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Many thanks for visiting Consumerist . At the time of October 2017, Consumerist isn’t any longer creating brand new content, but go ahead and search through our archives. right Here you’ll find 12 years well well well well worth of articles on sets from how to prevent dodgy frauds to composing a complaint letter that is effective. Take a look at a few of our best hits below, explore the groups noted on the left-hand region of the web web web page, or check out CR for ratings, reviews, and customer news.
People who look for payday loans online seem to be in an exceedingly position that is vulnerable they simply simply just just take in the added danger of the extortionate rates of interest and sometimes excessive costs connected with these short-term loans. But thereвЂ™s another risk perhaps lurking when you look at the payday shadows: Having each of their individual and financial information result in the fingers of cyber crooks.
Bloomberg reports that as an incredible number of customers look to online payday loan providers вЂ“ organizations known to skirt state regulations to be able to provide high-interest, short-term loans вЂ“ for required lines of credit, theyвЂ™re also putting their many information that is valuable for grabs.
Cybersecurity specialists state that the very sensitive and painful information online payday lenders and lead generators store вЂ“ such as for example names, Social protection numbers, details and economic data вЂ“ have actually made the firms an extremely tempting target for hackers.
While online payday lenders arenвЂ™t the only real entities to transport such consumer that is sensitive, specialists state that bigger banking institutions frequently have better quality cybersecurity defenses.
Also itвЂ™s not only customers whom sign up for an on-line cash advance which are at risk of this type of breach, anyone who has merely investigated the possibility or shown desire for the credit have actually additionally place their information in danger.
Lead generators and clearinghouses frequently gathered personal information from customers trying to find pay day loans. Those businesses then sell that data to actual payday lenders, producing another opportunity for which crooks could possibly get their fingers on personal data вЂ“ either through a hack or by buying the info.
In reality, the Federal Trade Commission power down one such procedure that made $46 million by issuing unauthorized payday advances to customers that has supplied their information to a third-party lead generator.
In line with the FTC issue PDF, the operation bought the information and knowledge through the lead generators and, without approval through the debtor, tried it to deposit money вЂ” typically between $200 to $300 вЂ” in a borrowerвЂ™s account.
As soon as theвЂњloanвЂќ that is unauthorized deposited, the defendants would then presumably withdraw recurring bi-weekly вЂњfinance costsвЂќ of as much as $90, quickly racking in huge amount of money.
Andrew Komarov, president and primary intelligence officer of cybersecurity company IntelCrawler, informs Bloomberg that criminals accessing customersвЂ™ private information through online payday lenders is really a вЂњnew revolution of fraudulence.вЂќ
To illustrate their point, Komarov claims that IntelCrawler recently obtained a few databases from the vendor for a hacking forum whom claims to possess usage of lending information for a lot more than 105 million customers.
Bloomberg contacted consumers that are several record and several said their information arrived from pay day loan applications.
One guy told Bloomberg he had with a bank вЂ“ and had previously provided to a payday lenders вЂ“ had been hacked multiple times that he was notified last November that two accounts. In most, he states he destroyed about $1,100.
Hackers getting their fingers on customersвЂ™ private information through online payday lenders is not exactly a brand new stress for customer advocates.
Tom Feltner, manager of monetary solutions when it comes to customer Federation of America claims why these types of breaches highlight a substantial hazard to your system that is financial.
вЂњonce you have this number of information in this degree of information about people who might have applied for that loan or are thinking about taking right out that loan, that sets their bank reports at considerable risk,вЂќ he informs Bloomberg.
Representatives for the lending that is online tell Bloomberg theyвЂ™re trying to expose fraudulent methods, like businesses that knowingly sell consumer information to identification thieves. But that may be easier in theory, taking into consideration the a large number of online lenders that are payday on the web.
вЂњThe challenge is the fact that https://personalbadcreditloans.net/reviews/funds-joy-loans-review/ people continue lots of various sitesвЂ”some of these web internet web sites are fraudulent web internet internet web sites which can be put up here precisely for this function: catching this information,вЂќ Lisa McGreevy, primary officer that is executive of on line Lenders Alliance, informs Bloomberg.
Although the industry attempts to find lenders that are unscrupulous Д±ndividuals are left wondering if their info is up for grabs.
For advocates like Feltner, the vulnerability of already-struggling consumersвЂ™ information is another reason cash advance reform have to take place sooner, versus later on.
Want more consumer news? See our moms and dad company, Consumer Reports, for the newest on frauds, recalls, as well as other customer problems.


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“In my opinion, the deal we had — had it been honored — was a great deal [with Activision]. But you need control. If you want people to be invested, you have to put something into it. It’s an industry that demands that you put a lot of yourself into it; it’s creative, it’s driven by what you’re going to put into it, the end product. So if you want people to be invested, who are putting their hearts and souls into it, they need to feel like it’s protected, and what they do means something.” – Respawn Entertainment’s Vince Zampella speaking at the 3D Gaming Summit, via Gamasutra.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy gameplay trailer shows 14 minutes of Chloe being her usual tough and capable self
Sony has graced us with another video for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
The free Games with Gold Xbox One and Xbox 360 players get next month have been confirmed, following an inaccurate leak from earlier this morning.
Killing Floor 2 will be released on Xbox One next month and it’s also coming to Xbox One X at launch.
3D Gaming Summit
A large, free update will arrive next week for Titanfall 2 alongside a trial weekend.
Titanfall 2’s latest free DLC includes two maps and makes Titan Brawl a permanent game mode.
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on its slate of paid and free content drops, and studio co-founder Vince Zampella has given a rough launch window for the shooter’s second and third DLC packs.
Infinity Ward and Respawn Entertainment founder Vince Zampella has opened a new studio called Nuclear Division.

domain: news


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SEOUL (Thomson Reuters) – South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co plans to use an auto chip it has developed itself for one of its upcoming vehicles next year, the Seoul Economy Daily reported on Friday.
Hyundai Motor, which together with affiliate Kia Corp is among the world’s top 10 biggest automakers by sales, plans to internally develop a silicon carbide technology based power chip, the newspaper said, citing an unnamed industry source.
A shortage of chips made by semiconductor companies, fuelled by pandemic interruptions and production issues at chip factories, have forced automakers halt production and reduce work shifts amid concerns that shortages could continue.
Hyundai’s research centre and its auto parts affiliate Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd led the chip design process and cooperated with multiple companies, including system chip manufacturer Magnachip Semiconductor Corp, the newspaper said.
“We are aiming to apply our internally developed power chip to a new car to be launched in the second quarter of next year,” an unnamed Hyundai Motor official told the newspaper, without naming the vehicle.
The Seoul Economy Daily said the new vehicle model adopting the chip could be the Ioniq 6, Hyundai’s dedicated electric car expected to be launched next year. Hyundai told the newspaper that the chip production date has not been decided
Hyundai Motor did not have immediate comment.
In June, Reuters reported that Hyundai and its affiliates are in talks with local chip companies to reduce reliance on foreign supplies.
(Reporting by Heekyong Yang, Editing by Louise Heavens)


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India’s rice exports would continue to see robust growth in the current fiscal (2022-23) after a record shipment of about 20 million tonne (MT) of grain worth more than $ 9.6 billion in 2021-22.
The expectation of a ‘normal’ monsoon rains this year is expected to give a boost to rice production which is predominantly a Kharif crop.
India has been the world’s largest rice exporter in the last decade — export earnings stood at a record $8.7 billion in 2020-21
Official sources told FE that rice exports would continue to surge this fiscal year because of factors such as surplus domestic stocks and expectation of robust forthcoming Kharif crops. More than 80% of India’s rice production is grown in the Kharif season.
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) as of April 1, 2022, had rice stock of more than 32 MT against the buffer norm of 13.58 MT. However, this stock excludes 22 MT of rice yet to be received from the millers by FCI.
“We have more than adequate rice stocks to meet supplies for the Public Distribution System,” an official said.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rice outlook report for April, the global trade in the 2022 calendar year is projected at a record 52.5 MT out of which India’s rice exports are projected to be around 21 MT while Vietnam will ship around 6 MT of rice.
As per DGCIS data, India exported rice to over 150 countries in 2021-22. “It indicates the diversification of India’s rice export over the years,” a commerce ministry official said.
India exports aromatic and long grain Basmati rice to Saudi Arabia, Iran and other middle east countries besides to the United States and European Union. In the case of non-basmati rice shipment, the West African country Benin is one of the major importers of non-basmati rice from India. India exports non-basmati rice to Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Cote D’ Ivoire, Togo, Senegal, Guinea, Vietnam, Djibouti, Madagascar, Cameroon Somalia, Malaysia, Liberia, United Arab Emirates etc.
M. Angamuthu, chairman of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), said that the thrust on expanding port handling infrastructure, developing of value chain involving key stakeholders along with efforts to explore new opportunities in countries or markets for rice exports in the last couple of years have led to a huge spike in rice exports
In 2020-21, India shipped non-basmati rice to nine countries — Timor-Leste, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Eswatini, Myanmar and Nicaragua, where exports were carried out for the first time or earlier the shipment was smaller in volume.
As per Second Advance Estimates for 2021-22, the rice production in the 2021-22 crop year (July-June) is estimated at a record 127 MT, which is higher by 11 MT than the last five years’ average production of 116 MT.
India is the world’s second-largest rice producer after China. The record exports would enable the rice producers to reduce their stocks and would also benefit the farmers as the increased demand for Indian Rice is likely to improve their realisation.


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Why Agricultural Support Is Highly Needed For Economic Growth
There is no doubt that agriculture can unlock a country’s potential and transform its economy to growth and sustainability.
The development of all agricultural value chains can enhance efforts towards a stable economy as has been the case with a number of countries globally. This includes supporting and investing in innovative start-ups run by young entrepreneurs.
History shows that agriculture, particularly agribusiness and agro-industry sub-sectors, are drivers of economic growth.
Agribusiness, also known as agripreneurship, has a huge potential to bridge the existing employment gap in developing economies as unemployment remains a major concern for many young people – both educated and uneducated. Further, agriculture guarantees food security.
Records show that overall, food and agribusiness is a $5 trillion industry representing about 10 percent of global consumer spending.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) employ the largest numbers of people globally with evidence suggesting that this is particularly true in the food industries of both developed and developing countries.
Over the years, the United States has been keen on the sector, investing heavily in the agribusiness industry resulting in one of the largest and most diverse industries within the US economy.
It includes agricultural producers and wholesalers, food manufacturers and wholesalers, and supplementary activities, such as crop and livestock support services, agricultural machinery manufacturing and scientific consultants.
In broader terms, the industry involves producing agricultural products, transforming them into consumable goods and moving them to market.
Generally, sizable improvements have been undertaken in recent years and have enabled an abundant supply of food in many parts of the world.
Nevertheless, feeding the global population remains a critical issue. According to reports, if current trends continue, caloric demand will have increased by 70 per cent by 2050 while crop demand for human consumption and animal feed at least double.
At the same time, more resource constraints will emerge. For instance, 40 per cent of water demand in 2030 is unlikely to be met.
Approximately 75 per cent of Africans rely on agriculture for their livelihoods with production being the most important economic sectors for the majority of countries.
Agribusiness and agro-industries account for more than 30 per cent of national incomes as well as the bulk of export revenues and employment. Scaling up agribusiness could be the next growth frontier.
Several key opportunities are within reach in agribusiness with underlying factors represented by the diversification of sources of growth to curb the pattern of overreliance on primary commodities to generate export revenues.
Africa’s population growth has to be turned into an asset. Overreliance on employment cannot be the way out but actually, the huge population can be a great factor in production.
Technology adoption and investment will be vital in enhancing agribusiness.
In essence, the digital revolution has reached every part of the world, every aspect of society and commerce. The agriculture and food system is also ripe for a transformation.
Opportunities from investment in infrastructure will also help overcome the current challenges associated with poor linkages between farm-level production and downstream activities, such as processing and marketing.
Robust and enabling policies are very essential if any good strides are to be realised. It will help remove existing constraints on agro-industrialisation and encourage investments.
Coupled with a conducive business environment and strategic support from governments, agribusiness can reach its full potential.
Digitisation is an emerging opportunity offering a combination of digital payments for the procurement of crops from smallholder farmers, digital farmer records, information and track and trace services.
Digital tools can enable agribusinesses to improve control and monitoring of operations, transparency of transactions and the establishment of effective communication channels, both internally as well as with smallholder suppliers.
The East African region is majorly agricultural-based with the industry being a vital element in economic growth and provision of jobs for citizens. Governments can rely on agribusiness because it can serve as a base on which the region’s industries are anchored on.
Most of the region’s countries have an ideal climatic condition for agriculture. With more focus on agribusiness and good support to make it big, the region can realise its full potential.
Public-private partnerships should also be employed in the agribusiness sector.
Mr Diaz is a director at EABC and Brand Africa Trustee.


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(September 4, 2015 – Houston, TX) Kiersted is pleased to announce a new partnership with AdvoLogix, which will enable the delivery of customized, cloud-based legal solutions through the widely used Salesforce platform. AdvoLogix brings nearly a decade of experience delivering cloud-based legal solutions to law firms, legal departments and public service organizations. By utilizing Salesforce®, the most robust cloud delivery platform in the industry, AdvoLogix enables its customers to streamline and automate day-to-day processes, while using a platform in which many companies have already invested. The partnership brings together Kiersted’s consulting experience and AdvoLogix’s unique service offerings, providing legal clients with a powerful and efficient solution.
“We are excited about the benefits this new partnership will bring our clients,” said Kiersted President, George Kiersted. “AdvoLogix’s cloud-based matter management solutions improve accessibility and eliminate the burden of data storage, while preserving security. And, because many of our clients already use Salesforce, this new product offering will allow them to drive down costs, even as they improve results.”


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90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After star Larissa Dos Santos Lima got something else out of her divorce from Colt Johnson, something surprising. It looks like she’s learned how to squeeze a dollar so hard that it screams. This time around it appears that screaming dollar awarded Larissa some fantastic results.
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After – Larissa Dos Santos Lima Break Out Fame
Once upon a time, Larissa stepped off a plane and into Colt Johnson arms as his future wife. She became a breakout star from 90 Days Fiance. Her beauty and personality caught the attention of the fans. But much more than that awarded her fame. And it’s probably what got her an invite back to 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After.
Larissa’s explosive temper would emerge in the blink of the eye on 90 Day Fiance. Anyone in her path got a piece of it. Not only Colt Johnson but his mom, Debbie Johnson, felt her wrath as well. Even Colt’s cousin, John Maymoun, was a target for her angst. But in Larissa’s defense, John was pushing her buttons and calling her a gold digger.
Larissa and Huge Price Tags
From the first few scenes of the couple together it was clear Colt’s 90 Day Fiance liked the finer things in life. There was no purchasing bargain basement furniture for Larissa, as far as she was concerned. She let Colt’s mom know this during a shopping trip not long after she moved into their home.
Debbie Johnson had to reel her in, just as she did while wedding dress shopping. There was no mistaking it, this Brazilian beauty’s appetite was for items that tend to carry a hefty price.
— Ashely Freeman (@ashleyfreeman77) April 28, 2019
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After – Pretty is as Pretty Does
90 Day Fiance fans were astonished to learn that Larissa settled for a wedding dress that came from Goodwill. Still, she made a beautiful bride.
Some fans found Larissa Dos Santos Lima very complex. As behavior goes, hers didn’t always coincide with the physical beauty she showed to the cameras. Fans saw her quickly turn on Colt Johnson and his mom Debbie with what seemed like little provocation.
While still together under one roof, on 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After, Larissa flushed her wedding ring down the toilet. At the same time, she declared to Debbie, that Colt’s money is also hers.
Debbie explained that Colt worked hard to get the money that paid for the ring. That explosive scene plays out in the video posted below.
Larissa Bargain Hunts Like Colt Johnson?
Now that she’s done filming 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After and has finalized her divorce from Colt Johnson, fans know she’s got a new love interest. From the way she’s dressed in her latest social media posts, it looks like she’s now made of money.
One photo has Larissa dressed for a night on the town with her new boyfriend. The other has her alone and posing as if she’s modeling her attire. She’s wearing what appears to be a high-end designer dress and heels.
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After – Full Disclosure?
It looks like Larissa spent a pretty penny on her clothes in these latest posts. People probably wouldn’t have known the difference unless she said something. And she did. Larissa lists her dress at $15. Her shoes and bag cost $10 each – for a total of $35 spent on the entire outfit.
Larissa adds, “You don’t need to break the bank to look nice.” It appears that she learned something from her time with Colt Johnson and his mother. He had the tendency to lean towards the frugal side when it came to shelling out the dough to Larissa on 90 Days Fiance. Previews of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After suggest money might be an issue once again.
Larissa is on her own and apparently, this gives her a new respect for money. It seems as if she learned something from her ex. She might now realize that even in America money doesn’t grow on trees.
Visit Soap Dirt daily for up-to-date 90 Day Fiance news and leaks.


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What Apps Will Be on Your Phone in 2012?
The increasing adoption of smartphones and the success of app stores has ignited the mobile apps market (follow the link for silicon.com's run down of the top iPhone apps for business).
While until recently the mobile apps market had been dominated by the mobile operator, now there is greater competition between handset companies, operators and application developers who are all wrestling for control of the users' mobile experience—and their cash. As a result, there's now fierce competition for domination of the mobile apps space.
Analyst group Gartner (IT) has drawn up a list of the applications it thinks will be most popular by 2012, ranking applications based on criteria including their estimated market penetration, revenue and consumer value. Its list of the top 10 consumer mobile applications in 2012 include:
1. Money transfer
SMS services that allow users to send money to others have lower costs, faster speed and greater convenience compared with traditional money-transfer services. They have strong appeal for users in developing markets, with most services having signed up several million users within their first year.
But Gartner warned there are regulatory risks: because of the fast growth of mobile money transfer, regulators in many markets are piling in to investigate the impact on consumer costs, security, fraud and money laundering.
2. Location-based services
Gartner calculates there are 96 million users of location-based services globally today—a figure expected to climb to 526 million in 2012.
3. Mobile search
Mobile search is ranked number three on the Gartner list because of its high impact on technology innovation and industry revenue, but the analyst said the industry first needs to improve the user experience of mobile search so that people will come back again.
Gartner expects loyalty for mobile search to be shared between a few providers that have unique technologies in the field.
4. Mobile browsing
Mobile web will be a key part of most corporate business-to-consumer mobile strategies. Around 60 per cent of handsets shipped this year are capable of mobile browsing and the analysts expect that number to rise to 80 per cent by 2013.
Gartner said mobile web systems have the potential to offer a good return on investment, because they involve much lower development costs than native code, reuse many existing skills and tools, and can be agile—both delivered and updated quickly.
5. Mobile health monitoring
Mobile health monitoring could help governments and health-care providers to reduce costs related to chronic diseases and improve the quality of life of their patients. However, Gartner said currently mobile health monitoring is at an early stage of market maturity and implementation, and projects have so far been limited to pilots.
6. Mobile payment
Mobile payment made Gartner's top 10 list because of the number of parties it affects—mobile operators, banks, retailers, device vendors, regulators and consumers. Because of the many choices of technologies and business models, as well as regulatory requirements and local conditions, mobile payment will be a highly fragmented market, with systems built on a case-by-case basis.
7. Near field communication services
Gartner said NFC can increase user loyalty for all service providers, and it will have a big impact on carriers' business models—but the biggest challenge is reaching business agreements between mobile carriers and service providers, such as banks and transportation companies. Gartner said it expects to see large-scale deployments starting from late 2010, when NFC phones are likely to ship in volume, with Asia leading deployments followed by Europe and North America.
8. Mobile advertising
Total spending on mobile advertising in 2008 was $530.2m, and Gartner expects it to grow to $7.5bn in 2012. It's an important trend because it will be a key way to monetise content on the mobile internet, enabling companies to offer free applications and services to end users. The mobile channel will be used as part of larger advertising campaigns in various media, including TV, radio, print and outdoors.
9. Mobile instant messaging
While price and usability problems have historically held back adoption of mobile instant messaging, mobile IM is on Gartner's top 10 list because of latent user demand and market conditions that are conducive to its future adoption. It has a particular appeal to users in developing markets that may rely on mobile phones as their only connectivity device.
10. Mobile music
Mobile music so far has been disappointing—except for ringtones and ring-back tones, which have turned into a multibillion-dollar industry. But Gartner sees renewed efforts by various players in coming up with innovative models around music, such as device or service bundles, to address pricing and usability issues. iTunes makes people pay for music, which shows that a superior user experience does make a difference, Gartner noted.
Driving Business Through Technology


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Slovenia will be launching new ID cards with biometric security features in 2021.
Total Slovenia News reports that the biometric identity card needs to be introduced on 2 August 2021 in line with the regulation on strengthening the security of identity cards of EU citizens.
These new security features on the card will include biometric data, and labelled with the EU mark. It also will require from those applying for the new card to provide two fingerprints, as is the rule for biometric passports. The fingerprint requirement will apply to persons aged 12 or older, and the application also needs to feature a photograph.
The new ID card will have a chip with the holder’s face and fingerprints and will feature data for electronic identification and electronic signature, which would allow its holders to use e-commerce services.
Citizens whose current identity cards will still be valid on 2 August 2021 will not be required to replace them before they expire. This also applies for the personal identity cards without the expiry date, which are issued to persons who turn 70.
Click here for more information.
The Keesing Platform team brings you the latest in various fields, including security documents, security printing, banknotes, identity management, biometrics, blockchain, crypto technology and online onboarding.


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MicroStrategy files to sell $1 billion in shares to add to its vast bitcoin treasure chest
MicroStrategyfiled to sell as much as $1 billion in shares on Monday, partly to buy more bitcoin.
- Led by CEO
Michael Saylor, it already holds 92,079 bitcoins, currently valued at $3.6 billion.
- The company also said it has completed its $500 million bond sale for its bitcoin strategy.
Bitcoin bull Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy plans to sell as much as $1 billion in common shares with an eye to adding to its huge holding in the cryptocurrency, it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The S-3 filing for a "shelf offering" on Monday came as the business-intelligence software maker completed the sale of $500 million in high-yield senior secured notes, offered so it could buy more bitcoin.
MicroStrategy said it may decide to sell $1 billion in shares in the shelf offering, which allow a company to issue securities to the public multiple times over a period, based on market conditions. It intends to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including additional investment in bitcoin, but has not decided how much to put toward any particular purpose, it said.
Under the leadership of CEO Michael Saylor, one of the most vocal bitcoin proponents, MicroStrategy had purchased more than 92,000 bitcoins even before these moves. That hoard is currently valued at $3.6 billion, making the company the largest corporate holder of the digital asset. A newly formed subsidiary, MacroStrategy, is holding the bitcoin, MicroStrategy said in a statement.
Shares in MicroStrategy were last trading 1% higher during Tuesday's pre-market session. Bitcoin was trading 2% higher around $40,000 as of 6:30 a.m. ET, but it is down more than 36% in the last two months.
Saylor has previously said he influenced Tesla, the second-largest corporate bitcoin holder, to invest $1.5 billion in the digital currency. The MicroStrategy chief is the leading light in the recently formed Bitcoin Mining Council, a group of North American
- Kellyanne Conway says her husband was 'cheating by tweeting' his disdain for former President Trump in her new memoir
- Putin's leadership is unraveling as he takes regular breaks for medical treatment and is constantly surrounded by doctors, says British ex-spy
- The worst for Indian startups is yet to come — be prepared for layoffs, unicorn slowdown and startup shutdowns in 2022
- What would happen to Twitter if Elon Musk backs out now?
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- Supreme Court of India extends time for submitting Pegasus probe report
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- Both Ambuja Cements and ACC are bet worth investing with strong parent Adani


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marks the 68thanniversary of when Outrigger Hotels and Resorts founders, Roy and Estelle Kelley, opened their first hotel in Waikiki in 1947. At the time, the five-story, 50-room Islander Hotel on Seaside Avenue was the first new hotel to be built in Waikiki since the construction of the Royal Hawaiian hotel 20 years earlier.
From the beginning, Roy and Estelle’s vision was to “share the spirit of aloha” with every guest. Today, that vision has blossomed into a global portfolio of 40 properties in the most iconic tropical destinations throughout Hawaii, Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
On Sept. 29, Outrigger Resorts guests will be invited to raise a glass to Roy and Estelle’s legacy of Aloha at Manager’s Receptions being held at each resort, pick up a limited edition vintage T-shirt, enjoy special discounted room rates, participate in a fun social media contest, and more.
“When my grandparents founded the company back in 1947, they instilled several core values like providing guests with distinctive hospitality and value, and treating every employee like ohana, or family. I know they would be proud to know that these values are still at the heart of everything we do,” said Bitsy Kelley, vice president of corporate communications at Outrigger Enterprises Group. “In honor of Roy and Estelle, we invite all guests of Outrigger Resorts to take part in the host of activities we have in store.”
Special room rates
What would a Founders Day celebration be without some special savings? Founders Day rates will be available online starting Sept. 29 for stays booked between Sept. 29 and Oct. 27, 2015. Visitors are invited to visit outrigger.com beginning Sept. 29 to take advantage of the special savings.
The company will also show its appreciation to travel agents and invites them to experience Outrigger Resorts’ signature hospitality with highly discounted room rates for reservations booked between now and Oct. 31, 2015, for stays through Nov. 30, 2015. Participating properties include Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, OHANA Hotels and Resorts, and Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger on Maui. Outrigger is also offering double rewards points for travel agents who sign up to become Outrigger Expert Agents now through Oct. 12, 2015.
Vintage T-shirt launch
To observe Outrigger Resorts’ Founders Day, two limited edition vintage T-shirts have been created to commemorate the company’s two iconic Waikiki beachfront properties – the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. Everyone can purchase a piece of Outrigger history by visiting www.MalibuShirts.com or in Hawaii, stopping by the Malibu Shirts stores at Waikiki Beach Walk® and the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort.


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AC/DC are set to be immortalised by a board game, with Parker Brothers announcing they are to release a special AC/DC version of Monopoly in tribute to the giants of Australian rock.
Update: AC/DC Monopoly On Sale Now
A post on the band’s website states that the special edition will be available in shops come August. The idea is that the band’s albums and ‘international locations’ will act in place of the board’s squares and properties to buy and barter, while instead of houses and hotels, there will be gold and platinum records.
The traditional six playing pieces will also have an AC/DC twist, including a lightning bolt, a cannon inspired by For Those About To Rock and inevitably a schoolboy’s hat in homage to guitarist Angus Young.
Of course, AC/DC are not the only band to make it to the Monopoly board, with the Metallica version of the game released this month, and a special Rolling Stones-inspired edition coming out last year.


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Mellissa reopens arson-hit shop
Published on: 08 May 2017
A CHARITY shop that lost nearly £40,000 of income after arsonists forced its closure is now open again.
CLIC Sargent in Straits Parade, Fishponds, had been shut since the fire in November but opened its doors once again for business on April 22.
The ribbon was cut at the opening ceremony by volunteer Mellissa Nunn, who has supported the shop after she was successfully treated for leukaemia at the age of 17.
Mellissa, 23, who started volunteering in 2013, said: “I wanted to give something back. I’ve seen and felt the impact of the work CLIC Sargent do, I wanted to repay the favour.
“Volunteering has made me more confident, it feels like I’m part of another family; we are all there for the same reason. All the volunteers feel a part of the shop so the fire felt like a real personal loss."
Mellissa was joined at the reopening event by Jason Webster, head of trading at CLIC Sargent, as well as other shop workers and customers.
The closure, after a burglary and fire on November 12, meant an estimated £36,700 loss of income for the charity. An appeal has since raised over £1,000.
Jason Webster said: “The fire appeal is a great example of real community spirit here in Bristol. It’s fantastic to see how everyone rallied together to support the shop and our charity in our time of need."
CLIC Sargent supported 619 families in the South West last year. To donate to the appeal go to: www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/clicsargent/fishponds-arson-attack or text ‘SHOP67 £5’ to 70070


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April 1, 2014
The EPA, mirroring Barack Obama’s incessant use of children to sell his messages, has produced two videos using young children to promote the EPA’s message that wood-burning fireplaces and stoves are unhealthy. At the beginning of January, the Environmental Protection Agency banned a large majority of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces sold in the United States. The EPA claims they are attempting to improve air quality by requiring appliances to burn more cleanly.
The two videos produced by the EPA program Burn Wise assert that wood-burning fireplaces lead to pollution and sickness. Other maladies the children declare can be caused by smoke from wood fires are voiced like this:
Wood smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces is pollution.
Smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces can make you sick.
Wood smoke can give you a stuffy nose.
Make your eyes water.
And even make you cough.
It can also cause an asthma attack.
It can hurt your lungs and make it hard to breathe.
Viewers are directed to the EPA’s Burn Wise website where tips are offered to “Learn Before You Burn” and how to upgrade to an EPA-approved appliance.
This article was posted: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 5:17 am


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Last Saturday was full of sunshine and peopleThe border with Ukraine.. For the first time in months the crowds came out and were able to sit and have coffee with small groups of friends. They wore their masks and sat at socially distant tablesThis week and next.
Every table was full and no-one was in any hurry to leave. The new openings in the Lluna attracted the crowds and free gifts were happening all over the placeThe crisis GTA hospitals are facing i. The first shop to re –open in beautiful new premises, was the Jewellers relocated from the street of the Post Officeexpertise and extra equipment where capacity allows — understanding tha.
Jewellery is made on the premises here and the workshop is at the back of the shopCelina Gallardo is a Toronto-based staff reporter fo. All very smart and 21st century.
The next opening had the Police taking a keen eyeThe health care systems in parts of Ontario and Quebec are risking. Not that anyone was doing anything wrongmeaning many leaders are likely reluctant to send resources away a, but crowd management was the issueThe virus that.... This is the new perfume shop enticing customers with a goody back of great freebies if they spent 5 euros or more. I can’t remember ever seeing this long a queue for a shop in Soller, ever.


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Infinix, the leading smartphone brand in Pakistan, recently introduced the highly anticipated ZERO 30 Series, which features a groundbreaking capability for capturing 60 frames per second of 4K videos. The culmination of Infinix’s commitment to the Pakistani market is this major launch event, which took place in Lahore. Infinix is renowned for introducing cutting-edge products across all of its series.
A wide range of tech, lifestyle, media, and influencer circles brought together esteemed visitors to witness this historic event. The dynamic Kinza Hashmi, the brand ambassador for the Infinix ZERO 30 Series, stole the show with prominent members of the Infinix executive team, such as Joe Hu, CEO of Transsion Holdings, Simon Feng, CEO of Infinix Pakistan, and Saad Shams, Head of Marketing for Infinix Pakistan.
Innovation and entertainment were combined flawlessly at the event, which raised the excitement of the evening with a mesmerizing dance performance by The Colony and an exhilarating musical performance by the young pop phenomenon Shamoon Ismail.
Attendees will be enthralled by the amazing features of the Infinix ZERO 30 Series, especially the much-awaited ZERO 5G, since the introduction of the series is expected to revolutionize vlogging in Pakistan.
Infinix Pakistan’s head of marketing, Saad Shams, expressed his excitement and emphasized the brand’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and its dedication to the Pakistani consumer.
The CEO of Infinix Pakistan, Simon Feng, emphasized Infinix’s commitment to Pakistani customers and its goal of revolutionizing the industry with exceptional products.
Transsion Holdings CEO Joe Hu highlighted Infinix’s worldwide vision and innovation, especially with the ZERO 30 Series, which is intended to function as a professional video recording device.
With its sophisticated camera configuration, 4K video capabilities, dual video view, optical image stabilization (OIS), and electronic image Stabilization (EIS), the ZERO 30 Series sets new benchmarks for mobile photography and cinematography.
The ZERO 30 Series, which boasts a curved display, a powerful processor, and cutting-edge 21GB RAM technology, promises outstanding performance and a captivating visual experience that will boost productivity and enjoyment.
The introduction of the Infinix ZERO 30 Series has excited customers, techies, and industry insiders alike, demonstrating Infinix’s dedication to innovation and providing the Pakistani market with state-of-the-art mobile devices.


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Luxury shoppers ring alarm bells
Updated: 2012-02-03 08:06
By Chen Weihua (China Daily)
Living in New York, I have the great pleasure of having Chinese friends come from afar to visit. Yet instead of seeing the real jewels of New York, such as St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Broadway musicals, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and jazz in the West Village, they are desperate to visit the Fifth Avenue and Woodbury Common outlets, about an hour's drive from Manhattan, where some 200 discount luxury goods stores are located. And it is not just the women it's also the men.
In fact, not all of these friends are wealthy. Yet many seem to have no hesitation when it comes to buying a luxury item that might cost one or two months' wages.
The whole thing reminds me of my year in Honolulu, Hawaii in the early 1990s. Pearl Harbor was the top destination for American visitors. But for Japanese tourists, it was the Ala Moana Shopping Center, where you saw young Japanese women shopping till they dropped.
Now Chinese shoppers have started to create a similar scene in not just New York, but also in other major US cities as well as the European cities of Paris, London and Milan. Such shopping sprees reach their peak during the Lunar New Year holiday. In fact, "Chinsumer" has already been coined to describe such lavish Chinese shoppers.
In the United States, Chinese and Brazilian tourists have become the top spenders. On average, a Chinese tourist spends $6,200, compared with the $4,000 average for foreign tourists to the US.
No wonder that US President Barack Obama signed an executive order on January 19, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to expedite the visa processing for Chinese and Brazilians and increase the visa quota for Chinese and Brazilians by 40 percent. It was clearly meant to be an effective measure to create American jobs at a time when unemployment remains high.
According to estimates, some 1.15 million Chinese tourists visited the US in 2011. That number is expected to be more than 2 million by 2015, contributing $14 billion to the US economy.
The World Luxury Association has predicted that China is likely to replace Japan as the world's largest luxury market this year. In addition to the first-tier cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, second and third-tier cities have also seen the expansion of international luxury goods stores.
A recent study by Bain & Company shows that of the 25-30 percent growth in the sales of luxury goods on the Chinese mainland, more than 60 percent was by new customers. McKinsey & Company predicts that China will account for 20 percent of luxury sales worldwide by 2015.
While all this is good news for luxury goods companies, as well as countries popular with Chinese tourists, it is a solemn reminder of the widening income gap in China, where more than 100 million people still live in poverty. In terms of GDP per capita, the World Bank ranks China as the 90th country in the world, lower than many African nations.
To me, the blind worship of luxury goods, the irrational shoppers and the lack of interest in the real jewels of other cultures and countries sound multiple alarm bells for our society.
The author, based in New York, is deputy editor of China Daily US edition. Email: email@example.com
(China Daily 02/03/2012 page8)


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852 2261 8691 [email protected] 46 RECYCLING The textiles industry is witnessing significant developments in the area of sustainability. The real challenge in innovations lies in the ability to separate fibres from blended fabrics (such as polycot) so that each constituent can be recycled in its own way and does not end up in incinerators or landfills. SUDHA PASSI writes about the developments. Tackling trash: A tough task Having thrived its waste by exploring avenues beyond the raw materials—both plant-based and on a throw- three conventional Rs of reduce, reuse and polymers as also the health hazards its away culture recycle to regenerate or synthesise raw processes have created. Raising the that created materials from textile wastes. industry’s hopes are a handful of new mountains technologies in chemical recycling such of trash and Forcing the textile manufacturers to as Re:newcell, Wornagain, Purewastes, polluted the re-examine the entire supply chain and Evernu that have managed to environment, the minutely and create a completely circular produce second generation fibres from textiles industry is now struggling to tackle economy is the spectre of dwindling non-virgin resources.FIBRE2FASHION 48 The textiles industry is witnessing significant There have been brands such as H&M, Marks anddevelopments in the area of sustainability. Spencer, Kering (Puma) that have been taking backThere are startups like Evernu awaiting venture clothing, “but it’s piling up” and there are few options suchcapital even as they claim to be in association as rags, insulation, rugs, where they can be reused. Butwith an undisclosed fashion brand on the one breaking down and cleaning the waste to makehand and investors like the European Union new yarn offers wider possibilities.pumping in huge amounts for prospectivegame changers to ‘conserve its futureenvironment and society’.As 2015 drew to a close, the EuropeanUnion pledged €11 million ($12.07 million)to Resyntex, an exclusive research projectcombining academic research and industryexpertise to transform textile waste intosecondary raw materials, creating circularityand reducing environmental impact. Earlier inAugust, Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz (H&M),the world’s second-largest retailer announceda line of jeans containing recycled cotton andoffered an annual €1 million ($1.16 million) prizefor new techniques to recycle clothes.Seattle startup, Evernu, claimed to have Sweden’s Re:newcell claimed to have developed what it calls a high quality “dissolvingproduced a yarn by converting old and used pulp” from old textiles with a high cellulosic content (read cotton). According to theclothing. The completely new patent-pending company website, Re:newcell pulp costs at par or below virgin pulp. Tests made onyarn, which has the texture of silk and is the fibres produced from Re:newcell pulp show a very high tensile strength comparedstronger than cotton, costs the same as organiccotton, it claimed. Its process uses solvent toturn cottons and other fabrics into pulp which itthen extrudes through a fine filter. Stacy Flynn,CEO and co-founder of Evernu, expected theyarn to be used for premium clothing. Thecompany is planning to set up a factory andhopes to be in production by the year-end. 49 ENHANCED SUSTAINABILITY COMPENDIUM RECYCLING An estimated 350,000 tonnes of clothing is sent to landfills each year in the UK alone, while Americans throw out 13.1 million tonnes of textiles each year, of which 11 million tonnes end up in landfills. to conventional viscose or lyocell. The It is not just about taking back used clothing or footwear that fashion bigwigs have been company is planning to set up a factory doing for years. Wornagain, for instance, started with making footwear made from recycled in coming years. Examples of potential materials in 2005 and went on into ‘upcycling’ of corporate textiles that is turning waste customers of the recycled cellulose fibres materials like end of use uniforms into desirable products such as hand bags from Virgin are fibre producers of e.g. viscose and Atlantic airline seat covers and Train Manager’s bags for Eurostar’s staff. lyocell, as well as producers of dissolving pulp and nonwoven products such as “But this still was not enough by itself,” said CEO Cyndi Rhoades, adding that her company is medical gowns, diapers and sponge cloth. currently focusing on “developing a chemical textile to textile recycling technology that will enable end of use clothes and textiles to be collected, processed and made back into new Similarly, Finnish entrepreneurs Pure Waste yarn, textiles and clothes again and again. It has joined hands with H&M and Kering for this. Textiles are reported to have produced sweatshirts from 100 per cent recycled cotton Globally, the apparel industry accounts for 10 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas after improving existing recycling techniques emissions. According to a post by Kristie Wang in Huffington Post, companies like Nike, and by recycling off-cuts from clothes’ factories. Adidas, and Eileen Fisher are at the forefront of developing sustainable fabrics. While Nike has teamed up with MIT’s Climate CoLab platform to jumpstart breakthrough technologies Flynn acknowledged that the industry is that could spawn a “materials revolution”, Eileen Fisher has made a “No Excuses” pledge very serious about waste handling. There to reach “100 per cent sustainability” by 2020 and requires its suppliers to certify that their have been brands such as H&M, Marks and fabrics do not come from virgin forests. Adidas, which recently unveiled a shoe made from Spencer, Kering (Puma) that have been ocean plastic, is developing a “super material” that can be endlessly broken down and taking back clothing, “but it’s piling up” and reused. there are few options such as rags, insulation, rugs, where they can be reused. But breaking However, available technologies are capable of fruitfully harnessing a specific fibre-rich down and cleaning the waste to make new textile. That is only cotton from a cotton clothing or nylon, polyester. The real challenge yarn offers wider possibilities, she said. lies in the ability to separate fibres from blended fabrics (such as polycot) so that eachFIBRE2FASHION 50
Enhanced Sustainability Compendium
Description: Fibre2Fashion Enhanced Sustainability Compendium
Keywords: Fibre2Fashion Enhance Sustainability Compendium
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Apple seeks to stop U.S. sales of eight Samsung products
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc will seek a preliminary ban on U.S. sales of eight Samsung mobile products, pending a final injunction in its high stakes patents case, according to an Apple court filing on Monday.
The request for a preliminary injunction targets Samsung Electronics Co Ltd phones including the Galaxy S 4G and the Droid Charge.
(Reporting By Dan Levine; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)
- Atheists face death in 13 countries, global discrimination: study
- Missouri executes man for killing good Samaritan motorist in 1994
- Focus turns to Thai military, anti-government protesters tell them to pick sides
- Google executives' planes saved millions in costs due to error - NASA
- Apple scores legal victory over Samsung in South Korea
Time magazine named Pope Francis as its Person of the Year, crediting him with shifting the message of the Catholic Church. Slideshow


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Should Your Gym Employ More Certified Fitness Professionals?
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently announced its “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2019.” Earning a top 10 spot on the list? Employing certified fitness professionals. Why is this a new imperative, and should your fitness business be stepping up its efforts in this area? Here’s a closer look.
The Certification Mandate
“The importance of hiring certified health/fitness professionals through educational programs and certification programs that are fully accredited for health/fitness professionals is more important than ever. More certification programs have become accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and thus allow employers easy access to certification validation,” asserts the report.
The push for certification is not new, however. Given the lack of standardization regarding personal trainers and certification, regulating the industry through required licensure via third-party accreditation offers powerful potential for advancing the fitness industry. Proposes Club Industry, “Although the industry has evolved over the past 50 years, one thing has remained constant: its lack of regulation when it comes to personal trainers.”
ACSM survey author Walter Thompson reveals, “It’s literally the wild, wild west out there. [Becoming a personal trainer] requires three things: It requires a computer, access to the internet and a good credit card, and you could be certified by no less than six organizations.”
The Coalition for the Registration of Exercise Professionals (CREP) is working to change this. Comprising eight major NCAA-accredited certifying bodies, CREP maintains an international registry of the country's NCCA-accredited training professionals. Continues Thompson, “It’s a great tool that’s going to get greater. Then you know that [the trainer’s] certification actually means something.”
Why It Matters
A significant body of evidence attests to the fact that working with a personal trainer is a more effective way to grow fitter and stronger than working out alone. We also know that personal training use is growing among health club members and constitutes an increasingly important source of revenue for fitness businesses. When it comes to supporting the optimal health and wellness of your members, it’s not enough to merely hire staff. Hiring the right staff -- and training well -- can help you maximize their potential toward a better bottom line.
While some industry insiders express concerns over the cost of regulation, others counter that it’s an important step to helping to provide safe and effective exercise environments. Not only that, but it’s not an either/or scenario. The knowledge gained during the certification process enables trainers to do their jobs better and to, therefore, create better experiences for members.
Furthermore, fitness businesses can maximize personal training profits through a variety of strategies, including group classes, incentive deals, upselling, and flexible payment plans.
A fully certified staff offers other benefits, as well, including boosting the credibility of your fitness business, differentiating you from your competitors, keeping current with the latest trends, and lessening your liability risk.
Wondering what the top fitness industry trend was? Wearable technology. To learn more about how Accuro can help you incorporate wearables into your fitness business operations, request a demo today.


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This article was published in 2010.
It has been announced that tickets will go on sale on Monday for Bingley Music Live 2011.
Event organisers, Bradford Council, are to make 5,000 weekend passes available from Monday 22nd November as part of a ticket pre-sale.
During the pre-sale, ticket prices will be frozen at 2010 prices (£30 plus booking fees), but they will go up for the main ticket sale in January 2011.
You can buy tickets through See Tickets.
Bingley Music Live takes place at Myrtle Park, Bingley from 2nd-4th September 2011.
Check our pages for more information on Bingley Music Live 2011, along with previous year's news and reviews.


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On Thursday 29th April 2010, over 55 delegates arrived at Aston University for the 4th lecture in the Aston India Foundation seminar series entitled ‘Successful Entrepreneurship During Difficult Times’ in conjunction with Deloitte. The event also saw the regional book launch of ‘India Inc’ by Aston Business School alumnus and Managing Director of Saffron Chase, Vikas Pota.
Professor Pawan Budhwar, Associate Dean of Research at Aston Business School and Director of the Aston India Foundation, welcomed the audience to the event and gave a brief update on the progress and recent successes of the Foundation which have included a large grant from the Indian government to research renewable bio-energy resources in the UK and India.
The session was introduced by Richard Edwards, a senior partner at Deloitte Birmingham, who highlighted the importance of India to the British and global economy as the strength of manufacturing and trade in the country continues to grow at an astonishing rate. He argued that companies are still enthusiastic on creating partnerships with the Indian market and mentioned how Deloitte continue to support strong business links between the Indian and UK sectors.
Book Launch – ‘India Inc’
Mr C Gururaj Rao, Consul General of India Birmingham, officially launched the book ‘India inc. How India’s Top Ten Entrepreneurs are Winning Globally’ and welcomed the author and established businessman, Vikas Pota, to the lectern to discuss the reasons behind the book.
As an entrepreneur himself, Pota was keen to emphasise the importance of innovation and new ideas to the global marketplace and talked of how current Indian entrepreneurs are taking on the world. The pure ambition and diverse vision of Indian business leaders proved to be a key topic of conversation during his speech as he talked of inspiring business leaders such as Ratan Tata, Chairman of India’s largest conglomerate which now owns Jaguar and Land Rover, and Kishore Lulla who is responsible for promoting Bollywood films to compete with major Hollywood blockbusters.
‘A Perspective on Surviving Difficult Times’
Stephen Kingan, Director of Nexor Ltd, a leading provider of information assurance solutions gave a presentation on how to overcome challenging times by employing effective strategy tactics and staff management techniques. Stephen also highlighted the importance of innovation to an organisation if they are to keep up with a changing society.


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The Asean region is expected to do more trade with China amid the coronavirus pandemic crisis, Deputy secretary-general of Asean Kung Phoak said in an interview.
According to the senior official, the proximity with China has made the region a strong trading partners, even in the Covid-19 health crisis period.
He also pointed out that even before the pandemic started, Asean and China trading has been on a positive trend. China has been an important factor in terms of trade and economy.
Now with the coronavirus pandemic, the region has reap the benefits of the trade being closer to one another. The two sides understand the importance of one another in an unpredictable trade situation at the global level.
Kung Phoak said that its easy for the region to bring goods to China and vice versa because of the region being close to the superpower.
Asean has remained China’s biggest trading partner from January to May this year with trade up by to 1.7 trillion yuan (US$240 billion). The Deputy secretary-general also lauded China’s commitment and effort in reducing poverty and urged each member states to practice and learn what they can from China.


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A new report from NME states that developers working on Just Dance: 2023 Edition dealt with considerable crunch while building out the title, and were given tasks many found ‘impossible’ to tackle within their timeframe.
The report, which was fueled by comments from anonymous Just Dance: 2023 Edition devs funneled by French union Solidaires Informatique, reveals excessive crunch for developers, a strong push for employees to work overtime, and a mandate to completely change the game’s engine just 11 months before launch.
Requests from higher-ups at Ubisoft continued to bog the team down, with some changes and new features being forced on developers, and late-stage revamps being mandated as well. Ubisoft promised to hire more staff to help out with all of these tasks, but according to the anonymous devs, that didn’t happen.
Apparently 13-hour shifts were the norm for those working on Just Dance: 2023 Edition, and that went for developers and quality assurance testers. There were also reports that some staffers worked even longer hours than that on some days. All this led to the dev team asking for the game to be pushed into 2024, but Ubisoft said that, “Just Dance must be under Christmas trees.”
As of this time, Ubisoft is yet to comment on these allegations. Should they release a statement, we’ll update the story.


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Google Technology News
Updated: 34 min 57 sec ago
Survey: Facebook scores low in customer satisfaction
SAN FRANCISCO -- Some Americans still love to hate Facebook and other social media services. That's according to an annual survey from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) released Tuesday. Social media companies are the fourth-lowest ...
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Teradata's Hadoop dreams lead to two company acquisitions
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China Will Crack Down on Pornography in Mobile Apps
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Verizon's FiOS revenues rise 14.4% to $3.1B on strong broadband, video adds
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Poll: It doesn't take money to be stylish
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Xiaomi Mi 3 out of stock on Flipkart within an hour
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Google may bring Wi-Fi to New York City pay phones
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Congressional Funding Bill Protects Cannabis Banking and Lets DC Legalize Marijuana Sales
Federal officials would be blocked from punishing banks for working with marijuana businesses under an annual spending bill released by congressional Democratic leaders on Sunday.
The legislation, which is set to be considered by a House subcommittee on Monday, would also remove a longstanding rider that prevents the city of Washington, D.C. from spending its own money to legalize and regulate recreational cannabis sales.
Bill Protects Banks That Work With Marijuana Businesses
Although a growing numbers of states are moving to legalize and regulate marijuana—with Illinois lawmakers becoming the latest to pass a bill ending cannabis prohibition on Friday—many banks remain reluctant to work with licensed businesses in the industry out of fear of being subject to ongoing federal penalties.
– Read the entire article at Forbes.


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Business News›falguni nayar nykaa
FALGUNI NAYAR NYKAA
Indian women entrepreneurs: Breaking barriers & achieving success
The past few years have seen a growth of women venturing into and succeeding as entrepreneurs and nothing begets success like success. According to media reports, over 20% of MSMEs are owned by women entrepreneurs in India which amounts to 23.3% of the labor force. Also interesting is that 50% of India’s start-up ecosystem is empowered by women in some way.
Women's Day: Indian beauty industry is reaching new highs, thanks to these women
The Indian beauty industry is seeing an overall shift, with a lot of homegrown brands coming to the foray to take on the monopoly of big, international brands.
Reliance launches ecommerce beauty platform Tira, to compete with Nykaa, Tata Cliq Palette, others
In a post-earnings management commentary, Reliance Retail said that digital commerce and new commerce businesses grew 38% year-on-year in the quarter through December 2022.
Segment leaders like Nykaa, Zomato may gain market share amid funding winter: Bernstein
Private wealth management firm Bernstein predicts that Indian internet companies may face funding challenges for the rest of the year, possibly resulting in market share gains for Nykaa and Zomato.
Reliance Retail opens E-outlet Tira for beauty products
"The platform has a dedicated luxury section which is in direct competition to Nykaa Luxe," said an executive with direct knowledge of the details. "We stock products that are formulated by experts and backed by industry insiders. Tira is the destination for those looking for unheard of skincare lines or a cult-favourite makeup," the platform has announced on its app, according to another executive.
Underlying demand for beauty, fashion strong despite cut in discretionary spends: Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar
“Unfortunately, a lot of listed companies get governed by year-on-year comparisons and if you see a year ago, it was a very strong quarter.. our growth had to be on top of a strong number,” Nayar told reporters following the results announcement on Monday
Nykaa CFO resigns to pursue other opportunities in tech spaceArvind Agarwal, the chief financial officer of omnichannel fashion and beauty retailer Nykaa has resigned to pursue other options in the technology space. Nykaa said on Tuesday that it was in the process of appointing a new CFO.
How did FTX fleece the world’s shrewdest investors?In total, FTX raised $1.9 billion from 80 investors in just two years. The now-bankrupt company’s cap table reads like a list of the world’s top venture capital, private equity and hedge funds.
ET Startup Awards 2022: Saturday set to bring out stars among startupsAll roads lead to ET Startup Awards on 19 Nov. Union cabinet ministers Piyush Goyal and Ashwini Vaishnaw along with Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai will be the guests of honour at the high-powered event.
Did not enter fashion business to justify our valuation: Nykaa CEO Falguni NayarOmnichannel beauty retailer is working to turn in profits for Nykaa Fashion and its B2B distribution platform Superstore
Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar explains fashion foray; Tiger Global’s Scott Shleifer in India next weekNayar spoke to us about the company’s journey towards a market listing, the massive swing from euphoria to caution for new-age tech stocks and Nykaa’s focus on its fashion and B2B businesses.
ETSA 2022: C-suite huddle at The ET Startup Awards on tech winterEntrepreneurs, CEOs and investors set to take stock of the state of play at a panel meet.
Falguni and Adwaita Nayar decode Nykaa's performance, fashion business & more“Nykaa is really excited by the sheer size and market opportunity that fashion presents. It might be five to six times the size of the beauty market. So the sheer market size and opportunity is really exciting. Within that, we think there is an opportunity for multiple players to exist as with any sort of mature consumption economy, one would see multiple players existing providing different value and different propositions to the customers. ”
ETSA 2022: And the winners are…This year’s meeting took place against the backdrop of widespread turmoil across public and private markets, which has slashed the valuations of several startups amid a severe crunch in late-stage funding.
ET Startup Awards 2022: Razorpay edges out peers, bags top prizeAt a virtual meeting that lasted for more than two hours on October 28, a high-powered jury led by Infosys CEO and MD Salil Parekh picked the Bengaluru-based company as the Startup of the Year for building a large-scale fintech business in a tough sector while keeping profitability in mind.
ET Startup Awards 2022: Nykaa's Falguni Nayar is the CEO of the YearHaving founded Nykaa at the age of 50, she took on established ecommerce giants, hardly raised any venture capital, and turned profitable in a cash-guzzling sector to successfully take her company public last year.
Falguni Nayar loses $1 billion in a fortnight amid selloff in Nykaa sharesNayar, who founded the e-commerce portal Nykaa in 2012 after a successful career as a top-notch investment banker, became a billionaire and India's richest self-made woman last year after the unicorn's blockbuster listing on stock exchanges. Falguni Nayar Family Trust holds a little over 22% stake in the company.
ET Startup Awards: Nominees for CEO of the YearIn recognition of the deepening maturity of India's startup ecosystem -ranked among the top three worldwide, ET Startup Awards is introducing a new category - CEO of the Year.
Nykaa forges alliance with Middle East’s Apparel Group for Gulf forayThe group entity will build multi-brand omnichannel beauty retail operations for Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through an entity that will be incorporated in the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
India's Nykaa and Dubai's Apparel Group forge Gulf allianceNykaa Chief Executive Falguni Nayar said the two companies will together build a multi-brand beauty retail business in Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Nykaa's Falguni Nayar becomes richest self-made Indian woman in 2022, sees wealth grow by 345%Nayar surpassed ‘biotech queen’ Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw whose net worth is Rs 24,800 cr.
Falguni Nayar pips Kiran Mazumdar, Rekha Jhunjhunwala to become richest Indian womanFalguni Nayar & family's wealth rose Rs 30,000 crore during the year and her cumulative wealth increased 345 per cent and stood around Rs 38,700 crore, data suggested. Among the top 10 gainers in terms of wealth addition, Nayar stood at the fifth spot and was the only female on the list. She followed the likes of Gautam Adani, Mukesh Ambani and Cyrus S Poonawalla.
Nykaa hires Vishal Gupta from Unilever as executive VP for consumer beauty brandsGupta, an alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Bengaluru, has nearly three decades of experience in the FMCG space.
Festive season: Burst of discretionary spending likely till December; recovery seen for electronics, gifting too"We have forecast double-digit growth this festive season over the festive months of 2019," said Vishal Chaturvedi, vice-president (South Asia), The Body Shop. "This includes gifting across various upcoming festivals, Diwali and the wedding season. People are also coming back to physical stores after the last two years of stress, which were bad for us as well."
Nykaa’s net profit rises 42% on year to Rs 5 crore in Q1Mumbai-based FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the parent entity of Nykaa, said total income grew 18% sequentially, while profit declined by 25% quarter on quarter.
Hurun power-list: Roshni Nadar of HCL wealthiest woman with Rs 84K cr net worth, Nykaa's Falguni Nayar beats Biocon boss for richest self-made billionaireIndra Nooyi is the richest professional manager with Rs 5K cr wealth.
Nykaa's Falguni Nayar is India's richest self-made woman, wealth surges 963%Falguni Nayar, founder and CEO of Nykaa, has moved ahead of Biocon founder and CEO Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw to become the richest self-made woman in India, according to Kotak Private Banking Hurun Leading Wealthy Women List 2021.Load More
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iOS 9’s adoption figure has risen again ahead of the public rollout of iOS 9.3, with 79 percent of compatible devices now running a version of Apple’s latest software. That figure is expected to rise again next week when Apple rolls out new features like Night Shift mode.
iOS 9 adoption has been stalling in recent months. In early February, it reached 77 percent, but it hadn’t climbed at all when Apple published its figures at the end of the month. Now it’s rising slowly again, up two percentage points in just three weeks.
If Apple rolls out iOS 9.3 following its keynote on March 21 — which it is expected to do — then that adoption figure should climb even higher. The update provides users with a number of compelling reasons to upgrade, with nice new features and improvements.
Those include Night Shift mode, which filters out blue light at night to help you sleep better; the ability to protect the Notes app with Touch ID; new 3D Touch shortcuts for apps like Weather, Settings, Compass, Health, and iTunes Store; and a revamped News app.
iOS 9.3 also adds Apple Music support to CarPlay, Wi-Fi Calling on Verizon, and a new Classroom app, which lets schools assign multiple Apple IDs to iOS devices so that they can be used by multiple students with their own accounts.
Apple’s keynote takes place on Monday, March 21. In addition to iOS 9.3’s public debut, we expect to see the new iPhone SE, an iPad Air 3 that’s rebranded as a smaller iPad Pro, new Apple Watch bands, and updates to OS X, tvOS, and watchOS.


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- Information Center
- Investment News
South Korea's exports of information technology (IT) products grew 4.1 percent
on-year, helped by global demand for system semiconductors and better memory
chip prices, the government said Tuesday.
The country shipped US$11.62 billion worth of IT products last month, up from $11.16 billion a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
Last month's growth marks the first time since September 2011 that outbound shipments of IT products expanded from the year before. The persistent eurozone crisis and sluggish global economic growth has hurt demand for semiconductors, displays, computers, TVs and various other electronics appliances in recent months.
The country posted a trade surplus of $5.56 billion for the one month period as imports gained 3.3 percent to $6.06 billion. February's surplus represents a gain from $4.98 billion in the black tallied for the month before.
The ministry said last month's IT export growth can be attributed to price gains for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, high-end semiconductors, computers and strong demand from overseas markets such as China.
Overseas demand for system chips, which merge software and hardware components into a single unit, soared 47.3 percent to $1.80 billion last month. Gains in international DRAM prices and difficulties experienced by DRAM rivals such as Japan's Elpida Memory Inc. played a role in last month's growth.
The country's overall exports of all types of semiconductors rose 6.3 percent.
The ministry added exports of display panels moved up 2 percent on-year while computer shipments jumped 27.4 percent, bolstered by sales of tablet PCs, printers and monitors.
However, outbound shipments for mobile phones and TVs contracted 32.5 percent and 10.1 percent vis-a-vis February 2011.
South Korea's exports to China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations grew by double digits, but shipments to the United States, Japan and the European Union all shrank.
Shipments to China, the world's largest importer of South Korean IT products, jumped 15.4 percent to $5.68 billion in the cited month.
The ministry said South Korea imported more system semiconductors, computers and digital network equipment last month than the previous year although local demand for mobile phones plunged 42.1 percent.
For 2012, the ministry expects locally manufactured smartphones and system semiconductors to do well, although any gains will be tempered by overall weakness in the global economy.


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Innomark Wins OMA Awards
Shop! celebrated the 2020 OMA award winners with a week of email announcements and a virtual celebration on June 25th. INNOMARK was honored to receive six awards, including the prestigious Shop! Creative Award.
INNOMARK delivers Visual Marketing solutions that attract attention, engage shoppers, and convert sales. Our mission is to create retail experiences that connect brands and consumers through effective visual communication. In-house design, engineering, printing, manufacturing, and fulfillment guarantee excellence from concept to completion.


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IRVING, Texas — PrimeSource, a construction fastener company and building products distributor announced today it has acquired Northeast Wholesale (NEW), a distributor of fasteners, tools and other building materials throughout the Northeastern United States. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
NEW sells fasteners and tools from well-known brands, as well as private label products. Founded in 1990, NEW distributes its products to approximately 300 customers in New England and the Mid-Atlantic United States.
“NEW is a great strategic fit for our business and will expand our presence in an important part of the country, allowing us to reach more customers with more products than ever before,” said PrimeSource CEO George Judd. “The combination will create a larger distribution network and will generate new opportunities to complement our Grip-Rite and Pro-Twist product offerings with third-party branded fasteners and private label programs.”
Judd said he will work closely with NEW CEO John Hurwitz to ensure a smooth transition.
“This is a great opportunity to join forces with PrimeSource, an industry leader with global reach and a dedicated team that shares our same commitment to serving customers,” said Hurwitz. “By combining our two companies’ expertise and product offerings, we will be even stronger. I believe this is a great move for our customers, employees and vendors alike, and I look forward to joining the PrimeSource management team to help create the best possible business over the long term.”
PrimeSource was acquired by Platinum Equity in May 2015. This transaction marks PrimeSource’s first add-on acquisition as part of Platinum Equity’s portfolio.


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The “smartphone market” isn’t growing. Average phone prices are declining. And brash smartphone startups are going out of business. That’s the good news.
Mary Meeker released her well-regarded Internet Trends Report this week. She said smartphone market shipments grew by zero percent, the first time since smartphones existed that the market didn’t grow.
And IDC says the smartphone market will remain sluggish into the foreseeable future. Some smartphone hopefuls have even had their hopes dashed in what has become a brutal and unforgiving smartphone market. Android creator Andy Rubin’s Essential Products is getting out of the smartphone business. Up-and-coming smartphone maker Maze Mobile has put its website up for sale. (Never a good sign.)
What’s going on?
1. China caught up
The smartphone industry got used to high growth, year after year. This was the result in part of China, the world’s largest phone market, making a late and aggressive transition from feature phones to smartphones.
Let’s look at the numbers.
IDC says global shipments (handset units) declined 2.9% in the first quarter.
Gartner said smartphone sales (money, not unit shipments) experienced growth in Q1, albeit a small 1.3% increase over the same quarter last year.
Because low-end, low-cost smartphones have gotten better, demand for sub-$150 phones rose, according to Gartner.
Apple sales grew by around 4% (thanks in part to its super-expensive iPhone X).
The biggest reason for the overall worldwide slump is lower sales in China. Fewer than 100 million smartphones were sold there during the first quarter for the first time in five years, according to IDC.
That means the success of Chinese smartphone makers in Q1 depended entirely on what percentage of their sales were exports versus Chinese domestic sales.
Huawei held on to its No. 3 spot (after Samsung and Apple), but grew an impressive 18.3% during the quarter, according to Gartner. Huawei is a big seller in Europe, and the company reached a global market share of 11.8%, according to IDC.
Xiaomi was the biggest gainer. The company grew a whopping 124% during the same quarter worldwide, and an incredible 330% in the Asia/Pacific region. Xiaomi is a leading smartphone seller in India and Southeast Asia.
Samsung is still No. 1 — and still declining, having won 23.4% of the market in Q1, which is a drop of 2.4 percentage points from the same quarter the previous year, according to IDC.
Apple remains No. 2, posting a small gain in unit sales of 2.8% in Q1.
When you oversimplify the global market picture, you see Apple rising slowly, and the biggest Chinese companies rising at the expense of Samsung.
Outside of China and Europe, the smartphone market is doing OK. But the biggest factor in the global halt to growth is a decline in China. In general, most of the people who are going to get a smartphone in China already got one.
[ Further Read : Mobiles’s market returns to growth in 2018 ]
2. Low-end phones are getting high-end features; high-end phones are getting higher prices
In general, smartphone users are getting better phones at lower prices, except for the high end, where they’re getting better phones at higher prices.
IDC says that while buyers are upgrading to better phones, fewer are entering the smartphone world for the first time either as first-phone buyers or users upgrading from feature phones to smartphones.
However, the latest flagship phones from Apple, Samsung and Huawei broke records for high prices, and some analysts are saying that it’s these prices that are pushing buyers away from the flagship phones. (This may not be the case for Apple, which announced that its flagship iPhone X was the top-selling iPhone every week during the entire quarter. Apple lives in its own universe.)
I disagree with those analysts’ conclusion, for the most part. Reason suggests that if the better features were worth all that money, consumers would be happy to pay the premium. The reality is that the flagship features are a little better, while the price for those features is a lot higher.
Despite higher prices for the flagships, the average price of smartphones declined.
It’s clear to buyers that value exists in the midrange and low end, but not in the flagship stratosphere.
Savvy buyers know you can get a phone with 90% of the features at half the price. So that’s where the gravitational pull in the market is.
Another telling data point is the increasing popularity of refurbished phones, a trend that’s expected to continue. IDC says the used smartphone market will hit $52.7 billion in the next five years.
The bottom line is that only a tiny number of superfans are willing to pay the $1,000 and more that major phone makers are charging for their flagship phones.
The majority of buyers are suffering from “flagship fatigue” — a loss of enthusiasm for always buying a company’s best and most expensive phone — and are instead seeking out great phones at discount prices.
3. We’re reaching ‘peak smartphone’
The ugly reality is that smartphones aren’t all that interesting anymore.
Augmented and virtual reality are interesting. Artificial intelligence is interesting. Virtual assistants showing up everywhere is interesting.
Smartphones? Not as interesting anymore.
There are many shiny objects out there to get giddy about, and smartphones are not among them.
And that’s the good news for Smartphone Market
The trends of market saturation in China, flagship fatigue, the popularity of midrange phones and the embrace of refurbished devices all point to a healthy peaking of the incredible smartphone phenomenon.
This is not the end, though. Incredible things are coming to a pocket near you.
I’m predicting a resurgence of smartphone excitement because of a number of upcoming trends.
5G, which will slowly roll out over the next few years, will radically alter how smartphones look and work and how we use them. They could increase download speeds by 100 times. But there’s a catch. 5G signals are easy to interfere with. Simply holding your phone wrong can kill performance. So smartphones may have a small antenna in the future — more of a fin or ridge than a pull-out wire.
Fin or no fin, smartphones will soon become blisteringly fast, which will make using them super-enjoyable and will enable unexpected new features.
Also: Smartphones will serve as the central hub for emerging revolutions in virtual assistant technology, smart glasses and other wearables, augmented reality — and all these trends will be accelerated and magnified by artificial intelligence.
In other words, the supertrend is that smartphones will become more useful even as they become much cheaper, and they will be enhanced primarily by external technologies.
Today’s flagship phones, with their high prices and extreme features, are the last gasp of an industry desperate to make smartphones the only tech that matters.
Soon, those days will be gone. We’ll continue to need smartphones. But they’ll inevitably enter a commodity phase where the real differentiation takes place in the cloud, in our wearables, on our virtual assistant appliances and elsewhere.
[ Related : Global phone’s market share 2018 ]
Note that in all the doom and gloom about the smartphone market, nobody is saying they’re not getting better and more powerful. In fact, the opposite is happening. They’re getting ever more powerful and capable even as interest wanes.
So the news is bad only for some smartphone makers. For smartphone buyers, the news is all good. We’re getting better phones at lower prices, and a whole lot of external value to go with them.
So don’t shed a tear for the smartphone companies struggling in an increasingly brutal market. Instead, celebrate the coming boon to business, to productivity and to human enhancement that more powerful, less expensive smartphones will bring to the world.
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Apple iPad 3 event: A guide to the rumours
APPLE is holding an event tomorrow at which it is expected to unveil the next iPad. Here is a round-up of the rumours about the new device.
Apple has not confirmed what it will be announcing at 6pm this Wednesday but the string of leaks have given us a few pointers about what we might expect. These, in order of likelihood, are the top five:
The new iPad will almost certainly have a much-improved display compared with its predecessor. It is expected to have a so-called 'retina' display and be capable of full 1080p HD. That has led some to suggest that the new iPad will be called the iPad HD, rather than iPad 3 or even, as others have suggested, the iPad 2S.
Whatever the new iPad is called, it will probably have a faster processor than the iPad 2. The current iPad is powered by Apple's A5 chip. The new device is expected to have an A6 chip, which might be a quad-core processor, though some sources suggest that it will be a dual-core chip like the A5.
The iPad 2 has front and rear cameras. Both are ok but neither is spectacular. That isn't a big problem since few people use a 10-inch tablet computer as a camera but there is room for improvement. It's possible, though by no means likely, that Apple will upgrade the cameras for the new iPad.
Many people are expecting another gadget to be announced alongside the new iPad: an improved Apple TV. This is unlikely to be the full television set that is thought to be in the works - that is expected towards the end of the year - but it could well be an improved version of the set-top Apple TV that is currently available. The iPhone does 1080p HD and the new iPad is expected to do the same so it would make sense for the Apple TV to get a boost from its current 720 HD.
As a long shot, what about a mini iPad? Speculation has grown in recent weeks that Apple is planning a smaller tablet, specifically to tackle Amazon's Kindle Fire. Apple has probably tested a smaller version of the iPad but that's not the same thing as planning one for release. Steve Jobs, for example, spoke publicly of his disdain for 7-inch tablets. If there is one coming then it is unlikely to be unveiled this week. Even the sources that claim Apple has a 7-inch tablet in the works say they expect it towards Christmas.


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Back in August of 2017, Toxic Games revealed its game Q.U.B.E. 2 would be published sometime in 2018, but in the moment, we didn’t understand a more exact release date. Well, that has all changed as the programmer has formally declared that the first-person mystery title will be offered in a little over a month, about March 13, 2018.
While talking about the current state of the game, Dan Da Rocha, Managing Director at Terrible Games, had this to say:
“We are very proud of how Q.U.B.E. 2 has formed up – no pun intended – after nearly five years of evolution. After we produced the very first Q.U.B.E. we were students, however after a half a decade of real business experience we have assembled the kind of superior product we’ve always dreamed of. We hope you have too much fun playing it as we did creating it.”
For the ones that don’t understand, in Q.U.B.E. 2 players take good care of Amelia Cross and archeologist who has woken up in a world that is not her own. Throughout the course of the game, players will have the ability to control and adjust the environment around them so as to make it. The game comprises 11 characters and over 80 puzzles.
The initial title, Q.U.B.E., was initially released in 2011, however, a Director’s Cut of this game was released on PC from 2014, together with the PS3, PS4, Xbox One, also Wii U models coming a year later. That edition added a story to the game, something which the first version did not include.
Q.U.B.E. 2 has been defined to be released only on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.