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Cart.com Partners With Greenwing Technology to Revolutionize E-Procurement for Institutional Buyers 12-26-2024 11:06 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: White Label SEO Firm Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/1735215457.jpg Cart.com, a leading provider of unified commerce and logistics software and services, has teamed up with Greenwing Technology, a pioneer in punchout integrations, to make e-procurement [ https://www.greenwingtechnology.com/eprocurement-solutions/ ] easier and more efficient for institutional buyers like universities, government agencies, and large corporations. By combining Cart.com's robust B2B Commerce Platform with Greenwing Technology's advanced punchout integration, this collaboration enables suppliers and distributors to directly connect with buyers' e-procurement systems. Popular platforms such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, and Jaggaer are now seamlessly supported, making procurement workflows faster and easier for everyone involved. How the Integration Benefits Businesses For Suppliers Using Cart.com's Platform:Suppliers gain powerful tools to streamline operations and reach more customers, including: * Direct Integration: Automatically connect to buyers' e-procurement platforms, ensuring real-time product availability and accurate pricing. * Automated Workflows: Simplify the purchasing process from start to finish, reducing errors and saving time. * Scalability: Support a wide range of e-procurement systems, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes. For Institutional Buyers:Buyers benefit from a streamlined procurement experience that improves compliance, enhances transparency, and simplifies purchasing. With these capabilities, suppliers can easily meet the unique requirements of institutional buyers, unlocking new business opportunities and building stronger partnerships. Innovation Driving Growth This integration highlights the shared commitment of Cart.com and Greenwing Technology to innovation and operational excellence. By automating and simplifying the e-procurement process, businesses can enhance their capabilities, reduce inefficiencies, and stay competitive in a fast-evolving market. "We're excited to partner with Greenwing Technology to make e-procurement easier for our customers," said Jack Cravy, VP of B2B Commerce at Cart.com. "This integration streamlines the buying process, saves time, and opens up new opportunities for suppliers to work with large organizations. It's all about making B2B commerce simple and efficient." Whether you're a supplier looking to grow or a buyer aiming for a smoother procurement process, this collaboration is designed to create value for everyone. For more information about Cart.com's B2B Commerce Platform or Greenwing Technology's punchout integrations, visit Cart.com [ http://cart.com ] and Greenwing Technology [ https://www.greenwingtechnology.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgJa6BhCOARIsAMiL7V9lGoClnLNJGyXf959eefcbTYt9tdeKEQQH513OtaciSl6moGoeg1IaAqE-EALw_wcB ]. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3070.433402872646!2d-75.74060140000002!3d39.6849583!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x89c6fd3f0ada4b95%3A0xf9fc566a06290e11!2sGreenwing%20Technology%2C%20Inc.!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1734538737102!5m2!1sen!2sus " width= About Greenwing Technology Greenwing Technology is a leading Punchout Catalog and eProcurement service provider with 15+ years of industry expertise. Our integrations connect 25+ supplier e-commerce systems with 130+ buyer eProcurement platforms through a simple, cloud-based solution. Greenwing Technology offers Punchout Catalog Integrations, electronic Purchase Orders and Invoicing, Advanced Shipping Notices (ASN), and eQuote capabilities on a cloud-based system. Media Contact Company Name: Greenwing Technology, Inc. Contact Person: Jessica Smith Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=cartcom-partners-with-greenwing-technology-to-revolutionize-eprocurement-for-institutional-buyers ] Phone: 1-877-415-3237 Address:314 E Main St Suite 401 City: Newark State: DE 19711 Country: United States Website: https://www.greenwingtechnology.com/ This release was published on openPR.
Valve’s Steam Machines: A Decade-Long Plan Finally Coming to Fruition?
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 24 points and No. 6 Notre Dame defeated JuJu Watkins and third-ranked Southern California 74-61 on Saturday in a marquee matchup on the West Coast. Watkins and the Trojans (4-1) fell behind early and were down 21 points in the fourth quarter. She had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Hidalgo came out shooting well, hitting 5 of 8 from the floor in the first quarter and had 16 points at the break. She added six rebounds and eight assists. Hidalgo's backcourt mate, Olivia Miles, added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Fighting Irish (5-0). Even though Hidalgo outshone her, Watkins’ imprint was all over the game. A documentary about her life aired on NBC leading into the nationally televised game. A buzz arose when Snoop Dogg walked in shortly before tipoff wearing a jacket in USC colors with Watkins' name and number on the front and back. Her sister, Mali, sang the national anthem. Notre Dame: The Irish struck quickly, racing to a 20-10 lead in the opening quarter. Even after cooling off a bit, they never trailed and stayed poised when the Trojans got within three in the second and third quarters. USC: The Trojans were without starting guard Kennedy Smith, whose defense on Hidalgo would have proven valuable. It was announced shortly before tipoff that she had a surgical procedure and will return at some point this season. The Trojans got within three points three times but the Irish remained poised and never gave up the lead. Notre Dame's defense forced the Trojans into 21 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Irish. Watkins, Kaleigh Heckel and Talia von Oelhoffen had five each. USC was just 1 of 13 from 3-point range Notre Dame plays TCU on Nov. 29 in the Cayman Islands Classic. USC plays Seton Hall in the Women's Acrisure Holiday Invitational on Nov. 27 in Palm Desert, California. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
NoneUS stocks experience mixed fortunes on quiet day of trading
NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points. Judge had discussed the MVP award with Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, the NL winner in 2015 and ’21. “I was telling him, `Man, I’m going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,’” Judge recalled. “He’d say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he’ll do.” Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting . He didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. He was the first player to twice become an unanimous MVP. He combined with Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023 for the first year both MVPs were unanimous. Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title , playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder . Ohtani became the first primary DH to win an MVP. He joined Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. Ohtani is the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each). Balloting was conducted before the postseason. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 31 stolen bases and 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. He is the Yankees' 22nd MVP winner, four more than any other team. Judge was hitting .207 with six homers and 18 RBIs through April, then batted .352 with 52 homers and 126 RBIs in 127 games. “March and April were not my friend this year.” Judge said. “Just keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can’t mope. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers?” Balloting was conducted before the postseason. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB Ronald Blum, The Associated PressAP Business SummaryBrief at 9:51 a.m. ESTROB OWEN fought back tears after retaining his tour card with a third-round win over Ricky Evans. The Welshman 40, came from 2-1 down to beat Rapid Ricky 4-2 and set up a clash with Callan Rydz . 2 Rob Owen was visibly emotional after beating Ricky Evans 2 The pair embraced before Owen gave an emotional interview And in doing so he secured his PDC Tour card for the 2025 season. Owen has been working as an Iceland delivery driver since last year - while juggling his life as a darts star. But the world No77, whose nickname is Stack Attack, is now making a name for himself at Ally Pally. He is four wins away from the world title and a £500,000 prize pot. READ MORE IN DARTS Beer we go Darts clash stopped as fan downs whole jug of beer - but then gets kicked out He has already secured £35,000 for reaching the fourth round - and could be seen getting emotional in the wake of his win over Evans. He said: "The last game was the biggest of my life but this really was! Ricky is a fantastic guy and a great player... "Well can I say it now, can I say it? NOW I HAVE RETAINED MY TOUR CARD! COME ON." Owen then went on to reveal he is expected back at work on Monday, but that he will not be going. Most read in Darts baby joy Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan announce she's pregnant with first baby NEIL BY MOUTH Moment Rangers hero says he needs RESCUED on live TV during Motherwell clash GER OUT Moment raging Rangers fans BOO their own players and say 'go away' at Motherwell WELL 2 GERS 2 Shambolic display leaves Clement on brink as horror Christmas week continues CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS He added: "It’s massive for me and my family – retaining my Tour card means the world to me and it’s a big relief. "Now I can relax, enjoy myself and when I enjoy myself, I play good darts. 'I'm walking out' - Callan Rydz jokily threatens to storm out of press conference at World Darts "I’m supposed to be back at work at 12.30 tomorrow, but I hope the bosses understand that I’m not there. "I don’t think they have got any choice, but they are pretty good when it comes to me playing darts."
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's de facto leader said Sunday it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans to dissolve his Islamist group that led the country's insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad's decades-long rule, ending the country's uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. Al-Sharaa said it would take time to hold elections because of the need for Syria's different forces to hold political dialogue and rewrite the country's constitution following five decades of the Assad dynasty's dictatorial rule. Also, the war-torn country's battered infrastructure needs to be reconstructed, he said. “The chance we have today doesn’t come every 5 or 10 years,” said al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani. “We want the constitution to last for the longest time possible.” Al-Sharaa is Syria's de facto leader until March 1, when Syria's different factions are set to hold a political dialogue to determine the country's political future and establish a transitional government that brings the divided country together. There, he said, HTS will dissolve after years of being the country's most dominant rebel group that held a strategic enclave in the country's northwest. Earlier, an Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday killed 11 people, according to a war monitor, as Israel continues to target Syrian weapons and military infrastructure even after the ouster of Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrike targeted a weapons depot that belonged to Assad’s forces near the industrial town of Adra, northeast of the capital. The observatory said at least 11 people, mostly civilians, were killed. The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrike Sunday. Israel, which has launched hundreds of airstrikes over Syria since the country's uprising turned-civil war broke out in 2011, rarely acknowledges them. It says its targets are Iran-backed groups that backed Assad. Unlike his criticism of key Assad ally Iran, al-Sharaa hoped to maintain “strategic relations” with Russia, whose air force played a critical role in keeping Assad in power for over a decade during the conflict. Moscow has a strategic airbase in Syria. The HTS leader also said negotiations are ongoing with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, and hopes that their armed forces will integrate with the Syrian security agencies. The Kurdish-led group is Washington’s key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Islamic State group. Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have been clashing with the SDF even after the insurgency, taking the key city of Manbij, as Ankara hopes to create a buffer zone near its border in northern Syria. The rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, while the SDF shared a video of a rocket attack that destroyed what it said was a radar system south of the city of Manbij. In other developments: — Syrian state-run media said a mass grave was found near the third largest city of Homs. SANA said civil defense workers were sent to to the site in al-Kabo, one of many suspected mass graves where tens of thousands of Syrians are believed to have been buried during a brutal crackdown under Assad and his network of security agencies. — An Egyptian activist wanted by Cairo on charges of incitement to violence and terrorism, Abdulrahman al-Qardawi, was detained by Lebanese security forces after crossing the porous border from Syria, according to two judicial and one security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to to talk to the press. Al-Qardawi is an Egyptian activist residing in Turkey and an outspoken critic of Egypt's government. He had reportedly visited Syria to join celebrations after Assad's downfall. His late father, Youssef al-Qaradawi, was a top and controversial Egyptian cleric revered by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. He had lived in exile in Qatar for decades. — Lebanese security forces apprehended an armed group in the northern city of Tripoli that kidnapped a group of 26 Syrians who were recently smuggled into Lebanon, two Lebanese security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information with the media. The Syrians included five women and seven children, and security officials are working to return them to Syria.
Jimmy Carter set the standard for the modern post-presidencynline shopping has gained a very important place in the United States, something that was strengthened since the Covid-19 pandemic. After Black Friday, the Monday following Thanksgiving is known as Cyber Monday. In 2024, this event will officially take place on Monday, December 2, but many brands have extended their discounts from Black Friday or have activated exclusive promotions for subscribers and social networks. Early Cyber Monday 2024 deals are already available at several online stores. Some of the major stores participating and offering deals include: Amazon It offers early discounts in categories such as electronics, home goods, beauty and toys. Some examples include savings of up to 50% on brands such as JBL, Ninja, and premium beauty items. The deals start on November 30 and run until December 2 Best Buy It has launched promotions in technology, including televisions, computers and mobile phones, as well as accessories. Although Cyber Monday is officially on December 2, some deals are already available and will continue to extend beyond the event. Walmart It offers early deals in categories such as toys, fashion and technology. At Walmart, its discount event links Black Friday with Cyber Monday, offering ongoing savings on different products. Target It also has ongoing promotions, especially in home decor, toys and electronics. Online deals include free shipping on select purchases. These stores usually update their offers continuously, so I recommend you visit their discount pages to keep up to date with the latest news.Kristin Cavallari is dishing on her past romance with Morgan Wallen . In a teaser for an upcoming episode of Bunnie XO ‘s Dumb Blonde podcast, released Sunday (Dec. 26) on TikTok, the 37-year-old actress revealed some spicy details about her brief relationship with the 31-year-old country music star. “Morgan’s a good guy. He has a big heart, he really does,” Cavallari says in the two-minute clip , following some gentle prodding from host Bunnie. See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Hills alum then agrees with Bunnie’s description of Wallen as a “playa from the Himalayas.” The host adds, “The amount of women that have sat on my couch who have been with Morgan Wallen is crazy.” While Cavallari had seemingly confirmed her romance with Wallen earlier this year in a video on social media, she went on to share details about her first time going out with Wallen. “The first date that we went on, he was a true gentlemen,” the Very Cavallari star says. “He was like, ‘I’ll pick you up, I’ll pick the place.’ Like, just f—ing handled business. He came and picked me up, he met my kids. My kids were so excited, it was so cute.” Cavallari shares three children — Camden, 12, Jaxon, 10, and Saylor, 9 — with her ex-husband, former NFL star Jay Cutler. “He got us a private room, you know he had like his bodyguard and whatnot, dropped me off, kissed me in the rain, and it was like the sweetest thing,” Cavallari continues. In mid-November, Cavallari appeared to confirm her relationship with Wallen during a viral trend with her best friend, Justin Anderson. The trend had loved ones reveal truths about one another, and in the clip , Cavallari is seen jogging as Anderson, speaking off-camera, says, “Suspect let Morgan Wallen hurt her feelings, and she kept going back.” Cavallari bursts into laughter and covers her mouth, reacting to the playful remark. In the Dumb Blonde teaser, Cavallari says she and Wallen “hung out thereafter” following the first date and admits he didn’t hurt her feelings as much as he damaged her ego. “Morgan was the first guy in my entire f—ing life that wasn’t just completely enamored with me. I was like, ‘What in the f— is going on?’ It really threw me,” Cavallari says. “I love having the upper hand, and I felt like with him, I didn’t have the upper hand. It was the only time in my life, so it really f—ed with me.” She also reveals she wasn’t looking for anything serious at the time. “I was like, I kinda just want a f— buddy in Nashville,” Cavallari says. “He’s a great f— buddy.” At the end of the clip, Bunnie jokes that Wallen might be reaching out to her husband, country music star Jelly Roll , with a request to never discuss him on the podcast again. Check out the teaser for Cavallari’s appearance on the Dumb Blonde podcast on TikTok here .
American Century STOXX U.S. Quality Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:QGRO) Sees Large Volume Increase – What’s Next?Prophet of the post-presidency: how Jimmy Carter changed the worldHappy Holidays! It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! It was a slow week in the Yankees Universe this week, as we celebrated all three of the mainstream winter holidays — Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa — on Wednesday and Thursday! How did the members of our Yankees celebrate the holiday season? Let’s find out! Season’s Greetings from the Yankees To lead off this week’s roundup, we’ve got a compilation of holiday posts from throughout the Yankees Universe: the official team account, current players, former players, broadcasters, and more! Happy Holidays from the New York Yankees!❄ pic.twitter.com/rZZJCP4e0L A post shared by Talkin Yanks (@talkinyanks) A post shared by Suzyn Waldman (@suzynwaldman) A post shared by Michael Kay (@kayster61) A post shared by CC Sabathia (@cc_sabathia) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Wishing everyone all the love, joy, and blessings this season pic.twitter.com/6cKZ2wqnBT A post shared by Alex Rodriguez (@arod) A post shared by Bartolo Colon (@bcolon40) A post shared by Rookie (@batdogrookie) Farewell, Gleyber Soon after agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, Gleyber Torres took to Instagram to thank the Yankees Universe and to express his gratitude for his eight years in the organization. A post shared by Gleyber Torres (@gleyberdavid) Remembering the Debut In a video posted to their Instagram, Topps asked Aaron Judge to name the lineup from his major league debut, and he showed that, well, he’s the Captain for the reason. Judge remembered every player from that day’s lineup with little difficulty, struggling only on the day’s DH (an admittedly embarrassing one to struggle on, since it was The Kraken during his insane 2016 rookie campaign, Gary Sánchez). Aaron Judge tries to remember the starting line-up from his MLB Debut... pic.twitter.com/0lZD62jOdv Down on the Farm The Somerset Patriots’ social media team has been absolute aces this year, and their holiday week shenanigans were also fantastic. They gave us puns on players’ names and gifts to players at the team facilities working out. Honestly we're down for Cole in our stocking pic.twitter.com/b8IOXJ0GCX Twas the night before Christmas One more batch of presents was dropped off for the Patriots⚽️ pic.twitter.com/O76cmIxGaY They also posted a thread highlighting the team’s accomplishments and notable moments from the past season — including the fact that 17 former Patriots made their major league debuts this season. The 2024 season served up many highlights, including the launch of the Jersey Diners that took the nation by storm. Unprecedented exposure & sales followed, leading to the Jersey Diners being named @MiLB 's Best Alternate Identity of the Year and a Golden Bobblehead winner. pic.twitter.com/0uQSdMq9o3
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic has a sweeping lead in Sunday’s election and could win the five-year presidency in the first round, according to an exit poll released immediately after the voting. The poll by the Ipsos polling agency and released by the state HRT television showed Milanovic winning over 50% of the votes, while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the conservative HDZ ruling party trailed far behind with 19%. Milanovic thanked voters in a post on social networks. The first official results are yet to be published. Pre-election polls predicted that the two would face off in the second round on Jan. 12, as none of all 8 presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. Left-leaning Milanovic is an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. He is often compared to Donald Trump for his combative style of communication with political opponents. The most popular politician in Croatia, 58-year-old Milanović has served as prime minister in the past. Populist in style, he has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and continuous sparring between the two has lately marked Croatia’s political scene. Plenković, the prime minister, has sought to portray the vote as one about Croatia’s future in the EU and NATO. He has labeled Milanović “pro-Russian” and a threat to Croatia’s international standing. “The difference between him and Milanović is quite simple: Milanović is leading us East, Primorac is leading us West,” he said. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial in Croatia, an elected president holds political authority and acts as the supreme military commander. Milanović has criticized the NATO and European Union support for Ukraine and has often insisted that Croatia should not take sides. He has said Croatia should stay away from global disputes, though it is a member of both NATO and the EU. Milanović has also blocked Croatia’s participation in a NATO-led training mission for Ukraine, declaring that “no Croatian soldier will take part in somebody else’s war.” His main rival in the election, Primorac, has stated that “Croatia’s place is in the West, not the East.” His presidency bid, however, has been marred by a high-level corruption case that landed Croatia’s health minister in jail last month and featured prominently in pre-election debates. During the election campaign, Primorac has sought to portray himself as a unifier and Milanović as divisive. “Today is an extremely important day,” Primorac said after casting his ballot. "Croatia is going forward into the future. Croatia needs unity, Croatia needs its global positioning, and above all Croatia needs peaceful life.” Trailing a distant third in the pre-election polls is Marija Selak Raspudić, a conservative independent candidate. She has focused her election campaign on the economic troubles of ordinary citizens, corruption and issues such as population decline in the country of some 3.8 million. Sunday’s presidential election is Croatia’s third vote this year, following a parliamentary election in April and the European Parliament balloting in June.MANILA, Philippines — The new polymer banknotes featuring the country’s endangered species were unveiled by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) last week, with designs that did not sit well with many because they no longer bear the portraits of Filipino patriots and former presidents. Now comes the high price tag behind the new peso bills. In a report published on its website on Dec. 2, the Commission on Audit (COA) said the BSP shelled out nearly P6 billion to foreign suppliers to cover the cost of production and materials used for the new plastic bank notes. READ: New peso bills focus on PH fauna; heroes, leaders gone In its annual audit report on the BSP for 2023, particularly in its notes to the financial statements, state auditors said the Monetary Board (MB), chaired by the BSP governor, approved supply contracts during the third and fourth quarters of 2023 for the production and procurement of materials for the new banknotes. The new banknotes are under the BSP’s new generation currency series for the P1,000, P500, P100 and P50 bills, all of which were introduced and received by President Marcos last week. According to the report, the first contract was awarded on July 13, 2023, to De La Rue International Ltd., a British company that produces digital and physical protections for goods, trade and identities. The company got the contract for being the “lowest calculated responsive bidder” who offered its services for 4.497 million euros, or P269.524 million, based on the June 5, 2023, BSP reference rate of 1 euro to P59.934. De La Rue was responsible for the supply and delivery of 150,000 bundles of banknotes in the P50 denomination. The board also approved on Aug. 11, 2023, the contract with Swiss firm Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions SA for the new generation currency equipment. The contract was worth 16.196 million euros (P973.643 million) and covered technical and maintenance support, training, supply, and delivery of raw materials, consumables, and wear-and-tear spare parts lasting for 12 months or a year, the COA report added. On Sept. 28, 2023, the MB awarded another contract, this time to German company Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology GmbH, for the supply and delivery of 200,000 bundles of the new P500 bill. The deal amounted to 11.751 million euros, or P727.475 million. For the P100 bills, the board awarded the contract on Oct. 19, 2023, to Papierfabrik Louisenthal GmbH, another German company, for the supply and delivery of 75,200 reams of the enhanced P100 banknote. For this, the BSP spent 42.4 million euros, or P2.605 billion. The same manufacturer was awarded another contract worth 18.54 million euros (P1.113 billion) on Nov. 16, 2023, for 51,020 reams of the new P50 bill. The last contract, for the P1,000 bills, went to the French company Surys for the supply and delivery of 3,040 rolls of “optically variable device patch,” the reflective foil that serves as a major security feature of the banknotes. This contract was for 4.432 million euros (P269.028 million). In total, the BSP spent at least P5.95 billion for the entire project. While highly praised by President Marcos when launched in Malacañang on Dec. 19, the new banknotes drew criticism for breaking the decades-old tradition of featuring historic Filipino figures. Among the first to protest was the August Twenty-One Movement, the anti-Marcos group created in 1983 after the assassination of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . The image of Ninoy and that if his widow, the late former President Cory Aquino, were among those dropped in the new banknotes. Senate President Chiz Escudero and Sen. Koko Pimentel have also asked the BSP to explain the change.
I’m a gypsy – how we decorate for Christmas, I’ve got a Harrods tree & tartan sofa covers, people say it’s beautifulDemocrats should find the center in next election | GUEST COMMENTARY
Drones with thermal imaging cameras locate elderly man lost in MalibuThe accusation that President Bola Tinubu favours his ethnic Yoruba to dominate the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL’s) hierarchy and the financial sector of the nation’s economy is baseless, a former presidential aide, Mr Reno Omokri, has said. In a statement on Sunday, the former presidential aide said the accusation contradicts the facts, which show that the president has been even-handed in his choice of appointments. In an article titled “Tinubu’s Buharisation of the NNPC,” published last week, an academic, Prof Farouk Kperogi, accused President Tinubu of appointing “Yoruba people” to significant positions at the NNPC. He added that the concentration of Yoruba figures in critical economic roles, including the minister of finance and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), represented “state-sanctioned ethnocentric domination of a critical segment of national life.” But a former governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir el-Rufai, responded to Kperogi’s claim on his X handle, admonishing, “Two wrongs do not make a right. Sensible inclusion always trumps arrogant exclusion!” However, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPC Ltd., Olufemi Soneye, addressed concerns raised in Kperogi’s article in a weekend statement, explaining that the NNPC’s leadership structure was guided by business requirements, expertise, and merit rather than ethnicity, tribe, religion, or political affiliation. He said the NNPCL prided itself on being a professional organisation with a diverse leadership team that includes individuals from various parts of the world. On Sunday, Omokri weighed in on the matter and said el-Rufai and Kperogi were mischievously misrepresenting facts. “Let us consider the facts,” he said, adding, “Look at the breakdown of the current management of the NNPCL: Chief Pius Akinyelure: Non-Executive Board Chairman-Southwest; Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari: Group Chief Executive Officer-Northeast; Adedapo Segun: Chief Financial Officer-Southwest; Mr Ledum Mitee: Non-Executive Director-South-South; Mr Musa Tumsa: Non-Executive Director-Northeast; Mr Ghali Muhammad: Non-Executive Director-Northcentral; Prof Mustapha Aliyu: Non-Executive Director-Northwest; Mr. David Ogbodo: Non-Executive Director-Southeast; and Ms. Eunice Thomas: Non-Executive Director-South-South. He said from the record that only two company board members were from the Southwest, explaining that none of the top management of the supervisory agencies was from the president’s region. He pointed out that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobori, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, were from the South-South, while the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Nicholas Agbo Ella, was -North-Central. “From the above, how can anybody honestly project to the Nigerian people that President Tinubu is Yorubacentric in his appointments at the NNPCL? It beggars belief,” Omokri said. His words, “If there is any dominance at all, then that hegemony favours the South-South, which is the most represented on the board and cabinet-level with authority over NNPCL. Then you have the Northwest, Northeast, and North-Central. “Now, even if you want to go to the ridiculous extent of scrutinising those in the lower cadre of the NNPCL, you will find that, except possibly two positions, all of those posts were filled by former President Muhammadu Buhari. “Therefore, to say that a Yoruba heads every consequential agency in finance in Nigeria is not only without basis but also capable of causing the type of market ripples that negatively affect the All-Share Index of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. “When you mention finance, you use a broad brush that includes revenue-generating agencies. And the highest revenue-generating agencies in Nigeria are not the Central Bank of Nigeria or the Ministry of Finance.”
The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as US markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. US-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4% respectively. The Japanese car makers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street also got a labour market update. US applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labour Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late on Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.