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Huawei has a message for the United States: It can dwell with out Google Maps. The Chinese smartphone large has reached a take care of the Dutch location expertise supplier TomTom that may enable it to use the corporate’s maps, site visitors data and navigation software program to develop its personal cell apps.
The deal, which was reported by Reuters, is important for Huawei as a result of it implies that the corporate is taking extra steps to reduce the consequences of a U.S. commerce ban. Last yr, the U.S. positioned Huawei a authorities blacklist, referred to as the “Entity List,” which prevents U.S. firms from doing enterprise with Huawei and not using a particular license, citing nationwide safety issues.
As a outcome, Google suspended Huawei’s entry to its Android working system, as properly as to Google’s proprietary apps and providers, together with Google Maps. Huawei depends on U.S. software program and elements for its smartphones.
Although the U.S. ban isn’t an enormous deal for Huawei in China as a result of Google’s providers are blocked there anyway, it will be important on the worldwide stage, the place a lot of its prospects depend on Google’s apps.
Whether Huawei will stay on the U.S. Entity List sooner or later is unclear. Huawei was not part of the primary section of the U.S.-China commerce deal signed a couple of days in the past. In reality, simply earlier than each nations signed the deal, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin mentioned that he didn’t “view Huawei as a chess piece” and that the corporate was a part of the nationwide safety dialogue, not the financial dialogue, which meant that the difficulty was going to be negotiated individually.
Additionally, senior U.S. officers not too long ago discouraged British ministers from utilizing Huawei’s expertise in its 5G networks, arguing that the transfer would put transatlantic intelligence sharing in danger. Nonetheless, The Guardian studies that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is probably going to ignore U.S. recommendation and approve using Huawei expertise within the nation’s 5G networks.
The new TomTom deal isn’t the one indication that Huawei is actively engaged on how to take care of the U.S. ban. After the U.S. introduced that the corporate was blacklisted, Huawei revealed its personal working system and different to Android, HarmonyOS. Huawei’s working system, which the corporate plans to regularly roll out over the following few years, is designed to work throughout a wide range of gadgets, together with TVs, smartphones, tablets and IoT devices.
Huawei additionally has its personal model of the Google Play Store, referred to as App Gallery, which can be utilized to obtain apps on the corporate’s telephones. At its first Huawei Developer Conference within the UK and Ireland, Huawei introduced a £20 million (about $25.9 million) funding plan aimed to encourage builders in these nations to create apps for App Gallery.
All in all, Huawei isn’t simply sitting round hoping that the U.S. adjustments its thoughts, though that might most likely make issues rather a lot simpler. It’s slowly gathering and creating the weather it wants for a potential future with out Google providers and Android.


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Viipurilainen Kotileipomo is a nearly 100-year-old company that uses traditional methods to produce pastries and artisan breads from local ingredients. So when the bakery was looking for a new solution for its cake packaging, its key criteria were to reduce the environmental footprint of the packaging and to make assembly quick and easy.
Viipurilainen Kotileipomo and Metsä Board’s packaging design team at Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre jointly developed a resource-efficient and 100% recyclable bakery packaging. The new eye-catching packaging reduces material requirements by 25% and carbon dioxide emissions by 34% compared to the previous packaging. At the same time, the bakery reduced its use of plastic by moving away from a PE-coated board. In addition to the environmental benefits, the design of the new bakery box makes it quicker and easier to assemble.
Promoting recycling of plastic at Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre
“Packaging sustainability is important to our customers and us, and it’s great to be able to spread the word about reducing plastic and promoting recycling. Therefore, the whole product development process was structured at the Excellence Centre. As a result, the new stylish packaging was quickly brought to market,” says Teppo Ylä-Hemmilä, Bread Artist and Innovation Director at Viipurilainen Kotileipomo.
“The new concept is an excellent example of innovative solutions made possible by joint brainstorming. In designing the packaging, we used a virtual model at our Excellence Centre to quickly and accurately visualise the material, structure and sustainability,” says Ilkka Harju, Packaging Services Director, EMEA and APAC at Metsä Board.
The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.
A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has
demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.
As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.
The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.
Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.
In an admittedly fragmented and textured terrain, this is the right time to plan your participation and marketing support communication – in our impactful and highly targeted business platform. Tell us what
you need. Speak and write to our editorial and advertising teams!
For advertisement email@example.com , for editorial firstname.lastname@example.org and for subscriptions email@example.com

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It’s been a long time coming and it seems that Rihanna is doing everything but releasing new music.
Her time lately has been occupied by her Fenty beauty products and billionaire boyfriend Hassan Jameel.
On September 6, Universal Music France held its annual music event, “Open Session,” where it reveals a list of upcoming albums.
Music journalist, Steven Bellery, broke the news on Twitter and the message translated from French stated, “The new album of Rihanna will be released in December!”
— Steven Bellery (@StevenBellery) September 6, 2019


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For example, Prosser mentioned the watch’s frameless design (seen in the leaked photos) and followed the word that the device was codenamed “Rohan.” Controversial Prosser also said in April that the plant would launch first in 2022. a quarter that Business Insider also mentioned last week.
Tipster Found In Ming-Chi Kuo With Impressive Pixel Watch Leak
The promotional image of Pixel Watch was leaked
Another Google Pixel Watch ad leaked
No disappointments expected for Pixel fans this time around
Google plans to include some features that will only be available on the Pixel Watch, as well as offering special Android features to Pixel phone users. The main goal is to show what Wear OS would look like, exactly what Pixel phones for Android do.
Choose Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
The Pixel Watch will undoubtedly strengthen Google’s ecosystem, which grew significantly this year with the launch of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Despite the usual issues that seem to plague newly released Pixel phones each year, the phones are selling quite a bit. Okay, and Google is taking care of the business by rolling out fixes for some of the early bugs, including those related to ghost fingerprints and delayed fingerprints. scanner.
Introvert. Beer guru. Communicator. Travel fanatic. Web advocate. Certified alcohol geek. Tv buff. Subtly charming internet aficionado.


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NEW YORK (MainStreet) — There are daily deal sites for everything from restaurants and hotels to comic books and marijuana, but until recently there were no websites specifically offering group buying discounts on what is arguably the most essential shopping trip for consumers: groceries.
If you want to find deals on everyday products like eggs, juice and cereal, there is certainly no shortage of coupon websites and newspaper circulars promoting dollar-off deals or buy-one-get-one-free offers, but shoppers would be hard-pressed to find the kind of limited-time 50%-90% off daily deals that websites like Groupon and LivingSocial have turned into the new normal.
LivingSocial made headlines last month when it sold $20 vouchers to Whole Foods nationwide for half price, a deal that was purchased 1 million times. Groupon dabbled in the grocery market earlier this year as well, partnering with General Mills to sell a sample pack of cereals and snack bars in Minneapolis and San Francisco, selling out in a matter of hours.
“The deal pipeline in each Groupon market is determined by local consumer interest and merchant availability. Grocery deals have been successful for us and we're definitely open to doing them again," says Julie Mossler, Groupon’s director of communications.
Based on the success of the few grocery deals so far, consumer interest is clearly not the problem, which by Mossler’s own explanation leaves only merchant availability to explain the limited number of these deals to date. However, the real answer is a bit more complicated and boils down to a combination of inventory and timing.
The Problem With Grocery Deals
Groceries differ from other consumer products in two potentially problematic ways: each food product has many subtle variations and virtually all of them can expire. We might call this issue the “orange juice paradox”: When a grocery store offers a deal on orange juice, it has to specify whether it’s pulp, non-pulp, concentrate, whether it’s a quart or a gallon and whether it’s Tropicana, Dole or another brand.
Let’s say a chain of grocery stores chooses to sell a voucher for half-off any gallon of Tropicana orange juice in store, whether it’s pulp or non-pulp, in an effort to broaden the appeal. This leaves merchants with the problem of figuring out how many of those who redeem the deal will shop at each store and which kind of orange juice they will shop for. That creates a major inventory problem as stores must struggle to stock enough to satisfy those who have pre-paid for the products but not so much that the juice starts to expire on the shelves.


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Stripe, a digital payments provider, took a pioneering role with bitcoin in 2015 when it introduced a tool that allowed merchants to accept bitcoin. This past April, the company discontinued the service.
The company’s COO, Claire Hughes Johnson, told Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference Tuesday that the reason behind the firm’s abandonment of BTC is that blockchain-based payment services are slow and not practical. She also questioned the mainstream uses of cryptocurrencies and the practical uses of blockchain technology.
Settlement times for bitcoin transactions at the present time, she noted, are around an hour. Last December, she said, they were as long as five days. Merchants sometimes needed to make a second transaction on account of bitcoin price changes between the time of purchase and clearance.
The Stripe executive also questioned the mainstream role of cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin. Bitcoin’s killer app at the present time, she said satirically, is ransomware.
A Reality Check For Bitcoin?
Her opinion, according to some, marks a reality check for bitcoin advocates who once believed the cryptocurrency would become as commonplace as credit cards. She also said blockchain technology is over-promoted. The SEC, she noted, is properly taking action to manage questionable blockchain projects, calling it a “jump the shark moment” for blockchain.
In her view, blockchain technology duplicates existing data technologies that are evolving. She predicts blockchain technology for mainstream use is at least a decade away, if it has a future at all.
Also read: Payment processor Stripe walks away from bitcoin
However, Johnson certainly doesn’t speak for all technology observers.
Bridget Van Kralingen, senior vice president for IBM’s global industries, platforms and blockchain, said during the same conference session that blockchain technology is proving itself in the areas of identity verification, supply chain management, and cross-border payments.
Van Kralingen said blockchain’s immutable nature has already improved the speed and security of business processes.
On Tuesday, IBM announced it is testing a “stablecoin” that will maintain a one-to-one value with the U.S. dollar. The coin is designed to control the type of volatility that bitcoin is associated with to provide a practical transaction tool.
Asheesh Birla, Ripple’s senior vice president of product and another panel participant, said that blockchain technology is already impacting the financial realm, particularly in emerging markets.
North America, Birla said, is “overbanked” with all of its payment services like PayPal and Venmo, as well as credit cards. The situation in developing areas like South Asia, however, is underbanked. A company looking to expand into a new country is likely to use blockchain, he said.
Featured Image from Fortune/Flickr
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Poco C55 may launch in India quickly. The telephone has reportedly been noticed on the IMDA itemizing hinting at its imminent launch. Whereas the IMDA itemizing doesn’t give many particulars concerning the specs of the purported POCO C55, it suggests help for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The handset is claimed to be a rebranded model of the Redmi 12C that has already been launched in China and therefore may carry similar options. The Poco C55 is predicted to characteristic a 6.71-inch HD+ show.
In line with a report by Gizmochina, the upcoming Poco C55 has been authorised by the IMDA authority, Singapore. The itemizing reveals that the handset may carry Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity help. The telephone has additionally appeared on the EEC certification in Europe with mannequin quantity 22127PC95G. The IMDA itemizing would not reveal any essential info on the machine.
Just a few days again, nonetheless, dependable tipster Kacper Skrzypek (Twitter: @kacskrz) stated that the upcoming Poco C55 can be a rebrand of the Redmi 12C, which was lately launched in China. Thus, the upcoming Poco telephone may include the identical options and specs because the Redmi handset.
Redmi 12C was launched in China final month as a successor to the Redmi 10C. The telephone homes a MediaTek Helio G85 SoC, paired with a Mali-G52 GPU underneath its hood. The smartphone sports activities a polycarbonate physique and plastic body. It encompasses a dual-camera unit, led by a 50-megapixel major sensor on its again panel. For selfies, the smartphone homes a 5-megapixel digicam sensor sitting in a tiny dew-drop notch design on the entrance.
The Redmi 12C comes with a 6.71-inch HD+ (1,650×720 pixels) decision show with a 20:6:9 facet ratio and 500 nits of peak brightness. It packs a 5,000mAh battery and comes with a 10W charging adapter. It’s geared up with LPDDR4X RAM and eMMC 5.1 flash reminiscence. The telephone is a finances providing from the corporate priced at CNY 699 (roughly Rs. 8,400) for the bottom 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant.
For the most recent tech information and evaluations, observe Devices 360 on Twitter, Fb, and Google Information. For the most recent movies on devices and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Xiaomi 12 Reportedly Receives Secure Android 13-Primarily based MIUI 14 Replace Exterior China
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Google showcased all that’s coming to Android phones with its latest software update Android 12. At the Google I/O 2021 event, the tech giant detailed a host of features that are coming to Android phones. The features are available in beta mode starting today on Pixel and a few other Android phones. Here are some of the key features of Android 12: New colour scheme and widgets Pixel users will be able to completely personalise their phones. Google calls it colour extraction and with it users can choose a wallpaper, and the system automatically determines which coloyrs are dominant, which ones are complementary and which ones just look great. It then applies those colors across the entire OS: the notification shade, the lock screen, the volume controls, new widgets and much more. More privacy for Android users
Android 12 includes new features that give users more transparency around which apps are accessing their data. The new Privacy Dashboard offers a single view into your permissions settings as well as what data is being accessed, how often and by which apps. It also lets you easily revoke app permissions right from the dashboard.
Taking a leaf out of Apple’s book, Google is introducing a feature which is very similar to iOS 14. There’s a new indicator to the right of status bar where users can see which apps are accessing your microphone or camera. And if they want to remove app access to these sensors for the entire system, Google has added two new toggles in Quick Settings. Redesigned notifications and Quick Settings The notification shade is more intuitive with a crisp, at-a-glance view of app notifications. The Quick Settings has been rebuilt to include Google Pay and Home Controls, while still allowing for customisation so users can have everything they need most in one easy-to-access place.


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The Federal Aviation Administration is poised to propose new rules for commercial drones by year’s end, and if they look anything like what the Wall Street Journal is reporting – it’s going to be a rough day for businesses and drone enthusiasts.
According to the report, the FAA is planning some rather restrictive new rules for commercial drones under 55 pounds. Apparently, the FAA wants all drones operators to be real pilots.
“[P}ilot certifications likely to be proposed by the FAA would typically require dozens of hours flying manned aircraft, according to people familiar with the rule-making discussions,” reports the WSJ.
There will also be other restrictions on the drones’ actual flight. The FAA wants limit commercial drone operation to daylight hours, make sure that drones never fly higher than 400 feet, and require that the drone operator never lose line of sight with the drone.
This would make it very tough for a company like Amazon – who’s currently looking to get a fleet of delivery drones off the ground.
And Amazon’s not the only one.
Also a bummer for small drone enthusiasts – there might be no differentiation between super-lightweight drones and those weighing up to 55 pounds. From the WSJ:
The agency also plans to group all drones weighing less than 55 pounds under one set of rules. That would dash hopes for looser rules on the smallest drones, such as the 2.8-pound Phantom line of camera-equipped, four-rotor helicopters made by China’s SZ DJI Technology Co. Similar-sized devices are seen as the most commercially viable drones and have surged in popularity in the last two years.
Until the FAA sets new rules for commercial drones (which could take a couple years even after proposing them), the agency will continue to issue exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Back in September, the FAA approved drone use for certain film/TV production companies. These rumored regulations could put a damper on that end of drone use, as well.
Image via Amazon


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PETA is claiming that vegans enjoy great sex life and they are superior in terms of sexual performance to non-vegans, especially meat-eaters.
PETA says illegal goat markets are open all over Mumbai ahead of Bakra Eid, claims violation of Covid norms and animal rights
PETA India alleged illegal goat markets have opened all across Mumbai amidst Bakra Eid celebrations despite Covid restrictions.
Sirf News falls for satire, publishes fake news saying PETA activist became surrogate mother of a Gorilla embryo using IVF
PETA India wants to shut down the entire dairy industry to prevent cow slaughter, but there is another solution
Instead of snatching away livelihoods of 8.4 million diary farmers, PETA India can promote animal shelters
PETA India’s latest wisdom – Cows are killed for beef because you are drinking milk and eating cheese
From using an old video to further its claims to insinuating that beef consumption is being encouraged by the dairy industry, PETA India is back to its selective targeting.
PETA files petition in Madras HC to take away Lakshmi the Elephant from her home at Manakula Vinayagar Temple in Puducherry again
After Lakshmi the Elephant returned to Manakula Vinayagar Temple in Puducherry, PETA files petition in Madras HC to remove it again
PETA’s Eid campaign: Pontificates on every Hindu festival, but still cannot dare to ask Muslims to stop slaughtering animals
Peta India has has claimed that they have written to authorities to stop ‘illegal’ animal transport and slaughter. However, they are yet to run a campaign asking Muslims to stop killing animals in the name of sacrifice.
PETA’s pontification and its nauseating hypocrisy over animal rights, which has been lauding animal product users as animal lovers
Several persons awarded ‘person of the year’ by PETA consume meat, and use leather fashion accessories
PETA tries to apologise for their Hinduphobic billboard that connected Rakhi with leather, peddles more Hinduphobia in the process
PETA India, in a recent press release, has 'apologised' for its recent billboard connecting the Hindu festival of Rakshabandhan with leather consumption.
Startling details have emerged regarding the functioning of PETA India since the latest controversy over Bakr-Eid.


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Digital and phsyical games are helping to drive growth at Sega Sammy, which saw both sales and profits increase during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.
According to the company's latest financials, consolidated full-year sales rose by 10.5 percent to 366.5 billion yen ($3.4 billion), while profits rose by 421 percent to 13.7 billion yen ($127.9 million).
That upswing was partly down to the positive performance of Sega's entertainment contents division, which houses its video game business.
Net sales in the segment increased by 12.8 percent to 247.7 billion yen ($2.3 billion), while operating income rose by 50.9 percent to 14.8 billion yen ($138.2 million).
Digging a little deeper into those figures, revenue from digital game sales rose to 47.2 billion yen ($440.9 million) from 40.8 billion yen ($381.1 million), with Sega highlighting Phantasy Star Online 2, Fist of the North Star Legends Revive, and Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 as its top three digital titles.
Packaged game revenue increased to 78.2 billion yen ($730.6 million) from 54.6 billion yen ($510.1 million), with unit sales of retail titles rising to 26.7 million in FY19 from 23.4 million in FY18.
"In the digital game software field, the Group recorded transient sales such as title transfers and offering titles. Also sales of existing titles in operation have been performing solidly. Besides, expenses substantially decreased due to the impairment loss on fixed assets recorded in the previous fiscal year," explained the company.
"In the packaged game software field, the Group sold repeat titles steadily though expenses increased, partly as the result of the amortization of development expenses due to multiple releases of Total War: Three Kingdoms and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020."
Discussing the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had has on its business, Sega explained that despite employees continuing to work from home, its development schedule for both digital and packaged game is under threat.
It also noted that some game events and updates have been postponed due to development delays, and said that while growth is being seen in the area of overseas download sales, overall sales schedules could be impacted if the situation continues.
Due to the current uncertainty caused by the coronavirus outbreak, Sega has postponed its forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.


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adidas Originals is re-introducing the three stripe classic for Fall 2012, which was first introduced in 1971 as a basketball shoe. Originally a variant of the Campus model, it was a staple sneaker for basketball legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Made in two OG colorways, it will be available in the beginning of July.
Kate Upton and Nina Agdal are old news already right now. So it's time to make room for some fresh blood. New talent! Hannah Ferguson is Sports Illustrated's latest hottest model. To prove that, we've gathered 15 of her hottest Instagram pics here. Read more


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‘Idiot-proof garden’ takes home $50,000 Cupid’s Cup prize
Two green-thumbed university alumni beat out five other top student entrepreneurs from across the country Friday to take home the $50,000 award for creating what they called “an idiot-proof garden.”
Earth Starter, a company launched by 2011 alumni Phil Weiner and John-Randall Gorby, was the winning entry in this university’s eighth annual Cupid’s Cup Business Competition. This was the first year the traditionally Terps-oriented contest expanded to a national stage, and on Friday the six finalists gathered at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center to give their final pitches in hopes of winning cash awards to help launch or sustain their startup companies.
Weiner and Gorby were the developers of the Nourishmat, an all-in-one roll-out garden with built-in watering and weed barriers that allows people to easily grow their own food and flowers. The mat is paired with another company product, Seedballs, which are literally balls of seeds a customers can push into designated locations on the mat in order to plant them strategically.
“There is a big demand for homegrown products that is not being met,” Weiner said. “Our Nourishmat and Seedball products put food, fun and family back into the equation.”
The idea for Earth Starter was long in the works before the company was launched in May 2011, Weiner said. He and Gorby invested $40,000 of their own money into their venture and released the finished products in January. Earth Starter has already cultivated partnerships with several major food suppliers, including Whole Foods.
The process came with its hardships, according to Weiner.
“The most difficult component was finding resources on campus,” he said.
However, the hard work seemingly paid off as the judges were impressed with the company’s charismatic delivery.
“We’re Terps, through and through, so we must protect this garden,” Weiner told the judges.
Audiences and judges were on the same page, as Earth Starter also won the audience choice award and took home an additional $2,500.
Coming in second place was CoverPlay by University of Virginia alum David Marriott, who took home an award of $15,000. The company is the developer of the Mojo speaker, the world’s lightest premium Bluetooth speaker. While it is only 7 millimeters thin and weighs in at 4 ounces, the Mojo deliver an average of 90 decibels of sound and 10 hours of full-blast play on a single charge.
“The good sounding speakers are just too bulky,” Marriott said. “One of the best things about it, probably the best thing is that it is wireless. It can be connected to any of your devices through Bluetooth.
Coverplay is growing at a rate of 85 percent per year, he added.
Coming in third place was Diagnostic anSERS Inc., a university-based spinoff company specializing in paper sensors for detecting chemicals, including drugs such as heroin, cocaine and pesticides. The company’s founders won $2,500 along with an additional $5,000 for best use of campus resources.
“[Chemical detection] affects everything we do, everything we touch, every single day,” co-founder and biomedical engineering graduate student Sean Virgile said.
Other competitors included Neural Analytics, a software used in diagnosing brain trauma; Moolaguides.com, a website on which students may sell and buy class notes; and Hole Patch, a product used to fill potholes in a streamlined process.


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Kindra Martone, formerly senior vice president of global sales and marketing at IO Data Centers, has joined CenturyLink as global VP of colocation sales as the company continues its global data center colocation services expansion push.
CenturyLink said Friday Martone will be responsible for directing the company’s international hosting and colocation market presence following its opening of a data center in Toronto.
David Meredith, SVP and global general manager of CenturyLink’s technology solutions segment, said the company’s services are targeted toward the Asian, European and North American markets.
Industry demand for hybrid IT, cloud and colocation services are among the factors that drive the company’s expansion activities, CenturyLink said.
Martone has at least 15 years of executive and sales leadership experience with technology companies, where she has led data center expansions in multiple international markets and established global distribution channels.
She has also previously held operations and sales management positions at Cisco.


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The expansion of mobile apps offers many advantages to marketers and providers. But, the volume of the apps can be overwhelming. In 2012, Google announced that it had caught up to Apple in the number of apps, the company offered. That means each company is offering 700,000 apps each, a staggering number. Not one to take competition lightly, Apple recently reported that it would add 75,000 new apps in 2013. Get this: the average smartphone owners loads and maintains 41 apps on each device. 41! That marks an increase of 21 percent since 2011.
Intrinsic In Our Lifestyle
Today’s apps have become an “intrinsic part of daily life, tracking everything from healthcare and finances to shopping and dating.” If you have a smartphone, you open your text messages within one minute. You open your e-mail much quicker than you do when seated at your PC or desktop.
If there are or are soon to be 7050,000 apps offered by Google alone, the biggest challenge app developers face is relevancy. The lifespan of today’s apps is short. There is always a new and improved app coming to market.
The emphasis on “push notifications” is intense. Consumers are remarkably disinterested in seeming pressure to update apps. Remarkably, 69 percent of consumers “abandon updates from brands sending pushes.” That’s’ a red flag that says leave well enough alone. Consumers are also a little edgy about the possible cost increase of new uploads.
The development of apps is not an inexpensive undertaking. Apps for Androids can runs anywhere for $600 to $150,000. The development costs for iOS range from $4,000 to as high a s$250,000. Surprised you didn’t it? Well, brace yourself. App development will increase by 50 percent.
Lead Development Costs A Big Consideration
One of the motivating principles behind all these apps is the bludgeoning cost of developing new customers. According to an American marketing company, the cost of lead generation via mobile marketing and social media marketing averages about $137.00. The cost of lead generation through other sources of marketing averages $324.00 each. There’s the case for mobile marketing.
The pressure on apps now is to coordinate with analytical analysis. Marketers ad consumers want know what apps produce results and which apps do not. This explains the popularity of new tracking software known as sentient analysis software. For consumers and marketers who want to know how their messaging is being received across the Internet, sentiment analysis software programs provide valuable insight.
- We have to know 5 mobile apps marketing trends for 2013 and towards (slideshare.net)
- Top Three Inbound Marketing Strategies for Mobile Apps (seomoz.org)


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TURKEY remains not just a safe travel destination for UK tourists, but also one of the most popular holiday hotspots for autumn.
As Spain, Portugal and France are all added to the UK’s quarantine list, Turkey remains one of the few locations to stay open – and deals are even cheaper than ever.
Turkey holidays are more popular than last year – and cheaperCredit: Alamy
According to TravelSupermarket, the most popular searches for holidays later this year are to the Antalya region in Turkey, followed by resorts outside of Dalaman such as Marmaris and Oludeniz.
Data from September 8 to September 15 found that 30 per cent of all package holiday searches on the website were for Turkey – compared to just eight per cent last year.
The prices have dropped too – a seven-night package holiday is 19% cheaper compared to last year.
Many searches were also for holidays in upcoming weeks as Brits opt for last minute trips this year, to avoid being caught out by quarantine rules being enforced at short notice.
TUI, Jet2 and easyJet are all offering bargain holidays for September and October, with trips from £170 each, and all-inclusive holidays for less than £400 each.
All-inclusive holidays can be found for less than £400 eachCredit: Alamy
Turkey currently has no entry restrictions for British tourists, and only requires health and temperature checks upon arrival.
The plummeting lira also means you get a lot more for your money this year.
A couple of years ago £1 would buy 6.1 lira, but with today’s exchange rate it has risen to 9.78 lira – making the Mediterranean destination much cheaper.
Combined with warm temperatures up until October, it is easy to see why families are opting for the holiday destination this year with the Canaries and Balearics off the cards.
The Antalya region was also one of the first popular tourist destinations to sign up to Turkey’s Safe Tourism Certificate Program, which was introduced during the pandemic.
The falling lira means you get more for your money while on holiday tooCredit: Alamy
Timuçin Güler, the General Director for Tourism Promotion, previously spoke to Sun Online Travel about welcoming tourists back through the scheme/
Hotels and resorts are able to sign up to the scheme backed by the government which proves they are following 132 safety measures set out.
Any that are found not following the rules could be shut down at short notice.
He explained: “I’ve personally visited more than 50 hotels already to see if they are following the rules, with hundreds in Bodrum and Antalya abiding by them.
“Every month, the certifications are renewed so they must all follow the rules – if they don’t obey the rules, the certification is taken away.”
Brits warned of changes to passports, driving, pet travel & roaming post-Brexit
WHAT A RIDE
Ride the Polar Express train with an overnight stay this Christmas from £129pp
Center Parcs’ new luxury treehouses in Cumbria open with outdoor hot tubs & saunas
Brits offered chance to work from home on a beach in Barbados on a year-long visa
COOKING UP A STORM
Thomas Cook relaunches from today with Italy and Turkey hols from £252pp
OFF THE LIST
Denmark set to join quarantine list & Ireland at risk but Italy & Greece safe
He said: “Turkey is safer than many other countries in the world.
“Tourism is important in Turkey, so everyone is happy to see British tourists coming back.”
Cheap holidays to Turkey now costing tourists even less as local currency plummets
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August 11, 2018, Dalian Port: The Peak Pegasus, carrying $20 million worth of American soybeans, finally docked in port following a month-long delay. The bulk carrier arrived five hours after China had imposed retaliatory tariffs on American exports. It was reported that the extra month circling the sea cost the cargo’s owner an additional $400,000. This is just one example of the real-world effects of the trade war between the United States and China. Hundreds of cargo ship companies, ordinary persons, and enterprises are suffering from the trade war and rising protectionism. Can the United States remain a steward of free trade despite such repercussions?
To date, the United States government has imposed tariffs ranging from 10 to 25 percent on a total of $250 billion worth of Chinese exports. Trade taxation measures are not enhancing the United States’ national security, protecting intellectual property, or reducing the trade deficit. Instead, the trade war is impacting the average citizen’s daily life, hindering economic growth, and disrupting the international economy. Fears associated with an escalating trade war have led to a global stock market pullback, with China’s stock market losing 20 percent of its value since the beginning of 2018. Both history and reality teach us that free trade—not protectionism—brings mutual benefits and prosperity.
Prices and jobs are pivotal to the lives of average citizens. Low tariffs ensure competition and a lower the cost of living. Free trade also increases consumer choice, further promoting the competition necessary to meet people’s needs. Normal bilateral trade relations with China will generate job opportunities and profits for enterprises that have markets in China. Free trade facilitates economic growth while its inherent efficiency provides more economic outputs. Finally, free trade allows for a more efficient allocation of resources, technology, and capital.
Normal trade relations between the United States and China also has critical global implications; a steady and predictable economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies provides a global anchor of stability. It provides confidence in the world economy, while also sending positive signals that help maintain interest rates, exchange rates, and other economic indicators. Free trade also strengthens the United States’ position as the global economic leader.
The United States took the lead in creating modern international trade rules, the disputes settlement mechanism, and the World Trade Organization, while also steering the overall trade liberalization process. Walking away from the WTO, as President Trump has mentioned, and imposing high tariffs without considering the petitions of the import-competing industries violates international trade rules. These actions are antithetical to the United States’ history and its overall leadership in international trade. They only serve to degrade the credit and prestige of the United States in the eyes of the international community.
A large-scale trade conflict with China will exacerbate worldwide protectionism and increase the risk of an international economic downturn. Some say that China has stolen job opportunities and exported millions of cheap products, displacing many United States workers in the process. Yet, international trade is not a zero-sum game. Free trade makes the “cake” bigger for everyone via a more efficient allocation of resources and its dynamism benefits the countries involved. It is true that low-skilled work shifts from developed countries to developing countries. However, this labor shift also provides an opportunity for high value-added industries and high-skilled jobs. Thus, America produces Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and other brilliant leaders in cutting-edge industries. Protectionism leads to inefficiency and stagnation; free trade fosters American innovation.
Free trade makes it possible for ordinary people to have broader choices of life styles, secure markets and profits for enterprises. It also promotes economic revival and growth, as well as enhances America’s global leadership and prestige. Cargo ships are still shuttling across the Pacific between the United States and China – it is not too late. Stop protectionism now, and embrace free trade.
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Yuhan Li is an M.A. candidate in International Trade and Investment Policy at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. Her research interests lie in international economics and finance. She is currently interning at PYXERA Global.


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Survey finds declining orders and lack of credit impacting the business sector
A recent survey conducted by the government’s Private Sector Development Committee and VnExpress has found that declining orders, lack of access to credit, and bureaucracy are major hurdles faced by businesses in Vietnam.
The survey of 9,560 business executives revealed that over 82% of businesses plan to scale down or shut down in the remaining months of this year, with 71% intending to reduce their workforce by more than 5%.
The four biggest obstacles faced by these businesses are declining orders, lack of access to low-interest credit, red tape, and the risk of being criminalized for economic activities. They are calling on the government to reduce value-added tax and income tax rates, provide more access to credit, reduce administrative burdens, and negotiate trade deals with more countries.
Around 19,200 businesses have suspended operations every month on average this year, while 19,700 were incorporated or resumed operations.


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New Delhi: Industry chamber Assocham on Tuesday said non-resident Indians are wrongly being clubbed with FIIs (foreign institutional investors) in the stock markets and the RBI needs to simplify the “complex, cumbersome and archaic” regulations on NRI investments.
Assocham President Sajjan Jindal has asked the Reserve Bank that “investments by NRIs are clubbed with those by FIIs for determining the total FII investment limit in any company.”
Noting that such a practice deprives NRIs of an opportunity to invest in many companies even when the market is down, Jindal said, “the regulations relating to NRI investment in Indian stock market is presently complex, cumbersome and archaic and these need to be simplified.”
The chamber also said NRIs should be permitted to trade in future-and-option segment on lines of FIIs, otherwise this is discriminatory and denies the Indian diaspora an opportunity to trade and hedge using options.
It has also asked the RBI to allow NRIs to hedge their currency risk in rupee and provide regulatory approvals, enabling retail investments in stock markets from them.
Currently, each NRI transaction has to be settled separately in the market. The NRI’s investments in the security market should be allowed to set off their losses earned in the security transactions against the profit earned from the security transactions.
While various fiscal measures taken recently are welcome, it is high time the regulators take more proactive, imaginative and bold initiatives by revisiting a few of the existing regulations and processes in the capital and currency markets.


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The Australian sharemarket benefited from a better than expected reading on Chinese manufacturing sector activity, only to give back part of the gains late in the session. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) finished 0.3 per cent or 16.9pts higher.
A man is reflected in a window as he walks past the indicator boards at the Australian Stock Exchange in Sydney August 11, 2011.
At 12.45pm (AEDT), the HSBC Flash Manufacturing PMI rose from 50.2 to 50.9 (better than consensus of around 50.4). Despite the reading being at a seven-month high, continued improvements will need to be seen before taking the rise seriously. Last month, flash PMI fell short of forecasts. The number is reached by conducting a survey of around 430 purchasing managers in China. Of the past 11 readings, 8 have been above 50.0 (indicating modest industry expansion). The mining sector rose following the reading.
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) continued to rise in the afternoon, with Australia's biggest company ending 1.3 per cent higher. ANZ Banking Group (ANZ) rose by 1.25 per cent, Westpac (WBC) gained by 0.9 per cent and National Australia Bank (NAB) ended 0.34 per cent firmer.
Wesfarmers (WES), the owner of Coles, Bunnings, Officeworks, Kmart and Target eased by just 0.2 per cent by the close after its first quarter sales were mixed. Sales at its Bunnings, Officeworks and Kmart stores were on the improve while Target remains in a spot of bother with too much inventory impacting results.
Integrated logistics provider, Toll Holdings (TOL) ended 2.79 per cent firmer following its AGM today. TOL said it expects underlying earnings this financial year to improve on 2012. Productivity and cost reductions were flagged as two drivers.
Looking ahead, in Europe tonight, the latest Spanish unemployment report will be issued together with flash manufacturing PMIs in Europe. Spain's jobless rate is expected to fall from 26.3 per cent to 26.1 per cent. At 7pm (AEDT), the euro zone's manufacturing PMI is expected to be 51.4.
In the US, new home sales, flash manufacturing activity and weekly jobless claims will be issued. 43 companies will be issuing earnings, including Amazon, Ford, 3M and Microsoft (the biggest company to issue profit results in the US this week).
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New Balance has sent shockwaves throughout the dad community with the recent announcement of their release of 990v4 sneaker, which comes in a “slightly-off-white” color, as opposed to the standard, dad-approved white sneakers.
“I can’t believe what I’m seeing!” one local dad was overheard exclaiming. “What’s that shade on there? These can’t be new shoes, because they’re not white. They look like they got just a little bit dirty. I can’t wrap my head around this!”
Representatives from New Balance claim that this new off-color is a “welcome addition” to their shoe lineup, and claim their goal is for dads everywhere to be willing to wear non-white sneakers by the year 2030.


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Prof Arlt webinar on 16 September 2015
- Posted by Newsdesk
- On 2nd September 2015
- arlt, cotri, tourism, webinar
ITB Academy Free Webinar: Keeping pace with the Chinese outbound tourism source market
Wednesday, September 16, 2015 10:00 am – Europe Summer Time (Berlin, GMT+02:00)
Prof Dr Wolfgang Arlt, Director of COTRI – China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, will provide an update of the new demands, new forms of travel and new “hot” destinations for Chinese travellers, to enable destinations and tourism service providers to find their market segment and unique offer for the biggest tourism market in the world.
This 1-hour-long, free online seminar will be produced by ITB Academy and targets exhibitors and trade visitors of the ITB Asia, although everyone is welcome to join.
More information about COTRI and Prof Dr Arlt is available at www.china-outbound.com.


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Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Says Apple “Blocks Innovation, Competition”
In the world of technology today, there’s no shortage of drama between competing companies and their executives. In the latest edition, Facebook and Apple are demonstrating a historically-accurate picture of what relationships between tech companies look like in 2020.
On Friday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg roasted Apple in a company meeting, saying that the company’s app store was “monopolistic and harmful” to consumers, as reported by Buzzfeed.
In response to a question, Zuckerberg said “[Apple has] this unique stranglehold as a gatekeeper on what gets on phones,” He continued, saying the company “blocks innovation, blocks competition” and “allows Apple to charge monopoly rents.”
Both Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook, along with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Google’s Sundar Pichai, testified in a hearing held by the House of Representatives last month, with concern for practices similar to those of monopolies among US’ tech companies.
Zuckerberg calling Apple a gatekeeper really isn't the insult he thinks it is whilst qanon, Nazis, anti-vaxers and birthdays run amok on Facebook.
— Barry Dorrans (@blowdart) August 28, 2020
Twitter users and other social commentators noted Zuckerberg and Facebook’s continued role in spreading misinformation, citing the irony in him saying that Apple causes harm to its customers.
However the battle for Apple’s App Store pans out for Zuckerberg, it’s no question that today’s tech companies have some questionable practices that the masses are largely unaware of, and they’re certainly worthy of some scrutiny from the public.


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Tate Britain is launching branding for the Turner Prize this week, created by London design consultancy Rose Design. The work is based on the theme ‘Judge for yourself’ and is intended to encourage a public response to the controversial art award. The identity will feature across press and banner ads, campaign posters and invitations to the shortlist launch and awards ceremony. Rose has worked with the Tate over the past four years across a broad range of projects. The consultancy most recently designed a series of posters to promote Tate Britain’s autumn series of exhibitions (DW 14 October).
Integrated packaging design specialist Equator, offers tips on how to keep new business coming through the door.
The company is claiming that it dismissed Conze in October for revealing confidential information, and has now filed a lawsuit against him.
A round-up of moves, changes and appointments in the design world.
Stories of sexism in the industry, a £200,000 interiors redesign for the V&A Museum of Childhood and a nostalgic look at magazine The Face – the news from the last


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CRM Market Awards Spotlight Sugar Across Five Key Categories; Customer Redglaze Group Recognized as Prestigious 2014 CRM Elite WinnerEnglish
Reports 19 Quarters of Consecutive Growth, Looks Ahead at Re-Shaping Future of CRM with Unique Focus on the IndividualEnglish
Marks Second Consecutive Placement in Visionary Quadrant
CUPERTINO, Calif. – July 17, 2014 – SugarCRM, Inc., the company that enables businesses to create extraordinary customer relationships with the most innovative and affordable CRM solution in the market, today announced it has been recognized as a "Visionary" in Gartner's Sales Force Automation Magic Quadrant 2014 .English
In a space that many believe has been dominated by one player, SugarCRM is celebrating its tenth year as an innovative and affordable provider of CRM solutions. Now deployed by over 1.5 million individuals in 120 countries and 26 languages, SugarCRM was recently named as a “visionary” company for the second consecutive year in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation.English
CRM is red-hot, Gartner claims. Or, shall we say, green-hot.
Gartner officials said last year customer relationship management (CRM) will be worth $36.5 billion.
"Without a doubt, the CRM industry has never been more exciting than it is now," said Clint Oram, SugarCRM co-founder and CTO. "Companies are driving CRM projects like I have never seen before. All of the major technology shifts of the past ten years, from cloud to mobile to social to big data, have all converged to create today's 'perfect CRM storm.'"English


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A federal judge in Oregon ruled that a vineyard suffered “plausibly alleged harm” from a neighboring cannabis operation and may proceed with a racketeering lawsuit.
The Capital Press in Salem reported that U.S. Senior District Judge Anna Brown denied the marijuana-growing neighbor’s motion to dismiss the complaint.
The cannabis industry is concerned about the increasing number of such civil suits.
Some marijuana businesses have been forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs to defend themselves.
So far, courts have set a high legal bar, generally ruling that plaintiffs failed to prove a concrete loss. Some cases have been settled.
In the Oregon case, the judge said the vineyard plausibly claimed under the RICO act that it suffered a “concrete financial loss” because a customer canceled an order over fears the grapes were contaminated with the smell of marijuana.
Defendants Mary and Steven Wagner and son Richard argued that Momtazi’s allegations weren’t “concrete” damages caused by a RICO violation.
For more on this story, click here.
– Associated Press and Marijuana Business Daily


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The world is changing fast and to keep up you need local knowledge with global context.
Google’s parent company Alphabet announced a stunning set of quarterly financials, with the search engine yet again generating record numbers. This has become a common theme, especially among the top tier growth stocks, which have all been pandemic winners. Alphabet shed 10% of its market value in January, in a broad sell-off driven by inflationary concerns, with the earnings surprise increasing the share price by more than 10% in after-hours trading. Investors are concerned, however, by mounting regulatory pressures on the tech industry as a whole. Numbers aside, Alphabet announced a 20-to-1 stock split, which will see its shares trade around the $150 level at current market pricing, all things equal. This follows fellow tech titans Apple and Tesla, which split their stock in 2020. Despite the buoyant market reaction to the stock split, it had no effect on the fundamentals of the business. – Justin Rowe-Roberts
"Alphabet delivered a Joe Burrow like robust quarter that will further boost the confidence of tech investors following stellar prints of Apple, Microsoft, and AMD. The tech bears now go back into hibernation mode with this jaw dropper Alphabet quarter"@DivesTech Wedbush
— Jonathan Ferro (@FerroTV) February 2, 2022
Google Parent Caps Blockbuster Year With Sales Gains
The company’s dominance in online search, video and internet ad sales made it one of last year’s leading beneficiaries of an upswing in digital advertising. Last year, small and large businesses alike flooded into the ad market in a bid to win customers who spent early parts of the pandemic sequestered in their homes.
Alphabet on Tuesday reported fourth-quarter revenue of $75.33bn, an increase of 32% from a year earlier when ad spending began to swell in anticipation that the economy would snap back in 2021 after the Covid-19 pandemic receded. Profit rose by a third, closing out a year when the company’s annual profit increased by almost $36bn from 2020, more than the 2021 profits of Goldman Sachs Group and Visa combined.
The quarterly sales gain was the lowest the company has recorded for a three-month period since late 2020 and marks a deceleration from the 41% increase reported in the July-to-September quarter. The moderating growth has divided investors, with some optimistic Google will extend its momentum over the coming year as Covid-19 wanes and travel returns, while others fear TikTok will dent YouTube’s video dominance and rising costs will cut into margins.
The divide has been apparent in the company’s share performance this year. After rising 65% last year, shares fell more than 10% in January amid a broad market selloff. Shares rose about 8% in after-hours trading on Tuesday.
The biggest peril for Google comes from regulators in the US and Europe who are filing lawsuits and proposing legislation to curtail its dominance. In the U.S., the company faces separate antitrust lawsuits against its ad-tech, search and app-store businesses, as well as state cases over claims it deceptively collected customers’ location information. It also faces proposed legislation that would limit tech companies’ ability to favour their own businesses, as well as a new bill being led by Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah) that would force it to divest its ad-tech unit.
At best, the challenges will saddle the company with legal fees and discourage acquisitions that could draw regulators’ ire, according to analysts. At worst, the company could be forced to unload some business units to comply with judicial rulings or new laws.
Alphabet Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said that he has urged Congress to take its time on potential legislation, noting the importance of avoiding “unintended consequences.” He said the company has encouraged Congress to focus on areas where there is widespread agreement, such as protecting children online, and to avoid hurting “American competitiveness by disadvantaging, solely, US companies.”
The 20-to-1 stock split will make Google’s shares more accessible to a broader array of investors by reducing the price tag of individual shares. In Alphabet’s case, it will convert each share valued at roughly $2,753 into 20 shares valued at $138.
Cyril Ramaphosa: The Audio Biography
Listen to the story of Cyril Ramaphosa's rise to presidential power, narrated by our very own Alec Hogg.


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US mulls backing ‘medicine rice’
‘Authorities in the United States have given preliminary approval to a plan to grow rice genetically modified to produce human proteins.
Rice plants including human genes involved in producing breast milk would be grown in the state of Kansas.
The company behind the proposal, Ventria Bioscience, says the plants could be developed into medicines for diarrhoea and dehydration in infants.
Critics say parts of the rice plants could enter the food chain.’


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The Kingsbury Hotel & Amaya Resorts and Spas synergizes Linkin Reps to increase its Market in India
Amaya Resorts & Spas is proud to introduce an exciting collection of luxury resorts in Sri Lanka, designed for the discerning traveller. Experience the best of Sri Lanka’s rich heritage reflected across all our properties, as you relax in tasteful luxury with welcoming contemporary accents.
Spread across the island nation of Sri Lanka and with our first property in Maldives, Amaya Resorts & Spas embraces the heritage of each locale with the simple ethos of indulgent luxury.
Strategically positioned across the country’s most popular tourist locales, Amaya Resorts & Spas bring together the best an island escape has to offer. Embrace the rich heritage of Kandy and Dambulla, sit back and watch the frolicking mists of Nuwara Eliya or dip your toes in the emerald waters of Pasikuda. If you prefer the charms of the Maldives, the South Ari Atoll beckons!
Take a tour and discover your own paradise. Each resort brings to life its own unique presentation on traditional Sri Lankan hospitality.
Sri Lanka Tourism Carrying Out Multi-Platform Promotional Campaigns
Sri Lanka Tourism is carrying out multi-platform promotional campaigns while the digital campaign is in the final stages of evaluation process, to be submitted for cabinet approval in early part of July 2018. The campaigns have focused on key international markets including Europe, Middle East, China, India, APAC and the USA. SLTPB has commenced a 3-month CNN global advertising campaign which is currently in progress, to depict Sri Lanka’s identity to the world as a tourism hot spot.
Over the last 12 months, Sri Lanka Tourism has expanded its successful social media travel influencers programme and visiting travel writer’s programme as well. From May 2017 to April 2018, over 30 social media travel influencers have visited Sri Lanka, resulting in an overall social media reach of 65 million and a total engagement of 12.5 million on social media platforms including Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
(Read the full story: www.srilanka.travel/travel-news)
Monthly Tourists Arrival Report
The total number of international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka during July 2018 was 217,829.
In comparison to July last year, there is a growth of 6.0% when the arrivals were 205,482.This month, the largest source market for tourists is India, followed by China and United Kingdom.
Almost 99% of tourists travelled by air to Sri Lanka. As at 31 st July 2018, 1,382,476 tourists had visited Sri Lanka for this year. It is a 13.7% growth over last year when 1,215,926 tourists had visited the country during the same period. (Source: SLTDA)
BIA to get a domestic flight terminal
The Government is to build a separate new terminal at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for the use of domestic flights in order to promote domestic air travel for the benefit of tourists, with the development of all domestic airports and using bigger aircraft. (Source: Daily Mirror Online)


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By Ben Cooper2008-09-09T15:39:39
The British Retail Consortium has hit out at the Government for failing to protect retailers from extra costs being piled onto the industry following a report suggesting that business rates will increase by 16 per cent from April 2010.
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Microsoft’s new Outlook email client for Windows, the “One Outlook” project the organization has been working on for some time, seems to be almost ready for release time. Some users have been able to download the new app, as first viewed by Windows Central, though it appears to only function for work and educational accounts right now.
Microsoft’s new Outlook: About
We’ve heard that the future of Microsoft’s mail clients would look a lot like the Outlook web app, and absolutely, the new app seems to be just like that. It’s much rafter and simpler than earlier versions of Outlook for Windows and much more potent than the deep-seated Mail app it is also due to gradually replace.
The app is totally hosted online, too, as Microsoft continues to move its services to the web rather than run them purely as natural apps.
Now, it appears Microsoft will announce the new app officially at its Build developer conference at the end of this month and move to replace Mail, Calendar, and eventually other versions of Outlook after that.
Microsoft’s new Outlook: Details
The Verge tried to get a announcement from Microsoft about its agreement to make Outlook web-based, but the company didn’t replied to any hearing. However, Scott Stiles, the vice president of product management for Outlook, said that the present version available for download is an early baseless test version of Outlook for Windows. As such, it still lacks features and improvements that are only available to its beta testers.
Microsoft’s new "One Outlook" email client for Windows is starting to leak out https://t.co/Oe6apUcfVh pic.twitter.com/InTjeh1zdG
— The Verge (@verge) May 6, 2022
Microsoft’s new Outlook: Release date
Microsoft has still not announced a actual date for the new client’s release, but it’s highly likely that it would happen, or at least be introduced during Build, Microsoft’s developer event this coming May 24.
Though, don’t anticipate Outlook’s name to change. According to ZDNet’s report, the company will go back to the “One Outlook” name to simply “outlook” once the client is released.
In addition to the name degeneration, the personal version of the new client appears to be expected for release along with the client’s official release.
Stay connected with TheNostalgistFilm for more updates.


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For years the taxation regulations surrounding the British online casino industry have been somewhat clouded. Sadly, it looks like through a possible new free bet tax, those waters are about to become a whole lot murkier.
15% betting duty
Announced on Wednesday during his House of Commons ‘Budget’ address, UK Chancellor George Osborne stated that through a new proposal, which will be subject to debate, online casinos would face a new 15% general betting duty on free and discounted bets. Putting the beloved casino bonus under threat for the very first time, because if it comes into effect as expected, come 2017 the landscape of online casino play may experience a dramatic shift.
Even playing field?
What the brand new tax should do, at least in premise, is even out the playing field between online casino, online bingo, and online sportsbook betting. The latter of those three online betting formats is already facing the 15% point of consumption tax (POCT) on all revenues generated. Through the introduction of the free bet tax, Mr Osborne believes that loopholes surrounding free bet use will be closed, without denting the performance of the online casino too much as a result.As you can imagine, this news has caused murmurings of discontent amongst major UK-based online casino brands. Profits have already suffered due to the 15% POTC, with their being genuine fear that the free bet tax could have an equally harmful effect.
Nothing set in stone
While the free bet tax has certainly caught many by surprise, it should be said that nothing is set in stone at this point. The new tax will be subjected to several key House of Commons debates and while unlikely, there are certain industry names that will have their fingers crossed that it isn’t passed.


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Houston, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/11/2014 -- Little Soya gluten-free soy sauce is set to make history on July 24th as it is scheduled to be launched into space. Little Soya was selected by NASA and Lockheed Martin to be used by astronauts from across the world on the International Space Station. The Ariane 5, ATV-5, which is a European rocket, will carry the soy sauce packets into space on July 24th.
“About two years ago we received a phone call from NASA and Lockheed Martin stating they were looking for a solution to their soy sauce issues on the International Space Station. One of the astronauts had complained on his last debriefing that when he would open a soy sauce packet in space, it would spew all over. The wife of one of our astronauts had seen our little fish-shaped packets at a local H-E-B grocery store and thought they might be perfect for the ISS,” stated Gary Murphy, Founder & CEO of Little Soya. That is how the story of Little Soya going to space started.
The Little Soya legacy began in Las Vegas several years ago and has quickly grown into something much larger, after chefs from around the country experienced the little fish packets containing Little Soya’s gluten free soy sauce. What began as convenient soy sauce packets shaped as little fish has now grown into larger half gallon and five gallon offerings. Little Soya can be found at some of the most prestigious hotspots in Las Vegas such as Caesar’s, MGM Grand, Mirage, Palms, Marquee, TAO Group, and Stations Casinos, as well as supermarkets nationwide.
Founder & CEO, Gary Murphy was virtually speechless when he received the first call from NASA & Lockheed and Martin inquiring about Little Soya. "It is quite an honor and privilege to know that our soy sauce packets beat out all leading brands, in the world, to be used on the International Space Station.” Other notable fans of the fish shaped soy sauce packets include Richard Branson, with Little Soya used on Virgin Airlines flights.
Little Soya launches into space on Thursday, July 24th at 9:41pm EST and it can be seen live at http://www.arianespace.tv. Follow the updates on social media through the official Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages for Little Soya. Follow hashtags #LittleSoyaNSpace and #SoyaNSpace to stay updated with the latest launch news.
For more information on how to buy Little Soya or to get updates on the upcoming launch please visit the official Little Soya website: http://www.littlesoya.com


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The regulator said Uber was not “fit and proper” to hold a London private hire operator licence on the grounds of “public safety and security implications".
But the petition has now garnered more than 475,000 signature on the Change.org website, with just 500,000 needed to be officially delivered to Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
The ride-hailing app, which employs more than 40,000 licensed drivers and transports 3.2 million passengers in London every year, will not have its Operator Licence renewed by Transport for London (TfL) when it expires on September 30.
The petition, created by Uber London, said: “By wanting to ban our app from the capital, Transport for London and their chairman the Mayor have given in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice.
UBER FIGHTBACK: Petition to overturn London taxi ban hits 450,000 in 24 hours
This decision is affecting the real lives of a huge number of honest and hard-working drivers in London
“If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive millions of Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.
“This decision is affecting the real lives of a huge number of honest and hard-working drivers in London.
“The 3.5 million Londoners who rely on Uber to get a safe, reliable and affordable ride around the best city in the world will be astounded by the decision to ban Uber from the capital.
“This ban shows the world that London is far from being open and is closed to innovative companies, who bring choice to consumers and work opportunities to those who need them.”
Uber now has 21 days to appeal against TfL’s decision and can continue while any appeals are ongoing
TfL’s concerns include Uber’s approach to carrying out background checks on drivers and reporting serious criminal offences.
Uber now has 21 days to appeal against TfL’s decision and can continue while any appeals are ongoing.
Mr Khan has given his full support to TfL's decision.
He said: ”It would be wrong if TfL continued to license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners' safety and security.”
Mr Khan has given his full support to TfL's decision
But Conservative MP and minister for London Greg Hands said, while the company must address safety concerns, Mr Khan was threatening to leave users "stranded" and put thousands out of work.
Riled up members of the public have stormed to Twitter to voice their opinions, signalling a clear divide in the controversy.
Piers Morgan wrote: “Very good day for London’s Black Cab community & they deserve it. No better trained, safer & more reliable taxi service in the world. #uber”
And political communicator Owen Jones said: “How about instead of appealing, Uber gives its workers rights and deals with the issues TFL raised, like protecting women’s safety?”
While Glenn Gathercole said: "Uber provides a much needed alternative to minicabs and black cabs. It is more efficient, safer and economical than the alternatives."
And Twitter user @Gabbysalaza_ said that she was "annoyed" at the decision as Uber allowed her to get out of "uncomfy" situations if out at night.
Made In Chelsea star and entrepeneur Francis Boulle said: “Many are revelling in Uber UK’s misfortune, but the real losers are the customers with less choice and 40k soon to be out of work drivers.”


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after a two year coronavirus break, munich’s famous oktoberfest is back.
German – Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter said earlier this year that Oktoberfest, which will run from September 17 to October 3, will take place without any Covid-19 related restrictions.
The annual Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, kicked off on Saturday for the first time since 2019, marking the end of a two-year hiatus as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Thousands of people wearing leather pants, typical of Bavarian culture, gathered for the event, which attracts around 6 million visitors to Munich every year, including tourists from all over the world.
Revelers sit at long communal tables to drink beer, eat sausages, pretzels, or pork knuckles and listen to Oompa bands.
Revelers poured into the halls at 9:00 a.m. local time to get the best seats for an epic beer festival that began with the mayor of Munich cracking open the first keg and announcing “o’zapft is” or “bottling” in the Bavarian dialect.
What do people do at Oktoberfest?
Thousands of people wear traditional Bavarian leather pants, called leather pants, at the event, which is usually attended by about 6 million people annually. Typical activities for visitors include eating sausages, a pretzel or pork knuckle, listening to bands, and of course, drinking beer.
The Oktoberfest is hundreds of years old, dating back to 1810, when the future King of Bavaria, Ludwig I, married. Since then, the festival has continued to take place in Munich in one form or another almost every year, with the exception of some interruptions, for example, in 1813 due to the Napoleonic Wars , as well as in 1914-1918 due to World War I and 1939-1945 due to World War II.


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Cheese and dairy foods supplier Saputo Dairy USA is launching a $30 million project to expand its manufacturing plant at the Las Cruces Innovation and Industrial Park in Las Cruces, NM, the state’s Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes announced in a recent release.
The State of New Mexico is supporting the project with $2.5 million in finding from the LEDA job-creators fund, including a $1 million bonus for expanding in an Opportunity Zone. An additional $300,000 in funding is being provided by the City of Las Cruces.
“The expansion of Saputo Dairy USA in Las Cruces with 150 new jobs demonstrates again that Southern New Mexico has a skilled workforce and is a great place, not only to live but for businesses to grow and expand,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.
The Las Cruces City Council is also considering an Industrial Revenue Bond for the expansion. Over the next decade, the project is expected to have an economic impact of $1.6 billion, according to the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
“Southern New Mexico is expanding its manufacturing footprint quickly. The expansion of Saputo Dairy USA’s facility will create jobs we need to diversify our economy and get people back to work as we recover from this pandemic,” said Secretary Keyes.
Saputo Dairy USA manufactures a range of cheese products like mozzarella and American-style, as well as blue, ricotta, goat cheese, Romano and other specialty cheeses, according to its website. The company also produces dairy ingredients, including whey protein concentrates, whey powder, lactose, and dairy ingredient blends.


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The statement seems innocuous enough, and it sounds as though anyone who uses FaceApp retains full rights to their content. However, the „license you grant below” section immediately dispels that notion. The app has improved and added a lot of features in the last few years. A popular influencer posting an image, whether spontaneously or as part of a marketing campaign, can set off the new wave of virality. The app is developed by a small team from Saint Petersburg, who claim to have built the tech in-house using some open source AI tech.
- Users can apply makeup to selfies, and other capabilities.
- Nunnikhoven warns that „if you don’t want that photo to be public, either don’t use the app or that particular photo.”
- FaceApp uses AI to work its magic, feeding your pictures through its algorithms in order to change your appearance, which means the photos you upload must be stored on its servers for the process to take place.
- US lawyer Elizabeth Potts Weinstein argued the app’s terms and conditions suggested user photos could be used for commercial purposes, such as FaceApp’s ads.
- Last year, Google released a feature in its Arts & Culture app that used a matching algorithm to analyze people’s faces and find doppelgangers from art history.
Justin Brookman, director of privacy and tech policy at Consumer Reports, said the app’s user agreement should concern its fans. A photo editing app has introduced a few new wrinkles to the faces of celebrities — and to the ongoing discussion around personal digital security. Ariel Hochstadt, a Security Expert from the vpnMentor blog, told the Daily Mail that the company could easily identify you, and connect your photo with other information they may have about you. Under the User Content section, FaceApp said using the application comes with a “perpetual” and “irrevocable” license to use your data “without compensation”. Instead, the Wireless Labs has said it uses US-based cloud computing from the likes of Google and Amazon to process all photos. A common complaint over the past few days is FaceApp has been collecting user data and storing it in Russia.
Is Faceapp Free?
Yes, With the help of the android emulator, you can use FaceApp on PC. Firstly download any android emulator to the computer and Faceapp download using Google Playstore. 1.First of all, download Bluestacks android emulator setup files to the computer. Use thisofficial downloadlink to download Bluestacks for Windows and Mac computers.
That explains then the context that we need to know to kind of understand how the algorithm works, and what it is. So now let’s cover the third question of dissemination — and now how does that play into this whole… flywheel of these creator network effects, and then now you have distribution. It would be faster if they showed me multiple thumbnails on the screen, for me to just scan through a bunch and flip through them; they’re intentionally slowing me down, and showing me one thing at a time. But in doing so they get much cleaner feedback about my sentiment — and that means that the training of the algorithm happens more quickly. And so in that way, their feedback loop is super efficient and tightly closed. And that is, I think, a form of design that I refer to as “algorithm friendly design”.
Best Android Browsers With Dark Mode In 2021


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Hadley Group walks away with Large Exporter prize at Masters Awards
SMETHWICK-based steel products manufacturer Hadley Group won the Large Exporter category at last night’s TheBusinessDesk.com West Midlands Business Masters Awards 2014 at Edgbaston Stadium.
It saw off competition from Bridgnorth Aluminium and Grainger and Worrall to win the award which is open to regional exporting businesses with a £25m+ annual turnover.
The cold rollforming manufacturer – headed by Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership chairman Stewart Towe, CBE – has set up manufacturing bases in Germany, Thailand and Dubai to supplement its domestic offering.
With a turnover approaching £100m, the company is now targeting the US, Canadian and South American markets and works with industries worldwide in sectors as diverse as construction in Thailand and winemaking in France.
Hadley was also shortlisted in the Large Manufacturer category but was beaten by Coventry-based automotive sector manufacturer Brose UK, which is on a rapid growth trajectory.
Between April last year and March 2014 the firm, a component supplier to automotive businesses such as Jaguar Land Rover, added more than £35m of annual sales to its turnover, increased its workforce by 50% and invested more than £15m in new machinery and a second site.
More than 200 people attended last night’s gala awards evening hosted by BBC news reporter Sarah Falkland.
They saw Birmingham’s Mereway Kitchens win the SME Manufacturer award and Coventry’s Ultraseal pick up the SME Exporter prize.
Mereway Kitchens re-assessed its entire operation during the recession and introduced a three point plan which included staff development, effective use of machinery and assistance to retailers.
The company is now growing quickly and has an annual turnover of £22m.
It has now launched Mereway Bedrooms to sit alongside its kitchen manufacturing operation.
Ultraseal International designs and manufactures vacuum impregnation equipment and porosity sealants, predominantly for the automotive industry.
Exports now account for 98% of the company’s turnover and it sells into more than 35 of the 50 countries in the world which are deemed to be major motor manufacturing centres.
The Newcomer award, open to companies which are less than three years old, was won by SimkissGuy Recruitment while the Innovator category was won by Sign Solutions.
The Birmingham recruiter has made a name for itself in a short period of time with a “no sales, just outstanding service” proposition.
It offers a 12 week, 100% guarantee in the event of something going wrong in relation to a member of staff they have placed with a company.
Alvechurch-based Sign Solutions is a sign language and interpreting company.
The company has developed and launched a service called Interpreters Live! which allows interpreters to be accessed on demand via computer.
Aston Villa FC won the Pride category, which rewards the most meaningful philanthropic initiative by a business or individual.
Villa run an allotment project less than a mile from its ground. It enables 80 young people, including a targeted core group of at risk youths, to help provide produce for its VMF restaurant and local suppliers.
The Listed Business category – rewarding excellent performance from a local plc – was won by Solihull-based financial services firm Paragon Group. With staff number of 850+ and pre-tax profit of £105m, the FTSE-350 firm is growing rapidly.
It has now developed a strategy to become a ‘challenger bank’ and has launched a banking subsidiary Paragon Bank.
In the Fast Growth Business category – rewarding outstanding growth over the last 12 months from a West Midlands business – it was an all Coventry shortlist with Key Forensic Services proving to be the winner.
The company supplies forensic services to public and private sector clients at home and abroad.
It has experienced strong sales growth in recent years and is also predicting a doubling of turnover from 2012 to 2014 – from £6.5m to an anticipated £13.7m.
The business now employs 250 people and is investing heavily in delivering technological innovation.
Coming out on top in the the Apprentice Scheme category was Wednesbury’s Alucast, which was formed in the late 1960s and is a sand, gravity and pressure casting manufacturer.
It recently embarked on the largest training programme in its history which will involve up-skilling the majority of its 90-strong workforce.
The firm also appeared in the shortlist for the Employer of the Year category of the awards but was beaten to the prize by Birmingham-based property sector business Rider Levett Bucknall.
It has achieved Investors in People Gold Accreditation, which puts in the top 1% of all IIP accredited companies, and the firm says it puts respect for its people at the core of everything it does.
Reflecting on the Masters Awards, TheBusinessDesk.com editor Andy Coyne said: “We had great shortlists this year and from those came great winners.
“It was a fabulous night with a terrific audience who really got into the spirit of things.
“Once again there were some fascinating business tales to tell and the Masters gives the companies involved the chance to tell us their stories.
“Well done to all the winners and shortlisted firms.”
This year’s Business Masters Awards were sponsored by Sertec, Bloomer Heaven, Birmingham Airport, Higgs & Sons and Innovation Birmingham Climate KIC Project.


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Heating, AC supplier coming
National heating and air-conditioning wholesaler Johnstone Supply plans to open a store in Ames later this summer.
The company will move into the former Central Iowa Transit building at 2701 Ford St. in late July or early August, operations manager Rick Scott said Thursday.
The former owner of the old Central Iowa Transit building, John Grzywacz, sold the building to CCL & B Inc., a company created by Johnstone owner Kim Cafferty to acquire properties, Scott said.
Documents obtained from the Ames City Assessor’s Office show CCL & B paid Grzywacz $750,000 for the property. The sale was recorded May 31.
Johnstone Supply is a national heating, air-conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration cooperative. The Ames store will be its fifth in Iowa with others in Des Moines, Davenport, Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, and the 397th store nationally, Scott said.
Nick Petersen, who is moving from Omaha, Neb., to manage the store, is working with a small crew to begin renovations inside the building.
“We’re knocking out walls and trying to open it up more,” he said.
Once complete, it will include a showroom, a counter area and warehouse. It also will have a classroom to train customers, Scott said.
Johnstone sells to contractors and maintenance staff at institutions such as hospitals and universities. It does not sell to the public.
The company will initially employ four people in Ames, including a store manager, sales and customer service staff and a warehouse and delivery worker.
Grzywacz said he put the building up for sale three years ago, but there was little interest from prospective buyers until this past spring, when interest picked up and he struck a deal to sell it to CCL & B.
“I’m excited to see the evolution of the building and what they have planned for it,” Grzywacz said.
Michael Crumb can be reached at (515) 663-6961 or email@example.com.


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UK-headquartered Eight19 has commissioned a new production facility at its Cambridge site, which includes a roll-to-roll line for manufacturing its plastic solar cells.
Though the line is installed, it will be around another two years before the company begins commercial production of organic photovoltaics (OPVs).
The target module efficiency is 5%, explains Eight19 CEO Simon Bransfield-Garth, making it suitable for the portable and off-grid applications the company is targeting, such as chargers for lamps and mobile phones in developing countries, and regions without access to electricity.
By working with partners to establish demand on the ground within local off-grid markets and communities for solar power that can be met by OPVs in future, Eight19 will be able to ramp up production volumes rapidly when its technology is ready, according to Bransfield-Garth.
In the meantime the manufacturing plant provides Eight19 with a flexible development system based on printing and room-temperature processes required for high volumes of low-cost, flexible solar modules.
Since being founded in 2010, Eight19 has established several local partnerships and pilots in parts of Africa to establish a market for its IndiGo pay-as-you-go solar-powered lamp system, as a safer, more economical and cleaner alternative to kerosene lamps used in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
The IndiGo system, which uses conventional solar cells, was launched in September 2011 in Kenya. The company recently announced it will also begin marketing IndiGo in southern Sudan. To support this latest initiative Eight19, with its partner SolarAid, has set up a fund that will finance the deployment of 4,000 IndiGo systems in east Africa.
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Cambridge-headquartered Eight19 is launching a portable energy harvesting system in Africa, to provide pay-as-you-go solar electricity
Eight19 completes successful trials of portable solar power system
Cambridge-based Eight19 is ready to begin full production of its portable energy harvesting system, following successful trials in Africa
Organic solar firm launches pay-as-you-go energy system in Africa
Cambridge-headquartered Eight19 is launching a portable energy harvesting system in Africa and India, to provide pay-as-you-go solar electricity
Plastic electronics promises energy everywhere
In 2010, the US Energy Information Administration noted that global energy consumption has risen from 355 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 1990 to 495 quadrillion Btu in 2007. The figure for global energy consumption is expected to grow to 739 quadrillion Btu in 2035


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DETROIT -- General Motors said Monday that it would launch a 0 percent financing program starting Tuesday, June 24, while raising prices on 2009 models by an average of 3.5 percent.
GM executives also said they plan to boost output of some compact and mid-sized cars and crossovers, and that they have hired Citibank to help review the Hummer brands future.
In an effort to boost June sales, GM plans a 72 Hour Sale from Tuesday through Monday, June 30, GMs Mark LaNeve said. LaNeve is GMs vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing.
The sale will offer customers 0 percent financing for 72 months on all GM brands, LaNeve said.
We know how to do this, we throw considerable media weight behind it," LaNeve said on a conference call with journalists today. "Its a really simple offer thats very compelling. Its a good way to finance if someones upside down on their vehicles.
The sale includes over 80 percent of GM's grounded 2008 model year, he said. It covers all GM trucks and large SUVs, along with many smaller SUVs.
None of GM's hot-selling crossovers such as the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook are included.
The only models excluded are the ones that we are very tight on inventory, LaNeve said.
GM also will offer $500 cash to customers who buy, rather than lease, vehicles, say dealers who listened to a conference call with LaNeve earlier Monday. LaNeve also said GM will raise prices of 2009 vehicles an average of 3.5 percent.
"It wont be 3.5 percent across the board," LaNeve said. "Itll be a little higher on some products and lower on others."
Premium brands included
GM has included the premium brands in the 72 Hour Sale. Cadillac includes everything except the CTS, which only gets zero percent for 36 months on the 2008 model, a dealer said. GM put an additional $1,000 cash on the Escalade. Saab includes the 9-3 sedan and 9-7 SUV and Hummer includes H2 and H3.
At Thompson Sales Co. in Springfield, Mo., owner Lynn Thompson believes he will sell an additional 45 to 50 cars during this last week now due to the sale. That will bring him closer to last June's sales figures, but he'll still be down about 10 percent.
The first 17 days of the month were horrendous, just awful," Thompson says. "I think the gas price shock all you saw every time you turned on the TV was that gas was up, gas was up the media was just feeding on it. It was unbelievable. I think it just wore people down.


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Health inspectors from Waltham Forest Council investigated Breadcraft Bakery in Leyton, after receiving a number of complaints about the business from neighbours.
Inspectors discovered pigeons wandering through the stockrooms and cockroaches in among products and supplies at the company.
Pigeons can spread diseases including histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis, which can both be fatal to humans.
The council secured a closure order for the business from Thames Magistrates’ Court in late October.
‘Prepared to risk the health of his customers’
Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment, said: “For the sake of some dough this unscrupulous baker was prepared to risk the health of his customers.
“What a half-baked idea – and now his pigeons have really come home to roost as he has been ordered to close before his irresponsibility harms someone.”
The closure of Breadcraft followed a number of food and drink firms in the area that had been shut down this year for breaches of health and safety.
In September, inspectors discovered a “well-established” mouse infestation at the Walthamstow bakery Déjà Vu, with mouse droppings found in bags of flour, food packaging and drinking glasses.
‘Well-established’ mouse infestation
A cockroach found in food packaging unwrapped by a customer of BBQ Express in Leyton resulted in the business’s closure.
“Keeping our residents safe is always our first priority,” added Loakes. “The environmental health team works extremely hard to make sure businesses serving the Waltham Forest community are clean and hygienic.”
Meanwhile, last month, a London-based bakery was forced to pay costs of more than £1,500, after an infestation of cockroaches closed down the business.
London Wholesale Bakery in Coppen Road, Dagenham, was shut down on October 5 after health inspectors found “a kitchen full of cockroaches”.


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USA Porsche customers satisfied about their cars
In a study made by US market research institute J.D. Power, Porsche ranked highest in the USA for the third time. Only one month ago, Porsche has been ranked best nameplate in the organization’s Initial Quality Study (IQS), and now the company reaffirmed its standing in performance and design of its sports cars, again beating its worldwide competitors.
Among more than 91,000 purchasers of the new 2007 model-year cars the Porsche Cayman and the Boxster finished for the second time in a row in first and second place in the “Premium Sporty Car” category.
The 2007 APEAL Study surveyed the consumer satisfaction after the first 90 days of ownership of a new car. The Study is based on responses gathered between February and May this year.


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Smoking is linked to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, especially in people who have smoked for decades. However, the health benefits of a particular diet may help lower the risk in people who have ever smoked.
In a new French study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology, researchers evaluated the data of more than 60,000 women for particular environmental factors and prevalence of chronic disease. While following a Mediterranean diet was not associated with a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis overall, high adherence to the diet did lower the risk for those who had ever smoked.
Most of the women involved in the study were born between 1925 and 1950, and recruited in 1990. They answered questionnaires every other year about health and lifestyle concerns, plus disease diagnoses such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Of the participants, 13.2 percent reported current smoking and 33.2 percent reported formerly smoking. Adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was low in 29.2 percent of participants, medium in 45.2 percent of participants, and high in 25.5 percent of participants.
The only specific food that was linked to a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis was fish: A moderate consumption of 9 to 25 grams per day resulted in lower RA risk than eating less than 9 grams per day. The researchers didn’t find a difference in risk for the high consumption of any food group.
“The Mediterranean diet has been reported to be associated with significant reduction of non-communicable diseases,” note the researchers. “Our results suggest that adherence to the Mediterranean diet could reduce the high risk of rheumatoid arthritis among ever-smoking women.”
You’re likely familiar with the mainstays of the Mediterranean diet: This plant-heavy eating pattern, similar to the cuisine of countries along the Mediterranean Sea, features plenty of foods like fruits and vegetables, potatoes, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and extra virgin olive oil, per the Cleveland Clinic.
It includes only moderate amounts of lean poultry, fish, seafood, dairy, and eggs — and very few fried food, sweets, red meats, and white flour products.
The Mediterranean diet has been linked to several other long-term benefits. For instance, it was found to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events over five years by 30 percent compared to a regular low-fat diet in a 2018 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Because the Mediterranean diet features foods rich in antioxidants, it may counterbalance some of the damaging oxidant effects caused by smoking — therefore reducing the risk of rheumatoid arthritis associated with smoking, note the researchers of the new study.
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Estruch R, et al. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts. The New England Journal of Medicine. June 21, 2018. doi: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1800389.
Mediterranean Diet. Cleveland Clinic. September 9, 2019. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet.
Nguyen Y, et al. Mediterranean diet and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: findings from the French E3N-EPIC cohort study. Arthritis & Rheumatology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32909390.
Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis: What’s the risk? Mayo Clinic. March 26, 2020. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nicotine-dependence/expert-answers/rheumatoid-arthritis-smoking/faq-20119778.


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>> Anyone requesting samples from Simon Spurr is out of luck — the company has stopped loaning out clothing, and halted its public relations activities, in the wake of Spurr's departure.
Sarvie Nasseri, who handles public relations for the men's clothing company, told WWD in an email that “at this time all p.r. is on hold." The hold is only temporary, but until it's lifted, Spurr won't be lending clothing to magazines or celebrities who want to wear them for red carpet appearances.
Spurr left his company last Friday – two days after being nominated for for the CFDA Award for menswear. To date, neither he nor the executives who are still at the company have commented on his departure, but it's understood that cofounder Judd Nyles wants to keep the line open without Spurr.