Monthly Archives: July 2022

Visa recognizes Latin American founders transforming the fintech industry

Visa is making its network available to drive inclusive economic growth with the goal of giving everyone, everywhere access to the global economy. This year, the Visa Everywhere Initiative a global competition judged by Visa executives, clients and partners that showcases innovative payment and trading solutions opened the door to new startups in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) that are promoting greater accessibility in the way people pay, save, and invest. In this final stage of the competition, finalists representing Mexico, Brazil, the Andean region, Southern Cone and Central America and the Caribbean are ready to showcase their solutions worldwide on TechCrunch.

The winner of this final round will go on to participate in the global showdown in Qatar in November 2022 representing LAC, gaining first-hand exposure to leading fintechs from the banking, commercial, venture capital and government sectors, as well as a chance to collaborate with Visa and its broad ecosystem of clients.

Fintechs and other payments innovators are transforming the way we pay, making it easier for more people to access the money they need, when they need it, mentioned Eduardo Coello, President for Visa in Latin America and the Caribbean, For us, the Visa Everywhere Initiative has given us the opportunity to discover and collaborate with some of the most promising innovators in the payments space, allowing us the opportunity to help accelerate their growth.

Tune in right here on TechCrunch on July 20th, 10 AM PDT / 12 PM CDT / 1 PM EDT to watch the five startup finalists go head-to-head in the Visa Everywhere Initiative LAC Final Competition. In front of a panel of industry judges, finalists will present their innovative solutions to select an overall winner, a Visa Direct winner, and audience favorite.

Aroldo Dovalina Founder, Paynom Tatiana Fontalvo Founder and CEO, Bitsports Alfonso Maira Co-Founder, FloidAlejandro Vega Founder, Huli Andr Bastos Co-Founder, Open Co

Overall Winner: $10,000 USD Audience Favorite: $10,000 USD Visa Direct: $10,000 USD

Romina Seltzer SVP Head of Products, Visa LAC Franz Strohmrier SVP New Payment Flows & Global Clients, Visa LACPamela Ceballos Castelo Sr. Director, Digital Partnerships & Ventures, Visa Latam Christine Chang Head of Corporate Development & Ventures, Tribal

The finals event will be hosted by Dr Jen Welter, NFLs First Female Coach | Speaker | GrrridIron Girls Founder | First Female Coach in Madden | First Female Running Back in Mens Pro Football | Author | Motion and Emotion Pioneer.

Since its launch in 2015, the program has reached 6 continents touching more than 100 countries. Every year, Visa has expanded the Visa Everywhere Initiative to include unique startups solving unique problems in the world of payments.

Read the original post:

Sponsored post: The Visa Everywhere Initiative finals for Latin America and the Caribbean are here - TechCrunch

Taking a cruise is a wonderful escape on its own, but what if you want to make the entire trip extra special?

There are lots of occasions when people want to make their cruise memorable, such as for an anniversary, birthday, graduation or other life event. For these kind of celebrations, I'll see questions about ways to enhance the experience.

Think of these tips as the proverbial "cherry on top" for a traditional cruise.

To be fair, these tips all deal with spending extra money on your cruise. You certainly don't need to spend money in order to have a memorable vacation, but throwing money around can certainly make a cruise stand out given the extras it provides.

Hopefully these tips can help transform any cruise you have booked into an even more special occasion and something you'll look back on fondly.

A straight forward way to surprise someone would be get them a more lavish cruise ship cabin.

Whether you move up from an inside cabin to a balcony, or a balcony to a suite, getting a bigger cabin is noticeable difference.

There are two ways you can upgrade your cabin.

The first, is contact your travel agent and simply pay more to move up to a higher category. This is the simplest way, although you're subject to the prevailing rates for that cabin. How much more will vary considerably, but you're likely to get a better price for an upgrade if you do this many months before your cruise.

The alternative is to roll the dice with a RoyalUp upgrade, which is a way you can bid for a stateroom upgrade.

Once you get to final payment date,you can let Royal Caribbean know how much you would be willing to pay if an upgrade situation presented itself.

There's no guarantee that because you see a RoyalUp upgrade opportunity that there's a cabin available, but there's no harm in trying either. Just keep in mind your bids are binding if it were to be accepted.

One of my favorite ways to travel and get excited even before stepping onboard my ship is to fly first class.

First class airfare is not cheap, but if you book it early, there can sometimes be a good deal. Moreover, this is a good way to use up those credit card points you may have stacked up.

You could also take a limo to the airport or stay in a suite at your pre-cruise hotel to complete the Hollywood treatment.

Is your cruise visiting one of Royal Caribbean's private islands?

At both Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee, you'll find cabanas you can rent for the day.

When you rent a cabana, you not only get a dedicated spot to enjoy with shade, bottled water, and floating mats to enjoy, you'll have a cabana attendant who can bring you drinks (and food at Perfect Day at CocoCay).

Staying in a cabana gets you

If you really want to go big, try one of the cabanas at the Coco Beach Club. While pricey, these are the most lavish cabanas Royal Caribbean has and the lunch you get is unrivaled.

Read more:Guide to Perfect Day at CocoCay Cabanas

The level of service with a cabana, along with the plush accommodations, make it a must-book nearly every time I visit either destination.

Perhaps no other is more synonymous with treating yourself (or someone else) than the Vitality Spa.

Spa treatments are all about being pampered, so it makes perfect sense to book a spa appointment.

You can book spa treatments and salon appointments online via the Royal Caribbean cruise planner before your cruise. There's a wide selection of choices to consider.

Read more:When should you buy Royal Caribbean add-ons

Royal Caribbean makes it very easy to decorate your cabin for a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon with decoration kits.

You'll find these items in the cruise planner site.

The room decorations include door dcor, mirror clings, photo frames and more.

There's nothing quite like exploring a port of call without having to wait for anyone else.

A private tour shore excursion can be not only liberating in the sense you get to do what you want, when you want, but it's also a great way to feel special since the entire tour is about your group.

There are a few ways to book a private tour, depending on the port you are visiting.

Royal Caribbean offers its own private shore excursion option through Private Journeys. Be sure to contact them at least a month or two before your cruise, as it takes them a while to get options together.

In most ports, you can also arrange a private tour on your own. It's important to do your research for reputable options, but there's usually a few operators that can do this.

Some good ideas for a private tour would be a sightseeing tour, catamaran ride, or ATV tour. But your imagination is usually the limit.

With all these splurges, you're going to want to capture the memories with a great photo.

Each night of the cruise, there will be photographers around the ship to take your photo. There is no cost to take the photos, and later you can stop by the Photo Gallery to see how the prints came out.

Whether it's formal night or not, get everyone together and dress to the nines, put on matching pajamas, or find that eclectic outfit at Target for ironic photos.

You could also arrange a private photo sitting. Most ships have the option for a sitting, where you can go to a studio and have a photo session. There is an obligation to pay for the time and photos, but these are where you might get some really great shots.

While I really enjoy the main dining room, there's nothing quite like specialty dining as a way to enjoy additional cuisines and cooking styles.

Royal Caribbean offers an unlimited dining package, where you can eat at a specialty restaurant every night of the cruise for dinner and lunch on sea days (and embarkation day).

Depending on which ship you're sailing, there's quite a few different choices to consider. On a 7-night cruise, you'll have opportunity to repeat a few (or all) of the restaurants so you can try one of everything.

Read more:How to know if you should buy a Royal Caribbean dining package

This tip requires more coordination, but if you're going to sail with a few other families and friends, then you could really splurge in style.

If you can book at least 8 cabins with a single travel agent, you could create a group with Royal Caribbean.

When you have a group, then you can work with Royal Caribbean's groups department to arrange special events onboard, such a renting out certain venues. Imagine having the water slides or bumper for just your group for an hour. Or renting out a lounge to have a private party? Your imagination (and budget) are the limit.

Before anyone books a cruise, talk with a travel agent about arranging this so you can get the important group backend logistics set up first.

Read more:Top things you didn't know travel agents can do for your cruise vacation

Just like a photo can remind you of a wonderful vacation, a piece of fine jewelry can be an everyday reminder of one too.

There are jewelry stores on Royal Caribbean ships, with some ships even having name brand jewelry, like a Tiffany's store at sea.

You could also go jewelry shopping while in port, as nearly every port I've ever been to has plenty of jewelry shops.

Whether you look for a new ring, earing, or necklace, picking out a new piece of jewelry can be a wonderful way to top off the cruise.

Continued here:

10 Ways to splurge on your cruise - Royal Caribbean Blog

Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville brand is opening another new all-inclusive in the Caribbean.

And this time it will be just for adults.

Margaritaville and Karisma Hotels and Resorts are collaborating on the new Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya, slated to open in 2023 as the brands first adults-only resort.

The property will feature 355 suites in 13 categories, along with nine food and beverage concepts, three swimming pools, two pickle ball courts, a St. Somewhere Spa and the first Landshark Brewery in Mexico.

Thats along with 13 different room types, from King Paradise Suites to Beachfront Honeymoon Suites and the Coral Reefer Signature Suite, which includes its own oversized infinity pool, an outdoor pool table and a custom-built gaucho-style grill, among other touches.

It will be the third Margaritaville Island Reserve in the wider Caribbean, joining existing properties in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic and the Riviera Cancun.

The company has already launched reservations for the resort, which is slated to open in early 2023.

As our third property to open under the Island Reserve brand, we wanted to create a new experience for our guests that is different from the others, which is why Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya is our first adults-only destination, saidMario Mathieu, SVP Business Development, Design and Construction of Karisma Hotels and Resorts.

The property will feature all of the Margaritaville signatures, from the JWB Steakhouse to Italian trattoria Frank & Lolas and the Five OClock Somewhere Bar & Swim-Up Bar.

Guests will be transported to an upscale coastal retreat where every room offers a view due to its crescent moon shape, Mathieu said. With an unmatched all-inclusive experience filled with gourmet and immersive culinary experiences, unique beverage options, exceptional personalized service, and the first LandShark Brewery inMexico, guests will have ample opportunity to mix and mingle with other guests with the resorts highly social ambiance.

Thats along with other concepts like Salted Rim, an agave-inspired mixology bar and Far Side of the World, featuring the food of the Pacific Rim.

In another first for the Island Reserve brand, the resort will have almost 5,000 square feet of meeting space, with capacity for up to 400 people.

Its yet another new development to add to what is a blazing hotel pipeline on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.

For more, visit Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya.

Here is the original post:

Margaritaville to Open New Caribbean Adults-Only All-Inclusive - Caribbean Journal

THE BAHAMAS Host team won the gold medal in the U12 division with a 3-0 shutout win over Cuba. With the win, they advance to represent the Caribbean Region at the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Seriesin Branson, Missouri.

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas claimed three medals at the inaugural Babe Ruth Caribbean Region Championships and Invitational.

The teams took gold in both the U16 and U12 divisions, and won an additional bronze in the U12 division at the conclusion of the five-day tournament at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

The Bahamas Host team won the gold medal in the U12 division with a 3-0 shutout win over Cuba. With the win, they advance to represent the Caribbean Region at the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series in Branson, Missouri.

The team, managed by Javier Bowe, opened tournament play with a 6-5 win over Cuba followed by a 2-1 win over Aruba and a 4-0 loss to the Bahamas Tournament team.

They recovered from the pair of losses and ended the tournament with three consecutive wins, 7-0 over Puerto Rico, 7-4 over Aruba in the semifinal and the win in the final over Cuba to finish the tournament with a 4-2 record.

Antwon Bain was named MVP while Chishard Thompson Jr was the winning pitcher and was named the top defensive player.

Thompson pitched four shutout innings with eight strikeouts and gave up just a single hit. Bain went 2-3 with an RBI, Alijah Butler was 1-2 and Kamdyn Miller went 1-3.

The Bahamas scored all of their runs in the third inning when Leslie Sands Jr scored on a wild pitch, Thompson scored on a sacrifice fly from Ralph Burrows and Bain drove in the third run.

Bain was also named the best hitter of the tournament after hitting .500 (7-14) with four runs and five RBI.

The Bahamas Tournament team won the bronze medal with an 8-0 win over Aruba. They finished with a 6-1 record.

Cavian Roberts surrendered just a single hit en route to the win and totalled five strikeouts on the afternoon.

At the plate, Trae Neymour went 2-3, highlighted by his 2-run in the park home run, two RBI and two runs, Jordan Archer was 1-2 with one RBI and one run and Marlon Bostwick Jr went 2-3 with two RBI and scored a run.

Javan Smith won the top defensive player award after he finished the tournament with 16 strikeouts.

Offensively for Bahamas Tournament team, Kaizen Dorsett had a .588 (10-17) batting average with seven RBI and six runs over the course of the tournament.

The team had the number one seed in tournament play after five consecutive wins, 20-0 over the Cayman Islands, 6-0 over Puerto Rico, 4-0 over Bahamas Host, 5-0 over Cuba and 3-2 over Aruba. They lost 7-2 to Cuba in the semifinals before the bronze medal win.

In the 16U Division, The Bahamas, managed by Greg Burrows Jr, won 13-6 over team USA in yesterdays final and finished the tournament with a 6-2 record.

The bats for team Bahamas came alive in that final with five home runs to power the gold medal game. Rashawn Pinder hit two home runs, Breyas Dean added two home runs and Andru Arthur added another home run.

Pinder finished 3-4 with a game high five RBI and two runs, Dean went 2-3 with two RBI, Arthur was 2-4 with two runs and two RBI, Chad Delancy was 2-5 with two runs and two RBI and Dionton James was 1-4 with two RBI.

They opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over Netherlands. On day two they lost to Puerto Rico 4-2, but followed with a 20-0 win over Aruba. On day three, they followed with a 6-2 win over St Maarten and a 9-4 win over the USA in the second half of a double header.

In Sundays semifinal, The Bahamas suffered a 15-13 loss to the USA relegating them to a bronze medal elimination game against Puerto Rico. They avenged an earlier loss to Puerto Rico with a 7-0 win to advance to the gold medal game.

Continue reading here:

Bahamas claims 2 gold, bronze at Babe Ruth Caribbean Region Championships and Invitational - Bahamas Tribune

Last week in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, an increase in violence against civilians was driven by gang attacks in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, and Jamaica. In Mexico, armed suspects shot and killed a journalist and his daughter in Tamaulipas state, while members of the Union of People and Organizations of Guerrero (UPOEG) self-defense group clashed with military officers in Guerrero state. In Honduras, suspected members of pro-government militias from Nicaragua killed a member of the political opposition at the border between Honduras and Nicaragua. In Haiti, a supporter of the Fanmi Lavalas was shot and killed after attending an anti-government demonstration.

In Mexico, targeted attacks against journalists continued last week. Unidentified armed men shot and killed a journalist and injured his daughter outside his house in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas state, on 29 June. The journalists daughter died at the hospital a day after the attack. The victim worked for a local newspaper reporting on agricultural and communal issues and had denounced the involvement of state authorities in corruption schemes (Animal Poltico, 30 June 2022). Following the attack, journalists protested and called for justice in Reynosa and Tampico cities. This attack contributes to the 180% increase in violence in Tamaulipas over the past week relative to the past month, as flagged by ACLEDs Subnational Surge Tracker. Elsewhere, in Morelos state, a police officer physically assaulted a woman journalist as she tried to approach a group of government officials to request an interview. In the first half of 2022, ACLED records an increase in attacks against journalists in Mexico, which have resulted in 12 journalists being killed more than double the number of journalist fatalities from targeted attacks recorded in the same period in 2021.

In Tabasco and Campeche states, violence against civilians increased last week. In Tabasco, gang attacks resulted in six civilian deaths. Meanwhile, in Campeche, police officers arrested and beat a man to death in Isla Aguada, Carmen municipality. The incident triggered a demonstration by residents who assaulted local government officials and blocked a bridge, demanding the police take responsibility for the killing. These trends contribute to the 100% and 233% increases in violence in Tabasco and Campeche, respectively, over the past week relative to the past month, as flagged by ACLEDs Subnational Surge Tracker.

In Guerrero state, members of the UPOEG self-defense group clashed with military officers in Marquelia municipality. The clash resulted in a UPOEG member being injured and seven others being arrested, including the UPOEGs coordinator. The arrests were followed by two consecutive days of demonstrations, with truck and bus drivers blocking roads and clashing with police in Acapulco while demanding the release of the prisoners. Additionally, in Chilpancingo municipality, Los Ardillos and the Los Tlacos gang members clashed, resulting in three cargo trucks being burned, while armed suspects killed a community commissioner and another man. According to local authorities, the recent violence recorded in Chilpancingo is related to an ongoing conflict between Los Ardillos, Los Tlacos, and a third unidentified criminal group for the control of extortions and drug trafficking routes (El Universal, 2 July 2022). These trends contribute to the 123% increase in violence in Guerrero over the past month relative to the past year, as flagged by ACLEDs Subnational Threat Tracker.

In Honduras, suspected members of Nicaraguan pro-government militias killed a Nicaraguan political activist last week and abandoned his body in El Paraiso department, at the border with Nicaragua. Though local media report that the victim was killed during a robbery, relatives of the activist reject this narrative, claiming that his body was found with all his belongings and putting the responsibility on President Daniel Ortegas regime for the killing (Artculo 66, 28 June 2022). The victim had fled Nicaragua after the regime accused him of killing a government supporter during the 2018 anti-government demonstrations; days before he was attacked, he was seen attempting to leave Costa Rica for the US (Infobae, 2 July 2022). Local organizations and representatives of the Costa Rican government denounced threats by regime supporters to Nicaraguan political activists abroad (CNN, 9 November 2021). ACLED has recorded several targeted attacks against opponents of Ortegas regime outside Nicaragua since ACLEDs coverage started in 2018, mainly reported in Costa Rica.

Elsewhere, gang violence intensified last week in Francisco Morazn and Corts departments following clashes and attacks related to gang rivalries. In Francisco Morazn, a clash between the Barrio 18 gang and MS-13 resulted in three reported fatalities, while in Corts, members of MS-13 attacked a group of unaffiliated civilians during a party, killing five. Police speculate that the latter attack could be in retaliation for the killing of an MS-13 member by the Los Aguacates gang that occurred the day before or could be in regards to disputes over the control of local drug markets (La Prensa, 28 June 2022). This violence contributed to the 37% increase in violence in Honduras last week relative to the past month flagged by ACLEDs Conflict Change Map, which first warned of increased violence to come in Honduras in the past month.

In Haiti, armed assailants shot and killed a former political prisoner and member of the Fanmi Lavalas party in Delmas commune, Port-au-Prince, last week. The attack occurred hours after the victim participated in an anti-government demonstration denouncing increasing insecurity and demanding former President Jean Aristide replace current President Ariel Henry, to lead a transitional government (Gazette Haiti, 28 June 2022). Elections for a transitional government have been postponed indefinitely while Henrys government names a new electoral council and negotiates the conditions for a fair election with his political opposition (Reuters, 8 February 2022). The UN has reported the lack of security and political conditions to hold an election in 2022 (UN, 13 June 2022).

Meanwhile, police arrested the leader of the Base Pilate a member of the G-9 gang alliance in Port-au-Prince on 26 June, along with a former police officer who was with the gang leader at the moment of the arrest. The arrest sparked demonstrations where Base Pilate gang members barricaded roads in Port-au-Prince for two consecutive days. Reports also indicate that gunshots were heard during the unrest (Haiti Standard, 27 June 2022).

In El Salvador, clashes between law enforcement and gangs drove an increase in violence last week. In Santa Ana department, three police officers were killed by members of the Barrio 18 Sureos in the La Realidad community. Elsewhere, clashes between police and gangs throughout the week resulted in three gang members being killed and several others arrested. This violence contributed to the 122% increase in violence in El Salvador over the past week relative to the past month that is flagged by ACLEDs Conflict Change Map. President Nayib Bukele stated that authorities must work to find those responsible for the killing of the three police officers and that he will intensify the war against gangs (Infobae, 30 June 2022). Local organizations have reported the arrest of more than 43,000 suspected gang members since the government declared a state of siege on 27 March, denouncing some of the arrests as arbitrary (France 24, 29 June 2022).

In Jamaica, violence against civilians and clashes between gangs continued last week, leading to the 33% increase in violence in Jamaica last week relative to the past month flagged by ACLEDs Conflict Change Map, which first warned of increased violence to come in the country in the past month. Attacks by unidentified armed suspects recorded throughout the week resulted in at least eight people dead, most of them occurring in Kingston. Meanwhile, in Saint James parish, armed men shot and killed a member of the Prekeh Gang.

See original here:

ACLED Regional Overview - Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (25 June-1 July 2022) - Mexico - ReliefWeb

Wages are on the rise, with average hourly earnings jumping 5.2% in the 12 months through May.

Employee compensation, of course, is a major part of corporate costs. And rising costs can depress a companys earnings. You might want to think twice about buying the stock of a company whose wage costs are cutting into profit.

Wage inflation is a big risk to earnings, especially for labor-intensive businesses, Bank of America strategists wrote in a commentary. They ranked S&P 500 companies by how labor intensive they are, measured by number of employees per $1 million of sales.

Here are the top 10. The statistic next to the name of the company is its number of employees per $1 million of sales.

1. Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Royal Caribbean Group Report, the cruise company: 55.3.

2. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Report, the cruise company: 53.5

3. Robert Half (RHI) - Get Robert Half International Inc. Report, a recruiting firm: 27.9.

4. Hilton Worldwide (HLT) - Get Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. Report, the hotel company: 24.5.

5. Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH) - Get Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation Report, a technology consulting company: 17.9.

6. Darden Restaurants (DRI) - Get Darden Restaurants Inc. Report, a restaurant owner, including Olive Garden: 16.9.

7. EPAM Systems (EPAM) - Get EPAM Systems Inc. Report, a software engineering company: 15.7.

Scroll to Continue

8. Starbucks (SBUX) - Get Starbucks Corporation Report, the caf chain: 12.6.

9. Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) - Get Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. Report, the fast-casual restaurant chain: 12.5.

10. Carnival (CCL) - Get Carnival Corporation Report, the cruise company: 11.4.

Morningstar analyst Jaime Katz assigns the company no moat and puts fair value for the stock at $80. It recently traded at $34.

As travel constraints and hesitancy surrounding covid-19 continue to recede, consumer behavior about travel and social distancing have returned to normal for Royal Caribbean, paving a path to positive profits for the business, Katz wrote in a commentary.

With virus restrictions largely in the rearview mirror, Royal should see modest pricing gains as it digests bookings paid for with future cruise credits and takes new reservations, Katz added.

On the cost side, some health protocols and cruise resumption costs could inflate near-term spending, which could temper profitability until 2023.

Morningstar analyst Joshua Aguilar gives the company a narrow moat and puts fair value for the stock at $88. It recently traded at $78.

Robert Half will remain as one of the leading global staffing firms in a highly fragmented industry, he wrote in a commentary. The company places skilled professionals in accounting, finance, and information technology.

Further, we think its hold on small to mid-size businesses will persist, given its ability to fill open roles quickly, and the willingness of these businesses to sign exclusive contracts, Aguilar said.

We believe this will yield greater profitability for Robert Half, despite operating in a highly cyclical industry.

See the original post here:

Royal Caribbean Probably Doesn't Want to be on This List - TheStreet