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NJ shoppers eager to return to stores post-COVID: Verizon survey
Online shopping has been a part of life for a quarter-century now, but reached lofty new heights when COVID-19 lockdowns were at their height last spring.
Yet the results of a Verizon study called "Look Forward" indicate that New Jerseyans want to get back to in-person shopping as vaccinations increase and the pandemic crawls toward the finish line.
Through a combination of Verizon network data from 3,000 Americans, and analysis from the market research firm Morning Consult, the survey showed that in New Jersey, 21% of respondents reported they shopped mostly online prior to March 2020.
More than a year later, that figure has jumped to 34%, but only 18% expect their shopping habits will remain mainly online once the pandemic is over.
"In fact, less people want to shop online completely when we're on the other side of the pandemic than were previously doing it before the pandemic started," David Weissman, Verizon communications manager, said. "People really have a hunger to get back out and shop in person."
The reasons for that were not made clear in the study, Weissman said, but it can be assumed that people simply want to support their local, small businesses that may not have much of an online presence, and have person-to-person experiences again, at long last.
The need for reliable internet connectivity, meanwhile, is evident in the number of workers who've had to use what they have at home to connect to virtual private networks for work, or make use of collaborative tools like Zoom.
But stay-at-home orders have also led to a 21% jump in streaming activity in New Jersey in the past year-plus, and more than a third of Garden State residents now say they spend three or more hours a week playing games on their mobile devices.
"People are definitely streaming more, they're binge-watching and enjoying that, and obviously needing reliable connectivity to do that," Weissman said.
And while working from home at least some of the time seems to be a permanent part of the future, not all adults are on board with that component of the "new normal."
"The exception to that was more than 60% of parents are rushing to get back to the office, because those of us that are parents know it hasn't been easy to work from home with the kids around," Weissman said.
What about remote learning? With better home connectivity, could New Jersey see an end to school cancellations due to inclement weather? Nearly 7 in 10 New Jerseyans, 69%, expect K-12 schools to push ahead with lesson plans online, even when it's snowing out.
"I'd pause there and say that we might see a child uprising which might impact that, because snow days, you know, that's as old as it comes," Weissman said.


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On Tuesday, February 14th East Africa’s biggest mall was opened for public and it was glorious.
The mall, Two Rivers is owned by NSE-listed investment company – Centum, which belongs to billionaire Chris Kitrubi with majority share holders of 58%.
The mall hosts Turkish clothing line LC Waikiki, fine Jewellery dealers that include Swarovski and Anmol, Nove Coffee Roaster and The Designers studio. T
he magnificent building was opened on valentine day and Kenyans from many parts of the country flocked to be among the first guests.

domain: news


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Why China’s Big Announcement Could Actually Save Elephants From Extinction
"We have pushed for this day for so long."
The world's largest ivory market is in China - and it's about to shut down forever.
Last week, China announced a timeline that would end its domestic ivory trade by the end of 2017, with the first ivory factories closing as early as March.
People who have been fighting to save elephants from extinction are celebrating the news as "the greatest single step that could be taken to reduce poaching for elephants." The decision could be our biggest hope of saving African elephants - here's why.
People have been killing elephants for their ivory for centuries, but the bad news got worse in 2007. That's when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) allowed China to buy stockpiles of ivory from four African countries, despite a 1989 international ivory trading ban.
The hope was that flooding the market would decrease ivory's value and therefore demand and poaching. The result was the opposite: An ivory frenzy was unleashed that would take countless elephant lives.
"I literally saw the whole disaster unveiling in front of my eyes," Grace Ge Gabriel, Asia's regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), who has been working to save elephants for 20 years, told The Dodo. "The trickle of demand in China turned into a flood."
Now it's estimated that an elephant is killed for his tusksevery 15 minutes. So many orphaned elephants are left behind when their parents are killed by poaching that people are raising baby elephants in orphanages. The Dodo spoke with Gabriel to understand how China's announcement could actually save elephants from extinction.
Driven by the huge ivory demand created when the market opened up in 2007, poachers used gruesome tactics to kill as many elephants as possible.
"Poachers came in on horseback with machine guns," Gabriel said. "A lot of the elephants they killed were baby elephants. Entire families were killed."
Gabriel followed the ivory that was eventually seized by governments to try to understand where all the tusks were even coming from.
"The tusks got smaller and smaller - either they were forest elephants or they were baby elephants," Gabriel said.
Ivory values skyrocketed. Traders told people that if they bought ivory, the price would triple in a year. "Shop owners were saying they couldn't keep enough ivory on the shelves," Gabriel said. "We needed to reduce consumer desire for ivory, period."
There is no word for tusk in Chinese; ivory is translated as "elephant teeth." Gabriel said that this is one of the reasons that Chinese consumers have no idea that the ivory they're buying is tainted with blood. A 2007 IFAW survey found that 70 percent of Chinese people didn't know ivory came from dead elephants.
So IFAW started an advertising campaign telling people why buying ivory kills elephants. The impact was stunning. According to the survey, 83 percent of people said that they wouldn't have bought ivory if they had known. An email from an artisan who carved ivory was especially memorable, Gabriel said. "He said, 'I have other materials - I don't have to use a material that takes a life.'"
But the public education campaign wasn't enough. The legal market was giving criminals opportunities to sell illegal ivory from newly killed elephants (not stockpiles from poaching already committed), Gabriel explained. And this confused consumers and made enforcement of the legal trade pretty much impossible.
That's why the Chinese government had to finally take a stand. In 2012, ivory was banned from being sold at auction in China - and the value of ivory plummeted. Gabriel believes that further restrictions, along with decreasing value and a more enlightened public, will make desire for ivory pretty much nil.
"I think this policy will drop the price and also stigmatize ivory consumption," Gabriel said.
Last year, when Chinese President Xi Jinping first promised to phase out the domestic ivory trade - along with the U.S., the world's second largest market for ivory, which banned its domestic trade last year - it was unclear when and how this would happen. Now that China's concrete plan to shut down the ivory market has been released, Gabriel and her colleagues are breathing a huge sigh of relief.
"It's something I've worked on for 20 years ... It was so emotional when this announcement came out," Gabriel said. "We have pushed for this day for so long."
There's still more to be done. Now Gabriel would like to see the decree that ends the ivory trade in China officially written into the country's wildlife law, along with plans for enforcement and punishments for those who break the law. And sights are set on Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries that contribute to demand, to end their trade.
Elephant populations won't recover instantly, because it simply takes time for the animals to have and raise their young. Elephant moms carry their babies for 22 months and then spend three to five years raising them. But there's no doubt that the future is much brighter for elephants today.
Learn how you can get involved to help save elephants here.


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[buy denim jacket]Building a beautiful and livable modern countryside (special thinking) nation is going to revive, the country must revitalize. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out▪○□: ○=”Comprehensive construction of socialist modernization countries, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the most difficult and heavy tasks are still in rural, the most wide and deeper foundation is still in rural areas.” After the poverty▪•, it has to be fully promoted. Rural revitalization, this is historical transfer of the focus of ■◇”three rural●◇”. We must fully dialect the basic and advantages of rural development◆◁, implement the principles of agricultural rural priority development, and achieve consolidation expansion to the poverty achievements and rural revitalization, so that the countryside has become home•▪○☆. Fully explore the advantages of rural development. General Secretary Xi Jinpi.
Xinhua News Agency Guiyang May 27th, INTP○…▪•: From “need to do” to “do it right away▽△◁”, the companys “fast forward button□▪…” is pressed Xinhua News Agency▼□, Zou Mo, Pandex, Jiang Cheng “Digital transformation is very important, not only do it, but also need to do it right away.▪▷▪•” At the 2021 China International Data Industry Expo, the International Olympic Committee brand marketing and digitalization is responsible The speech of the Larlas Silber Bauer triggered the resonance of many corporate heads=○. Why do companies have accelerated the promotion of digital transformation, what is the digital transformation★☆★○, which everyone can get from it? Into the hot number of foreign exchanges, from the ideological collision and words of many business executiv.
Original title: Trade Protectionism does not have a good fruit (International Forum) Jiangyuan regulatory memo signed by the President Trump, which will not only make US self-suite▷▽●, and it will also add huge damage to the worlds global supply chain, which is affecting the world economy■=. The great negative factors developed With the development of economic globalization, the world has become a global village▼◆▲▼. States should take responsibility for defending economic globalization, which is especially important for world peace development…◇▷, and is a responsibility that a big country should bear. In this context, the concept of ▼▽△☆”Datong, Savory and Small That”, which has ancient Chinese wisdom, glows through the glory of the era. US President Trump has always advocated “US First”, but the trade protectionism policy implemented by the United States is ○■▽=”Trump First”, which will lead to economic globalizatio△◆=▲?rain waterproof jackets manufacturer – organic clothing wholesale.


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First a general comparison of growth rates. The world's population has grown 6% in the last five years. The number of mobile Internet users has gone up more than 4x.
Android passed Apple's market share in 2010 and has never looked back.
The number of Android activations per day is accelerating.
For the most part, Google has been releasing updates to Android twice a year.
There's always at least one "hero" device that launches with each new version of Android.
This has created an explosion of different Android devices. Contrast that with the careful and orderly progression of iOS under Apple.
Here's the number of apps in the Apple App Store (red) versus Android Market (green).
Here's how Android's code base has grown over the years.
This is Google's cap ex spend by quarter. This isn't directly related to Android, but does show how much Google is willing and able to spend to keep delivering online services -- including to mobile devices..
Now, check out BI Intelligence's slide deck on the future of mobile...


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Big Food Says They Will Label GMOs … But Is There...
Consumers have no choice but to continue to demand GMO labeling without any compromises. We should be able to know what food we are putting in our mouths!
Removing Artificial Ingredients Helped Turn Around Cereal Sales
General Mills is selling more Cheerios, Lucky Charms, and other products, reversing losses suffered last year.
General Mills Announces GMO Labeling for US Products
General Mills, the Minneapolis-based food giant, has announced Friday that consumers all over the U.S. will soon begin seeing GMO labeling legislated by the state of Vermont on many General Mills products.
Big Food Found Guilty in Multimillion Dollar Cover Up in GMO...
The future of food transparency in the country is now at the hands of the Senate with Sen. Pat Roberts’ (R-Kan.) Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (SAFE) expected to hit the Senate floor any day now.
GMA Found Guilty of $11 Million Cover Up in GMO Labeling...
In a decision made public late Friday, a Thurston County Superior Court judge ruled the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association violated Washington campaign finance disclosure laws by shielding the identities of major corporate donors funding efforts to defeat a food labeling initiative in Washington.
The United States of Monsanto?
The DARK Act, which prevents consumers from knowing if the food they eat contains GMOs, has recently passed and is heading to the Senate.
Victory! Uzbekistan President Announces Ban on GMOs in Baby Food
Uzbekistan will also adopt measures to restrict the import and consumption of all products containing GMOs.
Monsanto Feels the Bern as Sanders Turns Focus to GMO Labeling
U.S. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has turned his focus to supporting GMO labeling and attacking Monsanto’s interests this week after Hillary Clinton’s love of GMOs was recently confirmed by the Gates Foundation.
If I Were the American Dictator
“The overall composition of Congress is not going to change much at all after the election. So, really, the only way to reboot America is to have a smart, benevolent dictator.”
VIDEO: Hillary Clinton Talks About Her Plan to Get People to...
Watch Hillary Clinton explain at a Biotech convention her plan to change the narrative of how GMOs are promoted to the public in order to get their support.


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If anything, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (aka E3) has been an ever-transforming but constant source of gaming industry news in the early summer. For decades, E3 has been a bastion of new game announcements, exciting reveals from major companies, and hype for gamers around the world. After the past few E3 events failed to live up to expectations, many fans were hoping for a resurgence this year.
Now, with E3 2022 officially canceled, gamers are faced with a seemingly barren summer, as the celebratory vibe that accompanies the event continues to dwindle. Luckily, even without a proper E3 2022 schedule, there’s still some excitement in the coming months. It might be a bummer, but a summer of gaming without E3 2022 might not be all that bad.
"Luckily, even with no E3 2022 schedule to speak of, there are plenty of summer gaming showcases to fill your early-June hunger for news."
A Summer of Gaming Without E3 2022
Let’s be honest for a second, we’re far from the golden era of E3. There hasn’t been a proper on-site conference since E3 2019, but even that was removed from the glory days of decades prior. Since the pandemic, E3 has struggled to adapt, with E3 2020 being appropriately canceled and E3 2021 being an awkward online affair.
In the past five years, more and more companies have removed themselves from the conference, choosing to host their own events around the same time. For example, Sony hasn’t had a presence at E3 since 2018, while Nintendo has opted to stream their signature Nintendo Direct showcases instead of traditional conference keynotes. Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to host its own showcase event, separated from E3 but presented around the same time.
Despite the waning quality of recent E3 conferences, it still remains a big deal in the hearts of many gamers, standing as a sort of unofficial holiday weekend to celebrate the hobby. The internet is often abuzz with rumors and hype, as players get ready to learn about the latest consoles and upcoming releases. Even though E3 2022 is canned, the Entertainment Software Association event organizers promise to have a “revitalized physical and online E3 experience next summer”, presenting a showcase that will “bring the community, media, and industry back together”.
2022 Summer Gaming Showcases to Watch
Luckily, even with no E3 2022 schedule to speak of, there are plenty of summer gaming showcases to fill your early-June hunger for news. To get you on the fast track to a variety of fun shows to watch, we’ll quickly break down the most notable gaming showcases in the coming weeks. All listed shows will be available on both YouTube and Twitch, streamed live from their respective channels.
Summer Games Fest
The beloved organizer of The Video Game Awards, Geoff Keighley, will be unofficially kicking off the start of 2022 summer gaming showcases with another one of his fantastic streams. Tune in to the Summer Games Fest 2022 showcase on Thursday, June 9 at 2 PM EDT for a variety of announcements from major publishers like Capcom, Square Enix, EA, and more. Viewers can expect world premieres, trailers on highly anticipated games, and sneak peeks at future projects.
Guerilla Collective 3
If you’re a fan of quirky indie games that often slip under the radar, be sure to check out the Guerilla Collective 3 show on Saturday, June 10 at 11 AM EDT. This colorful and laid-back stream will offer a few exclusive game reveals, which should provide a nice boost for the middle of the weekend.
Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase
One of the biggest shows of the season will undoubtedly be the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, which will be streaming live on Sunday, June 12 at 1 PM EDT. Microsoft has consistently offered the best and most exciting E3-style press conferences in recent years, with a huge variety of games and plenty of shocking surprises. As Xbox Game Pass continues to be a dominating force in the industry, it’s also safe to expect some news on that front.
PC Gaming Show
PC gaming enthusiasts will also want to make time for the PC Gaming Show on Sunday, June 12 at 3 PM EDT, which will appropriately focus on PC-specific software and accessories. With the popularity of the Steam Deck rising and indie games filling the gaps between major releases, there are plenty of reasons to turn your attention to the event. Expect developer interviews, extended gameplay footage of upcoming titles, and a few surprises along the way.
Nintendo Direct Summer 2022 and PlayStation Showcase 2022
Currently, neither Sony nor Nintendo have made official announcements regarding summer gaming showcases, but it’s safe to assume they will occur. It’s highly likely we’ll see a Nintendo Direct sometime during June or July, while Sony’s PlayStation Showcase will probably crop up later in the year. Either way, there are tons of exciting showcases to watch this summer and a slew of fantastic games to play, so things should be just fine without E3.


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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a cease-and-desist order to the manufacturers of the equipment, saying that it endangers the lives of the drivers and other road users.
Detroit News first reported the NHTSA order.
“A product intended to circumvent motor vehicle safety and driver attentiveness is unacceptable,” said Heidi King, NHTSA Deputy Administrator. He further added that “By preventing the safety system from warning the driver to return hands to the wheel, this product disables an important safeguard, and could put customers and other road users at risk.”
The device is manufactured by a Californian company called Dolder, Falco and Reese Partners LLC, and it is designed to trick Tesla Autopilot safety features to stop issuing safety warnings when drivers get their hands off the wheel.
According to an earlier Road Show report, Autopilot Buddy is a lightweight device that drivers attach to the side of the steering wheel to imitate the driver’s hands when the autopilot is engaged.
The device makers admitted that the device disables in-built safety features on Tesla EVs, saying that their product is not made for public road use, but for closed tracks only.
Dolder, Falco and Reese Partners LLC also said that when drivers are purchasing Autopilot Buddy, they agree to its terms of sale, which states that the driver is responsible for any accidents caused following the use of the device.
The company’s official website issues a “Warning: The Autopilot Buddy is not a safety device. Using this device irresponsibly may cause injury or death. This device is designed for closed track use, not for use on public streets.”
Autopilot Buddy is selling at $199, but only to international customers. The company said in a statement that they’re no longer taking orders within the United States.
Tesla autopilot issues warnings to drivers to place their hands back on the wheel at intervals depending on the speed the car is travelling at.
The company didn’t talk much about the interval timing.
However, according to Consumer Report on Model 3 testing, the car issued a visual warning in every 30 seconds, and a voice warning in every 45 seconds when the vehicle is travelling at 65mph.
And if the driver refused to yield to the warnings, the autopilot systems shut down in 60 seconds.
Tesla said in a statement that they fully support The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s action concerning Autopilot Buddy.


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Libertex sponsors Tottenham Hotspur as Official Trading Partner
The parade of forex brokers pouring money into European soccer sponsorships continues.
Cyprus based Retail FX and CFDs broker Libertex has announced a multi-year deal with UK Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, which will see Libertex become the club’s Official Trading Partner.
Tottenham Hotspur is a popular north London based team, which has consistently placed in the top six spots of the Premier League over the past decade.
Unlike some of the other soccer sponsorships we have reported on recently (see list below), this isn’t one which will see the Libertex logo adorn Tottenham’s jerseys. (Tottenham’s front-of-shirt sponsor is insurance company AIA, signed through to the 2026-27 season).
Instead, the new multi-year partnership will see Libertex have a presence across the club’s digital channels and LED perimeter advertising system. Libertex will have the opportunity to offer Spurs fans and their existing clients access to private stadium tours, exclusive events and premium matchday hospitality at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium- when fans can safely return in person, of course.
The company can also use the Tottenham name and logo in its own marketing materials. To that end, Libertex stated that it will launch a “Trade For More” campaign in conjunction with the new sponsorship, aimed at sharing their love of the game with the club’s fanbase.
Marios Chailis, Chief Marketing Officer of Libertex, said:
“Libertex could not be happier to partner with a team whose values echo our own so perfectly. Through this multi-year partnership, we’re thrilled to join the worlds of football and trading in the form of many exciting benefits for our clients and look forward to cheering on Spurs when they return to the pitch.”
Fran Jones, Head of Partnerships for Tottenham Hotspur, commented:
“At Tottenham Hotspur, technology and innovation is key to everything we do and we are excited to partner with Libertex, an organisation that shares this commitment through its own products and services.”
As noted above, there have been a flurry of recent sports sponsorship deals signed by Retail Forex brokers, many if not most of them with leading European soccer clubs. Other sponsorships recently reported by FNG include easyMarkets-Real Madrid (also a non-jersey deal), Samtrade FX-Cardiff City, eToro-AS Monaco, Plus500-Atalanta, Plus500-Legia Warsaw, Plus500-BSC Young Boys FC, and IC Markets-Inter Milan.


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Final Fantasy XIV Runs Out Of Digital Copies Due To Spike In Players
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the most popular games in the franchise, to the point where Square Enix temporarily ran out of digital copies this past weekend.
This shortage occurred over the weekend when it was revealed that Square Enix’s online store was out of stock, though a waiting list could be joined. Square Enix also didn’t allow players to create new characters on any of its servers.
One Reddit poster confirmed the shortage.
Despite the fact that the game is over eight years old and was originally released in 2013, it continues to gain in popularity and is constantly updated with new expansions that “excite the playerbase and revitalize the environment.”
You might remember that last week the game hit its highest-ever all-time concurrent player count on Steam topping over 47,000 players. This beats its previous record of 41,000 players.
When asked about the shortage Square Enix didn’t say much except that “they ‘shouldn’t’ have run out of codes, but it’s still under investigation.”
The situation has since been fixed and you can now go and get digital codes from the storefront once more, but this whole thing has probably just made the game even more popular.
Another factor that pushed up user figures was the fact that popular World of Warcraft streamer Asmongold decided to play the rival MMO for the first time ever while 200,000 people watched his stream.
Other Final Fantasy 14 news includes the release of the benchmark software for the upcoming Endwalker expansion, which is now available for download on PC. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, Square Enix’s software basically tells you whether or not your computer will be able to run the Endwalker expansion when it comes out later this year. Right now, anyone with a PC can download the new software.
Also, if you are a fan of the MMORPG and its in-game cuisine you will be delighted to learn of the new cookbook due to be released on the 9TH of November this year which will feature 192 pages and more than 70 mouth-watering recipes. The cookbook will set you back around R510.00 and will feature” favorite flavors from around Hydaelyn and Norvrandt and easy-to-follow instructions, this tome provides numerous tips on how to make the most of your ingredients.”
For a game this old, a lot is going on, which only demonstrates that its popularity is growing, which is great news for Square Enix.
Final Fantasy XIV is currently available on PC, PS4, and PS5.


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12 million players simultaneously attended the Travis Scott live concert in Fortnite – a new record. But Epic is not only focusing on entertainment, it also announces the next multi-million dollar tournament: The FNCS. The winners will be awarded a rare golden pickaxe.
Two million dollars prize money for FNCS
Epic Games announced the next Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) – with a prize pool of two million US dollars. The open qualifying rounds will begin on May 2. In addition, the top 100 players from previous series will be invited to participate.
Thus, on the one hand, casual players will have the opportunity to participate in the tournament. On the other hand, top professionals such as world champion Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf or the current North American champion Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton will also compete.
Status symbol: Rare pickaxe skin for champions
If you see a user in Fortnite in the next few weeks who swings a golden pickaxe with the FNCS logo – run away, because you probably don’t stand a chance.
The golden pickaxe wearer is one of the current champions in Fortnite and is one of the elite of 28 of the best players in the world.
The rare pickaxe is only awarded to the winners of the current FNCS, but the rumbled sceptre does not adorn the champions forever: as soon as the next FNCS has found its new champions, the pickaxe skins are passed on to the next champions.
You can meet four of the champions on the European servers. The French Alexandre “Andilex” Christophe and Nathan “nayte” Berquignol won the FNCS on the PC. The still unknown players Laizen and Sloww won the trophy on the console.
Fortnite breaks record with Travis Scott Astronomical
The probability of seeing one of the rare pickaxe skins in the game is very low. This becomes even clearer when you realize the gigantic number of players.
On Sunday, US rapper Travis Scott gave a virtual concert at the Battle Royale. Already last year Fortnite organized the first digital concert in the game, where DJ Marshmello played.
But the Travis Scott special broke player records. According to developer Epic Games, over 12.3 million users came to the digital appearance of the megastar – a new record for Fortnite.


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In this article we will discuss about How Hackers Violate Privacy and Security of the Smart Home.
Technology is invading our living room
The rapid growth of the Internet of Things paradigm significantly affects our concept of “home”. Modern homes are full of smart devices and the new generation of smart appliances promises to make our lives easier and more pleasant, but we cannot underestimate the risk of cyber attacks.
Home automation solutions are flooding the market, but these devices in most cases lack security; security experts recognize that smart cameras and meters are easy targets for hackers.
In early 2015, experts from security firm Synack analyzed 16 home automation devices ranging from cameras to home automation controllers to thermostats. Unfortunately, the results of the tests are disturbing, the researchers managed to hack almost every appliance.
“Really, the state of security in these things right now is pretty appalling,” said Colby Moore, a security research engineer at Synack.
Experts played out different attack scenarios simulating different situations that could expose our lives to hacker attacks, including implanting nasty things before products leave the factory and hijacking mobile apps designed by manufacturers to control them remotely.
By exploiting vulnerabilities in home automation devices, attackers can gather information about targets, compromise their privacy and security, and understand their behavior and patterns.
According to the findings of the Synack study, connected cameras are the automotive devices with the most security vulnerabilities. Synack found that the smart devices tested do not encrypt data and do not implement weak passwords. All connected thermostats examined were affected by serious security issues that could be exploited to control them; even home automation centers have a number of drawbacks.
The main problem when working with IoT devices is that manufacturers do not have a strong background in cyber security. It is not easy for manufacturers to design smart objects that could be used in such different scenarios.
“A lot of these device manufacturers are just not security people and really just don’t have security people on staff, especially when it comes to IoT startups,” Moore said. “What they’re doing is phenomenal with all these new uses for technology. But security is not for everyone. Now it’s a ship and a band-aid for later mentality.”
“There is no industry standard and no way to tell if a product is safe or not if you’re an average Joe. That’s a big issue and it’s an issue that the industry needs to address and think about,” Moore said.
Hacker on the doorstep
A recent study by security firm Veracode, titled “The Internet of Things: A Security Research Study,” analyzed IoT home devices and revealed that they expose users to a wide range of threats, including data theft and sabotage.
The devices analyzed in the study have a significant ability to interact with the physical environment (e.g. hardware sensors) and peer devices; for this reason, a cyber attack could lead to a physical disruption of the smart home where they are deployed.
Experts analyzed six home IoT devices with the current firmware version and performed a set of uniform tests. The tests are focused on four different domains: user-facing cloud services, back-end cloud services, mobile application interfaces, and device debugging interfaces.
The six home IoT devices analyzed by Veracode experts are:
- Chamberlain MyQ Internet Gateway: Internet remote garage door control.
- Chamberlain MyQ Garage: Internet-based remote control of garage doors, interior switches and electrical outlets.
- SmartThings Hub: Central control device for home automation sensors, switches and door locks.
- Ubi: The Unified Computer Intelligence Corporation makes this always-on, voice-activated device for answering questions, controlling home automation, and performing tasks like sending emails and text messages.
- Wink Hub: Central control device for home automation products.
- Wink Relay: Combination hub and control device for sensors and home automation products.
- Researchers have discovered a number of released security measures that affect all devices, including authentication and arbitrary code execution errors that could be exploited to gain complete control over devices.
Exploiting the bug allowed the researchers to control the garage door and gather information related to the presence of people in the home. This information exposes the user to the risk of robbery.
Exploiting data managed from Ubi could allow attackers to gather vast amounts of information about a user’s habits, which can facilitate a robbery or even stalking.
Hacking a Ubi or Wink Relay device could lead to a serious breach of user privacy, as it could allow attackers to control microphones in the home environment.
We will now analyze in detail other common smart objects present in modern homes and find out why the lack of security by design could harm our security and privacy.
Smart TV, smart meters, smart fridge… Open door to hackers
Modern homes are full of connected devices; smart TVs, smart meters and refrigerators collect vast amounts of information about our behavior and in many cases this information is transmitted to remote servers without the user’s knowledge.
In 2013, researcher Malik Mesellem proved that smart TV hacking is a real threat, we used for his test Samsung models, which he forced to restart by sending a specially crafted HTTP GET request.
In a specific case, researchers proved the feasibility of a DoS attack, but it was only the beginning, because in recent months experts have revealed security problems that could change the entry point of smart TVs for hackers in our homes.
A year later, in February 2014, researchers at ReVuln showed how to exploit the latest firmware update for Philips smart TVs to steal cookies and other sensitive user data.
The hack was very insidious: it took a few seconds to execute and was undetectable by victims.
Attackers who connected to a Miracast-enabled Wi-Fi network could browse and download any files that might be contained on USB drives connected to a Philips smart TV. ReVuln researchers also demonstrated that it was possible to steal browser cookies, which contain sensitive information and are in some cases used by many web services for authentication purposes.
Researchers at ReVuln have released a video showing how an attacker can easily steal authentication cookies for an existing Gmail account from a Philips smart TV, as well as user data from a USB drive connected to the device.
Attacks on smart TVs are evolving, and this class of smart devices is being abused to hack systems inside a home network and exfiltrate user data.
Things don’t get any better in 2015: Security researchers have discovered that a Samsung smart TV is sending unencrypted voice recognition data and text information over the Internet without encrypting it, allowing hackers to intercept it.
A hacker might be able to spy on a user using the features of a modern smart TV and access their home LAN this way. Such bugs and implementations also open the door to surveillance activities that could be conducted by persistent attackers (eg, intelligence agencies) who could access user traffic directly from ISPs or through access to Internet backbone networks.
While the TV reminds us of its presence with its footprint, the abundance of other small-sized smart objects in our homes can still pose a serious threat to the security of our homes. Smart meters, smart light bulbs and smart thermostats could allow hackers to break into our home networks and put our privacy and sometimes our lives at risk.
Consider, for example, smart meters. Last year, researchers Javier Vazquez Vidal and Alberto Garcia Illera discovered millions of electricity meters connected to the grid that were vulnerable to cyber attacks due to a lack of proper security controls.
In Spain, there are three main energy companies, Endesa, E.ON and Iberdrola, and the number of installed smart meters is almost 8 million, corresponding to almost 30 percent of households.
Bad actors accessing smart meters could cause power outages or conduct fraudulent activities, including billing fraud. The researchers explained that poorly protected credentials stored on devices provided by one of the companies could allow attackers to gain access to smart meters; during session tests, they were able to take full control of any device and modify its unique ID to impersonate another customer.
Researchers have discovered a bug that affects code running on smart meters. This vulnerability could be exploited remotely to shut down energy supplies to individual households, access meter readings, transmit meter readings to other customers, and also plant “network worms” that could cause serious problems to the entire network.
Experts explained that the smart meters deployed by the Spanish energy company use AES-128 encryption to protect data, but this encryption algorithm is not invulnerable to a brute-force attack.
They were also able to use the smart meter to attack the power grid. For obvious reasons, the researchers also avoided releasing the name of the smart meter manufacturer; the Spanish energy company that deployed smart meters immediately started the necessary measures to mitigate the risks and improve the security of the equipment.
The attack scenario is worrisome because a threat actor could carry out a large-scale attack and shut down the entire country by hacking the smart meter network.
“OH Wait? Are we going to make it? We were really scared,” said Vazquez Vidal, “we started thinking about what impact it could have. What happens if someone wants to attack the whole country?” he said.
Let’s move on: What do you think about hacking a smart thermostat?
In early 2015, security experts at TrapX Security demonstrated how to hack an internet-connected thermostat made by Nest, a company controlled by Google. As explained several times, the IoT devices in our home are equivalent to an open door for hackers, in a specific case experts hacked the Nest thermostat and managed to hack other devices sharing the same home network.
Implementing the hack is not easy because the chain of attacks starts with physical access to the device. TrapX’s experts built on research published several years ago by a group of researchers from the University of Central Florida, led by engineering professor Yier Jin. The group jailbroken the Linux operating system running on the Nest thermostat by accessing it through a USB port.
They then uploaded their own firmware to the thermostat that would prevent data from the thermostat from being sent back to the Nest servers. “The problem is the way the hardware is built,” Jin said in a phone interview Thursday. “That’s why after we released this hack almost a year ago, there’s still no fix. Nest can’t fix it.”
The experts at TrapX were also able to upload their software to the Nest ARM7 processor chip, a procedure that allowed them to access various information managed by the thermostat, including the Wi-Fi password for the local network and data related to the presence of users. home.
The experts found that the network traffic generated by the Nest device was not encrypted. Using ARP, the researchers forced other devices on the same network to exchange data with the compromised Nest device. They were able to use the device as an entry point into the host network; with it, they were able to locate other appliances, including a baby monitor, and hack them.
“In testing, TrapX was able to get through a compromised thermostat to take advantage of known software vulnerabilities found in devices such as baby monitors and even PCs with older, unpatched operating systems to gain control,” Forbes said in a blog post.
“Once we’re inside the network, it’s pretty trivial to escalate,” said Carl Wright, executive vice president and general manager of TrapX. “There are a lot of devices in the home that we are able to jump from and compromise.”
Despite the fact that there is no evidence that a Nest device has ever been compromised in the wild, the case presented re-emphasizes the need for security by design for IoT devices.
The surprises don’t end here: Do you know smart light bulbs?
These components of the modern home can also be used to enter our everyday life.
Last year, experts from Context Information Security discovered a security flaw in LIFX smart LED bulbs.
Wi-Fi enabled bulbs can be controlled remotely using mobile devices. By exploiting the flaw, an attacker was able to gain access to the main light bulb and control every other connected light bulb in the house, revealing user network configurations.
The LIFX architecture is based on an interconnected network; requires only one bulb to be connected to Wi-Fi at a time. Context Information Security experts were able to analyze mesh network traffic and identify packets used to share an encrypted network configuration between bulbs in the network.
Once the traffic was identified, the researchers injected packets without any authentication into the mesh network interfering with the bulbs.
The company promptly identified the vulnerability with the support of the experts at Context Information Security and released a firmware update to fix it.
Figure 5 – Smart Light Bulbs
“It should be noted, since this attack works on the 802.15.4 6LoWPAN wireless mesh network, an attacker would need to be within wireless range, ~30 meters, of a vulnerable LIFX bulb to perform this attack, severely limiting the practicality for exploitation on a large scale,” states the official blog post of Context.
Curious eyes in our homes
We will conclude our short tour by introducing another category of smart devices that has recently sparked a heated debate about the security of IoT devices in our homes, baby monitors.
Security researchers at Rapid7 have discovered major security flaws in popular network video surveillance cameras that could allow attackers to spy on babies and families.
Rapid7 analyzed baby monitors from six vendors ranging in price from $55 to $260 to evaluate their overall safety. The list of baby monitors analyzed includes the Philips In.Sight B120/37, iBaby M3S and M6 models, Summer Infant Baby Zoom, TrendNet Wi-Fi Baby Cam, Lens Peek-a-View and Gynoii devices.
“I really wanted to see if the higher priced cameras [of the range] were more secure or less secure,” he explained.
The detected shortcomings of the nanny represent a serious threat to the privacy of families. Baby monitors are smart devices, always online and equipped with a camera and microphone, all the necessary equipment for spying on the surrounding environment.
The researchers discovered a number of security issues, such as a hard-coded backdoor credentials, a privilege escalation flaw in one of the nannies, an authentication bypass flaw in another, a direct browsing flaw in another, an information leakage flaw in another, and a reflection flaw, a stored cross-site scripting flaw (XSS) in another.
Baby monitors are mistaken for safe and harmful devices by families who completely ignore the risks of a cyber attack, and hackers could exploit the lack of security of these devices to become an entry point into the home environment.
“It’s a security device that seems harmless and friendly,” explained Stanislav.
Rapid7 researchers found no evidence of mass use of baby monitors, although none of them have been repaired.
The Philips Electronics B120E/37 Audio/Video In.Sight Wireless HD Baby Monitor was affected by three vulnerabilities, hard-coded credentials, reflected and stored XSS in a cloud web service, and a bug in the remote monitoring feature.
An attacker can exploit the flaws to access the device and open a video stream without authentication.
“It exposes the entire camera web application server on the network,” explained Stanislav. “If you connect to a device and you’re not the person who initiated the connection and you have permission to view it, you shouldn’t be able to view it,” he says. “The beauty of Vuln is that it requires no authentication,” he says.
Philips immediately responded to the message by providing a timeline for repairs; the company added that the Philips device is now managed by Gibson Innovations. Patches are expected to be released by September 4th.
“As part of our responsible disclosure policy and processes, Philips has been in contact with both Gibson Innovations and the security research firm investigating this issue to quickly and transparently address known and potential vulnerabilities in Philips products,” a Philips spokesperson said.
Another disturbing aspect of the story is that it’s very easy to discover baby monitors and other IoT devices online using Shodan’s search engine for Internet-connected devices.
The following table lists the vulnerabilities discovered by researchers:
|CVE-2015-2886||Remote||R7-2015-11.1||Predictable Information Leak||iBaby M6|
|CVE-2015-2887||Local Net, Device||R7-2015-11.2||Backdoor Credentials||iBaby M3S|
|CVE-2015-2882||Local Net, Device||R7-2015-12.1||Backdoor Credentials||Philips In.Sight B120/37|
|CVE-2015-2883||Remote||R7-2015-12.2||Reflective, Stored XSS||Philips In.Sight B120/37|
|CVE-2015-2884||Remote||R7-2015-12.3||Direct Browsing||Philips In.Sight B120/37|
|CVE-2015-2888||Remote||R7-2015-13.1||Authentication Bypass||Summer Baby Zoom Wi-Fi Monitor & Internet Viewing System|
|CVE-2015-2889||Remote||R7-2015-13.2||Privilege Escalation||Summer Baby Zoom Wi-Fi Monitor & Internet Viewing System|
|CVE-2015-2885||Local Net, Device||R7-2015-14||Backdoor Credentials||Lens Peek-a-View|
|CVE-2015-2881||Local Net||R7-2015-15||Backdoor Credentials||Gynoii|
The problem is not new and is extended to common IP cameras used for home surveillance.
In early 2014, a bug in the software that powers a wide range of webcams, IP cameras and baby monitors made by Chinese giant Foscam allowed the connected device to be accessed and live and recorded video viewed.
In 2012, a group of researchers revealed that a large number of IP cameras manufactured by TRENDnet were affected by a similar bug.
Under these circumstances, instructions for accessing IP cameras around the world were available online; a number of websites have posted links to the hacked resources.
Another website began posting nudity captured by hacked cameras; screenshots were taken and posted on 4chan.
A hacker can easily find the IP address of a misconfigured IP camera and hack it once the necessary model information is gathered. Specialized search engines such as SHODAN make research easy and can be used by hackers to identify faulty IP cameras.
I have listed just a few examples of IoT that can easily be found in modern homes. In many cases, these smart devices are misconfigured and lack security, opening up the home network to cyber intruders.
We cannot forget that IoT devices are always connected to the Internet, and for this reason, hackers can easily find and exploit them using search engines such as SHODAN.
It is strange to think that users are buying IoT devices to make their home more convenient and secure, but instead they are opening their home doors to fraudsters and hackers.


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The updated 2020 RE Thunderbird will receive few cosmetic and mechanical updates and it will likely continue to be powered by the same 346 and 499cc engines
The 2020 Royal Enfield Thunderbird has been spotted again while testing in Tamil Nadu recently. The upcoming BSVI compliant cruiser from the Chennai based two-wheeler manufacturer have been spotted testing a couple of times already in the past. The newest spy image reveals some new cosmetic and mechanical changes about the cruiser.
Talking about the changes, the 2020 RE Thunderbird will get a shorter rear fender and a repositioned number plate holder. There is a new circular LED taillamp which gets a chrome bezel that helps in adding a retro touch. The old seats of the Thunderbird have also been replaced by a revised split seat setup while the old single unit grab rail bar has been replaced by a split grab rail bar that is currently available with the Thunderbird X variant.
The test mule was also spotted with new alloy wheels which will likely replace the spoke wheels of its predecessor. The 2020 RE Thunderbird will most likely also feature tubeless tyres that will replace the current tyres. The use of tubeless tyres will also help improve Thunderbird touring capabilities.
Besides all these notable change the updated Thunderbird also gets a redesigned exhaust, air-filter box, and footpegs. The cruiser now also features a flatter handlebar and a new single pod LCD instrument cluster that replaced the twin-pod analog unit.
The updated cruiser uses a double cradle chassis while the suspension duties of the motorcycle are handled by the same telescopic suspension setup at the front and the dual shocks handling suspension duties at the rear. The position of the front disc brake has now been moved towards the right side. The final drive is shifted to the left while the disc brake is shifted towards the right.
The 2020 Thunderbird BSVI compliant models will likely continue to be powered by the same 346cc and 499cc engine displacement. Expect Royal Enfield to update their 346cc engine with fuel injection to meet the upcoming stricter BSVI emission norms. As far as the launch dates are concerned RE will likely launch the Thunderbird and Thunderbird X cruiser early next year.


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On Tuesday, Nov. 11, the County Commissioners presented a proclamation for Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, as Small Business Saturday in Charles County. Small businesses contribute largely to the economy and our community. The Commissioners encourage citizens to support independently-owned shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.
The La Plata Business Association (LPBA) will hold an inaugural “Shop La Plata” celebration on Saturday, Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the downtown La Plata business district.
Participants can shop for holiday gifts, including fine jewelry, fashion eyewear, baby accessories, home décor, vintage music instruments, and portrait frames. Participants will find health and wellness, spa, and yoga specials at Alchemy the Salon, La Bella Viso, Live Out Loud Yoga Studio, New Moon Bodywork & Botanicals, and Rejuvenation Medi-Spa.
Other participating small businesses include: Centerpiece Boutique and Home Design; House Boutique; Joson Fine Jewelry and Home Boutique; Optical Shoppe of La Plata; Tangles Hair Salon; The Loft Salon; World Gym; Island Music Company; Hooks and Hangers; Bernie’s Frame Shop; and Wireless Junkies.
Shoppers are encouraged to dine out at Casey Jones Restaurant & Bar and Charles Street Bakery. During the event, canned and nonperishable food items will be collected for local food pantries.
Shop La Plata event partners are: LPBA, the Business Alliance of Charles County, Charles County Chamber of Commerce, Charles County Department of Economic Development, Charles County Tourism Office, the Town of La Plata, and other local champions.
For additional information, contact Christine Parker, co-chair of “Shop La Plata” at 301-751-7553.


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ISLAMABAD: Almost after seven years, Pakistan and Turkiye have implemented a preferential trade agreement to boost bilateral trade volume across various sectors.
Both sides notified duty reductions on mutually agreed tariff lines with effect from May 1, an official announcement of the commerce ministry said on Thursday.
Islamabad and Istanbul signed the “Trade in Goods Agreement” in August 2016.
Under the agreement, Pakistan has gained preferential access to the Turkish market under 261 tariff lines covering traditional as well as non-traditional sectors such as leather, rice, dates, mangoes, cutlery, sports goods, seafood, processed agricultural products, rubber tubes and tyres, plastics, and engineering goods.
Pakistan’s export value of these tariff lines stands at $5.1 billion or 16 per cent of the total exports, while Turkish global imports in these products amount to $7.6bn.
Duty was reduced to zero per cent on 123 tariff lines, including five agricultural and 118 industrial products. The current export value of these products is $714 million, while Turkish global imports of these products stand at $3.920bn.
Customs duty on average is 2-3pc. However, the additional customs duty is 20pc for industrial products, which will be reduced. This is one area having the potential to increase exports of non-traditional products.
Whereas concessions on 130 tariff lines have been extended to Türkiye, including products such as black tea, processed food products and flavourings, industrial raw materials and parts of machinery, and parts of electronic equipment. The total export value of these products is $23bn or 12pc of its total global exports. Pakistan’s global imports of these products stand at $6bn.
Pakistan has reduced duty to zero on 16 tariff lines for Turkiye. Pakistan’s global imports of these tariff lines stand at $1.224bn, while Turkish global exports of these products are $2.486bn.
Pakistan exempted duty for Turkiye immediately on cocoa powder, acrylic filament and staple fibre, nonwoven man-made filament, black tea, modems, wire condensers, flavours for the food industry, machines for reception and transmission, enzymes and gum base.
The agreement will open new export opportunities, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar said in a statement.
Since the signing of a framework agreement on March 22, 2016, both sides have held 14 rounds of bilateral negotiations to identify those products for trade which are not affecting each other’s interests.
In the second phase, Turkiye will reduce the duty to zero per cent on 92 tariff lines during a period between five and 10 years. Pakistan’s export value of these products is $1.608bn, while Turkish global imports stand at $2.084bn.
Turkiye has offered a margin of preferences and tariff rate quota on agriculture products to Pakistan. The categories of products which will get benefit from the concessions are leather, footwear, glass and ceramics, articles of base metal, plastics and rubber, furniture, mattresses and lamps, sports and engineering goods, chemicals and cosmetics, agriculture products and processed agriculture.
While Pakistan will reduce to zero per cent in five to 10 years on 16 tariff lines. Turkish global exports of these tariff lines stand at $2.123bn, while Pakistan’s imports of these products are $684m.
In five years, the duty will be exempted on chocolate crumbs, active yeast, flavouring powders, animal feed, laboratory reagents, clamps of steel, copper wire 6mm, pressure-reducing valves and slide fasteners. In 10 years, duty will be reduced on clips, brackets of iron and steel, mounting, fitting for furniture, parts of sorting, screening, grinding machines, apparatus for transmission of voice, etc.
The commerce minister stressed the need to increase business-to-business interaction for strengthening trade and investment relations between the brotherly countries. He said signifies a notable milestone in the historic brotherly relations between Pakistan and Türkiye and envisages further integration of the markets and business communities of both countries.
The total trade between Pakistan and Turkiye stood at $883 million in the fiscal year 2021-22 with Pakistan’s exports to Turkiye amounting to $366m and Pakistan’s imports from that country amounting to $517m. The balance of trade is in favour of Turkiye with a negative trade balance of $151m in 2021-22.
Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023


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Soybean export sales climb 30 percent
According to the USDA's latest U.S. Export Sales report, soybean net sales of 800,100 MT were up 30 percent from last week and 23 percent from the 4-week average.
Increases were primarily for China (436,800 MT), unknown destinations (159,000 MT), Egypt (69,300 MT), Mexico (38,000 MT), Indonesia (17,700 MT), and Taiwan (16,700 MT). Net sales of 153,600 MT for delivery in the 2012/2013 marketing year were for China (118,000 MT) and Mexico (45,000 MT).
Decreases were reported for Japan (9,400 MT). Exports of 401,300 MT were reported primarily to China (252,200 MT), Mexico (59,400 MT), Egypt (33,300 MT), Indonesia (16,400 MT), Taiwan (9,100 MT), and Israel (8,800 MT).
Soybean futures closed 16 to 23 cents lower on Wednesday on new that China may cancel or roll forward old crop sales to the new year. On Thursday futures opened 12 to 14 cents higher.
|REPORT||THIS WEEK||LAST WEEK||DIFFERENCE|
|SALES||10 WEEKS||27 WEEKS||THIS YEAR|
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PARMA, ITALY — The European Food Safety Authority has updated its safety assessment on titanium dioxide, a food coloring, and no longer considers it safe as a food additive. The European Commission and countries in the European Union now will take the EFSA findings into account and decide whether to take regulatory actions.
“Taking into account all available scientific studies and data, the panel concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive,” said Maged Younes, chair of the EFSA’s panel on food additives and flavorings. “A critical element in reaching this conclusion is that we could not exclude genotoxicity concerns after consumption of titanium dioxide particles. After oral ingestion, the absorption of titanium dioxide particles is low. However, they can accumulate in the body.”
Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical substance to damage DNA, according to the EFSA. Genotoxicity may lead to carcinogenic effects. Main food categories contributing to dietary exposure of titanium dioxide include soup, sauces, salads and savory-based sandwich spreads, according to the EFSA.
The US Food and Drug Administration considers titanium dioxide safe as a food ingredient, but it should not exceed 1% of a food’s weight.


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Shares of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries fell as much as 2.43 per cent to hit an intraday low of Rs 1,892.55 on the BSE after Amazon.com on Monday requested a court to block partner Future Group’s $3.4 billion deal to sell its retail assets to Reliance Industries, in its latest attempt to derail the deal, a court filing seen by Reuters showed. Amazon has asked the Delhi High Court to enforce the decision of a Singapore arbitrator, which both sides had agreed to use in case of disputes, the filing showed.
In October, the arbitrator issued an interim order saying the deal should be put on hold. Amazon argues Future breached some pre-existing clauses by entering into a deal with Reliance, but the Indian group has maintained the arbitrator’s order is not binding and needs to be ratified by an Indian court. Future has “deliberately” disobeyed the arbitrator’s order, Amazon argued in its court filing, which is likely to be heard by the court in New Delhi later this week.
The US group’s latest court move comes after Indian stock exchanges last week gave the go ahead to the Future deal, after communicating with India’s markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).The Amazon filing also argued that Future should not rely on any regulatory approval it has received, in light of the arbitrator’s injunction. Future and Reliance did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while Amazon declined to comment.
Any violation of the arbitrator order invites the “same consequences” as a violation of an Indian court order would, Amazon argued, urging the court to also detain Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani, and some other respondents in the case, in a civil prison. Future, in a statement to India’s BSE and NSE stock exchanges, said it had been informed by Amazon lawyers about the court filing, and that it would defend the case. Future and a spokesman for Biyani, as well as Reliance, did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
As of 2:19 pm, Reliance Industries shares were trading 1.81 per cent lower at Rs 1,902 in-line with the Sensex which was down 2 per cent. Reliance Industries was the top drag on the Sensex, it alone wiped out 100 points from the Sensex, data from BSE showed.


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Google is considering running illustrated advertisements alongside the results of Web queries for pictures, moving beyond its text-based ad business. Matching graphical-display ads with image searches “represents a large opportunity, and there’s lot of potential for advertising revenue there,” Marissa Mayer, a Google vice president, told Bloomberg Radio Wednesday. At the same time, the company must ensure such ads don’t drive users away, she said. Google is seeking new sources of revenue as growth slows for the four-line text ads that generate almost all of its sales. The Mountain View company’s revenue grew 56 percent last year to $16.6 billion, down from 73 percent growth in 2006. “We haven’t found a proper way to monetize image search to date,” said Mayer, who oversees search products. “You may see us roll out an ads-image search in the future, but when we do you’ll know that’s because we found a way that ultimately enhances user happiness with the product.” While the company has done mock-ups of how it might present the ads, it hasn’t tested them on users, she said.
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It promises to be battle that will delight those of a sweet-tooth persuasion.
Dunkin’ Donuts is to square up to Krispy Kreme in what promises to be an epic clash of the fried dough treat.
The US chain is making a return to Britain 20 years after it first tried to break into the UK market.
The rise of coffee chains such as Costa and Coffee Republic in recent years has tempted the business to return to these shores for another try.
Dunkin’ Donuts last attempt to break into the UK market ended in failure, and it pulled out in the mid-1990s.
It has agreed deals with two franchise partners to launch 50 restaurants in London over the next five years, with talks ongoing over a possible further 100 branches across the UK.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2419826/Dunkin-Donuts-Krispy-Kreme-bid-crack-UK-market-20-years-pulling-Britain.html#ixzz2eqxgPrGL
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NAPA AUTO PARTS stores can always be counted on to support their communities during a crisis. Today, as hospitals and health care organizations across the country struggle with the coronavirus pandemic NAPA stores and AutoCare Centers are once again stepping up to lend a hand. Here are just a few stories about some local NAPA heroes and how they are helping.
“Every Day We Talk About the Crisis”
The COVID-19 coronavirus has reached all 50 states and even areas of the country with fewer people and more wide open spaces have been affected. The pandemic is on everyone’s mind.
Mark Doll who owns the NAPA stores in Great Falls, Montana, said, “In early April, we had more than 350 COVID-19 cases in Montana and it seems to creep up 10-15 more each day that goes by. Every day we talk about the crisis.”
When the topic came up in a recent morning staff meeting several members of Doll’s team mentioned knowing someone who works at the local hospital who told them of possible shortages. “I found masks available at the Billings warehouse. We contacted the hospital system to let them know we were willing to donate 750 masks if there was a need. They let us know they were anxious to receive them.”
Not long after, a friend sent Doll a Facebook post from Benefis Health System that read: “Thank you to our wonderful local businesses, including NAPA Great Falls, for donating critical N-95 masks that help protect our health care team while they care for the community.” Doll said, “I wasn’t looking for publicity. Benefis Health System is one of our customers. They have a lot of vehicles and we’ve been doing business with them for a long time, so it only made sense for us to donate the masks to them.”
NAPA Billings General Manager Rocky Mann said this about Mark Doll: “Generosity is his middle name. He’s always willing to help.”
Rick Towne, owner of the 12-store group NAPA Auto Supply and Equipment in South Carolina, also wanted to help. With N95 masks in short supply, he learned NAPA had found an available source for three-layer face masks. So he immediately reached out to nurses at local hospitals asking if they could use this type of mask and the overwhelming response was yes.
Towne said, “In the midst of this health care crisis it didn’t seem right to sell masks to our local hospitals so my team and I offered our AutoCare Centers and repair shop customers the opportunity to join us in making a donation.”
As a result, Towne and his NAPA family of stores and customers recently delivered 3,000 masks to local hospitals. Towne said, “The help and support of our customers made our donation possible. We will continue to order masks as they are available and we look forward to supporting our local heroes fighting on the front lines.”
Thousands of Gloves Donated
Kevin Record is another community-minded NAPA owner whose three stores in Gillette, Wyoming, are served by NAPA Billings. Record Supply, along with their NAPA AutoCare Center customers including Octane Garage, Tire Rama, Bud’s Auto Repair, Franks’ Alignment and Complete Body Repair, and Platinum Full Service Garage teamed up to donate 15,000 sterile gloves to Campbell County Memorial Hospital. The gloves will be used by first responders, caregivers, and hospital support personnel.
The group found out about the need when Travis Olsmtead with Record Supply was told by a friend who is a coal worker that the hospital was short on gloves. In an article in the Gillette News Record, Olmstead said, “I knew we had plenty of gloves to help out.”
Doug Leitzke, owner of Octane Garage, a NAPA AutoCare Center, said when the AutoCare owners found out the hospital was running critically low on supplies they got every glove they could find. “We’re just trying to show the community that businesses are certainly pushing forward to help,” he said.
“It’s to fill a need and help out wherever we can to keep everybody safe,” Record added. “We had a stock of gloves here that we pulled from and we brought more in from the DC. Because of COVID-19, NAPA employees on the counter and in freight wear gloves, too. Gloves are definitely hard to come by right now.” Record also donated four Tyvek suits he had in stock.
John Arnold, Campbell County Health Director of material management said the generous donations they’re receiving from residents and businesses has made a critical difference.
Randy Sell, a NAPA owner with three stores in Lincoln, Nebraska, also donated gloves to the hospital in Lincoln. “I knew from media reports that many hospitals across the country are low on supplies,” said Sell. “My daughter works at one of the Bryan Health clinics in town and she told me of the need for gloves and masks.
Sell sent a sample of the Challenger gloves he had in stock and they were approved by the hospital’s site manager. “We pretty much cleaned out the supply we had. In all, we donated 4,200 pairs of Challenger gloves that were distributed to Bryan Health facilities. We have more on order from the Omaha DC and we’ll be here if they need them.”
Health and Safety a Top Priority
In addition to helping their communities, NAPA owners have made the health and safety of employees and customers are top priority.
Doll said he has reduced store hours, closed the retail store to walk-in customers, but is offering free curbside pick-up of store orders called in to limit the exposure to the community and employees. Record, Sell, and other NAPA AUTO PARTS stores owners around the country are taking similar precautions and working to keep everyone safe during these uncertain times.
More than 90 years ago, the National Automotive Parts Association ("NAPA") was created to meet America’s growing need for an effective auto parts distribution system. Today, 91% of do-it-yourself customers recognize the NAPA brand name. We have over 6,000 NAPA Auto Parts Stores nationwide serving all 50 states with a unique inventory control system that helps you find the exact part that you need.


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Oslo Skin Lab Blog
Silvany Bricen (47) has always been interested in caring for her skin from the inside out. “Enough sleep, minimal stress, regular exercise, and the right diet are the recipe for healthy and fresh skin,” she says. With two kids now, her beauty routine had taken a hit before finding The Solution™.
It’s been a year since beauty expert Silke Granes (51) took her first skin scans, which showed a reduction in wrinkle depth of 51% after starting The SolutionTM. “I did not believe my own eyes when round two showed a further improvement in my skin,” says Silke.
Melissa Sondell, 39, works full-time as an Art Director and runs her photography and video business, where she creates content for various companies and platforms.


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Ambani announces 5G launch by Diwali, Rs 2 trn investment for digital play
Reliance Jio will roll out 5G service across multiple cities, including four metros (Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai) by Diwali and accelerate its broadband business as it aims to make India the largest data-powered economy in the world, Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced on Monday.
Reliance will invest Rs 2 trillion in 5G network, launch an affordable smartphone in partnership with Google, and introduce new solutions using wireless broadband such as Cloud-based personal computers to power its digital business.
Jio will deploy standalone technology for its 5G service that will be delivered “to every town, taluka, and tehsil by December 2023”.
Rival service provider Bharti Airtel had indicated 5G launch in August and a pan-Indian coverage by March 2024. Both Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) will rely on non-standalone versions for 5G service.
Ambani said Jio’s 5G network will be the largest and most advanced in the world and will be able to deliver new services, such as low latency connectivity, massive machine-to-machine communication, among others.
“Most operators are deploying a version of 5G, called non-standalone 5G, which is essentially a 5G radio signal delivered over an existing 4G infrastructure. This non-standalone approach is a hasty way to nominally claim a 5G launch, but it won’t deliver the breakthrough improvements in performance and capability possible with 5G,” said Ambani.
Also Read: RIL plans Rs 2.75-trn investment; prepares for larger battle with Adani grp
Jio acquired 24,740 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum across various bands, including the 700 MHz in the recent 5G spectrum auction.
“This threefold advantage of a standalone 5G architecture, largest and best mix of spectrum, and carrier aggregation means that Jio 5G will be able to offer an unparalleled combination of coverage, capacity, quality, and affordability,” he stated.
Jio is working with Google to develop an affordable 5G-enabled phone and also tied up with Qualcomm to build solutions and infrastructure for 5G services in India and abroad.
Last year, Jio had rolled out its 4G-enabled phone in partnership with Google with a set of differentiated features and operating system.
“The partnerships related to 5G handsets will reduce the total cost of ownership of 5G services and help proliferate 5G adoption in India by making it more affordable. Content partnerships will help Jio show a clear use-case of 5G and thus differentiate itself from competition,” said Ashwinder Sethi, senior principal, Analysys Mason — a management consultancy.
“Jio’s aggressive plans on 5G implies that Airtel and Vi will have to also raise their game if they have to compete well and not lose market share. Overall, both consumers and enterprises stand to gain from increased competition,” he said.
“Many 5G operators globally are offering 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) as a substitute for wired home broadband. India’s home broadband penetration is one of the lowest in the world at 7 per cent of households. 5G FWA will allow Jio to offer home broadband in rural and urban areas in a more cost effective way by leveraging capacity on 5G mobile networks and thus boost home broadband access,” added Sethi.
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LONDON, England - From April 2020 electric vehicles will be become cheaper to own and run than petrol or diesel cars thanks to a deal in the UK called ''salary sacrifice''. Sound too governmental to be true? Read on... The state assistance could see a buyer save as much as £320 (about R6000) a month… Continue reading UK has a secret solution to making electric cars cheaper
NextEV Nio embodies carmaker of future Nio EP9 - the world’s fastest electric car Nürburgring Nordschliefe lap time slashed LONDON, England - NextEV has unveiled the world's fastest battery-car, the Nio EP9. How fast? Read on... "The Nio," its makers say, "will help people to re-discover the joyful lifestyle of car ownership by creating vehicles… Continue reading Supercar Nio EV slashes ‘Ring record – but how fast?
More power promised - and more speed Fully digital and 'gesturised' instrument display One of few four-door battery-cars available LOS Angeles, California - Volkswagen is using the 2016 Los Angeles auto show to punt a fresh generation of its electric Golf. VW said at the show that, compared to its predecessor, this zero-emissions battery-car has… Continue reading VW e-Golf: Longer range, more speed, all-digital
Virtual already - next 2016 Los Angeles auto show First Jaguar pure-electric performance car VIP guests get pre-show virtual reality experience LOS ANGELES, California - Jaguar says it has torn up the rule book in the creation of this concept electric SUV "with its supercar looks, sports-car performance and SUV space, all in one electric… Continue reading Jaguar I-Pace: We’re a day ahead of the launch (V)
69% of company-car drivers likely to go electric Only 25% of UK employers offer a battery car 940 000 company cars registered in the UK The claim comes from research delivered to a ‘Future of the Car’ gathering in London. Go Ultra Low, a government/automotive industry campaign, has reported that a survey of UK company-car… Continue reading Would YOU drive an electric company car?
YOKOHAMA, Japan - Once-upon-a-time Nissan was making much of a small pure-electric car named Leaf and since then has sold a quarter-million of them. Earth was saved, sunshine was going to drive automobiles, but then the oil price fell through the floor and nobody cared any more because it's a helluva lot easier to tank… Continue reading e-Power: ‘New’ electric drive train from Nissan
Global production readying for electro-mobility New car based on EQ in look of sporty SUV/coupé Cars "made in Bremen" will cover entire range STUTTGART, Germany - Mercedes-Benz has taken the next step in implementing its "electric offensive" with the first units to be assembled in Bremen, Germany, by 2021. The production model will… Continue reading Merc EQ electric joins Bremen production schedule
Clarity Fuel Cell achieves 589km at 0.917 litres/100km Best range of any car without combustion engine Available end-2016 in sophisticated markets Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedan has achieved an EPA-approved driving range rating of 589km at a fuel-economy rating of 109km/litre - if it had been burning petrol. That, Honda points out, gives the… Continue reading Honda Clarity claims fuel-cell range record
Bosses behind the wheel for Mini test Hybrid model first from the brand Three driving modes, even better handling MUNICH, Germany - Mini, now a subsidiary of BMW, is close to launching its first hybrid car so what better way of checking a close-to-production product that getting two of the bosses to drive it? They… Continue reading Test drive: Mini bosses review first of new hybrids
TOKYO, Japan - Honda has developed a short-range Micro Commuter battery vehicle for Japanese confectionery maker, Toshimaya. It's a joint development with Kabuku based on an open innovation model which incorporates the idea of a variable design platform. The car was recently unveiled at a technical show in Japan. The vehicle has a chassis made… Continue reading Honda goes micro for sweet-treats deliveries


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Winter Wonderland: Tomorrowland unveils spectacular 2024 Lineup ❄
Tomorrowland Winter 2024 has unveiled its initial artist lineup for the event, scheduled from March 16th to 23rd in the breathtaking French ski resort of Alpe d’Huez. This edition promises over 150 artists performing at an altitude of 1,869m in the heart of the French Alps. Confirmed headliners include Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Lost Frequencies, Steve Aoki, and more. Expect additional artist announcements in the upcoming months.
In addition to this exciting news, Tomorrowland has released recorded sets from its recent Brazil edition on YouTube, featuring Afrojack’s performance. They’ve also launched a compelling 30-minute documentary, “We Are Tomorrow,” in partnership with Amazon Music, providing insights into the festival’s global music community.
While all Tomorrowland Winter Packages with lodging in Alpe d’Huez and 4-day festival passes are already sold out, 7-day festival passes and a limited number of 1-day festival passes are still available for purchase on their official website: http://tomorrowland.com
Writing Credit: Harrison Johnson
Image Credit: Alpedhuez


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Firefox goes private by default
An interesting change from Mozilla, the browser underdog, today: it’s turning on privacy settings by default, and will begin blocking trackers for all users of the browser. Arguing that it’s a move to protect against “pervasive tracking and collection” of data, Firefox says defaults matter.
It’s an interesting change in policy, perfectly timed as the rest of the world becomes more aware of privacy. In a study cited by Mozilla, this stat blew my mind:
Chrome and Safari are the two most prevalent browsers in our data, with Chrome being associated to about 43% of the ad transactions and Safari to about 38%. About 73% of the ads shown on a Safari browser do not have a cookie associated, whereas on Chrome this is the case about 17% of the time.
That leaves Chrome as the outlier, with the majority of the market share, and it’s unlikely to change anytime soon. Google has made moves to block abusive advertising by default in the browser, but that’s the extent of how far it’s willing to go, since it has skin in the game.
I’ve written about tracker prevalence in the past, and how many of them seem to be slathered on without thought for the user. As Mozilla points out, the amount of money gained in return for using trackers is fractions of cents, so it’s probably time to change the trend (and by proxy, make the web faster again).
The SEC is suing Kik for issuing unregistered securities
It’s the first real case of this type, and will probe whether Kik’s move to finance the company by selling $100M in securities was a violation of U.S. law. The cryptocurrency is valued at a fraction of the opening price, and it’s now emerged that Ontario’s security commission also warned Kik (which is based in Canada) that it appeared to be creating a security. Initial Coin Offerings seem to have slowed down this year, but this case is likely to finally draw a line in the sand.
A Facebook employee leaked the identity of a controversial video uploaded
Facebook refused to remove a viral video of U.S. speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, that appeared to show her slurring her speech, but the story got worse: an employee at the company happily leaked the identity of the user that uploaded it that uploaded it to the media.
The FTC mulls an investigation into Amazon as well
Antitrust law is suddenly alive and well in the technology sector, and the FTC is reportedly asking questions about Amazon’s bundling practices.
Apple is making developers put its ‘Sign in with Apple’ button at the top of other buttons
I wrote about this feature in depth yesterday, and how uneasy it makes me feel that Apple is forcing adoption with its market advantage. Tiny moves like this make me question what’s going on here all the more.


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So far this month, two factors have enabled shares in Chinese EV company Nio (NYSE:NIO) to make their way back toward $40 per share. First, worries about investing in China have eased a bit. Issues like the Evergrande (OTCMKTS:EGRNF) crisis, as well as China’s crackdown on some of its largest companies, are weighing less on names like NIO stock.
Second, the U.S. stock market, as measured by indices like the S&P 500, has recovered from its losses seen last month. Just like the worries about China have eased, so, too, have the worries that drove the late September dip in stocks (Federal Reserve tapering, rising inflation, rising bond yields).
Along with its reporting another strong month of deliveries, it may seem as if Nio has enough in play to continue its rebound. Or does it?
Fears among U.S. investors about buying China stocks have fallen. But there’s still something that could impact shares in companies with high exposure to the country. Although the market has shrugged off inflation, interest rate and tapering worries for the umpteenth time, it could still drive a big decline for stocks (particularly growth stocks).
Add it all together, and (in the short term), there’s still more risk than reward. This makes it best to hold off buying at today’s prices.
Results Remain Strong for NIO Stock—But for How Long?
As reported on Oct. 1, Nio saw an all-time high in its monthly vehicle deliveries. For September, the EV maker delivered 10,628 vehicles. That’s 125.7% above deliveries in the prior year’s month, and 80.7% above the 5,880 vehicles it delivered in August. To top it all off, in the same press release, the company disclosed it had completed it first batch of deliveries to Norway—its first market outside of China.
What are the takeaways here for NIO stock? For one, the global chip shortage may no longer be something that affects its results. In turn, it may be on the path to hitting revenue growth projects for this year (120%) and the next (65%). Along with this, now that Nio open for business in Norway, in the next few months we’ll have our first indication whether this company, so far entirely a play on the rise of EVs in its home market, stands to become a global EV maker on par with Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA).
On the other hand, while I can’t argue against these strong results, I can argue that there’s an emerging issue right now that may threaten the good times to keep on rolling for the company: China’s economic slowdown. After the strong GDP growth fueled by the country’s economy being in “recovery mode” from Covid-19, GDP growth is slowing down. Worse yet, the world’s second largest economy may be at risk of facing a stagflation scenario. Much like the one that played out in the U.S. during the 1970s.
It’s not for certain yet that China faces a slower-moving economy in the quarters ahead. But if it does, it could impact Nio’s results in the near term.
Along With a China Slowdown, A Possible U.S. Market Maelstrom Could Also Drive it Lower
Besides the risk that demand for its EVs takes a hit, there’s something else that could knock NIO stock back down. That would be a possible market sell-off. Admittedly, I have argued in the past that changes in Fed policy will drive a big decline in growth stock valuations. And yes, so far, it hasn’t really happened.
Nevertheless, as inflation remains elevated, it’s becoming harder for the Fed to argue its “transitory” thesis. In fact, one Fed Governor (Randal Quarles), while still in the “inflation is transitory camp,” concedes that if rising prices carry on until Spring 2022, interest rate liftoff may have to happen sooner than expected.
What does Fed policy have to do with Nio, and possible declines for its stock? If rates go up, this will cause valuations of fast-growing companies to come down. Why? Valued on future profits, growth stock’s present values go down as the discount rate goes up.
Whether multiple compressions causes a big or small drop for NIO stock remains to be seen. Continued strong sales in China, plus positive initial results from Norway, could soften the blow.
Perhaps a Buy On Weakness, But Skip Out on NIO Stock Today
While high growth still appears to be on the menu, overarching issues like a Chinese economic slowdown could threaten NIO. In addition, a rise in interest rates could knock it down as well. With this in mind, what’s the best move with Nio stock right now?
If you’re bullish on it long term, wait for its next bout of weakness. But as NIO stock is trending higher? It’s best to avoid.
On the date of publication, Thomas Niel did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Thomas Niel, contributor for InvestorPlace.com, has been writing single-stock analysis for web-based publications since 2016.


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Uber Settles Big Driver Exploitation Case for $20 Million
The Federal Trade Commission accused Uber of some shady practices in an attempt to attract new drivers to the service, including making a claim that the median income for a driver was more than $90,000 in New York and $74,000 in San Francisco annually. In reality, though, the FTC says drivers in those two cities actually made just $61,000 and $53,000, respectively. The suit also alleges that Uber mislead drivers about how much financing they could expect through the company’s Vehicle Solutions Program.
Uber is not admitting any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, which was announced on Thursday, but they are shilling out $20 million, which the FTC will distribute to drivers who were victims of Uber’s misleading practices. The statement also prohibits Uber from using tactics like this again in the future, which seems like a no-brainer.
“Many consumers sign up to drive for Uber, but they shouldn’t be taken for a ride about their earnings potential or the cost of financing a car through Uber,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in a subtly clever statement. “This settlement will put millions of dollars back in Uber drivers’ pockets.”
“The reality of being a ridesharing driver is a far cry from the rosy picture these apps describe and it is encouraging to see the FTC take them to task and refund drivers,” Jim Conigliaro, Jr., the founder of the Independent Drivers Guild, said in an emailed statement following the announcement. “It’s time for Uber to ease this burden on drivers. It’s time to give working drivers a raise.”
It’s worth noting that $20 million isn’t a huge amount of money to a company like Uber, which is valued at tens of billions of dollars.


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Are Gen Z more environmentally conscious?
Gen Z shops green
1 concern for Gen Z, followed closely by unemployment and health care/disease prevention, according to a recent Deloitte survey. … According to a 2020 report by First Insight, 73% of Gen Z consumers surveyed were willing to pay more for sustainable products, more than every other generation.
Which generation is most environmentally conscious?
Gen Z Is Emerging As The Sustainability Generation. A problem occurred. Try refreshing the page. Major global events have a way of shaping the lifetime spending habits of the generations that come of age during them.
What age group is most environmentally conscious?
256 released in 2009 reveals that it is not the young nor the very old, but the middle-aged buyers who are the most environmentally conscious.
Does Gen Z like nature?
Despite all their time online, Gen Z cares more about the environment than previous generations. Marketing research on Gen Z demonstrates that protecting the environment is a core value. Being green is part of Gen Z’s everyday life, a stark difference from other generations.
Although members of Generation Z are perhaps more focused on social issues than any prior generation, they may also be among the most practical. New research has revealed that young Americans prioritize earnings above other factors when looking for work.
Do millennials prefer sustainability?
Millennials are the most sustainability-conscious generation to date, and for the most part, they admirably prioritise purpose over profit. … Likewise, Deloitte and Nielson have found that Millennial shoppers would be willing to spend more on products and services that are seen to be from socially responsible brands.
Does Gen Z care about CSR?
Gen Z cares about corporate social responsibility — a lot
They grew up during the Great Recession which brought unexpected instability for their parents and they took note.
How old are Gen Z?
We occasionally break up Boomers into two different cohorts because the span is so large, and the oldest of the generation have different sensibilities than the younger.
Generations defined by name, birth year, and ages in 2021.
|Gen Z||1997 – 2012||9 – 24|
|Millennials||1981 – 1996||25 – 40|
|Gen X||1965 – 1980||41 – 56|
What are Generation Z characteristics?
Generation Z characteristics are interesting and specific; Generation Z features avid gamers and music-goers, and they are known for being ever-present messaging, on the internet, on social networks, and on mobile systems—they are truly the “Digital-ites.” They tend to care about trends, but are also quick to research …
What generation caused the most pollution?
Coal produces more pollution than any other energy source. While coal produces just 44% of U.S. electricity, it accounts for 80% of power plant carbon emissions. Burning coal leads to soot, smog, acid rain, global warming, and carbon emissions.
Which generation is the most green?
Findings: Baby Boomers were the most environmentally friendly generation. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the types of items purchased by the three generations, and Baby Boomers only slightly outpaced the other two generations in the quantity of green items purchased.
Which gender is more environmentally conscious?
A survey held in 2018 by the market research firm, Mintel, said that 71% of women try to live more ethically, compared to 59% of men. For good measure, 65% also encourage friends and family to adopt a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, while only 59% of men do.
Will Gen Z be affected by climate change?
Surveys indicate that shifting attitudes toward the crisis often fall along generational lines. A 2021 Pew Research report found that Gen Z is overwhelmingly worried about climate change: 76% of them say that it’s one of their biggest societal concerns, while 37% make it their number one concern.
Do Gen Z care about animals?
Generation Z has redefined the relationship between humans and their pets. Not only do they see their pets as an integral part of their family, but they also rely more on their pets for emotional support. Additionally, Gen Z pet owners gravitate towards organic/natural pet food and humanized lifestyles for their pets.
Do Gen Z and Millennials care about sustainability?
When it comes to sustainability, 90 percent of Gen Z consumers surveyed said they have made changes to be more sustainable in their daily lives and more sustainable fashion practices play a central role. …


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Will Hollywood Ever Return to “Normal”?
By Allyson Vannatta, Staff Writer
As COVID-19 changes the landscape in Hollywood with video on demand becoming as popular as going to the theater, some are asking the question will Hollywood ever return to “normal?”
The entertainment business has known for a while that they’re going to have to wrestle with the ramifications of VOD. However, the coronavirus has forced the industry to accept the new challenge earlier than expected.
The normal 90-day theatrical window has collapsed, and movies that were just in the theater two weeks ago are now dawning audiences’ televisions waiting to be streamed, for a price of course.
The move by studios to make their movies available this early is a way to continue to make money, as streaming is expected to increase 60 percent with more people than not homebound.
Venture capitalist Matthew Ball, former head of strategy at Amazon Studios says, “COVID-19 will expand the gaps between those lagging and leading in the transition to digital distributions and business models.”
He continued, “[Over-the-top] video services will surge, while pay TV loses its most valuable content — sports — and sees an accelerated decline in subscriptions and ad revenue. Parks and movie theaters are ground to a halt, while gaming companies hit new highs in usage.”
Now, with hundreds of thousands of layoffs in the industry, and virtually all live-action productions on pause, will the new business model Hollywood is trying become the new normal?
Universal was the first studio to make the jump from theater to streaming by releasing THE INVISIBLE MAN and THE HUNT. They’ve also announced TROLLS: WORLD TOUR will hit VOD on April 10.
Disney joined the bandwagon and set a streaming release date of April 3 on Disney+ for Pixar’s ONWARD. ONWARD was released in theaters March 6 and made the jump to VOD on March 20.
The movie will be free to stream with a Disney+ subscription when it hits the service next week.
Disney+ also acquired FROZEN II earlier than expected. The sequel to the box office hit FROZEN landed on Disney+ earlier this month in the midst of the Coronavirus.
Though it may be tempting to turn your children over to the television as you attempt to work from home, Movieguide® recommends watching the content with your children. We’ve created several resources for parents to guide them in shaping how their children consume media.
As Hollywood grapples with the fallout of the virus and what the new “normal” is, you can ensure that you train up your children to be media-wise and properly discern the content they consume.Do you enjoy articles like this? Click here to become a monthly partner and receive 15 movies for free!


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Many were expecting the first announcement out of Apple's media event to be about the iPad Mini; instead, Apple CEO Tim Cook decided to talk about education, books, and the iBookstore.
"iBooks makes it a pleasure to read on any iOS device,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook at his company's media event in San Jose on Tuesday. “We now have over a million and a half books on the bookstore, and these cover any kind of subject you can think of. Customers have bought more than 400 million of them since the inception of the store.”
"Today, we’re announcing a new version of iBooks, and this includes a really cool new reading option with continuous scrolling," Cook said. "Now, when you flick the page, the words scroll by, just as you’d expect."
The new version of iBooks is also better integrated with iCloud. Now you can tap a book and begin reading exactly where you left off on another device.
iBooks 3 also makes it incredibly easy to share book quotes, any quotes, with any one on Facebook, Twitter, or email. iOS 6 has extremely crisp fonts and beautiful print, even in languages like Chinese and Japanese, with the pages turning the correct direction.
The new version of iBooks is available today as a free app in the App Store.


text: Calling all bilingual Harry Potter fans! The official Chinese version of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is now available. According to a report in China Daily, the final installment of the teenage wizard’s adventures is possibly the most expensive children’s book in China: Priced at RMB 66, one book would cost the average family about six percent of their monthly disposable income. Thus far, the Harry Potter series has sold 325 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 60 languages. The Chinese versions of the previous six Harry Potter books have already sold over ten million copies in China so far.