Tel Aviv, Israel, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jeffs' Brands Ltd (“Jeffs’ Brands” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: JFBR, JFBRW), a data-driven e-commerce company operating on the Amazon Marketplace, announces transformative initiatives by its wholly owned subsidiary, Fort Products Ltd. (“Fort”), to reshape pest control solutions and online shopping experiences, as previously announced on November 14, 2024 and November 18, 2024. With a creative move, Fort has partnered with leading digital developers to create an AI-based mobile application, offering customers innovative pest control solutions. This platform is designed to identify pests using AI technology to deliver tailored treatment recommendations, providing seamless access to Fort’s top-tier products. The app is expected to launch in the first half of 2025, aiming to enhance Fort’s ecosystem and aiming to position it as a leader in both e-commerce and pest control innovation. In addition, Fort is embracing the future of online payments by integrating cryptocurrency options, including Bitcoin, into its online platform. It is expected that starting in Q1 2025, customers will have the ability to pay with Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies to purchase Fort’s pest control solutions on its online platform, reflecting Fort’s commitment to adapting to emerging trends and meeting the preferences of tech-savvy customers globally. AI App Features: Bitcoin Payment Integration Highlights: These developments align with Fort’s vision of blending traditional product excellence with cutting-edge technology, seeking to redefine customer engagement and expand market opportunities globally. About Jeffs’ Brands Ltd Jeffs' Brands aims to transform the world of e-commerce by creating and acquiring products and turning them into market leaders, tapping into vast, unrealized growth potential. Through the Company’s management team’s insight into the FBA Amazon business model, it aims to use both human capability and advanced technology to take products to the next level. For more information on Jeffs’ Brands Ltd visit https://jeffsbrands.com . Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate” or other comparable terms. For example, we are using forward-looking statements when discussing successful development of the AI powered mobile app and cryptocurrency payment options, its availability for use by customers, its enhancement of Fort’s product ecosystem, the elevation of Fort’s presence in the pest control sector and in e-commerce, the creation of opportunities for market expansion and customer engagement and the Company’s commitment to adapting to emerging trends. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to adapt to significant future alterations in Amazon’s policies; our ability to sell our existing products and grow our brands and product offerings, including by acquiring new brands; our ability to meet our expectations regarding the revenue growth and the demand for e-commerce; the overall global economic environment; the impact of competition and new e-commerce technologies; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which we operate; projected capital expenditures and liquidity; the impact of possible changes in Amazon’s policies and terms of use; the impact of the conditions in Israel, including the recent attacks by Hamas, Iran, and other terrorist organizations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), on April 1, 2024 and our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Investor Relations Contact: Michal Efraty Adi and Michal PR- IR Investor Relations, Israel michal@efraty.comClick celebrates significant growth milestones while introducing a new initiative to support and empower photojournalists in sharing authentic, impactful stories through the platform. SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Click , a groundbreaking mobile app that fights misinformation by making it simple to capture and publish authenticated content, powered by the Nodle Network , has recently launched the Click Photojournalism Fellowship, to empower photojournalists to join Click's mission to build a more truthful future. Joining the fellowship will give photojournalists exposure of their work via the Click app and Nodle Network and allow each photojournalist to share their stories and their photos. Additionally, Click has just reached two growth milestones in its first year of operation, passing 50,000 users and over 1,000 new photos authenticated by Click daily. These follow Click's public beta launch in March. The Click camera app is currently available for download on both iOS or Android , and all content captured with Click can be accessed through the app and on Click's website at clickapp.com . The first two photojournalists to join the Click Fellowship are: Patricia Chaira , based in Beirut, Lebanon . Patricia had been on the ground in Beirut capturing the conflict as it's happening on Click. Patricia's story and photos can be seen here . Bill Finan , based in Rochester, New York . Bill is working at the limits of art, exploration and photojournalism, becoming famous in the underground world of Urban Exploring or "URBEX". Bill's story and photos can be seen here . "We're thrilled to collaborate with photojournalists, empowering them to share their authentic stories through Click. In an era where digital content authenticity is crucial, we're leveraging blockchain to support journalists in building transparency and trust. The Click Photojournalism Fellowship sets a new standard for credibility in journalistic content on social media," says Micha Benoliel , CEO and co-founder of Intergalactic Labs, the team behind Click and Nodle. Click aims to grow the fellowship to over 20 photojournalists in early 2025 and is currently seeking more photojournalist partners. Photojournalists who join the program will share their recent work via Click's blog (both Click and non-Click photos), that represent their photojournalistic perspective, share their journalist story and be promoted across the Click and Nodle communities. Journalists will also provide feedback on the Click app periodically via scheduled sessions with Click's team. To apply and join the fellowship, photojournalists can fill out this short application and share samples of their work. About Click: Click is a new mobile app empowering everyone to easily create authentic media content. Click is on a mission to combat misinformation and bring truthful photos and videos aka "Deep Reals" to everyone via immutable digital proofs of authenticity. With Click, you can confirm content is real and happened at a specific location, time and via a specific mobile device and camera. This is all made possible by ContentSign , Click's proprietary technology which proves the integrity of data from its moment of capture on-chain. Click is built on ZKsync , the leading Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain and is powered by the Nodle DePIN. Click supports the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) and is a member of the Adobe-led Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI). Download Click on iOS or Android and visit us at clickapp.com to learn more and see recent press coverage. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/click-camera-app-announces-new-photojournalism-fellowship-as-app-reaches-50-000-users-signing-1-000-authenticated-photos-daily-302329583.html SOURCE Nodle © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. The Morris County Republican was among several state and local lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the spate of sightings that range from the New York City area through New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. The devices do not appear to be The dronees wereffffflown by hobbyists, Fantasia wrote. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month and have raised growing concern among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey were larger than those typically used by hobbyists. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to threaten public safety. The FBI has been investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have. Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones. Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer briefed him on an incident over the weekend in which a dozen drones followed a motorized Coast Guard lifeboat “in close pursuit” near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County. Coast Guard Lt. Luke Pinneo told The Associated Press Wednesday “that multiple low-altitude aircraft were observed in vicinity of one of our vessels near Island Beach State Park.” The aircraft weren't perceived as an immediate threat and didn't disrupt operations, Pinneo said. The Coast Guard is assisting the FBI and state agencies in investigating. In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Smith called for military help dealing with the drones, noting that Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has the capability "to identify and take down unauthorized unmanned aerial systems.” However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Wednesday that “our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.” Many municipal lawmakers have called for more restrictions on who is entitled to fly the unmanned devices. At least one state lawmaker proposed a temporary ban on drone flights in the state. “This is something we’re taking deadly seriously. I don’t blame people for being frustrated," Murphy said earlier this week. A spokesman for the Democratic governor said he did not attend Wednesday's meeting. Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson, whose district includes parts of the state where the drones have been reported, said he also attended Wednesday's meeting at a state police facility in West Trenton. The session lasted for about 90 minutes. Peterson said DHS officials were generous with their time, but appeared dismissive of some concerns, saying not all the sightings reported have been confirmed to involve drones. So who or what is behind the flying objects? Where are they coming from? What are they doing? “My understanding is they have no clue,” Peterson said. A message seeking comment was left with the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the drones have been spotted along coastal areas and some were recently reported flying over a large reservoir in Clinton. Sightings also have been reported in neighboring states. James Edwards, of Succasunna, New Jersey, said he has seen a few drones flying over his neighborhood since last month. “It raises concern mainly because there's so much that's unknown,” Edwards said Wednesday. “There are lots of people spouting off about various conspiracies that they believe are in play here, but that only adds fuel to the fire unnecessarily. We need to wait and see what is really happening here, not let fear of the unknown overtake us." —— AP reporters Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; and Wayne Parry in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
MAPS DEADLINE: ROSEN LAW FIRM, NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS, Encourages WM Technology, Inc. Investors ...During the three years of our Independence, the country has made progress in many directions and things have been done which, in the pre-independence days, were outside even the realm of schemes or plans. The expansion of education and medical facilities, building new plants, dams, irrigation canals, and roads, the opening of scientific laboratories and virgin soil brought under cultivation, these are some of the achievements of this period besides radical social legislation by the central and the state governments giving equal rights to all citizens with no distinction between men and women, high and low, rich and poor. The Constitution has further set before the nation an ideal of civil liberty and of equal opportunity to all. The achievement of these objectives is the most difficult task that has ever devolved on any country in the very early stages of its freedom, but we are struggling on in pursuit of a great ideal for which we have lived and fought for so long. Gandhiji, through the Congress organisation under whose auspices we have grown up, set that ideal before us. We are yet very far indeed from realising it; we have made only a humble beginning. We might, as is only natural, make mistakes and have to retrace our steps if the conditions so demand in order to serve better. Even if we fail or falter, the laudable ideal will ever remain before us as a beacon light to lead us to individual, social, political, and may I also add spiritual progress. But Independence has brought in its wake several problems which weigh heavily upon us. These are many, and they deserve our consideration, but in this article I shall deal with only two — food and cloth. Their production, if tackled properly, may well pave the way for further progress. Serious thought has been given to the first, but the latter has not received the same attention. I do not propose to elaborate on the various aspects of the problem of food production, but I would like to emphasise here how we should get on with the actual work to achieve a definite result within a prescribed time. We have got sound schemes and ample funds placed at the disposal of the departments concerned. Top priority has also been given to it. Let me enumerate below some of the essential points in regard to this problem: (i) The productive capacity of the existing land under cultivation to increase; save crops from drought and damage as far as possible. (ii) Culturable and virgin soil to be brought under cultivation. (iii) Government to provide necessary means and resources as an aid to implement the above. (iv) Cultivators to put their best on their own initiative without waiting for government help (v) Agency to supervise and execute the scheme. A complete survey of each and every village should be the first and most essential part of our scheme. All this should be done with military precision. An army of land workers should not remain merely a slogan. Every cultivator should be made to feel that he is a soldier of that army and should report at the village panchayat how he is faring with the work allotted to him. If we are in right earnest and prepared to work hard, we can succeed in reducing our imports of foodgrains considerably. Let us now consider the question of cloth. It may not be considered as important as food; yet it will be unwise to minimise its importance. It is needless to emphasise that if we can manage food and cloth for ourselves, there is bound to be economic stability. Mills must produce the quota allotted to them. If they do not cooperate, they should be dealt with firmly and, if necessary, new legislation enacted to deal with them. Labour will also have to bear its share of responsibility and strikes should be eliminated. Khadi should be given the utmost encouragement and the people encouraged to use it even if it is somewhat costly. Government should also patronise it fully. Khadi has great prospects if it receives due encouragement from the government as well as the people. We have got a large population, of which a big percentage has no work or insufficient work. We can provide them with work in the smaller industries. We should not simply try to copy the West as our conditions are different from them. Either we go in for rapid industrialisation through State or private agency or, if that is not possible, and I fear it is not, we must try to speed up our production through small scale and village industries. If we want to make people work-minded, engender a creative spirit and teach them the dignity of labour, the easiest solution is to go in for small-scale industries. The threat of a world war stares us in the face. It may or may not come but the present tension is bound to have its repercussions. There will be a tendency in various countries to keep in reserve agricultural products and other essential commodities and we might not be able to import in future as easily as we could do before. War, or no war, we must produce enough cereals and enough cloth to feed and clothe our people. Lal Bahadur Shastri is India’s second prime ministerFirst batch of Canadian-made low-carbon jet fuel emerges from B.C. refinery
Real Madrid’s big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering Champions League title defense on Tuesday. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win at Italian league leader Atalanta. But Madrid still had to ride its luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champion in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins here. We suffered and competed. In the Champions League, you have to suffer,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s still difficult to finish in the top eight, but we have two games left to earn points.” Six-time champion Liverpool leads the way after maintaining its perfect record in Europe this season with a 1-0 win against Girona. Like Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain also picked up a much-needed win, beating Salzburg 3-0 to sit in the last playoff spot in 24th place. Bayer Leverkusen is second after a 1-0 win over Inter Milan, while Aston Villa beat Leipzig 3-2 and is third. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Positions nine to 24 face a playoff to reach the next phase. After three losses in its opening five games of the league phase, the pressure was mounting on Madrid. Questions were also being asked of Mbappe after his uncertain start since his offseason move from PSG. But he produced a moment of class to fire Madrid 1-0 up after 10 minutes at Gewiss Stadium — controlling the ball with his left foot and then finishing low with his right. It was the 25-year-old Mbappe's 50th Champions League goal . Lionel Messi is the only player to have reached that number at a younger age. Mbappe was substituted off before halftime with an apparent physical issue and Charles De Ketelaere leveled the game before the break from the penalty spot. But two goals inside three second-half minutes from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham put Madrid in control. Ademola Lookman's goal made it 3-2, but Madrid survived Retegui's late effort and held on. Mohamed Salah’s 50th Champions League goal maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in the competition this season. The Egypt forward struck a 63rd minute penalty to seal the win in Spain that kept Liverpool atop the 36-team league. But even after a sixth straight win for the Merseyside club, head coach Arne Slot was critical of his players in a game that saw goalkeeper Alisson pull off several saves to keep Girona out. “If you ask me about all the six games, I’m really pleased with all the results, I am really pleased with the five (other) games with the way we played. I’m far from pleased about the performance tonight,” he said. Salah’s goal was his 16th in 22 appearances overall this season. Girona was 30th with just one win from six games. “I almost feel sorry for them because they deserved so much more in this Champions League campaign than the three points they have until now. But we have an incredible goalkeeper,” said Slot, whose team also leads the Premier League. Liverpool’s two remaining games are against Lille at home and PSV Eindhoven away in January. U.S. international Christian Pulisic is the only player to have scored against Liverpool in this season’s Champions League in a 3-1 loss for Milan in September. Bayern Munich routed Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 to move into the automatic qualifying positions for the round of 16. Michael Olise scored a wonderful solo goal by dribbling past a host of players for his first of two in the game. Bayern's win came after going 1-0 down inside five minutes to a goal from Brazilian winger Kevin. PSG is not done yet. A miserable start to the league phase saw the French giant pick up just four points from five games as it adjusted tp life without stars like Mbappe, Messi and Neymar, who have all departed in the past two seasons. But victory at Salzburg moved PSG up into the playoff positions. Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue all scored. Leverkusen is back on a roll after struggling to repeat the success of last season's stunning German league and cup double. It's now six straight wins in all competitions, with Nordi Mukiele's 90th minute goal securing victory against Inter and moving Leverkusen into second on 13 points — five behind Liverpool. Villa, Inter and Brest are all on 13 points as well. Inter dropped to fourth after conceding for the first time in this season's competition. Villa is third after its own resurgence in form. Victory against Leipzig was its third in a row after an eight-game winless run. Brest is one of this season’s surprise packages on its Champions League debut and is fifth after beating PSV Eindhoven 1-0. Sporting Lisbon, in 12th, couldn’t build on taking a third-minute lead at Club Brugge — losing 2-1 in Belgium. Brugge is 14th. Dinamo Zagreb drew 0-0 with Celtic and both teams remain in the playoff positions. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerDonald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling
It’s been an interesting year for investors as interest rates and inflation started to ease. Income investors enjoyed a bonanza as several companies announced dividend increases. These increases will help to improve the flow of passive income and help you better prepare for retirement . So here they are – eight companies that increased their dividends this year. DBS is Singapore’s largest bank by market capitalisation. The lender reported a strong set of earnings for the first nine months of 2024 (9M 2024). Total income rose 11% year on year to S$16.8 billion, led by a 5% year-on-year increase in net interest income and a sharp 27% year-on-year jump in fee and commission income. Net profit for 9M 2024 came in at S$8.8 billion, 12% higher than the level last year. DBS paid out a total dividend per share of S$1.62 for 9M 2024, 28.6% higher than the S$1.26 paid out in the previous corresponding period. CEO Piyush Gupta expects growth in the bank’s non-interest income but net profit should be below 2024 levels because of a global minimum tax of 15% levied on the business. iFAST is a financial technology company that operates a platform for the buying and selling of unit trusts, equities, and bonds. Like DBS, the fintech also reported a stellar set of earnings for 9M 2024. Net revenue surged by 75.5% year on year to S$183.5 million while operating profit nearly tripled year on year to S$60.1 million. Net profit more than tripled year on year from S$15.1 million to S$47.4 million. The group’s dividend jumped by 26.5% year on year from S$0.034 to S$0.043. Its assets under administration also grew by 23.6% year on year to hit a new record of S$23.6 billion. Looking ahead, management expects the Hong Kong ePension division and the group’s digital bank to become important growth drivers in 2025 and beyond. OCBC is Singapore’s second-largest bank by market capitalisation. The lender also reported a strong set of earnings for 9M 2024, buoyed by higher interest rates and healthy fee income growth. Total income rose 8% year on year to S$11.1 billion while net profit improved by 9% year on year to S$5.9 billion. For the first half of 2024 (1H 2024), OCBC paid out an interim dividend of S$0.44, 10% higher than the S$0.40 paid out a year ago. CEO Helen Wong believes that the bank is well-positioned to deliver 2024’s targets of low single-digit loan growth and a return of equity above 14%. Singapore Post, or SingPost, is a postal and eCommerce logistics provider in the Asia Pacific region. The group saw its revenue for the first half of fiscal 2025 (1H FY2025) ending 30 September 2024 rise 20% year on year to S$992.4 million. The uplift came mainly from SingPost’s Australian business which saw a 44% year-on-year increase in revenue to S$574.9 million. The postal company’s underlying net profit for 1H FY2025 soared 88% year on year to S$25.2 million. An interim dividend of S$0.0034 was declared, 89% higher than the S$0.0018 paid out in 1H FY2024. Singtel is Singapore’s largest telecommunication company and offers mobile, Pay TV, and broadband services. For 1H FY2025, the group reported a mixed set of earnings with revenue dipping by 0.5% year on year to S$7 billion. Operating profit, however, climbed 27% year on year to S$738 million while underlying net profit improved by 6% year on year to S$1.2 billion. An interim dividend of S$0.07 was declared and paid, a 35% year-on-year jump from the S$0.052 paid out a year ago. The telco will continue to focus on its ST28 long-term plan and drive operating profit improvements through enterprise growth in Singapore and Australia. United Overseas Bank, or UOB, is the third of the trio of local banks. For 9M 2024, the lender saw total income rise 3% year on year to S$10.8 billion while operating profit inched up 2% year on year to S$6.3 billion. Net profit came in at S$4.5 billion, up 5% year on year. The bank had raised its interim dividend during its 1H 2024 results from S$0.85 to S$0.88. CEO Wee Ee Cheong provided a sanguine outlook for 2025 and expects high single-digit loan growth along with double-digit fee income growth. Singapore Exchange Limited, or SGX, is Singapore’s only stock exchange operator. The group reported a resilient set of earnings for its fiscal 2024 (FY2024) ending 30 June 2024. Revenue rose 3.1% year on year to S$1.2 billion while net profit (excluding exceptional items) increased by 4.5% year on year to S$525.9 million. In line with the good results, SGX upped its quarterly dividend from S$0.085 to S$0.09, taking the annualised dividend per share to S$0.36 for FY2025. Management aims to grow the group’s revenue by between 6% to 8% per annum in the medium term. NetLink NBN Trust designs, builds, owns, and operates the passive fibre infrastructure of Singapore’s nationwide broadband network (NBN). For 1H FY2025, NetLink reported a slight 0.2% year-on-year dip in revenue to S$204.8 million. Net profit fell by 8.3% year on year to S$48.5 million. Despite this drop, distribution per unit inched up 1.1% year on year from S$0.0265 to S$0.0268. Management’s focus for FY2025 is to complete the construction of its new central office to achieve operational readiness to serve the northern part of Singapore. It will also continue to support the digitalisation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by lowering the cost of connections. Our FREE report, ‘7 Singapore Blue-Chip Stocks That Can Pay You for Life,’ reveals stable, dividend-paying stocks with a history of strong returns—even in uncertain markets. Get insights on Singapore’s most dependable blue-chips and see how they can offer you steady income. Download it today to start building your portfolio with confidence. Follow us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses! Disclosure: Royston Yang owns shares of DBS Group, iFAST, Singapore Exchange Limited and NetLink NBN Trust. The post Year-in-Review: 8 Companies That Raised Their Dividends in 2024 appeared first on The Smart Investor .