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The world’s largest tech corporations should adjust to a sweeping new European legislation beginning Friday that impacts every little thing from social media moderation to focused promoting and counterfeit items in e-commerce — with attainable ripple results for the remainder of the world.
The unprecedented EU measures for on-line platforms will apply to corporations together with Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Snapchat and TikTok, amongst many others, reflecting one of the vital complete and impressive efforts by policymakers anyplace to control tech giants by way of laws. It might result in fines for some corporations and to modifications in software program affecting shoppers.
The foundations search to handle among the most severe considerations that critics of huge tech platforms have raised in recent times, together with the unfold of misinformation and disinformation; attainable harms to psychological well being, significantly for younger individuals; rabbit holes of algorithmically really useful content material and a scarcity of transparency; and the unfold of unlawful or faux merchandise on digital marketplaces.
Though the European Union’s Digital Companies Act (DSA) handed final yr, corporations have had till now to organize for its enforcement. Friday marks the arrival of a key compliance deadline — after which tech platforms with greater than 45 million EU customers must meet the obligations specified by the legislation.
The EU additionally says the legislation intends “to determine a stage enjoying subject to foster innovation, progress and competitiveness each within the European Single Market and globally.” The motion reinforces Europe’s place as a pacesetter in checking the ability of huge US tech corporations.
For all platforms, not simply the most important ones, the DSA bans data-driven focused promoting aimed toward kids, in addition to focused advertisements to all web customers primarily based on protected traits akin to political affiliation, sexual orientation and ethnicity. The restrictions apply to every kind of on-line advertisements, together with industrial promoting, political promoting and challenge promoting. (Some platforms had already in recent times rolled out restrictions on focused promoting primarily based on protected traits.)
The legislation bans so-called “darkish patterns,” or using refined design cues that could be meant to nudge shoppers towards giving up their private knowledge or making different choices that an organization would possibly favor. An instance of a darkish sample generally cited by client teams is when an organization tries to influence a consumer to decide into monitoring by highlighting an acceptance button with vibrant colours, whereas concurrently downplaying the choice to decide out by minimizing that selection’s font dimension or placement.
The legislation additionally requires all on-line platforms to supply methods for customers to report unlawful content material and merchandise and for them to enchantment content material moderation choices. And it requires corporations to spell out their phrases of service in an accessible method.
For the most important platforms, the legislation goes additional. Firms designated as Very Massive On-line Platforms or Very Massive On-line Search Engines can be required to undertake unbiased danger assessments targeted on, for instance, how dangerous actors would possibly attempt to manipulate their platforms, or use them to intrude with elections or to violate human rights — and firms should act to mitigate these dangers. And so they must arrange repositories of the advertisements they’ve run and permit the general public to examine them.
Only a handful of corporations are thought of very giant platforms underneath the legislation. However the record finalized in April contains probably the most highly effective tech corporations on the earth, and, for these corporations, violations may be costly. The DSA permits EU officers to challenge fines price as much as 6% of a really giant platform’s international annual income. That would imply billions in fines for an organization as giant as Meta, which final yr reported greater than $116 billion in income.
Firms have spent months getting ready for the deadline. As not too long ago as this month, TikTok rolled out a software for reporting unlawful content material and mentioned it will give EU customers particular explanations when their content material is eliminated. It additionally mentioned it will cease displaying advertisements to teenagers in Europe primarily based on the information the corporate has collected on them, all to adjust to the DSA guidelines.
“We’ve launched new processes and options to supply higher transparency round our method to promoting, content material moderation and advice programs — and finally, give customers extra management over their TikTok expertise,” TikTok spokesperson Morgan Evans mentioned in a press release, including that the corporate would proceed investing in “for our international neighborhood too.”
Meta President of World Affairs Nick Clegg mentioned in a press release Tuesday that the corporate has “been supportive of the targets of the DSA and the creation of a regulatory regime in Europe that minimizes hurt.” Clegg, additionally a former deputy prime minister of the UK, mentioned Meta assembled a 1,000-person group to organize for DSA necessities.
He outlined a number of efforts by the corporate together with limits on what knowledge advertisers can see on teenagers ages 13 to 17 who use Fb and Instagram. He mentioned advertisers can not goal the teenagers primarily based on their exercise on these platforms. “Age and placement is now the one details about teenagers that advertisers can use to indicate them advertisements,” he mentioned.
In a press release, a Microsoft spokesperson advised CNN the DSA deadline “is a vital milestone within the struggle in opposition to unlawful content material on-line. We’re aware of our heightened tasks within the EU as a significant expertise firm and proceed to work with the European Fee on assembly the necessities of the DSA.”
In a Friday weblog submit, Microsoft Chief Digital Security Officer Courtney Gregoire detailed how the corporate is strengthening security on its Bing search engine to adjust to the legislation.
Snapchat father or mother Snap advised CNN that it’s working carefully with the European Fee to make sure the corporate is compliant with the brand new legislation. Snap has appointed a number of devoted compliance staff to watch whether or not it’s residing as much as its obligations, the corporate mentioned, and has already carried out a number of safeguards.
And Apple mentioned in a press release that the DSA’s targets “align with Apple’s targets to guard shoppers from unlawful and dangerous content material. We’re working to implement the necessities of the DSA with consumer privateness and safety as our continued North Star.”
Google and Pinterest advised CNN they’ve additionally been working carefully with the European Fee.
“We share the DSA’s targets of constructing the web much more protected, clear and accountable, whereas ensuring that European customers, creators and companies proceed to take pleasure in the advantages of the net,” a Google spokesperson mentioned.
A Pinterest spokesperson mentioned the corporate would “proceed to have interaction with the European Fee on the implementation of the DSA to make sure a clean transition into the brand new authorized framework.” The spokesperson added: “The wellbeing, security and privateness of our customers is a precedence and we’ll proceed to construct on our efforts.”
Many corporations ought to be capable of adjust to the legislation, given their present insurance policies, groups and monitoring instruments, in response to Robert Grosvenor, a London-based managing director on the consulting agency Alvarez & Marsal. “Europe’s largest on-line service suppliers usually are not ranging from floor zero,” Grosvenor mentioned. However, he added: “Whether or not they’re able to grow to be a extremely regulated sector is one other matter.”
EU officers have signaled they are going to be scrutinizing corporations for violations. Earlier this summer time, European officers carried out preemptive “stress exams” of X, the corporate previously referred to as Twitter, in addition to Meta and TikTok to find out the businesses’ readiness for the DSA.
For a lot of the yr, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has been publicly reminding X of its coming obligations as the corporate has backslid on a few of its content material moderation practices. Whilst Breton concluded that X was taking its stress take a look at significantly in June, the corporate had simply misplaced a prime content material moderation official and had withdrawn from a voluntary EU dedication on disinformation that European officers had mentioned could be a part of any analysis of a platform’s compliance with the DSA.
X advised CNN forward of Friday’s deadline that it was on observe to adjust to the brand new legislation.
Analysts anticipate that the EU can be watching much more carefully after the deadline — and a few hope that the foundations will both encourage tech platforms to copy their practices within the EU voluntarily world wide or else drive policymakers to undertake related measures.
“We hope that these new legal guidelines will encourage different jurisdictions to behave as a result of these are, in any case, international corporations which apply most of the similar practices worldwide,” mentioned Agustin Reyna, head of authorized and financial affairs at BEUC, a European client advocacy group. “Europe acquired the ball rolling, however we’d like different jurisdictions to win the match in opposition to tech giants.”
Already, Amazon has sought to problem the very giant platform label in court docket, arguing that the DSA’s necessities are geared towards ad-based on-line speech platforms, that Amazon is a retail platform and that none of its direct rivals in Europe have likewise been labeled, regardless of being bigger than Amazon inside particular person EU international locations.
The authorized fights might current the primary main take a look at of the DSA’s sturdiness within the face of Huge Tech’s monumental sources. Amazon advised CNN that it plans to adjust to the EU Normal Courtroom’s determination, both approach.
“Amazon shares the aim of the European Fee to create a protected, predictable and trusted on-line surroundings, and we make investments considerably in defending our retailer from dangerous actors, unlawful content material, and in making a reliable procuring expertise,” an Amazon spokesperson mentioned. “We’ve constructed on this sturdy basis for DSA compliance.”


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Report: 2012 BC Association of Farmers’ Market Conference
Date & Location: March 2-4th, 2012 in Courteny, BC
Purpose: The BC Association of Farmers’ Markets (BCAFM) represents farmers’ markets throughout the Province, their mission is to support, develop, and promote farmers’ markets in BC. This annual conference provides an opportunity for those involved with Farmers’ Markets to learn, share and network to strengthen the industry.
Creston Representatives: Jen Comer (Farmers’ Market Manager) and Joel Comer (local farmers’ market vendor)
Sponsors: Chamber of Commerce through Agritourism funding and RDCK area A
Don McRae, MLA for the Comox Valley and Minister of Agriculture, opened the 2012 BCAFM conference. He noted that farmers’ market vendors are the face of agriculture in BC. They are an integral part to the BC economy, and the government has shown their support through identifying Agri-Foods as a sector in the BC Jobs Plan.
The theme for this year’s conference was integrity at the market. Stacy Miller, executive director of Farmers’ Market Coalition (a US non-profit similar to BCAFM), noted that between 1994 – 2011 the number of farmers markets in the US increased from 1755 to 7175. However, this growth comes with challenges, some of which we are experiencing here in the Creston Valley, namely:
- More vendors = more competition for customer sales
- Tenuous land security for market (market locations and office space)
- Lack of comprehensive data
- Dependence on volunteers and underpaid staff
- Dependence on grant funding
One of the noted challenges we have experienced in Creston is collecting and reporting on data. Thanks to this conference we now have the opportunity and a plan to measure on our markets social, economic and environmental goals. Vancity Community Foundation is piloting a toolkit for demonstrating values and measuring impacts for farmers’ markets. The Creston Valley Farmers’ Market has signed up as a pilot participant and will be recording and reporting on these indicators this upcoming market season, and for future seasons thereafter.
One of the key goals for the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market is to not be reliant on grant funding for ongoing market operations. Joel attended a session entitled “Income Enhancement Strategies at Farmers’ Market” hosted by Bruce Fatkin, manager of the Abbotsford Farm & Country Market. Their market’s goal was to add an additional 50% of their income from non-grant sources. They identified some key areas that could increase their market revenue:
- Business sponsorship
- More frequent markets (winter markets, and summer mid-week)
- 50/50 draws
- Market operated prepared-food kiosks
- “Market bucks” program through customers pre-paying for market credits (could be in conjunction with implementing onsite debit machine)
Joel also attended a lecture showcasing the BCAFM’s new resources for vendors. This presentation highlighted that FMs as an industry in BC are in a growth phase. As we grow it becomes necessary to increase product standardization so customers know what to expect, while at the same time retaining what it is that makes specific markets unique. Although there are more vendors and more customers at markets, the number of new customers is not keeping up with the number of vendors. Still, 70 of 74 markets are looking for new farmer vendors (specifically niche growers and specialty meats). Some interesting facts (many more on the website):
- 50% of vendors are growing on 5 acres or less
- 30% are growing on less than 1 acre
- 25% of farm vendors make 10-20k solely at markets.
- 18% of vendors make 100% of there income from the market
- wholesale is becoming less and less profitable
In order to attract more customer the “standard pitch” is not enough. We already have the foodies, and community minded people attending the market. The focus must be on showing that our products are of high quality, reasonable cost, low risk, and consistent. There are many very good resources to be found at www.bcfarmersmarket.org/ind/bizcase.htm. It is highly recommended to check it out.
While Joel attended the previously noted sessions, Jen was at the Farmers’ Market Manager Roundtable session, where the coordinators of markets are able to discuss management concerns and issues. Some of the key areas discussed were:
- Monitoring of low risk food products are being passed onto market managers. Concerns that not all managers have the expertise to handle this additional role and it should ultimately be the responsibility of local Environmental Health Officers.
- Need to recruit more vendors – one market has started making presentations to high school students about the opportunities of opening a booth
- Develop stricter vendor penalties for no-show vendors (currently no policy exists in Creston and is becoming a significant problem)
- Innovative market promo tools:
- “Farmer Bob” at Kelowna market, he’s going to get married this summer to “Farmer Jane”. Costs about $4000 for mascot costume and honorarium for person inside costume. Attends schools, parades, and community events.
- “Market Bucks” program with point-of-sale system (debit machine)
- Develop vendor coupon bundles for giveaways on local radio (no cash value, voluntary vendor participation)
This year’s conference was a delight to be at, and we made many valuable connections for future market development in Creston. Thanks to those who supported our attendance!

domain: news


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It did not take lengthy for rumors to start circulating about how Apple Inc. (AAPL) will observe up on the iPhone X.
Reports have surfaced about what the tech large may need in retailer for the following model of the iPhone, however badysts disagree on what number of units may be launched in 2018.
KGI Securities badyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who’s accurately predicted lots of Apple’s previous strikes, wrote on Monday that Apple will launch three new variations of its much-hyped, 10th anniversary iPhone X in 2018. Kuo stated that two new iPhones will likely be focused for the high-end market, and a 3rd mannequin will likely be designed for the center and low-end markets, Kuo stated.
“We predict Apple will launch three new iPhone models in the second half of 2018: 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch organic LED models and a 6.1-inch, thin-film-transistor-LCD model, all equipped with a full-screen design and TrueDepth Camera (front 3D sensing), as with the iPhone X,” Kuo wrote, in accordance with MacRumours.
The iPhone X has a 5.Eight-inch natural LED display screen, which means the 6.5-inch mannequin can be a bigger model of it. And the mannequin with the LCD display screen, which is what the iPhone Eight and eight Plus use, can be the center/lower-end model.
Kuo contended that the ultra-high-end iPhones subsequent yr may drive a “real super cycle,” and added that he expects Apple to bademble between 100 million and 120 million iPhones within the again half of 2018.
But Loup Ventures’ Gene Munster, one other well-respected badyst who’s lined Apple for a few years, did not purchase Kuo’s predictions. Munster stated it is unlikely that Apple will launch three fashions in 2018 and as an alternative believes the corporate will launch simply two fashions.
“The idea that they have an LCD screen version of the iPhone X for the emerging markets would be a departure from their market strategy for the past five years,” Munster stated in an e mail to TheAvenue. “We think they will [instead] continue to reduce the price of existing phones to target the emerging markets.”
Historically, Apple reduces the worth of older iPhone fashions when it releases a brand new line of units, making them extra engaging to customers in growing international locations. This yr, for instance, Apple minimize the worth of the iPhone 7/7 Plus and iPhone 6S Plus/6S fashions by $100 the day after its annual September occasion baderting the iPhone Eight/Eight Plus and the high-end X. The iPhone SE, Apple’s most cost-effective smartphone, obtained a $50 low cost.
Apple’s three-tiered system lineup this yr represented a brand new technique for the agency. For the previous two generations of iPhones, Apple has caught to releasing a base mannequin and a Plus mannequin. On the corporate’s current fiscal fourth-quarter earnings name, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that he wasn’t certain how the brand new technique would play out.
“This is the first time we’ve ever been in the position that we’ve had three new iPhones at once like this at the top end of the line,” Cook stated. “And it’s the first time we’ve had a staggered launch. So we’re going to see what happens.”
Still, the corporate’s steering for the December is “bullish,” Cook stated, noting that the iPhone Eight Plus was promoting “surprisingly” effectively and that preliminary demand for the iPhone X was robust.
Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer’s Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted earlier than Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn extra now.
More of What’s Trending on TheAvenue:


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Authorities in Uruguay on Sunday recovered the body of a 16-meter sperm whale, normally at home in deep waters, after it beached near the capital.
Jan 13, 2014 in Plants & Animals
The biggest gadget trade show in the Americas wrapped up on Friday in Las Vegas after swamping the city with 150,000 attendees. This year, "wearable" computing was big, along with various 3-D technologies, ...
Jan 13, 2014 in Consumer & Gadgets


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FC Cincinnati announces the date for MLS jersey unveiling at Music Hall
FC Cincinnati will unveil its Major League Soccer uniforms, or kits, Feb. 11 at the Music Hall Ballroom.
Tickets for the event are $10 and attendees will be able to purchase the new jersey at a presale window at the event. Attendees also will receive 10 percent off their purchases at the event, according to a team news release.
The unveiling and presale events will go off at 7 p.m. and be accompanied by a panel discussion with current FC Cincinnati players.
Fans who attend the jersey unveiling will receive a 10 percent discount on all team merchandise purchased on-site at the event, including pre-ordered jerseys and spring/summer pieces from the club's retail line, according to a news release.
A selection of the club’s spring/summer retail line will also be available for purchase and also subject to the on-site discount.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the FC Cincinnati Foundation, according to the team news release.


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Gear S3 launch date revealed – it’s nearly time for Samsung’s new smartwatch
Samsung has outed details of its Gear S3 (or will it just be the Gear 3?) launch event, with the firm revealing its new smartwatch will be unveiled at IFA 2016 in Berlin, Germany.
Posting a seemingly open invite to its website, Samsung has confirmed that it will be holding its next Gear event on August 31 at Berlin’s Tempodrom, with the proceedings set to kick-off at 18:00 CET, which is 17:00 BST or 12:00 EST.
The South Korean firm, which recently released a new flagship phablet in the Galaxy Note 7, says that it’s time to “talk about 3” alongside a cryptic image of a watch face featuring a small circle on its bottom left-hand side.
That could hint at a surprise new feature, with rumours currently suggesting that the Gear S3 will add a barometer, altimeter, and GPS-based speedometer. Other than that, it’s expected to maintain the same basic design as the Gear S2, including the popular rotary bezel control.
What’s interesting is that Samsung is holding the Gear launch event the night before its main IFA 2016 press conference, which is set for the morning of September 1. Could that mean we’re going to get a ‘one more thing’ from Sammy this autumn in Berlin?
It’s possible, but doesn’t seem likely – the dual event strategy probably means Samsung will talk about other consumer goods like fridges and TVs at its September conference, though the Gear S3 will no doubt get a second mention.
Samsung also notes that it’ll be live streaming the Gear launch event, so you can follow all the action from Berlin wherever you are.
The TrustedReviews team will be attending IFA 2016, so you’ll find all the latest news, first impressions and analysis right here.
Related: IFA 2016 preview – What to expect
Watch: Wearables and fitness buying guide
Are you excited for the Gear S3 smartwatch? Let us know in the comments below.


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Call of Duty 'Greatest Hits' DLC Reportedly Releasing To Celebrate 20th Anniversary
Modern Warfare 2 is set to make Call of Duty history by pressing pause on the rotation of annually releases to reign as the monarch for two years. But, with many people wondering how the sequel of a sequel series will retain players for two years, Infinity Ward has a plan.
It now appears that Modern Warfare 2 will compile everything that Call of Duty has ever celebrated and release a premium DLC for its second year, serving as a 'Greatest Hits' instalment. Approaching the 20th anniversary of Call of Duty - and a new chapter drawn away from Activision towards Microsoft - the developers have reportedly decided to reminisce over the glorious monopoly they have built over the FPS genre.
What Is The Call of Duty Greatest Hits DLC Reportedly In Development?
According to leaks, a 'Call of Duty Greatest Hits' (a placeholder name) will be released inside of Modern Warfare 2 as a 'Premium DLC', akin to how it previously released Zombies Chronicles.
Popular leaker "TheGhostOfHope" has explained that the "greatest hits map pack" is in development, and will feature the best CoD maps of all time pulled in from all three sub-franchises. In a somewhat CoD: Mobile-esque fashion, iconic maps from Treyarch's Black Ops series and Sledgehammer Games' titles will all be pooled together in a medley of masterclasses.
The DLC would also feature the entire Modern Warfare 2 (2009) map pool, which has already been heavily rumoured to be coming in 2023.
Will The Call of Duty Greatest Hits Maps Be Remastered?
With a suspected 20+ maps being available in the Greatest Hits DLC, the content will be ported into Modern Warfare 2, meaning that the classic designs we've loved over the years will have to be tweaked somewhat, especially those coming over from Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games.
Thankfully, many of the iconic landscapes have already been tinkered with, such as Black Ops 2's Raid, which was added to Cold War and will undoubtedly feature in the 'best of the best' catalogue.
Not necessarily known for their impressive map designs, it will be interesting to see which Sledgehammer Games' maps could make the portfolio, with Sovereign and London Docks being their only outstanding designs to date. Maybe we might see the return of Bocage all too early.
The Greatest Hits DLC can be estimated to be around $30, which was the price of the Zombies Chronicles celebration. To honour 20 glorious years from Call of Duty, we say it's a small price to pay.


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Rotana scoops 12 awards at WTA
Dubai, May 9, 2013
Leading hotel management company Rotana recently received 12 awards at the 20th Annual World Travel Awards, in recognition of its continuous efforts and success.
For the seventh year in a row, Rotana has been voted as the ‘Middle East’s Leading Hotel Brand’. Its individual property awards included Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa and Al Aqah Beach as Middle East’s Leading Family Resort; Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi as the Middle East’s Leading Corporate Resort; Arjaan by Rotana Dubai as Middle East’s Leading Luxury Hotel Apartments.
Al Bustan Rotana Dubai as the Middle East’s Leading City Hotel; Gefinor Rotana Beirut, as Lebanon’s Leading Business Hotel; Amwaj Rotana Dubai, Dubai’s Leading City Hotel; Park Rotana Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi’s Leading Business Hotel; Erbil Rotana, Iraq’s Leading Hotel; Al Manshar Rotana Kuwait, Kuwait’s Leading Business Hotel; Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana Dubai, UAE's Leading New Hotel and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana Dubai, UAE's Leading Serviced Apartments.
Nasser Al Nowais, chairman of Rotana, said: “We are extremely delighted to be recognised as the Middle East’s leading hotel brand and a leader in so many award categories at one of the most popular international annual accolades. It is a clear reflection of the Rotana team’s hard work, dedication and passion, which continues to exceed our guest’s expectations.”
Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the "Travel industry's equivalent to the Oscars", the World Travel Awards are considered as one of the most comprehensive and prestigious events in the global travel industry today, a statement from the hotel said.
Each year the World Travel Awards attracts VIPs, senior tourism figures and international media, hitting the travel industry community and building to a crescendo with the annual awards presentation ceremony. The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the enormous achievements found in all sectors of the global travel industry.
Since inception in 1993, Rotana has grown to be the region’s largest hospitality management company and a brand that is widely recognised and admired. It currently manages a portfolio of over 85 properties throughout the Middle East and Africa with an aggressive expansion plan in place.
The hotel offers a wide range of services and products through its four sub-brands; Rotana Hotels & Resorts for the four and five-star properties, Arjaan Hotel Apartments for the long-terms stays, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts, Rotana’s alcohol-free four and five-star properties and Centro Hotels, a three-star plus concept for the budget traveller. Customers are attracted and retained by the offer of a wide array of choices in terms of location, budget and style of property, the statement said.
“These awards stand testimony to the passion and commitment we have as an organisation to play a pivotal role in the growth of Rotana. The enthusiasm and sheer professionalism that our entire team shows towards their work and the hospitality industry is what has allowed us to achieve our success and we are delighted that our efforts have been recognised,” concluded Al Nowais. – TradeArabia News Service
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- Lufthansa aims high with 'First Class' service
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- Dubai Airports 'powers down' for green initiative
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© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and Dental Products Report. All rights reserved.
Intraoral scanners for taking digital impressions can aid in sleep disorders.
The CS 3600 intraoral scanner from Carestream Dental will be compatible with ResMed’s Narval® mandibular repositioning device (MRD) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring treatment.
The CS 3600 was introduced at the International Dental Show 2019, in Cologne, Germany, and will be available April 15, 2019.
“More and more studies are revealing the life-changing benefits of quality sleep, and a sleep appliance can aid tremendously,” says Ed Shellard, DMD, chief dental officer, Carestream Dental. “But to ensure the perfect fit of an oral appliance, the accuracy of an intraoral scanner, like the CS 3600, is needed for taking digital impressions. As sleep dentistry continues to grow in popularity, such partnerships will help doctors provide new solutions to their patients."
Related reading: Carestream Dental offers doctors new restorative solution with exocad software
According to a recent study in BMC Oral Health, the CS 3600 is said to offer highly accurate full-arch HD 3D impressions. Its acquisition software includes features specific to sleep medicine, such as the multiple bite capture option. Clinicians can easily capture and view up to three different bite registrations, such as normal, open and protruded. Next, clinicians can export the bite matrix files with the dataset to ResMed and complete the online order form on the “Narval Easy” platform for fabrication of the Narval appliance.
By integrating high-precision intraoral scanning into its CAD/CAM manufacturing process, ResMed enables dentists to get access to a 100 percent digital oral appliance. Overall, it reportedly allows an even higher level of quality and service to dental practitioners.
“This fully digital manufacturing process improves the Narval CC’s fit and significantly reduces the level of adjustments needed at chairside,” says Karène Valentin, dental sleep marketing director, ResMed. “It also saves time by eliminating the need to send impressions by post.
For more information or to learn more about Carestream Dental’s CS 3600 intraoral scanner, visit carestreamdental.com/IDS.


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More than 500 students, printers, print-buyers and marketing communication professionals have attended the second SERPA event in Helsinki, Finland. Run by FESPA member association, the Finnish Association of Screen and Special Printing, the free, two day exhibition and seminar programme was held at the city’s Marina Congress Centre.
Following the success of the first SERPA event in 2008, the exhibition sponsored by FESPA and Aalto University attracted a wide range of industry and communications professionals, as well as print service providers.
Exclusively focussing on applications, rather than equipment, no machines or printers were displayed during the event. Instead, the SERPA theme of ‘See, Feel, Touch’ encouraged visitors to attend demonstrations, discover innovative print samples and advertising opportunities and explore ground-breaking printing solutions.
Visitors to the show had the unique opportunity to meet representatives from the entire print value chain, providing them with the ideal vehicle to learn from and gain inspiration from other sectors of the industry.
During the event, a packed seminar programme featuring speakers including Andreas Skantze, Owner, Big Image Systems, Sweden who spoke on the topic, “Price is not an issue”. Other speakers included FESPA board member, Christian Duyckaerts, Owner of Print & Display, Belgium, who discussed, “Innovation in Instore & Outdoor Communication” and Professor Petri Parvinen from Aalto University, Finland, who spoke on “Different business activity models and selling processes”, amongst others.
“We were delighted at the popularity of this year’s SERPA event. The concept of the show is innovative in itself, with no machinery on display. It was very well received and we’ve had positive feedback,” says Regina Aas, Managing Director of SERPA. “With an entire cross-section of the graphic arts spectrum present, SERPA can be considered a print event distinct from any other in Europe at the moment.”
Nigel Steffens, Managing Director, FESPA concludes, “As part of FESPA’s re-investment programme, we are dedicated to supporting our global member associations to deliver local events. The SERPA exhibition was both inspirational and informative for visitors, and it exemplifies how the large-format print community can work to attract and educate the wider industry. We look forward to assisting other member associations in similar endeavours.


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“The recent report by UNCTAD, “Wake Up Before it is Too Late: Make Agriculture Truly Sustainable Now for Food Security in a Changing Climate”, is the latest in a growing chorus of international calls for a systemic, worldwide shift of the food and farming paradigm – away from industrialized and globalized, towards ecological and localized.”
“The report is particularly newsworthy because it emanates from high levels within the UN, and is even blessed by a chairman of the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, a World Bank-associated network of research centers best known for promoting the very model of industrial agriculture that this report decries).”
“The 340-page document was authored by over fifty scholars and activists, many of them involved in the local/organic food movement, including groups like the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, GRAIN, ETC Group, and Pesticide Action Network. This close engagement with the movement signals the degree to which radical critiques of the global food system have influenced official UN thinking.”
“While the findings in the report are not a surprise to ISEC – they have been promoting this shift for over thirty years now – what is exciting is that their endorsement by UNCTAD, a major international agency, could give a major fillip to the local food movement.”
“Though there are differences and disagreements among some of the authors, there is also an undeniable consensus about the problems with the current model and about the sorts of alternatives needed. The points of agreement include:
“The last point is possibly the most encouraging aspect of the report. It is a call for a fundamental shift of the international trade regime towards what is, essentially, an economic localization framework: removing subsidies that support global agribusiness; re-regulating and reducing international trade in favor of local self-reliance; and strengthening the ability of governments to protect local farmers and to shift away from export market-orientation.”
“For ISEC, it is heartening to know that ideas we presented more than a decade ago in Bringing the Food Economy Home – many of which were dismissed as “impractical” or “unrealistic” at the time – are now being embraced at the highest policymaking levels.”
Source: quotes from The International Society for Ecology and Culture email.
Check out the Alternative Trade Mandate.


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TechNet: Tariffs on Mexico Will Hurt Texas Innovation Economy
Washington, D.C. — TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives, today urged the Trump Administration to drop its plan to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico, which are slated to take effect as early as this Monday.
The following statement can be attributed to David Edmonson, TechNet’s Executive Director for Texas and the Southeast:
“Texas is by far and away America’s leading trading partner with Mexico, and the Trump Administration’s proposed tariffs would disproportionately hurt our state’s economy. If these tariffs on imports from Mexico go forward as planned, they will damage an economic engine for Texas that last year generated over $200 billion in trade, and make it harder to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
“We appreciate Governor Abbott and members of the Texas congressional delegation for weighing in with the Trump Administration against these tariffs, and encourage them to continue doing so.
“Mexico is our neighbor, our trading partner, and our ally. The Texas and Mexican economies have been linked for centuries and generated enormous economic opportunity on both sides of the border, for the benefit of both of our populations. TechNet urges the Trump Administration to abandon this plan.”
TechNet is the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that promotes the growth of the innovation economy by advocating a targeted policy agenda at the federal and 50-state level. TechNet’s diverse membership includes dynamic American businesses ranging from startups to the most iconic companies on the planet and represents over three million employees and countless customers in the fields of information technology, e-commerce, the sharing and gig economies, advanced energy, cybersecurity, venture capital, and finance. TechNet has offices in Albany, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Olympia, Sacramento, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Tallahassee, and Washington, D.C.


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‘Fire And Fury: Inside The Trump White House’ Book Hits No. 1 On Amazon: Excerpts Viral As Trump Wants It Gone
The book excerpts from Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House have set the internet on fire. As reported by Amazon, the book — with all its allegedly juicy details about President Donald Trump — has surged to the top spot in the books category on Amazon. Days before the official publication of Fire and Fury, which is set to be available on Tuesday, January 9, folks are taking advantage of that pre-order button on Amazon, solidifying the tome’s top-selling spot on the online retail giant’s website.
Update: Fire and Fury goes on sale early, to be released on Friday, January 5.
As reported by Google Trends, searches for Fire and Fury excerpts have increased 50 percent as talk of President Trump allegedly calling Hope Hicks a “piece of tail” make the rounds, joining book excerpts that claim Trump attempted to barricade himself inside his bedroom at the White House with his own lock, much to the chagrin of Secret Service personnel. With tales of separate bedrooms between Mr. and Mrs. Trump, along with passages that claim Melania Trump cried upon learning she’d soon become First Lady Melania Trump, the book is experiencing unprecedented interest.
Entertainment Weekly notes that it only took Wolff’s book approximately 24 hours to climb nearly 50,000 positions to the top of Amazon’s list. The publication reports that Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House has kept its top spot on Amazon’s best-seller list on Thursday, after hovering around position No. 48,448 one day earlier. The book is described as chronicling the first nine months of President Trump’s reign.
Once released, the “explosive book” promises to reveal the real thoughts of Trump’s staff regarding their boss, as well as what was behind Trump’s wire-tapping claims lobbed at former President Barack Obama. More secrets of infighting and why Trump has fired folks in his camp will be revealed.
According to Vanity Fair, the White House is attempting to discredit Wolff, with Trump having his lawyers also fire off cease-and-desist letters in attempts to get the journalist’s book blocked from publication. However, Wolff’s spokeswoman states that he “stands by his reporting.”


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Manchester start-up announces partnership with Chinese retail giant
Start-up eCommerce platform Mercarto has announced a partnership with AliExpress, an online retail service which is based in China and owned by giant Alibaba.
AliExpress has one of the largest product inventory holders in the world, of three million items.
Mercarto, which offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to launch an end-to-end online retail business in just two clicks, has also unveiled a number of new features and options including personalised store fronts, a newly optimised interface and custom pricing options.
The ‘Mercarto Seller Network’ is now live within the platform, allowing product creators, manufacturers, wholesalers and suppliers to make their products available to any other seller on the network, giving them greater reach and boosted sales.
Founder Sean Brown said: “We’re pushing a major focus on product development. We've restructured the way we source products and having access to one of the biggest product resources in the world, gives us a huge baseline inventory to attract new store owners and UK-based suppliers.
"Mercarto’s goal is to become the largest accessible database of dropship products in the world while providing the best-in-class eCommerce platform.
“We've set benchmarks to guarantee the quality of the products we pull from AliExpress. That'll leave us with an eventual inventory of around three million individual products, which opens up a huge amount of choice for our store owners.
In May, Mercarto announced a deal to bring UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones on board as a business partner and 50% shareholder.
Mercarto is also developing a premium version, to give users deeper control of personalisation and a suite of marketing, reporting and order management tools. Early adopters of the platform will have access to the full premium version for free, indefinitely.


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Xbrane’s Ranibizumab Marches On With US FDA Filing Imminent
Swedish Firm Reveals Further Phase III Data For Proposed Lucentis Biosimilar
With Samsung Bioepis already holding US and EU approvals for biosimilar ranibizumab, Swedish sponsor Xbrane Biopharma says 12-month Phase III data supports ongoing registration of the Lucentis rival in both regions.
You may also be interested in...
Xbrane has set out its plans to resubmit its application for a biosimilar rival to Lucentis in the US, after receiving details from the FDA on additional information needed for the agency to accept the BLA for review.
Xbrane Biopharma has withdrawn the BLA for its proposed Xlucane ranibizumab biosimilar rival to Lucentis in the US after the FDA said further information was required for it to accept the filing. Development partner Stada said it would “work closely” with Xbrane and US licensee Bausch + Lomb to get the product to market.
Germany’s Stada completed on several strategic milestones in 2021, including launches, approvals and filings for its burgeoning biosimilars business. Reporting financial results for 2021, Stada disclosed the latest on plans to submit partner Xbrane’s ranibizumab biosimilar with the US FDA.


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Orchids from Ecuador. Carnivorous pitcher plants. Exotic philodendrons.
These are just a few of the more than 3,000 plant species that Amazon is growing to embellish its new headquarters buildings now under construction in Seattle, writes Nick Wingfield. The plants are more than about Amazon going green — they are also a monument to Amazon’s increasing power: While it once shunned displays of its clout, today Amazon is building striking offices befitting its status as one of the world’s most valuable public companies.
And Amazon is hardly the only tech company demonstrating its edifice complex these days. In Cupertino, Calif., Apple has been building a spaceshiplike new campus that had the blessing of co-founder Steven P. Jobs. Not far away in Santa Clara, Calif., Nvidia is erecting a new headquarters, with vast open floors and wavy roofs. And Facebook retained the renowned architect Frank Gehry to design some of its new office buildings in Menlo Park, Calif., that opened last year.


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It appears that Samsung is never happy unless it's releasing new handset designs and, if it can't do that, then it makes do with updating old ones. That's exactly what's happening here with the S5600 which is about to be updated to the S5620. To be known as the Monte, the updated phone will feature a 3in touchscreen display and will integrate Samsung's own TouchWiz user interface. However, some observers have declared that it might also include the new bada operating system, according to the Daily Mobile website.
Other included features will be HSDPA for fast data transfer, Wi-Fi for the wireless connection to the Internet, GPS for location finding plus a 3.5mm headphone socket for music fans and a microSD slot to allow you to upgrade the measily 200MB of internal memory. You also get an unspecificed camera without a flash.
We still await news of release dates, price and distribution.
Click to read the Daily Mobile story


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- PROJECT HELP
- WHITE PAPERS
Eric Buckner, Senior Product Manager - Mobile for Sears Holdings, discusses where to start when considering a mobile loyalty program.
Clayton Chan, COO for San Francisco Soup Company, discusses the restaurant chain's use of BLE beacons.
Restaurants are beginning to integrate various technologies that are allowing them to achieve greater efficiencies.
Although mobile and social media marketing have been hot industry topics for the past few years, you can’t have a strong digital showing without first developing a solid marketing campaign. At the 2014 Fast Casual Executive Summit, this panel dissected a variety of campaigns to see why some work and why some don’t.
McDonald's now infamous Super Bowl ad promoting its new campaign of accepting hugs for payment has exploded on Twitter, and not in the gentlest of ways.
A new partnership between Microsoft and PayPal opens the door for PayPal Here to run on any device running Windows 8.1, and Panasonic is releasing a new Toughpad, which also runs on Windows 8.1.
Ninety percent of loyalty program members desire ongoing communications from the programs in which they participate.
Cold Stone Creamery is sending its Random Acts of Cold Stone team around the country giving away free ice cream. In return, the team is challenging fans to "pay if forward" by committing a random act of kindness for someone else.
Forty percent of consumers consider menu variety to be extremely or very important to them when choosing a QSR, almost regardless of their age, gender, income or other factors.
Instead of chasing the latest fads, your mobile strategy must add real value to the consumer and enhance their experience at your stores to be successful.
Company teamed with Creditcall, which is an EMV payment gateway provider.
The QSR chain is piloting its new online order and delivery service through its Burger King Delivers website.
Coca-Cola is partnering with Fishbowl to offer a portfolio of research and solutions that can empower its foodservice clients to develop and execute digital strategies.
McDonald’s in Brazil is giving away 1 million free Cokes.
E la Carte announced it has been named by Fast Company as one of the magazine's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies for 2015.
Valentine's Day deals range from heart-shaped food to a chance to win a trip for two.
Heartland and the National Restaurant Association will host a Twitter chat on secure payment data for restaurants on Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The 61-page document details the capabilities of 151 leading mobile wallets.
LiveDeal Inc. has announced that the company topped its Q3 deal totals by 1,100 in Q4.
It's not surprising that today's restaurant consumer expects restaurants to offer technologies which make the dining experience as frictionless as possible, and prefers restaurants whose offerings support what's important to them.
Taco Bell is challenging the marginalization of tacos from the emoji system.
Fishbowl's Guest Analytics solution analyzes POS, loyalty, email, social, online ordering, reservations and guest satisfaction data.
San Francisco-based SpoonRocket, an on-demand meal delivery startup, has announced that it now accepts Bitcoin as a form of payment.
Contestants are invited to answer three Badger trivia questions for a shot to win a weekend pass to the Conference Basketball Championship Tournamentt from Jan. 26 to Feb. 22.
The smart tabletPOS combines an Ingenico iCT terminal, Beamm’s smart iPad POS application and management tools, a tablet stand, and cash drawer to provide a complete EMV-certified, in-store POS solution that is Apple Pay and Google Wallet ready
Your customers are online and mobile. Are you following them? With the advance of smart phones and social media you have new, powerful ways to connect with customers. We'll help you stay on top of the trends in online, mobile and social marketing.
© 2015 Networld Media Group All rights reserved.


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Opera launched web browser “Reborn3” with unified crypto-wallet
One of the major web browsers, Opera has finally launched its desktop edition of the browser with in-built wallet for cryptocurrencies. They have named the browser as Reborn 3. The new browser can be installed in operating systems like MAC, Windows, Linux. As per the reports of the leading website the browser can be utilized for the interaction of blockchain based internet.
Opera announced about their new browser on Tuesday, 8th April. Using this web browser, a user can interact with the decentralized application of web3. The web browser company has said the browser has the advantage of sending and receiving cryptos without the need of any extension such as Metamask.
Last December the company had launched an Android browser, it can also work in sync with the new Reborn 3. Thus, allowing the customer to store their private keys in their smartphones. The browser is also loaded with features like VPN that keeps the data of the user safe and secure. While speaking to the press, the spokesperson of Opera said, whenever a user sends a deal on the blockchain or identify themselves to Web3 a notification will be sent to their smartphones. The confirmation can be given in the same way as done while unlocking their phone.
The company will be launching their iOS browser adding the feature of crypto wallet in the near future. They are planning to name the browser as Opera touch.
The Norwegian company disclosed about their Android browser for Web3 in July 2018. They have also started an advertising operation to get the benefits of EU regulatory instructions. In the instruction, the EU has directed Google to allow Android users to choose their favorite web browser.
The VPN integration in the browser creates an encoded channel that protects the user data from third parties and does not disclose their geographical locations as well. The companies on the internet has gathered a vast amount of user information as the browsers were unable to protect them. But with the emergence of VPN technology for the browser will help the user to protect their private data.
Almost a year ago the company had promised its user that they would be launching protections for the crypto jacking attacks. In such attacks, the hackers steal the CPU power of innocent users for mining the digital currencies.
Another browser Brave, based on blockchain provides a similar kind of service. It also protects user information by allowing the user to have control over them.


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Samsung Exynos 2200 with 4nm LPE Process and AMD GPU | Exynos 2200 GFXBench
This week released a Qualcomm Snapdragon 895 (codename SM8450) chip detailed information. The flagship platform will allegedly be built on a 4nm process, but the industry is divided on the foundry.
Previously, sources revealed that the series has not yet confirmed TSMC or Samsung, possibly as a dual-version solution, after all, Samsung’s mass production time is earlier, TSMC reliability will be higher.
Another well-known tipster, Mauri QHD, revealed that a source with an 7/8 accuracy rate said that the Qualcomm SM8450 or Snapdragon 895 will still be manufactured by Samsung, or at least the Samsung version, which will use its 4nm LPE process, as well as Samsung’s own Exynos 2200.
He also said that the 4nm LPE process mentioned here is a renaming of the 5nm LPA (third-generation 5nm) solution based on 5nm because it’s easier to market, while in reality the 5nm LPA and 4nm LPE are not very different in terms of performance.
I believe that the authenticity of the news is high because TSMC has priority over Apple, in the case of the limited capacity of advanced processes, will give priority to supplying Apple. To ensure capacity security, Qualcomm and Samsung using Samsung 4nm technology is the most secure choice.
Compared to Snapdragon 888, the new generation SM8450 has been upgraded to Arm v9 architecture and the GPU has been upgraded from Adreno 660 to Adreno 730, which is expected to be a considerable improvement.
Qualcomm’s new generation of flagship processors have previously revealed information about the CPU, GPU, DSP, and other comprehensive upgrades, Adreno730 GPU upgrade is particularly worth looking forward to. Samsung’s new generation flagship Exynos 2200 processor GPU using AMD RDNA 2 architecture, its upgrade may be more surprising.
At Computex Taipei not too long ago, AMD CEO Su Zifeng announced Samsung’s next-generation flagship SoC, which will be equipped with custom graphics IP provided by AMD, supporting Ray-tracing, VRS (variable shading rate), and much more.
And a little earlier, a media outlet revealed Exynos 2200 GFXBench run scores for early samples of Samsung’s next-generation flagship processor. The news shows that running the GFXBench GPU tests of Manhattan 3.1, Aztec (normal), and Aztec (high), the Samsung Exynos 2200 scored 181.8FPS, 138.25FPS, and 58FPS respectively. In comparison, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro A14 scored 146.4FPS, 79.8FPS, 30.5FPS respectively.
|Unnamed Radeon Exynos SoC||Apple A14 Bionic (iPhone 12 Pro)|
|Manhattan 3.1||181.8 fps||120 fps|
|Aztec Ruins (normal)||138.25 fps||79.9 fps|
|Aztec Ruins (high)||58 fps||30 fps|
This set of data means that the Samsung Exynos 2200 with AMD RDNA 2 architecture is already significantly ahead of Apple A14 in terms of GPU performance, and if the mass production version can maintain such results, then the Samsung Exynos 2200 is expected to represent the Android camp processor for the first time in GPU performance to beat the Apple A-series processors.


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Singapore and Thailand pioneered the world’s first linkage of real-time payment systems on April 29, 2021. This game-changing launch will provide for faster and cheaper cross-border transfers between the two countries and throws down the gauntlet to other fintech startups in Southeast Asia to follow suit.
Through participating banks, users of PayNow in Singapore and PromptPay in Thailand can now send up to S$1,000 ($747 USD) or THB 25,000 ($801 USD) daily through their mobile devices, using only their phone numbers for transfers. This collaboration is a monumental step for fintech trends in the ASEAN region, serving as a blueprint for future payment networks.
Thune’s expert answers if fintech is the future of Southeast Asia
However, for the area to fully realise financial connectivity, it will have to overcome the obstacles currently hindering them from facilitating multi-national transfers across its member states.
We take a closer look at this progression in fintech.
A blueprint for the future
Birthed from an extensive collaboration between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Bank of Thailand, this linked payment system has created a blueprint for the fintech sector while solving the many issues of traditional transnational money transfers.
In the past, traditional transfer platforms possessed several drawbacks affecting their setups, including slow transition speeds, high processing fees, and complex information fields. With this new integrated system, users no longer need to provide their full bank details and name and can complete transfers within minutes. Platforms are also more upfront and transparent about their fees, displaying the now-affordable rates prior to transaction confirmation. .
Formed under the ASEAN Payment Connectivity plan, this collaboration is only the first leg of a seamless cross-border payment system. By 2025, the region seeks to create a fully harmonised remittance infrastructure between its members. As digital fintech platforms continue to grow, spurred on by the pandemic, ASEAN countries are prompted to speed up their national digital financial implementation and adoption programmes in tandem.
The obstacles in their paths
As Southeast Asia gears up to fulfil its 5-year ASEAN Connectivity Plan, it must strategise to overcome the challenges that stand in its way and set a standard for this new network. Because the region is so decentralised and diverse in terms of economies and currencies, it creates difficulties in fostering financial integration across borders.
ASEAN countries do not share the same currency, which can cause issues with accessibility and ease of transfer due to the hurdles exchange rates erect. They also lack a vital prerequisite to developing a connected financial system: data integration. For different information systems to integrate and exchange on a multi-nation scale, countries need a compatible infrastructure compliant with international standards. The ease of doing business index also indicates the differences spread widely across the members, making some countries more conducive to business operations than others.
To achieve these standards, ASEAN will have to work harder to create a common framework amongst its members.
As of now, the region’s digital payment systems remain mostly decentralised, with several sectors operating their share of fintech solutions. Ride-hailing apps like Gojek and Grab offer digital payments for logistics, delivery, transportation services, and more. Banks and fintech startups in Southeast Asia are also innovating and developing tech to support their digital financial services.
Southeast Asia should also plan for transfer delays between borders. The U.S. and U.K. payment system is a prime example of this effect. According to a PYMNTS report, users in the U.S. had to wait an average of 3 days more than the U.K to receive payments. Issues such as this may be a challenge that ASEAN member states will have to tackle in the future as well.
Southeast Asia’s fintech industry was booming during the pandemic
Supporting the region post-pandemic recovery
With many of the region’s populations remaining underbanked, the introduction of real-time payment systems will help digital payment providers access the 290 million who are currently lacking financial services. By facilitating connectivity and greater cash flow, this linkage can support the stimulation of regional economies for post-pandemic recovery and beyond.
As the digital payment sector continues to evolve rapidly, these innovations can solve many issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers can create new financial models, including microloans, which can serve SMEs searching for post-pandemic aid and help them approach a wider consumer base.
A milestone for the ever-changing fintech trends, this collaboration serves as a significant advancement for fintech startups in Southeast Asia, the global financial technology sector and its future endeavours. Soon, more ASEAN members will share the ability to facilitate faster and inexpensive transfers cross-border. These real-time payment systems will also play a beneficial role in bolstering the economy post-pandemic through innovation and accessible SME lending. With this blueprint set in place, Southeast Asia can achieve seamless connectivity between its communities, and this innovation will only continue to aid the region’s ascent into full financial integration.


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Fiat S.p.A. CEO Sergio Marchionne has announced that it will begin selling an Alfa Romeo sports car in the U.S. by the end of this year.
Speaking with a group of reporters at the Detroit Auto Show, Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said the new2-seat 4C sports model is being tested in the U.S., but said it’s not quite ready for launch. “This undertaking to bring Alfa back is a one-shot deal,” said Marchionne. “We’re not going to change our mind. We’re not going to do it twice. We’re not going to execute it poorly.”
There have been numerous attempts to relaunch Alpha Romeo in the U.S. since the brand abandoned the market two decades ago. At one time, Alfa Romeo was the most popular Italian brand in the U.S.
During a conference in 2009, Marchionne said reviving the Alfa brand was a top priority and a key component in his strategy to consolidate the Fiat and Chrysler brands. While most of that strategy has been executed smoothly, the plan to revive the Alfa brand has fallen behind schedule.
Delaying the launch of the 4C, is Marchionne’s concern that the model’s powertrain have the right feel and sound. To ensure the new model sounds like an Alfa Romeo, Marchionne said the 4C has to have “Wop” engine. Aside the engine, Marchionne said the 4C’s basic architecture has been finalized. A total of nine Alfa models are slated to launch in the U.S. by 2016. The majority will be assembled in Italy, but one rear-wheel drive model will be built in Japan through a joint venture with Mazda.
Doubt over whether or not Alfa Romeo’s planned revival would ever become a reality has been growing, and recently rival automaker Volkswagen AG has suggested the best solution would be for Marchionne to sell them the ailing brand. On Monday, Marchionne attempted to put that idea to rest once and for all by saying, “I’ve got to come up with a German version of ‘No.’” I think it’s called ‘Nein.’”


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Residents of Contra Costa County can now obtain money rebates for brand new electrical bicycles, or e-bikes, by way of a pilot program launched by 511 Contra Costa.
A restricted variety of $150 rebates can be found for residents of every of the county’s 19 cities, and one other batch for residents of unincorporated areas, to assist purchase e-bikes, e-bike conversion kits and electrical mopeds (with a most pace lower than 30 mph). Low-income residents would obtain $300 rebates.
E-bikes are valued as a clear various to utilizing an inside combustion car for brief to medium distances on native streets.
The rebates are relevant to e-bike purchases starting Thursday, and might be distributed on a first-come, first-served foundation.
“E-bikes supply a number of key advantages as an alternative choice to driving — they cut back congestion, cut back greenhouse gasoline emissions, get rid of parking dilemmas, and may help bridge these first and final mile journeys to transit — plus they’re simply actually cool,” stated Contra Costa Transportation Authority Government Director Randell Iwasaki.


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Actility, the industry leader in Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN), is pleased to announce the first partners to have completed full interoperability testing within its ThingPark ecosystem, which will simplify the deployment of commercial IoT solutions and speed market entry for customers. They are: ADEUNIS RF, which specializes in connected objects and dedicated wireless M2M solutions; ATIM, a pioneer in radio electronics for connected systems; Finsecur, a leader in high-technology fire safety solutions; Microchip, provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors and nke Watteco, the European leader in smart sensor solutions.
“Actility is investing heavily in interoperability and partnership development, accelerating go to market for LoRa™ IoT solutions by encouraging open innovation,” says Olivier Hersent, Actility’s CEO and CTO. “With ThingPark, we are aiming to automate whatever it takes to enable partners to deliver ready-to-use commercial products, from connectivity to provisioning, distribution and monetisation of IoT solutions. We’re very happy to have reached this key milestone with these partners clearly demonstrating that ThingPark is fully open for business. They are the first of many!”
Actility, a founding member of the LoRa ™ Alliance, has created the ThingPark™ platform to help customers navigate the potential complexity of creating and launching IoT services. ThingPark™ combines complete LoRaWAN™ network connectivity with an IoT data platform, and an open ecosystem hub, enabling customers to explore and connect with devices, networks and application partners ready to deploy solutions on an Actility powered network.
Illustrating the diversity of the certified ThingPark eco-system partners, ADEUNIS RF has launched two transmitters which can transform any sensor into a LoRa device and any meter into a LoRa smart meter, ATIM offers the ARM-NANO family of LoRa modules with a variety of interfaces, Finsecur has developed the world’s first LoRaWAN smoke alarm which integrates temperature and humidity sensors, Microchip has developed the world’s first LoRa™ Wireless Module (RN2483) that has passed LoRa Alliance certification and nke Watteco provides environmental sensors, general digital and analogue I/O sensors and smart plugs.
To find out more about ThingPark, join the ThingPark ecosystem, or discover ThingPark partners, meet Actility at Mobile World Congress 2016, Booth 8.0E40, or visit our web site, www.thingpark.com
Learn more about the LoRaWAN technology by downloading the Actility “What is LoRaWAN” white paper


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The launch of the Galaxy S23 FE has been relatively staggered. Upon announcing the phone at the beginning of October, Samsung said the Galaxy S23 FE would go on sale in select markets on the 5th, while prospective buyers in other regions would have to wait a few more weeks. The Galaxy S23 FE went live in the USA at the end of October, and now, the phone is going on sale in more markets.
Malaysia is officially next on the roadmap for the Fan Edition release. Samsung introduced the Galaxy S23 FE to Malaysia today and revealed exciting discounts and bonuses for early buyers.
Story continues after our Galaxy S23 FE review video
In Malaysia, the 128GB Galaxy S23 FE starts at RM2,999 ($641), and the 256GB variant is available for RM3,299 ($706). However, customers buying the phone before November 30 can benefit from the following bonuses:
- Free storage upgrade to 256GB worth RM300.
- Up to RM350 ($75) trade-in rebate.
- Up to 30% off with Samsung Care+ on select Galaxy Tablets, Buds, and accessories.
- Exclusive promo of RM500 ($107) for customers who register through #GalaxyTroop.
A true Fan Edition phone with flagship qualities
The Galaxy S23 FE must be Samsung's best value-for-money phone of the year. It doesn't cost as much as the Galaxy S23 flagship, yet it packs a high-end chip, a 50MP primary camera, a robust Camera app suite, 8K video recording capabilities, and a high build quality boasting an aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating.
To top it all off, Samsung will update the Galaxy S23 FE with four Android OS upgrades over its lifetime and five years of security patches.
Samsung is selling the Galaxy S23 FE in Malaysia in four color options: Mint, Cream, Graphite, and Purple. Check out our full review and hit the “Buy” button below for more details.


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Many PR and marketing pros have begun working with influential people online to boost brand awareness.
If it’s a goal for your brand to partner with some of social media’s most popular and influential users in the coming months, first look at Crowdtap’s recent report, “The State of Influencer Marketing.”
Crowdtap recently interviewed more than 50 well-known bloggers and social media personalities to learn what they think about brands and what motivates them to work with brands.
“For this study, we wanted to give PR pros and marketers firsthand perspective into what’s on the minds of the next generation of influencers so that they can build stronger, more enduring relationships,” says Claudia Page, vice president and head of creator partnerships at Crowdtap.
Marketing through popular social media personalities is of great interest to many marketers, but it’s also somewhat misunderstood.
“A lot has changed since the word ‘influencer marketing’ was coined,” Page says. “Moms no longer rule the blogosphere—though they still have a strong presence—and content discovery has proliferated, expanding from blogs to short-form platforms like Instagram, Vine and Snapchat.”


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Facebook launches initiative to help women start businesses
- 31st May 2016
- Women in Business
Facebook has launched an entrepreneurship initiative for women after research showed that more female businesswomen would help to boost the UK’s economy by £10.01 billion.
The social networking website has launched SheMeansBusiness to help more women set up their own company.
The initiative comes after research highlighted barriers that prevent women from starting up their own business, with a lack of self-belief being the main reason.
Three quarters of survey respondents said that they had not started their own business as a result of not having a female role model who is running a business similar to the type of company they wish to set up.
The research also showed what type of help and support would enable more women to set up their own business, with 52 per cent saying that financial advice and support would help. Over 40 per cent said that skills workshops would enable them to start up their own business, whilst 39 per cent said they wanted more advice on how to get new customers.
According to Facebook Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Nicola Mendelsohn, women make “effective business leaders” and “unbelievable entrepreneurs.”
She stated that it is “shocking” that more women are not part of today’s small business community in the UK.
If successful, Facebook’s initiative is estimated to create 340,000 new businesses and over 425,000 jobs by 2020 by getting more women to set up their own business.
Anne-Marie Martin currently holds the position of Director of Global Business Networks at the British Chambers of Commerce. In the…
Innovate UK is now searching for inspirational businesswomen to participate in the Women in Innovation Awards 2018. The innovation agency,…
PwC is launching a scale-up programme that aims to boost commercial opportunities for female-led businesses. The Big Four accountancy firm…


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By Laura Michell
Whittlesea council is on a mission to “bring life” to the municipality’s shopping strips by matching vacant shops with businesses.
The Vacant to Vibrant program will begin with a campaign to fill several empty shops at Rochdale Square in Lalor.
Property owners Jo and John said they have been struggling to find a tenant for their property for some time. Their property is ideally suited to allied health or specialist consulting rooms.
“If there are multiple vacancies in an area, people start taking their business elsewhere, leading to a decline in foot traffic, causing hardship for remaining businesses and a decline in the vibrancy of a centre,” they said.
“We want to work together for the benefit of property owners, traders and local residents.”
The program will be run by the council’s economic development team. Partnerships, planning and engagement director Julian Edwards encouraged vacant retail property owners and businesses to make contact with the council.
“We’d also love to hear from start-ups or small businesses that might be interested in a pop-up or short-term agreement,” he said.
“We really want to do our best to find the right mix of local shops for each community and ensure local residents can continue to shop locally.”
For more information, phone 9217 2492, or email Jennifer.firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Revolt has claimed to increase production in order to cater to unprecedented demand
Last month Revolt stopped accepting bookings for its electric motorcycles- RV300 and RV400 due to heavy pending orders. The company came out and said that it had to do so because of excessive demand. The electric bikemaker has now resumed accepting fresh orders for both RV300 and RV400 from June 18th, 12 PM onwards.
Currently, Revolt conducts its business in India across six cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad but plans to expand to 35 cities in the near future. A media release from the company states that the brand will be re-opening only after confirming delivery dates for all existing orders in hand.
Less Waiting Period
To this effect, Revolt has decided to bring forward delivery dates for the bookings made by customers prior to this. These bookings were earlier slated to be honoured in the latter part of the current year. Prices have been reduced to INR 90,799/-, ex-showroom in Delhi. Price reduction is thanks to amendment in the FAME II policy.
In addition, the company claims to have increased its production capacity, therefore, clearing pending deliveries faster. This should put an end to long waiting periods one was earlier subjected to with Revolt electric bikes and shorten the gap between booking date and delivery.
Revolt has a completely contactless online booking system and interested consumers can register their bookings by visiting the official company website and clicking on the “Notify Me” tab. Another major development took place when the company decided to be renamed as RattanIndia-Revolt now. The former is one of the principal investors in Revolt Motors and hence the name addition.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr Rajiv Rattan, Chairman, Revolt and RattanIndia Enterprises said, “We’ve been witnessing a delightful response for Revolt bikes. We are happy to see Revolt is growing rapidly and we look forward to expanding the electric eco-system in the country. With a huge demand for electric motorcycles in the market, we are confident that Revolt will fulfil the rapid shift towards EV mobility with an ecosystem which is environment friendly and sustainable in the country.”
RV400, RV300: Specs & Features
Coming to specifications, RV400 is driven by a 3kW (Mid Drive) motor which derives its energy from a 72V, 3.24kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack and returns a torque output of 54 Nm. This powertrain offers an ARAI-certified range of 156km per charge and a top speed limited to 85 kmph.
The electric motorcycle also benefits from the MyRevolt App, which offers connectivity features such as bike locator/Geo-fencing, complete bike diagnostics, battery status, historical data on your rides and kilometres travelled as well. It also gets the option of locating the nearest Revolt Switch Station to swap the bike’s battery within 60 seconds.
On the other hand, RV300 is propelled by a smaller 1.5KW Hub Motor which is paired with a 60-volt, 2.7 kWh lithium-ion battery delivering a range of 180km on a single charge. Both bikes come with USD forks up front and a fully adjustable mono-shock at rear. Additionally, both models feature three riding modes – Eco, Normal and Sport each suiting to the riding style and needs of the rider.


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And here you thought your window for traveling to Cuba had been unceremoniously slammed shut.
When the Trump administration announced earlier this month it was severely curtailing US travel to Cuba, your dreams of smoking cigars in bright pink ‘57 Chevys seemed shot. The old “people-to-people” visa was cancelled, cruise ships halted port calls, and day trips from Key West hotels went back to being the stuff of 1940s fantasies.
But all is not lost. A number of tour operators bent on getting folks to Cuba have found ways around the Trump administration’s ban. By carefully examining the remaining categories of travel, and taking advantage of a few exceptions to the law, these companies offer tours that allow you to get right into the heart of the island. Best of all, you’re doing it completely legally.
So how are they doing it? And how is any of this legal? We talked to some operators taking Americans to Cuba, and they broke it down.


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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was joined by Governor George Pataki and actor Robert
De Niro on a holiday shopping trip to Orchard Street in lower Manhattan today.
"Throughout lower Manhattan, many businesses lost a huge amount of revenue in the
days and weeks immediately following the World Trade Center attack, when non-residents
and cars were barred from entering the area," Silver said. This year more than
ever, holiday shopping is a much-needed shot in the arm for businesses in lower
Manhattan and all over the city.
"I can't think of a better place to shop than Orchard Street, New York's historic
shopping district, which for generations has attracted smart shoppers in search of high
quality and bargain prices," Silver added.
Across the country, this year's holiday sales figures are expected to drop to their
lowest level in a decade. With tourism to New York City down an estimated 40 percent
since 9/11, retailers and other businesses in the city have been particularly hard-hit
by the holiday season slowdown.
Silver noted that the many shops on Orchard Street are open on Sundays. "That makes
Orchard Street the ideal place for last-minute shoppers looking for a great buy on a
special gift," he said.
Silver is a lifelong resident of lower Manhattan. His legislative district includes the
Orchard Street shopping area, as well as Little Italy, Chinatown, the Financial District,
South Street Seaport Area, Battery Park City and the World Trade Center site.


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Ticket from Michael Jordan’s NBA debut sells for $25,000 at auction
The craze surrounding “The Last Dance” has found its way into the sports memorabilia market, as a ticket from Michael Jordan’s NBA debut has sold for huge money at auction.
According to Huggins & Scott Auctions, a ticket stub from Jordan’s debut with the Chicago Bulls in 1984 yielded a $24,907 winning bid at a recent auction, as relayed by Darren Rovell of Action Network.
Michael Jordan’s regular season NBA debut ticket has just sold for $24,907, in @HugginsAndScott auction.— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 29, 2020
Second highest price ever paid for an MJ ticket, only surpassed by $34,800 sale of his NBA preseason debut, which was sold by @HeritageAuction earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/mu9lq0Ztsl
Jordan’s debut came on Oct. 26, 1984 in the Bulls’ season-opening game against the then-Washington Bullets. Jordan put up 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists in a 109-93 loss. 13,913 fans were in attendance that night at Chicago Stadium, which had a capacity of 17,374.
It goes without saying that “The Last Dance” — the 10-part ESPN docuseries that chronicled Jordan’s career and his final season with the Bulls and turned into a pop culture phenomenon — injected rabid interest in His Airness-related memorabilia. To illustrate as much, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers sold for $560,000 at auction earlier this month.
What’s more, a ticket stub from the very same game that generated the nearly $25K winning bid this week sold for only just over $8,000 last year.
A ticket to Michael Jordan’s NBA regular season career debut game (ticket price: $8.50) sold this morning by @HugginsAndScott for $8,118. pic.twitter.com/ArVbzc9SgC— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 14, 2019
It’s not only MJ memorabilia that has created a bidding frenzy at auction of late, either, as other coveted items from across the sports world have elicited record-breaking sales as well.


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The29th Annual San Francisco International Beer Festival is this Saturday, April 28, at the Festival Pavillion in the Fort Mason Center.Celebrate beer at this annual festival which features a variety of events throughout the Bay Area.Now in its 10th year, the week has positioned itself as one of the biggest in beer.
The FREE Drink SF Beer shuttle will be returning this spring.
SF Beer Week - YouTubeSan francisco craft beer festival at fort mason saay october 16th photo by samantha san francisco international beer festival 2019 in ca everfest general admission tickets for the san francisco beerfest are 75 and include a bottomless mug of hundreds craft beers from their favorite local 25 sat oct 18 1 00 pm san francisco craft beer.
City Beer StoreThe 11th Annual SF Beer Week hits the San Francisco region, Feb. 1 - 10, 2019, with hundreds of beer-focused events across the city and beyond.Enjoy tastings and pairings, a pub crawl, scavenger hunt, parties and much more.
SF Beer Week is coming — February 1-10, 2019 — and event submission is underway.
Eventbrite - Telegraph Hill Cooperative Nursery School presents San Francisco International Beer Festival 2019 - Saturday, April 20, 2019 at Festival Pavilion, San Francisco, CA.Closing Event for SF Beer Week, Celebrator Beer Festival, held on February 17 at Trumer Brewery in Berkeley.
Drink SF BeerWith exciting events year round, planning a magical visit to the City on the Bay is easy to do.When picturing a beer festival, the image of a giant World War II-era ship, floating under the warm Bay Area sun, filled with delicious local beer, food and live music may not be what pops into most minds.Unfortunately, according to their webpage, tickets to this event are all sold out.
SOMA StrEat Food Park
San Francisco Beer Week is a production of the Bay Area Brewers Guild, a nonprofit supporting local craft beer brewers and community members.
San Francisco Beer Week 2016 events announced
SF Beer Week: 12 Bay Area brewers pick their favorite
San Francisco breweries unite with 11th annual Brews onSF Beer Week itself highlights local festivals and extends beer awareness into more bars, restaurants, and bottle shops in the Bay Area.Where: All Around The Greater Bay Area At Hundreds Of Breweries, Bars And Fest Venues, San Francisco Bay Area, California San Francisco Beer Week returns for the 10th time, celebrating craft beer creativity all around the Greater Bay Area.
SF Maritime Beer Festival: History and Hops on Hyde Street
San Francisco events calendar: Best festivals, concerts
sfbeerfest.com San Francisco International Beer FestivalThe SF Beer Week Opening Gala returns in 2019, featuring the most Northern California independent breweries to pour under one roof.
Our Favorite Events (and Beer) During San Francisco's 2017
San Francisco Bacon and Beer Festival - Bacon Today
New friends and vintage friends, thanks for joining the community.
SF Beer Week 2017: Best Events You Can't Miss - ThrillistSan Jose Mercury: Wondering how to choose from among the enormous beer festival lineup.The 11th annual SF Beer Week is nearly here, with hundreds of tap takeovers, beer fests, pairing dinners, and other events taking place all over the Bay Area from February 1 to 10.Compare Search ( Please select at least 2 keywords ) Most Searched Keywords.To create Sf Beer Fest review we checked Sfbeerfest.com reputation at lots of sites, including Siteadvisor and MyWOT.
We collected the majority of metadata history records for Sfbeerfest.com. Sf Beer Fest has an elaborated description which rather positively influences the efficiency of search engines index and hence improves positions of the domain.
Bay Area Brew Fest San Francisco Tickets - n/a at FortSeasonal Fall Beers Ciders Meads Showcased At Sf Craft Beer.


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Sears, Roebuck & Co. S, +1.00% said Monday that it will open its first Sears Grand store in California on Oct. 30. The 180,000 square-foot pilot store will sell a broader range of products than traditional Sears stores. There are four of the stores in the U.S.
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NEW YORK – Sept. 27, 2016 – Communications app Snapchat has a new name, Snap Inc., and is getting into the hardware business.
Early Saturday, Snapchat, one of the most popular smartphone apps, reaching 100 million visitors daily, announced its first physical product, available later this year:
Spectacles are $129.99 glasses that can record up to 10 seconds of video, similar to Google Glass.
Glass was the ill-fated attempt by Google to get people wearing $1,500 computerized glasses in 2013 that could surf the Web and record images. Instead, the Glass project got poor reviews and poor response from neighbors and was shelved by Google.
In a news release, Snapchat described Spectacles as “the best way to make memories … hands-free, with the simple tap of a button.” It put up a bare-bones website to announce the product, Spectacles.com, and says the video glasses will be “landing soon.” It hasn’t supplied ordering information.
Snapchat says it will have just a “limited” number of Spectacles available for purchase.
The new name Snap Inc. represents how the Venice Beach, Calif., company is diversifying into other products.
Copyright © 2016, USATODAY.com, USA TODAY, Jefferson Graham
Source: Florida Realtors Feed


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What if a major tourist city was infused with innovative artificial intelligence? Thailand has the answer: "Ratchaprasong Model." This initiative, which fuses tourist wonders with AI technology, is bringing significant changes to the tourist experience. The Thai government is taking this revolutionary step to address traffic congestion in the bustling business district of Ratchaprasong, the hub of tourist activity in the capital.
The project was officially launched last Friday in the Ratchaprasong area by the Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, Puangpet Chunlaiad, together with Deputy Minister Warawut Yanjareon. The event was attended by representatives from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Tourism Police Bureau, the Royal Thai Police, and executives from shopping malls in the area.
This innovation acts as an intelligent digital spy, using CCTV networks to monitor vehicles that overstay their welcome in the no-parking zones around elite shopping complexes. At the heart of this traffic management strategy is an artificial intelligence (AI) system developed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
Using CCTV cameras, this technology quickly identifies vehicles, particularly taxis, buses and tuk-tuks, that are often found in restricted zones around shopping malls for more than three minutes. Such violations are a major cause of the persistent traffic congestion that characterizes the area.
The goal of this initiative is to streamline traffic flow at intersections while increasing safety and confidence among visiting tourists, including those in the Ratchadamri Road area.
Bangkok's deputy governor, Wisanu Subsompon, took an innovative approach to the challenge of combating illegally parked vehicles. By capturing vehicle license plates on CCTV cameras, he plans to use the footage as evidence to issue parking tickets.
In addition, public transportation operators and business stakeholders in the area are working together to provide better solutions by creating new parking spaces, designating passenger drop-off points, and establishing waiting areas. These steps are expected to be an effective solution to reduce traffic congestion, a change that is desired by many.
Wisanu added that there are plans to expand the system to other parts of Bangkok.
The AI-based traffic monitoring system is one of five initiatives to be implemented to combat traffic congestion. The other initiatives include the installation of warning signs for tourists and customers to avoid using illegal transport, strict law enforcement against traffic violations, and the application of social sanctions.


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In 2018, ransomware was the biggest malware threat to businesses worldwide. Experts say it’s not likely to go away soon. But thanks to Windows 10’s beefed-up security features, you can easily secure your business from the dangers of ransomware. Controlled Folder Access This feature allows you to list certain documents and folders as “protected.” Only […]
Your managed service provider (MSP) may have your IT covered. But knowing a thing or two about internet-based phones will help you understand which ones will fit your business. What are your choices? Which one is better? Read on to learn more about at Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems. What are “proprietary” systems? When […]
Microsoft’s development team continues to improve and update its Outlook email application, which means some users have a hard time keeping up with the new and exciting features that show up. If you want to stay updated on the latest productivity-boosting tricks, this article is for you. Clean Up your inbox No matter how meticulously […]
There are countless reasons to run the Windows operating system (OS) on a Mac computer, but the main one is so you can use apps designed for PC on an Apple machine. However, there are other benefits that make virtualizing Windows on your Mac worth it regardless of your software needs.
It’s one thing to collect your business’s data, but turning that information into insights that propel your organization toward growth is quite another. Analyzing your data can be daunting, but it shouldn’t get pushed to the bottom of your to-do list.
Microsoft recently announced plans to eventually stop the activation of Silverlight, Shockwave, and Flash content in Office 365. This is not just the developers disabling bugs with an option to click a link or button to look at content. Within a few months’ time, Flash will be gone from Office 365 for good.
You are probably already aware of Cortana, the Windows 10 AI personal assistant. Did you know that you can use it to improve the efficiency and productivity of your business? With a better understanding of its basic functions, you’ll be on your way to becoming an AI-powered organization.
At Microsoft’s 2017 Ignite conference, three new apps were announced that help small businesses streamline everyday tasks. The apps — Connections, Listings, and Invoicing — spent a few months as limited previews, but are now available to anyone with an Office 365 Business Premium subscription.
With the popularity of Office 365, hackers are trying to find new ways to exploit its users, and they’ve come up with a new idea: a credential-harvesting campaign that uses personalized spear-phishing mails as a tool. If you’re an Office 365 user and don’t want your account compromised, read on.
The cyber community hasn’t fully recovered from the WannaCry ransomware attacks, which struck businesses and organizations in May. Now, a Petya ransomware variant named Nyetya is poised to join its ranks as one of the worst cyber attacks in history.


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...the mall is virtually deserted. Despite the bombastic design and grand plans, only a handful of stores are occupied. "Most of it empty, with little consumer traffic and a high vacancy rate," according to a report last year by Emporis, a global building data firm. "It has been classified as a 'dead mall.'"At least there'll be ample space for survivors after the zombie apocalypse...
Walking among shattered shops -- its dusty corridors and escalators covered in soiled sheets -- is a walk through a ghost mall. Rubbish piles up along the sides, paint is coming off the walls and store signs and advertisements have faded.
The mall's indoor amusement park, staff lay half asleep over counters or kill time chatting with each other while the 1,814-foot rollercoaster roars above.
Opened for the public in 2005, developers expected to attract some 100,000 visitors a day. But eight years later, the few people that visit the mall today typically hang out at the American fast food restaurants near the entrance or at the IMAX cinema outside the mall. Some parents bring their children to the Teletubbies Edutainment Center.
Part of the problem is location. Dongguan is a factory town and most of its almost 10 million inhabitants are migrant workers struggling to make ends meet. "People coming here to work in factories don't have the time or the money for shopping or the rollercoaster," said a migrant worker in his 20s, surnamed Xiao, who works at the mall.
The deserted mall is also a symbol of China's rapid urbanization and runaway investment in real estate projects, where massive development projects have been given the go ahead without proper marketing and business research.
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
The Big Empty
Hubris, Chinese style:


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Assocarni: inclusion of the beef sector in the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive is unacceptable
On 16 March 2023, the European Environment Council meets, during which the Swedish Presidency would like to include the cattle sector in the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive
15, Mar 2023
On 16 March 2023, the European Environment Council meets, during which the Swedish Presidency would like to include the cattle sector in the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive.
Assocarni, which represents the bovine, ovine and equine supply chain in Confindustria, asked the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida that our country take a firm stance against the inclusion of the bovine sector in the scope of the IED directive.
It is unacceptable that a sector such as the Italian cattle sector, which presides over 40% of the national rural territory and contributes to fighting depopulation and the degradation of inland areas, can be assimilated to any fossil industry, said Assocarni Director General François Tomei. ISPRA's 2020 data,' Tomei continued, 'show that emissions from Italian cattle breeding weigh just 5% of the total (compared to the world average of 14.5% - FAO data), to which must be added the increase in carbon sequestration made by the areas in which cattle breeding is practised. Moreover, the methane carbon emitted by ruminal fermentations resides in the atmosphere for just 11.5 years, to be then reabsorbed by plants in a biological cycle, compared to the fossil origin of the carbon emitted by industrial companies' fuels, which on the contrary accumulates in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, causing its warming.
"On the food sovereignty front, then," Tomei concludes, "if it is decided to include the beef sector in the FDI directive, the competitiveness of the Italian beef supply chain, already 49% in deficit, would be further compromised by an increase in meat imports from third countries.