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| Sep 18, 2014
| 2:22 PM
Hoffman Estates-based Sears Holdings is spiraling so bad that one Wall Street analyst titled his Thursday forecast for the retailer, "Thinking about 'The End.'" But Wall Street has been foreshadowing bankruptcy for years, and it hasn't happened. Here's...
| Sep 15, 2014
| 3:30 PM
Sears Holdings Co. is getting a $400 million secured short-term loan from the hedge fund of its chief executive, Eddie Lampert, with real estate as collateral, the company said Monday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
| Sep 16, 2014
| 4:22 PM
Sears Holdings Co. stock tumbled 9.4 percent Tuesday as investors reacted to news that the company received a $400 million loan from its own chairman and CEO.
Shares were trading at $30.37 at the closing bell, after hitting a 52-week low earlier in...
| Sep 10, 2014
| 1:24 PM
Fitch Ratings downgraded Sears Holdings' credit rating further into junk status on Wednesday and questioned whether it can raise enough cash to support operations beyond 2016, citing the magnitude of Sears Holding’s decline in profitability and a...
| Sep 10, 2014
| 3:00 AM
Move over Back to School. Holiday shopping has arrived.
At least that's what Kmart would like to tell the 40 percent of you who begin holiday shopping before Halloween.
If you fall into that group (as measured by the National Retail Federation last...
| Sep 5, 2014
| 9:31 PM
The United States generally taxes the income of large corporations at 35 percent, one of the highest rates in the world. It has spurred companies such as Lake Forest-based Hospira to enter talks to buy a French company in a deal that would enable the...
| Sep 4, 2014
| 7:05 AM
Home Depot has been in contact with the U.S. Secret service about an alleged major breach of customer and credit card data that came to light this week, a law enforcement source told Reuters.
Any investigation by the Secret Service appears to be at a...
| Sep 3, 2014
| 2:24 AM
(Reuters) - Home Depot Inc said on Tuesday it was working with law enforcement to investigate "some unusual activity" related to customer data but that it could not confirm if it had become the latest retailer to be hit by a large-scale security breach....
| Aug 29, 2014
| 7:32 AM
About 14,000 Sears retirees will lose a monthly health insurance subsidy as the languishing department store titan looks for ways to shave costs.
Hoffman Estates-based Sears Holdings Corp. plans to send letters Friday to the 14,000 Sears, Roebuck & Co....
| Aug 29, 2014
| 2:30 AM
Q: I recently bought a boot scraper with a pair of Scottie dogs at each side. There is a scraper plus two brushes mounted between the dogs. The dogs look to be either Hubley or National Foundry. I've hit a dead end on who made the scraper and value. It...
| Jun 12, 2014
| 12:47 PM
Shares of Lands’ End soared nearly 8 percent on Thursday after the retailer said its earnings jumped 48 percent in its first quarterly report as a standalone public company. The Dodgeville, Wis.-based retailer was spun-off from Sears Holdings Corp....


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Samsung Galaxy Note10 Users Get New and Upgraded Weather Data
September 16, 2019
The Samsung Weather experience on the Galaxy Note10 is getting an upgrade1 thanks to a partnership with The Weather Channel, a subsidiary of IBM. Now, for the first time, customers who purchase a Galaxy Note10 will have access to new features in Samsung Weather, including government-issued weather alerts2, radar maps3, and weather video clips4 from The Weather Channel’s editorial team.
For more information, please see:

domain: news


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The Qatar Financial Center (QFC) will continue to create platforms for the financial services sector as part of its efforts to create a vibrant ecosystem for the fintechs, according to its top official.
“The QFC will continue to create platform for the financial services community where strategies that lead to a sustainable business growth are initiated,” Henk Jan Hoogendoorn, managing director, Financial Sector Office, QFC, told a global conference ‘Money 20/20 Europe’ in the Netherlands.
Addressing networking event, which saw the attendance of 25 C-level executives from the world’s top Fintech and Venture Capital firms, he said technology has been evolving at an exponential rate and the financial service sector has perhaps bore the impact of this rapid growth more than any other industry, transforming the sector’s business ecosystem at an accelerating pace.
“These developments pose both benefits and challenges, which we discussed during our networking dinner with leaders in the industry,” he said.
Money 20/20 convened the leaders in the fintech industry, decision makers building the future of money, and over 6,000 people from the financial services community worldwide. The three-day event saw more than 300 speakers with case study presentations, panel discussions and workshops surrounding a plethora of financial-related topics.
QFC participated in the event in association with B-Hive and Fintech Power 50.
“The Middle East is an area where there are great opportunities for fintech especially around financial inclusion of the under-banked,” according to Jason Williams, Founder, Fintech Power 50.
Wim de Waele, CEO, B-Hive Europe said the event would open the door to new collaborations in the growing fintech sector.
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Global economy sliding towards weakest growth in decade: OECD
Asia’s global clout growing despite trade wars, says McKinsey
Banks don’t want Draghi free money as ECB loans fall flat
US labour market remains strong; manufacturing still weak
Gold back above $1,500 on growth woes
Indian equities fall to lowest since March
Europe markets gain on Fed decision to cut rates
Bonds’ biggest threat is Germany beginning to splash the cash
China’s growth could slip below 6%, warn analysts


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In most cases seniors are receiving "robo-calls" from a company identifying itself as "Medical Alert Systems" or "Senior Medical Labs" offering a free medical alert system, according to the BBB. They claim everything is paid for including shipping and handling.
“Consumers are also told they have been recommended for the product by a friend or relative,” according to BBB President and CEO Phil Catlett.
Consumers have reported several different options with these phone calls. In some instances the pre-recorded voice asks the consumer to press "1" to accept, in other cases to press "5."
“After consumers press a button to accept the offer, they quickly receive another call asking for personal information including credit card numbers,” Catlett said.
"Do not give out your personal information over the phone to an unknown party," Catlett said.
While the scammers may be using names similar to legitimate businesses selling medical alert systems, Catlett said consumers should hang up if asked for personal information.
“The BBB advises you to be wary of anyone offering you something for ‘free’ in exchange for your personal information,” Catlett said. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
Consumer and business scams should quickly be reported to BBB at 616-774-8236 or through its website at westernmichigan.bbb.org.


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Sony, Ubisoft & New Regency Plot 'Watch Dogs' Video Game Adaptation
by Ethan Anderton
August 20, 2013
Though the new Sony Playstation 4 may not be on shelves until this holiday season, that's not stopping Hollywood from picking up an anticipated video game property for the big screen. One of the highly anticipated sandbox environment video games hitting Sony's video game console at launch is Watch Dogs, which follows Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker bent on revenge and inflicting his own brand of justice after a violent family tragedy. Now Sony Pictures Entertainment, in conjunction with New Regency, is picking up their parent company's video game from Ubisoft, and working with their film and TV division to develop it.
If you're unfamiliar with the video game Watch Dogs, check out one of the more recent trailers for it:
As the press release further explains the game's story, "Using all of his skills, Pearce hacks into Chicago’s Central Operating System (ctOS), which controls the city’s infrastructure, including security cameras, traffic lights, and public transportation, as well as databases containing key information on the city’s residents. In the game, Pearce turns the entire city of Chicago into his ultimate weapon." Sounds pretty bad ass, but again, turning a video game of this size and scope into a feature film can be difficult since it loses the novelty of letting the player control the story and action. As we all know, video game movies are hard to crack, but maybe Sony can make this one work. It's early days though, so stay tuned for additional updates from here.
This is also coming to Xbox One and PC. Thanks for that info.
DroidzFX on Aug 20, 2013
Also worth noting is that the game is being built on/for PC, and the only footage of the game that's been shown thus far, has been running on a PC. It's also being released for the Xbone too. Way to report neutrally.
Jerrod Adee on Aug 20, 2013
That was pretty well made, the type design was decent for a change too. If only it was that easy to stop human trafficking.
Carpola on Aug 20, 2013
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Home Tags Hidden fees
Tag: hidden fees
A new bipartisan Senate bill takes aim at “hidden” hotel fees and surcharges, with the goal of making them more transparent from the start.
Questions to ask to avoid unwelcome surcharge surprises when it comes time to pay the final bill.
Don't be surprised by those hotel fees that are “hidden” in plain sight — you just have to know where to look for them.
In the past year, the number of hotels charging fees has grown by 14 percent, according to Resortfeechecker.com, a site that tracks resort fees.


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Beats cofounder and current Apple executive Jimmy Iovine responded to the National Football League's decision to ban Beats by Dre headphones from interviews, suggesting the pressure from Bose is resulting in cheap publicity.
Speaking at the University of California's Global Conversation on Wednesday, Iovine noted that NFL stars under contract with Beats, as well as those who prefer the headphones, have taken to taping over the company's logo to avoid monetary fines, reports Business Insider
"We didn't do anything, and now the players are going out and putting black tape on our logo," Iovine said. "It's like, I can't believe I'm this lucky. I feel like sending them the tape."
The NFL is enforcing a ban on all headphone products not made by Bose, who inked a deal in March to become the league's "official headphone." Last week, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was fined $10,000 for wearing a pair of pink Beats to a post-game press conference. It was later learned that the color choice was in support of breast cancer awareness month and his grandmother, who is a cancer survivor.
Iovine went on to say that Sony and Bose, both major competitors in the headphone industry, are out of touch with pop culture, which resulted in a windfall of free press for Beats.
"What happened there, you have a tech company that's culturally inept. There's no one at the company that said, 'If you ban these guys, you're going to look bad to the young people, and they're going to look like superheros even though they're just pure capitalists — well they're not pure capitalists, but they're real capitalists and [they] sold that company to Apple — but you're going to make them look like the underdog," Iovine said.
The NFL ban is nothing new to Beats, which has a number of pro athlete promoters on its roster, including LeBron James, Serena Williams and Brazilian soccer star Neymar da Silva Santos, Jr.


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Small Businesses vs. The Pandemic
Remember the early days of COVID-19 lockdowns when, practically overnight, it seemed that every shop closed its doors? Do you remember how all of those small businesses you might have taken for granted – the ones that gave life and an identity to your community – suddenly felt essential to you? Tim watched lots of small businesses in his small town in New Jersey struggle, including his favorite local bakery, Montclair Bread Company. Three years later, he tracks the trials and tribulations this unimaginable public health and economic crisis threw at the bakery and its owner, Rachel Wyman.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


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Electronic Goods Demand Set For Christmas Surge
IBISWorld has forecast electronic goods spending will jump 56.2 per cent compared to the previous 11 months, suggesting many households defer these purchases until Christmas.
Total year-on-year retail sales are expected to grow 5.5 per cent, with electronic goods sales forecast to grow 1.4 per cent year-on-year.
IBISWorld senior analyst Stephen Gargano noted “all retail categories can expect a share of the spoils”.
“However, department stores are expected to outperform competitor categories with an anticipated sales spike of 94.1 per cent,” he commented.
“Department stores operate as a one-stop-shop, stocking a range of consumer goods. This holds them in good stead to benefit from an influx of time-poor consumers keen to purchase their Christmas gifts and holiday supplies in one location.”
IBISWorld additionally noted retailers will face a number of challenges throughout the holiday period.
Staffing presents a traditional challenge, with retailers requiring not only sufficient staff, but also the flexibility to cut back staff hours following the downturn in demand after Christmas, IBISWorld observed.
“If demand predictions are overstated, having too many staff may threaten profitability, especially once you factor in penalty rate payments for overtime and public holidays,” Gargano commented.
Another challenge will be effectively managing inventory, ensuring stock is available to meet Christmas demand, while overstocking will lead to significant excess inventory, which in turn may require drastic discounting, eroding profitability.


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In line with a growing worldwide trend, Singapore will follow countries like Mexico and Britain, and Australian states such as Queensland in banning ads for some soft drinks and juices while mandating the provision of health warnings on labels.
Mindful of the high rate of diabetes in the city-state, which is amongst the highest in the world, the health ministry is seeking to lower the rate of sugar consumption in the country and encourage steps towards better oral and general health.
To that end, the advertising bans, which will apply, reports The Weekly Times, to “certain fizzy drinks and juices”, will be accompanied by taxes on sugary drinks manufacturers and importers, and “even a total ban on the sale of some beverages”.
While the bans will not apply to all sugary drinks, they are being targeted at those beverages deemed to be the least healthy, said the health ministry.
“We will introduce an advertising prohibition of product advertisements for the least healthy SSBs on all local mass media platforms, including broadcast, print, out-of-home and online channels.”
The bans, which do not come a specific date for implementation, will be preceded by consultation with drink manufacturers such as Coca-Cola, the advertising industry and consumers.
For the full story, go to The Weekly Times


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Oregon Governor Kate Brown approves recreational marijuana a year ahead of schedule.
KATU News reports that Oregon Governor Kate Brown has signed a bill allowing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell pot to recreational users, effective October 1, 2015.
Anyone over the age of 21 will be able to purchase marijuana at a dispensary starting October 1.
This gives the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) a little more than two months to set in place the rules and regulations the dispensaries will have to follow.
In the meantime, marijuana sales will be tax-free until Jan. 4, 2016. At that point, potential dispensaries and recreational stores can apply for permits.
While the OHA will oversee the early sales of marijuana, the Oregon Liquor Commission (OLC) will take over the more regulated, full-fledged recreational pot market starting in October 2016.
The early sales, even without taxes, were championed by both Republicans and Democrats, as a way to further stamp out the black market.
- Under Measure 91, starting July 1, 2015, anyone over 21 in Oregon can possess up to 8 ounces of usable marijuana, such as dried buds at home and up to one ounce outside the home.
- You can consume marijuana at home or on private property.
- It is illegal to smoke marijuana in public or to drive while stoned.
- You can grow up to four plants per residence at home out of public view.
- You can make brownies and other edible products at home and receive them as gifts. You can also give away marijuana and receive it as a gift.
- It is illegal to buy or sell recreational marijuana in Oregon until October 1, 2015.
- You also cannot transport it across state lines legally until October 1. That includes buying some from a legal retail outlet in Washington state and bringing it home to Oregon.
- Measure 91 will not protect you if your employer prohibits drug use, especially if there is a federal connection, because marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
- If your landlord prohibits smoking in your apartment, you can be evicted for smoking marijuana, but not for eating it.
As of October 1, recreational marijuana sales in Oregon will take place through medical marijuana dispensaries.
The OLC expects it will take some time for retail recreational marijuana growers, processors, wholesalers and sales outlets to be operational.
Governor Kate Brown is jumpstarting this process by allowing recreational sales this year; the initial legislation was set to legalize recreational marijuana in October 2016.
But will there be amnesty for pot convictions? Find out just how many people have been locked up for marijuana related incidents in this video:
At the very least, expungement -- or the sealing of criminal records -- should be part of state legislation once marijuana is legalized.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC its affiliates, or its employees.
More from Jesse Ventura's Off The Grid
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Is there hope for our economy? Most Americans don’t think so.
Jesse Ventura: I am not running for president


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Just two days ago, Jana Partners increased its stake in Whole Foods Market to 8.3%, up from approximately 7.2%. This news caused a flurry in the the industry as as analysts, experts and competitors all began to predict what this might mean for the company. It also sparked talks of a potential acquisition from rival grocery companies.
All of the attention may be because Jana, which has worked mainly behind the scenes in the past, didn't just up its stake, it also started a review of strategic options for Whole Foods. This includes assembling a slate of industry experts who could be brought on to help run the business. Additionally, Jana aims to "internalize grocery distribution and limit the influence of [Whole Foods'] primary wholesale distribution partner," United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), reported Reuters.
Some analysts, though, believe Jana Partners' plan to have Whole Foods Market reduce its reliance on UNFI could cause issues, as Whole Foods currently lacks the advanced logistics systems some other retailers have and an in-house distribution plan could actually add to costs. The chain sourced nearly 33% of its supplies from UNFI in 2016, reported Reuters. Aside from UNFI, Whole Foods sources goods from local, regional and national producers, specialty wholesalers and direct distributors, which analysts say is a fragmented market where the chain has weaker price leverage than it does with UNFI. Ajay Jain, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group notes, "Even major self distributing chains like Kroger ... also rely on suppliers like UNFI because they can procure products more easily than the retailer."
UNFI has an agreement to continue its supply relationship with Whole Foods through September 2025.
Whole Foods Market has long tried to keep itself at arms length from other supermarkets and be more than just a grocery store. And despite the possible shortcomings with Jana's plans, it may indeed be crucial for Whole Foods to take on more of the conventional grocery store tactics to improve performance. Experts note that when Whole Foods first came on to the scene, it was virtually the only large supermarket selling natural and organic products, especially on such a large scale. However, now that there is more competition in the sector, natural products and sustainability efforts are no longer enough to win over customers.
Aside from the other changes Jana is planning for the chain, it also is looking for Whole Foods to adopt some of the approaches that traditional supermarkets have successfully used for years to keep customers coming back. Some of those initiatives include introducing loyalty cards that would allow it to target shoppers with coupons based on their buying habits; centralizing product purchasing to improve efficiency; and advertising sales and discounts, reported The Wall Street Journal.
The news of Jana's increased stake also led to reports that it is urging a sale of the supermarket chain. Amazon Inc. reportedly considered a takeover bid of Whole Foods last fall but didn’t pursue a deal, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Although the discussions never resulted in a plan, Amazon considered whether Whole Foods could help its push into groceries, now a 10-year initiative. Amazon, along with Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos., is now on the list of potential bidders for the chain, reported Bloomberg.
Grocery shopping has evolved from a Main Street event (where we go to our local market frequently to purchase food and goods) to an order most anything, from anywhere, at any time online. Online shopping, which started off slowly, was initially an underwhelming choice for consumers. As the internet grew along with smartphones, more started to shop online.read more
According to recent data from the Plant Based Food Association (PBFA), U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods outpaced total food sales during the pandemic by a considerable margin. Peak panic buying in mid-March saw plant-based food sales up 90% compared to the previous year. This trend continued for the following four weeks, with total plant-based food sales rising 35% faster than total retail food.read more
Jennette has been with The Food Institute since 2013. As Marketing Director, she is responsible for promoting all Food Institute books, seminars and webinars, as well as writing and editing the Food Institute’s annual publications. Additionally, she writes for and edits the daily news update, Today in Food, and contributes to the biweekly Food Institute Report. She has a background in non-profit and environmental marketing, programming and writing, and graduated from Rowan University in 2012 with a degree in Communication Studies.
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Video taken by a home security camera shows the woman trying to put out the flames before they break out.
HOUSTON – A Seabrook woman says a scented candle exploded in her hands, leaving her with severe burns that required multiple surgeries.
The incident happened around Thanksgiving last year. RickiLynn Gardner told KHOU 11 that she suffered severe burns that resulted in multiple surgeries. Eight months later, she still has to put on gloves to protect her new skin.
A Blink camera inside her home captured the scary moment the candle exploded in her hands. Gardner and a pair of Houston attorneys have filed a $1 million federal lawsuit against Florida-based Aroma360, which does business under the Hotel Collection name, in hopes of covering its medical bills.
“Being a single mom, having a small child … she wants to get out and do stuff,” Gardner said. “She also said my hands ruined her life. It’s hard for me to deal with.”
Gardner says the candle engulfed her hands in flames and covered them in molten wax, which caused her severe burns.
“The danger of these candles cannot be overstated,” said attorney Randy Sorrels, representing Gardner. “The consumer public should be warned about how these products can cause fire, explosion and injury.”
According to the law firm, consumer research showed similar incidents were reported with the Florida-based company.
KHOU 11 has reached out to the companies involved in the lawsuit for a statement, but has yet to receive a response.
KHOU 11 on social media: Facebook | Chirping | Instagram | Youtube


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UnNews:Sony announces new Deth-Ray recording technology
From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
Sony announces new Deth-Ray recording technology
Fake News that's honestly fake
Monday, March 19, 2018, 15:24:UTC)(
22 October 2006
|UnNews Audio (file info)|
|Listen to this story!|
Problems playing this file? You might be a dope.
SAKAMUGIKENDO, Japan -- Ken Kutagari, President of Sony announced that the new PLAYSTATION 3 would be using the new Deth-ray recording technology. "This new recording technology will help eliminate software and movie piracy world wide by simply using the same blue-violent death ray optical beam used to read the data disc to vaporised anyone who inserted illegally copied discs into any Sony Deth-ray based product." When asked if this would be painful, he replied with "Extremely, as we have said all along, the PLAYSTATION 3 is an extreme product, with extreme controllers and extreme prices."


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180,000 companies and consumers ask banks for coronavirus help
Dutch banks have helped out more than 180,000 consumers and companies with repayment deferrals and loans since the start of the coronavirus crisis, the Dutch banking association NVB said on Friday.
In total, the financial aid has amounted to €15.2bn, the NVB said.
By mid-April, 117,000 companies and private individuals had been helped out and the number of new requests for help is going down, the NVB said. This, the agency said, is probably due to the availability of government help.
However, even though the lockdown is being eased, companies are still facing problems, particularly in the hospitality sector, NVB chairman Chris Buijink said. ‘In addition, the tech industry has said it expects major problems in the coming six months.’
In total, 31,000 consumers have asked for help with mortgages and loans, but that number has hardly gone up in the past two weeks, the NVB said.
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We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.Make a donation


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Does Manolo Blahnik not sell snow boots? Sarah Jessica Parker wades through New York snow in rolled up jeans and inappropriate trainers
Carrie Bradshaw is famed for her gigantic shoe collection, which catalogues a suitable style for every occasion.
However in real life, it seems Sarah Jessica Parker might not have the same variety of styles at her disposal, as she was spotted wading through the thick New York snow in trainers and rolled up jeans on Saturday.
Apart from her footwear the 48-year-old actress dressed suitably for the snow in a black puffer jacket and jeans with white leggings underneath.
Snow in the city: Sarah was spotted wading through the snow in New York in inappropriate footwear
What would Carrie say? SJP was spotted wearing unsuitable grey and black trainers in the New York snow
Sarah, who shot to fame playing Carrie Bradshaw in HBO's Sex In The City television series, is famed for her fashionable choices on and off screen.
Inspired perhaps by her Sex In The City character's life long obsession for shoes, Sarah has designed a range of shoes for Nordstorm entitled 'SJP' which draw direct inspiration from the Manolo Blahniks she drooled over in the TV series.
Looking forward to making her debut as shoe designer she tweeted on Friday: 'Thanks for all of the excitement about the launch of @SJPCollection. In @Nordstrom stores on Feb 28th. I can't wait.'
Hold on to your hood: Sarah seemed to be sheltering herself from the windy weather with her fur trimmed hood
Something to smile about: Sarah looked happy despite have unsuitable footwear for the snowy weather
The star is also designing handbags and trench coats for the collection, which are being created in partnership with none other than George Malkemus, who is the president of Manolo Blahnik USA.
This wont be the first foray into fashion for the Golden Globe Award winner, as she spent a year and a half as president and creative director of luxury American fashion brand Halston Heritage in 2010.
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text: native american oils Phoenix iMarkets compiled from ZeroHedge, according to government data compiled by Labyrinth consulting services, the growth trend of U.S. personal vehicle mileage (VMT) has been steady since June 2017. The possibility of a halt to growth in U.S. personal vehicle miles (VMT) has been around since the start of 2014, which could signal a slowdown in crude oil consumption. Labour minister John MacDonald (John McDonnell), said the international monetary fund, according to a report of a conservative government "good at cuts in public services, tax breaks for a few rich people, but no hope to invest in our country for the majority of people skills and infrastructure needed for the economic development". In addition, the final legislation could reduce federal mortgage interest deductions and eliminate deductions for state and local taxes. New York, New Jersey and California have families that are much more difficult than those in republican-leaning states. Palmer said: "I'm worried about the British retailers are now in the midst of a perfect storm, interest rate decisions in November, rising inflation, real wages, falling credit availability and the UK to take off the European uncertainty increased, these during the Christmas season for caused an unprecedented pressure on household budgets, pushed consumer confidence to historic lows. "Historically, the concept of income has first appeared in economics. Adam Smith, in the wealth of nations, defined income as "the amount of consumption that is not eroded by capital", and saw it as an increase in wealth. Later, most economists inherited and developed this view. 1890, ai (Alfred Marshall Maarshell) in its "the principles of economics," the Adam Smith's "wealth increase" enterprise, introduced the concept of earnings, is proposed to distinguish the entity capital and value-added benefits of economic benefits. In just three days, the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond jumped 16 basis points, the biggest gain since December 2008. The two-year - 30-year spread widened at the fastest rate since last year's U.S. election. This week the yield curve flattens out. Is it a short adjustment or a bear market start? At present, countries around the world is frequent use of interest rate leverage to implement macro-control, interest rate policy has become a central bank to control money supply and demand, and a major means of regulating economic, interest rate policy in the position in the central bank's monetary policy more and more important. The clothes fit magically and highlight or sculpt your general appearance as required. The purpose of creating this line is to gift the women these days with something to look forward to in their shopping expeditions. Mexton touches the heartbeat of your fashion conscious woman and will be offering them with excellent clothes and footwear. There is no compromise in connection with standard superiority the products as each and every creation is checked properly before sending to the customer. Mexton online is to order for clothes, footwear and accessories. It is a beautifully-designed website which reflects what the fashion line represents ' comfort and sensuality.


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Gaana, one of India’s leading music streaming platform has crossed 100 mn monthly active users (MAU) in March 2019. A December 2018 Deloitte report had indicated that the Indian music streaming platform had around 150 mn MAU. With Gaana now crossing the 100mn MAU mark, this could consolidate their leadership albeit for the time being.
To mark the occasion, the music streaming platform unveiled two new features, Gaana Video and Artist Dashboard.
Speaking on the occasion, Prashan Agarwal, CEO – Gaana said,
“Gaana has brought melody and meaning to the lives of Indians with music. The fact that 10 crore listeners value our offering is humbling, and is a testimony to the efforts of the incredible team at Gaana.”
Gaana Video is an exclusive, vertical video format built for mobile, of the music streaming platform. It is created in exclusive partnerships with India’s top artists. This is Gaana’s first major foray into adding video to its music-led experiences. It is a format that accompanies new, popular music.
Artist Dashboard is a self-service dashboard for artists to access insights and analytics around how their music is consumed Gaana. The Artist Dashboard is designed keeping in mind what artists need, and to understand their fan-base better.
In addition to these new products, over the past year, Gaana has driven several industry-first product innovations. These have contributed to the growing consumer engagement of the music streaming platform.
Gaana’s AI-led ‘For You’ screen offers personalized song recommendations and is used by over 10% of its users. The voice assistant enables easy, multilingual search and is used by over 24% of users. The AI algorithms drive its personalization algorithms throughout the app. This leads to over 17% of consumption coming from recommended music.
“We will continue to innovate with our AI-driven algorithms and product innovations at scale. This will help make Gaana more accessible to new mobile users across India,”
Music streaming platform and the price war
The price war in the Indian streaming market is on, JioSaavn and Gaana had earlier slashed their annual subscription prices by 70 percent. To counter this, Apple Music has now made its subscription more affordable. With the pricing war among the music streaming platforms at its peak, it would not be surprising to see another platform cross the 100 mn MAU mark soon.


text: So far, most drugs are swallowed. But there has also been talk in the pharmaceutical industry that many medicines can be transported into the body more easily and gently via skin patches – and require much less active ingredient. The SHS-funded company AMW (Medicines Plant Warngau) near Munich has taken this insight as an opportunity to develop a so-called transdermal patch with fully electronic control. “Our patches can be switched on and off with a transmitter,” says AMW founder and chief executive Wilfried Fischer. Thus, a patient who knows full well that chronic pain is tormented, especially in the late afternoon and at night, can snap out the patch in the morning. He doesn’t turn it on until he really needs the active ingredient.


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A quarter of British consumers (25%) expect to make an NFC mobile payment in the next year, research from MasterCard reveals. Seven in 10 of the 1,044 respondents worry that if they lost their phone someone could use it to buy things, while more than half fear their phone could be hacked. Four in 10 plan to wait for others to confirm NFC mobile payments are safe before trying it themselves.
- UK consumers eye up iris scanning for banking biometrics
- LG to develop its own MST technology?
- Samsung Pay set to go live in Canada?
- NXP to be bought by Qualcomm in US$47bn deal
- NFC to lead sharp rise in global smart packaging market


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California state regulators have drawn a line in the sand for businesses that wish to sell marijuana and alcohol in the same location.
California state regulators have temporarily dashed hopes for bars and pubs where people can consume alcohol and marijuana at the same time, according to High Times.
The Golden State issued an industry advisory on July 25, which listed frequently asked questions of the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). The advisory drew a clear line in the sand between alcohol and cannabis in the state, making it illegal to sell the two together.
“The MAUCRSA (Business and Professions Code section 26054) states that the holder of a license issued under the MAUCRSA ‘shall not sell alcoholic beverages or tobacco products on or at any premises licensed under this division,’” the memo stated.
The ABC also says beverages that blend the two substances together, such as marijuana-infused cocktails or Canada’s newly infamous “cannabis beer” will be illegal in the state. Cannabidiol (CBD) is out of the question for ABC licensees, too.
“It does not matter if the CBD comes from industrial hemp or from cannabis,” the memo said. “This also includes non-alcoholic beverage products and edibles. It is thus prohibited… regardless of source, in the manufacture or production of any alcoholic beverage, including using it in mixed drinks or cocktails.”
State regulators added that businesses licensed to sell alcohol won’t be allowed to permit their patrons to bring (and use) their own marijuana on the premises, either. No cannabis products, including vaporizers and edibles, can be consumed in public, under California law.
“The restriction applies at all times, even after hours or during private functions,” the High Times story explained. “That means food, wine, and cannabis pairing events are not allowed at ABC licensed establishments.”
Interestingly enough, California’s Cannabis Portal site observed that the memo’s guidelines won’t stop any of it from happening: “There are many bars and pubs that [currently] turn a blind eye to such behavior, and did well before recreational marijuana was legalized in California.”
Additionally, the existence of Denver Initiative 300 (a pilot program that allows public pot consumption in Denver) suggests that attitudes could eventually shift in the opposite direction in California.
Since its legalization in November 2016, the laws around marijuana use have been as controversial as they have been somewhat ambiguous.
While “there has been some lack of clarity” in how and where marijuana can be consumed, a Marijuana Moment article hinted that there is “perhaps a bit of willful ignorance” among businesses and entrepreneurs.
Even the advisory itself says that it’s not the “be-all and end-all” on the subject and is, instead, meant to simply provide some better clarification: “This is not intended to be a comprehensive review of what may be permitted or prohibited,” the memo cautioned. “You should obtain independent legal advice before engaging in business involving either alcoholic beverages or cannabis, and you should not act in reliance on any information presented herein.”
And while the ABC prohibits anyone from mixing alcohol and weed, there are no stipulations that prevent a person from holding licenses to sell both alcohol and cannabis.


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Beef producer awarded for export success
JONDARYAN-based Stockyard has been recognised for its export success taking out the Agribusiness award at the Premier Of Queensland's Export Awards.
Family owned and operated, Stockyard specialises in the production of grain fed beef with a feedlot at Kerwee on the Darling Downs and export operation based in Brisbane.
Managing director Lachie Hart said they were very proud and credited the success to the dedication of his team through all levels of the supply chain.
"We are competing in a competitive global market place so we are certainly punching above our weight,” he said.
Stockyard exports 85 per cent of what it produces with a current capacity of 11,000 head at Kerwee. The feedlot is about to embark on a major expansion to allow 20,000 head.
Mr Hart said they exported to 15 different countries with the largest market being the Middle East, particularly Dubai, followed by Japan and Korea.


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2013 was a good year for Ford Motor (NYSE:F). The company has shown decent growth in its top and bottom lines, and delivered a high return on equity. Although, its share price moved only 19% last year, but the company also rewarded its shareholders with a 50% increase to its dividend. Year-to-date, the stock surged more than 8%.
Ford operates in the auto industry. As the auto market in the U.S. is saturated, major automakers like Ford are expanding their operations in emerging markets, particularly China, where they have promising growth opportunities. Most of the company's future growth will come from China and other emerging markets. Ford is not the strongest player in the Chinese auto market, but it is experiencing strong growth in the region. The company's sales in China increased 49% during the last year while its market share rose to 4.1% in 2013, up 0.9% from 2012.
China is the world's largest auto market. The Chinese auto market is expected to expand significantly in the coming years that will help Ford to grow. In the last ten years, auto demand in the country increased 30% to 40% annually. Last year, the sales rose 13.9% to 21.98 million vehicles. China's auto demand is expected to grow between 8% to 11% this year. Ford expects that China's auto industry will grow between 7.5% and 8% this year.
Ford is investing heavily in China to gain more market share. By 2015, it aims to capture 6% of the Chinese auto market. The company is constructing a new plant in the eastern city of Hangzhou that will be able to build 250,000 vehicles a year when it's completed in 2015. By 2015, Ford expects its Chinese production capacity will reach 1.2 million passenger cars, double the level of 2012. The company hopes to sell more than one million vehicles in the country this year. The automaker expects that 40% of its total unit sales will come from China by the end of the decade. By 2020, Ford projects that more than 1 billion Chinese will be able to afford a car.
Ford will introduce its Lincoln cars in China to compete with luxury car manufacturers like Audi AG, BMW AG, and Mercedes-Benz. Ford will sell five Lincoln models by 2016 through 60 dealerships in 50 Chinese cities. The company sees growth potential for Lincoln in China's luxury car market. The luxury segment constituted 7% of the Chinese auto industry in 2013. The Chinese premium car market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 12% till 2020. Growing premium car market will allow Lincoln brand to grow in China. However, one obstacle in the growth could be that Ford will not manufacture Lincoln cars in China, it will import them from the U.S. This will require the company to pay high import duty on foreign vehicles. High import duty will increase the price of Lincoln cars, as a result, customers would prefer the locally produced German cars, which are already famous among Chinese.
Last year, Ford announced its fifth business unit - Ford Middle East and Africa. The unit combined four separate regions - North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and the Middle East - into a single business. The company sees great growth potential in these markets. Ford Middle East sales in 2013 increased 12% year-on-year to 85,000 units. Auto sales in the Middle East and Africa region are expected to grow 40% to about 5.5 million units by 2020. South Africa is its second largest volume market in the region after Saudi Arabia. New passenger car sales in South Africa are estimated to grow by 5.1% in 2014 while the light commercial vehicle market is expected to grow by 7.2% in 2014. To benefit from these growing markets, Ford plans to launch 17 new or refreshed vehicles in the Middle East and Africa over the next two years. The new business unit is expected to sell around 220,000 units in 2014.
Ford is also attractive for dividend investors, offering a current yield of 2.90%. Ford suspended its dividend before the financial crisis, but reinstated distributions in the first quarter of 2012. The company increased its dividend by 50% last year. In Q1 2014, it declared dividend of $0.125 per share, a 25% increase from the level of dividend paid in each quarter in 2013. Analysts are expecting that the company will report revenue of $140.20 billion this year and $148.86 billion next year. EPS is estimated to be $1.32 and $1.91 in the current year and next year, respectively. As the company's revenue is expected to grow, so are its dividends. Its current dividend payout ratio is 27%, which leaves room for future payout growth. With more than $12 billion in cash, it has the ability to pay dividends for at least 15 years.
Future of Ford looks bright. The company has much room to grow in China. The introduction of Lincoln brand in China will help to capture market share in the premium car market. The Middle East and Africa region also represent a range of growth opportunities. The strong financial position of the company will allow it to pay dividends for years to come. In my opinion, Ford is an attractive investment for long-term investors.
Disclosure: The author has no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. The author wrote this article themselves, and it expresses their own opinions. The author is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). The author has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Access Co. Ltd., the company that owns the rights to the Palm operating system (Palm OS), announced Thursday that it is renaming Palm OS “Garnet OS” instead. The company has done so to differentiate Garnet OS from Palm Inc., manufacturers of the Treo handset and holders of the Palm trademark.
The announcement comes in tandem with Access’ introduction of a new “Access Powered” mark that will replace “Palm Powered” in devices designed around the operating system.
Last October Access announced that it would subsume PalmSource and change its name to Access. It sold PalmSource’s trademark rights back to Palm Inc.. As part of that continued effort, Access is renaming Palm OS to Garnet OS instead.
This isn’t the first time the name “Garnet” has been associated with Palm OS. In February 2004, PalmSource introduced different names for the Palm operating system — Palm OS 5 became Palm OS Garnet, and Palm OS 6 became Palm OS Cobalt.
Besides Garnet OS, Access’ specific focus is in developing a Linux-based platform for mobile phones and other devices. The Access Linux Platform, as the company calls it, wil include a compatibility layer for Garnet OS.


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Shares of North American Cannabis Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: USMJ) are struggling for direction after succumbing to bearish pressure in recent years. The stock remains engulfed in a long-term bear trend below the $0.01 psychological level.
USMJ Catalysts And Price Analysis
The stock has struggled to bottom out, even on the broader cannabis sector turning bullish in recent months. However, a string of positive news could fuel a bounce back as they continue to strengthen investor confidence in the company.
Top on the list, as a potential price action catalyst, is the confirmation that the company’s e-commerce site continues to gain traction in the multi-billion industry. The site is spearheading the company’s transition into a logistics service provider in the cannabis sector.
North American Cannabis Holdings has also inked a string of strategic partnerships as it seeks to strengthen and expand the array of cannabis products available on the e-commerce site.
Amidst the developments, the stock has struggled for direction as it continues to languish at the $0.0005 level. It awaits to be seen of the serving of groundbreaking catalysts will go a long way in fuelling an upward momentum needed to push the stock back to the $0.01 level, last experienced in 2016.
What Does North American Cannabis Holdings Do?
North American Cannabis Holdings operates in the legal cannabis market with subsidiaries. The company conducts pilots in the sector with a view of exploring high growth potential business opportunities. North American Cannabis Holdings also offers raw hemp seeds and other hemp infused foods as part of its product line.
e-commerce Sales Growth
North American Cannabis Holdings transition into a logistics service provider could be the catalyst that will reinvigorate its prospects in the multibillion-cannabis industry. The unveiling of an e-commerce site has opened the door for the company to focus on cannabis products sales, a business that is not capital intensive.
The company has already started recording an increase in sales in its e-commerce site. Sales have been increasing steadily as the company continues to address the strong market demand following recreational use legalization in a number of states.
Some of the products the company offers in the e-commerce site include Hemp4mula CBD Gum from Kali Inc (OTCMKTS: KALY), as well as EVERx CBD, sports Water developed by Puration Inc (OTCMKTS: PURA). In the recent past, the company has solidified its partnership with WCVC last year. The two entered into an agreement last year whereby WCVC agreed to manage the rollout f Americana Café founded By USMJ.
“In the 4th quarter of 2018, USMJ spun off its Americana Cafe business through the execution of a securities exchange agreement between USMJ and PJET. USMJ has sold its AmeriCanna Cafe business in exchange for a convertible purchase note issued by PJET. Neither USMJ nor PJET are executing a reverse split in conjunction with this transaction,” North American Cannabis Holdings in a statement.
In March, North American Cannabis Holdings entered into an agreement with West Coast Venture Group. Under the terms of the agreement, WCVC has agreed to manage the rollout of AmeriCanna Café in Denver. WCVC has also decided to advance the relationship into an equity partnership so that its shareholders can benefit from the appreciation of the cannabis business it is already managing.
North American Cannabis Holdings remains engulfed in a long-term bear trend and in dire need of groundbreaking catalysts to bottom out. The past few years have been tough as the company has struggled to reaffirm its long-term prospects and growth metrics. The stock taking a significant hit and tanking below the $0.01 mark thus does not come as a surprise.
However, the company confirming that it continues to experience a steady increase in sales in its newly launched e-commerce platform is a development that should continue to excite investors. The company has already inked strategic partnerships with some big brands.
Sales growth in the e-commerce platform is a development that should continue to prop up USMJ market sentiments. With that in mind, the stock is likely to bottom out as market sentiments improve.
We will be updating our subscribers as soon as we know more. For the latest updates on USMJ, sign up below!
Disclosure: We have no position in USMJ and have not been compensated for this article.


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We are pleased to announce our presence at Architect@Work Zurich, booth 16.
The 4th edition of Architect@Work Zurich will take place on 10-11 May at Messe Zürich, in Switzerland. Architect@Work is the reference trade show for architects, interior designers, engineering firms and specifiers, with a focus on product innovations.
Design London 2022
We are delighted to announce that we will be present at Design London at Magazine London from 21 to 24 […]Read more
Architizer A+Product Awards Winner 2021
We are very pleased to announced that Vitrocsa Headquarters has won three awards at the Architizer A+Product Awards 2021 ! […]Read more


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Citroen C3 could be powered by a 1.2 liter turbo petrol engine with transmission options to include a five speed manual unit and automatic unit
Citroen already has the C5 Aircross on sale in India. Next, they plan to launch a small car, in the Rs 5-8 lakh segment. The India spec Citroen C3 was unveiled in France, back in Sep 2021. It is all set to be launched in India by March 2022.
Ahead of that, the small car has been spied undisguised for the first time in India. Automotive enthusiast John Christopher has spotted the new Citroen C3. The image was clicked near Chennai – Porur toll plaza and shared on Rushlane Spylane Facebook Group.
The 5 seater Citroen C3 has been developed in the country for emerging markets. It will be produced at the Thiruvallur plant in Chennai with more than 90 percent localization and is first of three models to be launched as a part of the company plan under Cirtoen C-Cubed Program.
Citroen C3 – Exterior Design
Citroen C3 will be based on a simpler version of the CMP modular platform. Exteriors will be seen with signature split headlamps, LED DRLs and wrap around LED tail lamps, ORVMs and a two slat chrome finished front grille along with a second hexagonal grille, dual tone bumpers and faux brushed aluminum skid plates.
It will also sport dual tone diamond cut alloy wheels and get a conventional antenna. Citroen C3 will receive an upright tailgate, blacked out pillars and roof rails. It will have a ground clearance of 180mm with boot space at 315 liters.
Citroen C3 will be offered in four single tone colours of Polar White, Platinum Grey, Steel Grey, and Zesty Orange. The dual tones include a roof with a Platinum Grey or Zesty Orange paintjob. Interiors of the new Citroen C3 will be marked by a spacious cabin with fabric finished seating. Its wheelbase measures 2,540 mm. Citroen claims that passengers at the rear of C3 receive one of the best legroom in the segment.
Features include a Citroen Connect Touchscreen with a 10 inch screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity positioned in the center of the dashboard. The screen will be compatible to smartphone wirelessly and offer information via speech recognition activated through the steering wheel. 3 fast charging USB ports, a 12V socket and 1 liter glove box will also be a part of its interiors. Images also show off a three spoke steering wheel, digital instrument cluster, manual air conditioning controls and IRVMs.
Citroen C3 – Engine and Transmission
Though no exact engine specifications of the Citroen C3 have been revealed as on dated, it is expected to be powered by an 81 bhp, 1.2 liter naturally-aspirated petrol and 100 bhp, 1.2 liter turbocharged petrol unit. The engines could get mated to five speed manual or automatic transmission options. Citroen C3 is expected to become the first car with flex-fuel compatibility to go on sale in India. There will be no diesel engine on offer.
Ahead of official launch of the Citroen C3, the company is actively expanding its dealership network in the country. As on date, this is restricted to ‘La Maison’ flagship stores in limited number of cities along with the online sales platform. Citroen C3 will be seen as a direct rival to compact SUVs as well as hatchbacks in the Rs 5-10 lakh segment.


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Will You Help Save D Michael B’s Restaurant In Alexandria? – Sign Petition
A CORNERSTONE OF ALEXANDRIA FORCED TO CLOSE ITS DOORS?
Described as 'A Cornerstone of Alexandria,' D Michael B's Resort Bar & Grill is being replaced, according to a petition that was started on a website called Change.org, a website dedicated to creating petitions to stop unfair things from happening. So what is happening with D Michael B's?
PETITION TO KEEP D MICHAEL B'S
The petition, created by a man named David Miller states that the Viking Plaza wants to replace D Michael B's with a larger retailer because of its proximity to the highway. The petition states that the Viking Plaza owner is illegally ousting them, and over 50 employees will be losing their jobs due to this happening.
D Michael B's has been in Alexandria for over 37 years. Here is what the petition states:
We need your help to save D Michael B’s from closing on May 7th. The Viking Plaza owner is illegally ousting this beloved Alexandria community staple in favor of a larger retailer. We must act now to prevent 50+ employees from losing their jobs and to stop a beloved business from being destroyed. D Michael B’s has been a part of the community for more than 37 years and is more than just a store; it’s a family business. Despite the empty large retail locations of former Herbergers and JC Penney, Viking Plaza ownership wants to replace D Michael B’s with a larger retailer simply because of its proximity to the highway. Sign this petition now and join us in preventing Viking Plaza ownership from taking away D Michael B’s. We must act now to save this cornerstone of Alexandria from being destroyed. ~David Miller
OUTPOURING FROM THE COMMUNITY
As of this story, over 1300 people have signed the petition. Many of those that have signed the petition say that they've been visiting the location for years; that there are no better bartenders and waitresses in Alexandria. Some residents asked D Michael B's to PLEASE stay in the area, and open somewhere else if necessary.
I called the restaurant to verify if this was truly happening, and the manager on duty said that yes, they would be closing their doors on May 7th. He was also very busy when I called, and very polite when answering my questions.
D Michael B's has a 4.5-star rating on Googe and over 940 reviews.
If you would like to sign the petition, you can click HERE now.


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India’s largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, unveiled the all-new Grand Vitara in July this year. Its official prices will be announced next month. Ahead of its launch, pre-bookings for the same commenced on July 11 and within 50 days, this mid-size SUV has received over 45,000 bookings. The new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara will take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, etc.
Maruti Suzuki has received over 1.45 lakh bookings so far for the Grand Vitara and the new-gen Brezza. While the Brezza got over 1 lakh bookings in two months, the new Grand Vitara bagged 45,000 reservations within 50 days. Moreover, around 46 per cent of the total bookings for the Grand Vitara are currently made for its strong hybrid variants, highlighting a strong demand.
The Grand Vitara will be the flagship SUV in Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio and also the first strong hybrid vehicle from the carmaker in India. It will be offered with two engine options. The first one will be a new 1.5-litre petrol engine with strong hybrid tech, paired with an e-CVT. Its other mill will be a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol unit that will be paired with a 5-speed MT and a 6-speed AT.
The manual variants of the mild-hybrid Grand Vitara will get optional AWD too. It is worth noting that with an ARAI-claimed mileage of 27.97 kmpl, the new Grand Vitara’s strong hybrid version will be the most fuel-efficient SUV in India. The prices of the new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara will be announced early next month and it’s likely to be priced from Rs 9.50 lakh to Rs 18 lakh, ex-showroom.
Stay tuned with Express Drives for more updates and also, do subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest auto news and reviews.


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El Garage’s quesabirria tacos have a home
El Garage, the family-run pop-up that was founded in the driveway of its founders’ home in Richmond and started the quesabirria craze in the Bay Area, opened its brick-and-mortar location this past Saturday. According to Eater SF, whose editor Luke Tsai may be El Garage’s biggest fan, the Montano family is being very cautious about opening their new brick-and-mortar restaurant during the pandemic. Due to a growing number of COVID-19 cases in Contra Costa County, El Garage is not offering walk-up service; customers must order in advance online for pickup at a designated time to prevent crowds.
For now, El Garage is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday through Sunday, with a limited menu, mainly of three-packs of its signature Tijuana-style beef birria tacos — with or without cheese — and sides of consome dipping sauce. It plans to expand offerings in the coming week. El Garage, 1428 McDonald Ave. (at 15th Street), Richmond
Berkeley Bowl employee is missing
[Updated July 17] On Thursday, family member identified the body of a man found Sunday in Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve as Alameda resident and Berkeley Bowl worker, Donald Adams-Stanifer who had been missing for several days. The 21-year-old was last seen leaving his house around 6 or 7 p.m, July 5. According to KTVU, his mother became concerned when he didn’t appear for work, as he hadn’t missed a day in three years. Adams-Stanifer’s vehicle and destroyed cell phone were found by police last week. Alameda police are investigating the death and ask anyone with information to contact 510-881-1833 or 510-690-6521 (anonymous tip line).
Delhi Diner opens on Telegraph Avenue
The second location of Delhi Diner, a popular Indian restaurant in Albany, opened today in the Southside neighborhood of Berkeley. The new restaurant is on Telegraph Avenue, in the space last occupied by The Bird. Owner Subhash Arora, who runs the business with his wife, Krishna Arora, told the Daily Cal in April they chose this location to serve Cal students, and will focus on Indian street food here. As with the Albany location, the Berkeley spot offers many vegan and gluten-free options, along with halal meat dishes and changing, seasonal dishes. Delhi Diner, 2400 Telegraph Ave. (at Channing Way), Berkeley
JusLa Eats pops up at Palmetto
While Palmetto is currently closed for business, the sister restaurant-bar to the Kon-Tiki that closed just a month after its grand opening has not gone completely dark. Co-owner Christ Aivaliotis and Matthew Reagan have partnered with chef Lala Harrison of pop-up Jusla Eats to hawk her Cajun and southern soul food at Palmetto on Fridays and every other Tuesdays. They’ll also be offering a rotating menu of Kon-Tiki tropical cocktails that can be added to takeout orders. Reagan told Nosh, “It’s a partnership we are extremely excited about. Christ and I have known Lala for years, she was at Flora for almost 8 years, many of those years as the sous chef.”
Alternately, The Kon-Tiki is also keeping a little taste of Palmetto alive — on Wednesdays, it serves up Palmetto’s signature 10 oz. cumin-rubbed ribeye with pickled pineapple butter, served with roasted sweet and sour turnips, Jimmy Nardello peppers and charred green onions. The $38 plate is available for takeout and delivery, along with the Kon-Tiki’s regular eats and cocktails. Jusla Eats pop-up at Palmetto, 1900 Telegraph Ave. (at 19th Street), Oakland; The Kon-Tiki, 347 14th St. (at Webster Street), Oakland
Foie gras is once again legal to serve in California
[Updated July 18] In 2017, the U.S. Ninth Court of Appeals banned the sale and production of foie gras in California. The ruling reinstated a 2004 ban that was overturned in 2015. But this week, a federal judge ruled in favor of out-of-state foie gras producers. According to the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ruled the state’s health code does not prohibit the sale of the contested luxury ingredient of fattened duck or goose liver as long as it’s produced out of state and shipped through a third party. But the SF Chronicle points out the new ruling has caused confusion. According to Chronicle reporter Janelle Bitker, the new ruling doesn’t really change much, as consumers have always been able to buy foie gras from third-party vendors outside the state. Even now, California restaurants can’t serve the ingredient or even give it away as a gift. “The ruling doesn’t change the stakes in restaurants: California businesses still can’t sell foie gras.”
Berkeley’s 1951 Coffee Company cafe has reopened
After nearly four months of being closed since the shelter-in-place order was first enacted, the Berkeley location of 1951 Coffee Company reopened today. The nonprofit coffee company that trains refugees and asylees to become baristas has another location in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, which reopened in mid-May.
While the Berkeley cafe has been closed, 1951 Coffee Company has remained focused on its mission to support refugees. On June 20, World Refugee Day, it released a trailer of a new documentary it created in partnership HOME Storytellers, a nonprofit documentary film organization that focuses its lens on refugees. No Single Origin tells the story of four refugees who took part in 1951’s Barista Training Program. The film will be released in August. 1951 Coffee Company, 2410 Channing Way (near Dana Street), Berkeley (open 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Friday); 6023 College Ave. (at 62nd Street), Oakland (open 9 a.m.-3 p.m., daily)
GIO Gelati has a new gelato club
Using real-deal Italian family recipes and seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, San Francisco’s GIO Gelati makes creamy, dreamy flavors that will convert even the staunchest gelato skeptics. The East Bay got its own GIO Gelati outpost last year, when it opened a second location at the San Ramon City Center, which is still a bit of a trek for those of us living in the inner East Bay. So it’s welcome news that the company launched a new gelato subscription service to reach even more gelato lovers across the Bay Area. GIO Club is a membership program that delivers gelato directly to homes or offices every two or four weeks. Members can choose between two subscription sizes — either 3 pints or 5 mezzo boxes (21 oz in each box) — and can curate their flavor selections before each delivery. Vegans and lactose-intolerant folks take note: GIO offers a wide variety of egg-free and/or dairy-free flavors made with alternative nut milks. (I was blown away by the dairy-free chocolate made with oat milk, which tasted like a chewy, fudgy brownie in gelato form.) For now, GIO Club only delivers to San Francisco, Marin County, the South Bay and Contra Costa County, but a GIO Gelati representative tells Nosh it will expand coverage to Berkeley, Oakland and other Alameda County cities by the end of the year. (In the meantime, Berkeley gelato fans are lucky to have Almare close to home.)


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Thursday was a poor day on Wall Street, with most major benchmarks giving up ground in the wake of concerns about global economic uncertainty. After having pushed to record highs in recent sessions, the pullback didn't come as a huge surprise to those who thought markets were ready for a pause. Amid the onslaught of earnings reports, some companies announced strong results that sent their shares sharply higher. Alteryx (AYX 0.17%), Digimarc (DMRC -2.03%), and Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM -2.57%) were among the top performers. Here's why they did so well.
Alteryx keeps climbing
Shares of Alteryx rose 9% after the data science and analytics specialist reported its first-quarter financial results. The company said that revenue soared 51% from the year-ago period, with a 35% boost in customer counts to approach the 5,000 mark. Expansion rates of 134% showed that Alteryx is getting more money from its existing clients, as well as bringing on new ones, and despite a drop in adjusted net income, the company's investments on growth-producing initiatives appear to be paying off. With upbeat guidance for the rest of the year, Alteryx has high hopes for the foreseeable future.
Digimarc gets a big partner
Digimarc's stock soared 45% following the barcode and digital labeling specialist's release of its first-quarter financial report. The company also discussed some of the details of its new partnership with retail giant Walmart. Flat revenue and slightly wider net losses weren't exactly encouraging for Digimarc's shareholders, but they seemed to respond more favorably to learning more of the terms of the Walmart deal, which include a fixed annual fee of $3 million to cover U.S.-based retail stores. It seems odd that the $750,000 that was included in the current quarter didn't result in material growth for the company's bottom line, but investors are ignoring that inconsistency and hoping for more success ahead.
Sprouts moves higher
Finally, shares of Sprouts Farmers Market picked up 5.5%. The natural and organic foods specialist said that sales for the first quarter of 2019 rose 10% from year-ago levels, with comparable-store sales growing 1.4% over the period. Adjusted earnings per share fell 8% compared to the first quarter of 2018, but Sprouts boosted the low end of its previous full-year 2019 earnings guidance, suggesting better times ahead. Sprouts still has more ground to recover from a poor showing over the past several quarters, yet investors at least have reason for greater optimism looking forward.


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Starting on Friday, March 20th, at 12:01 a.m. PDT, all PlayStation 4 owners can take full advantage of Sony’s free online multiplayer offer, which allows everyone to play online without a PlayStation Plus membership.
This three-day event gives PS4 owners the opportunity to test drive the multiplayer component of games such as the newly released Battlefield Hardline, Evolve, Destiny, GTA V Online, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and so on. There are tons games to choose from, so this weekend is the perfect time to try them with free multiplayer access. However, free monthly games and discounts will remain intact for PlayStation Plus members only.
Sony’s free multiplayer event ends on Sunday, March 22nd, at 11:59 p.m. PDT.


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Many prefer it because it looks more elegant than the interface based on white and black text. While there are other benefits.
As Google explained to the developers, adopting a dark state of applications, can cause them to save up to 60% of AMOLED battery batteries.
With the latest addition to Dark Mode for YouTube, according to Google:
If the screen brightness is 50%, it saves 14% battery in Dark mode.
If the screen brightness is 100%, you save 60% battery with this mode.
The reason is simple, since AMOLED screens do not have to turn on dark pixels and this causes consumption to be considerably reduced.
No matter which developers adopt it, as long as we have the option of dark mode and our phone has an AMOLED screen, it would be a good idea to choose it.


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Farmers clash with Glanbia over Kilkenny food giant’s new US brand
FARMERS have clashed with Glanbia over the Kilkenny-based food giant’s plans to launch a new consumer brand in the US.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) said it was “extremely concerned” that the new Truly Grass Fed (TGF) brand would undermine the lucrative US market for Ornua’s Kerrygold dairy range. The IFA is concerned that Irish farmers will end up being hit in the pocket in the event of the two food giants going head-to-head.
“IFA strongly supports the Kerrygold brand, which farmers and their co-ops have invested heavily in over the last six decades,” the IFA said.
“The concept of marketing and selling Irish dairy products under a common brand, through Ornua, has proven to be a successful model which is envied by many other countries.”
However, Glanbia has rejected suggestions that the launch of the TGF brand threatens Kerrygold’s share of the US market.


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The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, a more powerful variant of the current Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, will be presented at the 2017 New York Motor Show. The name 'Demon' debuted in 1971 in a concept car shown by Dodge at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007. A decade later, the company's muscle car will once again revolutionize everything.
The Detroit Motor Show is not over but Dodge now has everyone looking forward to the New York Auto Show with its new Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Dodge announced it through an official video yesterday where they labeled it as the most explosive variant of the Dodge Challenger where the Hellcat itself will bow down to its power, according to MotorAuthority.
Recently, spy photos of what appeared to be a Challenger Hellcat four-wheel drive in V6 version and the radical "wide-body" version of the Hellcat emerged. Now it is clear that it has something to do with a test mule of the new Demon.
According to Tim Kuniskis, the executive at Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, while most cars try to be everything for everyone, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is conceived and designed for a subculture of enthusiasts who know that a tenth of a car and a half second is its reputation. Which is why everyone needs to prepare for its power.
The new SRT Demon fits perfectly into Dodge's strategy and now it has been made clearer while Dodge delays the release of the new generation Charger and Challenger until the end of this decade. It will be more impressive, however, if it fits the Challenger SRT Hellcat with 707 hp and the Dodge Viper ACR 645 hp, as said by MotorTrend.
The New York Auto Show opens in April and until then, Dodge will release a series of videos to keep the attention of followers until the release of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Watch the first teaser video below.


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Labor market data from the UK is due on Tuesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.
At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK labor market data for February. The jobless rate is forecast to rise to 5.1 percent in three months to February from 5 percent in the preceding period.
In the meantime, Destatis is slated to issue Germany's producer prices for March. Inflation is seen rising to 3.3 percent from 1.9 percent in February.
At 3.00 am ET, the Czech Statistical Office publishes producer prices for March. Economists forecast producer prices to climb 2.6 percent on year, following a 1.4 percent rise in February.
At 5.00 am ET, current account data for February is due from Italy. The surplus totaled EUR 710 million in January.


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Updated: Jun 15, 2020
Indian gaming is the new dark horse in business. Recently, it was found that the number of internet users in the rural areas crossed that of urban. We all know that gaming, like music is a universal language. Indian gaming has proven to be exactly that as it is host to over 300 million Indian gamers according to Statistica, a statistics company. Given the diversity in demographic especially in India, it is safe to say that it has bridged people irrespective of caste,culture or language barriers. Millions play Pubg Mobile and follow Indian Pubg Esports Teams with major European esports organisation Fnatic picking up Indian rosters for their Pubg Mobile venture. Esports and Indian Gaming will only grow from here and if it is not evident why it is a safe bet then you should refer to " The rise of esports in the face of coronavirus pandemic " which will show you a glimpse into the flexibility of online gaming and esports as an industry to adapt to gravest of the situations.


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Please do be sure to do your own research on any exchange you choose to use and everything presented is just a collection of resources DCTrader.net has gathered that is easily available. We assembled a short list of some great online cryptocurrency exchanges ranging from simple, user friendly GUI's to more technically advanced tools for more experienced traders. We look to the community to rate each exchange through our star rating system to help others decide which ones are best for them.
"Were Bitcoin stripped of its near-anonymity, it would be hard to justify its current price," he wrote. "Perhaps Bitcoin
speculators are betting that there will always be a consortium of rogue states allowing anonymous Bitcoin
usage, or even state actors such as North Korea that will exploit it."
In March, three Coinbase users filed a class-action lawsuit against the Nasdaq-listed crypto exchange, claiming that the platform sold 79 unregistered securities. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not actively stated which cryptocurrencies are securities. However, Binance SEC Chairman Gary Gensler said on several occasions that many of the cryptocurrencies listed on exchanges with 50 to 100 listings are likely securities. Binance was not the only cryptocurrency exchange recently sued for allegedly selling unregistered crypto securities.
Bittrex's APIs allow for high-frequency trading bots, and to allow mining pools to be build upon our platform. Bittrex.com trading interface is designed to provide an intuitive and efficient trading experience, some of our traders enjoy trading through third-party platforms or designing their own algorithmic trading bots.
Jersey based exchange offers fiat-to-cryptocurrency pairs, including the Euro and the British pound. In 2019, company announced Binance Jersey, an independent entity from its parent Binance.com exchange, with the aim to expand its European influence.
In April 2019, it launched a fiat-to-crypto exchange in Singapore, allowing users to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum against the Singapore dollar. Binance partnered up with a payment processing fintech Xfers to launch the exchange in Singapore—the same company that Coinbase worked with to launch their own operation in Singapore. Binance is undoubtedly the leading Cryptocurrency Exchange and offers great fees and awesome digital currency support. Binance has often been praised for its wide variety of support coins. Summary: Binance has been rapidly expanding its operations globally. Coinbase dropped the partnership when it shut down its operation in Singapore. In October, Binance accepted a strategic investment from Vertex Ventures to build the exchange in Singapore and explore other fiat-to-crypto exchanges in Southeast Asia. As it reportedly has access to abundant resources and partners, chances are that Binance will continue to evolve and offer great digital currency exchange services to its clients.
The Times has learnt that TSB is preparing to block its customers from sending money to trading sites such as Binance and Kraken because it believes scammers are being allowed to set up e-wallets and steal people’s money because of weak security checks.
companies have pulled out of Russia, making it nearly impossible for its citizens to access their bank accounts, use credit cards or even post on social media. In the United States, inflation is rising at the fastest pace in decades, and the VIX — the so-called fear index used by Wall Street to measure expected volatility in the stock market — has risen more than 80 percent this year. Last month, Canada’s government responded to the threat of a protest convoy of anti-vaccine truckers by threatening to freeze their bank accounts, drawing calls for a type of money that isn’t subject to government seizures. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was met with brutal sanctions that have tanked the ruble and devastated the Russian economy, and many U.S.
The assertion is based on the exchange’s ideal conditions for cryptocurrency quick and successful processing of card payments, the wide range of acceptable payment cards, and numerous positive feedbacks from users. CEX.IO is a UK-based Bitcoin
exchange established in 2013. CEX.IO claims to provide the best experience of buying Bitcoins with credit cards and debit cards.
Bornyakov, who was speaking from an undisclosed location in Ukraine on a video conference hosted by the artificial intelligence company Collective[i], said that one advantage of using crypto to raise money was how quickly the funds could be disbursed.
It said 849 TSB savers reported losing money to scammers with Binance accounts between March 15 and April 15. The bank claimed that when it tried to raise concerns, it received no response from the company.
Tens of millions of dollars’ worth of Bitcoin, Ether and other cryptocurrencies have been sent to these addresses, and the money has been used to buy military supplies, including bulletproof vests and night-vision goggles. On Tuesday, I posed a question about crypto to Alex Bornyakov, Ukraine’s deputy minister of digital transformation. Bornyakov and his team — led by the country’s digital minister, Mykhailo Fedorov — have been working around the clock to coordinate crypto donations for Ukraine’s army. Since the Russian invasion, Mr.


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TV's One in a Million7 Jul, 2006 By: Jessica Wolf
The millionaire club for TV DVD is an exclusive one — far more exclusive than theatrical DVD releases, which hit the market at lower prices.
Just 49 TV DVD titles have crossed the million-unit sales threshold since suppliers first started pumping out expensive complete-season sets in 2000, according to Home Media Research.
And those pricey multidisc sets dominate the millionaire club, especially releases from three popular comedies.
Complete-season sets of “Friends” (Warner Home Video), “The Simpsons” (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) and “Sex and the City” (HBO Video) account for 23 of the millionaire club membership list.
Every single “Sex and the City” set has sold more than 1 million units. All but one of the 11 “Friends” DVD releases, including the individually packaged series finale, have surpassed the million-unit mark. (Season nine has not yet hit that mark). And only one “Simpsons” set — season seven — has yet to surpass 1 million units sold. The title came out in December of last year. Season eight is due Aug. 15.
Shows like these enjoy very loyal and very wide fan bases, said Gord Lacey, editor of the TVShowsOnDVD.com Web site.
“‘The Simpsons' is ‘The Simpsons,' and ‘Friends' is ‘Friends,’ he said. “There are certain things that just blow everything else out of the water when it comes to that genre.”
“It's no surprise to us,” said Marc Rashba, VP of catalog and TV marketing for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. “TV Guide named [‘Seinfeld'] the best television show ever.”
Lacey said he wasn't surprised to see how popular “Family Guy” was when Fox put it out in a set of seasons one and two.
That release has sold nearly 4 million units. Family Guy Vol. 2: Season 3 has sold nearly 3 million units. The popularity of the DVD gave creator Seth McFarlane the chance to not only revisit the show for network broadcast, but also to create another irreverent animated primetime program: “American Dad.”
“I knew how much fans of ‘Family Guy' loved it, even though the ratings were never that high.” Lacey said. “I knew those fans were the exact type that would go out and buy the DVD.”
But no one knew “Chappelle's Show” would blow up the way it did, he said.
It was a mixture of star Dave Chappelle's in-your-face comedy antics, the urban audience and the low price that helped sell more than 4 million units of Chappelle's Show: Season One, Lacey said.
Typically, the TV DVD consumer is less price-sensitive than the average buyer, according to Alison Casey, director of media research company Understanding & Solutions.
But price is an issue, Lacey said.
“There's this $60 SRP for 22 episodes mentality,” he said. “You have to wonder, if the studios reduced that, could they sell more units to make up for it?”
The granddaddy on the list is HBO's Band of Brothers. The 10-part World War II miniseries aired in 2001 on the cable channel, hit DVD in November 2002, and has been a perennial bestseller ever since.
It has not only sold 2.5 million units in that time, but it's also the top revenue-generator for the genre, according to Home Media Research. Band of Brothers was released at $99.99 originally and now goes for $79.99.
It's one of those titles that's a must-have for DVD collectors, said Henry McGee, president of HBO Video.
“The award-winning miniseries is one of HBO's signature productions and tells an incredible story that resonates with consumers of all ages and backgrounds,” he said.New DVD-buyers find Band of Brothers every year, McGee said.
Meanwhile, a couple of newbies have made a million-unit splash on TV DVD.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment's single-disc High School Musical has sold 1.8 million units in less than two months, outstripping the supplier's hot drama Lost: The Complete First Season, which has sold 1.6 million units.
Surprisingly, the series that is credited with kicking off TV DVD complete-season sets — “The X-Files” (Fox released the first complete season in 2000) — is absent from TV DVD's millionaire club.
The only sci-fi/fantasy show on the list is Fox's Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season One, with just over 1 million units sold.


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Kevin Durant's rookie card was a hot commodity.
Kevin Durant came into the league all the way back in 2007 when the Oklahoma City Thunder were still the Seattle Supersonics. It was here that Durant showed flashes of brilliance and it was clear that in due time, KD was going to become a superstar. Since that time, Durant has played for the Golden State Warriors and now, the Brooklyn Nets. However, since the Supersonics no longer exist, you can imagine just how valuable any KD Seattle memorabilia must be.
Well, a perfect example was shown recently as a Durant rookie card was sold by Goldin Auctions for a whopping $799,500. This is the most a KD card has ever gone for, and in just a few years from now, it's safe to say that the card will be worth well over $1 million.
Since the start of the pandemic, the NBA trading card market has absolutely skyrocketed as collectors begin to consolidate their collections. In fact, the market has transitioned to the crypto space as NFTs have led to big businesses like NBA Top Shot. With the market expanding like never before, it's safe to say that cards will continue to elevate in price.
If Kevin Durant and the Nets win a title this year, it might be time to start sifting through your collections for a KD gem from the past. You never know how much it might be worth.


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Stocks to watch today: Ahead of the market opening, here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in Monday’s trading session based on latest developments.
Reliance Industries: Carlyle Group plans to invest $1.5-2 billion for stake in Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL), according to a media report. The development comes after the Ambani-led group company raised Rs 7,500 crore from US-based investment firm Silver Lake which bought 1.75% stake last week.
Tata Motors: The auto maker started the process of selling stakes in units Tata Technologies Ltd and Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Pvt. Ltd as part of its plan to turn debt-free in three years, according to media reports.
Auto stocks: Makers of auto parts are expecting banks would restructure their dues incurred during the moratorium period through less stringent conditions to help companies whose businesses were hit severely by the coronavirus lockdown.
IRCTC : IRCTC reported a net loss of Rs 24.60 crore in Q1 against profit of Rs 72.33 crore a year ago, hit by Covid-19-induced lockdown.
Train services came to a grinding halt during the lockdown with the government allowing just a few trains to run that too in later stages of lockdown. The lockdown heavily affected the company’s earnings.
YES Bank: ICRA has upgraded the ratings of various securities issued by private sector lender YES Bank. The rating upgrade came on account of the improved financial profile of the bank over the period, ICRA said.


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LG is reportedly looking to make some waves on the “convertibles” market next year with a new tablet featuring a detachable keyboard.
If that’s starting to sound familiar it’s because you’re thinking of Microsoft’s Surface and Surface Pro tablets, both of which function as a super portable tablet that can transform itself into a fully-fledged laptop for real work.
The news about LG’s upcoming plans was reported by CNET who are quoting internal sources. According to this same report the laptop/tablet hybrid will be powered by an Intel fourth generation processor and will feature SSD memory for storage and portability.
This isn’t the first time the South Korean company has tried to make a name for itself in this new hybrid market. LG has previously launched two generations of the Tab-book an interesting form-factor with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. However the Tab-book failed to gain traction.
There’s no word on when LG’s new device may launch. We might see it as early as next year’s CES, or the company may be waiting for the launch of Windows 10 closer to summer 2015.


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India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has announced the ban of 118 mobile applications from China. The list includes PUBG Mobile alongside several other games like Arena of Valor.
In order to make PUBG Online accessible for Indian players again, PUBG Corporation plans to take publishing responsibility for the game in India. Tencent, the chinese corporation they partnered with to publish the game previsously, lost about $14 billion dollars on the first day of the ban.
PUBG Corporation plans to fully oblige Indian laws and protect the privacy and data of their players. They are working with the Indian government closely to resolve the issues. Since PUBG Mobile was one of the biggest games in India, the ban caused it to lose a big part of it’s playerbase.
PUBG Corporation has made the decision to no longer authorize PUBG MOBILE franchise to Tencent Games in India.
It hopes to work hand-in-hand with the Indian government to find a solution.
Official Statement from @PUBGMOBILE attached
— Amit Bhawani (@amitbhawani) September 8, 2020
“PUBG Corporation fully understands and respects the measures taken by the government as the privacy and security of player data is a top priority for the company. It hopes to work hand-in-hand with the Indian government to find a solution”, an official statement on the company’s page reads.
The efforts may result in India unbanning the game. That could spark a big boost for the game with a lot of esports tournaments and many players coming back to the newest version of PUBG Mobile.
As the political tensions between India and China showed no signs of letting up any time soon an additional ban wave to the intitial ones was a distinct possibility. On September 2 the Indian government has decided to ban an exhaustive list of 118 Chinese apps.
List of 118 mobile Apps from China banned by Govt of India over and above the 59 Apps banned earlier. pic.twitter.com/dVqYYJeAnc
— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) September 2, 2020
Citing dangers to national security and sovereignty the government targeted applications developed and published by Chinese companies. Not only Games were targeted, payment apps like Alipay or streaming apps like Huya were also banned.
This ban is quite the blow to India’s gaming and esport industry as PUBG Mobile was the game with the highest interest and revenue in the Indian market.
India has banned more Chinese mobile apps including games such as PUBG Mobile and Rise of Kingdoms.
A PUBG Mobile ban is a huge blow to the games industry as it was the #1 title by downloads and revenue in the country.
This is as big as the TikTok ban from June. https://t.co/XjjMwDnFPV
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) September 2, 2020
It remains to be seen if other games like CoD Mobile, which has a Chinese developer but is published by Activision, could end up on the chopping block next.
What do you think of the ban? Join the discussion on social media or our Discord!
You can also provide direct feedback for our website!


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Making Social Media Work for You and Your Business
It's now easier than ever to communicate with customers. Find out how to maximise this cost-effective marketing tool to reach a wide audience
With so many people around the world participating in social media, there is a huge opportunity for businesses to communicate with the consumer. According to statistics in its IPO, Facebook, the largest and most popular social network, currently has 845 million monthly active users (Techcrunch, February 2012). For a growing business, this equates to 845 million potential customers.
Social media opens the door for businesses to listen to what customers are saying about their products and respond to all comments, whether positive or negative. Advertising on social media has become one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to reach a wide audience.
A survey by Regus 2011 has shown that 42% of small businesses win business using social media, compared to 35% of companies that have over 250 employees, and that 9% more small firms devote at least 20% of their marketing budget to using social media to gain new customers. Celia Donne, regional director at Regus said:
“Social networking has finally come into its own in the commercial world, with the small business sector taking full advantage of their business contacts and commercial agility to surge ahead of the game when it comes to finding new customers.”
However, many companies still hesitate when venturing into public social media networks, harbouring fears of possible customer criticism such as negative comments on the company’s website. Whilst care does need to be taken when planning social media activity, there are undoubtedly significant benefits of integrating social media into small business operations:
- Social media is a low-cost, low-barrier communication channel that allows businesses to interact with internal and external contacts on a regular basis.
- Social media enables businesses to engage with millions of potential customers and investors available at the click of a button.
- Social media and analytic tools used within a company’s private network can allow employers to track employee sentiments and discover possible areas of contention faster than through traditional means.
- Not only have user figures grown across social media websites but so have usage levels and time spent on social networking sites. A report from The Nielsen Company Showed that there has been a huge increase of 82% in time spent on social networking sites. Across the globe over the past year average time spent on social networking sites grew from 3 hours per month to 5.5 hours. In addition Nielsen concluded that overall social media sites such as Facebook are now the most common homepages for users and that people now spend the majority of their internet time using social networks or blogs.
Facebook’s growth in the UK continues with a reported 24 million active users. It now accounts for over half of all visits to social networking sites in the UK, with YouTube sitting in second with over 17% of visits. You can set up a business page on Facebook to share what your business is doing openly, and it is the perfect way to connect with clients, share feedback, act as a customer service portal, make offers and share opinions.
LinkedIn is viewed as the business social media site is viewed as the business social media site. It serves as a platform where connections can be searched, active groups joined in your industry and interests, and help sought and found. Most LinkedIn users are professionals and business oriented; users tend to be more senior (56% are individual contributors, 16% are management level, and 28% are directors). The majority (66%) are decision makers or have influence in the purchase decisions at their companies. This serves as a great opportunity to look for help and advice. Joining groups allows you to ask questions, find mentors and connect with people in your industry who have been where you are now.
As part of BCSG’s innovative product portfolio, ThriveOnline is an online marketing cost-effective way to quickly reach your target customers. Partnering with Google, Bing, Experian and Scoot, ThriveOnline allows you to make the most of your marketing budget. This one-day, face-to-face interactive workshop is designed to help small business owners establish an online presence and attract new customers, therefore growing their business. It is delivered by CIPD qualified trainers in eleven centers across the UK.
John Davis is Managing Director of Business Centric Services Group (BSCG).