zoom Marshall Islands owner of dry bulkers Eagle Bulk has managed to cut its loss in the first quarter of 2017 having reported USD 11.1 million loss, bouncing back from a loss of USD 39.2 million posted in the same period last year.Adjusted EBITDA, which Eagle believes is one of the key metrics to measure operating performance, was USD 4.6 million for the first quarter of 2017, against USD -14.4 million a year ago.Net time and voyage charter revenues were USD 45.9 million also up when compared with last year’s USD 21.3 million. The increase in revenue was assigned to higher time charter rates in Q1 2017 as well as an increase in available days due to chartered in vessels.The company said that its fleet utilization increased from 98.4% to 99.3% due to better vessel performance and lower off hire days.“During the first quarter, Eagle finalized the acquisition of 9 Crown-63 Ultramax dry bulk sister vessels – a transaction that will significantly increase our operating scale and provide meaningful exposure to the Ultramax segment. In total over the past year, we have acquired 11 modern Ultramax vessels as part of our fleet renewal and growth strategy which, in conjunction with the continued build-out of our active operator business model and charter-in fleet, is beginning to drive increased revenue. Importantly, these developments are occurring against the backdrop of continued improvement in the dry bulk market itself with respect to both trade demand and vessel supply fundamentals,” Gary Vogel, Eagle Bulk’s CEO, commented.“Looking ahead, we are increasingly optimistic concerning Eagle’s enviable positioning within the dry bulk market, as well as our ability to generate value for all stakeholders.”Since the beginning of the year the company took delivery of three vessels, the MV Singapore Eagle along with MV Mystic Eagle and the MV Southport Eagle, the first two of the nine vessels acquired from Greenship Bulk.At the end of the quarter, the company’s cash totaled USD 145.8 million, with total liquidity standing at USD 170.8 million.
23Oct
zoom The US Coast Guard Marine Safety Center (MSC) has received its eighth application for Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) type approval.The application was submitted by South Korea-based BWMS manufacturer Techcross for the Electro-Cleen System on October 31.As explained, the MSC will review the application for compliance with US Coast Guard regulations in 46 CFR 162.060. Once it has been determined that the application meets the requirements, the MSC will issue a type approval certificate.So far, BWMS type approvals have been granted to six companies including Optimarin, Alfa Laval, TeamTec Ocean Saver AS, Sunrui, Ecochlor and Erma First.Apart from Techcross, Samsung Heavy Industries is also waiting for the approval of its Purimar BWMS, MSC’s data shows.USCG MSC has also issued an updated type approval certificate to Optimarin for the company’s Optimarin OBS/OBS Ex Ballast Water Management System. As explained, the updated certificate was issued to authorize the OBS Ex model for installation in hazardous locations on US vessels, based on demonstrated compliance with 46 CFR 111.105.
PICTOU COUNTY: Waterside Shore Road at Waterside general bridge has re-opened to traffic. Local Area Office: 902-485-5254 -30-
Highlights from the news file for Wednesday, Aug. 23———CANADA, MEXICO SHRUG OFF TRUMP THREAT: Donald Trump’s sudden threat to blow up NAFTA less than a week into its renegotiation isn’t drawing much of a response from the other North American countries, which are downplaying his remarks. Canada and Mexico say it’s a predictable event in the course of a trade negotiation. “As we said last week, trade negotiations often have moments of heated rhetoric,” said Adam Austen, a spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. “Our priorities remain the same and we will continue to work hard to modernize NAFTA, supporting millions of middle-class jobs.” The Mexican foreign minister described it as an obvious leverage play: “No surprise: we’re in a negotiation,” Luis Videgaray tweeted in response to Trump. “Mexico will remain at the table with calmness, firmness and in the national interest.” This comes after the U.S. president told a partisan crowd at a rally that he doubts a deal is possible. Trump said he’ll try negotiating but will probably wind up killing NAFTA.———NDP, TORIES HIT LIBERALS ON BORDER RESPONSE: A January tweet from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcoming those fleeing persecution has set off a crisis at the border that the Liberals are failing to address, both federal opposition parties say. And his follow-up messaging on the subject has made the situation worse both for the thousands now crossing the border to seek asylum in Canada and for the immigration system as a whole, say immigration critics for both the Conservatives and NDP. “The prime minister has put us in the situation,” Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel said Wednesday. “He’s had every opportunity for nine months now to address this with a credible plan.” Last week, the government announced a federal-provincial task force was being set up to manage the issue and the group was set to meet in Montreal on Wednesday. Trudeau was scheduled to attend the meeting, but Rempel pointed out it was unclear what exactly the task force is doing. She said the tent cities being set up at the border to temporarily house hundreds of people can’t be considered a solution to a problem that will have the trickle-down effect of overwhelming the immigration system.———SYSTEM FAILED GIRL IMPREGNATED BY STEPFATHER, REPORT SAYS: Newfoundland and Labrador’s child and youth advocate says the province’s child protection system responded inadequately and missed opportunities to intervene in the case of a 12-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and impregnated by her stepfather. In a report released Wednesday, Jacqueline Lake Kavanagh says questions weren’t asked, risk wasn’t assessed, and consents were not appropriately obtained when the young girl sought and ultimately obtained an abortion after saying she had become pregnant through consensual sex with her teenaged boyfriend. Kavanagh says had appropriate measures been taken when the girl presented to terminate her pregnancy and when child protection concerns were eventually reported, the abuse “may potentially have been detected and stopped.” The report says the family later moved and two years later the girl told authorities in another province that she had repeatedly been sexually assaulted by her stepfather over a period of 26 months resulting in two abortions. The stepfather pleaded guilty in the case and to other offences including sexual assault on other individuals, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.———STORMS CUT POWER TO THOUSAND IN QUEBEC: More than 63,000 Hydro-Quebec customers were without electricity early Wednesday after severe thunderstorms ripped through southern Quebec, Montreal and the Laurentian region north of the city. Most of the outages were in the Montreal area affecting more than 42,000 homes and businesses, with another 8,000 blackouts reported in the Laurentians and a further 7,500 in communities south of Montreal. Hydro-Quebec spokesman Mathieu Rouy says the wind gusts were so violent, fallen trees and branches littered the streets, making it difficult for repair crews to get through. In Montreal, the greatest damage appeared to be in the Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood where pictures posted on social media showed numerous trees snapped in two by the wind and streets littered with branches and debris. A spokesman for the Montreal Fire Safety Authority said about 20 residences on one street in NDG had to be evacuated after snapped branches fell on transformers and homes.———NOVA SCOTIA’S ABORTION BARRIER LIKELY ‘HISTORICAL PRACTICE’: Nova Scotia’s health minister says the province is addressing concerns about abortion access, adding it appears the need for women to get a referral from a family doctor is simply historical practice rather than law. “There were concerns about how the process, particularly around referrals, takes place,” Randy Delorey said in an interview Tuesday. “What we’ve seen thus far is there is no legislation or regulation that establishes it, so that means it’s likely a case of it being historical practice.” Nova Scotia is the only province in Canada that requires women to obtain a referral before booking an abortion. Advocates call the referral requirement a barrier to access that creates lengthy delays for the time-sensitive procedure. Delorey said he has asked staff at the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the Health Department to look into concerns and report back on how to improve access.———B.C. GREENS PROPOSE BAN ON FARMLAND SALES TO FOREIGNERS: The leader of British Columbia’s Green party wants to see the government ban foreigners from buying farmland in a bid to cool the province’s real estate market. Andrew Weaver says many non-residents are buying land zoned for agricultural use in Metro Vancouver, but instead of farming they’re building large homes and selling the property for inflated prices. He says the result is a loss of food security and higher real estate prices in an already overheated market. Several other provinces, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Prince Edward Island, have measures in place regulating who can purchase farmland. Weaver says the proposed prohibition would not apply to anyone who pays taxes in Canada, including Canadians living overseas and people in the country on work visas. Last year the province’s previous Liberal government implemented a 15 per cent tax on foreign buyers purchasing residential real estate in Metro Vancouver, but the levy does not apply to farmland.———JUDGE WHO WORE TRUMP HAT IN COURT SAYS IT WAS A JOKE: An Ontario judge who wore a hat in court bearing a slogan used by U.S. President Donald Trump told a disciplinary hearing Wednesday he was shocked to discover that what he meant as a joke was viewed as a political statement. Justice Bernd Zabel told an Ontario Judicial Council panel in Toronto he meant to “lighten things up” by wearing a baseball cap with the slogan “Make America Great Again” while walking into court on Nov. 9, 2016 — the day after Trump won the U.S. election. Zabel, 69, testified that it was only after his actions made headlines that he realized some believed he was showing support for the controversial American president and his policies. “I had no malicious intent,” said Zabel, who vowed never to wear the hat in court again. Zabel admitted his actions were contrary to the standard of conduct expected of a judge and constitute judicial misconduct. The panel must decide what penalty, if any, to order. It may impose a number of sanctions or recommend he lose his job. The judicial council said it received 81 complaints about Zabel’s behaviour, with some suggesting his apology was not consistent with his earlier comments in court.———TUMBLING OIL PRICES PLAGUE ALBERTA’S BOTTOM LINE: Tumbling oil prices are forcing Alberta to dip into its reserve fund to keep its $10.5-billion deficit from sliding further into the red. Finance Minister Joe Ceci says in his first-quarter fiscal update that the province had expected the benchmark oil price to average out at US$55 a barrel this year. Instead, it’s hovering below $49 a barrel and isn’t expected to rise much in the near term. Ceci says the province will use half of its $500-million contingency fund to keep this year’s deficit from growing. Numbers reveal that lower-than-expected oil prices are expected to add $291 million to the Alberta deficit by the end of the 2017-18 fiscal year next spring. The big hit comes from oilsands royalties — the province had hoped to bring in $2.5 billion this year, but now expects to take in $563 million less.———ALBERTANS WANT TIGHTER METHANE RULES, POLL FINDS: A new poll suggests nearly three-quarters of Albertans want tighter rules on methane release from oil and gas facilities. The poll, done by EKOS research and funded by Environmental Defence, says 71 per cent of Albertans want regulations on the potent greenhouse gas to be at least as strict as those in the U.S. The provincial regulator and the federal government are gathering public comment on proposed new regulations that would force companies to inspect more often for leaks and reduce venting of methane. Such rules are in place in many U.S. states. Methane is a greenhouse gas considered to be 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide over the long term. Ottawa estimates that its proposed rules would reduce methane emissions by 282 megatonnes by 2035. The poll surveyed more than 1,000 Albertans by phone and online over a two-week period ending Aug. 8 and is considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.———K.D. LANG INVITES JASON KENNEY TO CALGARY PRIDE: Alberta crooner k.d. lang has invited Jason Kenney to Calgary’s Pride festivities — but it appears he won’t be attending. The country singer took to Twitter on Tuesday to offer Kenney — a leadership candidate for the province’s new United Conservative Party — free tickets to a concert if he’d sit down and discuss LGBTQ rights with her. Lang’s offer followed a tweet from blogger Mike Morrison, who also invited Kenney on Twitter to attend Pride. It all stemmed from a statement Kenney’s spokeswoman, Annie Dormuth, issued Monday, saying he would skip the annual parade because he wasn’t invited. In response to lang’s invitation, another spokesman, Blaise Boehmer, tweeted that Kenney was “100% focused” on the leadership campaign and had a “packed week meeting with members.” Calgary Pride begins Friday and ends Sept. 4. The marquee parade will be held on Sept 3.
Lorna Luft, the daughter of US actress Judy Garland, has been diagnosed with a brain tumour after collapsing following a performance in London.The singer, 65, was “forgetting lyrics and monologue” before she collapsed back stage at the Pizza Express Jazz Club on Friday night.She was rushed to hospital by her husband, Colin Freeman, who had been concerned for Luft during her performance, spokeswoman Victoria Varela said.She added she had been “initially diagnosed with a brain tumour”.Luft, an Emmy-winning TV producer and Broadway star, is currently in remission from breast cancer which she has been battling for more than six years. Ms Varela said: “Luft was rushed to hospital by Colin Freeman, her husband, who was also concerned that she was forgetting lyrics and monologue.”Following admission to hospital, Luft has been initially diagnosed with a brain tumour.”Further information will be available following additional medical tests and examinations.”Luft’s performance at the Jazz Club on Friday was the second of four sold-out shows at the venue.Her father is producer Sidney Luft and she is the half-sister of actress and singer Liza Minnelli. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. Liza Minnelli and her sister Lorna Luft at a variety club luncheon.Credit:Ken Mason
LEINSTER AND IRELAND centre Brian O’Driscoll has today insisted he has no plans to switch hemispheres when his contract with the IRFU expires.O’Driscoll, 33, had appeared open to the idea of a move to reunite with former Leinster coach Michael Cheika after he took up the reins with Super XV franchise, the New South Wales Waratahs.In an interview with Sydney’s Daily Telegraph early this month, O’Driscoll said he was excited about playing against top quality opposition on a regular basis, adding: ”That is an exciting prospect. But whether all the pieces fit, I don’t know. At this moment in time, probably not.”Today, speaking ahead of Leinster’s crucial Heineken Cup meeting with the Llanelli Scarlets, O’Driscoll almost rolled his eyes when asked to clarify the matter:“It was an interview I did three and a half weeks ago when Michael Cheika was given the New South Wales job and aspects of it have been regurgitated,” said the Ireland captain.“‘I’ve always said; never say never. But it’s certainly not on my to do list at the moment. “I don’t know if I’m playing beyond June. I’m contracted until then, so I’m enjoying things at the moment and I’ve no plans or desires at the moment to be heading over there and I haven’t spoken to anyone about it.”In the “regurgitated” interview, O’Driscoll had said Cheika ‘knows how to get in contact with me’, but today he was unequivocal in saying no approach had been made: ”He (Cheika) hasn’t been in touch, so I think it’s best to nip that in the bud.”Sitting alongside O’Driscoll throughout was head coach Joe Schmidt, and he could only laugh as his star centre’s discomfort grew when asked jokingly if the interview had been a ‘come-and-get-me plea’:“It’s certainly not.” O’Driscoll replied with a wry smile, “In years gone by there was a need to do that, but at 33 years of age, there’s no point anymore. It’s not a case of Dutch auctions, far from it.”Marshall benched as Pienaar returns for UlsterFormer Leinster full-back Morris showing his claws at Leicester Tigers
Samsung‘s already responsible for the best all-around Android phone with the Galaxy S, and they look likely to improve that when Google officially announces the second so-called Googlephone, the Samsung-built Nexus S… but what’s up Samsung’s sleeves for 2011? According to a leaked internal document, an absolutely gigantic Gingerbread phone.The slide was leaked to Engadget and details Samsung’s flagship Android phone for release in February 2011. The phone doesn’t have a name yet, but what we do know is that it will boast a 4.3-inch WVGA sAMOLED2 display (which we assume means Super AMOLED 2) , as well as run Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread. Samsung’s bragging about the new phone’s “super sleek” design, and no wonder: despite being a beast in length and width, its super thin. The smartphone will also apparently feature an 8MP camera with LED flash, 16GB onboard storage, 1080p video capture and playback, 14.4Mbps HSPA, a 1.2GHz CPU and Bluetooth 3.0.No doubt, this is a sexy phone… but man, what is with 4.3-inch smartphones? These are just too enormous for me to ever consider. Samsung, shrink this bad boy down into a more miniaturized version and I’ll be happy to consider the switch.Read more at Engadget
By Órla Ryan As the clock ticks down, get all the best Brexit news and analysis in your inbox: Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article Poll Results: British Prime Minister Theresa May Image: PA Wire/PA Images Saturday 1 Apr 2017, 9:33 AM http://jrnl.ie/3318374 Apr 1st 2017, 9:33 AM 24,525 Views Short URL Poll: Are you worried about Brexit? Theresa May triggered Article 50 on Wednesday.
Share18 Tweet Email No (6445) British Prime Minister Theresa May THE LONG GOODBYE officially began during the week, when British Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.There has been much speculation as to what will happen when Britain leaves the EU, a process that could take years.From an Irish perspective, there is particular concern about the possible return of a hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, as well as trade and freedom of movement issues.Others view Brexit as an opportunity for Irish companies to take business from the UK.We want to know: Are you worried about Brexit? Yes (6935) YesNoI’m not sureVote I’m not sure (1071) Image: PA Wire/PA Images 135 Comments 
Baleines à bosse : une stratégie alimentaire complexePubliée dans la dernière édition de la revue Behaviour, une étude américaine montre, chez la baleine à bosse en chasse, une combinaison complexe de mouvements et d’émission de bulles d’air pour optimiser sa ‘récolte’ de krill ou de petits poissons.En fixant sur des baleines à bosse (Megaptera novaeangliae) du golfe du Maine, dans l’Atlantique, des capteurs numériques munis de ventouses, David Wiley, de la National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), et ses collègues, ont pu enregistrer la profondeur et l’orientation des mouvements de ces cétacés lors de leur alimentation, et en recréer les images en 3D. Lesquelles confirment l’utilisation d’une ‘technique de pointe’ par ces baleines à fanons pour regrouper les proies et en ingérer un maximum. En remontant en spirale vers la surface tout en expirant de l’air, juste sous un banc de petits poissons ou crustacés, la baleine confine et concentre ceux-ci dans un véritable ‘corral’ de bulles, avant de les engloutir dans sa gueule immense.Si ce comportement était déjà connu des cétologues, les données ont révélé une séquence opératoire jusqu’alors ignorée, que les scientifiques ont baptisée “double boucle” : spirale ascendante pour encercler les proies, suivie d’une grande claque du lobe de la queue sur la surface de l’eau (“lobtailing”), puis second déplacement ascendant pour capturer les proies, qui ne résistent pas à cette ‘botte secrète’. Collaboration entre plusieurs individus et parfois ‘vol’ des proies laborieusement rassemblées par le voisin font aussi partie du jeu. Le 2 juillet 2011 à 09:11 • Emmanuel Perrin
Bouygues Telecom signe un accord-cadre avec TelefonicaLes opérateurs français et espagnol viennent de conclure une alliance. Des accords portant sur les services en itinérance, c’est-à-dire le roaming, devraient voir le jour.Bouygues est, avec ses 11,2 millions de clients, le plus petit des trois opérateurs téléphoniques français propriétaires de leur réseau. En signant un accord-cadre lundi avec l’espagnol Telefonica, qui compte environ 300 millions d’abonnés, il pourra ainsi bénéficier de son infrastructure et de sa taille, indique La Tribune. À lire aussiLG Optimus Vu, le nouveau tabphone de LGGrâce à ce partenariat, l’opérateur français pourra faire de substantielles économies en matière d’achat et de services d’itinérance (roaming), ce qui devrait permettre une amélioration de sa rentabilité. Il sera également plus facile d’appeler ou d’être appelé à l’étranger.Telefonica, lui, accueille Bouygues dans son dispositif “Partners Program” mais n’entre pas dans le capital de son nouveau partenaire comme c’est le cas avec Telecom Italia et China Unicom.Le communiqué de Bouygues précise que cet accord pourrait être étendu à d’autres domaines.Le 12 juillet 2011 à 14:54 • Maxime Lambert
“Moving to recycled paper is the key to our redesign but taking advantage of the fact that sustainability has always been something Dwell has focused on, we are moving that dialogue forward which is essential to our growth as a publication,” Dwell publisher and president Michela O’Connor Abrams said in a statement. Leading shelter title Dwell has announced a major redesign of its print magazine set to debut with the February 2008 issue.Graphically, the magazine has been “redesigned to its core,” the company says, and will feature a new cover design with a larger logo, full bleed imagery and new fonts. The magazine will be printed on recycled content paper with a larger percentage of soy-based inks. Readers will also notice a smaller trim width-the magazine is scaling back from 9 inches to 8.375 inches.Changes to the editorial content will include new departments such as “Theme Attic,” “Process” and an updated “Off the Grid,” which will feature a deeper look into the systems that drive sustainable homes. 
Keith UrbanPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Eddy CuePhoto: Jason Bollenbacher/Getty Images SXSW 2018: Inside The K-Pop Explosion With Kard’s BM Austin’s South Congress Boasts Vintage Charm Austin’s Deep Cultural History On Rainey Street Email Cue Says Apple’s Ecosystem Is Expanding The 7 Most-Shazam’d Women Performers At SXSW 2018 Photo: Earl Gibson III/WireImage.com Eddy CuePhoto: Jason Bollenbacher/Getty Images Korea Spotlight Coming To SXSW 2018 Facebook Austin’s South Congress Boasts Vintage Charm Watch: Neil Young Teases Experimental New Western MélatPhoto: Sasha Haagensen/WireImage.com Inside The 2018 Texas Chapter Block Party At SXSW Watch: Neil Young Teases Experimental New Western DorothyPhoto: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Deva MahalPhoto: Xavier De Nauw Daryl Hannah and Neil YoungPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Austin’s 6th Street Comes Alive At SXSW Deva MahalPhoto: Xavier De Nauw The 7 Most-Shazam’d Women Performers At SXSW 2018 SXSW 2018: How Big Is The K-Pop Explosion? Photo: Earl Gibson III/WireImage.com Keith UrbanPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Korea Spotlight Coming To SXSW 2018 Deva MahalPhoto: Xavier De Nauw Sophie Allison of Soccer MommyPhoto Courtesy Fat Possum Records For artists who cultivate their international fandom, the payoff can be huge. Fish, who works with licensees of K-pop merchandise, noted that K-pop artists bring in six or seven figure deals, on par with deals that artists such as Lady Gaga or Madonna command. And as worldwide crossover continues to gain momentum, the deals and opportunities for collaboration between K-pop celebrities and brands continues to grow.Though it’s often surprising to outsiders how popular K-pop is — particularly here in the United States since most Americans don’t speak Korean — the panelists agreed that the language barrier is hardly an issue.”[They] don’t need to speak the same language,” said Anthony. “It goes around boundaries.””It’s pop,” added Fish. “All pop fans care about their genre.”Following the panel, the audience was surprised with special guest BM of Kard, who let the audience know he just flew in exclusively for the festival.BM was born in Los Angeles and subsequently moved to South Korea to study for nearly five years under DSP Media before joining the popular co-ed K-pop group along with bandmates J.seph, Somin and Jiwoo. Kard will also take the stage during SXSW at The Belmont on 6th Street on March 16, marking their first major music festival performance in the U.S.Finally, the panel shared some exclusive intel regarding the 2018 installments of the wildly popular KCon. KCon New York will be held June 23–24 at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, and KCon Los Angeles will be hosted at Staples Center — home to Music’s Biggest Night — Aug. 10–12.Still iffy on hopping on the K-pop bandwagon?Getting The Latest Music News Just Got Easier. Introducing: GRAMMY Bot. Find it On KIK and Facebook MessengerRead more MélatPhoto: Sasha Haagensen/WireImage.com SXSW 2018: 7 New Bands To Check Out This Year What 11 Artists Did At SXSW 2018 (L-R) The Mrs’ Mandy Prater, Andra Liemandt and Larissa Ness Killoren says that part of the appeal of K-pop is its unique ecosystem. “[Fans want to be] part of something a little different that’s also fun.”For fans, this extends to the dance — dance covers are very popular on Instagram — as well as food, fashion and beauty. K-pop fans also become fans of what their favorite artists love, creating huge business opportunities for brands. Recently, K-beauty has started to take off in major retailers such as Target and Sephora as K-pop’s global reach — and fan base — expands.Speaking of which, K-pop fans aren’t your average fan base. Besides their immense loyalty, they’re savvy about upcoming trends in music. According to Killoren, “K-pop fans are a step of two ahead” of where music is, pointing to how they embraced social media long before the rest of the music industry as an example. Inside The 2018 Texas Chapter Block Party At SXSW DorothyPhoto: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Blake LewisPhoto: Tara Ziemba/Getty Images Blake LewisPhoto: Tara Ziemba/Getty Images Sophie Allison of Soccer MommyPhoto Courtesy Fat Possum Records News Cue Says Apple’s Ecosystem Is Expanding Austin’s South Congress Boasts Vintage Charm SXSW 2018: 7 New Bands To Check Out This Year Twitter What Happens After A Reality TV Singing Show? SXSW 2018: Keith Urban, Rapsody, K-Pop & More Austin’s 6th Street Comes Alive At SXSW KardPhoto: TPG/Getty Images (L-R) The Mrs’ Mandy Prater, Andra Liemandt and Larissa Ness What Happens After A Reality TV Singing Show? Photo: Earl Gibson III/WireImage.com The Mrs Spread Kindness One Music Fest At A Time Prev Next What Happens After A Reality TV Singing Show? Revisit 7 SXSW 2018 Highlights Austin’s Deep Cultural History On Rainey Street HyukohPhoto: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage SXSW 2018 What 11 Artists Did At SXSW 2018 Keith UrbanPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Eddy CuePhoto: Jason Bollenbacher/Getty Images MélatPhoto: Sasha Haagensen/WireImage.com SaweetiePhoto: Ismael Quintanilla/Getty Images Watch: Neil Young Teases Experimental New Western Cue Says Apple’s Ecosystem Is Expanding (L-R) The Mrs’ Mandy Prater, Andra Liemandt and Larissa Ness Sophie Allison of Soccer MommyPhoto Courtesy Fat Possum Records See The Official FADER Fort Lineup At SXSW 2018 SXSW 2018: How Big Is The K-Pop Explosion? Revisit 7 SXSW 2018 Highlights SXSW 2018: Keith Urban, Rapsody, K-Pop & More SXSW: Keith Urban’s Kinetic Keynote SXSW 2018: How Big Is The K-Pop Explosion? The 7 Most-Shazam’d Women Performers At SXSW 2018 Keith UrbanPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Keith UrbanPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Austin’s Deep Cultural History On Rainey Street SXSW 2018: 7 New Bands To Check Out This Year Keith UrbanPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images SXSW: Keith Urban’s Kinetic Keynote SaweetiePhoto: Ismael Quintanilla/Getty Images Revisit 7 SXSW 2018 Highlights KardPhoto: TPG/Getty Images SaweetiePhoto: Ismael Quintanilla/Getty Images What 11 Artists Did At SXSW 2018 Learn why K-pop fans are the driving force behind the genre’s popularity and find out the latest on the 2018 installments of KConRenée FabianGRAMMYs Mar 15, 2018 – 2:53 pm If you’ve been hesitant to get onboard the K-pop revolution express, now is the time to commit. The latest proof was offered in the form of the SXSW 2018 panel How K-Pop Grew Beyond Niche, which illuminated why K-pop is such a revolutionary modern genre, with help from a very special guest: BM from K-pop group Kard.The K-pop art form has been expanding to audiences around the globe, and artists such as GRAMMY winners Diplo, Skrillex and the Chainsmokers, and the production team the Stereotypes, who most recently won Album Of The Year as producers on Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic, have lent their talents to help make K-pop’s biggest stars shine. But that doesn’t tell the whole story.As we learned from the SXSW panelists — Fuse editor and K-pop Billboard columnist Jeff Benjamin, Instagram executive Justin Anthony, YG Entertainment USA’s Greg Fish, and CJ E&M Entertainment’s Angela Killoren — K-pop thrives because of its diverse communal group of fans.”K-pop isn’t a music genre, it’s a music scene,” said Benjamin. SXSW 2018: Keith Urban, Rapsody, K-Pop & More SXSW: Keith Urban’s Kinetic Keynote See The Official FADER Fort Lineup At SXSW 2018 Daryl Hannah and Neil YoungPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Blake LewisPhoto: Tara Ziemba/Getty Images KardPhoto: TPG/Getty Images Austin’s 6th Street Comes Alive At SXSW Need some convincing?BTS’ Billboard February cover issues sold out all 10,000 copies, according to Benjamin. Of Instagram’s total audience of 800 million, 49 million of those interact with K-pop content on the social media platform, according to Anthony. K-pop fans spend on average 65 hours a week consuming K-pop content, 50 percent of whom are returning visitors. Approximately 36 percent of fans will travel out of state to Killoren’s Los Angeles or New York yearly KCon festivals, and K-pop fans spend on average 8 percent of their annual income on K-pop. Korea Spotlight Coming To SXSW 2018 SXSW 2018: How Big Is The K-Pop Explosion? sxsw-2018-inside-k-pop-explosion-kards-bm Inside The 2018 Texas Chapter Block Party At SXSW Daryl Hannah and Neil YoungPhoto: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images The Mrs Spread Kindness One Music Fest At A Time HyukohPhoto: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage See The Official FADER Fort Lineup At SXSW 2018 DorothyPhoto: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic The Mrs Spread Kindness One Music Fest At A Time HyukohPhoto: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage