text:
Martha Roberts, a widow and a mother of seven, resides in Gardnerville. She caters to her family through her petite trading. She also complains about the high cost of living in the city.
“Since I lost my husband,” she said, “I have been the only person to provide food and education to the children.”
She said life in the city “is very tough and every day and night the cost of living go up and at the end the less fortunate suffers.”
Martha Roberts said she has been in the coconut business for the past three years when she came from Nimba County.
She began her trade with L$1500, using L$80 of the money to transport it home in Garnerville.
“My daily income is very low,” she said. “At times I make L$50 or I even make L$20.”
She said: “The business is not profitable because of the price increases.”
“I get my goods (coconut) from the Red Light market in Paynesville and transport them my home before taking them to Monrovia (Broad Street) which is very expensive for me,” she said.
She added: “I don’t get help from my children because they are all students and beside that they have to take care of the home and bringing them here will be too much expensive.”
She said she sells, “and in the evening I prepare something for them to eat.” She sells from Monday to Saturday and on Sunday she sells in front of her house in Gardnersville.
She told this paper her day starts at 8:00am and end at 6:00pm every day.


text:
By Benjamin Freed | DCist.com
The D.C. Council passed most of the proposed regulations on the city’s food trucks today, but not all of them. Following up last week’s session by the Committee on Business, Regulatory, and Consumer Affairs, the full Council approved the “non-controversial” portions of the regulations and gave itself the power to tweak the remaining regulations around which the big fight between the food truck industry and city officials revolves.
Still, today’s vote is momentous. The rules adopted today are the first modifications to the city’s regulatory regime over mobile vending in three decades, and puts food trucks in a category by themselves. (Previously, they were classified as ice cream trucks a designation that, among other stipulations, technically prohibits them from parking in locations where a line isn’t already formed.)
But the passages adopted today deal mostly with food preparation, health requirements, the licensing process, and labor standards. They also separate out the stationary roadside and sidewalk vendors that sell souvenirs and cheap snacks along the National Mall.
What remains to be settled, though, are the proposed regulations that have had the food truck industry in a political frenzy for the past few months. By passing a separate amendment empowering it to do so, the Council will now address the proposals that call for the creation of designated mobile vending zones, a lottery to determine where trucks may park, and a 500-foot radius around the designated zones. (Without such a measure, the Council would only have been allowed to approve or reject the regulations outright.)
The Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington has been lobbying for several months against those elements, and at a marathon hearing last month, won over the members of the Business, Regulatory, and Consumer Affairs Committee. Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large), who chairs that panel, said today that he aims to resolve the remaining matters by the time the Council lets out for its summer recess in July.

domain: news


text:
Young women in Mzansi are doing it for themselves and hustling hard to make their dreams come true. Mimma Destiny is a sterling example of this. Mimma sells perfume oil and prides herself on her determination and entrepreneurial spirit.
Mimma took to social media to market her business and says that she puts food on her table thanks to the support of people who buy her lovely products.
South Africans on Twitter were loving her enthusiasm and hard work and were eager to support her enterprise, Dessycalm Empire, which is based in Lagos, Nigeria, Briefly.co.za discovered.
She offers a variety of goods and services and considers her business to be the number one online cosmetics shop, priding herself on ensuring complete customer satisfaction.
She sales wholesale to other business as well as to anyone who would like to try out a new scent.
Social media users were impressed that her oils could even withstand the harsh Lagos sunshine.
Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!


text:
Kenyans were challenged to transact on an app using their mobile phones, and share their transaction details.
“All I want for Christmas is…,” this is probably the one thing on people’s minds right now as they hustle looking for money to enjoy the festive season.
With exactly a month left to Christmas day, everyone is looking for ways of getting money to buy themselves and loved ones the perfect gifts, book the perfect holiday getaways, and still have enough left to usher in the new year.
Luckily, for those using the MCoop Cash app, this shouldn’t be such a hard task. Here’s why.
The Cooperative Bank of Kenya recently launched a campaign dubbed ‘Transact Uzawadiwe’, which went viral on social media with Kenyans across the country participating in order to win the fabulous rewards.
MCoop Cash is a Co-operative Bank mobile banking service which enables you to access a variety of banking, money transfer and payment services. All you need is your ID Card/Passport and a registered mobile phone number, it doesn’t matter which mobile phone network you are on.
Already, Kenyans have received cash rewards of Ksh 25,000, while others have received smartphones, airtime and laptops.
The campaign, which trended for over two weeks with the hashtag #TransactUzawadiwe, closed at midnight yesterday, and the rewards include laptops, smartphones, and cash prizes.
Download MCoop Cash and use it for simple things such as buying airtime, withdrawing money at a Co-op agent or Co-op ATM, transferring money to and from your Co-op account, paying bills e.g. Kenya Power, Zuku, Startimes, DSTV, checking balance or get a statement, applying and pay for a loan etc.


text:
Popular mapping-app Waze has been a hot commodity in the tech world recently, fetching offers from Facebook and Apple along the $1 billion range. But it appears Google won the bidding war, for a cool $1.3 billion, according to a report from Israeli media.
Israel's Globes reports Google will keep the Israeli-based traffic and map start-up that boasts over 40 million users based out of Israel once the acquisition deal is finalized. Waze had received offers from Apple and Facebook but weren't married to either idea. Google offered slightly more money than Facebook and, according to Globes, Facebook wanted to move the Waze headquarters to the U.S. This was a deal breaker. Apple apparently wanted to use Waze as its Maps app replacement after last year's fiasco, but Waze wasn't interested in that, either.
So Waze is now in that elite billion dollar tech club with Tumblr and Instagram. (Where was Yahoo! during this billion dollar bidding? Isn't that their thing?) As our Rebecca Greenfield explained, Waze was commanding such a high price tag because of its dedicated following, data collection practices, and the crazy popularity of map apps. Waze is One-Direction popular with the American tech set, and is the go-to map app in Israel, so now Google will likely add its tech strength to make sure it reaches the top of the (app) charts here, too.


text:
Amid rising concerns about climate change, a Dubai-based start-up aims to expand its gadget repair business across the region but with a focus on sustainability.
Fixerman has converted a large-sized van into a mobile phone repair service centre, which is fully powered by solar energy. It repairs mobile phones, laptops and tablets at its customer’s doorstep.
“The whole service part is completely done on solar power inside the van. The equipment that is used in repairing gadgets run on solar power with solar panels fixed on top of the vehicle,” says Jassim Bangara, founder and chief executive of Fixerman.
“We're actually making a statement … let's try to achieve carbon neutrality in a way we can and it is extremely important in today’s world.”
The UAE aims to become carbon neutral by 2050, while other countries in the region including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, aim to reach the target by 2060.
A chartered accountant by profession, Mr Bangara started the company in 2016 after noticing a gap in the phone repair services “which, didn't quite completely cater to the requirement of the tech-savvy market that we have in the UAE”, he says.
There are nine million people in UAE but there are 17.1 million mobile subscriptions, so “we use our phones a lot ... there are people with two and sometimes even three phones”.
However, to cater to them, the country had only stores in the malls – inconvenient for those with busy schedules – or those "in the disorganised sector, where you don't really necessarily have that quality control when you give your device to them”, Mr Bangara says.
“We have a different kind of services. One is I will come to you, and we fix the device in front of the customer. However, some devices require a deeper level of repair, and for those customers, we have pickup and drop-off services with our fixer hawks. They go around the city, picking up devices from customers, dropping into our studio, we fix it, and then we drop it back.
“There’s a third kind of service where customers actually visit our studio," Mr Bangara says. "It’s an open kitchen concept with jazz music playing on in the background while we repair the device.”
Customers can contact Fixerman by a toll-free number or through social media channels such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.
Mr Bangara is bullish about the growth of the company as mobile phone usage booms after Covid-19 as consumers switch to online payments, shopping and entertainment.
More than 60 per cent of residents recently polled by payments company Visa in the UAE reported an increase in the usage of mobile payments.
“The market is huge, and our dependency on the phones is only increasing. On average, we look at the phone 58 times a day and its usage is increasing as the number of apps goes up,” he says.
Fixerman recently opened its mobile service centre in India and aims to expand across the Middle East as the internet penetration and mobile phone usage continues to grow spurred by the pandemic.
“We have very aggressive plans for the future,” Mr Bangara says. “We want to spread our reach to the Middle East and we are going to start with the GCC countries initially and then we will look at other countries after that. We also have expansion plans in India where we've recently started the first solar powered smart repair centre in Kerala.”
The company, however, has competition from authorised service providers to centres located in Karama, Al Qusais or Satwa, Mr Bangara says. But Fixerman is highly rated by the customers “in the way that we are doing things”.
Revenue jumped 300 per cent in 2019, while the company recorded an 85 per cent growth last year as demand rises. Fixerman expects double-digit growth in revenue in 2021, Mr Bangara says.
“We are very optimistic about what we can do and we are investing in the technologies to enable us to do more devices.”
The company served more than 20,000 customers in the last four years and it employs 22 people. It is planning to raise more funds for expansion. Mr Bangara did not elaborate on those plans.
"We've been self-funded so far ... very shortly we will be going out into the market to raise funding."
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: more than 20
Q&A with Jassim Bangara, founder of Fixerman
What successful start-ups do you wish you could have started?
To me, a successful start-up is one where an idea has been curated to meet the local needs and simultaneously able to disrupt the existing operating model. Two very good examples are Careem in the UAE and Byju’s, an online education platform in India. Both were able to efficiently craft their services to the local needs and achieved tremendous growth as a result. I see the success of these start-ups and use it as an inspiration in our journey. There are many lessons to be learnt from their successes and the objective is to learn from their respective paths.
What is your vision for the company?
We are very ambitious and want to be the best service centre in the wider region. We want to fix as many devices as possible and want maximum number of people to benefit from the services we provide. Mobile phones are at the heart of the digital ecosystem we all live in, and Fixerman is positioning itself to be a go to place for all your tech needs. To date, we have fixed more than 20,000 devices and we are planning to increase that. We want to do this by being a responsible member of society and that is why we hope to make an impact in the e-waste space as well. To date, we have collected more than 2,000 kilograms of e-waste. We intend to increase this significantly, too.
Where do you see yourself and the company in the next five years?
The pandemic taught us a lot of valuable lessons. We used the time to reflect and invest in ourselves. We intend to launch a flurry of activities and services over the next few quarters. This will include repairing gaming consoles, installation of smart homes and other value-added services. We hope to scale up our operations geographically.
What new skills have you learnt in the process of starting the company?
Starting a new company requires you to roll up your sleeves and step in wherever there is a gap. In my previous job, I used to recommend solutions to entities to solve their challenges. Now I am seeing first hand the challenges of execution and this has enabled me and the entire team to pick up skills along the way that are required to run a successful business. From speaking to customers at roadshows to preparing financial forecasts to digital content strategy, the learning has been rich and profound.
Who is your role model in the business world?
I admire Mudassir Sheikha of Careem as a role model. He is also an ex-consultant who went on to start a company to solve a problem he encountered. I admire the grit with which Careem has been led and the evolution of its services over the years. Jeff Bezos is another individual whose journey I greatly admire. He quit his career in the banking industry to build something he believed in.


text:
A.M. Movers: Facebook and Apple Climb Higher, Oracle Pops 1.62%
Shares of Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) jumped 3.54 percent this morning. The company’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, sat down with CNBC to discuss the company. She says Facebook is disappointed with what happened in the initial public offering, but “We’re taking that energy and really focusing on proving to the world that we can continue to grow our business, continue to grow our users and their engagement, and build a great company, not just for a quarter, but hopefully for decades and decades.”
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares edged higher this morning, despite more competition entering the tablet market. Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) recently unveiled its own lighter and thinner high-definition tablets at half the price of Apple’s iPad, and with features and pricing similar to Amazon’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Kindle Fire. The new tablets ship this month.
Don’t Miss: Facebook: The Next E-Commerce Game Changer?
DaVita (NYSE:DVA) shares climbed higher 0n Monday morning. According to a filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKA) owns more than 10 percent of the dialysis clinic operator.
Shares of Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) gained more than 1 percent on Monday. Reuters reports, “Phone maker Nokia Oyj said on Monday it has signed a deal that will give Oracle Corp’s customers access to its mapping services. It said Oracle customers can now combine Nokia maps with Oracle applications.”
Investor Insight: Caterpillar Outlook: Hidden Signal for Higher Gold and Silver Prices?


text:
Valley Auto Loans connects consumers with the best auto lenders and helps them get approved for an auto loan quickly
Greenville, SC (PRWEB) April 18, 2013
Bad credit auto loans service specialists Valley Auto Loans has started the implementation stage of their recruitment policy for the current quarter. A number of finance professionals with a significant experience in bad credit car financing have just joined the company. Valley Auto Loans is a highly preferred online car lending platform that provides super fast approval to applicants irrespective of their credit history.
For instant approval on car loans with bad or no credit, please visit https://valleyautoloan.com/apply-now2/.
Valley Auto Loans has always been extremely proactive about providing tailor-made auto loan deals to all their applicants with bad credit. The company's decision to recruit a group of poor credit car financing experts will certainly help them improve their performance. Interestingly, Valley Auto Loans has done well to achieve over 99% approval percentage during the first quarter of the year.
A number of measures are now being implemented by Valley Auto Loans to touch the unprecedented 100% approval percentage on auto loans. Talking about their long term vision, a senior official from Valley Auto Loans said, "We are implementing a series of plans to take us to our ultimate goal of 100% approval. Our new group of employees will make this journey easier for us."
About Valley Auto Loans:
Valley Auto Loans is one of the most renowned providers of national and local auto loans. The company understands that it can be embarrassing and frustrating to not be able to qualify for a car loan or student auto loan. Valley Auto Loans connects consumers with the best auto lenders and helps them get approved for an auto loan quickly


text:
Take Barnaby, for example. A 15-year-old dog who has become reactive and fear aggressive as a result of old age. It only took a week of taking CBD for his owners to already notice a change in his mood, which made it easier to work on his behaviors.
Month: September 2019
It may sound surprising, but research has indeed shown that CBD has anti-tumor effects by triggering cell-suicide in diseased cells – especially when used in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. One study, in particular, noted a threefold increase in the survival rates of rats who were treated with CBD alongside chemotherapy when compared to chemotherapy alone.


text:
Unwrapping the 2020 digital shopping surge
The Covid-19 crisis has had a dramatic and lasting impact on consumer shopping behaviours and accelerated the mass shift to online shopping. A recent study of 2,000 UK and US shoppers reveals how a staggering 58 per cent of consumers say the recent crisis has prompted them to seize the moment and try out shopping online for items they previously would have only purchased in-store. The research also highlights how the crisis has reset shopping habits, as consumers increasingly seek out digital channels that deliver the personalised interactions and experiences they crave.
With 43 per cent of shoppers planning to spend less this Christmas season, retailers will need to work smarter and harder to engage customers in the channels of their choice to maximise every revenue opportunity during Peak 2020.
Peak season: digital shopping behaviours will predominate
Even before the announcement of the second round of lockdown restrictions, over half (56 per cent) of UK consumers had plans to shop online for their holiday shopping purchases this year. This impressive surge in digital adoption means retailers will need to prepare for a continued uptick in demand for omnichannel services such as home delivery, click-and-collect and kerbside pickup, as consumers continue to hone their multi-channel skills.
But that’s not the only way that consumers are flexing their newfound digital skills. In the run up to the 2020 winter shopping season, a significant 20 per cent of UK consumers were planning to take advantage of remote personal shopping appointments to complete their holiday shopping purchases. One-to-one online video appointments proved a particular hit with 58 per cent of consumers aged 35-44, who awarded top marks to this digital channel.
Consumers confidently adopt new shopping modes
Today’s increasingly experienced digital shoppers have also proved more than willing to explore a variety of new retail touchpoints. Social shopping via platforms like Instagram and TikTok proved especially satisfactory for 62 per cent of those aged 35-44 and 48 per cent of those aged 45-54 who made their first purchases through this channel. Interestingly, 71 per cent of those aged 55-64 also rated their initial experience of this shopping mode as good or very good.
Other options that proved highly popular with a burgeoning cohort of omnichannel consumers included scan-and-go apps and virtual or augmented reality shopping. And it’s not just the younger generations that were more than happy to embrace these approaches; 75 per cent of those aged 65+ who tried virtual/augmented reality shopping rated the experience as very good.
New shopping behaviours are here to stay
The coronavirus crisis has propelled consumers into adopting new ways of shopping. For many, the ease and convenience of the innovative shopping modes they’ve encountered in recent months means they plan to continue to use these options well into the future.
Around a third of consumers (31 per cent) said they want retailers to continue to offer ‘click and collect’ and kerbside pickup services once the current crisis is over. Similarly, 27 per cent of all consumers are eager to continue taking advantage of virtual shopping opportunities via social media and video. Which means that finding ways to bring the in-store experience into consumers’ homes with live-streamed try-on and product discovery sessions will need to be a top priority for those retailers looking to accommodate these newly established customer expectations.
Looking to the future: reset omnichannel to deliver the experiences customers want
Indications are that today’s channel hopping consumers are becoming more than expert at crafting their own very individual purchasing journeys. Based on the goods and services they are buying, consumers will confidently blend options like shopping by appointment, audio, social media and video with omnichannel models like buy online and pickup in store to get the experience they need.
While online shopping is now established as the go to behaviour for both essential and non-essential items, the Covid-19 crisis has certainly helped elevate the importance of personalised interactions for consumers.
As the boundaries between offline and online fade as far as consumers are concerned, having the ability to seamlessly and conveniently ‘channel hop’ their way to the outcomes and shopping experiences they seek is what matters the most.
Once current lockdown restrictions are lifted, retailers and brands will need to re-evaluate their current omnichannel offerings to ensure these are fully aligned with consumer expectations. Whether that’s replicating the in-store experience online with offerings like virtual appointments and augmented reality options that enable customers to preview products in a highly experiential way. Or rethinking in-store services to make these more convenient, safer and more personalised with the introduction of options like pre-booked appointments, scan and go, and virtual aisle technologies that boost the ease and flexibility of the physical shopping experience.
John Federman is CEO at JRNI


text:
Standard & Poor's Corp. lowered the credit rating of Fraser-based Venture Holdings Co. L.L.C. after the company's German subsidiary, Peguform GmbH, filed for insolvency last week. Venture's rating dropped to CCC from B-plus. Venture Holdings and Peguform manufacture interior trim and exterior plastic parts, such as bumpers, for the automotive industry. Peguform accounted for 70 percent of Venture Holding's sales last year. The insolvency filing, the German equivalent of Chapter 11 protection, will "severely impair Venture's ability to meet its debt-service obligations" with the drying up of that cash flow, Standard & Poor's, a New York City-based ratings agency, said in a statement. Venture Holdings has total debt of $877 million. The company had a $14 million interest payment on its public bonds due Monday. Nobody at Venture Holdings was immediately available Tuesday morning to confirm whether that payment had been made. The company's rating remains on CreditWatch with negative implications, Standard & Poor's said.
S&P lowers Venture Holdings' credit rating


text:
Recent activities by the Food and Drug Administration have resulted in numerous recalls of various tree nuts including macadamias, walnuts and Brazil nuts. Manufacturers are quickly moving to protect their customers and their brands by adding an intervention step into their HACCP plans to reduce the rate of salmonella and other pathogenic contamination. With tens of millions of pounds pasteurized per year technology, H2O Express(TM) leads the tree nut pasteurization market. A recent article published by NPR notes,
"Handlers open hundreds of boxes destined for the steaming vats. Almonds aren't the only crop treated here: The facility also processes sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, sun-dried tomatoes, dried apricots, dried strawberries and dried blueberries."
All of those agricultural commodities and many more are treated at our contract processing facilities in California, New Jersey, Nevada and South Dakota. Our customers from around the world are using the technology at manufacturing facilities to improve the safety and quality of their products. The spice industry is adopting the technology for treating a variety of commodities from like black pepper, sage, and cinnamon. As implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act continues to highlight the need for pasteurizing these products we anticipate increasing demand for H2O Express and our other pasteurization technologies.
Testing by the Almond Board of California, by the University of California at Davis and Rutgers University have shown that the pasteurized nuts are indistinguishable from unpasteurized product. Not only do the products we treat taste great, they are safer to eat.
Contact us today to discuss your pasteurization needs.


text:
How many subscriptions to The Daily, News Corp.'s iPad-only multimedia newspaper, have been sold since the expiration of the free trial period last week? I have no idea. That's why there's an asterisk in this headline.
But I do know a little something about how The Daily fared with consumers during the trial. I'm told the app was downloaded 500,000 times. (Publisher Greg Clayman has said publicly that it had amassed "hundreds of thousands" of downloads.) Since Apple has sold around 20 million iPads so far -- 14.8 million last year and an estimated 5 million to 8.8 million so far in 2011 -- that would mean something like 2.5 percent of iPad users have at least tried out The Daily.
I'm also told The Daily has 75,000 "regular users," meaning 15 percent of those who downloaded it liked it enough to keep reading it at least as long as it was free. That number would presumably be higher if the initial version of the app hadn't been so buggy that News Corp. had to ask users to delete it and install an updated one.
A spokeswoman for The Daily declined to comment on these figures. Jeff Jarvis did a back-of-the-envelope calculation and estimated The Daily will need 750,000 subscribers at its current price of 99 cents a week or $40 a year before it starts breaking even. It's fair to say they have a ways to go.


text:
PHNOM PENH , Cambodia (AP) - A Cambodian court on Tuesday found the country's exiled opposition leader guilty of defamation for alleging that a senior government official sought to inflate Prime Minister Hun Sen's online popularity by buying "likes" for his Facebook page.
The issuance of any new permits also has been suspended until the ban is lifted. To prevent future fires, Gov. Robert Bentley has expanded the "no burn" ban to all 67 counties. In all cases, it is illegal to burn trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other non-vegetative materials. Mountain counties in the western third of the state are in drought .
The new e-mails were found on a computer belonging to Weiner and his wife, top Clinton aide Huma Abedin, according to the Washington Post . One agent told The Guardian that many at the bureau view Clinton as the "antichrist" and are supportive of Trump .
Investigators later found the body of Brown's boyfriend in a shallow grave on Kohlhepp's property. WOODRUFF, S.C. (AP) - Law enforcement investigators have expanded their search for human remains beyond the SC property where they discovered a woman chained inside a storage container after the landowner confessed to a 13-year-old quadruple slaying and led them to graves where he says two bodies are buried.
The Phab 2 Plus features a 6.4-inch full HD display with the 2.5D glass at the top. The smartphone has a dual-SIM and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with the Vibe UI skin on top, and is powered by a 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek MT8783 SoC paired with 3GB of RAM.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid topped Japan's new auto sales rankings in October, becoming the best seller for the first time in two months, industry data showed Monday. "Not (including EVs as an option) would run the risk that it could face sales restrictions in some areas". To aid its EV goals, Toyota will also focus on improving its battery technology - and may even source batteries from other companies to keep production costs low.
There were earnings of $0.74 per share. Quarterly performance of the company shows declining momentum of -4.76% while its last one month trend is negative with -4.60%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter previous year. Analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research were looking for earnings of $1.36 per share.
Wal-Mart Stores makes up approx 0.79% of Integrated Wealth Management's portfolio.Breton Hill Capital Ltd. reduced its stake in WMT by selling 2,105 shares or 15.68% in the most recent quarter. For the past 5 years, the company's revenue has grown 2.7%, while the company's earnings per share has grown 1.8%. EBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) now has mean rating of 2.50 while 9 analysts have commented the shares as "BUY", 6 recommended as "OUTPERFORM" and 23 commented as "HOLD".
Western Michigan University Political Science Professor Peter Weilhouwer says "Michigan has voted reliably democratic for the last several presidential elections, but the Clinton campaign is spending an bad lot of time in a state that is supposed to be pretty secure for her".
In other news, EVP Craig L. Silliman sold 672 shares of Verizon Communications stock in a transaction on Friday, August 26th. Level 3 Communications Inc. shares traded was 4371331. The firm has a market cap of $192.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.77 and a beta of 0.38. Finally, Checchi Capital Advisers LLC increased its stake in shares of Level 3 Communications by 6.6% in the second quarter.
So far Resident Evil 7 has limited its horrors to the Baker family; murderous but basically normal. Not only the Capcom expects the game to sell well but also wants the game to be critically acclaimed. Though the report may seem all dandy to "Resident Evil" gamers, there's still a lot of questions regarding the new release date being offered by the Steam page update.
She added: 'My greatest wish is to grow up and be as fantastic as a mother as you have been to us! I love you Mom! "Thank you for all that you do for me and our family!" You are our angel! Also courtesy of Jenner's Instagram, we can see that Angela (a.k.a.
SyncUP DRIVE customers can get notifications when the auto needs maintenance and Global Positioning System tracking helps them find lost or stolen vehicles. Being aware of that behavior helps one adjust their driving habits to be more safe, to cut down on fuel usage, and more. Stay connected: Deliver an in-vehicle Wi-Fi hot spot on the nation's fastest 4G LTE network, flawless for sharing data with five Wi-Fi capable devices to entertain your family during those road trips.
At the same time on ITV, 6. This fact is something that the filmmakers behind Planet Earth beautifully captured a decade ago. Girl Group Four Of Diamonds failed to sparkle enough for the public as they became the latest act to be eliminated.
But while Hillary is hitting the trail to make her closing argument in advance of election day, her top aide, Huma Abedin, who was booted from the campaign while the FBI investigated her estranged husband's technology collection, hasn't returned to the trail.
But this time, it seems they're bowing to consumer ire by slashing prices on Apple-branded USB adaptors, some by as much as 50%. "Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple's USB-C adapters and cables".
Park's resignation. South Korea President Park Geun-hye's approval rating has fallen to 5 percent, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday, setting an all-time low for any South Korean president and underscoring the impact of the influence-peddling scandal.
If the name MZ doesn't ring a bell, you might know it better as Machine Zone, the developer of the tiny little mobile games Mobile Strike and Game of War: Fire Age . This will mark the third mobile game that ties into the world of XV, with Justice Monsters V already released, and King's Knight: Wrath of the Dark Dragon coming before the year's end.
The hackers allegedly leaked details of 161 Indians living in South Africa, 35 in Switzerland, 145 in Italy, 305 in Libya, 74 in Malawi, 14 in Mali and 42 in Romania. "It's very odd that multiple websites of embassies can be exploited with an SQL injection", the second hacker who identifies himself as Kasimierz told Hindustan Times.
Another action that will earn you an extra XP and Stardust bonus is to visit a PokeStop and spin the Photo Disc which will also earn you 500 XP and a "number of additional items". As soon as Pokemon Go v0.45.0 began rolling out this weekend, the sleuths over at The Silph Road started digging through the code, trying to find signs of anything new that might hint at an upcoming feature or change.
And in the other direction, Colorado , Michigan and Wisconsin - Democratic strongholds that account for 35 electoral votes between them - are seen as maybe going to Trump. "Some voters might decide it's not worth the hassle to deal with this and may end up disenfranchised", said Rick Hasen, an election law expert and professor at the University of California , Irvine.
Mark Zuckerberg reportedly endured a world record $3 billion personal loss on Thursday, in the wake of executives' suggestions that Facebook fb wouldn't be able to maintain its rambunctious pace of growth going forward. Out of all Facebook users, 1.66 billion access Facebook via smartphone or other mobile devices, which is about 20% more than the year before. In Q2, Facebook reported it had reached 1.13 billion daily active users.
The government has said it will not decide what to do until the Supreme Court reaches its judgement, with ministers said to be weighing up whether to seek authorisation to begin official Brexit talks through new legislation or through a one-off parliamentary resolution.
After the fire prone Note 7, Samsung is betting on Galaxy S8 to help revive its image and some momentum in smartphone sales and growth. It is assumed that the Samsung virtual assistant will be based on Viv Lab's technology. Google recently launched a new digital AI called the Assistant , now only available on the company's Pixel phones , and Amazon's Alexa has also been steadily updated, most recently reaching customers on the company's new Echo Dot device.
Lloyd had faith in me to get the job done, the horse had a dream run through. Jameka, the only Australian-bred horse in the race, failed in her bid to complete the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double. "People think we are insane, but what are you going to do?" The praise was mutual with McEvoy saying Williams had given him the confidence he needed to run the race his way.
Nokia is all set to make its comeback with smartphones and tablets. The phone will be making its way in colour options of Gold, White, and Black, out of which the gold variant would feature a fingerprint sensor under the Home Button. This is not the first time rumors pertaining to the Nokia D1C have emerged. On the software front, the smartphone could run Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box.
Along with new Android-powered smartphones , Nokia is also rumored to launch an Android tablet as well, which would succeed the N1 tablet that it announced in January a year ago. A physical navigation button is visible at the front with volume buttons and SIM tray at the sides. The rumor gains more importance with the fact that HMD Global has already finalized the key marketing agency named Mother, which is dubbed to sell the Nokia-branded Android smartphones .
The name change reflects the program's expansion beyond offering just previews to system updates with the ability to offer feedback on preview builds of apps, games, and other "experiences". Those who have the Preview app installed and their Xbox One on the instant-on mode won't have to download an update, as it'll happen automatically. The former program focuses only on previewing system updates for the console.
On Sunday, Samsung announced it would include a new AI assistant with its forthcoming Galaxy S8 , and that it would combine conversational language and integration with third-party services to perform tasks, dictate messages, and respond to queries on demand.
Trump has been making a strong push there amid narrowing polls. "It's been some campaign", Trump said. Yet early voting data has shown the state is still in fragile territory. But an early lead does not guarantee success in the Tar Heel state. Clinton received over half of the vote (52%) and Green Party candidate Jill Stein secured second place with 19%.
A Jet White iPhone 7 Plus will probably sell like hot cakes, but will Apple be able to cope with the high-demand for another of its new smartphones? According to Japanese website Mac Otakara , the information comes directly from Apple's supply chain.
Samsung's plan is to use Viv's strong AI software in their upcoming phones (till now its been just said that S8 will be running it) rather than modifying it and implementing it. "The current Galaxy smartphones need separate applications for users, for instance, to order pizza or coffee". Instead of third-party integrations, Samsung should have emphasized on the highlight of Viv's advanced AI platform.
Harris told Superior Court Judge Mary Staley Clark on Friday he would not to take the stand in his own defense. The jury could receive the case as early as Monday afternoon. In their closing arguments, prosecutors said Harris drove to work with the child and "with his selfish, malignant heart, left him there to die", Cobb County Assistant District Attorney Chuck Boring said.
Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that his new Real Madrid deal will be his penultimate contract in his professional career and not his last. Ronaldo led Madrid to two Champions League titles - in 2014 and 2016 - and to a Spanish league title in 2012.
The objective of Samsung Galaxy S8 latest feature obviously is to recoil back from the disaster of Galaxy Note 7 and to make it stand out from Samsung's other flagship devices. Samsung is developing a new digital assistant for its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. However, Samsung still could not explain to the public about the reason behind the Note 7 explosions.


text:
Broadband providers are now charging customers more for SLOWER speeds
In May, firms were banned from advertising internet deals with 'up to' speeds
Broadband providers are offering customers slower speeds — yet charging more.
In May, firms were banned from advertising internet deals with 'up to' speeds. They must now advertise the average speed customers get at peak times.
Since then, speeds advertised by some providers have almost halved.
Broadband deals from BT and Plusnet had promised speeds of up to 17 megabits per second (Mbps). Today they advertise just 10 Mbps.
Yet some firms have hiked their prices anyway, according to research from broadband provider Gigaclear.
The basic Plusnet package cost £13.49 a month in March last year and has now increased to £14.49.
Ofcom says 10 Mbps is the minimum most households require to meet their needs.
Save money and get the best deals
This is Money has carefully selected comparison partners that we believe can offer you the best service and round-ups of the best deals. These quick links will take you to them.
Most watched Money videos
- Door comes off Volkswagen Sharan during Euro NCAP safety tests
- What will 2020 hold for investors and the UK stock market?
- Durability of Tesla Model X examined in Euro NCAP clip
- Introducing the new Ford Puma with fuel-saving powertrain technology
- Wireless charging network will be installed in Britain from 2020
- Euro NCAP safety tests of new Porsche Taycan shown in clip
- How a biotech trust invests in the future of medicine
- Hyundai Uber concept flying taxi shown off in promo vid
- Nissan unveils their new Juke SUV, the smartest Juke ever
- Blue Whale: We want companies that can grow whatever happens
- Urban Electric's new pop-up chargers rise from the pavement
- Volkswagen unveils concept for robots to deliver chargers to cars


text:
According to a recent research, 38% of Spaniards between 25 and 40 years old plan to enter the cryptocurrency market in the coming months. Moreover, 21% of the participants have already invested in bitcoin or some altcoins.
Are Spaniards Flocking into Crypto?
The Spanish neobank Rebellion conducted a survey to determine whether young Spaniards were thinking of jumping on the cryptocurrency bandwagon in the near future. Per the results, more than one-third of the participants answered “yes.”
Investing in digital assets is the most contracted investment product among locals aged between 25 and 40 years old as around one-fifth admitted they have already allocated funds in them. Pension funds and deposits (19%) ranked second.
The survey also revealed the top reasons for youngsters to catch the crypto tide. 27% of the participants believe that this is a “good investment,” while 27% praised bitcoin and the altcoins as “the future of payments.” Still, knowledge on the matter needs improvement as 17% answered they know nothing about crypto.
Sergio Cerro – the CEO of Rebellion – opined that digital assets would be a significant “factor to take into account in the future.” He stressed that now is the time for companies like his to embrace the asset class:
“The world of payments is experiencing a change and now is the time to decide if we want to participate in this change or not. It is a matter of time before large institutions and organizations begin to accept them as a form of payment.”
Blockchain Technology Invades Spain
Young Spaniards are not the only chunk of the local society to be supportive of the crypto industry. According to another report, 25% of Spanish companies have had exposure to blockchain technology at some point. While the active users stood at 11%, it still represents a significant growth compared to the 1% at the end of 2019.
Additionally, 46% of the large companies in Spain are in favor of incorporating distributed ledger technoly to increase their security in the future.
Jesús Rodríguez, CEO of the technology company REALSEC – pointed out that although the use of blockchain solutions has a growing acceptance in the Spanish industry, there is still a need to work on its efficiency:
“The new economy imposes adopting new business models based on digital innovation. In this context, in 2020, blockchain has begun to be perceived as an efficient technology that contributes to reducing costs and risks and as one of the main technological strategies that want to incorporate a large number of companies.”
PrimeXBT Special Offer: Use this link to register & enter CRYPTOPOTATO50 code to receive up to $7,000 on your deposits.


text:
Drone deliveries are already happening in parts of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia as the two top retailers engineer ways to get deliveries into customers’ hands in faster, smoother ways.
Walmart has 37 stores set up for drone delivery to homes and businesses— six stores in Arizona, four in Arkansas, nine Walmarts in Florida, two in North Carolina, 11 in Texas, two in Utah and three in Virginia. Walmart has partnered with drone delivery service DroneUp Delivery to deliver customers’ packages that weigh 10 pounds or less. Walmart says that more than 10,000 items are available for drone delivery and items can arrive as quickly as 30 minutes after the order has been placed.
There are restrictions: Customers must live within one mile of participating stores. Orders are accepted on the DroneUp Delivery website from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. local time.
“If it fits safely, it flies,” Walmart said in a statement. “Participating stores will house a DroneUp delivery hub inclusive of a team of certified pilots, operating within FAA guidelines, that safely manage flight operations for deliveries. Once a customer places an order, the item is fulfilled from the store, packaged, loaded into the drone and delivered right to their yard using a cable that gently lowers the package.” Oh, and the top-selling item at one of Walmart’s drone ports? Hamburger Helper. Just sayin’.
Amazon, meanwhile, has started drone deliveries in Northern California — Lockeford, to be specific, 50 miles south of Sacramento — and College Station, Texas, using its in-house Amazon Prime Air fleet of drones which can carry items up to five pounds.
Customers place their orders via the Amazon website. They get tracking information for their item and are told approximately what time the order will arrive by drone and be dropped off in their backyard. Amazon employees monitor the deliveries. To get delivery via Amazon Prime Air your home will need to be approximately four miles from either of the Prime Air Drone Delivery Centers and these are daytime deliveries only, five days a week.
Walmart and Amazon have plans to roll out their respective airborne delivery services to other regions. Drones... coming soon to a town near you.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


text:
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Benguet AgriPinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) Project Management Office (PMO), together with La Trinidad Mayor Edna Tabanda continues to intensify their efforts to make all vegetable industry stakeholders understand the real purpose of the center.
On April 7, the group went to the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP) to explain to farmers, disposers, packers/porters and traders that BAPTC is open for them to trade their vegetable products in the trading center.
Mayor Tabanda encouraged them to try the facility first and check on any necessary improvements that may be done.
During the consultation, it was also clarified that the disposers will not be removed from the trading system. Benny Hipolito, officer of the Benguet Trader and Truckers Association said that the wide area of BAPTC will help to secure their commodities and will give easy access for them to buy wholesale vegetables.
“The facility can monitor the vegetable products and can assure that these are of good quality and well packed vegetables for transport,” he added.
Hipolito encouraged the farmers to bring their products in the facility. He also said that BAPTC will help the farmers in their farm inputs and do crop programming for better market price.
Meanwhile, Dr. Danilo Daguio BAPTC Chief Operations Officer explained that the policies, including the 25 centavos trading fee, were formed based on several consultations made with all stakeholders concerned.
By Jerome A. Padilla


text:
Patrick Byrne this week resigned as CEO of US online retailer Overstock. The move closely followed the announcement of disappointing Q2 2019 financial results.
In a letter, he said it was impossible to continue due to distraction and fallout related to his involvement in a Federal Bureau of Investigation Russian espionage probe.
“While I believe that I did what was necessary for the good of the USA, for the good of the firm, I am in the sad position of having to sever ties with Overstock, both as CEO and board member,” Byrne wrote. “It has been an honour to serve you through thick and thin, threats grand and arcane, for the past 20 years.”
He also confirmed media reports that he had a personal relationship with Maria Butina, a convicted Russian agent currently in a US prison. Overstock veteran Jonathan Johnson will assume the role of CEO on an interim basis, while Kamelia Aryafar will take his place as board member and Executive Vice President of Overstock Retail.
“Patrick has successfully created and moulded Overstock over the years by pioneering the marriage of tried and proven competitive business principles with cutting edge data analytics and technology; a true visionary,” said Aryafar. “I am excited to join the board and I look forward to continuing the company’s trajectory and contributing to its future success.”
Under the watch of Byrne, Overstock had in recent years shifted much of its focus from selling stuff to blockchain technology.
As Bitcoin soared, the company’s share price hit an all-time high of $84 and then, as the cryptocurrency ran into troubled times, plunged to below $10.
Overstock was one of the first traditional retailers to embrace Bitcoin, accepting it for payments in 2014. And it has also developed a cryptocurrency trading platform called tZero and a digital token of the same name. This officially launched in 2018 through its blockchain subsidiary, Medici Ventures, raising over $130 million in an initial coin offering last summer. Despite an ongoing SEC investigation, Overstock is set to make tZero trading available to non-accredited investors this month.
In his resignation letter, Byrne said that he didn’t want Overstock’s business and its blockchain initiatives to be affected by his ties with the Russians and Washington.
“I think the blockchain revolution will reshape key social institutions,” he wrote. “We have designed and breathed life into perhaps the most significant blockchain keiretsu in the world, a network of blockchain firms seeking to revolutionise identity, land governance (= rule of law = potential = capital), central banking, capital markets, supply chains, and voting.”
“In three of those fields (land governance, central banking, and capital markets)… our blockchain progeny (Medici Land Governance, Bitt, and tZERO, respectively) are arguably the leading blockchain disruptors in existence.”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author should not be considered as financial advice. We do not give advice on financial products.


text:
Travel talks ongoing
13 February, 2021, 3:30 pm
Fiji continues to push for a travel bubble between its largest tourist markets Australia and New Zealand.
Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport Faiyaz Koya said Fiji had proven itself as a safe destination for travels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have not forgotten the ‘Bula Bubble’ in case the other side of the House is wondering,” he said.
“Fiji is in high level discussions with our Australian and New Zealand counterparts to actually see if we can facilitate quarantine free travel. Again, this cannot happen overnight and there are a whole host of things to consider and we will continue to lobby for travel with our largest markets.”
He said they would continue to work with industry partners through the Tourism Recovery Team to address operational challenges and border reopening strategies. In response, Opposition member of Parliament Ro Filipe Tuisawau said global and local reports on the world’s economies stated otherwise.
“The latest report issued by the Reserve Bank of Fiji clearly indicates that global economic conditions remain fragile due to the daily increase in COVID-19 cases in many parts of the world,” he said.
“The Bula Bubble, as already mentioned, we do not know when that will happen given the current news that we have about these various strains.
“The largest ever economic contraction in 2020, poses the greatest challenge for a narrow-based economy like ours.
“The performance of key sectors of our economy continues to decline and unfortunately, the honourable Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport has not mentioned it.”


text:
The Tigo Business Empowerment Roadshow has been launched in Accra with a call on players in the Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) industry to embrace technology to enhance their businesses.
Stephen Essien, the Director of Tigo Business who made the call at the launch in Accra on Tuesday, emphasised that technology hold much prospects to the development of the SME industry.
The programme being held in partnership with Microsoft, Lenovo, ITWORX and Zepto is on the theme “Welcome Tomorrow – Propelling Your Business beyond Profit.”
As part of the one-month SME summit, Tigo Business would mount stands in key business and market centres in Accra, Kumasi and other cities and towns, to bring the services of the company to the door-step of customers.
The programme will be crowned up with a Technology Summit for SME companies in the technology industry in the middle of November, this year.
Mr. Essien, who delivered the keynote statement, explained that the SME industry, which constituted about 80 per cent of businesses in the country, played critical roles to the development of the country.
“SMEs hold the key to the success and growth and development of the Ghanaian economy,” he stressed.
Thus, as business-centered company, he said Tigo Business in September last month developed the Empowerment Roadshow to build the capacity and skills of the players in the SME sector.
The Roadshow, he said was to introduce the players in the SME sector to the numerous Information and Communication Technology products Tigo Business has developed to promote their business.
Mr. Essien pledged that Tigo Business would continue to develop innovative products, which would help propel the SME industry.
The Country Manager of Microsoft, Derek Appiah, in his remarks lauded Tigo Businssess for the initiative, saying “such programmes are needed to build the skills of players in the SME industry.”
He said Microsoft had also developed SME4Afrika to build the skills of SMEs in Africa.
Head of Sales of Lenovo Ghana, Thara Mills for her part said, her outfit was proud to be associated with the programme.
She pledged that her outfit, which deals with ICT hardware programmes such as phones, would continue to introduce quality ICT products onto the Ghanaian market.
The Acting General Manager for Zepto, the wholly-owned Ghanaian ICT Company, Maapa Quansah also commended Tigo Business for the initiative and his outfit was proud to be a partner of the programme.
He entreated Ghanaians to patronise locally-made ICT products to help build a vibrant ICT industry in Ghana, saying Ghanaians needed to dismiss the perception that made-in-Ghana products were of inferior quality.
By Kingsley Asare


text:
ONE TIME RESTRUCTURING
When one party has access to 90% resources, time to deliberate state election funding: Manmohan Singh
Today, when only one party has access to 90 per cent of the election fund, such ideas need to be discussed and deliberated, said Dr Singh.
Taslima Nasreen gets one-year Indian residence permit
The 56-year-old writer was last week given a three-month residence permit following whi...
Weekly Nifty options are proving to be useful choice in these times
Another important advantage of weekly options is the utilisation of hedgi...
Assam Floods: How 2,400 rhinos in Kaziranga are fleeing for their lives
With 90% of Kaziranga National Park flooded, 2,400 one-horned rhinos are fleeing for their lives.
We are planning to give AK-47 to select anti-poaching guards: Kaziranga director P Sivakumar
P Sivakumar, director of Kaziranga National Park, says there’s a move to give AK-47 rifles to a select group of guards in poaching-prone areas.
Reading in the time of Netflix: Urban Indians have a new fear of missing out on books
Urban Indians have a new FOMO — the fear of missing out on books while they binge-watch their favourite shows online.
Dishwashers save time and water yet consumers are not convinced these are a necessity
Estimates by dishwasher makers put the market between Rs 140-200 crore. In contrast, the size of the residential air-conditioner market in India is around Rs 20,000 crore, refrigerator Rs 21,000 crore and washing machine will be about Rs 8,000 crore.
Needed: Data sharing to curb consumer banking frauds
The Nandan Nilekani-headed committee on digital payments has favoured a ‘central fraud registry’.
Why one should book profit in CPSE ETF within 6 months
The offer is open for retail investors for a day on July 19.


text:
Balta Taps Dornbusch as Creative Director
February 21, 2012,
DALTON, Ga.-Balta U.S. Inc, the U.S. division of the Balta Group, has added Jerrett Dornbusch as the company's new creative director, a new position.
"Jerrett Dornbusch is exactly the right leader, at the right time for Balta U.S.," said Patrick Moyer, Balta's president of sales and marketing. "He has excellent trend, design and marketing experience, strong trade relationships and unbeatable enthusiasm."
With more than 25 years of design experience, Dornbusch was most recently director of design and new product development for Southern Patio, a lawn and garden product company. He is also a trend, color, finish, substrate and texture expert, a release from Balta said, and is a former member of many trend councils.
"Jerrett's experience in the patio and outdoor living market was a big attraction for me," said Moyer. "He will bring fresh new ideas to Balta, and continue to help us remain a world leader in the area of indoor/outdoor rugs."
With the arrival of Dornbusch, Balta U.S. has also more than doubled the size of its design studio here, investing in new hardware, software and a state-of-the-art photo studio.
Other Articles By Author
HFN Launches Interactive Idea Book
HFN's DIGITAL EDITION
COVER STORY: HFN Turns 90
We commemorate HFN's 90th anniversary by paying tribute to the iconic retailer and supplier brands--and the people--that have helped the industry flourish, then and now.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Up & Coming Leaders - The home industry is in capable and visionary hands as this year’s 40 Under 40 list attests. Today’s young leaders span all disciplines and varied levels of operation.
- Omnichannel Retailing - In the Mobile App World, Time is Money


text:
Rumours are flying around the internet about what Google will announce at this year’s I/O event.
Not to be left behind after the recent announcements from Apple and Microsoft, Google are set to announce something big, but what? Let’s take a look at the most popular rumours on the net.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is rumoured to feature a new search bar and background images. A Siri-esque ‘Google Assistant’ could be making its first appearance in the new OS update.
Nexus 7 tablet
Yesterday PCR reported details about a rumoured leak of the Google Nexus 7 tablet PC. The device is said to have a seven-inch display, 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 1GB RAM, 1.2MP front-facing camera and a choice of 8GB or 16GB internal storage.
Built by Asus and with a budget price tag, it could be set to rival Amazon’s Kindle Fire. It is also rumoured to feature Jelly Bean.
There has been a lot of talk about Project Glass this year. Google Glasses in particular have proved a hot topic.
Featuring a low-resolution built-in camera, the glasses will be able to monitor the world in real time and relay data back to the user about their surroundings, including information about locations, buildings and nearby friends.
Google I/O runs from June 27-29 in San Francisco, the official live stream of the event is available at developers.google.com/events/io/io-live
Want to receive up-to-the-minute tech news straight to your inbox? Then click here to sign up for the completely free PCR Daily Digest and Newsflash email services. You can also follow PCR on Twitter and Facebook.


text:
KANO, Nigeria - Gunmen set off three bombs and opened fire on worshippers at the central mosque in north Nigeria's biggest city Kano, killing at least 35 people in an attack that bore the hallmarks of Islamist Boko Haram militants. Full Article
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks ended mostly flat in a holiday-shortened session on Friday as a massive decline in the energy sector offset strength in consumer names, but major indexes rose for a sixth straight week.
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - Mall crowds were relatively thin early on Black Friday in a sign of what has become the new normal in U.S. holiday shopping: the mad rush is happening the night of Thanksgiving and more consumers are picking up deals online. Full Article
First Lady Michelle Obama welcomes the Official White House Christmas Tree, a nearly 19-foot foot Douglas Fir from Pennsylvania that was pulled up to the White House by a horse-drawn carriage. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).


text:
Mtn Dew Game Fuel has launched an online “direct-to-gamer” site where fans can shop the entire Game Fuel beverage portfolio and sign up for its ‘Victory Pass Rewards’ program for a chance to win gaming prizes and unlock exclusive digital content.
Mtn Dew Game Fuel is giving those who sign up for Victory Pass on the Game Fuel site a chance to win a PlayStation 5 console and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War with the purchase of any Game Fuel case. The sweepstakes is running from now until January 31, 2021.
With a Victory Pass, the more fans buy, the more rewards they can rack up across 20 different levels. Levels one to five offer Game Fuel digital packs, oversized mouse pads and water bottles. Additionally, from now until March 16, 2021, those who sign up for the program will receive free shipping.
With each purchase, Mtn Dew Game Fuel is also including a limited-edition can inspired by streamer superstar Dr DisRespect—one of the 19 YouTube and Twitch game streamers showcased under the ‘Partners’ tab on the website, including Courage, Yassuo, Nothing and Simp.
A digital hub for Mtn Dew Game Fuel fans marks PepsiCo’s larger pandemic-driven effort to ramp up online direct-to-consumer and engage players in the growing video game industry. In Q3, PepsiCo said its ecommerce business almost doubled, and that Mtn Dew Zero Sugar, Gatorade Zero and Bubly combined have exceeded $1 billion in sales this year. That growth is likely due in part to two new DTC websites PepsiCo launched in May—snacks.com and pantryshop.com.
Partnering with popular streamers gives Mtn Dew Game Fuel the potential to reach millions of gamers across generations as lockdowns led to a sharp increase in time and money spent on video games and livestreams. Research from the NPD Group shows that today, 79 percent of US consumers play video games, or 246 million people—an increase of 34 million people since 2018—with average playtime at 15 hours per week. In Q3, viewers watched 4.74 billion hours of content on Twitch, 1.68 billion hours on YouTube Gaming and 1.04 billion hours on Facebook, according to a report from Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet.


text:
Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has recalled a cube-shaped children’s folding tent after its sharp edges caused at least one injury, officials said
The steel frame on the BUSA children’s folding tent has the potential of breaking and exposing sharp ends, which can cut through the tent and cut someone.
While three incidents, including one minor injury, have been reported worldwide, no incidents have been reported in the U.S. and Canada.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada issued the voluntary recall today, advising consumers to stop using the tents immediately and returned to an IKEA store for a refund.
The nearest store in the Valley is on the 600 block of San Fernando Boulevard in Burbank.
The $8 tents were sold from August to September nationwide.
For more details, call IKEA at (888) 966-4532, or visit their website at www.ikea-usa.com.
-Veronica Rocha, Times Community News
Photo: IKEA’s in-store mechandise. File photo.


text:
FDA Seeking Contractor For CBD Study
The Food and Drug Administration is seeking a contractor to provide support to the FDA by collecting samples and assessing the quantities of CBD and related cannabinoids. The contractor will also collect samples and assess potential associated contaminants such as toxic elements, pesticides, industrial chemicals, processing solvents and microbial contaminants, in foods and cosmetics through surveys of these commodities.
The purpose of these studies will be to develop a better understanding of the quantities of CBD and associated cannabinoids and their distribution. Offers are due by Aug. 31 at 10 a.m. ET.
For more information, visit https://beta.sam.gov.


text:
The second annual St. Louis Fashion Week had a bit of West Coast flavor, with California-based designers Rachel Pally and Laurel Berman of Black Halo among those presenting their fall lines.
“St. Louis was a natural extension for us,” Berman said of fashion week, which ran from March 24 to 30. “It gives us more exposure in an area that doesn’t get a lot of attention. There are tons of potential customers here.”
Pally is known for her work with Modal jersey and the fabric was dominant in jewel-tone shades of basil green, Corsica blue and mulberry. For fall, Pally is adding ponte, a wool-blend knit that was used for cropped jackets and pencil skirts.
Berman’s signature Jackie dress was back for fall in a jade green, one-shoulder mini version with a skinny belt. Her show also featured high-waist trousers and pencil skirts with sexy tops and two-tone double crepe sheath dresses in black, charcoal and cinnamon.
Emerging designers were also a focus of fashion week. Jamie Phyl of Phyl Couture showed a Jackie O-inspired line with a tailored dress, skirt and jacket with large, covered buttons in lemon sherbet. Yana Khromova of Yana K showed dresses in bold, graphic prints and colors ranging from mustard yellow and orange to purple and turquoise. Other featured designers included Lyndsy Walker, Katie Kantley, Zeto by Nami Ogawa and Tiffany Alana.
Laguna Beach, Calif.-based designer Amahlia Stevens of Vitamin A presented her 2008 summer collection of swimwear and resortwear. Vitamin A’s summer collection featured bold shades of sunny yellow and cherry pink as well as the signature gold-lined bikini.
Local boutique owners approached designers about participating in fashion week and served as hosts during the event. Laurie Solet, owner of the eponymous boutique in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, Mo., asked Stevens about participating in fashion week and both women found the event worthwhile.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how professionally it was put together,” Stevens said.
For Solet, it was a way to introduce a new line to St. Louis. On Friday and Saturday, her boutique was packed with women ordering swimwear during a Vitamin A trunk show.
Attilio D’Agostino, editor in chief of Alive magazine, a monthly focused on style, shopping and entertainment in St. Louis and the main sponsor of fashion week, said cultivating the relationships among designers and area boutique owners was a key goal.
“For this event to continue to grow, it has to go beyond just being an artistic entertainment event,” said D’Agostino. “It needs to have the commercial aspect, as well.”
Photos by Richard Nichols/courtesy of Alive magazine


text:
Challenger Technologies reported Monday its third quarter profit after tax fell 4 percent on-year to S$4.31 million on higher expenses.
The higher expenses included increased employee benefits costs on a rise in staff costs and higher rental expenses on new store openings, Challenger said.
Revenue for the quarter ended 30 September rose 1 percent on-year to S$83.32 million, the electronics retailer said in a filing to SGX.
The increased revenue was due to improved performance from IT products and services, which rose by 1.1 percent on-year to S$81.8 million, Challenger said.
“The growth in this segment was mainly attributed to higher revenue contribution from trade show and corporate sales, partially offset by lower contribution from retail sales,” the filing said.
For the nine-month period, Challenger reported profit after tax fell 8 percent on-year to S$12.63 million on revenue of S$246.61 million, up 4 percent on-year.
In its outlook, Challenger said it would continue to expand.
“Amidst global economic slowdown and challenging operating environment, the group will continue to grow Challenger’s footprint in Singapore and expand the ‘PIT.Money’ concept store to further tap into the market segment of pre-owned and demo products,” Challenger said.
The company has a total of 40 stores in Singapore, the filing said.


text:
The Xbox One has gotten its fair share of firmware updates since its release nearly two years ago, but Microsoft has the most visually different update still coming. Being called the New Xbox One Experience, this update is not coming until November, but has been available to certain Xbox One Preview Program members for a couple weeks. For the lucky ones that were chosen, a brand new update is now available for you.
Major Nelson revealed yesterday that an update for New Xbox One Experience Preview Program members would be coming before the end of the day that includes a number of new features, while also streamlining a few areas.
The Party text chat now offers more communication options, including the ability to use text chat within parties with relative ease. The Game DVR experience has also been improved, by combining the functionality of the Game DVR snap app and what was known as the Upload app. Now, this is simply known as Game DVR, with all the features of both in one.
Animated avatars are also here, which will be animated in your profile, as well as others areas in this new UI. This isn’t required though, as you can just go with a regular image as well. The menu itself has become easier to use, by updating for “quick access to common actions.” By simply using the menu button on the controller, any app or game can be pinned to Home, while also being able to launch a recently played game or quitting a game or app in the same fashion.
The last addition are new settings within the Guide, including the ability to adjust headset volume or even be able to turn off or restart the Xbox One system from the Guide.
These should be rolling out right now, so if you do not have it yet and are part of the New Xbox One Experience Preview Program, you should be getting it very soon.
- This article was updated on:February 27th, 2018


text:
The Current, delivered daily.
In retail, sales are often measured in goods, whether they are purchased for ourselves or someone else. There are plenty of strategies that brands and retailers use to increase those sales, whether it is marketing, loyalty programs or how that item is presented.
In most cases, these are two different parts of the equation for retailers: The product that is bought and the strategies that lead to the purchase.
That’s what makes the gift card unique.
It is an item you can buy, with a section in the store all its own. Eventually, it leads to the purchase of other goods, so the gift card is leads to a direct sale. Yet it’s also a means to build a retail brand and create incentives that both introduce customers to a store and keep them coming back.
That’s a key takeaway from the 20th Annual U.S. Prepaid Consumer Insights Study from fintech and payments company Fiserv.
At this point, the gift card feels like a staple of the shopping experience. But it is only about 30 years old. In 1994, Blockbuster Video pioneered the sale of cards for gifted purchases directly as a means to combat fraud in paper gift certificates. Since then, they’ve proven to have a multitude of uses that stretch beyond the holidays.
Starbucks and Amazon gift cards are commonly distributed as prizes at team-building events and as pick-me-ups by friends showing they care. In 2022, 60% of consumers said they received a gift card from an employer, according to the Fiserv report. That was a big increase from 32% in 2019. People appreciate the gesture. The survey found that 85% of employees think that gift cards from an employer make for appropriate incentives.
For people looking to show generosity, gift cards can also be a means to stretch dollars. At a time of high inflation, people are looking for deals with their discretionary purchases. Gift card promotions that offer discounts and bonuses are proving particularly popular, the study found. Two-thirds of consumers said promotions can influence them to purchase more, while more than half of consumers took advantage of such an offer in 2022.
Yet the more difficult consumer environment is also having an impact on overall gift card sales. In 2022, the growth of gift card purchases slowed.
“Overall, 56% of U.S. consumers purchased more gift cards in 2022 compared to 2021,” said Tom Niedbalski, VP of gift solutions at Fiserv. “This was a decline from the 73% of consumers who said they bought more gift cards in 2021 than they did in 2020.”
Inflation and less discretionary income were the driving factors for consumers who said they bought fewer gift cards during 2022, as 35% of consumers said inflation was the reason they were purchasing fewer cards.
It's important for brands and retailers to understand why consumers buy gift cards. But it's just as crucial to understand where they can fit in retail strategy. Beyond sales, gift cards can help drive repeat customers, and extend a brand. These tools are particularly valuable at a time when retailers are focused on profitability in a tougher consumer environment.
Fiserv explained four areas in which gift cards are of particular value for brands.The following is directly quoted from Niedbalski:
Improving cash flow and revenue. Gift cards not only drive in-store and online traffic, there is an associated “lift,” or overspend, when a gift card is converted into a sale. On average, customers spend $59 more than the value of their gift card.
Repeat customers. Retailers use gift cards to foster loyalty and customer engagement, ultimately leading to repeat customers. One way we see this play out is through promotions associated with gift card sales. For example: a consumer who buys a $100 gift card for the holidays will receive a $20 bonus card that can be used after January 1 – creating a pre-holiday sale and post-holiday transaction in the New Year.
Branded currency. A gift card places a merchant’s brand directly into the consumer’s wallet, increasing brand awareness and ensuring the merchant’s brand is with the consumer when they are looking to buy.
Year-round marketing. The gift card has grown beyond the traditional holiday season. From birthdays and graduations to anniversaries and babies, gift cards are becoming the most popular way to recognize milestones – giving retailers opportunities to run additional promotions throughout the year.
Trending in Shopper Experience
The retailer's marketplace is expanding quickly.
When it comes to ecommerce growth, was the pandemic a blip or a new trendsetter?
As we move further from the height of COVID-related closures, it’s a question that will start to be answered through the lens of history.
So far, the narrative of ecommerce growth in the U.S. from 2019-2022 has gone like this: Ecommerce’s share of overall retail saw a huge spike at the height of the pandemic in 2020-21, when goods in general were in demand and online shopping was necessary to preserve health and safety. Experts looked out and saw a permanent exponential change in the penetration of ecommerce as a share of retail that would last beyond the pandemic. Then, in 2022, everyone went back to stores and the trendline came back to 2019 levels. Growth was no longer exponential. There was still growth, but it was not happening as fast as during the pandemic period.
With this in mind, it’s worth pointing out that 2023 is the first year that there likely won’t be a pandemic-influenced swing to influence ecommerce growth. It is also a year where demand has suffered challenges amid inflation and interest rate hikes.
So as we seek to determine the importance of ecommerce to overall retail, it’s worth it to continue taking a close look at what growth trends retailers are seeing now, whether ecommerce is remaining resilient amid consumer pullback and how retailers are preparing for the future.
The latest example arrived this week from Macy’s. It’s a fitting one for the times. Overall, Macy’s is seeing a slowdown as consumers pull back on discretionary purchases, with sales declining 7% in the first quarter versus the same quarter of 2022. Digital sales were down 8%.
Macy’s is particularly susceptible to the macroeconomic headwinds that many brands and retailers are facing, as spending among the middle-income consumers it counts as a primary customer base is particularly softening, said GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders.
But while ecommerce is slowing overall, the importance it gained to Macy’s business during the pandemic is remaining in place.
In 2019, ecommerce made up 25% of Macy’s revenue, CEO Jeff Gennette told analysts on the company’s earnings call. That jumped to a high of 44% in 2020. By 2022, digital reached 33% of sales after the pandemic boom. In the first quarter of 2023, it remained at 33%. So, while the trend line dipped after shoppers returned to stores, ecommerce share still settled in at a higher post-lockdown point than it was before the pandemic.
This came in a quarter in which traffic was “relatively good” across both online and in-store, Gennette said. It was “flattish” online, and slightly up in stores.
“We do expect that this is the reset year with the penetration between them,” Gennette said. “But we do expect more aggressive growth in digital in the future versus stores as we think about '24 and beyond. And that's going to be foisted by a lot of ideas and strategies.
Over the last year, the retailer has made investments in boosting ecommerce, even as shoppers returned to stores. In a bid to boost the assortment of goods available online, Macy’s launched a marketplace in September 2022 that welcomes goods from third-party sellers.
The marketplace had an “outstanding” first quarter, said Macy’s President Tony Spring, who is poised to succeed Gennette as CEO next year. Gross merchandise value increased over 50% when compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, while the average order value and units per order for marketplace customers was 50% above those not shopping at the marketplace.
Macy’s is continuing to build the marketplace even as it racks up sales. The retailer added 450 brands, ending the quarter with 950 brands.
This is helping to draw in new customers, as well as younger existing customers who are buying more items, resulting in increased basket size.
“We're very excited as to how marketplace is really attracting the Gen Z customer, particularly in categories where it was not economically feasible for us to carry in the past,” Gennette said.
In the end, Gennette said a strong digital and social presence is key to attracting younger consumers. That's a different type of shopper than other age groups.
“We know the younger customer starts first online,” Gennette said. That behavior will still be in place as the generation gets older, and gains more buying power in the process.
Going forward, Macy’s is seeking to expand the model to other retail banners in its portfolio. Bloomingdale’s will open a marketplace in the early fall.
The Macy’s ecommerce trajectory isn’t that different from the wider U.S. ecommerce narrative detailed above. With one quarter of 2023 data, there is evidence that ecommerce share settled out at a higher point after the pandemic than where it started before COVID arrived. There is flattening now, but the retailer is taking it not as a sign of a slowdown, or a signal to change course. Rather, it sees changing consumer behavior as a reason to build for the future.


text:
It has been told in the report that when the linking process is completed, WhatsApp will transfer the chat to the users tablet app and then you will continue to chat from there as well. Let us tell you, WhatsApp has announced the launch of ‘Message Yourself’ feature very soon. According to the news, it will be made live in a few weeks. It’s a 1:1 chat with yourself to send notes, reminders and updates, WhatsApp said in a statement. On WhatsApp, users can send themselves notes, reminders, shopping lists and more to manage their to-do lists.
Tech News Desk – WhatsApp enhances the user experience by bringing new features from time to time. This year also many facilities have been added. Now a new feature is going to be added on WhatsApp, whose testing is going on. This new feature will allow users to link their accounts to secondary devices such as Android tablets. Currently this feature is available only for WhatsApp beta testers. Let’s know about it. As Android Authority reports, the new feature will allow users to link their WhatsApp account from a smartphone to the platform’s Android tablet app. Simply put, there will be no need for a separate WhatsApp account on the secondary Android device. Once users have updated WhatsApp on their tablet, they will be prompted to scan a QR code on the tablet app from their Phone app.


text:
Vigilant is an e-commerce marketer and a provider of personal alarms, which made it a "perfect add" for Mace, said president and CEO John McCann. The cost of the agreement is not being disclosed. Vigilant designed and patented products made by a contract manufacturer.
Vigilant's founder, David Happe, will join Mace as an executive vice president, the release stated. Operations will be moved to Mace's plant, and McCann said he expects to hire two to three new employees for the work.


text:
The Chinese smartphone manufacturer just a few days officially confirmed the launch of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G smartphone in India on February 17 via its Indian website. However, the brand didn’t reveal any of the specification details on the device except for the charging technology. Now in a new development, OnePlus, on Friday, has announced that the upcoming OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset. The device is all set to become the latest addition to the Nord series smartphones offered by the company.
OnePlus took on its Twitter handle to officially confirm that the upcoming OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G will arrive with a MediaTek chipset which will be MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC. This falls in line with the previous rumours around the device which suggested the same chipset as well. In addition to this, known tipster, Ishan Agarwal has shared an image that is supposed to be the upcoming OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G. The device is expected to arrive in the Bahamas Blue and Grey Mirror colour options. He also went on to state some of the specifications of the smartphone.
Specifications for OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
The listing of the device on the company’s official website has confirmed that OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G will arrive with a 65W SuperVOOC fast charging technology which is capable of charging up to one day’s power in just 15 minutes. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also visible on the handset. A listing of the device at TUV certification recently also revealed that the device could be equipped with a 4,500mAh battery backup.
The smartphone was also spotted at Geekbench last week, according to which, the Nord CE 2 5G will arrive with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset which will be coupled with 8GB of RAM. The processor has now been officially confirmed. It was expected that the handset could operate on Android 12 OS, however, the Geekbench listing suggests otherwise, as the model was spotted running on Android 11 OS. It is also possible that the brand may feature the in-house OxygenOS 12 on the smartphone.
Earlier reports have provided other specification details of the device as well. It is speculated that the upcoming OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G will come with a punch-hole screen of 6.43 inches. The device will be equipped with an FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. There have been reports, which suggest that the device might be available in 8GB/12GB RAM and 128GB/256Gb internal storage combination options.
As far as the camera module of the device is considered, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G might come with a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2MP macro lens. The front of the device is expected to feature a 16MP selfie shooter.


text:
Jordan Peterson, right, and right-wing YouTube personality Dave Rubin, left, in Australia during Peterson’s book tour. Photo via Facebook.
A national bookstore in New Zealand has pulled the self-help book written by controversial Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, following the Christchurch mosque massacres.This week, Whitcoulls, a chain that has 56 stores across New Zealand, pulled “12 Rules for Life” from its shelves, tying their decision directly to the Christchurch shootings, in which 50 Muslims killed and another 50 were injured by a white supremacist. Whitecoulls has not given an official reason for pulling the bestseller but offered some clues in an email sent to customers.
"Unfortunately 12 Rules for Life is currently unavailable, which is a decision that Whitcoulls has made in light of some extremely disturbing material being circulated prior, during and after the Christchurch attacks,” the email states. “As a business which takes our responsibilities to our communities very seriously, we believe it would be wrong to support the author at this time."
As some have pointed out, this “disturbing material” alluded to in the bookstore’s email, may not be regarding the content of the self-help book, but a photo of Peterson posing with a fan in New Zealand in February. The fan, an older man whom Peterson has his arm round, is wearing an “I’m a Proud Islamophobe” shirt. The photo, taken in Auckland on February 21 during his book tour, is one of many taken that day. The photo was previously available online by OMG VIP, but has since been removed.Peterson, a polarizing figure, came to prominence in 2015 and has since been lionized by some as a free speech martyr, and a slayer of social justice warriors by far-right adherents. Neither the psychologist’s name, nor his work, was mentioned in the Christchurch shooter’s lengthy manifesto.
This hasn’t been the best week for the 56-year-old, as Cambridge University withdrew a fellowship it had previously offered him at the university's Faculty of Divinity—Cambridge said they revoked the fellowship after reviewing Peterson’s work, but did not provide further informationPeople have been calling out Whitcoulls for hypocrisy as the company continues to sell books like Mein Kampf and Islamophobic books. Peterson has not yet issued a comment in regards to his book being pulled in New Zealand, though he fired back at Cambridge, saying he didn’t need the gig as “I have more opportunities at the moment than I can keep track of.”Sign up for the VICE Canada Newsletter to get the best of VICE Canada delivered to your inbox.Follow Mack Lamoureux on Twitter.


text:
The co-founder behind BladeLogic Inc., which sold for $900 million, this week joined growing software developer Bazaarvoice's board.
Austin-based Bazaarvoice has gone through a growth spurt recently, moving to a 51,000 square foot headquarters last fall and planning to increase it workforce 70 percent this year.
Officials said Thursday BladeLogic co-founder Dev Ittycheria was added to its board of directors. Most recently he served as president of the enterprise service management division for BMC Software (Nasdaq:BMC), the Houston company that bought BladeLogic in 2008. In that position he managed a $1.2 billion budget and about 4,000 workers.
Before BladeLogic's acquisition, Ittycheria led a successful initial public offering. Previously, he was the president and CEO of Applica, which merged with Breakaway Solutions to become one of the first publicly-traded SaaS companies.
“Dev's unique experience of being both a serial entrepreneur as well as leading two different public software companies is invaluable to Bazaarvoice," the local company's founder and CEO Brett Hurt said.
"Dev is already proving to be a very valuable mentor for me and our executive team, and I am truly humbled and honored that he decided to join us in this exciting journey.”
In December, Bazaarvoice assembled a 17-person team of strategists including two former Time Inc., Reader's Digest Association Inc. and Moore and Company executives, charged with developing brand recognition, growth strategies and other business goals.
Bazaarvoice has launched 650 brand Web sites including with Best Buy Co. Inc., Costco Inc., Dell Inc., Macy’s Inc., Overstock.com Inc. and others.


text:
The ‘Augmented Reality’ whitepaper said that augmented reality will provide essential data for organisations, allowing employees to react in real-time.
According to the research, the number of augmented reality users worldwide will rise from 60m in 2013 to nearly 200m in 2018. As a result, there will be an increased demand for skilled workers in this area.
Adam Thilthorpe, director of professionalism at the Institute said about the implications for CIOs: “There will be a natural progression for those working in app development for tablets and smartphones to move into creating similar products for wearable tech.
However, with the rise in the number of augmented reality users and the continued sales growth of smart devices in the next few years, it is important that there is a marked increase in app developers too, in order to meet the niche demands of different organisations and individuals.”


text:
Kim Kardashian West has given fans a sneak peek at this year's holiday theme at the West's. For the 2019 holiday season, it looks like Kim and Kanye have opted for some uber-minimalistic and monochromatic decorations, as seen on Kardashian's Instagram Stories.
Featuring geometrical and abstract shapes, the decorations are displayed around the Calabasas home, matching the all-white and minimalistic aesthetic of the house. Even the Christmas tree has been sprayed white to go with the overall aesthetic.
While giving a tour of the decorations, Kim admits that the unusual decorations are a nod to Dr. Seuss' Whoville: "I love these. They’re so whimsical, like Whoville, but all white."
This isn't the first time Kim and Kanye are giving us a glimpse into their stunning home. In the spring, Kim and Kanye gave an exclusive tour of their minimalistic residence while taking part in Vogue's 73 Questions.
Take a look at Kim and Kanye's interesting holiday decorations below.


text:
Category : sandboxg | Sub Category : sandboxg Posted on 2024-03-30 21:24:53
Introduction: In recent times, two fast-growing trends have been capturing the attention of individuals and industries alike: NFT games and the Vietnamese export-import sector. NFT games have revolutionized the gaming industry by introducing non-fungible tokens that provide unique and verifiable ownership of in-game assets. At the same time, Vietnamese export-import companies have been gaining momentum, contributing significantly to the country's economic growth. This article will dive into the exciting world of NFT games and shed light on the flourishing Vietnamese export-import sector.
NFT Games: A New Era of Gaming The gaming industry has witnessed a remarkable shift with the advent of NFT games. Rather than acquiring in-game assets that hold no real-world value, players now have the opportunity to own unique digital items through blockchain technology. Non-fungible tokens serve as digital certificates of authenticity, ensuring property rights and a decentralized marketplace for buying, selling, and trading these assets.
NFT games have begun to attract both game enthusiasts and investors alike. Notable examples include Axie Infinity, CryptoKitties, and Decentraland, each offering a distinct gaming experience with a focus on NFT ownership. With the rise of blockchain technology and the increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies, NFT games are poised to shape the future of the gaming industry.
Vietnamese Export-Import Companies: A Driving Force in the Global Market Vietnam's export-import sector has been an essential contributor to the country's economic growth over the past decade. Known for its diverse range of products spanning textiles, electronics, and agricultural goods, Vietnamese export-import companies have successfully established themselves in the global market.
The strategic location of Vietnam, its favorable trade agreements, and the government's strong focus on promoting export-led growth have facilitated the thriving export-import industry. Additionally, the Vietnamese workforce's adaptability and the country's investment-friendly policies have attracted foreign investors, further boosting the sector's growth.
Vietnamese export-import companies have been quick to embrace digitalization and leverage advanced technologies to optimize their operations. They have established robust supply chains, implemented efficient logistics solutions, and adopted sustainable practices to meet international standards. This proactive approach has helped them expand their global reach and maintain a competitive edge in the export-import market.
Synergies Between NFT Games and Vietnamese Export-Import Companies Although seemingly unrelated, NFT games and Vietnamese export-import companies can mutually benefit from each other. As NFT games gain popularity worldwide, the demand for digital assets and collectibles is on the rise. Vietnamese export-import companies can tap into this growing market by exploring partnerships or collaborations with game developers and blockchain platforms. By leveraging their expertise in manufacturing and distribution, these companies can facilitate the production and delivery of physical merchandise associated with NFT games, such as limited-edition merchandise or officially licensed products.
Furthermore, Vietnamese export-import companies can capitalize on the global reach of NFT games to promote Vietnamese products and brands. Integrating their products into the virtual worlds of NFT games can serve as an innovative marketing strategy, fostering brand recognition and attracting a wider audience.
Conclusion: NFT games and Vietnamese export-import companies represent two exciting trends shaping different industries. NFT games have revolutionized the gaming industry by introducing verifiable ownership of digital assets, while Vietnamese export-import companies have contributed significantly to Vietnam's economic growth. Exploring the synergies between these two trends can open up new opportunities, allowing Vietnamese companies to leverage NFT games' popularity and the global reach they offer. As both industries continue to evolve, the potential for collaboration and growth is immense, promising a prosperous future for the gaming and export-import sectors.


text:
Kodak is the latest Blue-chip brand to launch an iPhone app as it hopes to enjoy the same success Flickr, the photo sharing site, has been receiving of late.
The KODAK Gallery iPhone App according to the camera company will give users easy access to their Gallery pictures as well as the ability to upload new pictures taken with iPhone to their KODAK Gallery online photo albums.
"There are millions of iPhone users out there and we are thrilled to offer an easy and convenient way for them to upload new pictures, show off their existing Gallery pictures and relive their favourite moments on the go", said Victor Cho, General Manager of KODAK Gallery.
The app will allow you to browse your entire Kodak Gallery via the iPhone, as well as viewing pictures in slideshow. The company has also said that users will be able to share Gallery pictures with people on their iPhone's contact list.
Once pictures are online at KODAK Gallery, consumers can also order KODAK prints to be delivered to their home.
KODAK Gallery is available free from Apple's App Store on iPhone and iPod Touch at iTunes.


text:
According to the latest report from Counterpoint Research, smart device maker OPPO surpassed its competitors in Southeast Asia to achieve top market share in the smartphone league. OPPO gained 20.3% market share in the second quarter of 2020 despite the declining market behavior caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the same quarter in 2019, OPPO ranked second with 7.3 million units shipped to SEA including the Philippines and Indonesia which were the key markets in the region based on the local market share performance.
“At OPPO, we have always prioritized the needs of our customers. We’re happy that despite logistical concerns and the effects of the pandemic on the market, we are still able to service and provide the needs of our tech consumers. We will remain committed to delivering the best smartphones to our consumers especially at a time like this when we’re all living a more digital lifestyle,” said OPPO Marketing Director Raymond Xia.
In August 2020, OPPO released its latest OPPO Reno4 in the Philippines with much success. OPPO also formally introduced the latest addition to its growing IoT (Internet of Things) portfolio, the OPPO Watch 41mm.