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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has authoritatively launched a committed mobile application and an online website for the travel industry division. Atif Khan, senior provincial minister KPK, who likewise holds the arrangement of the travel industry, thrust the application on Wednesday. The application and the site will help advance the area as a travel industry brand to the world.
Each information identified with the Tourism sector, lodgings, eateries booking, following, traveller resorts, lakes, and climate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is presently accessible on the two stages to help tourist in getting the data effectively.
KP Government has launched the KP Tourism App and Logo in Peshawar. The App can be downloaded from App Store and Play Store. According to subtleties, the starting service of the application was gone to by head administrator’s consultant Zulfi Bukhari and Atif khan. The logo for advancing the travel industry in the territory was additionally uncovered today.
Both the application and the site have been brightened with the pictures of a beautiful vacation spot of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with every related datum for tourist to pick a spot based on their personal preference.
Atif Khan conveyed the news on Wednesday morning through Twitter. “First ever Govt the travel industry portable application is currently accessible on Google Play store and IOS for the sake of KPTourism”. He also added that normal outside traveller burns through 2,000 to 4,000 in the nation and it will expand the income of the nation. Atif Khan said that we will concentrate on this zone we can help the number of exclusive guests inside ten years to come.
Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter


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Boyzlife Announces December 2017 Christmas Tour.
The tour kicks off on 6th December 2017 at Arts Club Theatre, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Supplied By PR
Brian McFadden (Westlife) & Keith Duffy (Boyzone) aka BOYZLIFE announce their Christmas 2017 UK tour – celebrating the hits of both bands and much more!
The eleven-date tour will visit the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and will start on 6th December 2017 at Arts Club Theatre in Liverpool.
As well as standard tickets, people will be able to purchase VIP Tickets for all of the shows. The VIP Tickets include:
- Meet & Greet
- Priority Entry Into The Venue (Timings TBC)
- Priority for Artist Merchandise
(Many thanks to Sacha for help with this announcement)
Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 13th September 2017 and will be available from See Tickets here: boyzlife.seetickets.com
The December 2017 Christmas UK Tour will stop at the following venues:
Wednesday 6th December 2017 – Arts Club Theatre, Liverpool, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2vMUw05
Thursday 7th December 2017 – Club Academy, Manchester, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2h2alet
Friday 8th December 2017 – Old Market, Brighton, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2oFQRjR
Sunday 10th December 2017 – SWX, Bristol, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2gTCtTF
Monday 11th December 2017 – Tramshed, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2nayiAW
Tuesday 12th December 2017 – Clapham Grand, London, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2je72UH
Wednesday 13th December 2017 – Phoenix, Exeter, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2xdtin5
Thursday 14th December 2017 – Epic Studios, Norwich, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2wPe5Zv
Sunday 17th December 2017 – Leamington Assembly, Leamington Spa, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2gDTFKl
Monday 18th December 2017 – 02 ABC Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2gODXMd
Tuesday 19th December 2017 – The Glee Club Nottingham, United Kingdom http://bit.ly/2xXFFSm

domain: news


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At first glance, the £50m deal to convert a north London retail park into a warehouse and logistics hub is a perfect representation of the forces upending an embattled sector.
The relentless rise of online shopping and home delivery means plots like the Ravenside site in Edmonton, snapped up by warehousing giant Prologis, is worth more as a distribution centre for Amazon and Argos than as a space for Mothercare and Carpetright.
Prologis acquired the site from M&G, whose commercial property fund was suspended last month after investors clamoured to withdraw their cash.
Taken together, the elements of this story appear to provide yet more evidence that traditional retail operations may have had their day.
But the truth is that a brand such as Mothercare falling into administration attracts more attention than investment into the future of retail.
Furthermore, this shift from bricks and mortar to online shopping is only part of the picture. The Sunday Times reported over the weekend that the head of one of Britain’s biggest property investment firms, Bruntwood, has “called the bottom of the shopping centre slump.”
Chief executive officer Chris Oglesby believes that the tide is about to turn and physical retail sites now represent “a huge opportunity.”
Not everyone agrees, and plenty of investors remain wary of the low rents and, therefore, low values of such assets, but the prospect of a smart revival cannot be written off.
Oglesby thinks the shift to online in certain parts of the retail landscape “has probably plateaued” and that consumers still value experiences and interaction alongside the convenience of ordering from an app.
The other element in the retail landscape is the high street, whose death has been greatly exaggerated or, at least, misinterpreted.
For a start, independent retailers are enjoying a boom. According to consumer research giant Which, no fewer than 10 sub-sectors of retail have seen an increase in premises on high streets in recent years.
These include eating out, services (such as salons), food and drink retailers and event spaces. In other words, offerings that cannot be replicated online.
As the new decade gets underway, retail remains a mixed bag. There will be more failures but, also, many more openings.
Physical space will be repurposed and investors will look for new opportunities. This is a complex and evolving sector, and while its fortunes remain far from certain there are plenty of green shoots among the rubble.
Main image: Getty


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Columbus police confirmed that the Sneakers shoe store at 3441 Macon Road was the victim of an armed robbery, according to a report.
Officials said they have yet to identify any suspects, but the robbers were described as slender black men in their 20s. The 5-feet-11 tall suspect was seen wearing a red and white shirt and a red cap, and the 6-feet-1 tall offender was spotted in a black shirt and black cap, police said.
Authorities said they were called to the store Tuesday in reference to the armed robbery and learned that two employees were in the business at the time.
No additional information was given in the report.


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The announcement of the Malaysian border reopening on 1 April signalled a new chapter for tourism industry players. As part of tourism industry preparations to restart tourism, Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) took the opportunity to explore the potential of Sabah as a destination for the Muslim tourist market.
Pre-pandemic, Sabah’s tourism industry was thriving, with international tourist arrivals reaching 1.47 million out of the total 4.19 million in 2019. Tourism was the state’s third biggest income generating industry, supporting more than 80,000 jobs, according to Sabah Tourism Board in 2021. While the Covid-19 pandemic did leave an impact on tourism in Sabah, the resilient industry is expected to make a comeback following the recent reopening of the Malaysian border.
To capitalise on this development, local tourism industry stakeholders may wish to look into diversifying their products and services to attract lucrative travel markets, like the Muslim tourist market. The Muslim tourist market was a steadily growing market before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, with 200.3 million Muslim travellers globally, spending USD194 billion on the travel and tourism industry in 2019. Now that the industry is restarting again, the Muslim-friendly sector can be expected to pick up.
At a recent seminar jointly organised by Institut Pengajian Islam dan Dakwah Sabah (IPDAS) and ITC, “Seminar Pelancongan Islam: Perspektif Sabah”, to discuss the potentials of Sabah as a Muslim-friendly travel destination, Tuan Haji Muhammad Zamri Muhamed Shapek, Director of IPDAS said in his welcome remarks, that there is a misconception about the Middle-Eastern market, the highest spending Muslim market per capita, being only interested in visiting luxurious malls during their holidays.
He claimed that this is not true, especially for the millennial Middle-Eastern market that is characterised to be adventure-seeking with a preference for ecotourism activities, something Sabah is famous for.
Being a geographically-diverse state, Sabah has some key natural attractions including Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, and the pristine islands in Semporna. These lend to Sabah’s appeal as an ecotourism destination making positive environmental and social impacts.
“Sabah’s nature conservation practices have always been exemplary. Not only is it aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sustainability and environment protection are an important aspect of Islam that ultimately benefits the tourism industry,” said ITC Director-General, Dato’ Dr. Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan in his keynote address.
He also pointed out that the Muslim market is geographically diverse and does not exclusively refer to the Middle-Eastern market alone. “The scope is broad and it includes the Asean region with its estimated 255 million Muslim residents,” he added.
This is where Sabah has a geographical advantage. It is directly accessible by potential visitors from different parts of the world. Residents of neighbouring country, Singapore, can take direct flights to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) without having to stop at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Meanwhile, the people of Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia, can even enter the state by land.


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The US dollar index is falling. It has declined to $93.90 from the Friday’s high of $94.20.
American small business borrowing is highest for two years
In June, borrowing by small American companies reached an almost two-year maximum, powered by hotels and restaurants and hotels because businesses invested to meet customer demand, as PayNet Inc informed on Tuesday.
June’s Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index inched up from May’s upwardly revised result of 138.3 to 139.9, which is its most impressive outcome since July 2015.
Small business borrowing happens to be a major indicator of surge because those companies do much of the hiring, driving economic gains.
Measured from the previous year, borrowing was intact, as the provider of credit ratings on small companies states.
Turmoil in in the USA involving Donald Trump's six-month-old administration has led traders as well as businesses to question whether most of his proposals are going to be implemented or not. The previous week Republicans didn’t manage to deliver on a campaign pledge to upgrade the American healthcare system, while on Monday Trump sacked his communications director a week on the position.
In April, orders for durable goods in the United States went down by about 1…
Bitcoin is plunging. Negative comments in the media and stricter regulations continue to weight on the cryptocurrency.
America’s on the verge of starting an investigation into whether thermoplastic components utilized in some Japanese as well as German vehicles sold in the country violate its patent laws or not…
On Monday, gold headed south in European trade, making its way toward a three-week minimum after American congressional leaders came to an agreement to fund the government via the fall, thus easing worries as for a shutdown of the federal government…
On Tuesday, crude prices traded weaker because a poll on Chinese manufacturing came in weaker than expected and market participants looked ahead to American inventories on oil as well as refined products to set the overall tone…


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A Southport woman has urged a greater sense of kindness after panic buyers left shop shelves without food and essential goods.
Megan Wainwright contacted Stand Up For Southport with shocking videos of the Home Bargains store at Meols Cop retail park in Kew, Southport, earlier this evening.
She said: “To all you selfish people out there that think this is acceptable then shame on you, leaving the most vulnerable without food, medicine, everyday bits and bobs.
“In situations like this you really do learn a lot about people.
“Buying a few extra bits at your weekly shop. Fine. but this is a joke and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
“About 800,000 people die a year of suicide and everyone is panicking and buying the whole shop out because of coronavirus. What does everyone do when the shops are shut as it’s a bank holiday? Or at Christmas time?
“Everyone is so quick to preach about kindness and being there for anyone, yet seems to forget that when it comes to times like this and they leave the vulnerable empty handed.”
What do you think? Join the conversation in the Stand Up For Southport group in Facebook.


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Raytheon has developed ruggedized and militarized versions of the Apple iPhone and iPod touch that can handle adverse combat environments, according to the March C4ISR Journal. Amongst other tasks, the military iPhone can access the DOD’s DCGS intelligence-sharing network. Maybe, someday, launch a Hellfire attack.
In a synopsis of the C4ISR Journal story last week, Defense Review described how the ruggedized iPhone can “can display full-motion video, store multiple applications and grant access to the Defense Department’s new Distributed Common Ground/Surface System (DCGS) intelligence-sharing network, and will cost about $300 each.”
Raytheon said that because the applications are software-based, new capabilities can easily be added to meet mission requirements. In fact, Defense Review theorized that there’s no reason, in principle, why such an iPhone couldn’t be used to, say, initiate a Hellfire attack.
The Android operating system is also being pressed into service.
C4ISR reported that,”software developed for the Android operating system could also be expanded to other platforms such as tablet PCs, according to Keith Little, a Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems spokesman.” That suggests a possible opening for the iPad as well, and, in fact, U.S. Army representatives were recently in Cupertino talking to Apple about just that.
With tongue in cheek, but only barely so, Defense Review concluded, “Looks like the future may well entail smartphone-wielding soldiers liquidating insurgents with HellFire II missiles (fired from armed/weaponized Extended Range/Multi-Purpose … airborne missile platforms), using only their thumbs, all while enjoying their favorite Frappuccino, anywhere in the world.”
The bad news? The bad guys have iPhones too. No Hellfires. Just iPhones.


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This comes after MySpace switched off the auto-play function on its inbuilt players in mid-August. This step was taken as a means to reduce royalty payments that were costing the company an estimated $10m (?6m) a month.
Users are still able to hear tracks, but must activate the audio player themselves rather than have it open automatically as soon as they launch the site in their browser.
The net result, according to BigChampagne's tracking, was that the number of track plays fell from 1.436bn in July to 1.138bn in August.
The launch of MySpace Music in the UK appears to have run into more obstacles, further delaying its launch. Last week it was reported that company had failed to secure licensing agreements with both the PRS for composition rights and Merlin for independent label repertoire.


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If you are one of the many who religiously follow the release of any iOS device and are sitting patiently waiting for Apple to announce the next-generation iPhone, then it has been pretty much agreed upon that you don’t need to wait much longer. It is widely expected that the Apple media event that is planned for September 12th will be iPhone-centric and possibly introduce the new device for sale approximately nine days later.
With Apple pushing out the fourth beta of iOS 6 to developers yesterday, the new iPhone will more than likely be the first device that actually ships with the next major build of iOS pre-installed on it, but if we have learned anything from history; it is that if Apple does announce the iPhone next month, then they will more than likely flip the switch on a public iOS 6 launch the same day. There’s no doubt that iOS 6 will being great features to existing hardware, but what about those who are actually planning on purchasing or upgrading to the new iPhone?
One of the biggest areas of discussion about the sixth-generation iPhone is the purported larger display which Apple is set to introduce to compete with current smartphones that offer more screen real-estate to users. The physical size of the iPhone display has remained consistent since the original iPhone, and rumor has it that the next release will boast a 640×1136 resolution display thanks to a larger vertical dimension. Thanks to some clever trickery with the iOS simulator within Apple’s Xcode development environment, it has been proven that Apple has been testing our their software with larger display devices.
Those involved with the tinkering have managed to tweak the simulator tool to run at the 640×1136 resolution which is believed to be the next iPhone’s native screen resolution. Tests were carried out with both the latest public release of iOS as well as a beta version of iOS 6, with some extremely interesting results. When running iOS 5.1, the simulator increases the space between app icon rows to symmetrically law out the existing four ways on the larger display. When running on the beta of iOS 6, an additional row of icons is added to the display showing that iOS 6 has internal logic for a new user-interface layout on a bigger device.
While the finding is extremely interesting and does raise some additional questions, it doesn’t exactly provide us with concrete proof that the next-generation iPhone will ship with the reported larger display. It does at least show that Apple has put the wheels in motion on producing larger display devices in this range.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.


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The status of women in Romanian society has seen both improvements and setbacks over the last two decades. For instance, accession to the European Union initially brought advances, as the country had to meet European standards on equality. But some of those advances were short-lived. “In 2002, when the European.
Romania closely follows Bulgaria in terms of women in the tech workforce, with 27.2 percent compared with its southern neighbor's 27.7 percent. Image Getty Images. In central Bulgaria, in the town of Gabrovo, which prides itself on being an international capital of humor, Iva Kaneva wasn't joking when it.
The 30-year-old Romanian photographer, who has visited over 60 countries in the two legs of her project till now, aims to bookmark every single country on the face of this earth. As seen on her official website, the first episode of The Atlas of Beauty--after 15 months of extensive travel--saw a closure in.
Canadian Ambassador Deborah Lyons stated that 21st-century diplomacy needed to include more women. Also present was Romanian's former ambassador to Israel, Dr. Andreea Păstârnac, who was recently appointed minister in charge of Romanian citizens abroad. She came specifically to Israel to.
So far, the animal lover has saved the lives of 26 dogs.
Mihaela Noroc has traveled to over 50 countries and captured stunning photographs of women of all ages, races, and backgrounds. Romanian-born photographer Mihaela Noroc has been photographing women around the world for the last four years. She's captured portraits in close to 60 countries from.
ROMANIAN women working at an Amazon depot stole iPhones by hiding them in their bodies, it was claimed yesterday. Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said “Amazon should be ashamed that they pay their workers so little that they have to camp out in the dead of winter to make ends meet.
Vice gang who lured Romanian women and girls into the UK with promises of restaurant jobs then forced them to work in the sex trade are jailed for a. three years behind bars for three counts of exploitation, three counts of controlling prostitution for gain and a single charge of inciting child prostitution.
ThredUP is a fashion resale website for consumers to buy and sell secondhand clothing online. thredUP is part of a larger Collaborative Consumption movement, which encourages consumers to
Is a 100% free online dating platform all over Eastern Europe - Meet Romanian, Moldavian, Polish, Latvian and Russian single girls of every age.


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The new Northland Sprouts Farmers Market will entice customers to its grand opening this week with food samples, giveaways and discounts.
The 28,000-square-foot store is scheduled to open at 7 a.m. Wednesday in the Village at Shoal Creek, 8383 N. Booth Ave. Customers waiting in line will get free muffin and coffee samples, and the first 200 people in line will get 20 percent off their initial purchase. Every 15th shopper that day will get a coupon book and $1 deals will be offered throughout the store. Every customer also will get a free reusuable bag with purchase.
On Saturday, the first 200 customers making a purchase will get a coupon book for five free sandwiches. On Sunday, every 15th customer at the checkout will receive a $5 coupon to be used on purchases of $15 or more the following week.
Sprouts is described as a “neighborhood grocery store with the feel of an old-fashioned market.” It offers fresh, natural and organic food, including fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, meat and seafood, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, natural body care and household items. It also offers sausages made in-house, freshly made soups, organic grass-fed beef, gourmet cheeses and an olive bar.
“The best products at the best values,” the company said.
The Phoenix, Ariz.-based company currently has more than 180 stores, including area locations in Lenexa and Overland Park.
Sprouts also is set to open in The Village at Burlington Creek, 6061 N.W. 64th St., in April, and a store in Lawrence is set to open in May. Other area locations are planned.
Spin Neapolitan Pizza is now offering premium wines on tap at its restaurant at 4950 Main St., just south of the Country Club Plaza. It hopes to soon offer wines on tap at some of its other locations.
“Once you open a bottle of any wine it begins oxidizing and losing its flavor immediately. The tap wines prevent that from occurring,” said Richard Lozoff, partner in Spin. “They also are more environmentally friendly because there is no glass to throw away or recycle. The barrel — or keg — gets sent back to the producer to be reused.”
Two red and two white wines are on tap, rotated seasonally. Currently the wines are Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, Cupcake Chardonnay, Mark West Pinot Noir and Concannon Conservancy Cabernet.
The Main Street location also added more craft beers on tap — currently it is serving three beers by Boulevard Brewing Co., as well as beers by Torn Label Brewing Co., Free State Brewing Co., Kansas City Bier Co., Martin City Brewing Co. and Santa Fe Brewing Co.
A new tap handle display is at the front counter to make it easier for customers to select their drink of choice.
All the area locations are now serving a few new menu items by Michael Smith, a minority partner in Spin.
The new dishes that can be ordered as appetizers, side dishes, small plates to be shared, or paired with a salad or soup for a mini-meal are: Calabrian Shrimp Formaggi, Eggplant Parmigiana and Stuffed Mondo Meatball.
There’s also a new lemon ricotta and olive oil spread served with warm flatbread and a new shrimp scampi pizza.
The 5-year-old Main Street location also recently shut down for more than a week for kitchen improvements and to refresh the decor, including new wood floors. Later this month, it will install a mirror printed with a scene of bicyclists wearing Spin jerseys. It will span the south wall of the dining room.
Spin also plans to open a Crown Center restaurant in early March.
To reach Joyce Smith, call 816-234-4692 or send email to firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter at JoyceKC


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December 2, 2020
Starz has launched the direct-to-consumer OTT app Lionsgate Play in India, making premium Hollywood content available in multiple Indian languages, the company announced.
The service is priced at INR 699 for a year or INR 99 per month. In India, the app will be available to download across platforms and devices including the Google Play store, Apple app store and Amazon firestick.
New content available at launch includes the Anna Kendrick starrer “Love Life,” a fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series; “No Man’s Land,” a Syrian civil war series; and “The Goes Wrong Show,” a comedy series with each episode having a different theme, including a period romance, spy thriller, a Deep South melodrama and a Christmas fable.
Movies offerings include the Jennifer Lopez starrer Hustlers, Gerald Butler’s action thriller Angel Has Fallen, the fantasy thriller Hellboy, and the action comedy The Gentlemen, starring Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant.
Starz first launched internationally with its Starzplay international premium streaming platform in 2018. This month it will expand its global footprint into 55 countries throughout Europe, Latin America, Canada, Japan and India.
“India has always been a key market for us,” Jeffrey A. Hirsch, president and CEO of Starz, said in a statement. “The large and diverse population, increased data usage in urban and rural markets, and adoption of OTT across all demographics created an exciting opportunity for us to launch Lionsgate Play. We’re confident that our unique, exclusive and exceptionally curated content will generate a great response from Indian audiences.”
“We will also be launching Indian originals in the coming months, featuring untold edgy urban stories from some of the best creative minds in the Indian film industry,” Rohit Jain, managing director of Lionsgate South Asia, said in a statement. “And we will continue our Lionsgate Play journey by adding to our deep roster of premium content through partnerships with exciting millennial stars like Kriti Sanon, Tiger Shroff and Sanjana Sanghi increasing the breadth and scope of entertainment for our subscribers.”


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This article is more than 1 year old
Microsoft issues patch to Insiders to undo carnage caused by expired digital certificate in Windows 11
Beta and Release Preview Channels receive a fix while Dev gets Windows Subsystem for Android
Microsoft has rushed out updates to its Windows 11 beta and release preview channels to deal with an expired digital certificate - while at the same time confirming bleeding-edge testers will as last get the fabled Windows Subsystem for Android.
With its usual impeccable timing, Microsoft managed to drown out what should have been good news for Dev Channel users with the release of KB5008295 to testers in its Beta and Release Preview Channels. The patch, which won't change the build number, was to deal with an expired certificate that left some built-in applications broken, even in the release version of Windows 11.
Unlike the patch pushed to production, Microsoft said the fix had dealt with problems with the snipping tool and other built-in apps, which still blighted the GA code, and also stopped the Start Menu and Settings app from opening in the supposedly super-secure S mode version of Windows 11.
The company is not inviting suggestions for what the "S" in S mode might stand for after its certificate cock-up left the Start Menu inoperative.
- Expired cert breaks Windows 11 snipping tool, emoji panel, S Mode features, other stuff
- Teams has a mute button all of its own in taskbar of latest Windows 11 preview build
- Windows Subsystem for Android: What's the point?
- A Windows 11 tsunami? No, more of a ripple as Microsoft's latest OS hits 5% PC market
Unsurprisingly, certificate lifecycle management firms have plenty to say on the matter. Nick France, CTO at Sectigo, said: "These problems with Windows 11 highlight the impact that expired and unmanaged certificates can have for both an organisation and its users. 'Forgotten' certificates can cause unexpected outages and downtime and may not always be quick or simple to fix."
It's a shame because the arrival of Android apps for Dev Channel testers would otherwise have been good news. Assuming, of course, you meet the requirements (or can fiddle with your settings accordingly – the official route is for US users with an Amazon account for Appstore). We took a close look last week and came away pondering who, other than gamers and games developers, would really benefit. Perhaps that niche of users with home automation apps that lack a web app equivalent?
Microsoft was not clear on the cause of the delay – the Windows Subsystem for Android is installed from the Microsoft Store, and the enablement has not required a simultaneous emission of a new build. Still, the arrival is good news for developers in the Dev Channel. So long as their apps do not depend on Google Play Services. ®


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In simplest terms, cryptocurrency is money that only exists digitally or essentially. As cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly more mainstream, law enforcement agencies, tax authorities and legal regulators worldwide are attempting to understand the extremely principle of crypto coins and where exactly do they suit existing regulations and legal frameworks.
Bitcoin specialists and other cryptocurrency enthusiasts, alarmed by experiences like Troia's and fearing Heavy-handed cryptocurrency regulation, recently told a U.S. Home subcommittee that the bulk of the problem lies with uncontrolled, offshore cryptocurrency exchanges, not those based in the U.S. and Europe, which must already adhere to anti-money laundering and know your consumer" laws.
By changing from the primary Bitcoin blockchain to a new variation, the software now has a capacity for a larger number of transactions. On the other hand, we show that the cryptocurrency returns can be forecasted by aspects which specify to cryptocurrency markets.
When a new stock comes out, I don't think this has no worth" I think of what that stock represents and after that shop low and sell high (at some time); cryptocurrency also has this function. In addition to Bitcoin, we provide more than 50 cryptocurrencies with a wide array of payment approaches.
The New Fuss About Cryptocurrency
Data analytics platform Santiment has concluded that Ethereum based altcoins might be at the leading edge of the next booming market. The problem is that couple of out of each odd new exchange is made proportional; new and untried exchanges could end up being an awful dream in case they do not regard withdrawals or wind up unattainable at the incorrect time. It uses cryptography to secure and validate transactions along with to manage the creation of new systems of a particular cryptocurrency.
In order to run a deal on the blockchain you need an e-wallet (or cryptocurrency wallet). This is precisely why the cryptocurrency called IOTA (the Internet of Thigs Application) was developed in 2016. The signature is an encrypted piece of dataÂ called a cryptographic signature and it supplies a mathematical proofÂ that the transaction originated from the owner of the wallet.
With this "Bitcoin account" you can buy and offer Bitcoins and a lot more cryptocurrencies. Ethereum-- A Turing-complete programmable currency that lets designers develop different dispersed apps and innovations that wouldn't work with Bitcoin. Other popular services include Cryptonator, CoinGate and BitPay, with the latter only accepting Bitcoins.
When you hear the term cryptocurrencies, this is really a term that is used to explain all different kinds of digital circulating media, an umbrella term that represents the security and framework of this type of currency. When trying to visualize the future of its use as an additional payment system, it helps to put aside the unpredictable of the market and focus on the usefulness of cryptocurrency transactions.
Four Incredibly Useful Cryptocurrency For Small Businesses
In easiest terms, cryptocurrency is money that just exists digitally or essentially. You require a broker like Coinbase to trade in between fiat and cryptocurrency (or you can utilize an exchange like GDAX). With the introduction of Bitcoin, the very first cryptocurrency, a totally new paradigm was produced. No just this, Outstanding offers a platform whereby an entity can establish their own protocols for funds transfer lined up with Outstanding platform through API integration, which in itself offers it a distinct edge than any other cryptocurrency.
Ever since Silk Road was removed, cryptocurrency critics, claiming that the digital currencies are fueling ransomware attacks and other cyber crime, have actually been calling for federal governments to carry out cryptocurrency regulation, and these calls have actually grown louder because the WannaCry attacks.
Bitcoin professionals and other cryptocurrency lovers, alarmed by experiences like Troia's and fearing Extreme cryptocurrency regulation, recently told a U.S. House subcommittee that the bulk of the issue lies with uncontrolled, offshore cryptocurrency exchanges, not those based in the U.S. and Europe, which must already abide by anti-money laundering and understand your client" laws.
Basically, any cryptocurrency network is based on the outright consensus of all the participants relating to the legitimacy of balances and deals. We establish that the risk-return tradeoff of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ripple, and Ethereum) stands out from those of stocks, currencies, and precious metals.
Choosing Good Cryptocurrency
The business of Preliminary Coin Offerings (ICO) is hot today in the blockchain neighborhood. Coinmarketcap is a one-stop option for tracking the rate, volume, blood circulation supply and market cap of most existing cryptocurrencies. Due to the very nature of cryptocurrencies - unlike fiat currency, they are not issued or overseen by any central authority - attempts at cryptocurrency regulation have actually been slow and scattered.
Bank credit is eventually backed by the state, cryptocurrency is backed by an algorithm. Ripple-- Unlike the majority of cryptocurrencies, it does not utilize a Blockchain in order to reach a network-wide agreement for transactions. Finally, there are marketplaces like Bitify and OpenBazaar that only accept cryptocurrencies.
The issue is that couple of out of each odd brand-new exchange is made proportional; new and untested exchanges could wind up being a dreadful dream in the event cryptocurrency wallets they don't relate to withdrawals or wind up unattainable at the wrong time. It uses cryptography to secure and verify deals as well as to control the development of new units of a particular cryptocurrency.
One lumen (XLM) is a system of digital currency, like a bitcoin. Within a cryptocurrency network, only miners can confirm transactions by resolving a cryptographic puzzle. You can likewise watch informative videos about the howÂ cryptocurrency works such as the one below.


text: Wal-Mart is now accepting applications for 80 new positions at its Super Wal-Mart store in Yucca Valley. According to Wal-Mart spokeswoman Rachel Wall, the store will be hiring both full- and part-time employees, and she encouraged both those with and without retail experience to apply. Residents interested in working at the Super Wal-Mart can fill out an application at one of the three hiring kiosks inside the current store, 57980 29 Palms Highway, or they can fill out an application online at a link in this story at kcdzfm.com. Wall said the majority of new associates will begin work in May to help prepare the store for its grand re-opening about six to eight weeks later. The new Super Wal-Mart is located at 58501 Twentynine Palms Highway, next to Home Depot.


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WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- The U.S. economy is strong and inflation is largely under control, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday in its semiannual report on the economy.
Growth in the second half of the year is likely to be higher than in the first half, while inflation should drift lower, according to the forecast.
"Although some of the recent data have been on the soft side, the available information on the outlook for the U.S. economy is, on balance, positive," the Fed said.
"The prospects also seem favorable for inflation to remain contained in the period ahead," the report said.
At an appearance at the Senate Banking Committee, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan devoted much of his accompanying testimony to persuading markets that borrowers and lenders alike are well prepared for the inevitable-but-measured rise in interest rates.
"This is significantly more hawkish than I suspect market participants were anticipating," said Steve Stanley, chief economist for RBS Greenwich Capital. "Bond market players have been throwing around theories about a second-half slowdown, with the June data creating a huge stir, but the Fed has almost not given that idea a second thought."
Stanley said the testimony and report support his forecast for quarter-point rate hikes at each of the next four FOMC meetings through the end of the year. Markets had been anticipating that the Fed would pause and hold rates steady at least one of those four meetings.
"Greenspan comes down firmly on the view that the recent slowing in spending is a blip and not a turn in the cycle," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics.
In its official economic forecast, the Federal Open Market Committee said the U.S. economy will likely grow at a 4.5 to 4.75 percent annual rate in 2004. The economy has grown at a little less than a 4 percent annual rate so far in 2004.
Core inflation rates are likely to remain subdued for 2004, rising between 1.75 and 2 percent. Core inflation has been rising at "a little above" 2 percent in the first half of the year, the FOMC said.
Unemployment should drift lower to 5.25 to 5.5 percent by the end of the year from the current 5.6 percent, the forecast said.
In 2005, economic growth will likely slow to a still-healthy 3.5 to 4 percent rate, with core inflation remaining below the key 2 percent level at 1.5 to 2 percent.
The jobless rate should fall to 5 to 5.25 percent in 2005, the Fed said.
The forecast for 2004 represents a slight downshifting in growth from the Fed's previous forecast in February of 4.5 percent to 5 percent.
For the first time, the FOMC is forecasting the core inflation rate, not the broader price index that includes food and energy costs. The core personal consumption expenditure price index "is better as an indicator of underlying inflation trends than is the overall PCE price measure," the FOMC explained.
A brightening outlook
The economic fundamentals are strong, the committee said.
"Households are enjoying a generally improving job market, rising real incomes, and greater wealth, all of which are providing them with the confidence and wherewithal to spend," the FOMC said.
"In the business sector, capital spending apparently is continuing to increase briskly, bolstered by expectations of strong sales as well as by booming profits and supportive financial conditions," the committee said. "Moreover, inventories appear to be lean relative to sales."
"The brightening outlook for economic activity abroad" should boost U.S. exports.
The committee tried to be reassuring on inflation, repeating a sentence from its June 30 statement that recent acceleration in prices was, in part, due to "transitory factors." The upward movement in energy and commodity prices was likely to moderate.
Furthermore, the committee said economic slack in the economy is still putting downward pressure on prices. Productivity gains are continuing.
Workers are likely to capture a greater share of the fruits of those productivity gains, but it will come at the expense of profits rather than being passed on to consumers as stiff competition forces companies to absorb the higher labor costs, the FOMC said.
The central bank promised to monitor workers' gains carefully. "If increases in those costs were to develop any upward momentum, the well-behaved nature of inflation in recent years could be jeopardized."


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MALAGA Port expects cruise ships to return to the area in the second half of the year
The Malaga Port Authority is confident that the majority of cruise ship trade lost during the coronavirus pandemic will return to the area in the second half of this year, having already received several reservations from shipping companies.
“Consolidated stopovers with scheduled routes are expected for the second semester,” Carlos Rubio, president of the Authority told Spanish daily Europa Press. He added that the expected cruise ships will not arrive in the same volume as before due to capacity restrictions, but that at least “we will begin to see boats” around Malaga Port.
Mobility restrictions prevented cruise ships from docking for a large portion of 2020, which dealt “a severe blow” to the area, according to Spanish daily Malagahoy. Mr Rubio has assured, however, that regular meetings are already taking place between the Port Authority and shipping companies “preparing the way for when the ports open.”
The president is hopeful that as vaccination rollout continues to accelerate both in Spain and abroad, this will pave the way for the reopening of the port, which has been deprived of 25 per cent of its income from cruises in the past year. Likewise, Mr Rubio said that many of the shipping companies they have been in contact with have indicated that will only carry passengers who have been vaccinated against Covid.
With regard to freight traffic in the Port, Mr Rubio assured that 2021 has started off really well. “In some segments such as containers it is better than last year before the pandemic. We have had a pretty good start,” he added.
The company which won the tender to create the megayacht marina, IGY Malaga Marina, will offer 31 berths, of which two will be for vessels of 100 metres in length, as well as another two for ships of 72 metres, three of 60 metres, and eight of 50 metres.


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Prairie farmers see windfall from changing consumer habits
Western Canada wheat and lentil farmers have been getting an unexpected boost from changing consumer habits amid the COVID-19 crisis.
According to an article in the Financial Post, spring wheat, durum, and red lentil prices are soaring as consumers order more pizza online and stockpile baking supplies, pasta, and canned goods. Farmers have also benefited from the recent strength in the Canadian dollar, the article notes.
Red lentil prices jumped 76 per cent to 30 cents per lb in the past six weeks, while spring wheat prices rose 25 per cent to $7.25 per bushel. Durum wheat rose 20 per cent to roughly $9 per bushel during the period.
The increased demand is prompting a surge in red lentil acres across the Prairies, the article adds.


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Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons Agree to Remove No-Poach Clause for Fast Food Workers
Critics of “Fight for $15”—the campaign advocating for a $15 per hour living wage for fast food workers—may believe the free market should determine restaurant employee wages. But even then, things aren’t always so cut and dry. “No-poach” clauses have been common in the fast food industry, preventing franchise owners from hiring employees that have worked elsewhere in the same chain, a provision that opponents say stifles the market and devalues employees’ work experience. So for the past two years, a collation of 14 attorneys general have been pressuring many of America’s largest chains to remove these clauses, and this week, three more big brands have fallen in line: Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons.
The investigation began in July 2018, and quickly, over a dozen chains agreed to either ax their no-poach policies or prove that they’d already been removed. Three holdouts have been Burger King and Popeyes, both of which were sent letters as part of the initial investigation, and Tim Hortons—all of which are owned by Restaurant Brands International. But yesterday, the attorneys general announced they’d reached an agreement with these chains as well. The brands will no longer include no-poach provisions in future franchise agreements and will stop enforcing them in existing ones.
“No-poach agreements are unfair, have led to persistent low wages, and are anticompetitive in nature,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in announcing the deal. “These settlements will reduce barriers and empower workers to secure better-paying and higher-skill jobs.”
Meanwhile, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, another member of the coalition, said the fight was not over. “I will continue to push restaurants to end their use of no-poach agreements, which allow businesses to take advantage of low-wage workers,” he said in a statement. “These agreements stop employees from seeking higher-paying opportunities and escaping the cycle of poverty.”
That said, it’s not clear which, if any, restaurants the coalition is still targeting. The attorneys general said they requested documentation from eight chains: Arby’s, Burger King, Dunkin’, Five Guys, Little Caesars, Panera Bread, Popeyes, and Wendy’s. Dunkin’, Arby’s, Five Guys, Little Caesars, and Panera all reached an official settlement last March, while Wendy’s provided confirmation that the chain had never used no-poach clauses. By finally reaching a settlement with Burger King and Popeyes, agreements have now been reached with every member of the original list of eight.


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OMAHA (DTN) -- The merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont announced by the companies Friday makes the new combined company, DowDuPont and its future agricultural spinoff into the largest seed and crop-protection provider in the industry.
Dow and DuPont executives have touted the new agricultural company as a seamless marriage that will present growers with a newly diverse portfolio of seed and pesticide offerings worth $19 billion. "We will have the most complete portfolio of any ag company," said Ed Breen, chairman and chief executive officer for DuPont and the new chief executive officer of the combined company, DowDuPont.
However, various agricultural stakeholders are already urging scrutiny of the deal. Analysts have pegged the combined corn and soybean market share of the new company near 40% each.
Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute, cautioned that industry consolidation could bring higher costs to farmers and consumers alike.
"That's a market landscape that doesn't promote competition, entry, and innovation," Moss said in a statement. "Farmers could be squeezed even more and consumers could pay higher prices."
Breen said DowDuPont anticipates it would be able to close the deal sometime in the second half of 2016. He added that he did not expect any need for antitrust divestments because the two companies largely complement each other in the major sectors.
"It would be very limited where there are product overlaps," he said.
"Consolidation in the ag industry is a natural step, and this transaction is the most logical and compelling combination," Breen said in a conference call on Friday. "Simply put, we are creating the world's leading agricultural company."
Breen said the combination will create a diverse mix of seed products across corn, soybeans, cotton and other crops. In crop production, the companies also combine an array of insecticides and herbicides with emerging products in fungicides. Breen said the combined agricultural company would "really give our end consumer, our farmer, a lot of product choice here and diversity of choice, which is going to be a real advantage from a market share standpoint for us."
DuPont already had about $11 billion in ag sales in 2014, weighted more heavily toward seeds than chemicals. Dow had about $7 billion in ag sales. Combined, though, the companies see their seed and crop-protection mix topping $19 billion in revenue, which factored in the AgroFresh divesture. According to a DowDuPont chart, the combined company would have about $3 billion more in sales than Monsanto, the next largest competitor, and Syngenta, which has about $14 billion in sales. Other sector leaders include Bayer with about $12 billion in crop-protection and seed sales, and BASF, which has about $7 billion in crop-protection sales.
AgroFresh is a specialty chemical business Dow sold for $860 million earlier this year. AgroFresh specifically focused on chemicals meant to help keep produce fresh.
DowDuPont will combine into a single company with roughly $81 billion in revenue, and then separate different industrial sectors into three individual companies focusing on agriculture, material sciences and specialty products.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican and an Iowa farmer, said in a statement that the deal "demands serious scrutiny" to ensure it doesn't leave farmers with an anti-competitive marketplace. "I'll be listening to Iowa farmers and consumers about any concerns they may have with this proposal, and the Judiciary Committee will be exercising its appropriate oversight function," he added.
Both the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association also released statements vowing to analyze the deal and ensure it did not negatively affect the marketplace for farmers.
Both companies' agricultural holdings stand to benefit from the other, said Nathan Fields, director of biotechnology and economic analysis at the National Corn Growers Association.
"At first blush, you do seem to have a new hegemon on the block here," Fields said of the combined holdings. "But it doesn't change a huge marketing mix on the seed side, since Dow's contribution there was small, and it does allow the new company now to be equally strong on the chemical side."
Current weaknesses in agriculture were a particular focus for DuPont. The company's third-quarter report noted its international sales had seen a 30% decline in crop-protection sales and a 38% decline in seed sales in Brazil.
The merger will also throw at least one of DuPont Pioneer's current license agreements with another company into question. In 2013, Pioneer agreed to license Monsanto's Xtend soybeans, which are genetically engineered to tolerate glyphosate and dicamba. How the company will reconcile that agreement with Dow's competing Enlist crops, which can tolerate a herbicide mix of 2,4-D and glyphosate, remains to be seen, but DuPont's Breen did not seem concerned.
"When you look at the products that we're going to be combining there, the traits around Enlist and other things, it provides tremendous optionality for the growers," Breen said. "We're excited about the opportunities we think Enlist will present for us." He said Pioneer will still plan to launch Xtend soybeans commercially in 2016, depending on regulatory approval.
Breen and Dow CEO Andrew Liveris noted that each company was already undertaking plans to cut costs, but they expect to see even greater cuts, or "synergies," in a combined company. Savings throughout the total corporate structure over the first two years would range from $3.5 billion to $4.1 billion. In agriculture, the companies projected a cost savings of about $1.3 billion.
"In agriculture, we will gain significant synergies through seed-production cost efficiencies by maximizing the R&D programs of the two companies and through the optimization of our production and supply chains," Breen said.
Editor's note: DTN is partnered with DuPont in its Pioneer Encirca farm services program.
Chris Clayton can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org
Emily Unglesbee can be reached at email@example.com
© Copyright 2015 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.


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Sep 24, 2014 - The combined shipments by five leading solar module suppliers from China are expected to reach between 14.9 GW and 16 GW for the full 2014, up from some 11.2 GW a year back.
Yingli Green Energy Holdings Co Ltd (NYSE:YGE), which ranked as number-one supplier globally both in 2012 and 2013, this year may share the glory with Trina Solar Ltd (NYSE:TSL) as both eye between 3.6 GW and 3.8 GW of 2014 shipments. Yingli had more ambitious targets of 4 GW-4.2 GW but it lowered them during the second quarter of the year based on market and operating conditions, estimated production capacity and customer demand projections.
While Yingli relies on stronger demand in China, the UK and new emerging markets, Trina’s key geographical regions include China, Japan and the US. The two actually grabbed almost a 15% share of the global photovoltaic (PV) module market in 2013. Yingli Green ranked first for the year with shipments of 3.23 GW, while Trina Solar sold 2.58 GW.
JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd (NYSE:JKS), in the meantime, is expecting a jump in module shipments to between 2.9 GW and 3.2 GW. During the second quarter the company revised up its previous full-year projection of 2.3 GW-2.5 GW, motivated by a 13.5% rise in module sales during the period. JinkoSolar reached record module shipments of 1.76 GW in 2013.
Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ:CSIQ), another name in the list of top suppliers, has set a 2014 shipments target of between 2.5 GW and 2.7 GW. By comparison, the company sold 1.89 GW in 2013 and 1.54 GW in 2012. Chairman and CEO Shawn Qu said in August that second-quarter PV module shipments have surpassed the high end of its own forecast thanks to solid demand from Japan, Germany, the UK and the US.
Renesola Ltd (NYSE:SOL) is more modest with its forecasts -- it expects to ship 2.3 GW-2.5 GW of modules during the year. The amount of PV panels sold during the second quarter of 2014 alone rose by 14.9% year-on-year to 498.7 MW. In 2013, the company’s module shipments surged to 1.73 GW from only 712.8 MW a year before.
The above calculations exclude JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd (NASDAQ:JASO), another major supplier, since the company released a combined guidance for cell and module shipments. It expects these to reach between 2.9 GW and 3.1 GW, up from 2.1 GW a year before. Yet, Ja Solar’s contribution to the total sales by Chinese companies will be significant, for sure, since it has already shipped 834 MW of modules during the first half of 2014.
According to NPD Solarbuzz’s Module Tracker Quarterly report released in August, shipments of solar modules by these six leading Chinese suppliers have climbed by 26% in the second quarter of 2014 over the 5.2 GW reported in the prior three months. “[Chinese shipments growth] comes at a time when trade disputes are creating obstacles for Chinese solar suppliers, which suggests that strategies to address the regional markets are being successfully implemented,” NPD Solarbuzz senior analyst Ray Lian commented.
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Canberra was the place to be today 😉 with more than 120 business people coming together this morning to learn new skills and find out more about getting found online at the Google Digital Garage, hosted with the Canberra Business Chamber.
Gai Brodtmann MP, Federal Member for Canberra spoke at the event about the importance of small businesses getting online and making the most of the digital tools available to them.
As the Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence and Cybersecurity, she also provided some tips for businesses on the importance of strong passwords and online security.
The training covered practical steps for businesses to be found on Google Maps and Search and connect with new customers.
We also heard from local business owner Little Sprout, a local toy, puzzles, games and children’s book shop. Business owner Brooke said since creating a Google My Business listing they had seen an increase in phone calls received on specific products, and an increase in foot traffic to the store, with most customers reporting they found the business online.
Google believes that everyone should have the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to succeed online, that’s why we launched The Digital Garage to help close the gap in digital skills and help small businesses make the most of the web.


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World’s first global-space-sharing platform Spacenow partners with Dubai’s SEED Group; brings short-term business space rentals to MENA
Global space sharing platform Spacenow has been featured in the press all about the new partnership with Dubai’s SEED Group.
Global space sharing platform allows property and site owners to list assets for rent by the hour, day, week, month or year and activate their underutilised spaceRegion’s businesses and entrepreneurs stand to benefit from increased access to the US$100bn annual sharing economy
Dubai, UAE – Tuesday 04 September
World-first space sharing platform from Australia, spacenow.com, has just signed a regional partnership agreement with Dubai’s SEED Group, a group of diversified companies owned and chaired by the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum. Leading the signing was Hisham Al Gurg, CEO of the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum and SEED Group.
Spacenow is a platform that allows property and site owners to activate and monetise their underutilised space – from studios and gardens, to wall space and event venues – and enables entrepreneurs and businesses to access that space on a long- or short-term basis, from as little as just one hour. It was created in November 2016 by four Australian entrepreneurs in the real estate, technology, finance, and creative sectors: Daniel Gunning, Barrett Ovens, Baydr Strik, and Nick Leary. The company was born to meet the demands of the fast-moving, disruptive world of the sharing economy – a $100 billion market that is estimated to more than triple to reach $330 billion in 2025 . Spacenow now operates in 52 cities globally.
“We are delighted with the partnership we have founded with SEED Group Dubai to establish Spacenow’s Dubai office and roll out our expansion plan throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This will become the first multi-space, short-term rental platform in the region and we are very eager to start operation,” said Daniel Gunning, Spacenow’s CEO and Founder.
“The UAE and indeed the whole region has a great range of spaces and locations just waiting to be activated. We are proud to partner with Spacenow and support this unique platform. It is a smart initiative and marries well with Dubai’s ambition to be a model city of the future, and to continue attracting innovation and entrepreneurship to our city and our nation. Currently, there is no short-term multi-space rental platform available, despite the growing number of top global businesses based in the region and the booming number of local start-ups and entrepreneurs,” said Hisham Al Gurg, CEO of the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum and SEED Group.
Already 1 million people worldwide use co-working spaces and by 2020, it is predicted that 40 per cent of the workforce will be freelancers, entrepreneurs, or independent contractors. But despite the huge number of offices sitting empty each year, there is not enough easily rentable space online to meet their needs.
The new partnership announced today covers Dubai and Abu Dhabi as priority markets, widening to the entire MENA region, and contributes to the initial capital raised by Spacenow, which resulted in the soft launch of the international platform in January 2018.
Dubai’s SEED Group first recognised the enormous potential of the Spacenow platform while the UAE was planning the upcoming Dubai 2020 Expo. “For the first time, a platform like Spacenow will give businesses travelling to the UAE the ability to rent office and desk space by the hour, day, week, or month. Spacenow’s business model is solid. It addresses a gap in the market and we are excited to see them expand,” says Al Gurg.
In addition to offices, Spacenow also allows users to activate any underutilised space, from studios and gardens, to wall space and event venues.
SEED Group’s partnership will also facilitate the launch of the Spacenow App and the NOW Incubator Program – Spacenow’s proprietary incubation program – which will help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
“The opportunity to monetise space is limited only by imagination. Imagine renting out the walls of your retail store or foyer to an artist, or sharing your warehouse, or renting your building’s courtyard for a new product launch. With Spacenow you can list any asset for rent by the hour, day, week, month or year. If you are a new and developing fashion brand you could set up a pop-up store in many unique locations throughout the city. The Spacenow platform offers unrivalled flexibility, accessibility and affordability of desirable spaces to work, play or stay in.” said Gunning.
Spacenow will migrate its platform onto the blockchain in the coming months – this complements Dubai Government’s pursuit to become the world’s first blockchain-powered government by 2020. The move to the blockchain means a truly decentralised platform for space sharing that will provide people, the opportunity to monetise on underutilised space and be creative about it.
The blockchain will also make the Spacenow global space sharing platform totally secure and transparent. Using Ethereum ERC20 smart contracts, Spacenow will take care of the difficulties associated with short-term sharing, such as legal issues, contracts, payments, and disputes, all facilitated on the blockchain, commission free. This leaves the users free to activate their spaces in new and innovative ways.
“Our decentralised model allows ideas and solutions to world problems to flow in ways the traditional economy simply cannot support. Welcome to the new era of Activated-Spaces, the Spacenow Economy. Collaborative and shared space is the future, but there is no decentralised marketplace bringing hosts and guests together without a middle man.” says Gunning.
About: SEED Group
Over the past 16 years, the SEED Group has formed strategic alliances with leading global companies representing diverse regions and industries. These companies have propelled their business interests and goals in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region through the support and strong base of regional connections of the SEED Group. The Group’s goal is to create mutually beneficial partnerships with multinational organizations and to accelerate their sustainable market entry and presence within the MENA region. The SEED Group has been a key point in the success of all its partners in the region helping them reach their target customers and accelerate their businesses. The Private Office was established by Sheikh Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum to directly invest in or assist potential business opportunities in the region, which meet The Private Office’s criteria.
For more information, contact:
Spacenow is pioneering the activated space economy. Spacenow is a global platform that connects those with space (hosts) with those who need it (guests). It was launched in November 2016 in Australia, currently trades in 52 cities and is growing exponentially.
The global space sharing platform is a simple and secure peer-to-peer marketplace allowing anyone to monetise any space, the smallest of space or asset to the most unique, on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
Daniel Gunning – Director Strategic Partnerships – International Ventures,
Daniel is one of the most prominent figures in Australia’s real estate industry and is managing director of commercial real estate group, Gunning Commercial. He brings decades of commercial retail experience to the Spacenow team, including an understanding of legal and policy requirements around the world. He has worked with both commercial tenants and property owners and is in a unique position to understand the pain points in the space sharing process.
Barrett Ovens – Founder and Chief Technical Officer,
Barrett is an entrepreneur, UX designer and digital marketing expert. He’s founded and run several successful digital marketing agencies in Australia and has built more than 1,000 websites for clients worldwide and has more than 10 years’ experience in SEO optimisation and marketing campaigns. He recently spearheaded the campaign for the sold-out F45 clothing line.
Baydr Strik – Founder and Chief Financial Officer,
Baydr is a skilled and experienced business accountant and director of Entertaining Taxes, Strik & Co, and financial planning service Bayswater Financial. He’s set up more than 500 businesses and given financial advice to over 1,000 clients in his 18 years of business. He’s also an expert in helping clients buy, rent, and monetise commercial and residential property.
Nick Leary – Founder and Chief Creative Officer,
Nick is one of Australia’s best-known photographers and a talented creative strategist, who has created imagery for titles including Vogue, GQ, and Harper’s Bazaar, and countless others. He’s also the founder of brand strategy agency Aesthetic, which brings together some of the world’s top creatives to create campaigns and content for international brands and companies, including Wanda, the world’s biggest private property developer, and Visionary Investment Group. Nick is responsible for the creative strategy and governance for Spacenow.
For more information, contact:
Tameem Alkintar – ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
+971 56 149 1094


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It Will Take Around 18-22 Hours to Beat Doom Eternal
According to Marty Stratton, an executive producer at Id Software, Doom Eternal will take somewhere around 18-22 hours to beat.
Doom Eternal, DualShockers’ E3 2019 Game of Show, is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated titles of the year and the sequel sounds like it is going to take a bit longer to beat compared to its predecessor.
Marty Stratton, Id Software’s executive producer discussed with QconForums.com during QuakeCon the length of the game and what players will expect to see. He stated that even though there is still work to be done on the game, it should take anywhere from 18-22 hours to complete.
Since QuakeCon did occur over a month ago, there is a chance that this might have changed a bit during the timeframe. However, the chances of this are pretty slim. Stratton did confirm in the video above that Doom Eternal is “definitely bigger than Doom 2016″.
My hype levels for this game couldn’t be higher. I was sad I personally wasn’t able to go hands-on with the game at E3 this year but from everything I have heard and seen, the sequel is improving on everything that was already fantastic in the first game.
Doom Eternal is set to launch later this year on November 22 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia. For more coverage of the game, make sure to check out our preview from when we were able to get out hands on the game at E3 a couple of months ago.


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A recent report proceeded on to reveal that Samsung may end up announcing the Galaxy Z Flip 2 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in July of this year. In accordance now with a reliable tipster, it is said that the Fold 3 will come equipped with an Under Panel Camera (UPC), which is also of course known as the under-display camera technology
It is also of course not the first time that the rumor mill has claimed that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will make way with UPC. A South Korean publication had indeed reported back in October of last year that the device will feature with an under-display camera. The same report proceeded on to conclude that the Fold 3 will feature with a thicker UTG so as to bring about support for the S pen stylus.
Must Read: Samsung launch a new phone with a ginormous 7000mAh battery
The first generation Galaxy Fold’s inner display featured with a wide notch which was responsible for housing dual cameras. The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s inner screen offered a rather larger screen-to-body ratio due to the fact that it made way with a punch-hole design. With UPC onboard, the Galaxy Fold 3 is expected to feature with an even higher screen-to-body ratio when compared with its predecessor models.
S-connect, which happens to be a company which is responsible for manufacturing of hinges for Samsung’s foldable smartphone has gone on to confirm that it will actually begin the mass production of hinges as far as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 2 are concerned – this being the time line given for Q1 2021. This information does in fact seem to be in line with recent reports which had suggested that Samsung’s next-generation foldable phones will make their way in July.


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Mattel in chine toy crisis
Mattel magnet recall
Upon investigation Mattel found that the lead paint contaminated cars were a result of their manufacturers subcontracting part of the painting of the die cast cars to Hon Li Da Plastic Cement Products Co. But the new China has moved up the value chain. Always Act Fast A quick reaction won't solve all of your problems, but failing to do so, will open up a new can of worms to deal with. From August through September of , Mattel issued 3 major product recalls of approximately 19 million toys for safety and health concerns. Evaluation All in all, Mattel had a very organized, appropriate response to this massive recall. They are some of the most familiar and best-loved children's characters. We apologize again to everyone affected and promise that we will continue to focus on ensuring the safety and quality of our toys. Mattel recalled millions of toys that year, including those produced under licenses for characters including Elmo, Big Bird, Barbie and Polly Pocket. The company makes toys for American brands. Mattel's recalls illustrate how difficult it is for a multinational company, despite its best efforts, to keep tabs on all sorts of suppliers around the globe. The Pixar toys were made by yet another contractor, Early Light, which had subcontracted production of the car's roof and tires to a company called Hong Li Da.
But Mattel has also been running an investigation of all its toy manufacturing since early July. When companies are slow to react or spend most of their time placing blame on others, the public reacts negatively, criticizing companies for their negligence and irresponsibility.
But even as it increased the share of toys it makes itself to about half, it still relies on roughly 30 to 40 vendors to make the other half. Mattel has not stepped up checks on the nearly 3, companies that license its brands to put on products other than toys, Mr.
Mattel focused on customers, specifically parents, who were no longer sure if they could trust Mattel products.
Mattel has certified only eight paint suppliers. A new Web site, www. He might have to tack away from that if he wants some sort of smooth sailing. Thank you for subscribing. Mattel's third recall comes at a particularly awkward time for the company.
based on 54 review


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The pricing for the MW2 DLC has caused a lot of rifts in Internet land and while the DLC is still selling by the millions people are already looking out for the next best FPS thing.
And Treyarch is ready to fill that gap with it’s incredibly looking Black Ops. Gamersmint has apparently gotten a hold of a subsection of the weapons we can expect to find in Black Ops and while I am not phased what you call the guns I am excited about the crossbow.
I have a feeling they came across this list by scouring the teaser trailers and images that have been released but good on them for their investigate journalism.
You can check out some more screenscrapes through the link.
Last Updated: June 2, 2010


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In a world of always-on ubiquitous connectivity, latency and reliability loom over everything, whether you’re talking about self-driving cars or Industry 4.0. These two challenges are driving much of the change that we’ll see in network design over the next few years. If the industry is to realize the promised benefits of IoT, we must increase the ability to support more machine-to-machine communications in near-real time. In applications like autonomous vehicles, latency requirements are on the order of a couple of milliseconds. GSMA, the international association for mobile technologuy, has specified that 5G's latency should be 1 millisecond, which is 50 times better than 4G's current 50 milliseconds. Satisfying these requirements involves a radical rethink about how and where we deploy assets throughout the network. For example, routing and backing up data using a traditional star-type network design will become increasingly unfeasible. The vast amount of traffic and the latency demands would easily overwhelm a north-south data flow.
The password is insecure: a hacker could log into an individual’s bank account and they wouldn’t even know. This is first issue; passwords are easily lost and even more easily stolen, via phishing or malware attacks. Once a cybercriminal has access to the password, they can replay it over and over gain. “Unfortunately, because passwords are free and easy, no one gave design much thinking,” said Mr Eisen. “But, now the cost of passwords is obvious” — they’re the great security vulnerability and largely responsible for the data breaches that pepper news headlines. Historically, security and user experience have been at odds with each other, because everyone believed that making systems less user friendly (longer, more complex passwords, for example) made them more secure — this is a fallacy and hinders adoption rates, making systems, ironically, less secure. “This is not a computer-to-computer interaction with longer keys. These are humans we’re talking about,” continued Mr Eisen.
The vulnerabilities allow attackers to sniff on keyboard traffic, but also inject keystrokes (even into dongles not connected to a wireless keyboard) and take over the computer to which a dongle has been connected. When encryption is used to protect the connection between the dongle and its paired device, the vulnerabilities also allow attackers to recover the encryption key. Furthermore, if the USB dongle uses a "key blacklist" to prevent the paired device from injecting keystrokes, the vulnerabilities allow the bypassing of this security protection system. Marcus Mengs, the researcher who discovered these vulnerabilities, said he notified Logitech about his findings, and the vendor plans to patch some of the reported issues, but not all. According to Mengs, the vulnerabilities impact all Logitech USB dongles that use the company's proprietary "Unifying" 2.4 GHz radio technology to communicate with wireless devices.
Instead of malware, criminals are using phishing attacks to gain access to financial services networks, but not just any attacks. "We're seeing more targeted attacks within financial services instead of kind of the scattershot approach where you send out a phishing attack to everybody in the organization," he explains. The success of phishing attacks on mobile devices in financial services may be part of a larger pattern of risky mobile behavior by those in the industry. According to the report, 42% of the organizations represented had devices with "side-loaded" apps — apps downloaded and installed from sites other than the app stores approved for the device. Covington says, "You start to see the implications of letting employees manage their own device." And those employees are managing their devices in tremendous numbers, he says. Employee-owned devices, used to conduct company business, are targets because of the sensitive data they contain. "There's no doubt in my mind that the criminal side of the equation is after rich data," he says.
The data from the Salesforce report highlights concerns of a potential shortage of tech skills post-Brexit, with over half of business leaders believing the UK is at risk of a tech brain drain. To address this, businesses are now recognising the pivotal role they must play in nurturing tech talent and digital skills in the country. One in four business leaders feel responsibility for doing so lies mainly with private enterprise; Over half (55%) plan to invest more in developing their own tech talent, with the same number pledging to address the skills gap by re-skilling older generations; and And, 51% intending to do more to re-skill people from disadvantaged backgrounds. There are issues that business needs to lead on regardless of what’s happening in the world of politics,” said Paul Smith, EVP and GM, Salesforce UK. “The economy is changing as new technologies emerge.
Big tech companies have already begun to embark on financial ventures, with payment platforms such as Google’s Google Wallet and Google payments, Amazon lending to SME marketplace sellers, Facebook’s partnership with Clear Bank on a product called Charged, a programme that allows financing for advertising, and Apple’s credit card, launched last year with Goldman Sachs and Marcus in the US. ... Big tech is in the position of having a significant “data advantage” over banks or fintechs, with the ability to glean more information about their users than others could hope to achieve. With the tech resources to offer an improved user experience and services that are integrated into their existing platforms, a grasp of artificial intelligence that traditional banks are only just beginning to deploy, sophisticated cloud computing, and an already loyal user base, up to 40% of the revenue currently generated by the US financial industry could move over to Big Tech, according to McKinsey.
"Brain-computer interfaces" can be used both for treating neurological and mental disorders as well as for understanding brain function, and now engineers have developed ways to manipulate these neural circuits with electrical currents, light, ultrasound, and magnetic fields. Remarkably, we can make a finger, arm, or even a leg move just by activating the right neurons in the motor cortex. Similarly, we can activate neurons in the visual cortex to make people see flashes of light. The former allows us to treat neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy, whereas the latter should eventually allow us to restore vision to the blind. ... We have a real opportunity here to tap into the existing neural circuitry of the blind and augment their visual senses much like Google Glass or the Microsoft HoloLens. For example, make things appear brighter the closer they get, use computer vision to mark safe paths and combine it with GPS to give visual directions, warn users of impending dangers in their immediate surroundings, or even extend the range of "visible" light with the use of an infrared sensor.
One of the biggest confusion factors is all the different terms that are used as synonyms for AI such as machine learning, deep learning, cognitive computing, etc. The list grows daily. Keep in mind, these terms are not interchangeable, but they are often used that way. That doesn’t help anyone trying to figure out AI or how to use it. First of all, AI is a division of computer science using complex instruction sets to perform what appears to be human-like intelligence. These programs are powered by algorithms, and that is the ingredient causing the mystique. Without going into a lot of detail, an algorithm is a set of step-by-step computer instructions that can use data to build models that make predictions based on the data. Remember, we are a long way off from the thinking, talking robots seen in movies and on television. Algorithms are how AI demonstrates being smart, but be aware it’s not intelligent, which is the critical distinction. This type of AI is referred to as Narrow AI or Applied AI. It is said to simulate human thought, but each application can only carry out one specific task with a limited range of functions.
This attack introduces yet another method by Magecart that RiskIQ researchers call a “spray and pray” approach. Because skimmers work only when placed on payment or checkout pages, most Magecart attacks target specific e-commerce sites and attempt to drop a skimmer only on pages with payment forms. However, the ease of compromise that comes from finding S3 buckets misconfigured to allow public access means that even if only a fraction of their skimmer injections return payment data, it will yield a substantial return on investment, the researchers said. “This is a brand new twist on Magecart,” said Yonathan Klijnsma, head threat researcher at RiskIQ. “Although this group chose reach over targeting, they likely ended up getting their skimmer on enough payment pages to make their attack lucrative. They have done their cost-benefit analysis.” The scale of this latest attack illustrates how easy it is for threat actors of any kind to compromise a vast quantity of websites at once with scripts stored in misconfigured S3 buckets.
Working at PayPal on a next generation stream processing platform, we started to notice that many of our users wanted to use stream processing to apply anomaly detection models in real time. After we explored different architectures to create a flexible production grade framework that can scale to real world workloads, eventually we decided to go with a pipeline-based API, inspired by other open source projects like scikit-learn and Spark MLlib. This work has led to the development of Yurita - an open source anomaly detection framework for stream processing. Yurita is based on the new Spark structured streaming framework, and utilizes its processing engine capabilities to reach high scale and performant execution. The name Yurita comes from a traditional Japanese gold panning tool. ... Without knowing what the normal behavior of a metric is, we would be able to use only simple anomaly detection techniques, like rule-based decisions which also require a deep understanding of each specific dataset, and therefore are not scalable from a productivity point of view.
Quote for the day:
"All organizations are perfectly designed to get the results they are now getting. If we want different results, we must change the way we do things." -- Tom Northup


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On a humid March day at the tail end of Indonesia’s rainy season, Danial Futaki was in a frenzy. He had planned to enroll in a master’s degree program at the Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya, a city on the eastern tip of the island of Java, but, to secure his place, he had to get a set of documents to the registrar’s office there, more than 750 kilometers away from his rented room in Jakarta.
Luckily, the solution was already in his pocket: Futaki sent the documents using GoSend, the on-demand courier service from tech giant Gojek. He paid using the platform’s payment service, GoPay, the most widely used e-wallet in Indonesia. When he went out to meet the driver, he grabbed a KF94 mask as protection. The trifold mask doesn’t fog up his glasses, and he buys them in bulk from e-commerce platform Tokopedia.
Across Indonesia, life’s daily tasks, from getting groceries to paying bills, can increasingly be accomplished without ever leaving the platforms of the country’s two largest tech companies: ride-hailing and delivery company Gojek and e-commerce site Tokopedia. In May, the two companies formally announced that they would merge to become GoTo Group, an $18 billion giant that brings together an array of functionalities that Indonesians have come to depend on: ride hailing, food and grocery delivery, mobile gaming, financial services, and online retail, all underpinned by payment platform GoPay.
The payment piece of the combined company could be what makes GoTo more than the sum of its parts. It could allow the company to do what most fintechs only dream of and capture every frequency of consumer transaction, from the daily (groceries, travel, media) to the regular discretionary spend (food delivery) to larger purchases (e-commerce) and even investments and banking products. It’s a journey that only a handful of companies in China have managed to make — notably Gojek backer Tencent and Tokopedia investor Alibaba. GoTo’s aim now is to replicate that model and leverage its virally popular services into an all-encompassing super app.
“The GoTo merger has created the most complete digital ecosystem in Indonesia,” said Joel Shen, a partner at global law firm Withers, who has previously worked with Tokopedia, Gojek, and its competitor Grab.
In Central Java’s historic royal capital city, Solo, journalist Mariyana Ricky bought everything she uses in her day-to-day work documenting the Covid-19 pandemic for a local newspaper on Tokopedia. The 32-year-old got her camera, MacBook, iPhone, and AirPods from the e-commerce site, which she also uses to buy data and credit for her smartphone.
Ricky is a typical customer of Tokopedia, which has grown since its founding in 2009 from a simple online marketplace to a burgeoning fintech with its own credit and peer-to-peer lending services, 11 million merchants, and nearly $3 billion in funding. While GoPay is often used for small purchases — an iced drink from a street vendor or a quick ride to work — Tokopedia has become a destination for discretionary spending on things like electronics and home goods. Ricky says she tends to use Tokopedia for purchases over $7 (about 100,000 rupiah). She told Rest of World that she shops on Tokopedia more often than she shops offline. “It’s more convenient,” said Ricky. “And I can’t stay focused when I go shopping offline. At first, I’ll want to find certain items, but I’ll end up buying other items and being over budget.”
Gojek too has grown in the past decade from its founding in 2010 as a ride-hailing app to offering a dizzying constellation of services that include grocery and food delivery, on-demand courier services, and GoPay’s digital payments and personal financial management services.
GoPay is the primary payment method for a ride or delivery from Gojek’s more than 2 million drivers and 900,000 merchants, but the company has bigger ambitions for the service. GoPay markets itself as more than a payment system: it pitches itself as a financial services platform for people who are not well served by the formal financial system. Gojek drivers and passengers can use it to manage their insurance and loans. Consumers can use it to pay for insurance for everything, from personal electronic devices to life, through the company’s GoSure insurance platform. And participating insurance companies have been able to use sales data collected by the app in their own loan applications. It has expanded into incremental deferred payment through PayLater, which operates much as a credit card would, and into bill management through GoBills. Its GoStore product allows small businesses to create online shops and integrates with Facebook and Instagram.
Late last year, Gojek shelled out $159 million for a 22% stake in Bank Jago, a local lender, allowing GoPay users to open traditional bank accounts with the bank through the app.
GoPay is already accepted by millions of independent retailers as well as platforms like YouTube. During the pandemic, when travel between provinces has at times been restricted, Ricky, the journalist, has gotten a rapid Covid-19 antigen test every few months from health tech app Halodoc, with a discount for paying with GoPay. The merger between Gojek and Tokopedia should make it easier for people to use GoPay on Tokopedia and will likely cement the app’s dominance in Indonesia’s digital wallets.
GoPay is currently used mostly for smaller transactions — the kind of daily necessities and discretionary spending available through GoJek’s apps. Tokopedia will bring higher average transaction values, assuming customers are willing to use GoPay for their purchases over the platform. It will also bring a huge customer base and entrenched presence in markets that GoPay is yet to crack, such as the millions of small and midsized enterprises that sell through Tokopedia’s marketplace. Analysts told Rest of World that GoTo’s goal isn’t to attract new customers but to deepen its relationship with its existing ones, using the data it captures about their daily activities to create new, targeted services for them.
“Their aspiration now is to offer holistic services to their customer base, so their customers are always using one of their applications,” said Dewi Rengganis, payments industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan in Kuala Lumpur.
This kind of cross-sector dominance has only really been achieved by companies in China. Tencent, which invested in Gojek in 2017, was able to build an ecosystem starting with its messaging app, WeChat, and WeChat Pay, its associated fintech product. On top of online shopping and everyday electronic payments, WeChat Pay users can also use the platform to pay bills, book transportation, and access microcredit. Tencent’s main rival, Alibaba, which made its initial investment in Tokopedia in 2017, began as an e-commerce platform and grew into a digital financial services powerhouse that can be used for everything from paying bills to checking social security benefits to managing your credit.
In 2020, financial services contributed nearly a quarter of Tencent’s more than $20 billion revenue, according to analysis from fintech consultancy Kapronasia. Alibaba’s financial subsidiary Ant Group posted more than $3 billion in profit during the first half of 2020.
With margins in ride hailing, food delivery, and basic payments thin, companies like Grab and Gojek want to emulate their Chinese predecessors and move up the chain into more profitable business lines, such as consumer lending. “Many of these companies see the way that Alipay and WeChatPay have leveraged payments to move into these other financial products and services,” Kapronasia’s director, Zennon Kapron, told Rest of World. “They see it as a way to get into these higher margin fintech products and services.”
But getting there is proving costly. Shopee, Grab, and Gojek have all had to burn investors’ money to bring customers onto their platforms, to try to build a critical mass of users that they can then leverage into fintech products. It’s not entirely clear that it will work, Kapron said. WeChat Pay’s stickiness comes from the fact that its underlying messaging service is ubiquitous: people are on the app the whole time. “Ride hailing or food delivery … are probably everyday use cases, but they’re not all-of-the-time use cases,” Kapron said. “With WeChat, you have it open all the time, because you’re chatting with friends. That’s very difficult to replicate.”
GoTo has lined up a fresh round of fundraising, which could make it Southeast Asia’s most valuable tech company, ahead of a likely dual listing in New York and Jakarta. The merger will give the company a powerful position in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest and most populous economy, although there are still some speed bumps ahead.
Just days after the merger was announced, Indonesia’s antitrust regulator, KPPU, said it would scrutinize the deal for potential anti-competitive behavior. A series of data leaks in Indonesia, including the breach of 91 million Tokopedia accounts last year, sparked a new interest in cybersecurity and data protection. A bill on data protection for digital users currently before the Indonesian Parliament could limit how companies collect and store data, and would be a “game changer” for GoTo, according to Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, a researcher at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance in Jakarta.
“Indonesia wasn’t so concerned at the beginning of the digital economic boom; we were just concerned about how cheaply an application could be available to consumers, Adhinegara said. “But this regulation will look at how the company has a responsibility to ensure that data is used with concern for the customer.”
There will also be competitive pressures, as Gojek’s and Tokopedia’s rivals double down on their own efforts to become super apps.
Regional e-commerce rival Shopee has spent big on breaking Southeast Asian markets with cut-rate promotions and has fintech ambitions through ShopeePay.
Another crucial challenge to GoPay’s supremacy remains: along with Gojek’s biggest competitor, Grab, Tokopedia is an investor in a rival payment platform, OVO. As Grab and Gojek have competed to expand their services across Southeast Asia, Grab partnered with a telecommunications company in a bid for a digital banking license. Indonesia’s regulations mean that, without special dispensation, GoTo will likely have to divest its stake in OVO. Grab, flush with cash after pulling off a record-breaking SPAC merger worth nearly $40 billion, in April, may deepen its links with OVO, as it, too, tries to create a super-app ecosystem based on its strong positions in food delivery and ride hailing. Grab also has a stake in another e-wallet, Dana, which is backed by China’s Ant Financial.
“Ovo is the most complicated moving part in the GoTo merger,” said Shen at Withers in Singapore. “One possible option is GoTo sells its stake in OVO to Grab. This is … the one that is least beneficial to GoTo, from a strategic perspective, as it will result in a standoff between GoTo and Grab and set the stage for a battle royale between OVO, GoPay, ShopeePay, and Dana.”


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2018
Senior Director, Communications & Engagement
Arlington, VA – The Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) and Chemicals America are pleased to announce they are partnering to bring you Specialty & Custom Chemicals America, February 11-14, 2019, in Fort Worth, TX.
The new event is an extension of the popular Specialty & Agro Chemicals America Show held each September in Charleston, SC, and organized by Tom Leahy, a longtime trade show executive.
“SOCMA has always played an important role in fostering commercial connections and business growth, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Tom to once again offer our members and other specialty, fine and custom chemical industry manufacturers and service providers an opportunity to connect with existing and potential business partners within the supply chain,” said Jennifer Abril, SOCMA President and CEO. “Tom has created an atmosphere with his Charleston show that members within our industry value. And in working together with Tom on this new endeavor, we are returning to our roots, where we plan to recapture the value a trade show can offer and make it a primary focus of this association once again.”
“I am excited to be aligning the new Texas show with SOCMA, a valued brand within the specialty, fine and custom chemicals industry,” said Leahy. “SOCMA member companies were among the first to support our September trade show back when it started in 2012, and member representatives have continued to be key ‘sounding board’ advisors as that show has grown. Our company’s recent decision to join SOCMA as an affiliate member has been one tangible way of returning this industry support. I believe partnering together on this inaugural February event will provide an even greater platform for offering fellow member companies the business networking forum they have been missing, plus offer the broader specialty and industrial chemical industry a focused meeting forum at the start of the calendar year, to complement the value our current show brings to the specialty and agrochemical markets each September.”
“There is already a buzz within the industry about the Texas show, and more than 100 exhibit spaces have already been reserved,” Leahy said. “Based on our history in Charleston, and the proximity of Fort Worth to a core of the chemical manufacturing industry in Texas and neighboring states, we anticipate more than 1,000 attendees at our inaugural event.”
In addition to travel accessibility, SOCMA and Chemicals America chose Fort Worth for many of the same reasons that SOCMA members have valued past show locations – a small-town charm and walkable downtown, with big-city amenities and numerous quality restaurants, shopping and other cultural attractions. Fort Worth is known as the City of Cowboys and Culture, so along that same vein, SOCMA will host a Monday evening “Cowboys and Chemicals” kick-off dinner. “For those who remember some of our former SOCMA events, this will be a casual evening that is a prime opportunity for networking with members and others within the industry before the week gets under way,” Abril said.
Online registration is now open for trade show exhibitors, individual attendees and SOCMA’s Cowboys & Chemicals networking event. Registration options and pricing for the Texas week of events can be viewed here:
The Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) is part of a $300 billion industry that’s fueling the U.S. economy. Our members play an indispensable role in the global chemical supply chain, providing specialty chemicals to companies in markets ranging from aerospace and electronics to pharmaceuticals and agriculture.
As the only U.S.-based trade association solely dedicated to the specialty and fine chemical industry, we are expanding our foundation by developing ChemSectors with a focus on growing key market segments. Our industry network extends to more than 20,000 influencers and decision makers in the specialty chemicals supply chain. For more information on becoming a part of this growing and innovative association, visit www.socma.com.


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The Commerce Ministry has warned against fraud using the name of Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and his personal secretary (PS).
"Complaints are being received that fraudsters are embezzling money in the name of giving job by opening social media facebook account using the name and picture of Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi," said a Commerce Ministry press release issued today.
Fraudsters have been accused of using the names of the commerce minister and his PS.
All concerned are requested to be vigilant against such scams.
The ministry also said that Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi does not operate any facebook account and he has no facebook account using his name and picture. Two general diaries (GDs) have been filed with the Ramna Model Police Station in this connection.