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Twitter has launched an app aimed at helping businesses manage communication and engagement with their followers. Called Twitter Dashboard, it’s available in beta for those in the U.S. on both iOS and as a desktop app. One could think of it as either a Hootsuite competitor or simply a take on Facebook’s Mentions app, but specifically geared towards businesses, not individuals — they have Twitter Engage for that.
In a blog post, Twitter explained that businesses have a difficult time creating “authentic” connections due to lack of time and resources. The solution it came up with is a tool that facilitates these communications for all businesses. “It gives business owners a clear picture about what’s being said about their businesses, lets them schedule tweets, and offers insights about their tweet performance,” wrote Noah Pepper, a Twitter product and engineering manager.
In the current state of affairs, social media managers or others likely pair the company’s Twitter account with their own using a service like TweetDeck, Hootsuite, or even Twitter’s main app. But the danger is an errant tweet being posted or retweeted on the wrong account — we’ve seen it happen many times, with “interns” being blamed. Twitter wants Dashboard to be the one-stop shop for all tweet-related management for businesses.
Among the features is the ability for companies to create their own feed, choosing to hear more of what people are saying about their business. The intention is to surface all the mentions that you can address while also monitor what’s being said about your industry and competitors.
After listening to the ecosystem, businesses may want to be proactive in communicating. Dashboard lets them schedule tweets, a standard feature of most social media management platforms these days.
Lastly, Twitter wants to inspire businesses to tweet more, so it’s providing tips on what they can share. This is likely part of the company’s efforts to drive up its user numbers. With sluggish growth, Twitter needs to find ways to reinvigorate itself. This includes not only boosting the confidence of advertisers, but also of brands interested in more organic efforts to reach consumers on the platform.
While available for both iOS and desktop, there’s no indication of when or if an Android version will be released. And although Twitter Dashboard is geared towards businesses, there’s also nothing stopping companies from using TweetDeck or Hootsuite, especially if they’re managing other social media accounts on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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Downtown Springdale will have an entertainment district to allow those who are at least 21 to consume alcoholic beverages while within its boundaries.
In a 5-3 vote, Springdale City Council approved Tuesday (Aug. 11) an ordinance to temporarily establish the Downtown Springdale Outdoor Dining District for six months. The district will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the ordinance went into effect immediately because an emergency clause was approved. Fayetteville has a similar district that opened July 22. The Fort Smith Board of Directors approved an ordinance to allow for a permanent entertainment district at Chaffee Crossing during its regular meeting Aug. 4.
The Springdale district runs along Emma Avenue, between Shiloh and Water streets, and includes several adjacent blocks, between Grove and Emma avenues and Meadow and Johnson avenues. It includes Walter Turnbow Park and Shiloh Square. The district also spans the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad at Emma Avenue before coming to an end at Emma Avenue and Water Street.
Jill Dabbs, executive director for nonprofit group Downtown Springdale Alliance, previously said the district includes all downtown establishments with a license to sell alcohol.
In six months, a report is expected to be prepared for the city council to show metrics and outcomes of the district, Dabbs said.
Downtown Springdale Alliance supported the measure to establish the district as a “boost for our downtown economy during the COVID-19 pandemic and a safe outdoor dining environment for our community,” according to a recent news release.
Arkansas law allows cities to create such districts, and the pandemic has “helped move forward the development of the Downtown Outdoor Dining District,” the release shows. In 2019, Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, sponsored a bill that became Act 812, allowing for the districts.
“Without the designation of an entertainment district, the consumption of alcohol in any public place is prohibited by state law,” City Attorney Ernest Cate said previously. State law was amended to allow for consumption of alcohol in the districts, “so long as the standards/rules of the entertainment district are followed,” he added.
Businesses inside the district can offer outdoor dining and allow customers to carry and consume alcoholic beverages within it. Participating businesses must have a sign in their window indicating they are part of the district.
The district would allow people to purchase an alcoholic beverage from one of the five downtown establishments that are licensed to sell alcohol and to carry it out of the business, Dabbs said. People could take the beverage into other businesses that participate in the district, such as a restaurant that doesn’t serve alcohol or retail shops, she said.
“This will also allow the retail stores to do sip and shop nights,” Dabbs said previously. “You could have a glass of wine and go shopping.”
Only drinks purchased within the district and in a designated cup will be allowed. People cannot bring alcoholic beverages into the district. Dabbs noted the district will not go into effect until the designated cups are delivered to the establishments selling alcoholic beverages. The Downtown Springdale Alliance will complete the branding and cover the initial cost of the cups, window clings and sidewalk stickers. The cups, which are about 11 cents each, will become a pass-through expense for restaurants, she said.
Restaurants, bars, breweries and vendors at special events in the district will be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages that may be carried out of the establishment and consumed within the district as long as the beverages are in the cup that’s provided by a participating business in the district, according to the city ordinance.
The Springdale Public Events Committee could review and recommend expansion of the district. The committee also can exclude Walter Turnbow Park or Shiloh Square during specific times. Signs will be placed on the sidewalk to designate the district borders.
Restaurants and bars must not allow customers to carry from their establishments alcoholic beverages that are in glass containers. People carrying alcoholic beverages in glass containers will be violating the law if they have them at Walter Turnbow Park, Shiloh Square, on the streets, sidewalks, rights-of-way and parking lots in the district, the ordinance shows. People also cannot carry out of the district any open or unfinished alcoholic beverage, whether in the approved container.

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Short-term rental company Vrbo says it has seen a 40% increase in demand for pet-friendly vacation homes on its platform. With so many Americans showing interest in their pets, Vrbo has launched vacation homes designed for dogs.
Vrbo commissioned five limited-edition doghouses inspired by the platform’s most popular rental types. The doghouses include a luxury chalet with a cozy fireplace for naps; a beach cottage with a rooftop checkerboard; a trendy rustic A-frame; a modern ranch house with a water and food station; and a mid-century bungalow with a dog pool and garden.
“We’ve asked a lot of our homes this year and could all use a much-needed break for the holidays,” says Alison Kwong, a Vrbo spokesperson. “While humans can easily book a Vrbo property for a relaxing escape, our pets also deserve a relaxing place to rest their paws. Families love bringing their pets along on vacation and staying at pet-friendly vacation homes together. … With this limited-time-only set of dreamy doghouses, families can treat their loyal companions to an extra-special dog-sized stay this holiday season.”
Dog-loving parents can book to rent one of the doghouses starting at noon CT on Dec. 9 at vrbo.com/petholiday. Each house costs $100.
More homeowners have become pet owners since the pandemic, and homeowners are showing a willingness to move for their pet. In fact, 43% of pet owners say they’d be willing to move to accommodate their pet, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. What’s more, 68% of pet owners surveyed by realtor.com® say they would pass on the perfect home if it didn’t meet their pet’s needs. Unmarried couples, single women, and millennials have shown to be the most willing to move for their pets, according to NAR’s data.
Source: Realtor Magazine
If you or a client is interested in the perfect second or vacation home (with or without a doghouse), learn more at our Second and Resort Property Specialist Certification Class here: Resort and Second Home Property Specialist Certification Course – GLVREA (glvreacademy.com).


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By John Lipsey
Flexera Software’s just-released Application Usage Management Survey, prepared jointly with IDC, shows that while most hardware manufacturers are developing applications for their products – transforming them into “intelligent devices” -- the majority are still not monetizing that software – leaving money on the table. The Application Usage Management survey of more than 750 respondents from application producers and end-user enterprises, including more than 125 device manufacturers, resulted in this report covering all aspects of software license lifecycle management.
Top Challenges: Agility, Costs & Margins
According to the survey, device manufacturers say their biggest concerns today center around agility, costs and margins. 48% said that a major concern was reducing time to market for creating new products. 38% of respondents said enhancing their ability to react quickly to changing market needs and/or new market opportunities are paramount among their major challenges. Reducing time to market for creating product enhancements (37%), reducing manufacturing costs (36%), and low margins (23%) also topped manufacturers’ lists of concerns.
87% of survey respondents indicated they either already have “gone intelligent” by integrating software with their hardware products – or they plan on doing so within the next 12-24 months. Moreover, most respondents say an intelligent device strategy will help with the key challenges noted above. For instance, 60% said that going intelligent enhances their ability to react quickly to changing market needs and/or new market opportunities. 56% said it helps reduce time to market for creating new products. 55% said it reduces time to market for creating product enhancements. 46% said it helps reduce manufacturing costs. And 26% cited increasing margins as their reasons for building software for their smart devices.
Intelligent Device Manufacturers Are Leaving Money On The Table
While the majority of respondents have already or are moving to the intelligent device model (87%), the survey results show that device manufacturers are not monetizing the apps they build for their hardware – potentially leaving money on the table. According to the survey a clear majority of respondents –58% -- indicated that they do not currently monetize the software for their devices.
Of the manufacturers that do monetize their apps, 25% use capabilities delivered via software to enable customers to purchase more capacity on their devices. 21% make money by charging for the amount of software that is used on the device. A smaller percentage – about 7% -- are using software to turn on and off product features in the device that customers have license to use.
Amy Konary, Vice President - Software Licensing & Provisioning at IDC, had this to say about the report results:
“With shrinking margins on hardware sales, manufacturers are increasingly looking to leverage the software assets developed for their devices in various ways. However, in the past, this software may have been given away with the hardware or bundled with the hardware in such a way that the value of the software was not called out separately. These firms are finding that monetizing or licensing their software can provide an additional high-margin revenue stream, protect intellectual property (IP) from misuse, simplify product packaging while allowing for more flexible configurations, and lower inventory costs by decreasing the number of SKUs needed to satisfy unique customer demands."
It is clear that device manufacturers are moving to the intelligent device model to be more agile. Market-innovators have also proven that monetizing the apps built for devices, substantially increases margins and profits. Most device manufacturers, however, are still early on in the maturity level when it comes to monetizing their software applications. But there are concrete steps they can take today to substantially grow their revenues, increase competitive differentiation and solve more strategic problems for their customers. To do so, they will need to employ flexible licensing and entitlement management to monetize their software in solutions that combine software and hardware.


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Takeaway coffee cups will be phased out of Western Australia cafes by the end of next year after the state government expedited its plastics plan.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said on Sunday that the state's Plan for Plastics would be fast-tracked by four years to be fully in place by the end of 2022.
By the end of 2021, plastic plates, bowls, cups and other utensils will be banned, as will thick plastic bags and polystyrene food containers.
Single-use coffee cups and lids will be phased out in WA by the end of 2022, as well as items such as plastic produce bags, some cotton buds, polystyrene packaging, microbeads and oxodegradable plastics.
Businesses in WA will be obliged to use environmentally-friendly takeaway cups and lids, and consumers will be encouraged to bring coffee "keep-cups".
Mr McGowan told reporters WA businesses would be educated and supported as the plastics phase out, rather than being immediately punished.
He said he wanted WA to be a plastic-free leader among Australian states.
"We want to do our bit to phase out plastics - plastics are causing grief in the oceans across the world, kill wildlife, other marine life. It is very dangerous for our environment and has been going on for decades," he said.
"Every state, every country, needs to do their bit and we plan to."
Exemptions to the rules will be provided for those who rely on single-use plastics for disability, aged care or health needs.
The acceleration of the Plan for Plastics program comes after lightweight plastic bags were banned in WA in 2018 and the WA container deposit scheme was established in 2019.
An estimated 130,000 tonnes of plastic flows into Australia's environment each year.


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BTRC Sets Minimum Internet Data Package Validity
- A new guideline from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is about to bring some discipline to the data packages/bundles offer of telecom operators in the country. The new guideline seeks to set minimum validity time for telecoms’ data offers.
- BTRC has issued an order recently that the validity of all the internet packages/offers/bundles must be at least three days. The directive will be effective from February 1.
- BTRC also plans to publish guidelines on the highest numbers of internet packages/bundles an operator can offer.
- The Daily Star first reported the news. It says that BRTC will review the order after one month. BTRC initially said that there would be no internet package with less than seven-day validity.
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Why do large non-profit endowments, like the Whitney Museum of Art, yield terrible returns? A scrapped portion of a study on the success of funds previously suggested that funds geographically closer to Wall Street performed worse than average, which Clark Filio speculates may be because of greed and recklessness. Since the money used by non-profit board members didn’t come from their own pockets, he thinks they’re more likely to spend it on risky financial products peddled by Wall Street fund managers.
Read full article here
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here


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Motor book grows by over a tenth to £335m
Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) has reported a decrease in its insurance profits of 24% to £232m. In a statement the company said this reflected a hit of £135m of last year's floods, which eclipsed the positive impact from growing its household business.
The company's premiums fell slightly by 1% to £1.76bn. HBOS said that it had increased the number of policyholders by 900,000, or 26%, to 2.8m.
The company grew its motor and households accounts by 12% and 5% respectively, to £335m and £549m.
HBOS' combined operating ratio stood at 90%, up 8% on the previous year. The company said that if the impact of the floods were removed from the its results, the COR would have remained flat.
In a statement HBOS said: "Growing our share of the household insurance market is an important strategic priority allowing us to leverage our market leading mortgage position. We have therefore increased our investment in sales and marketing activity to raise product and brand awareness, supported by some highly successful promotions."
The company added the Sheila's Wheels had experienced premium growth of 70% and had reached 200,000 policies.
"Sales have risen across our motor brands, with the greater prominence of web-based business being an important factor."
HBOS added that the market was showing early signs of hardening which it could exploit. It said: "Strong price competition has continued, although we are starting to see some signs of price increases in the UK market. With the strength of our brands, we believe these price increases will provide an opportunity for significant growth in market share."


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R&B Singer Macy Gray is launching her own plus-size fashion line. Her range, entitled Humps, will launch in stores in the U.S. early in 2008. Gray, 39, came up with the idea after growing tired of fashion designed for skinny women. She says, “It’s actually for voluptuous, curvaceous girls, girls with thighs and hips.” Gray began 2007 badly after being kicked offstage at a concert in Barbados for profanity (which was part of the show), but she wasn’t aware that it was against the law in that country. She gave a public apology that night to avoid arrest. Gray released her fourth studio album in March 2007, entitled âBig.â Two singles, “Finally Made Me Happy” and “Shoo Be Doo”, have been released from the album. “What I Gotta Do”, another track from the album, is featured on the third Shrek soundtrack. It is largely considered as Gray’s comeback album, after a four-year hiatus since her last studio album. The album has been critically acclaimed and seen as her best work yet. It features collaborations with Natalie Cole, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, and will.i.am, who co-executive produced the album with Gray.
Since 2005, Singersroom has been the voice of R&B around the world. Connect with us via social media below.


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Many Saskatchewan liqour store customers were unaware they needed to bring proof of vaccination to buy alcohol for the weekend on Friday.
Some retailers said the rule caught them off guard, including Randy Wilson with Urban Cellars. It applies to stand alone stores but some large retailers were reportedly not checking vaccine status as they also sell groceries under the same roof. Wilson said that’s unfair.
“If you’re making a rule, make it a level playing field because what’s going to happen, I call them the billion dollar club, the guys that have liquor stores inside their food stores, right now they’re exempt,” Wilson said. “I’m told the government is changing the rules because it was a mistake and that happens but it should be principled and fair for everyone, especially for the public so that they know.”
The NDP see it as another example of in a proof of vaccination rollout it calls chaotic.
“How this government is out of touch and missing action when it comes to the needs of small business and it is no more evident than it is today when we discover that the public health order came out at some point last night,” said NDP MLA Aleana Young.
The government did not have an immediate reaction but could have a business response team take a look at the situation.


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Police have launched a manhunt for four men who robbed a Cofimvaba store early this morning.
Police spokeswoman Captain Namhla Mdleleni said the four armed men entered the shop at 5am and ordered cashiers to lie down. The four escaped with an undisclosed amount of money.
According to information, they made their escape in a sedan vehicle, a Chevrolet Aveo. Anyone with information can contact 0860010111.
No-one was hurt in the robbery.


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Animal fat alternatives are sought
GROWING demand for vegetable oils to replace animal fats in consumer products ranging from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals is said to partly underly a closer relationship between a company farming 20,000ha (50,000 acres) and a specialist merchant.
Broadoak Farming and Essex-based specialist merchant John K King & Sons have united to explore high margin niche alternatives to traditional combinable crops.
The move will see about 120ha (300 acres) of field trials on crops such as meadowfoam, camelina and crambe grown this year on five sites from Berwick to Hants. Field scale production of high laurate genetically modified oilseed is also being evaluated.
As setting standards
The three-year link up, underpinned with more than £100,000 of MAFF market development scheme cash, is seen as setting standards for other market oriented, consumer focused producer/processor relationships. John King is owned by primary processor Associated British Foods.
Broadoak grew its first high erucic oilseeds three years ago, notes chief executive, Peter Johnson. "Developments in this area are coming thick and fast. I would not be surprised to see us with 3000 acres of such crops within five years."
With the exception of oilseed rape none of the novel crops under trial attract area aid, notes Andrew Hebard, managing director of John King.


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Mukund Mudras, Abhijeet Vedak, Som Sagar, and Jaison Matthews had comfortable, cushy jobs in the financial heart of the world – New York City. They had survived the recession with their jobs intact and weren’t really looking for a change.
“We were all working for Merrill Lynch, the investment bank seven years ago,” reminisces Mukund Mudras. “It was New York. 2009. And the four of us were having these conversations about digital media in the world and in India, in general. And social media, Facebook and Twitter were just beginning to take the world by storm. And we knew, the four of us that at some point this social media, online media would become the tipping point for all data, even the financial sector.”
Social media impacting the financial sector seems like a tall claim to make so Mukund breaks it down.
“For instance, China’s total trading is $6 Tn. India’s is $1.3 Tn. Trading happens between goods, services, companies, shares and stocks. And this trading is what impacts economies across the board. In an emerging country like India trading is largely impacted by the following factors – it needs homegrown companies in order to grow in worth, and vice versa. With the endless bureaucratic red tape, a certain amount of transparency makes this entire process go smoother and faster. And lastly, you guys,” he adds with a laugh.
“You guys, the fourth estate, i.e. the media elite are/were responsible for the dissemination of information and data.”
Such is not the case anymore. According to Mukund, with the advent of various online publishing platforms such as WordPress, Blogger, self-hosting websites to name just a few, not to mention the insta-way everyone who has access to a smartphone or computer puts forth their thoughts on social media, the publishing game has changed completely. The idea of media being controlled by the elite has decimated – the common has now become the publisher himself.
Facts have become relative to narrative and it is all about cutting through the noise. “The more information there is, the better it is – because now, people have various sources of information to choose from. There is more transparency in media, whether good or bad. With these many sources of information floating around online, let’s say for a particular company, it is important that someone sift through all the data by gathering it, cleaning it and clustering it to give an accurate picture of the company’s position in the media,” he adds.
And this is what big data analytics platform Heckyl does, using its AI-based algorithm.
Using Sentiment Analysis To Parse Business News Stories
“Back in 2009, we talked and talked and held discussions for more than three months. Figuring out what Heckyl was going to be before it was even an idea. It wasn’t a Eureka! moment that happened. It involved careful research and we did our due diligence before we starting working on NAP,” shares Mukund.
Heckyl was founded in December 2010 in Mumbai, but it only became operational in 2012. “We were in stealth mode for the first two years, still developing the algorithm,” he adds.
Heckyl’s first offering, is a news analytics product that was initially called FIND. “What the platform does is – the story about a single company is culled from as many sources as possible and FIND then figures out how many people have viewed the story, after which sentiment analysis is done on the same.”
Sentiment analysis, for the uninitiated, is the analysis of a particular piece of information published about a company/product/brand and breaks it down to whether it is “good” or “bad” for said company.
“For example, even a single word can have different meanings when it comes to different sectors. ‘Layoffs’ will have positive connotation when it comes to the financial sector – as it means the company is tightening its belt in order to gain market value. But, in the automobile industry, ‘layoffs’ predicts doom and gloom – it has a negative impact.”
The FIND engine has been empowered to tag these stories as positive/negative through 1.5 Mn data sources in real-time. “Our engine captures information from all legally copyrighted mainstream media, scrapes it, and clusters it into appropriate sentiment for our clients to make use of, without bias or judgment.”
This information is then passed on to the clients, the day traders and stock brokers who work in the financial sector and who are constantly looking for new ways to jack up their trades based on forecasts. “See, we cannot predict the way a story is broken or what happens when it is put out there. And regardless of how people feel about it, buying/selling i.e. trade will keep happening. It’s an individual’s choice how the information that is given to them is absorbed and used by them.”
In other words, the sentiment analysis engine is just a means to get all the data in one place in real-time in order to make a trade go one way or the other – buy or sell.
“A Reliance or a Kotak or Edelweiss (all of whom are Heckyl’s clients) will deploy our platform and have it integrated in their systems so that every time a story breaks about them, it automatically gets clustered by our algorithm and analysed by sentiment. Whenever a person wants to trade on a particular company, they can click on a story and find out what the company’s standing is and make the trade based on their personal gut feeling.”
From News Analytics To Trading Analytics
Heckyl is an enterprise tech company and it works on a product model. At present, it offers two products on its platform.
“The news analytics platform has been rebranded to TAP (Trading Analytics Platform) and is an analytics-based platform for traders,” says Mukund. “Contextually, how stocks are bought/sold is through data gathered on three fronts – price, fundamentals, and news analytics.”
How he explains it is – the performance of a particular company is based on its finances (profit and loss statements, revenue figures, strength of workforce etc.). Then there is the actual price per share listed on the stock exchange. And finally, all the news stories regarding the particular company that is shared in the finance and business sections of any mainstream media.
“Research/recommendation, price and the trader’s gut, this is the best way to gauge how a share will be bought or sold. But what TAP does is, it analyses price, fundamentals and news analytics and presents a holistic perspective to the trader which he can then use to make the call,” he adds.
How does this holistic perspective occur? “The platform does this in two ways – firstly, it gives a health score to each company based on a variety of parameters which decide whether the company is in good or bad shape. Secondly, one can compare/evaluate different companies on these parameters, under a single platform.”
Assessing Risk To Provide Early Warning Systems For Banks
RAP (Risk Analytics Platform) is the second product offered by Heckyl. It is a sophisticated version of TAP and utilises modules from it in order to place early warning systems (EWSs) on the clients’ end in case of a possibility of a loan going bad.
“We use about 20 modules from the TAP platform such as the 1.5 Mn data sources, macro-level global events, company financials and directors of the company, all of which talk to each other for thousands of businesses every sector.”
Mukung goes on to explain about conventional EWSs which are primarily used by banks to safeguard against NPAs, and how they are lacking in transparency and data and therefore not fully effective. “The RAP matters because it showcases all the modules that can be used to assess the risk of a company by virtue of which, all the risk is highlighted. And in real-time.”
While it is brokerage firms that use TAP (Kotak Mahindra, Edelweiss, Reliance, Axis India Infoline) to name just a few, banks prefer RAP as it helps them to assess the risks of large companies who want to extend credit line.
At last count, the company counts 25 brokerage firms and banks as its clients.
Funding, Traction, Competition
Heckyl attracted an undisclosed amount in angel investment in 2012. And then SeedFund Advisors invested $1Mn in the company, followed by a round of $3.5 Mn by SeedFund Advisor, IDG Ventures and angel investor Rajiv Dalal, shares Mukund. As per this VCCircle report, the company was looking to earn $1 Mn in revenues by 2013-2014.
“As far as unit economics go, we have been reasonable in our costs and spending. And as far as revenue is concerned, we have our clients who are paying for the products. So revenue is available for the company,” Mukund says cagily, regarding present revenue figures.
He is reluctant to share actual growth metrics but does say that it counts DNY, Euronext as global customers. The company also has presence in the US, UK, Germany, and France. In Southeast Asia, Heckyl has presence in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Competition in big data analytics comes from players such as Parallel Dots, Dataweave, and others. While Parallel Dots is using sentiment analytics to simplify and collate user timelines and newsfeeds, DataWeave combines retail intelligence for ecommerce users using heat maps. As Mukund says, “We work with the largest banks and brokerage firms and spent about two years perfecting our product. Our algorithm is one of the best engines out there for sentiment analysis.”
In the near future, the company wants to expand to Japan and Australia. “The idea is if the company becomes profitable, I need to grow more. Which means get new customers and grow more. Profits don’t enter it at the moment as we are just four years young as a company. We would rather focus on growth,” he adds.
While analytics has been around for a long time, it is only recently that the idea of parsing data and commercialising said data into consumable products. Data scientists are a sought after breed because of the highly specialised nature of their skill set – something that has been proved by a Mckinsey study that reports a demand of 2 Mn-4 Mn jobs in the business alone as business translators.
The other side of the barrier is – changing organisational mindset and strengthening core competencies of industries are some of the other areas that need to be looked into. The analytics market currently stands at $1.64 Bn and is expected to reach $16 Bn by 2025 worldwide.
With this billion dollar pie at stake, it is up to companies such as Heckyl – with a consumable analytics product in a sensitive industry – and others to prove their market worth and spin off the largely KPO-related analytics vertical into a mighty giant in its own right. Will it be able to do so – that is the real question.


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The end of the pub? Beer sales fall record 8.3% as 2.2m fewer pints are drunk every day
Beer sales have fallen by 8.3 per cent in the last three months as more drinkers chose to cut back on visits to their local pubs and drank at home instead.
The dramatic decrease has led to publicans calling for the government to step in and relieve the ailing beer industry of spiralling alcohol duties.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) recorded the highest fourth quarter fall since records began, with 2.2 million fewer pints of beer bought every day in pubs, restaurants and shops compared with the same period in 2007.
Beer sales have fallen by 8.3 per cent in the last three months leading to publicans calling for a relief in excise duties
The BBPA blamed the decline in sales, which they say has pushed the rate of pub closures to six per day, on the Government's 18 per cent rise in beer duty in 2008.
BBPA chief executive Rob Hayward said: 'These figures highlight the extreme economic pressures hitting Britain's beer and pub sector.
'Beer sales are sinking and many pubs are struggling to survive. Unfortunately, Government tax policy is only making a difficult situation worse.'
Mr Hayward said publicans faced a further two tax increase this year.
'We are not asking for a tax handout, like other sectors. We just don't want our tax burden to be made worse,' he said.
'When it comes to stimulating the UK economy, the Government should not and must not turn a blind eye to Britain's beer and pub sector.'
The BBPA claimed the tax on a pint of beer will have increased by up to 40 per cent from February 2008 by the time of the 2012 Budget.
Despite the tax rises, the Association estimates falling beer sales have cost the Government £181 million in duty and VAT since the March Budget.
In total, beer sales for the whole of 2008 dropped 5.5 per cent compared with 2007.
The figures, taken from the UK Quarterly Beer Barometer, also reveal the beer industry has been in gradual decline for a decade, with 404 million fewer pints being sold across the country at the end of 2008 than in the same quarter ten years ago.
The Quarterly Beer Barometer is a guide to UK beer trends published by the BBPA.
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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published its latest stats and, for all involved, the numbers make for positive reading. The update is part of the regulator’s twice-yearly progress report and shows how online and offline operators, as a whole, are performing in the UK. Despite outside forces having an impact on live betting and gaming, the industry has held firm. While other business sectors have crumbled, gambling has only taken a marginal hit.
As per the gamblingcommission.gov.uk report, Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) was down 0.5% to £14.3 billion. This slight drop in overall revenue can be attributed to betting shop closures between 2018 and 2019. However, even with these issues, the growth of online betting and gaming has kept the industry buoyant. Indeed, online betting revenue is up 4.3% year-on-year, while online bingo revenue jumped up 12.1% between October 2018 and September 2019.
Online Gambling Hits New Highs
Also hitting new highs during the accounting period was online casino gaming. Raking in £3.2 billion, the licenced operators contributed to an overall revenue increase of 3.9%. Of course, the strength of British betting and gaming is well known. With many of the world’s top betting brands either formed in the UK or based here (or nearby), the market is thriving. Even a cursory look through the list on slotscalendar.com casino sites shows how diverse the market is. Alongside established brands like 888Casino and Betfair, you’ve got smaller brands like Ego Casino.
Add to this spinoffs from other industries, such as The Sun Vegas (linked to the newspaper), and British gambling is in a great place. As we know, success breeds success. Unlike other countries, the UK has taken a proactive approach to gambling regulation over the decades. Although tightly controlled, the act of betting hasn’t been outlawed in the UK as it is elsewhere. This level of consistency has allowed operators to refine their products and, more importantly, for consumers to become comfortable with gambling.
Regulations Build Trust
Practically, this means betting and gaming has been given the ability to thrive thanks to legislation. Today, UK gambling laws are among the most effective in the world. At times, certain conditions may seem overly restrictive. However, the UKGC is always willing to listen to licensees and adjust. One licensing condition that helped define the industry after the UKGC took charge in 2014 was segregated player funds as can be seen at legislation.gov.uk. Licensed operators must not store player funds in the same bank accounts as their own. In other words, operating funds must be kept segregated from players funds. This is to ensure players aren’t affected if the operator runs into financial issues.
This wasn’t standard before the UKGC made it a rule and, clearly, it’s great for consumers. If they know their money is safe, regardless of what happens behind-the-scenes, they’re more likely to make a deposit. When you add to this things like certified fair games, restrictions on certain types of advertising and rules that say bonuses must be fair and transparent, you get an industry built on trust. That, in many ways, is why the UK’s online gambling sector has thrived. When consumers are confident, they’ll play, it’s as simple as that. That latest statistics prove that’s the case and, moreover, show why the UK’s gambling industry is regarded as one of the best in the world.


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Mercedes-Benz reports 501,600 global passenger car sales during the first quarter of 2022, which is 15% less than a year ago. The number includes Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars (495,200 - down 15%) and smart (6,400).
The most interesting thing for us is that the company sold 67,800 Mercedes-Benz plug-in electric passenger cars, which is 37% more than in Q1 2021.
Out of that, 21,900 (up 210% year-over-year) were battery-electric cars. While the all-electric car sales are booming thanks to new models introduced on the market, the plug-in hybrid sales increased by only 8% year-over-year. Nonetheless, they remain in the majority (45,900).
Mercedes-Benz plug-in car sales in Q1 2022 (preliminary numbers):
- BEVs: 21,900 (up 210%)
- PHEVs: 45,900 (up 8%)
- Total plug-ins: 67,800 (up roughly 37%)
Together with smart (we assume that almost all are BEVs), the company sold some 74,200 plug-ins, which is almost 15% of the total volume. The company noted that in Europe, the plug-in share is much higher at 33%.
"The electrification of the brand continues to gather pace. Driven by the EQA, EQS and the EQC models, Mercedes-Benz was able to more than triple sales of battery electric EQ models to reach 21,900 (+210%) units. Plug-in hybrid vehicles also set a new first quarter record with 45,900 (+8%) sales. In total, the Mercedes-Benz Cars xEVs (BEV including smart and plug-in hybrids combined) now amount to a share of 15% of new car sales. In Europe Mercedes-Benz xEV deliveries accounted for 33% of overall sales, and in United Kingdom almost every fifth new car sold is a battery electric vehicle."
Separately, Mercedes-Benz Vans reports 2,700 all-electric vans sold in Q1 (up 133% year-over-year), which also indicates a very high rate of growth.
Compared to the total of 89,900 units sold globally, that's a 3% share - not yet as high as in the case of passenger cars.
"The proportion of purely electrically powered Sprinters and Vito was more than doubled in Europe. In the privately positioned midsize van segment, EQV deliveries increased by 103% in the first three months of the year."
Mercedes-Benz's plug-in electric car/van sales - especially all-electric - are expected to continue to grow rapidly in the near future, as Mercedes-Benz has multiple new models ready for launch, including the EQS SUV (an SUV version of the EQS), which will debut on April 19.


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Honda recalls about 105,000 vehicles
Honda is recalling about 105,000 vehicles because of defect in driver's side air bag inflators, which can explode under too much pressure. Takata-made airbags can explode and could throw metal pieces at passengers. The company recalled some 2008 Pilot, 2004 Civic and 2001 Accord vehicles.
According to the company, all of the vehicles were identified on March 5 and the company selected the vehicles using a process, in which it matched Takata airbag inflater part numbers to individual vehicle identification numbers, or VINs.
It was discovered by Honda that over 88,000 Pilot vehicles should have been included in last year's recall related to Takata.
Takata, the company which is based in Tokyo, is also one of the largest manufacturers of auto safety equipment in the world. And the company has had been a supplier of Honda for years. Therefore, Takata's air bag problem has affected the company a lot. According to reports, the fault led to at least six deaths and a dozen injuries around the world.
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has announced a $14,000-per-day civil fine against Takata for not cooperating with NHTSA in its current investigation of the company's defective equipments.
According to Honda, it will inform Accord, Civic, and Pilot owners regarding the recall. However, it didn't indicate when it will be sending those notices. Owners can take their vehicles to a Honda dealer after receiving the notices and the driver-side airbag inflator will be replaced.
Honda spokesman Chris Martin said that Honda was not able to estimate the number of vehicles around the world, which have the defected equipment, but there are about 14.3 million Takata airbag inflaters in Honda and Acura cars, which are considered under the recall.
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- Who owns Apple now?
- Which phone does Zuckerberg use?
- Is Apple richer than Microsoft?
- What does Bill Gates think of Apple?
- What did Bill Gates say about Steve Jobs death?
- What personality is Bill Gates?
- What does Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have in common?
- Who is richer Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?
- Was Steve Jobs friends with Bill Gates?
- Does Elon Musk use an iPhone?
- Which is the best phone in 2020?
- Who is smarter Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?
- What phone does Bill Gates have?
- How old is Bill Gates now?
- Why isn’t Steve Wozniak a billionaire?
Who owns Apple now?
Top 10 Owners of Apple IncStockholderStakeTotal value ($)Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
(Investm…5.45%102,796,014,008BlackRock Fund Advisors4.20%79,174,298,308SSgA Funds Management, Inc.3.88%73,202,344,847Fidelity Management & Research Co…1.84%34,725,128,3886 more rows.
Which phone does Zuckerberg use?
The Galaxy M51 comes with a 6.7-inch Infinity O display. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor paired with Adreno 618 GPU. It comes with dual SIM functionality and runs Android 10 operating system topped with the company’s own One UI.
Is Apple richer than Microsoft?
Apple surpassed Microsoft in market capitalization on Friday morning to retake the throne as the world’s most valuable company. The iPhone maker was valued at about $1.065 trillion as of 11:20 a.m. ET, edging past Microsoft’s $1.063 trillion market cap.
What does Bill Gates think of Apple?
In 2018, Gates told CNBC that Apple was an “amazing company”, and backed Buffett’s decision at the time to up his take in the tech giant. “I think Warren has applied great thinking there,” he said. “It’s not like a tech speculative company where it’s still losing money or anything.”
What did Bill Gates say about Steve Jobs death?
Statement from Bill Gates: “I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’ death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.
What personality is Bill Gates?
Bill Gates, Assertive Logician (INTP-A) | 16Personalities. Intuitive (N) and Thinking (T) personality types, known for their rationality, impartiality, and intellectual excellence. Intuitive (N) and Feeling (F) personality types, known for their empathy, diplomatic skills, and passionate idealism.
What does Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have in common?
Bothhave become very successful in the computer industry and are owners of their respectivecompanies. Gates and Jobs had a partner in helping them with their business idea. Theboth of them were extremely intelligent and had pursued a college degree at prestigiousuniversities (Gates-Harvard and Jobs-Berkeley).
Who is richer Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?
The rivalry between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates that dominated the computer industry for decades is over. And it’s clear that Gates won. With his net worth of $66 billion, Gates still sits atop the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, as he has since 1995.
Was Steve Jobs friends with Bill Gates?
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are two of the most high-profile tech titans of the past century, and they also had a famously fierce rivalry that evolved into a friendship based on mutual respect until Jobs passed away in 2011.
Does Elon Musk use an iPhone?
Musk is an Apple user and one might even call him a ‘fan’ as he did say the Apple makes great products that make “you happier” but it wasn’t doing so in the last few years. … I still use an iPhone and everything, but Apple used to really bring out products that would blow people’s minds, you know?
Which is the best phone in 2020?
The best smartphone of 2020: 15 top mobile phones tested and rankedSamsung Galaxy S20 / S20 Plus: the best smartphone.OnePlus 8 Pro.iPhone 12 mini / iPhone 12.Oppo Find X2 Pro.iPhone 12 Pro / iPhone 12 Pro Max.Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.Motorola Edge Plus.OnePlus 8T.More items…
Who is smarter Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?
Walter Isaacson: Bill Gates Was ‘Conventionally Smarter’ Than Steve Jobs. … It wasn’t the smarts, according to Walter Isaacson, the author of a recent biography of Jobs. Isaacson argued that another tech titan, Bill Gates, was “conventionally smarter” than Jobs, but lacked the Apple co-founder’s artistic instincts.
What phone does Bill Gates have?
In an interview with Fox News Sunday (spotted by On MSFT), Gates reveals he’s now using an Android phone. While Gates doesn’t reveal the exact model, he does note that it has “a lot of Microsoft software” on it, which could suggest it’s a special Microsoft Edition Samsung Galaxy S8 handset with bundled software.
How old is Bill Gates now?
65 years (October 28, 1955)Bill Gates/Age
Why isn’t Steve Wozniak a billionaire?
In 1985 he sold all his shares for millions and just kept 1 share to get an annual report. That is the same year Steve Wozniak too left the company again with millions, but not billions. … His wealth is not because of the company he founded in the garage in 1970s, but the iPod and iPhone that came 3 decades later.


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Apple Inc. has been given a patent for technology that could shut down smartphones in particular locations, according to Mashable.
The patent was granted Aug. 28 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and could allow Cupertino-based Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to turn off the ability to take photos or video when entering certain locations, or even put phones to "sleep" entirely, according to Mashable.
In wake of the Apple's patent battle with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the Silicon Valley Business Journal looked at the cost of patent litigation on small businesses.
Written by Lisa Ward. To contact someone about this article, Shana Lynch can be reached at 408.299.1831 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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ALEX Scott and Maya Jama are two rising stars of British television and it seems the celeb pals are exchanging fashion tips too.
Over the weekend, football pundit Alex, 38, stunned with a red PVC outfit at Soccer Aid, with fans branding it “perfection” and joking she was “brave” in the midst of a heatwave.
But eagle-eyed fans noted that the PVC number was similar to a vinyl midi dress Maya, 28, recently modelled for PrettyLittleThing.
The Love Island host and former Arsenal Women legend have been pals for years and presented the charity celeb football match together before.
Asked about potentially playing in a game herself this time around, Alex said: “Maya Jama threw it out there last year, and I said to her straight away: ‘If you’re going to step on the pitch, I will step on the pitch’, and we had a bit of a bet about it.”
Until we see them in matching footie kits, it appears they are taking inspiration from each others’ dazzling array of outfits too.
The duo starred at Soccer Aid in 2021 and Maya was particularly praised for her stylish flared peach suit.
One year later, Alex sported a similar orange number while commentating for the BBC at the World Cup.
The outfit caused a stir after she shared a photo of herself in the studio on Instagram and tagged the designer Reiss.
Alex received a dressing down from the Beeb because it was seen as promoting the company while she was working as a brand ambassador for the fashion label.
Cut it out
Back in February, Maya made jaws drop after debuting a bewitching red cut-out dress on Love Island.
On Twitter, one fan gushed that she had “no right being that flawless” and another added: “Maya in that red hot dress should be illegal.”
And just two days later, Alex was spotted in an eerily similar cut – albeit in a different colour – at the BAFTA nominees’ party.
The ex-footballer’s was compared to a “Bond girl” by fans and one commentated that she looked “like a million bucks”.
Zig and zag
The National Television Awards red carpet is no stranger to daring looks and back in 2021, Alex knocked it out of the park with her black glitzy dress.
Her outfit, which featured zig-zag cut-outs and sheer fabric, went down a storm and the following year Maya appeared to take tips from her look.
At the 2022 Brit Awards, the TV star wore a skimpy black cut-out bra-let and skirt that had a similar zig-zag pattern.
Coming full circle, that same month Alex wore a similar blag zig-zag cut-out for Soccer Aid 2022.
Alex sported a yellow dress with jewels for her promotional shots ahead of appearing on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2019.
It was one of the first times fans noticed her flair for fashion – mainly because they were used to seeing her in a football kit.
As the face of summer TV hit Love Island, it’s no surprise Maya loves to brighten things up too.
A month before Alex took to the dancefloor, she snared an eye-popping snap of a revealing yellow number based on a 90s Versace dress.
When it comes to the red carpet, both stars go shoulder to shoulder.
Maya wore a cream floor-length, one-shoulder gown with a thigh-high slit first at the 2020 National Television Awards.
The curve-flattering style made another appearance in May this year, when Alex attended the UK Premiere for Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
She made a splash at the London event in the near-identical outfit, which hung over a single shoulder and had a similar high thigh cut.
Maya and Alex know how to shimmer in silver too.
The former led the way at the grand opening party of Mayfair’s Bacchanalia restaurant in November last year.
Her ensemble had a cut-out section at the waist and a thigh-high slit that flaunted her enviable curves.
And at the 2023 Grammy Awards in February, Alex commanded the spotlight when she wore her own silver show-stopping dress.
The pundit’s dress had a similar thigh slit and a figure-hugging shape that showed off her body.


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The Federal Trade Commission passed new laws regarding credit debt settlement that has been affecting the industry. It is in place to ban debt relief services from charging consumers upfront with fees. Consumers dealing with debt can rejoice with this law as they do not have to pay any money until the debt settlement process is actually done and their debts are settled.
There have been notoriously high fees collected upfront by numerous debt settlement companies without resolving the debts properly. The industry has been gaining a negative reputation but this law will pout the fraudsters out of business soon enough. Only those with legitimate operations are going to last once the law is in place.
Now credit card debt settlement companies can confidently collect fees once the actual debts are closed if they have been doing things legitimately. It is also a motivation for these agencies to work to provide better services that are legal and credible to consumers as they will not receive payments until the debts are closed by the company.
Credit card companies and other unsecured debt agencies are willing to come forward and help the debt settlement process survive. They would rather have the debts settled than have consumers declare bankruptcy. When there is a bankruptcy filed the consumers get nothing and hence it is a total loss for creditors if debt settlement as a whole goes out.
This legislation takes the risks off the consumers back and puts it onto the debt relief services that will have to pull up their socks and deliver results. Debt settlement will grow effective and successful settlements will increase letting consumers have a better option for relief from debts.
Consumers who have at least $10k in unsecured debts and are unable to deal with it are the ones that will be eligible for debt settlement services. The settlement process will be less risky for the customers and will be attempted by more of them before trying bankruptcy as a last resort.
There are numerous free debt relief networks which will help to find the legitimate companies that do debt settlement. When it is a respected company with the right affiliations then there will proper consultations provided. Thus the customer can gauge which means of relief is well suited and will save them from spending more money on frauds and scams. This new legislation spells hope for the consumers struggling with large debts.


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In the midst of the pandemic in 2020, the Hotel ibis Laval le Relais d’Armor, part of the global Accor Hospitality Group, wrestled with the challenges all hospitality businesses were facing: how to clean and disinfect for guests without putting staff at risk from the overuse of potentially harmful chemicals?
“At the time, we were employing a traditional cleaning protocol using chemistry,” explains Thierry Benoist, the director of the hotel located in Changes, France. “We were using over 500 litres of chemicals per month to clean our hotel — it was far too much. When my local distributor, ECO LIFE, encouraged us to test Stabilized Aqueous Ozone (SAO®) from Tersano for a few months, I was delighted to give it a try.”
SAO is a simple, safe, sustainable way to clean, disinfect, and deodorize without using harmful chemicals. Created on-demand through a patented technology, SAO starts as tap water, is converted into a cleaner and sanitizer for up to 24 hours, and then reverts safely to tap water. SAO is produced in on-demand from a wall-mounted dispenser, as well as in a hand-held device called the iClean® mini.Download pdf version here
When used as directed, the Tersano SAO system:
- Offers hotel operators a safe way to clean, kill germs, and reduce the odors in their properties;
- Kills 99.99% of harmful germs — including the virus that causes COVID-19 as well as many others;
- Is produced on-demand eliminating the need to continually purchase harmful chemicals and sanitizers;
- Is safe for use around staff, guests and the broader local community
Not having to worry about cleaning chemicals in the hands of my staff is a real joy. It is safer for them and my customers.
Hotel ibis Laval le Relais d’Armor
The Hotel ibis Laval employs a staff of 11 responsible for maintaining the property. The staff cleans over 2300 m2 to prepare for over 75 visitors each day. Opened in 2010, the hotel offers 69 traditional guest rooms, a restaurant, a bar, business meeting facilities, and even a barbeque on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “In hospitality, cleanliness is everything. It’s one of the first things guests notice,” shares Benoist. “With SAO, we’ve eliminated over 70% of the chemicals we were using — while maintaining our standards of cleanliness.”
“I’m thankful that my staff is particularly attentive to innovation. On the one hand, they like new things for their own good — but they are also very aware of the environment. SAO was an obvious choice for us.” By replacing traditional cleaning chemicals with SAO, businesses no longer dispose of toxic chemicals into the drains and ultimately our rivers, streams, and waterways.
The staff at ibis is pleased with the transition to non-toxic cleaning, sanitizing, and deodorizing — which went smoothly thanks to a focus on education and training. Says Benoist, “It seems unlikely we would ever return to chemicals.”
The benefits of SAO are many, but if I had to sum it up I would say it’s environmentally-friendly, safer for my staff, and very easy to use.


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Apple iOS experts will join Accenture Digital Studios teams to help create new and better iOS solutions for enterprise.
Apple Pay will expand to at least four more countries by the end of 2017, Apple CFO Luca Maestri revealed today during the company’s Q3 2017 financial results call.
Apple's services segment is now the size of a Fortune 100 company, hitting that milestone ahead of company projections
With the year half over, what's Apple up to? We've got the highlights from the Q3 2017 earnings call.
Here's our transcript of CEO Tim Cook's opening remarks and analysts' questions over Apple's third-quarter earnings.
Deirdre O'Brien, a 29-year veteran of Apple, has been named as the company's new vice president of People. The role will see her take charge of the company's human resources functions.
In addition to selling more iPhones, Apple can also sell more of an iPhone — by bring tomorrow's iPhone to customers today, for a price.
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Micromax Canvas A1 (Android One)
Micromax Canvas Nitro A310
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
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HTC One (M8)
iOS 8: Huge for developers, not yet for you
The Indian Spotify: 4 mobile music streaming apps that you can use
Android One excels in battery test against competitors
Zenfones, Zenwatch and more: In conversation with Asus
iOS 8: 13 important features
How tech is taking football to the next level
Classic FPS games are a dying breed
Slowly gathering steam...
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Carmick Shift: Can John Carmack and Oculus Rift change the world?
Moto 360 will be available exclusively on Flipkart
A look at Amazon's new Kindle Fire tablets & Kindle Voyager
Android's next version will come with default encryption
Samsung to stop selling 48 phone models online to focus on offline retail
Samsung to release Galaxy Note 4 on October 17
Moto G 2nd gen launched, available from midnight at Rs. 12,999
Xiaomi goes for the kill, prices Redmi 1S at Rs. 5,999 in India
Xiaomi lists Mi3 cases and power-banks on Flipkart, offers 10,400 mAh powerbank for Rs. 999
Moto G2 expected to be announced on 10 September
Motorola Moto X (Gen 2) smartphone, Moto 360 smartwatch announced for India
Karbonn Sparkle V
Spice Android One Dream UNO Mi-498
Micromax Canvas A1
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Tutorial: How to implement H.265/HEVC for Intel Atom Based Android Platforms
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Apple India has officially rejected rumours that the iPhone 5 is going to be launched in India on October 26. The folks at IBTimes India have contacted an Apple official, who confirmed that the company has no plans to launch the iPhone 5 in the country 'anytime soon'.
"We have no announcements at the moment on a launch (iPhone 5) or price in India. All reports currently (doing the rounds) are purely media speculation," PR Manager, Apple India told IBTimes.
Rumours about the iPhone 5 were triggered after BGR India citing 'multiple sources' claimed the device is going to hit the Indian shores on the last Friday of this month, which happens to be October 26. The tech site further claimed that Apple will taking care of the distribution of the iPhone 5 own, instead of teaming with the Indian cellular operators.
According to reports, the iPhone 5 will bear pricing similar or higher to the iPhone 4S (Rs. 44,500 for the 16GB model), when it launched it in India last year. Pricedeckho.com reports that the iPhone 5 will be priced at Rs. 62,990 approximately, without revealing the variant.
Apple has already reduced prices of its iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 – a move considered as a preparation for the launch of the iPhone 5.
It's notable that the Apple iPhone 5 is already available in various market, but India has once again been excluded from the initial launch schedule of the device. The device, however, is selling briskly in the grey market and via online sites such as E-bay. But sellers are charging a hefty premium for the iPhone 5, with prices going up to Rs. 1,00,000 for the 64GB variant.


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- REI 2022 has started in India and is bringing throngs to the event that’s being held full-fledged after 2 years
- Beyond the usual bigger players that command the maximum attention, there are stalls from smaller players that are making their presence felt too
- Companies see supportive government policies increasing the interest in the technology and bringing people in
As energy market dynamics unfold globally, reinforcing the importance of becoming self-sufficient in energy generation and manufacturing, solar PV is gaining prominence in the Indian government’s scheme of things which can safely be attributed as one of the reasons for this technology attracting big crowds at the Renewable Energy India Expo 2022 (REI 2022).
Being held at Greater Noida in India’s Uttar Pradesh state from September 28, 2022 to September 30, 2022, the REI 2022 is back in its original avatar after 2 years of COVID-19 related restrictions.
The government push to manufacturing with the help of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), among other measures, is instilling confidence in the local industry. This time at the REI 2022, it is interesting to see the presence of not just big players like Reliance Industries Limited’s (RIL) REC Solar along with dominant Chinese companies, but even smaller manufacturers making their presence felt. And not just in module manufacturing alone, but also in ancillary industries. As many companies are moving and considering solar silicon to module manufacturing in India, companies along the entire value chain are presenting at the show.
Speaking with TaiyangNews, some of the industry players shared their views about how REI 2022 points at the growing attention to solar PV technology in the country.
Vertically integrated solar PV manufacturer RenewSys India Pvt Ltd is quite happy with the start. The company’s Senior Officer Corporate Communications Seema Khatavkar reflected that technology enthusiasts are coming up in droves to understand the company’s manufacturing processes. “While we are getting many queries businesswise, it is exciting to see how people in India are more aware about solar PV technology and want to know more about it,” she explained.
Indian solar module maker Gautam Solar that operates a 400 MW annual production facility in Haridwar, Uttarakhand and plans to expand to 1 GW attributes the growing interest in solar PV to the encouraging policies of the Government of India. Gautam Solar’s Director Nidhi Mohanka cites Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) and Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on imported cells and modules as some such measures.
“The growth of solar PV industry in India will always be aligned with the market demand precisely because it is such a capital-intensive industry. Right now, in India the demand is growing hence module makers like us are expanding too. With government incentives, the growth will only be accelerated which is the need of the hour,” added Mohanka.
The Indian presence of French floating solar PV company Ciel et Terre is confident of its business growing to GW level in the near future. Ciel et Terre India’s Head Projects and Engineering Karanam Sai Kiran shared, “Most water bodies in India come under the control of the government which is where the opportunity is. We have supplied our technology to many such projects of public sector entities. Now, there is growing interest for floating solar among private players, including steel manufacturers where water is used for cooling purposes.” He added, “Going by the way the queries are pouring in at the show, we are quite confident of its scope expanding further in India.”
While the global market leading Chinese module and inverter makers are present at the show, there seem to be more Indian solar companies exhibiting at this edition. Both protection measures and China’s Zero Covid Policy, which makes traveling very cumbersome, are the likely reasons for fewer Chinese companies and hardly any Chinese visitors at the show. However, a few western companies are exhibiting, among others inverter companies, like SMA. Also, several foreign production equipment companies – from both China and Europe – are presenting their products attracted by the quickly expansing Indian manufacturing sector.
That’s one day gone and 2 more to go. The TaiyangNews team will be on ground zero to bring to you all the action and development here at REI 2022. Please get in touch – and pick a copy of our HJT and Cell Production Equipment Reports, which we distribute at the show.


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It’s clear the drought that has encompassed much of the United States in the past year has had a very real impact on consumers, who are already keeping a tight hold on their pocketbooks. People are actually starting to think about where their food comes from now.
That’s why “The Economic Importance of Irrigated Agriculture,” a 2012 report prepared by the Family Farm Alliance, is timely and important.
Even when much of the economy is faltering right now, irrigated agriculture remains one of the largest economic engines in the Western United States, according to the Alliance report. In the 17 Western states, the “irrigated agriculture industry”— made up of direct irrigated crop production, agricultural services and the food processing and packaging sectors—impacts total household income by an estimated $128 billion annually.
While this is certainly impressive, perhaps the most striking aspect of the new report is a discussion describing how important inexpensive food has been to the average American’s disposable income over the last 70 years. During the Great Depression, roughly 25% of a U.S. family’s disposable income was spent on food. In 2011, that percentage had dropped to 6.7%, the lowest of any country in the world.
By comparison, Russians spend 31% of their disposable income on food. That’s more than four times what U.S. consumers spend on food, and creates the opportunity to invest in nonfood goods.
Clearly, the declining costs of U.S. household food purchases affects discretionary income and, over time, has contributed substantially to the national economy by allowing more household income to be devoted to the purchase of consumer goods and services. Thus, the food security issue can be directly linked to general U.S. economic health because of its implications to the consumer spending economy.
The number one issue for federal and state agricultural policy decision-makers should be to maintain the United States’ 24-hour-a-day, every day access to low-cost, safe, high-quality food and fiber. Irrigated agriculture in the Western United States has a huge role in the availability of that food.
To maintain that supply, we need policies that encourage agricultural producers to work together in a strategic, coordinated fashion. Federal water policy often reflects a “one size fits all” approach. Farmers, ranchers and other conservationists know that the best water solutions are unique, and come from the local, watershed and state level. They know we need policies that encourage agricultural producers, non-governmental organizations, and state and federal agencies to work together in a strategic, coordinated fashion.
We need to find ways to recruit young people into agriculture.
We need to modernize and rebuild parts of the institutional structures now in place, so that water resources can be managed specifically, not generically. State laws and institutions must be given deference in issues relating to water resource allocation, use, control and transfer. The best decisions on water issues happen at the state and local level. Aging water infrastructure must be addressed promptly and with priority commitments; failure to do so will create a failed legacy for the next generation. New water supplies must be developed to provide for recreational and environmental needs, allow for population growth and protect the economic vitality of the West.
We must get a handle on changing weather patterns and assess how these changes will impact the agricultural landscape and water security. And, we must develop a clear understanding of the impacts on our ability to feed the world—and limitations that may result—when we take domestic agricultural lands out of production as water tied to those lands is moved elsewhere.
Western farmers and ranchers can play a part in a solution to that crisis and can continue to provide affordable food on the grocery store shelves—if we can keep them on the farm.


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Nigeria Records First Rise in Business Activities in 4 Months
By Dipo Olowookere
For the first time in four months, business activities grew in Nigeria last month, according to the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc.
In a report made available to Business Post, the lender said the Nigerian private sector recorded an expansion during July, following three successive months of decline as both business activity and new orders increased, but the severity of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) downturn meant that spare capacity remained evident, leading to a further reduction in employment.
It said the recent surge in prices extended into the second half of the year, with overall input prices rising at the sharpest pace in the survey’s history. In response, firms also raised their output prices at the fastest rate since the survey began in January 2014.
Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions on the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show deterioration and the headline PMI for July stood at 50.4 from 46.4 in June.
However, the reading signalled only a slight improvement in business conditions following a severe downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Signs of improving demand were central to the strengthening of business conditions. New orders increased for the first time in four months. Business activity also returned to growth for the first time since March on the back of higher new orders and an easing of the lockdown.
Despite new orders increasing in the latest survey period, steep declines in previous months meant that excess capacity was still evident. Backlogs of work decreased for the second month running, while firms continued to lower their staffing levels. Employment fell for the fourth successive month, but the rate of job cuts softened from June’s record.
The rate of overall input cost inflation was the sharpest in the survey’s history amid an unprecedented rise in purchase prices. Respondents linked higher purchase costs to currency weakness and shortages of raw materials. Meanwhile, staff costs continued to fall, with panellists reporting wage reductions.
In response to sharply rising cost burdens, companies increased their own selling prices. Moreover, the rate of inflation was the fastest since the survey began in January 2014.
Signs of improving customer demand led companies to expand their purchasing activity and inventory holdings, in both cases for the first time in four months. Stock building efforts were aided by quicker suppliers’ delivery times, reflecting the removal of restrictions on interstate travel and competition among vendors.
Commenting, an Economist at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Gbolahan Taiwo, stated that, “Business activities in the Nigerian private sector returned to expansion territory for the first time since March as output and new orders improved.
“The PMI rose to 50.4 in July from 46.4 in June. Recall the Nigerian government started to ease the COVID-19 containment measures in early May and that has brought about some resumption to economic activities albeit slowly. The output and new orders sub-index expanded for the first time in 4 months at 52 and 52.5 respectively.
“Although we expect business activities in the Nigerian private sector will continue to improve over the coming months, the overall economy will likely still fall into a recession as some parts of the economy, particularly the services sector will still struggle to recover perhaps until a vaccine is found.
“Also, despite the expected quarter-on-quarter growth, the higher base from last year will ensure a year-on-year contraction.
“On a negative front, the employment index remains below the expansion mark of 50 for the fourth consecutive month as companies continue to reduce staffing owing to COVID-19 disruption to economic activities. This will continue to impact negatively on the demand side of growth as aggregate demand and purchasing power of the consumer will remain under pressure.”


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Experts debate on sugar tax’s ability to help combat obesity
In an article on the BMJ, experts debate whether sugar tax could help authorities fight the obesity menace and whether this measure alone is sufficient to control the growing population of obese people.
The debate follows a recent call by the British Medical Association (BMA) to impose a 20 per cent sugar tax to tackle obesity and to use this extra money to subsidise the cost of fruit and vegetables.
There are those who advocate imposition of such tax while accepting is it not the only option that will help curb obesity and those on the other side of the aisle claim that imposition of taxes isn’t the way to go and that such schemes do not really help curb obesity to desired levels.
Sirpa Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, adviser at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in Finland is a pro-tax expert who says that specific tax on sugar would reduce consumption. She bases her argument on the success achieved by countries who have already imposed such taxes and says that that is evidence that taxes on soft drinks, sugar, and snacks can change diets and improve health, especially in lower socioeconomic groups.
Taxes on specific food categories that are common constituents of poor diets “are practicable because they are simple to administer,” she adds.
However, she does add that taxing sugar isn’t the only solution and it is more or a partial solution. She suggests that a sugar tax on all products may be a more acceptable option because such a step will bring all sources of sugar on equal footing and all sources will be treated equally.
“It could also stimulate reformulated products, with less sugar and hence liable for less tax”, she adds.
In Finland, the Sugar Tax Working Group recently concluded that the current system of using excise duty is most practicable. “A combination of excise duty for key sources of sugar with tax adjusted based on sugar content would optimally promote health – and product reformulation.”
Nevertheless, Professor Sarlio-Lähteenkorva points out that taxes for health face many challenges, as recently seen with Denmark’s short experiment with a tax on saturated fat, which seems to have reduced consumption of fats by 10-15% but worries about border trade and lobbing by industry led to its withdrawal. The food industry also argues that consumption taxes are ineffective, unfair, and damage the industry.
“We need fiscal policies that take health seriously,” she writes. “Governments must tackle the related adverse health effects, such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension. A tax on sugar, preferably with measures that target also saturated fat and salt, and incentives for healthy eating, would help,” she concludes.
Jack Winkler, emeritus professor of nutrition policy at London Metropolitan University, isn’t impressed. Though he acknowledged that such taxes would be a positive development in principle, but he says that such a measure is not only politically unpalatable, but it would have to be enormous to have any effect.
Citing the development in US, Winkler notes that only one city has soft drinks taxes, while only four of 53 states in WHO-Europe have adopted food taxes, all with the stated aim of raising revenue, not improving health.
Food taxes are also economically ineffective, he adds. Two rigorous UK studies found that a 10% tax would reduce average personal daily intake by 7.5 mL (less than a sip), while a 20% tax would reduce consumption by 4 kcal. “Effects of this size will not reverse global obesity,” he argues.
He suggests that cutting product margins on sugar-free soft drinks would be a positive alternative, which would make the healthy choice the cheaper choice – and would would boost companies’ profit.
He points out that before and after the recent UK election, government spokespeople stated repeatedly that there will be no new food taxes and immediately rejected the BMA’s proposal.
Why are we still debating this idea, he asks? “Nutrition policy needs price instruments, but a more positive selection. Sugar taxes are unlikely to be adopted and would not make much difference anyway,” he concludes.


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Reception for Defra’s UK ‘50 Food Stars’ at No.11 Downing St. (Feb 2015)
Redhill Farm was selected from hundreds of national award winning food & drink businesses and invited by Elizabeth Truss MP to the launch day of DEFRA’s "50 Food Stars" in London on 26 February at Noble House ending with a reception at No.11 Downing Street.
As a 50 Food Star Redhill Farm has become part of a select group of like-minded independent food and drink businesses sharing experience and ideas and gaining support from world-leading experts and entrepreneurs in the UK Food & Drink industry.
“We are incredibly proud to be considered as one of the rising stars in the UK food industry. Terry & I had an amazing day meeting like-minded producers, many of whom we already knew as fellow national award winners. The launch was a great day of celebration of the achievements and successes of Britain’s independent food and drink producers as well as plenty of inspiration to look to the future” comments Jane Tomlinson.


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- Black Friday loses its appeal for some shoppersBusiness
The holiday shopping season appears to be off to a strong start, but Thanksgiving weekend didn’t attract as many shoppers as last year, according to early data, as retailers began offering deals earlier and consumers stretched their spending over a longer period.
- Store traffic falls again on Black Friday but not all news is badBusiness
During Thanksgiving and Black Friday, traffic to U.S. stores fell between 5% and 9% compared with the same days last year, estimated RetailNext, which uses cameras to track people in both mall-based and stand-alone retailers. Another measurement firm, ShopperTrak, estimated traffic fell less sharply, about 1% over the two-day period from a year ago.


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Podcast with Dominique Lamb, NRA
This week we talk all things regulation with Dominique Lamb, CEO, National Retail Association.
It’s now two weeks into the new financial year, which is just enough time for retailers to settle into a new regulatory environment.
Listen as Lamb provides her perspective on how the changes are being digested, as well as what the sector is currently advocating for.
According to Lamb, retail sector growth is likely to plateau before Christmas, with moderation in housing being a key risk for the sector moving into financial calendar 2018.
However, she doesn’t believe it’s all doom and gloom, noting the RBA’s decision to keep rates at historic lows as a boon to the sector.
You can listen to the podcast below:
After an 18-month review of APRA, the main music licensor businesses use to play music in their shops and cafes, th… https://t.co/piv36mwUb813 hours ago
Roughly two months after it announced a partnership with QBD Books, the Australian Geographic brand will launch its… https://t.co/2LBex5jMsK14 hours ago


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National average mortgage rates declined from the previous week to 4.72% in the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey released weekly by Freddie Mac on June 10th. Rates have recorded weekly declines in seven out of the past nine weeks. Fixed mortgage rates are now just slightly higher than the all-time low of 4.71% set in December 2009.
After more than a year of talking about it, actual change has finally arrived for the tens of millions of Americans who rely on credit cards.
Come February 22, 2010, card lenders will be barred from raising interest rates on most borrowers’ existing balances—a practice that increasingly irked consumers over the last decade and one of several that federal regulators and lawmakers finally barred as unfair and deceptive.
But the new law already requires banks to give cardholders 45 days’ notice of any change in terms. So if your bank didn’t mail you a rate-change notice by January 7, 2010, you no longer face a doubling or tripling of your interest rate on your current balance—as long as you keep paying and don’t fall 60 days late. The Federal Reserve recently issued more than 1,100 pages of rules telling card issuers how to implement that new prohibition and other elements of the nation’s new credit card law, whose main terms take effect February 22.
If you’re a “convenience user” of credit cards—one of the four in 10 cardholders who pay off your bill each month—you’ll be less affected than those who carry a balance. But pay attention, anyway, because the new rules are forcing the card industry to reevaluate business models that for too long relied on tricks and traps to generate revenue. It isn’t yet clear how the card market will evolve, especially since this is playing out during the middle of a deep and painful recession.
Still, many of last year’s dire warnings don’t seem to be coming true. “Rewards” programs haven’t vanished, nor have annual fees suddenly become the norm. Average rates even dipped in November 2009, which the bankers called evidence that “issuers are working to keep rates down even in these tough times.”
In short, good customers still seem able to enjoy the benefits of paying with plastic without shouldering much more of the costs. And that’s unlikely to change, because of competition and also because of one of the basic dynamics of the credit card business: Since they also get lucrative fees from the companies that accept plastic payments, the last thing card issuers want is to steer you to start paying with cash or checks.
Highlights of the new rules include
-No rate increases on existing balances. The dirty little secret of what card issuers called “risk-based pricing” was that some of the best prices were offered to some of the riskiest customers. The trick was that they knew they could profit by offering lucrative deals to these customers because they could predict that some portion would soon be paying much more—often “default” or “penalty” rates topping 30%—on big balances.
Sometimes the new rate was triggered by a late payment of a few hours. Sometimes it was triggered by a late payment to another creditor. Sometimes it was caused by nothing more than a dip in a consumer’s credit score and contract terms allowing rates to be changed “at any time for any reason.”
What’s changed: Except for introductory rates, which must last at least six months, interest rates cannot be raised on existing balances except in rare situations, such as if a cardholder falls 60 days late.
-Faster payoffs for some borrowers. The new law also ends a trap sprung on cardholders who were lured by low-interest or no-interest balance-transfer offers but didn’t read the fine print. If they subsequently used the card for purchases carrying a higher rate, they soon found that they were accumulating interest no matter how much they paid each month. Card issuers would not allow them to pay off the purchases until the low-rate or interest-free balances had been fully paid. What’s changed: Starting February 22, any payment over the monthly minimum must go toward paying down the portion of the balance carrying the highest interest rate.
-No increases for the first 12 months. When it comes to new purchases, less has changed. You may still face an interest-rate increase based on triggers in your card contract- even for tardiness paying another creditor, the trap that came to be known as the “universal default.” But there are two key differences. The first is that since August 2009, you’ve been entitled to 45 days’ notice and the right to say “no, thanks” to new terms. The second is that, as of February 22, a card issuer cannot raise your rate during the first year an account is open, unless an “introductory rate” is expiring and the “go to” rate was plainly disclosed at the start. Of course, since card issuers can no longer apply new rates to old balances, opting out may no longer be the best solution, in part because the law allows the issuer to double your monthly minimum. You’d be better off if you simply quit using the card. But if the issuer imposes a new annual fee, opting out may be your only alternative.
-New billing and payment terms. Starting in February, your card company must mail or deliver your bill at least three weeks before your payment is due, and give you a consistent monthly due date. Payments must be credited if they arrive by 5 p.m. on the due date. And if that day falls on a Sunday or holiday, you’ll be entitled to an extra day.
-Over-limit charges. As of February 22, a card company has to ask whether you want it to approve charges that push you over your credit limit. If you say yes, the issuer can only charge you one over-limit fee per month. And if you opt out, it can’t charge you a fee if it allows such a purchase.
-Young borrowers. If you’re under 21 and want a credit card, you’ll now need to show that you have the financial resources to make payments, or obtain a cosigner.
-Big changes still ahead. This isn’t the last of the new credit card rules. By August 2010, the Federal Reserve has to decide how to implement two of the trickiest parts of the new law: its requirements that penalty fees be “reasonable and proportional,” and that card issuers who have raised customers’ rates since Jan. 1, 2009, reevaluate those rates to see if they should be reduced, and to do so at least every six months.
In an effort to stabilize home values and improve conditions in communities where foreclosure activity is high, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan recently announced a temporary policy that will expand access to FHA mortgage insurance and allow for the quick resale of foreclosed properties. The announcement is part of the Obama administration’s commitment to addressing foreclosure. Secretary Donovan recently announced $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants to local communities and nonprofit housing developers to combat the effects of vacant and abandoned homes.
“As a result of the tightened credit market, FHA-insured mortgage financing is often the only means of financing available to potential home buyers,” said Donovan. “FHA has an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill its mission by helping many home buyers find affordable housing while contributing to neighborhood stabilization.”
With certain exceptions, FHA currently prohibits insuring a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days. This temporary waiver will give FHA borrowers access to a broader array of recently foreclosed properties.
“This change in policy is temporary and will have very strict conditions and guidelines to assure that predatory practices are not allowed,” Donovan said.
In today’s market, FHA research finds that acquiring, rehabilitating and reselling these properties to prospective homeowners often takes less than 90 days. Prohibiting the use of FHA mortgage insurance for a subsequent resale within 90 days of acquisition adversely impacts the willingness of sellers to allow contracts from potential FHA buyers because they must consider holding costs and the risk of vandalism associated with allowing a property to sit vacant over a 90-day period of time.
The policy change will permit buyers to use FHA-insured financing to purchase HUD-owned properties, bank-owned properties, or properties resold through private sales. This will allow homes to resell as quickly as possible, helping to stabilize real estate prices and to revitalize neighborhoods and communities.
“FHA borrowers, because of the restrictions we are now lifting, have often been shut out from buying affordable properties,” said FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens. “This action will enable our borrowers, especially first-time buyers, to take advantage of this opportunity.”
The waiver will take effect on February 1, 2010 and is effective for one year, unless otherwise extended or withdrawn by the FHA Commissioner. To protect FHA borrowers against predatory practices of “flipping,” where properties are quickly resold at inflated prices to unsuspecting borrowers, this waiver is limited to those sales meeting the following general conditions:
-All transactions must be arms-length, with no identity of interest between the buyer and seller or other parties participating in the sales transaction.
-In cases in which the sales price of the property is 20% or more above the seller’s acquisition cost, the waiver will only apply if the lender meets specific conditions.
-The waiver is limited to forward mortgages, and does not apply to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) for purchase program.
For more information, visit www.hud.gov.


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What percentage of entrepreneurs are black?
This statistic shows the rate of new entrepreneurs in the United States from 2000 to 2019, by race. In 2019, the rate of new entrepreneurs among Black U.S. residents was 0.24 percent, or 240 new entrepreneurs for every 100,000 adults each month.
What is the largest black-owned business?
RLJ Lodging Trust, one of the largest publicly owned Black businesses, reported total assets of $5,92 billion in June 2020.
How many black businesses started in 2020?
Black entrepreneurism ranked higher than for white-owned and Asian-owned companies, the group found. On average 380 out of every 100,000 Black adults became new entrepreneurs during the 2020 pandemic, up from 240 in each of the prior two years, according to the study, based on census data.
What percentage of US business owners are black?
A look at data during Black Business Month shows that Black Americans own 2.2% of the nation’s 6 million businesses with employees.
What race has the most entrepreneurs?
The most common ethnicity among entrepreneurs is White, which makes up 73.0% of all entrepreneurs.
Is Citizens Bank Black-Owned?
Citizens Trust Bank (Member FDIC) is a Black-owned bank in Georgia and Alabama. You can also bank online nationwide, but it’s more competitive with other in-person banks. The bank has several types of checking accounts, so you may find one that suits your needs.
Are there any black-owned companies?
African Americans have operated virtually every kind of company, but some of the most prominent Black-owned businesses have been insurance companies, banks, recording labels, funeral parlors, barber shops, beauty salons, restaurants, soul food restaurants, record stores, and bookstores.
Is Coca Cola black-owned company?
Coke Florida is the third largest privately held, and the sixth-largest independent, bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States. The company is also one of America’s largest black-owned businesses.
What percentage of black-owned businesses fail?
The rate of failure for Black-owned businesses is at an all-time high today. Black entrepreneurs launch thousands of new businesses every year, yet they are failing at very high rates. Overall, 20 percent of small businesses generally fail within the first year.


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Axis Bank will accept 10% amount as margin for home loan from customers of Godrej Properties. The customers can pay rest 10% margin money during thier re-payment schedule
Godrej Properties Ltd, the real estate development arm of the Godrej Group said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Axis Bank to offer a special scheme on home loan to its customers.
Under the scheme, GPL customers will be able to get a home loan from Axis Bank after paying only 10% from their own resources as against the traditional 20%. They will have the flexibility to pay the balance 10% during the term of payment schedule, the company said in a release.
"We are sure that our customers will immensely benefit from this unique offering that will make their home purchase more affordable. This offer will also benefit young customers as the initial contribution becomes half what it would have otherwise been,” said Girish Shah, vice president (marketing & sales), Godrej Properties.