text:
I’m so pleased to hear the results of a survey which confirm web developers’ suspicions that sound on your website is bad. Here’s an article I found today on Mumbrella.
One of online users’ biggest turn-offs is when websites run ads that play sound without prior warning, says a survey published today.
According to the survey of 7,000 visitors to News Digital Media sites, 70% said ads playing sound automatically are not okay, with 59% surfing with their sound turned off to avoid it playing unexpectedly. And in another warning around attention-grabbing ads, 57% said they would like a brand less if they found its ad annoying, although most said they wouldn’t bother to tell the advertiser that.
But the Connecting Campaigns study suggests that relevance could outweigh privacy concerns when it comes to targeted advertising. A total of 45% of respondents said they would prefer to receive ads that are targeted to their interests – nearly twice the number those who did not.
The survey also said that trust in the host site is a factor in the credibility of ads, with 42% of respondents finding advertising more believable on host websites they trust.
It also suggests that video has now gone mainstream, with 92% of users saying they have watched video content on a website . However, the biggest barrier to this cited was download speed.
Ed Smith, NDN’s chief commercial officer, said: “What we saw in the Connecting Campaigns report is a strong preference from consumers to receive advertisements targeted to their interests. Trust of the host website remains crucial to a brand developing an effective and cost efficient campaign online with 42% of respondents finding advertising more credible on host websites they trust.”
“The report’s findings provide a clearer picture on user habits that need to be considered when developing a campaign, such as, actively avoiding advertisements that automatically play sound by turning their volume down and not watching videos more than five minutes in length.”


text:
Instagram for Business shared eight tips that will ensure that your Instagram feed doesn’t look monotonous but actually captivates the crowd.
Facebook is developing new technologies to connect the next billion people. Here's all you need to know about their efforts in bringing them together.
Ten year old Vaidehi Rastogi is a top-notch dancer with amazing moves that can challenge any great dancer. See for yourself to find out!
Apple has unveiled new resources for elementary school that will allow everyone to code early. Here's all you need to know about this new initiative by Apple.
Instagram introduced a new tool to promote, plan, and prepare, ‘Live Scheduling’! Now, schedule your posts 90 days in advance.
Facebook business Partner, Vamp Brands shared tips to making ads more efficient and creative to make the audience more engaged.
Anuv Jain’s 2019 song ‘Riha’ reached 10 million streams on Spotify which is a great feat for him! He worked for three years to finish the song!
Jason Robinson the Product Manager of YouTube Music announced an introduction of a new YouTube Music app listening experience.
Facebook, starting November 1 will host daily live shopping experiences on both Facebook and Instagram. Here's all you need to know about the experience.
It’s time to flaunt yourselves as the main character with Taylor Swift’s trending song ‘Wildest Dreams’, popular on YouTube and Instagram both!

domain: news


text:
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will host women entrepreneurs from the region at its Barbados headquarters on September 26, 2023, as it launches the SheTrades Regional Hub in the Caribbean. SheTrades is a global initiative of the United Nations and World Trade Organization’s (WTO) International Trade Centre (ITC) which seeks to provide support for women-led and women-owned businesses as a means of economic empowerment.
The symposium will explore several critical topics and identify solutions for both online and in person participants. The agenda includes knowledge sharing by accomplished Caribbean women entrepreneurs, and business support organisations, discussions and recommendations on making women-led and owned businesses become globally competitive, as well as an interrogation of the significant socio-economic impact of women starting or leading export-ready and competitive businesses.
Speaking about the initiative, the Bank’s Acting Head, Private Sector Division, Ms Lisa Harding, said, “We are excited to operationalise the SheTrades Caribbean Hub! CDB looks forward to facilitating increased access to training, coaching, mentoring, networking, investment, and export opportunities for women-owned MSMEs in the Bank’s 19 Borrowing Member Countries. The SheTrades Symposium is indicative of our commitment to bolster the economic capacity of women entrepreneurs.”
With 14 Hubs across 30 countries, She-Trades operates to champion quality data, enact fair policies, secure government contracts, strike business deals, enable market access, unlock financial services, and grant ownership rights. CDB’s SheTrades Caribbean Hub will advance the Bank’s agenda to ensure inclusive economic growth in its BMCs through increased participation of women led MSMEs in trade by increasing competitiveness and market access of women-led MSMEs in CDB’s BMCs.
The SheTrades Regional Hub in the Caribbean is a collaborative 2-year programme supported by the ITC being implemented by CDB.


text:
We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of "Playing the Edge." Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!
Japanese game maker DeNA, which announced it was buying iPhone game maker Ngmoco for up to $403 million last October in a move to step out onto the global stage and build a global mobile social network, is losing its chief executive.
The company said today that its founder and chief executive, Tomoko Namba, is stepping down as head of the Tokyo company due to a family health issue. She will continue to play an active role in management as a board member and advisor.
Namba, who has an MBA from Harvard University, built DeNA from a small start-up in 1999 to a major mobile social game company on a billion-dollar run rate for revenues. She will be replaced by Isao Moriyasu, chief operating officer and general manager of its social media business. The move will be effective June 25, after the company’s stockholder meeting.
Moriyasu has led Mobage, the core social network of DeNA, since 2006. Namba said she believes he will be able to act quickly and decisively in the rapidly changing industry and make DeNA into a truly global company.
GamesBeat Next 2023
Join the GamesBeat community in San Francisco this October 24-25. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry on latest developments and their take on the future of gaming.
DeNA has more than 20 million users for Mobage-town in Japan and it has been expanding across multiple platforms. DeNA’s move into the North American market with the acquisition of Ngmoco prompted rival Japanese firm Gree to buy OpenFeint for $104 million.
We’ll be exploring the most disruptive game technologies and business models at our third annual GamesBeat 2011 conference, on July 12-13 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. It will focus on the disruptive trends in the mobile games market. GamesBeat is co-located with our MobileBeat 2011 conference this year. To register, click on this link. Sponsors can message us at firstname.lastname@example.org. To pitch a startup at the Who’s Got Game contest at GamesBeat 2011, click here.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.


text:
Savic Motorcycles, an innovative Australian start-up, is gearing up for a significant expansion by bringing its groundbreaking C-Series EV motorbike to New Zealand.
This move follows an extensive and successful testing phase, including a remarkable performance at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in Ventnor, Australia.
Spearheaded by former Ford engineer Dennis Savic, the company's foray into New Zealand marks a new chapter in its journey, showcasing its commitment to revolutionising electric mobility.
Phillip Island testing: a prelude to expansion
The C-Series, a café-racer-styled electric motorcycle, has undergone rigorous pre-production testing, epitomised by its trials at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit. This testing regime was crucial not just for ensuring the bike's performance but also as a stepping stone for its entry into new markets, including New Zealand.
“The story of the bike over the last few years shows the honesty of the Savic Motorcycles organization… when things were difficult or problems arose the Savic Motorcycles team told us instead of hiding anything. They also told us how they solved the problems and how each prototype and test built a better motorcycle,” according to the company.
Refinement and performance
Throughout its development, the C-Series has seen numerous refinements. The motorcycle's aesthetic appeal remains rooted in the classic café racer design, but the technical aspects have been continuously enhanced.
Notably, professional racers have fine-tuned the suspension, and the bike has undergone high-load and thermal management system testing at speeds of up to 170km/h. Dennis Savic's commitment to perfection shines through in these developments. Reflecting on the testing at Phillip Island, he described it as “a glimpse into the future”.
The unique appeal of the C-Series
Contrary to the silent operation typically associated with electric bikes, the C-Series boasts a distinctive sound, compared to a jet fighter, especially prominent on the Phillip Island course straight. This feature adds to its allure, blending traditional motorcycle elements with modern electric vehicle technology.
Next stop: New Zealand
As Savic Motorcycles prepares to launch the C-Series in New Zealand, it stands at the forefront of an electric revolution in the motorcycle industry.
The combination of classic design, innovative technology, and rigorous testing promises to make the C-Series a notable entrant in the New Zealand market, signalling a vibrant future for electric motorcycles in the region, especially as homegrown brands like Wellington's FTN Motion seek to disrupt the market even further.


text:
Success magazine, which has had many incarnations since its founding in 1891, is gearing to re-launch in early 2008 under its new owners, media company VideoPlus Publishing.
Dallas, Texas-based VideoPlus acquired rights to the title in a deal finalized last month, and plans to release the first issue of a bi-monthly version of business lifestyle title in the first quarter of next year. VideoPlus owns the logo and Web site domains of the Manhattan-based magazine, including successmagazine.com.
Since its 1891 launch as a personal development magazine, Success has struggled to live up to its namesake. The magazine changed hands various times in the last decade and in 1999, parent company Success Multimedia Enterprises sold off its assets to different investors.
In May 2006, after a five-year hiatus, a group of private investors re-launched the title, including features like Success Stories, which documented average individuals ascent on the corporate ladder. The magazine published five issues prior to the VideoPlus buyout.
The magazine had a circulation of 651,497 in June of last year, according to the most recent report available from the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
VideoPlus, a marketing and communications company founded in 1987 by Chief Executive Stuart Johnson, publishes a variety of business titles, including Success from Home, Empowering Women and Your Business at Home. The company said it will honor paid subscriptions and continue publishing under the Success title, but plans to recruit a new staff and shift operations to its Texas office.


text:
Two weeks have passed since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami rocked eastern Japan, and while a recovery among the country's technology manufacturers has begun, it could be several months before things start to normalize.
Acer, one of the world’s biggest PC makers, will lay off 10 percent of staff in China as its workforce there overlaps with that of local partner Founder Technology, a company spokesman said on Friday.
Oracle's net income for the third quarter ended Feb. 28 rose 78 per cent to $US2.1 billion over the same period last year, helped by strong software sales and an improving hardware business, the company said Thursday. Revenue for the quarter jumped 3...
Storage products from Dell's Compellent unit will integrate technologies from Dell's earlier acquisitions to better enable these products to target large enterprise customers, an executive of the unit said.
Hewlett-Packard shareholders on Wednesday reelected all 13 directors to serve on the company's board for the next year, ending controversy surrounding CEO Leo Apotheker's alleged role in identifying potential nominees.
The head of the European Commission's digital agenda has put interoperability and standards at the forefront of the cloud computing agenda.
Intel's McAfee subsidiary on Wednesday said it would acquire Sentrigo, which provides database security and compliance products.
Motorola Mobility has signed an agreement to acquire Dreampark, a Swedish IPTV software provider, the company said on Wednesday.
Panasonic and NEC restarted production on Wednesday at some factories that had been halted after a major earthquake hit eastern Japan on March 11.
Oracle on Tuesday became the latest software maker to say it will stop developing applications for Intel Itanium microprocessors, following a similar announcement by Microsoft last year and Red Hat the year before.
Companies with operations in Japan are repairing factories and accounting for employees as recovery continues in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck the country's eastern coast on March 11.
Filling out its portfolio of Smarter Buildings offerings, IBM is acquiring Tririga, a provider of facility and real estate management software, IBM announced Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Sony plans to temporarily suspend production at five factories in Japan because of problems obtaining raw materials and components following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, it said Tuesday.
Outsourcer Satyam Computer Services has challenged in a court in India a demand for rupees 6.16 billion (US$134 million) from India’s Income Tax Department, adding a new twist to the problems at the troubled company.
AT&T says its $39 billion deal to acquire T-Mobile USA will improve call quality and broadband availability for its customers, and bring next-generation cellular service to 95 per cent of Americans. The deal would make AT&T the largest cellular c...
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 HTC One (M8s) review: Better value for money than HTC's flagship
- 2 Apple MacBook (early 2015) review: Almost a game changer
- 3 Microsoft Surface 3 Windows 8.1 tablet
- 4 HP Spectre x360 convertible laptop
- 5 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT30 Tough camera
Join the PC World newsletter!
Best Deals on PC World
Latest News Articles
- R2-D2 robot fridge is the droid you're looking for
- BQ announces second Ubuntu phone and plans to build PC-smartphone combo
- Dell warms to AMD chips in new laptops, desktops
- The Upload: Your tech news briefing for Tuesday, June 2
- Disconnect files EU antitrust complaint against Google after app ban
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- FTDigital Marketing Executive | GamingNSW
- FTSenior Digital B2B Sales Manager | Household BrandNSW
- CCMobile Designer / Developer - IOSNSW
- FTSenior SQL DBANSW
- CCMobile Designer / Developer - IOSNSW
- FTKey Account ManagerNSW
- FTSMB Direct Sales Account Executive | Largest Global Online MarketplaceNSW
- FTSENIOR FORMS ANALYST (13767)QLD


text:
An Arkansas lottery ticket worth $1 million was sold at a grocery store in Pine Bluff, but the winner has yet to claim the prize.
Arkansas Scholarship Lottery officials said the winning numbers for the July 8 MegaMillions drawing were 20, 36, 61, 62 and 69. The player matched all five white balls, but not the Megaball number 20.
The ticket was sold at a Super 1 Foods store at 2800 S. Hazel St. in Pine Bluff, according to a news release.
“We are aware of a claim on social media by an individual claiming to be the owner of the winning ticket,” said Eric Hagler, executive director of the lottery. “However, we have not received a formal claim in our claim center, and we continue to urge all players to check their tickets.”
Winners have 180 days from the lottery game drawing date to claim their prize.
Retailers receive a 1% commission from the sales of winning lottery tickets, but only if the prize is claimed. The Super 1 Foods store is set to receive $10,000 in commission for selling the winning ticket if the winner claims their prize.
The Mega Millions jackpot for the Friday, July 15 drawing is up to $480 million, according to the release.


text:
The Last of Us 2 release date, trailers, news and rumors
There are only a few months left to wait until we can all finally get our hands on The Last of Us 2 - and we're getting excited.
The ending of The Last of Us was pretty conclusive. But as it turns out, that hasn't stopped developer Naughty Dog from cranking out a sequel in the form of The Last of Us 2 – or, The Last of Us: Part 2 if we're using its proper name.
Given the first game was hailed by players and critics alike as a masterpiece with excellent, emotional storytelling and engaging, realistic characters, we have to admit that the decision to release a follow-up isn't particularly shocking. We'd probably have been more surprised if there wasn't one. And yet, when The Last of Us 2 was first announced, we'd be lying if we said our hearts didn't skip a beat.
Last of Us 2 was first announced by Naughty Dog at PlayStation
Experience in 2016 alongside a teaser trailer, but it wasn't until
September 2019 that we were finally told the game's initial release date
of February 2020 during a State of Play livestream. However, Naughty
Dog later announced that the release date has been delayed by a few
months, and we now know we'll be joining Ellie and Joel again in May


text:
On Saturday, The New York Times published a piece by Javier C. Hernández scrutinizing the Hong...
by Josh Rudolph | Aug 2, 2016
Authorities are moving forward with trials for several detained since last...
by Sophie Beach | Jul 25, 2016
Since it was announced in December that Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba was buying Hong...
by Sophie Beach | Jul 19, 2016
Legal assistant Zhao Wei, who was detained in July 2015 and charged with “subversion of...
by Josh Rudolph | Jul 7, 2016
Nearly exactly one year after she was detained in the “Black Friday” roundup of human...
by Cindy | Mar 7, 2016
Since July of last year, Chinese authorities have detained or questioned more than 300 lawyers and...
by Samuel Wade | Jan 14, 2016
The following censorship instructions, issued to the media by government authorities, have been...
by Samuel Wade | Jan 11, 2016
Six months after the “Black Friday” crackdown in which more than 200 Chinese rights...
From the Archives
China's revolution for everyone and no one - Francesco Sisci
Oct 21, 2005
Hexie Farm (蟹农场): The China Models
Oct 21, 2012
Another Victory Claimed: Liaoning's Fallen Discipline Secretary - Li Xinde
Oct 21, 2007
China-India Deal to Resist Carbon Caps
Oct 21, 2009


text:
Angry Birds developer Rovio has quietly shut down its mobile game streaming service. First spotted by Gamasutra, the official Hatch website now has a post explaining that the platform was withdrawn on December 31, 2020. Rovio didn’t provide a reason for the shutdown, but it’s safe to assume that the concept just never took off. Game streaming is on the rise – Google, Microsoft and others have competing services at the moment – but most focus on console and PC-grade titles. Facebook is the rare exception with mobile-optimized games such as Asphalt 9: Legends and PGA TOUR golf shootout. But unlike Rovio, it operates a legacy platform that already has billions of users around the world.
we tried Hatch in 2018 and was impressed with the quality of the library, which included hits like Monument valley and Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, and some of its social features, which included voice chat and multiplayer – even for games that don’t traditionally have it. The service has been launched in many different markets, including UK, and finally had two levels: free, which restricted the user to a small catalog, and Premium, which offered more games, no advertising and a Hatch Kids version suitable for families. As Gamesindustry.biz reports, Rovio attempted to sell his controlling stake in Hatch in 2019, apparently without success.


text:
TUDOR United SportsCar Championship teams may be getting a glimpse into the future on Monday when a LMP3 car makes its North American debut as part of an exploratory test for IMSA.
While flourishing in Europe, the new LMP3 platform is just one of the possible replacement options for the existing Prototype Challenge class in 2017, according to IMSA President and COO Scott Atherton.
“The goal of the test is to enable our current PC and potential future teams that would participate at that level within the championship to be able to make a fully informed decision,” Atherton told Sportscar365.
“The difference between reading about and hearing about and then personally experiencing it in a hands-on 20-minute on-track test is radically different.”
Monday’s test with the Ginetta-Nissan, the only race-ready LMP3 car currently on the market, will give IMSA and its customers additional data as a decision looms on the future prototype class structure.
While the LMP3 platform could offer an affordable solution for teams transitioning from the aging Oreca FLM09, some are not completely sold on the concept.
“My current customers have looked at it already and I’ve got to say they have no interest in it,” PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports team owner Bobby Oergel told Sportscar365.
“It’s just like the PC cars. They’re built to a price point and you put a lot more in it to make it an endurance car.
“My feeling is that mistake will happen again if we do this as the Challenge car.”
Similar to the LMP2 regulations, P3 cars are cost capped, with a maximum price of a turn-key car, fitted with the spec 5.0-liter Nissan V8 engine, is $217,000.
Despite being considerably cheaper than a current PC car, Oergel fears costs will again spiral out of control, particularly in adapting the cars for 10, 12 and 24-hour races.
Instead, he proposes that IMSA looks at adopting a new spec prototype based on one of the 2017 chassis and engine packages that would give customers greater flexibility and increased performance.
“If you did a spec P2 car package, with sealed dampers and everything, you eliminate a lot of the costs anyway,” he said. “Sure it’s going to be more expensive than a PC but it’s a lot more car than a PC.
“A guy has the opportunity at that point to be on the overall podium. A place like Daytona or Sebring, you could potentially be going for an overall win.
“I think that says a lot to the current clientele that we have because they don’t want to continue to do what they’re doing.
“Most of them don’t even have interest to run [in PC] next year because it’s played out.”
Starworks Motorsport team owner Peter Baron, however, feels the future direction should be P3.
“Other PC owners are trying to get a dumb-downed P2 car but there is no such thing,” Baron told Sportscar365. “It’s still a $1 million car at the end of the day.
“You can have your cost-capped [chassis] at 400,000 Euros, but by the time you’re done with it and get some spares it’s $1 million.
“The cost of running it is still P2 money. There’s really nothing else out there that makes sense.
“The Ligier [JS P3] car is gorgeous and we’re waiting to see Riley’s stuff. If they get a little over 500 horsepower in these things, then it can keep the costs under control. I think that’s the way to go.”
Baron, who is finalizing a P3 effort for the final two European Le Mans Series races of the year, is pushing for the introduction of the P3 platform in the TUDOR Championship for 2016.
It would theoretically see P3 cars compete alongside the existing PC cars in its final year of eligibility, through a Balance of Performance process.
“It’s easy enough,” Baron said of achieving a BoP for P3 and PC cars. “You look at a coupe and an open-cockpit car and it’s easy to do.
“I think the whole myth of having to get a coupe car has been greatly debunked by the Gibson [015S LMP2 car]. If you needed a canopy, somebody forgot to tell them.”
Atherton admitted it’s one of the options IMSA is exploring, should it decide to go the P3 route.
“I wouldn’t rule it out but that makes a lot of assumptions,” Atherton said. “It would be an interesting way of transitioning out of one [platform], a kind of elegant process to evolve from one into the other.”
IMSA has yet to confirm a timeframe for finalizing the class structure for its Pro-Am prototype division, although Atherton said they’d need to act quicker if any changes would be put in place for next year.
“We’re approaching this with a very open mind,” he said. “We have multiple choices, including an evolution into a LMP3 example.
“That could take one of several approaches: open competition as the ACO will have in P3 or defined, a specific chassis as we have today [in PC].
“There’s also the potential of not continuing at all in that category and opting to do a version of a P2 car that’s much more heavily regulated, cost-capped, with a much more limited performance capability.
“Part of that process for us is making sure we have full information before we make those decisions.”


text:
The rather short-lived DeLorean car brand was immortalized in the Back to the Future movies, but the name may return, and this time the machine, which only exists as an experimental model, will truly be a vehicle that won’t need roads.
For a long time, flying cars and taxis in the air were just spectacular sci-fi elements (see also: The Fifth Element), but nowadays it doesn’t seem at all fantastic that sooner or later familiar machines from the classic Jetson family cartoon will fill the sky. AeroMobil, which is interested in flying cars, already has a pre-order type, while the first self-flying taxis will begin testing in Dubai this year.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as John DeLorean’s nephew, Paul DeLorean, the founder of the ambitious but very failing DeLorean car brand, launched a company in 2012 called DeLorean Aerospace that aims to provide people with a flying car as well.
The project, which started seven years ago, is currently in the process of having a model called the DR-7 on the design table, with front and rear wings and two swivel propellers. Looking at its future dimensions, we are talking about a 6 meter long, 5.6 meter wide machine, the wings of which can be folded, so according to the plans the final version can fit smoothly in a larger garage.
In addition, the aircraft is designed to be electrically propelled and is intended to be either completely self-driving, so that it can be used even by those who do not have any license to fly. Although DeLorean Aerospace is still in the research and development phase, there are already two smaller versions of the DR-7.
The first is a barely 30-centimeter model with which the physics have been tested, while the second is already a 1: 3-functional version, and the company is currently working to produce a fully electric prototype capable of carrying two passengers within a year, up to 190 kilometers away.
Of course, the company has not yet stated when all this will become a tangible reality for customers, and how much will have to be cheered for the final version, but the company does not (only) target millionaires. And if the “market” for flying cars develops at this rate, within 15 years, general-purpose vehicles that will still not be able to travel in time, but will really not need roads, can really become a reality.


text:
Bitcoin seems unstoppable currently, as it continues to grow despite many experts warning that this could be a bubble which will burst in spectacular fashion soon. Bitcoin has broken records and stolen the headlines again as it reached another all time high recently at a massive value of roughly $18,000.
Having grown over 80 percent in just December, Bitcoin has had its best growth (percentage wise) for a single month since December 2013. Bitcoin has also grown by over 1700 percent in 2017 and has left people worried and curious at the same time about the future of this digital currency.
Although prices continue to rise, Bitcoin’s trading has been a bit more stable and price fluctuation isn’t as bad as it normally is. At the time of this writing, Bitcoin is currently being valued at around $17,600, a drop from its highest but not that big a drop as it would usually drop after a huge surge.
Bitcoin was also seeing a daily change of $2000 before when it broke the $15,000 barrier but that has also slowed down to around $1000 a day as well. Bitcoin’s volatility has been lower since the launch of Bitcoin futures from Cboe Global Markets on Sunday.
- Advertisement -
According to Charles Hayter, founder of website cryptocompare: “The hope (is) that futures signal the unlocking of institutional money into the digital arena and (that there will be) a rapid demand increase and ratification of the technology and its principles.” However, there are still many that worry about where this is all headed as investment into cryptocurrency increases day by day.
It is believed that Bitcoin could pose a threat to existing currencies (fiat currencies) and their markets. Larisa Yarovaya, a lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University claims that due to the speculative demand of Bitcoin, it’s price has been inflated by a large extent causing a bubble to form.
The increasing demand for Bitcoin means the decreasing demand for holding traditional currencies, it is feared that these currencies might face difficulties if this carries on.
“Although bitcoin is not regulated by governments, it could still have a knock-on effect on traditional markets due to the interconnectedness of cryptocurrency markets with other financial assets.”
However, it is also argued that Bitcoin’s current market cap is not large enough to have that big an effect on traditional currencies as it sits at over $300 billion. So, a collapse in the market wouldn’t have that big of a knock off effect on the financial market as many people claim it would.
It was reported by BBC late on Thursday that Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority’s head, Andrew Bailey, has warned Bitcoin buyers about the possibility that they could very well loose all their money.
The current charts, graphs or however you’d like to put it, all of them look very familiar. They look very similar to when a market bubble is about to crash. Is Bitcoin headed towards the same fate very soon? Andrew Bailey thinks so as well with that statement.
Many people have questioned the strength of the cryptocurrency market infrastructure as well due to several outages in some of the world’s largest exchanges this week. These outages left millions of investors unable to access their funds during the times of the day when trading volumes are high. This undoubtedly led to frustration and people questioning the weak infrastructure of the markets.
Despite all these concerns, Bitcoin continues to rise. Now with the opening of the futures, Bitcoin will likely continue to grow but just what is the limit? With many experts claiming that Bitcoin will even cross $50,000 in 2018, will Bitcoin ever stabilize? Is a market crash imminent? Only time will tell, for now, Bitcoin continues smashing records.


text:
Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh Fair Location
25th Feb, 2017 to 25th Feb, 2017 at Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh The ready made garment industry in Bangladesh has undergone a massive transformation to ensure workplace safety,well being of workers and environmental sustainability. A significant progress has already been achieved and every day improvements are being made. Moving forward with a vision to achieve US$50 billion worth of apparel export by 2021, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA) feels the importance of open discussion to chalk out future priorities and plans towards sustainable growth. The second edition of Dhaka Apparel Summit is going to be organized by BGMEA to create a better future together through ensuring collaboration among the stakeholders. The day-long event will bring together some of the best global minds to formulate strategies toward a more sustainable apparel supply chain with special focus on society,ecology and innovation; thus complementing the global sustainable agenda 2030. Honorable Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Banglad
Contact OrgainzerClick Here
Enter your email to get the latest updates about the upcoming fairs & events!


text:
How to select a crypto currency wallet
In less than a month, hardware wallet products were removed from the platform, and Golden Finance searched "blockchain technology products" on Taobao. Most of the books shown are books. Searching for "blockchain hardware wallet", etc., you can find that there are still some links to "idle fish" for purchase.
When Xiao C applied for a card at China Telecom, if the salesperson passed the application without paying attention to the identity verification process or with an ulterior motive, he would have to go to China Telecom. It gives criminals a chance to take advantage of the situation.
June 19 after 2 p.m. Large Consecutive Bitcoin Transfers or Wallet Finishing for Bittrex
Industry News ：Beijing Commercial Daily WhaleAlert Data Glassnode NH NCC Credit Card KT Chicago DeFi Alliance CoinDCX Bitget Firecoin Cold Wallet
In a recent survey, 76% of financial advisors said they had received cryptocurrency questions from clients in 2019, and , twice as many financial advisors intend to add bitcoin to their clients' portfolios this year as last year's
According to The Block, on Tuesday, digital asset management firm Grayscale has filed its application for registration of the Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and if such application With the approval, the trust will be the first cryptographically registered company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Grayscale Cryptocurrency asset managers say they want more government oversight to enhance their compliance and make their bitcoin trusts more accessible to institutional clients More appealing.
All 20 BICS secondary industry indices rose. The professional services industry index rose more than 85 percent, while the project services, media content, and wallet trading industry indexes rose more than 20%. Only three sectoral indices, Stability Pass, Supply Chain and Real Assets, showed slight declines.
In any case, the 60,000 bitcoin cash and the hacked and stolen bitcoins, plus Roger Ver and Wu Jihan's respective bitcoin The cash camp, all of which will allow Bitcoin Cash to slowly move towards thinking.
The new "Blockchain Technology Products" category will make it easier for digital currency wallet developers to upload hardware, according to the Bitte wallet team. Wallet, ordinary users can also find and buy corresponding hardware wallet products more easily on Taobao.
We know that a bitcoin wallet address corresponds to a public key and a private key, and that only those who have the private key can use the bitcoins in that wallet, but that the The private key is secure and cannot be calculated from the wallet address or the public key.


text:
Kitchensurfing said Monday that it has closed $15 million in Series B funding. Tiger Global Management led the round with participation from Union Square Ventures and Spark Capital. Kitchensurfing is a community marketplace for chefs.
New York City – March 31, 2014 – Kitchensurfing, the community marketplace of talented chefs worldwide, today announced a $15M Series B funding round led by Tiger Global Management with participation from Union Square Ventures and Spark Capital. With this funding, Kitchensurfing will continue to expand into new geographies and grow its global community of chefs and diners.
In just over a year since the launch, Kitchsurfing’s community has grown to thousands of chefs and one hundred thousand diners who experience restaurant-quality dining in their home or office, typically at lower costs. Today, Kitchensurfing has many chefs earning a full-time living through the marketplace, some as much as $200,000 a year. Kitchensurfing facilitates all transactions and offers 24/7 customer support to both diners and chefs to ensure that each Kitchensurfing meal is a simple, safe, and secure experience.
“Kitchensurfing is the way for talented chefs to build their businesses without the traditional overhead costs that cause so many restaurant and food businesses to fail. Through our community, chefs from around the world are able to earn more while bringing greater passion to their work by connecting directly with our diners,” said Chris Muscarella, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Kitchensurfing. “Our collective economic future has more individuals running businesses—and great technology platforms enable those opportunities. We’re bringing that capability to one of the largest and most talented labor pools in the world that just so happens to create an experience that everyone loves – eating.”
“Kitchensurfing is changing the way people eat by making the world’s best food accessible and independent of restaurant and catering industry markups,” said Lee Fixel, partner, Tiger Global Management. “We’re excited to support Kitchensurfing’s rapid growth as it transforms the economics of an imbalanced market where a chef’s reputation can be built on a restaurant’s brand name as opposed to individual service and trusted customer reviews.”
Kitchensurfing has raised $18.7M in total funding including prior investment from prominent angels including Founder Collective, Dave Tisch, David Karp, Brian Sharples, Ken Pelletier, Scott Belsky, Chris Dixon, Joanne Wilson and SV Angel.
Kitchensurfing is the marketplace community of the world’s most talented chefs building their businesses by bringing expertise and food inside your home or office. Consumers connect directly with chefs to easily secure the dining experience they seek: simple family meals, exotic cuisine, blow-out celebratory meals, or even an in-home cooking class. Direct communication creates a marketplace where costs are typically less than those of going out to a restaurant of similar quality.
For more information, please visit: www.kitchensurfing.com


text:
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc (CCE) reported quarterly earnings results on Thursday, Apr-28-2016. The company said it had a profit of $0.41 Earnings per Share for the quarter. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations beating the analyst consensus estimate by $0.01. Analysts had a consensus of $0.40. The company posted revenue of $1517.00 million in the period, compared to analysts expectations of $1542.60 million. The company’s revenue was down -7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.42 EPS.
Many Wall Street Analysts have commented on Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. Stifel Upgraded Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc on Apr 14, 2016 to ” Buy”, Price Target of the shares are set at $65.Company shares were Reiterated by UBS on Apr 13, 2016 to “Neutral”, Firm has raised the Price Target to $ 57 from a previous price target of $55 .Shares were Reiterated by UBS on Feb 12, 2016 to “Neutral” and Lowered the Price Target to $ 51 from a previous price target of $52 .
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc opened for trading at $51.87 and hit $52.28 on the upside on Wednesday, eventually ending the session at $51.96, with a gain of 0.58% or 0.3 points. The heightened volatility saw the trading volume jump to 26,20,450 shares. Company has a market cap of $11,812 M.
In a different news, on Mar 3, 2016, John Brock (Chairman and CEO) sold 590,779 shares at $48.64 per share price. According to the SEC, on Jul 14, 2015, Calvin Darden (director) sold 12,399 shares at $45.00 per share price. On May 4, 2015, Suzanne D Patterson (VP, Controller & CAO) sold 3,312 shares at $45.96 per share price, according to the Form-4 filing with the securities and exchange commission.
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE) markets produces and distributes non-alcoholic beverages. The Company serves a market of approximately 170 million consumers throughout Belgium continental France Great Britain Luxembourg Monaco the Netherlands Norway and Sweden. The Company is The Coca-Cola Company’s (TCCC) bottling partner in Western Europe. The Company has bottling rights within its territories for various beverage brands including products with the name Coca-Cola. The Company purchases concentrates and syrups from TCCC and other licensors to manufacture products. In addition it purchases sweeteners juices mineral waters finished product carbon dioxide fuel PET (plastic) preforms glass aluminum and plastic bottles aluminum and steel cans pouches closures post-mix and packaging materials. The Company’s beverage portfolio includes Coca-Cola Diet Coke/Coca-Cola light Coca-Cola Zero Fanta and Capri-Sun among others.


text:
Details about the iPhone 6 and iWatch displays emerge
There’s a lot of pressure on Apple right now, as 2014 is an important year for the company. Following a dull 2013 with little major Apple products being released (no, we can’t count the iPhone 5S or 5C as brand new products), the company is now preparing to release several flagship devices. Recent polls would suggest that the iPhone 6 is the most anticipated smartphone of 2014, at least as far as the United States is concerned. Thus, it comes as no surprise that entire global press is keeping an eye on Apple’s new devices.
So far, we know that Apple will be releasing two versions of the iPhone 6, mainly a 4.7 inch version (which is most likely to be launched in September), and a premium, 5.5 inch phablet version (which is said to come out later, probably in November). Little more was actually known about the iPhone 6’s display, apart from speculation and high hopes. However, the Taiwanese Economid Daily News publication recently released some insider information about Apple’s plans and display designs. It seems that the larger of the iPhone 6 variants will feature a Sapphire display. According to the source, Apple expects to ship 60 million of its 4.7 inch iPhone 6 units by the end of the year, and that the phone will feature screens from LGD and JDI. The standard, 4.7 inch iPhone 6 will apparently continue to use Gorilla Glass technology.
The larger version, the 5.5 inch Apple iPhone 6, will on the other hand sell a lot fewer units. This is mainly due to a low yield in Sapphire needed for both the iWatch and the larger iPhone 6. Speaking of which, where is the iWatch, and why is Apple keeping silent about it? Well, it seems that the main reason for the delay in the iWatch’s release comes from the fact that Apple has extremely high expectations from the screen of the device, and wants it to consume virtually no power while in stand-by. The display supplied by LG has not reached or exceeded Apple’s expectations so far. Once the company does perfect its OLED-based, 1.3 to 1.6 inch iWatch screen, we can expect over 9 million of these screens to be produced by LG by the end of 2014, confirming other reports stating that Apple aims to sell 10 million iWatch units this year. The report also mentions that the iWatch might cost around $349 in the United States, making it a fairly expensive wearable device.
Based on this information, it’s clear that the iPhone 6’s launch date will indeed be set for early fall. There’s no doubt there will be demand for the iPhone 6, but if Apple wants to sell over 60 million units by the end of 2014, it needs to move quickly. There will most likely be a high demand for the Sapphire-display 5.5 inch iPhone 6 too, but based on these reports, demand may exceed supply, at least this year. Which one of the two are you more interested in, if at all?


text:
Not only that, just last week, David Williams, the deputy chairman of the USPS board of governors and a long-time public servant, resigned. David Dayen of the American Prospect reported that “my sources indicate that this was a resignation in protest.”
Although we don’t yet know the details, Trump’s Treasury Department hopes to use a $ 10 billion loan for the USPS that was inserted into care law as leverage to force changes to the USPS, in particular by reducing the power of the postal unions.
But what Trump wants more than anything else is that the postal service dramatically increases the prices he charges for shipping parcels. This was apparently motivated by his anger at Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon. (Bezos also owns the Washington Post.)
Any mention of the postal service sends Trump into a rant against Amazon and the supposed love affair he has with the postal service. (In fact, the USPS takes advantage of the packages it delivers for Amazon; parcel delivery is its most profitable business.)
So now the USPS Board of Governors is dominated by the people nominated by Trump, and they just picked one of the best Republican Party fundraisers to run the postal service.
Could this mean that a huge increase in the rates for sending a package is underway? This is the fear that motivates a coalition that includes Amazon, eBay, Zappos and the National Retail Federation, among others, who organized themselves under the inspiring title of the Package Coalition.
They just published this announcement:
This ad uses colloquial tropes of interest groups, including using the terrifying word “tax” to describe something that could cost you money but is not actually a tax. In this case, it is a “parcel tax”, which they describe as “an increase of 400%, quadrupling the price of sending a parcel.”
Which sounds weird, except that that’s exactly what Trump suggested. “If they don’t raise the price, I don’t sign anything,” he said of the possibility of assistance to the USPS to help it cope with the pandemic, which has considerably reduces his income. “The post office is expected to increase the price of a package approximately four times. “
Interestingly enough, the ad does not attribute that feeling to Trump himself; his name is never pronounced. Instead, the villain is unnamed “politicians in Washington,” despite the fact that, as far as I know, Trump is the only politician in Washington who actually wants to see these rates rise so high.
The strategy is not hard to discern: they want to maintain bipartisan opposition to this type of dramatic rate hike, and if they attack Trump too directly, they will only encourage Republicans in Congress to support him.
And it must be said that support for the postal service has often been bipartisan in the past, because each member of Congress has a district full of constituents who rely on and love the postal service. It is the most popular agency in the federal government.
It is safe to say that quadrupling rates for parcel delivery would be spectacularly unpopular, not just with e-commerce companies. This does not mean that the primary beneficiaries would be UPS and FedEx, which charge considerably more than the USPS for the same services, and do not have the same obligation to deliver to each address at the same rates. A drastic increase in USPS rates would make the more expensive UPS and FedEx services much more competitive, and almost inevitably increase their activity.
The unpopularity of huge increases in postal rates may make these increases unlikely in the near future. But as they say, staff is politics, and now Trump will have a close Republican ally who will run the postal service. Who knows what kind of damage it can do.


text:
There's more reason for Glasgow's ever-expanding vegan community to get excited thanks to the news that a new coffee bar specialising in plant-based snacks and baking is opening its doors in Mount Florida this weekend.
Honey and Salt Coffee Bar is taking over the space vacated by the old Hampden Newsagents on Carmunnock Road near to Hampden Park.
And it will serve up speciality coffee, sourdough toasties, plant based snacks and baking to hungry locals in the southside - while being sustainability focused, environmentally conscious and mental health advocates.
All their cakes and bakes will be vegan, with gluten free raw balls and babkas on the menu every day, with caffeine lovers will be able to choose from fresh filter, guest espresso, decaf and house espresso coffee options.
While in keeping with the newsagent vibe from before, the owners will be giving away a selection of old cards each week from the thousands still in the premises.
Honey and Salt Coffee Bar opens this coming Saturday (February 22).
Opening hours will be Monday to Saturday (7am to 4:30pm) and Sunday (8am to 5pm).
Sounds like it's going to be well worth checking out!


text:
A Rockhampton plumbing business has made a splash at this year’s state Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards.
Central Queensland Plumbing has claimed the QLeave Commercial and Industrial Technical Award for the second year in a row, as well as the simPRO Service Excellence Award for 2016.
Organisers said the Commercial and Industrial Technical Award stemmed from Central Queensland Plumbing’s impressive approach to sourcing and introducing innovative products and design in work on the Parkhurst Woolworths and Shopping Mall in Rockhampton.
The judges commended site manager Ben Crew for his forward-thinking approach with product selections, design and interactions with clients, crew and other services.
Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland (MPAQ) executive director Penny Cornah said the Service Excellence Award celebrated the importance of high-quality service in addition to high-quality workmanship.
Hosted by the Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland and sponsored by Tradelink, the Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards aim to highlight the hard work and dedication invested into the industry by apprentices, plumbers, gasfitters, hydraulic consultants and other industry individuals.
This year the awards recognised individuals and companies in 17 categories. For the full list of winners click here.


text:
AU Shippin' Out April 2-6: Kinect Star Wars
Lightsaber duelling comes to Xbox 360 courtesy of Kinect Star Wars.
Big in Japan March 19-25: Kid Icarus: Uprising
Long-awaited Nintendo title flies high above new Yakuza and Pokemon title; 3DS experiences sales surge.
Devil May Cry HD compilation hits April 3
Capcom sets North American and European arrival for $40 Xbox 360 and PS3 collection of Dante's first three adventures.
Devil May Cry compiled on PS3, Xbox 360
HD Collection of first three games in Capcom's action franchise set for North American release early next year at $40 price point.
|Topic (» jump to last post)||Last Post||Views||Posts|
|8 months ago »||114||2|
|1 year ago »||153||1|
|1 year ago »||94||2|
|1 year ago »||86||1|
|1 year ago »||96||1|


text:
Missouri small businesses impacted by COVID-19 can now access Disaster Assistance Loans
Missouri small businesses that are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic can now take advantage of disaster assistance resources from the federal Small Business Administration.
Businesses that are interested in the program can learn more and apply here: disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/
“Many small businesses across the state of Missouri are experiencing extraordinary hardships today due to the necessary social distancing measures that have been put in place to help stop the spread of coronavirus,” said Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “While businesses of all sizes are being adversely impacted, small businesses are often the least able to withstand economic changes this swift and severe. The Missouri Chamber urges impacted small businesses to consider applying for disaster assistance loans so that they can remain in business and keep Missourians employed. Programs like this will be vital to helping our state economy recover.”


text:
Xiaomi is one of the market leaders in the smartphone segment. Every new model launched has a host of new features. Redmi is the famous sub-brand of Xiaomi. Redmi K20 is the latest model from Xiaomi. The past few weeks have seen various teasers for this new phone. An exact launch date has now been officially announced for this model. The Redmi K20 will be launched on May 28. It will be launched in Beijing at a special event. The Redmi K20 is being marketed as the flagship phone of Redmi.
The phone features a lot of high-end features. Right from the camera to the display design, everything seems to be in line with the other top smartphone releases. The screen features an uninterrupted display. The bezels are very thin. A pop selfie camera has been placed which allows the possibility of an uninterrupted display screen. The rear camera is one of the main highlights of this phone. It features a triple lens system with the primary being a 48-megapixel lens. The secondary and tertiary lens is expected to be telephoto and a wide angle lens. This combination is sure to help click near professional level images. The company recently confirmed that this model would also feature a slo-mo recording option. It will have 960 fps slo-mo recording option available for the users.
This new model will feature a Snapdragon 855 processor. The phone is expected to be launched with a RAM capacity of 6 GB. Another variant with a capacity of 8 GB is also said to be released. The internal storage will also have options of 128 GB and 256 GB. The display will be a 6.39-inch OLED screen with a full HD+ resolution. It will have a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9.
Redmi K20 will have a huge battery capacity of 4,000 mAh. This will help power the phone for a long time. Rapid charging technology will also be integrated into this model. The phone will be available for sales in China soon after the launch. Indian markets and other international markets will be able to spot the phone in the stores soon. An exact launch date for other countries is not yet available. This flagship phone from Redmi is a highly anticipated one and is expected to gather a good response from the consumers. The model does pack in a lot of features despite being a mid-range phone.
Get more stuff like this
in your inbox
Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting products and updates to your email inbox.
Thank you for subscribing.
Something went wrong.


text:
05 November 2013
Auckland Airport is celebrating its success at the 2013 Sitecore Site of the Year Awards, winning the Business Transformation Award and the People’s Choice Award.
Richard Barker, Auckland Airport’s general manager retail and commercial, says Sitecore is the global leader in customer experience management software and its Australian and New Zealand awards recognise trans-Tasman excellence in the delivery of effective, meaningful digital experiences.
“Auckland Airport has been very focused on improving the online experience for its travellers and customers, while also developing an online tool which helps retailers to market their products. As a result we have transformed our retail website from what was very much a directory listing into a visually engaging, product based, retail experience.”
“We are also committed to supporting the more than 70 retailers which operate over 100 shops at the airport. Since our retail website improvements were introduced in May 2013, they have helped drive retailers’ business performance and improve their revenue growth – delivering almost 25,000 customer referrals from the website and even more calls and emails. The new retail website also attracted a 400% increase in site visitors.”
“We want to acknowledge the assistance of Bullseye Digital and Datacom New Zealand which helped us to deliver the new retail website.”
“We are delighted to win these two Sitecore Site of the Year Awards which have confirmed Auckland Airport as a premier shopping destination,” says Mr Barker.
For further information please contact:
+64 9 255 9089
+64 27 477 6120


text: This upcoming weekend on November 3rd, Daylight Saving Time ends. That means we will all set back our clocks one hour. We get an extra hour of sleep. David Clossin said, “Yes, I do look forward to it (Daylight Savings Time ending) because I get an extra hour of sleep.” But many people don’t know the origin of Daylight Saving Time. Daylight Savings Time began in Germany in 1916 to conserve energy during WWI. The U.S. didn’t put Daylight Saving Time laws into effect until 1918. Most people liked it, Baseball fans were dependent on natural light so they loved it because with later days more people could make it to the games. But some people didn’t like it. For example farmers didn’t like it. They said it took away their time to get their goods to the marketplace. Daylight Saving Time is the same in all the states except Arizona, who got rid of it completely. So this weekend make sure you set your clocks back an hour and get your extra hour of sleep.


text:
By the Boston magazine marketing department. Please contact the marketing team with questions or concerns.
On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, Boston magazine and Tufts Medical Center hosted 50 guests at New Balance Global Flagship for an in-store workout with Orangetheory Fitness. […]
On Tuesday, March 6, 2018, Boston magazine invited select clients to Top of the Hub for a meet and greet with members of the editorial, […]
On Thursday, March 15, 2018, Big Sister Association of Greater Boston held its seventh Project Role Model fashion show at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in […]
On Thursday, March 8, 2018, Five 261 Fearless Game-Changing Women gathered at the Mandarin Oriental on March 8 to celebrate International Women’s Day by sharing […]
On Thursday, February 15, 2018, Boston’s business VIPs, Chinatown community leaders, and representatives from the events and hospitality industry came together to kick off the […]


text:
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement has been described as the best way to correct the present trade and investment deficit currently militating against industrial development of the country.
The observation was made by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo while speaking in Bauchi during the NATIONWIDE AWARENESS AND SENSITISATION TOUR on effective ways of doing business by Nigerians.
Represented by the Director, Trade, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar who led the delegation said that the visit to Bauchi was discuss with the state government on how to adopt strategy for the implementation of the african continental free trade area for the benefit of the state.
He said that, “Your Excellency, we are here to engage with you and other stakeholders to see how we can work together. The African We are here to engage with you and other stakeholders to see how we can work together. The African Continental Free Trade Area is a market of about over billion people. It has growth domestic GDP of four billion US dollars, so it is an opportunity for Nigeria to trade under the agreement.”
In its resolve to create Awareness on the ease of doing transnational trade, the National Action Committee on
He added that nationwide awareness and sensitisation tour was in line with its mandate to prepare Nigeria to take advantage of the AfCFTA Agreement while mitigating its threats to the Nigerian economy.
While Speaking, Francis Anatogu, Secretary, the National Action Committee on AfCFTA said that, “the mandate of the National Action Committee is to coordinate the activities of private and public sector at Federal and Sub-National levels to implement AfCFTA for benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians”.
Francis Abatogu added that, “Our strategy is to work with the states based on their areas of comparative advantages and priorities as a way of building up our national export trade and creating jobs at grassroot level” .
According to him, “The core objective of the AfCFTA is to create a single market for goods, services, and free movement of persons in order to deepen the economic integration of the African continent”.
He added that, “The AfCFTA is expected to deliver an integrated continental market of 1.27 billion consumers with aggregate GDP of USD3.4 trillion. Nigeria constitutes a significant portion of these figures largely spread across our states”.
Nigeria signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in Niamey, Niger on 7 July 2019 to promote intra-African trade with other African countries. On November 11, 2020, the Federal Executive Council approved the ratification of the agreement demonstrating Nigeria is on course to participate in trading under the AfCFTA.
It will be recalled that trading under the AfCFTA commenced on January 1st 2021 thereby making the National Action Committee on AfCFTA to be working with relevant agencies to establish structures and processes to implement the rules of origin and other arrangements to enable businesses to commence trading under AfCFTA terms.
It is expected that With the nationwide sensitisation, the National Action Committee on AfCFTA is taking the message of AfCFTA to the states and grassroots levels where the bulk of Nigeria’s wealth, both natural resources and human talent and economic activities are domiciled.
The nationwide awareness and sensitisation exercise set to cover all 36 States and FCT as contained in a statement by Zakari Jimeta,Communication Coordinator, National Action Committee on AfCFTA
The AfCFTA nationwide awareness and sensitization tour in Bauchi featured a courtesy call on the State Governor, Sen Bala Muhammed at the Government House and followed by meetings with public and private sector stakeholders in the State, including trade and professional associations in the State.


text:
Mobile developers are fuming over a new "a bit evil" Vodafone system that is preventing many mobile businesses from working as intended on Vodafone handsets.
Some fear that network changes recently made by Vodafone in the UK could prevent new and innovative mobile services from reaching the market.
Wireless Ink, a New York-based company operating a service called Winksite that lets anyone develop their own mobile web page, is one company impacted by the change.
Winksite is a service for letting users build mobile web pages from their PC browsers. But when users visit the Winksite page from their mobile phones, they see a different website that lets them view sites developed by other Winksite users, said David Harper, the founder of Winksite.
But since the change at Vodafone, UK mobile users instead see a reformatted version of the PC website.
That's because Vodafone recently implemented technology from Novarra that rewrites PC-targeted websites to display better on mobile phones. But mobile service developers say Vodafone has also started to strip out the user agent string when mobile phones access websites. The standard user agent string tells websites what kind of device and browser a visitor is using. It allows a mobile site publisher to deliver pages optimised for a user's particular phone.
Companies that sell ring tones or graphics also rely on the user agent to determine which content to send to the user that will work on their phone, Harper said.
Companies that are on Vodafone's "white list," which is a group of Vodafone-approved services, were notified of the change and the operator is passing the user agent correctly for those services, developers say. Some developers complain that it's difficult to find out how to get on the white list, it can take several months to get added and that Vodafone requires white list companies to make certain changes to the way the included sites operate.
If all operators had a similar process, service providers like Harper would have to get on the approved list for every operator around the world. That's comparable to asking any web service to be approved by every ISP in the world in order to operate.
"If this were to spread from carrier to carrier it would be horrible," Harper said. About 10 percent of his traffic comes from the UK. He worries that small mobile companies that are solely targeting the UK will be even harder hit. Winksite users include individuals as well as companies like Warner Music which uses the service to build web sites for musicians.
It's unclear if Vodafone removed the user agent capability for "diabolical" reasons, such as to maintain firm control over the content that users can access, or if it was a legitimate mistake, Harper said. On a developers forum hosted by Vodafone, one poster who appears to work for Vodafone has defended the move and said that most customer feedback has been positive. He also said that many other European operators are in the process of implementing similar technologies. Vodafone was not available for comment.
Mobile services developer Lucca Passani, who has blogged extensively about the problem, worries that if Vodafone hasn't received user complaints, there's a simple reason. "The great majority of consumers won't realise that they have been deprived of a service and will not complain," he wrote.
Harper and other developers don't take issue with the technology that can translate sites designed for PCs but they say that Vodafone doesn't need to block the user agent string for mobile sites in order to support that capability.
"The bottom line is, they've done something a bit evil and they need to fix it," Harper said.


text:
CD Projekt Red has introduced that Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed to September 17, pushing the upcoming RPG again from its unique April 16 launch date. The recreation remains to be scheduled to launch for Xbox One, PS4, and PC however can be now launching in a spot that makes it appear extra believable that we are able to anticipate an announcement for next-gen variations on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
“We are currently at a state where the game is complete and playable, but there’s still work to be done,” CD Projekt Red wrote in a press launch, embedded under. “Night City is massive–full of stories, content, and places to visit, but due to the sheer scale and complexity of it all, we need more time to finish playtesting, fixing, and polishing. We want Cyberpunk 2077 to be our crowning achievement for this generation and postponing launch will give the precious month we need to make the game perfect.”
CD Project Red added that there will probably be “regular updates” on the sport’s progress because the September 17 launch date approaches.
This story is creating.
GameSpot could get a fee from retail presents.


text:
AT&T Deal Illustrates Demise of Yellow Page Industry
AT&T closed a deal on Monday that will get the telecom giant out of the rapidly dying yellow page business. A private equity firm by the name of Cerberus Capital Management bought AT&T's stake for less than $1 billion dollars and will ride out the Yellow Page for whatever it can get, without the public pressure of stockholders.
As reported in The Washington Times on Monday:
"The digital side of the business listings industry has been eating away at the print phone directory market. Yellow Pages is still valued higher than online competitors like Yelp and Angie's List, but the gap is closing.
"Revenue in the worldwide yellow page industry is down 27 percent from 2007's $32 billion to $23.3 billion last year, according to a new BIA/Kelsey study.
"Moving forward, Cerberus will focus on the digital nature of the business, the source familiar with the situation said."
This reinforces several important points we've been trumpeting for a while. For one, Yellow Pages are basically a 20th century relic. There are a few niche industries that continue to benefit, but for an increasing number of businesses, it's the equivalent of highway robbery.
Furthermore, AT&T only collected 25%-33% of what it would have collected just a few years ago. This shows just how fast the phone book has transformed from a desktop essential to a landfill burden.
Finally, it concedes that search engines like Google and YouTube long since have supplanted digital yellow page options when it comes to online and smartphone searches. This underscores the importance of strong SEO for businesses both local and national.


text:
Apple is planning its first research center in China, and its focus will be on hardware.
Apple plans to open the research center, a $45 million facility, in Beijing, the site’s landlord told the state-owned Zhongguancun Science Park Administrative Committee. The Committee released the news on Chinese social media sites, adding that it will house 500 employees and focus on everything from computer hardware to audio and video equipment, according to The Wall Street Journal, which obtained a copy of the post.
China has proven to be a critical but somewhat vexing market for Apple. For years, Apple’s China-based revenue was soaring as the country’s booming middle class anxiously bought the company’s iPhones, iPads, and other products. But as time has gone on, Apple’s devices have proven less popular in China and consumers have increasingly turned to local companies. In turn, Apple’s China revenue has plummeted in recent quarters, falling a whopping 33% year-over-year in Apple’s last-reported period.
Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter
Apple (AAPL) has responded with claims that it can turn around its Chinese business, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has visited China purportedly to improve his company’s relations with the government and business leaders. Meanwhile, Apple has faced intensifying local competition and strict regulations.
Last month, Cook announced plans for Apple to open a research-and-development center in China as part of a broader initiative to grow investment in the country. He didn’t say what his company might have planned for the center, and Apple did not respond to a request for comment on the investment the site’s landlord announced.
The revelation from its landlord, however, sheds light on the notoriously secretive Apple’s Achilles heel: a country like China where withholding information to benefit a company like Apple isn’t always thought to be important. Many Apple rumors and product leaks come from China, and information on Apple’s research center is just the latest third-party leak to come from the country.
For more about Apple’s iPhone, watch:
The news comes a day after another Apple landlord—developers of the Battersea Power Station—announced the iPhone maker would move its London headquarters to the decommissioned power plant site near the River Thames. Apple plans to move more than 1,400 employees to the location when it moves to the site in 2021. Its offices will span six floors and nearly 500,000 square feet.


text:
Toyota reportedly working on launching new electric vehicles in the Indian market as well as in the American automobile market.
- Toyota launching two pure electric vehicle this year
- Brand also on planning to launch PHEV
- Out of 2 vehicles one could be SUV and another could be hatchback
Toyota’s road to the electric vehicle advancement has been bizarre, although the carmakers introduced plug-in Hybrid cars way ahead of the intended transitions came. But in the pure electric battery vehicles, the Japanese giant doesn’t make any big impact in that segment till now. Global volume brands like Volkswagen, Ford, Nissan, GM, Renault, Hyundai, Kia, and Honda, have already showcased their plans for the future electric cars, and now Toyota also jumping on the bandwagon finally. As old, saying “Kal kare soo aaj kar”, as per recent reports emerged and flowing through the internet that, Toyota finally being in talks to launch their two new pure electric battery vehicles and a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) by the end of this year itself.
Toyota has expected to do an electric offensive as early as 2019, but due to the economical crisis and health crisis, it delayed for this year. In a recent interview with Bob Carter, vice president of sales for Toyota North America acknowledged that Prius had made a strong impact over the last 20 years while stating that Bob carter also mentioned that new electrified products will provide customers new powertrain options as per their requirements. Automotive News reports that out of 2 one could be SUV.
Toyota Luxury arm Lexus could also get its first pure electric vehicle as well towards the end of the year 2021. But, as of now no official statements has been passed from the brand, Toyota could use SUV space for an electric vehicle since the segment attracts more buyers in recent times. Although, it is no secret that Toyota is working on developing BEV (battery electric vehicle) dedicated platform which suits all different kind of body styles. In the 1990s the Japanese car manufacturer retiled electric RAV4 for California residents and the Mirai fuel cell-powered electric vehicle was restricted in the same city. So, developing an EV is not new for a giant like Toyota, let’s see how things work out for the brand.


text:
California Attorney General Sues Veterans Charities for Alleged Misuse of Funds
- California AG Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit against charity organizations Warriors Support Group and Central Coast Equine Rescue and Retirement and the charities’ operators (collectively, “Warriors”) over allegations that their claims that they supported veterans were deceptive and that proceeds from charity raffles were misappropriated for personal use.
- According to the AG’s office, Warriors allegedly held fundraisers implying funds would support veterans, but ultimately the donated proceeds were used by Warriors to buy clothing, dine at restaurants, travel, pay off personal credit cards, and pay other personal expenses.
- The lawsuit seeks damages, civil penalties, involuntary dissolution of the charities, and a permanent injunction against the charity operators, among other things.
District of Columbia Attorney General Reaches Settlement with Debt Collector to Forgive Allegedly Unlawful Debts
- District of Columbia AG Karl Racine reached a settlement with Collect Pros, LLC, a debt collection company, and its owner (collectively, “Collect Pros”) over allegations that it violated DC’s debt collection and consumer protection laws when it engaged in unlawful debt collection tactics.
- According to the AG’s office, Collect Pros allegedly collected illegal debt from DC consumers that included debt from magazine subscriptions that consumers claimed they never agreed to or debts that had already been settled, discharged, or determined uncollectable.
- Under the terms of the settlement, Collect Pros is required to forgive $220,000 in uncollected consumer debt, return $1,200 in restitution for collected debt, pay $2,500 in civil penalties, and cease violating consumer protection laws.
District of Columbia Attorney General Settles with Immigrant-Consultant Services Company Over Alleged Notario Fraud
- District of Columbia AG Racine reached a settlement with immigrant consultant company Unlimited Technology and Solution Corporation and its sole owner and operator (collectively, “UTS”) for allegedly misrepresenting services to Spanish-speaking immigrants, violating DC’s notario fraud law and federal law.
- According to the AG’s office, UTS allegedly targeted Spanish-speaking communities in DC and offered to assist consumers with immigration matters, when in reality UTS had no licensed attorneys, often provided incorrect legal advice, and failed to perform advertised immigration services, a practice often called “notario fraud.”
- Under the terms of the consent judgment and order, UTS is required to return $100,000 in fees it collected from consumers, help identify consumers who are entitled to restitution, and pay DC $150,000 in civil penalties, half of which will be waived if UTS complies with the settlement’s terms.
Massachusetts Attorney General Settles with Waste Transport Company Over Allegations It Mishandled Hazardous Waste
- Massachusetts AG Maura Healey reached a settlement with Massachusetts hazardous waste transport company EQ Northeast Inc. (“EQ”) over allegations that it violated the state Consumer Protection Act and the federal Hazardous Waste Management Act when it transported hazardous waste to an unlicensed facility.
- According to the AG’s office, EQ allegedly violated the law on at least 10 occasions when the company transported hazardous waste shipments to its Wrentham, Massachusetts facility instead of licensed designated facilities in Michigan and Oklahoma, and that it engaged in deceptive conduct by withholding from consumers information about the company’s practice of stockpiling large volumes of hazardous waste in unlicensed facilities.
- Under the terms of the agreement, EQ will pay $150,000 in civil penalties.
California Attorney General Urges Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor to Implement Financial Regulation for Retirement Investments
- California AG Becerra sent a letter to Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Edward Hugler urging him to immediately implement the delayed “fiduciary rule,” which aims to mitigate conflict of interest by ensuring that a retirement advisor’s legal responsibility is solely to the clients they are advising and not compromised by the advisor’s potential financial gain.
- AG Becerra’s letter states that the fiduciary rule, first proposed in 2010, has undergone a thorough and inclusive development process, which included over 3,000 public comments from a variety of viewpoints.
- According to media reports, the fiduciary rule was scheduled to go into effect on April 10, 2017 but was delayed when the Department of Labor extended the waiting period to June 9.
Arizona Attorney General Reaches Settlement Against Blood Test Company Over Allegations of Deceptive Advertising
- Arizona AG Mark Brnovich reached a settlement with blood test operator and manufacturer Theranos, Inc. (“Theranos”) for allegedly violating state consumer protection laws over the marketing of its products.
- According to the complaint, Theranos allegedly misrepresented the accuracy of its blood testing products when it falsely advertised that most of its blood testing was done by finger-pricking or proprietary methods, misled consumers and healthcare providers into believing its tests were of the highest levels of accuracy despite failing to implement a quality control program, and misrepresented to consumers its compliance with federal regulations.
- Under the terms of the consent judgment, Theranos will pay the state $4.65 million in consumer restitution, $200,000 in civil penalties, $25,000 in attorneys’ fees, and the costs for a claims administrator to distribute the restitution to consumers, and a temporary injunction was issued against the company from operating in Arizona for two years.
State AGs in the News
Alabama Governor Sets Special Election Date for U.S. Senate Seat
- Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a proclamation setting a special election date for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former Senator Jeff Sessions, scheduling it almost a year ahead of the previously scheduled election date.
- As we previously reported, former AG Luther Strange was appointed to the U.S. Senate by then Governor Bentley to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Jeff Sessions, who was confirmed as U.S. Attorney General on February 8, 2017.
- According to the Governor’s office, the special election primary will occur on August 15, 2017 (with a runoff, if needed, on September 26), and the general election on December 12. Prior to Ivey assuming the governorship, former Governor Robert Bentley had chosen not to hold a special election and instead wait until the normally-scheduled November 6, 2018 mid-term elections.
- No special election is currently scheduled for the Alabama AG, a post currently held by Steve Marshall who was appointed by former Governor Bentley to fill the rest of Luther Strange’s term.


text:
By Claire West
Quidco.com the cashback and voucher code website, has reached one million members. Set up in 2005 as a way for students to save money, the site’s popularity has gone mainstream as everyone from students to pensioners has realised how much money they can save on their shopping.
Members save hundreds and in some cases thousands of pounds a year on everyday purchases.
For merchants, the involvement has also been fruitful. Seen as an alternative to big scale advertising for retailers, they reach a million potential shoppers on Quidco for a fraction of the price of a television or internet advertisment. And, until a transaction is made, they don’t pay a penny.
This year alone, Quidco has brought its retail partners £350 million worth of business. It has also generated business for smaller niche companies by giving them a platform to promote their services.
Hannah Green of Quidco said, “We are delighted with the success we’ve achieved. Currently, no site in the UK comes close to offering our breadth and depth of savings via voucher codes, money off discounts and cashback.
“But this is no time to slow down. Our plan for the future is to find more ways and places to save which means a combination of some great innovation and lots of footwork to recruit retailers to offer our members great deals.”
Quidco was set up in 2005 by Sheffield University students Paul and Jen Nikkel. In April 2009, Michael Murphy, the man who turned Friends Reunited into Britain’s largest membership organisation, came on board as Executive Chairman after leading a management buy-in to the company


text:
Cork South West TD, Margaret Murphy O’Mahony has written to Tourism Ireland, and the Cork Tourism, asking them to roll-out a county wide tourism initiative to attract more people into providing accommodation to tourists visiting the county.
“Over the summer, I’ve met countless tourists visiting our county, and also met with owners of pubs, restaurants, and amenities, and their message is clear – we don’t have enough beds for the amount of people visiting our county.”
“Figures from Cork Airport showed a 19% increase in traffic in August 2016. Everyone has begun to notice the increase in visitors, especially German, French, Spanish and British visitors, to the region.”
“Without extra capacity, prices will continue to rise, and put off tourists. We cannot let this happen. We have seven months until the start of the 2017 season to get it right,” said Murphy O’Mahony.
“There simply aren’t enough hotels, B&Bs or guesthouses, especially in West Cork. This is damaging our ability to attract tourists, and support the many amazing tourist attractions in the area.”
“Tourism Ireland, and the Cork Tourism, should, I believe run an advertising campaign to entice homeowners, with spare capacity, to enter into the B&B or Airbnb business.”
“As well as a welcome source of additional income, it will ensure that Cork continues to benefit as a whole from the increased number of people coming to visit our country.”
“Tourism is our biggest industry in West Cork. We know that tourists want to visit us, but we need to make sure that they can access affordable, convenient accommodation,” concluded Murphy O’Mahony.


text:
New research by Interact Analysis shows that the hydrogen transportation market is still very much in its infancy. The new report covers all transportation ranging from passenger cars, trucks, trains and forklifts to the very largest off-highway machinery. Overall, fuel cells are the most mature powertrain technology for hydrogen transportation, with most of the development currently made in the on road and forklift segments. Development for larger machinery in the off-road sector is mainly in the research and development phase as companies begin to explore the benefits of hydrogen technology.
Passenger cars, by far, make up the greatest share of the hydrogen vehicle market. In 2021, almost 18,000 H2 units were sold, of which passenger cars accounted for nearly 90%. Due to the lack of government incentives, as well as the shortage of refueling infrastructure and high price of hydrogen, the hydrogen vehicle market is in its infancy. South Korea leads the way for the hydrogen passenger car market, with America and Japan following behind. Up to 2025, the market looks set to be dominated by passenger car sales, but from 2028 the hydrogen commercial vehicle market, in particular hydrogen trucks, is expected to outstrip the passenger car market.
China dominates the hydrogen commercial vehicle market, delivering over 2,000 units in 2021. This is due to strong government support for hydrogen initiatives, with much of the emphasis on city buses and trucks. Europe is the second largest market, with Germany dominating the majority of the European market, followed by the US, which deployed over 60 fuel cell buses by the end of 2021. Japan and South Korea first emerged in the hydrogen commercial vehicle market in 2017 and by 2021 both regions had delivered over 100 hydrogen commercial vehicles, respectively.
The hydrogen off-highway market is currently led by forklifts, but we are beginning to see some traction from larger vehicles, including haul and dump trucks, and excavators. North America is the largest market for hydrogen forklifts, with retail companies such as Walmart and Amazon the main customers. Europe, Japan and China are also developing demonstration projects for hydrogen forklifts but on a much smaller scale compared with North America. Government policies in China will increase China’s share in this market over the coming years. By 2030, over 20,000 hydrogen forklifts are forecast to be shipped in China, double the figure for the US. Early developments are also being made in the hydrogen rail, maritime and aerospace markets but developments will be limited this side of 2030.
Marco Wang, Research Analyst at Interact Analysis says, “Although the hydrogen vehicle market is very much in its infancy some significant developments are being made. By 2030 the global market will look very different and much more consolidated.
The TCO of hydrogen vehicles currently makes them unfavorable compared with traditional diesel alternatives. But the cost competitiveness of fuel cell powertrains will improve substantially when the demand scales up. Hydrogen availability is also an issue. But the commitment and ongoing actions of government authorities dedicated to hydrogen infrastructure provides a positive look on the future. More importantly, we really need to decarbonize vehicles where a full battery has proven unfeasible and fuel cell technology is the exclusive zero emission solution for them”.
About the Report:
This new research focuses on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the opportunities for OEMs and system suppliers. The research consists of two Interact Analysis reports each providing insight, analysis, data and forecasts, the Hydrogen in Transport Applications and the Hydrogen Vehicle and Component Market reports. The vehicle report is available as an independent report, while the component report is only available for those who purchase both reports.
About Interact Analysis
With over 200 years of combined experience, Interact Analysis is the market intelligence authority for global supply chain automation. Our research covers the entire automation value chain – from the technology used to automate factory production, through inventory storage and distribution channels, to the transportation of the finished goods. The world’s leading companies trust us to surface robust insights and opportunities for technology-driven growth. To learn more, visit www.InteractAnalysis.com
*Featured Image Courtesy: Interact Analysis


text:
PRAGUE (AP) — Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech is planning to retire from soccer at the end of the season, ending the career of one of the best netminders in the Premier League.
Subscribe now and get access to the Trinidad Express E-paper
SUBSCRIBE/ LOG IN
From Associated Press
It was the sort of celebration that's become rare in troubled Venezuela: a lavish destination wedding of two young entrepr…
NEW YORK (AP) — Papa John's has a new pitchman: Shaquille O'Neal.
Arkansas-based Tyson Foods is recalling more than 69,000 pounds (31,297 kilograms) of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strips …


text:
I’m a huge fan of the company Sphero. Not only are their “balls” a lot of fun to play with, but their programming interfaces and tools are easy to use and a fantastic way to introduce people into the world of coding but with enough depth to keep more experienced coders busy for hours. Which is why I am excited for any new products that they release and the potential they have to offer.
And as revealed in a new Kickstarter campaign, their next little robot, RVR, is hopefully going to be on the way soon. The new robot looks like a miniature car with a tank-like
Other features of the RVR include a colour sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, IR, magnetometer, and gyroscope. The devices will also feature 10 individually addressable LEDs which you can program with. As for its portability, the RVR comes wth a 4,000mAh battery, which unlike other Sphero devices will actually be swappable and allow for even more playtime. The batteries will still last for around 6 hours each though and can be easily charged via USB-C.
As for why the company, which is already quite sizable, is approaching Kickstarter for a new product like this, according to an interview Adam Wilson, co-founder and chief creative officer, gave to The Verge, the idea is simply to “get feedback and make sure we’re building the thing that people want.” An approach which they could continue for other future devices and test against the market behind deciding to go into wholesale development.
The devices is currently available through Kickstarter for $199 (R2800), with an eventual selling price of $249 (R3500) excluding import taxes. It may seem like a lot of money at first, but considering the wide range of connectivity you can now add to these devices and the educational benefits it brings, it really should be a no-brainer for most people with young kids, or even just people like me that prefer to get something a little more cerebrally challenging out of their toys.
Last Updated: February 20, 2019


text:
This article was contributed to TechCabal by Conrad Onyango via bird story agency.
South Africa is witnessing an expansion in cryptocurrency offerings as the country gets closer to issuing its first operational licences to financial service providers.
Payment firms and fintech companies are driving the move, with commercial banks expected to follow suit.
One of the latest offerings enables users to purchase goods and services using cryptocurrency, while another allows them to withdraw digital currency as cash from automated teller machines.
Stitch, a South African payments infrastructure company, has launched a new payment method called “Pay with Crypto,” which allows customers to use cryptocurrency directly when purchasing goods and services in South African rand.
Customers using ‘Pay with Crypto’ have the choice to make a deposit or check out using cryptocurrency.
“Cryptocurrency adoption in South Africa has been one of the highest in the world. There’s a massive audience that would prefer to use their crypto to make payments,” said Stitch president Junaid Dadan.
“We’re excited to offer Stitch clients an opportunity to reach and serve this audience, without the need to take on direct volatility risk, thanks to our ‘Pay with Crypto’ method,” Dadan added,
Another fintech company based in South Africa, Paycorp, has launched an app called CryptoExpress that enables users to withdraw their cryptocurrency as cash in South African rands, at over 3,000 ATMs across the country.
The app is seamlessly integrated with multiple cryptocurrency wallets, and withdrawals can be made at Cash Express ATMs operated by Paycorp subsidiary and ATM Solutions.
According to a statement released by Paycorp, to withdraw cash, users need to convert their cryptocurrency from any crypto wallet through the app, authorise the transaction in their crypto wallet, and receive a withdrawal voucher PIN generated by CryptoExpress.
“Paycorp remains committed to advancing financial inclusion in South Africa. The introduction of the CryptoExpress app, facilitating cardless withdrawals from crypto wallets at Cash Express ATMs, coupled with our Smart ATM rollout, which combines drop safe and ATM functions, underscores this unwavering commitment,” said Paycorp Group CEO Steven Kark.
Payout in local currency is available for Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD Coin, and Tether.
In early December, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa announced that it had completed assessments of 36 firms out of the 74 that had been under consideration. These 36 firms are to be presented at the Licensing Executive Committee meeting. Another 22 applications will be presented on February 13, while the remaining 14 will have to wait until March 12.
As of November 30, 2023, the FSCA had received a total of 128 applications for crypto asset service provider licenses. As part of new regulations, South Africa will require crypto companies with foreign headquarters to have a local office.
“For the 10% of entities that have an off-shore head office, consideration will need to be given to the requirements relating to having a local branch. This is important because it, amongst other things, creates a physical presence that would allow the FSCA to have appropriate oversight over and ensure accountability of the institution conducting activities in South Africa,” the regulator said in a recently launched Crypto Assets Market Study.
According to the FSCA, only a small proportion of Crypto Asset FSPs operating in South Africa have their head offices in foreign countries.
The Crypto Assets Market Study drawn from 47 Crypto financial service providers showed that more than half of the Crypto Asset FSPs have built their businesses around retail customers, with crypto exchanges (49%) being the most common business.
The highest monthly transaction value on the South African cryptocurrency market was recorded in November 2022, when it peaked at over 8 billion rand ($427 million).
Foreign-based cryptocurrency firms are also expanding their services in Africa, starting with countries with the highest cryptocurrency adoption rates, combined with progressive regulation.
Dubai-based investment platform, The Open Platform (TOP) in November announced the global rollout of Wallet, a third-party Telegram bot allowing users to buy and sell crypto.
The rollout targets South Africa and Kenya in 2023 with plans to launch in Nigeria in the first quarter of 2024, to capitalize on a huge Telegram user base and high crypto adoption numbers in these markets.
Kenya is also on the path to regulating cryptocurrency transactions after recently introducing a bill defining crypto assets as securities and imposing capital gains tax on them.
The Capital Markets (Amendment) Bill of 2023, amending the country’s tax code to impose taxes on cryptocurrency assets stored on crypto exchanges and digital wallets, made it through a Kenyan parliamentary committee in early December.
Kenyans will pay capital gains tax on increased cryptocurrency market value when they sell or use it in a transaction. The bill also proposes deducting a 20% excise duty on all commissions and fees charged on transactions.