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Cathy Bieterman, left, and Patty Penca discuss the benefits of the Minority Business Exchange. Bieterman is the coordinator of economic development for the City of Painesville. Penca is the owner of Penca Design Group.
Tony Brooks knows well enough the potential pitfalls of starting a new business.
He also knows it's that much harder without a support system of those who previously walked the same path.
That's why Brooks, who owns Terkk's Computer Services, joined with the city of Painesville and the Lake County NAACP to start a new organization -- the Lake County Minority Business Exchange -- designed to help people in a similar position.
Currently 10 members strong, the exchange aims to foster collaboration among business owners who are minorities and to help them run their businesses better.
"It's overwhelming sometimes, and if you don't have anyone else who's been in the same position, then you feel kind of lost," Brooks said of running a small business.
Brooks is acting president for the organization until it is strong enough for formal leadership. Official monthly meetings began in January.
So far, the new organization has been received well, Brooks said, though the biggest challenge remains getting the word out to business owners who might benefit from joining.
"It's challenging because you have to work your business and you don't have time to go to a lot of meetings," Brooks said, "and you would be surprised how many minority businesses don't have email addresses."
Brooks, along with Cathy Bieterman and Patty Penca, have a range of ideas to help combat those challenges. Bieterman is economic development coordinator for Painesville, and Penca is creative director of Penca Design Group.
For starters, the exchange's monthly networking meetings last an hour -- maximum -- and are at 7:30 a.m. to allow entrepreneurs to be back to work in time to open for the day.
"There's a special need: They don't have a lot of employees," Bieterman said of small businesses.
"It's hard to do when you're a one-man show."
Additionally, Penca has offered her services to the organization and to member businesses, serving as web administrator for any business owner who wants to create a presence on Facebook, the free online networking tool.
The pair will set up a table at the city's economic development breakfast May 19 to help spread the word about the organization, and is making plans for annual meetings and educational seminars.
Penca, herself the owner of a small business, said she got involved as a way to help other business owners and to benefit the city.
"I wanted Painesville to grow. I live here and I drive through this town every day," Penca said.
She also is familiar with the process of becoming certified as a minority-owned business. Penca Design is considered a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, a designation Penca said has earned her government contracts. Among her goals for the Lake County organization is to help other minority-owned businesses become certified as well.
Bieterman said that as a city representative, she is hoping to identify and address the unique needs of minority businesses. A stronger business presence leads to increased revenues and other benefits for the city, she noted.
"Our main interest is to grow the companies we have in our community. We put a lot of effort into business expansion and retention," Bieterman said.
Although the organization's target membership is certified minority businesses in Painesville, membership is free to all minority business owners in Lake County.
The Lake County Minority Business Exchange meets the second Thursday of each month at Rider's Inn in Painesville.


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Oldham Council awards grant to businesses across Oldham
Date published: 14 May 2019
Cissie Barlow's Traditional Sweetshop
Over the last five years Oldham Council has awarded more than £146,000 to support 50 businesses thanks to Shaw, Lees and A62 (Failsworth corridor) Business Improvement Grant schemes.
It doesn’t matter if you run an existing independent business in one of these three district centres, even if you are a new start up, the funding may be able help you out.
The grants can be used to improve the exterior or for an internal fit out where the business can demonstrate business growth and/or job creation.
Grants are for 50 per cent of the capital costs, up to a current maximum of £8,000.
One of the new business start ups we’ve helped out with funding was Jason Worsnip Family Funeral Service, in Shaw.
The grant provided funding which helped to bring an empty property back into use by improving the external appearance and enabling the premises to suit the needs of their new enterprise.
Jason, who runs the business with his brother Nigel, said, “The grant gave us a real lift and made the difference in giving us the confidence to carry out the works to such a high standard.”
Shaw’s Cissie Barlow’s Traditional Sweetshop was an existing shop but thanks to the grant we provided, they were able to relocate to larger premises on Market Street in order to expand their product lines and grow the business.
Sue Avery, who runs the shop, said, “The grant process has been massive for my business, we could not have moved and done all the work on the refurbishment without it.
The council has been really supportive and helpful and I would encourage anyone who has the chance to take up a grant and reap the benefits.”
Councillor Sean Fielding, Leader of Oldham Council, said, “We’re delighted we’ve been able to give a helping hand people like Sue and Jason.
It’s only right we support hard-working independent traders where we can and help them to set up or grow.
That’s why we invested £1.3million to help independent businesses in Oldham’s Independent Quarter and Shaw, Lees and Failsworth district centres.
If you’re thinking of sprucing up the exterior of your building or setting up shop in one of these three areas, then this funding could really help you.
But don’t delay in getting in touch. We only have limited funding and once it’s gone that is it.”
The deadline for applications is November 1st and all grants will be allocated by December 31.
Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing email@example.com , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.

domain: news


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WATCH VIDEO: Virgin Media has unveiled its first advertising campaign for its TiVo service, positioning the connected TV and PVR device as the best way to watch television.
The multi-million pound campaign is fronted by actor Marc Warren, the star of Hustle and Mad Dogs. Warren will feature in three 30-second spots that will demonstrate how the TiVo service provides a simple solution to the complex choices facing the consumer. It will be backed up by TV, print and digital media.
Nigel Gilbert, chief marketing officer, Virgin Media, said: “We know the features and functions our customers have already fallen in love with and are making the most of a fully integrated campaign to cut through the noise and highlight these stand-out attributes. We’re inviting people to take a look at our brilliant new service and interact with TiVo’s iconic ‘thumbs up’ and ‘thumbs down’ buttons online to discover even more.”
The advertisement was created by DDB UK.
TiVo made its debut to existing Virgin customers in December and was subsequently released to new subscribers.


text: Nike’s shares are soaring before the opening bell Friday, as the footwear and clothing company posted record fiscal fourth-quarter sales in North America and gave a better-than-anticipated full-year revenue forecast. The Beaverton, Oregon-based company’s revenue totaled $12.34 billion in the fourth quarter, easily beating the $11.06 billion that analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research predicted. In North America, Nike Inc.’s revenue soared 141% to $5.38 billion. Nike also experienced strong sales for its namesake brand, rising 88% to $11.8 billion. Revenue for the Converse brand climbed 85% to $596 million.


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The company said it would accelerate production of ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) - two types of electrolyte solvents
The Inzone line, developed by a unit outside Sony's main gaming business, aims to leverage Sony's audio and display technology,
Haruhiko Kuroda, governor of the Bank of Japan, said the country's 15-year experience with deflation is keeping wage growth subdued.
The sudden plunge in crypto values, which started in May amid a broader economic slowdown, complicates Pyongyang's ability to fund its weapons programmes
LGES, South Korea's biggest player in the booming market for EV batteries, counts Tesla, General Motors and Volkswagen among its customers.
The Japanese automaker's North American division said 322,671 Pathfinder vehicles for models between 2013 and 2016 are subject to the recall
Consumers in Tokyo were asked to conserve power as the Japanese capital was hit by the fourth day of a heatwave, which has led to people dying of heatstroke and others being treated in hospitals
Just under 3% of 168 Japanese companies have exited Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, a Yale School of Management survey revealed
Japan warns that the electricity supply in Tokyo will be strained as heat increases in the capital. Officials have called for people to be conservative in their use of power
Japan changed a key policy document that put hybrid vehicles on par with battery-electric cars after Toyota warned that carmakers could not back a government that rejected hybrid tech.
No decision has been made on where Arm might list. But Masayoshi Son is undaunted by the hit SoftBank has taken due to tech crackdowns in China, the war on Ukraine and rising rates.
Petrol-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in Japan than pure EVs like the Solterra and bZ4X, which accounted for just 1% of passenger cars sold


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To Joseph Gish, a relationship is more than just a convenient union between two people. As his unorthodox yet powerful marriage to his wife, Julie, a Chinese national he had met for just 6 days in Barcelona before deciding to move to China for her, has begun to grow into widespread notoriety, Gish hopes that the launch of a new clothing brand meant for what he dubs a “Power Couple” will bring forth believe in true love and spread an inclusive and positive message among difficult times.
According to Gish, the main inspirations for creating this power couple clothing line was the opportunity for his wife to get into fashion and to really redefine people’s understanding of what a power couple is.
“We’re going to be partnering with Cosmos Glamsquad, designers who have worked with Deontay Wilder and Shaqille O’Neal in the past, so we’re very excited for that,” Gish said.
Additionally, the product line will initially consist of different shirts aimed at all sorts of couples so that the message of the product line is inclusive for all types of relationships, says Gish.
This unique type of branding is one that Gish hopes will be noteworthy, and push for more unity, peace and love in the world.
“No one does clothing to promote couples and love and we are going to do it fashionably and stylishly,” Gish said.
While the clothing will initially deal with shirts, the hope is that a successful launch will lead to a more expansive set of products.
“The hope is that we will be able to expand the brand to broader horizons,” Gish said. “I think the next move would be jewelry and lockets.”
Overall, Gish hopes that this clothing brand will signify the strong bond he has made with Julie, especially given all that they have been through as a couple.
“My wife and I have been through a lot together, and we call each ourselves a power couple because we went through a situation no one could imagine and came out as strong as ever,” Gish said. “ Our relationship is so good that people think we are boyfriend and girlfriend after 12 years of being married.”
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Google is Giving Away Nest Mini Smart Speakers to YouTube Premium and Play Music Subscribers in U.S. One Day After Google Home Discontinued
Google has a quiet program underway that offers a free Nest Mini Smart Speaker to YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium,..
Alibaba Tmall GenieAmazon EchoApple HomePodBaiduGoogle HomeGoogle NestMarket DataNest HomeNewsSonosXiaomi
Global Smart Speaker Growth Cools in Q1 as Pandemic Leads to Declining China Sales, Amazon Retains Top Spot Says Strategy Analytics
Over 28 million smart speakers were sold globally in Q1 2020 according to research firm Strategy Analytics. That is up..
Amazon Again Topped Q4 Global Smart Speaker Sales Followed by Google and Baidu According to Strategy Analytics. Smart Speaker Shipments Set New Record.
Amazon shipped 15.8 million smart speakers in Q4 2019 capturing a 28.3% device market share and the top spot globally..
New Report Says Consumers Have 71% Preference for Human Over Robot Voices for Voice Assistant User Experience
Voicebot Research has found that not only do consumers prefer human voices over synthetic in their voice experiences, but the..
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Google built its annual Made by Google product showcase this year around the idea of ambient computing, where the services..
Amazon unveiled the Echo Show 5 today, the latest entrant into the smart display voice assistant market. The competition for..


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Sue Netflix in South Korea! Netflix was sued for using broadband internet. South Korean internet service provider SK Broadband demanded a fee from the company.
Netflix sued South Korean internet service provider SK Broadband. The problem of broadband internet usage, which has been going on between the two companies for a while, has finally moved to the courtrooms. But behind this lawsuit lies another lawsuit that Netflix recently lost. But what exactly does SK Broadband want from Netflix?
Sue Netflix in South Korea! South Korea and Netflix face a new lawsuit for broadband
Netflix is among the companies that reached the top with broadband internet usage all over the world, especially during the pandemic period. Although the company reduced the content video quality a little as a precaution, SK Broadband was not very satisfied with this.
The South Korean internet provider is also a subsidiary of SK Telecom, the country’s largest telecom firm. The firm has revealed that over the past three years, Netflix’s broadband network has been overloaded. In this sense, SK Broadband charges Netflix for this broadband internet usage.
The first fire of the case was lit by the South Korean courts in June. Accordingly, the South Korean court sentenced Netflix to pay fees for using broadband internet. SK Broadband, on the other hand, filed a lawsuit again in order to perpetuate this one-time fee after the lawsuit it won against Netflix.
Netflix officials, on the other hand, are trying to find a common way with the South Korean internet provider. However, SK Broadband shared important data for Netflix broadband internet usage. Accordingly, the internet service provider claims that Netflix has increased exponentially by nearly 24 times, from 50 Gigabits per second in May 2018 to 1,200 Gigabits per second in September 2021.
Netflix and its economic contribution to South Korea
SK Broadband plans to charge $23 million annually from Netflix. Netflix, on the other hand, reminded that the internet service provider already charges customers for broadband internet. Highlighting its contribution to the South Korean economy, the video content platform has made a socioeconomic contribution of 4.7 billion dollars in total. Netflix also claims that it has, directly and indirectly, employed 16,000 people in South Korea.
Netflix has 3.8 million subscribers in South Korea. Currently, the popular content of the platform, Squid Game, will become the most-watched production of the platform, according to Netflix’s predictions. Disney, which will enter the South Korean market in November, is seeking to enter the country through third-party content distribution networks. Thus, the company is after Netflix to get rid of the burden of broadband fees.
Versace Cologne for men and women


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ARC Data Also Shows Travel Increased to Many European Destinations
ARLINGTON, Va. – December 17, 2018 – Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) reported today that air ticket sales are up for many popular European destinations this Christmas-New Year’s season compared to 2017. The number of air tickets sold for travel to the United Kingdom is up 20 percent compared with the same period last year. Italy is up 21 percent while France and Spain are up 12 percent.
Domestic air travel for the Christmas-New Year’s season decreased in 2018 compared to last year. Holiday air travel is down 14 percent for flights to Washington, D.C., 12 percent for San Francisco, 8 percent for Los Angeles, 6 percent for Boston and 5 percent for New York.
Overall, holiday travel round-trip ticket prices are on par with 2017. The average ticket price changed less than 1 percent year-over-year.
The top 10 international Christmas-New Year’s seasonal flight destinations in 2018 are:
The top 10 city Christmas-New Year’s seasonal flight destinations in 2018 are:
Notes for Editors:
ARC accelerates the growth of global air travel by delivering forward-looking travel data, flexible distribution services and other innovative industry solutions. We are a leading travel intelligence company that possesses the world’s largest, most comprehensive global airline ticket dataset, including more than 15 billion passenger flights representing 490 airlines and 230 countries and territories. Our solutions and expertise strengthen economies and enrich lives by connecting stakeholders across the travel ecosystem. For more information, visit arccorp.com.


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How Is Technology Disrupting the Packaging Industry?
Packaging is no longer something that merely protects the item inside. It often helps to engage the consumer through interactivity, offers an eco-friendly feature, or has desirable material characteristics. All these improvements are largely due to advancements in packaging technology. Here are some of the latest advances made possible with tech that will likely remain impactful for the foreseeable future
Better Interactivity Courtesy of Augmented Reality
When a customer looks at shelves full of packaging, their gaze could land on dozens of possibilities before deciding which product to purchase. The package isn’t the only thing influencing them, of course. Maybe they’ve bought a certain brand before or got a recommendation from a friend. However, the packaging often plays a role, especially if it has bright colors or advertises a limited-edition design.
Marketers have to continually push the boundaries to keep customers interested. Some do that by building augmented reality (AR) features into the packaging. A person usually only needs a smartphone to make the technology work, making it easy for them to see it in action.
General Mills recently produced AR cereal boxes that turn into a drum machine or synth once someone points a phone at them. Placing pieces of cereal at certain places on the box determines what results people get. Each box also comes with five sound packs.
In another case, edible products company Wana Brands released an AR package to promote its new cannabis product line. The technology, which takes people into a 3D animation experience, works with both Android and iOS phones. Consumers activate it by scanning a QR code. They can then learn about several flavors of edible gummies, watch a YouTube video about them, or view the details for specific batches.
Sometimes, the AR experience happens in the supermarket. Bothwell Cheese recently showed what’s possible in advertising its new line of lactose-free items. People scan a QR code on the packaging and see a floor-anchored hologram of a cheese chef appear in front of them. He goes through the lactose-free assortment and explains the benefits of those products. The brand launched this technology in hundreds of Canadian supermarkets.
Improved Sustainability Through Creative Solutions
Ongoing scientific research warns that major changes must happen soon in society to stave off a widespread climate catastrophe. There are no easy solutions, but packaging specialists have investigated numerous ways to focus on sustainability. Sometimes, that happens by changing materials. For example, more than 400 organizations signed the New Plastics Economic Global Commitment. It signifies their intention to use 25% more recycled packaging by 2025. However, some sustainability efforts are happening now.
Pacific Northwest grocery chain New Seasons Market recently changed the packaging for its private-label pasta, switching from the previous clamshell option. The new package uses 91% less plastic and will eliminate more than 120,000 clamshell packages from the waste stream each year.
Scientists are also working on various possibilities in edible packaging. A biopolymer made from seaweed and a chemically modified material made from sea creature exoskeletons are some of the options under consideration. In most cases, the idea is to create an edible film to cover many foods sold to consumers.
An Irish cafe even began using edible coffee cups made from a wafer-like material when its owners were looking for more sustainable ways to operate after the COVID-19 lockdowns. The consumable material tolerates a half-hour of heat before starting to dissolve.
Chanel has also introduced its first refillable beauty package to the United Kingdom market. The products include no outer box, and the glass jar is lighter with a bio-based lid and inner pot. People can switch out the internal container for a refill when needed. That’s a sustainable decision that will save them money, too. The refills cost £13 (approximately $17) less than buying a completely new product.
Better Packaging Decisions Guided by Artificial Intelligence
It’s not always easy to figure out details like what size of box to use or the amount of bubble wrap to keep products safe until they reach their destinations. However, packaging technology is reducing the associated guesswork. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms draw conclusions humans couldn’t easily make without help.
Getting Rid of Excess Packaging
Most people can probably recall occasions when they’ve ordered a relatively small item from an e-commerce site and noticed it arrived in a too-large box or surrounded by far too much padding. AI could help prevent such instances.
Amazon’s data scientists created a statistical model that predicts the best ways to package particular products. It led to a 24% reduction in product damage while lowering the shipping costs by 5%. Amazon made $11.19 billion in sales during the 2021 Prime Days event alone. That suggests any significant progress it makes with packaging, via AI or otherwise, would have a notable impact.
Logistics brand DHL is also using AI to improve packaging workflows and limit excess. It has an algorithm that provides real-time suggestions. Dietmar Steins, executive vice president of Global Solutions Design at DHL Supply Chain, explained how it works.
“Based on the products, volumes, and sizes in question, the software not only suggests the optimal size of the outer packaging, [but] it also provides individual, visual instructions on how to ideally utilize the space inside the box. It’s highly intuitive — and not unlike the well-known computer game Tetris”
Removing Packaging Plant Bottlenecks
AI also excels at analyzing data from connected sensors to alert people to issues they might otherwise miss. Leaders at Singapore-based Federal Packaging are working with a tech company regarding options for using AI to predict downtime and other problems during box-production processes. The algorithm needs six to 12 months of information from the factory’s equipment before it will work. However, the payoff should be worthwhile.
“When we have data on our machines, we will know very quickly if there are abnormalities detected by the AI. This gives us more time to act earlier on any issues that occur, on top of actions that we have already taken,” said Lau Chee Herng, Federal Packaging’s chief vision officer.
These are just a couple of the ways AI has expanded what’s possible in the packaging sector. As more companies test its capabilities in real-life use cases, other brand decision-makers should feel encouraged to give it a try, too.
Packaging Technologies Push the Industry Forward
When you think about advancements such as perforated strips that make shipping boxes easier to open or detergent bottles with built-in pour spouts, it’s easy to see that the packaging industry has achieved continual improvements over the years. The technologies detailed here are among those that will undoubtedly spur further innovation.
AI as a Service Market revenue to cross USD 75 Bn by 2032


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It seems there’s a day of acknowledgment for almost everything and everyone. This month includes Bathtub Day, Curious Events Day and Yorkshire Pudding Day.
BlackBerry Ltd. has officially launched its Passport smartphone aimed at working professionals as part of the Waterloo, Ont.-based company’s plan to return to profitability.
PetroChina says it will soon pay Canadian energy firm Athabasca Oil Corp. more than $1-billion for a 40% stake in the Dover oil sands project.
Google Inc. is launching an ad-free subscription-based YouTube service, according to leaked screenshots, the latest step in the evolution of media consumption from the tube to online and mobile.
In Nova Scotia, it was recently found by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission Board of Inquiry that an employee of the Black Educators Association had been discriminated against on the basis of her skin colour. Apparently some thought that her skin was not dark enough for her to deal effectively with the discrimination faced by darker-skinned members of the community served by black educators.
After consistently bucking predictions that a slowing trend was just around the corner, Canada’s housing market is now showing signs that it is, indeed, headed for a soft landing.
Toronto-headquartered Seabridge Gold Corp. has won provincial environmental approval for its $5.3-billion proposal to tap a massive copper and gold deposit 65 kilometres north of Stewart in British Columbia’s remote Northwest. Now it needs to find a major partner to help finance its construction.
Not so many years ago, the value of a gold mine was based on three things: the amount of gold in the ground, the cost of extraction and the world price of gold.
Financial Post's Christine Dobby discusses the surpise annoucnement made by Telus on.
As the B.C. government warns of a looming skills deficit and tens of thousands of temporary foreign workers pour into the province each year, a report from Canada’s parliamentary budget officer suggests there is no significant labour or skills shortage. The findings of Tuesday’s repor, titled Labour Market Assessment 2014, go against the grain of the federal government’s position that jobs are remaining vacant because of a lack of adequate homegrown skilled employees where they are needed.
A major move into the West by Quebecor’s Videotron means B.C. smartphone customers could get the choice of a new carrier.
It’s not exactly the 11th province just yet, but Canadian companies have been gobbling up property in the United States like never before
Apple has unveiled two new iPhones and a new operating system. Here's a look at what to expect.
Luxury retailer Saks could be opening up shop in Vancouver by the end of next year, after Hudson’s Bay Co. announced its $2.4-billion takeover this weekend. Vancouver, along with Toronto and Montreal, will definitely house one of the five to seven Saks Fifth Avenue stores that are planned for Canada, according to HBC spokeswoman Freda Colbourne. Metro Vancouver could also get some of the 25 discount Saks Off Fifth brand stores planned, she added.
In defending their analysis of the effects of expanding the Canada Pension Plan on RRSP savings, the three Fraser Institute researchers find my critique “disparaging” (Vancouver Sun, July 18).
The announcement Thursday of a $380-million proposal by Telus to buy small independent Mobilicity suggests that Canada just isn’t big enough to support greater competition in mobile communications, analysts suggest.
Postmedia Inc. is extending a digital pay meter to its remaining properties on Tuesday. The move means online readers of the Edmonton Journal, National Post, Financial Post, Calgary Herald, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post and Windsor Star will be asked to register for online accounts after reading 10 articles for free. Print subscribers will continue to get full access to the newspaper’s digital properties after completing a quick registration process. Digital readers who do not have a print subscription can pay $0.99 for the first month and then $9.95 a month thereafter. Digital-only readers can also sign up for reduced subscription rate of $99.50 for an entire year.
In the debate over whether China’s CNOOC, a partly state-owned energy company, should be given the go-ahead by Ottawa to take over Calgary-based Nexen, there is the danger that the discussion will be cast in an adversarial East-West context.


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Over the last ten years, coffee pod machines have enjoyed a stratospheric rise in popularity. In 2008, sales of them in the US alone stood at 1.8 million machines; fast forward ten years and that figure is now 20.7 million. And it’s not just across the pond where they’ve become hugely popular. In the UK, 30% of Britons owned one in 2016 and that figure can only have risen in the intervening three years.
While they are praised for their convenience and quality, critics have long bemoaned the environmental shortcomings of these machines. Specifically, it’s the generation of single-use coffee pods, which are seldom recycled due to their composition and the difficult process it takes to handle them, which has caused the most consternation.


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DUBAI, UAE, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
World's first floating fashion experience concluded the fashion season in Dubai with an exciting showcase of international and regional talent
Following the highly successful first edition of Arab Fashion Week (AFW) in Riyadh earlier this season, the Arab Fashion Council (AFC) continues to revolutionize the regional fashion industry with the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week held in Dubai. The bi-annual event, that took place on 9-12th May on board of the historical Queen Elizabeth 2 ship, attracted more than 15,000 visitors and featured a total of 21 fashion shows.
As one of the first and only platforms in the world dedicated to promoting Resort and 'Ready-Couture' collections, the Arab Fashion Week lived up to its name by presenting an exciting array of international and regional talent. The Middle East's most acclaimed designers including Amato Couture, Aiisha Ramadan, Aram Designs and Asory House proudly presented their 'Pret-A-Couture' collections to an affluent crowd of international buyers, media and VIP guests.
Strong focus was also put on showcasing the work of incredibly talented designers from all over the world including Amato Couture (UAE), Tony Miranda (Portugal), Tatiana V. Layalina (Russia), Aiisha Ramadan (UAE), J by Jordy (UK), Ilse Jara (Paraguay), Humariff (Russia), Maison Lesley (Lebanon), Fllumae (USA), Aram by Arwa Al Ammari (KSA), Renato Balestra (Italy), Sophia Nubes (Switzerland), Villafane (Argentina), Nicole+Felicia (Taiwan), House of Mua Mua (Italy), Asmaraïa (Russian), Harmony (Armenia), Simone Racioppo (Italy), and ASORY house (Egypt).
"We are extremely pleased with the line-up of fashion talent for the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week in Dubai. Our mission is not only to promote and nurture the regional fashion economy but also help international designers to successfully enter and establish their presence in this market. The latest editions of Arab Fashion Week in Dubai and Riyadh truly demonstrated the full potential of the Middle East and its growing appetite for 'Ready-Couture'," commented Jacob Abrian, CEO and Founder of Arab Fashion Council.
As part of the continuous efforts to establish a sustainable fashion ecosystem in the region, the Arab Fashion Council also introduced the AFC Green Label initiative that supports emerging eco-friendly labels by showcasing their work during the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week. The first 'green' designers to present their collections in Dubai were Italian-born Bav Tailor and Croatian label Krie Design with plans for more eco-friendly brands to participate in the next editions of Arab Fashion Week later this year.
Ever since its inception in 2015, the Arab Fashion Week has received support and wide recognition as one of the world's highest-profile designers showcase and has been featured alongside the other four big fashion weeks that take place in New York (NYFW), London (LFW), Milan (MFW) & Paris (PFW). Held on board of the historic Queen Elizabeth 2 ship, the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week became the world's first 'floating' fashion experience. The historic cruise liner, harbored at Mina Rashid in Dubai, has recently opened its doors as an exclusive hotel and museum.
The Arab Fashion Week concluded this season with the bi-annual Arab Fashion Awards Royal Gala Dinner held on May 12th. The glamorous red-carpet event honored and celebrated the latest achievements of international as well as regional fashion pioneers including H.R.H Princess Deena Ali Al-Juhani Abdulaziz who received the 'Fashion Icon' award this year. Italian eco fashion designer Bav Tailor was given the 'Conscious Fashion' award while Dubai-based couturier Furne Amato was recognized for the 'Best Red-Carpet Fashion Collection'. The 'Buyer's Choice'award went to the highly acclaimed UAE designer Aiisha Ramadan, and Meraas Holding received the "Fashion Real Estate" award.
The special 'Fashion For Good' 2018 award was given to Chantal Khoueiry, Founder of the pioneering social enterprise 'Brides Do Good' that aims to raise funds by selling pre-loved designer wedding gowns to support charities that help provide a safe and equitable education for millions of young girls as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
As one of the key sponsors of the sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week, Simon Ellis, General Manager at Gargash, commented: "The Gargash group of companies has been recognized in the Middle East for over 100 years and continues to set new standards of excellence. Being the sole distributor of Alfa Romeo in the region, we are proud to be a part of the Arab Fashion Week, which is one of the most influential and sought-after fashion events in the Arab world. Alfa Romeo shares a unique synergy with the event, standing for Italian design and luxury."
The sixth edition of Arab Fashion Week was held in partnership with MBM Holding, Alfa Romeo (Gargash Group of Companies), Queen Elizabeth 2, 7 Production, Max Factor Academy, Mike and Jack Hair Salon, For the Hunters and Saudi Research & Publishing Group.
The Arab Fashion Week will return later this year with its Riyadh and Dubai and editions that will take place in October and November 2018. The event is organized by the Arab Fashion Council, the world's largest non-profit fashion organization representing the 22 Arab country members of the Arab League.
For additional press information, please contact:
About Arab Fashion Council:
The Arab Fashion Council (AFC) is the world's largest not-for-profit organization. Founded in 2014 in London with the license of an International Extraterritorial Authority to develop and regulate the fashion industry in the 22 Arab Countries, Its Vision 2030 aims to create an Arab economy based on creativity and knowledge by setting up a fashion ecosystem in the entire Arab Region. It also aims to unite the 22 Arab countries under one umbrella in terms of creative economy, based on knowledge and production, through sharing collective expertise, experience, and resources of the industry.
The AFC's strategic pillars are economy based on the creative knowledge (made within the Arab Fashion System), reputation, world-class education, sustainability, and charity.
AFC works to establish a coherent fashion system in the region with an important focus on education and cultural development. This being an initiative that contributes to the promotion of cultural diversity and support to creative industry, which is in line with activities that UNESCO Office in Doha, is also undertaking.


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UK leading firms pay nearly a third less tax than in 2009 as nations compete to offer lowest rates
Tax rate fall: The headquarters of Revenue and Customs in London
The tax rate paid by Britain’s biggest firms has fallen for the fourth year running, according to research by accountant UHY Hacker Young.
The average tax rate paid by FTSE 100 companies is now just 24.5 per cent compared with 35.8 per cent in 2009 - a fall of nearly a third.
Last year, the FTSE 100 tax rate was 26 per cent.
Much of the fall is due to the increasingly international nature of business which means firms are generating more profits overseas, says Hacker Young.
This allows them to take advantage of lower prevailing tax rates in those jurisdictions.
The report studied the value of a company's global taxes charged as a
percentage of global profits, to produce an 'effective tax rate.'
Roy Maugham of UHY Hacker Young said:
'Companies have a duty to their shareholders to keep costs low, and tax
payments are a major cost. Companies are always exploring ways to make
their tax payments as efficient as possible, which has helped chip away
at their effective tax rates.
'Companies have also been given a hand by governments around the world.
International competition to attract corporate tax revenues is as fierce
as ever, with countries offering new enticements to businesses in the
form of allowances, reliefs, or tax cuts. This means the overall FTSE
100 effective tax rate is pushed lower and lower.'
Fall: The tax rate paid by FTSE100 companies has dropped almost a third over the last two years (Source: UHY Hacker Young)
Mr Maugham said the UK government had
made efforts to improve the attractiveness of the UK tax regime to
business, such as reducing corporation tax, but added that there was
still 'some way' to go.
More than 20 companies left the UK for tax reasons between 2007 and 2011, and very few have returned, the report added.
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For sustenance of the logistic chain in Nigeria, the Federal Government must prioritise access to COVID-19 vaccination for Nigerian seafarers and dockworkers.
Spokesman of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Dr Bolaji Akinola, who made the call in a statement in Lagos over the weekend, said seafarers and port workers have been designated as essential workers by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
He said, “Seafarers and dockworkers are underrecognised, underpublicised and unsung economic heroes despite their significant contribution to keeping our nation afloat during the economic dislocation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is therefore imperative to ensure continuity of the maritime workforce through the continuous provision of protective health supplies, rapid testing supplies and priority access to vaccination.
“Ensuring priority access to COVID-19 vaccines to these critical maritime workers is vital to keeping the supply chain active. If our seafarers and port workers are unprotected, the supply chain will become vulnerable,” Dr Akinola said.
The STOAN Spokesman also said that contrary to insinuations in certain quarters, Nigeria has abundant logistics capacity to transport and store the COVID-19 vaccines at the required temperature.
“We have abundant refrigerated containers, also called reefer containers, for the transportation and temporary storage of temperature-sensitive cargo including vaccines.
“These refrigerated containers are capable of controlling temperature ranging from -65 °C up to 40 °C. Reefer containers allow the transportation of cargo in a way that preserves its freshness and efficacy all year round,” he added.
Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said a total of 16 million AstraZeneca doses of COVID-19 vaccines out of the 88 million allocated to Africa will soon arrive Nigeria.
WHO said it is supporting all countries to access vaccines as quickly as possible.


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EghtesadOnline: Atotal of 9.3 million tons of goods were loaded and unloaded in the southern Imam Khomeini Port during the first three months of the current Iranian year (March 20-June 20), according to the director general of Khuzestan Province’s Ports and Maritime Organization.
“More than 7 million tons of the total sum pertained to non-oil goods and the rest to oil products,” Adel Deris was also quoted as saying by the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The official said that during the same period, more than 4 million tons of essential goods were transported from Imam Khomeini Port to destinations across the country to register a 24% rise compared with the similar period of last year.
“Wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds, oilcake, sugar, rice and edible oils made up the lion’s share of these goods,” he added.
In the last fiscal year (March 2019-20), the port handled nearly 15.7 million tons of essential goods.
Also known as necessity goods, essential goods are products consumers will buy, regardless of changes in income levels.
Imam Khomeini Port is the main hub for the import of essential goods in Iran.
A total of 25.09 million tons of essential goods worth close to $15.5 billion were imported into Iran during the last fiscal year (March 2019-20) to register a 20.77% and 17.13% increase in weight and value respectively compared with the year before
Imam Khomeini Port, Deris told IRNA, has 40 wharfs, 140 kilometers of railroads and is equipped with the latest loading and unloading facilities. Last year (March 2019-20), some 3 million tons of goods were transported from this port using around 53,000 wagons.
Close to 90% of Iran's demand for livestock feed raw materials as well as 79% of grains are imported through this southern port.
A total of 922,000 tons of commodities were transported via rail from the port to destinations across the country during the first three months of the current Iranian year (March 20-June 20), which shows a 29% increase in the volume of transported goods compared with the similar period of last year, according to the director general of the South Railroad General Bureau.
“More than 260,000 tons of this amount pertained to grains, indicating a 126% hike YOY,” Abdolkarim Darvishzadeh was also quoted as saying by the news portal of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The main goods transported via railroads over the period were essential goods, including corn, wheat, oilcake, charcoal and aluminum sheets.
The port was the second busiest port of Iran in the last fiscal year that ended on March 19, after Shahid Rajaee Port, as it handled more than 44.15 million tons of commodities. The figure registered a 13.26% increase YOY.
Non-oil goods accounted for more than 29.45 million tons and oil products for over 14.7 million tons of the total throughput in Imam Khomeini Port, registering an 18.88% and 3.46% growth respectively year-on-year.


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Cellucity chooses Newland
Newland EMEA (Newland Europe BV), a company dedicated to the development and deployment of its parent group core technology, i e data collection, mobile communication and payment equipment, in the EMEA region, today announced that Cellucity, Vodacom's largest retailer, has decided to move to Newland scanners for their shops.
"Following the thorough tests that we undertook last year, we have decided to move to Newland scanners for our Point of Sale (POS) systems as these were able to handle the very latest technology in the market that we encounter," commented Chris Henschel, GM of Cellucity. "We endeavour to ensure that our stores are always ahead of the game in terms of customer experience and attractiveness; hence our POS needs to be top class as well as efficient."
"We will be implementing the Newland HR1550 1D hand scanner as well as the Newland HR200C 2D hand scanners," continued Henschel. "We found these products to be great from a quality perspective and price-wise very attractive compared to the established brands that are currently in use."
"For us, this is another example of the Newland mix of great product quality and competitive pricing being spot on," added Mauro Mercuri, CEO of Newland ID South Africa and the Group Director of Tactile Technologies, "We very much welcome Cellucity to the Newland family. What SA needs today is a well performing quality Auto-ID brand that is priced low to battle the weakening currency situation and the Newland products provide exactly this."


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Food law expert Dr Mark Tallon, of the UK-based food law firm Legal Foods and the Food Law Academy believes a key skill missing for professionals in the food industry is a strong understanding of the threats and opportunities surrounding intellectual...
By Mark Tallon, Managing Partner, Legal Products Group
'Bio', 'green', 'carbon neutral', 'eco' and 'nature friendly' are common claims on functional foods, but as we enter 2024 we will see the implementation of the Green Washing Directive (GWD) banning misleading...
Plans to expand the scope of class actions in France could be part of a wider trend towards group claims of damages to health as seen already in the US, according to a law firm urging food and beverage companies to engage on the policy.
The positive health claim for creatine and sports performance that was one of 222 that passed to the European parliament for writing into European law, should be put on ice, because it is confounded by conditions of use (CoU), a UK consultant has said.
British charity, the National Heart Foundation, has announced it is
withdrawing its action to sue the communications watchdog Ofcom
after the regulator said it would welcome consultation of the
proposals of food advertising to children.
Members of the UK's herbal industry have proposed an overhaul of
current legislation to ensure stricter standards and safety for
those products not regulated by the new European Traditional
Medicinal Herbals directive.
An alleged attempt by US-based dietary supplement manufacturer
Metabolife to prevent scientific experts giving evidence against
its weight loss products has been dismissed by a US judge,
according to lawyers acting for the plaintiffs.


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China, VW power electric vehicle surge
A startling convergence of auto industry and government policies suggest that electric cars could begin seriously challenging petroleum-powered vehicles far sooner than experts believed only recently.
- Volkswagen said yesterday that it will market 300 electric cars by 2030.
- China said over the weekend that it is getting ready to outright ban the old gas vehicles, although it has not set a date.
- And we now have three new longer-range, mainstream-priced electric vehicles on the market: the 150-mile Nissan Leaf, and the GM Bolt and Tesla Model 3, both exceeding 200 miles of range.
Why it matters: These developments help provide much more of the critical mass that's been missing in the EV equation. If consumers begin to buy these electrics in large numbers, they will hasten the global peak in oil demand, shaking up oil companies and petro-states alike. And EVs can help cut carbon emissions, acting as one part of the complex puzzle to prevent runaway global warming.
Driving the news: On Monday, Volkswagen announced plans to invest $24 billion to significantly expand its fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Ahead of the Frankfurt auto show, chief executive Matthias Mueller laid out plans to offer electric versions of 300 vehicles across VW's brands by 2030, and 80 by 2025—50 pure electric and 30 hybrids, per Bloomberg and other outlets. Monday also brought new EV pledges from German rival Mercedes.
Eyes on China: Over the weekend, a top official with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said Beijing plans to eventually ban the sale of petroleum-powered cars.
- China is by far the world's biggest auto market, with sales of roughly 28 million vehicles last year. When the world adds 1 billion cars to the global fleet over the next two decades, most of them are expected to be bought in China. That means Chinese policy affects the industry worldwide.
- "It is increasingly more important for each individual automaker's sales and profits," Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst at Autotrader, tells Axios.
China's pledge follows announcements in recent months by France and the United Kingdom that they, too, will phase out sales of gasoline and diesel cars by 2040. And India has set an "aspirational" target for having all car sales be electric by 2030.
Yes, but: For now, EVs represent just a tiny portion of the global light duty vehicle fleet — less than 1%. And it would take a massive increase in deployment to make a big dent in oil use. Consider these forecasts from Shell, via The Financial Times:
- "A rise in electric car sales from less than 1% of the world market next year to 10% by 2025 would displace less than 800,000 barrels per day of world oil demand, or about 0.8% of total consumption."
The back story: VW's electric push is an attempt to recover from a two-year-old scandal over a defeat system that it installed in its diesel-powered cars to confound emissions tests. VW has incurred $25 billion in costs over the scandal.
What to watch: One question is when China will release a timeline and policy specifics for how it will implement its phase-out. BNEF analyst Colin McKerracher tells Axios that he does not expect those details until next year at the earliest, but that even the vague announcement provides a clear signal for automakers looking to the massive Chinese market.
In the near term, he's expecting Chinese officials to announce within days how they will structure an escalating quota system for so-called new energy vehicle sales in the coming years. China hopes to have electric and plug-in vehicles represent a fifth of its vehicle sales by 2025, according to Reuters.
U.S. headwinds: Analysts say that the Trump administration plans to review—with an eye toward relaxing—Obama-era fuel efficiency and vehicle greenhouse gas mandates for model years 2022-2025, and that that could act as a drag on U.S. EV expansion.
"The U.S. does look quite uncertain right now, and CAFE is still a really big driver of automakers' plans around electrification in the U.S.," McKerracher said, referring to Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency, or CAFE, standards.


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Temporarily, the United States is exempting over 400 types of Chinese products from tariffs that were imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration last year.
That’s as per the 3 documents set to be published by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Friday.
The exclusions include things such as plastic straws, printed circuit boards, dog leashes, and Christmas tree lights, for a total of 437 kinds of products. According to the documents, the exemptions stem from over 1,100 exclusion requests made by companies as well as other entities in the U.S.
For more than a year, the two largest economies of the world have been locked in an escalating trade disagreement, in which both sides have levied tariffs on the other’s products.
The documents mainly layout 3 sets of exclusions:
- One set based on the September 24, 2018, execution of tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods. This exemption will expire on August 7, 2020.
- The other set of exclusions is based on tariffs on $34 billion worth of products that took effect July 6, 2018. This exemption will also end this time next year.
- Another based on August 23, 2018, execution of tariffs on $16 billion worth of products. This exemption will expire 1 year from the publication of the notice, at this time subsequent year.
Other items the administration of Donald Trump is set to free from tariffs include:
- Dog harnesses and retractable dog leashes
- A kind of paper filter for single-cup coffee brewing systems
- Printed circuit assemblies for enhancing graphics performance of automatic data processing machines
- Parts of swimming pool vacuum cleaners
- Plastic drinking straws
- A certain kind of laminated wood flooring panel
- Steel wire barbecue grills
- Refrigerated and heated vending machines for dispensing live bait and fishing tackle
- Electronic scales for continuous weighing of quartz, powder, and resin on conveyors
- Pet water drinking fountains
- Garden, patio and tabletop wick-burning torches for outdoor use
- Miniature lighting sets for Christmas trees
- Aluminum radiators for motor vehicles
- Certain electric-powered skateboards and motorcycles
- Animal feeding machinery
- Indoor tabletop water fountains


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Alibaba Group (BABA 4.79%) and Tencent (TCEHY 3.69%) are two of China's top tech companies. Alibaba is China's largest e-commerce and cloud services company, while Tencent is a market leader in the social networking, advertising, gaming, streaming media, cloud, and fintech markets.
I compared these two stocks last August, and claimed Tencent's better diversified business, higher operating margins, and stronger earnings growth made it a better buy than Alibaba. But back when I made that call, I hadn't expected China to launch a sweeping crackdown on its top tech companies.
Over the past 12 months, Alibaba's stock has declined 22% as Tencent's stock has slipped 7%. Alibaba was hit by an antitrust probe, a record $2.75 billion fine, new restrictions on its e-commerce business, and the suspension of the long-awaited IPO for its fintech affiliate Ant Group.
China's regulators also blocked Tencent's planned merger of Huya and DouYu, which would have created the country's top esports streaming platform; temporarily suspended new user registrations for WeChat; and forced Tencent Music to give up all of its exclusive music licensing rights.
Those headwinds, along with the ongoing threats to delist shares of U.S.-listed Chinese companies, likely caused many investors to sell all their Chinese stocks. That might be a prudent move, but some contrarian investors might be willing to take a chance on these two tech giants while the market is looking the other way. Let's see which stock has a better shot at recovering.
Alibaba is losing its momentum
Alibaba generates most of its revenue and all of its profits from its core commerce business, which includes its online marketplaces, brick-and-mortar stores, and Cainiao logistics subsidiary.
Alibaba's core commerce business supports the growth of its cloud, digital media and entertainment, and innovation initiatives businesses. All three of those smaller businesses are unprofitable by GAAP measures, but Alibaba Cloud's adjusted EBITA turned positive over the past three quarters.
Alibaba's revenue rose 41% to 717.3 billion yuan ($109.5 billion) in fiscal 2021, which ended in March. Its commerce revenue rose 42%, buoyed by the expansion of its lower-margin brick-and-mortar and direct sales segments, while its cloud revenue increased 50%.
However, Alibaba's higher dependence on its lower-margin commerce businesses -- along with its antitrust fine in the fourth quarter -- caused its operating income to dip 2%. But its adjusted earnings, which exclude that fine and its stock-based compensation, still increased 23%.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2022, Alibaba's revenue rose 34% year over year to 205.7 billion yuan ($31.9 million). Its commerce revenue grew 35% year over year, but its cloud revenue rose just 29% against a tough comparison to elevated usage rates during the pandemic.
Alibaba's growing dependence on lower-margin businesses to boost its commerce revenue, the ongoing losses at its three smaller businesses, and other investments reduced its operating income by 11%. However, its adjusted earnings still increased 12% as it repurchased more shares.
Tencent also faces unpredictable challenges
Tencent's revenue rose 28% to 482.1 billion yuan ($73.9 billion) in 2020. Its three core businesses -- VAS (valued-added services, including in-game and in-app payments), online advertising, and fintech & business services (including Tencent Cloud and WeChat Pay) -- grew at double-digit rates.
Tencent's adjusted operating profit rose 30% as its adjusted earnings -- which exclude its investment-related gains and losses -- also rose 30%.
In the first quarter of 2021, Tencent's revenue increased 25% year over year to 135.3 billion yuan ($20.6 billion), with double-digit growth across all three of its core segments again, as its adjusted operating profit rose 20% and its adjusted earnings increased 22%.
Those growth rates look solid, but Tencent's gaming business experienced a slowdown during the quarter as it faced tougher post-pandemic comparisons. Tencent still generated nearly a third of its revenue from its video games, which include Honor of Kings and Peacekeeper Elite.
That's why the recent buzz about another potential crackdown on video games in China -- which originated from a retracted Xinhua article that originally called games "digital opium" -- weighed down the stock. Its other unresolved challenges regarding Tencent Music, WeChat, and WeChat Pay -- which the government wants to tightly regulate alongside Ant's Alipay -- have also largely overshadowed the robust growth of its core businesses.
The valuations and verdict
Analysts expect Alibaba's revenue to rise 30% this year, but for its earnings to dip 4% as it relies more heavily on lower-margin retail businesses and ramps up its investments. They expect Tencent's revenue to rise 22% and 21%, respectively, this year, as its three core businesses keep expanding.
Alibaba's stock trades at just 20 times forward earnings, while Tencent has a forward P/E ratio of 26. Those valuations look historically cheap for both companies -- but they're pegged to wobbly estimates that might not fully account for the fierce regulatory headwinds in China and the U.S.
I wouldn't touch either stock until those headwinds wane. But if I had to pick one over the other, I'd once again argue that Tencent's better diversification, higher operating margins, and stronger earnings growth make it the better overall investment.


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NEW DELHI: An increasing number of marketers are turning to social networks in India as they seek to keep up with changing behaviour among consumers.
According to figures from comScore, the research firm, the social network user base expanded by 37% in India in March 2010, compared with the uptick of 14% posted by the online population as a whole.
Orkut, owned by Google, was the top-ranked social network in the country in the third month of this year, with 18.1 million unique visitors in all.
“Simply putting an ad on a website has failed miserably in terms of getting eyeballs,” said Rahul Kulkarni, product manager of Google India.
“In the last three to four years, advertisers have realised that people do not use social networking to look at ads.”
Facebook is quickly gaining ground on Orkut, with 14.5 million unique visitors in March, while Twitter also reported substantial growth in uptake levels in India earlier this year.
Tata DoCoMo, the mobile provider, began to build a presence on a range of social networks upon its launch in 2009, with the specific objective of creating advocates for its brand.
“Many social media users are opinion leaders who can be turned into brand ambassadors,” Gurinder Singh Sandhu, its head of marketing, said.
“The best part is that you get a large secondary audience because of which the reach increases.”
The company now has 90,000 fans on Facebook, and it estimates that this group alone equates to a “secondary reach” of 3.9 million people.
Elsewhere, Tata DoCoMo has established its own online communities, forums that Sandhu argued have “become virtual customer service centres” allowing it to easily engage with subscribers.
Nike unveiled its India Football page on Facebook in February this year in anticipation of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup, and has already signed up 19,000 followers, 90% of which are under 24 years old.
“This platform helps us serve content to football crazy kids who can then share it with others on social networking sites,” said Sanjay Gangopadhyay, marketing director of Nike India.
“This is how we are working towards building such sports-specific communities.”
Kingfisher Airlines, the air carrier, has centred its social media efforts on Twitter, the microblogging property, a strategy that it believes offers a variety of benefits.
"In the first phase, we aim to provide information about new news at the airline and get feedback; in the second phase we will go into customer care and service," Kingfisher's Prakash Mirpuri said.
"Twitter provides a platform for us to achieve these objectives at greatly lower costs."
Unilever's Lipton Tea recently introduced an online ad campaign, Stay Sharp, featuring an interactive jigsaw, which was promoted via Facebook and blogs, and rapidly received 200,000 visitors.
Cadbury, the confectionary giant, also used social media to support its Meetha Bomb brand, developing a tool enabling netizens to insert pictures of themselves into a clip that then turned their face into chocolate.
Data sourced from Economic Times; additional content by Warc staff


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A recent Ipsos survey finds that Singaporeans are excited (65%) about products and services that use AI. Younger adults (below 35 years old) are the most excited about AI, with 77% of them expressing excitement. Even non digital natives (those above 50 years old) are not indifferent, with 55% of them saying they are excited about AI.
With the surge in new AI applications, two-thirds of Singaporeans (67%) say they have a good understanding of what AI is, and 57% say they are aware of the types of products and services that use AI. 64% of Singaporeans also believe that AI-based products and services have more benefits than drawbacks. This sentiment is shared by other Asian countries, with an average of 62% of respondents in the Asia Pacific region expressing a positive view of AI. In contrast, only 37% of North Americans and 46% of Europeans agree that AI has more benefits than drawbacks.
While there is excitement towards AI, 1 in 2 Singaporeans (53%) also say that they are nervous about AI-based products and services. Only 54% of Singaporeans trust that companies using AI will protect their personal information. Though this is significantly higher than the trust levels in Japan, France, and the United States, where only 32% of people trust AI companies to protect their personal information.
Most Singaporeans (78%) expect AI-powered products and services to profoundly change their daily life in the coming years. While there is optimism about time management and entertainment options, there is also widespread concern about negative impacts on employment. Singaporeans agree that AI will give them more time to get things done (64%) and improve their entertainment options (57%). But among Singaporean workers, 67% expect AI to change the way they do their jobs, and 41% expect it to replace their current jobs in the next 5 years. Expectations of such AI disruption to jobs vary across countries, with the highest observed in Southeast Asia and lowest in Northern Europe. The difference between the two regions is as high as 50 percentage points. These expectations are also much higher among younger people and decision-makers than among others.
Katharine Zhou, Country Manager for Ipsos in Singapore said, “The perceived impact of AI on products and services and the fear around job security are elevated in Singapore, as they are in most Asian markets, according to our recent Global Advisor survey. In a time of inflation and a fragile global economy, the fear of unemployment is a top worry for many Singaporeans. While Singaporeans are open to new technology and welcome the exciting advances that AI will continue to bring, it does not distract them from the pressures of a high-cost city life nor the less understood impacts of AI. Organizations have a role to play in helping people understand the benefits of AI, its complexity, and the implications for data privacy."
These are some of the findings of a survey of 22,816 adults under the age of 75 conducted between May 26 and June 9, 2023, on the Ipsos Global Advisor online survey platform in 30 countries and mostly face-to-face in India. In Singapore, the sample consists of c.a. 500 Singaporean Citizens aged 21 – 74. The survey results shed light on the evolving perceptions and expectations of AI among consumers worldwide, revealing both excitement and apprehension about its potential impact on various aspects of life.


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The programme was inaugurated last Saturday by Additional Chief Secretary in charge of the Department of IT,BT and S&T, E V Ramana Reddy and it was done online with participants joining from different parts of the world in view of the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
The programme has 21 start-ups on board across three cohorts: 10x cohort, 0-1 cohort and virtual cohort, the statement said.
Cyber security start-ups are typically deep-tech start-ups innovating in highly specialised technical areas. Such start-ups from India have special challenges in addition to the ones that start-ups generally face, primarily due to lack of market maturity and availability of skilled talent, it was noted. This has resulted in India relying primarily on global companies for cyber security products. It is important for the nation to achieve higher self-reliance in the critical domain of cyber security. This programme will support mature Indian start-ups to accelerate their growth through government and market connections, and nascent start-ups to mature through an innovative incubation eco-system and marquee mentorship. In this way, the programme will also support the Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the statement said.
The applications from the start-ups were evaluated by an independent panel that had representation from the government, academia, industry practitioners and investor community.
CySecK is housed on the campus of Indian Institute of Science, which is the anchor institute. Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology)is the implementation agency.
CySecK was set up by Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society) of the Department of IT, BT and S&T.
The key objectives of the centre of excellence are to promote a cyber-safe and conducive environment for industry collaboration, address skills gap, build awareness and foster innovation in the emerging technology field of cyber security,it was stated.
The CoE will also facilitate standardisation and best practices for information security across industry domains, research and development, and technical training programmes in cyber security, the statement added.


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There are about 40 e-wallets for 97 million people. Vietnam, a market with nearly 100 million people, a part of the Southeast Asian market with 700 million people and dominated by cash payments, is attractive to big players.
“Do you accept payment with MoMo?” “Yes” is the question one can hear at many restaurants and supermarkets in HCM City.
Life has become more comfortable for people as they don’t have to carry cash when going out or keep small change to make payments.
However, digital payments in general and e-wallets in particular are still not common in other provinces. And in HCM City, e-wallet users have to install Moca to take Grab and AirPay to shop on Shopee because e-wallets are not connected.
Most people cannot connect with e-wallets because of the limited number of Points of Sale, which are mostly located in large cities.
E-wallets and digital payment services have developed rapidly, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A survey by Visa in the third quarter 2020 of 1,000 Vietnamese in urban and rural areas, of various ages, found that 51 percent said they had increased the frequency of using e-wallet. Fifty five percent said they made payments with QR Codes.
A report of Boston Consulting Group showed that 49 percent of bank clients in cities in Southeast Asia use e-wallets, and the figure is expected to reach 84 percent by 2025.
MoMo, which is leading in the number of users, had 25 million accounts, more than 100,000 POS (point of sale) and total transaction value by the end of 2020, up by 3.5 times compared with the year before.
Payoo has 20,000 POS nationwide, and deals with more than 400 types of bills and services from 350 providers. The platform connects 40 banks and has a transaction value growth rate of 60 percent per annum, with VND100 trillion treated via the system annually.
In Vietnam there are a high number of existing wallets and fragmentation. There are about 40 e-wallets for 97 million people.
Vietnam, a market with nearly 100 million people, a part of the Southeast Asian market with 700 million people and dominated by cash payments, is attractive to big players.
MoMo, Moca, ZaloPay, AirPay, Viettel Pay and Payoo are the best known e-wallets in Vietnam.
MoMo, Moca and ZaloPay have advantages in payment at the counter. Moca holds Grab service booking. AirPay is the only e-wallet of the e-commerce platform with the highest number of users (Shopee). Payoo is a platform for making payment for services (water, electricity and internet).
Every e-wallet has its own advantages, but none is powerful enough to dominate the market.
As such, if people want to pay with e-wallets, they have to use at least 2-3 wallets for all basic daily services, from hailing and paying for services to shopping on marketplaces.
Nguyen Ba Diep, deputy chair of MoMo, believes that e-wallets will prosper in Vietnam in one or two years. By that time, only 3-5 wallets will exist.
New policies needed
Reports all show the sharp rise in smartphone users, about 20-30 percent per annum, especially for 5G smartphones. This is a great opportunity for development of e-wallets.
To have more e-wallet users, businesses need to build large ecosystems, develop POS networks and use advanced security technology.
Meanwhile, e-wallet developers want management agencies to set open policies, because e-wallets are still a new payment mode in Vietnam.
Nguyen Ba Diep of MoMo said that not only in Vietnam, but also in the world, the development of technology and fintech proceeds before the legal framework.
Concerns of management agencies about the possible negative impact that unprecedented new models may have on society are understandable.
However, he said the legal framework for fintechs needs to be more tolerant and acceptable.
Truong Cam Thanh, CEO of ZION, the owner of ZaloPay, proposed that the government set up an open mechanism for e-wallets to develop.
“There is no need to require e-wallets to have bank account connections. For wallets without connections, small-value transactions should be allowed. This would help clients access a new payment simple and convenient method, prompt people change their payment habits and give up cash payment,” she said.
Thanh predicted that new demands would appear in the near future, including post-paid service, peer-to-peer loans, credit loans, insurance and others. Therefore, it’s necessary to design sandboxes for businesses to try new products and services, and more effectively access users.
E-wallets in Vietnam have strongly benefited from the change in payment habits during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vietnam intends to issue a new decree to regulate cross-border e-commerce deliveries amidst the e-commerce boom.


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The Good Night Out Vancouver Granville Street Team is returning to the entertainment district on July 23rd after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Archive of posts tagged "Downtown Vancouver"
Fleurs de Villes ROSÉ in Downtown Vancouver June 11-20, 2021 with great deals and offers from downtown shops and services
Powell Street Festival Society announces stewardship of 360 Riot Walk with online panel discussions and live walking tours May to September, 2021.
YWCA Wall for Women – a new mural in Downtown Vancouver at Burrard and Melville that depicts the strength of women and shines light on the “shadow pandemic” of intimate partner violence
Hello Nori, a sushi-focused Japanese restaurant, has just opened at 1165 Robson Street. Enter to win a $100 gift card from Miss604.


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Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage has welcomed new figures showing that 130 people in Gosport have been supported to start their own business since April 2011 thanks to the Government’s New Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
The allowance – which supports people on out of work benefits to start their own business – has helped more than 73,000 people across the country set up businesses since it was introduced in April 2011.
The support available to people starts with help from a business mentor to develop their business idea. Then, once they have got the business up and running, and have moved off benefits, they are eligible for 26 weeks of financial support as they get their business going. To date, 90 people in Gosport have received mentoring support while 40 have successfully established a new business.
Commenting on the figures, Caroline said:
"I’m so pleased that people in Gosport have been able to get off of benefits and realise their dream of starting their own business and being their own boss. Small enterprises are a hugely important part of our community and vital to local jobs.
Supporting small businesses is an important part of the Government’s commitment to backing working people. There’s certainly more to do, but these figures show that this support is giving people the promise of a brighter future. Each new job these businesses create in Gosport represents another family with the security and dignity of regular work and a regular pay packet.”
If you have a great business idea and are interested in the money and support offered by the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme, talk to your local Jobcentre Plus adviser. More information about eligibility can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/new-enterprise-allowance.


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Metropolitan Pipe & Supply Co is moving its corporate office, counter, and warehouse operation to Somerville, Massachusetts in Q1of 2018. The new operation will be less than a mile away from the current location.
With the move, Metropolitan Pipe will be outfitting the new warehouse with the latest technology in order to improve the customer experience. The company has spent 50 years in its current location, The new location will have a redesigned office and warehouse and will give Metropolitan Pipe an opportunity to streamline the supply chain process.
Construction is expected to begin in the Q3 of 2017.


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- Vehicle sales Mercedes car group rose 1.4 percent in July compared to the previous year, according to Reuters.
The group sold 103,700 cars last month, boosted by its new C-Class sedan, which was recently launched in the United States and in right-hand-drive-markets.
Sales of its minicar brand Smart rose 3 percent versus the year-ago month to 9,900 units but slipped 27.5 percent overall in the first seven months of the year.
Mercedes-Benz brand deliveries edged up 1.2 percent in July to 93,800 units and rose 1.7 percent in the period from January to July.
Mercedes sold 24,800 units of its new C-Class sedan in July, up 67 percent year on year.


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Now that the Kambi Group has obtained the Ontario iGaming Certificate, it will be able to provide Canadian players with a safe and secure online gaming experience. The Gaming Commission is now reviewing applications from other companies hoping to establish themselves in Canada as well.
The “Kambi Group Obtains Ontario iGaming Certificate” is a news article about the Kambi Group obtaining an Ontario iGaming certificate. This means that the group will be able to operate in Canada. Read more in detail here: kambi operators.
The newest news from Ontario’s gaming industry confirms that Kambi Group, an independent sportsbook and sports betting technology supplier, is planning to enter the province’s market. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario authorized the company’s application to join the open iGaming and sports betting regime for private operators this week.
The highly anticipated market is set to open on April 4, 2022, after being earlier postponed by the AGCO. Licensed casino and sports wagering providers will be allowed to legally offer their online goods to qualified Ontarians inside the province’s boundaries once the legislation is in place. Operators will also be permitted to provide single-event betting, which was just established in the nation.
Licensed to Participate
Kambi Group will now be authorized to operate as a regulated gaming-related supplier and supply its gaming services to other licensed firms in the market, according to the regulator’s approval. The firm will be allowed to sell its sportsbook technology to others in the province, who will be able to utilize it as a platform for their sports betting operations.
Kristian Nylén, the independent company’s CEO and co-founder, expressed his delight at becoming one of the first sportsbook providers to get a license to operate in the country. He praised the license as a “milestone accomplishment” and “tribute to the corporation’s competence and impeccable compliance record,” as the firm would be ready to sell its goods from the first day on the market.
Martha Otton, Executive Director of iGaming Ontario, an AGCO affiliate, released a comment on the new market recently. Consumers in Ontario should be aware that every certified operator has satisfied stringent game and operator integrity, fairness, player safety, and social responsibility criteria, according to her. As a result, gamers can look forward to a secure and regulated gaming environment.
Ms. Otton further said that preventing underage access, as well as ensuring compliance with relevant laws, such as anti-money laundering rules and regulations, are only a few of the iGO’s safety precautions. According to her, the provincial market would expand entertainment options while also bringing in much-needed income to the local economy.
Additional Licensed Entities
So far, the AGCO has granted licenses to a number of well-known gaming brands, allowing them to join the local iGaming sector. For example, FansUnite said at the beginning of this month that it had gained a gaming-related supplier certificate from the commission and is currently preparing to open in the province on April 4, 2022.
Rush Street Interactive, an Illinois-based online gaming and sports betting provider, will also join the Ontario regime. The firm, which currently provides social gaming in the province via its free-to-play gaming platform CASINO4Fun®, will now be permitted to provide real-money goods. This includes its BetRivers sportsbook app, which offers the same game parlays, as well as its iGaming platform, which offers a variety of peer-to-peer slot tournaments.
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Kambi Group is a company that has obtained an Ontario iGaming Certificate. The company provides online casino games to customers in Canada and the United States. Reference: what does kambi do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who uses Kambi?
A: Kambi is used by people of all genders who are interested in a sexual relationship with someone.
What is a sportsbook Kambi?
A: Kambi is a site that allows you to bet on sports and games.
What sportsbooks are legal in Ontario?
A: These are the Canadas top sportsbooks, according to our research.
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The January 2018 Summit will be held January 10th-12th, 2018 in Daytona Beach, FL at The Hilton on the beach.
A hotel, apartments and a ground-floor restaurant and bar may be in store for the downtown Anchorage bus depot on Sixth Avenue, part of a proposal by two developers to transform a long-blighted block in the heart of the city. Read the Anchorage Daily News story here
Lynchburg City Council gave the green light for a new hotel and an industrial food waste recycling facility. After sitting vacant for years, the former location of Billy Joe’s Ice Cream parlor will be demolished by Richmond-based Sandpipe Hospitality to make way for its new WoodSpring Suites Hotel at 310 and 312 Border St. near the Candlers Mountain Road exit of the Lynchburg Expressway. Read The News & Advance story here
South Austin is getting yet another boutique hotel: Carpenter Hotel will take the place of Carpenters Hall just off South Lamar. It will include a namesake restaurant, bar, and cafe at 400 Josephine Street. Read the Eater story here
The conversion of one of downtown’s oldest office towers into a boutique hotel is back on track, following two years of uncertainty. Construction crews have commenced interior demolition at the Candler Building, which lords over Peachtree Street at the northern edge of Woodruff Park. Permits were issued last month for work on what’s tentatively called the Candler Hotel. Read the Curbed story here
A Bloomington developer made a surprise public pitch to aldermen for a new downtown hotel and conference center, calling his public-private partnership the “solution” city leaders have been seeking. Read the WGLT-FM story here
The newly renovated Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., features a music venue and bar called Analog that exudes a living-room feel with space for 300 people and visits by standout performers. Analog joins other distinctive Hutton amenities, such as two songwriter rooms and a three-bedroom suite designed with musicians and their families in mind. Read the Conde Nast Traveler online story here
WKS Restaurant Group, the largest El Pollo Loco franchisee, has acquired Pennant Foods Corp. and its 52 Wendy’s in Southern California. Lakewood, Calif.-based WKS, which now owns more than 180 franchise restaurants that include such other brands as Blaze Pizza, Corner Bakery Café, Denny’s and Krispy Kreme, purchased Pennant from funds managed by Boca Raton, Fla.-based Brockway Moran & Partners Inc.
Read the Nation's Restaurant News story here
Indianapolis-based quickserve chain Steak 'n Shake is planning to open its first Chicago restaurant. The 83-year-old chain has more than 540 restaurants in 31 states. Read the Eater story here
Developers in the Dallas-Fort Worth market are on track to build 3 million square feet of new retail space this year, after adding 4.2 million in 2017. Plans for new space are spread out around the region, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Construction will break ground in 2021 on a $1.5 billion project that will revitalize the Port of San Diego. Workers will add entertainment venues, incorporate seismic protection, and build with an eye toward rising sea levels. Read The Architect's Newspaper story here


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True Flip Partners with DAO.Casino to Extend its Gaming Optionsbr>
True Flip will use DAO.Casino’s gambling protocol for creating a new quick lottery game on its platform. This update hopes to provide additional benefits for the TFL token holders, as True Flip will speed up its audience growth by implementing a gaming solution.
True Flip COO Nikita Parhomenko said that the general idea of extending their product line was among the goals for the first major improvements following the crowdsale.
“It has become clear that True Flip and the team behind DAO.Casino have a mutual interest, so we move on with our roadmap goals using this chance to rapidly implement the partner’s excellently crafted solution,” said Parhomenko.
Parhomenko added that the company is now ready to boost the planned improvements process, given the success of their ongoing crowdsale. The platform has already raised 4,865,941 USD in investments from its ongoing crowdsale. The funds raised will be used for further technical improvement, marketing, and forming the lottery’s jackpot.


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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched two customer-centric schemes with a view to strengthen financial inclusion by ensuring participation of small retail investors in the government securities market as well as to improve grievance redressal mechanism.
The launch of these two schemes — Reserve Bank’s Retail Direct Scheme and Integrated Ombudsman Scheme — will expand investment opportunities in the country and ensure easier access to capital markets with simple and secure mechanism, he said while launching schemes through video conferencing.
The Retail Direct Scheme will boost the spirit of promoting everyone's participation in the economy. The middle class, employees, small businessmen & senior citizens with small savings will now be able to directly & securely invest in government securities: PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/Q7POjWIvtT
— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 12, 2021
At the same time, he said, Retail Direct Scheme will also help in garnering funds for development works.
Retail direct scheme has given small investors in the country a simple and safe medium of investment in government securities. Similarly, One Nation, One Ombudsman System has taken shape in the banking sector with the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme today, he said.
The Integrated Ombudsman Scheme seeks to merge other ombudsman schemes making it a One Nation, One Ombudsman System for the entire financial sector.
Observing that one of the biggest touchstones of any democracy is the strength of its grievance redressal system, he said, the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme will go a long way in that direction.
“Similarly, the Retail Direct Scheme will give strength to the inclusion of everyone in the economy as it will bring in the middle class, employees, small businessmen and senior citizens with their small savings directly and securely in government securities. As government securities have the provision of guaranteed settlement, this gives assurance of safety to the small investor,” he said.
Stressing that a strong banking system is essential for an economy, Modi said the government has taken several measures to strengthen the financial health of the public sector banks.
Highlighting that banking sector reforms ranging from inclusion in the financial sector to technological integration have been carried out in the past few years, he said, we have seen their strength in this difficult time of COVID. The decisions of the RBI also helped in increasing the impact of the big decisions that the government has taken in recent times.”
Lamenting that banking, pension and insurance sector used to be like an exclusive club in India till 6-7 years ago, he said, all these facilities were not accessible to the common citizens in the country, poor families, farmers, small traders-businessmen, women, dalits-deprived-backward, etc.
Criticizing the earlier system, the Prime Minister said “those who had the responsibility of taking these facilities to the poor never paid any attention to it. Rather, various excuses were made for not changing. It was said that there is no bank branch, no staff, no internet, no awareness, no idea what the arguments were.”
On the importance of fintech, he said Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has made India the world’s leading country in terms of digital transactions in a very short span of time.
“In just 7 years, India has jumped 19 times in terms of digital transactions. Today our banking system is operational 24 hours, 7 days and 12 months anytime, anywhere in the country,” he said.
Praising efforts undertaken by the Finance Ministry and institutions like RBI during the pandemic, he said, “This period of Amrit Mahotsav, this decade of the 21st century is very important for the development of the country. In such a situation, the role of RBI is also very big. I am confident that Team RBI will live up to the expectations of the country.
He underlined the need to strengthen trust and confidence of investors in the financial market.
“We have to keep the needs of the citizens of the country at the center and keep on strengthening the trust of the investors. I am confident that RBI will continue to strengthen India’s new identity as a sensitive and investor-friendly destination, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the coordinated effort of both the finance ministry and RBI in time has led to recovery of economy hit by COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result of concerted efforts, she said, the economic revival is taking place at faster than expected pace.
She said the Retail Direct Scheme will facilitate retail participation, deepen the bond market and allow for a fair market determined rates for all the across the yield curve.
“The retail participation has been hesitant all these years, because of the cost involved and because of the traditional intermediary system which has prevailed. Now this will probably bring in a direct cost free, convenience driven, and also build confidence in the retail participation in the government securities,” she said.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the central bank has been leveraging technology and innovation for enhancing the efficiency of its services.
“The Reserve Bank with its multifarious role touches the lives of people in varied ways. Be it through the currency system, the banking system, the financial markets, or the 24 into 7 seamless digital payments,” he said.
Das further said that the Reserve Bank’s developmental role is focused on further deepening of financial inclusion and undertaking people centric initiatives.
The scheme offers retail investors a new avenue for directly investing in the securities issued by the Centre and the state governments. The investors will be able to easily open and maintain their government securities accounts online with the RBI for free.