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Copenhagen-based Ocean.io, a martech startup that leverages AI to help enterprises find the right business targets, today announced it has raised $7 million from Peak Investments and existing investors. The company plans to use the capital to build strong thought leadership and expand its presence in existing and new markets.
Today, almost all organizations – 92% as per Salesforce’s estimates – looking to sell products/services to other enterprises leverage account-based marketing (ABM) to grow their business. The technique revolves around marketing and sales teams coming together to target best-fit accounts and turn them into customers. However, the problem is, most of these efforts are human-led and based on inefficient processes, which can lead to the identification of irrelevant prospects and businesses failing to capitalize on their ABM strategy.


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Northern, WI 06/18/2013 (usastockreport) – Shares of Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) closed at $7.22.The shares fell by -1.37% from its previous close. The 52-week range for the stock is at $3.01 to $7.50. The company total market capitalization stands at 21.79 billion and beta value of 0.96 times.
Sprint announced the availability of 4G LTE network in 22 new cities through which customers would be able to download videos, access to the internet facility, send photos and play games with greater speed and reliability. Also there is a great news for old customers switching to sprint as they can save up to $100 on any smart phone with a two year service agreement and activation plan.
The company also said that it is going to offer 4G LTE service across 110 markets nationwide and subsequently expects to provide 200 million people with LTE by the end of 2013.
Bob Azzi, senior vice president has conferred that Sprint is going to deliver the latest technology through a nationwide LTE build out by providing a more compact and energy efficient new cell sites.
Sprint has also taken its merger plans from its board room to the courtroom, suing its partner Clearwire Corp and competitor Dish network corp. The lawsuit said that Clearwire’s board panicked by putting down a planned merger with Overland park. It also targeted Dish TV stating that the television company has worked towards ending the merger and drive Clearwire into financial mess for its own benefit.
Dish spokesman said that the company was measuring and reviewing the filing. In its lawsuit, Sprint has asked to stop the efforts of Dish to buy Clearwire shares and award Sprint an undisclosed amount as claim from Dish.

domain: news


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Beijing denies talks with Taipei stalled after anti-trade deal protests
Beijing yesterday rejected media reports that negotiations with Taipei had been suspended due to Taiwan's lack of progress in ratifying a free-trade services pact signed last June.
"This is incorrect," said Fan Liqing, a spokeswoman for the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office, under the State Council.
Taiwan's deputy economics minister, Woody Duh Tyzz-jiun, said on Monday the mainland had not held talks with Taiwan over a merchandise trade agreement that was supposed to be signed at the end of this year. The possibility of concluding the talks this year was "nearly non-existent", he said.
But Fan was quoted by Xinhua as saying that executive departments and business leaders on both sides "have remained in communication and exchanged opinions regarding various ongoing or preparatory talks".
The trade-services agreement and the merchandise pact are follow-ups to the Economic Framework Cooperation Agreement - a semi-free trade pact - signed by the two sides in 2010.
Duh cautioned that Taiwan would suffer if South Korea - one of the island's key competitors in the mainland Chinese market - signed a free-trade pact with Beijing. South Korea began formal free-trade negotiations with China, along with Japan, in 2012. They have so far conducted six rounds of talks with the hope of signing a pact within the next two years.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has warned that failure to push through the follow-up pacts would discourage other countries from signing similar deals with Taiwan.
Ratification of the trade services pact was delayed when students occupied the island's parliament for three weeks from March 18.


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Cockatoo opens locked cage from the inside then goes on to help his incarcerated friends.
Anything relating to pets and animals: Interesting and bizarre animal news and pet news. Pet related information, animal related web sites, stories about pets and wild animals. Humor,photos, and videos of animals and pets. Useful and unusual pet products, merchandise and pet supplies.


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U.S. Sen. Todd Young is joining efforts in Congress to help with the country’s growing supply chain crisis, sponsoring legislation that would enhance government oversight and data on shipping and streamline certification requirements for truck drivers.
Young, an Indiana Republican, is among six GOP senators on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation who filed the Facilitating Relief for Efficient Intermodal Gateways to Handle Transportation, or FREIGHT, Act.
“We must work to reduce congestion throughout the entire supply chain by alleviating pressure points at our ports and in our freight transportation system that are harming Hoosier businesses,” Young said in a statement. “The FREIGHT Act will address a number of these root issues at the Federal Maritime Commission and the Department of Transportation.”
Young’s support of the bill comes after he voted against the sweeping $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, which included $17 billion in additional funding for ports and a supply chain-related measure Young had long championed. Young supported the infrastructure bill in earlier test votes but said he ultimately wasn’t convinced the package was “fiscally responsible.”
Much of the FREIGHT Act is aimed at addressing the lack of data-sharing that can cause delays and inefficiencies as cargo moves from one part of the supply chain to another.
The measure establishes new studies for standardizing documents and data and requires the collection of public data on “dwell time” for shipping equipment.
It also would create a Department of Transportation grant program for port-related stakeholders to standardize the terms they use in their documents and operations and how they communicate with each other about the moving of freight.
Under the bill, the Federal Maritime Commission would be required to add seven new positions to expand oversight of ports. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics would be required to collect and produce statistics on equipment “dwell time,” which would show how long intermodal equipment like chassis and containers are in use or under repair.
The FMC would be authorized under this legislation to mandate ocean carriers or marine terminal operators to share information relevant to the movement of goods, if the FMC determines that an emergency exists and that information would help freight movement.
The introduction of this legislation comes as President Joe Biden is also working to fight the supply chain battle.
His administration has implemented plans to clear clogged freight channels, calling for 24-hour dock work and standardized data exchanges on cargo movement.
Biden also has touted the $1.2 trillion infrastructure improvement plan as a way to ease the transportation of products and supplies from overseas and within the U.S. to help lower prices, reduce shortages and add jobs.
A spokesperson from Young’s office told IBJ that Young and other Republican senators plan to send a letter to Biden asking his administration to testify before the Commerce and Transportation Committee about supply chain issues in an effort to craft bipartisan solutions.
Earlier this year, Young led the way for legislation that allows younger truck drivers to be involved in interstate shipping. That measure ended up in the infrastructure bill—which he ultimately voted against.
Young’s DRIVE-Safe Act creates a three-year pilot apprenticeship program that allows commercial truck drivers 18 years and older to drive across state lines. In most states, people under 21 can receive a commercial driver’s license, but federal regulations restrict them from driving across state lines. Young had introduced the legislation for a third time this year with bipartisan backing.
He has said the DRIVE-Safe program would address the ongoing trucker shortage and relieve some of the bottlenecking in the supply chains. A report released in October by the American Trucking Associations estimated that the industry is short 80,000 drivers and that number is expected to double by 2030 when more drivers retire.
“Today, 18-year-olds can drive more than 200 miles from New Albany to Gary and back, but they aren’t allowed to drive two miles from New Albany to Louisville,” Young had said in a previous statement. “The DRIVE-Safe pilot program will address the driver shortage, provide new career opportunities for young Hoosiers and Americans, and make the roads safer.”
Young’s spokesperson said Young did “heavy-lifting” to get the act through the Senate, placing it into the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill to extend regular annual federal road funding when it was in committee in June.
That bill was then folded into the infrastructure bill.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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The Hound understands that Mike Petersen’s time as NZ agriculture’s special trade envoy will soon end.
Fertiliser co-op Ravensdown has three new directors — academic Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, farmer Nicola Hyslop and e-commerce leader David Biland.
Lamb daily growth rates on sheep farms in New Zealand are in a huge range — from as low as 80g to 350g or more per lamb per day.
Getting to the top of this range requires attention to detail.
In this season we are again asking a lot of our stock, writes Julie Wagner, Ravensdown animal health product manager.
Fertiliser co-op Ravensdown has posted a pre-tax profit and rebate of $52 million for the year ended May 31, 2019.
Ravensdown chief executive Greg Campbell has been named the 2019 Primary Industries Chief Executive of the Year at the inaugural Primary Industries Awards.
OPINION: Most of us are under the impression that all New Zealand has fertile soil that’s great for growing food. It’s more or less a fairy tale.
OPINION: Most of us are under the impression that all of New Zealand has fertile soil that’s great for growing food. It’s more or less a fairy tale.


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Jefferies Group Begins Coverage on Kraft Heinz (KHC)
Jefferies Group assumed coverage on shares of Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $95.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Group also issued estimates for Kraft Heinz’s Q4 2017 earnings at $0.95 EPS, FY2017 earnings at $3.60 EPS, Q1 2018 earnings at $0.94 EPS, Q2 2018 earnings at $1.06 EPS, Q3 2018 earnings at $0.94 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $1.05 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $3.98 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $1.00 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $1.12 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $1.00 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $1.12 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $4.23 EPS, FY2020 earnings at $4.52 EPS, FY2021 earnings at $4.78 EPS and FY2022 earnings at $5.06 EPS.
Several other research firms also recently commented on KHC. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Kraft Heinz from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 18th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on Kraft Heinz from $96.00 to $82.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. BidaskClub upgraded Kraft Heinz from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 10th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Kraft Heinz from $90.00 to $82.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies upgraded Kraft Heinz from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $92.00 to $90.00 in a research note on Friday, October 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Kraft Heinz has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $92.65.
Shares of Kraft Heinz (KHC) traded up $0.39 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $79.66. The stock had a trading volume of 3,693,848 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,600,000. Kraft Heinz has a 12-month low of $75.21 and a 12-month high of $97.77. The stock has a market cap of $97,520.00 and a P/E ratio of 24.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.43.
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. GW&K Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Kraft Heinz by 6.1% during the 4th quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC now owns 12,200 shares of the company’s stock valued at $949,000 after acquiring an additional 704 shares during the period. Viking Fund Management LLC bought a new stake in Kraft Heinz during the 4th quarter valued at $933,000. Personal Capital Advisors Corp raised its holdings in Kraft Heinz by 29.7% during the 4th quarter. Personal Capital Advisors Corp now owns 110,261 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,574,000 after acquiring an additional 25,274 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue raised its holdings in Kraft Heinz by 476.5% during the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 60,901 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,733,000 after acquiring an additional 50,337 shares during the period. Finally, Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. raised its holdings in Kraft Heinz by 5.9% during the 4th quarter. Butensky & Cohen Financial Security Inc. now owns 17,628 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,371,000 after acquiring an additional 975 shares during the period. 62.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Kraft Heinz Company Profile
The Kraft Heinz Company is a food and beverage company. The Company is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of food and beverage products, including condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee and other grocery products. The Company’s segments include the United States, Canada and Europe.
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AOL ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO STARBOARD LETTER TO COMPANY
Dec 21, 2011
NEW YORK, NY - December 21, 2011– AOL, Inc. (NYSE: AOL) today issued the following statement in response to the press release issued by Starboard Value LP:
Over the last two years AOL has significantly reduced costs, sold non-core assets, made significant investments for our future, and also recently repurchased over 10% of outstanding shares. AOL has a clear strategy and operational plan to provide our consumers and customers with exceptional value, which we believe will lead to the creation of shareholder value. Our Board and management team remain firmly committed to creating value for all shareholders and we will continue to aggressively execute on our strategy in 2012 as we continue the turnaround of AOL.
Having helped millions of Americans to get online, AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is on a mission to inform, entertain and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.
Investor Relations Contact:


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Google Pixel came with quite a buzz at the time when it was launched in year 2016. It was highly promoted and laid its claims with advanced camera. Sales have been very steady however have posed no such real threat to the titans of industry such as Samsung Galaxy and Apple’s iPhone.
Some really believed that sales of this phone failed to challenge larger players because of design which was nothing exclusive and price instead larger at more than 600 dollars.
Yet many in the smart phone industry believe, attempt by Google to chip away at Android scope was good first step and have higher expectations which tech giant can release new, better version.
Specialists point to Apple and the upgrades and mishaps it has made with every single new mobile phone launch. They don’t expect anything less from Google.
What’s in to be expected? In the first place think waterproofing. This is turning into an industry standard, found in iPhone 7 and Samsung’s Galaxy S7. Most if not all believe the following variant of Pixel will be both dust and water resistant. The organization did not in incorporate it in its first model but rather it ought to be an element when “2nd” version will be launched.
Reports demonstrate Google needs to enhance the camera. Effectively one of the best smartphone cameras accessible, the organization might be centered on enhancing low light execution and including a couple of new features.
Pixel fans may need to pay more. As per a report at 9 to 5 Google the cost could be higher. Significant changes would need to be important to legitimize a best of the price tag of market.
On the other hand a similar report said Google is trying lower end Pixel gadgets also, maybe for a launch for nations outside North America. These would have less features and lower price. However it would be wisdom if a lower end gadget was offered in the U.S. empowering Google to cover more areas of the market.
When can we count of seeing the new version of smart phone by Pixel? Most if not all the people believe there will be something very soon, about one year after the release of the original version.
How Google plays release card can be interesting to see as new Apple iPhone X, New Smart phone by Galaxy, and LG, should all be ready for the market at the same time.


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TIR system is an internationally successful customs transit system that enables movement of goods between countries affiliated to the TIR Convention, a 1975 UN-ratified agreement allowing for duty-free movement of freight across nations.
It is overseen by the United Nations Economic Commission (UNECE), and managed by the International Road Transport (IRU). TIR stands for "Transports Internationaux Routiers". India ratified the convention on 15th June 2017.
TIR will help Indian traders to have access to fast, easy, reliable and hassle free international system for movement of goods by road or multi-modal means across the territories of other contracting parties.
It will be a boon to India's trade and aims to integrate the economy with global and regional production networks through better connectivity. It can be an instrument for movement of goods along the International "North-South" Transport (INSTC) Corridor, which India is developing along with Russia. (ANI-NewsVoir)


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Austrade’s Chengdu office celebrates 20 years
25 Sep 2020
There are many important milestones in the long and productive trading relationship between Australia and China. One milestone occurred in 1921, when Australia’s first trade commissioner, Edward Selby Little, was posted to Shanghai.
On the 28th February that year, the Sydney Morning Herald said of Mr Little:
‘He knows China thoroughly and believes that, rightly handled, there is a great market for Australian goods there.’
Next year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of this remarkable decision.
This year marks a smaller but nonetheless significant milestone. It is 20 years since Austrade established an office in the southwest city of Chengdu.
The capital of Sichuan, Chengdu is home to China’s national symbol, the Panda. The city’s ancient teahouses are adorned with bamboo birdcages, and its world-famous cuisine is based on fiery chillies and a numbing Sichuan black pepper.
The city is also a sophisticated consumer market for Australia’s food and beverages, and other health and well-being products.
Prior to the pandemic, Chengdu’s residents spent a higher proportion of their income on consumption than people in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.
Demand for luxury is high across the city, which is noted for its high liveability index. Chengdu’s retail sector has the third largest number of luxury brands after Beijing and Shanghai.
Investment partnerships strengthen ties
Investment from Sichuan in Australia has focused in sectors such as mining and agribusiness although Sichuan companies are also active in retail, pharmaceutical, health, tourism and wine sectors.
Australian companies are also contributing to growth in high-value sectors of Chengdu’s economy.
Australia’s iconic Cochlear has committed to the firm’s only overseas manufacturing plant about an hour’s drive from Chengdu’s original CBD.
ANZ chose Chengdu as the site of its China Global Services and Operations centre, which provides technology and analytical services to the Bank’s regional network.
Austrade’s Chengdu office has been instrumental in establishing greater commercial collaboration between southwest China and Australia.
But it hasn't always been about commerce.
Confronting natural disaster
On 12 May 2008, Sichuan was struck by a massive earthquake, its epicentre around 80 kilometres northwest of Chengdu.
The Wenchuan earthquake measured 8.0 and tremors were reportedly felt throughout a vast region of the south-west and as far away as Beijing and Shanghai.
Austrade staff in Chengdu were instrumental in assisting Australia’s Embassy in Beijing to locate Australian citizens. Austrade employees also acted as a liaison point for communications and operations on the ground.
The region’s economic importance as well as the close ties with Australia were recognised in 2013 with the establishment of the Australian Consulate-General in Chengdu, Australia’s fourth diplomatic presence in China at the time.
A focal point for trade and investment links
Today, Australia’s interests in southwest China stretch across trade, investment, education and tourism.
Opportunities for greater collaboration exist in logistics and supply chains, agribusiness, food and beverages, the health and medical sector, vocational training and skills development, and new energy and infrastructure – to name a few.
While we take time to reflect on the achievements of our Chengdu office and other regional offices over the past 20 years, we also commence a month-long campaign of business and consumer events to build an even stronger commercial partnership between Australia and China.
The first of these, appropriately, kicks off this week in Chengdu. Entitled Reaching West – 2020, an Australian Food and Beverage Products Showcase, the event offers Australian businesses the opportunity to promote their products to China’s importers and consumers using a mix of offline and online platforms.
A vision for the future
Chengdu, which literally means ‘to become a capital’ has definitely achieved its vision. Its future planning will promote the city as a regional centre for major international events.
Chengdu is also striving to become a low-carbon city, a hub for eco-tourism, and a leader in advanced services and manufacturing.
Australian firms are well placed to continue to work with the city and its commercial entities to achieve that vision.
Strong collaborative commercial partnerships with Sichuan and the southwest region helps build prosperity for both our countries.
Austrade’s office in Chengdu will be there to assist.
Please contact email@example.com


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Snapchat’s anime filter was used more than 3 billion times in the first week after it was released, Snap said today, confirming what we already knew: it was a huge hit.
The filter, which morphs its subject into an anime character, is just the latest in a line of fun AR lenses from Snapchat that have gone viral and helped drive usage on the platform. During its third quarter, Snapchat had 249 million daily users, up from 238 million last quarter. The company’s revenue was also up to $679 million, a 52 percent increase even as the pandemic chilled ad spending elsewhere.
“The adoption of augmented reality is happening faster than we had previously anticipated.”
There are signs that Snap’s growth is more robust than drive-by filter users. The average number of Snaps created each day is up 25 percent year over year, the company said (though it didn’t say exactly how many that is). Time spent watching shows on Snapchat also grew by 50 percent.
Snap called out the success of its AR features, in particular, when highlighting where it saw growth in the longer term. “The adoption of augmented reality is happening faster than we had previously anticipated, and we are working together as a team to execute on the many opportunities in front of us,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said in remarks alongside the company’s earnings release for the third quarter of 2020.
Though Snapchat tends to get less attention than other social networks, it’s among the bigger apps out there. Twitter reported having 186 million daily users last quarter, and TikTok reported in August that it had 100 million daily users in the US. (Snapchat has 90 million daily users in all of North America.) It’s still tiny compared to Facebook and its suite of apps, though. Instagram had 500 million daily users when it last provided an updated number in 2018.


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Sprint is closing all retail stores and concluding its lengthy run as a telecommunications provider, founded in 1899 in Kansas by Cleyson Brown. Sprint started offering wireless services in 1995 and was never able to quite keep up with the times or other emerging competitors. Nearly a century of being a leading telecommunications service went the way of the Dodo after the wireless craze swept the nation.
T-Mobile merged with Spring on April 1st, 2020, and has been chiseling away at Sprint products and services ever since. The plan was always to envelop Sprint’s customers into the T-Mobile brand and now the final stages have been scheduled. T-Mobile announced back in March of 2023 it was also acquiring Mint Mobile, eliminating more competition for the “Uncarrier” while increasing its user base. Now Sprint is reportedly finally coming to an end, according to The Mobile Report.
First, T-Mobile started automatically switching Sprint customers to its own plans, then started offering deals and payments to switch to its SIM cards. Last year, T-Mobile began eliminating Sprint devices and systems from underperforming retail locations in addition to discontinuing Sprint’s 3G CDMA network. This past April, Sprint SIM cards were disabled.
Starting May 26th, stores will eliminate systems employees use to order products for in-store pickups and existing orders will need to be picked up by June 9th. All orders placed after May 26th will be marked ship to home.
June 10th marks another store shutdown milestone, ending all in-store transactions other than express payments, returns, and picking up existing orders. June 25th is scheduled as the final day for any type of in-store Sprint transactions. Everything after that date will be conducted via the Sprint app which is also scheduled to shut down.
Customers who are still somehow using Sprint SIM cards have limited time left to fully switch to T-Mobile or another mobile provider. Check out T-Mobile’s FAQs page to learn more about what to expect as Sprint fully disconnects forever, including plan changes and steps to replace outdated SIM cards.


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If you’re looking to build an online business in the cloud, Amazon, Google or Microsoft are probably your best options, but HP just launched a full assault on the cloud computing market that could see the company challenge its more established rivals. HP Helion represents a $1 billion investment focused on open source cloud-based products and services, the company announced on Wednesday.
HP Helion is made up of four main services. There’s OpenStack Community edition, a free cloud platform for smaller companies with an enhanced version planned for release later this year. Helion’s development platform helps IT departments build and manage custom services and applications, while HP’s OpenStack Technology Indemnification Program promises to protect “qualified” customers from any patent or copyright issues that could arise. Finally, the company will offer a full team of consultants, engineers and cloud technologists as part of its OpenStack Professional Service.
Unlike alternatives from Amazon or Google, HP Helion encourages companies to create custom smaller cloud systems rather than build them on top of rented space from a larger “public cloud.” HP plans to make money by selling companies the tools they need to operate their own cloud. To hit its goals, Helion is set to expand rapidly in the next two years as it becomes available in 20 of the company’s 80 data centers—up from just two out of 80 today.


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The Express Wi-Fi Program, which was operated by Meta to bring more Internet access to Third World nations, is being shut down. The company announced its plans to end the effort at the end of the year after more than five years in operation.
The program was based on technology developed by the Israeli startup Snaptu which was bought out by Facebook, now Meta, in 2011. Snaptu was a free app platform that ran on virtually every type of Internet-enabled mobile phone. It allowed the user to access popular services, varying from social networks Picasa to entertainment news, blogs, sports and local guides. Facebook incorporated the tech into the Express Wi-Fi Program.
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“Express Wi-Fi is designed to complement mobile data offerings by providing a low-cost, high bandwidth alternative for getting online and access apps, download and stream content,” Munish Seth, Facebook’s head of connectivity solutions for Asia-Pacific, said in a statement released at the time that the program was first being unveiled.
In a blog post, Meta stated, “Together with our partners, we helped expand public Wi-Fi access for people in more than 30 countries via the Express Wi-Fi platform. While we are concluding our work on this program to focus on developing other projects, we remain committed to working with partners across the telecom ecosystem to deliver better connectivity.”
Launched in 2016, Express Wi-Fi was a platform developed by Meta Connectivity that enabled mobile and satellite operators and internet service providers to “build, grow and monetize” their Wi-Fi businesses in a sustainable and scalable way, while providing their customers with fast, affordable and reliable internet access over Wi-Fi.
Meta went on to promise that as the company concludes its work on the program, “we’ll work closely with Express Wi-Fi partners to help minimize the impact to their businesses and their customer’s connectivity.


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Google News Nigeria
Easter is one season that offers great opportunities for making lots of money as business owners. Legit.ng came up with 5 best business ideas that can give you cool cash this Easter and why you should give it a try.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Wednesday said that the Google search engine originated from the ‘Ifa’ also known as the oracle.
The prices of some food items have increased in a market in Lagos state. A survey at Ojota market by Legit.ng revealed the changes in the cost of some goods and fluctuation in others few weeks before Easter celebration.
It's Valentine and people have started shopping for the day. In other to make it a memorable one, Legit.ng came up with 7 things people rush in the market during Valentine and why buyers should include them on their shopping list.
As Nigerians prepare for the general election, the prices of basic food items across the state crashes. Legit.ng confirm thus at Ketu market, Lagos. But, despite the affordability in the price of goods, traders lament poor sales.
Robert John, a Nigerian based in Kaduna, has become the first certified Google developer expert in machine learning in Sub-Saharan Africa. The talented man was certified on Monday, August 13. He was picked for the certification.


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Well we all know that the government love their taxes, but surely they’re taking it a little too far by aiming to tax our bakery delights?!
The government have recently made plans to add 20% VAT to the price of hot savoury food, as of October this year. Chancellor George Osborne has said all food sold “above ambient temperature” should be liable for VAT and therefore our beloved bakeries should be adding VAT to the price of their sausage rolls, pasties and other hot treats.
The ridiculous system is set to add VAT to the price of anything that comes straight from the oven, meaning customers will be taking their Christmas mince pies and Easter hot cross bun’s home with a side order of 20% VAT.
Bakers in York are urging customers to sign petitions against the pasty tax. Cooplands, Thomas the Baker and Greggs already have thousands of signatures against the government’s plans. Cooplands Bakery, which has branches in Bridge Street, Davygate and York Road in Acomb, has already collected more than a thousand signatures and had received a “brilliant response” to the campaign from customers. Greggs, which has branches in Church Street, Pavement, Coney Street, Jubbergate and Acomb, has also got petitions in all of its stores. Staff are desperate for signatures to keep the bakery business in full swing.
And campaigning doesn’t just stop at petitions, hundreds of bakers are set to take on a one-mile march in London on 26 April to humiliate Chancellor George Osborne over his half-baked plan to add 20% VAT to our freshly baked goodies. With marchers planning to carry a figure of the chancellor mocked up as a “pie-wayman”, they will meet at Pudding Lane, where the Great Fire of London began in a bakery in 1666, and will march over to Downing Street.
General Manager of Thomas the Baker, Simon Thomas, said: “As many of our loyal customers know, if you arrive at one of our shops just as the sausage rolls are coming out of the oven, they will be hot. However, if you arrive half an hour later that same product will be cold. So who will determine if that product has dropped below ‘ambient’, and whether or not to charge VAT on it?”
He then goes on to say: “If you are behind the last person in the lunchtime queue who just purchased an ‘ambient’ pasty without VAT, and then you buy a freshly-baked pasty just as it comes out of the oven, you will be charged 20% more than the person in front of you. We will find this situation impossible to police.”
Former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has backed the local bakers’ campaign against the tax, describing it as “a kick in the teeth to bakers.” To prevent the pasty tax, the public most certainly need to raise their voices, so if you, like John Prescott, disagree with the idea of 20% VAT on hot savoury foods pop into one of York’s local bakery’s and sign a petition.
Is it really fair to charge different prices for the same batch of sausage rolls due to their temperature?


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Lego, first sold in Denmark in 1949, is again expected to be a best-seller this year, according to figures released today by John Lewis.
"Lego is building up to its biggest year yet," said Elaine Whiteman, John Lewis toy buyer.
"Sales are increasing 65 per cent week-on-week thanks to its enduring appeal and exciting brand developments, and we predict Lego will make up 15 per cent of all our toy sales this Christmas."
It will also account for half of all boys' toys sold at John Lewis.
Lego has moved with the times, licensing everything from Star Wars to Indiana Jones. It has also developed robot kits and moved into computer games.
Lego UK's managing director Marko Illincic said: "We've trebled the size of our UK business in the last three years." He believes the recession has helped the firm. "The beauty of Lego is that you can play with it multiple times."
The topsellers are Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder (£24.99), Toy Story Buzz and Woody to the rescue (£14.99) and Lego Classic Fire Station (£59.99).Reuse content


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CASTRO VALLEY — Not many family-owned stores can boast 75 years serving customers. But instead of celebrating that milestone, Connolly’s Furniture and Mattress is being forced to close.
The business, which has locations at 20600 Redwood Road in Castro Valley and at 2193 First St. in Livermore, plans to close for good within the next few weeks as a result of the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
About 20 people will be out of work, owner Steve Connolly said.
“It’s due to the coronavirus that we are shutting down,” Connolly said. “It’s been really difficult, and it’s been really tough.”
On a recent afternoon, no potential customers came through the doors of the Castro Valley store for at least 30 minutes, a sign of how the retailer has been struggling.
Both the business’s Castro Valley and Livermore locations will close, as well as its distribution center in Union City.
Connolly’s Furniture and Mattress also once operated a store in Fremont. But that closed after the City Council approved rezoning the neighborhood as residential in January 2016, clearing the way for townhomes and live/work units to get built where the store once stood.
Fremont also was where the original store, Walter Connolly’s Appliances and Furnishings, opened.
“My grandfather opened the store in spring 1945,” Steve Connolly said. “He ran it for many years. My father then ran it.”
Connolly and his wife, Liz, took over the stores in 1982. Their daughter, Danielle Connolly, joined as a manager in 2015.
David Gehrke, president of the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce, said he fears more local businesses will permanently close unless the pandemic eases and health authorities lift safety measures put in place.
“If things don’t turn around, I predict up to 40% of mom-and-pop businesses in Castro Valley will be closed for good by early next year,” said Gehrke, owner of KMC Cleaners & Restoring Services in San Lorenzo.
No exact date has been selected for locking the doors for the final time, Connolly said, adding that it hinges on liquidating inventory. Some items in the stores are now being offered at 75% off.
“Our landlords have been very understanding,” he said.
What may occupy the spots in the future remains unknown.
“Unfortunately, they probably will be vacant for a while,” Connolly said.
The family plans to continue operating online, at least for a while. After that they will explore their options, Connolly said.
Last month, Yelp, the company that allows people to post reviews on restaurants, bars and other businesses, released its second-quarter consumer interest report, which showed the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas with two of the four highest per-capita closure rates in the country.
More than 2,000 businesses in the San Francisco metro area, which includes much of the East Bay, Peninsula and Marin County, closed for good from April 1 to June 30, according to Yelp’s data, while another 3,000 remain temporarily shuttered.
“I think for small businesses to survive today, they will need to pivot and look for another model and ways to do business,” Gehrke said. “Things are not going to work the same way as before.”


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NAOGAON: Farmers of Naogaon districts are mostly benefited growing massive tomato this season as they are making huge profit compare to previous year.
Due to favourable weather condition and timely supply of necessary agri-input, tomato farmers are achieving bumper production and fair market price this season, said sub-assistance agriculture officers.The farmers are also seen happy over fair market price of newly harvested tomato across the eleventh upazilas of the region. Good number growers have started becoming self-reliant this season as they are selling each maund of cops at Tk 2000 to 2100 in the retail market while Tk 1500 to 1800 in the wholesale market from last week across the region.
During planting seed, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) has provided quality seeds among the farmers so that the farmers can get high yield crops. The good output method can be rendered smoothly.
They had made a good profit last year growing high yield tomato spending miniature capital as they had sold each maund of tomato at Tk 1500 to 1600 during harvesting period against only Tk 900 to 1050 production cost.
The farmers have emphasised on the tomato farming denying other rabi crops, said farmer Fazalur Rahman under Raninagar upazila of the district. He is strongly optimistic to make Tk 0.1 million from his a bigha of land this season, he added.
The farmers have sown seed of tomato from Kartik to Agrhayan and started harvesting from the first week of December. The farmers are getting over 30 to 40 maund of yield from a bigha of land. The farmers have invested Tk over 36,000 to 42000 to grow potato on a bigha of land.
DAE official said the farmers have shown more interest to bring new some crop land under early tomato cultivation this season due to its lucrative profit. We have given them logistic support among the eager farmers, he added.


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Puma presents unconventional sneaker strategy as NBA stages match in Paris
This weekend, Paris is rocking to the rhythm of the fashion week. And, the NBA. For the second time in its history, the U.S. professional basketball league is staging a regular season fixture in the French capital, and has set up an NBA house at the Aérogare des Invalides, which will host a plethora of events until January 22. On Thursday, the Chicago Bulls will play the Detroit Pistons in front of a capacity crowd at the Paris-Bercy multisport arena, in one of the year’s top basketball events in France.
The NBA, which has opened a flagship store in the Saint-Michel district in Paris, is keen to spark a major buzz in Europe around the game, and so does Nike, world number-one in basketball with its eponymous brand and with its Jordan brand. Nike, a partner of the Paris fixture, has designed a collection in the liveries of the two NBA franchises involved.
The NBA’s Paris match isn't just an event of Europe-wide resonance for basketball fans. It is also an opportunity for other industry players to make their voices heard. Puma, for example, held a day-long event on January 18, at its temporary Puma house in the Maison du Danemark building on the Champs Élysées. It was the opportunity to present Puma’s latest models, including a new football/basketball crossover edition of the Rise Nitro model in orange and blue; the same colours of the latest version of the Future Ultimate football boots worn by Neymar Jr, the Brazilian star of Paris Saint-Germain.
In addition to the presentation, Puma organised a forum on its product development process for sneakers, featuring Jeff Gately, senior product manager basketball shoes at Puma, who answered questions from influencer and basketball buff Rookicks; from Gino Delmas, a fashion journalist at sports daily L’Équipe; and Gaylor Curier, a professional basketball player for French club Cholet.
Puma re-entered the basketball segment in 2018, and still lags far behind the market leaders.
“We broke into the market by taking a very small share, in a startup spirit,” said Gately. “We work like a small team, constantly discussing products and consumer needs. This allows us to do things that are very different from what is usually regarded as the way to develop a basketball shoe. We are still far from the leaders but we are moving forward, prompted by the desire to reach the top one day,” he added.
Gately said that Puma's U.S.-based product development team is working both with other Puma designers, who are developing products for other sports, like football, trying to tap specific technologies, but also with top athletes. An approach that has enabled Puma to create unique designs for the shoes co-created with NBA player LaMelo Ball. Collaborating with a top NBA star has quickly turned into a showcase for the German sport equipment manufacturer.
“In our meetings, LaMelo comes up with many ideas for colourways and materials,” said Gately. “We’re keen to develop high-performance shoes that have a strong lifestyle potential. Sometimes, certain materials don’t satisfy our technical requirements. We do not compromise on the performance aspect. And sometimes we have to say no, as we did for example to silver or chrome designs,” he added.
Major industry brands drop dozens of new models every year, but Puma seems to want to approach the market in a different way. It has an aggressive pricing policy, with the recent Rise Nitro model the highest price-point at €130, and isn’t currently challenging competitors that sometimes price shoes at around €200.
“This doesn’t mean we’ll never do it,” said Gately. “But our strategy doesn’t rely on launching 30 models in the year and blanketing shop walls. Our approach is to work on a dozen products in depth, focusing on introducing new technologies and styles that will enable us to respond to the market and surprise consumers. We prefer to have fewer products that consumers understand perfectly,” he added.
Building on the success of the model developed with LaMelo Ball, Puma seems to be gradually justifying its basketball come-back. The brand is also benefiting from the strong momentum of its lifestyle range, gradually introducing its products in directional fashion stores and winning over new customers outside basketball courts.
Puma reported a global revenue of €6.2 billion for the first nine months of fiscal 2022, and is expected to reach record sales levels for the entire year, with record profitability results too. The German group will publish its annual results on March 1.
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Co-op Retail CEO Jo Whitfield has promised to “do a great job for Nisa members” as she set out plans for the buying group after completing a £173.5m takeover this week.
Whitfield said the Co-op was investing in price, with reductions for retailers across some lines by up to 20%, as well as beginning the rollout of an initial 800 Co-op own brand lines over the next few months. She also looked to allay fears that Costcutter retailers, who will be supplied by the Co-op through Nisa from the end of this month, would get better terms than Nisa members.
Justice for Nisa, a group of rebel Nisa shareholders who unsuccessfully tried to block the final court approval of the takeover last week, had written to Nisa members claiming to have seen a letter from Costcutter to its retailers detailing the terms they would receive as part of the Co-op contract. Justice for Nisa argued clauses in that letter referring to zero surcharges and 6% rebates looked like better terms than they had previously received via Nisa.
Whitfield did not reveal any specifics of the terms for either Nisa or Costcutter, but she stressed to The Grocer that Nisa members would be looked after.
“The relationship we have with Costcutter is a supply relationship, through Nisa,” she explained, adding that it would be Costcutter that would set the rates for its own retailers.
“It’s actually a very separate and distinct relationship than the relationship we’ll have with our Nisa partners,” she said.
Whitfield added the Co-op would ensure “keen prices” for Nisa members. “And there will also be offers and product opportunities that will be available to Nisa partners that wouldn’t be available to Costcutter,” she said. “So, it’s a great relationship to have Costcutter involved as a supply partner because that obviously brings scale for everybody and helps underpin cost prices for everybody. But Costcutter is its own business and therefore, they’ll invest and set their own prices for their retailers. That’s not something we can influence and control. But we will be ensuring we do a great job for our Nisa partners.”
Whitfield went on to say that continuing to drive scale through Nisa, which will be led by new CEO Ken Towle, was a key part of the Co-op’s plan.
“We have high ambition around the ability to win business and to grow the Nisa business. Ken and the team will be laying out their view of opportunities for us to go and win additional contracts,” she said. “We believe it is a great platform for growth and this partnership brings scale that really helps power the Nisa business forward.”
Whitfield reaffirmed the Co-op’s commitment to Nisa’s existing distribution contract with DHL and said it would continue to operate the Nisa supply chain completely separately from its own retail supply chain.
“Certainly for the first few years, we intend to invest in our retail network and ensure that supports our business and run the Nisa network separately,” Whitfield said.
“But we are open to the point that there’ll come the right opportunity to start to bring those two things together in a couple of years, when we want to start to get the right level of cost efficiency that we can then start to invest back into the business.”


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Dear iPhone users:
If you haven't already updated your iPhone to iOS version 7.0.3, please delay that.
Apple released a minor system update to iOS 7.0.3 for iPhones that is temporarily incompatible with our app.
The update was not made available to developers ahead of its release, which meant that the vendor for the Bradenton Herald app couldn't detect a bug in the code. Our vendor has fixed the bug and is releasing the Bradenton Herald update to the Apple app store.
Because Apple reviews all updates, we might not have our fix in the store for a few days. We apologize for the malfunction and the delay.
If you have enabled notifications, you will still receive notice of any substantial breaking news. You can read the Bradenton Herald on your phone by going to m.bradenton.com. You also can sign up for breaking news emails at www.bradenton.com/reg-bin/int.cgi.
William Winter, Digital News Director


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* Software AG sees 2014 sales flat in BPE unit
* Previously saw the figure up 12-18 percent
* Q2 BPE sales down 7 percent to 85 million euros
* Sees 2014 operating margin of 26-28 pct
* Shares drop 17 pct to lowest level since Nov 2009 (Adds further CEO comments, details)
By Maria Sheahan and Ludwig Burger
FRANKFURT, July 15 (Reuters) - German business software maker Software AG has warned that sales growth in its biggest business would fall short of expectations this year as clients delay signing major contracts, sending its shares to their lowest in almost five years.
As the software industry switches to charging regular subscription payments rather than selling software, Software AG is having a hard time persuading customers to buy its data infrastructure products for up-front payments.
“Users increasingly want to pay as they use, instead of (making) large payments in advance for something they will use over the next few years,” Chief Executive Karl-Heinz Streibich told a conference call.
Software AG said it now saw 2014 revenue from its largest unit, known as Business Process Excellence (BPE) and which sells process management products, stagnating from a year earlier, compared with a previous outlook for growth of between 12 and 18 percent at constant currency rates.
In the second quarter, sales from BPE, which generated almost half of group revenue last year, fell 7 percent to 85 million euros.
Software AG serves companies including U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and German rail operator Deutsche Bahn . Its BPE unit helps customers keep inventories at ideal levels, monitor in real time how fast clients are being served, and helps retrieve data from outdated software systems, among hundreds of other functions.
Expecting swift growth, the group - Germany’s second-largest business software supplier after SAP SE - last year invested 50 million euros in BPE, hiring 200 sales and marketing employees, making the latest slowdown particularly disappointing.
“The BPE business line was marked by a surprising reluctance by customers to commit to major infrastructure projects,” the company said.
It sees its 2014 operating margin at between 26 and 28 percent, against 26.8 percent a year earlier and a previous outlook for an improved margin.
“In absolute terms that leads us to fear a decline in earnings,” analyst Mirko Maier at banking group LBBW said.
Software AG previously said it saw operating earnings rising by between 2 and 7 percent from 260.7 million euros ($356 million) last year, but did not repeat that forecast on Tuesday. Instead, it said operating earnings would be between 26 and 28 percent of sales this year, compared with 26.8 percent last year.
Its stock was down 17 percent at 20.47 euros by 0948 GMT, having fallen as low as 19.99 euros, its lowest since November 2009.
The company is due to publish full quarterly financial results on July 24.
$1 = 0.7331 Euros Editing by David Holmes


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Sustainable Investing: from finance, to farm, to fork
The plant-based food industry is big business, and as our diets shift away from animal products this new sector is expected to skyrocket. Still, investors and consumers are holding back. See what companies can do to promote a food industry that’s both good for the planet and good for business
3 min read
16 Nov 2022We’ve identified five key areas where an individual could further reduce their carbon footprint and help the environment.7 min
08 Nov 20224 min
Coutts has partnered with The Financial Times Wealth Channel to support coverage of the most important topics, trends and news for today’s high-net worth individuals; here we share an exclusive video.


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Coal India OFS fully subscribed
Bidding opened for institutional investors on Wednesday and for retail investors on Thursday.
Institutions submitted bids for 158.4 million shares and retail buyers sought to buy more than 61.9 million shares against the total offer of 186.2 million.
Bidding opened for institutional investors on Wednesday and for retail investors on Thursday. In total, 39.6 million shares were reserved for retail investors.
Shares of Coal India declined 4 per cent each on Tuesday and Wednesday, and fell a further 1.9 per cent to Rs 261.10 on Thursday.
Data on how much the green shoe option (additional bids) in the share sale will be exercised by the government will be known later.
The government currently holds 78.32 per cent stake in Coal India.
This is the first big-ticket sale from the government so far in FY 2019 against the disinvestment target of Rs 80,000 crore.
So far, the government raised about Rs 10,000 crore by selling stakes in RITES, IRCON, Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders, and also through a follow on offer of Bharat-22 ETF.


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Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co
The company, which last week said Chief Financial Officer Brenda Galgano will step down in March, expects the store closures to be completed in its first quarter.
In December, analysts said the company -- which operates 395 stores -- may have to shutter about a quarter of them.
Once the largest U.S. grocer, A&P filed for bankruptcy protection in December as it ran low on cash and was squeezed by discounters like Costco Wholesale Corp
(Reporting by Abhishek Takle in Bangalore; Editing by Vyas Mohan)


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Auckland startup Quantifi Photonics has raised $15 million in a Series B round that’s unusual – in that it’s an all-Kiwi affair at a time when Aussie or US outfits are grabbing large chunks of many high-tech companies in fundraising mode.
- Business Hub: Peter Beck on turning 100 Rocket Lab staff into millionaires
It’s also a notable example of a local venture capitalist re-investing money in a local startup following a big win, and a local KiwiSaver fund backing an early-stage company.
Quantifi – founded in 2012 born out of research at Auckland University – makes equipment that global companies use to develop and test really fast telecommunications equipment, from subsea cable systems to optical kit in data centres.”
The new trans-Pacific Southern Cross Next cable – which was dragged up Auckland’s Takapuna Beach last week by Alcatel Submarine Networks, was developed and tested, in part, using Quantifi kit.
Now, Quantifi co-founder Andy Stevens says new markets are opening up for his company’s technology – and the $8m will be used to develop new products to meet them.
“What has happened over the last 10 years is that all this amazing technology developed for telecommunications has enabled the development of new products for new markets and applications. For example, autonomous cars that scan the road using laser-based Lidar systems, and your smart phone’s facial recognition are both built using fundamental photonics technologies,” he says.
Paying it forward
Lance Wiggs’ Punakaiki Fund which led the previous Series A round in 2018, also led Quantifi’s Series B round, investing $5m (and lifting its stake from 17.7 per cent to 27.8 per cent in the process).
Punakaiki was recycling some of the profit it made from owning a slice of Vend, the Auckland point-of-sale software company recently sold to NYSE-listed Lightspeed for US$350m ($455m).
“We will receive, we estimate, $9m from the sale of our Vend shares, which was paid partially in cash, and the remainder in Lightspeed shares. Two thirds of those shares are escrowed until later this year,” Wiggs says.
“The cash, and funds from the sale of our initial tranche of Lightspeed shares only rested in a bank account briefly before being redirected into Quantifi Photonics [$5m] and [$1.25m] Mobi2Go. Each of these investments was part of a round of $10 million or more, leaving two of our existing investments very well set up for the medium-term.”
(Mobi2Go – a Kiwi company that competes with Shopify – has boomed during the pandemic, quadrupling its staff as more small businesses move sales online.)
Stevens says the $8m in new funding will be used to ramp up research and development efforts, and create new products that will broaden Quantifi’s appeal to the world’s largest tech companies.
“We have significant opportunities with a number of existing customers, and we are one hundred per cent focused on becoming a leading supplier to the world’s largest photonics manufacturers over the next five years.
“The company is on a clear path, even with the impact of Covid-19, to turn this into a US$100m revenue business for New Zealand”.
He quotes stats saying the fast-growing market for photonics-enabled devices hit US$2.4b last year.
The Albany-based company grew staff numbers to 50 during 2020.
And while detailed financials haven’t been published, a Punakaiki fund portfolio statement says Quantifi increased revenue by 10 per cent (to an undisclosed amount) in 2020 as it snuck into profit with “over $680,000” of operating earnings.
Quantifi had been seeking to raise $12m, but in the end its oversubscribed round got to $15m.
The round was also supported by KiwiSaver fund Simplicity, which invested $4m. Simplicity MD Sam Stubbs indicates more of the same is on the way – which could lead to dedicated fund.
“As part of our fully-diversified strategy, we will invest in privately-held companies with meaningful revenue and strong fundamentals. We intend to create, over time, enough holdings to have an index on strong privately held businesses in New Zealand,” he says.
Pacific Channel, which recently closed a $55m fund aimed at “deep tech” companies (including a $20m contribution from Crown agency NZ Growth Capital Partners’ Elevate fund) , chipped in $2m. MD Brett Ogilvy says the Pacific Channel II fund is looking to invest in 25 research-intensive companies.
$1m came from Nuance Connected Capital, which launched a new VC fund in May aimed at early-stage NZ companies with global opportunities in deep tech, science and innovation. Partner Ngaio Merrick says: “Our investment process focuses on the calibre of the founders and the ability of the company to carve out a global niche. We believe Quantifi Photonics is well placed to scale internationally with the investment and the support of their investors.”
Existing investors including NZGCP’s Aspire Fund and Sir Stephen Tindall’s ubiquitous K1W1 (on the launchpad for a big Rocket Lab payday) also supported the round.
Other shareholders include Uniservices (Auckland University’s commercialisation arm) and parent company Southern Photonics (also part of the Uniservices stable).
Punakaiki’s 28 per cent makes it the largest shareholder following the Series B raise. Co-founder Stevens has the second largest holding with 24 per cent (other investors are at 10 per cent or below).
“We are one of only two companies able to meet the exacting requirements for manufacture of high-end optical transceivers and we are moving quickly to consolidate our lead,” Stevens says.
“We started by providing leading-edge photonic test equipment to overseas R&D labs who were developing the fibre-optic communication technologies used in subsea cables such as the Southern Cross cable between New Zealand and the US, which carries most of New Zealand’s internet and telecommunications data.
“Today, our equipment is used to test devices which operate much faster, but are much smaller and cheaper, and are being used in thousands of data centres worldwide.”
Quantifi’s equipment is used by multinationals in 25 countries today. Stevens expects that to expand as new markets like self-driving car systems and augmented reality smartphone apps broaden the market for photonics-enabled devices – and the kit for developing and testing them.
Source: Read Full Article


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An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise.
Jeff Bezos said the implementation was complex, with specially designed cameras and shelves and new computer vision algorithms.
Walmart’s Mexico unit has penalized food companies supplying groceries to rival Amazon, pressure that has forced some to pull their products from the world’s largest online retailer, four people familiar with the matter said.
MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced Thursday they had finalized their divorce, and that she would surrender 75 percent of the couple's shares in the tech giant.
“I don’t want a government that’s here to work for the giant tech companies. I want a government that’s here to work for the people,” said Elizabeth Warren.
WASHINGTON: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has accused the publisher of the National Enquirer of blackmail after it threatened to publish intimate photographs sent by the billionaire to his mistress if he did not cease his investigation into how the newspaper got the pictures. It comes after the tabloid, having accessed private text messages, last month reported Bezos had an extramarital affair with former news anchor and entertainment reporter Lauren Sanchez — a leak that led to his divorce. In a post on blogging platform…


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Aug 10, 2007
Porsche announces new 2008 Limited Edition Boxster
2008 Limited Edition Porsche Boxster S; photos by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge
Atlanta, Georgia – Porsche has announced an all-new, orange 2008 Limited Edition Boxster and Boxster S, which will go on sale in Canada and the U.S. on September 28, 2007. Only 500 will be available, and will be priced at US$49,900 for the Boxster and US$59,900 for the Boxster S.
The Limited Edition was displayed at a “sneak preview” at the New York Auto Show last spring. It is clad in orange paint, including its exhaust system and safety bars, a colour previously featured only on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and includes a special “Limited Edition” plaque on the glove compartment. Its SportDesign package includes front spoiler lips, an automatically extending rear spoiler, and modified rear trim with integrated diffuser.
Other features include black painted alloy wheels, black mirrors and air inlets, black interior and Alcantara trim.


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DUBAI's DP World has announced that its terminal at London Gateway has handled its 10 millionth container, just nine years after it opened for business.
London Gateway moved 1.8 million TEU, an increase of almost 650 per cent compared with its first full year of operation in 2014. A new GBP350 million (US$376 million) fourth berth will further increase capacity by a third when it opens in 2024.
"After the disruption of recent years, shipping lines and cargo owners are looking for capacity, reliability and growth opportunities," said DP World's UK chief Ernst Schulze.
"Within a decade, London Gateway is likely to be handling up to 30 per cent of the country's containerised trade. Its port-centric logistics park will be one of the largest in Europe, employing 12,000 people and underpinned by investment in a second rail terminal and a new fourth berth," he said.
DP World operates two deep water ports at London Gateway and Southampton with access to freight rail terminals.
Need a China Shipping Agent to help you consolidate and ship internationally from China?


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It feels like James Patterson JUST announced his latest book and now he has announced that his latest book, “The Murder of Stephen King” has been cancelled. Reportedly, the book was about a stalker reenacting the horrors from King’s books on the author himself.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Patterson said:
My book is a positive portrayal of a fictional character, and, spoiler alert, the main character is not actually murdered. Nevertheless, I do not want to cause Stephen King or his family any discomfort. Out of respect for them, I have decided not to publish The Murder of Stephen King.
Though Patterson says the novella was meant as a tribute to King, it always seemed in odd taste considering the two aren’t exactly friends. In the past, King has said of Patterson that he’s “a terrible writer but he’s very successful.”
King has not commented publicly on the book.
The ongoing dispute between Amazon and the publisher Hachette Book Group has gone even further. Amazon has finally decided to tell their side. The dispute originated over pricing. Amazon has been putting pressure on Hachette to renew their contract by delaying shipments and reducing discounts by not taking preorders on any titles.
Russ Grandinetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of Kindle content, spoke with The Wall Street Journal claiming that the online retailer is merely acting “in the long-term interest of our customers.”
Yeah. Sure, Amazon.
“This discussion is all about e-book pricing,” he continued. “The terms under which we trade will determine how good the prices are that we can offer consumers.”
Amazon continues to piss off authors everywhere with their tactics even high-profile authors such as James Patterson and Stephen Colbert. Patterson said in May that “Amazon wants to control book buying, book selling and even book publishing.”
Colbert went even further to encourage viewers to buy books from other places such as directly from publishers websites or vendors and to also print out stickers saying “I didn’t buy it on Amazon.”
Grandinetti did not comment to the WSJ about the current state of negotiations with Hachette.
James Patterson, the best-selling author behind dozens and dozens of books, recently spoke out against the online retailer, Amazon, for hurting the publishing industry. Patterson said he believes “the future of our literature is in danger.”
His remarks came while accepting an award at BookExpo America, for championing small bookstores around the United States (and world.)
“Amazon wants to control book buying, book selling and even book publishing,” Patterson said, adding that the company “sounds like the beginning of a monopoly.”
Patterson also called out the media and U.S. government for basically turning a blind eye to Amazon’s actions. He specifically mentioned BEA’s media partners, including USA TODAY. (Though USA TODAY wrote an article about the controversy in the past week.)
Currently, Amazon is in the middle of a legal battle with Patterson’s publisher, Hachette Book Group. The fight revolves around a pricing dispute where the company has deliberately limited the supply of books from Hachette, including titles from Patterson and J.K. Rowling (writing as Robert Galbraith).


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May 5, 2006
Brand Naming: Yum! Who?
Yum! Brands, the little-known company name behind renowned brand names such as Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell, is looking to step out and do some brand name promotion of its own.
I found it interesting to see that Yum! Brands is launching a new ad campaign that promotes the strong brands the company has become famous for, and is now the first brand to sponsor the Kentucky Derby, which will this year be called "The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands."
I think it's obvious that Yum! Brands wants to appeal to a pretty rare demographic: high-end investors. It’s difficult to see how you can go wrong by hitching your company name to such a high profile event as the Kentucky Derby.
Frankly, Yum! Brands ought to be a legend in the brand naming game: with sales last year of $30 billion from more than 34,000 restaurants in 102 countries, it’s hard to believe that such a big company feels it lives in the shadows of its smaller sub-brands.
Yum! Brands' anonymity in the market is a serious problem, says one expert, because if someone loves the Taco Bell or Pizza Hut or KFC brand name it’s hard to associate them to Yum! Brands, and thus more difficult for investors to put their money behind the places they all know and love.
But business is business, and brand naming, brand nurturing, and brand building is another matter.
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- The Kia Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid are getting updated, for the Europe market at least, with new styling inside and out.
- We assume these changes will be coming to the United States eventually, likely for the 2020 Niro that will go on sale later this year.
- A new infotainment screen and newly available active-safety features highlight the technology changes.
Kia has tweaked its hybrid crossover, the Niro, with fresh styling inside and out and some newly available tech features. The updated version of the gas-electric subcompact SUV, which is available in traditional hybrid and plug-in-hybrid forms—in addition to the all-electric Niro EV that recently joined the lineup—was revealed at the Geneva auto show, meaning we don't have U.S. details yet. But we think it's safe to assume that the U.S.-spec 2020 Kia Niro that we'll see later this year will benefit from these same tweaks.
Most recognizable at the front are reshaped headlights and a new bumper with interesting-looking arrow-shaped LED daytime running lights lower down. The LED taillights are new, too, and the rear bumper has a new silver faux skid plate. New 16- and 18-inch wheel designs are on order, too, and all these changes are meant to bring the hybrid Niro models in line visually with the new EV variant.
Inside, Kia says it has upgraded the dashboard materials with more soft-touch finishes and additional gloss-black trim, while optional colored trim in either Red-Orange or Plum spices things up a bit. An 8.0-inch touchscreen remains standard, but there's a newly optional 10.3-inch touchscreen that incorporates new software.
Other changes include an electronic parking brake, larger rear brakes, and paddle shifters for the transmission. Active-safety features that have been added to the options list include stop-and-go capability for the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.
Kia has yet to confirm any information about the 2020 Niro in the U.S., but we expect to learn more about these updates later this year as we approach the model-year changeover.


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Dr. Janice Jurack, owner of Muskego Health and Wellness Center, located near the corner of Janesville Road and Racine Avenue, across the street from Piggly Wiggly, is offering a complimentary first visit to new patients who bring in a new, unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots campaign.
The toy drive runs from Monday, November 15th through Wednesday, December 15. The complimentary first visit for new patients is valued at $100 and includes a consultation and a targeted evaluation, which may include a complete spinal check, neurological and kinesiology (muscle) testing.
To learn more about Muskego Health and Wellness Center, or to inquire about the toy drive, call 262.679.6994.
Visit its new Web site at: http://www.muskegochiropractor.com/ .


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Saudi food service company Herfy sees red in second-quarter as sales plunge 45%
Saudi food service company Herfy reported a loss of 34.24 million riyals for the quarter through June 30 as sales plunged 45%.
The company said in a bourse filing on Monday (Aug 10) the drop in sales to 170.1 million riyals compared to 309.31 million riyals for the same quarter last year was due to COVID-19 restrictions.
These included the closure of Herfy restaurants in commercial centres, the limitation of service in some restaurants that then allowed only home delivery service, and the adjustment of working hours due to curfew.
Quarter-on-quarter, sales dropped 43%, showing the impact of the pandemic over the first half of 2020.
The company’s six-month performance saw sales slump by 25% to 467.03 million riyals compared to 622.7 million riyals in the same period in 2019.
Herfy also made provisions of 5.9 million riyals for doubtful debts and 8 million riyals for slow-moving inventory, both of which hit its bottom line.
For the six-month period of January to June, the company made a net loss of 9.11 million riyals compared to a profit of 88.91 million riyals for the same time last year.
Herfy operates its fast food restaurants as well as bakeries. It also has a meat processing business line. The company reported a 3.96% drop in net profit for 2019 to 196.09 million riyals ($52.29 million).
Saudi's Almarai posts 10.5% Q2 profit rise, warns of 'significant' challenges for H2
© SalaamGateway.com 2020 All Rights Reserved


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Samsung Electronics has unveiled a third generation of its NFC controller offering at Mobile World Congress. The new chip is the first NFC controller to use the company’s 45nm embedded flash technology, designed to enable easy firmware updates and low power consumption. The solution is now being sampled and will enter mass production in the second quarter of 2014.
- Aruba Airport to test biometric tokens
- EyeVerify raises $6m
- Levi’s Stadium adds BLE beacons
- PayPal introduces one touch mobile payments
- US to get 575m chip cards next year


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Richard Branson No Longer Casino Virgin, Billionaire Buys Hard Rock Las Vegas to Add to Hotel Group
Posted on: April 2, 2018, 11:00h.
Last updated on: April 2, 2018, 11:03h.
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels announced late last week that it was acquiring the off-Strip hipster casino property Hard Rock in Las Vegas for an undisclosed sum. It will be Branson’s first venture into the gaming industry.
The 67-year-old Virgin Group founder has long wanted to control a casino resort in Las Vegas. It’s been more than two decades since Branson first expressed such interest, but he’s only now officially placing his bets on Sin City.
During an announcement party at Hard Rock Las Vegas on Friday, Branson said of the deal that “Virgin is all about fun, entertainment, [and] not taking ourselves too seriously.”
Branson noted that hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent transforming the property, which will include renovating all 1,500 of its existing hotel rooms. The entrance’s signature guitar will likely be replaced with a giant V, he said, and once the overhaul is complete, the resort will be renamed Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, with that combination no doubt inviting an endless slew of guest snickering (we said).
Virgin Hotels’ takeover of Hard Rock is in conjunction with Las Vegas-based Bosworth Hospitality, as well as investment firms Juniper Capital Partners and Fengate Capital Management. Branson said the purchase price might be revealed later, but Friday’s ceremony wasn’t going to be “boring business talk.”
Branson, whose fortune is estimated at $5.1 billion, has long been engaged in business in the Nevada gaming epicenter, albeit not from a direct gaming angle. His airline Virgin Atlantic has been bringing travelers in and out of Las Vegas’ McCarran International for decades. In 2017, the airline was responsible for more than 1.1 million passengers.
Last year, Branson also became a major investor in Hyperloop One (renamed Virgin Hyperloop One), a company that hopes to build underground high-speed rail service featuring “pods” that travel nearly 200 mph. One of the first proposed routes would connect Las Vegas to Los Angeles.
But while Virgin Hotels launched in 2010, today it only has one property in its portfolio, the 250-room Virgin Hotels Chicago. Nine more locations are in the works, however, with six (including Virgin Hotels Las Vegas) expected to welcome guests by 2019.
Hard Rock Las Vegas made headlines last week, joining a long list of companies who have used customer data without permission for its own purposes. A report surfaced that the resort allegedly “harvested” data from patrons’ mobile devices. A former technologist and security expert executive told The Verge that her company was employed by the casino to obtain location information on guests for “ad targeting.”
According to Marry Hodder, the data whistleblower, Hard Rock used the information to send text offers to people who entered the property. Hard Rock officials declined to comment when reached by Casino.org.
It’s a Hard Rock Life
Opened in 1995, Hard Rock Las Vegas was envisioned by Hard Rock Café founder Peter Morton. He sold the property in 2006 to Morgans Hotel Group for $770 million, along with the rights to use the Hard Rock brand name in the US for hotels and casinos west of the Mississippi.
Since 2007, the Seminole Tribe in Florida has owned and operated all domestic and international Hard Rock properties, including cafes, hotels, and casinos, with four exceptions being resorts in Las Vegas, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sioux City, Iowa, and Vancouver, Canada.
In addition to their casinos in Florida, Lake Tahoe, Mississippi, Ohio, and the upcoming Hard Rock Atlantic City in New Jersey, the Seminoles are hoping to expand their international gaming portfolio by obtaining an integrated resort license in Japan. The tribe’s first nondomestic casino opened in the Dominican Republic in 2011.
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Philanthropic fashionistas take note: For those who can’t go to New York Fashion Week, Laura DiChristofano, Cathy Hutchens, Shelly Stewart and a handful of other members of the Tucson Ladies Council are bringing the runway to you.
They’re hosting The Fashion Show — A Decade — Ten Years of Giving in Style to benefit Tu Nidito Children & Family Services on Sept. 26 at Casino Del Sol Resort.
DiChristofano said the fundraiser — which has raised almost $1 million for Tu Nidito — will showcase couture, designers and supporters from the past decade. The runway show will also incorporate fashion forecasts for fall and 2016 from Tucson boutiques and hot new designers, culminating in 16 trending looks by Daniel Esquivel of the TV show “Project Runway.”
DiChristofano said the event will feature state-of-the-art lighting, staging, audio and video, providing an opportunity for those who enjoy contemporary and designer style. The self-proclaimed fashionista said the event seeks to promote awareness about Tu Nidito and provide a way to give back to the community.
“I also think it helps to put Tucson on the fashion map with Daniel Esquivel and other designers from Los Angeles. It lets them know that we do care about fashion and that Tucson is a fashionable city, so it can only help us to bring better retail and design here. We have people in Tucson who want high-end fashion, not just in Phoenix,” said DiChristofano.


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Tag: pudding monsters
ZeptoLab is a Russian developer best known for their extremely popular iPhone game Cut The Rope, and its many spinoffs and other platform versions that have made their way out into the world. The company's latest game is Pudding Monsters, and while it's not a direct sequel to Cut the Rope, the ...
Today's the last Thursday before the big App Store freeze, which means this is basically developers' last chance to get on the marketplace before the big holiday rush. As a result, then, there are a ton of big new releases, all available now for your purchasing pleasure. ZeptoLab is the co...
ZeptoLab is a Russian developer most famous for creating the enormously popular Cut the Rope series on iOS, and today the company has announced a brand-new game, called Pudding Monsters. There's a quick teaser trailer down below, and while it doesn't yet show any real gameplay, you can probably...
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The U.S. Department of Labor released the November 2011 unemployment report this morning and the rate dropped to 8.6 percent, the lowest level the nation has seen since March 2009. The .4 percent one-month drop can be attributed to both the addition of 120,000 new jobs during the month as well as to individuals leaving the job market for a variety of reasons.
The retail industry was responsible for 50,000 new jobs in November with more than half of those jobs being created in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+27,000). Gains were also seen in the following industries:
- Professional and business services (+33,000)
- Leisure and hospitality (+22,000)
- Health care (+17,000)
Unfortunately the government sector continued to post job losses with a decline of 5,000 positions in the U.S. Postal Service alone.
While the 8.6 percent unemployment rate looks like a significant improvement over last month, the overall employment situation really hasn’t changed much. There are still 13.3 million people unemployed and 5.7 million of these have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer. This figure remains relatively unchanged.


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Serena Williams Becomes First Athlete to Make Forbes’ Richest Self-Made Women List
Serena Williams has reached another milestone in her storied career. The tennis superstar has just been featured in Forbes‘ annual list of the World’s Richest Self-Made Women, becoming the first athlete to be included. She also graces the cover of the special issue, which spotlights 80 of America’s “most successful ceiling crashers.” Williams uploaded the cover to her Instagram account today after the new issue was unveiled.
Related storiesView this post on Instagram
Be the brand. Starting @Serena and @Serena.Ventures are just a few steps. Honored to be the first athlete on @Forbes #SelfMadeWomen list. Hair by @lorraine_dublin Makeup by @paulinebriscoe
A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Jun 4, 2019 at 6:01am PDT
“Be the brand,” she captioned the image. “Starting @Serena and @Serena.Ventures are just a few steps. Honored to be the first athlete on @Forbes #SelfMadeWomen list.”
Forbes estimates Williams’ fortune at $225 million, with the most of it “having come via her brain and brand rather than her backhand,” the publication notes. Indeed, while she currently tops the WTA career prize money list (earnings she’s made from playing matches and winning tournaments), the majority of her earnings is derived from her lucrative sponsorship deals, business ventures and multiple investments. As Forbes explains, she’s been pouring money into 34 startups over the past five years. Serena Ventures, which launched in 2014, invests in companies that embrace diversity, minorities and women’s empowerment.
According to the Women’s Tennis Association, she has accumulated nearly $85 million in career prize money with a record 72 singles titles. (That amounts to nearly $50 million more than any other female tennis player.)
In addition to salary, Williams has more than a dozen endorsement deals, including her long-standing partnership with Nike as well as Wilson Sporting Goods, Audemars Piguet, Beats by Dre, Berlei, Gatorade, Chase, Intel, IBM, Aston Martin, Mini, Tempur-Pedic, Delta Air Lines and Pepsi — all of which account for tens of millions in profits.
Cover star Serena Williams is the 1st athlete ever to hit Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Richest Self-Made Women, with an estimated fortune of $225 million.
Stay tuned for the full #SelfMadeWomen list launching tomorrow https://t.co/GsRAR8PZm4 pic.twitter.com/0xIm3FNbrV
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 3, 2019
Since coming back to the tennis tour last year after giving birth to her first child, Williams went on to reach the finals of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. She recently played in this year’s French Open tournament, where she lost her third-round match against fellow American Sofia Kenin.
Notable names from Forbes’ “America’s Richest Self-Made Women” list include Oprah Winfrey, Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Meyer.
Serena Williams Upset in Third Round at French Open by This Young American
Serena Williams Matches Daughter Olympia in the Cutest Nike x Virgil Abloh Outfits
Serena Williams Defends Nike After Backlash Over Maternity Pay Policy
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Bullit Group, the rugged cellphone maker that owns the Cat, Kodak и Land Rover smartphone manufacturers has agreed to a long-term model partnership cope with Motorola. The UK-based firm will develop and market Moto-branded rugged telephones which shall be drop-proof and shockproof as per the accompanying press launch.
This can be a distinctive strategic alliance, because it permits Bullitt to use its experience to the Motorola portfolio of merchandise. Motorola invented the cell phone and stays probably the most iconic manufacturers on this planet.
To be entrusted by Motorola to create a portfolio of Motorola branded rugged telephones, bears testomony to the distinctive enterprise we now have constructed at Bullitt over the past 11 years. – Dave Floyd (Bullitt Co-Founder)
Bullitt Group started its journey into the rugged smartphone sector again in 2009 and at the moment designs, manufactures and distributes its Cat and Land Rover-licensed smartphones in over 50 markets worldwide.
Motorola had its personal go at drop-resistant telephones and shatterproof screens with the Moto Z Force and Moto Z2 Force again in 2016-17. Extra particulars on the primary Moto branded rugged cellphone shall be revealed later this quarter.


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BRIEF-Dell's PC rivals dismiss move as disruptive
SAN FRANCISCO Feb 5 (Reuters) - Dell Inc: * Dell inc's PC rivals dismiss move as disruptive * Hewlett-Packard co says Dell 'faces an extended period of uncertainty
and transition that will not be good for its customers' * Hewlett-Packard co says Dell's ability to invest in products,
services will be 'extremely limited' with debt load * Hewlett-Packard co says company plans to take full advantage of
disruption * Lenovo Group Ltd says focused on products, customers rather than
'distracting financial maneuvers and major strategic shifts' * Lenovo group Ltd says 'financial actions of some of our traditional
competitors will not substantially change our outlook'
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Last week, a conversation with colleagues became heated when someone challenged the well-known quote from Google’s executive chairman, “If you don’t have a mobile strategy, you don’t have a future strategy,” as outdated. According to my colleague, “If you don’t have a mobile strategy, you won’t have a business.” While it’s a bold assertion, there is a ton of evidence to support this theory.
The first round of supporting arguments proposed during this debate here at the office focused on two of the biggest names in technology; Facebook and Instagram.
Instagram, the ultra-popular, photo-sharing app, which facebook purchased for $1 billion dollars in 2012 didn’t even launch their website until just recently this year. Their business was focused entirely on mobile and it’s made them pretty successful.
Facebook on the other hand, the ultra popular social network, which went public in May of 2012 was getting killed on Wall Street due mainly to analysts’ impression they were “slow to move on mobile.” However, as of their fourth quarter earnings, mobile now accounts for 23 percent of total revenue and their earning per share beat Wall Street predictions. Optimism for the company is back solely on the strength of their opportunity for growth in the mobile space (not traditional web) which includes 680 million monthly active unique viewers.
Facebook and Instragram present two pretty strong arguments that without a mobile strategy you may not be in business any longer, but the buck doesn’t stop there. In the real estate space, Zillow, Trulia and Angie’s List all reported blowout earnings, much of which was attributed to their mobile traffic. On Zillow’s conference call they offered some insight into their traffic, 46 million unique, of which more than half now come from mobile devices. In addition, those users on mobile devices are researching homes on the go, using GPS to identify homes near them, making them a “hot lead” that is ready to buy and thus more valuable purchase for real estate agents. Zillow now has 23 distinct mobile apps in its portfolio.
Yet another good point and supporting argument for the importance of mobile is the viability of the leads from an ROI perspective. In the real estate industry in particular, the viability of conversion for mobile leads is far greater than traditional desktop leads.
Brokers continue to struggle online with “Mickey Mouse” leads, consumers who enter fake names and information to get access to property info. Mobile has inherent ways of scrubbing leads. Text message inquires for example are 100 percent real leads, each consumer who texts in for information is using their personal cell phone number to do so directly linking them to the lead; guaranteeing a real person on the other end.
There is no denying the importance of mobile is greater than it’s ever been and will only continue to grow – the only question that remains is whether you will be in a position to capitalize on it.
To see how your website performs on a mobile device visit: www.testmysitenow.com.


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The blockchain ecosystem in Africa continues to evolve as more and more individuals, organizations and governments embrace the technology and its most used case, the cryptocurrency.
Since its conception in early 2021, Blockbuild.Africa a blockchain and crypto media platform has successfully hosted two editions of The converge (virtual events) with over 500 attendees quarterly.
The Converge remains arguably the only virtual blockchain and crypto event set to discuss the possibilities and issues surrounding blockchain in Nigeria and Africa.
In 2022, blockbuild.Africa believes that the boom witnessed in the cryptocurrency space will take a greater turn, thus for many crypto enthusiasts we know that those that make the most out of crypto make do with the trend early.
Beyond the cryptocurrencies, the general blockchain ecosystem also saw growing trends in Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Defi projects and the Metaverse world.
Themed, “Positioning Africa for the Metaverse”, This year’s Converge in its third edition, would focus on what is next for crypto and how everyone can make the most out of NFTs, metaverse, Web 3, play to earn or something we are yet to see.
Speaking on one of the many use cases of blockchain technology, Chimezie Chuta, Founder, Blockchain Nigeria User Group (BNUG) in the first edition said:
“It’s an addition on top of the Internet Protocol and that makes it very unique, extremely, unique in terms of disrupting, completely transforming the way we do businesses, the way we interact with one another, and the way we share information and value across the internet.”
Panel discussions at Converge III will discuss:
- Unpacking the intricacies of NFTs and Web3 in Africa
- NFTs, DEFI, Metaverse; Challenges and opportunities for Africa
The Converge is a quarterly Blockchain and Crypto ecosystem that aims to expose the ongoing innovations in the ecosystem and this third edition promises to come up with excitement like never before.
You can register here to be a part of Converge III event.


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Gun News, Gun Reviews and Gun Videos for Gun Folks
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Posted July 10, 2017 5:34 pm by R.P. Mcmurphy Comments
By Jenn Jacques
Mondays suck, but these guns sure don’t!
Check it out: here are the top five fun guns… just because!
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text: WILTON \u2014 After some discussion, the Planning and Zoning Commission, at its regular meeting on Monday night, voted unanimously to adopt a proposal for outdoor seating for Caf\u00e9 Ruche at its location at 101 Old Ridgefield Road. Barbara Chopin, owner of Caf\u00e9 Ruche, asked the commission to consider the establishment of a small, seasonal, outdoor seating area as part of an existing restaurant. Located within the Town Green retail and office complex, planned activity would be similar to outdoor seating at other restaurants within the center, including Wilton Pizza, Marly\u2019s and Subway. The proposed location appears well-suited for the proposed use, consisting of a lower brick plaza area, surrounded by ornamental retaining walls and plantings, P&Z commissioners said at the meeting. Sam Gardner, a partner with the New Haven architectural firm Gregg Wies & Gardner, who lives on Ridgefield Road, spoke on behalf of Chopin at the public hearing portion of the commission meeting. \u201cThe courtyard is at the base of the rear of the Town Center building,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cThe lower courtyard faces the parking lot, and Ruche is in the corner, below ground level. Subway is above them. Ruche is asking for five tables and two umbrellas and low enclosures, similar to those that other area pizza places have.\u201d Gardner said Chopin has had conversation with the Wilton Health Department about the plan, and the only comments coming back were to have covers for the tables, and refuse containers adjacent to the seating area. There are currently 116 parking spaces dedicated to the businesses in that complex. The question of noise disturbance to Kumon Math and Reading Center of Wilton \u2014 also in that building \u2014 was raised, but Gardner assured the commissioners that will not be an issue. Kumon runs its programs Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3-7 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon. \u201c(Caf\u00e9 Ruche) will lower their music during (Kumon\u2019s) business hours,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cThey have been accommodating to date. Their anticipated hours outdoors are during normal operating hours, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. There is no additional lighting anticipated, no rooftop equipment, and no additional dumpsters.\u201d Commissioner Bas Nabulsi had concerns about the amount of available parking, with more residents coming for the outdoor seating. \u201cThe total number of (parking) spaces is 122, including the ancillary spots on the other side of the bank,\u201d Nabulsi said. \u201cMarly\u2019s is allocated 10 spaces, and that\u2019s based (its) internal size, not outdoor seating. It feels like there\u2019s a lot more outdoor seating than the spaces allotted,\u201d\u2008he said. Town Planner Bob Nerney said the parking regulations are designed to get folks to park and stay in the center for a while. \u201cWe have one-size-fits-all parking regulations,\u201d Nerney said. \u201cThere is one space for every 250 square feet of sitting area. I\u2019m not sure if that applies to outdoor seating. We\u2019re talking two additional spaces for an increase of 400 to 500 square feet in an outdoor dining area. It\u2019s almost a self-made area. That\u2019s almost the design of the regulations \u2014 park in one spot, run a couple of errands, and grab a bite to eat. (The regulations) encourage pedestrian traffic.\u201d Those concerns were assuaged, and the commissioners closed the public hearing, then came back to the topic later in the meeting and unanimously adopted the proposal.