U.S. Postmaster General defends postal serviceLUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lando Norris ignored team orders and handed his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri the sprint race in Qatar on Saturday, while Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was stripped of the pole position. His penalty elevated George Russell to first on the grid. With McLaren eyeing its first F1 constructors' title in 26 years and Russell close behind for Mercedes, Norris was told by the team over the radio to “finish in this order,” ahead of Piastri. He chose to gift his teammate the win anyway, easing off to the right on the exit of the final corner and then swooping back across in front of Russell, who finished third. “The team told me not to do it, but I thought I could get away with it and we did,” Norris said. "Honestly, I don’t mind. I’m not here to win sprint races. I’m here to win races and the championship, but that’s not gone to plan." Norris was paying Piastri back for doing the same in the sprint race in Brazil when Norris was still fighting Verstappen for the drivers’ title. “I made my mind up in Brazil when it happened,” Norris said. “I needed to do something to give it back.” Piastri said he hadn't expected Norris to take the risk. “I was aware it could happen. I was a bit surprised that with George half a second (away) it did,” Piastri said. “It just shows off our teamwork and the lack of egos within the team.” It continues a season where McLaren’s race tactics have often been a talking point, such as when Norris and Piastri swapped for the lead in Hungary after a lengthy and often awkward radio exchange with the team. On Saturday, Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past Russell for second. As Russell repeatedly attacked Piastri, Norris dropped back instead of building a lead. That put Piastri within one second of Norris, allowing the Australian to use the DRS overtaking aid for extra speed. Russell said he found the McLaren teamwork “pretty infuriating” while stuck behind Piastri and also objected to what he saw as late moves from Piastri to defend the position. “Hopefully we can have a proper race (on Sunday) rather than this team orders stuff,” Russell said. The F1 champion thought he'd secured his first pole position since the Austrian GP in June, but a lengthy stewards' inquiry gave him a one-place penalty for driving “unnecessarily slowly” in an incident with Russell, who moved up to first on the grid. The Mercedes driver complained over the radio that it was “super dangerous” that he'd had to avoid Verstappen, who was ahead of him on the racing line as both drivers prepared for their final runs of qualifying. The stewards agreed Verstappen was going too slowly as he tried to cool his tires but didn't apply the usual three-place penalty because neither driver was trying to set a fast time. Verstappen hadn't been much of a factor in the sprint but he returned to form in qualifying, beating Russell by just .055 of a second on his last run. “Crazy. I mean, honestly, I didn’t expect that,” Verstappen said. “We did change a bit on the car but I never thought it would make such a swing in performance.” Norris was .252 off the pace and lines up third, with Piastri fourth, followed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. McLaren increased its lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ championship to 30 points, and has both of its drivers ahead of the Ferraris on the grid. Teams can earn a maximum 88 more points from the grand prix in Qatar and next week’s Abu Dhabi GP. Red Bull dropped to 67 points behind McLaren in the standings as Verstappen — crowned the drivers' champion for the fourth time last week in Las Vegas — finished eighth and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was last after a pit stop to change his car's nose. AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Medical Device Cybersecurity Solutions Market to Exhibit a Remarkable CAGR of 22.10% by 2030, Size, Share, Trends, Key Drivers, Demand, Opportunity Analysis and Competitive OutlookThe President will host a dinner honoring Special Olympics athletes as they prepare to compete at the upcoming Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin in March 2025. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- President Joe Biden will host a dinner tomorrow evening for Special Olympics and supporters of the organization titled, "A Christmas for All: Celebration of Unity, America and Special Olympics." The event will recognize the work that Special Olympics, with the support of the Biden administration and Members of Congress, has been doing to engage U.S. government officials, educators, health professionals, parents, coaches, youth and communities everywhere to not only fight intolerance, but inspire us all to be more inclusive. Athletes attending the event represent Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern California, Southern California, Texas, Tennessee, Wyoming, Brazil and Great Britain. The event will celebrate founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver's vision and the extraordinary achievements of Special Olympics athletes and give thanks to the more than 50 years of support President Biden has given to the Special Olympics movement in paying tribute to the gifts of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and awakening the nation to the urgency of protecting their rights and their ability to contribute to creating a more inclusive world for all. "Tonight, President Biden will make the White House the center of our great movement of hope, toasting the Special Olympics athletes who lead the inclusion revolution and challenging American citizens and people of goodwill everywhere to take up the mantle of creating a more inclusive future for all," said Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman, Special Olympics. "The President has been a longstanding supporter of Special Olympics, beginning in 1971, with then Council Member Biden attending the very first Special Olympics Delaware Games and cheering on nearly 100 athletes. From then on, he has headlined many local Special Olympics Games, led a delegation to World Games in Boise, Idaho, sent a delegation to our most recent World Games in Berlin, and championed the cause in the halls of Congress. His leadership has inspired governments around the world to join in protecting civil rights, advancing inclusive education, improving inclusive healthcare, and building community living, housing, and employment opportunities for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities." Special Olympics USA, a 160-member delegation, will participate in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy from March 8-15, 2025. The delegation includes athletes, Unified partners (participants without disabilities that compete on the same team) and coaches from various Special Olympics Programs around the country. Claire Potter and Ralph Gemmill, Jr. will be competing in Alpine Skiing and Elaina Camacho will be competing in Snowshoeing. For more information on Special Olympics, please visit specialolympics.org . For more information on the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, please visit: www.turin2025.org . About Special Olympics Founded in 1968 , Special Olympics is a global sports movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. With over four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in 200 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year . Engage with us on: X , Facebook , YouTube , Instagram , TikTok , and LinkedIn . Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/special-olympics-athletes-celebrated-at-white-house-302326286.html SOURCE Special Olympics International

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the Liberian national landed in Mumbai from Sierra Leone and was apprehended by DRI officers. During examination, it was found that the trolley bag being carried by the man was unusually heavy despite emptying all its contents. Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested a Liberian national with 3.5 kg banned narcotics substance from Mumbai International Airport on Friday. The arrest was made following a specific input. According to officials, the Liberian national landed in Mumbai from Sierra Leone and was apprehended by DRI officers. During examination, it was found that the trolley bag being carried by the man was unusually heavy despite emptying all its contents. Cocaine hidden in bottom of trolley bag Upon further examination, it was found that two packets containing a white powdery substance were cleverly concealed in the false bottom of the trolley bag. After the testing of the content, the same was tested positive for cocaine. A total of 3,496 grams of white powdery substance purported to be cocaine with a market value of around Rs 34.96 Crores was seized and the passenger was arrested. Further investigation underway in the case. DRI said its officials are committed to dismantling drug trafficking nexus and keeping people from the drug menace. Brazilian national ingests capsule In a similar incident in September, a Brazilian national from Sao Paulo was arrested by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Mumbai Zonal Unit at Mumbai Airport for alleged drug smuggling. During the examination of the passenger, the DRI officials seized 973 grams of cocaine, valued at around Rs 9.73 cr was seized from him. The arrest occurred on September 18 after officers acted on specific input. The foreign national allegedly confessed to ingesting drug-filled capsules to transport them internally. Later, the accused was taken to JJ Hospital in Mumbai for medical examination. Click for more latest Crime news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Nakshab Khan has been a journalist since 2007 and worked with prominent media houses like News18, IANS, Zee Media UNI TV, and Times Now. He joined News9 as News Editor. He has vast experience of covering politics, international affairs, crime in various industry brands. Nakshab likes to talk about world issues and has written on various topic related to West Asian affairs. In his career spanning nearly 17 years, he has always delivered error free and facts based stories and had an unblemished working style. You can reach out to him at nakshab.khan@tv9.com

MAA Announces Increase to Quarterly Common Dividend

Masoud bin Saeed al Hashemi, Governor of South Batinah, announced on Monday the details of a forum titled ‘Experience South Batinah’ set to take place from January 8 to 31, 2025 at Khabbat al Ja’adan in Nakhal. The forum is a significant initiative aimed at boosting the tourism and cultural appeal of the governorate, drawing visitors from within Oman and abroad, and establishing South Batinah as a leading tourist destination. The forum will have an engaging calendar of activities, blending heritage, entertainment and adventure. Visitors can look forward to traditional competitions, including horse and camel racing, alongside exciting sports events such as car races, sand biking and paragliding. It will feature marine sports, beach games and a heritage village providing a glimpse into traditional Omani lifestyle. Entertainment options include daily theatre performances, public concerts, circus acts, magic shows and dazzling laser displays. For technology enthusiasts, there will be dedicated spaces for electronic games and virtual reality experiences. A promotional exhibition is planned to showcase the governorate’s achievements and highlight the contributions of local businesses, further emphasising South Batinah’s potential as a hub for tourism and economic activity. Expressing his vision for the forum as a transformative event, Governor Hashemi emphasised the fact that the activities are not merely for entertainment but to serve as an integrated platform to showcase the governorate’s heritage, support local sectors and position tourism as a vital pillar of sustainable development. Adding to the innovative aspect of the forum, the governorate will launch a mobile app – Mujab – designed to enhance visitor engagement by providing comprehensive updates on forum activities, facilitating access to electronic services, and serving as a valuable resource for residents and tourists alike. This initiative aims to modernise service delivery while ensuring a seamless experience for all participants in the forum.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — For the second time this season, the Washington Commanders gave up points in the final two minutes of regulation and came back to win on a last-gasp touchdown. It was not a Hail Mary this time. Instead, it was rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels engineering a 57-yard drive and finding Jamison Crowder in the end zone with six seconds left on the clock to beat Philadelphia and get the Commanders to 10-5. “Just a regular Sunday afternoon again,” coach Dan Quinn said moments later. Quinn's team is now on the verge of making the playoffs after again showing its mettle in wacky, back-and-forth games with wild finishes. Playing in and winning those has sort of become Washington's calling card. “We didn’t flinch at all,” receiver Terry McLaurin said. “We didn’t panic. Not to say we did that in the past, but it was like, we’ve been here before. When you've been through something, you know what it looks like. You know what it feels like. You do everything it takes to get over the hump.” The Commanders have won three in a row, including holding on at New Orleans by stopping the Saints on a 2-point conversion attempt at the end of the fourth quarter. They're in the postseason if they beat Atlanta on Sunday night or if Tampa Bay loses to Carolina earlier in the day. But what has gotten this team so accustomed to falling behind, huddling up and getting the job done when it matters most? “I think we just believe in one another,” said six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner , a Super Bowl champion in Seattle who's in his first season with Washington. “Coach Quinn puts in a lot of positions at practice, and we have confidence in everybody to make those plays. I think it just shows our confidence in one another and our confidence to pull the game out.” Daniels is an X-factor in that. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner , No. 2 draft pick out of LSU and runaway favorite for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year may be from Southern California but seems to have ice water in his veins colder than the 31 degree Fahrenheit temperature during his comeback. “He was poised: cool, calm, collected under pressure,” Crowder said. “A lot of times you don’t get that from a lot of quarterbacks.” What’s working Practice makes perfect, apparently. When Daniels connected with Noah Brown on the Hail Mary TD to beat Chicago on Oct. 27, it went exactly as the offense planned after rehearsing it in practice the previous Friday. Daniels to Crowder was the same thing. “It’s crazy,” Crowder said. “Friday we actually ran it, and I caught the same pass. We got the same look that we thought we were going to get.” Crowder knew he needed to slip past the linebacker covering him and found a wide-open spot in the end zone. Then the muscle memory took over. “I had already hit this in practice, so it was time to just make the throw in the game,” Daniels said. “I just put the ball in the air, and he made the grab.” What needs help It's hard to turn the ball over five times and win a game, especially against a first-place team with the NFL's top defense, but that's exactly what the Commanders did. Daniels threw two interceptions — including one that set up Jake Elliott's field goal to put the Eagles up 33-28 with 1:58 left — while Brian Robinson Jr. fumbled twice rushing and Dyami Brown once after making a catch and turning to run upfield. “That’s not our standard at all,” McLaurin said. “We’ll get that cleaned up.” Stock up Crowder made one catch on one target for 5 yards in the season opener and played a combined 12 snaps in Weeks 1-3. A calf injury put him on injured reserve in early October, and that easily could have been it for the 31-year-old wideout in his second stint with Washington. Instead, Crowder rehabbed to get back on the active roster, and a kidney injury to Noah Brown opened the door for real playing time. After making three receptions for 27 yards in the victory at New Orleans, his two catches against the Eagles were touchdowns. “Being on the IR for as long as Jamison had been, it takes a lot of grit to stay in it,” Quinn said. "He might have been out of football technically for 2-3 months, and this is not an easy thing to do, so for him to come back and make the impact he’s had, that’s a man I respect a lot.” Crowder was a fourth-round pick in 2015 and played his first four seasons in Washington before three with the New York Jets, one with Buffalo and a return in the fall of 2023. He thinks watching from the sideline helped him dissect football better to give him a chance to make an impact on the field again. “I knew once I got my opportunity I’d be able to just fit right in,” Crowder said. Stock down Cornerback Marshon Lattimore affected the Saints game by not being thrown at once in 31 passing attempts in his Commanders debut against his former team. He struggled defending Philadelphia's A.J. Brown and was flagged three times for pass interference before aggravating the hamstring injury that kept him out since the trade from New Orleans and leaving the game. “I love his competitive nature, honestly, down on the field,” Quinn said. “It’d be good to see what the NFL says about one of the ones that they called a PI. Let’s find out, but he’s the type of person you want to put on that player.” Injuries Dyami Brown also left with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter, and starting right tackle Andrew Wylie was sidelined by a groin injury. Those bear watching. Key number 1991 — The last year Washington started a season 10-5. It ended with the franchise's third Super Bowl championship. Next steps Get ready for prime time with No. 8 pick Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons coming to town. The Commanders opened as a 4-point favorite on BetMGM Sportsbook. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Stephen Whyno, The Associated PressNo. 20 Texas A&M wins tight battle vs. Rutgers

Seahawks Activating S Rayshawn Jenkins From IRBIT Mining Limited to Hold Annual General Meeting on January 7, 2025

Coralogix acquires AI observability platform AporiaWhere Will Rocket Lab Be in 3 Years?

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn't caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. “Once we settled in and did the ordinary things, we had a real good day,” said Tennessee coach Josh Heupel, whose team scored touchdowns on all eight red zone visits. “We started off cold,” said Iamaleava. "We made too many errors. We picked it up as the game went on. “That first play (of the Vols' first series of the game — a long incomplete pass to Squirrel White) we missed for a touchdown. I really want that one back. All you can do is focus on the next play.” Tennessee's defensive line, which had no sacks in last week's loss to Georgia, had four against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. It was the second time in Miners coach Scotty Wallen's seven-year coaching career that his team has been shut out. “I thought we took massive steps forward, even though the results weren't what we wanted,” said Wallen. “(Tennessee) is one of the best teams in the country, right there.” Just before halftime, UTEP lost starting quarterback Skyler Locklear with an injury. Backup JP Pickles had trouble getting anything going. “When Skyler went down, that kind of messed with us,” said Miners center Brennan Smith. Tennessee's offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. “(That first touchdown) was special for me,” said McCoy. "I promised my mom I'd get into the end zone. I never worried (this season, about not scoring). You have to have faith. The timing will be right for it to happen.” UTEP was the dominant team in the first quarter. Tennessee managed just 37 offensive yards and, thanks to an interception near the end zone and a missed field goal by the Miners, both teams were scoreless after 15 minutes. POLL IMPLICATIONS Tennessee’s convincing victory, coupled with losses by Mississippi and Indiana, should put the Volunteers in a good position when the next College Football Playoff poll is released. The Vols were ranked No. 11 going into this week’s games. THE TAKEAWAY UTEP: The Miners will head into a very winnable game against New Mexico State having won two of their last five games. First-year coach Scotty Walden will try to build on that success in the offseason to help enhance his roster. Tennessee: Even a lopsided win won’t carry much weight where it means the most — in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Vols will have to rely on a convincing win against Vanderbilt next week, a team that has shown a lot of improvement this season, to help their standing for those coveted spots. UP NEXT UTEP: The Miners will finish their season at New Mexico State Saturday. Tennessee: The Vols will finish their regular season at Vanderbilt next Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballAsimily attributes 514% revenue growth to cross-industry demand for its innovative IoT security and risk management solutions SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asimily , a leading Internet of Things (IoT), Operational Technology (OT), and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) risk management platform, today announced that it ranked as the 11 th fastest-growing cybersecurity company on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500TM , a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies in North America, now in its 30 th year. Asimily was also named to the list in 2023. "Our growth in 2024 reflects our customers' appreciation of our hard work building the strongest platform with the largest breadth and depth of capabilities in IoT, IoMT, and OT device security and risk management . Our continued product innovation aligns with the market demand we've seen from our growing customer base,” said Shankar Somasundaram, CEO, Asimily. "We're dedicated to providing exceptional IoT, IoMT, and OT-focused security that covers all customer needs from device visibility to vulnerability management to threat detection and response to risk mitigation. We're proud to see Asimily's growth and achievements celebrated with inclusion in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for the second year in a row.” IoT security is mission-critical as organizations expand their connected device networks. Unlike traditional IT assets, IoT devices have unique network behaviors that standard cybersecurity tools struggle to analyze effectively. This can lead to confusion between real threats and false positives, and put networks at risk. Asimily delivers the comprehensive capabilities necessary to accurately detect, prioritize, and mitigate real and time-sensitive vulnerabilities, ensuring robust protection for IoT deployments as they scale across enterprise environments. Asimily solutions are designed for organizations of all industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, energy and utilities, logistics, and more. "For 30 years we've been celebrating companies that are actively driving innovation. The software industry continues to be a beacon of growth, and the fintech industry made a strong showing on this year's list, surpassing life sciences for the first time,” said Steve Fineberg, vice chair, U.S. technology sector leader, Deloitte. "Significantly, we also saw a breakthrough in performance of private companies, with the highest number of private companies named to the list in our program's history. This year's winners have shown they have the vision and expertise to continue to perform at a high level, and that deserves to be celebrated.” "Innovation, transformation, and disruption of the status quo are at the forefront for this year's Technology Fast 500 list, and there's no better way to celebrate 30 years of program history,” said Christie Simons, partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP and industry leader for technology, media and telecommunications within Deloitte's Audit & Assurance practice. "This year's winning companies have demonstrated a continuous commitment to growth and remarkable consistency in driving forward progress. We extend our congratulations to all of this year's winners - it's an incredible time for innovation.” About the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Now in its 30th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies - both public and private - in North America. Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company's operating revenues. Companies must have base-year operating revenues of at least US $50,000, and current-year operating revenues of at least US$5 million. Additionally, companies must be in business for a minimum of four years and be headquartered within North America. About Asimily Asimily is an industry-leading risk management platform that secures IoT devices for healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, government, life sciences, retail, and finance. With the most extensive knowledge base of IoT and security protocols, Asimily inventories and classifies every device across organizations, both connected and standalone. Because risk assessment-and threats-are not a static target, Asimily monitors organizations' devices, detects anomalous behavior, and alerts operators to remediate any identified anomalies. With secure IoT devices and equipment, Asimily customers know their business-critical devices and data are safe. For more information on Asimily, visit www.asimily.com About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 8,500 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters by creating trust and confidence in a more equitable society. We leverage our unique blend of business acumen, command of technology, and strategic technology alliances to advise our clients across industries as they build their future. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 460,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte” name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. Asimily Contact Kyle Peterson - [email protected]

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Like last year, there is a good demand for electricity-run residential water heaters, locally known as geysers, since the coming of winter this year thanks to changing lifestyles in semi-urban and urban areas and affordable prices, according to industry insiders. Temperatures yesterday dropped to a minimum of 15.1°C in the capital while the lowest in the country was 8.9°C in Sreemangal, as per data of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Faisal Mahmud, a technician in Uttara of Dhaka, said he has been installing at least two geysers every day since the start of December and anticipates having to set up even more from the first week of January. During this winter season from November to February, sales could total at least 400,000 units whereas three years back it was just around 120,000 units, claim industry insiders in spite of a dearth of reliable data. This season's sales could amount to about Tk 380 crore to Tk 400 crore and a major portion is generated by about a dozen local businesses offering the product under their own brands. The electrical appliance comprises simple technology and Tk 20 crore to Tk 25 crore is needed to set up a manufacturing plant capable of producing at least 35,000 units to 40,000 units annually. Sales have been apparently quite high for Walton Group, which manufactures and sells products under its own brand. Local businesses are now producing high quality goods and are fully equipped to meet domestic demand, said Rinto Augustin Gomes, product manager for home appliances of Walton. However, the depreciation of the Taka against the US dollar has turned imported raw materials costlier, leading to a slight increase in production costs, he added. "We have 30-litre to 67-litre geysers at prices ranging from Tk 8,390 to Tk 18,400," he said. "We also introduced IoT [WiFi controlled] devices. Now, customers can use their geyser through a Walton app," he added. Over the past two weeks, Transcom Digital has sold 700 geysers. The demand increased in tune with the gradual drop in temperature, said Ritesh Ranjan, head of business at Transcom Digital. Even demand for room heaters has also increased although a cold wave is yet to hit, he added. According to him, such products are a creature comfort while remaining within the purchasing capacity of middle-income groups. The company sells geysers of 15-litre to 50-litre capacities at prices of Tk 12,300 to Tk 15,800, he said. "We also started selling Haier brand geysers for the first time in this season," Ranjan added. With the arrival of winter, Pran-RFL Group witnessed double-digit sales growth this month compared to the same period last year. "We set a target to sell at least 2.20 lakh units this season while the production capacity is around 3 lakh units," said Pran-RFL's Director for Marketing Kamruzzaman Kamal. Accordingly, demand usually peaks in the winter season, and this year is no exception as sales are anticipated to rise in coming days, he continued. "Over time, people have incorporated the product into their daily lives. Geysers provide hot water straight from the water supply outlet, which is very useful especially for showering," he said. The device is now more affordable for middle-income people living in urban, semi-urban and even rural parts of the nation thanks to increased local production, he added. According to Kamal, the price of locally made geysers ranges from Tk 3,000 to Tk 15,000. The demand for winter-centric products like room heaters and geysers has increased not only in major cities like Sylhet, Chattogram and Dhaka, but also the country's colder northern districts. These devices have become nearly indispensable in areas like Rangpur, Dinajpur and Panchagarh, particularly for households with young children, senior citizens or people with health conditions. Markets in Rangpur and Dinajpur offer a range of geysers and heaters of local and international brands. Room heaters are priced between Tk 1,200 and Tk 10,000 while geysers of 20-litre to 67-liter capacities cost between Tk 5,000 and Tk 20,000. Delwar Hossain, a resident of Dinajpur sadar upazila, recently purchased a geyser for his family but expressed dissatisfaction with its "steep" price. "Last year, the same model was much more affordable. Although we needed it urgently due to the harsh winter, the price hike is frustrating," he said. Retailers echoed similar sentiments about the market dynamics. Popular brands like Miyako, Nova and Konka are dominating the market but the financial strain on consumers is evident. "People are finding it hard to meet daily expenses, let alone invest in items they consider non-essential," said Ashraful Islam, a retailer in Gopalganj. Like last year, there is a good demand for electricity-run residential water heaters, locally known as geysers, since the coming of winter this year thanks to changing lifestyles in semi-urban and urban areas and affordable prices, according to industry insiders. Temperatures yesterday dropped to a minimum of 15.1°C in the capital while the lowest in the country was 8.9°C in Sreemangal, as per data of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Faisal Mahmud, a technician in Uttara of Dhaka, said he has been installing at least two geysers every day since the start of December and anticipates having to set up even more from the first week of January. During this winter season from November to February, sales could total at least 400,000 units whereas three years back it was just around 120,000 units, claim industry insiders in spite of a dearth of reliable data. This season's sales could amount to about Tk 380 crore to Tk 400 crore and a major portion is generated by about a dozen local businesses offering the product under their own brands. The electrical appliance comprises simple technology and Tk 20 crore to Tk 25 crore is needed to set up a manufacturing plant capable of producing at least 35,000 units to 40,000 units annually. Sales have been apparently quite high for Walton Group, which manufactures and sells products under its own brand. Local businesses are now producing high quality goods and are fully equipped to meet domestic demand, said Rinto Augustin Gomes, product manager for home appliances of Walton. However, the depreciation of the Taka against the US dollar has turned imported raw materials costlier, leading to a slight increase in production costs, he added. "We have 30-litre to 67-litre geysers at prices ranging from Tk 8,390 to Tk 18,400," he said. "We also introduced IoT [WiFi controlled] devices. Now, customers can use their geyser through a Walton app," he added. Over the past two weeks, Transcom Digital has sold 700 geysers. The demand increased in tune with the gradual drop in temperature, said Ritesh Ranjan, head of business at Transcom Digital. Even demand for room heaters has also increased although a cold wave is yet to hit, he added. According to him, such products are a creature comfort while remaining within the purchasing capacity of middle-income groups. The company sells geysers of 15-litre to 50-litre capacities at prices of Tk 12,300 to Tk 15,800, he said. "We also started selling Haier brand geysers for the first time in this season," Ranjan added. With the arrival of winter, Pran-RFL Group witnessed double-digit sales growth this month compared to the same period last year. "We set a target to sell at least 2.20 lakh units this season while the production capacity is around 3 lakh units," said Pran-RFL's Director for Marketing Kamruzzaman Kamal. Accordingly, demand usually peaks in the winter season, and this year is no exception as sales are anticipated to rise in coming days, he continued. "Over time, people have incorporated the product into their daily lives. Geysers provide hot water straight from the water supply outlet, which is very useful especially for showering," he said. The device is now more affordable for middle-income people living in urban, semi-urban and even rural parts of the nation thanks to increased local production, he added. According to Kamal, the price of locally made geysers ranges from Tk 3,000 to Tk 15,000. The demand for winter-centric products like room heaters and geysers has increased not only in major cities like Sylhet, Chattogram and Dhaka, but also the country's colder northern districts. These devices have become nearly indispensable in areas like Rangpur, Dinajpur and Panchagarh, particularly for households with young children, senior citizens or people with health conditions. Markets in Rangpur and Dinajpur offer a range of geysers and heaters of local and international brands. Room heaters are priced between Tk 1,200 and Tk 10,000 while geysers of 20-litre to 67-liter capacities cost between Tk 5,000 and Tk 20,000. Delwar Hossain, a resident of Dinajpur sadar upazila, recently purchased a geyser for his family but expressed dissatisfaction with its "steep" price. "Last year, the same model was much more affordable. Although we needed it urgently due to the harsh winter, the price hike is frustrating," he said. Retailers echoed similar sentiments about the market dynamics. Popular brands like Miyako, Nova and Konka are dominating the market but the financial strain on consumers is evident. "People are finding it hard to meet daily expenses, let alone invest in items they consider non-essential," said Ashraful Islam, a retailer in Gopalganj.Led by Meaghan Brazeau, Douglas nips Hull for Div. 5 girls soccer title

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