Today it has become obvious that for the successful development of business it is not enough just to have a website, it is also necessary to use a special mobile app. The development of such an application can be ordered individually, or it can be done using a ready-made product.

If your business doesn’t already have its own app, we highly recommend that you seriously consider creating one. Today, it’s pretty easy – just contact a company that provides cross platform app development services. Why a cross-platform app?

• Cross-platform development costs less, which is explained by the smaller amount of work compared to native development. But even here there are pitfalls, which can be discerned only by understanding the principles of pricing.
• unlimited functionality and interface of the application;
• low cost of bug fixes and updates;
• There is no need to synchronize the creation of Android- and iOS-applications and spend additional resources on development management.

The benefits of using mobile applications for business

It is no secret that in recent years there are more and more Internet users who use mobile devices – tablets, laptops, smartphones. Of course, on such devices it is better to use mobile applications, the interface of which allows you to quickly, conveniently and comfortably find the necessary goods and services.

For its part, modern business is forced to operate in a highly competitive environment. As a result, not being able to offer their goods and services with a mobile application, you can miss a huge number of potential customers, users, buyers and clients.

In addition, modern mobile applications allow you to organize your current working moments in a completely new way. For example, mobile apps allow you to:

• Track and monitor workforce;
• Organize feedback to the customer base;
• Create a large-scale notification of clients about the beginning of promotions and sales;
• Save significantly on advertising;
• conduct analytics;
• create forecasts and so on.

In essence, modern mobile applications are an extremely effective working tool, the use of which allows businesses not only to compete decently in the market, but also to thrive.

Improving the customer experience

Collecting data in CRM is one thing, but using that data for customer service is quite another. With mobile apps, you can achieve high levels of customer satisfaction by providing real-time customer service. One of the features you can use is customer service chat. This kind of chat gives customers the ability to contact you with any questions and get a prompt response.

You can also include other additional features such as:

• Tracking the status of orders,
• editing and canceling services,
• viewing previous orders,
• print receipts.

This will help simplify the after-sales service process and get more loyal customers.

Attracting customers

To attract new customers, it is enough to offer an interesting bonus for installing the app. Almost every customer is sure to be interested, and everyone has a smartphone these days. The app will help you launch new promotions, and in this way you will stand out among your competitors.

For example, after installing the app, you can offer a permanent discount on a certain product or type of service, a coupon for a free dessert or a cup of coffee. As a rule, when a customer comes to a place, he will not just buy one coupon, but will definitely buy something else, so the company gets a loyal customer.

Website + App

With an app, an ongoing connection can be established with customers. Whereas a website can attract traffic through search engines and redirect people to the app. How to do this?

• Place a popup on the site offering a bonus for installing the app.
• Place a reminder to install the app at the end of every message.
• Set up a redirect page to install the mobile app on GooglePlay if the customer leaves the site.
• Having a mobile app by itself won’t solve all your business problems, but in the right hands it will be a powerful tool to increase profits.

A South Korean cryptocurrency exchange accidentally credited users with more than $40 billion in Bitcoin during a promotional giveaway, briefly turning ordinary customers into nine-figure holders.

The incident at Bithumb, the country’s second-largest crypto exchange, sent shockwaves through South Korea’s digital-asset market.

The error occurred on February 6, when an employee distributing prizes totaling 620,000 Korean won (about $425) for a “random box” promotion mistakenly entered the amounts in Bitcoin instead of won.

This misstep resulted in 620,000 bitcoins being credited across hundreds of accounts — far exceeding the exchange’s actual reserves. At the time, the amount was worth more than $40 billion, The Guardian reported.

Only 249 of the 695 eligible customers opened their prize boxes and received the erroneous credits, according to regulators.

“Catastrophic” was how Lee Chan-jin, governor of South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), described the situation, especially for those who sold the Bitcoin and faced potential losses when prices changed.

Bithumb moved quickly once it detected the mistake. Trading and withdrawals were halted within about 35 minutes.

Bithumb Recovers Most Bitcoin After Glitch

However, some users managed to sell approximately 1,788 bitcoins before controls were fully in place, briefly triggering a 15% to 17% drop in Bitcoin prices on the platform.

Some of the proceeds were withdrawn to bank accounts, while others were used to buy different cryptocurrencies.

According to the NY Post, Bithumb has since recovered 99.7% of the mistakenly credited Bitcoin through internal ledger corrections and persuading users to return the funds.

Roughly 125 bitcoins, valued at about $9 million, remain unrecovered. The exchange has pledged to absorb the loss and emphasized that the incident was not the result of hacking or a security breach.

“We want to make it clear that this matter has nothing to do with external hacking or security breaches, and there is no problem with system security or customer asset management,” the company said in a statement.

The FSS has launched a full investigation, and South Korea’s parliament scheduled an emergency hearing to question both Bithumb and financial authorities.

Originally published on vcpost.com

The restaurant sector has spent the past 18 months trying to figure out how to reach consumers in a hypercompetitive and uneven economy. McDonald’s, which is set to report earnings after the bell Wednesday, has doubled down on value messaging to customers via Extra Value Meals and Snack Wraps, which will likely help to boost sales this quarter.

But the focus on value has caused frustrations at times among parts of the chain’s operator base.

The company rolled out new franchise standards for McDonald’s operators on Jan. 1, including assessing locations on how their prices deliver value. McDonald’s said its owners are still able to set their own prices, but the standards nonetheless shape and define how franchisees — which operate 95% of McDonald’s restaurants — run their stores.

A cohort of operators is standing ground in their ability to independently set prices.

The National Owners Association, an independent franchisee advocate group, adopted a Franchisee Bill of Rights in August and circulated it in an email to members last month as the standards took effect, according to a copy of the message viewed by CNBC.

The last of the bill’s rights is the “right to set prices without fear of recourse,” which says, “Franchisees, as independent Owner/Operators, have the right to set menu prices for their restaurants based on their own business judgment and market conditions. This right exists irrespective of the pricing decisions of any national, regional, or local co-op or franchisor initiative. Franchisees must be free to manage their pricing strategy without fear of intimidation, or diminished support from McDonald’s or its affiliated entities.”

It also lists the “right to renewal and transfer,” giving owners the “absolute right to a fair and reasonable opportunity to renew franchise agreements … subject only to objective, clearly stated standards of approval.”

In December, McDonald’s told operators it would begin value assessments as part of its updates to franchising standards. Continued noncompliance could result in penalties or even termination.

At the time, the company said its new standards would provide “greater clarity … to ensure every restaurant delivers consistent, reliable value across the full customer experience,” according to a memo reviewed by CNBC.

In a statement, McDonald’s told CNBC that the business model creates the opportunity for entrepreneurs to be in business “for themselves, but never by themselves,” adding, “As franchisor, we have a responsibility to protect the strength and integrity of the brand and ensure every Owner/Operator upholds the standards that make McDonald’s so successful, for the benefit of all. This includes showing up for customers with great value – a core expectation the majority of our franchisees understand and proudly deliver.”

Some operators bristled at the changes in recent Wall Street research. In a two-part survey of 20 McDonald’s operators released last month, Kalinowski Equity Research wrote that it asked franchisee contacts if they were in favor of the changes to national franchising standards. For context, McDonald’s said it has some 2,000 owner/operators in the U.S. franchise system.

“As it turns out, every single one of the franchisees who responded to this question said ‘No.’ This is the first time in the 20+ year history of our McDonald’s Franchisee Survey that all respondents to a Yes-or-No question have all provided the exact same answer,” Kalinowski wrote.

Kalinowski also had operators quantify their relationship with McDonald’s corporate arm on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent. The average response received was 1.37, a “pretty noticeable step down from the October 2025 average response of 1.71,” the survey said.

It’s not the first time some operators and McDonald’s have butted heads. Tensions have surfaced in recent years over a restaurant grading system that took effect and changes made to how restaurant agreements are renewed.

Still, McDonald’s stock was one of the better performers in an abysmal year for the restaurant sector in 2025, rising 5%.

Kalinowski’s respondents also rated their business outlook for the next six months on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and 5, excellent. The average response was 2.58, the best in the 11 quarters. Last quarter, CEO Chris Kempczinski said full-year cash flow was set to be solid for operators at the same time value investments were being made.

“Throughout the quarter, McDonald’s seems to be doing a better general job of promoting value to quick-service consumers, or at least it’s doing so notably better than some other large, quick-service burger concepts are,” Kalinowski wrote.

Likewise, fellow firm BTIG recently upgraded the stock.

“We expect the change in value strategy and perception to lead to the most meaningful earnings growth for the company since 2023,” BTIG wrote.

Kraft Heinz

KHC

1.30%

increase; green up pointing triangle is pumping the breaks on its breakup plan.

The company said Wednesday that it is pausing work on a planned split between its condiment and grocery staples businesses.

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all flights to and from El Paso International Airport in Texas for the next 10 days, the agency announced Wednesday, warning that the U.S. government “may use deadly force” against an aircraft in violation, if it is deemed to pose “an imminent security threat.”

All flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The restriction is effective from February 10 at 11:30 p.m. MST to February 20 at 11:30 p.m. MST. The FAA cited “special security reasons” for the closure, but did not elaborate.

The no-fly restriction applies to airspace over El Paso as well as nearby Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME

A sign at the El Paso International Airport (ELP) on December 25, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images / Getty Images)

El Paso airport issued a statement confirming the closure on Wednesday.

“Travelers should contact their airlines to get the most up-to-date flight status information,” it said in a statement.

TRUMP SAYS CUBA IS ‘READY TO FALL’ AFTER CAPTURE OF VENEZUELA’S MADURO

A person watches an Air Canada airplane being towed away from a gate at Terminal 1 at Pearson International Airport on February 6, 2024, in Toronto, Canada. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Former FAA safety team member Kyle Bailey told Fox News on Wednesday that a 10-day restriction like this is “unprecedented.” He also noted the airport’s proximity to the Fort Bliss Army post.

“It’s definitely something like a national security event, a high-level VIP,” Bailey speculated, “but the interesting thing is that on the Mexican side of the border there is no flight restriction.”

President Donald Trump speaks to journalists after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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“I think it’s safe to say that it’s something very big, either from a national security standpoint or perhaps testing something — equipment or something going into the air around the vicinity of those bases,” he added.

FOX Business’ Bonny Chu contributed to this report.

The Shinawatra family’s impact on Thai politics stands out as one of the most significant—and divisive—elements of the country’s 21st-century history, marked by a pattern of sweeping election victories repeatedly disrupted by judicial or military interventions.

However, the “Shin clan” political movement, which includes Thai Rak Thai, the People Power Party, and Pheu Thai, has faced a significant decline, now only third in the 2026 general election—its lowest standing since its formation. Once a dominant force with a track record of landslide victories, the movement is now struggling with diminished political influence and the emergence of formidable new competitors.

A timeline of the “Shinawatra Era” in Thai politics.

The Rise of Thaksin (1998–2006)

Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecommunications tycoon, disrupted the traditional political establishment with a platform of “pro-poor” policies known as Thaksinomics.

• 1998: Thaksin founds the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party.
• 2001: TRT wins a landslide victory. Thaksin becomes Prime Minister, introducing universal healthcare and rural microcredit.
• 2005: Thaksin becomes the first PM in Thai history to serve a full term and win a consecutive absolute majority.
• 2006 (The Turning Point): Mass “Yellow Shirt” protests erupt over allegations of corruption and tax evasion regarding the sale of his company, Shin Corp.
• September 2006: While Thaksin is at the UN in New York, the military ousts him in a coup.

Proxy Battles and the Red Shirts (2007–2010)

Despite Thaksin being in exile, his political machine remained dominant under new names.

• 2007: The People’s Power Party (PPP), a TRT successor, wins the election. Samak Sundaravej becomes PM.
• 2008: Courts remove Samak for accepting payment for a TV cooking show. His successor (and Thaksin’s brother-in-law) Somchai Wongsawat is also removed by the court shortly after.
• 2010: Pro-Thaksin “Red Shirt” protesters occupy central Bangkok. A military crackdown leads to over 90 deaths.

The Yingluck Era (2011–2014)

The family returned to direct power with Thaksin’s youngest sister, Yingluck, leading the new Pheu Thai Party.

• 2011: Yingluck Shinawatra becomes Thailand’s first female Prime Minister after another landslide win.
• 2013: Her government attempts to pass an amnesty bill that would allow Thaksin to return without jail time. This sparks massive “Blue Sky” protests.
• May 2014: After months of deadlock, the Constitutional Court removes Yingluck for abuse of power. Days later, General Prayut Chan-o-cha leads a military coup.

The Paetongtarn Era (2023–2025)

After nearly a decade of military-aligned rule, the Shinawatras made a dramatic comeback in a shifted political landscape.

• May 2023: Pheu Thai loses to the Move Forward Party (MFP) in the general election but eventually forms a coalition with former rivals (pro-military parties) to secure the premiership.
• August 2023: Thaksin Shinawatra returns to Thailand after 15 years in exile. He is sentenced to prison but immediately moved to a hospital and later paroled.
• August 2024: Following the court-ordered removal of PM Srettha Thavisin, Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra (Thaksin’s daughter) is elected Prime Minister.

Summary of Shinawatra Prime Ministers

The 2026 Election: A Historic Low

• Campaign and Outcome:
  • Pheu Thai, seeking to restore its popularity, fielded “Dr Shane” Yodchanan Wongsawat (a Shinawatra family member) as its prime ministerial candidate, campaigning with the slogan “Overhaul Thailand—Pheu Thai can do it.”
  • Unofficial results from the February 8, 2026, election indicate Pheu Thai has fallen to third place, signaling it is no longer the dominant party capable of forming a government.
• Key Factors Contributing to the Decline:
  • Rise of New Parties: The emergence of new progressive parties, such as the People’s Party, with liberal branding and strong appeal to new voters, directly challenged Pheu Thai’s base.
  • Strong Rivals: Bhumjaithai has established a solid voter base and local political power-brokers, positioning it to form a second-term government.
  • Loss of Strongholds: A major upset occurred in Chiang Mai, a long-standing Shinawatra stronghold, where Pheu Thai failed to win a single seat. The People’s Party swept six constituencies, while Kla Tham secured four in remote areas, demonstrating a significant shift in voter allegiances across urban and rural/border regions.
  • Political Instability: The repeated removal of prime ministers through legal and ethical challenges further damaged the party’s image and stability.

Pheu Thai must reflect on these successive electoral defeats, as the “Shinawatra clan” experiences a decline in political influence, while opposing parties strengthen and gain momentum. This shift in the political landscape signals a need for Pheu Thai to reassess its strategies, rebuild its grassroots support, and adapt to the changing demands of the electorate. Failure to address these challenges could further erode its standing, allowing rival parties to consolidate their power and reshape the nation’s political dynamics.

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