MTV’s Top 20 Most Played Music Videos of 2016

Sia and Sean Paul’s ‘Cheap Thrills’ has topped MTV’s Most Played Music Video 2016 list.

The 41-year-old Australian singer and ‘Get Busy’ hitmaker beat off stiff competition from the list of 20 artists including Justin Bieber’s ‘Love Yourself’, Calvin Harris and Rihanna’s ‘This is What You Came For’ and Beyoncé’s ‘Sorry’.

Meanwhile, Jonas Blue had two tracks on the list, ‘Perfect Strangers’ and ‘Fast Car’.

Talking about his successful year, which saw him gain over a billion streams, he exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “It has been a bit mad, a billion streams now, it’s been nuts.”

Asked what has been the highlight, he added: “probably that. Doing that and being able to have this amazing platform where I can just share all my music around the world and do what I love.”

Sia and Sean Paul’s ‘Cheap Thrills’ is MTV’s Most Played Music Video of 2016

Elsewhere on the list is Coldplay and Beyoncé’s ‘Hymn For The Weekend’, DNCE’s ‘Cake By The Ocean’, Fifth Harmony’s ‘Work from Home’ featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’.

And Lukas Graham’s 7 Years’, Mike Posner’s comeback single ‘I Took A Pill in Ibiza’, Shawn Mendes ‘Stitches’, The Chainsmokers and Daya’s ‘Don’t Let Me down’, Zara Larsson’s ‘Lush Life’, Zayn’s ‘Pillowtalk’ and Twenty One Pilots ‘Stressed Out’.

MTV’s Top 20 Most Played Music Videos of 2016 are as follows:

Alan Walker – ‘Faded’

Beyoncé – ‘Sorry’

Calvin Harris Ft. Rihanna – ‘This is What You Came For’

Coldplay Ft. Beyonce – ‘Hymn For The Weekend’

DJ Snake Ft. Justin Bieber – ‘Let Me Love You’

DNCE – ‘Cake By The Ocean’

Fifth Harmony Ft. Ty Dolla $ign – ‘Work from Home’

Jonas Blue Ft. Dakota – ‘Fast Car
’

Jonas Blue Ft. JP Cooper – ‘Perfect Strangers
’

Justin Bieber – ‘Love Yourself
’

Justin Timberlake – ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’

Kungs Vs Cookin On 3 Burners – ‘This Girl’

Lukas Graham – ‘7 Years’

Mike Posner – ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza
’

Shawn Mendes – ‘Stitches’

The Chainsmokers Ft. Daya – ‘Don’t Let Me Down’

Twenty One Pilots – ‘Stressed Out
’

Zara Larsson – ‘Lush Life’

Zayn – ‘Pillowtalk’

Odd facts about the giraffe

One of the most under-studied large mammals in Africa, research has shown the giraffe has silently been going extinct, with numbers dropping 40 percent in the past three decades.

Here are some unusual facts about one of the most distinctive-looking creatures on the continent.

– Neck –

The giraffe’s best-known feature can be longer than most people are tall. However, like humans it still only has seven vertebrae. Each is about 25 centimetres (10 inches) long.

It is used to reach high up into trees for food but too short to reach the ground, so the animals have to splay their legs or kneel down to drink water. Luckily they only drink every few days and get most of their hydration from plants.

The neck is also used in an elaborate ritual fight known as “necking” in which giraffes swing at each other to establish dominance.

– Markings –

With its spotted pattern and long legs and neck, the giraffe was given the Latin name “camelopardalis”, meaning “camel marked like a leopard”.

But the spots are not only for camouflage.

According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), each patch is surrounded by a sophisticated system of blood vessels which act as thermal windows to release body heat.

A thermal scan of a giraffe shows the intensity of heat in its body matching the pattern of the spots.

Like the human fingerprint, each giraffe has its own unique pattern.

– Big tongue, big heart –

It’s not just the neck and legs which are outsized on a giraffe.

Its tongue can measure up to 50 centimetres to give the animal even more leverage in nibbling from the top of its favoured tree, the acacia.

The tongue’s blue-black colour is believed to shield the organ from sun exposure and it is widely accepted that a giraffe’s sticky saliva has antiseptic properties to protect it from spiky thorns on the acacia.

A giraffe’s heart weights up to 11 kilograms — to power blood up a neck of nearly two metres — and beats up to 170 times per minute, double the speed of a human heart.

– Breeding –

Giraffes have one of the longest gestation periods, at 15 months. They give birth standing up, which means their calves drop just under two metres to the ground.

This startling introduction to life gets them up and running around in less than an hour. A newborn calf is bigger than the average adult.

In the wild, giraffes can live up to 25 years, while in captivity they can survive over 35 years.

– Genetics –

Giraffes evolved from an antelope-like animal of about three metres tall that roamed the forests of Asia and Europe 30 to 50 million years ago. Its closest living relative is the okapi.

In September scientists revealed there were in fact four distinct giraffe species and not one, as initially thought.

Rapper Soulja Boy arrested on gun charge

Soulja Boy, the rapper who started a viral dance craze while still a teenager with “Crank That,” was arrested Thursday for illegally possessing a gun, police said.

Officers entered his Los Angeles home early in the morning and took him into custody after discovering the firearm, a police spokesman said.

Although the United States has lenient gun laws, Soulja Boy is banned from owning a firearm as part of his probation following an earlier arrest.

The rapper was detained in 2014 for carrying a loaded gun after police pulled over the driver of his car on suspicion of ignoring a stop sign.

The 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was behind one of the previous decade’s biggest dance memes with his debut single “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” in 2007.

The energetic but straight-forward moves, in which dancers shake their arms alternately to the right and left, helped propel the song to number one on the US charts. It became the first single to be downloaded three million times — a record that has since been surpassed.

After several follow-up hits, Soulja Boy has struggled to replicate his earlier success. He has recently been starring on reality television and promoting online poker.

Although it was unclear why police decided to enter his house on Thursday, the gossip site TMZ said officers were responding to a threat the rapper allegedly made online.

STEPHANIE DEL VALLE ATWAA TAJI LA MISS WORLD 2016, MISS KENYA ATINGA TANO BORA

Mwanamuziki na mwanamitindo kutoa nchini Puerto Rico, Stephanie del Valle Díaz ametangazwa kuwa mshindi wa taji la Miss World kwa mwaka 2016 akiwashinda wenzake 116 ambao nao walishiriki shindano hilo.

Stephanie mwenye umri wa miaka 19 kabla ya kutangazwa kuwa mshindi aliingia katika tano bora na baada ya mchojo kufanyika kwa kujibu maswali kisha majaji wakamchagua kuwa mshindi na kuchukua nafasi ya Mireia Lalaguna Royo ambaye alikuwa akilishikilia taji la Miss World kwa mwaka 2015.

Kwa upande wa Afrika Mashariki, Miss Kenya 2016, Evelyn Njambi Thungu aliwakilisha vyema kwani alifanikiwa kuingia katika tano bora akiwa pamoja na Stephanie del Valle , Yarizza Miguelina Reyes Ramirez, Natasha Mannuela na Catriona Gray

Tano Bora ya Miss World 2016
Miss Puerto Rico – Stephanie del Valle (Mshindi wa kwanza – Miss World 2016)

Miss Domican Republic – Yarizza Miguelina Reyes Ramirez (Mshindi wa pili)

Miss Indonesia – Natasha Mannuela (Mshindi wa tatu)

Miss Kenya – Evelyn Njambi Thungu

Miss Philippines – Catriona Gray

Beyoncé calls on Jay Z to help troubled Kanye West

Beyoncé has called on her husband Jay Z to reach out to Kanye West following his breakdown.

The ‘Formation’ singer has reportedly asked the ‘Holy Grail’ rapper to “let bygones be bygones” and go and be by Kanye’s side at UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles where he is receiving treatment for exhaustion and sleep deprivation.

Despite growing apart in recent times, Jay considers Kanye – who has children North, three, and Saint, 11 months, with wife Kim Kardashian West – family and is said to be “coming round” to the idea of helping him.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “Beyoncé is urging Jay to let bygones be bygones, and Jay is coming round to the idea and fast as he sees Kanye is in trouble.

“No matter what has happened between them, Kanye has always been Jay’s little bro and Jay has always called him his ‘familia’.”

Beyoncé and Jay were really supportive when the ‘Bound 2’ rapper’s beloved mother died on November 10, 2007 following complications caused by breast reduction and abdominoplasty surgery.

According to the insider, they plan on letting Kanye know that they can be there to comfort him if he’d like them to.

The source added: “When Kanye’s mother Donda died, it was Bey and Jay that Kanye turned to.

“They were his number one comforters, with Beyoncé even playing Connect 4 with him to take his mind off things.

“They’re now planning to reach out to Kanye quietly and in private to avoid any media storm but just to let him know they are there for him.”

Kanye’s hospitalisation came after he took aim at Beyoncé and Jay at his gig in Sacramento, California on Saturday (19.11.16).

He said: “Beyonce I was hurt, I went down for seven years on your behalf. I put my career, my life, my public well-standing at risk. This is a moment in the matrix.

“I heard you said you wouldn’t perform unless you won Video of the Year over me and over ‘Hotline Bling’.

“In my opinion, now don’t go dissing Beyonce, she’s great. Taylor Swift is great. We are all great people. But sometimes we be playing the politics too much and forget who we are – just to win.

“F**k winning, f**k looking cool, f**k being cool.

“At the risk of my own success. I’ve been sent here, at the risk of my own life, at the risk of my own career, to give ya’ll the truth.

“Jay Z, call me. I know you got killas. Please don’t send them at my head. Just call me–talk to me like a man.”

He then scrapped his entire ‘Saint Pablo Tour’ before being admitted to hospital.

James Corden to host 2017 Grammy Awards

James Corden has been announced as the host of the 2017 Grammy Awards.

The ‘Late Late Show’ star is to take control of proceedings at America’s biggest music prize-giving ceremony for the first time.

Corden – whose ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segment on his talk show has attracted music superstar guests such as Adele, Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Lopez – is taking over the job from LL Cool J, who has hosted for the past five years.

In a statement announcing the news, The Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow said: “Thanks to ‘Carpool Karaoke,’ we’ve all been on some incredible rides with James, and The Recording Academy couldn’t be more excited to welcome his passion and enthusiasm for music, both as an entertainer and a fan, to the Grammy stage on February 12. He’s got big shoes to fill after the magnificent run we had with LL Cool J, but James Corden is a commanding, dynamic showman who, we believe, is perfect to host the Grammy Awards.”

Corden is thrilled to have been offered the job and cannot wait for next February to roll around.

He said: “I am truly honoured to be hosting The Grammys next year. It’s the biggest, most prestigious award show in music and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of such an incredible night.”

Luckily, Corden has experience of hosting massive music awards shows as he has hosted the BRIT Awards in the UK on three occasions.

For his first attempt in 2009 he co-presented The BRITs with his former comedy partner Mathew Horne and pop babe Kylie Minogue with their effort drawing lukewarm reviews, however, his stints in 2011 and 2012 were far better received.

Back in June, Corden helmed the 2016 Tony Awards.

Kanye suffered mental breakdown: reports

Rapper Kanye West was taken to a hospital in Los Angeles after his doctor called the emergency services to report he was suffering a mental breakdown, news reports said Tuesday.

The musician’s personal physician Michael Farzam told police that his 39-year-old patient was “acting erratically” due to sleep deprivation and dehydration and he was concerned about his well-being, the celebrity gossip website TMZ said.

He was taken from his personal trainer’s home to UCLA Medical Center handcuffed to a gurney, as is standard procedure for psychiatric patients, TMZ said.

The “Fade” rapper’s health scare took place after he abruptly cancelled the remaining 21 dates of his “Saint Pablo Tour” on Monday following a rambling onstage tirade at the weekend against fellow artists Jay Z and Beyonce.

His wife, reality TV queen Kim Kardashian, was due to make her return to the public eye on Monday night for the first time since she was robbed at gunpoint in Paris in October. But she reportedly cancelled her plans and rushed to her husband’s bedside.

Meanwhile several celebrities came out in support of West on Tuesday with singer John Legend saying he could tell the father-of-two wasn’t doing well when he saw him recently.

“We were with Kim actually, you know, right before all of that,” the fellow musician and friend told US television, referring to Kanye’s hospitalization. “I was concerned by what I saw, so hopefully he’s getting some rest and some time to figure things out.”

He did not elaborate on West’s condition.

– ‘Get well soon’ –

Other celebrities took to social media to express their support for the multiple Grammy Award-winning musician, including actor Emile Hirsch who said he had been down the same road.

“Hey @kanyewest, get better man! People are making jokes right now, but having been there myself, I hope he gets the help he needs,” Hirsch tweeted.

Actor Marlon Wayans also offered his backing in a series of tweets, saying that while the rapper may have put some people off by his recent rantings he wished him well.

“And I hope u all pray for @kanyewest too. He’s not just an artist but he’s a father, a son a husband and above (all) human. Get well soon,” one tweet said.

The rapper had told an audience on Thursday that he did not vote but would have chosen Republican President-elect Donald Trump, sparking angry fans to boo the star and throw items on stage.

Actress Rose McGowan said she hoped West recovers while admonishing him for supporting Trump.

“I hope Kanye West feels better, I also hope he’ll realize that no white supremacist is worth adulating,” she tweeted.

Since August, West has performed around 40 dates in Canada and the United States, rapping above the stage on an innovative “floating” platform.

He halted a gig in New York in the middle of his set when he was informed that his wife was robbed at gunpoint in Paris.

West has not spoken publicly about the incident but TMZ quoted a source as saying time spent away from family had added to the rapper’s stress.

He canceled several dates the following week but made a comeback in his hometown, Chicago, and performed without incident until a show in Oakland on October 22 where he described the Grammys as “rigged.”

The latest cancelation followed a Saturday night show in Sacramento, where West showed up an hour late and performed three songs before berating other artists and defeated White House hopeful Hillary Clinton, and cutting the performance short.

LADY JAYDEE & THE BAND KUANGUSHA BONGE LA SHOW, DODOMA 26 NOVEMBA

JUMAMOSI ya  26 Novemba katika mji wa Dodoma kutakuwa na Show moja tu ambayo kwa sasa ni habari ya mjini  ni kutoka kwa Mwanadada mkali, anayetamba kwenye tasnia ya burudani kwa muda mrefu mwanamuziki  Judith Wambura Mbibo ‘Lady Jaydee’.

Lady Jaydee ataangusha bonge la show jukwaani akiwa pamoja na bendi yake iliyojaa vipaji lukuki vya muziki.  Show itafanyika Jumamosi tarehe 26 Novemba ndani ya  ukumbi wa Royal Village Area C na kiingilio kawaida ni Tsh. 10,000,  na V.I.P Tsh. 30,000.

Tayari tiketi za shoo hiyo zimeanza kuuzwa kaatika maeneo mbalimbali ikiwemo ya Dodoma ikiwemo. Pork joint, Ray Kids,Salama Saloon,Royal Village, Mafuru Materephone,.Wakunyamba Classic, Matei Lounge, Chuo cha mipango na Udom.

Hii si ya kukosa, Unataka kumuona shemeji! Basi tukutane pale 26 Nov, Royal Village, shoo ya kistaarabu ndani ya Makao makuu ya nchi..unakosaje sasa!!!!

Hans Van Der Pluijm arejea kuifundisha Yanga, uongozi wathibitisha

Siku kadhaa baada ya Kocha wa Yanga, Hans Van Der Pluijm kuandikia uongozi wa klabu barua ya kujiuzulu kuendelea kuifundisha klabu hiyo, hatimaye uongozi wa Yanga umuandikia barua ya kumuomba kuendelea kuifundisha klabu hiyo.

Katika barua ambayo imeandikwa na Katibu Mkuu wa Yanga, Baraka Deusdedit imeeleza kuwa Yanga inafahamu kwa kiasi gani ameisaidia klabu hiyo kwa kipindi ambacho amekuwa akiifundisha na inapenda kuona akiendelea na nafasi yake ya ukocha kama ilivyokuwa awali.

Jay Z to rally voters for Clinton

Rap mogul Jay Z will return to the stage to rally voters for Hillary Clinton in the key swing stage of Ohio, her campaign said Tuesday.

The Democratic presidential candidate’s website invited fans to enter a lottery for a ticket to Jay Z’s free show, which will take place on November 4 in Cleveland.

The rapper and husband of Beyonce also performed in Ohio to support President Barack Obama during the 2012 election when he tinkered with his hit “99 Problems” to throw in a reference to Republican rival Mitt Romney.

Jay Z has played few shows in the past two years as he focuses on his Tidal streaming company, although he is also scheduled to perform next month in India at the Global Citizen Festival against poverty.

Prominent musicians have rallied behind Clinton in her quest to be the first woman president, notably pop superstar Katy Perry who has described herself as Clinton’s “number one fan.”

Miley Cyrus, the pop star known for her provocative on-stage antics, surprised university students over the weekend in another swing state, Virginia, by knocking on dormitory doors to encourage young voters to get to the polls for Clinton.

Rival Donald Trump has had few major backers, with a long list of artists including the Rolling Stones and Adele asking the Republican candidate to stop playing their music at rallies.

Among Trump’s few musical backers are rocker and gun enthusiast Ted Nugent, who appeared in a commercial for the billionaire, months after calling on Facebook for the execution of Obama and Clinton.

Apple spins services with iPhone sales slumping

Apple’s quarterly profit slumped on a widely expected drop in iPhone sales, but gains in services offered some optimism on the company’s efforts to curb dependence on its smartphone.

The company said Tuesday that profit fell 19 percent to $9 billion in the fiscal quarter ending September 24. Revenue fell nine percent to $46.9 billion from $51.5 billion a year earlier.

The results were largely in line with market forecasts and showed sales of the iPhone — Apple’s biggest revenue and profit driver — down five percent from a year ago to 45.5 million units.

The quarterly update only provided limited information on the reception of the newest iPhone models, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which were released in early September, and was likely to benefit from the woes of rival Samsung, suffering from a massive recall of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 phone.

Analysts were expecting declines in iPhone sales with many smartphone markets saturated, a situation that has led Apple to focus on new products like the Apple Watch and services like mobile payments, Apple TV and streaming music.

Chief executive Tim Cook welcomed what he called “our strong September quarter results,” saying they “cap a very successful fiscal 2016 for Apple.”

“We’re thrilled with the customer response to iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2, as well as the incredible momentum of our Services business, where revenue grew 24 percent to set another all-time record,” he said in a statement.

The world’s largest company by market value closed out its fiscal year ending September 24 with a net profit of $45.7 billion on revenues of $215.6 billion, both figures lower than the prior year.

Apple shares fell 2.7 percent in after-hours trade following the release.

“Previously, Apple was able to rely on strong sales of phones, tablets and computers to drive up revenue and profit across all geographies. This is no longer the case,” said Neil Saunders of the research firm Conlumino.

Still, Saunders noted that “Apple is being judged by its own incredibly high standards,” and that “even with the dips in growth it remains a phenomenally successful business that is far from running out of steam.”

– More than device maker –

Frank Gillett, a Forrester Research analyst, said the results show Apple is making progress in diversifying its mix of products and services as smartphone sales stagnate.

“The rise of services shows they’re more than a device maker,” Gillett said.

“It’s indicative of the depth of engagement of their customers.”

The more consumers use Apple applications and services, “the less likely they will switch to a rival,” Gillett said.

Apple’s results showed a six percent drop in iPad unit sales and a 14 percent decline in the number of Mac computers sold.

While iPhone sales accounted for more than half of revenues, services revenue grew to $6.3 billion as the company expanded services such as Apple Pay and its enterprise offerings.

In the key “Greater China” market, Apple said revenues were down 30 percent from a year to $8.8 billion. But the company noted a 10 percent rise in revenue from Japan and cited gains in other global markets.

Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy said Apple “met most expectations but didn’t have a great quarter” with sales of its main products lower.

“I’m suspecting there may have been availability issues on the iPhone 7 and Watch,” Moorhead said.

Still, Apple “had a banner quarter in services” which is a positive sign, according to the analyst.

“It’s important the investment community take a long view versus looking at short-term growth estimates as a knee-jerk Apple response would only work against the company and the stock price,” Moorhead said.

On a call with analysts, Cook declined to comment on what Apple has in the pipeline but did indicate the company was investing in “products in the development phase which have not yet reached the market.”

Asked to explain the sharp rise in research and development spending, Cook said, “We’re confidently investing in the future.”

Ciara announces pregnancy

Ciara is expecting her first child with husband Russell Wilson and the newlyweds announced the news on the singer’s birthday.

The ‘Love Sex Magic’ hitmaker and her husband Russell Wilson have announced they are expecting their first child together as they both took to Instagram on Tuesday (25.10.16) – Ciara’s 31st birthday – to share the news with their followers.

Alongside a picture of the couple cuddled up together, the ‘Dance Like We’re Making Love’ singer wrote: “On this special Birthday I received an abundance of love from friends and family.. and I’m excited to Finally share one of the Greatest Gifts of All that God could give… (sic)”

The caption was finished with a series of emojis, including a baby and a bottle of milk.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old NFL star shared the same picture on his Instagram and wrote: “The Greatest Blessing of All. Forever Grateful. #BabyWilsonOnTheWay (sic)”

Whilst the baby is Russell’s first, Ciara is already mother to two-year-old Future Zahir, whom she co-parents with former beau and rapper Future.

And the ‘Goodies’ musician doesn’t need to worry about shedding any post-baby weight either, as she previously admitted she managed to drop the 60 pounds she put on whilst carrying Future Zahir.

She said: “After delivering my son, a 9-lb. 10-oz. baby, and gaining 60 lbs., I was committed to [returning] to how I felt before I had him. Four months after having him, I was back to my original shape. There’s something very empowering about that. Something about that gave me an extra pep in my step, and motivated me even more to go harder.”

Although Russell doesn’t have any children of his own yet, he’s had practice for the upcoming bundle of joy now that he’s a stepfather to Future Zahir.

He said previously: “[Ciara] has a little man, he’s awesome and cute as can be, he’s a special kid. I’m a stepdad now. When I see this kid, he’s 2-years-old, he’s so sweet and loving, always has a smile on his face. Being a stepfather, it’s about loving the child because the child can do something amazing in his life.”

‘Turn off Galaxy Note 7s immediately’, Samsung tells users as sales halted

Samsung on Tuesday called a worldwide halt to the sale and exchange of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, citing continued safety concerns, and advised all customers to stop using the device immediately.

The dramatic warning came in a written statement issued a little over a month after the world’s largest smartphone maker announced a global recall of 2.5 million Note 7s in 10 markets following complaints that its lithium-ion battery exploded while charging.

The unprecedented recall was a major PR blow for the South Korean conglomerate, which prides itself on innovation and quality, and the situation only worsened when reports emerged a week ago of replacement phones also catching fire.

Tuesday’s statement was the first formal acknowledgement of continued safety concerns and came a day after Samsung Electronics acknowledged it was easing production of the flagship smartphone.

“Because consumers’ safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 while an investigation is taking place,” the statement said.

Distributors lead

Analysts noted that the move came a little late given that a number of major distributors — US telecom firm AT&T and German rival T-Mobile — unilaterally announced a halt to sales and exchanges of the model on Sunday.

Samsung said its investigation of the “recently reported cases” involving the Note 7 was being carried out in cooperation with the relevant regulatory bodies in those markets where the recall was ordered.

In the meantime, the company advised any consumer with an original or replacement Galaxy Note 7 to “power down and stop using the device” immediately.

A similar switch-off warning was issued by Elliot Kaye, chairman of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“No one should have to be concerned their phone will endanger them, their family or their property,” Kaye said in a press release.

Samsung’s decision to halt sales and exchanges was “the right move” Kaye said, adding that his commission was actively investigating reports of phones overheating and burning in multiple US states.

Analysts have suggested that Samsung, battling ever-fiercer competition in the saturated smartphone market, may have rushed production of the Note 7 with bitter rival Apple’s recently released iPhone 7 in mind.

The top-of-the-line Note 7 was crucial to Samsung’s growth plans this year, with the company struggling to boost sales, squeezed by Apple in the high-end sector and Chinese rivals in the low-end market, as profit has stagnated.

Management spotlight

The trouble with the Note 7 and the handling of the recall, which analysts say could cost up to $2.0 billion, has shone a spotlight on Samsung’s management at a time when it is navigating a tricky generational power transfer within its founding Lee family.

Industry experts have criticised the Lee dynasty for controlling the vast group through a complex web of cross-shareholdings, even though they directly own only about five percent of total stocks.

And Samsung is also under pressure from one of its shareholders, the activist US hedge fund Elliott Management run by billionaire Paul Singer.

In a detailed proposal unveiled last week, Elliott laid out a strategy for streamlining Samsung, splitting the company in two, dual-listing the resulting operating company on a US exchange and paying shareholders a special dividend of 30 trillion won ($27 billion).

Elliott argued that Samsung, currently a maze of listed and unlisted companies with a notoriously opaque ownership and management structure, had suffered from a long-term undervaluation in the equity market.

Despite all its problems, Samsung on Friday issued a stronger-than-expected operating profit forecast for the third quarter, thanks largely to strong sales of memory chips and OLED display panels.

Steve Nyerere Stands Up Comedy yakonga nyoyo wakazi wa Dar

Mchekeshaji Steve Nyerere akitoa burudani katika usiku wa Steve Nyerere Stand Up Comedy iliyofanyika Jumamosi Oktoba 8, 2016 ukumbi wa Little Theatre jijini Dar es Salaam ambapo viongozi mbali mbali waliweza kuhudhuria. Steve Nyerere amepanga kufanya onyesho la kuchekesha mara moja kwa kila mwezi ambapo mwezi ujao anatarajia kufanya onyesho hilo.

Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Kinondoni, Ally Happi aalikuwa ni mmoja ya wageni waalikwa.

Mkuu wa mkoa wa Dar es Salaam, Mhe. Paul Makonda alikuwa ni miongoni mwa wageni waliofika katika usiku wa Steve Nyerere Stand Up Comedy iliyofanyika Jumamosi Oktoba 8, 2016 ukumbi wa Little Theatre jijini Dar es Salaam ambapo viongozi mbali mbali waliweza kuhudhuria.

Mchekeshaji Steve Nyerere akicheza muziki na msanii Dokii katika usiku wa Steve Nyerere Stand Up Comedy iliyofanyika Jumamosi Oktoba 8, 2016 ukumbi wa Little Theatre jijini Dar es Salaam ambapo viongozi mbali mbali waliweza kuhudhuria.

Kim Kardashian robbed at gunpoint in Paris hotel, loses jewellery worth millions

Kim Kardashian West was unharmed after being robbed at gunpoint inside her Paris hotel room Sunday night, her representative and a police official said.

The spokeswoman for Kardashian West said the reality TV star was “badly shaken but physically unharmed” after being held up at gunpoint by two masked men dressed as police officers.

She offered no other details.

A Paris police official confirmed that there was a robbery involving Kardashian but she was unharmed, and that an investigation was underway. The official was not authorized to be publicly named speaking about ongoing investigations.

Kanye West was performing at the Meadows Music and Arts Festival in New York at the time. He abruptly ended his set Sunday night after telling his fans he had a family emergency.

“I’m sorry, family emergency I have to stop the show,” West told the audience.

Kardashian West has been in Paris for fashion week. She attended the Givenchy show Sunday evening.

She was also ambushed last week by a serial celebrity accoster who attempted to assault her as she was entering a restaurant. Kardashian West was also attacked outside of a Paris fashion week show in 2014. She wasn’t hurt in either incident.

Paris has been a special place for the Kardashian West and her husband, who spent the weekend there before marrying in Florence in May of 2014.

It’s unclear if the couple’s two children, 3-year-old daughter North and 10-month-old son Saint, were with Kardashian West in the hotel room.

#Gadgets: Apple eliminates headphone jacks in new waterproof iPhones

Apple is out to make a splash with new waterproof iPhones and a smartphone game starring Nintendo’s beloved “Mario”, but it has raised eyebrows by eliminating headphone jacks in a push for wireless.

The iPhone 7 and larger iPhone 7 Plus, with sophisticated camera technology, improved water resistance and other features, were shown off to applause on Wednesday at an Apple event in San Francisco.

The flagship devices with boosted memory capacity will be sold at roughly the same price as the models they replace, starting at $649 for the iPhone 7 for US customers, with deliveries in 25 countries beginning September 16.

But gone is the traditional headphone jack, requiring audio to be delivered via Apple’s proprietary “lightning” connector or by wireless — and that may ruffle feathers.

Lightning connectors were designed from the outset to handle high-quality audio, Apple vice president Phil Schiller told the audience, addressing concerns about the headphone jack removal.

“It comes down to one reason: courage, the courage to move on,” Schiller said of the decision to get rid of the traditional headset port.

“Our smartphones are packed with technologies and we all want more, and it is all fighting for space in that same enclosure. Maintaining an old, single-purpose connector just doesn’t make sense.”

Apple wireless “AirPods” and adaptors to plug wired headsets into Lightning ports will come with iPhone 7 models, according to Schiller.

The 3.5mm analogue jack for wired headsets dates back more than a century, and it was time for someone to “break from the past and start pushing people into the future,” Creative Strategies analyst Tim Bajarin said after the event.

Apple may be setting the stage for a dramatically different iPhone model to debut next year on the 10th anniversary of the smartphone first introduced in 2007, Bajarin said.

“It could be a first step for Apple making this completely wireless, and maybe next year a new iPhone with wireless charging,” the analyst said.

– ‘Super Mario Run’ –

Revered Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto was a surprise guest at the Apple event, unveiling a new “Super Mario Run” game heading for the iPhone by the year-end holidays.

“We want as many people of all ages to be able to play Super Mario Run,” Miyamoto said.

“We plan to release it at a set price, and then you can play to your heart’s content.” The price was not disclosed.

Apple, Nintendo and game maker Niantic used the event to announce the wildly popular Pokemon Go would be available for Apple Watch users later this month.

Pokemon Go has been downloaded more than 500 million times and billions of kilometers have been walked by players since it was made available free in early July, according to Niantic Labs, which created the game.

– Getting wet –

The new-generation iPhones and Apple Watch boast the ability to get wet without getting ruined.

“The first Apple Watch was splash-proof, the Apple Watch Series 2 is swim-proof,” Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams said during the presentation.

The new smartphones come with Apple seeking to reverse declines in sales of the iPhone in an increasingly saturated global market, and boost its Apple Watch.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the new smartphones take advantage of the latest iPhone software, iOS 10.

The iPhone 7 Plus, Apple’s version of a “phablet,” includes dual cameras to improve optical performance and photo quality.

While Apple has touted total iPhone sales of one billion, the number sold in the quarter ending June 25 fell 15 percent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the key profit driver.

Analysts were split on whether new iPhones would help Apple regain momentum.

“I believe Apple did enough to keep the base happy with upgrades and arguably did enough to attract some Android users,” said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy.

“The iPhone 7 is a completely new phone.”

But Neil Saunders of the research firm Conlumino said the iPhone 7 “is not radically different to the previous incarnation.” and that the new features “are unlikely to be persuasive factors in determining whether consumers upgrade or stick with what they have.”

– Moving forward on watch –

On the wearables front, the new Apple Watch Series 2 will also feature GPS, allowing people to gather fitness data during an outdoor workout.

Sales figures for the smartwatch are not disclosed by Apple, but surveys show enthusiasm has faded since last year’s release.

Apple saw a 56.7 percent year-over-year drop in sales of the device in the past quarter, research firm IDC said.

“Apple has rethought the Apple Watch significantly since its first release,” said Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson.

“Its original emphasis on apps and communication has faded into the background as health and fitness features have come to the fore.”