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Manama, Bahrain – 18 May 2016: First Bahrain Real Estate Development Company today held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the year ended 31 December 2015, in which the company announced a net profit of USD 1.1 million for the year, representing 56% growth over the prior year.
Manama, Bahrain – 16 May 2016: MBA Fakhro Holding has signed the lease for its first Anytime Fitness gym, to be opened in Bahrain at El Mercado Janabiya, the new and exciting neighbourhood market on Avenue 27 just north of the Saudi Highway. Anytime Fitness is the largest fitness chain in the world with a global network that can be accessed by all of its members, 24 hours a day. This world leading brand will be housed in the relaxed atmosphere of El Mercado’s central courtyard overlooking it’s beautiful landscaping.
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 26 April 2016: Today at the grand opening of the Gulf Property Show, Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain (KFHB) and First Bahrain Real Estate Development Co. jointly announced a new project finance agreement which will fully fund the construction of the second phase of a USD30 million development in Janabiya.
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 21 April 2016: First Bahrain Development Company will be introducing the El Mercado village, a residential community of the upscale neighbourhood market El Mercado, to visitors at the Gulf Property Show.
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 15 March 2016: First Bahrain today announced their participation in Gulf Property Show, 2016. First Bahrain will be showcasing their neighbourhood retail centre El Mercado Janabiya. First Bahrain will also be launching an exciting new development at the show.
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 09 February 2016: MASGO Ventures and First Bahrain today jointly announced the introduction of a new brand to Bahrain with the first branch of NKD Pizza soon to open at El Mercado – Janabiya.
McDonald’s Bahrain today announced the signing of their lease to open their latest drive-thru location within El Mercado Janabiya, the impressive new neighbourhood market created by First Bahrain Real Estate Development Co. The new McDonald’s branch will be their 20th branch in the Kingdom. It will also be the only drive-thru restaurant on the ground floor of the open-air retail centre which will also feature a mix of restaurants, cafes and shops on a beautifully landscaped elevated platform, offering scenic southern views in a vehicle-free pedestrian environment.


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The announcement from Sony on Wednesday morning has a familiar whiff: Gran Turismo 5 delayed.
“This is a joke,” read one comment on the official PlayStation blog, which posted the news on Wednesday that the much anticipated video game would not go on sale globally in early November, as previously promised, but would be “coming this holiday season.”
The humor is most likely lost on fans of the racing simulator series because the chronicle of the latest installment’s development reads more like a developing soap opera.
Sony’s reason this time is that Gran Turismo’s creator, Kazunori Yamauchi, and his developer team at Polyphony Digital “want to make certain they are creating the perfect racing experience.”
As recently as last month, I reported that buzz about GT5 was high at the Tokyo Game Show; final specifications were laid out then, and the release date was again confirmed.
And only last week, at a PlayStation news media event in New York during the Comic Con convention, visitors were digging into GT5 demos, and representatives from Sony Computer Entertainment of America seemed genuinely excited about the game’s then-imminent debut in the United States on Nov. 2. (It was to go on sale in Japan on Nov. 3, and in Europe on Nov. 4.)
“We’re really close, but this was an executive decision that was made yesterday,” said Taku Imasaki, the North American producer for Gran Turismo 5, in a phone interview. “Realistically, we thought we had a good date. We’re not happy over here.”
Mr. Imasaki said the company “is shooting for it to be out by the holidays. You won’t see too much more delay.”
There was also speculation that Sony might not have sufficient supplies of the game to meet demand in November.
The previous version, Gran Turismo 4, landed on store shelves more than five years ago — the first game came out in 1997 — and last year, Sony indicated that GT5 would go on sale this past March in Japan. That didn’t happen. The November date was made official at the E3 game convention over the summer.

domain: news


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Japanese automaker Subaru said on Thursday it would slash output this month by “several thousand” vehicles at plants in Japan and the United States, over a global shortage of semiconductors.
A spokesman said Subaru will adjust production at plants in Gunma, Japan, and Indiana, decreasing output by several thousand vehicles at each, without mentioning exactly how many fewer cars will be made.
Subaru will also examine in the future whether there will be more cuts from February, he said.
Global automakers have been hit by a global scramble for semiconductors as demand recovers from the coronavirus crisis.
Subaru’s competitor Nissan Motor said it planned to decrease the production of the Note, a hybrid electric car, at its Oppama Plant in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, whereas Honda Motor also said on January 8 its domestic output could be affected by a shortage of chips.


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Samsung launched the Galaxy A8 (2016) last year in South Korea last year. The handset has an Exynos 7420 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage. It also has a 5.7-inch Full HD display. Additional features include a fingerprint sensor, 3,500mAh battery, Samsung Pay and more.
The company hasn’t updated this handset to Android 7.0 Nougat as yet so it’s still on Marshmallow. The Galaxy A8 (2016) was mentioned in the list of Nougat-compatible devices from Samsung so it was only a matter of time before this update arrived.
A GFXBench listing for the Galaxy A8 (2016) model number SM-A810 shows that a unit of the handset was benchmarked running the latest version of Android. These benchmark listings are often great indicators about impending major firmware updates.
It’s quite likely that Samsung might soon release the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy A8 (2016), given that it has already released said update for the Galaxy A5 (2016) and Galaxy A7 (2016). The Galaxy A5 (2016) was actually the first non-flagship smartphone from Samsung to get the Nougat update.
It remains to be seen how long Samsung takes to roll out this update for the Galaxy A8 (2016). The company hasn’t said as yet when we can expect it to arrive. Realistically, it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks from now.


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It was named Supermarket of the Year for the third year running, as well as scooping gongs for Multiple Wine Retailer of the Year, Multiple Beer Retailer of the Year and Drinks Buying Team of the Year.
Judges praised Waitrose for its range, communications and for putting as much focus on the shopping experience as it does on price, making it a good example of a responsible retailer at a time when supermarkets are regularly coming under fire for their drinks pricing policies.
BWS manager Pierpaolo Petrassi MW and buyer Andrew Shaw led the team to accept the awards.
Petrassi said: “We are absolutely delighted with the four awards we scooped. We strive to be different at Waitrose, with industry-leading customer service and value for money being just two important pillars of our business model. ?“The industry’s recognition of our unique approach to retailing beers, wines and spirits in the form of these awards will undoubtedly inspire us to drive forward even more great initiatives in the years to come. Special thanks go to our many suppliers whose loyal support helps us to offer our customers a superb range, of which we’re immensely proud.”?Majestic won OLN’s coveted Drinks Retailing Award for High Street Chain of the Year for the fourth year in a row, while Sainsbury’s was named Multiple Spirits Retailer of the Year and Multiple Cider Retailer of the Year.
Cheshire-based Corks Out won OLN’s prestigious Independent Wine Retailer of the Year award, while Cambridge Wine Merchants was named Independent Drinks Retailer of the Year for the second year running and the Whisky Exchange has made it a hat-trick with three years as Independent Spirits Retailer of the Year.
Naked Wines won Innovation of the Year for its advance bookings system, in which customers can buy wine early – on the vine, in the winery, in bottle or on the ship – with a cheaper price the earlier the commitment to buying is made.
It also picked up the gong for Online/Direct Mail Retailer of the Year.
Rosie Davenport, OLN editor, said: “The Drinks Retailing Awards have become the industry’s equivalent of the Oscars, recognising the innovative approaches made by the best retailers in our sector.
“This year marked the 10th anniversary of the awards, making it an even bigger celebration. All our finalists showed that there is still room for new ideas, even in tough conditions.”
For a full list of winners and pictures from the night see pages 14-17?


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From Daily Republic // Aug. 22, 2005
By Ian Thompson
SUISUN CITY - Rafael Vidal has been fishing the waterways in and around the Suisun Marsh since he was 12 and loved it.
"Going fishing was my favorite hobby. My whole family fished," Vidal said.
Now, the Suisun City resident is in the business of helping others get everything they need to land that big one by running Rocky's One Stop Fishing Shop on Sunset Avenue, within sight of his fishing grounds.
Vidal had been working as an industrial painter, a job "that was pretty hard on me,'' and he wanted to be his own boss.
"I wanted to do something I like and I liked fishing," Vidal said of how he chose his new profession.
With money he and his wife Dema had saved up, Vidal contacted a local real estate agent who found the small storefront in the shopping center on Sunset Avenue just behind the Black Bear Restaurant.
He opened his doors on July 30 and said the first month has been good for him with a lot of customers who either spotted the place while driving by or heard about the store by word of mouth.
"It has been going real good for the first month," Vidal said, adding he is restocking a lot of what he sold out of since he opened.
Vidal's youth surprises some who walk through the door.
"A lot of new customers trip on this," said Vidal, 21. "They sometimes ask is my dad the owner."
Vidal is the person you will usually find behind the counter, but his wife pitches in "to let me go out to fish a little bit."
Rocky's offers a good selection of rods and reels for fishing in the marsh, as well as nets, lures, tackle and other fishing-related gear. There is also a good selection of snacks to make those long hours fishing a little more palatable.
The store is light on the supplies for stream fishing, but Vidal plans to expand that as the store's customer base grows.
He also offers a good selection of live and frozen bait in the tanks and freezers ranging from grass shrimp and mudsuckers to anchovies and chicken livers.
Some time within the next month, Vidal hopes to have a grand opening with a barbecue and some fishing equipment giveaways.
His long-range plans include moving to a larger space to allow him to further expand his offerings in fishing gear as well as bring in hunting supplies.
Vidal said the upside of running the store is being able to talk fishing with friends and customers underneath a sign that reads "Fish Tales Told Here."
The down side is "I don't get out to fish much, maybe once a week," Vidal said.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or email@example.com.
Rocky's One Stop Fishing Shop
Location: 108 C Sunset Avenue, Suisun City, 94585
Hours: Sunday throughThursday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Owners: Rafael and Dema Vidal
Opened: July 30


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- Samsung Galaxy Tab hits big Australian retailers – can it challenge the iPad?
- Meet the emotional robot
- Microsoft releases new Zune HD player
- Mandatory internet filter could become voluntary
- Microsoft to release Windows 7 pricing soon
Colunching.com.au, In-person Social Network: Start-up Idea
Co-lunching has mass appeal
By Michelle Hammond
An online register, which invites everyone from students to stay-at-home mums to meet and eat in mass social meals, has launched in Melbourne.
Colunching.com.au, dubbed the first in-person global social networking brand, vows to refresh workers’ social lives with “new, interesting people”.
The initiative launched in Paris earlier this year, attracting almost 10,000 members, with a secondary club in New York.
Rachel Bajada, community member of the site’s Australian events, says eating with strangers has its benefits.
“People join the co-lunches on their lunch break because they want to change something in their daily work environment and are a bit fed up with their industry peers,” Bajada says.
“We all work longer and longer office hours now and it leaves less time to meet new, interesting people.”
The concept isn’t limited to Melbourne – Sydney and Brisbane have also held co-lunches.
As people become increasingly time-poor, perhaps there are other ways to help facilitate new friendships. Can you think of any?
- This website was built by Valegro -


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Most online speech platforms could not exist without the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s section 512 safe harbour, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
Skechers has recovered a domain name from a cybersquatter who used the website as a parking page.
ABS-CBN Corporation, a broadcast television network in The Philippines, has sued a streaming website also based in the country for wilful trademark and copyright infringement.
The English High Court has ordered three suppliers of illegal internet protocol TV devices to pay £267,000 for infringing copyright and to cease selling the devices.
Luxury brand Jimmy Choo has stamped out a domain name that allegedly sold counterfeit products.
The International Intellectual Property Alliance has recommended Canada be placed on the US Trade Representative’s watch list in its “2017 Special 301 Report”.
Nestlé has recovered a domain name which infringed its trademarks and was used to carry out fraudulent activities.
The Domain Name Association’s proposals surrounding copyright infringement would be “terrible” for the internet, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The Domain Name Association (DNA) has voiced support for the creation of a voluntary copyright infringement system.
Arctic luxury apparel company Canada Goose has taken aim at online counterfeiters with the filing of a trademark infringement lawsuit.


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Instagram wants to make it easier for users to find ideas and inspirations within the platform. Last November 2020, it launched FAQ options for brands and businesses plus keyword search. Recently, the platform introduced Stories’ maps. Today, Instagram enables audio search.
Instagram enables audio search under its “Search” tab. Users can see a new “Audio” section on Instagram’s search tab together with top posts, account feeds, tags, and places. Tapping on the audio section leads to popular music tracks. As users tap a track, a TikTok-like Reels display will show. Users can save the audio as they wish.
Instagram enables audio search on 10 August 2021.
Implications for Marketers:
Instagram’s audio search is a move to strengthen Reels. For marketers, it can be an option to be discovered even more on Instagram. By pairing images and videos with Reels ads, there is a greater chance for brands to get discovered on Instagram.


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Saint-Gobain Sekurit has recently grabbed a new deal with French automaker Renault. Sekurit has been selected as the single biggest glass dealer for the entire Renault Duster program, attributing to Saint-Gobain’s supremacy over the world glass market.
Saint-Gobain India has already had a big business with the Renault and this deal will allow the company to scale up the volume.
Duster is one of the most ambitious car products in India by Renault. The Renault Duster is doing wonders for the French automaker. The production facility at Renault’s Oragadam Plant near Chennai is working day and night to cope up with the demand. SUV market in India is on its full pace and Duster is surely giving a tough competition to its rivals like Tata Safari and Mahindra Scorpio.


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Stories By James Tawn
Contactless card limit rises to £100 from next week.8th October 2021
The new £100 contactless card limit will begin from the 15th october. the rollout...
BREAKING: New Delta strain found in Australia.8th October 2021
Epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said it’s possible variant originated in NSW She said there was nothing...


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Executive VP of EA Studios Patrick Soderlund believes it’s time for a “different pair of eyes” on the franchise.
In a recent interview with Polygon, executive VP of EA Studios Patrick Soderlund has revealed that the Need for Speed franchise has been shifted to the EA Sports banner as the company undergoes a shift in structure.
“When you’ve had a franchise that’s been going on for 20 years like Need for Speed, I think it was time for us to get a different pair of eyes on it, a fresh look and feel on it.”
He also believes that the combination of several divisions under one label will allow other teams to interact and thus bring a new approach to projects “It’s a way for us to push innovation and push a different creative brain or mindset onto Need for Speed.”
The latest game in the series, Need for Speed: Rivals is currently set to release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on November 19th in North America and Europe, with a PS4 release due for when the console launches. An Xbox One version will release on November 22nd.


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Romania needs to gap the digital divide among the members of its population since the Romanian labor force has the lowest IT skills in Europe, according to the country report 2015 published by the European Commission, according to ECDL Romania.
Under the National Strategy The Digital Agenda for Romania, the country will need to develop its digital skills, but it lacks the concrete implementation measures.
These shortcomings have great impact on work productivity which is the lowest in Romania compared to the European Union.
At this point, approximately 77 percent of Romanian employees lack the necessary IT skills, which is double the European Union average, which stands at 32 percent, according to the European Commission’s country report, which also concludes that universities in Romania do not prepare their students in accordance with the requirements on the labor market.
Romania is also on the last place in Europe as far as investments in research are concerned.
Even though some progress has been made, Romania is still on the last place in the digital sector, according to The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2015.
Thus, only 20 percent of Romanians have basic digital skills and in Romania, only 1.3 percent of the total workforce are ITC specialists. Only 7.7 percent of internet users use e-banking services, and also e-commerce is not very developed because only 17 percent of Romanians buy online.
These shortcomings stand as a barrier in Romania’s economic development because higher digital skills would contribute to the revitalization of the economy, by educating an innovative labor force and bridging the digital gap.


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Hands Off Our Data: Music stars protest Amazon’s palm recognition system for concert venues
The group fears the data may be used to surveil activists and marginalised groups.
A coalition consisting of hundreds of musical stars has raised privacy concerns over Amazon’s palm recognition service being integrated into concert venues, calling the technology “dangerous and invasive”.
- READ MORE: Indie record store, artists slam physical release of Adele’s 30 amid vinyl shortages – but is the pop star really to blame?
The group, organised under the banner Amazon Doesn’t Rock (ADR), includes artists such as Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna, Anti-Flag, amongst many others. Yesterday (17 November), ADR signed off on an open letter calling on Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which recently implemented the tech, to cease using it.
“The truth is that palm scanning, like facial recognition, is an example of biometric data collection, and could turn Red Rocks into the site of ICE raids, police violence, and false arrests,” wrote a statement from the group’s website. “We’re calling on Red Rocks, AXS and AEG to reject this dangerous and invasive technology.”
It continued: “Under the guise of ‘convenience’, corporations are putting the safety of thousands of people at risk – especially people already targeted by state violence – and threatening everything we love about live events.”
“Live shows are supposed to be about creative expression, community, and joy. They should be places where people can feel safe and free.”
ADR’s website further cited Amazon’s “long history of willingly collaborating” with “abusive state agencies like DHS and police departments” – it claimed the Seattleite giant previously “worked with cops” to track down participants of the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020.
The Amazon One palm recognition service is billed as a contactless way for customers to use their palm for e-payments and more. It was rolled out in Amazon storefronts and various Whole Foods outlets, and recently began being implemented as a ticketless alternative for entry into sporting and music events, starting with the Red Rock Amphitheatre.
An Amazon spokesperson told MusicTech: “The claims made by this organisation are inaccurate. Amazon One is not a facial recognition technology – it is an optional technology designed to make daily activities faster and easier for customers, and users who choose to participate must make an intentional gesture with their palm to use the service. We understand that how we protect customer data is important to customers—this is very important to us too, and that’s why safeguarding customer privacy is a foundational design principle for Amazon One.
“Amazon One devices are protected by multiple security controls, and palm images are never stored on the Amazon One device. Rather, the images are encrypted and sent to a highly secure area we custom-built for Amazon One in the cloud where we create your palm signature.”
The service, which records data from one or both palms, could possibly see more extensive integration in venues across the United States.
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Don't miss this week
Drapers interviews New Look’s group digital director Jack Smith via Twitter about the company’s international growth plans, the benefits of image recognition software and its ambitions for mobile shopping in 2015.
More fashion news
Chris Bishop is founder and chief executive of digital media agency 7thingsmedia.
Sharon Savage owns designer resale store Grace & Ted in Bath with her daughter, Emma (pictured, left), and is a member of the Fashion Association of Britain (FAB).
This week I did something I hadn’t done for a very long time.
Latest Fashion News
Marks & Spencer has poached Next’s head of menswear design Simon Hawksworth to replace Tony O’Connor, who has left at the beginning of the year to explore other opportunities, Drapers understands.
Ecommerce giant Alibaba has complained of ‘misconduct’ and claimed the Chinese government is biased after it accused the website of permitting sales of fake goods.
Nick Robertson, Asos.com co-founder and chief executive, has offloaded £20m worth of shares following a “big tax bill”.
Chief executive of Adidas Herbert Hainer has vowed to remain at the helm of the sportswear company despite criticism that it is losing ground to US rival Nike.
USC suppliers have raised concerns over revised contracts issued by the young fashion chain’s new owner Republic, which appear to give brands less control over their stock.
Nicole Farhi chief executive Martin Mason is to leave after less than a year in the job, Drapers understands.
Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor is the face of womenswear retailer Phase Eight’s spring 15 campaign.
Levi’s has opened a five-month pop-up in Shoreditch, London, for its Line 8 young fashion collection.
Ethical fashion retailer Braintree Clothing has unveiled a new brand identity as part of wider plans to grow its customer base through expansion in the UK and Europe.
Shop Direct has launched its first transactional shopping app for its Very brand, which allows customers to scan clothing and match it with products from around 950 brands.
John Lewis fashion buying director Ed Connolly has told Drapers fashion will play an increasing part of the department store business in future, with a more contemporary offer at the top of the agenda.
Kurt Geiger has announced plans to compete in the kids’ footwear market for the first time with a multi- and own-brand offering.
Exhibitors at Who’s Next in Paris were left disappointed after visitor numbers struggled on day two.
Reiss’s founder is still calling the shots, and after getting the chain back on track he wants to take it further upmarket.
Focusing on ‘real women’, Curvy Kate lingerie has enjoyed a meteoric rise, culminating in a Drapers Award last year.
Dedicated customer service helped Janie Theaker turn Bridge into a Drapers Independents Award winner.
Archie and Karen Hume have dusted off a traditional countrywear retailer to create a thoroughly modern business - and Drapers’ Indie of the Year.


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There’s a lot of stuff to do every day. Yep, no news there. Getting through it all is part of our everyday routine. But for many people, getting things checked off the to-do list, and taking care of the people around us, is something we take pride in. It’s good to feel a sense of accomplishment when the day is done.
This was just some of the insight and motivation we saw from U.S. and Canadian consumers really trying to make all the aspects of their life work, especially when it comes to healthy snacking. When it’s all too convenient to snack on whatever is lying around the workplace or home between daily tasks, in come almonds! They’re the snack that can help people do better and own their day -- a perfect trifecta of convenience, taste and health.
To create more awareness around almonds as the perfect snack for busy people, we’ve launched a new campaign called “Own Your Everyday. Every Day,” which has become the anthem of consumer marketing communications efforts, as of February. The campaign emphasizes the role of almonds as a smart, go-to snack that helps own the day – even the most “everyday” or routine tasks. And it comes with a dose of humor, as seen in this ad:
The first ad of the campaign aired during the Winter Olympics on NBC and affiliated networks:
Next up is a round of ads on CBS Sports Network for the big basketball tournament this month. The ads will also air on ESPN, USA Network, Food Network and in print publications like People, Shape and Parents. We are also active across social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Make sure to follow us on these channels and visit the website to see all the latest from this campaign as we continue to bring fun, new experiences to enjoy that daily handful of almonds.


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UPI Transforming Co-op. Banking in Rural India: Mandar Agashe
- December 20, 2021
- Posted by: sarvatratechnologies
- Category: UPI Switching Services
in Voices, Business, TOI
Even as India continues grappling with the socio-economic consequences of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, digital banking or online money transmission has aided every section of the country in these trying times. To overcome the restriction on human activities brought about by the pandemic, people are employing every available method of cashless and contactless money transmission. The uptick in digital transactions under these trying circumstances has demonstrated that the country’s financial sector digitalization movement is here to stay. Digital payment technologies like UPI, AePS, PoS, etc. have played an important role in the Indian economy.
Of all these payment technologies, UPI (Unified Payment Interface) has been a game-changer as it took conventional banking beyond bank doors into the hands of the public. The first wave of digital transactions post demonetization in 2016 received a major boost during the pandemic. People were forced to stay indoors, resulting in a surge in online shopping, thereby promoting UPI usage. In fact, June 2021 witnessed an all-time high with over 134 crore UPI transactions amounting to Rs. 2.62 lakh crore. In his recent address, PM Modi lauded the penetration of UPI across the country. While speaking about the launch of customer-centric initiatives of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), he said that digital transactions in India have jumped a whopping 19 times in just the last seven years.
Despite these staggering numbers, the adoption of UPI in rural India is still at a nascent stage where cash continues to rule the economy. While urban India quickly adapted to this digital revolution, a cash-dominated rural Indian society faced some hiccups in embracing this newly established order. According to a report by Credit Suisse, 72% of India’s consumer transactions take place in cash. The key reason behind this rural-urban divide is the lack of adequate infrastructure. Comprising over 60 percent of India’s population, rural India has always remained a key area of focus in implementing the government’s initiative of financial and digital inclusion.
Empowering co-operative financial institutions has been the best bet to reach the rural Indian populace. Over 97,000 rural co-operative banks have significant control over the rural banking system, playing a transformative role in the spread of the organized banking system and in the adoption of UPI by the rural populace. However, these banks typically work in silos and their connectivity and interoperability with mainstream banks have always been low. Moreover, these banks generally face financial constraints that limit their ability to adopt technology and remain relevant in a fast-changing market. To overcome these infrastructural and financial constraints, these banks have embraced the PaaS (Platform as a Service) model, wherein they can avail the latest technology platforms without incurring a huge CAPEX. Indeed, while the financial inclusion effort got off to a delayed start due to infrastructural problems, attitudes regarding technology have begun to shift. With increasing technological awareness, UPI’s rural customer base is growing at an exponential rate.
In the last five years, UPI products have been spreading rapidly across different strata in the country, bringing a huge number of rural bankers into the realm of digital banking. The last five years have witnessed the UPI platform growing from just 21 banks with 1 lakh transactions and a transaction value of Rs.38 lakh in July 2016 to 261 banks with 420 crore transactions and a transaction value of Rs. 7.71 lakh crore as of today. With the adoption of UPI by urban and rural co-operative banks and the projected internet penetration and economic growth of India, the number of UPI transactions is expected to grow 10x, reaching a staggering 5,000 crore. While this might seem to be a tall order, the government and RBI are optimistic about achieving this landmark with the help of the mainstream and cooperative banking system, especially in rural India.


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Sierra Leonean UK-based model Adrian Vincent in demand!
Sierra Leonean model Adrian Vincent, based in the UK has been keeping busy with his modeling career. After recently appearing in the Top Model UK show where the best models from all over the UK came together to compete in a pageant like competition at the Hilton Metropole, London, although he did not get a placement he told Sierra Express Media that, “The experience was fantastic. I’ve made a lot of good contacts in the form of designers and photographers.”
Since appearing in the show, Adrian has shot a couple of music videos, one of which was for a very well known American artist (due to confidentiality he can’t disclose at this stage), and he was in a commercial for Freederm as an extra and has had casting calls for other TV roles. Adrian is in demand!
Adrian has been selected to appear at the African Afro fashion show which takes place on 27th/28th of May this year.
Following the African Afro fashion show, in August 2013 Adrian will be representing Sierra Leone at the Miss & Mr Afro Caribbean UK Scholarship Pageant 2013 – This pageant is a charity run event which helps its contestants highlight the countries they are representing and the winner of this competition is set to win sponsorship for a school charity within their country, a full University Scholarship, a trip home to their country to promote their sponsorship, and will also get to travel to other countries helping under privileged children and highlighting their country.
Don’t forget to show your support for Adrian at Miss & Mr. Afro-Caribbean UK Scholarship Pageant 2013 and on his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adrian-Vincent/503062506382009?ref=hl
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
© 2013, https:. All rights reserved.


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Remember that Hubspot statistic that revealed that almost 56 per cent of Twitter accounts are not following anyone? Or the one from Harvard Business Review which stated 10 per cent of active Twitter users are responsible for 90 per cent of all the tweets? If you have a Twitter account, the chances are good you've accumulated a sizeable number of deadbeat users.
web-based apps in pictures
Norwegian browser maker Opera has high hopes for the combination of mobile browsers and HTML 5, which will let web-based applications compete better with native applications, according to co-founder Jon von Tetzchner.
Remember that Hubspot statistic that revealed that almost 56 per cent of Twitter accounts are not following anyone? Or the one from Harvard Business Review which stated 10 per cent of active Twitter users are responsible for 90 per cent of all the tw...
Ten years ago on Jan. 13, 2000, Microsoft's Bill Gates turned over the CEO reins to Steve Ballmer, who emphasized then that the Internet would be the target for much of the company's new software development efforts.
Google has upgraded with a geolocation API its Gears browser plug-in, which is designed to let users work with Web-based applications when they aren't online.
Security researchers are warning that Web-based applications are increasing the risk of identity theft or losing personal data more than ever before.
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- CCContract Junior Programmer (PC LAN Support) 161028/JP/203Asia
- CCSenior Project Specialist - SchedulingVIC
- CCBusiness AnalystACT
- FTIntegration Solutions ArchitectNSW
- CCWeb Analytics AnalystNSW
- CCWeb DeveloperNSW
- FTLevel 2 Service Desk AnalystVIC
- CCBusiness AnalystNSW
- CCFront End Developer - Mid LevelNSW
- FTTest ManagerNSW
- CCIT Senior Systems Administrator- Server Patching RemediationNSW
- CCService Analyst (12-month contract)Asia
- FTOperational Integrity ManagerNSW
- CCSenior Java Developer-Java SE 8, HTTP APIs, Protocol BuffersNSW
- CCDesktop Support AnalystNSW
- CCAcquisition Marketing Executive - B2BNSW
- CCWindows EngineerACT
- CCSenior Security AnalystVIC
- FTFront End DeveloperSA
- CCSolution DesignerVIC
- CCWebpage Designer - Canberra RoleNSW
- CCCommunications ManagerVIC
- CCSenior Siebel Business AnalystACT


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2020 was an interesting year for the residential remodeling market in the US. Expectations of growth receded as the COVID-19 pandemic reached every corner of the economy. However, the market soon recovered as homeowners – either on their own or with the help of professionals – engaged in a wide range of improvement projects. From adding home gyms and offices to installing the decks and pools needed for the family staycation, homeowners undertook many projects that spurred demand for lumber and a wide range of other building materials (trends that were frequently mentioned on this site).
According to The Freedonia Group National Online Consumer Survey (conducted November – December 2020), 39% of respondents reported undertaking home improvement projects because of changes associated with the coronavirus pandemic, while 32% reported delaying home improvement projects for the same reason.
The question for many in the industry now is: What will the residential remodeling market hold for 2021? Two recent articles imply that the market for 2021 will resemble that of the second half of 2020.
The first – a survey of remodelers sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders – showed that confidence was high among respondents. Indeed, the survey showed that contractors who specialized in small- and medium-sized jobs (those costing $50,000 or less) had higher confidence than those who mainly performed large-scale work. This shows that while some are leery of attempting larger remodeling projects, homeowners – and their budgets – are confident in performing more economical jobs (such as remodeling a bathroom or installing new floors) to improve the look and boost the value of their residences. This caution is found in The Freedonia Group National Online Consumer Survey (conducted November – December 2020) as 41% of respondents reported that the pandemic has negatively affected their personal job situation and 47% reported that it negatively affected their ability to make larger purchases.
A second article also demonstrates the strength of the residential improvement and repair market, reporting that home improvement spending is anticipated to increase in 2021. Those Americans who saw their economic conditions improve in 2020 will be able to spend more on their homes, while others will take advantage of a favorable lending environment to do so. Furthermore, the prospect of widespread vaccine availability will boost consumer confidence while making it easier for work crews to enter homes and complete large-scale projects, such as kitchen remodeling.
For more information and discussion of opportunities, see The Freedonia Group’s extensive collection of off-the-shelf research, particularly in the Construction and Building Products. Freedonia also offers an expanding catalog of COVID-19 Economic Impact reports, which highlight how various industries are responding to the current crisis with a comparison to recent recessions. Freedonia Custom Research is also available for questions requiring tailored market intelligence.


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DB Schenker – the leading global logistics company – celebrated the opening of its new corporate office in Phnom Penh on April 4, with distinguished guests including German Ambassador HE Stefan Messerer, customers and business partners in attendance.
The significant move marks an important milestone for the company's growth into the region and is expected to enhance its capacity to serve the growing logistics needs of businesses in the Kingdom.
"We are excited to be opening our new office in Cambodia. Our presence in the Kingdom since 2007 has resulted in steady growth for our business.
"The opening of the new office is a strategic move that will enable us to better serve our customers and take advantage of the many emerging opportunities in the Cambodian market," said Thomas Sorensen, the CEO of DB Schenker's Mekong Cluster.
The demand for innovative and sustainable logistics solutions in Cambodia is growing and DB Schenker is positioning itself to meet this demand.
The new office will serve as a hub for DB Schenker's operations in Cambodia and the wider region.
It will be staffed by a team of experienced logistics professionals, who will work closely with domestic and international businesses to provide tailored solutions for their supply chain needs.
One of the key strengths of DB Schenker is its ability to provide innovative end-to-end logistics services, from freight forwarding and customs clearance, to warehousing and distribution.
This allows the company to offer a seamless and integrated logistics solutions to businesses of all sizes, whether importing raw materials or exporting products such as footwear, electronics or garments.
The opening of the new office in Cambodia is part of DB Schenker’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the region. Cambodia is part of DB Schenker’s Mekong Cluster that also includes Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
The opening of DB Schenker’s new office in Cambodia is a positive development. By providing businesses with high-quality and innovative logistics services, the company is helping facilitate trade and economic growth and contributing to the ongoing development of the region as a whole.


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SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Dozens of people flocked to downtown Spartanburg Saturday to shop at the mom-and-pop stores on the 10th annual Small Business Saturday.
“It’s good to support local businesses at all times because they are so vital to the growth of the community,” shopper Beth McLeod said.
“Well I personally think smaller is more personable, you definitely get one on one attention,” shopper Tasha Brockman told 7News.
At Two Doors Down Spartanburg the crowds were steady.
“It’s been busy,” Two Doors Down associate Tori James said.
The boutique of downtown Spartanburg saw many of their regular customers on Saturday.
“It’s just nice to see their support and they’ve come out because it’s Small Business Saturday, which is so nice of them,” James told 7News.
James said they were pleased to see several new faces in the store.
“I think people just realize that shopping small and local is very important now, so we are thankful for that,” Two Doors Down associate Kelly Blackwell said.
Market on Main celebrated it’s first Small Business Saturday.
“We just opened at the end of April, so we didn’t know what to expect,” Market on Main associate Stacey Johnson said.
The store was prepared and fully stocked with unique gifts made by local vendors.
Johnson said the gift shop takes pride in selling homemade items. They carry locally crafted hand lotion, canvases made by local artists and even teach classes so people can learn how to make ornaments.
“The day has been really busy. We were so excited and we actually had a great day yesterday too. We are so happy to have so many people downtown,” she said.
More than 165 million people nationwide are expected to make a purchase between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday.


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HONOR has officially launched its latest flagship smartphone, the HONOR 20 Pro. The launch happened at a special press event in London on the 21st of May 2019. Let’s dive straight into the hardware of the device.
The HONOR 20 Pro runs on Huawei’s proprietary flagship processor, the Kirin 980 which features dual AI engines. The device also comes packed with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. With the new Dynamic Holographic technology implemented on the back of the device, the HONOR 20 Pro features a 6.26-inch Full HD+ display, which is rather small for a flagship device.
With the inclusion of the Kirin 980 chip, GPU Turbo 3.0 is made possible for accelerated graphics capability and enhanced gaming performance. To help with overheating issues, the HONOR 20 Pro has a graphene cooling sheet that would help cool down the phone during those long gaming sessions.
In the camera department, the HONOR 20 Pro has a 32MP f/2.0 punch-hole selfie camera on the front. On the back, it’s complimented with a quad camera system featuring a 48MP f/1.4 Sony IMX586 sensor, 16MP f/2.2 super wide-angle camera, 8MP f/2.4 OIS-capable telephoto lens, as well as a 2MP f/2.4 macaro lens.
The 8MP telephoto lens can support from 3x optical zoom to 5x hybrid zoom, and even 30x digital zoom. Besides that, the HONOR 20 Pro is also capable of optical image stabilization (OIS), electronic image stabilization (EIS), AI image stabilization (AIS), and laser autofocus.
Battery on the HONOR 20 Pro is a standard 4,000mAh battery found on most flagship smartphones of today. Supporting Huawei’s own SuperCharge fast charging technology, the HONOR 20 Pro is able to achieve 50% charge in just 30 minutes. When it comes to sound performance, HONOR 20 Pro is able to output virtual 9.1 surround sound that is said to work on almost any headphones and earphones.
The HONOR 20 Pro has been priced at EU599 (approx. RM2,795) but will most likely cost less when it arrives in Malaysia. Will it have the same price as its previous flagship device, ala the HONOR View20? Stay tuned to AXO for more updates on the HONOR 20 Pro’s Malaysian launch.


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Popular online movie rental and review site Netflix will be releasing an API today. The new API will provide access to 100,000 movie and TV episode titles on DVD as well as Netflix account access on a user's behalf (using OAuth). We've added a new Netflix API profile to our directory with initial details.
OnSIP has launched the OnSIP Network today, a signaling Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) that provides API-enabled access to platform infrastructure that can manage WebRTC applications. ProgrammableWeb spoke with John Riordan, CTO of OnSIP prior to today’s launch.
WhyGo, a leading public video conference booking service, has released the WhyGo API to simplify booking further than it already has. WhyGo maintains over 3,000 video conferencing facilities around the globe.


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U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee issued the following statement on news that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other agencies had reached a $14.7 billion settlement with Volkswagen to compensate consumers who were duped into buying vehicles with illegal emission defeat devices:
“This was one of the most egregious examples of corporate fraud in recent history,” said Nelson. “Today’s settlement is not only a victory for American consumers but hopefully it will serve as a deterrent to those who seek to intentionally deceive the public.”
Last September, Nelson pressed the FTC to seek compensation for consumers who relied on Volkswagen’s company’s false ‘Clean Diesel’ advertising claims. The FTC filed suit against VW in March over the company’s deceptive claims. Click here to view Nelson’s letter to the FTC.


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work for you?
UPDATE: As of April 1st, 2019, Netflix has sent out notifications to many existing subscribers that price increases will start on Wednesday, May 1st, 2019. If you have a Netflix subscription, check your email.
Like death and taxes, it seems one of the certainties in this world is that Netflix will continue to raise its subscription fees. On January 15th, Netflix announced an immediate price hike for new memberships, increasing rates by as much as 18 percent.
Current subscribers aren't safe either, though. Many customers with active Netflix accounts will see their plans go up sometime around May 2019. If you have your membership set to auto-pay, you'll want to pay attention to those bills. Here's a breakdown of the changes you can expect:
- Basic plan: Stream on one device in SD. Price increase from $8 to $9.
- Standard plan: Stream on two devices at the same time in HD. Price increase from $11 to $13.
- Premium plan: Stream on four devices at the same time in HD and ultra HD. Price increase from $14 to $16.
Netflix last raised its prices in late 2017. Back then, the cost of a standard plan only went up by a dollar, but people still freaked out about it. In fact, one study suggested the increase actually drove away a significant amount of low-income customers. The response over at the Slickdeals community was mixed, to say the least.
While some were fine with the price increase to maintain access to hits like Stranger Things and Bojack Horseman, others vowed to cancel. We're curious how the latest rate hikes will play out with our community and subscribers at large.
The new prices are still cheaper than HBO Now, which comes with a $14.99 price tag. Meanwhile, Hulu's commercial-free plan comes in at $11.99, now cheaper than Netflix's most popular plan. But with streaming services like Disney+, NBCUniversal's package, and WarnerMedia's offering all expected to launch in the near future, the landscape is only getting more and more crowded.
That said, Netflix is likely raising prices to keep shareholders happy while continuing to fund its colossal original content library. The company reportedly amassed over $12 billion in debt as of October 2018, and is expected to spend at least another $3 billion this year.
Netflix's new prices may not impact one lucky group of people, however. T-Mobile customers who have two or more lines on an eligible T-Mobile ONE voice plan are rewarded with a free standard Netflix subscription, thanks to its Netflix On Us program.
We reached out to a T-Mobile representative about the price increase, and they said "Last time Netflix increased their rates, we didn't charge the customers. I don't see us charging for that Basic Netflix account. T-mobile is offering that free of charge." So, there's likely no need to worry about it for the time being.
While $2 more every month likely won't have subscribers canceling their subscriptions en masse, Netflix has established a pattern of increasing its rates every two years or so. It does beg the question, how much are you willing to pay for Netflix? At this rate, a standard plan might cost you nearly $20 a month by 2025.
Any product or service prices/offers that appear in this article are accurate at time of publish, and are subject to change without notice. Please verify the actual selling price and offer details on the merchant’s site before making a purchase.


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The acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has expressed his agency’s readiness to offer the required training to enhance the operations of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FRC.
Magu, added that the EFCC had a world-class academy and resource persons to aid the operations of the FRC.
He gave the assurance when he received a delegation led by the Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission Victor Muruako, in his office.
Muruako expressed the need for a partnership with the EFCC in eradicating economic and financial crimes among revenue generating agencies.
According to him, “Fiscal Responsibility Commission always has to force these revenue generating agencies to submit their annual statements of account.
Also, some of the challenges facing the FRC include low budgetary allocation, office accommodation, remuneration of staff and lack of technical training.’’
The FRC boss asked the EFCC to assist in the training of his staff.
‘‘The FRC will appreciate the help of the EFCC in facilitating contacts with donor agencies to assist in carrying out its statutory objectives,’’ he added.
Also, the acting Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Dr. Paul Angya, has sought the assistance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in tackling the problem of sub-standard products in the country.
Angya stated that the importation of sub-standards products into the country had caused some indigenous companies to fold up.
According to him, ‘‘most people prefer to buy the cheap goods, not knowing they are fake.’’
Speaking during a courtesy call on the acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, Angya said: ‘‘it has been on our minds to pay you a visit to solicit for your support, since we took over the leadership of the SON. This is because we believe we should run to you for partnership. We feel that it is better for us to synergize with other sister agencies that support the fight against corruption because it is a common fight.’’
Angya , who also stated that the Nigerian economy would get better if there were no sub-standard products either manufactured locally or imported, added that ‘‘we offer consumer protection services to save human lives that would have been lost through fire outbreaks caused by sub-standard cables, sub-standard car tyres, sub-standard food items like tomato paste, among others.’’
He also described the effect of sub-standard goods on the nation as the worst type of corruption ‘‘because it costs people’s lives, health and properties.’’
Responding, Magu, assured the delegation of the Commission’s support, adding that ‘‘I will not hesitate to send one or two of my staff to help you out in your investigation to bring the perpetrators to book.’’


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(CN) - Staples and Office Depot haven't yet convinced U.S. regulators to let them merge, but the European Commission approved the deal Wednesday and attached some strings of its own.
A year ago, Staples announced that Office Depot shareholders had overwhelmingly approved its offer to buy the rival office supplies retailer for $6.3 billion. The proposed transaction valued Office Depot at $11 per share, which shareholders would receive in cash and Staples stock.
But the Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal this past December, claiming the merger would violate antitrust laws by significantly reducing competition in the office supplies market.
Last month, a federal judge denied the retailers' motion to order the government to turn over 850 documents related to its investigations of the proposed merger and the 2013 Office Depot-Officemax merger, finding the documents privileged.
But on Wednesday, the European Commission gave the merger its blessing following its own investigation which focused on international contract sales and national contract sales in the Netherlands and Sweden.
The commission found that only three companies operating in Europe - Staples, Office Depot and France-based Lyreco - have the capacity to enter into international supply contracts for large business customers, and that barriers for other companies to enter that market are high because of the specific requirements of customers.
On a national scale, the commission found the merger would reduce competition for national contracts with large businesses in the Netherlands and Sweden and for the wholesale supply of office products in Sweden where few alternative suppliers are active.
To address the commission's concerns, Staples and Office Depot offered to sell off all of Office Depot's contract distribution business in the European Economic Area and Switzerland and shutter all Office Depot stores in Sweden.
Once completed, the commission said the retailers' offer will "remove the entire overlap between the merging companies in all markets where concerns were raised, thus ensuring that an important alternative will remain available on those highly concentrated markets."
Staples may only proceed with its acquisition of Office Depot in the EU once the commission has assessed and approved the divesture to a suitable buyer, the commission said.
The commission also noted that during its investigation it had worked closely with the FTC and the Canadian Competition Bureau - which along with the FTC is challenging the merger - but that the EU's green light has no bearing on proceedings in North America.
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The Dangerous Mistake You've Been Making at Home During Coronavirus
It's time to talk about all those disinfecting products you're using to fight COVID-19.
You've likely been doing more sanitizing and disinfecting in your home these last several months than ever before. The coronavirus' ability to live on various surfaces has meant that regularly wiping down countertops, door knobs, and just about any other spot in your home became essential to ensuring the safety of you and your family. And while diligent disinfecting practices can be very effective at killing the coronavirus, failing to take proper precautions with the cleaning products you use to do so can pose a serious health risk. Unfortunately, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recent data shows many people are using their cleaners and disinfectants in very dangerous ways.
According to a recent survey from the CDC, 39 percent of the 500 respondents reported engaging in high-risk practices with their disinfectants in an attempt to prevent coronavirus transmission. The survey's findings showed that 19 percent of respondents used bleach on their produce, 18 percent used household cleaning and disinfectant products on their hands or skin, and 4 percent even reported drinking or gargling diluted bleach solutions, soapy water, and other cleaning and disinfectant solutions.
"Respondents who engaged in high-risk practices more frequently reported an adverse health effect that they believed was a result of using cleaners or disinfectants," the CDC said in its report. "Although adverse health effects reported by respondents could not be attributed to their engaging in high-risk practices, the association between these high-risk practices and reported adverse health effects indicates a need for public messaging regarding safe and effective cleaning and disinfection practices aimed at preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in households."
Recent data from the CDC also shows that, in 2020, the number of calls made to poison centers each day due to exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants increased significantly when compared with the last two years. Between January and March of this year, the National Poison Data System (NPDS) received 45,550 exposure calls related to cleaners (28,158) and disinfectants (17,392). That's a 20.4 percent increase from the same period in 2019 and a 16.4 percent jump from 2018. Along with increased use due to the coronavirus, the CDC also cited improper use of cleaners and disinfectants as a contributing factor to the spike in exposure calls.
"To reduce improper use and prevent unnecessary chemical exposures, users should always read and follow directions on the label, only use water at room temperature for dilution (unless stated otherwise on the label), avoid mixing chemical products, wear eye and skin protection, ensure adequate ventilation, and store chemicals out of the reach of children," the agency advised. And to help ensure a healthy living environment for you and your family, here's how Doing This One Thing at Home Greatly Reduces Your Coronavirus Risk.


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Science has determined that people need to know 7.5 things per day, on average, about the world of business. You can't argue with science. Lucky for you, The Huffington Post has an email newsletter, delivered first thing every weekday morning, boiling down the day's biggest business news into the 7.5 things you absolutely need to know. And we're giving it away free, because we love you, and also science. Here you go:
Thing One: Sequester Watch! Remember earlier this year how we supposedly "avoided" that thing called the fiscal cliff, that act of congressionally-mandated stupidity that threatened to wreck the economy with a $600 billion hit of austerity? Well, it turns out, not so much.
Instead, what we did was blow up the ginormous chunk of austerity into several little pieces. Some of its parts were vaporized, never to bother us again. But large chunks of the austerity asteroid -- austeroid? -- made it through to hit the economy anyway. The payroll tax cut expired, for example, contributing to a hit to economic growth of 1.5 percent from the fiscal-cliff "solution" everybody cheered. For an economy bumping along at 2 percent growth, that is a significant blow. And now another chunk of the austeroid is about to slam into the economy, a series of deep automatic spending cuts called, for dumb Washington reasons, the "sequester," to take effect on March 1. This could cut another 0.6 percent from growth, according to one estimate by Macroeconomic Advisers.
But because we're talking about Washington, attention is only just now turning to what to do about the sequester. President Obama sounded the alarm yesterday in a carefully staged appearance with emergency first-responders, who might take pay cuts or lose jobs or something if the sequester takes place. The New York Times writes that this will be just the first of several such appearances by Obama to call attention to the sequester in the days ahead. Deficit scold Erskine Bowles called the sequester "stupid" and then added three more "stupids" to describe it further.
Obama's White House actually came up with the sequester idea back in August 2011, when it and Congress were building the fiscal-cliff doomsday device as a means to force themselves to eventually make hard choices about the deficit. Despite the warnings of scolds like Bowles and Alan Simpson, who were out selling their latest pointless deficit plan yesterday, no such hard choices are needed right away. Instead, Congress should be talking about how to jolt a sluggish economy back to brisker life. But congressional Republicans have apparently decided to do neither, taking the political hit of letting the sequester take effect -- in order to lay the groundwork for yet another deficit fight in the spring. If the economy grows at all in the first half of this year, it will be in spite of, rather than because of, the efforts of our politicians.
Thing Two: Bruised Apple: Once upon a time, Apple computers seemed invulnerable to hacks and malware and viruses and such. There weren't enough of them out there to make it worth a hacker's while. That's changing, though, and Apple yesterday announced that malware had taken advantage of a weakness in Java script to infect the Macs of some Apple employees, the Huffington Post's Gerry Smith writes. Facebook said last week that it had been hit by the same malware. Apple quickly released an operating-system update, the Huffington Post's Jason Gilbert helpfully points out, which Mac users should go and download immediately. We'll wait here.
Meanwhile, Apple was forced to watch while shares of Google soared to $800, as its own stock price continued to languish well below $500. Just months ago, Apple was at $700 a share and on its way to $800. Now Google may be the new Apple, writes Quartz's Simone Foxman. To add injury to insult, Apple lost a round in a court fight with activist investor David Einhorn, DealBook writes.
Thing Three: Regulators Play Ketchup: Well, that didn't take long. Warren Buffett and Brazil's 3G Capital last Thursday announced a plan to buy H J Heinz, and by Friday the Securities and Exchange Commission was investigating possible insider trading, and now the FBI is involved, looking for evidence of a crime. Somebody using a Goldman Sachs account in Switzerland made some flagrantly unusual, and unusually successful, options trades in Heinz just ahead of the deal announcement, so it would seem somebody had inside information. Reuters points out that this is not the first 3G Capital deal to get the insider-trading stinkeye, though 3G has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Thing Four: Ask Not For Whom The Dell Tolls. It Tolls For Thee: Computer maker Dell, whose laptops make lovely conversation-starting TV-dinner trays, announced fairly terrible quarterly results last night. Trouble is, they weren't quite terrible enough to convince shareholders that Michael Dell's plan to take the company private is the best solution, writes the Wall Street Journal's Ben Worthen.
Thing Five: JPMorgan Faces Another Whale Grilling: A Senate panel headed by Carl Levin (D-Mich.) is considering holding public hearings on JPMorgan Chase's "London Whale" losses, the Wall Street Journal writes. This "could prove embarrassing for JPMorgan and [CEO Jamie] Dimon," the WSJ writes, as this panel will probably be a lot tougher on Dimon & Co. than the Senate Banking Committee was last year (although last year's panel did not yet include bankers' nightmare Elizabeth Warren, seen here tearing bankers a new one).
Thing Six: Digital Windfall: A health-industry shift to digital health records, part of the 2009 economic-stimulus plan, has proven to be a huge boon to the companies that provide digital health records, writes the New York Times. Patients and health providers? Not so much just yet.
Thing Seven: Whenever We Needed Money, We'd Rob The Airport: In just five minutes, and without firing a shot, gangsters stole $50 million in diamonds from a passenger airplane waiting to take off from a runway in Brussels, the New York Times writes. No word on whether "Stacks" forgot to get rid of the van.
Thing Seven And One Half: Happy 221st Birthday: On this day in 1792 George Washington signed the Postal Service Act establishing the U.S. Postal Service. Two-hundred and twenty-one years later, it is DOOMED.
Now Arriving By Email: If you'd like this newsletter delivered daily to your email inbox, then please just feed your email address to the thin box over on the right side of this page, wedged narrowly between the ad and all the social-media buttons. OR, if you are logged into a HuffPost account, you could simply click on this link and tick the box labeled "7.5 Things" (and any other kind of news alert you'd like to get). Nothing bad will happen to you if you do, unless you consider getting this newsletter delivered daily to your email inbox a bad thing.
Calendar Du Jour:
8:30 a.m. ET: Housing Starts for January
8:30 a.m. ET: Producer Price Index for January
2:00 p.m. ET: Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes
Heard On The Tweets:
“Today we’re the best-looking horse in the glue factory,” says Erskine Bowles who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
— Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias) February 19, 2013
-- Calendar and Tweets rounded up by Alexis Kleinman


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HA NOI (Biz Hub) – Several sophisticated handmade products and food specialities will be presented to the public at a spring fair that opens on Saturday in Ha Noi.
The once-valuable food items, which were given as offerings to kings in the past, include sam cam bird (Fulica atra), nine-spur cock, Anh Vu river fish, Vong Village young sticky rice, Tu Le sticky rice, Ngu banana, dried longan, Nga Son mat and Van Phuc silk, among many others.
Visitors to the 800-booth fair at the Giang Vo Exhibition Centre will also have a chance to sample and purchase hundreds of specialities from every region in the country, including fresh fruit from the Mekong River Delta, Ly Son garlic, Phu Quoc fish sauce and Tan Cuong tea.
Hanoians will also have a chance to enjoy several traditional cultural activities taking place at another spring fair that will open at the Quan Ngua Gymnasium next week.
Demonstrations of different traditional festivals and folk games will be organised at the event, to be held between January 21 and 26.
In addition, craftsmen from traditional villages in Ha Noi will showcase their handmade products. Van Phuc silk, Bat Trang ceramics, Phu Vinh rattan, Quat Dong embroidery, Dinh Cong silverware and Ha Thai lacquerware will be on display.
The fair will also feature famous specialities of Ha Noi such as Hang Duong o mai (salted fruit), Hang Than sweetened young sticky rice cake, Ho Tay shrimp cake, Uoc Le pork paste and La Vong grilled fish.
According to To Van Dong, a representative of the fair's organisers, the Ha Noi Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, the spring fair aims to promote specific cultural features of Ha Noi.
The fair will take place at 30 Van Cao Street. – VNS


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It started with Google, Apple and AT&T. Rejection of the official Google Voice app from the App Store drew attention from the Federal Communications Commission, and now the feds are going to take a look at the entire wireless industry.
An open meeting has been announced for 10 a.m. EDT next Thursday in Washington, D.C. Here's what's on tap:
- The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry to seek and understand better the factors that encourage innovation and investment in wireless and to identify concrete steps the Commission can take to support and enourage further innovation and investment in this area.
- The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry soliciting information for the next annual report to Congress on the status of competition in the mobile wireless market, including commercial mobile services.
- The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry that seeks comment on whether there are opportunities to protect and empower American consumers by ensuring sufficient access to relevant information about communications services.
In other words, they want to know what the frak is going on out there. Better late than never. We'll keep you posted.
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Samsung has finally unveiled the first teasers regarding their upcoming flagship… beginning with the announcement of their “UNPACKED” event in San Francisco. The long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S10 and its family of devices would be officially revealed at the event sketching the future of Samsung’s innovations and strides along the way.
Following all the leaks, rumors and renders, tech enthusiasts have a pretty good idea of what the Samsung Galaxy S10 may look like and what Samsung’s of S10 consists of. So far leaks have suggested that Samsung could be launching the Samsung Galaxy S10 in three variants, while some rumors suggested that the variant count to be as high as four. However, pretty much every leak has suggested and has mentioned the three core variants of the Samsung Galaxy S10, that is, the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Lite, and the S10 Plus… with the fourth variant being touted as the highest-end variant of the four emphasizing its capabilities on 5G.
With the end pretty much confirmed at this point, we couldn’t wait to see more leaks coming in within the next thirty to forty days that we have here. And as usual, we wouldn’t be surprised this time around if someone at Samsung prematurely releases a TVC of the Galaxy S10 via their official channels like what happened to the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 last year.
Now that Samsung has begun the race, with a probable release of the device in the following month (March), there’s a good chance that our predictions regarding the early release of the Xiaomi Mi 9 could become true now that OnePlus would follow suit.
To read everything we’ve covered about the Samsung Galaxy S10 and its family of devices this far, have a look at our Galaxy S10 coverage.


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Ridango brings contactless payments to Tallinn public transport
Technology company Ridango has developed a novel and innovative interface for public transport ticketing system that enables payment by waving a contactless bank card.
Tallinn is one of the first European capital cities to introduce contactless payments with bank cards for public transport. The new solution was created through collaboration between Ridango, Tallinn Transport Department, LHV and Mastercard.
Contactless payment will be available in all Tallinn trams, buses and trolley buses in November at the latest by which time the software of ticket sales equipment in all vehicles will be updated, with all necessary configurations for the adoption of contactless payments undertaken.
According to Erki Lipre, CEO of Ridango the development and implementation of contactless payments has been a lengthy but extremely interesting and educational process that started back in 2014 when Ridango participated in Mastercard’s Start
Path Programme, held in Dublin, Ireland.
“This, followed by long-lasting collaboration with Mastercard gave us a good understanding of execution of contactless payments for public transport. The joint efforts by Ridango, MKM, representatives of city councils, banks and other partners
resulted in development of a specification for using contactless bank cards for Estonian public transport, which was followed by extensive development by Ridango team to bring the new system to the market,” explained Erki Lipre.
According to Erki Kilu, CEO of LHV Bank the new payment method is an innovative solution. “As an innovative bank we are keen to participate ourselves as well as through our partners in the development of newand convenient payment solutions. Ease of payments simplifies people’s lives. The transport payment system created through collaboration with Ridango is a good example, as innovativeness of this solution has been recognised by card organisation Mastercard,” commented
Thanks to this innovation occasional users of Tallinn public transport no longer need to buy a ticket from the driver or possess the Public Transport Card (Ühiskaart). Contactless payments by bank cards will initially be possible by using a validator by the front door, which has a sticker to help passengers recognise the contactless payment option.
Ridango thanks Mastercard, LHV, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and NETS for cooperation as well as Tallinn Transport Department and Tallinn City Council whose focus on innovation helps to offer passengers increasingly convenient payment options.
Ridango’s novel and innovative solution to use bank card contactless payments for public transport was launched on Wednesday 15 August with Kadri Simson, Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure making the first contactless payment to buy a ticket by waving a bank card.


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Autocar, America’s oldest truck brand, marks the 100-year milestone of its vocational truck series
This year marks the 100th anniversary of purpose-built vocational trucks from Autocar.
Today, the company creates custom-engineered OEM trucks, collaborating with customers in waste and recycling, terminal tractors, construction and concrete, road maintenance as well as military support.
After the debut of Autocar No. 1, a single-cylinder gasoline-powered tricycle in 1897, the manufacturer and its founder Louis Semple Clarke saw a need to develop custom-engineered trucks to provide purpose-built tools for demanding commercial and municipal customers.
By 1921, the company offered three truck models with capacities ranging from 1.5 tons to 6 tons, various wheelbases and conventional and engine-under-the-seat designs.
“Knowing that the Autocar brand represents 100 years of dedication to the vocational truck industry, we at Autocar truly understand the challenges that go into building heavy-duty trucks that are always up,” said Tim Thornton, Autocar’s vice president of strategy and commercialization.
According to the company, its approach to truck development is unique in the industry. They start by collaborating with customers to spec the right tool for the job. From there, the vehicle is custom-built using pre-engineered parts, all designed for a specific application.
“From the brand’s inception in 1897 to becoming a major supplier of trucks for the military effort in the Second World War and to the trucks we produce now, we operate today under one mission. We take pride in our focus on severe-duty, vocational trucks, being very collaborative and offering exceptional service to our customers,” said James Johnston, president of Autocar.
RELATED: A 1957 Autocar float tractor
Through its 100-year history, Autocar pioneered a continuous stream of industry-shaping innovations and today is the only brand of Class-8 severe-duty cab-over trucks that are both made in the United States and American-owned. Today, Autocar builds four models of custom-engineered, severe-duty trucks and has regained positions in several vocational segments.
In 2020, Autocar introduced its new DC series truck models. The DC-64D is engineered specifically for the demands of a dump truck and general construction use. The DC-64M is purpose built for mixers, with specialized frame rails, suspension, cab and electrical features to withstand the challenges of mixer operations.


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When Tim Cook tried to explain away its actions this week by saying protesters were using HKmap.live to “maliciously to target individual officers for violence” without providing evidence, even longtime Apple observer and blogger John Gruber, couldn’t stomach it.
“I can’t recall an Apple memo or statement that crumbles so quickly under scrutiny,” Gruber wrote. “For a company that usually measures umpteen times before cutting anything, it’s both sad and startling.”
I completely agree with Gruber and the general tenets of this piece. US companies — and Hollywood, in particular — have been appeasing China for a long time in exchange for access to its giant market. This has mostly flown under the radar because it didn’t affect customers elsewhere — but that has changed with the NBA’s PR stumbles this week.
Apple had no justifiable reason for removing the Hong Kong protester app, and the internal email to Apple staff explaining the removal is downright embarrassing. I’m a long-time Apple customer who has spent tens of thousands of dollars at Apple stores over the past decade, but CEO Tim Cook’s decision to side with a dangerous, authoritarian government and against people asking for the very same rights Cook enjoys makes me never want to spend another cent with Apple again.
Hopefully Cook reflects on his own conscience and shows some sign that he believes his own rhetoric on human rights. If he doesn’t, Apple is going down a dangerous path.
I’ve never been more disgusted with Apple than I am today.


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The Court of Appeal dismisses the lawsuit against Amazon
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court has dismissed New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against Amazon over its coronavirus safety protocols and a former employee who successfully led the effort union organization in Staten Island.
In addition to potentially exposing workers to the virus at two Amazon facilities in New York, the lawsuit filed by James last year alleged that Amazon unlawfully retaliated against workers who spoke out about poor safety conditions. in its warehouses. Among them are Chris Smalls, the laid-off Amazon worker who now heads the Amazon Labor Union, and Derrick Palmer, the group’s organizing vice president.
The appeals court said in its decision Tuesday that federal labor law prevails over state labor law and that the National Labor Relations Board “should serve as a forum” for disputes arising from protected behavior or prohibited by federal labor law, not by the states.
He also said lawsuit efforts to compel the retailer to comply with New York City’s COVID-19 workplace guidelines were dismissed as moot because the restriction in effect at the time had since been lifted.
The court also pointed to a separate NLRB case involving another terminated employee, Gerald Bryson. He said this case involves “essentially the same allegations of retaliation, and the possibility of inconsistent rulings on the same issue poses an ‘obvious and substantial’ ‘risk of interference'” with the jurisdiction of the NLRB.
Palmer, who received a final written warning early in the pandemic, is still employed at Amazon.
The court’s decision is a victory for Amazon, which had sought to have the case dismissed, but its motion to dismiss was denied by a lower court last year.
“Throughout the pandemic, Amazon has failed to provide a safe work environment for New Yorkers, putting their health and safety at risk,” Morgan Rubin, a spokesperson for the attorney general, said in a statement. communicated. “As our office considers the decision and our options moving forward, Attorney General James remains committed to protecting Amazon workers, and all workers, from unfair treatment.”
The Seattle-based online retailer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


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The UK will be the fastest growing major economy this year according to revised projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF upgraded its forecasts for UK growth by more than any other G7 economy, saying that cheaper credit and increased consumer confidence had resulted in more optimistic growth than expected.
It’s the first time since April 2008 that the UK economy is forecast to grow faster than the US or Germany, with growth now forecast at 2.9% for 2014, revised upwards from 2.4% in January and 1.9% last October. In comparison, the US economy is forecast to grow at 2.8%, Canada at 2.3% and Germany at 1.7%.
Olivier Blanchard, chief economist for the IMF, said:
“It is fair to say that our forecast was too pessimistic, and indeed growth has been much stronger than we had forecast. II think it has to be said that we are in the business of forecasting. Forecasting is an imperfect science and sometimes we over-estimate or under-forecast.”
The IMF also praised policies announced in Budget 2014 to boost capital spending, including doubling the annual investment allowance for businesses to £500,000.
However, it also warned that the UK’s recovery was “far from assured”, due to its unbalanced nature.
Photo by David Joyce


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News of Sterling Heights Lakeside Mall Renovation Leads To Mis-Leading News
Recent news that Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights would be getting a major $1 Billion renovation that includes over 2,800 multi-family apartments including 750 for senior housing, nearly 150,000 square feet of retail and dining (in addition to the existing 400,000,) 60,000 square feet of office space and a 120-room hotel, according to the City of Sterling Heights.
This of course was met with dozens of posts, which I'm embarrassed to say, coming from media outlets saying things like "Farewell, R.I.P." The truth is though, there's nothing to wish farewell, as one employee in the mall shared:
I wish people would stop saying ”RIP to Lakeside Mall”, or “there are no stores at Lakeside”.The mall is still open, and they never said it would be closed any time soon. They plan to redevelop it, and that won’t happen until who knows when. It hurts businesses when people assume, and post about it being closed. As an employee and sister of one of the tenants, PLEASE STOP spreading that false info. There are plenty of stores that are open. Maybe if people started shopping at stores again, they wouldn’t be closing and more would be opening.
Going For Shock Clicks
I know exactly why certain outlets will do this, inspiring shock from their readers. The problem is, as stated above, there are literally dozens of shops STILL open that could use your service and people to support them.
So don't believe the shock headlines. This is a MAJOR renovation and these things are gonna take a while to prepare and execute, but after it's all said and done, Lakeside Mall will have new life and a new look. Although the structure may go through renovations and changes, the area is getting an upgrade, not going away.


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Chinese Internet giant Tencent will invest 30 billion yuan to build its North China Information Technology Industry Headquarters in Huailai county in Hebei province, The Paper reported.
According to the agreement signed by the two parties, Tencent will invest in three data centers in the county. When the project completes in 2022, it is expected to have about one million servers operating in the area. It will be the largest and highest-level integrated industrial base of cloud computing in the company’s history.
Ma Huateng, the chairman and CEO of Tencent, has repeatedly stated in public that in the future, all industries will use artificial intelligence to process big data in the cloud.
Based on these data centers, Tencent will further open up big data and cloud computing capabilities to help promote digital innovation in various industries.
According to public data, Tencent is the company with the largest number of servers in the country. Its integrated data centers have covered 24 regions around the world, with more than 1,300 CDN nodes.


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Motorola Solutions has bought a Seattle specialist that makes push-to-talk software for mobile devices.
The company said Thursday it has purchased Twisted Pair Solutions, which makes the Wave Destop, Dispatch and Web applications that can link PBXs to smart phones and tablets so police and military agencies can do away with digital radios.
Manitoba’s Sainte-Anne Police Department is on customer, deciding to choose Wave instead of buying new handsets and car radios.
Wave runs on BlackBerry, iOS, Android and Windows Phone operating systems.
Terms of the acquisition were not revealed.
“Motorola Solutions is committed to continuing to provide its customers and partners with leading, best-in-class push-to-talk solutions,” Bob Schassler, Motorola Solutions’ senior vice president of government solutions, said in a statement. :We recognize that our customers have multiple communications technology options for connecting land mobile radios, wireless broadband networks and smart devices. The acquisition of Twisted Pair enables Motorola Solutions to address all of those choices and accelerate push-to-talk expansion across multiple technologies.”
There was no detail on how and when Twisted Pair’s applications will be integrated with Motorola’s.
Motorola Solutions [NYSE: MSI] makes two-way radios, bar scanners and other mobile solutions. Google bought its smart phone division in 2011 for US$12.5 billion. Motorola access points are controller are part of the Toronto Transit Commission’s new Wi-Fi subway network.
Twisted Pair said its software integrated allows text messaging, location, presence and other data on smartphones, tablets, desktop PCs and two-way radios. It solutions can be deployed on-premise or as a private managed cloud.


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According to Wim van den Bosch, CEO of MPS, the sale was historic for both companies. He says, “After years of economic sanctions, Iran is now the center of attention for many multinational companies, and Asan Pack is responding to this demand. We are pleased to have been selected by Asan Pack as a partner for their three presses that will pave the way to new markets in narrow web print.”
Located in Qazvin, Asan Pack’s current operations are in a 45,000 square meter factory with over 350 employees, with new facilities planned within the coming year. Producing 80,000 tons of corrugated cartons and 20,000 tons of cardboard packaging with multi-color printing per year, Asan Pack has become a leading package production company in Iran, working with reputable brands such as Nestle, Danone, BAT (KENT), SONY and Samsung, in addition to many other well-known Iranian brands. With Iran’s population of over 75 million people, Asan Pack has received a considerable demand for label printing over the years and is now entering the market, focusing on customers in Iran and neighboring countries.
The two 8-color EB presses for Asan Pack will be used to print labels and their 10-color EF press will initially print shrink sleeves and wraparound flexible packaging. All presses have delam/relam units and the EF is also equipped with screen and double rewinder units for quick changeovers. With this product mix and press configuration, Asan Pack is equipped to provide a broad range of printing and converting requirements for their customers.
All three presses will be installed at Asan Pack in September 2016, and four of their operators have already successfully completed MPS flexo training and received their certificate of completion. Mehrdad Nabatchian, CEO at Asan Pack explains why the company chose MPS for all three presses: “All of our printing machinery is represented by top European brands, as we seek high standards in our production investments. We identified MPS as a reliable partner with superior technology, and they also offered a thorough training program for our operators who are new to flexo and the label printing process. We are excited to receive our new MPS presses and embark into the world of narrow web label printing.”
Asan Pack learned more about MPS presses at Labelexpo Europe after two separate meetings with Reza Sah (MPS Iran sales representative) and following discussions with the local MPS Agent in Iran, Reza Mahmoudi (Paya Pardaz Ayandeh). Asan Pack accepted an invitation to visit MPS headquarters in the Netherlands for another live press demonstration in the company's Technology and Expertise Center. The final negotiations took place at the Asan Pack headquarters in Tehran.


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One of the great things about the current Windows Phone ecosystem is the number of local manufacturers getting devices out there. One of those is Cherry Mobile, known in the Philippines, and after showing new devices in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress they're back. This time it's Computex in Taipei, and they're teasing some new Windows related announcements.
On the company's Facebook page they're teasing announcements involving both Microsoft and Intel. But, the two are on different graphics, so it absolutely doesn't mean we should start assuming there's an Intel powered Windows Phone on the way. Intel provides chips for Android phones as well, you know.
In any case, Cherry Mobile is here, Microsoft is here and we're looking forward to seeing what's announced. There's a chance the new devices could be featured during Microsoft's Computex Forum event on June 3, and we'll be live from there to bring you everything that goes down.
Source: Cherry Mobile (Facebook)
Thanks Edward for the tip!
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Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine


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Samsung's latest pair of iPhone rivals, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9, hit stores on March 16. And this year it's all about the camera: Samsung's new phones have a mechanical dual aperture that can adjust depending on the lighting and a new Super Slo-mo feature that automatically creates GIFs from your footage. If you're switching from an Apple iPhone, there are plenty of more subtle features that have existed on Samsung phones and other Android devices for years that may be worth paying attention to. After spending more than a week using the Galaxy S9 instead of the iPhone X, here are five features that stood out to me that Apple's smartphone is missing. The screen on Samsung's smartphones can show information like the time, date, battery level, and notification icons even when the display is turned off -- essentially allowing it to double as a bedside clock.
Mar-9-2018, 13:20:17 GMT


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The year 2021 has seen new opportunities arise where Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are concerned. It was this year that saw Tesla investing in Bitcoin and then stating that they would also accept it as a means of payment for their cars. Add to this the previous investments from companies such as Microsoft and the fact that PayPal has also begun to accept Bitcoin in the US, and it becomes clear that this cryptocurrency has entered the mainstream.
The first transaction using Bitcoin was famously for buying a pizza. For this to progress where it can be used to buy cars and slightly expensive ones at that, is nothing short of phenomenal. When it comes to buying a house though, can you really use a cryptocurrency for this? While you will find all the crypto questions answered on this page, we’d like to enlighten you on how, by using Bitcoin, you can indeed buy a house.
Bitcoin and the UK Housing Market
You could be forgiven for thinking that the use of Bitcoin to buy a house was something new, but in fact, it is something that first happened in the UK back in 2017. This involved the purchase of a luxury home in Colchester, Essex. This was a house built by the developer Go Homes and it was valued at £350,000. This Bitcoin purchase was made by a software developer who was in his twenties and had clearly seen the value in the currency. Rather than move into the property, he went on to rent it out and accepted Bitcoin for the rental payments too.
Go Homes seemed to be at the forefront of Bitcoin payments, and the second UK house sale using this crypto took place in Hertfordshire for a 4-bed house valued at £595,000. The group sales director of Go Homes went on to say that he believed it would become commonplace for houses to be bought with Bitcoin over the next 5 years. The first house sale using Bitcoin has also taken place in the USA, with a house being purchased in Texas.
A Move into Luxury
The sale of traditional homes using cryptocurrency provided proof that it was a legitimate form of payment and this then paved the way for high-end developments to go the same way. Not long after the first crypto house sale in the UK, a luxury £250 million development in Dubai was offered for sale with every individual unit accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment. This sparked an interest in American Roy Hiederhoffer who owned a mansion in New York. Valued at $16 million, he put it on the market with Bitcoin being the preferred payment method.
Sales such as these were an inspiration to others and suddenly Bitcoin was becoming the preferred payment method for luxury house sales across the world. It even led to luxury hotels such as the 5 star Dolder Grand in Switzerland accepting Bitcoin as payment for a stay.
How Can You Buy a House with Bitcoin?
Now that you’ve seen that it is possible to purchase a house by using Bitcoin, you may be left wondering how you actually go about it. Certainly, it is not quite as straight forward as walking into a local estate agents and making an offer: traditional agents are not necessarily the most forward-thinking and would rather rely upon fiat currency when it comes to transactions involving property.
Times are changing though. Whilst it is acceptable to go through a private sale where both the seller and buyer agree to use Bitcoin, there are a growing number of estate agents in the UK who are starting to accept crypto too. Agents such as Go Homes, Agape Properties, and Munday’s Estate Agents are all advertising that they are willing to deal in Bitcoin. Across the pond too, agents in the US are showing their willingness to adapt and house sales involving Bitcoin are gaining in popularity.
With Bitcoin experiencing dramatic growth yet again, maybe the next time you purchase a property, this will be the payment method that you choose to use!


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The new total for Omaha-based Nebraska Beef Ltd.’s product recall is 1.36 million lbs., up from the 1.2 million lbs. originally announced Aug. 8. The wording being used on this Class I recall – such as “insufficient precautions” and “insanitary conditions” – can’t be good for the firm’s longterm business prospects.
Recent recalls have put an unbearable financial strain on all but the biggest of players, and all eyes are now focused on what this will mean for their future. A large percentage of this recall has also affected Coleman Natural products, which has enjoyed a long relationship with Whole Foods. Indications are that Whole Foods wasn’t aware that Coleman was processing product with Nebraska Beef.
E. coli O157:H7 remains a top concern for food-borne illness in beef. With mandatory country-of-origin labeling just around the corner (Sept. 30), we’re seeing countries like Canada getting geared up for the opportunity that these outbreaks will create.
It’s simply a matter of statistics; the odds are that the next round of E.coli recalls will be centered on U.S. product. While the industry has made great strides in fighting E. coli O157:H7 contamination of ground beef, summer 2008 points out just how far we are from winning the battle.
It really is the U.S. beef industry’s Achilles heel; a problem with our most popular product that’s seriously tarnishing the U.S. reputation. In fact, an Argentine meat-industry newsletter this week headlined an item on Monday’s 780-lb. recall of ground beef from Renna's Meat Market in Fresno, CA due to possible E.coli O157:H7 contamination, this way: “United States: This Week’s First Beef Recall.”