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Lagos, Nigeria – March 25th, 2019: Guaranty Trust Bank plc continued its dominance of Nigeria’s most qualitative digital financial service awards for the fourth year in a row, winning eight of the twelve honours available to Banks in the 2019 edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme (EPIS) Efficiency Awards. The foremost African financial institution, renowned for its innovative products and services, won awards for efficiency and excellent service delivery in virtually every E-payment channel.
The CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards is organized to celebrate financial institutions, merchants and other stakeholders at the forefront of driving electronic payment in Nigeria. Now in its fourth year, the awards are based on objective analysis of all E-payments data collated by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) over a full calendar year. With eight awards, GTBank took home two more honours than the six awards the Bank won the previous year and the highest number of awards presented to financial institutions, Fin-techs, merchants and other stakeholders in the Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme.
The eight awards won by GTBank include:
- Best Customer Experience Award: for having the highest level of overall customer satisfaction rating in the delivery of electronic payment services to customers in 2018.
- Real-Time Payments Transaction Efficiency: for achieving the lowest failure rate in the processing of Instant Payments transactions in 2018.
- Cashless Driver, USSD Channel Champion: for achieving the highest number of Instant Payments transactions via the USSD channel in 2018.
- Cashless Driver, Point of Sale (POS) Transactions: for achieving the highest transaction count on Point of Sale (POS) Terminals in 2018.
- Cashless Driver, Card Usage on Point of Sales (POS) Terminals: for authorising the highest card transaction count on the Point of Sale (POS) Central Terminal Management System in 2018.
- Direct Debit Driver Award: for processing the highest volume of successful debit mandates across all Payment Service Provider platforms in 2018.
- E-Reference Operations Efficiency: for the Bank’s outstanding performance in the processing of customers references received from other Banks for account opening purposes on the industry E-reference Platform in 2018.
- ID Services Driver: for achieving the highest volume in the use of the BVN, e-Passport and NIN customer verification platforms in 2018.
Commenting on the Bank’s EPIS awards, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said; “We are proud to be recognised by the CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards for our efforts in driving excellence in electronic payments and providing customers with a superior banking experience across all digital touch points. These awards serve as extra motivation for us and we continue to find new and exciting ways to reduce our customers’ pain points and offer them benefits beyond banking.
He further stated that; “At GTBank we are passionate about building the bank of the future that connects our customers directly to all the everyday things that matter to them. That is why we are constantly leveraging the best of technology to, not only make financial services cheaper, more personal and readily accessible, but also to create amazing digital experiences in a way that adds real value to our customers’ lives.”
Guaranty Trust Bank plc is a foremost African Financial Institution with Total Assets of ₦3.287trillion and Shareholders’ Funds of ₦575.6Billion. With banking operations across 10 African countries and the United Kingdom, GTBank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions in the countries in which it operates and serves as a role model in Africa’s financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service delivery and innovation.
Microinsurance ready to disrupt African insurance industry
Marius Botha, Group CEO of aYo Holdings (Source: aYo Holdings)
When it comes to insurance, there are few more exciting markets to be right now than Africa. Before COVID-19 struck, McKinsey predicted the African insurance market would grow at around 7% per year between 2020 and 2025. That’s nearly twice as fast as North America and three times faster than Europe.
The pandemic slowed that growth to some extent. But we’re still seeing significant innovation in the African insurance sector, where fintech insurers like aYo are using technology to reach previously underserviced markets across the continent, making microinsurance products available through mobile phone networks.
With the exception of South Africa, traditional retail insurance remains largely undeveloped on the continent. But Africa is a prime market for microinsurance, which is small, rapidly underwritten financial protection against a specific risk over a relatively short period of time – like hospital cover for accidents, for example.
Its growing popularity is giving millions of Africans access to life and hospital insurance for the first time. And while microinsurance started out largely being targeted at under-insured people, it’s only a matter of time before it moves up the value chain to disrupt the traditional insurance sector.
One of the biggest challenges facing the traditional insurance industry is to develop products that are suitable and accessible to people with lower incomes and younger generations with different needs. That’s why we’re increasingly going to see fintechs creating completely new kinds of insurance that will meet the dynamic needs of so-called millennial and GenZ audiences, disrupting the traditional model and increasing the user base of people insured in the process.
Right now, we’re seeing several trends combining to create a perfect storm of growth for the African insurance sector.
A surge in mobile coverage
The key to the growth of the microinsurance market on the continent has been the rapid expansion of mobile network providers, which provide the ideal delivery mechanism for the spread of the product. Insurance in the palm of your hand? It doesn’t get faster, more convenient, or easy to use than that.
A joint venture between telecommunications giant MTN and financial services group Momentum Metropolitan Holdings (MMH), aYo’s MTN connection has proven invaluable not only to drive access to markets, but to provide credibility and trust in the relatively new brand.
A growing digital economy
At the same time, we’ve seen Africa’s digital economy grow exponentially over the last year, largely driven by Covid-19. The pandemic has dramatically changed consumer behaviour, and consequently, how insurers interact with clients.
More than ever, consumers don’t want to sign paper forms, or stand in queues. They want to access their financial products quickly and easily from their mobile devices – and here, microinsurers have proven agile enough to deliver the right products through this channel. At the same time, technology is making it possible for higher levels of product customisation than ever, with the ability to meet a growing range of niche needs.
A vast under-insured population
Perhaps the most transformative aspect of microinsurance is that it protects those who need it the most. People with lower incomes need insurance even more than the middle class, because they are more vulnerable and have a smaller cushion of resources to draw upon in times of need. Having insurance shields users from the type of economic shocks that would otherwise have kept them locked into an endless cycle of poverty.
Mix together a boom in mobile coverage, a thriving digital economy and an underserved population, and the ingredients are in place for an insurance revolution. By providing insurance to millions of Africans for the first time, innovative fintechs and microinsurers are truly driving financial inclusion across Africa and making a tangibly positive difference to people’s lives.
Author: Marius Botha, Group CEO of aYo Holdings
Current Legal Issues Arising from Banking and Financing Arrangements
In August 2020, Diagoe Plc’s Nigerian entity announced that it was struggling to refinance a $23 million debt and trim costs following a shortage of dollars in the local-foreign exchange market. While the lack of access to greenback (dollar) remains a growing concern for borrowers in Africa, the downturn in the revenue and profits as a result of COVID-19 has recently become a more prevalent cause for the inability of many borrowers to fulfill their contractual obligations.
The disruption of supply chains, compulsory quarantine, and social distancing regulations are a few examples of the effect of COVID-19 which in turn have materially caused economic instability and affected the ability of borrowers to meet their financial obligations. There is therefore a need for lenders and borrowers to critically consider the implications of the current economy on their financial obligations.
This article highlights some key implications the current financial terrain may have on borrowers’ businesses and their ability to comply with their contractual obligations. The article further sets out recommendations for lenders and borrowers who are faced with the task of funding and repaying loans under respective financing arrangements. While there are numerous impacts of the resultant effect of COVID-19 on covenants in finance documents, this article highlights only a few of such key legal consequences on financial obligations.
Financial Conditions and their Implication on Covenants in Finance Documents
Generally, financial covenants in a loan agreement are undertakings given by the borrower to test the performance of the business servicing the loan and to help the lender ensure that the risk attached to the loan does not unexpectedly deteriorate prior to maturity. These performance covenants may cover the borrower’s business both back or forward to assess whether the business is showing any signs of distress that could potentially affect its financial obligations under the finance documents.
However, as a result of the steps taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have seen a severe and abrupt drop in income which has affected the ability of businesses to meet some performance covenants.Where these covenants have been breached as a result of the pandemic, the lenders may declare a default under loan documents and demand early payments of loan which acts as a drawstop, such that the borrowers will not have access to their facilities. A drawstop event means a breach by the borrower of a financial covenant which gives the lender the right to refuse to make further loan advances under a facility agreement.
In light of the foregoing difficulties that both lenders and borrowers may face in these uncertain times, the following paragraph sets out practical solutions that may be explored by the parties.
Legal Considerations for Borrowers and Lenders
With the current unpredictability of the financial markets, it is important that borrowers and lenders conduct a critical review of their current loan documents to verify the implications of COVID-19 on their rights and obligations. Most importantly, borrowers have to fully disclose to their lenders the current situation of their businesses, highlighting any potential breach before it happens helps to build trust and to enable the lenders to have a clear picture when deciding if they will be willing to adjust financial obligations in line with the current realities of the economy and take into consideration some practical solutions set out below.
First, parties may agree to re-negotiate and subsequently amend their financial covenants, taking into consideration the impact of COVID-19 on the borrower’s ability to comply with their financial covenants. For instance, certain definitions in the finance documents may no longer reflect the current realities of the borrower’s business, such as EBITDA which is used as a metric for thelast four fiscal quarter periods of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization to measure the company’s financial performance.
Thus, where the EBITDA has been affected as a result of the pandemic an amendment to its substance will be an appropriate step in order to reflect the current financial condition of the borrower. Other re-negotiation may be in relation to compliance with certain conditions provided under the finance documents.For example, a facility agreement may include provisions requiring the borrower to fulfil certain further conditions precedent before it can access additional funding under the relevant facility.
It usually includes confirmation that:
(i) no Event of Default or a potential Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and
(ii) the repeating representations are true in all material
respects, in each case, as at the date of the utilisation request and the proposed utilisation date.
In such instances, parties may either amend the provisions or the borrower may request that the lender grant waivers in the event that such conditions will not be fulfilled.
Another consideration that the borrower may explore (subject to the fulfillment of any available conditions or if waivers are granted by the lender) is utilizing any undrawn commitment under its existing facilities. Although, it has been highlighted above that material breaches of covenants may give right to the lender torefuse to provide additional funding, it may be in the interest of lenders to provide same. This is because additional funding may positively impact the borrower’s business and in turn improve the lender’s chances of full debt recovery.
Finally, parties may consider undertaking a full restructuring of the financing by re-negotiating substantial terms and entering into restructured facility documentation which may capture relaxation of financial covenants, obtaining a moratorium on interest payment obligations, all necessary requirements, amendments, waivers, and consents required by the borrower. Essentially, the restructured facility documentation is drafted on much better terms that reflect the current financial conditions and commercial needs of the borrower.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt placed a strain on the ability of some businesses to service their debts under finance documents. While many governments especially in developed countries have granted some aids, this may not be enough especially for companies in certain industries that have been seriously hit by the pandemic. The situation is even worse in undeveloped markets where there is little or no support from government. Thus, it is unavoidable that re-negotiation and restructuring are considerations that will likely be put forward by borrowers to avoid triggering defaults under their finance document during these unprecedented times.
It is advisable that lenders on the other hand, are more flexible with their approach with their borrowers and are willing to work around re-negotiating the financial covenants with the borrowers given the current uncertainties arising in the economy.
Written By: Bukola Adelusi recently completed her LL.M in corporate law at Western University, Ontario. Prior to her LL.M, she practiced with a top-tier law firm in Nigeria, where she specialized in banking and finance, M & A and private equity.
Financial Inclusion: Ecobank Group And Alipay Partner On cross-border remittance
Alipay users to benefit from Ecobank’s cross-border remittance solution
LOME, Togo, February 12, 2020 – The leading pan-African bank, Ecobank has signed a cross-border remittance agreement with Alipay, the world’s leading payment and lifestyle platform, that aims to bring more inclusive financial services by providing a fast, safe, affordable and convenient way for workers to transfer money back home.
The partnership will facilitate instant transfers from Rapid transfer, Ecobank’s remittance solution, to users of Alipay, which serves more than 1.2 billion people globally together with its local e-wallet partners. This provides an additional channel option which will increase options available to users, help lower transaction costs and enhance the quality of service in the market.
Nana ABBAN, Group Consumer Banking Head said: “Our panafrican cross-border remittance solution, Rapidtransfer, has over the years been delivering transparent, convenient, and affordable services to the African diaspora and their African-based dependants. So, it is a natural extension for us to use it to deliver the same advantages to migrant workers across Africa. Through our partnership with Alipay we are further leveraging the scale and capacity of our unified payments ecosystem on the global stage.”
“We are excited to partner with Ecobank and use our technology to bring fast, affordable, and convenient remittance services to more users globally, especially workers who are living far from home,” said Ma ZHIGUO, Alipay’s head of the global remittances business. “We are committed to working with partners such as Ecobank, using innovative technologies to help global consumers gain access to inclusive financial services, creating greater value for society and bringing equal opportunities to the world.”
The solution will be rolled out across our entire footprint, subject to required local approvals.


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The Department of Tourism awarded the Korea-Philippines Friendship campaign, celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations between South Korea and the Philippines, to the agency after a pitch in late 2019. The Philippine International Convention Center decided on the agency’s relaunch campaign after a pitch as well.
Restylane is a global brand with over 30 million treatments worldwide and counting. “Partnership finds a different meaning in MullenLowe. Teamwork among its people is strongly evident to deliver highest level and quality customer engagement. Restylane is in good hands,” said Michelle De Jesus, Business Unit Manager (Prescription & Aesthetics), Galderma Philippines.
Shakey’s appointed MullenLowe as digital AOR going into 2020. “We love the energy of the MullenLowe team, which is a great fit to Shakey’s WOW philosophy and our promise to bring FUN. FAMILY. PIZZA to guests. We are confident they will help push our brand forward in this era of marketing convergence,” said Jas Eusebio Yu, Digital Acceleration Director.
“The breadth of assignments across the recent wins shows great things can happen when we hyperbundle,” said Leigh Reyes, President and Chief Product Officer of MullenLowe. “Our expertise in experiential marketing, branding, and creativity in digital customer engagement, not to mention PR and media relations, means clients can truly expect synergy and stewardship.”

domain: news


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Port nightmare: MEC warns of ‘export crisis’ at Cape Town harbour
An unfolding logistics crisis at the Port of Cape Town is set to curtail exports, particularly fresh produce, before the festive season. The province is calling for private players to be brought in to remedy the problem.
Business Day has seen presentations made at the logistics cluster workshop in October, which paint a picture of a port nearing a point of dysfunction...
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The UK grocery market in 2010 grew at its slowest rate for four years, new figures suggest.
Retail consultancy Verdict said the total value of the market would rise 3.4% to £124bn, the smallest increase since 2006.
But online and convenience shopping are both set to boom in the next few years, with Verdict predicting internet grocery sales to rise by more than 80% by 2014. Over the same period, the convenience market is expected to grow by 14% to more than £35bn.
“With shoppers leading increasingly busy life-styles, the popularity of shopping online for the weekly groceries is on the up,” said Verdict analyst Malcolm Pinkerton.
“This has a knock-on effect, increasing the need for top-up shopping in between deliveries. Changing demographics, including an ageing population and a rise in single occupancy households, are also leading to an increase in frequent smaller shopping trips, which is significantly benefiting the local convenience store.”
Ocado broadens offer with own-label range (20 September 2010)
Morrisons in new online and c-store experiment (10 September 2010)
Waitrose whirlwind plans to double sales by 2020. How? (13 March 2010)


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A pair of Nixa sisters have teamed up with plans to launch a Queen City location of a national fitness franchise this weekend.
Saturday is the planned soft opening for the local gym of Burn Boot Camp at 820 W. El Camino Alto St., Ste. 100, located behind Academy Sports & Outdoors and just south of Sam’s Club. Cami White, who is the local franchise partner with sister Carlee Yount, said the newly constructed gym building occupies 5,600 square feet. She said a grand opening for the gym is expected the week of Oct. 1 and that the sisters developed the building.
Burn Boot Camp, a North Carolina-based franchise founded in 2012, combines strength and intensity interval training in 45-minute workouts. The gyms also provide members with access to equipment, including free weights, kettlebells and jump ropes. While White said women are the primary target audience for Burn Boot Camp, men also are welcome to become members. There are over 400 franchise locations in 38 states, according to the company’s website.
“Everything they stood for as far as a fitness philosophy, it was just right in line with everything I’ve always believed, as well as the style of fitness that Carlee and I both like,” said White, who exited her 17-year career as a teacher for Nixa Public Schools to focus full time on her new venture.
After White first learned of Burn Boot Camp two years ago through an Instagram post, she and Yount visited northwest Arkansas to see the locations open in Bentonville, Fayetteville and Springdale.
“We just showed up to a camp and about 10 minutes in, we looked at each other and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome. We need this, and we’re going to have to bring this to 417,’” White said.
The sisters initially looked for leasable space but were particular about wanting the gym in south Springfield to be near their Nixa homes.
“There was nothing big enough or that met the requirements for parking or ceiling height, things like that,” White said. “The idea of building our own building was brought up to us. We felt that God put it before us.”
Fusion Consulting LLC was hired as general contractor for the project, White said, declining to disclose startup costs. According to the company’s website, the initial investment for franchisees ranges $150,330 to $406,500, which includes a roughly $45,000 franchise fee. Burn Boot Camp also collects a 6% royalty fee and 2% marketing fee.
Membership is $149 per month, which includes unlimited camps, complimentary child care and one-on-one focus meetings with a personal trainer.
White, who will serve as lead trainer at the gym, which employs 10, is no stranger to the fitness realm. She previously taught group fitness for 10 years at The Studio by Jamie Kinkeade LLC.
“We will tailor every workout to every individual to meet them where they are in their fitness journey and then to be able to grow with them,” she said.
White said Burn Boot Camp serves as a second entrepreneurial venture for the sisters, who previously owned a women’s clothing boutique business, MOSisters Boutique in Nixa, which closed in 2022 after five years.
In addition to the gym, the sisters have 2,400 square feet of adjacent and vacant new building space available for lease that White said could be split into 1,200-square-foot units.
Adrianna Norris became a first-time business owner with the opening of Finley River Chiropractic; PaPPo’s Pizzeria & Pub launched its newest location; and Huey Magoo’s opened its second store in the Ozarks.


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Valve has arrived upon a solution to its spam-laden Steam Greenlight service. The Half-Life creator will now charge a $100 fee for developers to list their games on the site.
Greenlight launched last week as a money-free Kickstarter-esque venture. Developers submit game projects to the service that they would like to release on Steam. Users then vote on the titles they'd most like to see accepted for inclusion.
But with no controls to stop spam entries, the service was quickly flooded by users submitting copyrighted titles, abusive content and more than a few entries for Half-Life 3.
"Two things we've noticed so far. First, there are a ton of legitimate submissions that people want to see. Second, there is unfortunately a significant amount of noise and clutter being submitted, either as a joke or by fans not fully understanding the purpose of Greenlight," Valve wrote on the official Steam Greenlight announcements blog.
All new Greenlight entries will cost $100 to post, with proceeds donated to the Child's Play charity.
"We have no interest in making money from this, but we do need to cut down the noise in the system," Valve explained.
Steam has also just updated its Community offering, with several new features now available. Game Hubs now group official and community content for a game in one place, alongside a discussion board.
Content you've created is now better featured on your profile, while expanded social media features now allow you to search friend activity, "favourite" content and post statuses.


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Michiana independent booksellers focus on old, rare or gently used volumes
A Casperson Books in Niles is one of many local independent booksellers weathering the storm of mega-booksellers, changing reading habits and new technology. (Tribune Photo/BARBARA ALLISON)
“Dad, did you hear about Barnes & Noble? What do you think?” Casperson asked his father, Ralph, who had been selling old, used and rare books since 1971.
“Well,” his father replied thoughtfully about the store opening in Mishawaka, “it doesn't bother me.”
Casperson recalls feeling incredulous.
“Why?” he asked, wondering why his father, a man obviously passionate about books, would not sound concerned about a competitor.
“I don't offer what they're going to offer,” Ralph Casperson matter-of-factly told his son, who would take over the business in 2009 after he passed away. “Barnes & Noble will be carrying my future inventory.”
Years later, the younger Casperson not only understood, but he also agreed.
His father was right.
And it is the reason Al Casperson, who last year relocated, resized, and essentially re-created the store using decades worth of inventory his father collected, can honestly say the upcoming closing of the Mishawaka Borders does not affect him.
Competitors like Barnes & Noble don't keep him awake at night. Internet book sales, either. And eReaders?
If anything, eReaders are creating a greater interest in reading, and that bodes well for locally owned and independent booksellers like A Casperson Books, at 113 N. Third St., downtown Niles.
“Maybe someone reads ‘Treasure Island' or another piece of literature on their eReader and they really like the author or subject,” he says. “They come to me, the old bookshop downtown. I think e-books will heighten people's curiosity. This is where I see the value for old, used and rare book shops.”
The positive outlook is shared by many locally owned booksellers as well as an industry organization that represents those stores.
The American Booksellers Association says membership has stabilized after years of uncertainty and some decline, the vast majority coming off their best holiday season in years.
In 2000, the group reported 2,100 member companies representing about 2,400 storefronts. Today, the booksellers association has 1,450 members who operate about 1,800 store locations.
Helping to steady the numbers are new store locations like Mummphy's Book Nook, which recently opened at Concord Mall in Elkhart with a selection of new and used books, as well as consumers who patronize locally owned businesses.
Jon Mumford believes in the future of hardcover and paperback books because he consistently hears customers say they would rather curl up with and hold a book as opposed to an eReader.
“There is a certain segment of readers that are actually buying more books as a reaction to the new electronic reading devices,” says Mumford, who owns the new Mummphy's Book Nook in Elkhart.
More and more consumers, ABA officials say, also “understand that by shopping in an independent store they are making sure that far more of their spending dollars recirculate back into the community.”


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Viridor, the refuse and recycling operator, saw its turnover boosted by an acquisition spree last year, but profit fell as growth in recycling failed to offset a fall in landfill volumes. Viridor bought JWS Churngold for £14.25m in November 2011, having purchased Storm Recycling in June of that year and In January 2011 Veolia’s trade waste collection interests in Cornwall and North Devon and its industrial and commercial collection interests in Devon and Somerset. The company, which now makes half […]
Crewe, Cheshire-based Brit European Transport made a dramatic return to profit during 2011, recording a pre-tax profit of £334,000 compared to pre-tax loss of £453,000 the previous year. Turnover in the year to 31 December rose 20% from £20m to £24m, all but £2m of which was generated in the UK. The firm, which specialises in car, CV, plant and equipment and lift truck transport, as well as bulk tanker work, said there had been “stability and in some cases […]
Tilbury, Essex-based logistics and freight forwarding firm Arcese UK has slumped into the red, but has vowed to increase both turnover and profit this year.
Wincanton is confident in its growth prospects for the current financial year, as it begins to see the benefits from the disposal of its records management arm and the termination of loss-making contracts in its Pullman Fleet Services business.


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Freight market: ship owners had to reduce rates because of decreased demand for grain transportation
Demand for grain transportation decreased on all major routes. Ship owners, in turn, had to reduce freight rates and fight for insignificant amount of available cargo.
Slight weakening of trading activity was noted in the south of the Atlantic. Requests for grain transportation from South America declined. Charterers began to reduce shipping cost of agricultural products to the Far East, reports UkrAgroConsult.
The situation in the North Atlantic remained unchanged. Brokers reported that the number of applications for the main routes decreased, and the charterers began to reduce transportation prices actively. Shipping of Panamax lot of agricultural commodities from the US Gulf ports to China cost about USD 35-36/MT.
Handysize market kept weakening in the Black Sea region. Ship owners so far managed to avoid noticeable reduction in quotations, and the rates lowered quite slowly. UkrAgroConsult expects trading activity will decline even more until the end of the current week due to the Easter holidays in many countries of the region.


text: 23 Dogs Dead, 18 Ill From Tainted Dog Food By ELISABETH GOODRIDGE The Associated Press Friday, December 30, 2005; 9:40 PM WASHINGTON -- Contaminated dog food which was sold in 23 states killed nearly two dozen dogs and sickened 18 more, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The deaths and illnesses sparked an FDA investigation into the pet food made by the Diamond Pet Food Company at its Gaston, S.C., manufacturing plant. The FDA said so far 23 animal deaths have been linked to the pet food. The company, based in Meta, Mo., issued a recall of 19 varieties of dog and cat food on Dec. 21 because some of the pet food made at the Gaston facility was discovered to contain aflatoxin. Aflatoxin, a naturally occurring chemical that comes from a fungus sometimes found on corn and other crops, can cause severe liver damage. Aflatoxin poisoning can cause sluggishness, a lack of appetite and in severe cases severe vomiting, fever and jaundice. The recalled pet food was sold in 23 states under the brand names Diamond, Country Value and Professional, and bears the date codes of March 1, 2007, through June 11, 2007. Consumers are asked to immediately stop using the product. Last week, Tony Caver, the state veterinarian in South Carolina, said that state has five presumed cases linked to aflatoxin, including three fatalities. Seven dogs from the Rochester, N.Y., area were being treated at Cornell University Hospital for Animals for liver disease and failure after eating contaminated food, said university spokeswoman Sabina Lee. An area veterinarian discovered the link after three dogs died in the area, she said. In a Dec. 20 press release, the company said it had notified distributors to hold up the further sale of Diamond pet food that had used corn. The next day it ordered the recall. "To ensure we got all the affected product or potential to be affected, we cast a very wide net with the recall," Diamond spokesman Jim Fallon said Friday. He said the company is conducting tests and has set up a consumer information center, open seven days a week, to handle consumer questions. "We are working with customers and their vets to confirm a link between the pet food and the pet's illnesses," he said. "Our whole focus is saving pets' lives and doing the right thing." The company said it was analyzing retained samples of all of the affected pet food products in Gaston in an attempt to isolate specific lot numbers that were impacted and provide the information to distributors, retailers and customers. According to the company, the pet food was distributed to stores in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Vermont, and Virginia. The FDA said some of the recalled product had been exported to at least 29 countries, including several in the European Union. Those countries have been notified, the agency said.


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MOSCOW — It was a big day for Anya. For the first time, the 7-year-old was asked to go to the store for bread by herself. Equipped with a plastic bag and two rubles, she proudly set out --only to return minutes later.
"There was no bread," she said this week with a look of great disappointment.
Those four words have become increasingly common in Moscow in the last week since Russian Federation President Boris N. Yeltsin announced his radical economic reform plan and warned that price controls would be removed on most consumer goods.
The city's bread factories are actually producing more bread than usual--2,600 tons per day instead of 2,100 tons--because of increased demand, Moscow officials said. But Muscovites are hoarding it at an even greater rate.
"We are producing 25% more than we did just two weeks ago--and that's not enough," said Mikhail A. Kovlenkov, president of the Moskhleb concern, which controls production and distribution of bread for the city. "People are just buying much more bread. They take it home and dry it because they're afraid of what will happen when price controls are lifted."
A mini-survey this week of 19 typical bread stores in downtown Moscow found 10 closed, eight open but with no bread and one bakery with bread and a very long line.
To cope with the shortages of bread and other basic foods, Moscow Mayor Gavriil Popov announced Wednesday that the city will begin rationing some basic goods Dec. 1, including bread, meat, sausage, eggs and butter.
Under the plan, the city's residents will get coupons entitling them to buy restricted amounts of the rationed foods at the present prices, which are kept low through government subsidies. Additional amounts could be bought at the new, higher prices.
Popov said that the higher food prices will probably not be introduced until after Jan. 1. But he acknowledged that the end of government subsidies will probably send prices soaring and worsen shortages as consumers rush to buy scarce commodities.
A shortage of bread offends the Russian sensibility more than that of any other food. While price increases have made many other basics too expensive for most people, bread, which is subsidized, is still affordable. "Most other products have been scarce before and people are used to it--they just bought more bread to make up for it," Kovlenkov said. "But bread had always been there."
Bread is much more than just a staple of the Russian diet. Many proverbs extol the virtues of khleb , Russian for bread. Among the sayings: "Bread is the root of everything. . . . Bread is our wealth. . . . There is bread, there is a song. . . . "
Unlike Americans who generally buy bread with the rest of their groceries, most Russians buy it daily at neighborhood stores, where unsliced, unwrapped loaves of white and black--a vinegary rye--can be poked with a metal spatula to test for freshness.
Outside the Filippov bread store on Tverskaya Street, Moscow's main shopping street, a few hundred people waited anxiously for the store to open after an hourlong lunch break. The doors opened, and people pushed and shoved like rock fans trying to get the best spots at a concert.
For Vyacheslav S. Tatirentsev, 62, a retired factory worker, it was serious business. Filippov was the sixth bread store he had checked since leaving his home on the edge of Moscow.
"There's no bread anywhere else in the city, so of course I bought much more than usual," said Tatirentsev, who clutched a shopping bag stuffed with two large loaves of white bread, three smaller loaves and 20 rolls.
A stout woman, pressed against shoppers in line, gave Tatirentsev's bag an irritated glance. "You're taking more than your share," she snapped.
"I have a large family--eight people--I'm entitled to this much," he shot back.
This angry exchange between two strangers typifies the Moscow mood these days.
Maj. Gen. Viktor Ivanenko, head of the Russian KGB, told Argumenty i Fakty, a Soviet weekly newspaper, that the danger of food riots will peak in December. "The main danger today is a series of directed social explosions," he said. "The people are exasperated, rumors are flying around about prices being freed very soon. Add to that the irregular supplies of the most basic foodstuffs. . . . "
Many people say that feeding their families has become such a challenge that they lack energy for their jobs. "I have a day off today, but even when I'm on the job I cannot concentrate on my work," said Valentina S. Ivanova, 47, a tired accountant.
She said the daily troubles are growing so overwhelming that people like her find it difficult to believe in Yeltsin's ambitious reforms. "I want to hope, but everything is getting worse and worse," she said.
To many, the empty shelves in bread stores point to even harder times ahead. A sign on the door of a bakery on the Garden Ring Road encircling the center of Moscow said ominously: "There's No Bread and There Won't Be Any."
Nikolai N. Skonov stopped in his tracks after reading that phrase.
"I never saw such a sign in my life," said Skonov, a movie lighting technician. "This means things are really bad. I don't know how we will survive in the future."
Despite his apprehension, he said he generally supports Yeltsin's reform program. But he, like many others, worries that people will not be able to make the quick transition from socialism, with all of its assurances, to capitalism.
LINE UP AND WAIT
The basic goods that are toughest to find in Moscow:
Sugar. 3.3 pounds per person per month.
Vodka. About a quart per adult per month, but only with presentation of an empty bottle. Extra vodka can be purchased if there is a wedding or funeral in the family.
Cigarettes. 10 packages of 20 cigarettes each per adult per month.
RATIONED AFTER DEC. 1
Bread, meat, sausage, eggs, butter.


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The Sweden Central Bank has announced the intention of designing a digital state-issued cryptocurrency to satisfy the needs of those that still rely on cash to make their day to day spendings. This cryptocurrency would be adopted by people that have failed to adapt to a nearly cashless society according to statistics.
Sweden Central Bank Anticipation
The Sweden Central Bank (the Riksbank) has ordered the design and the testing of a new digital centralized official means of payment for the country to adopt in the future. This due to the growing tendency of the Sweden society of going cashless in the near future.
According to a report from Fortune, some banks have abandoned the use of cash already, and some stores are not accepting cash. This constitutes a great danger for the society, that needs an officially issued crypto asset to have a sovereign monetary policy. the people from the Riksbank commissioned these tests to avoid a possible future when credit card and private providers manage the whole pool of money in the country.
This pilot tests would be directed to male the central cryptocurrency an instrument to be used and leveraged for people that are unable to use other kinds of payment means because of their disabilities or age.
A Cashless Society
While the dream of a cashless society is just a great testament to the technology involved in today’s payment method, this is also a terrible problem for central banks that are accustomed to managing the cash flow into the economy with constant emissions.
There are sure some problems and infrastructure challenges to get to this, but in the earth, Sweden is the one country that is closer to achieve this goal. the issuance of a government official cryptocurrency has already been done before in Venezuela and Iran, with mixed results.
Official Virtual Currencies Examples
The Petro in Venezuela has been chosen by the government to be included in the pricing schema and salaries that would need to be paid in figures related to this crypto asset. But the truth is that they have also tried to get dollars trough it jumping hoops through sanctions.
Iran, a country that faces high international barriers and sanctions from the government of USA has also intended to launch its new cryptocurrency to evade these same sanctions and get funding in foreign currency.
This pilot program for the new currency could have all prepared for an e-krona as soon as in 2021.


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CHICO — The 25th annual Taste of Chico event attracted thousands of people to the downtown area on Sunday afternoon to taste, see and hear all that Chico eateries and businesses have to offer.
More than 125 participating restaurants, breweries, wineries and other vendors filled the streets of downtown Chico with samples and other treats of the trade.
“It”s a good way to remind people and to contact people who have just moved into the area,” said Broadway Heights co-owner Shannon Lavery.
Lavery and her husband, Paul, have been operating a booth at the annual Taste of Chico event for seven years now, ever since they took over the restaurant.
“It”s a great way for vendors to showcase themselves,” she said. “There”s a lot of people from out of town, it gives them a place to come.”
“It brings them out,” Paul Lavery added. “(People) get set in their own ways and they have their routine. This breaks their routine.”
The Laverys noted this year seemed more well-attended and extremely well-organized by the event coordinators than it has been in years past. They also noticed an influx of people in their restaurant during Taste Of Chico, and a large number of people at their booth and commented on how the weather was perfect for Sunday”s event.
The owners of Broadway Heights are old hands at the Taste of Chico event, but even newer vendors, like Darien Sterling, who owns the new restaurant Mom”s Breakfast and Lunch on the corner of Second and Salem streets, said she saw a huge benefit from having a booth at the event.
“It”s putting a face before our business,” she said. “It”s great meeting people in Chico who might have walked past our business otherwise.”
Sterling said she appreciated the exposure the event brought to the business and that she was receiving a great reception from the event attendees. Many people were walking around the event with a plate of Mom”s biscuits and gravy sample in hand.
Re-joining the businesses for the first time since a devastating fire in December was Tres Hombres, which has a newly renovated front entrance and restaurant. It was packed and the line stretched out the door just to enter. Though the restaurant was only serving chips and dip on Sunday, Tres lovers can return on Monday for the full menu, said a manager.
Chicoans Adam Engleheardt and Matt Anchorduguy were relaxing in the shade outside Starbucks while they people-watched.
Anchorduguy had not been to the event in nearly 10 years and said the changes were much for the better. For one thing, he said, “It”s a lot bigger.”
Engleheardt said he found a booth from a new Italian eatery called Panighetti”s that”s right around the corner from his home. “I didn”t even know it was there,” he said. “I think it”s a good chance for them to advertise and it”s good for Chico to have a family event.”
“We have a huge selection of businesses in Chico,” said Anchorduguy. “You couldn”t have something like this in Red Bluff or Willows.”
Staff writer Robin Epley can be reached at 896-7761 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The Office of the City Treasurer of Iligan announced that their office is open even on Saturdays to continue the Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) Program or the renewal of business permits.
According to Ms Magdalena Carpentero, acting division head of Business Tax and Fees Division (BTFD), this is because businessmen are securing business permits even though many businesses in the city were affected by flashfloods of December 2011.
The deadline of the BOSS Program is extended to February 29, previously last January 20.
As of January 20, as per record from TRACS, there were only 4,549 transactions processed at the City Treasurer’s Office since January 2; 274 new applications for business permits, 4,085 renewal and 179 retirement (business closed).
These closed businesses are from the areas in Iligan which was hit by typhoon Sendong last December 17, 2011. Most of them are small sari-sari stores according to Mr. Raoul Renee B. Sechong, TRACS Division Head.
Source: Iligan City website.


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Milkshake maker Shaken Udder toasts deal to supply Sainsbury’s
- Credit: Shaken Udder
Milkshakes created by an Essex-based firm are set to go on sale in 92 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK.
Shaken Udder, created by co-founders Andy Howie and Jodie Farran, has struck a deal with the supermarket giant for four of its premium milkshake flavours.
Chocolush, Vanillalicious, Top Banana and Salted Caramel will be available in the stores from Wednesday, May 17.
“This is a very exciting listing for us,” said Jodie. “The average Sainsbury’s shopper is the perfect target market for our high-quality, natural range of milkshakes and we can’t wait for them to have the chance to add them to their weekly shop. With four of our best-selling flavours available in stores across the country, we expect our sales to increase significantly, and we hope to gain a whole new herd of loyal customers.”
Jodie and Andrew launched the brand in 2004 after spotting a gap in the market for a festival goers’ drink.


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By Ashley Fox - 9th November 2012
Currently, approximately seven million Europeans access the services of the online gambling industry
MEPs must ensure that the European commission implements its action plan and creates a safe, legal and fair market for online gambling, urges Ashley Fox.
Last month, the European commission revealed a new action plan for the online gambling industry which seeks to protect consumers, increase transparency, reduce market fragmentation and provide procedural integrity to the sports involved.
Following years of regulatory limbo for the industry, with only limited legislative instruments being used by the commission, this communication is hopefully a stepping stone towards a true single online gambling market that can fully benefit from the freedom of services and freedom of establishment.
I welcome the proposal which appears to be a genuine attempt to address some of the core issues affecting both the industry and consumers.
Currently, approximately seven million Europeans access the services of the online gambling industry. It is one of the fastest growing service activities in the EU, growing at around 15 per cent each year with an estimated €13bn in revenue. Therefore, it is incredibly important that the commission takes the lead in identifying those areas that could be subject to common licensing requirements, as well as encouraging member states to cooperate effectively on key issues, such as consumer protection, the prevention of money laundering and sport corruption.
I am also pleased to see that European internal market commissioner Michel Barnier will take steps to ensure that all member states are fully compliant with EU law in order to have an effective single market for operators and consumers who are providing and accessing cross border services.
At present the online gambling market is fragmented. Member states operate different licensing policies, sometimes restricting supply to consumers and protecting monopolies, which in turn open the door to black-market operators that are unregulated and unsafe. Therefore it is important that the commission fulfils its role as guardian of the treaties and makes it clear that member states cannot break EU rules without facing legal repercussions.
In addition, the commission has laid out important steps to ensure that minors and vulnerable users are protected from the potential dangers associated with gambling. EU operators are already subject to strong national licensing requirements to prevent minors from accessing their websites. It is encouraging to see the commission championing the development of better age-verification techniques, content filters and advertising standards, as well as pushing research into the underlying causes of gambling addiction to better inform industry practices.
Furthermore, the commission’s communication proposes to extend the scope of the anti-money laundering directive. . This should in principle provide greater legal clarity and a level playing field whereby all types of gambling activities will be subject to anti-money laundering rules. The action plan also offers recommendations of best practices against match fixing, promotes international cooperation, urging member states to set up and finance adequate contact points in order to combat betting related match-fixing.
In conclusion, the commission has provided a solid framework that will hopefully pave the way for the harmonisation of online gambling services within the single market and which will both protect consumers and benefit the industry as a whole.
It is now time for parliament to do its work to ensure that the commission fulfils its promises and implements the action plan effectively. As a member of parliament’s internal market and consumer protection committee, I will be paying close attention to this issue to ensure that there is a true single market for online gaming which is safe, legal and fair.
Ashley Fox is parliament's shadow rapporteur on online gambling in the internal market


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Japanese online services provider Rakuten has acquired UK based online retailer Play.com for £25 million. Rakuten is a Japan based online services provider which offers services like e-commerce, banking and travel.
A new research has found that hardcore gamers have become so accustomed to their virtual environment that they transfer their gaming experience to the real world. The research, which was carried out by the Nottingham Trent University and Stockholm, interviewed 42 gamers aged between 15-21 years.
UK telecom giant BT has claimed that the recent report released by uSwitch about the slowest places for broadband in Britain was based on old data. Price comparison website, uSwitch, recently released a report in which it claims that Mount Pleasant in Halesworth, Suffolk, had the slowest broadband connection in the country at 0.128 Mbps.
Redmond based software giant Microsoft Corp. has reached a patent licensing agreement with Casio over the use of the open source platform Linux. It’s nothing new for the Windows maker to resort to such practices wherein it tricks companies, supplying devices with Linux, to get affiliated into their patent programme - Casio being the latest in the trend.
Amidst nearly stagnant share prices and an increasing demand for greater return from the long term investors, software powerhouse Microsoft Corp. seems to be in some sort of trouble, and so does the company CEO Mr. Steve Ballmer.


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Google Identity Platform, which comprises a number of solutions including Google Sign-In, now supports logins for hundreds of apps in the Google Apps Marketplace, and in a blog post the company noted that the offering has now been expanded to cover some big names including Office 365, Facebook at Work, Concur, Box and Slack among others.
The idea is to give businesses a single place in which they can manage identity and security across all their apps, and to bolster mobile security in particular, when combined with Google Apps mobile management tools to deal with things like password strength and lock screen requirements.
Google notes that all this can work to further tighten mobile security in conjunction with hardware-based measures like biometric sensors, and software such as Google's Smart Lock.
Shashank Gupta, Google Apps for Work Product Manager, commented: "Our Google Smart Lock features are available to all Google Accounts, including those used at work, and we provide identity services and enterprise mobility management (EMM) as part of Google Apps for Work at no additional cost."
As we've seen recently, Google is also pushing a new smartphone-based authentication concept which could eliminate passwords. While this is being pitched for consumers, as we noted in a recent feature, there's potential for using a similar approach when it comes to business logins.
- Check out our review of Google Apps for Work 2016
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Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).


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Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Three years after moving into equipment development and a year after launching his own equipment line, Dale Hansen is stepping back to what he said he does best: R&D and sales.
Med-Fit Systems — which has been the sole manufacturer and distributor of Nautilus Commercial for a year — will now work directly with Hansen’s Taiwanese manufacturer, Hansen told SNEWS®. And Hansen will become a customer of Med-Fit’s for the “base units” he needs to fully develop his gaming equipment (www.virtualrealitycardio.com).
“My specialty is really R&D,” Hansen said. “We found out that trying to market Hansen Fitness Equipment is a huge task.”
A year ago, Hansen had announced lofty goals of equipment lines and retail franchising, but realized the needs were gargantuan. (Click here to see an April 5, 2010, SNEWS story, “Hansen Fitness steps beyond retail to equipment design, future store franchising.”) Hansen, who opened Indiana’s Hansen Fitness store in 1994, said at that time he had recently realized he wanted to take his store concept and franchise it. The problem was, without at least half of the product sold being private label, he said, that wasn’t possible because of supplier-retailer alliances.
“The only way I was going to be consistent was to have my own line,” Hansen told SNEWS for that story. “That way you’d have control…market control. Plus, you could also customize to what one region’s customers want.”
That started Hansen on the path of product development under the name of Hansen Technologies (www.hansentechnologies.net). He officially unveiled the nascent line of five pieces — one elliptical, two treadmills and one each upright and recumbent bikes — to the industry in spring 2010. The suite of commercial equipment (lists $3,300-$7,000) emphasizes interactive gaming and integrates current market brands, such as Wii and Nintendo, using his large displays.
Now, he said, he’ll focus on the gaming, using the equipment he’ll acquire from Med-Fit’s relationship with his manufacturer of choice. The “gamer” pieces, with multiple patents pending, he said, will be customized in look and feel and can also be branded for individual retailers.
“This is phenomenal,” he said. “This is what I’ve been waiting for. I can go back and focus on what I’m good at — product development and sales.”
According to the VR equipment website, the equipment will be exhibited at the coming IHRSA show, March 16-19, in San Francisco.


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By Jeff Sanford
Toronto, Ontario — September 17, 2017 — In this week’s Autonomous Report, self-driving buses rollout in Atlanta, a big test for driverless pizza delivery, why Alphabet’s first autonomous vehicles (AVs) may be trucks and much, much more!
– Domino’s Pizza and Ford are teaming up to research the reactions people will have to, “… robots bringing dinner to the driveway.” According to a report by Bloomberg, “… the hot pies will arrive in an autonomous-capable Ford Fusion.” There will be a person in the car, but, “The goal of the partnership is to examine how customers react to stepping out of their homes and walking to the car to fetch their pizza from a locked warming compartment, rather than having it carried to their doorstep. ‘We’re interested to learn what people think about this type of delivery,’ Russel Weiner, president of Domino’s USA, said in a statement. ‘The majority of our questions are about the last 50 feet of the delivery experience. For instance, how will customers react to coming outside to get their food?’”
Domino’s customers in the test city of Ann Arbor will be, “… randomly selected to have their pizza delivered in this way. Customers who agree to take part in the test will be able to track their pizza as it rolls through the streets via an app on their phones.”
– The New York Times reports on the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on the crash involving a Tesla in Florida that many consider the first auto accident fatality involving an AV. The study found that the non-LiDAR equipped AV system built by Tesla had “played a major role” in the accident. According to the report, “The combined effects of human error and the lack of sufficient system controls resulted in a fatal collision that should not have happened,” Robert L. Sumwalt, Chairman of the NTSB, was quoted as saying.
– An autonomous bus began operating in Atlanta, Georgia this past week, according to a report on Curbed. The vehicle, a self-driving Transdev EZ10 marked, “… the first of what promises to be many trips by autonomous vehicles on the streets of Atlanta,” according to a report from ABC News.
The story goes on to say, “… the vehicle made multiple trips along the route, ferrying media members (and Mayor Kasim Reed) eager to see the technology at work … The test on North Avenue in the city’s bustling Midtown area meant that Atlanta has become one of the largest urban areas to test autonomous vehicles, joining Sao Paulo and Shanghai.”
There was a driver on hand in the vehicles, but “… they made minimal human interventions during the trips.” The system will eventually expand to, “… stretch more than two miles to Georgia Tech … Additional technologies to be added to North Avenue include adaptive traffic signals, video surveillance systems, connected vehicle systems, and even technology that would allow emergency vehicles to preempt traffic lights to respond to an emergency. It’s all part of a push to allow Atlanta to be an early adopter of autonomous technology,” according to the report.
– A report on Barron’s cites a recent study that suggests, “Although 70 percent of consumers polled said they loved driving, 53 percent said they would buy a fully autonomous vehicle next time they were in the market for a new car, with women (59 percent) more likely to do so than men. The report showed that there are still plenty of concerns about self-driving cars, with many consumers worried about safety (and here women are more concerned than men).”
– Alphabet’s driverless vehicle technology may come to market first in trucks, rather than as an autonomous ride-sharing service, according to John Krafcik, Chief Executive Officer of Alphabet’s Waymo division. Appearing at an event hosted by media outlet Bloomberg, he was quoted as saying, “Ride-sharing makes a lot of sense for the world. For goods transportation, which could travel primarily on highways, there’s a good and compelling use-case there, too. Either of those two might be the first ones you see.”
– Krafcik was also the subject of a major Wall Street Journal story that looked at how Silicon Valley and Detroit have overcome early mistrust between the tech and auto sectors. Krafcik’s comments provide the best play-by-play of the early stages of the new AV industry:
“The mutual mistrust has fostered a confusing array of alliances between auto makers, ride-hailing companies, rental-car concerns and tech giants. Silicon Valley looked down its nose at the mundane work of manufacturing. Detroit feared being turned into a commodity producer making a shell for others to fill, like cellphone handset makers.”
Krafcik has been working to repair the various misunderstandings between companies in the new sector. He has the resume to do this, having held jobs on both sides of the aisle.
According to Krafcik, there were almost 17 million new cars sold in America last year. The country’s auto fleet drove three trillion miles. The challenge, he says, is to get consumers, “… spending on the distances they travel in cars rather than on the cars themselves … If the average large automotive company turns a profit of about $1,400 per vehicle sold … a vehicle that lasts 150,000 miles only garners about a penny per mile … The thing that the industry is struggling with right now is that for the 100 years it’s been in existence it’s been focused on the number of units built … we are moving to a world where … it has to be miles driven.” Krafcik also said his intention is not to, “… invade the auto industry or destroy the existing supply chain.”


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Weekly economic review (13.06- 17.06.2011)
Last week, Azerbaijan received the first batch of purple London Taxi TX4s as part of the contract. The contract was signed with the manufacturer for the delivery of 1,000 cars.
A new private company was established called Baku Taxi Company to develop a program launched by the Transport Ministry. In general, 7,000-8,000 cars from different manufacturers are planned for delivery to provide taxis to Baku and various regions of Azerbaijan.
The supply agreement of the Shanghai LTI Company, a joint venture between Manganese Bronze Holdings and Chinese Geely Automobile Holdings Limited, is the largest contract for London's company. The total cost is about $27 million. The Transport Ministry said earlier that it plans to deliver 3,000 new taxis.
Part of London Taxi TX4 cars has already started functioning and will be different with competitiveness, because the use of their services has a fixed rate.
The company has set a tariff for the use of new taxis, which is as follows: a one manat initial minimum charge and 0.7 manat for every subsequent kilometer.
Azerbaijani Transport Ministry intends to limit the number of private taxis on Baku's streets. This process will be realized in the future, and that for this purpose amendments and additions to the legislation will be necessary. About 7,000 taxis have been officially registered in Baku. However, the total amount (along with those who work without a license) is about 15,000.


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In wake of the recent cyber attack on health insurer Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, U. S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has urged Congress to bring a cybersecurity bill to the floor and to prioritize the need for universal data breach notification standards.
Schumer’s push comes after reports that the Rochester, N.Y.-based Excellus announced it discovered last month that it experienced a data breach in December 2013 that compromised the personal information of approximately 10 million people. Excellus president and CEO Christopher Booth said in a message to customers posted on the organization’s website that an investigation determined hackers may have gained unauthorized access to individuals’ information, which could include name, date of birth, Social Security number, mailing address, telephone number, member identification number, financial account information and claims information.
This hacking incident marks the latest in a number of high profile cyber attacks on healthcare organizations, including the massive hack on Anthem in February, which exposed approximately 80 million records, as well as a large data breach at UCLA Health Systems in July which potentially affected 4.5 million people. Schumer said that strengthening cyber protections is necessary, especially with the proliferation of companies using online servers to house sensitive customer data such as financial records, health information, and Social Security numbers. Last year alone, one third of New York residents fell victim to a data breach of some sort, Schumer noted in a press release.
According to The Hill, whether the legislation, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA, S. 754)), sees time on the floor, remains to be seen. The bill would allow the sharing of Internet traffic information between the U.S. government and technology and manufacturing companies. The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate in July 2014, but has not yet been considered or voted upon by the full Senate. The Hill reports that the Senate likely won’t move on CISA before October at the earliest.
“Excellus BlueCross BlueShield now joins a long list of companies that have been the victim of a cyberattack, including Target, JP Morgan, SONY, and countless others. The fact that this data breach was not discovered for 19 months just goes to show how sophisticated online hackers are and how much work we have to do when it comes to protecting our personal information,” Schumer said in a statement. “So I am urging my colleagues in Congress to strengthen consumer cyber protections and require companies to notify their customers if there has been a breach of their personal information in a timely matter so they can take action to ensure they are not the victim of identity theft. In addition, we need intelligence and law enforcement agencies to work together to share information of potential cyber threats to prevent another attack. When it comes to the personal information of New Yorkers—be it their Social Security number, their health records, or financial information—we can never be too safe.”
Schumer said if the reports of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield are verified and the personal information of 10 million customers is exposed, it will be one of the largest widespread cyber breaches in recent memory. Schumer has long advocated for increased cyber security. In July of this year, he urged the Commerce Department to rewrite a proposed rule that would limit private companies from using software to test the strength of their networks. Schumer said preventing companies from testing their networks would leave them exposed to a potential attack. At Schumer’s urging, the Commerce Department announced they would rewrite the rule in consultation with cybersecurity experts to ensure companies would be able to use software to test the security of their networks.


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BTS return to the top of the Hot 100 this week with “Dynamite,” their first smash to rise as high as a tune can climb on the all-genre ranking of the most-consumed individual cuts in the U.S. The song has now ruled for three nonconsecutive turns, and it steps up from the runner-up rung to the throne thanks in large part to a massive sales count—one that no other track came close to matching this time around.
“Dynamite” sold just under 153,000 copies this past tracking period, which isn’t just a sizable figure, it’s many, many times larger than any other single in the country. This week, BTS’s global favorite outsold the rest of the titles that appear inside the top 10 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart combined, and that group includes some highly successful smashes from some of the biggest names in the business.
New at No. 2 on this week’s Digital Song Sales chart is Justin Bieber and Chance the Rapper’s “Holy,” which sold just over 27,000 copies, bringing both acts back to the upper reaches of the tally once again. Behind that new release come Keith Urban and Pink’s “One Too Many” and Luke Combs and Amanda Shires’ “Without You,” which land at Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Those three titles are the only singles to sell more than 10,000 units last week (aside from “Dynamite”), and the sums only drop from there.
The rest of the top 10 bestselling songs in the U.S. this week (after “Dynamite”) sold a combined 104,024 copies, according to data provided by Nielsen Music
This is not the first week in which “Dynamite” has not just claimed the No. 1 spot on the Digital Song Sales chart, but outsold the closest competition many times over. When the disco-pop cut first arrived a month ago, it debuted with 265,000 copies sold—the largest sales figure in years. That frame, the all-English tune outsold the rest of the cuts featured on the 50-spot list combined.
“Dynamite” has now reigned supreme on the Digital Song Sales chart for five consecutive weeks, and it isn’t likely to give up control over the ranking soon. In an effort to keep fans buying the track, BTS continue to release remixes, will all versions being combined into one charting entity.


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The individuals chosen as founding members of the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame are among the giants in the field of sustainability.
Portland, OR (PRWEB) July 05, 2011
The International Society of Sustainability Professionals has announced that it will establish the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame as a way to formally recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of sustainability and to the professionals that serve it.
Earlier this spring, the ISSP Board of Directors selected five industry leaders from a larger group of nominees recommended by ISSP members for the inaugural ISSP Pinnacle Award. Originally designed to honor a single individual each year, the ISSP Board of Directors soon discovered the difficulty in singling out just one of the stellar nominees under consideration for the new award. Because of that conundrum and because it seemed more fitting to honor contributions rather than create a competition, the ISSP board has chosen instead to create the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame and honor all five of the nominees as the inaugural members of this distinctive group of professional fellows.
The five founding members of the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame are:
Ray Anderson, founder and chairman of Interface, Inc. and one of sustainability's earliest pioneers. After experiencing a “spear in the chest” epiphany over 17 years ago, Ray altered the direction of his petro-intensive company forever. Inspired by his vision, Mission Zero is Interface's promise to eliminate any negative impact its companies may have on the environment by 2020.
Gil Friend, president and CEO of Natural Logic, Inc., a leading sustainability strategy firm. Friend has been a central figure in the sustainability movement for 40 years, and has helped drive the creation of the sustainability consulting arena over the past twenty years. He is the author of The Truth About Green Business, which was ranked as a top "must read" sustainability book in a recent Triple Pundit survey.
Amory B. Lovins, chairman and chief scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute, who has been active at the nexus of energy, resources, security, environment, development, and economy in more than 50 countries for 40 years.
Karl Henrik Robert, a Swedish cancer researcher and founder of The Natural Step framework for sustainable development. In recent years, he has focused his scientific research through the Real Change Program, an international initiative linking university research specialization in real world application using The Natural Step framework.
Bob Willard, a leading expert on quantifying and selling the business case for sustainability. He is a teacher, speaker and author whose books include The Sustainability Advantage, The Next Sustainability Wave and The Sustainability Champion's Guidebook.
All five nominees have been invited to the ISSP Conference 2011, to be held September 22-23 in Portland, Oregon to participate in an induction ceremony for the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame. At the conference, each inductee will be will be honored by their peers for their accomplishments in the areas of experience, education, innovation, reach, publication and service to the industry.
The induction ceremony at the ISSP Conference 2011 in Portland will be the culmination of a process that began last autumn, when all members of ISSP were invited to submit nominees, along with a short rationale for each nomination. The ISSP board of directors then narrowed the list to five industry leaders that most closely met criteria for service, research, innovation, advancement of the case for sustainability, participation in the adoption of sustainability in sectors or regions, and/or contribution to the definition of the profession. In future years, the ISSP Board of Directors may chose to induct any number of people at once into the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame, including just one in a given year.
“The individuals we have chosen as our founding members for the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame are among the giants in the field of sustainability,” says Marsha Willard, executive director of ISSP. “Through their accomplishments, they have certainly set a high standard for those who will come after us.”
The International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) is the world's leading professional association for sustainability professionals. ISSP is a member-driven association committed to moving the profession of sustainability forward through building strong networks and communities of practice. Formed in 2007, ISSP boasts more than 500 members from every continent in the world. Members share resources and best practices, and professional development. Webinars, webchats, on-line classes, special reports, resource directories, salary surveys, and a professional competency study are just a sampling of the rich content offered to members. For more information about ISSP, its offerings and the upcoming ISSP Conference, please visit http://sustainabilityprofessionals.org.


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One group of users reported that iOS 9 upgrade would fail after several minutes, requiring them to start the process over. Many posted screen shots of the error message they received: "Software Update Failed".
That problem could be caused by servers that were overloaded when too many people tried to download the upgrade simultaneously.
Other users, many of them with older devices, reported their devices seizing up on a "swipe to upgrade" page. The latest upgrade had been deemed by Apple as "friendly" to the older devices after the iOS 8 problems.
Apple has not yet officially commented on the issues.
The release of the previous version of the iOS (iOS8) was also problematic in the beggining, and Apple had released several further updates since then, although some of the bugs were never fully fixed.


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“Publishing is dead.” Reputable news sources like USA Today, The Huffington Post and The Guardian have all printed stories with this headline. And everyone points to digital innovation as the culprit. Are eReaders the funeral song of publishing?
Once upon a time, when books were printed with ink and on paper, publishing houses charged an average of $26 for a crisp, new hardcover. Amazon.com, the world’s largest online retailer, prices most of its new eBook releases at $9.99, according to The New York Times. With such competition, publishing houses can no longer control book pricing as they once did.
Apple, resenting Amazon’s reign over the eBook market, in the past few years arranged secret meetings with the major players in publishing, known as the Agency Five — Hachette, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan and HarperCollins — to disrupt the online retailer’s power. These meetings were used as evidence in a lawsuit brought against these corporations in May 2012 when they were charged with conspiring to fix prices, which is a violation of U.S. anti-trust law.
Anti-trust laws protect competitive markets and prevent monopolies from gaining power over an industry by making it illegal for companies to collude or fix prices. According to a release from the attorney general of Connecticut, George Jepson, Apple and the Agency Five “conspired and agreed to increase retail eBook prices for all consumers” and “agreed to eliminate eBook retail price competition between eBook outlets, such that retail prices to consumers would be the same regardless of the outlet patronized by the consumer.”
Thanks to Gordon Dryden, commentator and educational publisher, for bringing this story to my attention.


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Specialties, such as plantains, are about 20% of banana category sales at Jessup, Md.-based Lancaster Foods Inc., said Jason Sigg, a buyer and ripener with the wholesale distributor, which has customers from New England to North Carolina.
“It’s gotten better,” he said. “In this area, it’s a big item. In fact, it’s hard to show them. They’re not moving at the rate of bananas, but it’s a big improvement.”
As for red bananas, Sigg said, “We have a few, if people ask.”
Smart retailers keep a regular stock of specialties because the category is growing, said Ed Odron, a consultant with Stockton, Calif.-based Produce Marketing Services.
“A few years ago, you sold 25-30 loads of bananas and 1,000 cases of plantains,” he said. “Now, they’re doing quite well in the stores. You get into the Central American and Hispanic customers, and they’re really becoming a real item for us.”
“Organics and plantains continue to be a growing part of our volume,” said Craig Stephen, vice president of North American bananas for Cincinnati-based Chiquita Brands International Inc.


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Story By: Kathryn Quinn, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Some Muslim tourists are ditching a resort once hugely popular with Arab holidaymakers after local cops handed out a record number of fines to women wearing the full-face veil.
The pretty holiday resort of Zell am See in the western province of Salzburg, Austria is known for being hugely popular with wealthy tourists from the Middle East who arrive in huge numbers for ski season.
So far this year (2019), 365 fines have been handed out to Muslim women who choose to wear the full-face veil, which has been controversially banned in the conservative country since 2017.
Women deemed to be ignoring the ban are handed a 50-EUR (45-GBP) on-the-spot fine.
And now some tourists are ditching the idyllic resort and taking their business elsewhere.
A tourist named Mujib told local media in summer on his visit to Zell am See: “Some members of my family no longer come here and choose to stay in Germany. For many Muslims, the ban is a problem.”
Local police chief Erich Herzog said: “Since January we have handed out 365 fines up until now. At first we hand out warnings. Most people take notice, only once did a women break down in tears.
“Fines are only handed out when the warning is then ignored and they cover themselves again as soon as they go around the corner,” he added.
Zell am See police spokesperson Verena Rainer said: “We are only controlling as part of our normal everyday controls. The women who have their faces covered have to remove the face coverings and the fine has to be paid on the spot. Nobody has refused to take off their face covering so far this year.”
The picturesque town of Zell am See is said to be particularly popular with Arab visitors.
A few years ago tourism chiefs in Salzburg sparked outrage after creating a controversial guide for guests in a bid to stop them trying to haggle over prices, cooking in their rooms, and dumping litter.
The eight-page etiquette guide called “Where Cultures Meet” is reportedly only handed out to guests from Arab regions.
Among the most controversial parts of the booklet’s creation was a debate about whether or not to mention clothing and the burqa at all. The worry was that it could be seen as an attack on religious freedoms.
In the end it was included together with the message that Austrian women can choose to dress how they want and that black is a sign of mourning.
Located in the Kitzbuhel Alps, the town is the number one of the country’s lakeside destinations on the edge of the 68-metre (223-foot) deep Lake Zell.
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I'D RATHER HAVE A CUPO OF COFFEE......
By Greg Breining
A coffee habit is associated with longer life. That's according to a recent study of more than 400,000 middle-aged men and women.
Drinking either regular or decaf went hand in hand with lower death rates for heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes and infections. And that was drinking even more than six cups a day.
So is coffee good for you?
Maybe. Observational studies like this one demonstrate connections. They do not show cause and effect.
What's the takeaway?
"For people that already drink coffee, it provides some reassurance that it's not worse than if you didn't drink coffee," says lead author Neal D. Freedman. Freedman is an investigator at the National Institutes of Health. The New England Journal of Medicine published the report in May 2012.
We don't know as much as we'd like about health and coffee.
Coffee is complicated. It consists of hundreds of mysterious compounds. This chemistry depends on the type of coffee and how it's roasted and brewed.
"There are many different compounds in coffee," Freedman says. "Most of them have not been characterized terrifically well, especially in terms of health. You would imagine that there may be some compounds that might be healthy, that might be beneficial. And some that may not be beneficial, that might be a risk or something."
Because coffee is complex, it "probably has a complicated effect on human health," Freedman says. "There may be some diseases where it's protective. And some diseases where it increases the risk."
Coffee drinkers also exhibit some confounding habits. Compared with the general population, they smoke more. They exercise less.They eat fewer fruits and vegetables. They drink more alcohol. Coffee drinkers appeared to die at a quicker pace until Freedman and colleagues compensated for these known risks. It's impossible to know if they accounted for all factors that distort the association between exposure and a health outcome.
"We did the best we could," Freedman says.
There are reasons to believe the results aren't as provisional as they sound. The huge sample included large numbers of nonsmokers. And the coffee drinkers among them lived longer.
Furthermore, other studies have supported coffee's benefits. What do these other studies say?
Coffee seems to have a paradoxical effect on blood pressure. A 2011 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that caffeine boosted blood pressure for up to three hours in people with hypertension. But evidence did not point to a link between long-term coffee drinking and high blood pressure or higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
A 2012 study in Human Molecular Genetics associated coffee drinking with lower blood pressure and lower risk of hypertension. Some recent studies showed no relationship between coffee consumption and heart disease. Another suggested coffee lowered the risk of death from heart disease. (Tea seemed to cut the risk much more.) Yet another recent analysis showed that moderate coffee drinking -- four cups a day -- reduces the risk of heart disease. But as coffee drinking exceeded that amount, the risk of heart failure also rose.
Several studies indicate coffee drinking protects against type 2 diabetes. A 2009 analysis of 18 studies found that every additional cup of coffee consumed in a day was associated with a 7 percent reduction in the risk of diabetes. "High intakes of coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea are associated with reduced risk of diabetes," the analysis says.
Most work to date has focused on coffee drinking among healthy people.
"I think more research remains to be done among populations with preexisting disease," Freedman says. "There may be different previous conditions that people have where coffee may be a risk factor."
View the original The Buzz About Coffee article on myOptumHealth.com


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The latest U.S. inflation numbers are out and they indicate that prices are increasing. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco inflation rate in the US is higher than that of the rest of the world by more than 3 percentage points. This could be the reason why the US has outpaced the average world rate of inflation in the past decade. However, the bank’s top policy advisor, Oscar Jorda, cautions that it is crucial not to read too much into the figures. The overall picture is evident.
Different factors affect the inflation rate. The CPI is the price index that is used by the government to gauge inflation. The Labor Department calculates it by conducting surveys of households. It measures the amount spent on services and goods, but does not include non-direct expenditure, which makes the CPI less stable. Inflation data should be considered in relation to other data and not as a stand-alone figure.
The Consumer Price Index, which measures changes in prices of products and services is the most frequently used inflation rate in the United States. The index is updated monthly and provides a clear view of how much prices have risen. This index provides a useful tool for budgeting and planning. If you’re a consumer, you’re likely thinking about the cost of goods and services however, it’s crucial to know why prices are rising.
Production costs rise, which in turn raises prices. This is sometimes referred as cost-push inflation. It involves rising raw material costs, like petroleum products and precious metals. It can also impact agricultural products. It is important to note that when the price of a commodity rise, it also affects its price.
Inflation figures are usually difficult to find, however there is a method to aid in calculating the amount it costs to buy products and services throughout the year. The real rate of return (CRR) is a better estimate of the nominal annual investment. Keep this in mind when you’re looking to invest in bonds or stocks next time.
The Consumer Price Index is currently 8.3% higher than it was a year ago. This is the highest rate for a year since April 1986. Because rents make up a large part of the CPI basket, inflation will continue to increase. In addition the increasing cost of homes and mortgage rates make it harder for a lot of people to purchase a home which in turn increases the demand for rental properties. The potential impact of railroad workers on the US railway system could result in disruptions in the transport and movement of goods.
The Fed’s short-term rate of interest has increased to the 2.25 percent rate this year, up from its close to zero-target rate. The central bank has forecast that inflation will increase by only a half point in the next year. It’s hard to determine if this increase is enough to control the rise in inflation.
Core inflation is a term used to describe volatile food and oil prices and is about 2%. Core inflation is often reported on a year-over-year basis and is what the Federal Reserve means when it states that its inflation goal is 2percent. Historically, the core rate was below the goal for a long period of time, however, it has recently begun rising to a level that has been damaging to many businesses.


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Leaked earlier in May and officially unveiled last July, the first two sneakers from the Adidas X Dragon Ball Z collab finally got a release date in the Philippines! The two sneakers in question are the ZX 500 RM “Son Goku” and Yung-1 “Frieza.”
Here’s a quick look at the two pairs:
The ZX 500 RM “Son Goku” will be available with an SRP of Php 10,000.
The Yung-1 “Frieza” meanwhile, will have an SRP of PHP 8,000.


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Snail Games Announces Lineage 2: Blood Oath
In July of last year, Netmarble announced that it would be bringing Lineage 2 to mobile following NCSoft purchasing a 9.8% stake in the company. Dubbed "Project S," information reveals steadily occurred over the course of last year and the game in question was eventually revealed as Lineage 2: Dawn of Aden.
According to MMOCulture, Snail Games revealed that they are making their own mobile version of Lineage 2 exclusively for the Chinese market. The game, entitled Lineage 2: Blood Oath, will use the Flexi Engine, an in-house solution used by Snail Games. Supposedly, unlike Dawn of Aden, it will be fairly close to the PC version of the game. It is currently scheduled for release later this year on Android and iOS.


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Saturday May 18
Driver cited in crash with motorcycle
Sixty-nine-year-old Rosemond Johnson of North Tonawanda was cited for changing lanes unsafely.
Fri May 17, 2013
Health Data Management
Quick Turnaround on Breach Notification
The tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases is set to be rolled out in the United States, and getting smarter about ICD-10 is critical for all industry stakeholders.
Wed May 15, 2013
Traffic alert Thursday on Sheridan Dr.
There will be a traffic alert for commuters in Amherst in place Thursday. Lane restrictions will be in place along a portion of Sheridan Drive.
Mon May 13, 2013
Software Links Shoe Prints to Crime Suspects
Criminals should start investing their ill-gotten gains in a new pair of kicks. That's because computer scientists have just gotten a lot better at linking the prints of well-worn shoes back to their owners.
Wed May 08, 2013
Daemen plots $500K beautification project
Daemen College has launched a $500,000 campus beautification campaign that will aim to permanently enhance the green space at the Amherst campus, college President Gary Olson announced.
Sat May 04, 2013
Lake Shore Savings presents donation to Re-Tree Western New York
At the grand opening celebration, Lake Shore Savings President/CEO Dan Reininga presented Re-Tree WNY with a $5,000 donation to assist in Re-Tree's efforts to plant new trees throughout Western New York.
Arrest in UB Dorm Fire
Amherst, NY UB Police have charged a student with arson, reckless endangerment and other charges after Thursday's fire in a dorm.
Fri May 03, 2013
Arrest in Amherst may have solved smash-and-grab burglaries locally
Local investigators are hopeful that the man responsible for two smash-and-grab burglaries at convenience stores the night of April 25 is in custody.
Hot Off the Press: New panini truck to open in May - INTERVIEW
A new food truck is scheduled to hit the streets in the final week of May, as Nicole Burke's Hot Off the Press food truck will vend panini - the hot-pressed Italian sandwich that can be churned out quickly.
Thu May 02, 2013
Eagle Street Fire Spreads to Two Homes
Buffalo Firefighters found heavy smoke & flames coming from one home, but they were so intense that they spread to an adjacent home.
Tue Apr 30, 2013
Fairy gardens from Badding Bros Farm Market
Fairy gardens make great gifts! Choose a pre-made fairy garden or a few pieces to make your own little wonderland.
Mon Apr 29, 2013
Footprint widens for Goldberg Segalla
The firm expanded this month to 8,000 square feet of leased space in Amherst International Park on Earhart Drive.
Fri Apr 26, 2013
Ice Cream Flavor Named After WGRZ Anchor Scott Levin
A local ice cream and candy shop Sweet Jenny's on Main Street in Williamsville and Oh Pour L'Amour Du Chocolat on Main street in Amherst has named two flavors of ice cream after WGRZ Evening Anchor Scott Levin.
Thu Apr 25, 2013
Hooters to try again in N.F., Ont.
Niagara Falls, Ont. development officials confirmed Thursday that Hooters has signed a lease to occupy the first floor of the Baymont Inn on Ferry Street, just two blocks from Fallsview Casino & Resort.


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Turkey Dispute: German exports to Turkey are shrinking
DJs like Felix Jaehn, Alle Farben and Paul van Dyk are superstars of the scene. They regularly top the international charts and headline dance festival line-ups around the world – and are Germany’s No. 1 music export!
German weaponmakers have complained that tensions with Turkey are hurting business, but what's the truth? DW takes a look at deals for arms that German manufacturers have made with countries around the world.
A German court's ruling that allowed Kuwait Airlines to deny an Israeli travel has focused attention on an enduring multination boycott of Israel. Kuwaiti law prohibits companies from doing business with Israelis.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration has been criticized for massively increasing arms sales to Middle East dictatorships Saudi Arabia and Egypt. One opposition lawmaker branded the trade "reprehensible."
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Assam's country liquor gets branded, to be flavoured
To prevent adulteration and revenue leakage, the Assam government has decided that country liquor would be grain-based, undergo chemical tests and be branded.
Highway liquor ban: Half the outlets remain shut, industry feels the pinch
Spirits cos, which expected most liquor shops and bars to relocate...
Shatrughan Sinha demands ban on tobacco items with liquor
Shatrughan Sinha was speaking after laying foundation of a cancer awareness, testin...
No need to clarify liquor ban order: Supreme Court
Earlier, the apex court had dismissed a plea challenging the Chandigarh administration's decision to allow the sale of liquor by denotifying highways as district roads.
Top stocks in focus on Friday, 18 August 2017
Here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in today's trading session.
Buy Radico Khaitan, target Rs 180.0 : Kunal Bothra
Buy Radico Khaitan Ltd. at a price target of Rs 180.0 and a stop loss at Rs 150 from entry point.
need2know: 8 macro cues for your day on D-Street
Top Indian steel companies are likely to fatten their earnings in the next 12 months, says Moody's
Won't compromise on corruption, governance: Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar said his government's decision to ban liquor trade and consumption had brought about a social change.
CSD fines USL Rs 250 crore for violation of price pact
USL, which sells brands such as Johnnie Walker, Royal Challenge and McDowell’s, is alleged to have supplied products to the CSD at inflated prices.
18% GST on food takeaway from non-AC area at AC restaurant
The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, which was rolled out from July 1, provides for levy of 12 per cent on food bill in non-AC restaurants.
Mumbai jail safe for Vijay Mallya, UK court told
When brought to Arthur Road jail, Vijay Mallya would be lodged in Barrack 12, which was occupied by 2611 Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
Restaurant industry not to gain much from the Maharashtra bill: Anjan Chatterjee, Speciality Restaurants
For the restaurants and bars, we have very clear patterns which end by 12:30, 12:45, 1 o’clock on weekends and otherwise it is 12:30, says Anjan Chatterjee.
TGI Fridays to bring its liquor and snacking brand to India
Global CEO Aslam Khan said last month that his focus was on pushing the brand towards a bar-focused, beverage-based environment.
After liquor ban on highways, GST hits MICE hospitality hard
GST has acted as a double-whammy to the industry already suffering reduced revenues many establishments may be compelled to scale down operations or shut down.
William Grant has a promising long-term outlook on India: CEO Simon Hunt
At present William Grant imports its brands — which include Balvenie single malt Scotch, Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey — into the country, attracting high taxes.


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Nokia and Microsoft have signed their partnership agreement today. The planned partnership was first announced in February.
The two companies say they’ve made “significant progress” on the development of the first Nokia products incorporating the Windows Phone platform. Nokia has also started porting key applications and services to operate on Windows Phone.
As part of the agreement, Nokia’s mapping and navigation services will be used on the Windows Phone ecosystem, while Microsoft will provide Bing search services across the Nokia device portfolio. In addition, there’ll be a new Nokia-branded application store for Windows Phone, Symbian and Series 40 devices.
Microsoft will receive royalties from Nokia for using the Windows Phone platform, while Nokia will receive “payments measured in the billions of dollars” to recognise its contribution to the partnership.
Stephen Elop, President and CEO of Nokia Corporation, said “At the highest level, we have entered into a win-win partnership. It is the complementary nature of our assets, and the overall competitiveness of that combined offering, that is the foundation of our relationship.”
The first significant shipments of jointly developed mobile devices are expected next year.