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This posting was written by Jeffrey May, Editor of CCH Trade Regulation Reporter.
The U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City has denied a request for expedited review of the preliminary approval of a settlement that would resolve an antitrust action against Visa, MasterCard, and major U.S. financial institutions, resolving merchants' allegations that credit card issuers conspired to fix swipe fees, or charges that retailers pay to accept credit cards (In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, December 10, 2012).
The court denied the motion by Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. for expedited briefing, oral argument, and decision. An appeal will have to wait until after the federal district court in Brooklyn grants final approval to a settlement or has otherwise entered a final judgment.
On November 9, the federal district court granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement. It also denied Home Depot's motion for certification for interlocutory appeal.
The settlement would provide an estimated $7.25 billion to the merchants who accepted Visa and MasterCard credit cards and debit cards in the United States since 2004. It would resolve the merchants’ claims that the payment card networks violated federal antitrust law by artificially inflating the interchange fees that the merchants paid on payment card transactions. The settlement is considered to be the largest ever in a private antitrust case.
The motion for preliminary approval was filed by mostly smaller merchants supporting the agreement. The National Retail Federation and a number of large retailers had asked the district court to reject the settlement. The trade group has said that the settlement is “unfair” and “does virtually nothing” to protect customers and address retailers’ concerns about credit card swipe fees charged by Visa and MasterCard.
The case is 05-MD-1720 (Docket Nos. 12-4671(L), 12-4708(Con), 12-4765(Con)).


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Following the launch of its first partner programme, antivirus company F-Secure is to drop a tier from its channel in an effort to increase focus in a sector with a high number of vendors.
The company is giving resellers the choice to buy direct or through distributors and will support authorised partners directly.
"Some resellers wanted to be given the chance to work directly with us," said Jason Holloway, UK country manager at F-Secure. "We want to give resellers more direct support so they can focus on our products."
Holloway explained that resellers will still be given the opportunity to buy through distributors.
"Distributors add some value that some partners need and demand," he said. "We have worked alongside distributors for a few years now and will continue to do so."
But F-Secure's distributors, Allasso and Unipalm, both admit that F-Secure is not their main focus.
Smaller vendors can sometimes get more work direct with resellers because distributors will favour one vendor, according to David Ellis, director of e-security at Unipalm.
"We lead off Trend Micro for antivirus products and F-Secure wants more focus," he said.
Bernie Dodwell, sales and marketing director at Allasso, added that the F-Secure products are good but the move reflects the tough price competition in the antivirus market.
"F-Secure is up against companies such as Symantec, Network Associates and Trend Micro in this market," he said. "There is a lot of margin pressure and F-Secure's move to work directly with resellers could boost margins."
Dodwell questioned the move to mix its channel with resellers that are still able to buy from distributors.
"How will it deal with conflict and how will they encourage distributors to grow any of their accounts if they could just lose the business to resellers buying direct from F-Secure?" he asked.
But Dodwell admitted that Allasso never had real focus on F-Secure. "We signed F-Secure as a complementary product to Clearswift's MIMEsweeper because it was a good fit and never had it as a core offering," he said.
Some parts of Atacama have not received rainfall for 500 years - but a sudden deluge of water upset the Desert's delicate biological balance
Spitzer Space Telescope could not spot Oumuamua, suggesting that it is actually pretty small
Greenland crater one of the 25 largest impact craters on Earth
This long-sought progenitor star was identified in an image captured by Hubble in 2007

domain: news


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DAVAO CITY — Davao Region’s average inflation rate for the 3rd quarter last year dropped to 2.13 percent, which was 1.90 percentage points lower than the level recorded in the same quarter in 2014.
In a press release on Monday, March 14, the National Economic Development Authority Region 11 said the quarter-to-quarter analysis also shows that inflation had steadily been easing by an average of 0.3 percentage point between the first and second quarter in 2015; and 0.97 percentage point between the 2nd and 3rd quarter of the same year.
“The deceleration of inflation could be attributed to the downward adjustments in petroleum products and price decreases in food items,” the NEDA said.
In the Region, oil companies reduced prices nine times on gasoline and eight times on diesel and kerosene. The prices of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene were decreased by totals of P2.75 per liter, P3.15 per liter, and P3.40 per liter, respectively, relative to their second quarter levels last year.
Neda also reported that the price of food items including rice, corn, meat, fish and vegetables had considerably “stabilized” due to a sufficient supply of these basic commodities in the market.
“In addition, the higher supply of meat and fish in the market was due to higher production of livestock, poultry and fisheries in the Region during the quarter. For rice and corn, prices remained subdued due to imports that supplemented the regional production,” it added.
Neda added that the costs of health services and medical products, as well as clothing and footwear had also “slightly decreased, compared to the level recorded in same quarter in 2014.”
Meanwhile, the costs of education and communication were “relatively unchanged” compared to their rates last year, said Neda.
On account of this performance, the all-item regional inflation rate for the quarter fell within the range of three percent, plus or minus one percentage point, set for last year by the Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) of the NEDA Board. (davaotoday.com)


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Lawrence, a chief tax officer of coinbase. Global customers are future as non -U.S jurisdictions are seems more open minded, started by Zlatkin
A largest U.S. crypto currency exchange, believes in open conversation with other countries.
July 7, chief tax officer Lawrence sorted the exchanges between outlook on taxation and global cryptocurrency market during the Unitize panel.
Scarcity of crypto taxation clarity
During the conversation, the speakers brought out the scarcity of simplicity around cryptocurrency taxation in the U.S.
According to the tax experts at Coinbase and Fidelity, the suspicion is a result of the complicated nature of digital assets as well as a huge variety of different types and features of different coins.
Staking — the practice of locking crypto to receive rewards — is just one aspect that poses a big challenge from a tax perspective. Reif- Caplan reported “There are so many differences between various digital assets, and staking alone is such a complicated thing to understand if you are not that close to digital assets, ”
Non-U.S. countries have a more mature view
While the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been propelling U.S. citizens to comprise crypto on their tax returns for years, the permission is yet to give detailed guidelines. Zlatkin said there was a quantity of uncertainty around the taxation of risking, but he understood the IRS was inclined to label staking rewards as taxable transactions.
Zlatkin said that crypto tax uncertainty in the U.S. is essentially causing an “outflow of capital towards those jurisdictions that have a more mature view on digital technology and digital assets overall.”
Zlatkin repored “Staking is a good example,”. Coinbase itself, the largest crypto trade in the U.S., is planning to expand its operations beyond the U.S. market.
According to Zlatkin, Coinbase sees international customers as the future because non-U.S. jurisdictions are “more open-minded”.


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Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP) is expected to report Q3 earnings before the open on Wednesday, November 2, with a conference call scheduled for 11:00 am ET.
Analysts are looking for a profit of $1.25 on revenue of $946.35M. The consensus range is $1.23-$1.26 for EPS, and revenue of $929.84M-$966.24M, according to First Call. Previously, Molson Coors raised prices to offset soft sales, and investors will be listening to the company's statements about how it plans to cope as economic woes continue to drag on. Also potentially weighing on sales are increased taxes on alcohol, as a New York Times article published in September pointed out that states are continually turning to increased taxation on alcohol to shore up revenue gaps.


text: When will then be Now? Soon! We’ve already shown you Marvel Minimates’ Toys “R” Us Series 16 in packaging, with the biggest heroes of Marvel Now, but now there’s even more Now! Specialty Series 51, coming exclusively to comic shops and specialty stores next month, will feature seven more Marvel Now characters, and we’ve got packaged shots! Superior Spider-Man comes packed with the new Nova, Sam Alexander; Shanna the She-Devil comes with a Reaper from the Savage Land; Nick Fury Jr. comes with a Heavy SHIELD Agent, and the rare variant of the series is Maria Hill with her own Heavy SHIELD Agent! Sure, the Reaper is also in TRU Series 16, but Fury Jr. comes with extra parts to make Commander Steve Rogers! That’s still seven new Now characters! Check out the packaged shots below, and pre-order from your local comic shop!


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Holden, the Australian arm of General Motors that in recent months announced that it would cease manufacturing in Australia within a few years, has announced an after-tax loss of more than $518 million (US). This is even after than the $80+ million in government assistance.
The bad news should not be a surprise, as Holden announced in December 2013 that it expected heavy losses due to the decrease of asset values.
Jeff Rolfs, CEO of Holden, says strong sales were countered by the December 11 decision to move production off the mainland. “Clearly there are significant costs associated with our decision to cease domestic manufacturing of vehicles in Australia by the end of 2017 …. These costs drove the financial loss for Holden in 2013.”
Holden’s total sales fell by 2.3 per cent to 112,059 vehicles in 2013 and sales of locally manufactured models dropped by 17.1 percent, according to Drive.com.au.
“We are mindful of the impact on our employees and our financial results, but it was the right decision,” Rolfs added. “Manufacturing vehicles in Australia is, unfortunately, unsustainable.”


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Dubai’s hotel industry has continued to grow month on month this year, according to recent figures released by TRI Hospitality Consulting. During May, revenues per available room (RevPAR) increased by 9.7%, while average room rates rose by 6.5%.
"The strength of Dubai's hotel market was once again shown in May with hotels improving in all areas of performance, especially with occupancy increasing to 78.8%,” commented Peter Goddard, managing director of TRI Hospitality Consulting. “The spending power of visitors was highlighted by a 9.7% increase in RevPAR to $372.21, driven by a 24.7% increase in food and beverage.”
These increases in turn caused gross operating profits per available room to rise by 12.4%. With May marking the traditional move towards the summer, the city’s hotels show no signs of slowing down, thanks to a calendar of events such as Dubai Summer Surprises and upcoming Ramadan and Eid celebrations.


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Well, BlackBerry has announced a new smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2014, the BlackBerry Z3. BlackBerry Z3 appears the same that were found in the leaks and rumors on the web, it seems that the leakers were at their best while providing the reports. Also, BlackBerry Z3 known by its codename, the BlackBerry Jakarta is the first of their smartphones that will be producing in their partnership with the Foxconn.
BlackBerry Z3 design appears similar to the one found in leaks, but unfortunately company has not revealed much of its specs yet. As far as specs are concerned, the BlackBerry Z3 features a 5-inch full touchscreen display and many other host of features such as BlackBerry Hub, BBM, BlackBerry Keyboard, Times Shift & Story Maker, the BlackBerry 10 Browser, FM Radio, and more.
According to BlackBerry’s CEO, John Chen, “The BlackBerry Z3 embodies all that BlackBerry 10 offers, with its exceptional productivity features and reliable communications, in a stylish, all-touch design made affordable for customers in Indonesia.” Pricing is expected to be revealed at a later date, although customers in Indonesia can look forward to the handset’s release in April.
So, if you are hoping that the device will be first making its way to the US carrier, then you might be mistaken as BlackBerry CEO has mentioned it way first to Indonesia and not about any other parts of the world. There are no words about its pricing yet, but the folks over Indonesia can look forward for its release in April. Stay tuned for more updates.
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National Auto Parts Warehouse Companies (NPW) announced that it has agreed to acquire the San Diego location of APW Knox-Seeman Warehouse, expanding NPW’s presence in southern California. The transaction is expected to close before the end of June.
The San Diego location is the second NPW acquisition in the rapidly growing southern California market, and joins three other NPW locations in California, which boasts the largest vehicle population in the country. The San Diego location has been in business since 2010.
“We’re excited to complete another acquisition in the California market,” said Larry Pacey, president and CEO of NPW. “APW’s San Diego warehouse is in a great location, and we look forward to serving the customers and expanding the customer base.”
“We’re pleased to leave our San Diego operation, its management and customers in the hands of NPW,” said T. Young Suhr, founder and owner of APW Knox-Seeman. “NPW has an excellent reputation for customer service and good business practices, which made us very comfortable in deciding to complete this transaction.”
Schwartz Advisors LLC is acting as the exclusive sell-side adviser to APW Knox-Seeman. Managing Partners Rick Schwartz and Keith Zar and Partner Rick Guirlinger were involved with the transaction.


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Paddy Tan wants to return your iPhone back to you.
A software development firm in Singapore has developed an app that will help you recover your lost or stolen iPhone, but it may never see the light of day.
BAK2u, a company that develops anti-theft software for mobile phones and laptops, has developed an app called PhoneBAK for iPhone. This app will send out an email if someone keys in the wrong password when using the iPhone. PhoneBAK will use the GPS functionality to extract the location of the iPhone and send the location via email to a preprogrammed address. When that email is received, the recipient can click on a link in the email, and it will call up Google Maps to show the person exactly where the phone is.
Demo of PhoneBAK for iPhone
Unfortunately, PhoneBAK for iPhone may never find its way to the app store because Apple has been sitting on this app for about two months now. This is much longer than the five days or so it normally takes to approve an app. Paddy Tan, the founder and CEO of BAK2u, does not currently have high hopes of the app being approved. “The wait is a tad too long and from discussions with other developers, (we think) there may be a chance it won’t be approved,” he says.
It would be a shame if BAK2u is never released for the iPhone because versions of this app already exist for other mobile platforms like Windows Mobile and Blackberry. The company has also made versions for Vista and OS X for laptop users.
BAK2u does have other apps on the app store at the moment. iCabSG, a free app that helps you call a taxi, was on the top 10 list of free apps when it was first released. The company also has another free app called iMergency that allows you to store all the emergency numbers in one app. Security software, however, is what the company is best known for. (See this story from CNN about PhoneBAK.)


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Electric mobility week began with a negative, namely that sabotage charging stations Tesla has become more aggressive in nature. Now they began to not just block, but even simply to break — a very unpleasant moment for the company and electric community.
However the news from India was compensated by the negative fact that the largest state in the world targeting the global transition to electrified vehicles. So progress is irreversible, no matter how hard the vandals at the other end of the globe.
A network of charging stations IONITY has announced the installation of the first 50 superfast stations in Europe. Shell oil company made new investments in the electric industry, buying a startup developing solutions for electric vehicle charging.
Noted news and carsharing business on electric vehicles, where the company Europcar announced
on the fleet expansion of its electric cars is 85 Renault ZOE, which has the word this week revealed the design of the second generation.
Hyundai officially announced the price for the Kona Electric in USA, price good, a pity that the accessibility to markets will be limited.
Of course, there were news about the ongoing presentations at the Geneva motor show, which is little more than a month. Chinese startup Aiways brought to Geneva two new electric vehicle, Mitsubishi will show a new crossover Engelberg Tourer, and Giugiaro hopes to stun the audience with 2-seater electric Hyper-SUV. Mercedes-Benz will go to Geneva with a new electric van EQV, and Volkswagen will introduce the electric buggy on the platform of the MEB.
BMW has released an updated plug-in hybrid 7 series and showed how to fight pollution with the help of mobile applications will start by the way, in Rotterdam, and Audi has released a road map of releases elektrifizierung cars for 2019.
The end of the week was held under the logo of Tesla, which literally showered the news after the publication of statements to shareholders. In short, the company said the profit in the 4th quarter and is preparing to introduce a long-awaited pickup, and Model Y before the stated deadlines. In addition, Musk promised that by the end of 2019 Tesla will become fully Autonomous. The company also announced that Model S and X adopt the rules of the designation Model 3.
A former resident of Kiev and a footballer, and now the mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze said the good news for elektromobilitat Georgia — charging stations in the capital will be set free, you need only ask for it on a special website.
Ukraine also had news. Stations free we will not install, but the price will increase easily, and that made a network of charging stations STRUM.
This was the week where the station break, somewhere put free where-then they raise rates…


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French startup Blade, the company behind Shadow, is launching a new set-top box to access its cloud gaming service — the Shadow Ghost. I’ve been playing with the device for a couple of weeks and here’s my review.
The Shadow Ghost is a tiny little box that doesn’t do much. The true magic happens in a data center near your home. When you sign up to Shadow, you don’t even have to get a box. You can simply subscribe to the service without any hardware device and use the company’s apps instead.
Shadow is a cloud computing service for gamers. For $35 per month, you can access a gaming PC in a data center and interact with this computer. Right now, Shadow gives you eight threads on an Intel Xeon 2620 processor, an Nvidia Quadro P5000 GPU that performs more or less as well as an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can optionally get more storage with an extra subscription. It’s a full Windows 10 instance and you can do whatever you want with it.
Most subscribers now access Shadow using one of the company’s apps on Windows, macOS or Linux. You also can connect to your virtual machine from your iOS or Android phone or tablet. And now, you can buy the Shadow Ghost if you want to use the service on a TV or without a computer.
I first used Shadow during the early days of the service back in early 2017. My first experience of the service felt like magic. Thanks to my high-speed fiber connection, I could play demanding games on a laptop. The best part was that the laptop fan would remain silent.
But it wasn’t perfect. Nvidia driver updates failed sometimes. Or your virtual machine would become completely unaccessible without some help from the customer support team.
In other words, the concept was great, but the service wasn’t there yet.
Things have changed quite drastically after years of iteration on the apps, the streaming engine, the infrastructure and even the GPUs in the data centers. Blade co-founder and CEO Emmanuel Freund told me that the service has been working fine for just a few months.
It’s no surprise that those technical improvements have led to less churn, more referrals and more subscriptions. In July 2018, the startup had 20,000 subscribers. Now there are 65,000 subscribers. There’s even more demand, but the company has had a hard time keeping up with new machines in data centers.
Shadow is currently available in France, the U.K., Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and parts of the U.S. The company simply can’t accept customers from anywhere in the world because they need to live near a data center with Shadow servers.
Playing with the Shadow Ghost
The original Shadow box was a bit clunky. You could hear the fan, you had to rely on dongles if you wanted to pair a Bluetooth device or connect to a Wi-Fi network and there was no HDMI port — only DisplayPort. Internally, Blade has been debating whether the company needs another box.
In 2017, it was too hard to explain the product without some sort of physical device — you can replace a PC tower with a tiny box. But now that gamers understand the benefits of cloud gaming, there’s no reason to force you to buy a box.
And yet, the Shadow Ghost can be a useful little device in some cases. For instance, while the company has released an Android TV app and is testing a new app for the Apple TV, your current TV setup might not be compatible with Shadow. Or maybe you primarily use a laptop and you want to create a desktop PC setup with a display, a keyboard, a mouse and a Shadow Ghost.
Everything has been improved. It is now a fanless device that consumes less than 5W when it’s on. It has an Ethernet port, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an audio jack and a single HDMI port. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have finally been integrated in the device.
When you boot up the device, you get a menu to connect to a Wi-Fi network or control your Bluetooth devices. You also can change some streaming settings, like in the app launcher.
Once you press the start button, the video stream starts and it feels like you’re using a Windows computer. With Steam’s Big Picture mode, you get a convenient setup for couch gaming. I had no issue playing demanding games, such as Hitman 2. It works perfectly fine with a Wi-Fi connection and a Bluetooth controller.
Using the Shadow Ghost feels just like using the Shadow app on a computer. So it’s hard to say whether you need the Shadow Ghost or not. It depends on your setup at home and how you plan to use the service.
Last summer, Blade planned to manufacture 5,000 units. But now that the user base has grown significantly, that first batch could disappear in no time. It is available starting today for $140.
A gold rush
Cloud gaming is a hot space right now. While some companies have been experimenting with this concept for a while (Nvidia, Sony), it feels like everyone is working on a new service of some sort. Maybe the next Xbox is going to be about streaming a game from a data center. Maybe Amazon will offer a game library in the cloud as part of your Amazon Prime subscription.
Emmanuel Freund believes that it could be an opportunity for Shadow. Everybody is going to talk about cloud gaming if Apple and Google announce new services. But the startup has years of experiences in the space and has tried hard to compensate when it comes to latency and internet speeds.
It’s going to be harder to compete on content though. Game publishers and console manufacturers could start releasing exclusive titles on their cloud gaming services. That’s why Blade is thinking about new gaming experiences and exclusive content that would make Shadow more than a technical service.
(Controller for scale)
Source: New feed


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Going Solo: What Is the Significance of a U.S.-Kenya Free Trade Agreement?
In February, President Donald Trump and Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta announced their intent to negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). On March 17, President Trump formally notified Congress of its intention to move forward with negotiations as the United States attempts to secure its second FTA with an African country. The original announcement of a bilateral negotiation triggered several critiques from members of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and East African Community (EAC), who feel frustrated by Kenya’s decision to negotiate alone. Kenya has downplayed these regional risks and aims to permanently secure the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), further its economic ambitions in Vision 2030, and solidify security cooperation between the two countries. While Kenya was elevated to a strategic partner in 2018 and is important to counterterrorism efforts against al Shabaab, the motivations for the United States seem more symbolic than economic. Kenya offers the United States an opportunity to develop a replicable model for future U.S.-Africa trade deals with limited risk in a country where China has tried and failed to secure an FTA. Though it is unlikely a final agreement will be reached this year, the outcome of a U.S.-Kenya FTA will have significant consequences both to intra-African trade as well as countering China’s influence in Kenya.
Q1: Why Kenya?
A1: In January 2018, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer stated, “I think that before very long we're going to pick out an African country, properly selected, and enter into a free trade agreement with that country . . . And then that, if done properly, will become a model for these other countries.” The decision to select Kenya seems to have been based not on its importance economically but rather a combination of geostrategic significance, Kenya’s self-initiative to strike a deal, and the possession of leverage for negotiations. Total two-way trade in goods between the United States and Kenya amounted to only $1 billion in 2018. Neither imports from nor exports to Kenya rank among the top five of U.S. trading partners in sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya also ranks as only the 98th largest trading partner for the United States. As Scott Eisner, president of the U.S.-Africa Business Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, described, “It really is who was willing to raise their hand and who had the most political will behind it.”
Chart 1: U.S. Exports to Kenya versus Africa
In addition to the relatively small amount of trade that occurs between the United States and Kenya, top U.S. imports from Kenya are relatively low-value products, such as apparel, fruits, nuts, and coffee. Major U.S. exports to Kenya, on the other hand, are relatively high value-added products like aircraft and machinery.
For Kenya, there are several motivations for raising their hand. First, more than 70 percent of Kenya’s exports to the United States are duty-free under AGOA, a key U.S. preferential trade program set to expire in 2025. The United States consistently ranks as one of Kenya’s top export markets, and Kenya has stated on multiple occasions the importance of securing duty-free access to the United States ahead of AGOA expiring. Of the six EAC member countries, Kenya is the only one not designated on the UN list of Least Developed Countries (LDC). Under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a separate trade preference program, LDC countries receive additional access to export goods duty-free to the United States. Though GSP excludes some of Kenya’s top exports such as textiles and apparel, products covered by AGOA, many of Kenya’s agricultural exports would be duty-free if it were an LDC country. As a result, Kenya faces a greater risk than neighboring EAC countries should AGOA expire without a replacement. As the United States is an important security partner and Kenya is lagging far behind the goals it set in 2008 for Vision 2030, such as an average annual GDP growth of 10 percent, Kenya has several incentives for negotiating with the United States.
Q2: What would be included in a U.S.-Kenya Trade Agreement?
A2: Following the announcement of U.S.-Kenya negotiations, Lighthizer stressed that his goal is “negotiating and concluding a comprehensive, high-standard agreement with Kenya.” Submitting a formal notification to Congress of the administration’s intent to negotiate an FTA with Kenya confirms that the administration will follow procedures set out in the 2015 Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) law and is the clearest signal the administration is seeking a robust deal, not a “mini-deal” or phased negotiation akin to the arrangements with China and Japan. TPA includes a long list of objectives Congress has mandated the administration pursue in trade negotiations. The objectives cover issues beyond tariffs and quotas, including services, investment, intellectual property, labor, the environment, nontariff barriers, dispute settlement, digital trade, and state-owned enterprises. If the administration maintains its intent to negotiate a comprehensive agreement and establish a new model, it is unlikely a deal could be concluded and sent to Congress for a vote this year. On the other hand, once negotiations begin, the administration could decide to seek an agreement in phases, as it did in the case of Japan, which might mean that no congressional action would be necessary for a modest first phase.
While Kenya and the United States both wanted a bilateral negotiation, they are also aware of the larger repercussions of the United States using this agreement as a model for the future. The priorities and compromises Kenya could make would have significant implications on future deals. Though no details have emerged thus far of what will be included, the second U.S.-Kenya Trade and Investment Working Group meeting in November gave some indication as they discussed “services, digital trade, intellectual property, agriculture, environment, customs and trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade, labor, and state-owned enterprises.” Of these nine areas, the three topics that will be watched most closely are the agreement’s handling of labor, the environment, and customs and trade facilitation.
Given Kenya’s labor record, the United States will have to take a novel approach to labor negotiations, perhaps through technical assistance, a work plan, and phased-in obligations. Negotiations would not only need to address the issue of low wages but child labor laws as well. Kenya is one of only nine countries that have not ratified the UN Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, for instance. Child labor is also prevalent in Kenya’s agricultural industry and is used for other low-wage, low-skill tasks like scavenging. Kenya does have laws and institutions to address child labor but faces challenges in enforcement due to funding and capacity. To address this, the United States and Kenya could include a work program in the labor chapter of a bilateral FTA, which would include U.S. technical assistance to build Kenya’s capacity to address child labor and quantifiable milestones that Kenya would be required to meet to maintain FTA benefits.
In addition, the environment will also be an important aspect of the agreement. Like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the environmental chapter will ideally include steps to combat wildlife trafficking, illegal logging and fishing, fisheries subsidies, and marine pollution. This will be especially important if fisheries are not addressed during the next World Trade Organization ministerial conference. How a bilateral FTA handles tariffs, customs, and trade facilitation may be the largest question mark. As a member of the EAC customs union, Kenya is bound by the group’s common external tariff. It’s unclear how bilateral talks in this area will unfold.
Q3: How would a bilateral U.S.-Kenya trade deal affect other trade agreements in Africa?
A3: The landscape for negotiating a bilateral agreement with Kenya has become far more complicated in the last several years. In March 2018, the AfCFTA was signed by 54 African countries. The agreement entered into force for 29 of those countries (including Kenya) in May 2019, and on July 1, 2020, the AfCFTA will take full effect. While the AfCFTA does not establish a customs union, it is considered a stepping-stone toward an African customs union. Today, African Union (AU) countries are increasingly concerned that the U.S. attempt to use Kenya as a “model” will not reflect the needs of other AU members and could upset regional integration. Shortly after Kenya’s decision to move forward on negotiations with the United States, former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission and the first secretary-general of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Erastus Mwencha remarked, “Under the AU, the African heads of state have discouraged member States from entering into bilateral free trade negotiations with third parties because they jeopardize the AfCFTA.” Mwencha has also argued that Kenya would be able to negotiate a far better deal if it coordinated with other members. Kenya disagrees, setting up a major test for the AfCFTA before it takes full effect later this year.
Though the AfCFTA compounded the problem, bilateral negotiations with Kenya were already bound to be difficult. Due to Kenya’s obligations as a member of the EAC, there are two main challenges facing a bilateral agreement. First, Article 37 of the EAC Customs Union protocol, “Trade Arrangements with Countries and Organisations Outside the Customs Union,” states that countries are required to send the EAC secretary general the terms of any trade deal once it “intends to conclude or amend an agreement” with a third party for review and comments. Based on this protocol, critics have argued that Kenya’s membership in the EAC customs union should prevent it from entering an FTA with the United States. Meanwhile, others, such as Kenya’s former trade cabinet secretary Peter Munya, have pointed out it is only obligated to notify EAC members of an agreement and that no agreement has been proposed at this stage.
An additional criticism has been based on Article 37 of the EAC Common Market protocol, “Co-ordination of Trade Relations,” as it states that countries are meant to “adopt common negotiating positions in the development of mutually beneficial trade agreements with third parties; and promote participation and joint representation in international trade negotiations.” Both these articles, however, remain vague, and the dispute mechanism options defined in Article 54 of both the customs union and common market are also limited. As a result, Kenya’s decision to pursue negotiations alone is primarily a violation of the general tone of the EAC rather than a substantive deviation.
Kenya’s continued pursuit of a deal with the United States despite these regional frustrations is also based on history and its experience during the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between the European Union and EAC. While Kenya and Rwanda ratified the EPA in September 2016, the agreement stalled with other EAC members and remains unsigned. While the European Union has provided Kenya with duty-free access on an interim basis, and the United States has continued to approve Kenya’s eligibility for AGOA, Kenya does not want to remain beholden to the needs of other EAC member countries and U.S. goodwill for trade.
Given these concerns, there are two main outcomes to consider for how a bilateral U.S.-Kenya trade deal would affect these trade agreements in Africa. The first is that this agreement would further discourage intra-regional trade in Africa and lead to a gradual disintegration of these multilateral bodies. This is the main concern and frustration voiced by the EAC and AfCFTA members. Another potential outcome could be that this trade deal truly does become a successful model that other countries will want to emulate. It is possible, though improbable, to imagine the EAC adopting the reform measures that Kenya would implement domestically as a result of this agreement. The most probable outcome is somewhere in the middle and will depend on what is ultimately included in the agreement.
Q4: How much of this is driven by China?
A4: China has been attempting to negotiate a free trade agreement with the entire EAC bloc since 2016. Chinese ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng stated in 2019, “If we want a new, favorable trade agreement for Kenya, we must consider the whole area . . . we are ready to talk with the EAC together.” While China has pursued stronger ties, Kenya has been working to diversify and has been the only EAC country to oppose negotiating a trade agreement with China. Chris Kiptoo, Kenya’s trade principal secretary has previously stated, “A preferential trade agreement with China is what we prefer . . . an AGOA type of trade,” citing the lopsided trade balance between the two nations. Kenya imports more than double from China what it imports from any other country. Kenya is also China’s fifth largest export market in Africa. Yet Kenya ranks only 29th in Africa for exports to China. Given this imbalance, Kenya is eager to decrease their reliance on Chinese imports.
Countering China’s growing influence in Africa has been a clear goal of the Trump administration. In December 2018, National Security Advisor John Bolton introduced the Trump administration’s Prosper Africa initiative. Judd Devermont, the director of the CSIS Africa Program, has expressed concerns that the initiative is too focused on countering Chinese influence rather than developing an Africa-specific policy. Prior to Prosper Africa’s launch, Lighthizer made a similar case for a model FTA, stating, “We're only a few years away from that [Africa] being the population center of the world, and if we don't figure out a way to move them right then China and others are going to move them in the wrong direction.”
Yet, for both Kenya and the United States, hedging against Chinese influence may not be the primary motivation behind a deal. Despite some of the rhetoric, there is nothing on the table so far that will restrict Kenya from doing business with China if it pursues an FTA with the United States. In a podcast with Judd Devermont, the CSIS Scholl Chair discussed a strategy that would utilize Chinese investments in infrastructure to leverage U.S. economic strengths in services and advanced manufacturing. Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has also rejected a zero-sum framework for commercial relations with the United States and China. During his recent visit to the United States, he said, “We don’t want to be forced to choose . . . we want to work with everybody, and we think there is opportunity for everybody.” While both the United States and China still see that opportunity, regional allies in the EAC and AfCFTA remain concerned as Kenya’s decision to go it alone risks leaving them behind.
Jack Caporal is an associate fellow with the Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. John Hoffner and Sanvid Tuljapurkar are interns with the CSIS Scholl Chair.
Critical Questions is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).
© 2020 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.


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Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee – has sent a letter to the chief executives of Apple and Google demanding a response to fake crypto investing apps circulating in their respective stores.
The App Problem
These scams often operate by using stolen logos, brands, and identifying information from other established firms. They then create fake apps and leverage the legitimate company’s reputation to fool investors into providing them with money.
Brown argued that the imperative of steering investors away from such schemes lies upon the crypto industry, but also in the app stores that market them.
“It is likewise imperative that app stores have the proper safeguards in place to prevent against fraudulent mobile application activity,” he said.
The senator has specifically requested that Google and Apple provide a detailed outline of the steps each takes when approving crypto apps on their platforms. It also asked about their processes in reporting fraudulent apps, and the frequency in which they monitor their apps for fraudulent activity.
Brown’s request was announced just ahead of a banking committee hearing pertaining to crypto/security market scams on Thursday. Ahead of the hearing, crypto-friendly senator Pat Toomey released a statement arguing that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s “regulation by enforcement” approach has harmed consumers.
Scams During the Bear Market
The crypto winter has ushered in an era of relative peace and safety from cryptocurrency scams, as explained by Chainalysis Director of Research Kim Grauer earlier this month. She said that such fraudulent activity tends to rise and fall with the performance of the market.
However, more sophisticated scams – such as romance scams – are becoming more prevalent. They accounted for $185 million in losses for Americans between January 2021 and March 2022.


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The world-renowned, Ubisoft Quebec, is bringing a new title to the forefront in the form of Gods & Monsters – the company announced during its E3 2019 press conference today. … Read More
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Bitcoin’s value hit an all-time file excessive Monday as constructive market elements converged. In the meantime, ether choices merchants are paying heavy premiums on the asset’s potential to hit new information as properly.
- Bitcoin (BTC) buying and selling round $19,436 as of 21:00 UTC (Four p.m. ET). Gaining 6.6% over the earlier 24 hours.
- Bitcoin’s 24-hour vary: $18,093-$19,850
- BTC above its 10-day and 50-day shifting averages, a bullish sign for market technicians.
Bitcoin’s value hit an all-time excessive up to now 24 hours, buying and selling as a lot as $19,850, based on CoinDesk 20 knowledge. The worth then dipped and was at $19,436 as of press time.
Learn Extra: Bitcoin Worth Units New Document Excessive Above $19,783
“Institutional inflows might have been a lot of the driving power behind this rally, nevertheless it’s been retail buyers which have helped bitcoin decide up steam in current weeks,” mentioned Zac Prince, chief government officer of crypto lender BlockFi. ”Balances on our retail accounts have grown over 25% within the final 30 days, in comparison with slightly below 10% for institutional,” he added.
Main spot exchanges, the place retail clients casually purchase the world’s oldest cryptocurrency, have seen an uptick. Mixed every day quantity for Coinbase, Bitstamp, Kraken, Gemini and ItBit was at $1.5 billion as of press time Monday, a lot increased the $488 million common of the previous six months.
The regular rise of bitcoin’s value since Saturday adopted a drop throughout a market vacation within the U.S. final week that bitcoin as little as $16,242 on Thursday. The $3,608 value achieve over the previous week exhibits simply how risky cryptocurrency can typically be.
“Bitcoin buyers sitting on the sidelines of this current rally bought a Thanksgiving vacation reward as bitcoin noticed a drop from $19,500 to $16,300,” famous Jason Lau, COO of San Francisco-based OKCoin. “Spinoff liquidations led the transfer down as some derivatives exchanges misplaced over 20% of open curiosity,” he added.
Certainly, liquidations on derivatives trade BitMEX, whereas not as vital of a venue because it as soon as was, clearly had some influence on Thursday’s drop ($10 million in promote liquidations in an hour) and Monday’s rise ($Four million in by liquidations inside an hour). A liquidation on BitMEX is akin to a margin name whereby a protracted is bought or a brief triggers a purchase to shut out a place if it strikes sufficient to wipe out the margin.
Bitcoin’s current rise was not solely on account of retail buyers. Wealthy Rosenblum, who heads buying and selling at crypto agency GSR, famous how far more infrastructure is in place for establishments to speculate in comparison with bitcoin’s final bull run in 2017.
“The buying and selling, settlement and custody providers are all way more refined and mature, which instills confidence,” he mentioned. “The [Federal Reserve] continues to fan the flames with its financial technique, which appears to stay in place within the 12 months to come back. With a lot extra liquidity within the system, the unique funding case for bitcoin is being vindicated.”
Ether merchants paying for bullish bets
The second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, ether (ETH), was up Monday buying and selling round $605 and climbing 8.5% in 24 hours as of 21:00 UTC (4:00 p.m. ET).
Learn Extra: ‘Foundation Money’ Launch Brings Defunct Stablecoin Into the DeFi Period
The ether choices put/name ratio on Deribit, the most important derivatives trade within the crypto ecosystem, has been skewing closely in the direction of calls over the previous month. The put/name ratio exhibits the variety of places, that are choices bets to cost draw back, versus calls, that are choices bets to cost upside.
“Through the previous month, when wanting on the put/name ratio when it comes to premium traded, we will see an abnormally excessive ratio of calls buying and selling to places,” famous Greg Magadini, chief government officer of Genesis Volatility.
The bullish exercise is so sturdy merchants are doling out excessive premiums to make bullish bets on ether, famous Magadini. “Merchants had been fast to start out paying increased costs for calls,” he informed CoinDesk. “A lot in order that … places are 25 implied volatility factors cheaper. This stage of differential is uncommon and fairly excessive.”
The all-time excessive of ether is $1,432, based on CoinDesk 20 knowledge.
Digital property on the CoinDesk 20 are all inexperienced Monday. Notable winners as of 21:00 UTC (4:00 p.m. ET):
Learn Extra: Canaan Reviews $12M Q3 Loss, Says There’s ‘Rebounding Demand’
- Oil was down 0.80%. Worth per barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude: $45.20.
- Gold was within the pink 0.62% and at $1,776 as of press time.
- The 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yield climbed Monday, leaping to 0.846 and within the inexperienced 0.77%.


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REMODELED OFFICE: Microsoft has released a new version of its Office software that will operate differently and be sold differently. The popular bundle of word processing, spreadsheet and email programs features touch-based controls. For the first time, consumers can buy Office as an online subscription service.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Tuesday's release of Office 2013 is aimed at the growing number of people who expect to have their favorite applications at their fingertips wherever there's an Internet connection.
RENTING VS. BUYING: Microsoft Corp. is charging $100 annually for an online subscription that provides access to Office on five Windows devices or Mac computers. The price to install Office on a single machine starts at $140.


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Could a punch bag computer be the future of active office equipment?
"No. 41 Workoutcomputer" combines a computer screen with a keyboard made of punch bags, blurring the boundaries between typing and boxing, transforming office work into a full-body experience.
The brainchild of Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag of Bless design studio, the Workoutcomputer aims to provoke questions about the work/life balance of modern life which sees us "seated in front of a screen that, through its immobility, causes aches and pains that require an investment of time in exercise to remedy it".
The machine was debuted this month at the Istanbul Biennial, for public testing.
"We find it terribly outdated to have a day split into a working time and a leisure time," Heiss and Kaag explain.
Founded as a fashion design studio in 1996, Bless has turned to designing various thought-provoking "situations" commenting on modern life.
The Istanbul Biennial runs through Dec. 14.


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As it’s a new start of a brand new decade for Disney Parks & Resorts at Walt Disney World Resort with so many upcoming new experiences, dining options, attractions and much more. Disney has just shared an exciting update for the Regal Eagle Smokehouse as this will be a brand new casual-fast restaurant that is set to open soon at The American Pavilion at Epcot. This also includes brand new merchandise as well!
Here’s what Disney had to say for the details:
“The restaurant takes its name from the venerable Sam Eagle, the Muppet known for his patriotism and strict sense of duty and honor. He takes all things seriously … and barbecue is certainly one of those things.”
The concept for Regal Eagle Smokehouse will be for “Sam’s Centennial Cook-Off: A Salute to All Cook-Offs but Mostly Barbecue.” Guests will be the beneficiaries of this contest in being described as a ” competition fit for all patriots and pit masters”- as it brings in variety of classic backyard barbecue selections from all across the country for Sam’s top honor.
To recap on the menu for details by visiting the link here.
Sam will be easily recognizable for The Muppets fans and will be part of the decor for this new restaurant and you will see him on the sign as you walk in.
Sam Eagle will also be incorporated into new Regal Eagle Smokehouse merchandise that will be exclusive at The American Pavilion at Epcot.
Still no officially opening date for this upcoming new restaurant as Disney has confirmed it will open up it’s doors later this winter season. Stay tuned for more updates and details!
For everything Disney Parks & Resorts and all other themed entertainment news, keep checking back here at SkywalkingAdventure.com.


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All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) has intervened for the benefit of the whole industry, prevailing with regards to having the law revoked in the Karnataka case. This supportive gaming body asserts that the arrangement is intervention by the court to chip away at regulations that permit the industry to furnish instruments that work together with mindful gaming and along these lines establish a lot better gaming climate.
The lawful circumstance of gambling casinos in India is a long way from homogeneous. But in Daman, Goa and Sikkim, the industry has clear regulations, actually it doesn’t in the remainder of the country.
The issue settles the score more confounded in regards to online gaming, a well created topic in the article from thenewsminute, “Legal Landscape of Indian Online Casinos (Casino Laws)”. Since the casino bounced into the online world, the gaming sector in India has never been heard while asserting clear regulations.
In 2021, the circumstance got hazier for the industry since another flood of boycotts emerged. These limitations come while the gaming industry has been creating huge financial increases for the country.
Current circumstance of online gambling casinos in India
Starting around 2020, the online gaming industry in India has been encountering dramatic development. Such advancement is producing valuable open doors and offering guarantees of monetary enhancements.
Nonetheless, the absence of regulations that direct the gaming sector stresses the individuals who advocate for players’ mental and social security and climate. Consequently, the provinces of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh passed regulations to destroy online betting.
Regardless, this extreme choice endangers the expert vocation of numerous Rummy and Poker players, activities viewed as founded on skill and not chance.
Confronted with this danger, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) has intervened for the benefit of the whole industry, prevailing with regards to having the law revoked in the Karnataka case. This supportive gaming body asserts that the arrangement is intervention by the court to chip away at regulations that permit the industry to furnish instruments that work together with mindful gaming and along these lines establish a lot better gaming climate.
What is the current place of the province of Punjab?
On April 18, 2017, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, under a request made by Judge Amit Rawal, decided that fantasy gaming is totally lawful and doesn’t fall under the meaning of “betting” as it requires a specific level of attentiveness, judgment and skill.
Despite of the fact that there is this explanation, Punjab is one of the thirteen states with coordinated regulations concerning the lottery. Actually outside this area, games of chance are administered by the National Law of public betting of 1867.
Obviously, from that point forward and until now, circumstances are different a great deal. In spite of the fact that Punjab has a more liberal perspective on betting, and there are online casinos that can be gotten to and bet, the betting regulations should be refreshed and answer to the necessities of our times.
One reason why the AIGF had the option to accomplish a step towards regularization is the accompanying: with the legitimate legalization of online games of chance, it will be feasible to decrease the gamble of pathological betting and, what’s more, partake in the social and monetary advantages that the games industry can create in India.
Credit: Punjab News Express


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We are leaving no stone unturned.
On 16 February 2022 we also met the women caucus in parliament as we lobbied for removal of tax on sanitary products (menstrual pads and cups) and Institution of a National steering committee for Menstrual Health in Malawi.
We are pleased to inform you that the committee has assured us that FOR NOW; sanitary pads and cups meant for distribution will be VAT and Import duty free.
Soon we are engaging the Ministry of Finance to conduct a cost benefit analysis so that menstrual pads and cups can be affordable on the local market.
And we said, “We feel that these taxes are discriminatory and perpetuate gender inequality. Menstrual products are basic necessities and a matter of human rights. By taxing menstrual products as a “luxury” item, we are sending a message of inequality and explicit gender bias because women and girls are being taxed for an involuntary body function.
One member commented, “it’s like we are being taxed for being women”
Our goal is to ensure that sanitary products are accessible and affordable while promoting gender equity, empowerment and the general well-being of girls and women in Malawi.


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SHANGHAI—Average housing prices in 100 of China's largest cities rose in April at the fastest pace in 18 months, persistently defying policy makers' efforts to bring them down.
A survey of developers and real-estate firms showed the average price of new homes in April was up 5.34% from a year earlier, the fifth consecutive monthly rise after eight months of decline, data provider China Real Estate Index System said Thursday.
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Angeles, Calif.-- Samsung’s tremendous recent success for its mobile products has a lot to do with its marketing that comes from many real-time/last-minute decisions -- and a bit of
The high-profile branded integration for the Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phone during ABC’s “The Oscars” where host Ellen DeGeneres took a "selfie" in the
audience -- which set a Twitter record -- was somewhat improvised.
Speaking at the 4A’s Transformation event here, Todd Pendleton, chief marketing officer of Samsung, said the photo
was supposed to be with DeGeneres and one other actor: “The ‘selfie’ was planned with Ellen and Meryl [Streep],” he said. “There was a risk in there; maybe the picture is
blurry.” Instead of just DeGeneres and Streep, the picture includes a number of big-name actors, which created a major cultural/marketing phenomenon.
“There is no way you can
plan that,” he said. “To me, it was less about what phone that picture was taken with.” To spin that further the next morning, Pendleton decided Samsung should make a $3 million
donation for each of the times the picture was re-tweeted to DeGeneres’ chosen charities.
Pendleton says most of Samsung’s advertising/sponsorship executions come from
improvised video efforts -- including those made with Jay-Z, when it came to releasing his album “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” as well as TV commercials starting LeBron James, which have
included his kids.
“We create a sandbox to play in,” says Pendleton. “They are almost like home movies. Everything feels real and authentic -- because it is.&rdquo


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The past 12 months have been busy for Tyson Foods in terms of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and investments in other companies.
Tyson Foods is the largest broiler company in the United States, and it recently announced plans for two acquisitions that would further solidify its leading position in the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database. The company earlier revealed it was acquiring Tecumseh Poultry, with that transaction closing on June 3. More recently, on August 20, Tyson announced it would acquire Keystone Foods, the tenth largest poultry company in the United States, with that acquisition expected to close in the middle of the company’s 2019 fiscal year. Three other acquisitions were also made by Tyson Foods in the past 12 months.
Once known as a chicken company, Tyson Foods has over the years grown into a larger food company. During the same time frame, Tyson has invested in companies that specialize in alternative proteins such as plant-based protein and laboratory-grown meats. Tyson has invested in one plant-based protein business and two lab-grown or cell-cultured meat businesses.
“We play across beef, pork and chicken, of course. We are also playing across plant-based protein,” Tyson Foods CEO Tom Hayes said in Feburary while speaking at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference. “We are openly disrupting ourselves, to continue to drive to the next level of improvement, and to the next level of advantage for us and our shareholders.”
As part of Tyson Foods’ recent move to place its focus on growth as a protein company, it has been divesting of its non-protein businesses. Many of those subsidiaries were attained in August 2014, when Tyson Foods acquired Hillshire Brands. Most notable of those divestitures was the proposed sale of Sara Lee, which along with Van’s, is to be acquired by private equity firm
The infographic shown below takes a look at the recent transactions and proposed transactions involving Tyson Foods over the past 12 months.


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Argos has listed six of Wow! Stuff’s seven TX Juice R/C products in its latest catalogue.
With the headline ‘Worlds First Copters with Auto-Take off and Land’, the call outs show off the patented Auto Take off & Land system plus Hover innovation which is claimed to reduce returns of flying R/C by up to 60 per cent.
‘We wanted to get as close as possible to eliminating the high returns level associated with flying R/C product and at real value price points,’ said the firm.
‘The patents provide a huge benefit and leap forward for the consumer. The technology we have developed is a breakthrough and lessens returns significantly so retailers enjoy more real profit and consumers have a far better experience.
‘We are enhancing kids’ and teens desire to collect the range by launching new TX Juice items each year and driving the message “It’s all About The Button”. New affordable technology unleashed with one press of the Juice Button has resonated with buyers and consumers.’
Wow! Stuff will shortly announce more major listings in the USA and Europe.


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American rapper, Chance stunned his fiancée, Kirsten Corey on Wednesday 13th of February 2019.
The rapper had the luxurious Barneys Chicago store close early on Monday so that his fiancée, Kirsten Corley, could have the place to herself as she went on a shopping spree.
Page Six reports that Corley shopped until she apparently dropped and left the store with four extra-large shopping bags and four garment bags filled with clothing, shoes and accessories.
According to reports, they enjoyed bite-sized sandwiches, Champagne and macaroons while shopping.
The 25 years old musician, shared some videos of their exclusive experience on his Instagram Stories, where he showed off the empty store and their snacks.
Chance and Corley began dating in 2013 but broke up sometime in 2016. They later got back together and the rapper proposed in July 2018.


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Apple’s newest iOS features provide simple, easy-to-use options that can leave users more informed and more in control of their online privacy. But privacy experts agreed: Apple can—and should—go further.
Here are Labs’ top six takeaways from our data privacy and cybersecurity law series on corporate data privacy compliance. From emerging startups to burgeoning enterprises, these rules help not just with legal liability, but also user trust.
Amidst never-ending headlines about data breaches, data misuse, and opaque data-sharing agreements from major companies, users have few legal options to actually protect their privacy in court. Instead, they rely on technology.
Facebook’s plan to integrate secure messaging across Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram will demand technical know-how and a fierce commitment to user privacy.
A new bug in Apple’s FaceTime app that allowed for possible spying has the Internet in an uproar. Do Apple users need to disable FaceTime immediately? Mac expert Thomas Reed swoops in as the voice of reason.


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If there’s one tech company that has managed to capture the imagination of millions of people across the globe, it’s Apple. From iPhones to MacBooks to iPads, Apple’s products have become an integral part of our daily lives. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Apple’s market share, revenue, and future prospects.
According to recent data from Statista, as of Q4 2020, Apple held the largest market share in the smartphone industry, with a whopping 19.3% of the global market share. It’s also worth noting that Apple has consistently maintained its position at the top of the smartphone market for several years now, thanks to its innovative products and effective marketing strategies.
When it comes to laptops, Apple is also a dominant player in the market, with a 21.5% market share as of Q4 2020. This is largely due to the popularity of its MacBook line, which offers users a sleek, portable design and powerful performance.
In terms of revenue, Apple is one of the largest tech companies in the world. In Q3 2020, Apple reported a total revenue of $113.1 billion, up from $97.5 billion in the same quarter the previous year. This impressive growth can be attributed to several factors, including the continued success of its iPhone and iPad lines, as well as the growing popularity of the MacBook line.
Looking ahead, Apple is poised for continued success in the years to come. One major factor driving this success is the company’s ongoing investment in research and development. In recent years, Apple has spent billions of dollars on developing new technologies such as 5G, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.
Another key factor is Apple’s strong brand image and loyal customer base. Apple’s products are known for their high-quality design, powerful performance, and user-friendly features, which has helped the company build a strong reputation among consumers.
One great example of Apple’s success is its recent launch of the new iPhone 12 series. Despite being released during the COVID-19 pandemic, the new iPhone line was met with overwhelming demand from consumers. In fact, Apple reported record-breaking sales for the iPhone 12 line in Q4 2020, with over 77 million units sold.
Another example is the ongoing success of the MacBook line. With millions of people working and studying remotely due to the pandemic, demand for laptops has never been higher. Apple’s MacBook line has continued to grow in popularity, thanks to its powerful performance, sleek design, and user-friendly features.
- What is Apple’s market share in the smartphone industry?
As of Q4 2020, Apple held a 19.3% market share in the smartphone industry.
- What is Apple’s market share in the laptop industry?
As of Q4 2020, Apple held a 21.5% market share in the laptop industry.
- How much revenue did Apple report in Q3 2020?
Apple reported a total revenue of $113.1 billion in Q3 2020.
- What factors are driving Apple’s continued success?
Ongoing investment in research and development, a strong brand image and loyal customer base, and effective marketing strategies are some of the key factors driving Apple’s continued success.
In conclusion, Apple is one of the largest and most successful tech companies in the world today. With its innovative products, powerful performance, and user-friendly features, Apple has captured the imagination of millions of people across the globe. As the company continues to invest


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The agriculture industry has gone through a host of
changes in recent decades.
According to StatsCan’s most recent figures, the overall number of farmers in Canada decreased by nearly 25 per cent between 1991 and 2011, while their typical acreage increased steadily. Farms are becoming bigger and more industrialized than the small, mom and pop operations of the past, while ownership is gradually becoming more concentrated among an older cohort.
None of this is surprising, since advanced technology and automation have brought about rapid changes in plenty of other sectors. In the Pontiac and many other rural communities like it, this has led to young people and families fleeing to urban centres en masse, in search of employment.
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Playa Hotels & Resorts Goes Public
Playa Hotels & Resorts is the first company in the all-inclusive segment to become a publicly traded organization.
Following its business combination with special-purpose acquisition company Pace Holdings Corp. (an affiliate of TPG) yesterday (March 13) morning, Playa Hotels & Resorts started trading on NASDAQ under PLYA and PLYAW.
Playa CEO and chairman Bruce Wardinski and his management team will continue to run the combined company. In connection with the closing of the transaction, TPG partner and Pace president and CEO Karl Peterson has been appointed to the company’s board of directors.
On Dec. 13, 2016, Pace and Playa entered into a definitive transaction agreement, which was approved by the shareholders of Pace on March 1.


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EghtesadOnline: Apparently you can put a price on being a strategic adviser to a president. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas expects shares of Tesla Motors Inc. to surge 30 percent this year — and one of the reasons is the relationship between CEO Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump.
"Elon Musk has an important line of communication to Donald Trump through his role as a strategic adviser to the President-elect," he wrote in a new note. "While we cannot explicitly apply a monetary value to this relationship, we believe this level of coordination with the new administration could actually evolve into greater strategic value than with the prior administration.''
Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. has been a focus point for Trump throughout his campaign and in the weeks leading up the the inauguration. While some on Wall Street are skeptical of the effort because technological advancements have made many industry positions obsolete, Jonas believes that Tesla could benefit from Musk's role in helping Trump, according to Bloomberg.
"To the extent the creation of high tech manufacturing jobs in the United States is a high priority of the administration, we believe Mr. Musk might have some objectives that could be very much in alignment with those of the Trump administration," Jonas writes.
Shares of Tesla initially fell following Trump's surprise victory in November, but they've risen since then, as fears about how new clean energy regulations might affect the environmentally focused company have calmed.
Jonas also believes Tesla will benefit from the coming launch of the Model 3 — which is ahead of schedule with more units than previously forecast — the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, and reduced competition from other technology firms.
Of the analysts covering Tesla, eight have buy ratings, 10 have holds and six have sells. Their average price target is $244 per share.


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Prototype electroporator Tesla Roadster, introduced in November last year, will appear in the issue Leno’Jay’s Garage on the American channel CNBC. Now we have a videotizer car.
With the exception of promotional materials, Tesla, and spotted the prototype on the roads of Malibu, is one of the first opportunities to examine the Roadster. The show will be held August 23, Thursday, among the expected guests — Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen.
New Tesla Roadster (previous 2008 Roadster — the first car of the company) has three electric motors and a battery that provides a power reserve of 1,000 km at full speed. Claimed acceleration to 100 km/h is 1.9 seconds, the maximum speed — 400 km/h. Serial production is scheduled for 2020.
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First published: Parade Magazine, 13 July 2008
Not everything that seems like a bargain will really end up saving you money. Luckily, behavioral economists are finding the gimmicks and tricks that regularly lure us to spend more. Read this—and don’t get caught!
ANYTHING YOU BUY ON CREDIT
Putting a purchase on a credit card with a zero interest rate may seem like a good deal, but you’re less likely to shop frugally when you’re using it—or any kind of credit card. MIT researchers Drazen Prelec and Duncan Simester ran an experiment in which two groups of subjects were allowed to bid on tickets to sporting events. One group had to pay in cash within 24 hours, the other with a credit card. The credit-card group offered much more for the tickets—and more than twice as much for a sold-out game. Other studies suggest that people who pay with plastic spend more and tend to forget how much they spent.
Many electronics are sold with a rebate, and those tempting discounts can sometimes sway buyers to particular brands. But studies show that less than half of all rebates are successfully redeemed. That’s no accident, says Prof. Richard McKenzie of the University of California, Irvine, author of Why Popcorn Costs So Much at the Movies. Companies can introduce an obstacle by manipulating the window in which a rebate can be redeemed (for example, making it 10 days long, starting three weeks after purchase). Then there’s “slippage”—customers are mailed checks but never cash them because the checks expire first or people throw them away without realizing what they are. “Rebate checks can be mailed in envelopes designed to look like junk mail,” McKenzie says, adding that “rebates are fading out. People are beginning to learn.”
AN EBAY AUCTION DEAL
Auctions get people excited, and excited people are likely to overpay. “Almost half of all auctions contain overbidding,” says Assistant Prof. Ulrike Malmendier of the University of California, Berkeley. Overpayments are easy to spot, because eBay sellers often offer identical goods for a fixed price. Malmendier and colleague Young Han Lee found that some eBay winners could have gotten higher-quality goods from more reputable sellers and paid less—by buying at a set amount. To avoid succumbing to auction-induced exuberance, they suggest submitting a one-time maximum bid equal to the fixed price available elsewhere on eBay. If you are outbid, forget the auction and buy it at the set price.
Think that a mid-range camera—or dishwasher or toaster—is the perfect compromise between value and luxury? Think again. Prof. Itamar Simonson of Stanford University revealed the catch in a classic experiment where subjects were asked to choose between an expensive, high-end camera and a cheaper model. He found that more subjects went for the high-end camera when they also were presented with a third choice: an even more expensive, feature-laden product, which made the “mid-range” option seem modest by comparison. “A company can exploit customers’ preference for the middle item,” says Simonson, “by presenting a more expensive item next to the one it is really trying to sell.”
Prof. Dan Ariely of Duke University, the author of Predictably Irrational, has discovered that free products trigger an emotional reaction that can cause consumers to lower their guard. “Most transactions have an upside and a downside,” he explains. “When something is free, we forget the downside.” Some of Ariely’s examples: free shipping on larger orders from an Internet retailer that causes you to buy things you don’t need in order to qualify, or “free” DVDs that come with an overpriced DVD player. Even free entry to a museum or gallery can cost you in time due to longer lines and crowds.
YEARLY GYM MEMBERSHIPS
We all know people who sign up for a 12-month gym membership- in January—and give up their fitness regimes by March. Why do they enter into such costly commitments? “People make a choice that suggests they’re too confident about their future attendance,” says Ulrike Malmendier of UC Berkeley. Malmendier and colleague Stefano DellaVigna found that four out of five of the gym-goers they studied could have saved money by paying per visit instead. So before joining for a year, be realistic about how much you’ll go.
Tim Harford, a Financial Times columnist, is author of “The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World.”


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A Samsung spokesperson has confirmed that existing users of the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone in Singapore will receive the Android 4.1 update in the beginning of February, CNET reports. Once the update is out, users can download it via Samsung Kies and not over-the-air (OTA). The report further explains that the update will use 1GB of the 12GB of available internal memory. With the update, existing users will be able to use the Smart Stay feature, which keeps the display on by detecting when users are looking at the screen.
Getting Jelly Bean next month!
In December last year, we had reported that users of the S II would have to wait longer for the imminent Jelly Bean update. Samsung had delayed the update to the December-January window, after a series of previous delays. Back in November, the test firmware for the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the S II was leaked by a developer on the XDA Developers forum. At the time, the build was said to be almost perfect and that Samsung would start rolling out the update quite soon.
Android 4.1 builds on top of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). This operating system is designed to make everything smoother, faster and more fluid. Notifications are now more dynamic, allowing you to access and interact with the alert from the drop down menu itself without ever having to open the app. Another interesting feature is that voice typing is now faster, working even when one does not have a data connection. Google had also stated that it has re-designed search from the ground up in Jelly Bean with a new user interface and faster, more natural Voice Search. It went on to state that one can type their query or simply ask Google a question. Google can speak back, delivering a precise answer, powered by the Knowledge Graph, if it knows one, in addition to a list of search results.
Just this morning we had reported that an elated Samsung has announced that its entire line of Galaxy S phone series has now crossed the 100 million sales landmark. The news of the sales landmark comes not long after Samsung announced that Samsung Galaxy S III’s sales had crossed 30 million, in November.
Samsung wrote on the Samsung Tomorrow Flickr page that the sales high had come merely two years and seven months after the launch of the first flagship Galaxy S phone. Since then, Samsung Galaxy S II, what the Korean electronics giant calls ‘the driving force behind Samsung Electronics’ rise to the top of the global smartphone market’, has sold over 40 million times in only 20 months.
Published Date: Jan 14, 2013 04:23 pm | Updated Date: Jan 14, 2013 04:23 pm


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The new Microsoft Flight Simulator is something to behold. Its feature of live weather conditions has one YouTuber journeying through the eye of Hurricane Laura. The accuracy of this simulation is mind-blowing.
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