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Indian skill gaming founders and industry associations have welcomed Google’s pilot to permit daily fantasy sports and rummy apps in its app marketplace Google Play, although some have raised concerns that it could potentially cause market distortion in the long term.
On September 8, Google announced that it would begin a one-year pilot to offer daily fantasy sports and rummy apps to users in India by developers incorporated within the country. The pilot programme will start from September 28, 2022 and enable the distribution of these apps within the country.
The move is expected to be a huge shot in the arm for these apps since it will likely reduce the friction faced by users in installing these games on their smartphones, thereby enabling them to attract a much broader audience. Currently, users have to manually sideload these apps on their smartphones by downloading the Android Package (APK) file of these games from alternate distribution sources, which can be quite a cumbersome process.
Deepak Gullapalli, founder and CEO of skill-based gaming firm Head Digital Works, said the step will help improve the unit economics for these games due to better clickthrough rates on their ad campaigns.
"Once the customer clicks on our ad, and he gets to download (our app), the number of downloads will definitely go up. This means that we spend the same amount of dollars but get more downloads, which will improve our acquisition costs," he said.
Besides this, it will also improve app discoverability for users to play these games on their phones and increase the level of security on customer transactions, thereby improving consumer trust in these companies, he said.
"If you look at India (market) today, there are many apps that are illegal offshore gambling companies marketing in the country and making customers play on their apps, with the money mostly going out of the country without being taxed by the government. This move will help us send the right message to consumers to play only on apps that are from Indian companies, with the money being properly taxed and staying within India," he said.
Sameer Barde, CEO of the E-Gaming Federation, also echoed this sentiment, saying this step would allow players to essentially play on platforms that follow best practices.
"Google’s measured approach to a safer user experience will encourage responsible gaming and help legitimate skill gaming operators grow while eliminating unscrupulous fly-by-night operators," he said.
Joy Bhattacharya, director-general of Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) also said they welcome this pilot to allow apps on Google Play Store "that are recognised by the Supreme Court of India as regular business activities"
That said, the step could disadvantage startups offering other categories of skill games that are currently excluded from the pilot.
"It will have a massive impact on our unit economics. Through this pilot, Google has effectively reduced the marketing cost for select companies in this ecosystem to 1/4th of their earlier spend. If you could have done that for all of us, we could have invested that capital into various things, be it investing in technology, innovation, or getting more talent rather than paying significantly more to distribute it outside the Play Store," the founder of a prominent gaming platform told Moneycontrol, on condition of anonymity.
Read: Google extends third-party in-app billing pilot to India, four more markets
Growing popularity of skill-based games
Google’s pilot launch comes amid the rising popularity of real-money gaming apps in the country in recent years, which has led to several startups such as Dream11, Mobile Premier League and Games24x7 building billion-dollar businesses without having a presence on the Play Store.
Real money gaming (RMG) contributed about 70% of the country’s gaming industry revenue, which touched Rs 10,100 crore in 2021, registering a 28% year-on-year increase, per a recent EY-FICCI report. Fantasy Sports saw 26% revenue growth while Rummy witnessed 28% revenue growth in 2021, the report said.
Neil Shah, vice president of research at Counterpoint, said Google’s plan to conditionally allow these gaming apps into its largest Android market, which has more than 580 million users, was a welcome move.
"Google’s stance earlier was the right one to protect its user base and itself from potential fraud and be directly or indirectly liable. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling, heavy lobbying as well as the hanging sword from CCI is forcing Google’s hand to meet somewhere in the middle. It is allowing these gaming apps but not directly offering its platform billing or ads system yet and maintaining some distance as this could easily become a legal as well as regulatory nightmare with one rogue case," he said.
Also Read: Google Play spots key monetization opportunity in India as spends on local apps rise 80% in two years
Bhavin Pandya, co-founder and co-CEO of skill-based gaming company Games24x7, said this development will give a "further impetus to an industry that is already making strides towards realising the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2025."
This pilot programme could open up the potential for new players to disrupt daily fantasy gaming and hopefully open the path to more "games of skill" being approved for RMG domestically", said Justin Sriram Keeling, general founding partner at gaming-focused fund Lumikai. "We will keep a close eye on what kind of innovation this encourages in the broader market," he said.
Long-term market distortion
However, not everyone is thrilled about Google’s pilot programme, since some founders and executives claim the selective exclusion of other categories of skill games from the pilot is clearly discriminatory and is yet another example of the company’s arbitrary platform policies.
Per the terms of the pilot, only daily fantasy sports and rummy apps are allowed to participate. The tech giant will not allow aggregators of other real money gaming and gaming products or services that are owned or operated by themselves or third parties or contain any functionality enabling access to these products or services.
"The Supreme Court has settled precedent on games of skill. It has been held that success in these games depends upon a substantial degree of skill. So, players’ knowledge, training, attention, and experience, determine their success in such games. It is unreasonable for Google to only allow Rummy and Fantasy games while foreclosing the door on all other skill-based games that cumulatively form a bigger user base of over 500 million users in India," said Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder of WinZO, a social gaming and interactive entertainment platform.
Rathore said Google must rethink this decision as it could cause long-term market distortion in "favour of already entrenched players and discourage innovation". The pilot could also boost apps that are permitted over those that aren’t "to the extent of 70-75%", she added.
Puneet Singh, co-founder and COO at Baazi Games, which runs the online poker platform PokerBaazi, also urged Google to consider and bring all skill-based games "at par" on its platform.
"We believe that Google should include all skill-based games, especially the game of Poker, which has been recognised as a skill game by multiple High Courts, States and also the Law Commission of India. Not being challenged in the Supreme Court of India should not be a reason for not including Poker" he said.
Sudhanshu Gupta, COO of Paytm First Games, said the company is hopeful that this is the first step among many to come as many more skill-based games could benefit from the distribution and reach of the Play Store.
In a statement on September 8, a Google spokesperson said that the company is constantly exploring ways for local developers to "build successful businesses and offer delightful experiences on Google Play".
"Through this pilot program, we are taking a measured approach that will help us collate learnings and retain an enjoyable and safe experience for our users" the spokesperson said.
Suraj Chokhani, managing director of real-money gaming platform Ability Games, said more clarity is needed on the payment gateways that the apps listed on Play Store can use, the criteria for listing, and whether other skill-based gaming apps will be allowed.
Google should come up with a "clear, transparent, non-arbitrary and permanent policy for listing gaming apps on Playstore and clearly define a fair revenue sharing mechanism between Play Store and the developer from the payments made for such games," said Jay Sayta, a technology and gaming lawyer.
Google mentioned in a support page that apps participating in the pilot should not use the company’s in-app billing system or be available as a paid app on the Play Store.
From what we understand, they will be allowed to use external payment systems and Google will not be levying any commission on participating players during the pilot. Moneycontrol has asked Google for more details on this matter.


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Industry veteran Frank Sadowski has left leading CE e-tailer 800.com for the top electronics post at Amazon.com.
Sadowski, formerly senior VP/merchandising for Portland, Ore.-based 800.com, joins Amazon as VP/CE merchandising, with responsibility for consumer electronics and computers. He succeeds Carl Gish, who left the company in October, and reports to Steve Frazier, the former managing director of Amazon.co.uk who was recently named VP/hardlines.
800.com has not yet named a successor.
Sadowski, who began his CE retail career with Silo Inc. in Philadelphia and later served with Sun Television and Appliance in Columbus, Ohio, joined 800.com in 1999. In his new post, he is expected to leverage his industry experience to forge new direct relations with vendors, an Amazon spokeswoman said.
CE represents Amazon’s fastest growing category, second only to books in sales.

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SE Asia logistics report predicts ongoing freight delays
A leading logistics company has today (December 6) released a report showing sea and air hubs across South East Asia continue to suffer from delays, shortages and space constraints, and predicts the situation is likely to continue into 2022.
Röhlig, a sea and air contract logistics provider with customers in 30 countries, has published a December logistics update for territories including India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia.
In India it says that while currently there is no disruption to air freight operations, freight levels are higher than expected, and that the trend is likely to continue into late December.
Olympics, Lunar New Year will compound China freight delays
As for greater China - which includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan - Röhlig says the overheated sea freight market is unlikely to improve before the Lunar New Year on February 1, 2022.
It says a knock-on effect of this will be that the situation with congested ports on the eastern coast of the US is likely to become “more fraught”.
It adds that Covid-19 continues to impact freight operations in China, with high levels of Covid testing kits leaving little room for general cargo.
China air capacity hit by quarantine rules
And although Röhlig says there is currently no congestion at airports in China, it points out operations are running at reduced levels, due to the quarantine controls on staff and cargo.
It also warned that increased security around the Beijing Winter Olympics, being held from February 4-20, could cause air freight delays, and adds that this will be compounded by the Lunar New Year holiday, with driver shortages expected during the period.
Other by-country findings include:
- South Korea. Röhlig advises advanced bookings because the Lunar New Year will see reduced capacity.
- Thailand. It reports heavy backlogs at Bangkok International Airport, with the air freight market continuing to see large rate increases, as well as cancelled and delayed flights caused by space restrictions.
- Malaysia. The company says sea freight in the Oceania region is “critical”, with Australian ports, including Sydney, fully booked until the end of December. It’s a similar story with air freight.
- Vietnam. The company’s report says sea Freight space is “limited”, with equipment shortages being the main challenge. Tan Son Nhat Airport is also facing heavy backlogs due to limited capacity and high demand across the country’s air freight market.
- Indonesia. Röhlig expects no improvement on port congestion in the region, with vessel schedules expected to remain “unstable”, and ongoing delays expected into 2022.


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Indus Motor Company’s profit soared 194% to Rs5.4 billion in the quarter ended September 30, 2021 on the back of nearly twofold increase in sales and other income.
According to a notice sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the carmaker had reported a profit of Rs1.8 billion in the same quarter of last year. Earnings per share of the enterprise jumped from Rs23.48 during July-September 2020 to Rs69.02 in July-September 2021.
Along with the result, the vehicle manufacturer declared an interim cash dividend of Rs34.5 per share against Rs12 per share for the April-June quarter.
During July-September 2021, net sales of the company amounted to Rs65.6 billion, which was 92% higher than Rs34.2 billion in the corresponding period of previous year. Arif Habib Limited analyst Arsalan Hanif said that topline of the company increased due to the change in sales mix and volumetric growth of 59% year-on-year to 18,646 units. He pointed out that the carmaker had sold 11,715 units in the corresponding period of 2020.
“Gross margins settled at 10.79%, up 410 basis points amid a change in sales mix from low-margin vehicles to high-margin Fortuner and Hilux,” he said.
Other income soared 88% to Rs2 billion in the July-September 2021 quarter against Rs1.1 billion in the corresponding period of previous year.
“Other income increased amid a significant surge in short-term investments (PIBs and T-bills),” said Hanif. “Effective tax rate during Jul-Sept 2021 was 29.39% in contrast to 30.25% in Jul-Sept 2020.” During the day, the share price of the company increased Rs10.76 to close at Rs1,125 with 5,440 shares changing hands at the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2021.
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There is no doubt about Modern Warfare is one of the best series of gaming industry. There is also one more thing that really important and that is players are really missed a good Call of Duty game.
Naughty Dog, one of the most popular gaming companies in the game world, is currently working on The Last of Us Part 2. Also, it turned out that some developers who left the studio that developed Uncharted: Missing Heritage have been working on the new Modern Warfare game. A small Twitch publisher, who works as an Infinity Ward employee, said in a live broadcast that former Naughty Dog developers have helped launch the new Infinity Ward project. Robert Bowling, who recently worked in the game’s developer team, made shares pointing to CoD: Modern Warfare 4.
Old Naughty Dog developers help CoD: Modern Warfare 4
Infinity Ward, which has been working on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, will also return the story mode to the series. Naughty Dog developers, who are quite successful in storytelling, let’s see what the new Call of Duty game will show us?


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The next Grand Theft Auto game, often known as GTA 6, is currently in production, according to Rockstar, although the developer hasn’t provided any more information. Today, a fresh story from Bloomberg was published that included further information about the game’s protagonist, location, and potential release date.
According to the publication, GTA 6 will be the first time in the franchise’s history with a playable female protagonist. This assertion, which was made by “those acquainted with the situation,” is consistent with one that was made more than a year ago. Therefore, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, however it is still quite exciting since many fans have been calling for a female lead.
About this character, all we know is that she will be Latina. Although specifics are lacking, it is said that the story was motivated “by the bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde.”
We also now know more about the game’s geography, which is reported to center around a fictitious version of Miami and its environs. Vice City from 2002 was the final game with a Miami-based fantasy setting. But the setting of the game was 1986. Although there is no mention of it in the paper, I think GTA 6 will take place in the present.
Rockstar does want to keep adding new locations and objectives to the game, which seems to be done in an effort to cut down on crunch time, which has been a problem for many companies. Although GTA Online has received regular content updates, DLC for GTA 5 has never been released after the game’s initial release. Although I’m assuming GTA 6 will also have an online component, it’s intriguing to think that the single-player aspect may possibly get an overhaul.
The globe of Grand Theft Auto 6 will be the biggest in the series’ history and have more interior areas than any prior entry, but the initial vision was for it to be much greater. The paper claims that early designs incorporated regions with influences from North and South America. However, it doesn’t seem that this is still the case.
The game will now be released. It is expected to release at some point during Take-2024 Two’s fiscal year, which spans from April 2023 to March 2024, according to industry analysts. Developers, according to the story, are dubious. Although there is no set plan or release date, the project’s creators believe the game won’t be ready for at least two years, or at the earliest, 2024.


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The eagerly awaited launch of Apple’s iPhone into the UK has prompted a number of firms to launch business applications targeted mainly at small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) but a leading research firm is warning that the device is not yet business-ready.
Mobile synchronisation and device management company, Synchronica has launched a new service that it says will enable iPhone users to receive push email from Microsoft Exchange accounts, without requiring additional software to be installed on the iPhone, or behind the corporate firewall.
Users who log on at www.synchronica.com and register their iPhone with Synchronica’s Mobile Gateway will be able to send and receive e-mail immediately says the company. After a 60-day trial period, users will be migrated to a commercially-supported service. The free trial for UK iPhone users follows a similar trial that has operated in the US since August where more than 10.000 US iPhone users signed up.
At the end of October, Sybase announced that it will provide support for the iPhone within its Information Anywhere suite, claiming to enable IT organisations to provide secure delivery of Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange enterprise email to iPhone users. Sybase believes that its approach to providing enterprise support for the iPhone reduces potential security concerns while still providing a rich user experience utilising the native iPhone mail application.
However despite these moves, analyst firm Gartner is warning that the iPhone currently lacks the capabilities of being business ready, in particular in terms of security. Gartner says that Apple's first-generation iPhone is not configured with typical enterprise security and management practices in mind and that many organisations will find security capabilities insufficient.
Specifically referring to the Sybase announcement, it says that even though Sybase's plan to support wireless e-mail on the iPhone will likely lead to a wave of similar announcements, the iPhone still does not meet enterprise security policy requirements. It added that end users supporting the iPhone may be lowering security standards.
At time of launch, the iPhone was not available with business-specific tariffs.


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Randy Smith, Nicole Young, and Sarah Kalin Churchill will be celebrated at ROC 2019
(McLean, VA, May 9, 2019) The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will celebrate three outstanding revenue optimization executives during HSMAI’s ROC Americas in Minneapolis, June 18–19, 2019. HSMAI will be honoring Randy Smith with its prestigious Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Optimization. Additionally, Nicole Young and Sarah Kalin Churchill will be recognized with 2019 Revenue Optimization Professionals of the Year awards, which are co-presented by Rainmaker.
Randy Smith, chairman, and co-founder of STR will be presented with HSMAI’s Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Optimization for dedicating his career to providing the hotel industry with actionable data to improve business.
In 1985, along with his late wife Carolyn, Randy set out to create a true assessment of the number of hotels in the United States and accurately measure industry-wide occupancy. For more than 30 years Randy has partnered with industry leaders to develop, report, and create guidelines for the hotel industry, many of which have changed the global hotel industry, impacting the way every hotelier runs their business. While STR started as a two-person, U.S. hotel census company, it now employs 350 people in 15 countries, providing data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for global hospitality sectors.
The HSMAI Vanguard Lifetime Achievement selection committee cited the commitment to confidentiality, accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality, that drove Randy’s work to deliver tools that allow hoteliers to benchmark their properties against a competitive set and measure average daily rate and revenue per available room.
Randy’s contributions to the hotel industry have been recognized with a number of prestigious accolades, including the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders, the ALIS Lifetime Achievement Award, HSMAI’s Albert E. Koehl Award, and more.
HSMAI, along with co-presenter Rainmaker, is proud to also recognize Nicole Young, CRME, senior corporate director of global revenue management of Rosewood Hotel Group as HSMAI’s 2019 Corporate Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year.
Prior to her appointment with Rosewood in 2017, Nicole started her career with Loews Hotels and has led various commercial disciplines. Nicole is an expert at hotel, gaming, as well as food and beverage brand revenue strategy for luxury and lifestyle genres. She is currently the vice chair of HSMAI’s Revenue Optimization Advisory Board and in 2018 was recognized by Hotels Magazine as a “Next-Gen Leader Under 40” in the hospitality industry.
The selection committee noted that “Nicole’s drive and focus on developing others, challenging the 'norms' in the industry, and her ever-lasting thirst for information is inspiring for those who work with Nicole.”
In addition to her expansive career, Nicole holds credentials from the University of Southern California and Northern Arizona University, specializing in data science and analytics, hospitality administration and adult learning theory. Nicole’s pursuit of ongoing education and knowledge of the hospitality industry has set her apart as a successful role model and hotel leader.
Also co-presented by Rainmaker, the 2019 Single/Multi-unit Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year award goes to Sarah Kalin Churchill, CRME, CHDM, CHBA, director of revenue strategy at Pasea Hotel & Spa and Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort.
With over 13 years of hotel and revenue management experience, Sarah has a passion for driving revenue growth for numerous award-winning resorts. Her career began at Santa Barbara’s Canary Hotel. Prior to her current position, she led revenue strategy at Hotel Oceana Santa Barbara and Bacara Resort & Spa.
In 2018, Sarah was able to drive-double digit RevPAR growth reaching record results for both hotels. She was awarded the Revenue Team of the Year and Hotel of the Year in 2018 with Pacific Hospitality Group. Sarah is the 2nd person ever to achieve all three CRME, CHDM, and CHBA HSMAI certifications.
According to the selection committee, Sarah’s structured, pragmatic, and opportunistic approach to revenue optimization has helped re-energize Pasea Hotel & Spa and Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort’s property teams, instill a sense of ownership and created a positive environment to drive revenue opportunities.
HSMAI chapters and the industry at large can nominate individuals for the Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Optimization and the Revenue Optimization Professional of the Year Awards. Year-after-year the nominees represent top talent in the discipline. Nominees are judged by a panel of revenue leaders on a variety of criteria.
These awards will be presented at HSMAI’s ROC Americas, the world’s largest gathering of revenue optimization professionals in the travel industry. ROC 2019 will prepare attendees to take the lead in revenue strategy by elevating leadership, adapting to the ever-changing landscape of hospitality technology, and driving profit throughout the customer journey. This is the 16th year that hotel revenue leaders will convene for education, collaboration, and innovation at HSMAI’s ROC Americas.


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I am very proud to report that Hannah Grimes’ mission and ongoing work were recognized recently in two prominent state-wide publications.
The Hannah Grimes Marketplace was named Retail Business of the Year by Business NH Magazine! Organizations in nine categories were chosen for “their outstanding civic contributions and exceptional performance within their industry sector.”
The past year or two have seen great changes at the Hannah Grimes Marketplace. The store has an experienced manager, new customers, increased sales, new members selling through the Marketplace, and a strategic and engaged board. Congratulations to all!
In addition, NH Magazine recognizes the importance of the buy local movement and included my efforts at Hannah Grimes as among the “Game Changers” for the state and our local economy.
Thanks to all of YOU. Your support of the Hannah Grimes’ mission to make our region an economically vibrant, innovative and healthy place to live is what these awards and recognition are all about.


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BALTIMORE — Inflation continues to drive up prices on just about everything even America's past time.
The online website "The Hustle" looked into the average prices for a family of four to go to a baseball game.
If you buy four tickets, four hot dogs, two beers, two sodas and parking, the average cost is just under $205.
If you're going to Friday night's Orioles game against the Yankees, the average cost is $168. That's one of the most affordable in the league.
The cheapest is the Arizona Diamondbacks at about $126 while watching a Red Sox game in Boston is the most expensive.
The average cost is more than $324.


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Samsung Electronics has announced plans to build a $14.7 billion semiconductor plant south of Seoul that will produce logic or memory chips.
Samsung, the largest maker of memory chips in the world, is looking to its most profitable unit – the semiconductor division – to make up for falling margins in the hyper-competitive smartphone market, where prices of handsets have plummeted to below $100 for some 4G models.
Low-cost makers in China and India have curbed its once stellar growth. The company’s handset unit has faced two consecutive quarters of declining operating profits, and analysts expect it to post a third in its next report.
Its global share of the smartphone market has dropped from about 31 per cent last year to 25 per cent in the first half of this year. Sales fell almost 20 per cent during that period.
While the global smartphone market is forecast to grow by nearly 20 per cent to 1.2 billion units this year, Fitch Rating expects Samsung’s shipments during the period to remain flat.
Its new investment aims to tap into that growth at the upstream component level.
Samsung said the new facility will employ 150,000 people when it is completed in the second half of 2017. The investment is its largest in a single facility and will increase its chip production capacity by a “low double-digit percentage”, Reuters said.


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eBay is rolling out a new artificially intelligent (AI) tool that generates product listings from a single photo.
On Thursday, eBay announced that it was launching its new “magical” listing tool — which give sellers the option to create entire product listings from just a photo using generative AI.
The new tool uses AI to extrapolate details about listings from images. It uses photographs uploaded by other sellers to fill in details like a product title, description, item category, and other information that a buyer might want to know.
The company — which previously released a AI background removal tool for listing photos — says that this new feature will speed up the selling process and allow merchants to list items with ease.
“The ‘photo-to-listing’ tool was built internally, and the team will use the listing data generated to ‘train’ the model internally. eBay terms and conditions state that we have a license to use listing data,” an eBay spokesperson tells TechCrunch.
“At eBay, we’re using AI to reduce friction across the platform and transform the process of listing. With this tool, it makes the seller’s job of listing items incredibly painless, easy, and even fun.”
A Problem with an AI-Generated Camera Listing
However, TechCrunch reports that longtime eBay sellers have not been pleased with the platform’s AI direction and have complained about the quality of the text that’s being generated from photos.
The publication points to a post on the official eBay community forum by a camera seller named vssoutlet. The seller claimed that eBay’s AI-generated text for their camera listing was misleading, “dangerously bad,” and sometimes simply untrue.
Vssoutlet provides one example of a listing for a vintage Pentax K1000 SE 35mm SLR Film camera that they are selling. eBay’s AI generated a description saying that the camera came with a lens kit — which was false.
Vssoutlet also claims that the AI technology in the magical listing tool selected “Black” as the body color for the Pentax SLR camera they were selling. According to the camera seller, this is also misleading as the body color is a mixture of both silver and black.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.


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Officials from Comfort Revolution celebrated the grand opening of the company’s manufacturing facility in Belmont, Miss., in Tishomingo County. Comfort Revolution is a developer of high-end sleep products and is projected to create 200 new jobs over the next three years.
Comfort Revolution announced in September 2012 it would locate operations in the 432,650-square-foot facility formerly occupied by Schnadig Furniture Corporation.
“Today is an exciting day for Belmont and Tishomingo County as Comfort Revolution opens its doors for business and becomes the newest member of Mississippi’s business community,” Governor Bryant said. “I am grateful to company officials for choosing to locate in Mississippi, and I look forward to a long partnership.”
“I’ve always been impressed with the honesty and integrity of the people who live here. So when I started looking at site plans for a new plant, my thoughts naturally turned to Mississippi,” Comfort Revolution Chief Executive Officer Michael Fux said. “We are pleased to unveil this innovative, state-of-the-art facility to produce the finest mattresses, toppers and bed pillows available in retail stores today. And we are proud that once again we can label our products “made in America!”
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) provided assistance for infrastructure improvements in support of the project. Tishomingo County provided assistance for the project, as well.
“I congratulate Comfort Revolution on this milestone, and I look forward to watching the company thrive in Tishomingo County,” said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. “We thank our partners in Tishomingo County for working with us in support of this project, and I extend my congratulations to them, as well, on this exciting day.”
Headquartered in West Long Branch, N.J., Comfort Revolution is a leading developer and marketer of high-end, revolutionary mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows. The company’s products are made with premium memory foam and Hydraluxe ™ gel technology. For more information, please visit www.comfortrevolution.com.


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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
It sounds so trivial: a consumer scrolls on a social media app and taps to buy a product featured in a video. But this is becoming a very big business. The trend is so disruptive that the Indonesian government has banned online shopping on social media platforms to protect smaller merchants. TikTok may have found a way around that prohibition.
The Chinese-owned short video app will spend $1.5bn to become the controlling shareholder of GoTo’s Tokopedia. TikTok will buy 75 per cent of the unit, Indonesia’s biggest ecommerce platform, for $840mn. It will invest the rest of the money in the future of the business.
TikTok Shop, an in-app ecommerce platform, has been growing swiftly. Users quickly get hooked on buying items directly in the app. This pushed TikTok Shop’s estimated Southeast Asian gross merchandise value to $4.4bn last year. Its growth rate has outpaced regional rivals for two years.
TikTok will now be able to inject its local business into Tokopedia.
Shares in Tokopedia parent GoTo fell 20 per cent on Monday. This may reflect the view that TikTok has snagged a bargain at a time when GoTo’s net loss is narrowing. GoTo has a market value of $6.6bn. The ecommerce business accounts for 38 per cent of group gross revenue. GoTo’s $599mn loss in the first nine months this year was a big improvement on 2022.
For TikTok, the ecommerce market in Indonesia is alluring. The country’s gross domestic product per capita of about $4,800 is low. But it has a large, young population that is active on social media. This has helped Indonesia to become TikTok’s largest market outside the US, with 125mn users.
TikTok is driving global trends in ecommerce. Viral marketing via the website has sparked unprecedented sales growth at shopping platforms such as Temu and Shein.
Bringing more of that traffic in-house would be transformative. It would certainly boost the private valuation of TikTok’s parent ByteDance, currently some $220bn.
The question with the Tokopedia deal is whether TikTok can integrate social media and ecommerce without angering the Indonesian authorities.
Our popular newsletter for premium subscribers is published twice weekly. On Wednesday we analyse a hot topic from a world financial centre. On Friday we dissect the week’s big themes. Please sign up here.


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Sprint adds free access to Hulu on its unlimited plan
- Thursday, November 16th, 2017
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US telecoms company Sprint has teamed up with Hulu to bring the TV streaming service to new and existing customers on one of its monthly unlimited plans.
Through the partnership, from 17 November, customers on Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan will gain access to Hulu’s Limited Commercials plan at no extra cost. Customers will have full access to Hulu’s thousands of TV shows and movies including This is Us, Family Guy, Atlanta, Fear the Walking Dead, Seinfield, and plenty more.
Sprint and Hulu plan to soon offer Unlimited Freedom customers an upgrade option for Hulu’s plan dedicated to news and sport. This plan offers access to sports such as the NFL, NCAA football, MLB, NBA, and football/soccer from around Europe.
“We know people love watching TV on their mobile devices, so we’re making it easier than ever for Sprint customers to enjoy their favourite shows and movies on Hulu,” said Tim Connolly, SVP and head of distributions and partnerships at Hulu. “This exciting partnership with Sprint gives TV fans nationwide a powerful, seamless entertainment experience that they can take with them, whenever and wherever they want.”
Sprint’s unlimited plan gives customers unlimited talk, text and data for $25 per month per line, with the fifth line free. It also includes a 10GB mobile hotspot. This pricing is valid until 31 January 2019 – at which point one line will cost $60, two lines $40, and $30 for lines three to five.


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Jeremy Burge of Emojipedia has the scoop, er, the schmear:
Apple has released a new version of its forthcoming bagel emoji. Now including cream cheese, this aims to address concerns raised about the previous design.
I wonder what people will choose to complain about regarding this revision. Is that cream cheese not accurate enough?
—Linked by Jason Snell


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Source: Xinhua | 2021-01-04 | Editor:Christine
More than 35,000 tourists visited the renowned Terracotta Warriors in northwest China's Shaanxi Province during the three-day New Year holiday, local authorities said on Monday.
A total of 35,583 people visited the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi'an, the provincial capital, to catch a glimpse of the famous army of Terracotta Warriors during the holiday that ended on Sunday.
Under COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, tourists were required to book tickets online, with the number of daily visits capped at 75 percent of the museum's full capacity.
The museum also provides digital exhibitions of the Terracotta Warriors on its official website and WeChat account.
Discovered in 1974, the army of Terracotta Warriors was built by Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.-207 B.C.), who unified China for the first time.
China's rapid containment of COVID-19 and subsequent economic recovery offer hope to the global tourism industry that has been hit hard by the pandemic.
When Chinese band, Wild Children, performed their classic hit, Ballad of The Yellow River, at the popular band-competition reality show, The Big Band, the five ...
After years of hard work, changes and personal sacrifice by the local residents, Erhai Lake is seeing a cleaner, healthier future.
China is gearing up for a surge in domestic tourist trips as the COVID-19 epidemic has been mostly subdued.
Barbecue is one of China’s most popular snacks. Among different barbecues, Zhaotong Barbecue is really appealing to people who want to party with friends.
After the General Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a notice on July 14 to promote the resumption of tourism industry, various popular touris...
Trans-provincial group tourism can be resumed after being suspended for about half a year, but the outbound travel is still suspended amid coronavirus pandemic,...
Mother seeks to make digital revolution one that improves, rather than hinders, the inquisitive nature of children, Fang Aiqing reports.
Hungary will impose new restrictions on cross-border travel next week in order to prevent the coronavirus from being imported from abroad after a surge in new c...
Past industrial sites have become a hit among tourists in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Three myths about China proved wrong


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Behind eco-friendly products there is a complete farce that companies have created from an apparently conscious discourse. We all fall into the trap .
LatinAmerican Post | Vanesa López Romero
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For a few years, the environmental and anti-climate change movements have gained popularity. This, thanks to the visibility that international organizations and the media have given them. And it is that no less should be expected, since the climatic and environmental crises threaten to be the cause of the next extinction of our species and of the world as we know it. This has generated that both from the high political and industrial spheres as well as from the individuality , measures are taken that can generate a greater impact to not only take care of the planet, but also curb the consequences that we are already experiencing.
As these movements grow and become important in our daily lives, industries have been providing "eco friendly" options, which, as the name implies, refers to products that are "friendly" to the environment. The rise and growth of this type of product that we see today is intrinsically related to advertising campaigns that appeal to fleeting feelings and a lack of true empathy. And it is that we cannot deny that the discourse of eco friendly products manages to touch fibers.
But how good is this? Anyone could say that it is very good, in the long run they are promoting products that can help save the environment. But the sad reality is that "eco friendly" is merely a label that has been used exclusively as a marketing strategy.
The issue, we could summarize it, is that companies do not see climate change and the environmental crisis as a problem. What they see as a problem is that it is a growing issue, people pay attention to it, become aware and decide not to buy products that can continue to contribute to the issue. How is it solved? Creating products that claim on their label that they do not contribute to the problem, but rather, on the contrary, are helping to save the world. In other words, they did not create a product based on an environmental, political and environmental problem; on the contrary, they responded to the demand and from that they created a market. In other words, they followed the basic rules of a capitalist system, which is precisely one of the economic systems that is most dangerous for planet earth and its well-being.
What is eco friendly is greenwashing
The main problem with this label is that companies use it deliberately to refer to certain products that promise to solve a problem, while behind these there are production chains or other products from the same company that further increase the main problem. A clear example is Nestle, which has taken an apparently firm position regarding the importance of water and its conservation, taking tons to communities, creating campaigns for its protection, etc. However, Nestle is still a company that produces millions of plastic bottles to bottle its water, and other single-use plastics for many more of its products. Of course, these plastics end up in the sea and are one of the main causes of pollution and maritime contamination.
Various studies, including the article Sins of Greenwashing by Underwriters Laboratories, show that more than 90% of the products that have this label fall into what they call "the sins of greenwashing". These are: the hidden trade-off, the lack of evidence to verify that it is an organic product, false labels, irrelevance regarding components, the lesser of the two evils (which consists of distracting the consumer about the processes behind production), and lying and making claims about certificates and registrations.
In other words, brands use these tools to make their consumers believe that their eco-friendly products are transparent, but the reality is that they continue to generate as much pollution and are just as dangerous as products that do not have this label.
We suggest you read: Lithium: What Does the So-called 'White Gold' Represent for Latin America?
And then what to do?
The answer may seem simple, but it really is not. It is about researching, judiciously sitting down to understand the limitations of certain companies and their products and also understanding that production chains will never be 100% sustainable, as long as they are carried out by companies with merely financial interests. The recommendation? Avoid eco-freindly products from big brands at all costs.
Today, there are thousands of brands that are born with the purpose of solving the problem, not half adapting to a market. When buying products that do comply with being sustainable, you must fully understand the production chain. Ask questions like: Are the products 100% natural? If not, what are the non-natural components that it has? Who produces them? Under what conditions? How is the waste process?
Having the possibility of buying locally and from businesses that are really interested in making a change is not only a great advantage, but it also helps you not to be fooled.


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Shoppers rein in spending on toys and cosmetics as December sales slump
The figure for December was far worse than forecast by market consensus – double the 0.5% fall anticipated by experts. It also follows on from the 0.5% fall recorded in November, revised down from the initial 0.4% estimate.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), this “continues a broad downward trend that has been seen since the lifting of hospitality restrictions in summer 2021”.
The value (amount spent) by shoppers also fell in December by 1.2%, compared to a 0.5% rise in November.
The statistics, together with feedback from retailers, suggest shoppers cut back on department store spending, cosmetics, sports equipment, games, toys as well as jewellery.
This mirrors results from a separate ONS survey in December which found 60% of adults were planning to cut back on the amount of money they spent on Christmas 2022 compared to last year.
Eight in 10 said they planned to buy fewer presents while 73% said they were buying less expensive presents.
Further, the decline in December could also be due to longer Black Friday sales in November.
However, there was a 1% increase in clothes spending and household goods stores, such as furniture stores increased 1.5% over the month.
Meanwhile, food store sales contributed to the December fall, as shoppers stocked up early for Christmas with their November pay cheque.
Elsewhere, the ONS noted that the proportion of online sales fell to 25.4% in December 2022 from 25.9% in November, with feedback from some retailers suggesting that Royal Mail strikes led to more people shopping in stores.
‘Only choice is to spend less’
Danni Hewson, AJ Bell financial analyst, said: “Even Santa has bills to pay and when the household budget is feeling uncomfortably tight the only choice available is to spend less. For most people the fact the inflation number is falling doesn’t mean anything. December’s cold snap reminded us all that the cost of energy has gone through the roof and, as we watched those smart meters tick up at an alarming pace, many people reconsidered how much they could afford to splash out on their Christmas celebrations.”
Cande Cooper, UK retail consulting lead at Deloitte, said: “December’s festive period wasn’t enough to boost retail sales as volumes fell by 1%, an unexpected deterioration. This marks two consecutive months of retail sales decline in the ‘Golden Quarter’.
“The outlook for the next twelve months remains difficult for both consumers and retailers. While inflation is beyond its expected peak, it will still be one of the drivers behind retail sales value growth, with costs ultimately being passed on to consumers that could negatively impact demand.”
Cooper added: “Many will continue to adopt recessionary behaviours in 2023, including trading down, switching to cheaper stores, repairing or fixing items, and cutting back on non-essential purchases, especially those requiring financing which will be impacted by high interest rates.”


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America Is About to Witness the Biggest Labor Movement It’s Seen in Decades
It took 40 years and a pandemic to stir up a worker revolution that’s about to hit corporate America
In September 1945, a little-remembered frenzy erupted in the United States. Japan had surrendered, ending World War II, but American meat packers, steelworkers, telephone installers, telegraph operators, and auto assemblers had something different from partying in mind. In rolling actions, they went on strike. After years of patriotic silence on the home front, these workers, along with unhappy roughnecks, lumberjacks, railroad engineers, and elevator operators — some 6 million workers in all — shut down their industries and some entire cities. Mainly they were seeking higher pay — and they got it, averaging 18% increases.
The era of raucous labor is long past, and worker chutzpah along with it. That is, it was — until now. Desperately needed to staff the basic economy while the rest of us remain secluded from Covid-19, ordinarily little-noticed workers are wielding unusual leverage. Across the country, cashiers, truckers, nurses, burger flippers, stock replenishers, meat plant workers, and warehouse hands are suddenly seen as heroic, and they are successfully protesting. For the previous generation of labor, the goal post was…


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Scientists created the first 3-D printed hand to incorporate fingerprints, mirroring the bumpy landscape of a person’s fingertip. [Image Credit: Courtesy of Anil Jain]
Some of the fingerprint scanners that protect cellphones, banks and even border crossings can be tricked by new technology that prints wearable hands with detailed fingerprints.
Researchers wanted to test the quality of fingerprint readers and needed a way to standardize their evaluation. So they created a 3D-printed hand with fingerprints that they could slip on like a glove. But the team quickly realized that their pioneering technology could go awry if it got into the wrong hands.
“As a byproduct of this research, we realized a fake 3-D hand, essentially a spoof with someone’s fingerprints, could potentially allow a crook to steal the person’s identity to break into a vault, contaminate a crime scene or enter the country illegally,” Michigan State engineer Anil Jain, lead author of a report about the printing method, said in a press release.
2-D hand replicas have been used to test fingerprint scanners, but the 3-D version is more accurate. It’s made of a polymer that has similar strength and elasticity to skin, so the material and 3-D design more closely mirror the behavior of real skin. Using the same model repeatedly also allows researchers to precisely compare the metrics of each scanner and determine which is best, Jain said. Eventually, calibration could be carried out by robots with 3-D printed hands, testing machines faster and with standardized pressure each time.
3-D hands don’t pose too grave a security risk yet because they’re difficult to create. The research team went through an obstacle course of challenges during the study, which was funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
They had to determine which material ideally mimicked skin and had the perfect thickness (too thin and it would crack, too thick and it didn’t fit). They had to find a tool to clean the printer’s debris from the fingerprint’s ridges and how to support the printing of a hollow, delicate object. In the end, they printed the base and each finger separately before attaching them. The process was also expensive — the high-resolution printer that the team used cost $250,000.
Another hurdle for crooks is that in some scanning situations, like border crossings, a 3D- printed glove wouldn’t escape the notice of security personnel. However, for situations without a human guard, like when unlocking an iPhone, the security threat is much more realistic.
Jain hopes to highlight the security loophole to manufacturers of scanners, so they can upgrade their technology. Designers and manufacturers could explore the optical characteristics of skin compared to 3D-printed materials to create a safety mechanism. Or they could develop a way for machines to compare the color of skin to polymers, which have limited colors, Jain said.
The relationship between scientists and hackers is like a cat and mouse, Jain said by phone, with each racing to outsmart the other. For now, though, the scientists seem to be on top.
“The novelty of the approach and the novelty of the solution are most important to us,” Jain said. “And this research is a lot of fun.”


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Intel has announced that the next generation of bitcoin “digging” systems can be delivered with “Intel Inside” stickers.
The company announced that it plans to discuss the “Bonanza Mine” bitcoin mining chip at the upcoming conference.
Bonanza Mine has been described as an efficient, low-cost bitcoin mining ASIC, according to documents signed by three Intel employees.
For now, the program does not indicate whether Intel really plans to ship the Bonanza Mine as a finished product or just as a research project.
Intel has previously announced plans for a blockchain, and that it will not include standard processors or graphics cards. This is not surprising, given that bitcoin mining has long since shifted to ASIC.
Intel has not released information on hash rate, power or whether ASIC will be optimized for bitcoin only.


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Home » World News » Apple launches cheaper iPhone with smaller screen, home button
Apple launches cheaper iPhone with smaller screen, home button
Mark Cuban: We can create ‘better, smarter’ America 2.0
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on reopening the economy amid the coronavirus and discusses the possibility of a presidential run.
There's a brand new iPhone — and by "brand new" I mean an iPhone that looks like an old iPhone with the name of an even older iPhone.
Continue Reading Below
Don't worry, I'm here for you in this confusing and difficult time.
Announced on Wednesday, the $399 second-generation iPhone SE is now Apple's most affordable smartphone. It looks almost exactly like the iPhone 8, which it replaces and was previously priced at $449, yet has a faster processor and the same lower price as the previous iPhone SE, which the company stopped selling in September 2018.
The new model will be available for preorder this Friday and will begin arriving on April 24 by mail — given that most Apple stores are closed.
Sure, it might seem like minor stuff — especially against the backdrop of, you know, an economy and society ravaged by a pandemic — but there are people who have been anxiously awaiting this very iPhone for years. Yes, this is the phone for:
1. Those who don't want a phone the size of an Olympic pool.
2. Those who love the traditional home button like their first born.
3. Those who think phones above the price of $700 are totally ludicrous.
APPLE, GOOGLE DEVELOP CORONAVIRUS TRACKING TECH
The SE's traditional home button design and its "smaller" 4.7-inch screen fly in the face of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, which have screens 5.8 inches or larger and start at $699.


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The AS ITINUI Surf Club & French Bee are proud to present the 7th edition of the ROXY Vahine Cup with the support of the Fédération Tahitienne de Surf et du Pays.
The ROXY Vahine Cup is an all-female surf event that will welcome over 60 surfers.
Over 10 categories will be presented for all ages and levels, which explains the Cup’s increasing popularity over the past 6 years.
It is a fantastic opportunity for young talent to get scouted by agents and brands who have come from around the world in celebration of Tahitian surfing. Today’s greatest local surfer, Vahine Fierro, has been a longtime ambassador of the event and will be on the ground in support of all the girls and women competing.
The ROXY Vahine Cup will take place from August 25 to 27 in Papara, Tahiti, and will be broadcasted on TNTV on final’s day.
Spectators will be able to discover a surf village on the ground, celebrating environmental protection and well-being, featuring multiple free workshops and activities all weekend long.
Also on-site: a partnership with the Keep A Breast foundation, the Amazones Pacific foundation and Vahine Fierro, in collective support to breast cancer awareness. Five breast casts – shaped on local women – will be unveiled before being decorated by five local artists during the event.
ROXY, a brand of Boardriders, Inc., has been celebrating the power of women to make waves and move mountains since 1990. The first and only exclusively-female global action sports brand, ROXY specializes in the development and design of trend-leading, technically innovative lifestyle and performance wear inspired by the Mountain & the Wave. By creating first-of-its-kind products designed for surfing, winter sports, fitness and yoga & cultivating a breed of female pioneers who changed the course of sport, ROXY has empowered all women to challenge the status quo in every arena of their lives.


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Ctrip, China’s largest travel company, has announced a strategic partnership with London-based Big Bus Tours, which operates hop-on/hop-off tours in 19 cities (Budapest, Istanbul, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Darwin, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney) across four continents. Some points that come to mind with the announcement include the following:
— The partnership gives Ctrip global reach and equips both Ctrip and Big Bus Tours with the opportunity to pursue marketing opportunities that would otherwise not be possible. For instance, Big Bus Tours can leverage its connection to Merlin Entertainments¹—it is the world’s second largest attractions operator, behind only Disney, with such well-known brands as Legoland and Madame Tussauds—so that the partnership can package and sell all components of a travel holiday, both to and from China.
— Underscoring the latter point was Ctrip’s launch, just prior to the announcement of its Big Bus Tours partnership, of Trip.com. This is a new website that debuted after Ctrip had acquired the site, a travel recommendation service formerly known as Gogobot. There seems to be a belief among tour and travel industry observers that Trip.com will be a version of Ctrip for business outside the Chinese-speaking world.
— The Ctrip-Trip.com news came just about a year after Ctrip’s November 2016 acquisition, for $1.75 billion, of Skyscanner, the Edinburgh, Scotland-based fare comparison and meta-search site which has a strong presence in Europe, but also has offices in China and the U.S.
—It was a busy month last year as, at the end of October, Ctrip signed partnership agreements with L&L Travel Enterprises, Ctour Holiday, (formerly Seagull Holidays), a Los Angeles-based receptive operator that has China’s largest Visit USA market share on the West Coast; and Tours for Fun, a Los-Angeles based OTA that focuses on the Chinese market. That agreement gave the trio of U.S.-based companies access to Ctrip’s more than 250 million online users.
A Different Bottom Line: As Ctrip becomes more of a global market force, its management practices have become somewhat of a new standard, relying as they do on scientific practices in its decision making. One example of this was its use of a randomized control trial the company ran on telecommuting. Given the uncertainty over the impact of telecommuting on company profits they decided to rigorously evaluate its impact before making any management decisions. Ctrip conducted an experiment on 242 employees, sponsored by professors at Stanford University and Peking University. The experiment found that employees randomly assigned to work at home for 9 months increased their output by 13.5 percent versus the office-based control group, and their turnover rates fell by almost 50 percent. Adding in the savings from cutting office space telecommuting was found to have substantially reduced costs, leading Ctrip to roll this practice out across the firm.
¹ In February 2016, Merlin invested $34.4 million in Big Bus Tours for a total participation of 15 percent in the company.


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CENTER Parcs’ Whinfell Forest resort has launched their new luxury treehouses which you can now book.
The four treehouses have en-suite bedrooms, with a detached games den for the kids to play in as well as an outdoor hot tub and sauna.
Four new treehouses have launched at Center Parcs in Cumbria
Located in Cumbria, the large open plan living room and kitchen overlooks the forest for the best views of the park, along with a private balcony.
They can sleep up to eight guests, although current rules only allow six people at a time under the new government guidelines.
If the weather isn’t the greatest, the games room has a pool table and a TV – it usually also has games consoles and traditional games although these have been removed due to Covid.
Daily housekeeping is no longer on offer due to Covid, but extra towels will be offered in sealed bags, along with soap instead of toiletry packs.
Each treehouse has a large living and dining area which looks out onto the balconyCredit: Center Parcs
The detached games den is perfect for any rainy daysCredit: Center Parcs
Families can order food to the treehouse or cook for themselvesCredit: Center Parcs
Each treehouse booking is given two parking spaces as well as a Treehouse host.
Whinfell Forest is the latest Center Parcs resort to launch the treehouses, following in the footsteps of Sherwood Forest, Longleat Forest, Elveden Forest, and Woburn Forest.
Glen Franklin, Village Director at Whinfell Forest told local media they were “thrilled” they had reopened after the previous challenging months which saw the resort close due to coronavirus.
He added: “I can’t think of many better places than Cumbria to relax in a hot tub high amongst the trees and enjoy the beautiful views of our natural forest.”
Midweek four-night breaks at the new treehouses start from £2,299 for eight people, working out to £71 each a night.
Up to eight guests can usually stay but government guidelines has reduced this to sixCredit: Center Parcs
The private balcony has the best views of the forestCredit: Center Parcs
The private hot tub and infrared sauna is also a bonusCredit: Center Parcs
Other new changes at the holiday park include restricted access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise.
Guests on a three or four night holiday will only be able to book two sessions, lasting two hours, while seven night holidays will see families allowed to book four two-hour sessions.
Families will also have to have their swimwear on underneath to reduce contact in the changing rooms, and must arrive 15 minutes before the session.
Showers and dryers also won’t be operating but thankfully the rides and slides will still be operating, including the Wild Water Rapids.
WHAT A RIDE
Ride the Polar Express train with an overnight stay this Christmas from £129pp
COOKING UP A STORM
Thomas Cook relaunches from today with Italy and Turkey hols from £252pp
P&O Cruises cancels all holidays until early 2021 due to coronavirus
RAISE THE BAR
Lindt opens largest chocolate museum in the world with 30ft fountain
ON THE LIST
The 15 holiday destinations where you won’t have to quarantine at either end
A warning has been issued over a fake Center Parcs Facebook page offering a free stay at the Longleat resort, which has been shared by more than 17,000 people.
If you’re looking at booking a UK staycation later this year, here is what you can expect from other holiday parks which have already opened, including Haven and Pontins.
Timed slots for check-in, one-way paths and ordering food via an app are just a few of the changes waiting for guests at Haven holiday parks this year.
Continue Reading: Source Link


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CHINA GETS EVEN
IHG’s lifestyle and wellness brand, Even, has arrived in China, with the group’s first property opening in Nanjing. It is the first Even hotel in Asia and also the first outside of the Americas.
Since the first Even Hotels opening in 2014, IHG’s lifestyle and wellness offering is designed to meet the large and growing demand for wellness-minded travellers and help them maintain their balance on the road.
The 172-room Even Hotel Nanjing Yangtze River, located near the National Green Bay Wetland Park and Youth Olympic Stadium, is equipped with wellness-savvy staff, in room fitness experiences, an indoor tennis court, an indoor heated swimming pool, a bowling club, 7 meeting rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, balanced food choices and relaxing spaces.
The hotel is owned by Yangtze State-owned Investment Group and managed by IHG. 12 more Even hotels are in the development pipeline in cities like Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Sanya and Xi’an.
“We are thrilled to launch our first Even Hotel in Greater China and are dedicated to helping wellness-minded guests find their balance while on the road,” said Lin Wang, Chief Marketing Officer, Greater China, IHG, adding, “This new hotel also demonstrates the continued momentum behind our new hotel brands and our commitment to providing the Even Hotels brand experience wherever our target guest lives and travels.”
In recent years, the wellness trend has been gaining traction in China. More than 65% of Chinese consumers are conscious of health, according to a 2017 McKinsey China consumer survey. With more and more travellers realigning their priorities to put wellbeing first in today’s over-scheduled culture, there has been an increasing endeavour to stick to good routines while on the road.


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You remember the Vive right? The virtual reality collaboration between smartphone makers HTC and Half-Life creators and Steam owners Valve? Nothing? Well the HTC Vive is one of the big three VR solutions set to launch this year along with the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, and it’s pretty damn interesting. Best news is that it’s still on track for an April launch, and pre-orders go up at the end of next month.
That’s exciting, right? Well if I’m going to be frank, the pre-order debacle revolving around the Oculus Rift last week sort of knocked the wind out of my sails. Turns out the virtual reality is going to cost a truckload this year, with the Rift alone retailing for no less than $600. That’s a beefy price tag for a device that still requires an incredibly powerful PC to run, and it might be no different for the HTC Vive.
While requirements are around the same, the Vive packs a little more in the box than the Rift. First off is the two light cameras, which scan a space in your room to create a virtual box that users will be able to walk around in. That’s over and above the (now wireless) controllers, which feature an array of buttons, touch pads and sensors for the cameras and headset to detect. A headset that now also features a front camera, so you don’t have to come out of VR to see the world around you.
It’s a lot, and technology like that doesn’t come cheap. Regardless of that I’m extremely excited for the Vive, because out of the three VR headsets out this year (all of which I have tried) it’s the most exciting of the lot. Slipping on the Vive last year at Gamescom was a treat, and the first time that the escapism of virtual reality really worked on me. For 30 minutes I wasn’t in a room at the back of an expo centre. I was under water, in a kitchen, in front of a massive blank canvas and more, all while being able to move and manipulate the virtual space around me.
It left me kind of bewildered.
One of these encounters in particular took me onto a nearby table – after which I was rudely greeted by a spider coming up to my torso. Being utterly petrified of the creatures in real life, I immediately jumped back – uneased by the mere presence of the digital being as it scurried along in the opposite direction.
And then it hit me. This is what I want virtual reality to be. This is what virtual reality should be.
There’s no talk of price yet, but if that sounds interesting to you then the pre-orders next month might’ve just shot up in your priority list. That’s if they ship here at all (unlike the Rift, which doesn’t).
Last Updated: January 12, 2016
Captain JJ 4x
January 12, 2016 at 09:10
Valve = ftw
Wallet = lol no
Ghost In The Rift
January 12, 2016 at 09:53
Buy a Kinect they said, its gonna change gaming they said…
Sell your soul he said…0_o
Captain JJ 4x
January 12, 2016 at 10:17
January 12, 2016 at 10:51
I’ma get one 🙁
( that sad face, my wallet forced me to put it there )
( dry bread and water for the next few months :’| )


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Amazon’s chief of workplace safety will step down next month, according to an internal company memo obtained by The Seattle Times, marking the latest in a string of management changes at the tech giant as it rethinks how it treats its employees and customers.
Amazon senior officer in charge of worker health and safety is leaving the business in one month.
According to a statement sent to staff on Monday by John Felton, the chief of operations at Amazon, Heather MacDougall, who joined the business in 2019 from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, will leave on October 7.
Felton stated in the note, which CNBC was able to witness, “After developing with us for over three years as a vital member of our leadership team, Heather has opted to pursue other possibilities beyond Amazon.” I want to express my gratitude for her numerous contributions and my best wishes for her future endeavours.
The resignation of MacDougall was verified by an Amazon official.
During a critical time, MacDougall handled the health and safety of Amazon’s 1.5 million+ global employees. Early in 2020, when Covid-19 spread quickly, forcing companies and office buildings to temporarily close, Amazon’s warehouse and delivery staff continued to come into work as demand from customers for quick delivery skyrocketed.
The company’s reaction to the coronavirus, according to employees, was inadequate in protecting them at work, and Amazon has come under intense scrutiny for the injury rates in its facilities. The corporation promotes speed over safety, which puts employees at a larger risk of harm than competitors, according to complaints from workers, labour organisations, and politicians. One key driver of the new organising surge at Amazon facilities is workplace safety concerns.
Reports of dangerous working conditions have been refuted by Amazon. The corporation established challenging objectives to lower injuries under MacDougall’s employment, including a target to reduce recordable event rates, an OSHA measurement encompassing injury and sickness, by half by 2025. Even as worker discontent grew more intense, Amazon pledged to become “Earth’s Best Employer” last year and added it to its list of corporate principles.
Before joining Amazon, MacDougall oversaw for two years the OSHRC, a federal agency charged with looking into workplace health and safety issues between businesses and the Labor Department. In 2013, she was selected by the Obama administration to lead the organisation.
To improve Amazon’s reputation for safety, MacDougall also established relationships with prominent safety groups. Amazon and the National Safety Council established a cooperation in June 2021 with the goal of lowering the number of sprains and strains experienced by warehouse employees.
Becky Gansert, who now serves as vice president of global specialised fulfilment, will take up MacDougall’s position as head of global workplace health and safety. Gansert will also be in charge of Amazon’s learning and development departments, which are entrusted with “improving the everyday experience” of warehouse and delivery personnel, among other things.
Becky is particularly prepared to advance us with both safety and the entire associate experience, according to Felton, who noted that the two are goals that are intimately interwoven.


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The health department shut down Dumbo’s new waterfront food hall Time Out Market this week due to a refrigeration issue — saying that the shared walk-in fridge was found at 58 degrees, much higher than what’s considered safe for food, according to the New York Department of Health.
A spokesperson for the food hall says the closure was due to an “electrical repair” and that the market has plans to reopen tomorrow. DOH tells Eater that the refrigerator shared by all the vendors was found at “temperatures that could be potentially hazardous.” All food inside the fridge should have been kept under 41 degrees, according to the Food and Drug Administration standards.
Storing food above those temperatures can increase the risk of food-borne illnesses. Because of this, the commissary kitchen and fridge from which the vendors operate from was ordered closed.
The market, backed by Time Out magazine, opened just over a month ago with an impressive roster of food vendors including hits like Thai favorite Fish Cheeks, popular pizzeria Juliana’s, babka gem Breads Bakery, and pancake hit Clinton St. Baking Co. The 21,000-square-foot market takes up two floors at Dumbo’s Empire Stores at 55 Water Street, which features over 20 food stalls, three full bars, and a rooftop overlooking the East River.


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The smell of fresh garlic and crisp pizza dough has been gone from Grant City for the past three months -- the August closure of Nunzio’s Pizzeria leaving a gaping vacancy at the corner of Hylan and Midland and a scar on the heart of pizza purists throughout the borough. But a new business is now rising in the iconic pizzeria’s place, its non-food-related signage painful proof that garlic knots and calzones will no longer be served at that address.
“It’s time,” Nunzio’s owner, Robert Whiteaker, said in June when the business was first listed for sale. “My children are secure in their own careers and do not want to take the business over, so we made the decision to sell.”
After an equipment auction this summer and an emotional and chaotic wave of patrons during the pizzeria’s final days, Whiteaker announced that the spot would eventually become a cabinet factory showroom. That information is now confirmed by the location’s new navy-blue awning.
Called US Modern Cabinet, the store is still under construction with no evidence of an imminent opening and no additional details offered about what products will be sold there.
According to Department of Building (DOB) records, the owner of the company -- which is listed as “kitchen cabinet store” -- is Zhu John. Work permits were filed for the location on Oct. 21, and the job’s anticipated completion date is February 2024. But from the exterior it appears that much of the site renovation is already complete.
Nunzio’s, which was a Staten Island fixture for 80 years, was originally established by Nunzio Trivoluzzo in South Beach in 1942, at what is now the corner of Sand Lane and Father Capodanno Boulevard. Nunzio moved the business in 1960 to its Grant City location, right before selling it to Jimmy Coppolla, who owned and operated the pizzeria for years.
A neighborhood staple for decades, the smallish shop was known throughout the borough for its Neapolitan-style pies, but also for its flood-prone location. Even a slight storm would envelope the corner in water, but hungry customers would still wade through the deluge for a slice.
Whiteaker, Coppolla’s grandson, took over the business in the early 1980s, fully renovating it in 2002 before struggling through the damage of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Whiteaker, who just turned 65, said a shortage of workers, the rising cost of goods and COVID restrictions were to blame for his retirement decision.
“I don’t know,” he told the Advance/SILive during his pizzeria’s final week in business. “I might open a place in Jersey. This place is too big for me.”


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- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found three patents directed to solar panel mounting technology to have defective priority claims. As a result, the allegedly-infringing products sold by EcoFasten and SunModo pre-date the patents, rendering the patents invalid.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently affirmed the invalidity of three patents directed to solar panel mounting technology. The patents are owned by solar installer D Three Enterprises LLC, and were asserted in federal court against SunModo Corporation and Rillito River Solar LLC, which does business under the name EcoFasten Solar. Now that the three patents have been affirmed as invalid, D Three’s lawsuit against SunModo and EcoFasten will potentially be dismissed. Continue reading “Solar Panel Mounting Patents Found Invalid, Potentially Saving Defendants EcoFasten and SunModo”


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Farmers market, artisan grocer launching in Timnath
Fresh and artisan foods are coming to Timnath.
A new farmers market will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday outside the Colorado Feed & Grain building at 4138 Main St. More than 30 vendors are scheduled to set up shop.
A similar market was held in June and another is scheduled Aug. 5 for the growing town of about 3,000 people.
"There's absolutely a demand for it," said Becca Bay, who helps organize the event.
Bay said organizers are planning a more frequent market next year, which could be hosted weekly during summer months instead of this year's monthly trial run.
Bay also said she's opening the Colorado Feed & Grain Public Market Collaborative later this month.
The retail space will feature artisan foods and other products from the outdoor market vendors. Bay said the operation will be open year-round, every Thursday through Sunday.
"It will give some vendors a permanent space inside," Bay said. "We are thrilled to collaborate with local food, beverage and retail artisans."
A new craft brewery called Timnath Beerworks is also expected to open in the Colorado Feed & Grain building around Labor Day.
Follow Jacob Laxen on Twitter and Instagram @jacoblaxen


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Lieff Cabraser represents employee plaintiffs in class action litigation against fast food chain McDonald’s over the company’s so-called “no-poach” employee pay and mobility restrictions which prohibit employees from seeking opportunities at other establishments within the vast McDonald’s chain. In August of 2023, the Seventh Circuit overturned a lower court’s dismissal of the case, holding that the plaintiff-employees could bring their case to trial. McDonald’s subsequently sought review by the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to reverse the Seventh Circuit’s decision in favor of the plaintiffs. (The Seventh Circuit panel found that the trial court had prematurely decided “complex” antitrust issues in the matter.)
On Monday March 18, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take review of the case. This win for the plaintiff-employees means that the case will now proceed to trial in the lower court, where plaintiffs will have the opportunity to prove their case against the fast food giant.
Lieff Cabraser partner Dean M. Harvey, who represents lead plaintiff Leinani Deslandes, noted that the 7th Circuit correctly recognized that antitrust laws protect workers from collusion by employers in the same way that they protect consumers from price fixing. “We look forward to resuming this important case in the trial court,” Harvey said, “and to obtaining relief for the hundreds of thousands of workers who were underpaid because of McDonald’s misconduct.”
About Lieff Cabraser’s “No-Poach” Cases
Lieff Cabraser represents fast-food employees in a series of lawsuits challenging the practices of fast-food franchises that illegally restrict employee mobility, advancement, and pay. The complaints allege the restaurants’ practices of restricting employees from being hired at other same-franchise stores violate antitrust law and cause worker wages to be lower than they should be. The practices also significantly limit employees’ career mobility and advancement. Learn more about our firm’s Labor Antitrust practice.


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Gateway (NYSE: GTW) fell US$1.25 to $15.95 Thursdaymorning after the computer maker warned that its first-quarter operating income will bebreakeven, rather than the 17 cents per share expected by analysts.
Salesare “down slightly” from a year earlier, Gateway said.
Gateway said results for the quarter ending in March will also include a charge of $150million to $275 million as it restructures operations and narrows itsfocus to concentrate on core computer manufacturing operations. Thefigure includes a previously announced $50 million charge for job cuts.
In addition, the charge will cover the possible closing of unprofitableretail stores, “modification of or exit” from some international markets,and writedowns related to information technology projects, Gateway said.
“We expect to continue operating the business on a breakeven basis throughthe first half of the year, with a planned return to profitability and unitgrowth on a year-over-year basis during the second half,” said chairman andchief executive officer Ted Waitt.
Gateway also said it will restate results for 2000 to reflect accountingchanges and the writedown of investments in technology companies, loweringnet income for the year by about $74.5 million, or 22 cents per share.
Gateway shares are down from a 52-week high of above $75. The shares took ahit in January when the company reported afourth-quarter loss and announced the restructuring plan.
At the time,the company blamed “a continued deterioration of worldwide PC demand andincreasing pricing pressure, both of which are expected to continue at leastthrough the first half of this year.”


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“The Kroger team firmly believes in the power of our business to serve America and expand access to affordable, fresh and healthy food,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “As we reflect on the last year, I am pleased at the progress we have made toward our key environmental and social impact goals and incredibly proud of our outstanding team of associates whose dedication to ending hunger enabled us to reach a major Zero Hunger | Zero Waste milestone, donating 3 billion meals for our communities two years ahead of our stated goal.”
Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Milestones
Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitments aim to drive positive impacts for people and our planet by increasing access to fresh, affordable food; responsibly stewarding natural resources by reducing emissions, waste and food waste; and building more sustainable, equitable and resilient food, health and consumer goods systems. Since the launch of the impact plan in 2017, Kroger has given more than $1.3 billion to hunger relief, which includes 582 million pounds of surplus fresh food rescued and donated for a total of 3 billion meals directed to communities.
“The progress made over the last year is a true testament to the commitment of every last associate from the frontline to our merchandising, operations, supply chain teams and beyond, who are advancing our vision to create healthy communities free from hunger and waste,” said Keith Dailey, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer. “We celebrate another year of progress and our associates who make it possible.”
2022 ESG Report Highlights
People: Help billions live healthier, more sustainable lifestyles
- Invested more than $650 million in associate wages and training; increased the average wage for hourly store associates to over $18, bringing the rate to more than $23.50 per hour when comprehensive benefits are included—up 28.2% since 2018.
- Directed $336 million in charitable giving—including food and funds—to local and national non-profit organizations; of this, $253 million focused on improving food security in communities where we operate, reflecting the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste mission.
- Rescued and donated 106 million pounds of surplus food through Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program.
- Achieved 100% store participation in the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program.
Planet: Protect and restore natural resources for a brighter future
- Achieved a 15.2% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a 2018 baseline due to multiple factors including incorporating more specific emissions factors for electricity consumption and reducing refrigerant emissions.
- Improved environmental impact by reducing total food waste generated in retail stores by nearly 9% in 2022, and by over 26% since 2017.
- Achieved 82% waste diversion from landfill company-wide, improving from 79% in the previous year.
- Achieved goal to source 95% of wild-caught seafood that meets established sustainability criteria.
Systems: Build more responsible and inclusive global systems
- Sourced 20.4M pounds of Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients for Our Brands products, a 20.8% increase year-over-year, largely driven by transitioning Private Selection® coffee to Fair Trade Certified™ products as part of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge and introducing new Our Brands products in produce and seafood. These purchases contributed $2.1 million in Community Development Funds, which enable farmers around the world to invest in projects like water, education, housing and healthcare for local communities.
- Exceeded roadmap milestone toward achieving a sustainable transition to a cage-free or higher-welfare egg supply, with the goal to reach 70% cage-free by 2030 (2022 milestone: 33% vs. actual: 33.6%).
- Completed a new materiality assessment aligned with principles of double materiality to identify and prioritize material ESG topics that reflect the company’s potential impact on people and our planet and the potential impact of ESG topics on Kroger’s business.
Kroger’s 2023 Report and other resources can be found at the ESG Hub, ESG Strategy: Thriving Together.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over eleven million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.


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Singapore, Cambodia among Asean countries eyeing digital currencies to promote e-commerce, payment efficiency
- Southeast Asia a very fertile ground for digital payments innovation, (BIS) Innovation Hub executive says
- A lot of room to grow in the internet economy in Southeast Asia, says the National Bank of Cambodia
With a relatively young population that has a median age of 30 years and a high percentage of internet and mobile phone use, Southeast Asia has seen a lot of start-ups come up in digital payments, e-commerce and cryptocurrencies.
“Southeast Asia has been a very fertile ground for digital payment innovation,” Benedicte Nolens, head the Hong Kong centre of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub, said during a panel discussion. “When you see online e-commerce growth, typically it goes fairly well with new payment mechanisms.”
Nolens said this during a panel discussion at the China Conference: Southeast Asia event hosted the South China Morning Post on Thursday.
Elsewhere, Singapore last year teamed up with central banks in Australia, Malaysia and South Africa, along with BIS Innovation Hub, to explore “Project Dunbar” for the development of platforms for the cross-border settlement of different CBDCs.
“There is a lot of room to grow in the internet economy in Southeast Asia. Cambodia is a small country of 16 million people, where we have about 20 million mobile phone subscriptions,” said Serey Chea, Assistant Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia. It’s like a newborn baby who immediately is given a mobile phone subscription, or two or three subscriptions, she added.
Covid-19 had over the past two years boosted the digitalisation of economies, after many governments imposed lockdowns and encouraged people to shop online, Chea said. This had boosted digital payments in Cambodia and the rest of the world.
Singapore has seen the number of technology start-ups increase by 10 times since 2015, with traditional lenders such as DBS setting up platforms for the trading of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.
“It is a very interesting progression here in Singapore, because more people are interested in cryptocurrencies,” said Frederick Fung, chairman of the Association of Crypto Currency Enterprises and Start-ups in Singapore. He said it was not just the young who were interested in cryptocurrencies – older customers were also adopting digital payments.
Nolens at BIS Innovation Hub dismissed concerns about security and privacy. “Cash is the most anonymous instrument that exists today. So if cash goes digital, is actually easier to monitor than if cash is purely on paper, or in the form of coins,” she said.


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India’s leading telecom service provider Reliance Jio recently has upgraded its Rs 11 4G data voucher to offer increased data benefits. The company has upgraded the aforesaid data voucher twice in a span of 10 months making it an attractive proposition for Jio customers. Reliance Jio’s Rs 11 4G data voucher now offers a 1GB high-speed data benefit with existing validity till the current active pack expires. The change was first spotted by MySmartPrice.
Reliance Jio back in 2019 initially used to offer merely 400MB of high-speed data with the Rs 11 4G data voucher. The company subsequently in March upgraded the 4G data voucher offerings entirely to offer 100% more data on its booster packs along with bundling of additional off-net calling minutes for its subscribers. Jio’s Rs 11 4G data voucher then offered 800MB high-speed data along with 75 minutes off-net callng minutes.
The company had earlier this year scrapped IUC charges making its unlimited plans offer truly unlimited calling. The company subsequently unbundled off-net calling minutes from 4G data vouchers along with discontinuation of complementary data with Jio’s top-up recharges. Jo has now upgraded the Rs 11 4G data voucher to offer 1GB data benefit instead of an 800MB data benefit.
The upgradation makes Rs 11 4G data voucher a bit more attractive with the Rs 21 4G data voucher continuing to offer 2GB data benefit. Those in the need of just 1GB data benefit can simply for the Rs 11 4G data voucher unlike earlier wherein the 800MB data benefit would have made them contemplate getting the Rs 21 4G data voucher.


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A new free mobile application has been launched to help New Yorkers get groceries during the coronavirus emergency. The app, My Bodega Online, will help bodega owners manage online orders and dispatch deliveries in 10 minutes.
The app has been developed with the help of the Bodega and Small Business Association of New York and JungleWork, a premier on-demand technology service provider.
“We were planning to launch our app this summer, but the current coronavirus crisis has pushed our team to an early release,” My Bodega Online Founder and CEO Jose Bello said. “The service will be free during this crisis. We only ask the public to tip generously our delivery partners in gratitude for their heroic service.”
My Bodega Online has a goal of registering 1,000 bodegas in six weeks, creating 1,500 temporary delivery jobs in New York City. To achieve this goal, a crowdfunding page “Delivery NYC Now” on gofundme.com has been opened. Funds will cover training, system adoption by bodega owners and technical development.
“The app is a public service to the City of New York,” Bodega and Small Business Association of New York Founder Francisco Marte said. “We encourage all bodega owners to contact the team of My Bodega Online, upload their products and start using the app. It is an easy way to bring all bodegas to the digital on-demand world.”
“We are happy to help the team of My Bodega Online to launch this service,” JungleWorks Founder and CEO Samar Singla said. “Our company seeks to become a partner in solving on-demand grocery delivery issues during this moment of crisis.”


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IBiquity Digital recently said some 3 million HD Radio receivers have sold so far. Now ABI Research, which analyzes emerging technologies, predicts about 4 million HD Radio receivers will have shipped in the United States by the end of this year.
In Europe, led by Britain, governments have chosen the DAB standard and consumers have purchased nearly 13.5 million radio receivers, the firm said. By 2015, the worldwide installed base of digital radio receivers of all formats, excluding handsets, is expected to reach nearly 200 million units, ABI predicts.
“Smartphones are expected to include digital radio receivers starting in mid-2011, driven by carriers’ desire to offer users premium audio content while limiting the use of scarce radio spectrum,” stated senior analyst Sam Rosen. “This concern is demonstrated by AT&T’s decision to stop offering unlimited data plans, due largely to high data usage in New York and San Francisco resulting from Internet radio sites such as Pandora.”
ABI predicts digital radio technologies, including satellite radio and Internet radio, will reverse trends of decreasing listenership. Listeners will have access to niche programming targeted to narrower demographic segments and will respond to a more interactive user experience enabled by program guides and other enhancements. Broadcasters, in turn, will have a larger reach and the ability to provide better targeted and more interactive ads, ABI observes.
“The U.S. adoption of HD Radio began in the automotive sector, and then home, but finally extended into portables in 2010,” Rosen said. “The adoption of DAB radios in Europe has been led primarily by tabletop radio sales in the U.K.”
Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway have significant broadcast infrastructure in place, with Australia, Germany and France to complete the majority of their infrastructure in 2011, he said.


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Bitcoin is a virtual currency that is growing in magnewsworld popularity. However, it is not a safe investment, and there is no legal basis for it. Governments should be aware of its risks. It uses huge amounts of energy, especially in the mining process, and there are concerns about its negative environmental impact. Governments should also ensure that the currency remains stable and safe. At the moment, 81 countries, representing 90 percent of the numega world’s GDP, are exploring digital currencies.
While most buyers do not want to accept payment in a volatile cryptocurrency, some businesses accept it as a form of payment. Some investors craftymagazines consider it a speculative asset, like gold, while others view it as a hedge against inflation. It is worth noting that fiat currencies can be expanded indefinitely, while cryptocurrencies are not.
Governments around the world are attempting to regulate cryptocurrencies. While many governments have a hands-off approach, the rapid growth of crypto has forced lawmakers to formulate rules for the emerging sector. As a result, the vitlink regulation of cryptocurrencies is inconsistent around the world. Some governments have encouraged crypto usage, while others have opted to prohibit them altogether. This ambiguity is a challenge for regulators.
Governments must look at the justspine benefits and risks of cryptocurrencies and take an evidence-based decision. Regulators must also study how other countries have dealt with the issue to find the best approach.


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STōK Cold Brew, a brand of Danone North America, announced the launch of its new Espresso Blend Cold Brew, hitting shelves now.
Recognizing that younger consumers not only love their coffee cold, but also appreciate a good espresso, the Espresso Blend Cold Brew brings the two together for the brand’s darkest, boldest roast yet, it says.
A new permanent fixture in STōK’s portfolio of cold brew coffee, STōK’s Espresso Blend is brewed low and slow, with hints of chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, dried fruit and nuts, the company says.
“At STōK, every season is cold brew season. We’re thrilled to kick off the new year with the release of our darkest, boldest roast yet and settle the debate once and for all if it’s ever too cold for cold brew. By the way, it’s not,” said Brittney Polka, vice president of ready-to-drink beverages, and lead for STōK Cold Brew, in a statement. “Younger consumers not only love their coffee cold, but they also appreciate a good espresso. STōK’s Espresso Blend Cold Brew answers what consumers are looking for in the category, and we’re excited to continue giving them new ways to enjoy the coffee house experience from the comfort of their homes.”
Available in 48-ounce multi-serve bottles, STōK’s Espresso Blend Cold Brew is available to purchase nationwide for a suggested retail price of $5.99 a bottle.


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Without doubt, NFT is now penetrating every sphere and aspect of life. Perhaps it would have been unimaginable many years ago, but here it is now. In the more integrative approach of NFTs, India has launched an environment-themed NFT focused on tree planting. The NFT is titled “Now Funding Tomorrow.”
Tree planting has been identified as one way of sustaining biodiversity and conserving the environment. Following the launch in India, Seagram’s 100 pipers have launched other similar NFTs. This will continue in this year’s commemoration of International Day for Biological Diversity on Sunday, May 22nd, 2022, as it is expected that the brand will roll out its next set of ten unique NFTs. Each of these NFTs has 25 tokens, and this will further open opportunities to a maximum of 250 buyers.
The brand was in search of their first “Chief Tree Officer.” After this has been successfully concluded, they will roll out the next set of available positions for “Chief Tree Officers” who will work to increase awareness around the need for tree plantation.
Each NFT will be pledged to a leading environmental NGO, Go-Green, and the NFT will be priced at 9,999. Five trees will be planted for every NFT planted, and this is just a way of preserving the environment for the future as it will definitely contribute to the sustenance of biodiversity.
After about ten minutes of launch, 13 of the NFTs were sold. Profits from the sales of these NFTs will be donated to the AROH foundation as a part of the tree plantation initiative.
The Chief Marketing Officer, Kartick Mohindra, while expressing his excitement towards the initiative, said, “With our Play for a Cause music events in 2022, we have put in efforts towards ensuring a greener future. On World Earth Day, we started a campaign to support planting trees and restoring the environment by releasing 13 unique NFTs with Goodness themes.
The marketing officer also stated that the NFT launch will allow the public to venture into more environmentally smart investments.