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Whether you are self-quarantining or are forced to stay indoors under a lock down, it is difficult. You might enjoy it for the first couple of days, but eventually it will have an effect on your mental health. You might miss going out to the market, hanging out with your friends at café’s. You even may start missing going to the office and the gym. So how can you best prepare for weeks of being cut off from the world? Here are some tips from those who have already been... Read More.
The first batch of the much-needed medical supplies donated by the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation arrived in Pakistan. The shipment is part of the donation of medical supplies to 10 Asian countries announced on March 21. Collectively, the nations will receive a total of 1.8 million masks;kits for testing 210,000 people, 36,000 pieces of protective clothing, as well as essential medical equipment such as ventilators and forehead thermometers. The National Disaster Management Authority, Government of Pakistan will transport and distribute the supplies throughout the country.... Read More.
The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation today announced plans to donate much-needed medical supplies to 10 more countries in Asia to help the global fight against COVID-19. The governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will receive from the two foundations a donation totaling 1.8 million masks, 210,000 COVID-19 test kits, 36,000 pieces of protective clothing, as well as essential medical equipment and supplies that include ventilators and forehead thermometers. “Go Asia! We will donate emergency supplies to 10 more... Read More.
As the novel Coronavirus spreads like wildfire across countries, Microsoft’s Bing team has launched a web portal to track its progress worldwide. The website provides up-to-date infection statistics for each country. An interactive map allows users to click on the country to see the specific number of cases and related articles from a variety of publishers. According to sources, data is being aggregated from sources like the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for .. The tool will triage people who are concerned about their COVID-19... Read More.
Having won the Pepsi battle of the bands season 2 in 2017, Kashmir has emerged as one of the most promising alternative rock bands in the country. After 2 years of several single releases and music videos, the award-winning group in collaboration with Pepsi and Zellbury, has finally released their debut album titled “Khwaab.” The news arrives alongside the release of another single ‘Dhoop,’ accompanied by a music video directed by Umar Anwar shot in Thailand. The album has nine songs, plus two bonus songs, a compilation of all... Read More.
Across the world, first week of March is marked as a celebration, honoring some of the most resilient women on the planet. As societies continue to evolve, the role of women in different walks of life is diversifying too. Today, women form a crucial pillar that supports growth in economies around the world, drives prosperous communities and paves the way for more inclusive development. Amidst the long list of nations where females are significant contributors to the economy, Pakistan has become an emerging nation. According to UN Women’s Status... Read More.
Veteran actor, King of comedy and living-legend of Pakistan’s theater industry, Amanullah Khan passed away on Friday morning, He was 70. Amanullah was battling with multiple medical conditions such as lungs, kidneys and breathing problems and was on aventilator. According to sources close to the bereaved family, Amanullah was admitted to the private hospital after his health was gravely deteriorated on March 3. Family sources confirmed his death and said Amanullah Khan was hospitalized in January 2018. He was treated in the intensive care unit of a local... Read More.
Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions. PRCS Secretary General Khalid bin Majeed and NUST Pro-Rector Dr Nassar Ikram signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations at a ceremony held here at the PRCS National Headquarters. Speaking on the occasion, PRCS Chairman Abrar ul Haq acknowledged the accomplishments of NUST in the field of education, innovation, entrepreneurship and technologies. He expressed his keenness to further increase... Read More.
On Wednesday, Pakistan reported its first two cases of coronavirus, Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed. “I can confirm first two cases of coronavirus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable,” Dr Mirza wrote on Twitter. The second patient, identified in Islamabad, was shifted to quarantine in the capital’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). first coronavirus case in Pakistan, the prices of mask have skyrocketed in the federal capital, it was... Read More.
Pakistan’s leading biscuit makers, English Biscuit Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd (EBM) has launched a new chocolate variant of its highest selling biscuit brand Sooper, after successfully repositioning its brand message to Seedhi Saadi Khushi ka Maza. Peek Freans Sooper has captured the pulse of the Pakistani consumer’s taste preference, gaining considerable popularity since its inception. Delivering on the promise of superior taste and quality, the new recipe adds real chocolate to the simple yet, unforgettable taste of the original egg and milk biscuit. The variant comes as an announcement of the brand expanding... Read More.
To promote and instill the message of cleanliness and hygiene among people and particularly the youth of the country, Dettol HogaSaaf Pakistan has launched a cleanathon challenge for universities across Pakistan. The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi is the first institute to take up this challenge where students cleaned up a neighborhood at Karachi’s Shah Faisal Colony. The aim of this cleanathon challenge is to take responsibility of the waste that we produce lining our streets across the country. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pakistan generates... Read More.
One of the largest independent production houses in Pakistan, Seeme Productions, has expanded its business and creative services to the international market, now operating in the UK and UAE. This expansion comes intending to take this independent business venture to the next step portraying Pakistan on the production map worldwide and introduce Pakistani industry talent to the world. Seeme is now providing enhanced production facilities in the UK and UAE as part of its strategy to promote the production of global content, bringing work opportunities to Pakistan, and also... Read More.
The most anticipated war drama film “The Last Full Measure” would be hitting cinemas across Pakistan on 31st January 2020, making this the first time that a Hollywood film by a Pakistani Executive Producer would be released in Pakistan. Written and directed by Todd Robinson, the film stars Sebastian Stan, Christopher Plummer, William Hurt Ed Harris, and Samuel L. Jackson, among others. Habib Paracha is the executive producer behind the film, which narrates the true story of William Pitsenbarger, played by Jeremy Irvine, who is a war hero of... Read More.
Dolmen Mall, Pakistan’s favourite chain of shopping malls marked the closing ceremony of Dolmen Shopping Festival (DSF) with a grand event with the gifting ceremony of the 27th shopping festival across its three malls in Clifton, Tariq Road and Hyderi. The festivities came to an end with a glimpse of the celebrations that will continue this year. Hosted by Anoushay Ashraf, the ceremony was held to conclude the annual DSF celebrations and honour the grand prize winners, the winners of the festival who won gifts and vouchers over the span of... Read More.
Tree plantation drive organized by Hamid Ismail Foundation at Quaide-Azam Residency, Karachi. The aim of Hamid Ismail Foundation is to make Karachi a clean city and planting trees is the first step to make the environment healthy and clean. 100 trees were planted at Quaid e Azam Residency. The event started at 3 pm with recitation of Holy Quran followed by Hamid Ismail welcome address to guests. First tree was planted by Hamid Ismail followed by other guests. Students were also invited from different schools who were very enthusiastic... Read More.
Bonanza Satrangi, the leading fast-fashion brand, has launched their new store in the heart of the shopping arena of the city, at Dolmen Mall Clifton. Shoppers were incentivized with a Flat 40% discount on all products to celebrate the store opening which will run throughout the opening weekend: from 27th till the 29th December.The launch event was attended by the talented Mehwish Hayat who was spotted wearing a design from the brand’s new collection. Situated in the shopping centers’ upper level, the new store offers Satrangi’s latest collections in trendy... Read More.
Dolmen Mall, Pakistan’s favourite chain of malls, paid tribute to the founder of Pakistan; Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah on his birth anniversary during the 27th Dolmen Shopping Festival leaving customers delighted across all three malls in Clifton, Tariq Road and Hyderi. Hosted by popular social media comedian, Danish Ali, Quaid day celebrations engaged mall visitors and a sizeable online audience through patriotic performances, flag hoisting, cake cutting, surprise acts and instant gifting through a special Quaid’s Day Dolmen Draw. Radio partners, FM89, FM91 and FM107 broadcasted tribute specific transmissions... Read More.
To instill ownership amongst Pakistanis to keep themselves and their surroundings clean, ‘HogaSaaf Pakistan’ (“HSP”), powered by Dettol, has launched a new Safai Anthem. The anthem envisions a Saaf Pakistanfeaturing all the HSP ‘Safai Champions’ which include Fahad Mustafa and Shaniera Akram as the prime champions, along with Waseem Badami and Iqrar ul Hasan. The anthem has been sung by AsimAzhar and AimaBaig with Shuja Haider’s composition. “Music is an impactful way to mobilize the masses”, stated Humayun Farooq, Marketing Director Health of Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan Limited – the... Read More.
Keeping up with its mission to ‘Educate Pakistan’, The Supporters of Citizens Foundation (STCF) hosted the finale of an inter-school fundraising and singing competition, Obhartay Sitaray (OS) 2019 at a local hotel. Obhartay Sitaray is a singing competition for school-going students from classes 3-13, aimed at developing national pride in our young generation as only Pakistani songs (ghazal, Pop/filmi, Milli/folk and chorus) are selected for the competition. It is a fun filled activity encouraging healthy competition amongst students and schools. Moreover, it is a platform to engage young Pakistanis in charity and motivate them to... Read More.
J. has opened a new and bigger store at Dolmen Mall, Clifton. The store launch was celebrated with a grand opening ceremony and the ribbon cutting was done by the honorable Governor of Sindh, Mr. Imran Ismail. With the selling space of 4,200 sq. ft., the store is almost double the size of the premises it had in the area previously, multiplying its presence in the area. The new mega store stocks the men, women, and kids clothing lines as well as accessories, fragrances, and cosmetics in an ambiance... Read More.


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"We've opened a lot of stores and we have never seen support like this from a local chamber. This is fantastic." -Colin Stephenson, Sales Manager of Sherwin Williams
May River Shrimp Festival is a two day feast of local shrimp, seafood, arts & music. Entertainers scheduled to perform include “Pinckney Island Boys” and “Groove Town Assault” on Thursday with “Bobby Magyarosi and “The Horan Brothers” on Friday Night. The featured charities for the May River Shrimp Fest are Palmetto Ocean Conservancy & Heroes on Horse Back.
Thursday is Chamber Night- in partnership with the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce!

domain: news


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Glue Store is always known to stock the coolest and latest street wear labels, and they recently announced the launch of Sydney based men’s street-wear label, Barney Cools, which joined their renowned stable of brands at the beginning of July.
The Owner & Creative Director behind successful menswear label Zanerobe, Nat Taubman launched Barney Cools in November last year and since the brands inception boasts an impressive resume of both local and international retailers.
“We thrive on making rugged street-wear inspired by international street-style. Our laidback lifestyle is summed up with the chilled phrase, ‘Poolside Etiquette’. We keep things simple. Design, swim, travel, tunes,” comments Taubman.
From tequila filled tropical pool parties to vibey gin infused rooftop parties, the Boys Don’t Listen Spring Summer range is inspired by the Aussie coastal lifestyle, with a boisterous take on fashion, drawing on retrospective influences to create the Barney Cools aesthetic that bridges surf and street wear.
Glue Store Head of Buying, Garth Allan comments, “We pride ourselves on supporting the hottest global brands, and we’re really excited to be launching the Barney Cools brand into Glue Store for the new season. Nat’s knowledge of the Australian fashion market, combined with the label’s street style aesthetic results in Barney Cools and Glue Store being a natural fit.”
Fresh to the shelves, Barney Cool’s Spring/ Summer collection, Boys Don’t Listen is available in Glue Stores nationally and online now.
by Arrnott Olssen
Editor Rogue Homme


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New 2021 Ford Ranger Lariat Price, Interior, Release Date – The present time has got birthed a new 2021 Ford Ranger Lariat, which is virtually the same in size, thickness, and even thickness for the F150 of the simple two ages before. However, it is clearly significantly less substantial as compared with 100 %-dimension contemporaries,
New 2021 Ford F150 Interior, Changes, Release Date – These Pickups possess morphed inside luxurious luxury cruise models. These 2021 Ford F150 has not yet decreased right behind this contour. Confident, Ford is going to nevertheless develop a job truck by using a Regular-cab plus an 8.-feet mattress. However, the most famous variations are definitely
New 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty Diesel, Price, Tremor – The actual 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty is really the latest accessory for that hefty-truck class in the cars. People are widely used to viewing changes in mild-truck quality because it is manufactured for day-to-day operating and also utilization, although that class even ought to
New 2021 Ford Expedition Platinum Max Price, Interior, Specs – An F-250 structured Ford Excursion might take its location later on. Even so, it would are part of this weighty-responsibility class of those motor vehicles. As well, a 2021 Ford Expedition Platinum is usually in a benefit due to the history. Your fourth development in
New 2021 Ford Escape SEL AWD, Interior, Release Date – This Escape streamlined crossover is arriving. Even so, it all will not be considered a unit intended for the coming year. That SUV can be shown in 2019 while 2021 Ford Escape SEL. Several changes follow that move to a hybrid drivetrain. Accurately, it will
New 2021 Ford C-Max Price, Specs, For Sale – That 2021 Ford C-Max will be previous their market-by time, and you will be stopped next season. It’s actually a high hatchback obtainable since hybrid or even connect-in hybrid. That introduced in 2013 when the company’s solution to the most popular plus petrol reliable Toyota Prius.


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Maserati is recalling a handful of 2021 and 2022 models to fix a problem that can cause a fuel leak. While the number of cars included in the campaign is relatively small, it covers every member of the company's lineup ranging from the entry-level Ghibli to the MC20 supercar.
Documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explain that about 409 cars sold in the United States are fitted with a fuel line sensor housing that can crack and leak. It adds that this problem can reduce the engine's performance by not delivering enough fuel to the cylinders; alternatively, the leak can cause a fire, though the notice says that's only in "rare circumstances."
There are 274 units of the 2021 and 2022 Levante, 88 examples of the 2021 Ghibli, 43 2021 Quattroporte sedans, and four 2022 MC20s affected. Maserati estimates that the Levante models included in the campaign were built between September 18, 2020, and October 4, 2021. For the Ghibli, the date range provided by the Italian firm is November 3, 2020, to June 7, 2021. Quattroporte models were built from October 28, 2020, to June 7, 2021, while the four MC20s were manufactured between July 12 and September 29, 2021. Maserati notes that it acted quickly: it found out about the problem on October 8, it opened an internal investigation into the part's supplier the following day, and it issued the voluntary recall on November 4, 2021. As of writing, there have been no accidents, injuries, or fatalities linked to the problem.
Maserati will replace the fuel line sensor housing in all affected cars free of charge. It will begin notifying owners on December 27, 2021.
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When it comes to earning real money by playing games or by publishing games online we always give a second thought. Thanks to the internet scams which have set our mindset like that. As the morning sun of digital age shining bright we are slowly changing our approach to earn real money online through gaming .
As we are stepping in the year 2020 we have realised that the Indian market size is huge and to serve it gaming content is a huge challenge. Taking it as the opportunity a lot of new players have emerged with a newer approach to engage the audience. We have discovered the WinZO Games android based gaming platform who has not only set its goal to serve the audience with ‘play and earn’ real money concepts but also has opened the opportunity for game developers with ‘publish and earn’ real money concepts under one roof.
In conversation with Animationxpress WinZO Games co-founder Paavan Nanda has expressed how gaming space in India has evolved with respect to language, region, game genres, devices and keeping that in mind how they have created WinZO Games. For in-depth insight here is the excerpt:
Can you share a brief history of the WinZO Games platform? How many people are there right now?
WinZO started with a beta in the space of a vernacular based gaming platform in early 2018. We raised our seed capital from Kalaari and early this year we raised $5MM in Series A, led by Kalaari. It is my second venture, after Zostel and ZO Rooms, which was a budget hotel aggregator – a platform solving for un-utilised inventories of budget hotels and creating standardisation. ZO Rooms was a Tiger Global funded venture and the second-largest player in the space.
2017, was a very interesting year for the country. Jio created a great infra that gave access to smartphones and the internet to 300 million people from Tier 2- Tier 5 cities of truly vernacular Bharat for the first time. This was truly a mobile-first audience, spending 45 minutes playing games on their phones. However, this massive engagement was not monetised to its potential. Talking of the gaming space over decades, you have the highest engagements and downloads from India, yet India clocks the world’s lowest revenue. In 2018, 20 billion games were installed by 300MM people in India only, that’s 20 games on an average per user. Monetisation fails in India because the country is very low with in-app-purchases. Ad Revenues for this audience is exceptionally low. Then how would businesses make sense?
As a result, gaming studios in India became merely back offices to generate content for the west- those geographies could monetize these assets. We decided to build a platform, a “Netflix for Gaming”, a social arcade app powered by micro-transaction, in your language. Micro-transaction for bite-sized entertainment just made the model very viable and monetisation easy. We were very excited about the fact our players were making their first M&E transaction on the app. Today we have 12MM registered users, spending 55 minutes on the App per day on an average. 90 per cent of our users are from T2-T5 cities, playing from 10,000, cities, towns, and villages across India. Our App is in 10 languages, and 80 per cent of our audience is playing in Non-English.
My co-founder, Saumya, a masters in Psychology, was also leading growth for ZO Rooms and was earlier a part of The Times Group. Today we are a team of 40 super ambitious people. Our team has people from top product and tech companies globally. An interesting fact, we were just a 9-member team when we raised our series A.
What is the catch of earning real cash by playing casual games? Will you share the business model?
The only big gaming company so far has been Dream11 and we are truly inspired by how they approached the space. Dream11 has truly shown the Indian Startup ecosystem how to solve for unit economic positive business from day 1 and build great value. We took on that ethos to build a micro-transaction based gaming platform. The model was immediately adopted by the T2-T5 audience who were today making 175MM-180MM micro-transactions on the platform every month. This suddenly made the loss-making game assets into profit-making assets, thereby uplifting the entire ecosystem. On WinZO, the games immediately saw a 100X spike in their revenues.
You can call our platform, WinZO, ‘Netflix of Gaming’, in its true sense. We aggregate third party games on our platform that would eventually have a common layer of social and money is flowing through.
This vernacular platform is not only personalised for your language but also pushes the most relevant content to the end-user (recommendation engine), making content discovery very easy. This truly solves for the mobile-first, first-time smartphone users. The platform allows players to participate in tournaments for games such as Quizzes, Carrom, Cricket, Chess, and so on. The platform takes platform fees. With this model of micro-transaction, we could bring people in tier two/three/four/five to the digital grid, and they make their first-time media and entertainment transaction on our platform, this is a revolution in itself to win the trust of those who have never made digital payments. We have one million bank accounts linked to our platform.
The revenues on the game started becoming 100x of what it was originally before they plugged on in this model. We have 70+ Games and at this scale, we could say the product could reach masses and the model works. We had set up a fund of $1.5 million for game developers in India, basically to improve the supply side, to support the creation of great content for our end users. This announcement attracted small and big developers from across the globe to India. Developers from Africa, Southeast Asia, Korea, they were intrigued, tried and saw different revenues on their game in India. With our past experience with Zostel and ZO rooms, we pretty much know how to solve for revenue maximisation for an under-utilised asset, that’s what we did with ZO Rooms for the budget hotels.
Does the player have to give any token money to play games or register to the platform?
WinZO is entirely based on the concept of bite-sized entertainment backed by microtransactions, where users can put in as low as Rs.2 to play games. The Idea behind promoting microtransaction is to build a stable monetisation model in the mobile gaming industry. This would facilitate the creation of quality gaming content for the Indian audience.
Is the platform accessible only on mobile? What about other devices?
We have to build WinZO keeping the 300MM mobile-first audience. 99 per cent of our audience is on android and accesses the product through their smartphones.
Do you think cloud/online gaming platform is the next big thing for the gaming industry? Why?
The rapid digital consumption in India is imperative for the growth of the Gaming industry. As per the latest report by KPMG on media and entertainment landscape 2019, gaming is growing at a rate of 41.6 per cent.
This highlights how gaming has changed the contours of the entertainment industry and the onus lies majorly on the easier availability and affordability of smartphones and cheap data rates in India. Today on average a user spent around 55 minutes on mobile phone playing games. The three key segments of online gaming, which have seen engagement include – real money games (RMG), mobile-centric/casual games and e-sports.
Are there any in house games that are available on the platform?
We are not a gaming studio, we are a platform that works in partnership with studios and small game developers to take their content to the audience in Bharat. Our personalisation engine and our scalable monetisation model makes it super attractive to the game developers to push their content on our platform.
What has inspired you to initiate a gaming console, where developers from around the world can connect, publish and earn?
With the WinZO Developers’ Console, we aim to support the game developer community by providing an alternative monetisation method for their existing games directly and help them earn 100x from the moment the game gets approved on the platform. This comes only a few months after WinZO announced its fund of $1.5MM that was set up to support the gaming community globally. The game developers will be able to unlock a host of features provided by WinZO Games for higher retention, increased reach, premium user acquisition and branding.
Does the developer have to give any token money to publish games or register to the platform?
No. It’s actually the opposite! We want the game developers to earn revenue out of their games! WinZO is just a way to monetise your assets better. The platform is simple and effective in tracking metrics and data such as the revenue generated, game sessions, unique users, user feedback, and much more for the published games. Developers can register and create their profile and get a unique ID to submit their game for approval. To further ease the process, WinZO is also providing integration kit and documentation for developers. Once the game is uploaded developers will be able to monitor the revenue the game earns through a multipurpose dashboard.
What audience can expect from the platform?
We at WinZO are constantly evolving and building a one-stop entertainment solution keeping in mind the audience of ‘Bharat’. We are focusing on creating a seamless experience for our users and adding quality and engaging games for our gaming enthusiasts. We have games across all genres and the platform experience is personalised for each user.
What are the challenges you have faced in the Indian gaming industry?
We foresee more opportunities than challenges in the mobile gaming industry in India today. India is steadily moving towards value-driven consumption, with an increased focus on local development. Earlier the challenges were restricted to limited local content and game development and stable monetisation model; however, with WinZO we are solving the issues and providing an all in one entertainment app, localised for Indian users.
What is your goal for 2020?
By 2020 we aim to add 300+ games in 15+ languages on the platform, expand our user base from 12 million now to 100 million by 2020, connect with game developers from India and around the world to bring the best gaming content in India. We aim to solve for a great mind share in Bharat.


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The trucking industry is poised for rapid growth in the coming years. There are a variety of reasons for this, but there are five key reasons that most experts point to. Here are the top five reasons that the trucking industry is preparing for major growth in the near future.
1. The horrible worldwide recession that was experienced in the first decade of the 21st century is finally showing signs that it is nearing its end. There has been a steady upward rise in a number of factors that the experts use to keep an eye on the health of the economy, and this means that there will soon be a lot more capital floating around in the country. That means that many more goods will be produced and sold. These goods will need truck drivers to haul them around the country. Truckers will soon start to see an upswing in the number of job ads they find in the trucker classifieds.
2. A Shortage of Drivers
Even though there will soon be more jobs advertised in trucker classifieds, there will not be enough truck drivers to fill them. There is currently a shortage of qualified truck drivers in the country. This means that there will be steady growth for people who are looking to get into the trucking industry. It will also mean a rise in wages for experienced truck drivers who have proven their worth over the years.
3. Instructors Needed
Because of the forecasted economic growth, there will be a big demand in the coming years for experienced truck drivers to pass on their wisdom to a new generation of truckers. These will be good-paying positions that will offer job security and a good quality of life for truck drivers who wish to help educate the hordes of new drivers who will be entering the industry in the coming years.
4, Shrinking of Rail Services
Even while the experts are predicting a growth in the economy and a bright future for goods sold, the avenues to transport these goods are shrinking. There has been a major decline in the railroad industry over the last few decades, which means that the amount of goods being shipped by truck will continue to rise. Excellent opportunities for the growth of the trucking industry will keep coming as the railroad transportation options continue to shrink.
5. Growth of Roads
Another reason that the trucking industry will continue to grow over the coming years is the increase in the number of roads in the country. These added roads will allow more trucks than ever before to get around the country, allowing the trucking industry to increase its footprint.


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This week’s headline story: China’s Growing Robot Army
China is building a robot army for manufacturing. Despite substantial technical challenges, manufacturers in China are replacing human workers with robots at an unprecedented scale. In some ways, they don’t really have a choice. Human labor in China is no longer as cheap as it once was. Especially when compared to labor in rival manufacturing hubs like Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, where factory wages can be less than a third of what they are in China. One solution, many manufacturers—and government officials—believe, is to replace human workers with machines.
The results of China’s robotic manufacturing army will be felt globally. Almost a quarter of the world’s products are made in China today. If China can use robots and other advanced technologies to retool types of production never before automated, that might turn the country, now the world’s sweatshop, into a hub of high-tech innovation. Less clear, however, is how that would affect the millions of workers recruited to China’s booming factories. Read all about at MIT Tech Review, linked in the sshow notes!
- China Is Building a Robot Army of Model Workers [MIT Tech Review]
In other news:
- Obama’s Weekly Address [YouTube]
Here’s How TV Might Change if the Cable Box Goes Away [MIT Tech Review]
President Obama has endorsed a proposal from FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, to “unlock” the set-top box market. Wheeler says new rules will save households from having to spend an average of $231 per year to rent cable boxes and “remove barriers to innovation” in devices and apps for playing cable content.
in Information Security News…
and in Tech Industry news…
- Twitter’s Artificial Intelligence Knows What’s Happening in Live Video Clips [MIT Tech Review]
Live-streaming video is becoming popular due to smartphone apps such as Periscope from Twitter, Meerkat, and, most recently, Facebook Live. But live video content usually isn’t tagged or categorized very well, making it difficult toorganize and search for videos. Twitter’s AI team, Cortex, has come up with a solution. They have developed an algorithm that can instantly recognize what’s happening in a live feed. The algorithm can tell, for instance, if the star of a clip is playing guitar, demoing a power tool, or is actually a cat hamming it up for viewers. Not only will the new technology make it easier to find videos, but it will also allow Twitter to market more accuratly to video authors.
- Carl Icahn Dumps All His Apple Shares and Makes $2 Billion [NewsFactor]
Apple Investors Worry About Decline in iPhone Sales [NewsFactor]
Apple’s Books, Movies Fall Victim to Chinese Crackdown [Ecommerce Times]
Apple’s experiencing some turbulence in its sales numbers. Billionaire business magnate Carl Icahn, whose investment decisions can influence the stock market, dumped what was left of his nearly 1% stake in Apple Inc. worth $2 billion, on fears that Chinese authorities would bully the iPhone maker. Shares of Apple sunk after his announcement in a live interview on CNBC. The shares have lost 9% of their value since Apple revealed troubling first-quarter financial results, including a 26% sales drop in Greater China compared with the same period last year. According to its January forecast, Apple’s revenue is set to drop for the first time in more than a decade as iPhone sales slow.
- Facebook’s CEO Sees Superhuman AI Within 10 Years [NewsFactor]
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claims that in five to 10 years, artificial intelligence could advance to the point where computers can see, hear and understand language better than people.


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The Mandalorian Season 2 October Release Confirmed by Disney
More Mando coming to Disney Plus in October
The Disney+ streaming service has announced a release window for its popular new Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, which will debut in October 2020, confirming the Fall release that Jon Favreau teased after Season 1 wrapped.
The announcement was made by Walt Disney boss Robert Iger during the company's quarterly earnings call. Iger went on to say that Baby Yoda "has taken the world by storm," and promised that more consumer products featuring "The Child" will be hitting the market in the coming months, like this insanely detailed life-size Baby Yoda statue from Sideshow Collectibles that'll set you back a bounty of $350:
Iger also hinted that Mandalorian spinoffs are a "possibility" after Season 2, heavily implying that the show might utilize more familiar Star Wars characters and allow them to headline their own shows after being introduced in the flagship Star Wars series.
On the call, Iger revealed that Disney+ has amassed 28.6 million subscribers to date, which is an impressive number, considering the streamer made its debut just three months ago.
“We had a strong first quarter, highlighted by the launch of Disney+, which has exceeded even our greatest expectations,” Iger said. “Thanks to our incredible collection of brands, outstanding content from our creative engines and state-of-the-art technology, we believe our direct-to-consumer services, including Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, position us well for continued growth in today’s dynamic media environment.”
While Disney+ has grown substantially since its launch, the company still trails Netflix, which currently sits at over 158 million subscribers worldwide. In more Disney+ news, the company announced release months for Marvel's WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.


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After Melissa, a 35-year-old event planner living in Chicago, masturbates, she sometimes studies a chart that resembles the output of a heart rate monitor or that of a seismograph capturing an earthquake.
The data is generated by her vibrator, the Lioness, which measures her arousal and uploads information about her orgasm patterns to the company’s app. The sensors embedded in the toy track her pelvic floor movements. With each involuntary squeeze and release of her pelvic floor muscles, the app displays a graph showing her rhythmic pattern in a series of peaks and valleys. She typically uses it in tandem with her other clitoral stimulating vibrators, so that she can compare the orgasms she experiences with each one.
“I use it just as a data collection dildo, essentially,” said Melissa, who asked to be identified only by her first name because of privacy concerns. Besides the Lioness, she doesn’t own any wearable activity trackers, like the popular Apple Watch or Fitbit, but she says she likes “to have quantifiable information when I’m learning things.”
Whether it’s obsessively collecting step counts or waiting for Spotify to reveal our musical tastes each year, we may be growing more accustomed to tracking every aspect of our lives through technology. The option to track female orgasms at home introduces the possibility of hacking what some scientists have treated as an enigma. Some people use the tracking technology to combat sexual changes that can come with menopause or polycystic ovary syndrome, for example. Others say they want the data to see how certain foods or medications may affect their arousal — and they’re thinking about how to optimize their orgasms with smart, Bluetooth-enabled sex toys they hope will help them better understand their bodies.
“We really call it a tool for ‘sexperiments,’ so doing experiments with yourself or with partners — how caffeine can have an effect on your orgasms, how alcohol, how CBD, how stress, all these things,” said Anna Lee, the chief executive and co-founder of Lioness.
Ms. Lee started the company about eight years ago with Liz Klinger, and the pair pitch their vibrators as a way for people to have “smarter” orgasms, joining a wave of everyday devices that are connected to the internet.
As sex toys have gotten smarter, they have been advertised as far more than sources of pleasure. Now available for purchase in stores like Target and Sephora rather than just sex shops, these toys may pledge to help users practice self-care or sexual wellness, offering people — particularly women — the glimmering promise of a fully optimized life. They’ve also introduced some pitfalls. Devices that collect data can be subject to data hacks, and some experts have warned that sex toys that track orgasms could become sources of tension with a partner.
“A sex toy can be a collaborator but not a competitor,” said Jamye Waxman, a therapist and sex educator in Los Angeles. “And I think you have to start to notice if it’s keeping score.”
Lioness isn’t the only device on the market offers users data. Perifit, while not a vibrator, is a Kegel exercise device that allows users to connect to an app where they can play Kegel games to strengthen their pelvic floor and track their contractions.
And Wujj, a sex tech company whose devices also use sensors to measure and improve orgasms, is set to begin beta testing this month. Its namesake product is a flexible U-shaped silicone toy that comes in flesh-toned colors that will also include a phone app with A.I.-powered audio erotica, how-to videos, insights from OB-GYNs and guided meditations.
Penda N’diaye, the founder and chief executive of the brand, said that the goal wasn’t to “pathologize orgasms” but to give users the tools to understand themselves. She uses words like “biofeedback” or “machine learning” to talk about Wujj — terms that aren’t usually associated with masturbation and sexual pleasure. But she said it’s those features that allow users to receive information that’s useful for their bodies.
Ms. N’diaye, who also is the founder of Pro Hoe, an organization for sexual wellness and sex education for women of color, said she had found that having “the gumption” and “boldness” to go after what you want sexually — and not wait to be chosen or remain on the receiving end — could be transformative.
Ms. Waxman said the orgasm tracking devices could also be beneficial for women who were perimenopausal or menopausal, or who were taking medications like S.S.R.I.s, which can make it challenging to have a satisfactory orgasm.
“The pros are it can really help us understand from a physiological perspective what’s going on, which can then help with the psychological perspective,” she said. “If the toy creates an opportunity for discussion with your partner around what you’re experiencing and what’s giving you pleasure, then I think that can be a really huge positive.”
But the frequent use of vibrators and sex toys may also create space for judgment, resentment and avoidance, she said, if a person and his or her partner cannot achieve the same level of pleasure that a toy can offer.
“If you are really into monitoring your orgasms and they start to change or you’re not having the same, huge orgasmic experiences, and that starts to change, the concern is ‘now something’s wrong with me because this isn’t happening,’” she said.
To strike a balance, Ms. Waxman said smart sex toy users might use the data from their devices as a jumping-off point for a vulnerable conversation.
“If you notice that you’re using your vibrator at 11 a.m. because that’s the time you’re most aroused, but your partner is working, then there is a conversation about timing that you have to have and that maybe on weekends you set aside 11 a.m.” she said.
Not everyone is so sure that an optimized orgasm is really the best kind of orgasm. Lioness includes a “live view” that allows users to see their orgasm chart develop in real time and log when they are about to climax.
April Damaso, a 33-year-old tech designer living in Vancouver, British Columbia, said she was excited about the product but that the tracking feature could be distracting. Sometimes it “takes away from the experience,” she said.
Ms. Damaso, who identifies as lesbian, said that the toy’s tracking function had limited use for her, as it only works if it’s inserted. “I’m not somebody who likes penetration all the time,” she said.
Data capture also increases concerns over privacy when it comes to smart sex toys. While brands like Lioness state in their privacy policies that user data is encrypted, and many companies do not require users to sign up with identifiable information, other brands have come under fire for their practices. In 2017, a Canadian sex toy company, We-Vibe, was ordered to pay customers up to 10,000 Canadian dollars each as part of a class-action lawsuit after the smart vibrator tracked owners’ use without their knowledge.
As for Melissa, she isn’t using the Lioness to chart “every single” orgasm she’s had, but she uses it “every once in a while,” such as when she’s had a strong cup of coffee and wants to see how it affects her body’s response.
“I am very much an advocate of sex education,” she added, “and I think even adults are still learning about their bodies and learning about self-pleasure.”


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Why we liked this article
- The UK government wants to limit the need for repeated cookie consents – suggesting instead a one-stop data-privacy setting applied at the browser level.
- Raises wider privacy questions around opting out of tracking, rather than opting in, which may place the onus on individuals preventing, rather than permitting, their online lives being monitored.
- The UK is drafting its new Data Reform Bill, aimed at moving away from what the government calls the “red tape” of Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation – most of which has been adopted into British law. Currently, GDPR puts enormous weight on protecting the privacy and data of individuals, with steep penalties for non-compliance, but cookie consent is not covered within it.


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The total value of NFC mobile payment transactions will increase from US$4bn in 2012 to pass $100bn in 2016 and US$191bn in 2017, according to a new forecast by ABI Research. 26% of NFC handsets will house a contactless ticketing application in five years time, the researchers add.
- Mobile barcode scanning booms
- Iowa to launch mobile driving license
- Line Pay makes debut
- Google Wallet adds Touch ID
- US consumers trust banks most with card data


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WHOLE FOODS CONCEDES TO IWW DEMANDS TO INCREASE WAGES! – Whole Foods Union Wins Raise for San Francisco Stores’ Lowest-Paid Employees By Tim Maher – Whole Foods Workers Union, November 14, 2014 SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A fledgling union of workers at the So …
WHOLE FOODS CONCEDES TO IWW DEMANDS TO INCREASE WAGES! – Whole Foods Union Wins Raise for San Francisco Stores’ Lowest-Paid Employees
By Tim Maher – Whole Foods Workers Union, November 14, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – A fledgling union of workers at the South of Market Whole Foods in San Francisco used workplace actions to compel Whole Foods management to implement a $1.25 per hour wage increase for those employees at the lowest wage tier.On November 6th, a delegation of 30 cooks, cashiers, stockers, and butchers at the store in the South of Market neighborhood initiated a brief work stoppage to deliver a petition to management demanding a $5 an hour wage increase for all employees, and no retaliation for organizing their union. Over 50 workers from the store signed the petition. In addition to demanding the $5 per hour wage increase, the petition raised issues about paid time off, hours and scheduling, safety and health, and a retirement plan.
Late last week, Whole Foods’ Northern California regional President Rob Twyman announced that starting January 1, 2015 all employees in San Francisco locations will make a minimum of $12.75 per hour – $1.25 above the current starting wage and $.50 higher than the new minimum wage of $12.25 called for by Proposition J. Mr. Twyman added that this change would be implemented four months before Proposition J’s minimum wage hikes take effect.
The $1.25 increase is nowhere near the $5 an hour the workers asked for, but workers at SOMA say it is still substantial, and that the timing of the raise is a sign that Whole Foods is taking the union’s wage demand seriously. “Whole Foods is rolling out the raise months before they even have to adjust to the new minimum wage. We’ve never seen that happen,” said beer and wine specialist Nick Theodosis who has worked at the SOMA store for 10 years.
“We’ll happily take it, but we will continue pursuing the full $5 for all workers currently working at the company as well as for those yet to come,” said a cashier who asked to be identified as Kristal Garcia. The workers have vowed to continue their fight for the full five dollar raise they asked for.
A worker must earn $29.83 an hour to afford a market-rate one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, according to a 2014 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Workers at the store currently earn from $11.25 to $19.25 per hour. The new minimum wage ordinance just approved by San Francisco voters will raise the City’s minimum to $12.25 an hour next year, less than half of what is needed to rent an apartment.
Whole Foods is a multinational chain with over 400 stores in the US, Canada and Great Britain, with $13 billion in annual sales, and 80,000 employees. Prices are high, which is why Whole Foods is colloquially known as Whole Paycheck. Whole Foods currently has over 100 stores in development. Workers have criticized the company, saying that Whole Foods’ expansion has been fueled by cuts to labor. “It seems like every 6 months they open up a brand new store, while at the same time my manager turns around and says the company doesn’t have enough money to give us 40 hours a week,” says Case Garver, a buyer in the Prepared Foods department.
Beneath Whole Foods’ glossy image of social responsibility, “working conditions at Whole Foods reflect the low industry standards that dominate all food and retail industries,” according to the workers’ website wfmunite.com. Despite the company’s claims to the contrary, “low wages, constant understaffing, [and] inconsistent schedules” are rampant company-wide. Just recently CEO John Mackey announced that the company would be phasing out full-time positions for new hires. Meanwhile, workers say the company has forced them to shoulder more and more of the costs of their limited health benefits.
Workers at the SOMA store say that this small victory is just a taste of what workers can gain from standing together for better conditions on the job. “History proves that workers have the power to make change when we come together to fight for our interests,” said the workers’ website.“We are re-igniting a workers’ movement where we have power: on the job. […] This is our movement, we are capable of victory, and we are worth it.”
Whole Foods IWW is a group of Whole Foods workers who have organized a union through the Industrial Workers of the World to raise the quality of life for workers throughout the company. Workers ask for supporters to sign the petition here and to share their struggle widely on Facebook and Twitter.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.


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Top 10 antidetect browser.
A custom Android phone is being pitched to security and privacy pundits promising to deliver by goring Google services, preventing app installation, and deploying end-to-end encryption.
The US$540(£374, A$745) UnaPhone sports a custom Android Marshmallow operating system that has been stripped of “invasive” Google services to prevent the technology company from collecting data on the phone.
It also scrubs out and falsifies information that creators say would allow carriers to identify the handset.
Security updates are taken from Google and ported across to the so-called UnaOS, the same process required for all phones other than Mountain View’s Nexus line.
“On the UnaPhone Zenith there won’t be any possibility for new apps since the whole phone will be completely locked in order to prevent installations that may weaken the OS and threaten privacy and security,” documentation states.
“When a new security threat is detected we will patch (via over the air) the system as soon as possible to make sure that vulnerabilities don’t affect the OS’ integrity and security.
“We will also push updates through OTA for the installed apps, to ensure the user has the latest versions of the apps in use.”
The company describes mobile games as “folly” and emphasises that work and play should be separated in order to preserve privacy and security.
Indeed many of the trojanised apps that filter through to the official Google Play store are working games that each are often downloaded by thousands of users.
UnaPhone users can request an app be added to their phone prior to purchase in which case the small team will vet the app for malicious activity and vulnerabilities.
All versions of the phone’s secure communications and paid and free VPN services will be released so that users of the UnaPhone can use encrypted calls and text with other handsets including iOS.
Co-founder Arne Möhle of German encrypted email house Tutanota badged the device, currently on crowd funding site Indiegogo, as the “anti-Google” phone.
The operating system which will later be released open source sports encrypted email through the pre-installed Tutanota app, text, and email.
Its bootloader is locked, as are many other Android handsets, but is different in that attempts to flash a custom ROM would turn the device into “a useless brick”.
It has raised US$28,476 from 108 backers and has received 5000 orders at the time of writing.
The launch comes ahead of a A US$14,000 (£9,706, or A$19,352) Android phone pitched as having “military-grade encryption” and being sold to executives.
Established player Blackphone is another outfit to offer a secure and private smartphone, backed by famous crypto wonks, for US$850.
Those wanting security for chump change could install free apps including ProtonMail for email and Signal for the same encrypted communication NSA leaker Edward Snowden uses.
Phones can be further beefed-up with native Android encryption, and by following Edward Snowden’s steps and blinding spies by removing the front and rear cameras and internal microphone, using an in-line headphone mic instead. ®
Antidetect browser for mac.


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Not too long ago, Bryan Loo of Loob Holdings announced that a new tea brand will soon be coming to KL. This came after all 165 of the Chatime outlets in Malaysia were announced to be officially closed down.
Initially, the name of the brand was thought to be “Tea Is Our Life”, but it is now announced to be “Tealive” instead. Tealive will sell similar drinks to Chatime, with some small changes in the variety of flavours and toppings.
The first outlet of Tealive has officially been opened at Pavilion shopping mall and if you’re curious to try out the new drink, head on over and sample it for yourself!
Feature Image Credit: Tea Is Our Life


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Super Mario Odyssey Is the Fastest-Selling Mario Game Ever in the US and Europe
It's backflipping off shelves.
Nintendo has announced that Super Mario Odyssey's success is continuing, as it becomes the fastest-selling Mario title ever in two major territories.
The US market accounts for 1.1 million copies alone, overtaking the launch sales of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In Europe, the game eclipsed reigning champion Super Mario Galaxy 2's opening weekend sales, although no specific number was given.
It's not hugely surprising news - we already knew the game had sold over 2 million copies in just three days.
It's richly deserved - we awarded Odyssey a perfect 10 in our review, calling it a "generational masterpiece".
Mario's had a remarkably good hit rate for a character that's been in quite so many games - as if to prove that, here's every single one.
Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK News Editor, and he's at 364 Moons. Follow him on Twitter.


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“It is never a surprise anymore when BTS members cause full on Sold Out crave with whatever that comes into contact with them. They released their own customized merch that was selling out in seconds soon or even before being released. Their latest ‘sold out’ agenda was both their “Permission to Dance on Stage, Seoul and Las Vegas concerts sold out even before being released to the public for sale. BTS’ j-hope, Jin, V and Jung Kook had a VLIVE recently which was all sorts of fun and chaotic. And of course they were dressed stylishly.
Each member was dressed in their own style and brand. BTS’ V print cardigan stood out with its uniqueness and design. The cardigan is from the brand BODE that the members have all worn at one time or another. As soon as the VLIVE ended V’s cardigan was sold out is several sizes but now 9th March ALL sizes on their website are all sold out!
According to Bode the cardigan is inspired by a vintage sweater from Nepal, circa 1970s. the knit pattern was inspired by a pair of European children’s mittens, and features a snowflake motif in black and cream.


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Ecuador ''simply grew at a speed faster than it should have,'' says auto dealer Bela Botar, explaining his adopted country's current economic difficulties.
With $6.2 billion owed to banks and lending institutions abroad, Ecuador's problems may appear dwarfed by those of Brazil and Mexico (each with some $90 billion in foreign debt).
Yet for Ecuador and its 6.8 million people, the current debt - coupled with a general business slowdown - has put a halt to the nation's economic growth, which in the 1970s propelled perhaps 800,000 Ecuadoreans into the middle class.
''We were galloping along too fast,'' Mr. Botar repeats for emphasis, ''and when the slowdown came, we were not ready for it.''
That slowdown, beginning in 1981, has included a business recession, inflation that this year is running higher than 60 percent, and an unemployment figure that nudges 10 percent.
Mr. Botar, who came here 34 years ago from his native Hungary, is in a variety of vehicle-related businesses: He owns a major Chevrolet dealership in Quito and is founder of Omnibus BB, a bus assembly plant on the northern edge of Quito.
Auto sales are down sharply, and he is having trouble getting dollars to bring in automobiles. But his assembly business has fared much better. After all , buses are needed in the mushrooming cities of Ecuador - Quito with 900,000 people, Guayaquil with 1.2 million.
The government, which holds the purse strings on dollars needed for imports, is inclined to grant them to essential businesses like Mr. Botar's bus-assembly plant, where they are used to acquire imported bus chassis. Last year, he imported 80 chassis and spare parts.
But his auto dealership, one of 60 here, has felt the pinch in many ways. He cannot get dollars to import new vehicles. Moreover, on automobiles he sold three or four years ago - when the economy was ''galloping along nicely,'' as he puts it - the purchasers took out loans with him in Ecuadorean sucres.
Since then, inflation has devalued the sucre by as much as 40 percent. The loans cost the purchasers less. But Mr. Botar has had to absorb a loss, because the sucres he receives have less purchasing power. He also doesn't forget that he imported the vehicles with dollars, not sucres, when the sucre had more value.
But he is something of an optimist. He says he believes the Ecuadorean economy is beginning to pull out of its slump.
So do many others. Vice-President Leon Roldos Aguilera, for example, says the inflation rate is manageable. The past two or three months, he adds, have registered cost-of-living increases ''at a much slower rhythm than before.''
He concludes that ''We are not in the same traumatic situation of other Latin American countries in which inflation becomes unmanageable.''
It may be small consolation to Ecuadoreans struggling with the country's cost-of-living increases this year that most economic observers agree. The inflation rate is slowing, although it is highest still in foodstuffs.
The economy in general is beginning to pick up. The unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of 1 percent in August. And exports of shrimp and other products have taken a sudden spurt.
The shrimp industry is an interesting new factor in the economy. It ''came out of nowhere,'' as one banker says, noting that it did not exist two or three years ago. In the first six months of 1983, it earned Ecuador $97 million, about one-twelfth of export earnings for all 12 months of 1982.
But oil remains the dominant factor in the export economy. Here, too, after several sluggish years, Ecuador is beginning to experience an increase in production and sales. Moreover, new exploration by foreign oil companies is expected to yield a variety of new fields. ''It is very promising,'' says a foreign oil official.
Additionally, the foreign-debt picture ''is improving,'' says President Osvaldo Hurtado Larrea, an economist who is now in the last year of his presidency. ''Renegotiation is helping, but so is the general upturn in the economy.''
That renegotiation is underway - and will probably terminate in a deferral of about $2 billion of the $6.2 billion debt. There is guarded hope in government and banking circles that with increased exports Ecuador will be able to make all payments in the new schedule and also step up imports slightly.
That, of course, would please Mr. Botar - especially if it allows him to import automobiles. It is also likely to help his bus-assembly business. In either case, it would assure employment for several hundred Ecuadoreans who are part of that middle class that grew so fast in the 1970s - and which needs to grow again if people in the marginal fringes of society (at least 60 percent of all Ecuadoreans) are to enjoy social mobility.
When Mr. Botar first came to Ecuador more than a generation ago, however, Ecuadoreans were either rich or poor - mostly the latter. There wasn't a middle class. Today it numbers more than 2 million people - largely the result of economic changes in the past 15 years.
''The need now is to sustain that,'' Mr. Botar says, ''and bring more people along.


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Delta Air Lines Posts Quarterly Results
The company's revenue came in at $9.2 billion, which was above analysts' expectations of $8.4 billion. Revenue is down 27% from the $12.6 billion in revenue reported at this time pre-pandemic in 2019.
"Our September quarter marked an important milestone in our recovery, with our first quarterly profit since the start of the pandemic," said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. "Our revenues reached two-thirds of 2019 levels thanks to the industry-leading operational performance our people delivered through a busy summer, once again showing why they are the best in the business. While demand continues to improve, the recent rise in fuel prices will pressure our ability to remain profitable for the December quarter."
Delta posted earnings of 1.2 billion, or $1.90, per share for the quarter. At this time in 2019, the company reported net income of $1.5 billion.
The Atlanta-based airline's earnings report focused on comparable earnings figures between the years 2021 and 2019 as the industry recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel. For the fourth quarter, the company expects passenger capacity to be restored to 80% of pre-pandemic levels. Revenue is expected to be 70% of that reported in 2019.
Delta Air Lines (DAL) shares ended the week at $41.02, down 4.6% for the week.
JPMorgan Chase Reports Earnings
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) posted third quarter earnings on Wednesday, October 13. The global financial institution reported earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations due to a reserve release.
JPMorgan Chase reported quarterly revenue of $30.44 billion. This was up from revenue of $29.94 billion reported at this time last year and above analysts' expectations of $29.8 billion.
"JPMorgan Chase delivered strong results as the economy continues to show good growth - despite the dampening effect of the Delta variant and supply chain disruptions," said JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. "We released credit reserves of $2.1 billion, as the economic outlook continues to improve and our scenarios have improved accordingly."
JPMorgan Chase reported net income of $11.69 billion or $3.74 earnings per share. This is up from net income of $9.44 billion at this time last year and above the $3.00 per share anticipated by analysts.
In the release, Dimon stated that earnings were $9.6 billion, not including the net reserve release and an income tax benefit. The bank does not consider the $2.1 billion reserve release which was set aside at the beginning of the pandemic to be part of its core or recurring profits. The investment side of JPMorgan brought in $3.0 billion, up 45%, with fees up 52%, due to a surge in Mergers and Acquisitions along with strong performance in Initial Public Offerings.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) shares closed at $166.61, down 2.4% for the week.
Domino's Pizza Serves Up Earnings
Domino's Pizza, Inc. (DPZ) released its latest quarterly earnings on Thursday, October 14. The restaurant company, which sells a global average of 3 million pizzas a day, reported strong earnings.
Revenue came in at $997.99 million during the third quarter. This was up from revenue of $967.72 million during the same quarter last year.
"We are pleased with our results this quarter, with robust store and sales increases internationally, while rolling over our highest quarter of 2020 in the U.S.," said Domino's CEO Ritch Allison. "On a two-year basis, our U.S. same store sales were up 15.6% over the 2019 baseline, with our international same store sales up 15.0% during that time, marking significant growth in our brand. We are proud of our franchisees who continue to focus on providing great products at a great value to our customers around the world."
Domino's reported net income of $120.4 million, or $3.24 earnings per share. This was up from $99.1 million in net income, or $2.49 earnings per share, last year at this time.
The 3.1% increase in the company's revenue was primarily attributed to higher global retail sales due to international same store sales growth. The 21.5% increase in the company's net income was attributed to higher income from global franchises. In the United States, same store sales decreased 1.9%.
Domino's Pizza, Inc. (DPZ) shares ended the week at $454.91, down 4.8% for the week.
The Dow started the week at 34,724 and closed at 35,295 on 10/15. The S&P 500 started the week at 4,385 and closed at 4,471. The NASDAQ started the week at 14,540 and closed at 14,897.
Treasury Yields Fluctuate Amid Rising Prices and High Demand
On Wednesday, bond yields dipped after the Labor Department reported the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.4% for the month of September, higher than the 0.3% expected by analysts. Yields continued to drop on Thursday after the release of the producer price index revealed wholesale prices increased 0.5% for the month of September, just below the 0.6% anticipated by analysts.
"This is one more data point to say, 'Fed, your trying to convince us that inflation is transitory is just not believable,'" said chief investment officer at Crossmark Global Investments Bob Doll of the CPI numbers. "If you know anybody who doesn't have to live somewhere, doesn't eat any food and doesn't use energy, then inflation is maybe not a particular problem. But come on."
The 10-Year Treasury note opened the week of October 11 at 1.613%, hit a low of 1.511% on Thursday, and was at 1.569% during trading on Friday morning. The 30-year bond opened the week at 2.166%, reached a low of 2.013% on Thursday, and was at 2.064% on Friday morning.
On Friday, the Census Bureau reported retail sales increased by 0.7% during the month of September. Analysts had expected spending to wane as supply chain issues, the Covid-19 Delta variant and an end to enhanced government benefits would ostensibly keep consumers at bay. However, consumer spending grew 13.9% from this time last year. Part of that increase reflects the higher prices for goods as retail sales numbers are not adjusted for inflation.
"Students heading back to school and workers returning to the office are likely the catalysts for the increased retail sales," said national leader of BDO's retail and consumer products practice Natalie Kotlyar. "People who are back to working in a downtown office may be taking more shopping trips on their lunch break or after work. With school back in session and many teens vaccinated, parents may also be more comfortable allowing their teens to take shopping trips to the mall."
The 10-year Treasury note yield closed at 1.58% on 10/15, while the 30-year Treasury bond yield was 2.05%.
30-Year Mortgage Rates Climb Above 3%
This week, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 3.05%, up from last week's average of 2.99%. Last year at this time, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 2.81%.
The 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 2.30% this week, up from 2.23% last week. At this time last year, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 2.35%.
"The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to its highest point since April," said Freddie Mac's Chief Economist Sam Khater. "As inflationary pressure builds due to the ongoing pandemic and tightening monetary policy, we expect rates to continue a modest upswing."
Based on published national averages, the savings rate was 0.06% as of 9/20. The one-year CD averaged 0.14%.


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- This event has passed.
This year’s Data Centre World will be a 2-day virtual event where the data centre sector’s influence on climate neutrality, net zero goal and sustainability of renewable energy storage will be analysed.
As part of the virtual conference, Kohler and Kohler Uninterrutible Power will be presenting
“Gensets: Are you sizing comfortably? Or are comfortable old norms holding you back?”
7 July, 11.25 – 11.45am, Facilities & Critical Equipment Theatre
Ian Wilcoxson, Data Centre Channel Manager EAME, Kohler
Alex Emms, Operations Director, Kohler Uninterruptible Power
Register to attend the virtual exhibition & conference for FREE. Once registered, you’ll be able to visit Kohler’s virtual exhibition stand, view the latest in videos and new products, and speak directly with a member of the team via live chat.
We’ll be happy to discuss with you our range of single and three-phase UPS, including the NEW PowerWAVE MF1500 DPA, an exceptionally resilient, flexible and scalable high power modular UPS. With best-in-market 97.4% VFI mode energy efficiency, this UPS redefines lifetime cost for data centres and other high density applications without compromising reliability.
In addition, to complement the MF1500, Kohler have this year launched the KD4500 standby diesel generator (4.5MW), offering the highest power level on the market in its category with the latest generation Kohler engine.


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NEW YORK -- Lift Serum might be Chanel Beaute's best-selling makeup or treatment product worldwide, but the company thinks it can do much better -- nearly twice as well, in fact.
In March, Chanel will introduce an improved version of the eight-year-old antiwrinkle cream that is expected to increase the brand's volume by 75 percent, according to Jean Hoehn Zimmerman, senior vice president of marketing and sales.
The new version, called Lift Serum Extreme, is designed to prevent wrinkles as well as correct them, which was the purpose of the old product.
"Lift Serum has been our number-one-selling [stockkeeping unit] since 1986, when we introduced it," said Zimmerman.
She declined to discuss dollar figures, but industry sources said the original product did more than $3.5 million at wholesale in 1993. That would mean the sales goal for Lift Serum Extreme is more than $6 million this year.
Michelle Taylor, vice president of marketing for Beaute, said Lift Serum Extreme will comprise 20 percent of the company's treatment volume, compared with 10 percent for the old product in 1993. The old version will be eliminated.
An estimated $2 million print and radio ad campaign, 25 percent of Chanel's Beaute's ad budget, will back the launch, Zimmerman said.
A pre-sell effort will begin Feb. 1 with about 200,000 samples being given away. Another million packets and tubes of Lift Serum Extreme will accompany the March and April launch period.
Saks Fifth Avenue will launch Lift Serum Extreme in New York in mid-March, followed by Bullock's, Los Angeles; Neiman Marcus, Dallas, and Macy's West, San Francisco. Chanel's full distribution of about 500 doors will also offer the product.
Lift Serum Extreme is $70 for a 1-oz. bottle, compared with $67.50 for the same amount of the old product, and $47 for a .68-oz. version.
The treatment item also has new packaging. In place of the thin square container with an exposed pump is a bottle with a cap, making the product more hygenic. The new bottle also has an indicator that turns red as a warning when only two or three days' supply is left.Jack Mausner, senior vice president for research and development, said the new product differs from the original in that it has an anti-free-radical component of Vitamins C and E to help prevent fine lines.
The original serum worked on existing wrinkles only. Chanel claims it improves the appearance of even deep wrinkles by up to 45 percent.
In addition, Mausner said the new version increases skin's firmness by up to 35 percent and its smoothness by up to 70 percent.
Etro’s show, titled “The Tree of Life,” was a celebration of the house’s 50th anniversary. “My father founded the company in 1968, which was the year of counterculture and psychedelia. It’s really a show that celebrates that and the paisley design of India and its origin,” said Veronica Etro. #wwdfashion #mfw #ss18 (📷: @delphineachard)
For @msgm’s spring 2018 show, creative director @massimogiorgetti said “Words, sounds, colors. Synthesis and therapy of a collection,” were the inspirations behind the collection, showing today. Read the rest of Milan spring 2018 inspirations on WWD.com. #mfw #wwdfashion #ss18
For her first solo album in over 10 years, Fergie tapped Carine Roitfeld, Mert and Marcus, Giovanni Bianco and more to create a fashion-focused video approach for the record, Double Dutchess. "Giovanni really helped me get back in touch with my tomboy side, my hardside," said the singer. #wwdeye #wwdfashion ( : @slovekinpics)
“Volumes and Graphic Art of the Nineties are the main inspirations of the new Aquilano.Rimondi SS 2018 collection,” said cocreative directors Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi. #wwdfashion #mfw #ss18


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Ford, known worldwide as one of the auto giants, has always shown remarkable ability to adapt to changing market needs. Recently, the SUV segment has become the focus of much discussion and investment among car enthusiasts and manufacturers.
Since Henry Ford introduced the Model T to the world, Ford has established itself as an innovator in the automotive industry. Over the years, it has been able to interpret emerging trends, with the aim of diversifying its offerings. Introducing SUVs into the market was one such strategic move. These vehicles, with their generous dimensions and ability to handle any type of terrain, have gained popularity in a short time, becoming a symbol of durability and versatility.
The success of the SUV has not escaped anyone in the auto industry. With their elevated driving position, large load capacity and often equipped with all-wheel drive, these vehicles are an ideal solution for families, adventurers and anyone looking for a combination of style, space and power. Ford, with its long history of innovation, understands the importance of a strong presence in this segment.
All the high expectations were for the new Ford SUV, which aims to strengthen the company’s presence in this segment. With announcements and sneak peeks fueling hype for months, the new model was shaping up to be the automaker’s next big thing.
Unexpected delay for the Ford SUV
However, as is often the case in the automotive world, not everything goes as planned. Recently, through an official press release, Ford announced a decision that surprised many: the Explorer’s debut has been pushed back to 2024.
This choice has sparked many discussions and speculations. The delay in launching such a eagerly awaited model is a major setback for Ford, and many are wondering the real reasons behind this decision.
Although the release didn’t go into specific details, the company clearly felt the need to spend extra time improving the car. Perhaps to ensure that it fully meets the standards of quality and innovation that Ford is known for, or perhaps to adapt to new technological developments.
What is certain is that the wait for the explorer continues, and with it the expectation grows. Ford has always shown that it can overcome challenges, and many are convinced that when the Explorer finally sees the light, it will be a car worth the wait.
“Infuriatingly humble social media buff. Twitter advocate. Writer. Internet nerd.”


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With the board of directors of TVS Motor Company approving the incorporation of a wholly-owned subsidiary to undertake its electric mobility business, the Chennai-based company is gearing up to explore the electric vehicle (EV) space. TVS Motor has set up a team of over 500 engineers to work on EV designs and concepts, ranging from scooters to three-wheelers to goods vehicles. The company recently also formed a strategic partnership with Tata Power to implement EV charging infrastructure across India. The decision to speed up the EV plans came close on the heels of the company reporting its highest-ever revenue of Rs 5,619 crore in the second quarter of FY22, besides posting the highest-ever EBITDA of Rs 562 crore.
KN Radhakrishnan, director and CEO, TVS Motor, said in an earnings call that the company is investing more than Rs 1,000 crore to create an EV portfolio. “This will be in addition to the iQube. We will see new EV products in the forthcoming quarters. This subsidiary will give us the flexibility and freedom to scale up the business. We will look at global markets, developed and developing, under this strategy.”
TVS Motor’s first all-electric scooter, iQube, was launched in January 2020. The scooter, with a range of 75 km, is available in New Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Coimbatore, Kochi and Bengaluru. The company plans to expand iQube’s reach pan-India by FY22-end, while it intends to increase monthly capacity to 10,000 units by January 2022. Analysts have commented positively on TVS Motor’s Q2 performance and decision to form a separate subsidiary for EV.
Motilal Oswal, in a research note, said the company is incorporating a wholly owned subsidiary for the EV business to increase focus, flexibility, and freedom. On the company’s performance, it said TVS Motor’s retail sales during Navratri declined on a high base (pent-up demand in FY21), while rural demand was affected by erratic rain. Retail sales are expected to pick up during the Diwali season, supported by normalisation of the monsoon and reduction in Covid-19 cases. TVS Motor expects to do better than the industry on the back of new launches such as TVS Raider 125 and Jupiter 125, it said.
Radhakrishnan said semiconductor shortage is currently impacting iQube production, and has affected Apache volume by 25,000 units in Q2 FY22. However, supplies are now improving for Apache. Emkay Global Financial Services, in a note on TVS Motor, said the domestic two-wheeler volume outlook is positive, and premium motorcycles/ scooters could outperform. In addition, the export outlook is encouraging, owing to healthy demand in Africa and Latin America.
TVS has lined up capex of Rs 750 crore for FY22. Gopala Desikan, CFO, TVS Motor, said, “We have invested Rs 500 crore in the first half and there will be another Rs 250-300 crore in second half. The investments will be made in EVs and other products. So far, we have invested Rs 140 crore in EGO (movement), Rs 100 crore in TVS Credit and Rs 120 crore in Norton.”
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The latest review on cryptocurrency uncovered where on earth the trend is becoming fastest—and business pioneers might need to observe. For worldwide B2C organizations, an area-based view of cryptographic money use could drive choices on where and when to bring alternative payment into their activities and user interactions.
A few executives may be astonished by the results of the 74-country Statista Global Consumer Survey. Indeed, the best five nations for digital currency utilize bring up new issues about how consumer propensities are evolving. When seen through the viewpoint of area intelligence, those found could impact business techniques both in the near term and for quite a long time to come.
Now research is opening a door for business pioneers looking for more data before making and executing a digital currency technique. Imagining crypto use on a map gives another viewpoint on this developing tech trend.
As indicated by Statista, the nations with the most noteworthy digital currency utilize per capita were not fintech forces to be reckoned with like China and the US. Nigeria ranks as the most dynamic market for crypto with 32% of the population saying they own or use digital currency. 21% of Vietnam inhabitants are crypto customers or financial backers, while 20% of Philippines residents are crypto users and 16 percent in Turkey and Peru. The report also discovered two-digit percentages across Latin America and noticed that Switzerland and Greece were the lone European nations to make the worldwide top 10.
With data like this, organizations can make choices about where to start acquainting digital currency exchanges with their tasks. In mid-2020, Burger King’s parent organization Restaurant Brands International began accepting Bitcoin at Burger King areas in Venezuela—another Latin American digital currency hot spot.
Regardless of whether it’s a choice about digital currency use or another functional development, organizations frequently go to a geographic information system (GIS) for an area-based perspective on business and clients. GIS-controlled maps and dashboards help organizations observe trends in explicit regions and adjust activities to coordinate with local demand.
Area innovation contextualizes financial and segments information for a more profound perspective on why the cryptocurrency is famous in specific regions.
For instance, Bitcoin.com announced last year that financial difficulties in Nigeria had prodded interest in Bitcoin and prompted the making of myriad local crypto trade administrations. Three of the best five nations in Statista’s report (Vietnam, the Philippines, and Peru) appear to display comparative conditions: nations with truly low admittance to banks or monetary administrations, high foreign trade rates, and a high frequency of settlement payments from a family working abroad.
In places like the US, then again, the digital currency has generally seen as a long-term venture with restricted online buying power, as per Gemini’s 2021 State of Crypto in the US report. With the worldwide strength of the US dollar and the high level of the US populace ready to get to monetary administrations, there’s probably less requirement for Americans to use cryptographic money as an everyday option in fiat payments or customary banking.
That might change as US banks and others—including Facebook—start to embrace blockchain innovation for routine exchanges—including the formation of new currencies. Nicknamed “stable coins,” these bank-gave coins could furnish quicker local and worldwide exchanges with fewer charges, without a considerable lot of the drawbacks of independent digital currency, benefactors say. Business executives will need to follow these advancements also, as new blockchain-put together payment systems could catch on with customers in various regions, increasing assumptions for their utilization.
As a monetary device, digital currency offers various chances for various groups—and a significant number of the inspirations for its utilization can followed to location-explicit conditions. For business executives needing to comprehend whether they should offer digital currency exchanges to their customers, the geographic setting will be vital for getting when, where, and how that should occur.
Whether it is cryptographic money, the adoption of green items, or changes in shopping behavior, checking patterns through an area-based lens adds an important viewpoint to business choices. Asking where frequently reveals inconspicuous examples and unexpected answers that make ready for smarter and better-educated business procedures.
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The Netherlands acted illegally by offering Starbucks a sweetheart tax, while Luxembourg, which did the same with FIAT, also acted outside the law, the EU has ruled. The two companies have been told to pay up to €30 million each in tax repayments, EU Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager announced today.
“The Commission concluded that Luxembourg has granted selective tax advantages to Fiat’s financing company and the Netherlands to Starbucks’ coffee roasting company. In each case, a tax ruling issued by the respective national tax authority artificially lowered the tax paid by the company.”
The Commission added that the tax rulings regarding Fiat and Starbucks were perfectly legal. “They give a company clarity on how its corporate tax will be calculated or on the use of special tax provisions,” it wrote.
This latest ruling will have the directors of hundreds of companies trembling.
However, the two tax rulings under investigation endorsed complex and artificial methods to establish taxable profits for the firms. “They do not reflect economic reality. They do not reflect economic reality. Both Luxembourg and the Netherlands have been ordered to recover the unpaid tax from Fiat and Starbucks,” it added.
In other words, the Commission sees the tax deals done with Starbucks and Fiat as illegal state subsidies that must be repaid.
This ruling must have sent a chill through the boardrooms of several companies. Many hundreds of businesses have avoided EU taxes by setting up holding companies in countries like Luxembourg.
Tome Fairless, writing in the Wall Street Journal, quoted Robert Willens, a corporate tax adviser in New York and former managing director at Lehman Brothers, who said:
“I definitely think it will dampen investment in Europe [because] uncertainty is the biggest enemy of deals. It will certainly affect valuations. If taxes are higher going forward that will affect the value of the potential merger partner.”
It is clear Ms. Vestager is trying to forge an important legal precedent. Interestingly, she held fire on reaching a decision regarding Amazon in Luxembourg and Apple in Ireland.


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From the second link:
It all started last week when Apple CEO Steve Jobs trotted out the iPad, dubbed by some as a Kindle killer. Major publishers voiced their support for the iPad, including Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette Group, and Macmillan.
Then Jobs showed off one of the iPad’s critical apps, the iBook e-reader, and flashed prices for e-books at around $15. It was a swipe at Amazon.com because publishers (Macmillan being one of them) had been trying to get Amazon.com to raise its e-book price from $10.
On Friday, Amazon.com stunned the publishing world by pulling Macmillan books, both Kindle editions and printed books, from its shelves in an apparent strong-arm tactic to show Macmillan that Amazon.com continues to set the rules. At the very least, Amazon.com wanted to show that Macmillan, which is among the biggest publishers in the U.S., still needs Amazon.com.
One would have hoped that Amazon.com had spent considerable time weighing this decision. Instead, it looked like a giant company suddenly deciding to play chicken with another giant company—and Amazon.com flinched. On Sunday, only two days after pulling Macmillan books, Amazon.com relented.
Now there’s this news from the seemingly flailing e-tailer:
Is Amazon Building a Superkindle? New York Times, Feb. 3, 2010
Amazon has acquired Touchco, a New York start-up that was developing flexible, transparent, force-sensitive multitouch panels.
The acquisition indicates what Amazon might try to do next in response to Appleâ€™s iPad announcement: a future full-color, more-rugged multitouch Kindle.


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U.S. retailer Toys R Us said it will hire 40,000 seasonal workers for the upcoming holiday shopping season, down from 45,000 last year, as it aims to offer more working hours to new and current employees.
The privately held company plans to offer seasonal store employees about 18 to 20 hours per week up from about 7 hours last year and up to 30 hours during the peak shopping season from 20 hours in 2014.
Also read: Brewers sign Eric Thames to 3-year deal
09:34 Zac Goldsmith is defeated by the Liberal Democrats10
22:55 Ex-NFL Running Back Joe McKnight Shot and Killed in New Orleans Suburb10
23:11 Richard Sherman on Cam Newton grabbing '12th man' flag: 'I guess karma gets you'9
17:18 18 Totally Plausible Pitches For 'Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life' Season 211


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Samsung is reportedly working on a new mid-range tablet called the Galaxy Tab A8 10.5. Recent reports have revealed the renders and specs of the tablet. Now, as per a fresh report courtesy of Winfuture.de, we get a first glimpse of the specs and official renders of the Galaxy Tab A8 10.5.
The new leaks suggest that it may not take too long for the tablet to go official. The Galaxy Tab A8 10.5 is equipped with a 10.50″ LCD screen that comes with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10.
The device will come with an Unisoc T618 chip paired with 3GB/4GB RAM options. The Tab A8 10.5 is likely to come in 32GB/64GB/128GB storage configurations.
It is likely to have a 7,040mAh battery. For audiophiles, the tab packs a quad-speaker system.
The Galaxy Tab A8 10.5 will have a 5MP camera on the front. Its back panel will house an 8MP camera without flash. It is likely to run on Android 11 OS.
So what can we expect the device to be priced at? The Galaxy Tab A8 10.5 is expected to come in multiple versions with or without LTE support. It is likely to cost at least 230 euros or $260(19,686 INR).
The device could possibly arrive in silver, gray, and rose/pink colors. Unconfirmed information that has surfaced through a dealer reveals that the Galaxy Tab A8 10.5 will be available for purchase by the second half of January 2022.


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WH Smith swings again to revenue after journey arm sees sturdy rebound and it plans 125 extra shops because it targets the US
- The retailer reported pre-tax earnings of £18m within the six months to twenty-eight February
- All three divisions inside WH Smith’s journey arm noticed revenues greater than double
- A busy Eater vacation season and loosening journey curbs has buoyed WH Smith
WH Smith has returned to revenue following a considerable restoration in its journey enterprise, regardless of gross sales being slowed by the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The retailer reported pre-tax earnings of £18million within the six months ending 28 February, in opposition to a £38million loss throughout the identical time final yr when lockdown restrictions discouraged overseas holidays and workplace working.
Thanks to those guidelines being loosened, all three divisions inside the firm’s journey arm noticed revenues greater than double, though complete gross sales inside its excessive avenue enterprise remained flat.
Restoration: Retailer WH Smith reported pre-tax earnings of £18million within the six months ending 28 February, in opposition to a £38million loss throughout the identical time final yr
Inside its UK journey phase, which encompasses shops in airports, railway stations and hospitals, revenues shot up 139 per cent to £189million, with demand particularly buoyant throughout the February half-term and college vacation intervals.
But commerce remained under pre-pandemic volumes because the restoration was blown astray by the emergence of the Omicron variant, which led to renewed restrictions being launched by governments.
The division’s income as a proportion of 2019 ranges rose from 60 per cent in September to 78 per cent in November earlier than beginning to decline the next month and hitting simply 66 per cent in January.
However as restrictions have been relaxed once more due to the widespread rollout of a vaccine booster programme, the agency’s UK journey gross sales within the eight weeks from the beginning of March have been simply 3 per cent under pre-Covid volumes.
This helped complete revenues inside its wider journey enterprise exceed their 2019 ranges by 14 per cent, as did a busy Easter vacation season, excessive customer numbers to Las Vegas and rising air passenger journey within the US.
Carl Cowling, chief govt, stated: ‘We have now seen a restoration throughout all our journey markets regardless of the influence of the Omicron variant in Q2, and we’re in a powerful place to seize progress because the restoration continues.’
Quieter commerce: WH Smith’s revenues throughout the first-half interval remained under pre-pandemic volumes because the Omicron variant led to renewed restrictions on journey
WH Smith at the moment has greater than 125 shops within the pipeline, about half of that are in North America, whereas one other 25 per cent are located in Spain, the place the group lately received a serious tender.
The corporate is placing vital concentrate on increasing within the US because the nation has the world’s greatest retail journey market, and leisure passengers comprise the most important proportion of home travellers.
On the identical, the FTSE 250 enterprise believes 200 extra UK hospitals may host both a WH Smith store or a franchise outlet of M&S Merely Meals or Costa Espresso.
Cowling added: ‘Wanting forward, we proceed to spend money on the enterprise the place we see engaging progress alternatives and have positioned the group nicely to learn from the return of passenger numbers.
‘We have now improved the size and footprint of the enterprise and are operationally stronger than previous to the pandemic. Whereas there are some uncertainties within the broader world financial system, the group is well-positioned to capitalise on the continued restoration in our key markets and benefit from the various alternatives forward.’
Regardless of the optimistic buying and selling replace, WH Smith shares have been one of many prime fallers on the FTSE 350 Index this afternoon, down 5.8 per cent to £14.24, that means they’ve declined by round a fifth over the previous 12 months.


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Ford Stock Hits a Two-Year High: Buy, Sell, or Hold?
Last week, Ford stock passed $15 for the first time in two years. However, the company is still an attractive long-term investment opportunity, particularly due to the upside of Ford's international operations.
Are VW's Plans for World Domination in Trouble?
VW wants to lead the world in auto sales by 2018. But slow sales of its most important brand threaten to hold it back.
Nissan's Me-Too Move to Boost Profits
Luxury cars are a booming business -- and a hugely profitable one for big automakers. Several automakers have already moved to take advantage, and now Nissan says that it will join the crowd.
Why Ford Is Losing Big in India
Despite its success in places like China and Russia, Ford is fast falling behind in India. Here's what Ford is doing to hang on in this huge emerging market.


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Resales are lower than ever and median home prices continue to skyrocket.
How to plan for the future and take advantage of a seller's market.
What does the future hold for how and where we work?
Market makers say they will sell more than a half-billion dollars in newly built multi-family units by 2020.
How modern home design is taking the fiction out of sci-fi.
Luxury builder, JayMarc Homes, shares the secrets of delivering results in a competitive housing market.
Despite the city's rapid growth, it's not easy to find a "For Sale" sign in Seattle.
The next generation of interior design will move you.
Seattle’s growth comes with a price for commuters, which will test our patience and potentially change where and how we live.
FutureCast Forum members outline the top ten reasons why Seattle is so popular.


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Fulfilling a promise made in June, Microsoft is trotting out a new firmware update Tuesday that lets you access Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm from your TV.
GamePro reports that Sony will be beaten but not outdone, and leaked images of its own PS3 also running Facebook, projecting a similar update on the way someday. It took the PS3 a year longer than the 360 to land Netflix streaming, so don’t hold your breath.
The question remains as to how useful Facebook access will be, but like a Swiss Army knife, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, I guess.
The way I see it, Facebook is for sapping away tedious work hours, not valuable “Modern Warfare 2” moments. What do you think?


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Tech Buzz 07/05
FireFox users beware
FireFox users tend to feel quite safe when it comes to browser security issues, and rightly so. But the rising popularity of Mozilla's open-source browser positions it as a new target for hackers. The few holes that have popped up in FireFox haven't come close to the multitude that plague Internet Explorer. Still, FireFox users need to stay on top of any new patches and updates. For example, earlier this year, a phishing vulnerability was uncovered and a patch was issued.
Windows FireFox users will know it's time to update when a small, red and white arrow icon appears to the right of the menu bar. Clicking on that takes you to the update page. Linux and Mac users can do manual checks. Interested entrepreneurs can stay up-to-date on security advisories affecting either FireFox or Internet Explorer at www.secunia.com, Secunia's software monitoring website.
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Mark of the Ninja: Remastered coming to Switch on October 9
Posted on September 25, 2018 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch eShop
Mark of the Ninja: Remastered was first announced for Switch on October 9. There hasn’t been much news about the game since then, but a release date has now been set.
You’ll be able to purchase Mark of the Ninja: Remastered on the Switch eShop starting October 9. The critically acclaimed action-stealth adventure will feature remastered visuals, audio, cutscenes and effects, an additional story level, a new character, additional items, and developer commentary.
Source: Nintendo PR