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BOSTON (WBZ) — Robert Harrington and Dan Brett have known the headaches that come along with picking out and setting up a Christmas tree.
“We’ve lugged Christmas trees to our house and thought there must be a better way,” Harrington said.
So, the former Boston College roommates decided to bring Christmas trees to Boston’s front door with SantaTreesBoston.com.
In the midst of a pandemic, customers have had to change their holiday tradition.
“Usually have people over to help with the tree, wasn’t sure where I was going to get one this year,” said Kelly, a customer.
Brett and Harrington give customers a hassle free way to get a Christmas tree while also staying COVID safe.
“Older people in the greater Boston area who normally would go to tree farm, tree lot, kind of concerned about those crowded spaces,” said Brett.
But SantaTreesBoston.com quickly went from a one stop Christmas tree shop to a holiday experience Bostonians will never forget.
They even come to deliveries in Santa suits.
“People get a kick out of the Santa suits every time. They honk when we’re walking on the street,” said Brett.
Standing outside one of their delivery spots, there was a fair share of Christmas cheer with cars honking in approval.
And in the holiday spirit, WBZ-TV’s Zack Green suited up and gave these Santa’s a hand.
Seven years after his own Christmas tree delivery days in Manhattan, it felt good for Green to get back to his roots – right up until they handed over the broom.
These Santas are not just delivering a tree. They’re delivering a memory.
“It’s kind of a good way to bring that semi-traditional Christmas experience to them,” said Brett.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.


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The way customers choose to interact with businesses is changing, and financial institutions are no exception to this trend. Today, banks and credit unions must confront the competitive pressure created by fintechs, and manage rising customer expectations for more technology and convenience in their banking services.
Here are five pieces of technology that are changing banking in 2018:
1. Evolution of chatbots
Chatbots have greatly impacted the way customers interact with brands in multiple industries. Opportunities for banks to use the technology is readily available. In the past, chatbots were used to answer simple customer questions instantly to save time both for the company and the customer. As chatbots continue to evolve, they are able to offer up more relevant information and even suggest additional products or services that the individual could benefit from.
2. Advancements in cybersecurity
In 2017, there were 1,579 data breaches, a new record high and an upturn of 44.7 percent from 2016. Due to huge breaches at Yahoo and Equifax, customers have become leerier in trusting companies with their personal information. To combat this negative attitude, financial institutions are developing stronger cybersecurity programs to keep customer data safe. According to American Banker, banks will continue to invest in strengthening their computer systems to protect customer information.
3. Branch transformation and new devices
As banks and credit unions continue to invest in branch transformation and add new devices, customers are going to continue to be delighted by the ease and efficiency of performing transactions. New ITMs (Interactive Teller Machines) and virtual tellers create a more human and personal interaction with the machine, as well as provide a variety of services that ATMs couldn’t previously offer. Instead of only offering $20s, ITMs allow customers to pick and choose their denominations for withdrawals. ITMs also allow customers to authenticate their identities by scanning their driver licenses or other pieces of identification if they lose their debit cards, making it more convenient than ever to access funds.
4. Increased offerings through mobile banking
A recent study by Citi revealed that 46 percent of U.S. customers have increased their use of mobile banking, and 91 percent said they prefer using mobile apps to going into the branch. By looking at the statistics revealed by the Citi study, banks and credit unions can see that customer expectations for mobile capabilities are on the rise, so what do financial institutions need to do to keep customers engaged? First off, financial institutions must expand their service offerings available on mobile banking channels to create more customer loyalty and keep customers engaged. To no surprise, customers also expect these services to be completely frictionless, fast, convenient and safe. Lastly, customers are used to opening apps and having unique and tailored content to their preferences. Financial institutions need to keep the needs and wants of the customer top-of-mind to offer applicable and timely services.
5. Detailed Data Analytics
The banking industry is focused on developing artificial intelligence (AI) to leverage real-time consumer data and automation to increase operational efficiency and creates a more individualized experience for new and returning customers. AI plays an important role in the success of some of the above technologies. For example, the use of data helps chatbots provide more accurate answers and creates tailored experiences through mobile banking channels. AI is expected to pave the way to the future of banking by making transactions convenient, easier and personalized.
Through my research and experiences with clients, I’ve learned that it is important for banks and credit unions to leverage new technology to stay current with competitors and increase efficiencies, but it is vital that they humanize the technology. Customers don’t want to feel like technology has replaced humans, but that the technology works in conjunction with them.
How is technology changing your branches? Let me know in the comments below!
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Over half of Gen Z consumers consider how trustworthy a brand is before buying it.
Circularity is not just for leading sustainable only brands; it is becoming increasingly crucial for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) providers to create responsible, transparent and inclusive practices addressing challenges affecting their products and experiences.
Circular economy builds economic, natural and social capital by designing out waste, keeping products in use for longer and creating a regenerative mindset around resources across the supply chain. The shift to a circular mindset will spur on holistic changes that encompass consumption, production and economic models, underpinned with ambitious policies and governance.
A circular approach is more than just for sustainability, it saves the industry money through reduced cost of resources and energy, generating revenue from waste streams – like new uses for the byproducts from manufacturing processes - and retention of value in existing infrastructure and assets through new business models, such as leasing and sharing.
According to a study by the Ellen McArthur Foundation, it is estimated that the European economy can save 600 billion Euros by 2025, if they adopt a more restorative and circular approach. By taking responsibility, organisations will not only make efficiencies in the long-term but also help to remain relevant for Gen Z consumers who are holding brands to a higher accountability.


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We have finally launched our new website with a new look and most of our products on display. We will also continually update the website with new products over the summer and in to the fall.
– It feels great to finally have a website where we can display our shooting ranges and products. For many years we have been completely focused on designing the best shooting ranges and equipment on the market, but the actual marketing fell behind. Now we are finally up to speed, says Peter Norman, CEO of Odin Target.
Online store coming this fall
We are also working on an online store where our customers will be able to order all our standard products that are not in need of customization. The online store will be launched in the fall of 2020 with worldwide shipping.
– This is the next step in our strive to be the best and most accessible shooting range supplier on the market, says Peter Norman.


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Minister of Information and Digitisation Gospel Kazako has hinted at engaging Minister of Finance on possible revision to taxes imposed on telecommunication companies to enhance efforts in reducing internet costs.
Kazako said this during a government and private sector interface for players in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in Blantyre organised by the ICT Association of Malawi (Ictam).
“Government has to be seen to be creating an environment where everyone has a conducive environment for operations. Creation of an e-economy, for example, cannot be achieved if gadgets are not available or if a few people are using these technologies.
“…so I have been engaging my colleague, the honorable Minister of Finance, to see how we can look at the taxes without compromising revenue let alone economic affairs where we have to review certain things that will promote the use of smartphones and the internet,” Kazako said.
Ictam President Bram Fudzulani said the engagement was necessary because the private sector should be informed of the government agenda and see how best to support it.
“We have formed a taskforce that will play a voluntary advisory role to the ministry on what we think is the best practices to be adopted. So, whatever is happening in the private sector, we need to take it to the government with one voice,” Fudzulani said.
A 2018 report, dubbed ‘Freedom on The Net’ indicates that Malawians have to pay up to 44 percent in tax in order to access the internet.
The tax is broken down into; a 17.5 percent VAT [value added tax] on mobile phones and services; a 16.5 percent VAT on Internet services; and an additional 10 percent excise duty on mobile phone text messages and internet data transfers, introduced in 2015.


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CINCINNATI, Aug. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today it will direct $100,000 in disaster relief for those affected by the wildfires in Hawaii. This support will include a $50,000 grant from The Kroger Co. Foundation and $50,000 in food donations to the Maui Food Bank, a Feeding America-affiliated food bank coordinating local relief efforts. These donations will help individuals and families displaced by the fires.
“The devastation caused by the wildfires in Maui is unimaginable,” said Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of Kroger. “Rescue crews and support organizations on the ground are only now assessing the impact and beginning the long road to recovery. We hope Kroger’s support will feed the spirit of those who are affected and those helping the community rebuild.”
Kroger also is making it easy for many customers to support relief efforts by rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar or making a donation at checkout stations at Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Ralph’s, Smith’s and Food4Less stores. These donations through the end of August will benefit the Maui Food Bank.
The Kroger Co. Foundation also directs $500,000 in funding to the American Red Cross through its Annual Disaster Giving Program to help the organization prepare for and respond to disasters across the U.S.
“We’re incredibly grateful to The Kroger Co. Foundation for their support of Maui Food Bank,” said Maui Food Bank Executive Director Rich Yust. “As we actively work to aid those impacted by the wildfires, this type of support not only helps to provide immediate relief, but it also helps us prepare for the long recovery ahead. The support and compassion we are experiencing from the entire country is humbling, and it keeps us motivated to continue supporting our Maui community in every way we can during this time of need.”
“We understand how devastating wildfires can be for our own associates, customers and communities,” said Keith Dailey, group vice president, corporate affairs at Kroger. “Retailers are often the first on the scene and the last to leave in a disaster, and we’ve seen the power of a good, nutritious meal during a difficult time. We hope we can bring a little comfort to those who are grieving and displaced today.”
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit. We are, across our family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.
SOURCE The Kroger Co.
Originally published at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kroger-supports-disaster-response-to-uplift-communities-impacted-by-maui-wildfires-301904762.html
Images courtesy of https://pixabay.com


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Purse Power makes it easy for 161 million American women to connect with thousands of American companies that are woman-owned or women-led. We make it possible for women to use their massive purchasing power to drive positive change.
EDMOND, Okla., Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Purse Power, Inc, announces that Tatiana Bonnefoi will be joining this woman-owned and women-led start-up technology company as its board chair. Ms. Bonnefoi is the global supply manager for Apple where she focuses on taking new products into mass production. Bonnefoi holds master's degrees in mechanical engineering and business from MIT. Prior to joining Apple, Ms. Bonnefoi was a Senior Associate with PwC Consulting and a supply chain management intern with General Electric. Ms. Bonnefoi is based in Silicon Valley.
"We are thrilled to have Tatiana joining our board. Her knowledge of the global technology industry, business best practices and operational excellence will bring highly valuable expertise to the team. Martha Burger, our illustrious board chair, will be stepping down at the end of the year. Ms. Burger's support and contributions have been invaluable to Purse Power's creation and launch and we will always be deeply grateful for her counsel and leadership." states Donna Miller, CEO of Purse Power Inc.
About Purse Power
Purse Power's mission is to create greater economic equality and safety for women and girls. We provide a platform for women to use their massive purchasing power to drive positive change. Our directory of women-owned and women-led businesses is rapidly becoming one of the largest of its kind in the world. By helping shoppers to find and buy from companies that actively support women and by working to create one of the largest funding streams in the country to reduce domestic violence, Purse Power is poised to shatter glass ceilings and change lives. For more information about Purse Power, visit us at pursepower.com.
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tatiana-bonnefoi-to-join-purse-power-inc-as-its-board-chair-300968920.html
SOURCE Purse Power, Inc.


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It is hard to believe that Stoup Brewing (1108 NW 52nd St) has already been enticing the neighborhood with craft brews for a whole year. Although Stoup’s official birthday was October 23, the team is set to celebrate this Saturday, November 1, from noon – 10 p.m.
Stoup was the ninth brewery to open in Ballard and has definitely made an impact on the Seattle beer scene. The brewery was opened by Ballard residents Brad Benson, a chemist, and Lara Zahaba, wine industry expert. Robyn Schumacher is the final member of the team who is a certified beer geek, biologist and Cicerone.
This special birthday celebration will include the release of Stoup’s latest brews including a German-Style Pilsner and an Imperial Porter aged in whiskey barrels.
Attendees will be entertained by the live music of Robert (Bobcat) Newberry from 4 p.m. and band The Kings at 7 p.m. Stoup will also have food trucks Napkin Friends and Mad Dawgs Hotdogs on hand to serve up the goods.
A large tent will be erected out the front of the brewery to accommodate the party no matter the weather.
Click here to find out more about the birthday party!


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Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky 2021-04-07 13:20:16 –
The proceedings allege that Zackley Howitz, who starred in a minor movie and television show under the name Zack Avery, called on his company, 1inMM Capital LLC, to invest. As a result, Howitz argued that: Rights to online platforms such as Netflix and HBO. “
According to criminal accusations, Mr. Howitz told investors that the rights his company wanted to buy were for movies that the streaming company had agreed to distribute abroad.
Prosecutors say the plan began in 2015.
Horwitz allegedly provided fake license agreements and fake distribution agreements to nominate Netflix and HBO. Los Angeles TimesShe told investors she has a “strategic partnership” with a media company.
Investors reportedly began complaining in 2019 when 1inMM Capital defaulted to notes by default. Investigators said in a criminal accusation that Howitz sent investors fake communications from Netflix and HBO explaining why the money wasn’t available.
Netflix and HBO have told investigators that they have refused to do business with Horwitz.
Horwitz will appear in court on Tuesday, face prosecution, and will return to court in mid-May.


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MGA Entertainment is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare society, as a part of its launch for the new Rescue Tales line.
“Rescue Tales offers an opportunity for kids to play a role in rescuing and taking care of a new pet,” said Isaac Larian, CEO and Founder of MGA Entertainment. “One of the greatest lessons a parent can teach a child is the importance of helping others. As we developed the Rescue Tales product line, we wanted to reflect this idea by helping real homeless pets who need saving.”
Kids can adopt a dalmatian, golden retriever, rottweiler, or German Shepard. Each one features adoption accessories, such as a collar and adoption certificate, real sounds and movement, and a colorful doghouse that kids can color and decorate. The soft, cuddly pups are a realistic addition to the family raise real awareness of the importance of rescuing pets.
Rescue Tales Adoptable Pets are available at major retailers now for $24.99 each.


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UPDATED to include comment from SickKids
Once a trusted resource for expecting parents, Motherisk.org now appears to be owned by a for-profit cannabis-related blog and pushes the use of CBD oil.
Since its launch in 1985, the Motherisk program, run by SickKids Hospital in Toronto, has aided countless people in helping them understand what you should or shouldn't expose your baby to while pregnant or breastfeeding by providing them with research-based safety information. However, SickKids closed the program back in April 2019 due to lack of funding, and in a worrisome turn of events, the original site, Motherisk.org, has since been taken over by CBD Clinicals.
The concern is that people who haven't heard of the closure may still try to go to the site for help or recommend others to use it. That would be a bad idea. If you go to motherisk.org, you are rerouted to a page on the CBD Clinicals site that discusses the use of CBD oil—a topical oil sourced from cannabis plants said to have countless benefits—for new and expectant mothers. None of the original information from the old Motherisk, such as specifics on various ingredients and medications to avoid, is available and the articles are all about CBD oil. While these articles don't explicitly recommend the use of the drug (many simply state that there is not enough research), the slant towards CBD is very clear. As well, the recommendations they do provide regarding other medications and natural remedies aren't necessarily research-based in the way the trusted well of information previously provided by SickKids was.
SickKids released a statement in November informing the public that "the motherisk.org website is currently being operated by a third party and in no way represents SickKids or the former Motherisk Helplines." In lieu of the helpline, SickKids recommends that those with questions get in contact with their healthcare providers.
Attempts to visit motherisk.com, motherrisk.org and motherrisk.com—URLs that are similar to but slightly different than the original domain—are redirected to the SickKids statement. So why was the original domain name given up or sold in the first place?
According to SickKids, "The domain name expired and was released following the closure" which they said was an oversight that they are working to prevent from happening in the future. "We know that many individuals and members of the medical community relied upon this website as a resource for up-to-date information about medications and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding," SickKids said in an email release. "We are concerned this content will be perceived to have been validated by SickKids experts."
As well, CBD Clincials told CTV News that they were unaware of Motherisk's history when they bought the domain on advice from consultants.
Keep up with your baby's development, get the latest parenting content and receive special offers from our partners


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Westfield owner names Puechoultres new chief customer officer
Global mall giant Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) waits to become a more customer-focused organisation. So the Wesfield owner has appointed Caroline Puechoultres as chief customer officer and group management board member, effective immediately.
URW said the hire was part of its “wider strategy to capture future growth opportunities in a rapidly changing retail environment".
Puechoultres will be responsible for growing and enhancing URW’s business and consumer offering. This will be achieved by strengthening the company’s commercial partnerships with brands and retailers, “further leveraging data analytics, developing media revenues and expanding omnichannel services including click & collect and [kerb]side delivery, while also driving innovation and strengthening marketing and branding”.
Her experience spans retail, hospitality, media and digital. Most recently, she was sales and strategy director for Carrefour Market, as well as a member of the company’s senior management committee in France.
She also has extensive experience managing international projects and teams including at Procter & Gamble, Intermarché, Tiscali, and Club Med.
Commenting on the appointment, Jean-Marie Tritant, chief executive of URW, said: “It is critical for URW to better understand evolving consumer preferences, digital opportunities and to leverage the audience at our assets so we can drive growth as well as capitalise on the ongoing disruption of the retail industry.
“Caroline’s expertise will help us accelerate the customer-centric transformation already underway at URW, and ensure we continue to create quality experiences, meet and exceed customer expectations, and strengthen the Westfield brand.”
Meanwhile, Michel Dessolain, who served as interim CCO, will take on a new role reporting to the CEO and will continue to serve as a “permanent guest" on the management board.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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DJI Avata leaked photos provide first look at indoor FPV drone
DJI, the world’s top drone maker, has suffered yet another leak. Actual photos of the DJI Avata FPV drone have surfaced online, fanning speculation that the rumored CineWhoop product may just see a summer launch.
The images come courtesy of @OsitaLV, a dependable source for DJI leaks. The photos show Avata sporting a DJI FPV-style battery, bottom obstacle-avoidance sensors, and ducted three-inch CineWhoop propellers with five blades. A higher number of blades typically mean more thrust for the drone and more control for the operator.
You can also see a single-axis gimbal, which would primarily focus on stabilizing the roll axis so that the horizon line stays flat. DJI has already developed proprietary Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) technology to make footage from its action cameras smooth even during the most dynamic movements. It’s likely that would come in handy to power the Avata too.
According to a previous leak, DJI Avata is expected to offer…


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Tedeschi Food Shops integrates the new Coca-Cola Freestyle dispenser at nine of its c-stores. Tedeschi Food Shops added the Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage dispenser at several of its Massachusetts locations. The Coca-Cola Freestyle is expected to expand Tedechi Food Shops’ beverage program for customers, giving their customers a wider variety of refreshment options. Tedeschi Food Shops
More than 60,000 New York citizens oppose the city’s proposed bans on large soft drinks. New Yorkers have started to petition against Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed “soda ban,” which will create size restrictions on soft drinks, juice drinks, sports drinks, flavored water and teas sold at many retail outlets. The ban would affect delis, restaurants, movie
Customers want affordable options on their favorite beverages, and Coca-Cola is answering the call with a better price point. Coca-Cola is providing a more affordable price point for the popular 7.5-ounce mini can to expand consumers’ options for enjoying their favorite Coca-Cola beverage. The new price point will make the mini can more accessible during
The #1 Mexican Soft Drinks Sold in The U.S Come by booth #6761 and discover the exotic Mexican soft drink flavors of Jarritos, Sidral Mundet and Sangria Senorial. They are a proven hit with teen and young adult C-store customers across the country. Ask about our custom cross category promotions and merchandising support. Booth #6761
Since the summers of disco, tie dye and 1970s cool, Mello Yello has offered a citrus flavor to chill any hot summer day. Starting this summer, Mello Yello is going back to its roots with a remixed version of its original package design. While Mello Yello has been widely available in the Midwest and Southeast
Coca-Cola launches Dasani Plus vitamin enhanced flavored water beverages. The line, with zero calories per serving, comes in three varieties,Refresh + Revive: Kiwi Strawberry Flavor has 10%of the RDI per serving of vitamins B3, B6 and B12; Cleanse + Restore: Pomegranate Blackberry Flavorcontains 10% of the RDI per serving of vitamins E,B3, B6 and B12,
At Chicago area Wal-Mart stores, shoppers are finding Coke cases at a special price: 24 cans for $5, the Chicago Tribune reported. The 20 cents per can price demonstrates Wal-Mart’s purchasing power, and is less than good news for the beverage industry, where after higher bottling prices and 10 years of stagnant pricing beverage companies
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. is testing a new method of delivering beverages to 7-Eleven stores in Southern California, using Costco Wholesale Corp. as an intermediary, Reuters reported. Currently, under Coke’s direct-store delivery model, beverages are sent from the bottling facility to a warehouse and then to a distribution center, which distributes the drinks to individual stores.
Now convenience stores carrying Pepsi on fountain in North Carolina and the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area can also offer Cheerwine -the unique, sparkling soft drink from Salisbury, N.C -which will be distributed by Pepsi Bottling Ventures (PBV) beginning in April. PBV’s statewide fountain distribution of Cheerwine marks a deepening distribution partnership between North Carolina’s two
Coke Zero has introduced its NCAA promotion and sweepstakes called “An Exclusive Ticket” at LongHorn Steakhouse. Fans can register for a chance to win “An Exclusive Ticket” to the 2010 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis and experience the “Coke Zero Countdown” concert, starring Darius Rucker, along with an exclusive VIP party, and tickets to
For the third consecutive year, Diet Coke is partnering with Klum and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in a national heart health awareness campaign called The Heart Truth. To bring heart health into the spotlight during February, American Heart Month, Diet Coke will distribute special limited-edition packaging in support of the campaign.
Coca-Cola is launching a multi-faceted Olympic Games-themed marketing program in the U.S., anchored by a group of high-profile U.S. Olympians and U.S. Champions, known as the Coca-Cola “Six Pack” of athletes, limited edition Olympic Games-themed packaging, media and digital experiences. Currently hitting supermarkets, convenience stores and mass retailers are limited edition, Coca-Cola Olympic Games-themed collectible


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Aldar partners with Nobu Hospitality to bring luxury hotel and residences to Mamsha Beach on Saadiyat Island
ABU DHABI, 28th November 2022 (WAM) -- Aldar Properties today announced that it has entered into an exclusive partnership with Nobu Hospitality - the fastest growing luxury lifestyle brand - to launch a new luxury hotel, branded residences, and a fine dining experience to anchor Aldar's extremely desirable destination, Mamsha Al Saadiyat.
The agreement will see Aldar develop the 5-star hotel featuring 165 luxurious guest rooms and suites, including the stunning rooftop Nobu Villa. Expected to open in 2026, the luxury hotel will offer guests and visitors access to the beautiful Mamsha Beach and its lively waterfront promenade, four exciting food and beverage venues including the first Nobu restaurant in Abu Dhabi, state-of-the-art wellness and fitness centre, opulent swimming pools, and expansive event and conference facilities.
Situated alongside the hotel, the planned development includes the first branded Nobu Residences in the Middle East and the second worldwide, offering high-end, multi-bedroom sea view residences. Nobu Residences will offer the highest level of service and bespoke amenities, including raised gardens overlooking the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a state-of-the-art gym, a movie screening room, swimming pools, indoor and outdoor play areas, and exclusive access to a lounge, where residents and their guests can enjoy exceptional events and social experiences.
Commenting on the deal, Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Properties, said, "Our partnership with Nobu is a testament to Aldar's ability to attract international partners and demonstrates the increasing appeal of Abu Dhabi as a leading destination for international investors and visitors - to be home to the second Nobu Residences worldwide and the first in the Middle East clearly demonstrates this. Nobu's iconic brand, synonymous with luxury and F&B expertise, will not only complement our existing portfolio and offering but will also elevate Saadiyat Island's prominence and status as a world-class leisure, residential, and cultural destination."
"The new project activates Aldar's existing prime landbank in Mamsha Al Saadiyat and will bolster our portfolio of high-quality and recurring income-generating properties across residential, and hospitality and leisure segments."
Commenting on the deal, Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu Hospitality, stated, "We are thrilled to be partnering with such a highly recognised company as Aldar, one of the most prominent real estate developers in the region, who share our vision for creating remarkable destination projects and lifestyle experiences. This is an exciting time for Saadiyat Island, which has become one of the world's most desirable leisure destinations, and we look forward to offering our Nobu guests access to its incredible landscapes, cuisine, and culture."


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As the role of artificial intelligence appears to continue growing in our daily lives, it’s taking people’s likeness along with it. This week, hundreds of deepfaked videos featuring faces that looked exactly like Emma Watson and Scarlett Johansson ran across Facebook and Instagram as part of an apparent advertising campaign for an AI deepfake app called FaceMega.
NBC News broke the story, and reported that 230 videos were run across Facebook and Instagram. 127 of the ad videos featured Watson while 74 videos featured Johansson, all of which showed the actresses in provocative situations and had sexually suggestive themes.
The campaign was apparently an advertisement for FaceMega, and for $8 a week, users can swap out the faces of someone in a video with photos uploaded to the app. FaceMega has since been deleted from the Apple App store and the Google Play Store.
“This could be used with high schoolers in public schools who are bullied,” Lauren Barton, who uploaded a screen recording of one of the videos to Twitter, said to NBC News. “It could ruin somebody’s life. They could get in trouble at their job. And this is extremely easy to do and free. All I had to do was upload a picture of my face and I had access to 50 free templates.”
The ads seem to go against the app’s own Terms and Conditions, which say users are not allowed to “Act deceptively or impersonate any person or organization.”
NBC News says the campaign comes from app developer Ufoto Limited, which is owned by Wondershare, its Chinese parent company.
In a January 2020 press release, Meta claimed that it was tightening its grip on manipulated content—the company specifically referenced the growing popularity of deepfakes. Meta said it would remove manipulated videos and photos that are edited in ways to intentionally deceive the average person, or in instances where an AI superimposes content onto a video.
“Our policies prohibit adult content regardless of whether it is generated by AI or not, and we have restricted this Page from advertising on our platform,” Meta told Gizmodo in an email.
Update March 9, 2:30 p.m. EST: Google told Gizmodo via email that FaceMega has been removed from the Google Play Store. This article has been updated to reflect that.


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AppDynamics, which helps big companies monitor and manage their software, raised $50 million in debt financing from Silicon Valley Bank earlier this year.
VentureWire reported on Monday that the deal happened back in February and includes both mezzanine term financing, which is typically used for expansion, and a revolving line of credit.
“Debt financing is a great low-cost way to finance our business, and because of the quality of our enterprise customers, we were able to raise a great debt financing round easily,” the San Francisco company's founder and CEO, Jyoti Bansal, told VentureWire.
The company has now raised about $136.5 million in equity and debt. Its valuation hasn't been disclosed.
It is expected to report a 150 percent jump in bookings for the 12 months ending April 30. New customers include Barnes & Noble, McKesson and Salesforce.
Click here to subscribe to TechFlash Silicon Valley, the free daily email newsletter about the region's founders and funders.
(Edited by: Van Susteren, Lynch)
Cromwell Schubarth is TechFlash Editor at the Silicon Valley Business Journal.


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The 28th edition of the Autopromotec, the biennial five- day international exhibition of automotive equipment and aftermarket products, opened today in Bologna, Italy.
Autopromotec, which is Europe's key trade show focusing on the aftermarket and service industry for over 50 years, offers a comprehensive display of the latest aftermarket products and services from leading industry players.
This year’s Autopromotec offers a look into the future of car assistance, a market that is moving fast globally towards autonomous driving, connected cars, EVs and shared mobility.
Spread across 162,000 square metres of exhibition space comprising 17 halls and five outdoor areas, it features 1,651 companies from 53 countries with 43 percent of them being international companies. This is an increase of 4 percent over 2017. Over 150 delegates from 35 countries are likely to attend the trade show with over 100,000 visitors including 23,000 overseas visitors are expected to visit between May 22-26.
The trade show includes over 500 product categories covering all sub-sectors of the aftermarket. One of the key focus events in the exhibition is AutopromotecEDU, a dialogue and debate platform focusing on innovation and main trends in the aftermarket industry, an opportunity for training and education for aftermarket professionals.
Italy is the fourth largest European automotive market after Germany, the United Kingdom and France, with 1.97 million new registered passenger vehicles sold in 2017, representing an 8 percent increase over 2016. Italy is trying to integrate with the larger European automotive markets and also other major global markets such as India and China. As a result, this year’s edition has more Asian delegates and companies attending the trade show to find business opportunites in Italian automotive aftermarket.
Autopromotec’s Officina X.0, a project developed in collaboration with Accenture, focuses on promoting the role of digitisation and connectivity in the car repair segment. It aims to provide comprehensive services, implemented and made efficient by the use of new technologies, new tools and, importantly, the Internet of Things.
According to the Accenture report, car repair shops and the repair service industry are speedily adapting to connected and digitised mobility: vehicles are connected in a network and live in a digital ecosystem allowing a continuous flow of data and information, called for by various vehicle components. Similarly, equipment is also connected with vehicles and will produce data that, once integrated with those originating from vehicles, will give a more comprehensive picture. A ‘medical record’ of the car, continuously updated in real time, allows the car to engage in a dialogue with the shop equipment.
Another major feature this year is Autopromotec Motorsport celebrating the correlation between aftermarket industry companies and motorsports, under the patronage of ACI Sport and ANFIA-Motorsport.


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Apart from being able to book metered fare taxis on the Gojek app, the company is also introducing a few new services.
You will soon be able to book a taxi on your Gojek app, providing more options for your ride-hailing needs.
Gojek announced on Thursday (Nov 26) that it is looking to roll out a number of new services in Singapore by the first half of next year, including allowing riders to book metered fare taxis directly from its app.
The new licensing framework for the point-to-point transport sector, which came into effect on Oct 30, allows taxi drivers to legally sign up with any ride-hailing service.
Previously, ride-hailing services had to sign agreements with different taxi companies to list their drivers on the platform.
“It makes a lot of sense for us to then have a dedicated taxi service as well, if the commuters choose to want to specifically have a taxi ride,” said Gojek’s general manager Lien Choong Luen.
Other plans in the pipeline include allowing riders to book larger vehicles as well as providing a corporate solution for businesses and their employees.
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Battlefield 2042 Developer DICE is giving up hope of continuing to put more effort into Hazard Zone than they think 2042 is no longer the right home for this mode.
Battlefield 2042 has been a pretty sad story for fans of the game so far. Even those who liked the game and enjoyed it at launch were frustrated by DICE’s slow post-launch plans to bring new content to the game. It took the developers much longer than expected to address the fundamental issues, resulting in a large number of players abandoning the game and either finding a new experience or returning to previous Battlefield entries.
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However, those days are almost over, and you can expect Battlefield 2042 to finally get new content from the developers while DICE outlined its plans for the game’s first season after launch.
DICE has decided to stop supporting Hazard Zone due to a lack of active players in the mode
Although DICE had some great news for players like improved map design and animations for Season 1, DICE also acknowledged a flaw Battlefield 2042 which should come to an end sooner than expected. According to the developer, they will stop supporting Hazard Zone with the arrival of Season 1 as they believe “it hasn’t found the right home Battlefield 2042.”
So rather than supporting a mode that’s sparsely populated, DICE is determined to focus its efforts on the other popular experiences in the game.
- CONTINUE READING: Destroy All Humans DLC leaked with new modes and online multiplayer
To be honest, it didn’t take long for Hazard Zone to become a huge failure Battlefield 2042. Just a few weeks after launch, Hazard Zone was losing many players to a point where matchmaking would take several minutes.
While some believed that DICE and EA could decide to make Hazard Zone a free-to-play experience in the future, the situation appears to be far worse than expected as the team has decided to scrap the mode.
Battlefield 2042 Season 1 is set to be revealed next month, and DICE has promised to bring a new map, a new Specialist, and many quality of life improvements to the game, including a Kaleidoscope redesign.
Battlefield 2042 is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.
https://www.dualshockers.com/battlefield-2042-hazard-zone-wont-receive-any-updates-as-of-season-1/ Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone will no longer receive updates starting with Season 1


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Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra's photo on the cover of Maxim India's latest issue stirred a controversy with Twitterati accusing the magazine of 'photoshopping' the actress' armpit.
Following the outrage, Priyanka Chopra decided to shut down trolls by posting a 'no-filter' photo of her 'real' armpits. While sharing the photo, Priyanka wrote, "Here is another "pit-stopping" picture to add to the debate. #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp #nofilter #armpitdiaries"
Here's the photo posted by Priyanka Chopra:
Here's the photo of Priyanka Chopra on the magazine cover:
What do you think?
What's your take on the issue? Let us know in the comments below
'Look' how the Sheena Bora case has taken a toll on Indrani Mukerjea
Photos: Katrina Kaif, Parineeti Chopra, Shilpa Shetty's movie outing in Juhu
Birthday special: 14 Bollywood actors who made it big on TV
Photos: Vaani Kapoor, Poonam Pandey, Sana Khan at fashion event
Photos: Rishi Kapoor, wife Neetu, daughter Riddhima at book launch


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Seattle Police Department Gears Up
Full gear and full
face flip-up helmets are
now an option for officers in Seattle
Among the general public, motorcycle
gear has evolved rapidly over the last two decades
from ¾ shell
helmets being the norm to full face helmets taking over a large
percentage of the market share outside the cruiser market.
Far more jackets and pants are
with padding in the
shoulders, back, elbows, hips and knees than ever before. The
options available today make it much more likely you’ll walk away
from a crash than ever before if you choose to wear gear.
But look around at most law enforcement
officers and you continue to see 20th century
‘traditional’ style gear that dates back to before many of us were
born. Very little padding if any at the critical points, substandard
¾ helmets when a wide range of full face are available, minimalist
gloves and otherwise continue to be the gear of choice among
Traditions are hard to break. Just ask
John Abraham who is a motorcycle police officer, as well as the head
of motorcycle safety inside the Seattle Police Department. In 1991,
Abraham was involved in a head-on collision with a suspect (later
charged with attempted murder) while on duty riding his motorcycle.
Since then Abraham has been rallying SPD for better gear.
Several years ago, the
SPD approved Abraham’s
request to issue full-coverage textile suits to the 39 officers on
the force who ride in the fall, winter and spring months – at the
department's expense (not always the case as you’ll see in a moment).
Initially the department used gear made by Motoport, migrated over
to Gerbing textile suits and has finally settled on Aerostich's Road
Crafter two-piece suits.
specially-designed suits are made in black and feature additional
reflective piping, loops for holding microphones, additional pockets
and impact armor at all the key points with the exception of the
back. The suit also claims
to be waterproof but Aerostich admits the
zippers may leak.
Abraham managed to get
SPD to allow officers to wear heated gear while riding. However,
each officer must pay for their own additional gear, which seems
reasonable considering they may want to use it off-duty as well. The
approved heated gear is none
other than that of Tumwater-based Gerbing’s Heated Clothing.
Within the SPD, the standard issue boot,
similar to those worn by RCMP in Canada, is
dating back to before the last world war. However,
that boot leaks in
heavy rain, and once again Abraham has worked with the department to
Gortex-lined military-style boots to be
within the department on rainy days. Again, the officers must pay
the boots themselves since they may use them outside of work hours.
But Abraham hit on his biggest milestone
last winter when the department agreed to the use of a flip-up full
face helmet, rarely seen in use by law enforcement officers.
choose HJC's Sy-Max 2 model which offers a variety of options
including various tinted face shield and interior drop down lenses,
replacement liners and a quick-release chin strap buckle. When the
helmets arrive, the
SPD affixes their official stickers to the helmets,
sends them out to the radio shop for microphone and ear piece
and then puts them to work.
Times are changing for the better. Now if
you think you see a police officer, but disregard them because he or
she is wearing full gear, think again - it just may be one.


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Hiring and promotional news from across the restaurant development and design community includes news from Capriotti's Sandwich Shop and Del Taco.
Mo Boutara was named vice president of development and franchise sales for Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar. Boutara has more than 10 years of franchise experience at several chains, more recently as senior director of franchise sales at Rita’s Italian Ice.
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop named David Bloom its chief development officer. Bloom has been in franchising for more than 25 years, nearly 20 with Quiznos.
Del Taco promoted John D. Cappasola Jr to president and chief brand officer from executive vice president and chief brand officer.
Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop promoted Jeremy Mittlestadt to executive director of Non-Traditional Division from director of new store development.


text: Apple starts taking orders for the new model on Friday. The iPad Mini will be competing for the attention of gadget shoppers with the release that same day of computers and tablets running Windows 8, Microsoft's new operating system.Wi-Fi-only models will ship on Nov. 2. Later, the company will add models capable of accessing cellular, LTE data networks. The screen of the iPad Mini is 7.9 inches on the diagonal, making it larger than the 7-inch screens of the competitors. It also sports two cameras, on the front and on the back, which the competitors don't. The iPad Mini is as thin as a pencil and weighs 0.68 pounds, half as much as the full-size iPad with its 9.7-inch screen. The screen resolution is 1024 by 768 pixels, the same as the iPad 2 and a quarter of the resolution of the flagship iPad, which starts at $499. The new model has better apps and is easier to use than competitors such as Google's Nexus, said Avi Greengart, a consumer electronics analyst with Current Analysis. "This really is not in the same category as some of the other 7-inch tablets," he said. "And that's before you consider that it has a premium design â¿¿ it's made of metal that's extremely lightweight." Jobs attacked the whole idea of smaller tablets in his last appearance on a conference call with analysts in October 2010. "The reason we wouldn't make a 7-inch tablet isn't because we don't want to hit a price point. It's because we don't think you can make a great tablet with a 7-inch screen," Jobs said. "The 7-inch tablets are tweeners, too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with an iPad." Job's chief objection was that a smaller screen would make it hard to hit buttons on the screen with the fingers â¿¿ never mind that Apple's iPhone, with an even smaller screen, was already a hit at the time.


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US: TradeCard expands with VP of sales in Europe
TradeCard Inc, the supply chain collaboration platform used by retailers, brands and manufacturers, has hired Frank Bakker as VP of sales for Europe.
The European market is a key strategic growth path for TradeCard, explains CEO Kurt Cavano, adding that "Frank will play a key role in our success."
Bakker, who is based in France, has more than 20 years of supply chain expertise. He previously served in strategic business development roles at i2 Technologies, Ariba and Richter Systems where he worked with clients such as Adidas, Ahold and Tesco to enable demand-driven supply chain strategies.
TradeCard delivers supply chain collaboration in the cloud, combining sourcing, logistics and finance on a single platform that enables supply networks to connect and transact while eliminating upfront investments in hardware and software.
"Retailers and brands today require better flexibility and transparency to meet customer demand," said Joseph Rodgers, senior vice president of sales at TradeCard.
He adds that Bakker's "deep experience working with retailers, consumer goods and fashion companies will enable TradeCard to deliver agility and visibility to European supply chains to help them be more demand driven."
Tesco UK director Richard Brasher will leave the business later this year, having only taken on leadership of the supermarket group's UK arm 12 months ago. In a move that signals the emphasis that Tes...
At the same time as Tesco revealed falling clothing sales over the Christmas period, the UK's largest supermarket retailer also signalled a shift away from expanding its hypermarket presence and a ren...
Top stories on just-style this week included the effects of economic santions on Turkey's apparel industry, H&M plans to launch a new brand following first-quarter profit and the latest news from this...
Supply chain collaboration platform TradeCard yesterday (29 March) announced a partnership with PLM supplier Technia to extend its trade platform in Europe. ...
Supermarket retailer Tesco has dropped its limited edition F&F Couture clothing range. ...
Rising costs and pressure on margins will force women's wear retailers to rethink their pricing and sourcing strategies this year, according to new research, with British manufacturing poised to make ...
Richard Brasher, the head of Tesco's operations in the UK, has decided to leave the business, it emerged today (15 March)....
Netherlands-based women's wear retailer Ms Mode has deployed TradeCard's collaboration and trade platform to help eliminate costs and improve efficiencies in its global supply chain....
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- Bangladesh slips as US imports decline in October
- Taiwan textile maker investing in first US plant
- Outdoor apparel sector set for double-digit growth
- US Q3 in brief – Destination Maternity, Cherokee
- World cotton price prospects lifted again
- Adidas NYC flagship raises the bar on sport stores


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CFDA Fashion Awards 2016's Best Dressed Dates
Not dates in the traditional sense — at the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards, designers showed up with their model, actor, and musician pals wearing their wares. As every year, there was the requisite cohort of Proenza Schouler fans, Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez making brief red carpet appearances; the Olsens of The Row showed up with little sister Elizabeth. But even designers who weren't among the night's nominees still set out with their closest comrades-in-fashion: Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer of Broad City made their mark in Rebecca Minkoff (with the designer at their side, of course), while Christian Siriano dressed '90s ladies Selma Blair and Alicia Silverstone. Here, see a few of our favorites, including Lena Dunham's bunny slippers and Lindsay Wixson's matching kimono set.


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Cristiano Ronaldo is coming under intense pressure from his sponsors following a rape allegation made against him, with Nike joining EA Sports in expressing its concern over the issue.
The Portuguese forward is one of just three athletes to sign a lifetime contract with Nike, which is said to be worth up to $1bn. “We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and will continue to closely monitor the situation,” Nike told AP in a statement.
Ronaldo is also the face of the EA Sports Fifa video game franchise, appearing on the cover of the 2019 game that was released worldwide last week. “We have seen the concerning report that details allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo,” EA Sports told AP in a statement. “We are closely monitoring the situation, as we expect cover athletes and ambassadors to conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with EA’s values.”
The 33-year-old faces a lawsuit from a woman who claims he raped her in 2009 in a Las Vegas hotel room, then paid her $375,000 in exchange for her silence. Las Vegas police have reopened an investigation into the matter.
Ronaldo, who was publicly backed by his club Juventus on Thursday, denies any wrongdoing.


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What BT has learned from a decade of global consumer data
Discover how multinational telecommunications organization, BT, has uncovered a range of insightful trends from a decade of consumer dataAdd bookmark
At CXN Live: Contact Centers 2020, Nicola Millard, principal innovation partner, enterprise CTIO at BT, offered attendees a closer look into the scope and breadth of the research into consumer trends that has been conducted by BT over the past 10 years.
Make things easy for your customers
After briefly detailing the impact of Covid-19 on some consumer trends, including increases in expectations and less tolerance for service failures and disruptions, Millard explained the story behind BT’s latest metric: ‘net easy score’. This score was developed after research showed that 40 per cent of customers who find an experience difficult are likely to churn.
The key trends shaping customer experience in 2020
Moving on to customer experience trends, Millard noted that BT is detecting a large number of organizations attempting to push customers toward digital channels that may not be suitable for meeting their high expectations. Millard reminded that this can lead to some serious ripple effects for brands.
The session also explored a series of significant findings BT has discovered on consumer preferences and behaviors. She noted that while there has been immense hype around chatbots, with 73 per cent of customers believing they would improve CX, they appear to have not quite lived up to the hype yet. In addition to this, it was proposed that while customers are indeed using video channels more than ever, brands should consider that this does not necessarily mean customers only want to engage through this channel.
Millard offered a range of other insightful trends and observations, ranging from the prevalence and desirability of social media channels to customers opinions and limitations regarding personal data, and how this facilitates the performance of AI-driven CX initiatives.
To hear the full range of Millard’s insights and observations regarding the latest trends identified by BT, watch Millard’s full session at CXN Live: Contact Centers 2020 above.


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Huntington Town officials have confirmed that the Lowe’s home improvement chain has decided not to build a store on the 18-acre site of the former Huntington Townhouse in Huntington Station. Lowe’s paid about $35 million for the property in 2007.
Lowe’s officials told Melville-based Racanelli Construction to stop work on the store a little over a week ago. Now zoned for a big box retailer, Lowe’s is marketing the site to other national chains.
“It’s crazy, it makes no sense,” said Huntington Town Councilman Mark Cuthbertson. “They spent a lot of time and money and a lot of the site work has already been done.”
Last month, Lowe’s said it would close 20 underperforming stores and pull the plug on several new store projects. The planned 130,000-square-foot Lowe’s in Huntington Station would have employed about 125 people.
“Lowe’s is no longer pursuing building a store on this site,” Lowe’s spokeswoman Karen Cobb said in an email. “The Town of Huntington has been notified and the property is being offered for sale.”
In May 2010, Lowe’s paid Massachusetts-based National Amusements about $13 million for the 20-acre Commack Multiplex property. Cobb said she wasn’t sure of the status of the store planned for Commack.
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Donald Trump Halloween masks are already selling off the shelf. Some of these masks are selling with skeleton outfits (which is contradictory even for Halloween), while others are pre-packaged with wrinkled navy blue suits and red ties sold by the yard.
As though the masks and costumes were not enough of a parody, one mask manufacturer included a CD chip with Trump’s voice saying: Biden stole the election. And followed by: I demand a recount. Instead of the traditional: Trick or treat,
Maybe not too many treats will be going in that direction.
The Melania and Ivanka masks and wigs will use the recycled Morticia Addams masks with newly spray-painted blond or redhead wigs. No CD chips, as both seldom spoke. One designer suggested a creaking sound when they smiled, but both rarely smiled. Another designer suggested the recorded voice of Shirley Temple singing: On the good ship lollypop. But that was quickly dismissed as just plain no way!
There were no Halloween costumes for the Trump sons. Already considered the joke of a bully daddy, who seems to slowly focus his reptilian eyes on them, mentally thinking negatively of both.
“Why couldn’t they be more like Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.”
Read more by this author:


text:
Taxpayers to get charged as Pentagon buys up Chevy Volts
The Chevy Volt, the plug-in car that has been plagued by sluggish sales and mounting losses since General Motors rolled it out in 2010, has one deep-pocketed customer: the Pentagon.
The Department of Defense is planning to purchase 1,500 electric cars including Volts as part of its effort to make the military more environmentally friendly. But given the federal government’s bailout of Chevy maker General Motors, President Obama’s praise of the Volt and the car’s long-running problems, the federal purchase is likely to become the latest controversy in the Volt’s short life.
The vehicle has been forced to suspend production twice this year and will again suspend production later this month after only 2,831 were sold last month.
The General Services Administration bought 100 Volts in 2011 for various agencies.
See Votes by State
News & Politics


text:
Real estate, including Tesla, has begun preparing to reopen factories in Shanghai, as the city scrambled to exit a COVID-19 lockdown, most businesses in the Chinese economic hub on a three-week shutdown.
Two sources told Reuters, Reuters some ready communications.
Meanwhile, the next picture in the picture until COVID-19 spreads this target.
Business fair in China’s largest economy, in the world’s second largest economy and affect the world’s second largest economy largest. the world. Autumn driving period.
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text:
MORE than 60 HMV outlets across the country will close in the next two months - but Plymouth's store has been spared for now.
Administrator Deloitte announced this morning that 66 of the struggling entertainment firm's 220 shops have been identified for closure.
They include stores in Birmingham, Croydon, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow - but the shop in Drake Circus will stay open for the time being.
Joint administrator Nick Edwards said: "As part of our ongoing review of HMV's financial position, we have now completed a review of the store portfolio and have identified 66 loss-making stores for closure.
"This step has been taken in order to enhance the prospects of securing the business' future as a going concern.
"We continue to receive strong support from staff and are extremely grateful to them for their commitment during an understandably difficult period.
"All other key stakeholders remain very supportive and I continue to be hopeful of securing a future for the restructured business."


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Yoox Net-a-Porter will become one of the first companies to use WhatsApp to sell directly to its customers, as it seeks a leg up on competitors like Farfetch and luxury brands’ own e-commerce platforms.
Yoox Net-a-Porter says that it’s currently developing new technology that will allow its highest paying consumers to buy merchandise directly through Whatsapp, which comes just in time as the e-commerce market for luxury brands including Prada and Versace becomes more competitive.
The e-commerce platform already communicates with its top clients via the messaging app, with chief executive Federico Marchetti confirming plans to extend the use of the mobile app.
The new announcement from Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNP)comes soon after Net-a-Porter’s founder Nathalie Massanet publicised last week that she’s joining competitor Farfetch’s board, highlighting her rivalry with Yoox founder Federico Marchetti, who also orchestrated the merge between Yoox and Net-a-Porter in 2015.
So far, the fashion industry has been slow to capitalise on the opportunity of using messaging to sell to customers. In China, WeChat has over 700 million users, many of whom have their bank accounts linked to the messaging app. According to digital researcher L2, while the majority of global luxury brands use messaging for marketing (92%), only a very small proportion actually use it to sell directly to consumers.
Around 40 percent of Net-a-Porter’s revenue is generated from around two percent of its client base, aka EIPs, or “Extremely Important People.” YNP which sells $7,000 Dolce and Gabanna handbags and $12,000 Oscar de la Renta gowns via e-commerce platforms like Net-a-Porter and Outnet is trying to get in closer with the EIPs.
Yoox Net-a-Porter says its focusing on Whatsapp opportunity because Net-a-Porter’s mobile consumer base places more than twice the number of orders than its desktop customers, and on average, those purchases are more than twice in value. The company says that most of its biggest sales to its EIPs have already been made by chatting to those customers via Whatsapp.
Net-a-Porter says its still testing out the technology and no release date has been scheduled so far. No details have been given on how the payment feature of the texting app would work either.


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Millions Of Google Accounts Compromised Due To Gooligan Malware Attack On Android
Security firm Check Point Software Technologies has discovered a new malware program that targets older versions of the Android OS, which is said to have breached over a million Google accounts using information stolen from Android devices running on Jelly Bean (4.1, 4.2, 4.3), KitKat (4.4) or Lollipop (5.0, 5.1). Currently, this number of infected accounts is rising, as 13,000 new devices continue to get breached daily.
The malware dubbed as Gooligan gets installed on the host devices through a regular phishing attack from third-party app stores (i.e. not the Google Play Store). Once it gets access to the device, it starts installing malware via that app, collecting data about your phone, rooting your phone, and stealing your email accounts and authentication tokens (which gives them theoretical access to all your Google apps — like Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive, etc.). After settling in, the malware starts installing and rating fraudulent apps from the Google Play Store.
Check Point reached out to Google’s security team after detecting the malware and has been working with Google to investigate the massive breach.
“We’re appreciative of both Check Point’s research and their partnership as we’ve worked together to understand these issues,” said Adrian Ludwig, Google’s director of Android security. “As part of our ongoing efforts to protect users from the Ghost Push family of malware, we’ve taken numerous steps to protect our users and improve the security of the Android ecosystem overall.” The steps taken include deleting apps connected with the malware from affected devices and from Google Play; strengthening security to block Android users from installing unverified apps from outside Google Play; and working with internet service providers to take down the infrastructure that supports the malware.
The company said that Google has contacted all the users known so far to be affected.
In order to keep yourself safe, please ensure that you follow Google’s app installation guidelines and as much as possible avoid downloading any apps from websites or third-party app stores.
Source: Check Point


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"It would be nice if we could purchase equipment from Russia in exchange for Russian purchases of our agricultural goods and food for comparable sums in comparable amounts. If you [Russia] will buy our goods, we will have sufficient funds to purchase your equipment. We ask you to help us in this regard,” the prime minister told RIA Novosti.
Earlier this year, a source familiar with the situation told reporters that negotiations were underway for the purchase of more Mi-17V-5 helicopters by Thailand, adding that the deal was expected to be concluded by the end of 2016.
The volume of bilateral trade between Russia and Thailand amounted to $5 billion in 2015.


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Amazon.com Inc.'s (AMZN) $13.7 billion deal to acquire Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFM) has provoked a lot of hand-wringing over the prospect that the deal will kill margins and jobs among brick-and-mortar grocers like Kroger Co. (KR) , Supervalu Inc. (SVU) and Target Corp. (TGT) .
But Amazon has no presence in brick-and-mortar retail groceries now and there's little chance either the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission will view the core part of the deal as a violation of antitrust law. Nor do the competition enforcers have authority to challenge a deal because it might lead to job losses. In fact, job losses are sometimes seen as a positive in antitrust circles because smaller payrolls and lower overhead can mean lower prices for consumers.
But one expert on the Internet's transformation of the global economy sees one area where competition enforcers will want to give extended scrutiny and maybe even impose some novel obligations on Amazon.
That's in Amazon's MarketPlace, which is the company's platform for online retailers—including grocers—which buy products at wholesale and then sell to consumers at a markup.
"This transaction could be the first antitrust risk to the Amazon MarketPlace's mothership monopoly model," wrote Scott Cleland, president of the consultancy Precursor LLC in a blog post. Amazon already competes to a degree with the retailers on its MarketPlace platform, but the acquisition of Whole Foods would increase that competition dramatically, he said.
"Most of the antitrust concern will come with the exceptional market power that Amazon wields online, combined with the under-appreciated conflict in its business model where half of its retail revenues come directly from consumer-customers, and the other half come from its MarketPlace offering where Amazon is the mall and gatekeeper for around 15 of its top 20 grocery competitor-customers," Cleland explained.
Amazon is predicting the deal will close in the second half of 2017, a timeline that suggests competition officials will not carry out anything more than the obligatory one-month review of the deal and won't issue a second request for information, which would extend the antitrust review well into 2018.
"They made a mistake telling investors there are no antitrust issues," Cleland said in an interview with The Deal. "I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon had to commit to some conditions to gain antitrust approval, so that Amazon could not leverage the market power it has online through Amazon Prime into the offline grocery-delivery and retail markets."
(The companies' merger contract sets the initial termination date at February 15, 2018 and that can be extended to an outside date of May 19, 2018.)
Amazon "simultaneously is a direct retail competitor overall, at the same time it is the dominant online broker that has disintermediated its competitors from their customers when they are in the online world," Cleland said.
Cleland said MarketPlace customers routinely criticize Amazon for not being an "honest broker" or for being a "non-neutral platform" that routinely self-deals to their detriment.
"The Whole Foods transaction is the first genuine opportunity and powerful legal process for those alleging anti-competitive harm by Amazon to have antitrust authorities' full ear," he wrote.
Others have fretted that the government antitrust regulators should take a more expansive view of their legal authority and consider trying to block the deal because too many jobs are lost as a result of the game-changing combination of the global Internet giant with the pioneering operator of organic and and specialty grocery stores.
"With every move of this Goliath, Amazon is inviting a thorough antitrust investigation by the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission," consumer advocate Ralph Nader said in a statement. "This company is breaking records for destroying Main Street and hollowing out communities through such mechanisms as predatory pricing, and for many years in the past, avoiding state sales taxes."
Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), said he is "concerned about what this deal means for suppliers and neighborhood grocery stores" in a statement soon after the deal was announced June 16.
But well-known antitrust experts have cast doubt that conventional antitrust analysis account for the potential to cost jobs or put pressure on competitors. "There has to be some kind of injury to competition ... I don't really see an antitrust concern," Herbert Hovenkamp, a professor and an antitrust scholar at the University of Pennsylvania law school, told CNN.com. Eleanor Fox, a professor at the New York University School of Law, also told CNN that whatever antitrust concerns by the deal raises are not likely to increase market power sufficiently or raise prices to the consumer, leaving little reason for officials to be concerned.


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Previously PUBG Corporation has made the decision to no longer authorize the PUBG MOBILE franchise to Tencent Games in India. Under this statement, the link between the mobile version of PUBG Corporation and Chinese Company (Tencent game) was removed.
After this decision, the company again talked to the Indian Government because the PUBG company wants to satisfy the Indian Government’s Terms and Conditions so that they will get approval and the PUBG Mobile will unban.
There’s always been a lot of confusion about the origin of PUBG Mobile but in our previous post, we cleared it that PUBG Corporation is a South Korean company who developed the game PUBG but to bring the mobile version of PUBG which is well known as PUBG Mobile, PUBG Corporation(South Korean Company) collaborate with Tencent (is a Chinese multinational technology conglomerate holding company. Tencent was founded in Shenzhen, China, in 1998)
PUBG Mobile is one of the most popular mobile games in India. It is one of the most downloaded mobile games. The game is so popular that it even got a mention in one of PM Narendra Modi’s “Pariksha Pe Charcha” event where he jokingly asked a parent (who was complaining about how her kids were into online gaming) if “ye PUBG wala hain kya?” (is this a PUBG Mobile issue?).
Because of its addiction, there have been several calls by state governments and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to ban it.
After the Indian government slapped a ban on Chinese apps, the Indian Government department sends 77 questions to all the application owner companies and all are regarding the data security policies, contents the were serving, and lot more. There are also queries whether they censored their contents in favor of foreign governments or not, and they were connected with some influencers to promote their application or not.
To answer these questions, the Information Technology Ministry of India gives them a maximum of three weeks’ time.
The major questions are related to censoring the contents uploaded or shown in their platforms. Specifically, if they censored any content related to the Pulwama Attack of 2019 or not. Besides, they also asked whether they approached any celebrities in our country for the promotion and a few other questions from the fields like advertising, privacy policies, their business structures.
Still, there is no information regarding lifting the ban form any of the 59 apps.


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What six trends will drive plant-based growth in 2021?
It’s no secret that plant-based food and drink has been a huge focus of growth across the world. With more retailers offering increased shelf space, and more new products hitting the market every week, what trends will we see in the year ahead in plant-based food? Tasting the Future, a sustainable food systems consultancy offers up six possibilities.
High protein leguminous crops
“Legumes are valued worldwide as a sustainable and inexpensive meat alternative and are considered one of the most important food sources of plant-based proteins and micro-nutrients. Legumes are nutritionally valuable, providing proteins (20–45%) with essential amino acids, complex carbohydrates (approx. 60%) and dietary fibre (5–30%). In addition, their ability to fix nitrogen and improve soil health, offers a significant opportunity to improve both human and planetary health whilst contributing to food security, particularly within low- and middle-income countries.”
Some leguminous crops which we’ll be seeing drive plant-based growth in 2021 include chickpeas, lentils, groundnuts and millets.
Immune System Boosting Plant Ingredients and Diets
“There are signs that citizens are increasingly making the link between gut and immune health with an increase in the purchase of probiotics for example. Recent research by MMR found that immunity was the top health concern for people in China and South Africa. There is a large body of evidence highlighting that diets based on more plants, including vegetables, nuts, and wholegrains, combined with lifestyle choices, can have an anti-inflammatory effect and can boost immunity. Ingredients that claim to support sleep and mental wellness also seem to be gaining more traction in recent months.”
More attention on the sustainability and health credentials of plant-based foods
“Plant-based foods will draw more attention from a health and sustainability perspective. Just because they are plant-based do not assume, they are either healthy or sustainable. There is already a backlash in some quarters against plant-based and vegan diets. The huge rise on plant-based meat substitutes and claims of both significant health and sustainability benefits will be increasingly challenged. There are some significant questions for which I expect to see more focus in 2021. Plant-based meat substitutes with high saturated fats and sugars will be increasingly challenged from a health perspective. Whilst plant-based foods are generally better from a sustainability perspective, don’t think you can rest on your laurels with regards to sustainability. In fact you need to ensure greater attention and focus is given to mitigating sustainability impacts. Is almond milk more sustainable than extensive and perhaps regenerative dairy systems? If you are business promoting and advocating for plant-based foods, especially plant-based meat replacements, then expect greater interrogation and scrutiny of your sustainability and health credentials and claims.”
Renewed Focus on Taste and Texture
“Taste and texture will remain key priorities for plant-based product developers over the next few years. Although dramatic improvements have been made, much more remains to be done. Taste and texture remain significant technological and customer acceptability barriers to more plant-based eating, particularly when tapping into the flexitarian market. Further innovation in both meat and dairy substitutes is the key to growth in this market. Technological advances will continue to enable plant-based alternatives, such as soy, peas, and nuts, to taste somewhat like meat or dairy-based products (for example the use of extrusion technologies). Some researchers are focused on developing new manufacturing technologies to bio mimic animal meat whilst others are identifying new ways to mix plant ingredients to create a fibrous texture.”
Plant-based Meals at Home
“In the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing impact that has had of the food service sector, expect to see more options for those who want to enjoy their favourite restaurant- plant-based foods from the comfort of the home. Plant based recipe boxes, delivery companies and those specialising in plant-based meal kits could do well. Companies such as AllPlants are tapping into the plant-based delivery market and others are in the process of being launched over the coming months.”
Novel Plant Based Foods
“Plant-based fermented foods, cheeses, fish, chicken, and milks are some of those plant-based ingredients that will gain increasing traction and market share:
Fermented Foods – Fermented foods are foods and beverages that have undergone controlled microbial growth and fermentation – products include tempeh, miso, kimchi, and sauerkraut which are also showing signs of market growth. They also include algae which offer an excellent source of protein, which opens a lot of opportunities in the production of meat analogues.
Cheeses – Plant-based cheeses have not made the same impact on the plant-based market as the alternatives to milk or meats for example. There are some signs of change with new plant-based cheeses coming on stream. One example are those cheeses being developed for Pizza toppings for example – often plant based cheeses do not behave in the same way when heated as say your traditional mozzarella cheeses.
Dairy and Soya Milk Alternatives – Oat milk sales are likely to continue to rise rapidly and outstrip growth of other plant-based milks throughout 2021. There has been some backlash over soya in recent months as a result of an unjustified association between soya and deforestation in the Amazon ( most soya from South America goes to animal feed and soya sourced for human consumption tends to be sourced from North America, Europe or Asia). This perceived association is likely to dampen demand for soya milks and impact on other soya-based foods.
Plant-based fish – This is perhaps the newest frontier of plant-based innovation. More plant-based fish products, particularly replicating fish species such as tuna and salmon will appear on our supermarket shelves and within food service over the next 12 months. Watch out for companies such as Hooked and Good Catch, just two of dozens of companies seeking to launch new seafood products on the market. Others to watch are Vuna, a brand launched by Nestle which is producing is tapping into the plant-based Tuna market creating a product’ the rich flavour and flaky texture of tuna.
Plant-based chicken – Plant based chicken is a trend which will see accelerated growth into 2021. There is increasing attention on the sustainability impacts of chicken which will be a key driver for this trend – see my recent blog ‘ From Jungle Fowl to Jungle Fowl: Chicken Sustainability‘ Whilst plant based chicken may have been slower to enter markets than beef we are starting to see brands such as KFC enter the plant based market with the launch of their ‘beyond fried chicken‘ range. Up and coming brands to watch out for in the coming months include Gardein, Torfurky and Alpha Foods plant based nugget.”
Find out more about food trends from Tasting the Future here.


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Smart cards have become an indispensable part of our daily lives as they have been implemented in a variety of industries. In response to this trend, Samsung offers the use of advanced smart card technologies for applications, including credit cards, e-Passports, and transport ticketing and many more, where global compatibility is crucial.
The need for smart cards embedded with internationally certified security has become more urgent as security concerns increase. Samsung banking and ID solutions help prevent the growing threat of identity theft and credit card fraud that millions of people suffer every day.
The implementation of contactless smart cards, such as ePassports, smart IDs, and smart payments, is quickly becoming the norm. Samsung Smart Card ICs are a response to these requirements that provide the flawless short-range connectivity that is critical for smart cards.


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What is in this article?:
All three measures of farm sector earnings are forecast to rise in 2010, rebounding from double-digit declines in 2009.
- Net cash income is expected to rise nearly 34 percent from 2009, and 28.8 percent above the previous 10-year average.
- Net value added, at $132.0 billion, is expected to be up $20 billion from 2009, and will be 22 percent above its 10-year average. An increase in the value of livestock production accounted for almost all of the upward movement in net value added. The value of dairy production is projected to rise by 29.6 percent, meat animal production by 16.4 percent, and poultry/egg production by 9.9 percent.
- Net farm income, while forecast to be $5.9 billion below its all-time nominal record in 2004, has shown a rebound from 2009, a year in which demand for agricultural products fell worldwide due to the global recession.
Large increase in U.S. cotton receipts
Cotton receipts in 2010 are expected to easily surpass 2009 as the 2010 U.S. lint price rises 24 cents per pound and quantities sold increase almost 12 percent. The quantity of cottonseed sold is expected to increase 48 percent, while its annual average price rises over $12 per ton. In the face of a world economic recovery, foreign beginning stocks are at a 7-year low, boosting the demand for U.S. exports in crop marketing year 2010. The U.S. upland crop is estimated to be almost 6.6 million bales above 2009, reflecting high yields, the lowest abandonment level in 60 years, and a large harvested area. U.S. cotton demand for the 2010 crop marketing year is expected to be well above last season, and U.S. exports are expected to be the second highest on record.
The anticipated increase in wheat sales reflects larger quantities sold at a slightly lower farm price. A rise in rice receipts is expected as an increase in quantity sold more than offsets an expected price decline. The USDA forecasts a record crop with total U.S. rice supply about 11 percent larger than the 2009 crop marketing year. Total exports are expected to be the second highest on record.
Soybeans are expected to exceed last year’s record crop. Strong foreign demand for U.S. soybean exports, especially from China, means that exports for marketing year 2010 are expected to break last year’s record. A forecast decline in the annual price of peanuts is expected to offset an increase in quantities sold. The 2010 yield is the fourth highest on record. Domestic food use of peanuts is expected to rise in crop marketing years 2009 and 2010 while exports, which declined in 2009, are expected to recover some of their lost ground in crop marketing year 2010.
Corn sales are expected to increase with expected increases in bio-energy demand. Declines are expected in both price and quantity sold for barley, while an increase in oat price will fail to offset a decline in its quantity sold. Oat production for the 2010 crop marketing year is down from 2009 and, if realized, would be a record low. A slight decline in hay receipts is anticipated as an increase in hay sold is expected to be more than offset by a decline in price. This reflects a decline in roughage-consuming animal units.
Potatoes are expected to experience declines in both price and quantity sold. Dry bean sales are expected to increase as increased quantities sold more than make up for a decline in their price. As a result of the smaller fresh-market storage crop and continued good domestic and export demand, onion prices may remain above year-earlier levels until next spring. Declines are expected in the quantities sold for apples, sweet cherries, pecans, and walnuts, while increases are expected for avocados, cranberries, and almonds. California is expected to produce a record navel crop, whereas Florida total citrus production is projected to fall 16 percent.
Dairy receipts are expected to increase by almost one-third in 2010 as average milk prices received by dairy farmers are expected to increase more than $3.50 per cwt. Meanwhile, cattle and calf cash receipts are expected to increase 13 percent in 2010 due to increased slaughter. Hog cash receipts are expected to increase 26 percent over 2009 due to stable pork demand and lower year-over-year pork production. Broiler cash receipts are expected to have increased almost 11 percent in 2010 over 2009 cash receipts due to an increase in prices and the gradual reopening of exports to Russia. Egg cash receipts are expected to increase slightly in 2010 due to increased production and slightly higher year-over-year prices.


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Saiful Islam has lately been busy preparing his five bighas of land to grow paddy. But he reckons he will have to spend Tk 25,000 more than he did last season for the cultivation as the cost of just about everything has gone up.
Meghna Group of Industries (MGI) and TK Group, two major commodity processors in Bangladesh, are set to enter into the milling and marketing of rice, a move that may intensify competition but drive small operators out of the market.
Dr Mohammad Jahangir Alam of BAU talks to The Daily Star about the country's rice production.
Bangladesh made gains in food production and ensured the availability of rice in recent years. But surging inflation, erratic weather, and the Russia-Ukraine war affected the availability of cereals and reduced low-income people’s access to food this year.
High prices are making life harder for the poor
Rice prices have fallen to a nearly three-year low impacted by downturn in paddy prices at the farmers’ level in the wake of good harvest as well as higher private and public stocks of the grain.


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The Channel lslands Co-Op and Sandpiper CI say they don't intend to restrict fruit and veg sales despite a global shortage of produce.
Supplies of foods such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers have been hit by bad weather in southern Europe and northern Africa which has affected the harvest.
Supermarkets in the UK have begun imposing restrictions on certain fresh produce. Customers of Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Asda face limits on how much they can buy.
However, islanders are not likely to see similar limitations any time soon.
Mark Cox, CEO of the Channel Islands Co-Op, says they are experiencing shortages of some salad and vegetable lines but are looking at other solutions.
"We are actively working with our suppliers to find alternative sources where possible; it is likely there will be some shortages of products for several weeks until supply from growers locally is available.
We have no intention of rationing products as has been seen in the UK and we apologise for the inconvenience caused by these shortages."
Sandpiper CI - which operates the islands' Morrisons Daily stores - says it hasn't felt the impact of the shortage and has no intention of restricting sales of certain products.


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ATLANTA (WTHR) — CBS has rejected a medical marijuana ad from airing during the Super Bowl LIII.
The ad, produced by a marijuana and cannabis investment firm, was willing to pay $5 million for the spot, but CBS turned it down, TMZ reported. CBS said it's because they don't allow any marijuana ads on the air.
The ad profiles three people who say medical marijuana has improved their quality of life. The three people are a boy who suffers from hundreds of seizures a day, a man addicted to opioids and a veteran who was in severe pain after his leg was amputated.
The purpose of the ad is to push for the legalization of medical marijuana nationwide. It's currently only legal in 30 states.


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With Google Hangout we can better exploit our local resources and provide guitar trainings 24/7
Vilnius, Lithuania (PRWEB) July 29, 2011
Since Google+ (or Google Plus) does not allow yet companies to have their profiles on Hangout, guitar teachers use their personal profiles.
Mindaugas Voldemaras, CEO, Noriu Groti, explained simplicity behind the solution: “One profile streams full picture, the second profile streams a zoomed picture to see guitar teacher’s hands and guitar neck in details, and the third profile streams desktop with the presentation notes on it. That’s it”.
After each session, a recorded video and presentation slides are posted to the student’s “circle,” a contact group.
“We’re amazed what great possibilities Google+ provides for small businesses like ours,” Voldemaras said. “Now we can better use our resources and provide service to worldwide audience. People tend to take guitar evening classes after their work. When we have morning in Lithuania, there is evening in Los Angeles. Google+ expands our market to 24/7.”
Google recommends 900 Kbps/1800 Kbps (up/down) internet connection bandwidth for group video connectivity.
Noriu Groti plans to launch online guitar training service on Google Hangout as soon as Google+ allows business profiles.
See video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65gUEiQOWL0


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The popular coffee chain Starbucks is securing its position in the Web3 space by unveiling its Web3 initiative that includes coffee-themed NFTs at next month’s Investor Day event on 13th September 2022.
Starbucks had already announced its plan to enter the Web3 space earlier this year and said that its NFTs wouldn’t be just digital collectibles and have real-world value. The NFTs will give holders access to exclusive content and other perks.
However, at the time of the announcement, the company was light on details but still made a lot of noise in the industry with speculation. But now, the founder and interim CEO Howard Schultz has come forward and told,
“We have been working on a very exciting new digital initiative that builds on our existing industry-leading digital platform in innovative new ways all centered around coffee and most importantly, loyalty, that we will reveal at Investor Day,”
He added, “we believe this new digital web3-enabled initiative will allow us to build on the current Starbucks Rewards engagement model with its powerful spend to earn stars approach while also introducing new methods of emotionally engaging customers, expanding our digital third place community, and offering a broader set of rewards, including one-of-a-kind experiences that you can’t get anywhere else, integrating our digital Starbucks Rewards ecosystem with Starbucks-branded digital collectibles as both a reward and a community building element.
“This will create an entirely new set of digital network effects that will attract new customers and be accretive to existing customers in our core retail stores.”
While details are still not clear yet, it has led to several speculations in the industry. An NFT enthusiast and investor in BAYC NFTs, BitBoyJay has recently tweeted, “So @Starbucks wants to come into web3 well I just hit every popular drink 💀 and Starbucksmenu.eth”
While we can only assume, it seems BitBoyJay has some insider knowledge about Starbucks plans and is already acting on it. It would be interesting to see what Starbucks unveils next month. Stay tuned.


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While everyone here was following Google I/O and Microsoft Build,
had its earnings call. Variety was listening and did some math, delivering unto us a calculated total for Xbox One sales in 2017.
According to its math, Variety says, "Microsoft sold about 30 million Xbox One
by the end of 2017, compared to the more than 73 million PlayStation sold during roughly the same period, according to EA CEO Andrew Wilson."
It's not that much of surprise, since we've heard estimates in that ballpark over and over.


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Tesco PLC (TSCO.L)
16 Feb 2018
LONDON Investors in retailer Booker should reject a "less than compelling" 3.7 billion pounds ($5.2 billion) takeover bid by British market leader Tesco, a top advisory firm said.
* ISS sees limited hit to Booker shares if deal fails (Adds detail from report, background, bullet points)
LONDON, Feb 15 Shareholder advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended investors in Booker to vote against a planned merger with Tesco , citing concerns about the financial merits of the deal.
LONDON, Feb 10 Supermarket group Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, is planning a chain of cut-price stores to counter the growth of discount rivals Aldi and Lidl, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.
LONDON A U.S. hedge fund which owns a stake in Booker Group said on Thursday it plans to oppose Tesco's 3.7 billion pound takeover bid unless the wholesaler secures a better deal.
LONDON A U.S. hedge fund which owns a stake in Booker Group said on Thursday it plans to oppose Tesco's 3.7 billion pound ($5.2 billion) takeover bid unless the wholesaler secures a better deal.
* Booker shareholders to vote on deal on Feb. 28 (Updates with comments from activist investor)
LONDON, Feb 8 Activist investor Sandell Asset Management plans to oppose Tesco's 3.7 billion pound ($5.2 billion) takeover of Booker Group unless the wholesaler secures a better offer from Britain's biggest retailer.
LONDON Supermarket group Tesco is facing a potential bill of up to 4 billion pounds ($5.6 billion) in a record equal pay claim involving mainly women workers at its British stores, according to the law firm pursuing the case. | Video
* Equal pay a hot topic in UK politics, boardrooms (Adds detail, legal comment, Asda comment)