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Emma Okonji Pashione, a fashion-tech and African fashion social commerce platform, is revolutionising the African fashion industry by connecting global consumers with talented designers across the continent. Pashione is available in All African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, and Senegal. It boasts a network of over 960 registered vendors. The platform was founded on a passion for African fashion and a desire to empower local designers. Speaking about the initiative, Founder of Pashione, Michael Fasere, said: “We saw a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between talented African designers and a global audience by providing a platform to showcase their creativity and reach a wider market. Pashione aims to foster economic growth and cultural exchange.” Speaking on the unique value proposition and what differentiates Pashione from other platforms in its class, Fasere highlighted three key pillars: Authenticity, Sustainability and Community. For authenticity, he said: “We celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Africa by curating a collection of authentic, handcrafted pieces.” For sustainability, he said: “We are committed to sustainable practices, partnering with eco-conscious designers, and promoting responsible consumption.” In the area of community, he said: “We foster a vibrant community of designers, influencers, and fashion enthusiasts, creating a space for connection and inspiration.” Meanwhile, to expand its reach across Africa, Pashione has implemented several strategies, such as collaborating with local organizations and industry leaders to build trust and credibility, leveraging digital marketing and social media to reach specific target audiences, and simplifying the process for designers to join the platform and showcase their work
NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin extended its streak of record highs after ticking above $99,000 for the first time. The cryptocurrency has rocketed more than 40% in just two weeks. Now, bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000, just two years after dropping below $17,000 following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX . The dramatic rally rolls on as industry players expect the incoming Trump administration to bring a more “crypto-friendly” approach toward regulating the digital currency. Bitcoin was trading at $99,526 Friday afternoon, according to CoinDesk. As with everything in the volatile crypto markets, the future is impossible to know. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. Here’s what you need to know. Cryptocurrency has been around for a while now. But, chances are, you've heard about it more and more over the last few years. In basic terms, cryptocurrency is digital money. This kind of currency is designed to work through an online network without a central authority — meaning it’s typically not backed by any government or banking institution — and transactions get recorded with technology called a blockchain. Bitcoin is the largest and oldest cryptocurrency, although other assets like ethereum, tether and dogecoin have also gained popularity over the years. Some investors see cryptocurrency as a “digital alternative” to traditional money, but the large majority of daily financial transactions are still conducted using fiat currencies such as the dollar. Also, bitcoin can be very volatile, with its price reliant on larger market conditions. A lot of the recent action has to do with the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Crypto industry players have welcomed Trump’s victory, in hopes that he would be able to push through legislative and regulatory changes that they’ve long lobbied for — which, generally speaking, aim for an increased sense of legitimacy without too much red tape. Trump, who was once a crypto skeptic, recently pledged to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. His campaign accepted donations in cryptocurrency and he courted fans at a bitcoin conference in July. He also launched World Liberty Financial, a new venture with family members to trade cryptocurrencies. How of this will actually pan out — and whether or not Trump will successfully act quickly on these promises — has yet to be seen. “This is not necessarily a short-term story, it’s likely a much longer-term story," Citi macro strategist David Glass told The Associated Press last week. "And there is the question of how quickly can U.S. crypto policy make a serious impact on (wider adoption).” One step Trump must take in the short-term is name a new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which shares oversight of cryptocurrencies. Gary Gensler, current chair of the SEC, has led the U.S. government’s crackdown on crypto over recent years, penalizing a number of companies for violating securities laws. But he's also faced criticism from industry players in the process, like the chief legal officer of Robinhood , who described Gensler's approach toward crypto as “rigid” and "hostile.” Gensler will step down in January when Trump takes office. Adam Morgan McCarthy, a research analyst at Kaiko, thinks the industry is craving “just some sort of clarity.” Much of the approach to regulating crypto in the past has been “enforcement based,” he notes, which has been helpful in weeding out some bad actors — but legislation might fill in other key gaps. Despite crypto’s recent excitement around Trump, McCarthy said that 2024 has already been a “hugely consequential year for regulation in the U.S.” — pointing to January’s approval of spot bitcoin ETFs, for example, which mark a new way to invest in the asset. Spot ETFs have been the dominant driver of bitcoin for some time now — but, like much of the crypto’s recent momentum, saw record inflows postelection. According to Kaiko , bitcoin ETFs recorded $6 billion in trade volume for the week of the election alone. In April, bitcoin also saw its fourth “halving” — a preprogrammed event that impacts production by cutting the reward for mining, or the creation of new bitcoin, in half. In theory, if demand remains strong, some analysts say this “supply shock” can also help propel the price long term. Others note it may be too early to tell. History shows you can lose money in crypto as quickly as you’ve made it. Long-term price behavior relies on larger market conditions. Trading continues at all hours, every day. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, bitcoin stood at just over $5,000. Its price climbed to nearly $69,000 by November 2021, during high demand for technology assets, but later crashed during an aggressive series of Federal Reserve rate hikes. And the late-2022 collapse of FTX significantly undermined confidence in crypto overall, with bitcoin falling below $17,000. Investors began returning in large numbers as inflation started to cool — and gains skyrocketed on the anticipation and then early success of spot ETFs. But experts still stress caution, especially for small-pocketed investors. And lighter regulation from the coming Trump administration could mean less guardrails. “I would say, keep it simple. And don’t take on more risk than you can afford to," McCarthy said — adding that there isn't a “magic eight ball” to know for certain what comes next. Assets like bitcoin are produced through a process called “mining,” which consumes a lot of energy. Operations relying on pollutive sources have drawn particular concern over the years. Recent research published by the United Nations University and Earth’s Future journal found that the carbon footprint of 2020-2021 bitcoin mining across 76 nations was equivalent to the emissions from burning 84 billion pounds of coal or running 190 natural gas-fired power plants. Coal satisfied the bulk of bitcoin’s electricity demands (45%), followed by natural gas (21%) and hydropower (16%). Environmental impacts of bitcoin mining boil largely down to the energy source used. Industry analysts have maintained that clean energy has increased in use in recent years, coinciding with rising calls for climate protections Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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Body discovered in water off Shetland during search for a missing wild swimmer who disappeared two days after Christmas By JONATHAN BROCKLEBANK Published: 20:14 EST, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 20:26 EST, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments A body has been found in the water off Shetland in the search for a missing wild swimmer. It was discovered on Saturday by emergency services looking for 58-year-old Ian Napier who had not been seen or heard from since early the previous day. Although formal identification had yet to take place, Mr Napier’s family have been informed of the find. The Shetlander was last seen heading off for what police think would have been a walking or swimming session around Scousburgh Bay at 9am on Friday. A search involving the RNLI’s lifeboat from Lerwick and the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Sumburgh was launched on Friday and the body was found at about 11.40am on Saturday. Police Scotland said the death was not being treated as suspicious. Dr Napier, who was senior fisheries policy adviser at further education college UHI Shetland, was a keen swimmer and paddle boarder. A body has been found off the coast of Shetland after a wild swimmer disappeared days after Christmas (file photo) Ian Napier (pictured) was last seen heading off for what police think would have been a walking or swimming session around Scousburgh Bay He was an Aberdeen University graduate and had worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food before returning to his native Shetland in 1995. Dr Napier was closely involved in establishing Shetland’s local shellfish fisheries management system and was a former chair of the Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation. He was a well-known figure in the local community and many expressed their shock at the news on social media. ‘Gut wrenching,’ said one. ‘Ian is a good man. His life cut short far too soon.’ Police said a report would be submitted to the procurator fiscal. Share or comment on this article: Body discovered in water off Shetland during search for a missing wild swimmer who disappeared two days after Christmas e-mail Add commentTravel: Colorado’s winter huts blend adventure, luxury, and scenic beautyBryan Johnson, Dave Asprey, Dr Michael Ashenden United With Olympians and Anti-Doping Experts to Forge the Future of Human EnhancementAmazon workers strike at multiple facilities as Teamsters seek labor contract
LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) — Adam Clark had 18 points in Merrimack's 80-62 victory over Niagara on Sunday. Clark added nine assists for the Warriors (4-6, 2-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Devon Savage scored 18 points, finishing 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Sean Trumper went 6 of 7 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 16 points. Jhaylon Martinez led the way for the Purple Eagles (4-6, 1-1) with 14 points and six rebounds. Zion Russell added 13 points and six rebounds. Jaeden Marshall had 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .A SECOND top Nat has been caught up in another freebies row — after he was chauffeured to the Scottish Open in a government limo. Tories blasted Dr Alasdair Allan’s trip to watch home golfing hero Robert MacIntyre’s victory, insisting it had nothing to do with his role as Climate Change Minister. 3 It comes weeks after Health Secretary Neil Gray was forced to explain his limo trips Credit: Alamy 3 The minister attended the event where Scot Robert MacIntyre triumphed Credit: Getty Our revelation comes weeks after Health Secretary Neil Gray faced calls to explain trips to Aberdeen matches in ministerial motors . Scots Tories’ deputy leader Rachael Hamilton hit out: “It looks like Neil Gray’s got company when it comes to taking the public for a ride. “Alasdair Allan must explain why he thought he could charge taxpayers for a jolly which is completely outwith his job description. “If he wanted to watch the world’s leading golfers, he should have paid for it out of his own pocket.” Read More Scpttish Politics LAW VOW SNP government will 'consider' creating new offence for non-fatal strangulation CON THE BUS SNP ministers 'quietly ditch' bus pledge as funding cut by 98 per cent We can reveal papers show the MSP was driven to the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, East Lothian, on July 14 — the last day of the £7million PGA Tour showdown. His trip was listed as an official ministerial visit to a “major event”. But no press releases were issued about the jaunt to the tournament, won by MacIntyre, from Oban, Argyll . There was also no official justification for the visit or how it fell under his remit. Most read in The Scottish Sun LOCKED DOWN Police & paramedics swarm busy Glasgow retail park as they seal off areaa lew's new love Lewis Capaldi grows close to influencer as they party with Noel Gallagher STRIP SEARCH Gers ‘to ditch Castore for major kit brand' next season but there’s a catch CRYSTAL BALL Celtic vs Rangers score predictions as SunSport writers have their say And questions were asked about the lack of official pictures that are typically issued of ministers at high-profile outings. It has also emerged Sports Minister Maree Todd enjoyed a two-night trip to Wimbledon at taxpayers’ expense in July, with a hotel costing £213 and a return train ticket an extra £194. EXPLAINED: Scottish Budget 2024, what do the SNP's spending plans mean for you? We told last month how Dons-supporting Mr Gray admitted he’d appeared to act “more as a fan and less as a minister” after taking official limos to nine football games. Minutes and guest lists from the trips were released earlier this week. But there were no official notes for several of the matches. Mr Gray was also blasted for going to the premiere of Saoirse Ronan movie The Outrun in Edinburgh . Last night the Scottish Government said Dr Allan had been invited by Scottish Open chiefs who saw “sustainability” as a “key consideration”. A spokesman added: “He met with stakeholders, including the GEO Foundation — an international not-for-profit organisation that supports and rewards sustainability action. 3 Dr Alasdair Allan took a limo trip to watch home golf hero Robert MacIntyre at the Scottish Open Credit: Alamy “He also toured the site to learn more about sustainability initiatives. Read more on the Scottish Sun BATTY WEATHER Record-breaking snow & temps on the way for Scotland as expert issues warning GER KIDDING Tottenham fans blast ex-Spurs star as he's spotted wildly celebrating Gers goal Ministers attending events in a ministerial capacity are entitled to use government transport . All costs are in accordance with travel and subsistence policies.”