texas New York Florida Latin America Caribbean United States Census Bureau
December 14, 2011 |
jewellery exports Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council Rajiv Jain Hong Kong Latin America Russia Africa jewellery exports Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council
July 17, 2014 |
BEIJING: Firming up China's engagement with resource-rich Latin America, President Xi Jinping has offered to build a railway network across the continent, considered the backyard of the US. During his meet with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Brasilia yesterday, Xi proposed that China, Peru and Brazil form a working group to promote cooperation on the project. He suggested that a trilateral working group be established to guide their cooperation in all related aspects including planning, design, construction and operation of the transcontinental railway, state run China Daily said today.
January 20, 2013
By Shobhan Saxena SAO PAULO: In a corner of Colombia, just next to a delta where the muddy water of the Magdalena River dissolves into the deep-blue Caribbean Sea, is the town of Barranquilla. With just 1.8 million people, this tranquil city has a port where ships arrive day and night. But Barranquilla's most famous export to the world is Shakira. In this remote patch, an Indian walking the street may look like a fan of the artist who sets stages on fire with her mix of pop, folk and belly dancing.
July 31, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: The Textiles Ministry has asked handicrafts exporters to nearly double their overseas sales target to Rs 33,000 crore in the next three years. Last fiscal, these exports stood at Rs 17,000 crore. "We must increase handicrafts exports from Rs 17,000 crore to Rs 33,000 crore in the next three years," Textiles Minister K Sambasiva Rao has said at an Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) award function here. The major markets for the country's handicrafts exports are the US and Europe.
March 31, 2006 |
Does the rise of Left-leaning governments in Latin America, particularly the election of Evo Morales as President of Bolivia, presage a shift to the hard left across the continent? Does it mark a repudiation of the US foreign policy in the region? Will it, for example, lead to a re-nationalisation of Bolivia's vast natural gas deposits? These are vital questions, but they miss the larger significance of the rise of someone like Morales, for he is Bolivia's first indigenous elected Head of State.
August 22, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Within days of announcing its plans to expand to as many as 50 countries by 2020, Hero MotoCorp , the world's largest two-wheeler manufacturer by volumes, on Thursday commenced its operations in Peru - one of the largest two-wheeler markets in Latin America. Having roped in MOTOCORP S.A.C, a part of the reputed EFE Groupof Peru as its local partner, Hero has kicked off its operations with a well-established large distribution network of as many as 85 outlets spread across the country.
March 6, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Left parties today expressed grief at the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez , terming him an "iconic crusader" against US imperialism who symbolised radical transformations in Latin America. Chavez was "an epic figure who symbolised the radical transformations taking place in Latin America" and initiated the Bolivarian revolutionary process that "enabled Venezuela to take control of its destiny by asserting national sovereignty and control over all the vital resources of the country including oil and gas," the CPI(M)
January 30, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Kicking off its ambitious plans to garner 10% of its total volumes from international business in five years' time, Hero MotoCorp has commenced its operations in three Latin American countries - El Salvador , Honduras and Guatemala in Latin America - eventually hoping to go to as many as 30 countries spread across the globe. According to a top industry source in the knowledge of the development, Hero MotoCorp dispatched the first consignment of two-wheelers to these three countries in Latin America just a few weeks back.
November 30, 2010 |
MUMBAI: RPG Group company CEAT on Monday announced the acquisition of the global rights of CEAT brand from Italian tyre major Pirelli for Rs 55 crore, helping it to secure better pricing advantage and distribution strengths. "We have been negotiating with Pirelli for the last two years to acquire the global brand rights of CEAT. While the acquisition will give us pricing advantage, it will also help us source Ceat tyres from countries such as China and distribute it across the globe," said Harsh Goenka, chairman, RPG group.