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Amazon has recently launched their UK Kindle Store for their popular eBook readers, this will no doubt shake up the UK eBook market.
Apparently there are 400,000 books in their store at the moment, however if you prefer there are also magazines and newspapers to check out.
Amazon has also stated that they will be the cheapest e-bookstore in the UK, so expect competing services/devices to respond in an effort to stay competitive in the market.
If you live in the UK and are keen to check out Amazon Kindle’s eBook check out this link, here you can find out more about Amazon’s latest Kindle and pre-order it if you are won over.
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Google Agrees To YouTube Metrics Audit
Good news for digital media supply chain accountability and media transparency. As was reported in the Wall Street Journal:
Alphabet Inc.’s Google is committing to a series of audits for its web video powerhouse YouTube by the ad industry’s measurements watchdog, the Media Rating Council. Less than two weeks ago, Facebook also announced it had agreed to have some of its ad metrics audited by the MRC.
Specifically, Google said the MRC will audit the way that three independent metrics companies—Moat, Integral Ad Science and DoubleVerify—collect data measuring whether video ads are viewable on YouTube and how long they are viewed. Those audits will evaluate everything from the technology being used and how it’s integrated on YouTube’s website and app to the way the data is crunched.
These audits should be welcome news in the digital ad industry, where marketers have been pushing for more transparency and overall assurance that the ads they pay for end up where they are supposed to and can be seen by consumers.
For a refresher on the context around this, see the work the ANA has been doing over the last year or so to help marketers drive greater transparency for their media investments.

domain: news


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Bulgaria is among the countries of the EU with the smallest number of charging stations for electric vehicles per 100 kms. of roads, indicates a survey by the Association of Car Manufacturers.
In 10 EU countries electric car drivers have to cover more than 100 kms. of motorways and interurban roads to reach a charging point. Greece and Estonia are bottom of the list with 0.2 charging points per 100 kms. In this indicator Bulgaria has 0.8 stations per 100 kms. Top place goes to the Netherlands with 48.
Romania is also one of the countries without an electric charging infrastructure, as are Latvia and Poland. In these countries the demand for electric vehicles is under 3% of the car market.


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‘Taman Sang Guru’ Johar Buang gabung dua genre sastera – coverage by Berita Harian
On Friday, 15th October 2021, Jamiyah Singapore launched a Sufi poetry book titled ‘Taman Sang Guru’ (The Teacher’s Garden) by H B Johar. The book, published by Jamiyah Singapore, consists of a poem, ‘Taman Yang Tersembunyi’ (The Hidden Garden), and a collection of short stories, ‘Sang Guru’ (The Teacher), which the writer produced during a very trying and challenging period in his life.
The book was launched by Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State for Home Affairs & National Development, who graced the event as Guest of Honour.
Berita Harian covered the book launch event. Read the full coverage here.


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Rockstar Games is finally ready to end the fan-favorite Los Santos Drug Wars storyline on March 16.
Rockstar confirmed that it will release five new story-related missions to GTA Online as part of The Last Dose mini-update of the much larger Los Santos Drug Wars expansion. The said missions will come next week and will see players try to uncover the people behind the psychedelic drug trade proliferating in Los Santos.
Rockstar released Los Santos Drug Wars at the end of last year and it's received several updates like new missions, among others. Players can start it by visiting Nervous Ron Jakowski and the Fooliganz to access The Freskhop headquarters and start their own Acid Lab.
Some fans feared that the massive Los Santos Drug Wars update signals that Rockstar is preparing for end-life support for GTA Online. However, according to the game's developers, they're still looking forward to updating GTA Online for many years to come.
But, a leaker did spot proof that a GTA Online sequel is in the works. The same leaker also claims that GTA 6 is going to have DLC content based on cut content from the prequel, as Rockstar pushes hard to release GTA 6 in early 2025.
Speaking of GTA, 50 Cent just gave a "disappointing" update concerning his earlier cryptic teases. We can only presume that he took down his social media posts because they didn't have anything to do with his upcoming project, Vice City, which will premiere on Paramount+.


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The city which has changed into a global destination, having marvelous infrastructure and development which they have acquired in less than half a century. Apart from the covid-19 the current talk of the world is Dubai Expo. Many where disappointed in the cancellation of Expo 2020 Dubai due to the pandemic. This year the people all around the world are going to witness Dubai Expo 2021.
What is Dubai Expo 2021?
- The first expo that is going to be held in the MESA region which includes of Africa and the Middle east.
- From over 190 countries are going to attend this event from all over the world.
- This is an international event where the main purpose is in connecting people from all over the world.
- Dubai Expo 2021 is going to be held in Dubai, UAE and it’s going to be recognized as the world’s greatest show which Dubai will be hosting.
- Experiencing world-class science and celebrating human brilliance, technology, culture, innovation and invention are the main highlights of the event.
- The theme for this year’s Dubai Expo 2021 is “Connecting Minds, Creating the future”
Passengers travelling to Dubai from October 1st till March 31st 2022 can ascertain one pass for each person
Isn’t it exciting to hear? As Dubai Expo 2021 is nearing, Emirates Airline has given us another reason to be excited about it by providing day passes to passengers to attend the ‘World’s Greatest Event’.
“If you’re flying with us to Dubai between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022, we’re giving you one complimentary Expo 2020-day pass for each person in your booking. Use your ticket to enjoy Expo 2020 on any day you choose,” Emirates Airline said on its website.
How do we claim the passes?
By entering the details of each individual and they will mail the ticket and if there has been cancellation or change of flights your day pass will be eliminated but we can reclaim it by again entering the details with accepting the terms and conditions the airline mentioned.
Dubai Expo 2021 tickets prices and discounts:
The tickets went on sale throughout the world on 18th July which is categorized into 3 tiers. The prices are as follows:
- starting prices of one-day tickets are Dh95 ($26)
- multi-day tickets, offering unrestricted entry for 30 consecutive days, are priced at Dh195 ($53)
- with unlimited entry for the entire six months of Expo 2020, starting price of the season tickets are Dh495 ($135).
- including permission to enter all the pavilions, events and live performances.
- These tickets will make you witness up to 60 live events, music from all around the globe, dance and art consisting of national day celebrations.
Under the age of 18 children and students having a valid student ID from any institution will be given free entry. Passengers aged 60 years and above can also have free entry.


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We are always on the side of success, but generally it's actually quite difficult for individuals to settle debt with multiple creditors since each creditor is only interested in collecting the individual debt owed to them
Madison, WI (PRWEB) July 23, 2009
The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC), the non-profit watchdog for the debt settlement industry, viewed a July 20 ABC News report with mixed emotions as the subjects of that report independently rectified their significant credit card debt.
TASC, which seeks to protect consumers, does not want those struggling with similar unsecured debt to be misled into thinking that the method of debt settlement presented in the report is typical, practical or, in many cases, successful.
"We are always on the side of success, but generally it's actually quite difficult for individuals to settle debt with multiple creditors since each creditor is only interested in collecting the individual debt owed to them," Chris Kesterson, President of TASC, said. "We want the consumers to come out of this process in better financial shape, not worse."
An accredited debt settlement company, such as those listed on http://www.tascsite.org, will have well-trained, experienced professionals who have built working relationships with many major creditors. Their goal is to help consumers obtain a global settlement with their creditors.
About The Association of Settlement Companies
The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC) promotes fair business practices, consumer protection and industry standards for the debt settlement industry. TASC, founded in 2005, serves to protect consumers through an organization seal that represents best practices and standards of reputable companies. The organization also protects its member companies through lobbying efforts at the state and national levels, as well as awareness initiatives to educate consumers on debt settlement as a financial solution. All TASC member companies pledge compliance to strict association bylaws governing business practices and ethics. For more information, visit tascsite.org.


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Innovation is everywhere. From the tech sector to our education systems, and politics, being innovative has become a requirement for being competitive. Innovators have given us the world we live in today, and it’s incredibly exciting to think of where innovation will take us tomorrow.
Through the work we do at alliantgroup we have had the privilege of working with so many innovative and forward-thinking American businesses. In conversations with these business owners, we’ve been inspired to unpack just how much of an impact this concept is having on our economy and the world. The result? Our new podcast, Innovating America.
We’re excited to start this conversation with you and hope you enjoy the discussion.
New breeds of ransomware have become so sophisticated that they can literally take control of a company’s warehouse machinery, causing a disastrous ripple effect that goes far beyond just that company’s safety and bottom-line.
As of today, half of the industrial control systems networks in the U.S. have faced a cyber-attack, and the number is rising as legacy systems are being connected through the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
In this episode, Chuck Wilson, Executive Director of the National Systems Contractors Association explains why businesses need to be aware of these growing cybersecurity threats—and how they can prepare.


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Thomas Cook customers are worried about their holidays and flights following news of the company being in financial trouble.
It is currently requesting £200m in extra funds from the government in order to stay afloat.
Customers have been contacting the BBC to voice their concerns.
Chloe Hardy from Leicestershire is due to get married in Zante in October and booked the wedding package with Thomas Cook back in June 2018.
"We are due to fly out on Thursday," she said.
"Our wedding is costing almost £12,000 with things we have bought here, the wedding package, everything we have organised with the resort wedding coordinator".
Chloe and her fiancé will also have 33 family members flying out, with their trips costing more than £33,000 in total.
With the big day looming, Chloe is frustrated by Thomas Cook's handling of their booking.
"I have emailed the wedding concierge and coordinator, neither has got back to me. We are unsure if we will be able to fly. Although, it's ATOL-protected I have booked three weeks' leave from work and there's no guarantee that I will be able to get time off if I had to re-book."
"We've had constant questions from our family that we are unable to answer," she added. "This is causing great concern, worry and stress to all of us involved."
'Should I even go?'
Despite no official statement being released by Thomas Cook, the company are telling customers via Twitter to carry on as normal and that if it collapses, all holidays will be covered as they are Atol-protected.
However concerned holidaymakers like Lauren Fraser, from Bedfordshire, are worried that they may become stranded once they fly out.
"The holiday has been the only thing I was looking forward to after a week of suffering from injuries due to a car accident last Saturday," she said.
Lauren is due to fly out to Turkey with her boyfriend on Sunday evening.
"I've been told to carry on as normal and still go and that I would be notified of any changes but it leaves you feeling anxious knowing that you could fly out and then be stranded in another country struggling to get home," she said.
"I can't get my money back either as Thomas Cook are still operating. I can't do anything. I've looked at other companies but holidays are now double the price.
"It's taken all the excitement from my holiday and just made me feel sick and anxious and whether I should even go. "
'We can only hope and pray'
Matthew Moore and Aaron Kearney from Belfast say they are worried that their wedding may not go ahead in Cyprus.
"These past few days have been very traumatising," Matthew said. "We had all the joys of having finalised everything and getting to relax to the lead up - and now we don't know where we stand.
"We wanted to marry abroad because same-sex marriage is not legal in Northern Ireland.
"My heart just sank when I heard the news about Thomas Cook.
"We are all flying with Thomas Cook as it is the only company that have direct flights from Belfast to Larnaca.
"If Thomas Cook does go under we are left with 26 guests out of pocket.
"This was supposed to be the happiest trip of our lives where we would share the best day of our lives together on our wedding day.
"We can only hope and pray that the outcome is good, but if not we are left with are wedding destroyed."
Natalie Davies from Buckinghamshire has two holidays booked with Thomas Cook for next year, but has received no further information despite her efforts.
She is due to go to Tunisia in May with her husband - and to Greece in October as part of a group of 15.
"Everything we know has been through various news sources online," she said.
Natalie called the company for more information about her bookings to Greece and Tunisia.
"I called them this morning and had to spend 40 minutes on hold. When I finally got through, I asked them if further payments were needed to be paid for our holidays and when will they let us know what's happening. I could hear the operator laughing and then they put the phone down on me."
"As it stands we don't know what's happening. The lack of customer services is unacceptable in my eyes."


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Analysis - Coca-Cola Co loses out to PepsiCo in China's bottled water race
Coca-Cola reportedly scaled back its bottled water expansion in China
The lag has come after Coca-Cola lost money in the category and scaled back expansion, CLSA's Caroline Levy said, citing recent comments from Tingyi CFO Frank Lin. PepsiCo, through its China JV with Tingyi, has grown its volumes in the first six months of this year by 9% “on a very large base”, Levy said.
Lin, who was speaking at a CLSA investors forum, also said that PepsiCo and Tingyi plan to expand the Tropicana 100% juice in the country despite a volumes increase of just 1.5% in China's juice category in H1. Total CSD volumes in the country were up by 2.5% in the period, Levy said.
Last year, PepsiCo took a 5% stake in Tingyi while selling its bottling operations to the Chinese firm.
Levy said that, while Tingyi is unlikely to be a major contributor in the near-term to PepsiCo's bottom line, the partnership remains “an intelligent move”. She also said it is a “net-negative” for Coca-Cola as the JV is 1.4-times the size of the Atlanta-based company's Chinese presence, giving it a scale and product-diversity advantage.
The Coca-Cola Co (TCCC) is the leading player in both soft drinks and in HW soft drinks. The company’s strength is based on its diversity of category presence from HW carbonates to RTD tea and bottled...
The growth of coconut water in the soft drinks category is just the start of it: The tide of plant-based offerings grows only stronger. Tom Vierhile surveys the scene....
Tropicana UK Ltd will be focused on increasing its investment and promotional activity in a bid to reconnect with UK consumers during the forecast period....
PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review provides you an in-depth strategic SWOT analysis of the company’s businesses and operations. The profile has been compiled by GlobalD...
PepsiCo India is one of the largest players in packaged foods and soft drinks in India. The holding became the new title sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for five seasons starting from 2013....
- Why Chinese beverages won't conquer the world
- Can Coca-Cola fuel SABMiller's soft drinks story?
- Is “Craft” the Next Big Thing for Soft Drinks?
- Petropolis Finally Moving into SABMiller's View?
- Gin: Plymouth's from Plymouth, London's from...?
- Diageo confirms Australia abv drops
- Pernod launches online Ballantine's "experiment"
- Global vodka sales slip in 2013 - research
- SABMiller returns to Brazil with Petropolis tie-up
- Smirnoff tops UK shopping list - figures
- Global vodka insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Early Signals: future scenarios that will drive consumption and product innovation over the next five years
- Global Scotch whisky insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- The IWSR Forecast Report - 2014-2019 Global Review
- Global Tequila Market 2014-2018


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‘Your Baby Can Read’ Case Is Instructive for Marketers6 Sep, 2012 By: Jeffrey D. Knowles, Venable LLP’s Advertising, Leonard L. Gordon
On August 28, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced its complaint against Your Baby Can LLC and the company’s “Your Baby Can Read!” (YBCR) program. The complaint alleged the company, its founder and the company’s former CEO made false and deceptive advertising claims by claiming the program could teach infants and toddlers to read, and that scientific studies proved those claims. In addition, the complaint charged company founder Robert Titzer, Ph.D, whom the company touted as an expert in infant research, with making deceptive expert endorsements in the company’s advertisements.
YBCR’s infomercials featured claims that the program taught infants and children to read, gave children an early start on academic learning, and helped children who used the system perform better in school and later in life than those who did not. The spots also featured parent testimonials and video that appeared to show very young children reading.
To settle the case, the company, which appears to have ceased operations, and the former CEO agreed to cease any further use of the term “Your Baby Can Read.” The settlement also prohibits the company and the former CEO from misrepresenting the benefits, performance or efficacy of any product or service for teaching reading or speech, or enhancing language ability, cognitive ability, school performance or brain development. They also are barred from misrepresenting that scientific support exists for such assertions.
The settlement imposes a $185 million judgment, which equals the company’s gross sales. Upon the company’s payment of $500,000, the remainder of the judgment is suspended based on the company’s failing financial condition. Dr. Titzer apparently will fight the allegations.
There are many lessons from the YBCR case, but three stand out. First, the FTC found that YBCR’s claims required “competent and reliable scientific evidence,” thus holding the claims for YBCR to the same standard as a health or safety claim. The settlement also bars the company and former CEO from using the term “Your Baby Can Read” in any context, demonstrating that a brand name can sometimes also be a claim.
The third lesson requires some context. Last year, YBCR was the subject of an advertising review by the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (NAD). NAD recommended that YBCR modify its testimonials to comply with the FTC’s Guides on Endorsements and Testimonials and discontinue consumer testimonials that conveyed the message that babies taught by YBCR perform better in school and/or later in life. YBCR expressed disappointment with the findings but said its future advertising would abide by NAD’s recommendations.
Together, the FTC order and the NAD decision demonstrate that marketers must often defend products and claims in multiple venues simultaneously. Mounting concurrent defenses, or planning for the contingency of a future defense in another venue, often requires marketers and their counsel to make strategic decisions different from those that would be made when defending just a consumer class action suit or FTC enforcement action.
Jeffrey D. Knowles and Leonard L. Gordon are partners in Venable LLP’s Advertising, Marketing and New Media Group. Knowles is the chair of the group. They can be reached at (202) 344-4000, or via E-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org and email@example.com.


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Eastgate Ford helps put Mohawk students in the fast lane for jobs
Mohawk College Motive Power students now have an added advantage for post-graduate employment thanks to a new partnership with Eastgate Ford and Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited.
Mohawk College has partnered with Eastgate Ford in Hamilton to provide students in the Motive Power programs with access to Ford of Canada’s dealership Learning Management System (LMS). This gives Motive Power students the chance to train on the same LMS that technicians use when they are employed by Ford dealerships across the country.
“This puts Mohawk students in a job-ready situation with any Ford dealer across Canada,” says Bob Brown, professor in Mohawk’s Motive Power programs. “Even general repair shops would be envious of this type of training. We are really grateful to Eastgate Ford and Ford of Canada for giving our students this opportunity.”
As a result of this partnership, students can work through nearly 70 different training modules in the Ford LMS and then take the associated quizzes. If they achieve a score of 80 per cent or higher, they will earn the same standardized Ford certification that dealership employees receive across the country.
“Training on this LMS will give the students the advantage of coming into the dealership knowing a lot of Ford training right off the bat,” says Robert Fricker, service manager at Eastgate Ford. “If they get the training done, then they don’t have to start from ground zero. They can start working on vehicles right off the bat.”
Working with its dealers, Ford of Canada launched this LMS partnership program in September as a way to help create a new crop of qualified college graduates for dealers’ service departments. Dealers are encouraged to partner with local colleges in their regions.
“Ford of Canada is happy to support Eastgate Ford and all our dealers across Canada through this program,” says Eric Lacourciere, service engineering and technical training manager at Ford of Canada. “By partnering with local colleges and introducing students to the Ford of Canada LMS, we are giving students the chance to experience best-in-class industry training methods and raise awareness and interest in career opportunities within the automotive industry.”


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Saatchi & Saatchi has scooped the estimated &£7m creative project to run Standard Life’s high-profile demutualisation campaign following a competitive pitch. Ogilvy & Mather and The Leith Agency, which holds the assurance company’s &£10.7m consumer account, were also shortlisted.
The Edinburgh-based financial services organisation is said to be keen to promote its proposed demutualisation after a previous attempt to demutualise in 2003 ended in failure.
The ads will focus on its corporate brand rather than the four business units that make up the group: Standard Life Assurance Company, Standard Life Investments, Standard Life Bank and Standard Life Healthcare.
Standard Life has appointed MediaCom to handle the project’s media buying ahead of consumer account incumbent Feather Brooksbank (MW last week).
Both the Leith and Feather Brooksbank will retain their accounts, although Standard Life is expected to invest less heavily in consumer advertising during the period in which the demutualisation work runs.
The assurance company has beefed up its senior management team last year ahead of its bid to demutualise.
In June last year, John Hylands was chosen to lead the demutualisation project and earlier this year former Marks & Spencer finance director Alison Reed was appointed to replace him as group finance director. She was chosen in part for her public company experience.
A Standard Life spokesman said it would be working with the agency on a number of ideas over the coming months.


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By Eric Savitz
For Q1, the company had revenue of $3.27 billion and EPS of 49 cents, including 6 cents of tax-related items; back that out and results were in line with the Street view of $3.28 billion and 43 cents.
The company noted that revenue was down 8% sequentially, primarily due to weaker sales into high-end cell phones. “Given uncertainty in the near-term economy,” the company said, “we have become more conservative with out outlook for the second quarter.”
TXN sees Q2 revenue of $3.24 billion to $3.5 billion; the Street has been looking for $3.44 billion. The company sees profits for the quarter of 42-48 cents a share; the Street has been expecting 48 cents.
The company did not change its view that capital spending this year will total $900 million.
In after hours trading, TXN is down 81 cents, to $29.78; in the regular session, the stock rose 99 cents, or 3.3%, to $30.59.


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The total number of trade restrictive measures taken by third countries against goods and services from the European Union, for the year 2018, increased by 45, to a record $ 425 trade barriers, according to the annual report of the European Commission.
According to a member of the European Commission for trade Cecilia Malmstrom, the main growth of trade barriers occurred in China, but also USA, India and Argentina. Restrictive measures affected European exports billions of dollars. The Commissioner said that such measures are unjustified and unacceptable.
Currently in China, there are 37 measures limiting the export from EU countries, in Russia – 34 such barrier. Indian authorities imposed a 25 protectionist measures, the government of Indonesia – 25, US – 23.
However, the European Commission reported on the 35 elimination of trade barriers over the past year, including restrictions on the import of European beef to China, the Russian duties on European trucks, additional fees for importing electronics in India and restrictions on the supply of textile products to Egypt.
The most popular trade barriers include tariffs, restrictions on imports, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, import licensing or outright bans on the supply of a product.


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The Consumer Electronics Show is back, and it's underway with a bang ... or is it a whimper? Intel's big TV announcement — the set-top box that was supposed to revolutionize the cable industry via subscribe-by-channel deals — is not a box at all, and it will not, in fact, change the way you pay for television. At its CES keynote Monday afternoon, the chip-maker announced a key partnership with Comcast that will allow the cable giant to run its Xfinity channels — all of them — live through televisions and other gadgets, except now without a set-top box.
So much for à la carte cable channels, as the most over-the-top of rumors had suggested. Now you'll just get cable TV inside your TV. The new Intel deal will reduce some of the annoying steps for Comcast customers, including setting up equipment and installation. But it doesn't take the bigger stroke of getting rid of all those channels you don't want — and it also only works from a single location. Intel didn't announce when this "innovation" would reach subscribers, but the chips that will make it all happen should reach manufacturers sometime this year.


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Embark, Fashion and Jewellery, Community, Lifestyle, History, Festivals and Events, Suriname, Aruba, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica
Essential info to help you make the most of May and June — even in the middle of a pandemic
To drink St Lucia’s thick, fragrant and famous cocoa tea for the first time is to discover something a little strange and absolutely...
Essential info to help you make the most of March and April — even in the middle of a pandemic
Angostura Holdings Ltd donates 70,000 bottles of hand sanitiser to first responders, communities, and businesses
Angostura has transformed its distilling capability to deliver all pharmaceutical demands while also producing 50,000 bottles of 375 ml and 20,000 bottles of 1.75 litres hand sanitiser to donate
Last September, Hurricane Dorian devastated the lives of thousands in the Bahamas — and not just the human residents of the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahamas, but their pets as well. As Erline Andrews learns, in the aftermath of the storm, animal welfare organisations have stepped in to save hundreds of domesticated animals and reunite them with their owners
Six years ago, the tragic suicide of a teenager motivated the launch of an initiative to support young LGBTQ people in Trinidad and Tobago. Bridget van Dongen reports on the Silver Lining Foundation, and how they work to protect the vulnerable
Embark, Environment, Community, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St. Martin, Cuba, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, US Virgin Islands
For people of the Caribbean, the start of the annual hurricane season in June is a time of watchfulness, if not anxiety. Hurricanes are a...


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Food and commodity prices that had been relatively stable over the past few years are creeping up again - and consumers are angry.
"It's like back to the '80s," said Stephanie Rose of North Attleboro, who remembers scrambling from store to store, coupons in hand, the last time inflation was a major buzzword at the supermarket.
"It stinks," she said.
Now, Rose is watching sales and clipping coupons to offset prices in meats, vegetables and other staples, but is still feeling the pinch.
"Where I used to spend $50, now I spend $80," she said. "So I end up going to more stores and work harder than I'd like to."
Rose isn't alone.
With a noticeable bump in food and energy prices this winter, more and more consumers are grousing about the cost of meat by the pound and gas at the pump.
According to the latest Labor Department figures, grocery prices shot up 3.9 percent last month, the most since November 1974.
Fuel and energy costs, meanwhile, rose more than 5 percent, even though the overall inflation rate remained low.
Wrapping up a recent shopping trip, North Attleboro resident Debbie Gildea said she's noticed significant increases in a lot of foods.
This past week, she said, the ice cream she likes to buy went up almost a dollar. Not surprising: According to the Agriculture Department, a half-gallon of pre-packaged ice cream rose to $4.99 last month, compared with $4.38 a year ago.
"Fruits and vegetables have gone up a lot," Gildea said. "It's not just the item, but the cost of delivering it. So you pay more at the grocery market."
Bruce Belling of Westport says he doesn't know much about the produce department, but he knows what he pays for gasoline and heating fuel.
He and his wife use propane for heat and hot water at home, and he said that fuel has increased in price at least 20 percent in the past year.
"It's just the two of us, but with everything going up, it's not easy," he said.
In Massachusetts, the price of gasoline averaged $3.48 a gallon this week, up 78 cents from a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. And the cost of home heating oil averaged $3.90 a gallon last week, up from $2.86 at the same time last year, the state's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs reported.
From gas pump to the deli, inflation is once again a part of the consumer lexicon. And price increases for everything from tires to tomatoes could figure in the 2012 presidential election campaign as Republicans zero in on the economy as a priority target in their attempt to defeat President Barack Obama.
The Producer Price Index, which tracks price changes before they reach the consumer, rose 1.6 percent in February, the Labor Department reported last week. That's double the rise from the previous month and the biggest increase since June 2009.
And food prices could be 5 percent higher in the coming fall, compared with the same period last year, according to RBC Capital Markets.
While rank-and-file consumers are complaining, the effect of higher food and energy costs is worse for the region's poor, who spend a greater percentage of their income than most on necessities.
A harsh winter has heavily taxed emergency heating funds, said the St. Vincent de Paul Society's Irene Frechette.
And increasing food costs are forcing more unemployed and low-income families to seek assistance from food pantries and free meal programs.
Attendence at the Attleboro Council of Churches' Food n' Friends Kitchens, which provide about 500 free meals a week, is up, said the council's Sue Smith.
Those seeking help include both families and seniors who Smith said are particularly hard pressed.
"Many times I see seniors, and I get the impression it's robbing Peter to pay Paul for them," she said. "They can't afford both food and medicine, so they're buying their medicine and coming to the kitchens for meals."
The seeming revival of inflation in energy and groceries is fueling a debate among economists and other policy experts as to whether the latest upturn is just the tip of the iceberg.
Backers of the president say the core rate of inflation is still low and that there's no indication the country is on the verge of a broad-based revival of inflation approaching the scale of the 1970s and early '80s.
Critics say that with big federal deficits and the Federal Reserve pumping more money into the economy, it's a matter of time before Americans see even higher prices for almost everything.
For most of the past century, inflation has remained relatively stable, but has oscillated up and down during wars, recessions and during the 1970s, when a dramatic increase in oil prices corresponded with a rise in other commodities.
During times of economic panic, such as the Great Depression, prices actually declined.
Prices also tend to be influenced by other economic factors, such as governments increasing the money supply and spending on projects to stimulate the economy.
Since the "stagflation" of the late 1970s and early '80s, when prices spiked even though economic activity was in a slump, the United States has enjoyed relatively modest inflation. In 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index increased only about 1.5 percent.
Besides driving up food and energy bills, revived inflation is also eating up much of the effect of a temporary Social Security tax cut enacted last year to help stimulate the economy.
The tax cut, which began last month, gave consumers the biggest jump in their incomes in almost two years. But a weak increase in spending indicated many people are being cautious with their money, even as the economy improves.
Consumers increased spending 0.2 percent in January, the smallest gain since June, the Commerce Department reported. Personal income jumped 1 percent, reflecting the 2 percentage point reduction from the Social Security tax cut.
Experts say that could neutralize any benefit from the tax reduction.
"Overall we expect consumption to be fairly strong in the first half of the year. But the way things are going at the moment, all the payroll tax cut will do is offset the rise in gasoline and food prices, rather than provide a boost to real spending," said Paul Dales, senior economist at Capital Economics.
The latest survey by the National Association for Business Economics released earlier this month predicted consumer spending will rise 3.2 percent this year, up significantly from the actual spending gain of 1.8 percent in 2010.
For January, consumers boosted spending on durable goods, items like new cars, and on nondurable goods, such as food and gasoline. But they trimmed spending on services.
Economists and researchers are divided about the causes of the current re-emergence of inflation, as well as what the blip in energy and food prices might foretell of the future.
Michael Goodman, associate professor and chairman of the department of public policy at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, said food and energy price increases are the result of economic and political conditions specific to those markets, and do not constitute a general inflationary trend.
"Part of the increase in fuel prices has to do with the gradual economic recovery, which includes an increase in consumption, and part has to do with the volatility in the Middle East, as well as growth in energy demand in the developing world," Goodman said.
Food prices, he said, can be directly linked to recent weather conditions and floods that have led to poor harvests, as well as increased exports of American grains, both of which tend to put pressure on prices.
But generally, core inflation not including food and energy prices remains low, he said.
"There's no evidence that inflation is now poised to rocket off into the stratosphere," Goodman said.
While increased government spending and deficits might eventually play a part in bringing on more inflation, he said, there's no evidence that's happening now.
But Mark Calabria of the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C., contends federal monetary policy and deficits are among several factors that have helped push up the prices of fuel, food and other commodities.
"If you look at the harvest figures, it's not as if they've fallen off the table," Calabrese said. "Things like bad harvests can't explain all the increases."
Calabrese also said he sees more inflation on the way as the result of federal money policy, although probably not to the double-digit levels of the late '70s.
"I think even inflation in the 2, 3 or 4 percent range has costs to the economy," he said.


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Oracle has signed an agreement to acquire Dyn, a company which provides dynamic DNS services.
Dyn also monitors, controls, and optimises Internet applications and cloud services.
Dyn is powered by a global network that drives 40 billion traffic optimisation decisions daily for more than 3,500 enterprise customers, said Oracle.
This includes brands such as Netflix, Twitter, Pfizer, and CNBC.
“Adding Dyn’s best-in-class DNS solution extends the Oracle cloud computing platform and provides enterprise customers with a one-stop shop for Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service,” said Oracle.


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A Chéticamp, N.S., garage is among a number of Canadian tire sellers that have been scammed out of thousands of dollars.
RCMP say thieves have targeted businesses in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Alberta and Manitoba with more than $20,000 in total losses reported.
Sherry Bourgeois works at Larade's Tire Shop in Inverness County that was recently targeted by the scheme.
The garage lost more than $5,000 after shipping tires to an address in Montreal only to find the thieves cancelled payment through a credit card company.
"It's a kick in the rear end and it's frustrating," said Bourgeois. "I have to admit we do kind of feel stupid here. But now we're looking at all the other places that were duped, too. So I guess it is a very good scam, it really is."
Bourgeois says her husband's business has become used to phone calls from different area codes as many new people have moved to the area, and often customers phone from out-of-province looking to outfit vehicles amid an ongoing tire shortage.
Bourgeois said the scam began when a stranger phoned in August looking for eight tractor-trailer tires that cost $600 each. With tax, the order totalled $5,520.
She said the purchaser left a phone number, email address and paid through an approved credit card purchase.
The business shipped the tires and received confirmation they arrived. But the garage was later notified that the order was cancelled and deemed fraudulent. Subsequent phone calls and emails to the customer went unanswered.
Cpl. Chris Marshall of the Nova Scotia RCMP said this type of crime is growing as more local business are selling products beyond their typical markets.
"This could affect any business, especially businesses that are used to fulfilling orders from other areas, or are used to shipping orders," he said.
"The biggest thing first and foremost would be to ensure that the payment has been received prior to shipping the items out that are being purchased. So, you know, ensuring that that money [has] been received in your business bank account."
Larade's Tire Shop will dispute the charge with the credit card provider and check whether any loss may be covered by insurance.
Bourgeois said they've never had a problem with scams in their 12-year history. However, this crime could change some of the ways they do business.
"We have to be a little more skeptical with people. But we've never had an issue and it's just — we were given so much information."
Bourgeois said she hopes whoever is responsible for the crime is caught and punished, so that other small businesses are not duped out of their hard-earned cash.
MORE TOP STORIES


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Tag: Coin industry
Reconnaissance’s conferences scheduled for 2021 and 2022 will be held as online conferences or will be postponed to a new date. Here are the new dates for your agenda!
The German company H2O will be offering free webinars in English and German on wastewater management. In the first event you will learn how a sustainable water management minimises ongoing operating costs in mints.
The company H2O has been pursuing the vision of wastewater-free production for over 20 years. With the new VACUDEST ZLD technology the company now offers an additional highly efficient option for environmentally friendly and cost-reducing wastewater treatment.
Long-Term Royal Australian Mint executive and industry expert Dr Prabir De was appointed in the role of Director – Business Development at Mason Fair. The Australian company is specialized in the distribution of jewellery, precious stones and metals.
As the Cash Cycle Seminar has been postponed, the organizers have published a series of short webinars covering some of the time sensitive issues that were due to be discussed during the conferences’ originally planned dates. The webinars are available for free.
More than 20 million people in the world mine gold in ways that destroy their health, threaten their life, and devastate the environment. The Alliance for Responsible Mining has a way to improve the operation of these mines as well as integrating them into the fair trade system.
A platform to raise awareness and provide solid-proof facts about the coin minting industry and its products – that is the aim of Mint Industry, a new website created by the Mint Directors Conference.
The South African Mint has a new Managing Director: Ms Honey Mamabolo has been serving in this function effective since 1 February 2020. She has 20 years’ experience across various industry sectors, including mining, retail banking, and manufacturing.


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Worldline collaborates with GIE SESAM Vitale on the digitalisation of Carte Vitale
By Joy Dumasia
Worldline has joined forces with GIE SESAM-Vitale, a major player in the digital transformation of the French healthcare sector, in an innovative partnership to secure the dematerialisation of the Carte Vitale on smartphones. The new Carte Vitale app will offer all insured persons the possibility for online identification and authentication solutions.
The smartphone transforms the relationship between citizens and digital services. Citizens expect to always have all possible services on their smartphones and in mobile situations. Thanks to the “apCV” application installed on their mobile, every citizen will soon be able to use their phone as a simple connection in their healthcare pathway and, more generally, to access the rapidly expanding digital services.
Worldline, a major player in the security of online payments and sensitive, dematerialised operations on smartphones. In this context, Worldline naturally applied to help define the future security solution for the apCV based on its Mobile Security and Authentication Services capabilities.
The innovation partnership concerns the definition, development and deployment of a modern solution, securing the new Carte Vitale application and its associated exchanges, and for local use by health professionals, or remotely for access to state administrative services via a substantial digital identity. All the security features of the new mobile app must be on the same level of security as the physical card.
Claire Deprez – Pipon, Global Product Manager Authentication Services at Worldline, said: “Thanks to our extensive experience in the digitisation of payments on smartphones, we can leverage this high-security expertise for GIE SESAM-Vitale and propose to all sectors and all use cases, our highest level of security assets for mobile security and authentication services. That is why we are very proud to contribute to this project and help creating a smooth, streamlined experience for all insured persons.”
IBS Intelligence recently reported that Worldline, the European leader in the payments and transactional services industry, introduced WL Account-Based Payments and an account-to-account (A2A) payment offering, allowing online businesses to launch their custom branded products payment method.


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Chicago Agriculture Commodities Finished Mixed Again Tuesday
$CORN, $SOYB, $WEAT
Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Corn unchanged Tuesday, Wheat retreated, and Soybeans rose to a 1-week high.
The most active Corn contract for Jul delivery was Unchanged at 3.8525 bu.
Sept Wheat delivery shed 1 cents, or 0.22%, at 4.5725 bu.
Nov Soybean added 15.50 cents, or 1.40%, to at 11.2025 bu.
In its weekly crop progress report released Monday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) rated 75% of US Corn in good to excellent condition, unchanged from last week, but 7% higher than prior year.
In the report, USDA rated Winter Wheat harvested at 45%, compared with previous week of 25% and the 5-year average of 41%. Analysts noted that the numbers showed Winter Wheat harvest advanced, weighing on Wheat lower Tuesday.
In addition, USDA rated 62% of Winter Wheat in good to excellent condition, also higher than the number of prior week and previous year.
Soybean extended gains as USDA rated 72% of the US Soybean in good to excellent condition, which is 1% lower than last week’s 73%.
Additionally, the weak USD Tuesday helped Soybean higher, especially after USDA announced 2 export sales of Soybean. Monday, USDA announced that private exporters reported export sales of 150,000 tonnes of Soybean for delivery to unknown destinations.
Concerns of hotter and drier weather may dent the blooming of Soybean in some field in US Midwest extended pressure on Soybean, according to some agricultural analysts.
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Pagani to celebrate its 20th anniversary at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Later this week Pagani will celebrate the 20th anniversary since Horacio Pagani founded Pagani Automobili S.p.A. at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (4-7 July).
Pagani’s exclusive official British agent will be gathering a record number of Pagani Zonda and Huayra models together at Goodwood - the largest collection ever seen in Great Britain, with cars and owners coming from as far afield as New Zealand, the USA and Hong Kong specifically for the occasion
Company founder Horacio Pagani will also be on hand.
An attention-grabbing convoy of Paganis will head down to Goodwood from London on the morning of Thursday 4 July, then heading up the Festival of Speed Hillclimb around 3pm that day.
Five of the most significant Zonda models will then be on static display for all to admire for the whole event. These five Zondas will include the very first Zonda built, the famous Chassis #1 C25 of 1999, plus a 2005 Zonda F, 2009 Cinque, 2010 Tricolore and 2018 Roadster, one of just three sell-out models made, and the world’s most expensive new car at launch at £15million.
In addition, a Zonda R that has recently been subject to the extensive "Pagani Rinascimento" programme to restore and upgrade older Pagani models, will be tackling the Goodwood Hillclimb as part of the Supercar Run.


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Elon Musk’s attorney sent Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella a letter saying that Microsoft had accessed Twitter’s data for unauthorised purposes.
Meanwhile, the microblogging platform will now allow its subscribers to upload two-hour-long videos on the platform.
Microsoft may have violated multiple provisions of its data agreement with Twitter “for an extended period of time,” Quinn Emanuel attorney Alex Spiro wrote in a letter seen by Bloomberg News. Microsoft’s agreement with Twitter includes the obligation to notify the microblogging platform of any modifications to the company’s API or application programming interface, according to Spiro’s letter.
- Also read: What is Sanchar Saathi
According to reports, Microsoft had used Twitter data via its API for years in several products, including those related to Xbox, Bing and its advertising tools. The microblogging platform recently ended free access to its API. In April, Musk threatened to sue Microsoft over claims that the company “trained illegally using Twitter data.” Thereafter, Microsoft removed Twitter from its social media management tools for advertisers and turned off the option to upload screenshots and clips directly to Twitter from Xbox consoles and the Game Bar on Windows.
Musk has also publicly criticised Microsoft’s investment in ChatGPT maker OpenAI.


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The last full week of 2018 was full of big winners across the board at BorgataCasino.com and BorgataPoker.com. Here’s a look at who ended the year with some significant cash victories, not to mention serious bragging rights.
If you want to hit the type of online slot payout that’ll make you feel alive, you might want to consider playing Day of the Dead or Dead or Alive. These two online slots paid off nicely the week of December 16 at . They’re two of many stories that have New Jersey talking.


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Sharing their opinion on the significant category trends that are likely to unfold in the near future, stalwarts from the Indian retail industry believe that despite challenging times ahead, technology will set the pace for a retail revolution in the country with the industry entering a consolidation phase and ecommerce growing by leaps and bounds. Speaking on the sidelines of the India Retail Forum 2013 held at the Renaissance Hotel, Mumbai, industry experts opined that with the onset of a technology wave, the industry is cautiously optimistic about growth.
Bijou Kurien, former President & Chief Executive, Lifestyle Reliance Retail, said that for the multi-category retail segment, the next year would certainly be a bit challenging due to the difficult economic environment and low consumer sentiment.
Being upbeat about retail growth, Ajay Kaul, CEO, Jubilant Foods, stated that in the F&B category, in a year’s time, the country will experience a retail revolution. According to him, things will not change too dramatically in the next four quarters but due to the election round the corner, it will be a tipping point. Representing the consulting domain, Arvind K Singhal, Chairman, Technopak, pointed out that consumers in the middle strata, due to time at hand challenges, e-shopping will be the next big thing especially in urban India. Coming from the online retail industry, Vijay K Misra, Founder Director, Done by None, said that the Internet penetration will increase with the availability of cheaper smartphones.
Knowledge with technology will become the greatest enabler, said Rajiv Makhni, Managing Editor – Technology, NDTV. Tushar Ved, CEO, Major Brands stated that India is on the radar of the international fashion and lifestyle brands. By 2015-17 India will evolve as a very different market altogether, he added. Rajesh Jain, Director & CEO, Lacoste India mentioned that in the next 12 months the mass apparel market is going to perform better. Affluent customers will continue buying luxury apparel, the space in which Lacoste operates. The overall market sentiment would be cautiously optimistic, added Jain.
Dilip Kapur, President, Hidesign, mentioned that the sudden and explosive e-commerce growth might affect the high street stores. Hidesign thus plans to grow through ecommerce which already accounts for eight percent of its turnover. By next year, the brand expects e-commerce to contribute 12-14 percent to its sales. Talking about the branded jewellery segment, A Palani Kumar, GM, Integrated Retail Services, Titan Industries, said that customer experience will be the key differentiator. In the electronics space, Kannan Gopalakrishnan, Director, Retail, Nokia remarked that there will be more and more focus on building a relationship from the first point of customer contact and technology will allow companies to offer personalised service.
S. Raghunandan, CEO, Retail- Prestige Group expressed hope on the consumer confidence remaining positive. Meanwhile, Cyrus Engineer, Head -Sales & Marketing, Tata Realty stated that Indian retail is at a tipping point. According to Pushpa Bector, Senior VP, DLF Mall of India, the retail real estate industry is witnessing interesting times with innovative retail formats moving into the country.


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"I love China and want to come here more often", Musk said, according to a transcript of the meeting, which took place Wednesday.
Li replied: 'If this is what you truly have in mind, we can issue you a "Chinese green card"'.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
Tesla's move to break ground on the factory comes amid the backdrop of an ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing.
Didn't know about allegations Manafort shared polling
A jury convicted Manafort on eight counts of tax and bank-fraud in August during his trial in Alexandria, Virginia. Manafort's lawyers said any incorrect statements by him were unintentional.
Getting a Chinese "green card" (sample above) has been described as "one of the most hard tasks in the world". In 2016, around 10,000 were awarded to foreign nationals.
If Musk were to obtain one, he would join the ranks of esteemed figures such 2016 Nobel-Prize winning chemist Bernard Feringa, and former National Basketball Association all-star (and CBA legend) Stephon Marbury.
China hopes Tesla will become a participant in China's deepening opening up and a driver for the stable development of Sino-U.S. ties, Li said.
The premier also congratulated Musk on moving forward with the new multibillion dollar factory, which will be the first plant in China to be entirely owned by a foreign company.
Once completed, it will be the first vehicle plant in China to be wholly owned by a foreign company since Beijing relaxed its restrictions on compulsory joint venture partnerships in some sectors past year.
'Affordable cars must be made on same continent as customers, ' Musk wrote on Twitter ahead of the event.


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XRP is now live on Uquid, giving people in 150 countries a new way to pay for cell phone service. The company says users can now top off and recharge their mobile phone minutes with XRP in an instant.
The company says it’s also enabling XRP payments for mobile data plans in more than 11 countries. Uquid supports dozens of cryptocurrencies and also lets users in select countries spend their crypto on grocery store and pharmacy vouchers, bus and train tickets, and more.
The XRP support comes as Ripple pushes for global adoption of its cross-border payment solutions.
The company recently joined the European Commission’s International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA). The group aims to connect blockchain and crypto organizations with legislators and policy makers across the EU in an effort to support a clear regulatory framework and to boost adoption.
Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen just met with Luxembourg’s Minister of Finance to talk about the future of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
— Pierre Gramegna (@pierregramegna) April 9, 2019
The meeting comes on the heels of a new report from the Luxembourg Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (LPEA). The group compared XRP and Bitcoin, and concluded the digital asset is not a security because it’s “intended to be used, now or in the future, as means of payment for acquiring goods or services or as means of money or value transfer.”
Ripple’s international push also includes a new expansion in Asia. The company recently announced it’s doubling its staff in crypto-friendly Singapore, moving from 12 to 24 employees.
Ripple partner Bitso becomes the first platform in Latin America to earn a distributed ledger license from GFSC
- The license will also cover transactions made through Ripple’s XRP-based xRapid.
- The market reacted positively to the news as XRP/USD went up from $0.319 to $0.324.
Ripple partner Bitso, a Mexico-based crypto exchange, became the first platform in Latin America to earn a distributed ledger license from the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC). As per the company, custody, withdrawals, deposits and trading will be fully regulated by the GFSC. Bitso clarified that the new license will make sure that the company is following all regulatory requirements:
“This license gives Bitso a leading position as one of the most innovative financial services providers in LatAm and the world, by becoming the first exchange platform in LatAm, licensed and regulated by the GFSC…
The DLT License understands the modern need for robust and speedy interaction with regulators in this fast-moving area of business, while ensuring it continues to meet its regulatory and strategic objectives, bringing more protection and certainty for users.”
The license will also cover transactions made through Ripple’s XRP-based xRapid.
XRP/USD daily chart
The XRP/USD is trending in an upwards channel formation. This Saturday, the price went up from $0.319 to $0.324, following a bearish Friday wherein the price went down from $0.320 to $0.319. The Elliot oscillator shows three straight bullish sessions, while the moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) shows that the signal line is about to cross over with the MACD line, indicating a reversal of bearish momentum.
Ripple and South Korea’s Sentbe partner via MoneyGram
- MoneyGram partnership with Sentbe could push Ripple’s systems in South Korea markets.
- Sentbe becomes MoneyGram’s first virtual based agent in South Korea.
MoneyGram, Ripple’s groundbreaking partner in 2019 announced its partnership with one of South Korea’s leading payment providers Sentbe. According to Sentbe’s website, Ripple was also covered in this partnership which will see Sentbe become MoneyGram’s first virtual based agent in South Korea. According to Yahoo Finance:
“Sentbe is a financial technology startup based in South Korea, making cross-border person-to-person money transfer easier, faster, and cheaper through innovative technology. Licensed as a financial institution in South Korea, Sentbe strives to provide financial opportunity and equality through disrupting the inertia of traditional finance.”
While no official statement has come from Ripple to confirm the partnership with Sentbe, it is clear Sentbe considers Ripple as one of its partners. As to whether Ripple’s systems will be adopted by Sentbe, that depends on MoneyGram’s decision to use xRapid in settling transactions.
Ripple Scores More Market Points As Sentbe Partners With MoneyGram
Something really good just happened to Ripple, and it’s bound to propel the global company to the next level in its journey to foster mass adoption of its various global payments solutions.
On July 19th, 2019, a company closely associated with Ripple partnered with another entity that might have access to a large customer base to add to Ripple’s growing client base.
According to a tweet sent out by a crypto fan, the company in question is MoneyGram, which has now partnered with Sentbe. Sentbe is a money transfer operator for SamsungPay Korea.
Just a few weeks ago, MoneyGram announced its willingness to continue testing various Ripple products with the intention of eventually fully integrating them in its far-reaching global payment model.
Granted, Ripple’s payment solutions like the xRapid and xCurrent have been proven to be very fast and cheap as compared to the existing systems. As such, it’s not a surprise that many payment channels, including banks and other various financial institutions, would want to adopt Ripple’s payment solutions to improve their operations.
What It Means For XRP
For one, it’s pretty clear that Ripple has been making huge efforts to get as many of its customers as possible to adopt the use of XRP as a base currency via xRapid. The many partnerships the company has managed to make over the last one or two years have exposed its products to a huge customer base. As at now, Ripple has well over 200 financial institutions on its RippleNet.
If more of these customers adopt XRP, the crypto’s demand would increase and possibly spike price-wise. In fact, a quick look at XRP’s market dynamic as presented on CoinGecko indicates that the crypto has already felt the impact of the new development over the last 24 hours. XRP has bumped up by around 3.5% to reclaim the $0.327 value.


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Xiaomi’s sub-brand is all set to launch a new smartphone Redmi K30 Pro in the market. Due to coronavirus, the company has to plan an online launch event to unveil the device. Before it makes its way to the other markets the company is going to Launch Redmi K30 pro in its home market China. Alongside the smartphone, the company is also going to bring a refreshed version of RedmiBook 14 Ryzen Edition along with Mi Air Purifier F1 and Redmi x Keith Haring accessories that are said to include a set of headphones and phone case.
Redmi K30 Pro expected pricing and how to watch the live stream
The Redmi K30 Pro is going to get unwrapped through an online launch. The launch event will be live-streamed via the company’s official Weibo account that will begin at 2 PM CST (11.30 AM IST).
Today the company will be launching two devices Redmi K30 Pro and Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition. The pricing of the upcoming smartphones are still not known but is tipped to come with a price tag of CNY 3,299 (around Rs 35,200) whereas the pricing of the other model is yet to be known.
Redmi K30 Pro and Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition specification
Redmi K30 Pro is confirmed to feature an HDR10+ display with a Super AMOLED panel. Moreover, it is going to offer 1200 nits of peak brightness and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. According to some reports, both K30 pro and K30 Pro Zoom will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor combined with UFS 3.1 storage. Redmi K30 Pro is expected to be offered in two variants 6GB with 128GB internal storage and 8GB with 128GB internal storage. Whereas, the Zoom Edition is said to be offered in 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, 8GB RAM with 256GB storage, and 12GB RAM with 512GB storage option. Both are also expected to be offered in Moonlight White, Sky Blue, Purple, and Space Grey colour options.
The teasers suggest that Redmi K30 Pro will be featuring a pop-up selfie camera setup, unlike its predecessor which comes with a hole-punch camera. Additionally, there is going to be a circular camera module to house four rear cameras that include a Sony IMX686 64-megapixel sensor assisted by 3x optical zoom, and dual optical image stabilisation (OIS). Other camera details will be revealed during the launch.
According to some rumours the device will come with the largest vapour chamber (VC) liquid cooling. For connectivity, there is going to be a 3.5mm headphones jack, a dual-mode 5G, and Wi-Fi 6. Rest of the details will be updated after both the devices get launched.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.


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OnePlus is soon to launch a new smart TV in India, which will be affordable and will compete with the likes of Xiaomi and Realme. The Chinese company will launch the smart TV on July 2, prior to which various leaks and official teasers are surfacing. The latest one is the price of the new OnePlus TV launching soon. Read on to know more about it.
OnePlus TV price officially teased
As per a tweet by OnePlus via its Twitter handle, the new OnePlus TV will come under Rs. 20,000 in India, which is way less than the two smart TVs the company launched last year. This means that the smartphone could be priced between Rs. 12,999 and Rs. 19,999. The new smart TV by the company will provide it with a chance to do well in the smart TV arena and will be able to reach more users in the country.
In addition to this, another teaser by OnePlus India suggests that the OnePlus TV will be available to via online portal Amazon India, much like most of its products.
OnePlus TV Expected Features, Specifications
While details regarding the upcoming OnePlus TV remain unknown, the smart TV has been recently spotted by MySmartPrice on Bluetooth SIG, hinting at some specifications it might come with. As per the listing, the OnePlus TV could come in two display sizes: 32-inch and 43-inch, much like the recently-launched Realme TV.
The smart TV is expected to come with LED display panel and support Bluetooth 5.0. It is likely to run Android 9.0 Pie and support a plethora of Android apps. It can also support voice assistant such as Google Assistant for ease of operating it and come along with remote control.
As a reminder, OnePlus is also expected to introduce the budget OnePlus Z or OnePlus Nord on July 10, taking forward its plans pf producing affordable products so that more and more people use the company's products.
Since not all is known about the forthcoming OnePlus TV, we will have to wait until July 2 to get a better idea. Hence, stay tuned with us.


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Three Arrested Over Bogus Tickets
Three people have been arrested for allegedly defrauding music fans of more than £1 million through two bogus ticket sales websites.
Two men and a woman are said to have set up the websites and collected money for non-existent tickets.
They told their victims their credit cards were declined and asked them to pay for tickets by cheque. The tickets never arrived.
Police working on “Operation Podium,” an investigation into ticketing fraud leading up to the 2012 Olympics, believe hundreds were caught by the scam.
They arrested the suspects at two addresses in Surrey and Bromley Nov. 4.
Southwark Trading Standards closed down the worldwideticketstore website after visiting its London premises. The livelinetickets.com site was also shut down.
Acting Detective Inspector Claire Pluckrose told London Evening Standard she believed the police disrupted a significant criminal network that was “profiting from taking hard-earned cash from innocent members of the public.”
“Ticket crime harms the customer buying the tickets, organisers of legitimate events and the economy as a whole. There have been many people disappointed at not being able to see some of their favourite acts live on stage,” she said.


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The event schedule will feature topical industry debates, a keynote speaker address, b2b workshops and an evening networking dinner
“These businesses will have earned no revenue since March and are unlikely to until the start of next year’s tourism season."
Addressing the House of Commons, 8 July, the chancellor unveiled a Jobs Retention Bonus, giving £1,000 to businesses who bring back employees from furlough
Tourism businesses, specifically tour operators and destination management companies, are at grave financial risk of collapse
The warning comes as the association releases its latest Business Barometer result
Joss Croft, CEO, UKinbound, has also called for the removal or deferment of VAT and PAYE payments
UKinbound has written to chancellor Rishi Sunak asking for an urgent Government intervention to protect the industry from effects of COVID-19
The loan scheme has been welcomed, but questions remain over the abolishment of business rates for some businesses
Joss Croft, CEO of UKinbound said: “This is a very stressful and worrying time for the UK tourism industry and travel and tourism worldwide."


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Owners of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in the Philippines can start mashing that update button. According to Sammobile, the local Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update is now available.
The update has already gone live in several countries in Europe, US and Asia. We all knew it was just a matter of time before it gets here, and now it has arrived for the Galaxy S6 Edge.
If you haven’t gotten the update via OTA yet, you can opt to flash via Odin. There are risks though, so I’d advise you to wait.
As for Galaxy S6 owners, no luck yet but its just a matter of time before we get it. In other news, a beta version of Android N is out for Nexus devices and we are barely on Marshmallow.


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Feb 13, 2018
Cloud storming: You need more than an umbrella to stay secure
Cloud computing technology has revolutionized the way organizations provision their information technology (IT) infrastructure. Migration to cloud computing replaces much of the traditional IT hardware found in an organization's cloud-hosting facility with virtualized, remote and on-demand software services—configured for its specific needs.
Feb 01, 2018
Keep the ‘person’ in personalized customer experience
Customer experience is critical to business success today, but few people consider the breadth of this fact and where technology fits versus personal human engagement. It encompasses every single interaction a consumer has with a company—whether that’s browsing a website, making a purchase or receiving after-sales care.
Jan 25, 2018
Tough Love and the Customer Experience Culture
Find a champion. Chances are, the organization responsible for customer experience is already well aware of the issues but lacks the support to convince a management team that is in denial or worse, apathetic. It’s been said ‘you can’t read the label of the jar you’re in’. You need to find a partner in the organization who has the courage to share the outside view of what’s on that label objectively and unapologetically.
Jan 12, 2018
Retail’s Digital Roadmap
Creating a fluid and responsive omnichannel experience for customers can be a daunting proposition for any retailer. It involves so much more than matching the right digital tech to the right customer expectations.
Jan 10, 2018
Mobile Customer Experience: Savvy shoppers. Ready associates.
Any device. Any time. This has been the demand of consumers and the mantra of Verizon for a while now, and we’ve been championing a “mobile first” innovation strategy to help enterprise customers meet the demand for mobile customer experience. But mobility is no longer a demand.
Jan 08, 2018
Operation “Surprise and Delight”
It was just eighteen months ago that Pokémon Go captured global attention, and people of all ages were out in the streets, loading up on pokéballs, and trying to catch and evolve their Pikachus and Charizards.
Jan 05, 2018
Adaptive CX Means Liquid Personalization
Customized offers.Assisted shopping.Mobile wish lists.Virtual cards.There are few industries experiencing a greater outside-in demand for digital innovation than the retail sector. Today’s retail customer is tech savvy, highly mobile, and looking for meaningful, personalized experiences. They want to order groceries online and pick them up at the curb.
Jan 04, 2018
Federal Government Modernization: Priorities for the Federal IT Executive
The Administration’s recent efforts to prioritize IT modernization point to the need for accelerated action inside the federal government.
Jan 04, 2018
Digital Convergence: The Perfect Storm
Digital Convergence Blog Series – Part 1National Retail Federation Show 2018Digital transformation. There’s probably been no bigger buzzword across industry in the last two years. The race for enterprise digitization is on, and now even early digital resisters are rapidly trying to catch up.
Dec 22, 2017
What’s driving the development of Virtual Network Services at Verizon?
Delivering the outcomes enterprises need is driving Verizon to listen to what customers have to say, and then taking action to respond.
Dec 21, 2017
What to consider when planning your future digital network
Most companies are far along on their journey to a digital world in which they can rapidly respond to customer needs, thanks to the flexible and scalable IT environments being put in place. The digital world, however, still relies on a communications network to be successful.
Nov 09, 2017
What does IoT really mean for the enterprise?
For most people, the Internet of Things (IoT) conjures up images of self-driving cars, smart refrigerators and fitness monitors. But in reality, some of the biggest IoT use cases are happening in B2B. Companies are leveraging the technology to improve the efficiency of their day-to-day processes and operations.
Feb 08, 2017
Data Breach Digest: Perspective is reality
Our 16 new cybercrime case studies provide insight into the biggest threats you face—plus tips on how to prevent them.
Feb 02, 2017
Data Breach Digest IoT Calamity: the Panda Monium
Read about one of the 2017 Data Breach Digest characters, Panda Monium. This scenario looks at what happened when one university was attacked by an Internet of Things (IoT) botnet barrage of 5,000 hosts.
Jan 23, 2017
Harvard Business Review - Big Data
Can you handle the volume, variety and velocity of IoT data?
Oct 28, 2016
Data Breach Digest Update - Data ransomware: User and file space error
Scenario #15 of the cybercrime case studies detailed how employees at one small company had access to their files held to ransom. Discover how you can avoid finding yourself in a Catch 22 situation.
Oct 26, 2016
Hybrid IT takes center stage
Oct 06, 2016
Giving up control article
Oct 05, 2016
Data Breach Digest Update - Hacktivist attack: Shedding light on the matter
Data Breach Digest scenario #8 focused on a critical infrastructure breach by a hacktivist. But it’s not just high-profile organizations that are at risk. Get our top tips for mitigating and responding to hacktivist attacks.
Sep 09, 2016
Data Breach Digest Update - CMS security: Keeping the pirates at bay
One of the cybercrime case studies in the Data Breach Digest involved pirates hacking into a global shipping company’s content management system to access data that aided their plunder. Learn how to protect yourself.
Sep 09, 2016
Verizon Intelligent Lighting Solutions


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The station was started in 1978 by Rainbow Broadcasting, owners of KJAS 1170 located in Jackson, Missouri. The original call letters were KJAQ-FM, "Q99". The station was sold to Al Sikes in the early 1980s. Target Media, owned by Tom Stine and Mark Rollings, purchased the stations in 1986 and moved the station from a 3-bedroom house in Gordonville to new studios in Cape Girardeau. Target Media sold KJAS AM 1170 in 1988. Target Media then sold Q99 to Zimmer Broadcasting in 1997. Zimmer sold the station—along with all of its other southeast Missouri (Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, and Poplar Bluff), and southern Illinois (Marion and Carbondale) properties (17 stations: WCIL, WCIL-FM, WJPF, WOOZ-FM, WUEZ, WXLT, KCGQ-FM, KEZS-FM, KGIR, KGKS, KJEZ, KKLR-FM, KLSC, KMAL, KSIM, KWOC, and KZIM) -- to Max Media, LLC. The sales occurred in December 2003, for a reported price of $43 million.
^Homan, John D. (2003-12-19). "Zimmer sells 17 radio stations". Southern Illinoisan. The Zimmer Radio Group, a family-owned media company, announced Wednesday it will sell 17 of its 32 stations [...] to Mississippi River Radio.


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Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has hired Lianne Jones, a produce and floral industry veteran with extensive global experience, as the new country manager for PMA in South Africa. Jones’s background includes nearly 20 years of marketing, sales, category management, account management and business development with companies such as Zespri International Limited, the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, and ASDA/International Produce Ltd, a United Kingdom subsidiary of Walmart.
As PMA’s new country manager in South Africa, Jones will focus on providing member value, attracting and retaining members, and building strategic partnerships to help grow the produce and floral industry. Jones will oversee all PMA events and activities in South Africa, including Fresh Connections: Southern Africa, PMA Fresh Talks initiatives, and will support the execution of Fresh Summit, PMA’s annual convention and expo that takes place in various locations in the United States.
She will also serve as PMA’s primary liaison with members, government agencies and other stakeholders in Southern Africa, as well as PMA’s South Africa Country Council. The council is comprised of industry leaders from across Southern Africa’s produce and floral supply chain. They serve on a volunteer basis, providing input, guidance and serving as strategic thought partners to help PMA achieve its mission and vision.
Experience in Africa and Europe
“Lianne knows the European and South African produce industry well, has strong contacts with South African retailers, and her approach to developing new market opportunities, as well as her experience in talent development, make her a great fit for PMA,” said Anouk Sijmonsma, PMA’s global regional vice president (Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia/New Zealand).
Most recently, Jones served for five years as Zespri International Limited’s market development manager for Africa, Israel and the Indian Islands, where she was responsible for strategy development, identifying new markets, sales management, distributor and customer relationship management, and marketing activations.
Prior to Zespri, she worked for Damco, which is part of AP Moller-Maersk, where she was responsible for sales management and marketing for IMEA. She was European field manager for the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (now Fruits from Chile) for five years. While with Fruits from Chile, she expanded markets in Europe from five to 14 trading markets by leveraging various ways to connect with industry members, including trade events, specialist networks and through government agencies.
Jones has also done project work for the South African Table Grape Industry, and for nearly two years she served as a category development and marketing manager in charge of seven different fresh fruit product categories while working for ASDA/International Produce Ltd. Her experience also includes serving as a national account manager with Lingarden Horticulture Ltd.
Produce and floral industry expert
In addition to her primary work responsibilities at Zespri, Jones was also involved in establishing a career development project where business mentors helped young entrepreneurs build knowledge and skills to run their own start-ups. Programme partners included the South African Graduates Development Association, the Star Workplace, Zespri and others.
Jones says her background and range of experience in sales, marketing, and business development in the produce and floral industry will be invaluable in her new role and aligns well with PMA’s objectives. In addition, in her role at Maersk, a shipping and cargo services company, Jones says she gained valuable experience.
“My experience in produce and floral has provided a good litmus test of things that work and don’t work in terms of exploring new markets and customer relationship management,” said Jones. “I bring a balanced approach. I enjoy taking the initiative, being open and adaptable, while also having a measured approach to sales and business development.”
Jones said the current challenges facing the produce and floral industry during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery have bolstered, rather than deterred, her interest in joining PMA and continuing her work in the industry.
“Associations have a role to play in times of crises,” said Jones. “I believe we have an opportunity to leapfrog and make advances that in regular times could have taken years. We have an opportunity now, as an entire industry supply chain, to work together towards creating visibility and demand for fresh produce. We can promote consumption and help growers and exporters emerge stronger. I’m looking forward to working with PMA staff, members, our volunteer leaders and other stakeholders to help add value and grow the industry.” – Press release, PMA


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First Data Corp., the payments processor taken private by KKR & Co. eight years ago, is seeking to raise as much as $3.2 billion in what’s poised to be the biggest U.S. initial public offering this year.
The company is selling 160 million shares priced at $18 to $20 each, according to a regulatory filing Thursday. At the top end of the range, the sale would value the company at about $17.58 billion, based on the 879 million shares of common stock that will be outstanding after the offering.
First Data processes payments for banks and merchants and offers a variety of other services and products, such as systems for accepting credit cards and preventing fraud.
The company has proved to be the biggest equity bet for KKR, the private-equity firm that acquired First Data in 2007 for $29.8 billion, including debt and fees. Proceeds from the IPO will be used to prune the company’s about $21 billion of debt, which KKR used to finance its buyout. An IPO priced at the $19 midpoint would value KKR’s stake at $5.3 billion, or about 35% higher than its $3.9 billion investment, its biggest equity position in a company, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
After cycling through a succession of chief executive officers, KKR recruited Frank Bisignano in 2013 from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to run First Data. In 2014, KKR led a $3.5 billion equity infusion to cut debt and kick-start acquisitions—chipping in an additional $1.2 billion of its own funds.
Citigroup Inc., Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Corp.’s Merrill Lynch and KKR are acting as joint bookrunning managers of the First Data IPO. Barclays Plc, Credit Suisse Group AG, Deutsche Bank AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., HSBC Holdings Plc, Mizuho Securities, PNC Capital Markets, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. are bookrunners, and Allen & Co., Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA and Cowen & Co. are co- managers, according to the filing.


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The real-world shopping experience is still relevant, even in times where traditional brick and mortar shops are facing increasing competition from online shops. However, according to punchbowl.com brick and mortar still matter as 61% of consumers shop in-store, compared to only 31% who turn to the internet. So Brick-and-mortar sales aren’t fading anytime soon. Retailers are updating in-store technology to increase the customers shopping experience. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a key element in the digitalization of in-store retail by personalizing the customer experience and creating a more engaged business-to-consumer interaction. According to IBMs latest study about “The coming AI revolution in retail and consumer products”, that surveyed 1,900 retail and consumer product representatives across 23 countries the adoption of AI-driven intelligent automation in the retail and consumer products industries is projected to leap from 40 percent of companies today to more than 80 percent in three years. Retailers and brands are initially using intelligent automation to improve efficiency and reduce costs. As the capability matures, it opens up entirely new ways of doing business that can increase operational agility, improve the quality and speed of decision making, and enhance the customer experience. In the following parts, three examples are presented of big players in the retail industry that successfully implemented AI in the their business operation. So is AI in retail industry becoming the future?
Mango and Vodafone launch the Digital Dressing Room
Two big companies have joined together in the sign of digital and technology, making the shopping experience more interactive; Mango in partnership with Vodafone.
“Mango is excited about this project. For us the future of retail lies in the combination of online and offline – says Guillermo Corominas, Chief Client Officer of Mango. These new dressing rooms represent a further step in the digital transformation of our stores, which will offer our customers a completely new experience ” (Corrierecomunicazioni, 2019).
Vodafone and Mango launch the digital dressing room, as AI in retail industry. This technology consists in a digital mirror of Internet of Things designed by Mango and developed by Vodafone in collaboration with Jogotech, which will allow the clients to scan the clothing inside the dressing room, and to contact the store staff directly from the mirror, to request other colors or sizes. The mirror will also suggest other clothing to match chosen by the client.
Mango’s mission is to extend the digital dressing room to all its principal stores, from Barcelona to New York, with the objective of benefiting customers with a shopping experience that combines the digital and physical component and mix AI in retail industry. For the famous clothing brand, this initiative is the first step for a digital transformation project that aims to create new forms of involvement between customers and the brand.
“This project helps us give more power to the customer and will help Mango get closer to fashion-conscious customers, because it offers more options and experiences than a conventional dressing room,” comments Stefano Gastaut, director of the Vodafone Internet of Things (Corrierecomunicazioni, 2019).
Digital mirrors could be a crucial element in smart manufacturing and supply chains, matching stock to demand while reducing waste The presence of cameras in changing rooms may be a negative factor for some shoppers, and this will need careful management and control. For this reason, some retailers insert them in the store, rather than in private areas. But digital fitting rooms may help retailers to solve some problems. They may be a way to gather customer data via AI in retail industry or many shoppers go into a normal fitting room once try on items, and then either buy or leave, losing any opportunity for the retailer to engage with them during those critical moments (Vodafone, 2019).
You need advice on your wardrobe? Ask Alexa!
Amazon has incorporated a camera into the software of Alexa: Echo Look takes photos and videos from voice commands. These photos can be published through an app in which you can ask for advice on trends, compare two outfits, cross data with the weather forecast to know what to wear and even ask him to “pack you” with the best combinations of your wardrobe.
With this example, we can see how AI in retail industry is changing the retail world. You don’t have to go to the shop anymore to ask for professional assistance about the trends or about what fit or combination is best for you (Planetachatbot, 2017)
AI Solves Zara’s Return Issues
In the online fashion store, returns are twice those of the offline store and the causes are usually a high percentage by size and fit. Given the cost of each return, added to the stock stoppage it causes, fashion brands are focusing on solving this problem which also impoverishes the shopping experience. Zara for example has made the size chart evolve and now suggests the right size based not only on the measurements the user gives but also on their preferences (looser, tighter clothing) and the return of that garment by other users with the same measurements and tastes. They hope to reduce the number of returns per garment, not only in repeat purchases but even for first purchases. To sum up, thanks to AI in retail industry they can reduce the stock and reduce the returns. It means higher profitability and this is the most important for the retailer (Planetachatbot, 2017).
The Seamless Sephora Experience
Sephora is implementing the use of AI in retail industry to create an omnichannel retail approach. By investing in AI, Sephora has created a seamless experience for the customer across both digital and retail outlets. The introduction of AI started 2015 when Sephora launched its innovation lab to focus on how to use different types of artificial intelligence such as natural language processing, machine learning and computer vision to bridge the gap between its online and in-store experiences. According to a report by BCG, retailers that have implemented personalization strategies see sales gains of 6-10% at a rate two to three times faster than other retailers.
In store, Sephora has been able to create a better customer experience by finding ways for the consumer to interact with AI. In the short term, Sephora is investing in AI and partnering with personalization specialists such as Dynamic Yield to provide personalized product recommendations to customers. “Dynamic Yield’s machine learning algorithms weigh factors like location, items previously viewed, and items purchased. This led to a return of six times on Sephora SEA’s financial commitment to the partnership.” Also Sephora is employing a wide range of AI technology across their app and in-store to help drive retail sales. Some tools they have used are: Sephora Visual Artist – 3D live experience that enables customers to try on product virtually via Sephora’s app and in store, Tap & Try – ability to tap on a product in store and try the product on virtually, Color IQ – Device that scans the surface of your skin and assigns it a Color iQ number which reveals scientifically precise foundation matches (Rctom.hbs, 2019)
The Revolution of Retail Stores
We might conclude, after the examples mentioned above, that conversational AI in retail industry will have a major impact on the customer experience in retails stores. It not only provides the link between the online and offline connection with the customers, it helps in personalizing the total shopping experience. Conversational AI can for instance offer advice in products, adapted to the wishes of the customer. Moreover it is more time efficient for customers cost efficient for companies as it decreases the time they have to search for products. Moreover, conversational AI also contributes in the data collection about the shoppers and through this for example special offers can be created more easily. With this, customer engagement can also increase, and new customers can be attracted to stores. Conversational AI will be the next step in the digital transformation of the retail branche….
Authors: Evelyn Rijpma, Geraldo Garcia Lopez, Toni Bautista, Valeria Muscatello, Linda Dinse
If you are interested in more topics around AI, please see also:
- Artifical intelligence in eCommerce
- 5 AI impacts on tech industry in 2019
- 5 AI trends that will change the future of sales in 2019


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GameStop Fires CEO Matt Furlong
GameStop terminates the appointment of CEO Matt Furlong, promotes key team members.
As the crypto market regresses daily, GameStop has terminated the appointment of CEO Matt Furlong. The ex-CEO joined the gaming firm two years ago and has been pivotal in expanding GameStop Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) marketplace.
GameStop is yet to replace the CEO but has promoted some members of its team. Ryan Cohen, Chewy's former founder and CEO has been promoted to executive chairman. Mark Robinson has also resumed roles as the company’s general manager and “principal executive officer”, having served as GameStop’s general counsel.
The termination of Furlong’s appointment has decreased investors’ confidence in GameStop. A while after the announcement, the gaming firm’s share price depleted by 19% to approximately $21 per share. Notably, GameStop’s share peaked at over $26 per share earlier this year.
GameStop Partnership With Illuvium
Furlong’s absence would attract months of retreat from all previously invested efforts. In December, the ex-CEO mentioned that the gaming platform would recenter its focus on core pillars like video games, pre-owned items, and collectibles. GameStop has also decreased its involvement in NFT and crypto-related initiatives. However, GameStop recently completed a partnership deal with Illuvium. As it stands, no one knows GameStop’s current plight in the Web3 industry.
The partnership deal between GameStop and Immutable X lacks adequate transparency DappRadar has failed to give a defined amount of sales executed through the newly onboarded platform. Another website, GMFT.xyz has suggested that the platform has generated about $17.3 million in sales through the platform. As reported in the deal, Immutable provided a $100 million fund to offer token grants to game developers. Surprisingly, GameStop sold off $47 million worth of IMX tokens a few hours after the February 2022 announcement.


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The Honor 8 will soon have a new friend to play with in the shape of a 360-degree VR camera.
Created in conjunction with Insta360, the Honor VR Camera will clip onto the top of any Honor smartphone and comes with a specially designed app.
Related: MWC 2017
“We’re thrilled to partner with Huawei to grow the global community of 360-degree and VR creators,” said JK Liu, founder and CEO of Insta360.
“Like us, Huawei is committed to reinventing photography, and they believe in our products as the best way to introduce users to the future of the camera,” Liu added.
The camera will give Honor smartphone owners the ability to shoot 360-degree VR-ready content and seamlessly live stream directly from the clip-on device.
The Insta360 Nano can be clipped to the top of an iPhone 7, to allow users to capture VR-friendly 360-degree video. It’s also possible to take photos, and live stream content directly to YouTube, Twitter or Facebook.
We should find out more about the Honor VR Camera at MWC 2017 next week. Stay tuned right here for the very latest.
Watch: What to expect at MWC 2017
Do you plan on buying a 360-degree camera for your smartphone? Let us know in the comments below.


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Google AutoML – Two Real Life Examples of Google’s Automated Machine Learning Tool in Action
- Google’s AutoML is seeing widespread adoption in the data science world
- In one case, a data scientist build a model to predict the restaurant where a bowl of noodles was made, with 94.5% accuracy
- Another instance has seen a popular company increase their model accuracy by over 16% from their existing model
Google’s AutoML has been improving steadily since it’s release as more and more data scientists are incorporating it to solve real life problems. This week, Google published a couple of examples on their blog detailing the use cases. Let’s look at them below.
The Restaurant Location Recognizing Model
If someone asked you to eat a bowl of noodles from a restaurant you haven’t visited before, how likely are you to identify which restaurant it comes from? Sounds like an impossible question, right?
Not for Google’s AutoML tool. A machine learning model, trained using AutoML, was able to identify the restaurant with 95% accuracy by looking at the image of the noodle bowl. The model can take apart and analyse minute details of the image and is able to predict which restaurant it was made in. Incredible!
The developer of the model, Kenji Doi, collected 48,244 photos of noodle bowls from different Ramen Jiro locations (Ramen Jiro is a popular restaurant franchise in Japan). Then, Kenji removed photos that was unsuitable for training, such as duplicates. He then labelled 48,000 photos (1170 photos from 41 Ramen Jiro locations).
Kenji then uploaded his dataset into AutoML and found that the trained model gave him a 94.5% accuracy (94.8% precision and 94.5% recall). In simple words, the model was able to recognise the location where the bowl of noodles was prepared an incredible 94.5 times out of 100!
You can check out the confusion matrix below for the model. Note that the rows represent the actual shop and the columns are the predicted shop.
Classifying Branded Goods
In another instance, Mercari leveraged AutoML to classify images with its brand name.
The company has recently launched a new application to sell branded goods in Japan. According to Mercari, they have been “developing their own ML model that suggests a brand name from 12 major brands in the photo uploading user interface”. Their current model uses transfer learning on TensorFlow and gives an accuracy of around 75%.
But then data scientists at Mercari decided to try their hand at AutoML. The results blew their old model out of the water. They trained the model on 50,000 images and achieved an accuracy of 91.3%. An incredible 16% increase on their already existing model!
Check out the confusion matrix for Mercari’s AutoML model below:
Our take on this
So far, AutoML had been labelled as one of the best tools out there for people who did not have the technical data science skills. But as you can see in these examples, data scientists are also leveraging it in real-life cases to build and improve their models.
AutoML takes out the need for hyperparameter tuning and data augmentation. All you need to do is label images, upload them and AutoML takes care of the rest. You can read more about the tool in our post here.
Have you used AutoML so far? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
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