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By Nikhil Pahwa and Aroon Deep
On Monday morning, newspapers across the country were splashed with front page ads for the “Paytm Mini App Store“, inviting developers to join the company “to build India’s Digital Revolution, together!” The problem: it’s not really an app store — the Mini App Store is a collection of services that open in a browser inside Paytm’s own app. App stores, by definition, are distribution mechanisms for independent software called apps, and allow users to install apps locally on a device, rather than go through another app to open them.
Also, this isn’t even new: it seems to be just a rebranding of Paytm Mini Programs, which was launched in July.
How Paytm “Mini App Store” works
Paytm’s “mini app store” is an idea that other Indian apps have already tried; JustDial advertised a bundle of apps inside its own app as a way to reduce app clutter, and PhonePe, a Paytm competitor, has a similar service called PhonePe Switch, which works nearly identically, right down to pre-filling user information that the company already has.
Indeed, Paytm just seems to be loading the mobile browser version of the apps it launched with, like 1mg, Domino’s Pizza, and Decathlon. Here’s a comparison of the Mini App Store and PhonePe Switch (note that we couldn’t show much of Paytm’s interface due to restrictions on screenshots and screen recording on the app):
While the Mini App Store itself does not allow screenshots, a preview on the Paytm listing some of the available services does:
As expected, none of the apps seem tailor-made for Paytm — they all seem to be loading as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for users who don’t have the apps installed. The store interface itself lists the apps and some offers like discounts on purchases. There is also a list of categories in the bottom, like Financial Services, Education, Shopping, and Food Ordering. In most cases we reviewed, the “apps” were identical to the mobile web version of the service. As such, there’s little difference between going on the website of the app and visiting it on Paytm, except maybe that Paytm — like PhonePe — autofills users’ details.
In response to a query from MediaNama, Kiran Jonnalagadda, the co-founder of technology community HasGeek, said that “From a preliminary analysis of the mini apps, they appear to be websites accessed via Paytm’s servers. This is similar to how Facebook’s Free Basics operated, and has the same security problem: Paytm can read everything the user accesses within the app.”
“This is stretching the definition of an app”, he added. A Progressive Web App is essentially a website with an app launcher icon, and its own place in the recent apps stack. Paytm’s mini apps can only be accessed from inside the Paytm app, and don’t appear in the system recent apps list. So, at best, they are just sections of an existing app. That said, having a gallery inside Paytm is a great discovery resource for these businesses, so it’s not entirely a bad idea.”
The politics of the situation: Paytm vs Google
The politics of the situation here is that this is Paytm throwing down the gauntlet to Google, that it is labeling something as an app store within its application, while Google does not allow apps from the Play Store to have app stores.
We’re reminded of a situation in 2015, when Paytm launched affiliate promotion of apps within the Paytm app, and its press release mistakenly called it an app store. The links allowed users to download the app from the Play Store and the iOS App Store. A fuming Vijay Shekhar Sharma (the founder of Paytm) called journalists then – including both the author of that story and the editor of this publication. His question: even though the press release had mistakenly called the initiative an app store, how could we have carried that story. He was right. The reason for that angry call? VSS was worried that the Paytm app would be removed from the Google Play Store for calling that an app store. There are no third party app stores on the Google Play store.
In 2020, things have changed: VSS, last Tuesday, set up a Zoom call with 56 founders to discuss lobbying the Indian government against Google’s monopoly in the Indian app store space, and its imposition of a 30% fee. Google, probably worried about the strong backlash from Indian founders, has deferred the rolling out of that policy till 2022. A part of the policy was also Google’s move to allow other application stores from January 1st. By announcing a “Mini App Store”, taking out front page advertisements to promote them, and announcing a Paytm Mini App Developer Conference for October 8, inviting more developers to distribute their apps on Paytm with no payment charges, Paytm seems to be challenging Google. What will Google do? Google has said that in Android 12 (next years release), it will “make it even easier for people to use other app stores on their devices”, while not directly saying whether third party app stores will be allowed on the Play Store.
Also remember that just a couple of days ago, VSS got on a Microsoft Teams call with the MEITY Secretary Ajay Sawhney, along with 30-40 other founders, to discuss issues related to the dominance of Google in India. The Ministry has asked founders to submit a document detailing issues related to the dominance of big tech, and Google in India.
VSS’s anger against Google has also partly been fueled by Google temporarily banning Paytm from the Play Store for violating gambling policies by showing surrogate ads of its own real-money Paytm First Games app, which is not available on the Play Store. “Google thinks this is gambling, or a casino, this is bullshit of a different degree,” Sharma had fumed in September. In 2018, Paytm had also raised concerns around user privacy against Google Pay, a significant competitor to Paytm’s core payments business.


text: Comment of the Week Want to know which of our readers made the Comment of the Week? Well, you’ll have to head over to our Facebook page! Previous articleThylane Loubry Blondeau: is a 10-year-old too young to model adult fashion? Next articleThings That Should Be Banned: Builder’s Butt May 12, 2018 Trevor Hiltbrand’s, Stanford University Student, Weight Loss Product on Shark Tank Nets Biggest Deal in History! April 11, 2018 Dragons Den Episode Was Once Stopped in The Middle of The Show for a Wardrobe Change! So Here’s What you Should Wear… Fashion Police Aug 5, 2011 Comments are closed.

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In February 2022, TSG Announced the 2021 Top Performing Payment Gateways and Altor partner, Elavon, has won an impressive award – Fastest Payment Processor!
Every year, the Strawhecker Group (TSG) recognizes only a selection of payment gateways for exceptional performance across several key areas which are critical to a successful payment platform. They test each platform with its Gateway Enterprise Metrics (GEM). GEM uses pings and real transactions to monitor each gateway’s performance from over 20 different global locations 24/7/365.
With these standards, Elavon won for 2021 Fastest Payment Processor! GEM measures the time it takes for a transaction to be completed using a real signature debit card, just as a consumer would experience at the merchant. Elavon’s Fusebox is receiving this award for the third year in a row for having the fastest average transaction speed.
TSG recently noted in its Payments in Motion report that 2021 will continue the upward trend of eCommerce spending as consumers seek to “add to their cart” from home. As such, the role of payment gateways is as crucial as ever. If you’re ready to start working with the fastest payment processor around, it’s time to talk to Altor.


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The Divide: How rural electric co-ops like Tri-Co are closing deep broadband gaps
On this episode, we're joined by Elizabeth Page, national sales director at Ribbon Communications; and Aaron Young, chief operating officer at Tri-Co Connections, a fiber broadband provider in rural Pennsylvania powered by Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative, and a customer of Ribbon's. We discuss why, how and when Tri-Co started deploying broadband to its service area and the state of its rollout, why electric co-ops are well-placed to fill in broadband gaps in the rural US, Ribbon's role in rural broadband delivery – and much more.
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A start-up company dedicated to deploying DNA technology to the agricultural industry has won the second annual innovation showcase and pitch competition run by Gryphon’s LAAIR (Leading to the Accelerated Adoption of Innovative Research) at the University of Guelph.
The Dragons’ Den-style event, hosted by U of G’s Research Innovation Office, saw five teams of U of G agri-food innovators presenting their products, ideas and services in five-minute pitches to a panel of industry judges.
Harvest Genomics was chosen as the $10,000 grand prize winner. The company provides a range of genetic testing and analysis for growers, including rapid testing for herbicide resistance and invasive pest identification.
“We are thrilled to have been selected the winning pitch in this year’s LAAIR competition,” said Chris Grainger, CEO of Harvest Genomics.
“Given the extraordinary challenges facing entrepreneurs currently, having a platform such as this is crucial for making people aware of the innovative start-ups that can help be a part of creating new jobs for a recovering economy.”
Neophyto Foods, which makes plant-based cheese products, was chosen as the people’s choice winner and received $7,000 to invest in growth.
The pitch competition, which helps share with the public the real-world impact U of G innovators have on the Ontario economy, was held completely online this year for nearly 500 webinar viewers who voted for the people’s choice prize.
The judges of the grand prize were Shelley King, CEO of Natural Products Canada; Joe Dales, president of agriculture and food innovation at RH Accelerator Inc.; and Fred Wall, VP marketing for Farm Credit Canada.
The event is funded through the University’s Research Innovation Office as part of the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the Government of Ontario and U of G.
Since its debut in 2014, the larger Gryphon’s LAAIR program has awarded $500,000 annually to develop and bring products to market. Malcolm Campbell, U of G vice-president (research), said Gryphon’s LAAIR has helped U of G researchers launch several innovations into the marketplace.
“Having supported more than 70 projects that included 60 industry partners, Gryphon’s LAAIR funding has turned University knowledge into valuable outputs that have generated many new enterprises, enhanced business productivity, created jobs, and improved prosperity and people’s lives,” he said.
The competition is available on demand on the Research Innovation Office’s YouTube page.


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If you’ve followed the news recently you might have heard about Nike’s recent ad campaign where they used Colin Kaepernick as the face of their brand.. literally!
Spending and Credit drives the economy, but what is credit, and how is it good and bad for the economy?
China has often been praised for it’s four great innovations dating back to the ancient civilizations: paper, printing, compass, and gunpowder. But now, these four new great innovations are all the rage.
Trudeau recently announced that marijuana will be completely legal for recreational and medical use in Canada on October 17th. This article discusses the cannabis industry and two companies positioned to take advantage of this “high” growth potential: Canopy Growth & Aurora Cannabis.
WTF is Compound Interest? Learn what it means to make your money work for you!


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For the third year in a row, LG takes top marks in customer satisfaction for washing machines; Samsung wins for dryers in the just-released study.
Based on responses from more than 3,300 consumers who purchased clothes washers and more than 3,600 consumers who purchased clothes dryers during the past 24 months, the study measures customer satisfaction based on six parameters: ease of use; features like available settings and capacity; performance parameters such as energy efficiency, noise level and how well the appliance functions; styling and feel; warranty, and value.
In the study, LG gets 831 on a 1,000-point scale for washers. The industry average score was 781. The firm says LG fared particularly well in performance, features, ease of use, and styling. Samsung comes second, followed by Kenmore Elite, Bosch, Fisher and Paykel, Frigidaire and GE Profile, all of which scored above the industry average. Below average were Maytag, Whirlpool, Kenmore, GE, Amana, Estate Hotpoint and Roper.
Among dryers, Samsung tapped out at 833, performing particularly well in the performance and warranty factors. LG was second with 829, with Kenmore Elite third.
"Consumers expect major appliances such as washers and dryers to be extremely reliable, so the fact that both LG and Samsung stand out in terms of operational performance is particularly impressive," said Dale Haines, senior director of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates, in a prepared statement.
J.D. Power says that the percentage of consumers who purchased energy-efficient washers that also use less water and detergent has increased 60% this year, versus 53% last year. Two-thirds of survey respondents say their new laundry appliance is certified by Energy Star.
Study respondents said capacity and price were the two most important considerations when they were shopping for the machines. After purchase, only 9% of washing machine owners and 6% of owners of dryers said they experienced a problem.
One in four laundry appliance owners said they purchased an extended warranty or supplemental service agreement.


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NATORI CO., LTD. (Public, TYO:2922) is a Japan-based company that is engaged in the manufacture and sale of food products.
The Company is engaged in the manufacture and sale of processed marine products, processed meat products, processed dairy products, processed agricultural products, snacks, chilled food products and appetizers.
In addition, the Company is engaged in the sale of packaging materials and the management of trademark rights. The Company has nine consolidated subsidiaries.
Horse mackerel fishing right case postponed Namibia
The case between several firms holding horse mackerel fishing rights and the minister of fisheries and marine resources has been postponed to February next year by a judge after hearing oral arguments.
Shipowners claim rule change on sharks Spain
The ban on onboard shark processing to separate bodies from fins, presented by the European Commission as a necessary measure to prevent finning has again been ignored, for the sixth time, by the ICCAT.


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Bumper crowds turned out to see Westmorland County Show's first royal visitor.
The Countess of Wessex was guest of honour at the show near Kendal.
The day was enjoyed by people of all ages and this brother and sister duo won lots of prizes in the sheep competition.
The show boasts the largest local products Food Hall in the North West, and is entirely supported by local producers promoting their own products.
More top news
The second of our special reports looks at the history of the Borders Railway - starting with the closure of the Waverley Line in 1969.
Predominantly dry over the coming few days with variable cloud & some sunshine. Cool nights but daytime temperatures recovering a little
The two boys robbed a Carlisle store earlier this year, after threatening the lone female shop assistant with a knife.


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Who needs Paris and Milan? High fashion model turns Sydney Harbour into her own couture catwalk as she poses in front of iconic landmarks
- Catwalk producer and model Jessica Minh Anh has travelled to Sydney to hold the J Spring Fashion Show 2016
- The event will be held on the sky-high sundeck of the luxurious Costa Luminosa cruise ship
- The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House will work as her backdrop for the incredible event
- Jessica is known for orchestrating incredible catwalk shows at some of the world's most iconic landmarks
It is one thing to grace the catwalks of Paris or Milan. But to showcase couture more than 1,200 metres above the ground is something else entirely.
Jessica Minh Anh has made some of the world's most iconic landmarks her own, orchestrating fashion shows above the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower and on London's Tower Bridge.
This month the fashion influencer has travelled to Sydney where she plans to hold a show aboard a cruise ship with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House working as her backdrop.
Scroll down for video
Fashion forward: Catwalk producer and model Jessica Minh Anh has travelled to Sydney to hold the J Spring Fashion Show 2016
Breathtaking: Jessica travels the globe to hold incredible catwalk shows at some of the world's most iconic landmarks and buildings
Harbour view: J Spring Fashion Show 2016 will showcase couture and ready-to-wear collections from Australian and international designers
Beautiful backdrop: She plans to hold the show on the sky-high sundeck of the luxurious Costa Luminosa cruise ship
Vietnamese born Jessica is a catwalk producer and model.
Each year she travels the world to produce and star in runway shows that, in many cases, have to be seen to be believed.
The Parisian resident expertly transforms iconic venues in to her personal runway, and has gained exclusive access to national symbols such as One World Trade Center, Gardens by the Bay's Skyway, and PETRONAS Twin Towers' Skybridge.
In one breathtaking production, she produced the world's highest fashion show on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, more than 1,200 metres above the Colorado River.
Angelic: Jessica appeared ethereal in a photo shoot at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens where she modelled a billowing white lace dress
Music and fashion: The gifted musician played the piano with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background
Setting sail: Jessica is known for her extravagant runway shows, and has previously held events at the Eiffel Tower and on London's Tower Bridge
Sky high: Jessica is known for her daring fashion stunts, and in one instance created a catwalk above the Grand Canyon
All hands on deck: The international star has partnered with Costa Luminosa for her latest fashion show
This month Jessica has travelled to Sydney where she will hold a show aboard the sky-high sundeck of the luxurious Costa Luminosa cruise ship.
With the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House working as her backdrop, she will showcase couture and ready-to-wear collections from international designers.
The J Spring Fashion Show 2016 will feature the latest collections by Elie Saab's protégé Jad Ghandour, Lebanese talent Rouba.G, Pakistan's Syeda Amera, Romanian brand Chotronette, Beverley Riverina of BlackHills, New Zealand and Australia's own Begitta.
To compliment Jessica Minh Anh's extraordinary vision, L'Oréal Australia will create a bold and beautiful make-up and hair styles for the catwalk.
Behind the scenes: The model's glam squad of hair stylists, make-up artists and photographers help orchestrate her incredible events
Sydney bound: The show will be held on board the ship on March 14 and showcase couture and ready-to-wear collections as well as jewellery
Seen to be believed: As well as sky-high feats, Jessica has created the illusion of 'models walking in the sky' and 'catwalks on water'
Gravity-defying: Jessica's braided hair appeared to draw inspiration from the sails of the Sydney Opera House
While the show will not be held until March 14, Jessica has already made the most of Sydney's beautiful scenery.
The stunning model has posed in billowing dresses beside Sydney Harbour and in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, combining fashion with nature, architecture and culture.
As well as sky-high feats, Jessica has created the illusion of 'models walking in the sky' and 'catwalks on water'.
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You wouldn’t normally expect to see the words ‘show-jumping’ and ‘supercomputing’ in the same sentence, but thanks to a brand-new partnership between Mellanox and one of South Africa’s sparkiest show-jumping teams, a re-think might be in order.
Most experts in the IT world have previously encountered Mellanox, a leading supplier of high-performance, end-to-end smart interconnect solutions for data centre servers and storage systems.
Now prepare to meet Mellanox My Hot Chocolate, a beautiful liver chestnut show-jumping champion, and his talented owner and rider, Belinda Duke.
Mellanox is in the business of being fast, innovative, agile and forward-thinking – and we can apply exactly the same words to the super-duo of Duke and her trusty steed.
Together, Duke and Mellanox My Hot Chocolate are a force to be contended with on the local show-jumping circuit, and thanks to a new sponsorship deal from Mellanox, this is set to continue moving forward.
Duke, a talented fixture on the local show-jumping circuit, is the Product Manager at Networks Unlimited Africa, which distributes Mellanox’ intelligent interconnect solutions throughout the continent. She explains, “Mellanox and Networks Unlimited Africa have had an excellent working relationship for some years now, and we know them to be ever-innovative and forward-thinking.
An out-of-the-box brainstorming moment, in which we unpacked some of the similarities between my show-jumping career and my horse, My Hot Chocolate, quickly became a reality thanks to both Mellanox’ ever-present ability to embrace new thinking, as well as their innate generosity as a partner.”
Duke will wear Mellanox-branded riding clothing when she and Mellanox My Hot Chocolate participate in events, while her horse will be proudly wearing Mellanox-branded accessories. A special show-jumping obstacle, in the form of a wooden wall jump, has also been created, with Mellanox’ branding and messaging.
Marcel Fouché, Networking and Storage General Manager at Networks Unlimited Africa, comments, “Mellanox is a global leader in high-performance computing, and its products are now used in over half of the world’s fastest supercomputers as well as in many leading hyperscale datacentres. Known for being an early innovator in high-performance interconnect technology, it was no surprise to us when Mellanox teamed up with Belinda in order to create this new, vibrant marketing opportunity, about which we are all enthusiastic and most supportive.”
Syd Virdi, Senior Director for EMEA Channel Sales at Mellanox, adds, “We are truly excited about this great initiative and looking forward to being with Belinda and Mellanox My Hot Chocolate every step of the way. In a world of high-tech solutions, Mellanox is ever mindful of its impact on the physical world. Channelling the imaginative firepower of this energetic show-jumping team reminds us once again that IT exists to serve people and the planet. We couldn’t be happier at the birth of this exciting new partnership, which is a visual reminder of our ethos of elegantly ‘jump-starting’ solutions.”


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Senate lawmakers say they may step in if conditions for Florida’s tomato farm workers don’t improve. Workers are also asking fast food chains to help increase their wages. Sara Sciammacco has more from Capitol Hill.
Wednesday, 16 April 2008 01:00
U-S Senate Considers Ways to Help Florida Tomato WorkersWritten by Sara Sciammacco


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Posted Mon Mar 5, 2012 at 09:30 AM PST by Dick Ward
The first batch of 'Ridge Racer' physical copies will include extra tracks and cars - same with digital versions.
The Vita just doesn't feel like a Sony system without a 'Ridge Racer' game, and while our friends in Japan and Europe are already enjoying the latest installment in the racing franchise, we've had to sit and wait. As it turns out, we won't be waiting for too terribly long, as 'Ridge Racer' for Vita comes out on March 13th.
New copies of the game will come with a code for some free DLC that includes five new cars, three new courses and three additions to the soundtrack. Those that choose the downloadable route instead won't be left out - just buy the game by April 30th and you'll get the bonus.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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… Johan Woxenius, professor of shipping economics & logistics at Gothenburg University and a member of the Lighthouse program committee. As an "expert on virus effects on the economy and business" he would have participated in an after work seminar titled Hotet mot hälsan this week. The seminar was canceled because of the Corona epidemic.
An irony of fate, right?
"Yes, the interest was too high. It was expected that 300 - 400 people would come, many of them elderly. The risk of infection had been too high."
The seminar promised, among other things, a discussion about how vulnerable our society is and how we will be affected by a pandemic? How would you answer that question today?
"If we stick to shipping, it will be interesting to see how shipping companies like Stena Line and Viking Line, which both carry passengers and cargo, will act. Will there be business as usual or will departures or lines be cancelled if passengers are too few? Economically, I believe it’s important that the flow of goods works."
There have been reports of an emergency situation in the shipping industry , that food and drug supply is threatened. How should the government adhere to the emergency signal?
"Freight flows need to work and ferries have an important infrastructure role. I think an open dialogue between shipping companies and the public sector is needed to keep traffic at a level so that goods are not getting stuck in the ports. The shipping companies' problem is that when revenues disappear their left with large fixed costs. Maritime segments that focus on basic commodities, ie the main part of shipping, I do not thing will be hit so directly."
So how is the situation in a week or a month?
"It depends on how production and distribution systems are affected. Goods are transported because there is a higher value of the goods elsewhere. If stores are closing, companies will try to slow down the flow in order not to build up stock. The most impact will be within continents, but shipping is not as dominant as between continents. However, the timeline is important as the vessels coming here from Asia were loaded 6-8 weeks ago when China had low production. And now there are problems with the provision. The production systems also consist of many stages that are affected at different speeds. We are likely to see a jerky period ahead and many logisticians will be engaged in making the supply chains work."
How does this affect ordinary people? Will the food shelves in stores be empty?
"There is no direct supply problem for groceries. That’s the message from the authorities. The problem is that customers do not really trust this and bunker. With more people working or studying at home, more food will also be distributed through stores and notthrough stores and not through restaurants and school meals, but we will eat about as much. However, we can not be as picky as before. There may be a lack of specific goods or food."Related content: Artikel ur Sjöfartstidningen 19 mars: Stena lägger ner linje


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Research In Motion has made drastic cuts to BlackBerry smartphone prices in India just one day before the Waterloo, Ontario-based vendor is scheduled to report its results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. Several analysts expect RIM to miss Wall Street’s consensus when it announces its earnings results on Thursday, despite having issued lower than expected fourth-quarter guidance. The struggling smartphone vendor dropped prices on multiple models in India by up to 26%, BGR sister site BGR.in reported on Wednesday. Devices that have received price cuts include the BlackBerry Curve 9360, the Curve 9380, the Torch 9860 and the Curve 8520, RIM’s best-selling smartphone in India. RIM beat expectations in the third fiscal quarter when it reported revenue of $5.2 billion and earnings of $1.27 per share, but analysts are bracing themselves for a disappointing fourth quarter. More →
Research In Motion’s increased marketing efforts centered around its “Be Bold” campaign in North America have not paid off according to Canaccord Genuity. Sales of BlackBerry 7 smartphones, and specifically the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Curve 9360, were poor in February, Canaccord analyst Mike Walkley wrote in a research note late Sunday night. “Our February checks indicated weak sell-through trends for BlackBerry 7 smartphones despite increased marketing efforts,” Walkley told investors. “With very strong share gains for the iPhone 4S, increasingly price-competitive Android smartphones, improving Windows smartphones, and the likely March 7 launch of the iPad 3, we anticipate increasing competition across all of RIM’s products during 2012.” Read on for more. More →
Continuing on its peculiar path for BlackBerry 7 device announcements, RIM finally took the wraps off three new additions to its Curve smartphone line in the middle of the night. The BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones, like the Curve models that came before them, take the best of what RIM has to offer and stuff it into an affordable package that sheds the bells and whistles. Spec highlights include RIM’s slimmest Curve design ever, GPS and Wi-Fi support, 5-megapixel cameras and the BlackBerry 7 OS. “These new models will build on the incredible success of the BlackBerry Curve line and further expand the largest global launch of BlackBerry smartphones in our history,” said RIM Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis in a statement. “The new BlackBerry Curve smartphones are absolutely stunning and offer a significant performance upgrade with an unmatched mobile social experience for the millions of feature phone users in the market as well as our existing Curve customers.” RIM’s new Curve line will launch this month in Canada and beginning next month in additional markets. RIM’s full press release follows below. More →
Research In Motion on Thursday reported earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2012. After cutting its first-quarter outlook at the end of April, RIM’s May quarter came in below analyst estimates. First quarter revenue came in at $4.9 billion versus the Street’s estimate of $5.5 billion, and device shipments totalled 13.2 million versus expectations of 13.5 million. Net income for the quarter was $695 million, down from $769 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Earnings per share in the first quarter beat estimates by a penny at $1.33. RIM’s revenue for the quarter breaks down as 78% hardware, 20% service, and 2% software and other revenue. In the second quarter, RIM trimmed its outlook to $4.2-$4.5 billion in revenue, significantly under the Street’s consensus of $5.46 billion. RIM’s second-quarter EPS forecast is just $0.75-$1.05 versus $1.40 consensus. For the full year, RIM cut its EPS outlook from $7.50 to between $5.25 and $6 per share. “Fiscal 2012 has gotten off to a challenging start,” RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie said in a statement. “The slowdown we saw in the first quarter is continuing into Q2, and delays in new product introductions into the very late part of August is leading to a lower than expected outlook in the second quarter.” RIM also said it would soon begin a “program to streamline operations” that will involve job cuts. Shares of RIM stock opened down 15% in after-hours trading. RIM’s full press release follows below. More →
Ah, we see you again, BlackBerry Curve (Apollo). We’ve just scored some more hands-on time with RIM’s upcoming next-generation Curve, now named the BlackBerry Curve 9360. That’s what we’re being told is the final model number for this handset, though knowing RIM, there are sure to be some variations on that. This unit feels like a production unit to us, and with a final model number, it can’t be too long before they start infiltrating your local carrier’s store shelves. In the mean time, check out our hands-on gallery below!
P.S. We’ve heard that RIM won’t be using NFC for mobile payments for a “little while.” Instead, RIM will focus its initial NFC efforts on things like contact sharing and adding users to your BlackBerry Messenger list, etc.
We broke the news on practically all of RIM’s 2011 BlackBerry smartphones, and even scored some hands-on time with more than a couple of them. We wanted to take a minute to highlight the new products coming out of Waterloo now that all of the phones have leaked in some form. Remember, a lot of these are codenames that obviously won’t make it to retail — this is how the company keeps track of the devices internally and sometimes a single product can have multiple codenames. More →
Here’s some interesting information for you BlackBerry lovers out there. We finally have some firm details surrounding the GSM counterpart to the Malibu, which will be a CDMA Curve Touch launching late fall. The GSM BlackBerry Curve Touch, which will feature nearly identical specs, of course, has been seen recently by a trusted source who noted that the device featured T-Mobile branding and would be unveiled at BlackBerry World next month. Compared to the rest of the 2011 Curve lineup, the device is actually a much smaller full touchscreen Curve. It’s similar to the BlackBerry Touch, with the same proportions as the BlackBerry Orlando (Curve with a touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard) and the BlackBerry Apollo that we leaked back in January. The GSM BlackBerry Curve Touch will launch around June or July, we’ve been told.
Shares of Research in Motion stock declined over 12% after hours on Thursday as the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings for its 2011 fiscal year. RIM reported revenue that missed Wall Street’s consensus on device shipments that exceeded expectations by 200,000 units. Fourth-quarter revenue came in at $5.6 billion, just below the $5.64 billion analysts expected. Device shipments for the quarter totalled 14.9 million units, beating estimates of 14.7 million units, and full-year shipments were a record 52.3 million units — a 43% improvement over the year prior. Full-year revenue of $19.9 billion grew 33% over the 2010 fiscal year and net income was up 47% year-over-year to $3.4 billion. “We are pleased to report record shipments and financial performance in fiscal 2011,” said RIM’s Co-CEO Jim Balsillie in a statement. “As we enter fiscal 2012, RIM is in an excellent position to benefit from the continuing convergence of the mobile communications and mobile computing markets. We are laying a strong foundation for RIM’s expanding market opportunity through focused investments and we are extremely excited about our smartphone, tablet and platform roadmaps.” Hit the break for the full press release. More →
Just when you thought you couldn’t wait any longer, we go and snag an internal PowerPoint shot of some super-duper BlackBerry document. OS 4.5 is currently targeted for a mid-September launch on AT&T for the BlackBerry 8120, BlackBerry 8820, BlackBerry 8310, and BlackBerry 8300. We’ve covered the updates in the new OS, but for a quick recap, you’ve got HTML email and formatting, remote server search, free/busy calendar lookup, video recording, improved media player, and Office document editing on the devices. Mid-September it is, with those devices shipping pre-loaded in mid-October with OS 4.5. Click through for the larger shot.


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McDonald's, the chatterbox tells us, is on its last legs. The food is bad, or at best, unfashionable. Everybody now eats at Chipotle. Moreover, it pays its employees so badly that, at least for liberals, eating there is unconscionable. The bad food, on some level, reflects bad politics (echoing a common feeling about Walmart). McDonald's is, in this view, the food equivalent of Walmart, but without the market power. Goodbye, good riddance.
Despite the inevitability of its fall, McDonald's is still an extraordinarily successful company--at least globally. Between the company-owned and the franchisee-owned stores, McDonald's still sells $88 billion a year in McProducts. Last year its corporate revenue was twice as high as either Yum! (Taco Bell, Pizza Hut) or Starbucks. Chipotle, its supposed replacement, was only one-seventh its size. With over 400,000 employees and 36,000 restaurants worldwide, it is a global phenomenon.
In the U.S., however, growth has stalled. Since 2004, McDonald's has sold more in Europe than in the United States--and that gap continues to grow. Last year, Chipotle's revenues grew 28%, Starbucks grew 11% and even Yum! grew by 1.5%. McDonald's fell by 2.4%.
In the last few years, McDonald's has tried to reposition itself with an upmarket strategy to compete with "fast casual" chains and to differentiate itself from other fast food. While still delivering the "Dollar Menu," it has experimented with other offerings to lure back more affluent consumers. In the last year its new offerings have focused on "food quality" with the hope, as it wrote in its governmental filings, of "transition[ing] products to a higher price point when appropriate." McCafe offers a $1 alternative to that $4 Starbucks. The recent antibiotic-free chicken and hormone-free milk, echoing Chipotle, are intended to appeal to the customer suspicious of chemically-laden animal products.
The strategy has failed. Whereas Walmart has few competitors, fast food restaurants are everywhere. If McDonald's can no longer differentiate itself on price or quality, it needs a bold strategy--or it will go out of business. McDonald's smart move will be to compete on profits--not by cutting prices, but by raising wages.
McDonald's, while short on growth, has plenty of profit. Last year, worldwide, the EBITDA margin (the earnings out of every dollar of sales) for McDonald's was 35%. For Starbucks, Chipotle, and Yum! it was only about 20%. For such a big company, that extra 15 cents out of every dollar of sales is huge. McDonald's can raise wages, take the moral high ground, and still make more money than the other guys. Perhaps it can even persuade those Starbucks yuppies to try its McCafe. Its competition can't follow. The wage increase won't be able to be replicated elsewhere.
The American branch of the McDonald's corporation, however, will not be taking the hit--the franchisees, who own 89% of all American locations, will.
Historically, the franchise model kept labor relations at arms-length from the McDonald's corporation. Franchises received business training and supply chain access from corporate, but they ran their locations like independent small businesses. For many would-be entrepreneurs, the franchise is the surest path to ownership. While independent restaurants usually fail, brand-name fast food chains usually succeed. While the corporation has always provided helpful guidance--Hamburger University!--on how to run the franchises, it has left wages and hours to the owner's discretion, just to keep a clear distinction between franchisor and franchisee.
Those boundaries, because of worker and legal activists, are beginning to break down. Since last summer, the National Labor Relations Board and McDonald's have been battling over whether the employees at franchises are actually jointly employed by the McDonald's corporation and the franchisee. Most importantly, workers across the country have been organizing against McDonald's like they have against Walmart. Unlike Wamart, which owns all of its locations, most golden arches are privately owned. Unlike Walmart, franchisees can't just close up shop and move across town. Workers at McDonald's franchises have actual power.
Corporate, then, has a choice: fight the workers or join them--against the franchisees. This summer McDonald's plans to raise wages a dollar above minimum wage and, over the next year, to see that wage rise above $10. The catch is that the McDonald's corporation can only do this at the stores that it owns directly. McDonald's workers at the franchise locations will not automatically get a pay raise. Pressure will, no doubt, be brought to bear on franchisees to match the pay raises, since corporate profits won't be affected. Franchisees could refuse, but to do so would to lose the good will of consumers.
The dirty secret is that higher wages, even at those 11% of restaurants owned by the corporation, will not substantially affect corporate's revenue. In 2014, about half ($4.35 billion) of McDonald's corporate revenue came from sales in its own restaurants and about half ($4.30 billion) came from franchise revenue. Consider McDonald's own restaurants, the ones getting the pay raises. Of that $4.35 billion, $3.60 billion gets paid out in food & paper ($1.4b), wages & benefits ($1.25b), and occupancy ($0.942b). If McDonald's increases its wages from the national minimum wage of $7.25 to $10, then it should, if benefits go up at the same rate, decrease its labor costs to $1.72b--costing it about $470 million. But with all that revenue from its franchisees, it will still earn a staggering $2.3 billion.
The franchise fees, unlike McDonald's profits, are based only on how many hamburgers a franchisee sells, not how much it costs to sell them. In the most recent franchise agreement, McDonald's corporate took, in additional to other fixed fees and royalties, 4% of a franchisee's gross sales. If wages go up at a McDonald's, the franchisee will still have to pay the same share of profits to corporate. While McDonald's corporation might be able to handle the wage increase, the franchisees, whose margins are much tighter, might not.
Critics might claim that McDonald's has an incentive to prop up profits at the franchises, since if profits fall, then no one will open more McDonald's. But in most markets, good new locations are rare. Only in states, like Texas, that have dynamic suburban growth, are new locations opening up. Rhode Island, for instance, had no new McDonald's open last year. McDonald's only path to growth is by increasing in-store sales, not adding more locations.
Labor rights has become a consumer issue and McDonald's has an opportunity to rebrand itself as the friend of workers, albeit at the cost of franchisee profits. McDonald's, if it wants to survive in the U.S., would be foolish to do otherwise. A few failed franchisees is a small price to pay for rejuvenating what is perhaps the most signature American brand--and saving all those other franchisees. High wages will be a way for it to shine, providing not just a happy meal, but a happy worker.


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Indian e-commerce industry is growing exponentially. Online retail is catching on fast, not just in larger metros but also in the Tier II and Tier III cities. This growth can be attributed to increasing internet penetration and the smartphone revolution.
The sector will now have to clock a 45% CAGR to reach a size of $80 billion by 2020 from the current level of $14.5 billion, according a study by RedSeer Consulting. Earlier, there were various estimates that the sector could touch $100 billion mark by 2020. As per study, the e-tailers have started focusing on high-value categories and hence, non-mobile high-value categories like Fashion and FMCG took a backseat. This led a decrease in repeat buying behavior thus flat volume for the industry.
Moreover, the e-commerce industry is going through major with eBay merging with Flipkart and Snapdeal going on same route. And now there are three big players left Amazon, Flipkart and Paytm. Going forward we expect the sales volume of the industry to rise. Let’s shed a light on few ruling categories in e-commerce world.
As per The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Facebook study conducted in March 2017, India's online fashion commerce market is expected to grow four-fold to $30 billion (nearly Rs 2 lakh crore) by 2020. The joint study says it expects fashion to be the first category that most people buy online by 2020. And, that almost 30 per cent of new shoppers are likely to start buying apparel and footwear online. Let’s throw a light on online fashion sector scorecard Q1 CY 2017
Mobile and Electronics
Mobile and Electronics remains the largest selling online category. Even though, the percentage margins are slim in this category, it offers high volumes with relatively low SKUs required. According to latest industry analysis, India is expected to become the fifth largest consumer durables market in the world by 2025.
As per the industry report, India’s online grocery market is estimated to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 62% between 2016-2022. The overall grocery market in the country is already worth over US$ 360 billion (Rs 21, 60,000 crore) making India is the sixth largest grocery market in the world and is expected to touch US$ 1 trillion by 2020.


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HONOLULU -- The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau reorganized
its marketing structure, putting five vice presidents in charge of
various business divisions.
The divisions represent meetings, conventions and incentives
(MCI); developing international markets; marketing services; North
America, and Japan. Each vice president will report to Tony
Vericella, the HVCB's president and chief executive officer.
"We have streamlined and refocused responsibilities by assigning
highly qualified and creative individuals to Hawaii's market
areas," said Vericella.
David Preece will run marketing in the U.S. and Canada as vice
president for the North American market. A consultant to HVCB for
several months, he was formerly senior vice president of marketing
and sales at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Gail Ann Chew was promoted from communications director to vice
president, heading the marketing services division. Marketing
services will help create and execute campaigns for the other
divisions. The MCI and Japan divisions were already in
Tokyo-based Kiyoshi Mukumoto continues as vice president for
Japan, and Sandra Moreno continues as vice president for MCI.
Vericella said a vice president for international developing
markets will be appointed soon.
That person will be responsible for leisure sales and marketing
in western Europe, Latin America, Oceania and Asia, excluding
Japan. He added that the new structure "will allow us to optimize
the market impact of funding, which is now in the ballpark with our
The state's tourism funding for the HVCB is almost $60
Since Jan. 1, tourism funding comes from a fixed percentage of
the state's hotel room tax and is administered by a new Hawaii
Tourism Authority. Prior to that, it had been voted upon annually
by the Legislature.
Vericella also announced that HVCB's human relations and
membership services operations will be consolidated under Terry
Lynne Hee, vice president of finance and administration. Market
research will continue to be directed by Barbara Okamoto.


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The 2018-2019 Budget highlights key measures aimed at boosting the manufacturing sector, namely: the expansion of the industrial infrastructure and logistics facilities, and the setting up of new business parks across the island including a High-Tech Park at Côte D'Or extending over 150 acres of land, a Logistic Park at Riche Terre as well as a Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Park at Rose Belle.
It also underlines Government's intent to strengthen the trade policy and use all necessary economic diplomacy and mechanisms to address the issue of dumping which is harming domestic-oriented enterprises and eroding the industrial base.
Furthermore, the Budget announces the setting up of higher standards of quality and safety for imported products, in a bid to ensure that products sold are safe for consumption. This includes a ban on certain food items if only less than fifty percent of the expiry date remains.
The Budget also lays emphasis on the availability of appropriate skills that are essential to expanding production in the manufacturing industry. In this regard, Government will streamline the procedures for recruitment of foreign workers to make it easier and more efficient.


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As Clutch and Chrome starts to ride out the footage we shot during our time at Sturgis late last year, it’s a double video pick.
Today’s motorcycle video pick shows two things; Ducati loves to market its brand and Clutch and Chrome doesn’t have the most patient staff.
To give an idea of just how fascinated the non-riders are with our motorcycle world, we present a video produced by the Wall Street Journal.
There are a lot of things that go into picking our motorcycle video of the day, but sometimes we just say ‘Screw it’. The right rock music and the sound of a roaring engine and we’re sold!
If readers need any more proof that the world of motorcycles is heading off road, we humbly point to Clutch and Chrome’s video pick, which features another adventure bike.
Whether a fan of Harley-Davidson or not, Tuesday August 23rd was a big day in the world of motorcycles with the debut of the American manufacturer’s new Milwaukee-Eight engine.
A new video highlighting its new Speed Triple caps an awesome week for the British motorcycle manufacturer, Triumph.
The fact that motorcycle ideas and products are being shown at CES speaks volumes to how technologically advanced bikes have become. A mind-blowing example of this comes from Honda, subtly named ‘Riding Assist motorcycle’.
Sometimes the best motorcycle videos are those which, though they may leave the viewer wondering what is happening, the emotions and passion behind what’s being seen is completely understood.
There’s a certain style about Yamaha’s motorcycle commercials that take us to a riding world that can only be described as a two-wheeled utopia.


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MILAN — Italian textile trade show Milano Unica on Wednesday unveiled its fall 2019 textile trends with an interactive installation in which samples were spotlighted with video mapping technology.The next edition of the show, during which exhibitors will showcase their fall 2019 collections, is scheduled for July 10 to 12 at the Rho Fiera Milano fairgrounds.Under the guidance of art director Stefano Fadda, head of Milano Unica’s Style Committee, the division developed a macro trend named “Nations to Nations,” which is “a social-philosophical concept aimed at grouping different peoples, different traditions, cultures and also different styles under one umbrella” Fadda explained.The macro trend highlighting a message of positivity and unity among people was developed through three different themes: organic grunge, handcrafted essentialism and techno romantic.In keeping with last season’s focus on sustainability and environmentally friendly textiles, the organic grunge trend featured natural cloths juxtaposed with recycled fabrics. The samples were reworked with different techniques. For example, a jersey vinyl layered with wool gauze and a fabric made with real flowers and feathers was treated with a glass-based process.[caption id="attachment_1202640142" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The organic grunge trend for fall 2019.[/caption]Referencing Scotland, Turkey and Romania, the organic grunge trend was infused with folk inspirations and woody tones, while the techno-romantic theme included high-tech textiles inspired by feminine fabrics such as jacquards, chiffon, silk and brocades.“Technological innovation is fundamental, even if some exhibitors here may feel unprepared to answer our proposal because we certainly set the bar higher this season,” said Fadda, who collaborated with 15 textile companies to develop the trends project.Drawing their inspiration from Flemish paintings, Indonesian batiks and tapestries of Azerbaijan, the techno romantic samples featured layers of fabrics with different thickness and embossed details “to give the textiles a volume and a tactile, pleasant feel,” said Fadda.“I think that extreme fashion is coming to an end and people are feeling the need for cleaner lines, for a more minimal style,” he explained, pointing to the handcrafted essentialism theme. The trend referenced the cultures and attitudes of South Korea, Switzerland and Sweden, which were translated in understated samples such as, for example, a double cashmere layered with metallic net and embellished with shiny details, all worked in subdued neutrals and pastels.
A grooming moment between @tanfrance and @antoni last night at the The LGBT Community Center Trailblazer Awards honoring Anna Wintour, Ricky Martin and more. See more photos at WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
“It was a very surreal feeling. It wasn’t like we were in the studio together coming up with it — it’s more like he discovered it and loved it. I didn’t let myself get my hopes up, but then it happened it was very exciting,” said singer-songwriter @nombe on discovering that @pharrell would be using his song, “Cant Catch Me” on his HBO documentary series “Outpost.” The German-born singer — named Noah MacBeth — talked to WWD about feminism, using art as a platform for political expression and personal style. Read more on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
This season, denim is going west – in influence. Brands like @fathersdaughterla (pictured here), @tommyhilfiger Jeans, @levis and more are opting for raw, top-stitching styles. (Styled by @thealexbadia; 📷: @ryanplett)
20-year-old British singer @jorjasmith_ made her debut at Coachella last weekend. We caught up with her and talked about her love for Amy Winehouse, working with Kendrick Lamar on the “Black Panther” album and her fashion philosophy. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @katiedaisyla)
Supermodel @helenachristensen teamed up with longtime friend and designer @camillastaerk on a joint @paredeyewear collaboration. The lineup features three styles and 11 offerings, all of which embody a vintage feel. Get all the details on how they celebrated the collab on WWD.com. #wwdaccessories #wwdeye (📷: @slovekinpics)
“It’s a hard industry to keep motivated, as well, so finding different subjects and people is what makes it worth it – when you’re like, oh, I’ve met great people, I feel like I’ve done something good, and I feel proud of having done this,” said French actress Stacy Martin on being grateful for the variety of roles she’s take on. Read @ktauer’s full interview with Martin on her her latest film “Godard Mon Amour.” #wwdeye (📷: @danieldorsa)


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Intel's Cherry Trail Atom chips are almost here, and if you're in the market for an Intel-based tablet the future looks bright.
We briefly got our hands on what could be the first Cherry Trail tablet shown publicly -- an 8-inch prototype from Intel running Android with a variety of apps and games installed. The graphics in particular stood out.
The game "Real Racing 3" took some time to load, but when it started the display kept pace easily with the fast-moving visuals. A previous Bay Trail chip in an Asus Transformer Book T100 struggled with demanding games, showing how far the Atom X5 and X7 chips, as they're known, have come.
The tablet wasn't connected to the Internet, so we didn't get a taste of the Wi-Fi speed or how fast cloud applications will load. But other local apps fired up quickly. The tablet had USB 3.0 and HDMI ports and a audio jack.
The first Cherry Trail tablets will have 7-inch to 10-inch screens and are expected to range in price from about US$120 to $500. Asus, Lenovo, Acer, Dell, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard will all ship
them in the first half of the year.
Cherry Trail succeeds the current Bay Trail chips, which appeared in 2013. They're expected to go in some PCs as well, and Cherry Trail powered Microsoft's HoloLens augmented-reality headset when it was demonstrated earlier this year.
The graphics with Cherry Trail are twice as fast as with Bay Trail, an Intel representative said. But the company has paid less attention to CPU speed and battery life, which will be about the same or slightly better than with Bay Trail tablets, according to Intel.
The CPU core is based on a new architecture code-named Airmont. Cherry Trail tablets should be thinner, partly because the chip is manufactured on a 14-nanometer process, enabling smaller and more power efficient transistors.
But how Cherry Trail devices will sell remains to be seen. Intel shipped more than 40 million tablet chips last year thanks to an aggressive rebate program offered to device makers. The tablet market is slowing down now, though, so it may be harder for Cherry Trail to match last year's performance.
Later this year, Intel will include wireless charging with Cherry Trail, allowing tablets to be charged at compatible locations without a power adapter. Tablets will also be able to stream images wirelessly to displays through a technology called Wi-Di.


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This time last year, Google Play introduced its first paid search model for app developers. The search giant understands how people use apps as part of their day-to-day media usage pattern to accomplish tasks while barely thinking about it, which is why app discovery is such an integral part of their business strategy. Need an app to workout in your hotel while traveling? Check. Need an app to discover new recipes for a housewarming party? Check. Need an app to find the lowest travel fare? Check. We could go on, but suffice it to say: there’s always an app for that.
This month, we were excited – but not surprised – to hear that Apple has taken a page out of Google’s playbook. This fall, Apple will be rolling out a full-scale paid search model in their App Store. Combining paid search with app discovery reduces friction in customers’ media usage pattern lifecycle by making it easier and safer for them to find reputable apps that meet their needs when they want them. In other words? This is beneficial for the end user (because they can find what they want more seamlessly); beneficial for app-based businesses (who want to encourage app adoption and discovery); and potentially very lucrative for Apple (hello, ad sales). Apple’s App Store is Google Play’s biggest rival and the only game in town for apps developed for iOS devices. In 2015, Apple earned $20 billion in revenue from the App Store and other services (think: Apple Care, etc.). Although Apple executives tend to keep the granular details of the company’s financials tight to their chests, rumors suggest close to two-thirds of app downloads come from search hits in the App Store. If this is true, paid search in this space could drive a substantial amount of exposure to emerging apps and significantly improve the customer discovery experience.
APP SEARCH FOR ADVERTISERS TO FIT CUSTOMERS’ MEDIA USAGE PATTERN:
The best part about Apple’s new paid search model is that it fits seamlessly into the App Store experience people already expect during their typical media usage pattern. Only one featured app will appear at the top of customers’ search results in the App Store, and the only distinguishing difference between a paid app and a non-paid app will be a blue ring around the app badge indicating these results were sponsored. Unlike paid search engine ads that sometimes feel jarring or separated from organic search results, Apple’s new model makes it easier for advertisers to promote their apps without disrupting the customer experience.
Naturally, this prime real estate will be a pay to play opportunity for search marketers. Advertisers will participate in a bid auction to secure top keyword terms correlated to their app based on a pay-per-click pricing model (there will be no pay-per-impression option at this time). In tandem, Apple will also offer demographic and audience targeting to keep advertising costs reasonable while ensuring app discovery is as close to a perfect match as possible for the customer. It goes without saying that businesses can use this inconspicuous search experience to support their paid SEO and AdWords campaigns and close the loop between website engagement and mobile app discovery. This is especially important as customers’ media usage patterns almost always include multiple devices across their smartphones, tablets, and computers. No matter where your customers are surfing, your paid search strategy can support their habits and needs.
THE WINNING PAID SEARCH MODEL FOR APP-BASED BUSINESSES:
Although Apple’s new paid search program is currently in beta testing, the full program will be released this fall. And we couldn’t be more excited. That’s our way of saying there’s no time to waste if your business has (or is developing) an app. Our team of Orlando marketing experts can help you balance your current paid spend to include app advertising while guiding you through this new experience from audience selection, to keyword term bidding, and everything in between to create a seamless end-to-end app experience that supports your customers’ media usage pattern.
The paid app program presents a unique opportunity for businesses to reenergize sluggish app usage and encourage adoption if your website and social channels haven’t been as successful as you’d like them to be in reaching this goal. Even if all your channels are performing well, paid app advertising supports an increasing trend of customers searching for apps or related tasks directly in the App Store as part of their media usage pattern. We predict this will be an integral part of the paid marketing mix by the end of the year and one your business should not miss.
Click here for current case studies that showcase how our team has helped support app discovery in the digital age. By this fall, your business could be taking part in one of the most important new search trends of the year, so don’t wait to give us a call.


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Increased U.S. oil production, combined with falling oil demand in emerging markets and more uncertainty in the European Union, recently caused oil supplies to rise faster than demand. That pushed world oil prices to six-year lows.
By mid-January the price of crude oil fell below $40 per barrel— a decline of more than 50% from year-ago levels. At the pump, this translated to a 35% slide in the price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline. Although gas prices have risen somewhat since, they remain well below the year-ago average.
Oil, of course, is a key factor of production—both in the manufacturing and service sectors. So lower oil prices mean lower production costs and, by extension, more economic growth.
That’s good news because there’s room for economic growth, and most labor markets, despite improvements, will take time before they’re completely healed. From a consumer perspective, energy price increases change consumer outlays (consumers drive the same distance to work every day) and leave less money available for discretionary spending (more gas expenditures mean fewer trips to the restaurant).
Rising oil prices, therefore, don’t typically cause a big decline in overall consumer spending. They simply shift expenditures from one commodity to another.
In contrast, energy price decreases tend to have the opposite effect, allowing members to spend less on energy and more on other things.
It’s not easy to predict specific changes in consumer purchasing behavior arising from energy price changes because those effects have varied dramatically over time. But some things are clear.
First, energy price declines perceived as longer lasting can dramatically boost consumer confidence and can, therefore, increase consumer demand for goods, including big-ticket items such as automobiles.
That’s important because consumer spending accounts for 70% of U.S. economic activity—and many consumers finance big-ticket purchases with credit union loans.
Second, positive economic effects associated with lower energy prices tend to be more dramatic when both interest rates and inflation expectations are low, as they are now.
The federal-funds rate is expected to remain below 0.10% through most of the first half of the year. Further, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s latest estimate of 10-year expected inflation is 1.8%— well within the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target.
On the other hand, oil price declines cause higher unemployment in areas of the economy dependent on the energy sector. If oil prices stay low for an extended period the effects can be severe, spilling over to other industries.
Lower prices also affect the revenue stream of the U.S. oil industry and, consequently, lower the industry’s planned investment spending. In 2013, the U.S. oil and gas extraction industry had a $204 billion impact on gross domestic product. Lower investment spending by this industry can, therefore, have a big effect on employment and income.
In addition, collapsing oil prices might threaten the stability of international producers. And that, in turn, could have a destabilizing effect on financial markets.
While consumers and businesses respond to market signals, it’s important that oil prices stabilize at a level consistent with the macroeconomic goal of long-term price stability. If that happens, the economy, consumers, and credit unions will benefit.
Overall credit union loans grew 10.2% during 2014, led by an astounding 21% increase in new auto loans. Our baseline forecast puts 2015 loan growth at 11%.
Recent energy sector developments might require an upward revision to that rosy outlook.
PERC PINEDA is CUNA’s senior economist. Contact him at 608-231-4285 or at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Spotify has strongly criticized Apple’s newly implemented transaction fees, which can reach up to 27%, for app developers in the US. The music streaming giant has spoken out against Apple’s decision to allow developers to sell products outside of its App Store while still requiring them to pay a commission.
Describing Apple’s action as “outrageous,” Spotify accused the tech giant of doing everything in its power to protect its profits. Spotify is also calling on the British government to take action to prevent similar fees from being implemented in the UK.
Apple introduced these fees following a prolonged legal dispute with Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite. Although Apple won on several points in the lawsuit, the court ruled that it was in violation of a law by not allowing developers to inform users about alternative payment methods, including those bypassing Apple’s App Store payment system.
Apple’s system typically charges large developers a 30% fee, while smaller developers pay around 15%. Notably, 85% of developers do not pay any fee. Following the court ruling, Apple in the US has now set up rules allowing users to subscribe to services without using its payment system but will charge developers a commission of up to 27% for this.
The company defends this commission rate, stating in court documents that it is compliant with the court ruling and emphasizes that developers benefit from Apple’s services. Apple cited benefits including platform integrity, marketing, external advertising, and providing a safe environment for downloading and purchasing apps and in-app content.
Spotify’s response has been fierce, arguing that this policy contradicts the US court’s effort to promote greater competition. The company’s statement read: “Once again, Apple has demonstrated that they will stop at nothing to protect the profits they exact on the backs of developers and consumers under their app store monopoly.”
Previously, in October 2023, Spotify had accused Apple of exerting an “insane” level of control over the internet. Now, Spotify is urging the UK government to act, stating, “The UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill must put an end to this false posturing, which is essentially a recreation of Apple’s fees. We strongly urge UK lawmakers to pass the bill swiftly to prevent Apple from implementing similar fees, which will help create a more competitive and innovative tech industry for UK consumers and businesses.”
The UK government had introduced its digital markets bill last year to curb the influence of tech giants. A government spokesperson said the bill would allow authorities to take “targeted measures” in app store transactions to ensure open and competitive digital markets.


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"President Trump expects [Commerce Secretary Wilbur] Ross to exercise his independent judgment, consistent with applicable laws and regulations, to resolve the regulatory action involving ZTE quickly based on its facts". Taking a shot at previous presidents, Trump says previous negotiations were too much in China's favor, that now it's hard to talk them into a fair deal.
"U.S. tariffs, together with certain Chinese retaliation, will disrupt global trade and supply chains, further damaging American businesses, workers, farmers, ranchers, and investors", the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned, adding "unilateral tariff strategies have no record of historical success and have always led to unintended consequences".
The latest indignity for Ross is Trump's reversal of sanctions on Chinese telecom giant ZTE, which was barred on April 16th by Ross' Commerce Department from importing goods from the USA, as punishment for its repeated violations of US sanctions against North Korea and Iran. Early this month ZTE halted core operations.
During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump raged over all the USA jobs that he claimed had been lost to China, and said he would go with a program of "America First" when it came to trade deals with that country.
Last November, China waited until Trump had left Beijing following his first official visit to the country to announce that it would open up its financial sector - a move created to stress it was making reforms on its own terms. It's not the only time Trump has apparently broken this promise: The Trump Organization has a contract with Chinese companies at a project in Dubai. The company will also earn management fees, and be "eligible for additional unspecified incentives".
The U.S. -China Business Council (USCBC), which represents 200 American companies that are engaged in business with China, also urged the Trump administration to reconsider its tariff plan.
Earlier this month, as NBC News reported, the Pentagon ordered stores at US military bases to stop selling ZTE and another Chinese brand of cellphones and modems, saying the devices may pose a security risk.
The US government is constructed in a way that the president does not have unfettered control. "You do a good deal for him, he does a good deal for you".
"The president in the United States government has incredibly free range to basically set foreign policy". "That's not something that I can speak to".
Trump's involvement doesn't necessarily guarantee that ZTE is out of the woods. I was actually pleased that the president acted on one of those companies, ZTE.
"But I don't believe we can fully brief that threat if they don't have appropriate security clearances within their own institutions, another challenge that comes out of the backlog issue, Warner said". And it's extraordinary because it doesn't happen.
A violation of Emolument Clause of the US Constitution? As Christopher Balding, an economics professor at Shenzhen's HSBC Business School, told A.F.P., "Even if this deal is completely and entirely above board, it simply furthers the perception of impropriety" concerning Trump's business dealings.


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Leave it to Trader Joe's to not just stay on top of a fast-growing trend but build upon it with its own innovation. According to a report by VegNews, the beloved grocer is sending plant-based meat lovers like myself into a tizzy by bringing yet another meatless option to the market—and one that strays from the mainstream, at that: Turkeyless Plant-Based Meat Patties.
“It may seem far outside the ordinary, implausible, even, but plant-based burgers have become one of the most popular food trends of the past few years, and there’s no sign of slowing down,” Trader Joe’s said in a statement. “Folks are increasingly going for meatless burgers for all kinds of reasons, but we like to think that one reason in particular is primarily responsible: plant-based burgers have gotten really, really good recently.”
What's particularly interesting about Trader Joe’s latest launch is that it doesn't follow the typical beefless beef patty format that has become the norm in the plant-based sector. Instead, the new Turkeyless Protein Patties mimic a lean-and-mean turkey burger and boast 23 grams of protein per serving.
Trader Joe's new product also follows its beefless launch from earlier in the year, which was met with extremely high praises from the chain’s cult-like following.
What will Trader Joe’s debut next in the plant-based sector? Deli Market News and its team of plant-based enthusiasts will keep you up-to-date.


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As the hardworking staff has noted before, Rift Beatle Yoko Ono runs full-page ads in the New York Times almost as often as Lord & Taylor does.
And especially around Christmas time.
So, as (good) day (sunshine) follows (hard day’s) night, now comes this year’s edition in Thursday’s Times.
Just for the record, here’s imaginepeace.com.
And just for the record, we continue to admire Yoko Ono’s persistence in this pursuit.
The same way we continue to believe she might just as well set her money (gotta be over a million bucks in Times ads by now) on fire.


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Why are these companies only buying large quantities of Bitmain Antminer hardware, and how do they receive them?
And not "Indicies"; I just took the Triplebyte backend developer test last night, and this was on the assessment.
Money can lose its value due to inflation. When this happens, a fixed amount of it loses its purchasing ability.
This setting up of ATM will be done in phases.
The whitepaper is the first Bitcoin specification that includes the goals and roadmap of this currency and was introduced to...
DISCLOSURE: I don't believe any of these people to be Satoshi.
McAfee was facing possible extradition to the US.
The president will introduce a bill to legalize bitcoin in Paraguay next month. Can it get 41 votes in Congress?
Bitcoin Core or Bitcoin client is a full node that stores the blockchain on users’ computers and validates transactions. This program is a memory of Satoshi...
What are Bitcoin transaction fees ? For everyone making transactions in bitcoin, you would have wondered what are these bitcoin transaction fees all about. Sometimes the...
How well does the Ledger Nano S stack up against other hardware wallets?
In a world that is embracing DevOps, Infosec is not sure which one should shoulder this responsibility.
Korbit, a well-known cryptocurrency exchange, has been charged and fined over “collecting excessive personal data” from at least one of its customers.
Bitcoin Core will start to support connection with Hardware Wallets with HWI library. New options for hardware wallets will be added to the settings.
BTCGOSU is a crypto gambling review site that focuses on evaluating the games of casinos and sportsbooks.
Will Bitcoin have a huge selloff? Is it possible to analyze the price of bitcoin?
An address is a string of alphanumeric characters which identifies a bitcoin wallet. Users can use addresses to send and receive cryptocurrency. Addresses are usually identifiers...
Bitcoin.org owner Cøbra has blocked access to the bitcoin software download in the UK and suspended access to the bitcoin whitepaper.
Wall Street and CIOs predict the bitcoin price to drop below $30K by the end of the year. Reports also predict the price soaring above $100K.
Bitcoin has all the capacity and power to reach higher through the times and breaking its own record value.
It will be a type of cryptocurrency called a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Chinese companies cooperate with Iran in bitcoin mining, exploiting the advantage of less pollution and cheaper electricity costs in Iran.
Illinois is set to become the second state after Wyoming to facilitate the holding of cryptocurrency.
The bitcoin price has seen a bit of dip in the last two days and is currently around 39K USD.
These ATMs can withdraw cash from bitcoin wallets, and vice versa.
We cannot really say that the most expensive devices are the best.
SatoshiLabs has raised the security and utility bar with its Trezor Model T.
People mainly run bitcoin2john on wallet files to get the hash, which can then be attacked by hashcat.


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While 3D printing is responsible for changing so much of the world, throwing out tradition in favor of stronger, better, and more affordable products and processes–things have changed in other areas while we were busy with our heads down, rolling out innovations in PLA and ABS. For instance, the new Pope just seems to be getting hipper by the minute–from the Harley Davidson to ditching Congress for the homeless–and perhaps getting the common man’s attention–as well as taking us back to some common sense ideals.
Surely he’s cool with the hippest new technologies as well. And we’ll see if the latest from a German 3D printing specialist happens to catch his eye. Now, a replica of Papa Francesco I – Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first pope in history to be available as a 3D printed figurine for everyone who is interested in celebrating him in a high-tech manner.
“Great news for the supporters and followers of the Catholic Church. Papa Francesco I – Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first pope in history which is available as 3D printed figurine for everyone. The head of the Roman Catholic Church is well known for his support against environmental pollution, poverty and his great relationship with other religions,” Josh Weinberger of Forge 3D Printing told 3DPrint.com. “Staramba and the Forge 3D Printing Studio are proud to bring you the likeness of Pope Francis, just in time for his arrival in America. In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI was replaced by Pope Francis as Pope. A native of Argentina clergyman is the first pope who comes from America and the first pope to be available for everyone as a 3D figure.”
Brought to the world by Staramba Arts and Entertainment, the likeness of Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, has arrived in 3D print just in time for his visit to the US, and is quite a good likeness, we think. Staramba did the scanning and design work in Germany, and the figures will be shipped out by Staramba USA.
Replacing Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, Pope Francis is surely one of the most charismatic popes in history. The piece is now available at Staramba’s online shop, with the scanning and printing produced at their Berlin headquarters.
“Get the heavenly man including a base-plate showing the ceiling painting of the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in three different sizes in our online shop,” invites the team.
You can actually find quite a collection of the Pope 3D prints by Staramba, with pieces retailing from $69.95 to $249.95, depending on size. Staramba offers the following models with various locales and features:
- New York City
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- Washington, DC
The 3D printed figurine is a photo-realistic replica made in full color and then hand finished. Most of the pieces are at a scale of 1:15, in full color sandstone, but there are two other sizes available at different prices as well.
The 3D printed Pope also comes with a base plate which shows the ceiling painting of the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica and measures 1.46 x 3.15 inches. If you order one of these 3D prints, you can look forward to it arriving in a very nice gift box too, complete with a Certificate of Authenticity and Care and Safety Instructions.
Saramba has headquarters in Berlin, and specializes in photo-realistic 3D printed figurines, as well as selfies and other related 3D printed novelty items.
“There is an infinite amount worthy to be noted: the wedding, an anniversary, the school enrollment, the festive ball, an appearance in a unique costume …With Staramba it is a reminder to touch,” says the team on their website.
While Pope Francis is one of the more surprising novelty items we’ve seen in 3D print, the technology does offer great appeal and opportunity for businesses like Staramba, as well as those involved in marketing and branding endeavors. We’re curious to see what clever 3D prints Staramba comes out with next. Will you be ordering your 3D printed Pope Francis?
Will you be purchasing this product? Let us know in the 3D Printed Pope Forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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In December of 2013, the City of Oak Ridge was given a Christmas present: a strong, viable prospective property owner that would help reclaim the center of our precious city. Crosland Southeast, well-respected developers from North Carolina, came to our city and said they could help us redevelop the crumbling mall within our city. This mall, newly named Main Street Oak Ridge, had come to symbolize the ultimate development challenge for our city.
Now, 10 months later, the time has come for the details of our work to begin to come out in the open. This project has taken several courses. First, the City of Oak Ridge and Anderson County said that they would support the development of this project with what is known as a tax increment district, or TIF. The governments would continue to receive their marginal values in property taxes, but the “new” value created by the private investment in Main Street Oak Ridge would be used to pay for public improvements on the project such as new traffic configurations, road improvements, and building demolition. In return, the private developer would borrow money at his own risk and develop major new retail shopping, with a potential hotel and residential development on the 65-acre site.
This effort has been successful, and major retail tenants have been lined up for filling a targeted 260,000 square feet of new facilities. Our Belk store will receive a facelift, and JCPenney will continue to perform. At present, stores are in the initial inquiry stages of building and will be moving to make announcements by the first of the year or shortly thereafter. I would love to tell you the names of the stores (which I have seen), but we need to honor the wishes of the companies as they make their expansion announcements. I believe the Oak Ridge community will be pleased! [Read more…]


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Dollarama, which has been deemed an essential business, has implemented measures in its nearly 1,300 stores across the country to protect its frontline workers and shoppers, including a 10 per cent temporary pay increase from March 23, 2020 to July 1, 2020 for all store-level employees and hourly distribution centre and warehouse employees.
Dollarama will continue to operate its Montreal-based distribution centre, warehouses and at least all its retail locations with street access in these provinces.
"As a weekly shopping destination for millions of Canadians, we are doing everything possible to keep our stores open and well-stocked to provide affordable everyday necessities to our customers in the days, weeks and months ahead," says Neil Rossy, president and chief executive officer of Dollarama. "The vast majority of our stores acrossCanada will remain open to serve our customers while respecting official health and physical distancing directives."
Other measures include implementing additional cleaning and disinfecting procedures for stores, distribution centres annd warehouses, reducing store operating hours to allow for cleaning and restocking and encouraging vulnerable customers to shop during the first hour of operation.


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Learn more about our impactLearn more about our impact
WWF works to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife, collaborating with partners from local to global levels in nearly 100 countries.
Twenty eighteen was the year of the plastic straw. News segments, think pieces, hot takes, and social media posts declared plastic straws public enemy number one. The story had everything: a kid on a mission against the corporate world, a gut-wrenching video of a sea turtle with a straw stuck in its nose, an easy-to-understand and ubiquitous problem. We also had a clear resolution requiring hardly any sacrifice: To save the environment, we just had to stop using plastic straws.
Cutting back or even banning single-use straws would certainly help keep them out of our oceans. But would it be enough?
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” says Erin Simon, WWF’s director of sustainability research and development, half laughing, half sighing. Simon is a materials scientist who has worked with some of the world’s biggest corporations to find planet-friendly packaging solutions. And as it turns out, the issue of plastic overrunning our environment is a bit more complicated than straws.
The problem of plastic in nature, particularly in our oceans, is a global crisis. Every minute, about a dump-truck load of plastic goes into the oceans, sullying beaches, hurting wildlife, and contaminating our food supply.
“It's reached this public-awareness tipping point,” says Sheila Bonini, senior vice president of private sector engagement at WWF. “Sometimes an issue can go on for a long time and nothing happens; then, suddenly, boom! The world wakes up, and we have the opportunity to drive change.”
Yet eliminating all plastic from our lives is neither feasible nor desirable. Plastic has a lot of benefits, environmental and otherwise: It keeps our food fresh so we waste less; it’s sterile; it’s durable. And, once we’re done with it, it can be turned into something new. So how can we keep these benefits while keeping plastic out of nature?
“The problem is that as a population we have continued to innovate and create new ways to use plastic—to the point that we are dependent on plastic in our everyday lives,” says Simon. Of all the plastic ever made, half was made in the past 15 years. But we don’t know what to do with all this plastic once we’re finished with it. “Today science tells us that the majority of plastic waste ending up in oceans is coming from land, specifically due to limited or nonexistent waste management,” says Simon. “You can make something 100% recyclable, but if you don’t have a recycling facility, it just ends up as trash.”
In the US, even though we collect almost 100% of the most common type of plastic, polyethylene terephthalate, or PET (your standard soda bottle), only about 30% is recycled. It gets tossed in the trash, it gets contaminated, or there aren’t recycling systems to handle it. The situation is worse in developing nations, where the global economy has brought a flood of plastic into places without adequate waste management. Best-case scenario: Whatever plastic isn’t recycled goes to a landfill. Worst case: It gets dumped into nature.
When it comes to our oceans, “I think the first response everyone has to seeing plastic waste is that it doesn’t belong there, so let’s just get rid of it,” says Simon. But while cleaning up the oceans is critical, she says, it’s not the first step. When the sink is flooding, you don’t start with the mop; you start by turning off the tap.
Stopping the flow of plastic means fixing a broken and fragmented system. There are opportunities at every point in the plastic life cycle: We can make plastic from renewable resources, manufacture goods that are recyclable and require less plastic, consume less, and make sure as much plastic is recycled as possible. We also need to ensure solutions don’t negatively impact the environment in other ways. Everybody has a role here: companies, the waste management industry, governments, and consumers.
Companies with household names are helping to lead the charge. Because they rely on their reputations, Bonini says, they’ve already got skin in the game: “One company executive said to us, ‘I don’t want to be the producer of branded garbage.’”
Companies have control over how they package products, how raw materials for plastic are sourced, and how products are packaged for delivery—and they can even shift consumer behavior. But today, companies aren’t equipped with a road map of how to fix the broken system. WWF has created an “activation hub,” called ReSource: Plastic, to close that “how” gap.
ReSource helps companies who have already made ambitious plastic waste reduction commitments turn their aspirations into meaningful, measurable actions. It starts by partnering with a company to identify which changes will make the biggest cuts in the company’s plastics footprint and to establish a tracking system to measure progress. Next, it helps the company implement those changes, providing expert advice along with a suite of tools and step-by-step guidance (including the publication No Plastic in Nature: A Practical Guide for Business Engagement). And because nothing multiplies impact like collaboration, ReSource: Plastic connects companies, stakeholders, and governments so they can share discoveries and investments.
This approach includes developing new technologies to recycle materials we never thought could be recycled, like diapers. Through strategic and innovative collaborations, some companies are also actively engaging other sectors, including waste management. For example Procter & Gamble is forming partnerships to advance the infrastructure needed to recycle a full range of materials, with hopes of accelerating further investment in scalable technologies.
Jack McAneny, director of sustainability at P&G, says the power of cross-value chain collaboration is key. “We want to share new technology around recycling and recovery, since we are not a recycler at heart,” he says. “We benefit from more scale; it helps us achieve our vision.”
Scale is definitely key. One company’s efforts are great, but 100 of the world’s biggest companies together could prevent roughly 10 million metric tons of plastic waste. And if they fully engaged their sectors and supply chains, that number could triple.
Globally, policies regulating waste disposal and recycling vary wildly—where they exist at all.
“Unfortunately there are a lot of countries where waste management is really not developed,” Bonini confirms, “and that’s going to require investment.” Thankfully, that investment is starting to flow, she says, particularly to Southeast Asia, where waste management has not kept pace with consumption.
The waste management piece of the puzzle is critical but tricky. In many places, if a waste management company makes more money sending plastic to a landfill than to a recycling center, Simon says, it’s going to a landfill. “And so all of that upstream investment to make the materials as recyclable and as high quality as possible is for naught.”
“There are some waste management companies that are starting to look at their role in the broader recycling system,” says Simon. “But we need more companies to get on board with investments and action.”
One thing governments can do is nudge sectors that might be dragging their feet. It may not be as easy as banning straws, but passing legislation around waste disposal can have enormous impact. Governments can also help by streamlining and standardizing recycling rules.
In turn, consumers need to participate in the solution. Giving up plastic straws is a great start, but there’s so much more plastic that we consume. “We are asking every actor in the plastic life cycle to rethink how they’re using plastic and how they’re managing it when they’re done with it,” says Simon. “I would make that same ask of a consumer.” (See sidebar below.)
WWF has set the audacious goal of No Plastic in Nature by 2030. “Today science tells us that a 50% reduction is possible,” says Simon. “As a conservation organization seeing the urgency and direct impacts on our ecosystems, we know that’s just not enough. I think we have to be ambitious, because the problem is so big.”
The world is poised to act on plastics, and WWF—with its global presence, holistic approach, and proven track record on issues much more contentious than this one—has a critical part to play. Working alongside other groups, like Ocean Conservancy and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, WWF is helping herd the cats, aligning everyone toward concrete action.
Meeting this goal will mean bringing together stakeholders with different priorities, goals, and points of view, says Simon. It’s a monumental task. But, she says, there’s one huge advantage. “We all agree wholeheartedly: Plastic doesn’t belong in nature, and we need to stop it from ending up there.”


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'Global legal framework' needed to combat terrorism, says PM Modi at International Lawyers' conference
“Frustrating…” Canada’s British Columbia province Premier says Canada “holding back” info on Nijjar killing
Mumbai: Fire breaks out on 13th floor of Dadar high-rise, 60-year-old man dies after inhaling toxic smoke
“If US has to choose between two friends, it will choose India”: Former Pentagon official on India-Canada row
India slams Pakistan for raking up Kashmir at UNGA; calls for vacating occupied areas, action against terrorism
Vaani Kapoor is the only Indian to be invited for Peter Dundas’ show at Paris Fashion Week!
Gorgeous Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor, who has been making some really cool fashion statements with her sartorial choices, was the only Indian to be invited for top global designer Peter Dundas’ stellar show at Paris Fashion Week!
Vaani revealed this information through her social media as she uploaded images from the headline grabbing fashion show! She wrote, “Dundas you beut! What a show!  pleasure to discover your world up close!! @peter_dundas @dundasworld #ParisFashionWeek” (if she changes the caption put it here along with the link)
Born in Norway, Dundas studied at Parsons in New York. He has worked with fashion stalwarts like Jean Paul Gaultier, Emilio Pucci, Emanuel Ungaro & Roberto Cavalli. He then launched his eponymous label, Dundas, which made its debut on Beyoncé at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Apart from Beyoncé, Dundas has styled global icons like Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrows, Kylie Minogue, Alessandra Ambrosio, Megan Fox, Ciara, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, to name a few!
A regular at the Met gala, Dundas, in March 2019, became the proud recipient of Visionary Award for 2020 by the prestigious Art of Elysium. He is considered one of the most disruptive and powerful voices in global fashion today!


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Hundreds of people rushed through a small gate into a factory compound before dawn to get the free garments, causing a crush.
At least 23 people have been killed and 50 injured in a stampede during a clothes giveaway in Mymensingh city in northern Bangladesh, police have said.
During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, wealthy Bangladeshis often donate clothing to the poor.
Reports suggests that hundreds of people rushed through a small gate into a factory compound before dawn to get the free garments, causing a crush.
Seven people, including the owner of the factory have been detained by the police.
1,500 people had gathered outside the chewing tobacco factory at about 04:45 local time (22:45 GMT Thursday) after the owners announced they would distribute free clothing, police told AFP news agency.
The stampede erupted when people tried to force their way in.
Television pictures showed scenes of devastation, with hundreds of blood-spattered sandals lying at the factory gate, which was named by local media as Nurani Jorda.
"Most of the dead are poor and emaciated women," Mymensingh police chief Moinul Haque told AFP.


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Picture used for illustrative purpose only.
After revealing robust financial results for the year-end of 2020 and an encouraging start to 2021, DP World will turn a new page with a transition in management in the UAE.
Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) has entered into a strategic agreement with Etihad Export Credit Insurance Company (ECI) to support local businesses, advance exports, and drive the UAE economy during the current economic climate.
DP World, UAE Region and Jafza joined hands with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as event partners for the Auto Resurgence Summit 2020 that shed light on how the automotive sector can respond positively to the global pandemic.
As part of its mission to power e-mobility, ABB will be showcasing its all-in-one Electric Vehicle (EV) charger at Expo 2020 Dubai, coinciding with the company’s ABB Day celebrations on Dec.13. Making its public debut in the Middle East, visitors to
How the world will be able to help the heart that bears life from its beginning fulfil her mission, was discussed on Monday evening, when the regional office of a US pharmaceutical company, into the promotion of the health and wellness as well
Highlighting the emergence of Ladakh as the key producer of Pashmina, a valuable wool, and apricot, young entrepreneurs from the region came together for a session at the India Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai. Organised by the Administration of
The Expo Centre Sharjah (ECS) discussed with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) means of developing joint work in the field of economic exhibitions and conferences and enhancing bilateral co-operation to develop trade and