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Amare Global, The Mental Wellness Company, announced today the acquisition of Kyäni, Inc., a globally recognized and respected pioneer in health and wellness with business operations in over 50 countries. Through this acquisition, Amare begins a strategic partnership with Kyäni to further expand global reach after tripling partner growth and doubling revenue and customer growth this year, despite global economic challenges.
“This has been a year of transformative growth and momentum at Amare, and we could not ask for a better partner than Kyäni to help propel our global vision to share the benefits of mental wellness,” says Jared Turner, Chief Executive Officer. “We are prepared to take this next step as a company to accelerate global expansion and build a foundation of empowerment, wellbeing, and opportunity for as many people as possible. Many thanks to our passionate employees, Brand Partners and customers who’ve helped us reach this milestone.”
Founded in 2018 by successful entrepreneur Hiep Tran, Amare Global focuses on creating products that support mental wellness through the gut-brain-axis. Hiep’s vision of creating a company focused on mental wellness stems from his own journey in health and wellness after experiencing extreme burnout in the business world. This led to the creation of Amare Global and helps guide Amare’s holistic approach to wellness that includes products, programs, and people.
“Today we welcome the incredible Kyäni community into our Amare community with open arms,” says Hiep Tran, Founder and Chairman. “When I founded this company five years ago, I hoped to share the benefits of mental wellness and financial opportunity with the world. Our full company name is Amare Global, and this acquisition and strategic partnership will allow us to fulfill the global vision I’ve always had for Amare at a more accelerated rate. It was also imperative that Kyäni’s values and mission aligned with our own, and we feel confident they do.”
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Kyäni, Inc. was founded in 2006 by the Hansen and Taylor families and is a globally recognized pioneer of the antioxidant movement with ingredients that support natural Nitric Oxide production in the body. Co-founders Carl Taylor, Kirk Hansen and Jim Hansen set out to create a company that would bring hope and wellness to as many people as possible and grew the company to include Business Partners all over the world. Sadly, in 2019, co-founders and brothers Kirk and Jim Hansen were lost in a tragic accident that left the entire industry reeling.
“Myself, Kirk and Jim never wavered on our values of integrity, loyalty and hard work. As we’ve been searching for the right next step for Kyäni, I wanted to make sure the vision of Kyäni could continue forward and set our Business Partners up for optimal success. It’s no mistake we ended up at Amare Global, whose name translates to “love”. I’m so grateful for the employees, customers and Business Partners who’ve been on this journey with us. I believe this strategic partnership with Amare will help propel Kyäni forward into an exciting new chapter and further fulfill our mission of bringing hope, health, and wellness to the world”, says Carl Taylor, Co-Founder of Kyäni.
With business operations in over 50 countries and over 20 languages, Kyäni has empowered a global community to achieve an elevated lifestyle by activating greater health.
“I truly believe this strategic partnership with Amare will help achieve the vision Kyäni founders set out to fulfill. We look forward to this next evolution of growth and are energized to align forces with a likeminded partner whose team brings unmatched industry leadership and expertise”, says Katy Holt-Larsen, Chief Executive Officer at Kyäni.
Kyäni Founders Carl Taylor, and Kirk and Jim’s widows Rebecca Hansen and LeAnn Hansen will continue as shareholders of Amare. Carl Taylor will serve on the board of directors at Amare.
As “The Mental Wellness Company”, Amare moves forward with its mission to create positive ripple effects of change by championing the importance of mental wellness through the gut-brain-axis and building a purpose-driven community all over the world.


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In 1979, Ed Horvath took over the farm on which he grew up, 95 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.
And Ed noticed that the butterflies and garter snakes weren’t there anymore. So, in 1980, long before “organic” became a buzzword, Ed and his wife, Sherry, decided to raise animals without hormones, antibiotics or supplements.
Today, the couple’s Sunshine Organic Farm booth can be found winter and summer at the City Market Downtown, currently held every Saturday at City Hall.
And, the couple’s beef business has surged since autumn of 2012, when recalls were issued for beef products processed at XL Foods’ plant in Brooks, Alta.
“We’ve definitely noticed more demand for hamburger and ground beef, but people are more aware about their food now,” says Sherry. “And it’s not just about what happened at XL Foods. People want to know how their beef has been fed and how the animals have been handled.”
According to Canada Beef Inc., which markets and promotes the domestic cattle industry, the average size of a Canadian herd is 61 cows, much like the Horvath’s.
The Horvath’s raise grass-finished cattle, which take 27 to 30 months to get to market. A grass-fed cow (not finished) may only take 14 months to mature, as it may be finished with grain. The extra time it takes for grass-finished cattle to be ready adds to the cost, but more consumers are willing to pay for the wait.
In fact, to keep up with demand, the Horvaths could add more capacity to their operation. But they don’t want to do that because it would mean giving the animals food they didn’t grow.
“We could expand the business faster but that would mean bringing in things we didn’t grow. We will do the best that we can,” says Sherry.
Business is also growing at TK Ranch. The Coronation-area ranch sells to customers in both Calgary and Edmonton, and doesn’t grain-feed its cattle, but does use barley sprouts. The ranch won the National Prairie Conservation Award in 2010 for its environmental stewardship.
“The XL Foods crisis is far from the only incident that is making consumers reconsider their buying choices – all you have to do is watch the news or listen to the radio to discover how scary food has become for the average consumer,” says TK’s Colleen Biggs, who runs the ranch with her husband, Dylan. “The disconnect between people and their food grows wider every time a small family farm is forced out of business by this country’s cheap food policies. Is bigger really better when it comes to our food?”
When Biggs speaks of cheap food, she means the bulk cattle that are grown more quickly than Mother Nature intended, and then sold to large processors – which keep prices lower for consumers.
Biggs says TK gets a lot of emails from consumers “looking for alternatives to not only mainstream meat, but from organic factory farms and feedlots as well.”
And those concerns, especially about animal welfare, have been the biggest driver of TK’s business upswing.
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Farmobile Eyes Greater Reach After Raising $18M Series B
October 30, 2017
Farm data company Farmobile announced an $18.1 million Series B round including Anterra Capital, AmTrust Agricultural Insurance Company, and additional existing investors.
This round follows a $5.5 million Series A raised by the company in December 2015, led by Anterra, and brings total funding for the startup to more than $28 million.
Founded in 2013 and based in Overland Park, Kansas, Farmobile is a leading innovator in the farm data category, offering farmers a neutral method to collect, store, manage, and monetize data collected across all brands and manufacturers of machinery used. The company’s hardware simplifies data collected from farm machinery into Electronic Field Records, and its software platform provides farmers with real time decision support for all agricultural production activities, including planting, fertilizing, spraying, harvesting, and fleet management.
The company’s main product is the passive uplink connection – or PUC – a hardware device that can be integrated with any brand of farm machinery equipment, which then collects and streams machine and agronomy data in real time, which is then reformulated and delivered to the farmer’s mobile device.
“We are completely agnostic,” Jason Tatge, founder and CEO of Farmobile, told GAI News last year. “Our goal is to collect data, get it in a standardized data set and let the farmer decide where it should go. There are several analysis tools out there and the farmer can figure out which one works best on their farm.”
A critical point of differentiation for Farmobile however, is that it gives farmers ownership of their data – a long-debated topic of contention and discussion among farmers, agtech developers, and investors.
This point was touched upon at GAI’s AgTech Week 2017 during a panel examining the question of to what degree agtech developments were bringing harmony or conflict to the industry. During the panel that included Farmobile’s Jason Tatge along with Adam Anders of Anterra Capital, Geoff Kneen of Crop Science a Division of Bayer, Damien Lepoutre of GEOSYS, and Mohan Tavorath with International Farming Corporation, Tavorath stated, “I think the farmers are the frontiersmen, they are independent – ‘I own this – I put a lot of risk to do this – so I need to own the data.’ But it’s complex; sometimes nobody knows who owns the data – so breaking down the big company culture and having the grower hold the key – having the farmer own the data and decide who to share it with in exchange or agreeing to partake in the system [is key].”
“It’s hard to monetize something you don’t own. We in our agreements explicitly state that farmers are the authors of their own data sets. We help them to collect and store the data. That’s not the case with a lot of other firms in ag,” Tatge told GAI News.
Additionally, Farmobile also offers its Data Store – the first marketplace through which farmers can directly sell their data sets to third party buyers.
“Data is one of the most valuable things a farmer harvests today,” said Farmobile founder and CEO Jason Tatge in a company release announcing the company’s Series A in 2015. “Today’s announcement is a huge win for farmers around the world who want to put their data to work. Farmers ought to own and directly profit from the information they produce. It’s that simple.”
The company plans to use the capital raised through this round to fund the accelerated development of its distribution channels in ag retail, OEM and equipment dealerships, and insurance companies – partnerships that Farmobile states can revolutionize how tech products can be brought to market.
“Farmobile’s approach to ag data management is a breath of fresh air for the industry,” said Mark Raymie, president of AmTrust Agriculture Services. “Better utilization of ag data is going to have huge implications across every facet of agriculture, including crop insurance. We’re investing in the future of ag.”
Farmobile established one such partnership with AGCO last year through which AGCO customers would have the option to buy equipment that is pre-equipped with Farmobile’s technology.
A linchpin of this partnership is the belief by Farmobile that farmers should control their data – a notion that the majority of equipment producers and dealers don’t necessarily back.
“Some of them have a fairly closed ecosystem,” Tatge told GAI News. “They want you to make data compatible with other pieces of their equipment. But the majority of farmers out there are not 100 percent one brand. They are keen to buy the best pieces of equipment that fits their operation and that’s not always the same color.”
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Earlier this week Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy debuted her latest creation: Popcorn Beets with Thai Green Curry Ranch Dressing. Cohen often creates painstakingly complex dishes for her vegetarian clientele, the likes of which we've never seen recreated in NYC despite the growing meatless menus around town. So when she introduces a new dish, you know it's going to be unique and that she's spent days in the kitchen perfecting it from the first ingredient to the plating.
A riff on popcorn shrimp (vegetarians really do enjoy creating mock versions of meat dishes), this one is not only pretty, but it packs a lot of flavor into a small bowl. Bonus: there's even a little bit of bourbon in the buttermilk.
"What makes popcorn shrimp is really the cornmeal batter on the outside," Cohen told us when we dropped by this week, "so we've done the same thing with beets. They're a little bit sweet so we wanted to add a really, really savory sauce to them." They're also roasted in salt before being battered and fried, and the end result creates a "flavor explosion," Cohen calls it, with layers of sweet and savory and flavors hitting each taste bud.
Popcorn Beets are now on the menu at Dirt Candy for $9 (gratuity included) and they will be there for "at least the next 3 months." Here's how they're made:


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Killington Resort Announces Covid-19 Opening Plans
The Beast Is Scheduled To Open On November 14th
Killington Resort has announced its scheduled opening day of November 14th, however it will look a bit different due to new Covid-19 guidelines.
The Beast is usually one of the first resorts to open in the country, however this year Killington will not open until top-to-bottom skiing and multiple chairlifts are available to allow for proper physical distancing.
“Our focus is getting open and staying open, and everything other than skiing and riding is secondary in our opening plan,” says Mike Solimano, President and General Manager of Killington and Pico Resorts.
“It’s a whole new season and your experience on the mountain is going to be different this winter, but we’re so excited to welcome winter and continue doing what we love in the outdoors.” – Killington Resort
Limited Capacity & Reservations
In the video above, Solimano explains that the resort’s team has been working hard to deliver a safe and enjoyable experience by reducing the amount of skiers/riders on peak days and weekends.
To do this, Killington has changed many of its ticket and pass products to only allow midweek access.
Killington will also implement an online parking reservation system, but the hope is to not limit its season passholders. The resort plans to implement an online parking reservation system for all guests to help manage capacity. “Whether you’re a season pass holder or day ticket holder, you will need to let us know you’re coming,” Killington said in the plan. “Implementing this system proactively will help us track and manage volume and ensure an experience which enables appropriate physical distancing.”
Speaking of passholders, the resort has introduced a new passholder promise:
Physical Distancing Guidelines
High capacity chairlifts and closed cabin carriers will be loaded in a way that allows for physical distancing.
On the gondola and high speed, high capacity lifts, you will have the opportunity to ride with members of your traveling party, or load at a reduced capacity with other skiers and riders.
On other lifts, you will be loaded at 50% capacity or with members you traveled with.
Masks covering the nose and mouth are required at all times in lift lines and while riding lifts.
What About Pico Mountain?
Don’t listen to the rumors, kids. Pico Mountain will open for the season, perhaps just a week or two later than it typically does to allow for more physical distancing on trails.


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As discounting shows little sign of abating, it's the stores with on-trend merchandise that will emerge as the season's winners.» Read More
Target, Kohl's, and QVC are among retailers opening technology test labs in the San Francisco area to improve their websites and create mobile apps.
Violent wage protests closed 250 US-linked Bangladesh garment factories as workers demanded higher pay from retailers such as Walmart.
Some of the names on the move ahead of the open.
Check out which companies are making headlines after the bell Wednesday:
Nov 6- Struggling fashion retailer Abercrombie& Fitch Co said it would expand its women's tops collection, offer larger sizes and more colors, and start selling shoes, in a bid to win back teen customers who have turned to trendier labels.
Nov 6- Struggling fashion retailer Abercrombie& Fitch Co said it would expand sizes, colors and fits for all its styles next year, as it seeks to win back its teen customers. Chief Executive Mike Jeffries has stirred controversy in the past by suggesting the company's clothes were made for "cool" and "attractive" kids and not for "fat" people.
Nov 6- Abercrombie& Fitch Co's shares were set to open around 7 percent lower after the teen fashion retailer reported sliding sales and slashed its profit outlook. Brokerages including Jefferies, Cowen, and Brean Capital cut their price targets on the company's stock by between $3 and $5 to as low as $33, citing weak sales and margin trends.
New shopping services will allow consumers to instantly buy items they see on television, in magazines and even in their refrigerators. The NYT reports.
"I'm not that worried about the consumer because I do think that they have benefited from higher home prices," TheStreet's Stephanie Link says.
Like any high school crush, this one was bound to fizzle, but millions of dollars were riding on this infatuation.
Stocks closed higher Tuesday, with the Dow and S&P 500 finishing in positive territory for the third-straight session, as Federal Reserve policymakers kicked off their two-day meeting.
Trying to figure out what's cool for the back-to-school shopping season? Stop trying. These teens will break it down for you.
Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale and American Eagle Outfitters have fallen out of fashion with fickle teen shoppers and may not win back their business anytime soon.
Abercrombie & Fitch said same-store sales fell a worse-than-expected 10 percent, blaming fewer visits by shoppers and customers' lack of interest in its women's clothing.
Stocks tumbled again in the final hour of trading to close near session lows in heavily volatile trading Wednesday, with the Dow posting its sixth-straight day in the red, as investors digested the minutes from the latest Fed policy meeting.
Lowe's profit blew past Wall Street expectations, but valuations are looking somewhat stretched. Is this the top for home improvement?
With Saks the latest retailer to disappoint with weaker-than-expected earnings, investors are worried about how the retail sector will fare heading into a heavy week of earnings.
The Fed gathering in Jackson Hole and the minutes of the last Fed meeting could keep markets volatile in the week ahead.
Macy's reported a disappointing profit for its second quarter and cut its outlook for the year on Wednesday.
Teens are shopping, but their back-to-school wish lists have changed. Many are mixing designer handbags and fast fashion, making it tough on traditional teen retailers.


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HARD-working staff at West Midland clothing chain QS are being rewarded for their "outstanding" efforts in achieving huge sales increases - with a free ice cream.
Employees at stores throughout the region were astonished to receive an e-mail from retail director Jan Laight congratulating them for "triple digit increases."
The Solihull-based chain - which has more than 170 stores nationwide - said staff were to be offered an ice cream on the firm following "tremendous efforts and hard work."
But one member of staff, who asked not to be named, said: "It’s a complete joke. We’d rather have nothing at all than be patronised like this.
"Staff at QS have worked incredibly hard to achieve these sales figures. And all we get for our efforts is one ice cream. Some of us would like to stuff the ice cream in the face of the bosses."
The e-mail from QS Retail Director Jan Laight said: "On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to congratulate everyone on such a fantastic sales achievement last week.
"We have seen some truly outstanding figures, in some cases, triple digit increases on last year.
"In appreciation of all your tremendous efforts and hard work, I would like to treat everyone to an ice cream - a Zoom, Magnum or Cornetto - the choice is yours!
"Keep the momentum going with regular replenishment and don’t forget to check every box in the stockroom for last year’s T-shirts and then bring them out onto the shopfloor. Thank you for your continued support.
N.B. Store managers please buy all your staff an ice cream from petty cash. (These ice creams are in addition to the ice creams currently on offer through the Till Point Top-Up incentive).
Another angry worker said: "If the firm think we’re grateful for their offer of an ice cream, then they’re mistaken. It’s a kick in the teeth for all the efforts people put in."
QS has a string of stores across the West Midlands, including Northfield, Acocks Green, Perry Barr, Chelmsley Wood, Solihull and West Bromwich, selling clothes for men, women and children.
The chain declined to comment further.


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As part of my VoiceCon 2008 coverage, I wrote about Texas Instrument’s Vision for Voice contest. TI asked individuals to submit a short video that describes a specific VoIP product, improvement to a current voice technology, or a new voice technology they would like to see within the next 20 years.
After receiving more than 250 entries, TI announced the contest winner on June 3, 2008. Jonathan Chung, an engineering student from the University of Maryland, received the grand prize (a 56-inch Samsung HD DLP TV) for his entry entitled, “Visualizing the Translation.” Chung’s idea was a pair of glasses that could translate a foreign language as it was being spoken and display the translated text in the lens. You can watch Chung’s video submission and an interview with Chung about his idea on TI’s Vision for Voice Web site.
I recently spoke with Tom Flanagan, Director of Technical Strategy for Texas Instruments’ Digital Signal Processing Systems. Flanagan explained why Texas Instruments sponsored the Vision for Voice contest, how the company is involved in voice technology (more so than many of you probably thought), explained why Chung’s submission was judged the winner, and highlighted a few of the wackier contest entries, like voice-control lighting.


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Romanian tyre retreader Radburg has strengthened its international presence by commencing a direct marketing strategy in Central Europe and embarking on several programmes aimed at improving operational effectiveness, Alina Loghin, Social Media Specialist of Radburg, said.
Radburg Make Moves in Central Europe
“We have officially begun to sell Radburg tyres direct to consumers in Germany, and soon we will begin to sell in Austria as well,” she explained.
The company has launched a website at www.radburg.de and has placed products on both amazon.de and ebay.de.
“Now that our collection infrastructure is quite developed and we have enlarged our production capacities, it seems like entering the international market is the natural next step forward,” Loghin said, adding that Radburg is also one of the biggest tyre collectors in Switzerland and Germany.
The company says it is investing more into side projects that will help them in the future. Loghin explained; “One project that is in the pipeline right now is an automated device that would read all the data present on the tyre and further speed up the selection process of both tyres and casings. This project is currently in the hands of Radburg engineers, who are working out all its details. The new technology is being developed to help the company improve and increase its distribution channel.
“Another project that our management, sales, and acquisition departments are working towards is a new partnership with nationwide tyre repair shops,” she added. “What we want is to send potential clients to these shops to purchase our tyres and have them fitted at our cost. For this, we also intend to develop an app in which buyers can check if their local mechanic has Radburg tyres in their stock so that they can easily purchase them and have them fitted.”
Loghin added that Radburg is also getting more and more noticed as a main employer of the region by constantly seeking new talent in all departments and participating in job fairs and being present in local universities.
“And as a final remark, we are now enjoying the bountiful harvest of our hardworking past. We have received several awards from the Romanian National Trade Register Office as the No. 1 Business in Romania in 2021 in our area of expertise and as a top profit company,” Loghin said.


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Master ice builders were in Cayman this week to sculpt the coolest new bar in George Town.
Using chain saws and chisels, the men are crafting the bar and everything in it entirely from a huge block of ice shipped in from Canada.
Work started on Monday, and the Minus 5° Ice Bar – in the Flagship building opposite the cruise terminal – will open next Wednesday.
Peter Slavin, sculptor and designer for the novelty bar chain which has outlets in Las Vegas and New York City, said he and his crew were shivering through 16-hour shifts in sub-zero temperatures to get the bar built.
He said the bar would include ice statues of pirates and palm trees. The bar itself will be built from ice blocks, some of which have shells or marine life immortalized inside.
“We are trying to give a flavor of the islands in the design,” said Mr. Slavin.
Craig Ling, a New Zealander who owns the ice bar chain and lives in Cayman, said he had always wanted to have an outlet on the island.
He hopes the location and the novelty value of an ice bar in the Caribbean will bring tourists to the new venue. At other ice bars in the U.S., tourists typically rent anoraks and hats before entering the bar.
A neighboring property in the Flagship building will double as a gift shop, becoming a “warm bar” named the George Town Social Club in the evenings.
Mr. Ling said the intent is to create an upscale bar aimed at local people that could host functions and parties.
“The really cool thing about this bar is that it is going to be something different. That’s what I like most about the concept,” said Mr. Ling.


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Our roundup of Canadian small-caps of between $100-million and $2.5-billion in market capitalization making news and on the move today.
Aritzia Inc. (ATZ-T) reported second quarter revenue of $157.9 million, up 30 per cent from $121.4 million in the second quarter last year.
The Vancouver-based retailer, which went public earlier this month, said the increase was driven by comparable sales growth of 16.9 per cent “rising from both the strong performance in stores and continued momentum in the company’s ecommerce business, as well as, the revenue from eight new store openings and four expanded or repositioned stores since the second quarter of last year.”Report Typo/Error
- Carmanah Technologies Corp$4.44-0.06(-1.33%)
- EXFO Inc$4.95-0.02(-0.40%)
- EXFO Inc$3.93-0.05(-1.26%)
- Northview Apartment REIT$22.35-1.38(-5.82%)
- MTY Food Group Inc$46.60+0.09(+0.19%)
- Aritzia Inc$12.50-0.02(-0.16%)
- Crius Energy Trust$8.94-0.05(-0.56%)
- Premium Brands Holdings Corp$98.75+0.41(+0.42%)
- Goodfellow Inc$7.79-0.06(-0.76%)
- InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust$7.80-0.01(-0.13%)
- Denison Mines Corp$0.58+0.01(+0.88%)
- Updated August 23 12:47 PM EDT. Delayed by at least 15 minutes.


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As consumers have become comfortable purchasing (and stealing) music online, they are now beginning to download other digital forms of entertainment, including music videos, short-subject films, television shows, and even full-length Hollywood pictures. Traditional media companies have recognized the opportunity to establish new revenue streams and leverage old assets by enabling consumers to download television programming for a fee, and the adoption rate appears to match the early days of music downloading. The increasing penetration of broadband connections (over 50 million homes in the US), advances in software that enables high-quality downloads, and content companies recognizing an enormous opportunity to distribute directly and inexpensively to consumers has created a tidal shift in the number of digital media assets available for download to computers, handheld devices, and even cell phones.
Companies such as YouTube are at the forefront of the intersection of video entertainment and the fragmentation of media due to the empowerment of the consumer. Hundreds of millions of videos are downloaded weekly from YouTube (as well as dozens of competitors), and a significant portion of those videos are not “professionally” produced. More importantly, new talent in various entertainment fields are being discovered through these distribution platforms and forever changing how entertainment is conceived, produced, distributed, and valued.


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Samsung inks smart solutions partnership with Rwanda
GOVERNMENT| Oct. 25, 2012, 10:58 a.m.
Samsung Electronics Ltd has sealed what it describes as 'a pioneering partnership agreement' with the Government of Rwanda, geared at facilitating the rollout of ICT solutions.
Samsung says the partnership between the Rwanda Government and Samsung Electronics is expected to play a key role in bridging the country’s digital divide in the fast growing country while boosting its Vision 2020 long term economic and social development plan.
With the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Samsung and the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Youth and Information Communication and Technology, Rwanda, becomes the first African state to make a concrete commitment and step forward in adopting Samsung e-Government solutions to aid in efficient service delivery.
Among the MoU highlights will be efforts to collaborate in Education and job creation development, youth leadership, Consumer electronic devices and mobile Applications development programmes featuring the Samsung Smart Government Solutions. The MoU may also see Rwanda adopting customised Samsung solutions such as a Solar Powered Internet School (SPIS).
Speaking in Kigali, Rwanda, during the MoU signing ceremony, which was preceded by a stakeholders workshop comprising all stakeholders in the country’s ICT sector including Education, Health and Justice, Rwanda’s Minister for Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, confirmed that the government of Rwanda is exploring feasible avenues to guide its e-Government solutions rollout.
The signing of the agreement, Nsengimana explained, is but the first step towards ensuring that the Rwandan government is well positioned to adopt Samsung’s patented solutions on the Education, Healthcare, Security, and e-Governance.
He said: “The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Ministry of Youth and ICT and Samsung Electronics is aimed at enhancing productivity, reducing costs and allowing ministries in the Rwandan government to deliver new and better services to citizens,” Nsengimana explained. And added: “We are looking forward to working with Samsung Electronics in achieving Rwanda’s Vision 2020 of transforming the country into a middle income country and more specifically to develop access to ICT down to the administrative sector level.”
Rwanda is among the most dynamic developing countries in terms of ICT, according to the latest report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The Government is proud of what it has achieved with regard to the development of the ICT, although we still have a long way to go, our objective is to be among the top performers globally or at least middle performers.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Samsung Electronics East Africa Managing Director Jong Oh Lee said: “This strategic ICT partnership with the Rwandan Government will ensure a continued multiplier effect on economic growth as Samsung has gained extensive understanding and insight in all areas of government service.”
MORE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Reps to Buhari: Technology, not emergency powers, to stimulate economyNigeria’s lower legislative chamber, the House of Representatives, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to explore the option of deploying technology to stimulate the nation’s comatose economy instead of seeking emergency powers to do so. Read More
Legislation critical to telecom sector growthNigeria’s Communications Technology Minister has said appropriate laws will be made to guarantee the consolidation of the gains of the telecoms industry. Read More
Water utilities to introduce USSD serviceBotswana’s Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) will soon officially launch a service using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), for its customers throughout the country. Read More
Scatec Solar secures 100 MW Solar Project in NigeriaScatec Solar has signed an agreement with CDIL, a Canadian renewable energy development company focused on Africa, and BPS, a Nigerian strategic consulting firm, securing the 100 MW (DC) Nova Scotia Power plant located in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Read More
Tackling cybercrime requires new skills, says ministerNigeria's ComTech Minister, Adebayo Shittu, says new skills are needed to address the global threat of cybercrime. Read More
Unsolicited SMS: We’ve given subscribers choice, says NCCNigeria’s telecoms sector regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has given subscribers the power to choose between receiving unsolicited messages or not through the enforcement of the DND code on the telcos. Read More
NITDA seeks NCC collaboration for 50% GDP growthThe acting Director-General of Nigeria’s NITDA is seeking the collaboration of the NCC to develop the country’s ICT industry to enable it to contribute about 50 per cent to the nation’s GDP. Read More
Amosun, Danbatta settle disputes over 47 BTS shut in OgunThe outstanding issues which have kept 47 base transmission stations (BTS) under lock and key in Ogun State have been successfully resolved by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta. Read More
ComTech Minister: NITDA recruitment fraudulentNigeria’s Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, has described the last recruitment exercise at the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) fraudulent as it did not follow due process. Read More
FEATURED STORYFinancial services sees AI as both opportunity and threat
Banking is already a key area where technology is having an impact throughout Africa, and a new survey assesses the impact artificial intelligence will have on this sector.
BEST READ NEWS
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COMPANY NEWSTigo customers win cash prizes from ‘Wo suro aaa wondi’ promotion
Tens of Tigo customers have won various cash prizes and branded gift items as part of the telecom operator’s biggest consumer promotion for 2016.


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Officials of the Italian Guardia di Finanza have currently taken action against a large-scale counterfeiting ring for Italian luxury wines. The investigators seized a total of 4,200 fake bottles of the premium wine Doc Bolgheri Sassicaia from Tuscany. Two suspects have been arrested and eleven further persons are under investigation.
According to media reports, the counterfeiters are said to have distributed fakes of the fine wine worldwide, for which they had closely imitated the labels of the wine, including a registered quality seal. They focused on the 2010 to 2015 vintages of the noble wine, which enjoy an excellent reputation. The two men now arrested were presumably responsible for bottling the wines. The fraudsters used wine from Sicily for their counterfeits. The bottles, however, came from Turkey, while the labels and wooden crates came from Bulgaria. The counterfeiters reportedly generated a total of around 400,000 euros per month.
A curious chance find was essential for attracting the authorities’ attention: “The investigation began by chance when two members of the Guardia di Finanza, came upon a case of the fake wine on a street in Empoli, in Tuscany, which had probably fallen from a truck”, said Giuseppe Creazzo, Chief Prosecutor in Florence, according to media reports during a press conference. In this box, the authorities then found two cell phone numbers, which formed the starting point of the investigations.
The inquiries then culminated in the successful raid in mid-October. Next to thousands of fake bottles of wine, the officials also seized about 80,000 fake labels, bottles, corks, and wooden boxes. The counterfeiting gang allegedly planned to fill a further 6,600 bottles with which they could have earned two million euros. Also, a total of 41 crates of the 2015 vintage of the wine were ready for export.
Customers in China, Korea, and Russia reportedly had already ordered thousands of cases of the wines; at a price about 70 percent below the market value of the originals. The majority of the counterfeits had been intended for export; only a small proportion of the fakes had been sold in Italy.


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Ordered products of the company can still be picked up at special pick-up points.
“We are temporarily closing stores in the areas we serve due to the current situation with [coronavirus-related disease] COVID-19. We are taking these precautionary measures, continue to monitor the situation carefully, and look forward to the early return of our customers and employees,” Apple said in a statement.
Already ordered products of the company can still be picked up at special pick-up points. To do this, the consumer needs to make an appointment online for a specific time.
According to the Johns Hopkins University, which conducts calculations based on information from international organizations, Federal and local authorities, more than 17.87 million cases of coronavirus infection have been recorded in the United States, 318,300 people have died. The country ranks first in the world in both indicators. In California, more than 1.8 million people are infected, the number of deaths reaches 22,677.


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There’s no denying how useful Artificial Intelligence has been for us as visually impaired people; apps like Envision AI and Seeing AI can read printed text in real-time, recognise objects, … Continue Reading Envision Glasses: Could These Be the Wearables We’ve Been Waiting For?
As the number of identified cases of Coronavirus rise around the world, we are all being asked to do our bit to avoid catching and spreading the disease further. Regularly … Continue Reading Coronavirus: Cleaning Solutions To Stay Safe
Despite the absence of many of the larger tech companies such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon, CSUN 2020 is underway. As the world’s biggest assistive technology exhibition, there’s many interesting … Continue Reading CSUN 2020 – Live from the Show Floor
Orbit Research has announced the launch of the Orbit Writer braille keypad at the 35th annual CSUN Assistive Technology Conference (11th March). The small keyboard allows blind and partially sighted … Continue Reading New Braille Keyboard Launched By Orbit Research
Aira, the service that allows visually impaired users to stream live video to sighted staff in order to get assistance, has announced they will be dropping support for their Horizon … Continue Reading Aira To Drop Support for Horizon Glasses
Twitter has announced that users will now be able to add text descriptions to animated GIFs. Previously, this feature was only available for still images, but considering just how popular … Continue Reading Twitter Expands Alt Text Description to GIFs
Thanks to a partnership between Canadian company Empire and En-Vision America, many more blind & visually impaired Canadians will have access to talking prescription labels. En-Vision America’s ScriptTalk system allows … Continue Reading Talking Prescription Labels Available to Many More Canadians
After a multitude of leaks, some of which were from Samsung themselves, it’s time for the Samsung Unpacked 2020 event. But, are there any surprises left? Well, let’s find out. … Continue Reading Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2020 Event
The RNIB in the UK has worked with Amazon to provide information about living with sight loss through its voice assistant. Alexa users will now instantly be able to hear … Continue Reading RNIB Sight Loss Information Available Via Alexa
As of 14th January 2020, Microsoft has dropped all technical support and software system updates for the Windows 7 operating system. Users will still be able to use Windows 7 … Continue Reading Is This The End for Windows 7?


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PINTS are set to be swapped for punts after a historic pub became odds-on to change into a bookies.
In a shock move, The Criterion could soon become the latest betting shop in the heart of South Shields.
Ladbrokes wants to spend £200,000 converting the eye-catching Victorian building at the junction of Ocean Road and King Street.
And the national chain has already filed two planning applications with South Tyneside Council.
It is bidding to alter the facia, and repair and make changes to other parts of the exterior ahead of more extensive works.
The firm said the move is a straight swap for the its Market Place outlet in Wouldhave House, which is set for demolition.
That could be pulled down later this year under council modernisation and regeneration plans.
A Ladbrokes spokesman said: “This is simply a relocation from the Market Place site. We’re hoping to open it in late September. There will be over £200,000 invested in converting and refurbishing the new venue, which we will lease.
“It will be kitted out with all our new technology like large touch screen TVs and touch-screen terminals.”
In November, the Gazette revealed how the pub was caught in Punch Tavern’s £3bn debt battle.
It was put up for sale at £250,000 by bosses desperate to cut operating costs and slash huge recent losses.
The Criterion is one of 2,600 leased premises the Burton-on-Trent-based chain has been trying to off-load.
Punch, which bought the business five years ago, had said it hoped it would continue to trade as a pub.
The premises consist of a ground-floor bar and first-floor function room with a catering kitchen.
On the second floor there is a two-bedroom flat, and three derelict rooms on the third floor.
It is not known if they will form part of Ladbrokes’ conversion.
Present landlord Hossain Babadi said: “I will be sad to see it go as pub if that is what happens. It is historic.
“I have heard Ladbrokes mentioned, but I don’t know for sure if they are buying it. I haven’t been told much.”
South Tyneside Council confirmed the planning applications were filed last week.
The public can comment on the bid via the council until May 9.
A spokesman said: “Planning permission is not required to turn it into a bookmakers as it is under the same classification as a pub under national guidelines.”
Conversion by Ladbrokes, which has other outlets in Ocean Road and Fowler Street, would cement the rise of bookmakers in South Shields town centre.
A BetFred branch opened 100m away in King Street two weeks ago, and Coral and William Hill trade nearby.
Within two weeks of going on the market, seven potential buyers – a national pub operator and six North East-based businessmen – viewed The Criterion.


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Shares of Starbucks jumped as much as 6% in premarket trading Wednesday after the company’s July sales showed signs that the company’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns is picking up.
Starbucks Corporation SBUX -1.7% is scheduled to report earnings after Tuesday’s close. The stock hit a record high of $99.72/share in 2019 and is currently trading near $74/share. The stock is prone to big moves after reporting earnings and can easily gap up if the numbers are strong. Conversely, if the numbers disappoint, the stock can easily gap down.
Analyst Jon Tower initiated coverage on Starbucks (ticker: SBUX) with an Overweight rating and $92 price target, writing on Monday that “investors currently underappreciate the pliability of Starbucks’ business model and sustainability of long-term sales drivers in the presence of temporary disruptions of the business related to Covid-19.”
For the last reported quarter, Starbucks came out with earnings of $0.32 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.31 per share, representing a surprise of 3.23%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.76 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.79 per share, delivering a surprise of 3.95%.
Investors in China’s Luckin Coffee (OTC:LKNC.Y) have had to deal with a lot of surprises this year. Revelations of fraudulent accounting practices led to a long suspension in trading of the shares on the Nasdaq exchange. Top executives were ousted from the coffee store chain’s C-suite. And finally, Luckin shareholders got what many had considered to be the final straw: notice that the stock would get delisted from the Nasdaq.
The COVID-19 pandemic threw a spanner in Starbucks’ growth plans, causing the coffee chain to falter as it had to shut numerous stores around the world. However, the company is still one of the stronger consumer stocks to own due to its brand strength and track record.
Farmer Bros (NASDAQ:FARM) was downgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Zacks.com reports.
Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Wealth Alliance LLC bought a new stake in Starbucks in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. RMR Wealth Builders bought a new stake in Starbucks in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000.
Luckin Coffee Inc. (LK) – Get Report said Tuesday that it has received a formal delisting notice from the Nasdaq as the China-based rival to Starbucks (SBUX) – Get Report continues to suffer the fallout from its multi-million dollar ‘fake sales’ scandal.
Banks including Credit Suisse Group AG and Morgan Stanley face a $300 million shortfall on margin loans to the embattled founder of Luckin Coffee Inc.


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Millennial Money: 4 reasons to shop Small Business Saturday
By LAUREN SCHWAHN of NerdWallet
It’s a critical year to shop small for the holidays, as businesses continue dealing with the fallout of pandemic restrictions, inflation and global supply chain disruptions. Small Business Saturday is Nov. 27, nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Ahead of the shopping day, we talked to small-business, supply-chain and retail experts about how both consumers and local economies can benefit from participating in the event, plus what shoppers should expect. By shopping small, consumers can keep businesses afloat, reduce their carbon footprints and discover unique holiday gifts.


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Content & Communications
Recap: The 2018 Blockchain Summit in Frankfurt
Yesterday our Founder, Shmulik Grizim, attended and presented at the 2018 Blockchain Summit in Frankfurt, Germany. The summit is the leading dedicated Blockchain for business event, which attracted us because we envision the LeadCoin network as being a tool for businesses and consumers.
Shmulik spoke to over 500 attendees about introducing Blockchain to the web marketing industry, which is a largely centralized industry that’s dominated by two main players, Google and Facebook.
In addition Shmulik met with numerous Blockchain enthusiasts and European business leaders to discuss the value that LeadCoin brings to both the crypto and web marketing industries. Shmulik received a warm reception and excellent feedback from the other attendees, and people were excited to hear that our product demo will soon be released to the public.
We’re always happy to attend events, as they allow community members and other interested parties to engage with us in person. It’s important for us to keep our community up-to-date on all of the latest developments at LeadCoin, and this event certainly accomplished that feat.
Next up, our CMO, Eyal Rosen, will be travelling to New York City for Consensus 2018, which takes place from May 14-16. Stay tuned to hear about Eyal’s experience at Consensus and for all LeadCoin-related news.


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Cargolux Airlines International has signed an agreement with Trinkaus-Solutions to use its squAir-timber product, lightweight beam with a load capacity of 10 tonnes while being significantly lighter than the beams they replace.
The new beams are 80 per cent lighter than conventional wood, which Cargolux says increased payload and lowers fuel consumption of its aircraft, and claims it will reduce fuel consumption by 1,200 tonnes a year.
The cardboard fibre composite beams only contain raw materials from sustainable sources, weigh 1.2 kilogrammes per metre and are resistant to humidity, and enable shorter build-up times, eliminating the need for forklifts. They can also be reused and are 100 per cent recyclable with lower disposal costs than wooden materials.
Cargolux executive vice president global logistics, Lars Syberg says: “The use of modern, environmentally-conscious tools in air cargo underlines our standing as a green cargo carrier at a time when many of our customers put more emphasis on working with a partner who is aware of its responsibility towards the world we live in.”
“In addition, Trinkaus-Solutions provides us with products that make Cargolux more efficient and faster with the added advantage of lower costs. It’s an all-round winner for us.”


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Monsanto (NYSE:MON) shares rose sharply early Wednesday after the seed company topped fiscal third-quarter earnings estimates and announced it will buy back $10 billion of its shares.
The world's largest maker of crop seeds and crop protection products such as herbicides said Q3 earnings per share fell 2% to $1.62, beating analyst forecasts for $1.56. Revenue was $4.248 billion, just below last year's $4.25 billion and short of Thomson Reuters estimates of $4.4 billion.
After beating on Q3 profit, the St. Louis-based company raised its fiscal 2014 earnings outlook above its prior range. It now expects EPS of $5.12-$5.22 for the current year, up from $5.10-$5.20.
"Coupled with an expanding portfolio of solutions for farmers, this provides confidence to target at least doubling our ongoing earnings per share over the next five years," CEO Hugh Grant said in a post-earnings statement.
Saying he expects higher acre usage of its key products and will expand key partnerships, Grant adding the company intends to adjust its capital structure to target a net-debt-to-earnings ratio, before charges, of 1.5 by end of fiscal 2014.
Among challenges the company faces is a pending vote by the European Union that would let member states decide for themselves whether to ban or allow genetically modified crops. Monsanto's MON810 maize is the only genetically modified crop grown in Europe. The proposal must still be voted on by the EU Parliament.
Monsanto shares gapped up more than 5% to 127.01 on heavy volume in morning trading in the stock market today
Among other top crop seed and crop protection providers, Swiss-based Syngenta (NYSE:SYT) fell nearly 2%. Syngenta, which claims to be No. 1 in the sunflower seed market, vies with Monsanto in corn, soybeans and other markets. Syngenta shares shot up 7% Monday on fresh rumors it may have been in talks to sell itself to Monsanto or DuPont (NYSE:DD).
Diversified agriculture and plastics maker DuPont was up 1% Wednesday morning.
Follow James DeTar on Twitter: @IBD_JDeTar.


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It's back. And, if you drink beer or enjoy the camaraderie of those who do, you'll know exactly what we're talking about.
Tens of thousands of beer enthusiasts are expected to descend on downtown Portland's Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the 27th annual Oregon Brewers Festival.
This year's event will take place between Wednesday, July 23 and Monday, July 27. The festival runs between noon and 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and between noon and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Representatives from 86 craft breweries from all over the country will offer more than 30 styles of handcrafted brews to 85,000 beer lovers.
Aficionados may enjoy The Specialty Tent, which will feature a selection of expensive one-offs and specialty beers in very limited quantities. For more information, follow OBFLTDTent on Twitter.
Admission into the festival grounds is free, but visitors wanting to drink beer will first need to buy a 2014 souvenir tasting glass for $7. Beer is purchased with $1 wooden tokens. Four tokens can be exchanged for a 12.8-ounce glass of beer, or one token for a three-ounce taste.
Glasses and tokens will be sold up to two weeks in advance of the event at locations including Raccoon Lodge & Brew Pub, Cascade Brewing Barrel House, Belmont Station, Deschutes in the Pearl, Rogue Ales Public House and the Green Dragon.
The festival is cash only but there will be eight ATMs on-site.


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DSE Beats Big Tech Shows In Digital Award Win
July 12, 2012 by Dave Haynes
The people who run Digital Signage Expo have picked up a nice award for their online marketing efforts.
Expo Magazine has cited Exponation, along with exhibitor services company Freeman and PRNewswire, for its digital engagement work. The E.X.C.I.T.E. awards specifically recognize excellence by trade show and events producers.
The online site, launched in January, promoted pre-show developments, and makes post-show information, including stats, photos, videos and awards finalist information easily accessible to industry people, as well as trade press.
“People come to DSE for education and the latest industry information,” says Chris Gibbs, President & COO of Exponation. “That’s what our brand stands for and why we have developed and now offer platforms like our show-specific microsite and the Digital Signage Connection website.”
Exponation had some significant competition. They beat out the massive Electronic Entertainment Expo (which gets almost 50,000 attendees) and the big Design West tech show in Silicon Valley.
Well done. The guys down in Atlanta do a nice job with pretty much every aspect of the show. Slick can be seen as a negative, but DSE is slick in all the good ways.
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We already knew that the dual-core Meizu MX
will eventually meet its quad-core
variant, but the question is when? Well, the ever elusive Jack Wong (who's actually taken a step back from the CEO position while acting as some sort of chairman) told fans on his forum that the new Android phone will probably arrive around May next year -- almost half way through the current one-year product cycle. Additionally, the Flyme OS's UI will see some big changes to accommodate Android 4.0. Can't say we're surprised, but we sure would be if the chip turns out to be something other than the leaked Samsung Exynos 4412 SoC from last month.


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Saint Vincent To Hike VAT Rate
by Mike Godfrey, Lowtax.net, Washington
14 February, 2017
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines's 2017 Budget includes an increase to the value-added tax (VAT) rate and measures to counter stamp duty avoidance.
The territory's Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, said a one percent disaster levy will be imposed from May 1, 2017, by increasing the standard rate of VAT from 15 percent to 16 percent, and the rate for accommodation and other tourism related activities from 10 percent to 11 percent. Gonsalves said the measure would be reviewed in three years.
Other VAT changes include an increase to the registration threshold to XCD300,000 (USD111,111), with effect from May 1, 2017; a decrease in the VAT rate on berth rentals in any marina or shipyard from 16 percent to 11 percent; and the removal of VAT on biodegradable packaging and food containers.
To address various stamp duty mitigation strategies, the Stamp Act will be amended to make it clear that duty is payable on all conveyances or re-conveyances to a third party.
A number of fees and charges will be increased including the Aliens' Landholding Licence charge imposed on the sale of property to non-nationals; and the Airport Service Charge, which increased on February 15, 2017, to XCD100 (USD37) for passengers departing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by aircraft.
The annual licence fee payable by persons in prescribed professions will be increased by 20 percent. There will also be a crackdown on tax evasion by professionals.
See all of today's news


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A recent trademark application — and its subsequent abandonment, thanks to a clash with makeup brand Charlotte Tilbury — suggests that Telfar may be pursuing a beauty a line.
In August 2022, Charlotte Tilbury filed a notice of opposition in response to Telfar’s trademark application. The brand, founded by legendary makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, has employed a similar logo — CT — on its range of beauty products since 2014.
According to Charlotte Tilbury’s counsel, Telfar’s logo is “confusingly similar” to its own CT mark, which has already seen “extensive use, promotion, and success” and is therefore inextricable from the Charlotte Tilbury brand.
While Telfar initially requested that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board dismiss
The takeaway from TC and CT’s legal scuffle? It appears that
Here’s hoping this isn’t the last we hear of a potential Telfar beauty line — doesn’t a lip-gloss in every Shopping Bag shade sound nice?


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Thriving Organics Industry Highlights GE Threat
Green Party Agriculture Spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street MP today said news that the New Zealand organics industry will generate around $110 million this current financial year showed what New Zealand stood to lose if genetically engineered organisms were released into the environment.
Figures from New Zealand's Organic Products Exporters Group (OPEG) predict domestic and export sales of our organic produce will rise from $65 million last year to around $100 million this year. OPEG predict these sales will reach $500 million by 2006 and say the value of the domestic organics market is doubling annually.
"These figures are timely given that on Friday the Royal Commission into Genetic Modification will report to Government and make a series of recommendations on what path this country should take in relation to genetic engineering," he said.
"It is important that people realise that organics and genetic engineering in agriculture are mutually exclusive. Genetic engineering poses a serious threat to organics because of the possibility of horizontal gene transfer and pollen contamination. The two simply cannot co-exist."
Mr Ewen-Street said he was delighted but not surprised that the organics industry was showing such strong and sustained growth. He said the report from the inquiry and the Government's response to it would be critical in determining the future of this industry.
"New Zealand trades heavily on our clean green image and organics helps give that image some real substance. People buy our produce because they believe it to be cleaner and safer than food produced in other countries," he said.
"New Zealand currently has a massive economic advantage in being GE Free and our organics industry is thriving as a result. If we keep genetic engineering out of our environment and commit to producing the cleanest, safest food in the world our agricultural and horticultural sectors will benefit enormously."


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Jun 08, 2017 06:46 PM EDT
LG G6 Pro and LG G6 Plus are expected to be launched on June 27 in South Korea. A fresh report straight from South Korea states that the tech giant will launch the two LG G6 derivatives soon with impressive specs and features. Thus, it will be adding more smartphones to support LG Pay feature.
According to Phone Arena, the LG G6 Pro and LG G6 Plus will be launched in LG's home turf on June 27 with all three major carriers in the countries. The carriers include SK Telecom, LG Telecom, and KTF. There are no complete details on the specifications and features, but it is reported that the LG G6 Pro smartphone will be available for purchase in South Korea for around $715, while the G6 Plus model will cost $890. In addition, LG G6 Plus will come with 128GB storage and Qi wireless charging feature, while the LG G6 Pro will come with 32GB of internal storage.
It is reported that the LG will introduce a new color option in the LG G6 Pro and LG G6 Plus called "Astro Black." This will be a new variant to distinguish these new models from the standard G6 variant.
According to Android Headlines, the LG G6 which was launched ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone took the rival company and grabbed a lot of customers with amazing offers. Now, it is reported that the existence of the LG G6 Pro and LG G6 Plus handsets was hinted by the insiders. It was claimed that the company opted to revise the LG G6 in an effort to prepare for the launch of the iPhone 8 and release more offerings that cater to consumers who buy high-end devices.
There are speculations that the LG G6 Pro and LG G6 Plus will be identical to the LG G6. In addition, it could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and could feature a 4GB RAM, a 5.7-inch Full Vision display panel with an unconventional aspect ratio of 18:9, or 2:1.
Another smartphone that the LG is expected to launch is the LG V30. It is expected to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB RAM, and a secondary screen for notifications and shortcuts, similar to the LG V20. The company has not yet made any official statements on LG G6 Pro, LG G6 Plus and LG V30 smartphones. Stay tuned for more updates.
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Electrolux Professional yesterday brought all of its UK partners together under one roof for the first time since implementing a major restructuring of its distributor network.
The company’s 2014 Partner Event — held under the theme of ‘Stronger, Better, Together’ — was the first that Electrolux had hosted for more than two years.
Since then the brand has launched a new partner programme and fine-tuned its distributor network, reducing the number of key dealer accounts it works with from 250 to around 60.
Head of region, Darren Lockley, said the company’s efforts over the last two years “leads us to where we are today” and added that it was committed to growing its business with partners in the room.
“We have made an investment in people, products and time — and that is the key one: we have still got the same amount of area sales managers which means more time to work with you and grow your business.”
Lockley shared Electrolux’s strategy for the next three years and said that if it meets its growth targets then the collective equipment sales opportunity for UK partners would potentially be £28m by 2017.
He said growth would come from moving into new market territories, capturing more replacement orders, increasing its work with chains and building on its strong position in the project and scheme business.
Partners attending the event at the Chesford Grange hotel in Warwick yesterday also heard from other key senior executives from Electrolux UK, including marketing manager Julie Fell, head of business development Nigel Westall and field sales manager for foodservice Louisa Luxton.
The company revealed plans to enhance its partner programme, offer co-branded website and social media opportunities for distributors, and introduce an online booking system so that partners can maximise use of its Innovation Centre in Luton.
Esther Staskiewicz, SVP global marketing, and Philippe Zavattiero, SVP western Europe, also took to the stage to give UK partners an insight into the wider global and European strategy.


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Last November, Proposition 122 passed in Colorado, decriminalizing the possession and use of psilocybin and psilocin “magic” mushrooms. Inspired by the changing landscape around fungi and its beneficial properties, Ramzy Abueita, 28, a Boulder psychedelic decriminalization activist, made a career transition.
Abueita, who graduated from the University of Michigan with a neuroscience degree, had for a while been nurturing the idea of opening a coffee shop with a twist.
Six months after the election, he launched one that specializes in mushroom-infused products. His products don’t contain any psychedelic properties. But by incorporating mushrooms into coffee creations, Abueita aims to provide customers with a unique – even “magical” – experience, he said.
“There is a growing body of evidence that shows how beneficial functional mushrooms can be to the health of the mind and body,” Abueita said of fungi, with supposed perks beyond nutritional value. He explained that mycelium — the root structure of mushrooms — looks like the networks of neurons and blood vessels in our bodies.
“There’s something magical about the mycelial archetype that connects the entire ecosystem with our own nervous system and physiology.”
On May 1, 2023, Abueita opened Myco Cafe at 1629 28th Street, Colorado’s first exclusively mushroom-themed coffee shop. So far, business has been steady in health-conscious Boulder, Abueita said.
“It’s a testament to how much this community loves mushrooms,” Abueita said. “If there’s any place in the world that a mushroom cafe would work, it’s Boulder.”
Myco Cafe’s menu features standard coffee shop options that customers can choose to infuse with any combination of four types of organic mushroom extracts. The most-popular menu items, Abueita said, are non-caffeinated: a cacao drink, smoothies and the turmeric golden latte, which combines spices and milk.
Myco Cafe is in some ways part of the changing world of magic mushrooms, since psilocybin and Abueita’s decriminalization work were catalysts in the coffee shop’s inception. But Prop 122 didn’t legalize the sale of psilocybin, and Abueita doesn’t foresee adding the drug to the menu any time soon.
The coffee shop sells a handful of whole mushrooms – like dried reishi to use in tea, plus lion’s mane, oyster, enoki and beech mushrooms for cooking – from Boulder Mushroom, a mycology center that develops and cultivates fungi. Fort Lupton, Colorado-based Mycolove Farm created the mushroom extract that Myco Cafe uses.
Though it’s still an active area of study, mushrooms have long been thought to provide myriad health benefits, from alleviating digestive problems and anxiety to improving cognitive decline and concentration. Fungi have been used in Chinese medicine and across Eastern cultures for thousands of years. Peer-reviewed scientific studies have examined mushrooms’ antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved mushroom supplements as safe or effective to treat health conditions or disease. (On its website, Mycolove Farm says its products “have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration” and states that they are “NOT intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” Abueita said Myco Cafe also doesn’t claim that the extracts cure or prevent any disease — nor, he said, are they intended as substitutes for medical advice.)
Mycolove Farm — founded in 2021 by four mushroom enthusiasts, including Jake Plummer, a former Denver Broncos quarterback — developed its mushroom extraction process over six years, according to the company.
Its lion’s mane mushroom extract has a high 40% concentration of beta-glucan, or soluble fiber, which Abueita said has been shown in studies to help improve immune system function.
Lion’s mane mushrooms also contain compounds that have been linked to improved brain health, cognitive function and nerve growth. Like the other mushrooms, it has not been approved by the FDA for supplement use, though it has been for food consumption.
Its turkey tail mushroom extract, which Myco Cafe also sells, is believed to contain beta-glucans, as well as polyphenols, which Abueita said are full of antioxidants. Cordyceps mushrooms are thought to improve energy and endurance, while reishi mushroom extract is thought to benefit the cardiovascular system by reducing stress.
Abueita requires Myco Cafe staff to have knowledge of functional mushrooms and their potential benefits so they can educate customers on these health properties.
“I’m hoping that this place can be a resource,” he said.
‘Community hub for the world of mushrooms’
Abueita searched for locations around Boulder for Myco Cafe and chose the 28th Street property — the former home to Edible Arrangements — because it was move-in ready.
Abueita wants to renovate, transforming the back room into an event space, a location for locals to host workshops related to mycelium — like classes on mushroom identification or foraging — – as well as open-mic events and small shows.
“Anybody in the community who wants to use the space is welcome to use it,” Abueita said. The room will initially be free to reserve.
Myco Cafe also has a small library with books and for-sale art, much of it mushroom-themed, in the front-of-house coffee shop.
In addition to helping local artists gain exposure in town and sell their work, Abueita wants his coffee shop to serve as a space for locals to explore their intellectual curiosities — like the old-time salons of Europe, but with mushrooms in the mix.
“My big hope for the space is for it to be a community hub for the world of mushrooms,” Abueita said, “a place that harkens back to the old-school coffee shop culture of the Arab world and Europe, where people could come and have conversation and talk philosophy, politics and science, a place where the renaissance can be alive.”


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US ’corporate barter’ company Media Resources International has
hired a sales director and is seeking extra sales staff for its
expansion into Europe.
Steve Lloyd, ex-new business director at MRI’s arch rival Active
International, will be responsible for explaining the corporate barter
concept to potential clients.
MRI takes a client’s surplus goods, such as unused train tickets or out
of date computer equipment, and sells them on to ’re-marketers’ such as
The client is then paid for the goods in ’trade credits’ which are used,
in MRI’s case, to purchase advertising space. To pay for the space, MRI
offers media owners a product, which has come from the same or another
client, such as computers or office equipment, conferences, corporate
hospitality, competition prizes or train tickets.
Lee Arthur, another recruit from Active International, has been
recruited as associate media director try to get media owners on
Arthur, who reports to MRI’s European media director Maureen Lewis, will
also sit down with media agencies like MediaCom TMB and Mediapolis - who
both work with MRI - to plan media campaigns.
MRI already handles pan-European corporate bartering for clients such as
IBM, Polygram Video, Dunlop Slazenger and Titan Watches and has offices
in Amsterdam, Sweden and Warsaw.
However, it is looking to open more offices across Europe and seeks
sales staff with one to ten years experience to spread the word on
corporate bartering from its London headquarters and overseas.
MRI has imported Rob Provine from the company’s New York office as chief
operating officer to oversee the European expansion plan.
Simon Lee, chief executive officer of MRI said: ’I anticipate we will
more than doubled our existing staffing levels of 22 in the next six
months. The London office is the focal point for our European growth,
providing the support services for all of the operating units currently
being launched. That means adding to our media and sales strength.’
While there are only two large corporate barter companies operating in
the UK, there are a dozens of big players in the US, where the industry
is worth an estimated pounds 5.3 billion (according to The Wall Street
Arthur explained: ’Corporate barter has grown over the past 30 years in
North America to become a mainstream media tool for clients in
manufacturing and distribution. The industry is more embryonic in Europe
but clients in the media and advertising worlds are starting to realise


text:
2023 will be the year of AI. To realize its full potential, travel companies need to rethink their entire philosophies around data, analytics, and decision-making.
Discover the top trends that will define the travel industry for the coming year.
This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.
Artificial intelligence isn’t a new concept. However, it’s matured considerably as a practical business technology over the past several years, and the travel industry is starting to leverage AI applications across organizational functions — including revenue management, operations and maintenance, back-office processes, and customer personalization.
The capabilities and opportunities for AI in travel are expanding rapidly, and they’re evolving very quickly. But technologies this transformative require more than software purchases and IT system upgrades. To realize the full potential of AI, organizations need to rethink their entire philosophies around data, analytics, and decision-making.
SkiftX spoke with Alex Mans, founder and CEO of FLYR Labs, to discuss why 2023 will be the year of AI across the business landscape, how it has evolved into a mission-critical technology for the travel industry, and what companies can do to reprioritize and reorganize their core business strategies to capture its potential.
SkiftX: Why is 2023 such an important inflection point for artificial intelligence? How do you think that the perception of AI has changed in the past year?
Alex Mans: 2023 is the year when AI will become clearly valuable to any executive across any industry, and when needing or deploying AI in your organization will become inevitably necessary.
The perception of AI has changed in the past year for several reasons. As one example, the cost of training and operating AI has dramatically come down. In addition, as executives of companies are seeing DALL-E image generation or ChatGPT chatbot intelligence, there is a much more concrete understanding of the power behind this technology.
And finally, many people have pushed AI aside as a black box. The reality is that’s no longer true. The explainability of AI and understanding of the factors that drive certain decisions are very much possible today.
SkiftX: Why is this such an important moment for AI in travel?
Mans: It’s very clear that beyond Covid and the pandemic, we’re in a more dynamic environment than ever before. Airlines have learned how to move into new markets at an incredible pace and how to move their equipment around to meet demand. Customer behavior has evolved where it is much less predictable year over year and more informed by ad hoc decision-making.
The second thing, which is tied to the dynamic environment, is that the legacy methods informing how airlines and travel companies forecast revenue, demand, and other factors don’t drive the desired accuracy to make decisions. It doesn’t work anymore.
As a result, they’re now running into a situation where there is too much information and too many variables for a human analyst to be responsible for. So all those factors are driving an immediate need for AI as a key component to commercial decision-making or decision-making in general.
SkiftX: What does the opportunity for AI mean for individual companies and how they structure their technology investments and operations?
Mans: At a high level, there are three key areas to structure around: Technology needs to be a main investment focus; the way you operate with technology companies is important; and then the commercial incentives need to support that bet or transition into new technologies or operating modes.
Ninety-six or 97 percent of the headcount at most travel companies — and airlines in particular — is focused on “managing the metal,” the operation, and the cost side of it. A very small percentage is focused on commercial and technology. It’s important that airlines and travel companies realize the importance of investing in that small area in terms of headcount to stay ahead.
SkiftX: How can travel companies start to prepare their organizations for these changes now?
Mans: Strong data infrastructure is important, but that doesn’t simply end with picking a database. As an example, we often see companies invest in great technologies to build their data strategy around, but then they are not well equipped to build the data engineering teams to implement and maintain those systems.
Airlines and travel companies also need to continue investing in moving their software workload to the cloud. It’s much easier to pull and integrate with data that sits in the cloud than data that sits in a self-hosted environment.
There’s also a lot that travel companies can do to start exposing their end users to AI so that by the time they introduce it, there is an understanding of what it can do. As for long-term impact, it’s going to improve adaptability, improve user productivity, grow revenue, and reduce costs.
SkiftX: Where do people fit into the equation as travel companies overhaul their technology systems and analytical processes?
Mans: You still need humans to bridge between humans. Even if AI helps inform decisions in revenue management, marketing, leadership, network planning, cargo, and every commercial function in the airline, you still need humans to help link those functions.
Eventually, you’re going to see the role of an analyst effectively span multiple commercial functions. You can drive demand by lowering prices, but you can also do it by being smart about where you spend your marketing dollars or by moving your capacity up or down. There are different levers leading to a good outcome, and today those are very siloed. AI and good interfaces can help bring them together, but the human factor will still have to drive collaboration.
SkiftX: What are some ways that key stakeholders and technology leaders can make the benefits of AI more transparent within their organizations?
Mans: At the end of the day, success with AI comes down to measuring the right things to practically develop confidence. Only try to forecast things you can measure. Look at how humans impact it. Run A/B tests. And look for explainability to know how it made the decision. All of these things are key to driving confidence and showing the benefits of AI.
For more information about FLYR and its commercial intelligence and optimization platform that leverages AI and deep learning, visit www.flyrlabs.com.