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New health center offers primary care, dental, counseling and more, seven days a week
June 1, 2022 – Continuing its commitment to making quality healthcare more convenient, accessible, and affordable for customers across the country, Walmart Health is set to expand into Tampa, beginning in the Wesley Chapel region.
The new Walmart Health center, located adjacent to the Supercenter at 28500 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will deliver primary and urgent care, labs, x-ray and diagnostics, behavioral health and counseling, dental, optical, and hearing services all in one facility using a transparent pricing model. To match the schedules of busy families, the health centers will offer care seven days a week with weekend and evening hours as well as telehealth options on Sundays.
Attending the grand opening on June 7, 2022 will be Walmart Health representatives, health professionals, and local officials Andrea Marks, Vice President, Clinical Performance, Walmart Health & Wellness and Chandra Amin, Center Administrator, Walmart Health.


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One of the most anticipated films of the year is Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Before the movie’s July 21 release, promotional efforts have taken an intriguing turn. A pink Barbie dream home has materialised in Malibu, and fans can now formally rent it on Airbnb. The mansion will also reportedly be hosted by none other than Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Barbie’s lifelong friend Ken.
Fans responded enthusiastically to the film’s unexpected marketing tactic on social media, where images of the pink Barbie dream home went viral. The images show a two-story building with pink walls and a swimming pool that is accessible from the first floor balcony via a channel.
Variety reported that reservations for two separate one-night stays for up to two people will be available starting on July 17 at 10 a.m. PT. On Airbnb, users can make a request to reserve Ken’s room in Barbie’s Dream House. On July 21 and 22, the chosen visitors to the Barbie-inspired dream home will be given two nights’ free lodging at the pink estate in Malibu and will have the chance to see life through Ken’s eyes.
They can peruse Ken’s closet, practise line dancing on the outdoor disco floor, compete in a ‘beach off’ beside the infinity pool and take home a special piece of the Kendom, such as a pair of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboards.
Ken mentioned in the press statement that: “We all have dreams, and Barbie is lucky enough to have a house full of them. But now, it’s my turn, and I can’t wait to host guests inside this one-of-a-kind – dare I say, one-of-a-Ken? – digs.”
As soon as they saw the residence, fans broke down and commented on Twitter. “TIME’s Person of the Year is the Barbie marketing team,” added one. Someone wrote, “i need someone who loves me enough to do book us a stay here.” “Babe wake up new bucket list vacay just dropped,” added another read. “I will be moving in.” stated another.
Barbie features Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman and Will Ferrell. It is set to hit the theaters on July 21.

domain: news


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Popular jewellery brand, Bland2Glam, launches a sequel to its highly successful 2016 Holiday Collection. Its contemporary jewellery designs dubbed B2G Signature, are sketched in their Ikoyi studio and have become a favorite amongst fashion savvy women across Nigeria and beyond.
Bland2Glam’s 2017 Holiday Collection celebrates the beauty of friendship by bringing the spotlight on last year’s Holiday Collection cover girl, journalist, and media sensation, Lamide Akintobi.
Bland2Glam noted that Lamide Akintobi’s relationship with the brand has successfully evolved since her first feature with the brand and this is due to her strength of character and thoughtfulness. Bland2Glam believes that people like Lamide have no room for mediocre friends so thought to know some of the women that rock Lamide Akintobi’s world.
Bland2Glam is excited to present alongside Lamide Akintobi, two of her closest and best friends, Award Winning Actor, Lala Akindoju and On Air Personality, Tosyn Bucknor as we celebrate the act of enjoying and cherishing good friendships, happy holidays and do celebrate true friends this season!
Watch the campaign video!


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Due to some production issues, Samsung couldn't produce the chips for Apple which turned to TSMC only as a temporary arrangement
Some reports from a few sources have indicated that TSMC has already started off its manufacturing process of the first batch of A8 processors which are exclusively designed for the Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6. As unfortunate as it may sound but it is the truth that we might not be hearing any new news from Apple at the moment; at least not before the third quarter of this year.
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This leaves us to believe that the earliest we will be seeing in the iPhone 6 is this July and this latest latest flagship by Apple is going to sport a 4.7” display, making it a gigantic one for Apple. We previously heard about the rumors of the side bezels being gone completely to facilitate the larger screen size. Before this, Samsung had the contract to produce the chips for Apple but because there were some production issues, Apple had to move on to TSMC. But this arrangement is only on a temporary basis and after this we will see Apple and Samsung joined for this deal in a three year contract.


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Drugmakers start putting their list prices online
Drug companies are making good on their vow to post their prices online, part of an attempt to keep the Trump administration from imposing even more stringent rules on price transparency, Bloomberg reports.
The bottom line: This is a response to the administration's proposal to require drugmakers to include list prices in TV ads. Some experts say that making patients go online is not the equivalent of requiring TV ad disclosures. "If your aim is transparency, those prices need to be upfront and not require additional action from the patient," Connecture's Jim Yocum told Bloomberg.


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Bitcoin Live News At any public event over the last five years or so, there’s been a good chance that some passionate convert would show up to. Stay Up to Date On The Latest Bitcoin News Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency and still one of the most popular cryptocurrencies today. Most people interested in bitcoin news today will
May 08:00 2015 1.000000 LTC From May 28, 2020 To May 29, 2020 Litecoin Chart. Price Market Cap TradingView. 24h 7d 14d 30d 90d 180d 1y Max. BTC.
Set Up Computer To Mine Bitcoin Litecoin Paper Wallet Reddit. MODERATORS How do you really store a single copy of electronic information while disallowing .
According to smARTEREUM, Litecoin is on a rise and it is going to reach even $600 by the end of 2019! One of the reasons are growing prices of Bitcoin's.
On Thursday, the smartphone company announced a partnership with cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, making it easier for users.
Estamos viendo Ethereum y Litecoin que también proporciona Coinbase». Bitcoin está listo para volver a la plataforma, y esta vez los usuarios tendrán más.
Bitcoin Solo Vs Pool Mining Litecoin Vs Bitcoin Reddit. MODERATORS Do not fall victim to the Bystander Effect and think someone else will report it. Automatic .


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Jagex is a video gaming studio. Jagex is perhaps best known for OSRS GP its enormous Runescape collection, but many may not know that the company has been expanding its services to encompass the realm of publishing and even tabletop gaming.
Jagex recently announced that it had entered into a contract with indie designer Outlier Games to publish the first game of the studio, the spaceship management Roguelike This Means Warp. It's scheduled to be released on PC via Steam Early Access on March 17.
With replayability and multiplayer in mind, This Means Warp encourages players to be strategic and cooperate in chaotic, real-time space battles. adopt shrewd strategies as they guide their ship through the hostile, procedurally created universe.
Inspiring itself from roguelikes like FTL and games for parties like Overcooked, this Means Warp sees players control crew members aboard the ship, managing various devices, shooting weapons and conducting repairs, and ultimately mapping out a route through the tangled space.
For more information about Jagex's publication of This Means Warp, we reached out to Outlier Games' founders Paul Froggatt and Matt Rathbun and buy OSRS gold Lead Product Manager for Jagex Robert Fox-Galassi for their thoughts about the new partnership.


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Western’s Smokehouse, a US-based meat-snacks manufacturer, is set to acquire local peer Thrushwood Farms.
Family-owned Western’s, based in Greentop, Missouri, said it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Thrushwood of Galesburg, Illinois. Both firms are described as crafted meat-snacks businesses making products such as sticks, strips, bars, and bites from grass-fed beef and antibiotic-free pork, chicken and turkey. They both also offering contract manufacturing services and private label.
The two companies are backed by Charis Consumer Partners, a “small independent group of investors”, according to a statement announcing the deal.
Ben Rudman, the president of Western’s and a partner at Charis Consumer Partners, said: “Dating back 40 years, both companies have had tremendous mutual respect. The Hankes family is a pillar of the Galesburg community and the meat-processing industry. On a combined basis, we now have more capacity, capability, and innovation resources to help our customers grow.”
Thrushwood also owns a retail store that will close on 22 February so the manufacturing side of the business can focus on expansion, with a view to creating further jobs.
Doug Hankes, the vice president of Thrushwood and now a new shareholder in Western’s, added: “Our family has known the Western family for decades and this combination just makes sense. We are thrilled to partner with Western’s and Charis and look forward to using this partnership to help our customers grow.”
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OnePlus 9 RT is coming this year in October, according to the latest report from Android Central. This will be a replacement for the OnePlus 9R, which was released in India early this year. The phone is said to be exclusive in the Indian and Chinese markets, similar to the OnePlus 9R.
Recently, we have heard that there won’t be a OnePlus 9T this year. So in that case, the new OnePlus 9 RT will fill the gap in absence of the OnePlus 9T, the device will come with modest upgrades over the OnePlus 9R, reported AC.
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OnePlus 9 RT will come with a 6.55-inch 120Hz AMOLED display panel, a higher-binned version of the Snapdragon 870, and a 4500mAh battery with 65W charging. This phone will be the first OnePlus device with Android 12 out of the box.
There will be camera-focused upgrades, they are 50MP Sony IMX766 camera sensors like the OnePlus 9 series and the Nord 2.
It looks like “the entire software team is to fix the lingering issues in OxygenOS 12 so that an OTA build can be delivered to closed beta testers.”
It seems like the OxygenOS 12 would be built on top of Oppo’s version of Android 12 as a modified version of ColorOS. According to the report, the first Android 12 Open Beta from OnePlus will arrive “in just over a month.”
It means the release will be in the last week of September or the first half of October. OnePlus just started recruiting for the closed beta for the OnePlus 9 series.


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Facebook is the United States in 2016 the most popular mobile App
Smart phones(speaker factory) have deep into our work, life, entertainment and so on, while a variety of mobile phone APP also came out, we use a different APP every day, sometimes according to the environment using a different APP. When traveling, we will use the translation or currency exchange APP; calculation or mail APP, regardless of where will use; travel time we will use the navigation APP; entertainment friends when we use social APP.(speaker factory)
Recently, Nelson announced the United States in 2016 the most commonly used APP ranking, came in first is the Facebook APP. Statistics show that Facebook APP has 146 million monthly independent users, an increase of 14% over the previous year. Facebook Messenger came in second place with about 129 million unique users, up 28% year-on-year.
YouTube came in third, with 113 million unique users. There are some social media platforms into the top 10, such as Instagram, its owner is Facebook (speaker factory) . Twitter did not enter the top 10, no wonder the company troubled. Earlier this year when news that Twitter ready to sell themselves to Disney.
Interestingly Apple Music actually ranked No. 9, with 68 million monthly independent users. Although Spotify user base is bigger, but did not enter the list. Amazon APP has independent users 65.5 million, ranked 10th.(speaker factory)
In the top 10 smartphone APP, the fastest-growing is the Amazon and Instagram APP, respectively, an increase of 43% and 36%.
As of the end of September 2016, about 88% of US mobile users have smart phones, the beginning of the year when the penetration rate of about 86%.
According to Apple's APP store APP number of stores has more than 1.7 million.


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After becoming the most successful brand in the electronics market, Apple is making its way into the automobile industry. Apple plans to build a self-driving vehicle for the consumer market and to begin production by 2024.
As per Reuters, Apples wants to produce a self-driving car with its own battery technology by 2024.
The report claim, Apple’s ambitions for the self-driving vehicle is carved since 2014 known as Project Titan. Apple started from scratch designing its own vehicle. However, Doug Field, an Apple veteran who had worked at Tesla, returned to oversee the project in 2018 and laid off 190 people from the team in 2019.
Now, Apple wants to start fresh and produce self-driving car ‘in 2024 with next-level battery technology’. The company is allegedly working on this vehicle a new battery design that could “radically” reduce the cost of batteries and increase the vehicle’s range.
“As for the car’s battery, Apple plans to use a unique “mono cell” design that bulks up the individual cells in the battery and frees up space inside the battery pack, one of the people said. That design means more active material can be packed inside the battery, giving the car a potentially longer range,” the Reuters report said.
“If there is one company on the planet that has the resources to do that, it’s probably Apple. But at the same time, it’s not a cellphone,” a source who worked with Project Titan told Reuters. The Apple source had called the battery technology “next level” and had also said it feels like the first time you saw an iPhone.
Apple has decided to tap outside partners for elements of the system, including lidar sensors, which help self-driving cars get a three-dimensional view of the road, two people familiar with the company’s plans said.
Making a vehicle is definitely a challenge even for iPhone Makes. Elon Musk’s Tesla took 17 years before it finally turned a sustained profit making cars.
Talking about Apple’s autonomous driving software in 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “We’re focusing on autonomous systems. It’s a core technology that we view as very important. We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It’s probably one of the most difficult AI projects actually to work on.”
Apple also declined to comment on future plans and products.
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Thousands of billions of euros have been pumped into the European economy in recent years and the end is not yet in sight. More money and more debt seem to be the new medicine against every economic crisis, even in the traditionally sparse Netherlands. But how long will this hold?
The government as a shock absorbor
Casper de Vries, Professor of Monetary Economics at Erasmus School of Economics, thinks that economical cutbacks are unwise. According to him, too many savings were made after the previous crisis in 2012, which led to a second dip in the economy. In addition, de Vries believes that the crisis today cannot be compared to the credit crisis of ten years ago. Now supply and demand are disappearing. Then a player is needed to absorb and distribute the shocks'. And that should be the government'.
This is exactly what happens. Governments all over the world are doing what they can to dampen the settlement of the corona crisis. Also in Europe, billions are spent to protect citizens' jobs and purchasing power in the hope that the crisis is temporary and that the measures will be short-lived. The central banks, the ECB in the EU and the Fed in the US, are buying up loans en masse. This money ends up in the hands of governments, who use it to pay for their extra spending. Another part goes to the banks and pension funds. They are supposed to spend the money again, which should provide extra economic growth, but in the end the money mainly goes to large companies that do not need it. In addition, consumers are not helping as drivers of the economy. Instead of spending their money, they are saving for an extra buffer.
Aiming for inflation
The ECB has been aiming for an inflation rate of just under 2% for years. Inflation reduces the value of debt and makes it easier to repay them, which in turn lowers the threshold for taking on debt. However, the 2600 billion that the ECB has pumped into the European economy over the last few years has for a variety of reasons not led to additional price rises and thus to inflation.
Loss of billions
If the economy improves over time, people will start to spend their wealth. All that extra money will increase inflation. The only thing the ECB can then do is raise the interest rates. A higher interest rate means a lower price for a bond, leading to billions of losses for the central bank. Casper de Vries argues that the ECB should start reducing the bond portfolio now, but sees the difficulties faced by the ECB in doing so. For instance, countries would have to start cutting back, but there is no willingness to do so. If the ECB stops stimulating, there is a chance of recession and we have become too afraid of that', says de Vries.


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After a successful debut event at the V&A Waterfront last year, the Cape Town Mini Maker Faire is returning to the city this weekend.
The organisers of the Faire are promising “an even bigger and better event this year”, which kicks off on Friday at the Cape Town Science Centre in Observatory.
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The event is part of the global Maker Faire network, and is “a space where people with a passion for learning, collaboration and creativity can connect”, the press release suggests.
“Part science fair, part trade fair, and part something entirely new, the event offers a great day out for people of all ages to interact with amazing creations and experience the exciting world of the Makers.”
Over 60 exhibitors will show off their wares at the Cape Town Mini Maker Faire in Observatory this weekend
Programme director and producer of Cape Town Mini Maker Faire, Alayne Reesberg suggests that those exhibiting at the Faire are finding “innovative solutions to help solve social problems”.
Leading on from World Design Capital, we wanted to continue demonstrating and celebrating all of these wonderful projects, allowing people to meet the Makers and learn from them. We enjoy seeing this spark conversations and further action around the Maker Movement in Cape Town.
The Faire will also boast over 60 exhibitors whose wares, creations and ideas will be on show. This will include creations from the likes of Stellenbosch University’s Launch Lab, the Cape Innovation and Technology Institute and the University of the Western Cape.
— CT Mini Maker Faire (@makerfairect) August 24, 2016
There’ll also be a concrete creation competition, a drone flying arena, a kid-orientated Maker Station, and a number of talks from industry leaders.
For more information on the Cape Town Mini Maker Faire, check out the event’s Facebook page.


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According to a recent study by the RAND Corporation and supported by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Americans are consuming more alcohol since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Grocery stores and online retailers have seen a dramatic jump in alcohol sales. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Are you buying and consuming more alcohol now than you were pre-pandemic?
Please tell us in the poll below, and be patient if it takes a moment to load. Remember, we can’t see how anybody answers our polls, so no judgment from us. Cheers!


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AT&T posted gains in overall consumer broadband revenue and subscribers in Q1 2022, as strong momentum from its fiber expansion helped offset losses from its legacy copper business.
The operator’s consumer wireline segment added 289,000 fiber subscribers during the quarter, allowing it to overcome the loss of 284,000 non-fiber broadband customers to come away with 5,000 total net additions. While that figure marked a steep drop off from the 74,000 broadband customers AT&T added in Q1 2021, it was a sequential turnaround from a loss of 1,000 broadband subscribers in Q4.
All told, AT&T ended the quarter with nearly 6.3 million fiber subscribers and almost 7.6 million non-fiber broadband customers.
During an earnings call, CEO John Stankey declined to provide a breakdown of how many of its fiber net additions were new to AT&T versus existing customers transitioning from copper. However, he noted it is seeing “healthy growth” in the former category and pointed out it would be impossible for the operator to hit its fiber penetration targets without taking customers from broadband rivals.
“We’re actually picking up, as I’ve described it, share points in a way that I’ve never seen a product move in my career,” he stated
Stankey noted the operator’s fiber footprint now covers 17 million locations. That figure was up 2.4 million year on year and 800,000 sequentially.
“In fiber, we continue our great build velocity,” Stankey said. “This expansion continues to allow our business to grow…our fast-growing fiber revenues now make up nearly half of our consumer wireline broadband revenues.”
Total consumer wireline revenue came in at nearly $3.2 billion, with broadband accounting for almost $2.4 billion of that. Fiber accounted for $1.1 billion of broadband revenue, while non-fiber sales came in at $1.2 billion.
AT&T notably faced supply chain challenges which slowed its fiber rollout in 2021. While supply chain pressures persist across the globe, Stankey said he was optimistic operators in the North American market would fare better than peers in other parts of the world.
“What you should keep in mind is that the North American market is an incredibly profitable market for providers of equipment on a global basis,” he explained. “So as a result of that, if you’re into a situation where there’s some degree of constraint, I think if you’re an equipment manufacturer you have the motivation to make sure that you supply your most profitable market first.”
Consolidated revenue of $38.1 billion fell 13.3% year on year, primarily due to the impact of AT&T’s divestitures of its U.S. video business and Vrio in the second half of 2021. Revenue for “standalone AT&T” excluding its newly spun off WarnerMedia business rose 2.5% to $29.7 billion. Net income attributable to common stock fell from $7.5 billion to $4.8 billion.
Business wireline revenue continued to slide, dipping to $5.6 billion compared to $6.0 billion in Q1 2021.


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Worldwide: The expert contributors for the second session in ShortTermRentalz’ new RockSTRz webinar series on Thursday 1 October 2020 at 4pm BST have been announced.
Joining host and editor of ShortTermRentalz, Paul Stevens, for the session on “Which business models will succeed in a post-Covid world?” will be:
- Graham Donoghue, CEO, Sykes Holiday Cottages
- Henrik Kjellberg, CEO, Awaze
- Anna Skigin, CEO and co-founder, Frank Porter
- Jesse DePinto, co-founder and chief product officer, Frontdesk
You will learn:
- Challenges faced and opportunities for pivoting or restructuring
- Essential leadership qualities during a global lockdown
- The future of self-catered accommodation v managed vacation rentals
- How businesses will need to leverage technology to survive
- How business models will continue to evolve
You can now sign up to next week’s webinar at the link here.
Read the review here of our debut webinar last week, which focused on “Humanity v technology: how will tech adoption accelerate the professionalisation of the industry”.
The rest of the calendar for RockSTRz is as follows:
Thursday 1 October: Which business models will succeed in a post-Covid world?
Tuesday 13 October: The rise of bespoke booking channels


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The smartphone market is growing at a really fast rate with many different devices now available. This was arguably all started when Apple first gave us the iPhone in 2007. Samsung and HTC have joined the smartphone market, and saw sales rise fast at the end of last year.
An article by Joe Wilcox of betanews is reporting that both companies saw their shipments grow rapidly during the fourth quarter of 2010. Samsung saw shipments rise by 438.9 percent, while HTC’s grew by 258.3 percent. The market share for both companies also increased by big margins, for the year Samsung’s share went up from 3.2 percent to 7.6; HTC grew their share from 4.5 to 7.1 percent.
Apple Insider are reporting that Androids popularity continues to grow in the US, the OS pulled further away from Apple and closed in on RIM. Android by December 2010 had taken 28.7 percent of the smartphone market, compared to 21.4 percent in the Q3. Apple grew their share up from 24.3 to 25 percent in the same period.
According to an article on Channel Register, the smartphone has overtaken the PC in the fourth quarter of 2010. Makers of smartphones sold 100.9 million units in Q4 compared to 53.9 million the previous year. The PC did recover a small amount and shipped 92.1 million units during the same period.
For the whole year the PC still was out on top for sales, with 346.2 million shipped compared to 302.6 million smartphones.
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Press Releases 319 ITEMS
Entrust Advances Sigma Instant Issuance Platform to Deliver Unmatched Flat Card Durability and Personalization
Unique light curing module for Entrust Sigma instant issuance systems brings new levels of financial card durability and personalization to bank branches and retailers and other card issuers
Chain of Trust Pilot Completed, using Digital Travel Credentials to facilitate a seamless travel experience
Entrust has announced the successful conclusion of their participation in the Chain of Trust (CoT) Pilot, a six-month pilot project led by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Entrust nShield Connect HSMs certified under CSA Singapore’s National IT Evaluation Scheme (NITES) for use by government agencies
Entrust, a leading provider of trusted identities, payments and data protection solutions, today announced the certification of its nShield Connect XC hardware security module (HSM) product line under the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA)’s National IT Evaluation Scheme (NITES).
Banco del Estado of Chile Wins KuppingerCole Customer & Citizen Authentication Award with Entrust Identity and Issuance Solutions
Entrust, a leading provider of trusted identities, payments, and data protection solutions, announced that Banco del Estado of Chile has been awarded the KuppingerCole Customer & Citizen Authentication award.
Introducing the Entrust Cybersecurity Institute: Insights to Guide C-Suite Leaders in Addressing the Toughest Cybersecurity Challenges
The Entrust Cybersecurity Institute shares critical insights to protect digital identities and infrastructure, accelerate business growth
Entrust, a global leader in trusted identities, payments and data protection, today announced the acquisition of Netherlands-based Evidos, an innovative leader in cloud-based electronic signatures and identity verification solutions.
Use of Company-wide Encryption Strategy Accelerating to Meet Multi-cloud Security Challenges, Reveals Entrust 2022 Global Encryption Trends Study
Entrust-sponsored and conducted by the Ponemon Institute, research highlights gaps impacting organizations’ ability to meet rising threats.
New data centers enable customers to address regional data sovereignty requirements while bringing simplicity, scale, speed, and security to European operations
New Entrust CloudControl features support for VMware Tanzu and Red Hat OpenShift, delivers building blocks for comprehensive multi-cloud security platform
Entrust Paves the Way at RSA Conference 2022 for Cybersecurity Transformation Across a Rapidly Evolving Threat Landscape
Entrust highlights expanded support for multi-cloud implementations, quantum resilience, database security and machine identities
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We're not far now from the official release of Gears 5 worldwide, but unfortunately players in China are going to be waiting longer, it seems, as The Coalition have stated a 'specific issue' is preventing access to the game in the region.
The company released a statement explaining that sales and pre-orders have been suspended in China due to an unforeseen issue, although it didn't give any specifics into what the issue actually is, so it's unclear if it's technical or political in nature.
There is a specific issue with the Gears 5 release in China preventing people from accessing the complete game. Unfortunately, this issue means we have to suspend future sales and pre-orders, as well as the game’s release, in China at this time, we are investigating and will provide an update once we have more information. We appreciate your understanding.
There are some rumours floating around that the issue relates to matchmaking and server overload issues, but this has not been confirmed. Given that these issues are only just cropping up now, before release but after beta testing, makes this unlikely to me, though.
Given the country in question, it could also be a censorship or other political issue, which may also explain the lack of specifics about what is causing this delay.
Stay tuned to GameFront for more on this as we learn it.


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Don’t plug in your plug-in hybrid? EPA will now hold automakers responsible.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) may seem like the best of both worlds—they can run on electricity but won’t strand drivers if there’s nowhere to charge. These cars and SUVs are basically an electric vehicle and a gasoline vehicle in one, with both powertrains and the ability to switch fuels. The problem is that when drivers don’t plug in, a PHEV is just an extra-heavy gasoline car. As laid out in its proposed regulation for light- and medium-duty vehicles released on April 12, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now plans to do something about it.
To date, EPA has given PHEVs the benefit of the doubt both in consumer labeling and in regulation. In theory, drivers should rely more heavily on electricity the longer the electric range of a PHEV—they can go further before the battery runs out. To estimate the electric drive share of a PHEV of any particular range, EPA has relied on a study published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). That paper modeled this relationship based on survey data on trip lengths and essentially assumed that drivers plug in to charge every night.
Well, they don’t. Last year, we published a study using real-world data showing that, on average, drivers rely much less on electricity—and more on gasoline—than EPA has assumed. It is clear in the real-world data that many PHEV drivers simply never plug in at all. Why would a driver purchase a PHEV if they don’t plan to make use of electric drive? Well, in some cases, PHEVs can be cheaper than their non-plug-in equivalents when factoring in federal and state incentives. The pre-Inflation Reduction Act version of the $7,500 EV tax credit was paid out in full for some PHEV models and some states levelled additional rebates on top of that, like California’s Clean Vehicles Rebate Program. After raking in these incentives, some drivers apparently drive their PHEVs like gasoline cars. Many others plug in sometimes, but not as much as EPA had assumed.
The upshot is that EPA had been giving automakers too much credit for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from the PHEVs they sold. EPA counts electric vehicles as zero-carbon in its vehicle regulations, and PHEVs as partially-zero carbon, based on their assumed electric drive share. In effect, EPA was undercounting the GHG emissions from the higher-than-expected gas guzzling of PHEVs.
EPA is addressing that problem now by lowering their assumed PHEV electric drive share. The figure below shows EPA’s previously assumed drive share in blue and their proposed revision to that curve in red. EPA’s proposed new curve is almost exactly the same as the one in our 2022 study, shown in green, which we derived from user-reported data in the Fuelly app. As a result, EPA’s estimates have moved closer to real-world usage. For example, a PHEV with a 35-mile electric range will be labeled as 45% zero-carbon instead of 57%.
This is a big improvement and brings EPA’s regulatory treatment of PHEVs much more in line with the real-world data, but we actually think the curve should be even lower. The Fuelly data is reported by users who are using the app to track their fuel consumption. Naturally, this self-selected sample of PHEV drivers is likely to be skewed towards those concerned about their fuel consumption and, thus, more likely to plug in. In our 2022 study, we looked at another, less biased dataset: on-board diagnostic data collected by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) for PHEVs sold, used, or imported into the state. The BAR data is uploaded straight from vehicle computers and thus is not user-biased in any way other than representing only Californian vehicles. That data curve, shown in orange in the figure, is significantly lower than EPA’s proposal and the Fuelly curve. Since this dataset includes drivers who are not concerned about their fuel consumption as well as those that are, it unsurprisingly shows even lower electric drive share—and higher gasoline consumption—than the Fuelly data.
It’s a positive step that EPA is undertaking efforts to stop the over-crediting of PHEVs in the proposed light-duty vehicle GHG standards. However, as the data supports, we think they could be doing even more to better reflect the real-world emissions of PHEVs .


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Yamaha Officially Announces Monster Energy SponsorshipTue, 08 Jan 2013
As we reported in December, energy drink producer Monster Energy has signed a sponsorship agreement with Yamaha‘s factory MotoGP program, putting its brand on the Yamaha YZR-M1 race bikes, team clothing and equipment, as well as riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.
Monster Energy already had a personal sponsorship deal with Rossi but the company will now also sponsor Lorenzo. The reigning MotoGP Champion had previously had a sponsorship arrangement with rival energy drink company RockStar, but Yamaha exercised a clause in its contract with Lorenzo allowing a buy out of the RockStar deal as it conflicts with the team’s sponsor.
The new agreement with the factory team does not affect Monster Energy’s deal with Yamaha’s satellite team Tech3. The team will still be known as the Monster Energy Yamaha Tech3 team, but all four Yamaha M1s on the grid will now sport Monster Energy’s green M logo.
“Monster Energy is already a major partner to Yamaha’s top global sports activities in many domestic and international racing activities around the world in Motocross, Supercross, Endurance and Superbike disciplines,” says Lin Jarvis, managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing. “They have also been the title sponsor of the Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha team for the past 4 years. The expansion to include the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team is a logical and prestigious expansion of the program.”
By Dennis Chung
See also: Team Hammer Releases Martin Cardenas, Hero MotoCorp Reports Sales of 541,615 Motorcycles and Scooters in December 2012, Yamaha Gets Monster Energy MotoGP Team Sponsorship, Annuls Lorenzo’s RockStar Sponsorship Deal.


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Nexe Innovations nears start-up of Windsor, Ontario production site
Canadian PlasticsCanadian Plastics
The 54,000-square-foot facility will support vertically integrated manufacturing of Nexe's compostable single-serve coffee pods.
Nexe Innovations Inc., a Vancouver-based developer of plant-based materials science, says it’s getting ready to start production of its fully compostable single-serve coffee pods at its new facility in Windsor, Ontario.
Nexe first developed its Nexe pods, which are compatible with Keurig single-serve brewing systems, in 2021. The pods are made from completely plant-based materials and break down in as few as 35 days in a municipal composting facility.
In January 2022, Nexe purchased the 54,000-square-foot facility to support the development of a vertically integrated manufacturing operation. “With a focus on de-risking the supply chain and improving our margins, we continue to work with world class vendors and integrators to develop processes for our highly customized equipment to manufacture key components in-house,” Nexe officials said in a Dec. 15 statement. “Once complete, we expect to control our manufacturing process end to end.”
Nexe officials identified several advantages of transitioning to a vertically integrated operation and onshoring, including limited supply chain risks, protecting IP, higher operating margins, and lowering the carbon footprint. “One key advantage has been to accelerate the R&D process in-house, which has led to additional enhancements to our compostable materials, resulting in the Nexe pod composting in as little as 17 days, down from 35 days in an industrial composting facility,” the statement said.
Nexe expects to be in production in the Windsor plant in early 2023, with both component and finished goods manufacturing. The company has hired Chris Murray, whom it calls “an experienced senior sales leader” with more than 20 years of experience in the coffee and consumer packaged goods industry in Canada and the U.S. Nexe also says it’s currently in active discussions with various potential customers. “A key part of our sales strategy is to target private label and co-manufacturing segments of the market to reliably fill our production capacity as it comes online,” the statement said. “By the end of 2024, we expect…to have a total production capacity of ~500 million units per year for the coffee segment.”


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Pernod Ricard Adopts New Animal-Friendly Policy, Requires 1,600 Suppliers to Do the Same, After PETA Push
For Immediate Release:
September 10, 2019
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382
New York – Following discussions with PETA, Pernod Ricard—the world’s second-largest wine and spirits company—has adopted a monumental new policy ending its previous support of animal experimentation, stating, “Pernod Ricard shall not fund, conduct, or commission any animal testing unless they are explicitly required by law.”
The policy applies to Pernod Ricard’s brands—including Absolut Vodka, Chivas Regal whiskey, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Seagram’s Gin, Malibu Rum, Jacob’s Creek wine, and Kenwood wine—and to the more than 1,600 ingredient suppliers that signed Pernod Ricard’s corporate social responsibility agreement.
From 1986 to 2010, Pernod Ricard conducted or provided products for animal experiments in which more than 1,000 small mammals were used. During these tests, experimenters fed rats alcohol, injected them with alcohol, forced them to breathe in alcohol vapor, stabbed needles in their eyes, deprived them of water, force-fed them rat and human feces, cut off their heads, dissected them, and performed other procedures.
“Pernod Ricard’s compassionate decision means that the company and its suppliers will never again starve, poison, or kill gentle animals in voluntary experiments, which aren’t required by law and are irrelevant to human health,” says PETA Vice President Shalin Gala. “PETA is calling on companies still clinging to archaic animal tests to follow Pernod Ricard’s example and embrace modern, animal-free research methods.”
Pernod Ricard joins a growing list of major food and beverage companies – including Asahi Group Holdings, Barilla, The Coca-Cola Company, General Mills, Hershey, House Foods, Kellogg, Kikkoman, Lipton, Ocean Spray, PepsiCo, POM Wonderful LLC, and Welch’s – that have stopped all animal tests after exposés by and discussions with PETA.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to experiment on”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


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Following finder.com’s reports on bitcoin and ethereum predictions, the product comparison site polled 56 specialists in the fintech and cryptocurrency industry to gauge their thoughts on future regulation of crypto exchanges. The experts predict that virtual currency trading platforms will be regulated, but not until 2025 or 2030. When regulation does occur, 76% of Finder’s panelists expect the trading platforms to be treated similarly to traditional financial institutions.
87% of Finder’s Fintech and Crypto Experts Believe Exchanges Must Disclose Proof-of-Reserves Audits
A recently published report from finder.com, which polled 56 experts in the fintech and cryptocurrency industry, shows that 87% believe exchanges will need to disclose proof-of-reserves audits and liability records. The specialists reveal that standard regulations for crypto exchanges will not occur until 2025 or 2030.
While 76% of the panelists believe crypto trading platforms will be regulated similarly to traditional finance platforms, 17% expect this to happen by 2024. 22% predict regulation by 2025, and 35% expect it to take place in 2030.
“Any exchanges that remain need to get with the program, proof of reserves and liabilities should be prerequisites and non-negotiable for people selecting where they trade,” Swyftx’s head of strategy Tommy Honan said.
Honan believes, alongside 87% of the panelists, that exchanges need to provide a record of liabilities and proof-of-reserves. “Exchanges also need to continue to upskill their users on self-custody and lean into new and innovative products that support it,” Honan added.
Split Views on Crypto Regulation: 15% Buck Tradition, Half Believe Industry Will Weather the Storm
About 15% of Finder’s panel, including Cryptoconsultz CEO Nicole DeCicco, do not believe crypto exchanges should be regulated similarly to traditional financial institutions. However, DeCicco predicts that standard regulations will be enforced throughout the crypto industry by 2024.
“It’s imperative though we warn investors about the risks involved,” DeCicco said in a statement. “At Cryptoconsultz we teach our clients to think of cold storage and self-custody solutions as their bank account and centralized exchanges similar to the money one might pull out of an ATM and walk around with in their pocket,” the executive added.
Approximately 42% of Finder’s experts believe that the number of customers for crypto exchanges will continue to decline following several bankruptcies in the industry, including the FTX collapse. 84% of the panelists emphasized that the cryptocurrency industry will survive the FTX implosion that occurred in November 2022.
42.31% predict that more crypto trading platforms will go bankrupt due to customer losses, with more than 15% thinking this will happen in five years and 26.92% within a year. However, exactly half of Finder’s panelists believe that no such event will occur.
You can check out Finder’s crypto exchange regulation prediction report in its entirety here.
What do you think about the predictions of Finder’s experts on the future of crypto exchanges? Do you agree or disagree with their views on regulation and the potential impact on the industry? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons


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Browsers were once the battlefields where advertising revenue wars were won and lost. Now, that battle is evolving and we have a new contender on our hands; the mobile ad blocker.
There’s nothing new about the ad blocker, internet users have been using them for years and 28% of Americans claim to already use Eyeo’s Adblock Plus extension on their PC. What is new is the trade-off between Google and Eyeo’s latest version of the Adblock Browser, a Firefox-based Android web browser that removes mobile ads from sight of the user. In 2014, revenues for mobile video advertising spend grew at a rate of over 140% in the UK in the past year, and so this was the last thing that Google needed.
The more people that use Chrome, Android, You Tube, Gmail or Google Drive, the more ads that can be blocked and the more potential money Eyeo can make from Google to let them ‘white list’ intrusive adverts appearing on our mobile screens. The real battle, therefore, is between whether customers chose to use an app or a browser through either of which advertisers are able to send push like messages but only via the browser, are ad blockers able to do their thing. .
With the rapid growth of retargeting and programmatic advertising, last click sales through ‘search’ especially through the paid search channels have seen dramatic drops in conversion as RTB has been seen as the star of the show. And as long as RTB drives users to browsers and browsers can be controlled by showing or not showing those last click ads; there’s money to be made from Google.
But Google are fighting back and working to minimises the number of users who leave the initial search. Soon we will see the ‘buy now’ button on Google Mobile Ads, the idea being that it will encourage shoppers in buying mode to ‘act now’ whilst performing product searches.
So, it seems that browser wars are back on the agenda for some of the major providers. If Eyeo’s ad blocker browser gains market share on Chrome, Google mobile ads could lose out, as could Microsoft and Yahoo! If tech providers like Samsung felt pinned down by the potential restrictions of using Google’s Android platform, then there could be options and reasons to look elsewhere for another provider.
As mentioned earlier, big companies like Facebook that mainly gain their advertising revenues through their mobile app rather than users browsing on a platform like the Chrome browser will remain more resilient to change. This is because 73% of Facebook’s revenue comes through mobile devices, whilst a third of the entire mobile browsing market sits with Chrome; a large percentage of which could have the potential to be blocked or ‘white listed’ at a cost to Google.
The Financial Times claims that, to prevent their ads from being blocked, Google, Microsoft, Amazon and others paid Eyeo 30% of their ad revenue in order to so called ‘white list’ their adverts and keep their visibility. . ‘White listing’ may be the new goldmine of the future, there is clearly a desire to cut down the amount of intrusive ads that we see, but it may also spell the slow demise of traditional display ads and the rise of promoted app advertising and sponsored tweets.
Watch this space. Change is on the horizon yet again.


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NEW YORK - A fleet of new, alternative-fuel patrol cars hit New York City on August 18. The New York Police Department outfitted 30 Ford Fusion hybrids as patrol cars, raising the department's number of alternative-fuel police vehicles to more than 400, according to the New York Post.
At 41 mpg, the Fusions are expected to get more than double the gas mileage of the City's conventional patrol cars, mostly Chevy Impalas.
The cars join the hybrid Nissan Altima sedans already in use, plus other hybrid vehicles used for parking enforcement, reported the New York Post.
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The New York Times often makes questionable editorial decisions. For example: publishing an op-ed by one of the world’s nastiest — and convicted, and in prison — terrorists, and not mentioning his, you know, resume.
Now, they publish an article pondering yet another massive Big Government power grab. This time, someone thinks tech giants like Apple, Google, and Facebook should be broken up or regulated like the telephone industry was for decades:
We are going to have to decide fairly soon whether Google, Facebook and Amazon are the kinds of natural monopolies that need to be regulated, or whether we allow the status quo to continue, pretending that unfettered monoliths don’t inflict damage on our privacy and democracy.
It is impossible to deny that Facebook, Google and Amazon have stymied innovation on a broad scale. To begin with, the platforms of Google and Facebook are the point of access to all media for the majority of Americans. While profits at Google, Facebook and Amazon have soared, revenues in media businesses like newspaper publishing or the music business have, since 2001, fallen by 70 percent.
It’s not just newspapers that are hurting. In 2015 two Obama economic advisers, Peter Orszag and Jason Furman, published a paper arguing that the rise in “supernormal returns on capital” at firms with limited competition is leading to a rise in economic inequality. The M.I.T. economists Scott Stern and Jorge Guzman explained that in the presence of these giant firms, “it has become increasingly advantageous to be an incumbent, and less advantageous to be a new entrant.”
There are a few obvious regulations to start with. Monopoly is made by acquisition — Google buying AdMob and DoubleClick, Facebook buying Instagram and WhatsApp, Amazon buying, to name just a few, Audible, Twitch, Zappos and Alexa. At a minimum, these companies should not be allowed to acquire other major firms, like Spotify or Snapchat.
The second alternative is to regulate a company like Google as a public utility, requiring it to license out patents, for a nominal fee, for its search algorithms, advertising exchanges and other key innovations.
The third alternative is to remove the “safe harbor” clause in the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which allows companies like Facebook and Google’s YouTube to free ride on the content produced by others. The reason there are 40,000 Islamic State videos on YouTube, many with ads that yield revenue for those who posted them, is that YouTube does not have to take responsibility for the content on its network. Facebook, Google and Twitter claim that policing their networks would be too onerous. But that’s preposterous: They already police their networks for pornography, and quite well.
Ah, the statist answer. Regulation.
But are these businesses monopolies? Google has major competition for its search engine and mobile operating system. Amazon has competition in a plethora of industries — and has long struggled to produce a profit.
They both have large shares of their respective markets, but that was often the result of simply being better than the competition. That’s the free market at work. Competitors have fallen by the wayside simply because they weren’t good enough.
The only one really lacking competition would be Facebook, but that’s because of a combination of factors. The bar to entry might be large, but Facebook, a free service, has no ability to prevent an upstart from joining the sector. Any attempt to either regulate them like a utility or to break them up is nothing more than punishing success. Frankly, I can’t think of a less American concept.
Which is par for the course from the New York Times.


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Co-Existence of Cash and Digital – the Key to Financial Inclusion Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
By Ravi B. Goyal
The wide spread of Covid-19 has left no country unscathed, pushing the world into shackles of economic instability. To curb the spread of Coronavirus, India’s Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed a nationwide lockdown starting 23rd March, 2020 and which has now entered into the fourth stage aka Lockdown 4.0. This lockdown, while a necessary measure, has challenged many businesses to change their status-quo and adapt newer business models.
In these critical times, the Government & Regulatory Bodies like National Payment Corporation (NPCI) of India have urged people to opt for digital or contactless payments. There were two main reasons for this. Firstly, using digital payments would reduce social/physical movement of people and secondly it will minimise any possible risk of spreading virus via cards or ATMs.
As a result, many people came under the ambit of Digital India and the existing users have increased their usage of digital payments. According to a report by Local Circles, 42% Indians have amplified their use of digital modes for payments in lockdown period. Ever since Remonetisation, India’s financial outlook has been towards inclusion. To aid this, the Reserve Bank of India’s Nandan Nilekani committee introduced various initiatives to deepen the penetration of digital payments in India. As a result, the country possesses a strong payment infrastructure to support the surge in digital payments. This transition from cash to digital was a quite seamless one – well for most citizens.
Photo courtesy of rupixen.
- digital payments


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NEW DELHI: Trade body AISTA on Tuesday urged the government to extend the deadline of selling sugar of February quota by two weeks in March as millers were not able to sell their monthly allocated quota in the domestic market.
At present, the government fixes a monthly quota for the sale of sugar in the domestic market. On average, about 21 lakh tonne quota is fixed for a monthly sale for mills.
For the current month, the nodal food ministry has fixed 22 lakh tonnes for the sale of sugar for mills. Mills are required to sell at least 90 per cent of the monthly quota as per the stock holding limit order of the ministry.PTI


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Internet usage in the country has increased after Jio entering India’s telecom sector. India is the world’s largest global Internet user. According to a recent report, India has emerged as the second largest country in the world, with a 12 percent stake.
Yes, Mary Meeker reports on internet trends in 2019, India is the second-largest country with 12% of Internet users in the world. Marie Meaker has commented on internet trends as a result of the support of Reliance Jio Internet for this development.
3.8 billion people in the world are using the Internet. It is more than half the world’s population. China is the world’s third largest Internet users. The share of Internet users is at 8%, third in terms of share of 21%.
Meeker also pointed out that Jio was one of the most innovative Internet companies outside the United States. Reportedly, Geo has a 30.7 crore mobile phone subscriber and has played a role in doubling Internet usage in India.
The number of global Internet users is growing, but reports are slow. The growth of Internet users has slowed after the number of Internet users increased by over half of the world’s population. The growth rate was 6% in 2018, down 7% from the previous year.


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SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ring, the leader in outdoor home security, today announced the 2nd generation of its Ring Video Doorbell, the most popular video doorbell on the market. The new device features 1080p HD video recording, a removable, rechargeable battery, improved night vision, interchangeable faceplates and a familiar, sleek design. Like its predecessor, the second generation doorbell also features two-way audio and motion detection and can connect to existing wired doorbells. With the new Ring Video Doorbell 2, Ring has yet again innovated and expanded its ‘Ring of Security’ to offer affordable security solutions for every home and further reduce neighborhood crime.
“Over 1 million users, who we call ‘Ring Neighbors’, trust our innovative and industry-first security products to reduce neighborhood crime in a meaningful way,” said Jamie Siminoff, founder and chief inventor of Ring. “With Ring, homeowners have stopped burglars and package thieves, kept an eye on their property when they’re not home, and communicated with family members and visitors at their doorstep. Continuously inventing is core to the execution of our mission ‘to reduce crime in neighborhoods’ and today's launch of the second generation Ring Video Doorbell is evidence of that.”
The effectiveness of Ring’s security devices is getting noticed. As one Florida police officer said: “Law enforcement is relying more and more on video evidence to help increase our rate of closure on theft and burglary offenses. The Ring Video Doorbell is a simple but effective tool in this endeavor, providing us with hard evidence and the homeowner with solid peace of mind.” The Ring Video Doorbell 2 ($199) is available today in the more than 15,000 U.S. retail locations Ring devices are sold in, including Best Buy and Home Depot, as well as at ring.com.
- Removable, rechargeable battery pack (charged through micro-USB port; micro-USB cable included with purchase)
- 1080p HD video
- Two-way audio
- Connects to existing doorbell (8-24VAC)
- 180-degree horizontal motion detection angle
- 160-degree field of view
- Compatible with 802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
- Improved night vision
- Lifetime purchase protection
- Familiar, sleek design
- Interchangeable faceplates
- Click to view photos.
Ring's mission is to reduce crime in neighborhoods and empower consumers by creating a Ring of Security around homes and communities with its suite of affordable, DIY smart home security products. These devices enable users to monitor and protect every corner of their property from anywhere. The “neighborhood watch for the digital age,” Ring devices continue to prevent burglaries and keep homes around the world safe. For more information, visit www.ring.com. With Ring, you’re always home.


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The Hiram, Ohio, company said it plans to invest $100 million in the 330,000-square-foot facility and create more than 200 jobs.
The cheese manufacturing and packaging plant will become the company's ninth. The others are located in Utah, Wisconsin and New York.
"There's a lot of people here in Manchester who (are) out of work," resident David Creek said. "They need jobs. Anything that comes our way is appreciated."
Hiring is expected to begin in the fall of next year and reach 200 by 2019.
"They (will) use a whole lot of robots and they (need) skilled people," Manchester mayor Lonnie Norman said. "That's why the pay will be in the upper range of $18 to $20 an hour."
The company supplies grocery and warehouse stores and restaurant chains and food service distributors.
"We're just sitting on the verge of doing big things," Norman said. "I hope this is a stepping stone for us to get other things."
Another cheesemaker, MDM Foods, announced in August that it plans to build an expanded production facility in Manchester. The new facility is expected to increase employment from 41 to about 70 people in the next few years.


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“When the pandemic struck, my first thought when it hit was, I’m going to die,” says Sabrina Zohar, the founder of a Brooklyn-based brand that makes sustainable loungewear. “I was afraid that we would close our doors and liquidate,” she said. This wasn’t the first fashion company to think so. The future of fashion looked grim when COVID-19 came to power and forced everyone inside. Many brands were left with products no one wanted, and consumers uncertain of what the future holds. Brand orders were being cancelled by stores. Even beloved brands and stores were forced to close their doors. The industry is still reeling from the downturn, and many are hoping to make enough money to cover expenses, if not to turn a profit, this year. Some fashion brands have managed to achieve success through their creativity and strategic style pivots.
“My mother used to say, ‘Necessity’ is the mother invention.’ I was forced to adjust to this new reality. Tie-dye was back in fashion at the beginning of March. I had a lot inventory, specifically white joggers, so it was a natural choice to adapt. They were custom-made-to-order and she began to tie-dye them.” “Instead creating pieces that I wasn’t sure if anybody would like, or even want to buy, I decided to create something that was so unique to each client, something they would genuinely enjoy.” Zohar reports that softwear sold for $150,000 in tie dye alone. She adds, “It was our rainbow to our stormy cloud.”
Cynthia Sakai, Vita Fede’s jewelry designer, didn’t just launch a product to adapt to the pandemic. She also launched a completely new business. Sakai states, “I saw a need for people having access to affordable, simple-to-wear and stylish masks that actually work.” The answer is evolvetogether, an FDA-registered brand of single-use medical masks that have a clean, minimalist look and a matte cloth-like finish.
Even though a medical mask business was set up organically for success in a time of limited PPE, Sakai was surprised at the extent evolvetogether was exposed. The styles were worn by celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Katie Holmes, Ariana Grande, Vanessa Hudgens, and Hailey Bieber. There was also a 40,000-person waiting list. Sakai states that the reason for our growth has been due to people liking our masks and feeling confident knowing that our masks had been tested and confirmed to work as they claimed. “I didn’t imagine I would make masks, much less waitlisted for celebrities to wear them.”
Karen Perez, fashion stylist, also didn’t see face masks being made before 2020. She was compelled to make one when she received requests from clients to find them chic, high-end masks. “I made my own design. She says she wanted a feminine and chic mask. “The chains added an interesting touch.” Second Wind’s facemasks are unique for their linen material (the brand is now offering silk versions), custom fit (something that is still rare), style factor and overall fashion. However, the chains that were attached to them were a novelty during the pandemic. They were different from other cloth mask brands. Second Wind sold more than 10,000 units in just 24 hours during the July pre-sale.
Perez says, “It was so overwhelming, that I had to close the web shop the next day.” “We were a made to order business and this was not something I was prepared for and expected.” The second drop sold in 10 minutes. The second wind also became a headline when WeWoreWhat’s Danielle Bernstein was accused by the media of copying the design for the face mask. She denied the accusations.
Hill House Home was poised for success, even though it didn’t know how much before this year. The home brand’s Nap Dress was a flowing frock with a smocked bodice and was first released in 2019. However, the name was trademarked in January 2020. It was only when spring’s stay at-home orders began that the dress was deemed a fashion trend and was crowned the 2020 Fashion Item of the Year.
The dress was a Hill House Home founder Nell Diamond’s “long-term dream” and she wasn’t certain it would be a hit with her customer. “I wondered if it was a Nell Thing’ – something that only I cared about. Diamond says that when we launched our first Nap Dress Collection, we quickly realized that the combination between comfort, style and price worked.”
She claims that the Nap Dress is currently 50% of the brand’s business. Each new launch – which now comes in six styles and a variety colors – results in the brand’s highest sales day and week. Hill House Home was able to sell one million dollars worth of inventory in just 30 minutes during its October drop. Diamond said that versatility was key to the success of the Nap Dress. The Nap Dress can be worn indoors or out. This is a convenient way to go from bed to work, from a meeting to dinner to errands to dinner without having to change out of your Nap Dress.
The Folklore is an online boutique that sells pieces from designers from Africa and around the world. They didn’t expect the success that 2020 would bring. Amira Rasool was the founder of the Folklore. In March, her sales dropped to the point where she considered getting another job to maintain the business’s viability. Rasool said, “I’m a gogetter, and I’m someone that always perseveres over everything.” However, she was unsure what she would have to give up. Rasool cut all “not super urgent” expenses, which significantly reduced her monthly overhead.
Many news sites and media outlets expressed support for Black Lives Matter and published lists of Black-owned businesses that they supported (we included this list). Rasool claims that Folklore was prominently mentioned, which led to an increase of sales. “I didn’t think being Black would be something that would benefit me. Rasool says that as Black people, we are so used to Black being something that makes us less safe at home and from getting the job. But after seeing the George Floyd video, there was an overwhelming amount of support. I can remember thinking, Is this what white people feel when they start things? I don’t know how many people have reached out to me, offered resources, or posted about me like this.”
“The Folklore is more than Black-owned. It was established in 2018 with the mission of supporting other Black creatives. It’s more than me being Black. It’s what my company stands for.” She explains that Folklore was created to assist other Black people and peoples from Africa. “These retailers have pledged to stock our products because we already had connections with these Black designers,” she said. Many people tried to find leaders in fashion who had been consistently working with Black-owned businesses and who specifically worked to empower Black designers.
With that in mind, the retailer’s most buzz-worthy moment came last month when it announced an ongoing partnership with retailer giant Farfetch to showcase some of the fashion brands carried on The Folklore. Although The Folklore has been consistently promoting these brands is due to the partnership between their fashion forces, Rasool’s persistence was what landed her this opportunity. While attending Farfetch’s fashion and retail tech accelerator. Dream Assembly, Rasool says she raised her hand during a talk given by Farfetch North America President Jeffery Fowler. I asked Rasool, “What are you doing to include more Black and African designers in your website?” She also asked, “How can you help my company, The Folklore?” It all started there.
The pandemic began with a slowdown in clothing sales due to consumers not having any clothes to wear and uncertain futures. However, recent trends have seen a shift in the way consumers shop. Many have decided to stop buying cheap fashion and instead invest in high-quality, long-lasting items that can last years. Kelsy Parkhouse is the founder of Carleen women’s clothing brand. She has seen this mindset shift firsthand. Despite sales looking “bleak” in spring, she says that the orders from August and beyond not only made up the losses in spring but also outpaced Carleen’s 2019 figures.
“The unique pieces are doing well. She says that people are simply excited to have that special emotional connection with the garment. We don’t get to see our friends as often. We don’t have the same opportunities to travel as we used to, so you won’t get the emotional rush from wearing my clothes. You won’t get this if you buy something from a large retailer. That’s why you should shop directly from the designer, or from a local shop that has a good relationship with all of the designers they work with.”
She attributes Carleen’s sales promise to her relationship with clients. “I had an interaction on Instagram with a customer who described the jacket that she received from me as being a lifetime warm, cozy hug.” But she also pointed out quilt outerwear, which is the brand’s specialty, as a fashion trend right now. Parkhouse suggests that Carleen could have experienced this moment and upswing if the world were a little more normal. “This is something we’ve been working towards for quite some time. But I can’t be certain.”
There is no way to know what the future holds for fashion, or what will ensure a fashion company’s success in 2021. We spoke with all brands that said businesses need to keep true to their brand’s vision, and not forget why they were founded. Fashion will need to be able to navigate the new post-pandemic consumer, in addition to navigating the immediate financial challenges facing many businesses. Sakai says that many consumers have seen a shift in their perspective. They realize they can do without a lot and are more careful about what they spend money on. It’s not enough to have a social media moment. Brands must be clear about how they fulfill both functional and emotional needs to remain relevant and successful. She plans to expand evolvetogether’s products to include more “thoughtfully crafted daily essentials”, as the demand for masks is likely to decrease in the future.
Zohar encourages companies to listen to customers now. She has experienced this firsthand when she was creating custom tie-dye pieces for softwear. She says, “Throughout this process I realized that the more customers feel like they have a voice, and the more they feel like they’re laying bricks down with you, then the stronger your relationship with them.” Customer service is the most important thing.
Although The Folklore had a good year, Rasool says it’s still a win for any brand that can make it. “My advice is to find ways to keep your business open. I don’t say you should find ways to increase sales by two weeks. It’s impossible to do that for many industries right now. Just survive and be as financially, mentally, and physically as possible,” she said. “Bring your strength back from the storms.”


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Ford recalls 375,000 Explorer SUVs over part tied to 13 crashes
Ford Motor Co said Wednesday it is recalling about 375,000 Explorer SUVs in North America for a part that can break and lead to a crash.
The second-largest US automaker said the recall covers some 2013-2017 model vehicles because of a possible fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link after a prior recall was completed. Ford said it is aware of reports of 13 crashes and six injuries related to this condition.
The problem affects approximately 350,000 vehicles in the US and 25,200 in Canada. Affected vehicles were built at Chicago Assembly Plant from September 4, 2012, to January 25, 2017.
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Dealers will complete a torque inspection of the cross-axis ball joint and replace it as necessary. The Ford reference number for this recall is 20S62.


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SYNOT Games promotes safer gaming with Gamblorium partnership
SYNOT Games has been an advocate of responsible gaming and now, in its sixth year of existence, has partnered up with Gamblorium to help enforce these standards.
The Swedish gaming laboratory only chooses the best casinos to ensure player safety and entertainment, thus carefully examining their providers’ games, licenses and payment methods.
SYNOT Games passed the scrutiny and is now featured on their site with recommendations for fan-favorites like Respin Joker, Firebird Double 27 and Aztec Jaguar, but players can look forward to much more with new entries making their way into the gaming space.
Gamblorium’s dedication and fairness warrants the safest means of entertainment and thanks to this partnership, Swedish players can enjoy the fantastic SYNOT Games content with confidence.
Check what Gamblorium has to say about SYNOT Games on their website.


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Energy management company Reposit Power will combine its GridCredits storage system with the Tesla Powerwall home battery system.
Reposit Power received $445,000 in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency last year to roll out a trial of GridCredits in Canberra, and the company now plans to offer it on a national basis later in the year.
GridCredits works with battery storage to control and store energy, giving consumers access to their own solar power overnight and at peak times. This reduces reliance on the grid and enables consumers to use more renewable energy.
It also allows renewable energy to be sold back into the grid through a system of market bids.


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Komli Media, a major digital media network operator in the Asian-Pacific region, this morning announced that it has acquired ZestADZ, a mobile advertising platform, expanding the suite of solutions it can offers clients to encompass display, video, search, social media and now mobile.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
ZestADZ is a product of a mobile marketing company called mobile-worx. The company is based in Chennai, India with offices in the United States (Los Angeles and Des Moines).
Mobile-worx was founded in 2007 and is led by entrepreneur Asif Ali, who will be heading Komli’s newly formed mobile division together with VP Amit Bhartiya.
ZestADZ essentially helps advertisers and agencies deliver targeted mobile advertising campaigns to drive brand awareness, generate traffic and leads, among other options, across feature phones and smartphone platforms such as iPhone, Android, and Windows Mobile.
eMarketer estimates Asia Pacific mobile internet users to nearly double from 623 million in 2011 to more than 1.22 billion in 2015. At the end of 2015, it is estimated that one out of every two mobile users worldwide will reside in Asia Pacific.
Within India, eMarketer pegs the mobile internet penetration at 40 million users currently, and expects it to grow to over 200 million users by 2016.


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Gemius double IAB Europe award winner
The statuettes were accepted on behalf of the company by Vesna Gordon, director of international sales and marketing at Gemius, and Marta Sułkiewicz, who is responsible for the development of gemiusAdReal study. The selection of best research projects was decided by a jury consisting of Nick Hiddleston (ZenithOptimedia), Pierpaolo Guidi (Subito), Agnieszka Hoffmann (Millward Brown), Chechu Lasheras (PRISA), Tony Evans (Facebook), and Paweł Kolenda (IAB Poland, IAB Europe).
The Gemius cabinet now holds four trophies from the European online industry. For three years in a row now, the company has consistently won at the IAB Europe competition. In 2016, Gemius won the prize for best research project which produces daily webpage view data overnight. In 2015, it was recognised for a methodology allowing publishers to discover their total reach across all devices.
In 1999 Gemius began in a Polish backyard as a start-up, to now – eighteen years later – be setting the trend and creating innovative solutions that are being used by companies around the world. Gemius technology is currently being used in more than 30 markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Recently Gemius began measuring the advertising market in Germany.


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Staying informed about the latest updates on special grocery price list which includes food prices, including vegetables, fruits, commodities, poultry, beef, and mutton, is indeed valuable for consumers. By keeping in touch with the kf consumer price list, individuals can stay aware of the current market trends and make informed decisions about their grocery shopping. This initiative seems helpful for those who want to stay updated on food prices and manage their budget effectively.
I found the Chicken Rate Today in Pakistan information extremely useful for budget planning and grocery shopping. It helps me stay updated on current prices.
- Sana, Karachi
- Oct 03, 2023
Chicken rate today in Pakistan is at an all-time high, making it difficult for many people to afford this essential food item. The government needs to take immediate steps to address this issue, such as providing subsidies to poultry farmers and importing chicken from other countries. We must also find ways to reduce the cost of production and supply chain disruptions.
- Noreen, Karachi
- Sep 20, 2023
The cost of chicken in Pakistan has seen some variations recently. Monitoring these rates is crucial for meal budgeting. Let's hope for more stability in the near future
- Nimra, Rawalpindi
- Sep 19, 2023


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Tuesdays Morning Market Prepper
- A Centrally Planned Utopia
- Invade Every Corner of Wall Street
- Concerns Are Overblown
- Nothing Has Changed
- Rural America’s Store of Choice
- U.S. Startup’s Supersonic Plane
- ICO Scam
- Deflation in Hyperinflation Forecasts
- This Could Be The Top
- Futures inch up; Senate committee votes
- EU to weigh legality of U.S. tax cuts
- Sterling skids on Brexit uncertainty
- Google supercomputer creates 'AI child'
- FB to spend billions on sports streaming
- Regal +6% on buyout from Cineworld
- Amazon Australia opens for business
- GM puts e-commerce on the dashboard
- Top Morning Charts
- Earnings Charts
- Overbought / Oversold
- Bull Flags
- Bottom Scan
- Head and Shoulder Scan
- The Trend
Yesterdays Unusual Option Action
Earnings this week:
The Senate Banking Committee will take two major steps today toward reshaping federal financial regulations and U.S. economic policy. The panel is expected to approve the nomination of Jerome Powell as Fed Chair, then mark up a bipartisan bill to exempt small and mid-size banks from portions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Powell is seen as a non-controversial pick and would take up the post on Feb. 3.
EU finance ministers will discuss U.S. legislation to slash taxes at a meeting in Brussels today and whether some parts of the reform will violate rules of the World Trade Organization. The group will seek to adopt a common stance, without taking any concrete decisions pending a final version of the bill, which aims to lower the corporate tax rate to 20% from 35%.
Sterling is heading for its worst day in over a month, falling 0.5% to $1.3415, on uncertainty over whether Britain can open up talks on post-Brexit trade with the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May failed to clinch an agreement during a lunch in Brussels yesterday after a tentative deal with Dublin to keep EU rules in Northern Ireland angered her allies in Belfast.
Japan is preparing to acquire precision air-launched missiles that for the first time would give it the capability to strike North Korea, sources told Reuters. The country is exploring Lockheed Martin's (NYSE:LMT) JASSM-ER, as well as missiles from Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. The report comes as UN chief diplomat Jeffrey Feltman travels to Pyongyang today for rare, high-level, political talks.
Saudi Arabian warplanes have bombed the presidential palace in Yemen's capital, stepping up attacks on Houthi rebels after they killed ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh just as he appeared set to switch sides in the conflict. His death may alter the course of the war in the country, and comes as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Trump's travel ban on six Muslim-majority nations, including Yemen.
Three years after Starbucks launched its first Reserve Roastery in Seattle, the coffee chain is opening its second Roastery - and first international location - in Shanghai. The 30,000 square foot space features everything from Starbucks' (NASDAQ:SBUX) longest coffee bar to its first in-store augmented reality experience and Princi bakery in Asia. China is Starbucks' fastest growing market with a new store opening every 15 hours.
In a price war with rivals ranging from Taco Bell (NYSE:YUM) to Dunkin' Brands (NASDAQ:DNKN), McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) will introduce new menus with $1, $2 and $3 items on Jan. 4. The company dropped its "Dollar Menu" in 2013 after franchisees groused that selling some items cut into profits. The replacement "Dollar Menu & More" had higher prices, but failed to draw more customers despite heavy marketing.
Walgreens is taking a different approach to grow in the wake of CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) announcing plans to acquire Aetna (NYSE:AET). The company is repositioning to reach two demographics of female shoppers - millennials and Gen X - with a big emphasis on beauty and food products. Walgreens (NASDAQ:WBA) is also modernizing its business, showing off an updated mobile app, a strong loyalty program and revamped website.
The Philippines has ordered Sanofi (NYSE:SNY) to stop the sales and marketing of its Dengvaxia dengue vaccine in the country after the drugmaker warned last week it could worsen the disease in some cases. Some good news? U.S. researchers have found that a Zika vaccine Sanofi dropped in September produced strong responses in more than 90% of those taking part in an early-stage clinical trial.
Facebook is hiring an executive to negotiate sports deals, according to the Sports Business Journal, and has been interviewing candidates for a lengthy period. Whoever gets the Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) job will reportedly have a budget of "a few billion dollars" for Internet-only sports streaming deals. While that won't stretch far in the conventional TV world, it could still be used to acquire multiple licenses.
A Google supercomputer has created its own "AI child," which is more capable than any AI built by human hands. Known as NASNet, the open source system is able to identify objects, such as people and cars, in photos and videos. According to studies, the Google (GOOG, GOOGL) "brain" can pick out these objects with an 82.7% accuracy rate.
While Amazon Australia intended to go live on Black Friday, a few technical hiccups got in the way, forcing the launch to be postponed. Customers Down Under will now have an opportunity visit Amazon.com.au (NASDAQ:AMZN) today as the website officially opens for business. Local retail stocks are on the march higher, however, amid complaints of limited product range and uncompetitive prices.
Ireland will begin collecting €13B in back-taxes from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) as soon as early next year after both sides agreed to the terms of an escrow fund for the money. The tech giant is still appealing the case. "We remain confident the General Court of the EU will overturn the Commission’s decision once it has reviewed all the evidence," Apple said in a statement.
Going deeper? Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) has received a subpoena from special prosecutor Robert Mueller over its real estate dealings with President Trump, who owed about $300M to the bank before moving into the White House. Those loans will likely be inspected to see if they "were guaranteed by the Russian government, or were in any way connected to Russia."
With fewer regulatory hurdles and a better strategic fit, Twenty-First Century Fox (FOX, FOXA) favors selling some assets to Disney (NYSE:DIS) over several deep-pocketed rivals, sources told Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) has announced that the final season of House of Cards will start production in 2018, but will not star Kevin Spacey, who is facing a number of sexual misconduct allegations.
Get your tickets... Regal Entertainment (NYSE:RGC) +6% premarket after British movie theater chain Cineworld agreed to buy the company for $3.6B, creating the world's second-largest cinema operator. The combined group's scale will help Cineworld mitigate any volatility in particular markets and match the global nature of rivals, including industry leader AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC).
Part of a broader realignment of its supply chain in North America, Toyota (NYSE:TM) has confirmed it will decide on a location for its joint U.S. factory with Mazda (OTCPK:MZDAY) in the first quarter of 2018. There's more than one state in the running for the $1.6B plant, said Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America, outlining his belief that the Trump administration "will tweak, rather than throw out NAFTA."
General Motors is about to enable drivers to buy coffee, find gas or parking and make restaurant reservations with a touch of the dashboard. It will roll out the new technology on millions of existing 2017 and 2018 GM vehicles starting today. Called Marketplace, the system links drivers to vendors like Starbucks (SBUX), Dunkin' Donuts (DNKN) and Priceline (NASDAQ:PCLN) to place orders while on the road.
Plagued by weak vehicle sales in the region, Ford (NYSE:F) is launching 50 new vehicles in China by 2025, including 15 electrified vehicles, said Peter Fleet, Ford's head of Asia Pacific. The automaker has also been scrambling to come up with electric cars to comply with China's tough quotas for new energy vehicles, or NEVs, that come into play in 2019.
Japan Airlines is betting at least $10M to bring back supersonic commercial flight at speeds that top those of the doomed Concorde. The sum is going to Boom Supersonic, a startup hoping to develop a plane that could cut flight times in half with cruising speeds of Mach 2.2. Japan Air (OTCPK:JAPSY) also agreed to take an option to purchase up to 20 aircraft.
In Asia, Japan -0.4%. Hong Kong -1%. China -0.2%. India -0.2%.
In Europe, at midday, London +0.1%. Paris -0.5%. Frankfurt -0.4%.
Futures at 6:20, Dow +0.2%. S&P flat. Nasdaq -0.4%. Crude -0.5% to $57.20. Gold +0.1% to $1278.60. Bitcoin +0.5% to $11676.
Ten-year Treasury Yield flat at 2.38%Today's Economic Calendar
8:30 International Trade
8:55 Redbook Chain Store Sales
9:45 PMI Services Index
10:00 ISM Non-Manufacturing Index


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Goodyear is actually serious about its idea for tires that are omnidirectional things, riding on magnetic levitation, like we showed you January of 2016.
Back then, they imagined a new kind of foam in the tread grooves, so water on the road would create pressure that automatically creates deeper grooves to deal with it.
Now they're going further, first with a rubber that is 3D printed, with the ability to stretch and shrink like human skin.
But it loosens, it can create dimples that work better in wet weather, stretching tight again, makes it close to a slit, ideal for dry pavement.
And it doesn't hurt that a ball-shaped tire is a natural water evacuator.
Now, of course, today you have to use the phrase AI in every sentence when you announce a new product.
In this case, they say the tire would use AI to do things like sensing damage, and maybe deciding to rotate on its axis to keep the damage more out of the load path.
If this is all too much to take seriously, Goodyear is also showing something more down to Earth.
IntelliGrip Urban, a new kind of tire for autonomous fleets.
Like what Uber wishes they already had.
Sensors monitor the tires Wear, inflation or damage because let's face it, when nobody drives the car there maybe no one to keep an eye on it's tires until there's a big problem.
[UNKNOWN] will be tall narrow things for low rolling resistance, to use less gas or get more EV range.
These aren't sports cars after all.
They also talk about sweating the design of sipes.
Those are the knife cuts you see on some tires.
They're much finer than the large grooves between tread blocks.
Goodyear says more and different sipes can improve all-weather performance while still resulting in a service that is smoother.
Which creates less noise, making for a quieter city.
Now like Goodyear, Pirelli's thinking connected as well.
Their Coneso or connected tire will have a sensor inside that sends info to the Pirelli Cloud.
About pressure, wear, or damage and monitors condition based on the model and application of the tire on your kind of car.
It can even track the history of use to know when the tire needs replacing, order it's replacement, and book a Shop appointment.
This is where it all begins to sound a bit too much like a way to sell us more tires more often, but I'm willing to withhold judgement until these [UNKNOWN] hit the market, summer of 2017.


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- 2 min read
WelcomHeritage will focus on home markets: Sanjeev Nayar
The GM of the heritage hospitality brand says local markets will be the succour of their sector, though it will take till Q3 to see any revival
Heritage hotel properties are one of the cornerstones of the hospitality industry in the country. Like all other parts, they too have been badly hit. Unique, difficult to maintain and usually requiring a great deal of personal attention, heritage properties are also a major attraction for international as well as domestic tourists in the country’s biggest and most developed hubs.
One of the hospitality companies working with heritage properties across the country while letting them exhibit their own unique characteristics is WelcomHeritage, which was formed as a JV between ITC Limited and Jodhana Heritage in 1997.
Sanjeev K Nayar, General Manager at WelcomHeritage spoke with ET Hospitality about the way forward.
“WelcomHeritage offers vast spaces, where social distancing is convenient, without impacting experience. Restaurant tables in most of these properties are large in size. We have introduced revised hygiene and sanitation protocol to ensure safe health practices by our employees and for guests. We have proactively taken precautionary measures at our hotels to try and mitigate the immediate impact,” Nayar told us when asked about what his company was doing in preparation of opening for business.
The strategy going ahead, according to Nayar would begin by reconnecting with all potential customers through all available mediums – website, emailers and social media. It was imperative to have effective digital and social media campaigns.
WelcomHeritage would also honour all bookings that were previously cancelled or deferred, in good faith as well as focus and rely on local and regional demand. They will have special experiential packages and promotions targeted at ‘locals’.
The company would also promote value-added services and flexible booking terms instead of reducing rates, as well as making packages for specific target groups and focusing on domestic travel.
“The overall occupancy in the branded hotels segment in 2020 is estimated to decline by 16.7 – 20.5 percentage points over 2019, while ADRs are estimated to decline by 7% to 8% for the year. As a result, RevPAR will witness a significant decline of 31% to 36.2%,” he added quoting an HVS Anarock report.
“India’s domestic market is very powerful and India has a lot many places that are yet to be explored like Pragpur (first heritage village of India), Shekhawati (famous for fresco paintings), Ranikhet (Known for Gandhi Kuti and Golu Devta temple) and many more. India being a diverse country has a lot of scope for heritage tourism as well so we expect the market to revive by Q3,” Nayar said.
It is imperative that all the industry stakeholders work together in the current crisis by sharing best practices, keep the employees motivated and seek to put the industry back into recovery mode, because this too shall pass soon, he added.


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Phoebe, Girlguiding Advocate, aged 20
In the current climate, we have become connected online more than we could have ever imagined. Whether this be for work, education, or keeping in touch with family and friends, young people are now spending the majority of their day online. Not only have lessons and celebrations been moved online, but Girlguiding volunteers have worked incredibly hard to keep girls connected in a safe, virtual space. It’s all the more important to stay in touch with our friends, something which the Girlguiding community provides.
However, being online doesn’t come without its challenges. Girlguiding’s recent Girls’ Attitudes Survey highlights that girls and young women are facing mounting appearance pressures in the virtual world. Today, our social media feeds can be full of unrealistic edited images, and misleading ads about weight-loss products. It’s upsetting that more than half of girls aged 11-21 have seen ads online that made them feel pressured to look different. In a time where young people across all four nations are spending more time online, Safer Internet Day is needed more than ever.


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Travel Trade Maldives has announced new categories for TTM Awards, which will feature expanded classifications reflecting resorts, hotels, technology & people. Currently, TTM Awards are only given to top producers in the Maldives’ tourism industry which are handed over at TTM Awards & Gala.
Further details regarding the new categories for TTM Awards 2022 will be announced next month.
This year, TTM Awards & Gala will be held at CROSSROADS Maldives, the country’s first fully integrated leisure and resort destination. CROSSROADS Maldives opened its doors to guests in September 2019, featuring two lifestyle resorts, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives and SAii Lagoon Maldives – Curio Collection by Hilton®, both of which have direct access to extensive facilities at The Marina @ CROSSROADS, an 800-metre lifestyle area and beach walk featuring retail, entertainment and dining outlets.
TTM Awards & Gala is held on the final night of TTM Maldives 2021, Maldives’ leading travel trade show. TTM Maldives 2021 is scheduled to be held as a hybrid event from 28th to 30th November 2021, and more than 300 hoteliers, suppliers, related industries, and travel industry professionals from Maldives and abroad are expected to visit TTM to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends in Maldives.
TTM Awards & Gala is dedicated to tourism industry professionals who work around the clock to ensure that Maldives is the leading tourism destination in the world. Every year, TTM Awards & Gala will feature a classy dinner, live music and informal networking sessions.


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Polestar's Latest Over-The-Air Update Adds YouTube, Improves Range Assistant Feature
Polestar’s latest over-the-air update gives drivers some new goodies.
Obviously, the addition of YouTube significantly cuts the boredom associated with charging, but the latest OTA update adds other features. Apple CarPlay’s Apple Maps data can now be reflected in the car’s driver display. Other CarPlay media and phone information will be reflected on the home tile.
Also, the vehicle’s range assistant has been updated to be more helpful to drivers. Drivers can now monitor their efficiency over the last 20, 40, or 100 miles. The more granular data will help drivers adjust their driving style to get the most efficiency while driving. Similarly, the algorithm that calculates the projected real-world range has been improved.
“We know how much our customers look forward to over-the-air upgrades and I am convinced this one will be well received,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. This is the 20th OTA update the brand has pushed out to its vehicles. Listening to clientele, and adding new features over time is one way Polestar tries to keep its customers happy. The new P2.9 update will be installed automatically in all new Polestars, and will soon be available in existing cars very soon.
Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here


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On the edge of the Staples parking lot off Biscayne Boulevard, a 1,300-gallon water tank collects rainwater that then fills the store's toilets and feeds the plants and shrubs.
It's all part of the environmentally friendly, LEED-certified design at the office supply store at 2121 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami. The store, which opened just over a year ago, earned a gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate in February.
It is the only retail store in Miami to earn an LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to Marie Coleman, a spokeswoman for the organization.
Read the full story at miamiherald.com.


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After some people have had the chance to see feature early, Instagram is adding a new sticker to stories that allows English speaking users to add auto-generated captions to their videos. On Twitter, the company said the feature will also be available on Reels. It also plans to make it available in more languages and in other countries.
After Instagram generates the captions, you can adjust the style and color of the text as you like. Of course, you can edit them for spelling and punctuation as well, so that they better reflect what you’ve said. Deaf and hard of hearing users will likely get the most out of this feature, especially if hearing people go out of their way to caption their videos. But it’s one of those accessibility features that anyone can appreciate. After all, there are a lot of people who like to watch stories without sound.
Of course, Instagram is far from the first company to add automatic captions to one of its apps. TikTok, for example, recently added functionality, and other Instagram apps like IGTV have had them for quite some time as well. Either way, this is one of those features that you are happy to see replicated in as many apps as possible.
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