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Blog: Airport food flying high
Catherine Sleep | 22 November 2006
It is fair to say that the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PRCM) is not best known for enthusiastic statements or praise. PRCM is generally more likely to be making the public aware of a perceived inadequacy and lobbying for improvements.
So you sit up and take notice when the organisation says something nice. Perhaps it’s moved by the spirit of Thanksgiving, but PRCM says that travellers through US airports can now look forward to healthier airport food. A survey it undertook of 13 of the busiest airports in the States shows that the quality of airport food is rising. Some 88% of the restaurants surveyed offer at least one vegetarian main dish that is low in fat, high in fibre and cholesterol-free.
Unlike schools or the high street, airports may not be a key battleground in the war against unhealthy food, but some business people fly regularly and rely on the catering outlets they find at airports to grab a meal before they take off. Flying is not a particularly healthy activity, so if you can at least fuel up with healthy tucker before heading to the gate, that’s a start. Moreover, as no-frills airlines become ever more prevalent, more and more passengers need to take their own food on board and so will turn to the sandwich bars at the airport to stock up.
Now, if PRCM can just do something about the exorbitant prices charged by airport restaurants, that would be just tip-top.
A year after union officials alleged Fyffes abused workers on plantations in Central America - and called on the produce giant to be kicked out of the Ethical Trading Initiative forum - the company is...
Much of the chatter about where 3G Capital could look next has centred on packaged food - but might the private-equity fund be about to extend its foodservice empire?...
Headlines that Mead Johnson's board has backed Reckitt Benckiser's takeover bid will no doubt overshadow the other news on the group this week – that it is facing a US lawsuit from a “whistle blower” ...
Kantar Worldpanel issued its monthly supermarket share data in the UK this morning - and the numbers showed a change in the identity of the country's top five food retailers....
- Does Kraft Heinz want to swallow Unilever whole?
- Focus: Nestle CEO plan to balance sales, earnings
- US food next wave on display at Winter Fancy Food
- Comment: Meal kits in US - don't believe the hype
- Why Reckitt Benckiser moved for Mead Johnson
- Kraft Heinz pursuing Unilever in takeover move
- Kraft Heinz pulls Unilever bid
- General Mills issues profit warning
- Kerry operating earnings strengthen on slow sales
- Kerry Group staff in Ireland suspend strike action


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The Delaware computer repair shop owner who alerted feds of incriminating emails, text messages, photos and financial documents on Hunter Biden’s laptop in 2020 says he’s since lost his store and now faces bankruptcy, after being victimized in an intimidation campaign once his findings went public.
‘I was getting a lot of death threats,’ John Paul Mac Isaac, owner of The Mac Shop in Wilmington, told The New York Post Saturday.
The paper broke the story of the contents of the laptop in October 2020, which came into Mac Isaac’s possession after an ‘inebriated’ Biden brought it in for repairs in April 2019 and never picked it back up, the 45-year-old store owner says.
Files found in Biden’s personal computer included emails showing shady business dealings by the current US president’s son with foreign officials, and texts that showed him repeatedly using the ‘N-word’ and accidentally overpaying a prostitute $25,000 from an account linked to his dad.
It also uncovered a 2015 effort by Biden to set up a meeting between Vadym Pozharskyi, an adviser at a Ukrainian energy firm, and then-vice President Joe Biden, and other instances of Biden looking to cash in on his family connections.
After the Post broke the story of the laptop’s contents, Mac said the in-person threats got so bad, that he had to enlist local police to provide him with round-the-clock protection.
‘There were multiple situations where people came in and you could tell they were not there to have a computer fixed,’ Mac Isaac said.
‘If there were not other people in the shop, I don’t know what would have happened,’ he told The Post. ‘I was having vegetables, eggs, dog s–t thrown at the shop every morning.
‘I had to have a Wilmington trooper parked in front of my shop all the time,’ he revealed to the paper.
Scottish-American John Paul Mac Isaac, owner of The Mac Shop in Wilmington, Delaware, says he received death threats after handing over a laptop left by an ‘inebriated’ Hunter Biden in his store to feds in April 2019, spurring him to flee the state and lose his business
The store, founded by Mac Isaac in 2010, went under after reports of incriminating content on the laptop surfaced in October 2020 forced the computer repairman to flee the state and collect unemployment in Colorado – payments he did not receive for over a year
Eventually, after weeks of being approached and harassed by multiple mysterious figures, Mac Isaac was forced to close down the shop and flee the state in November 2020.
He subsequently spent nearly a year holed up in Colorado with his family, during which time he lost his decade-old business.
In December 2020, Mac Issac applied for unemployment, and said he was met with pushback from government officials that left him unable to get his entitled benefits.
‘I would open up a case, wouldn’t hear anything, then open another case, then open another case – and then I was told to stop

domain: news


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News tagged ‘drivers’
Wednesday, 28 Mar 2012
NVIDIA has officially launched its revamped GeForce.com that is a portal for GeForce gamers. Not only can the gamers download the latest drivers, they can also check the optimized game settings, for popular game titles, that are best suited for their graphics cards.
Thursday, 31 Mar 2011
NVIDIA has just announced the availability of their new Release 270 drivers, which promise a host of improvements for GeForce graphics cards.


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Google has released the third preview version for developers, Android Wear 2.0 wearable electronics. Update 3 Developer Preview provides access to the online app store Google Play right from your smart watches and allows for paid download, and to participate in the beta tests and use multiple accounts.
Viewing is restricted to recommended apps and keyword search, but the user can choose the install option only on a smart watch. In addition, the new preview added functionality of the voice assistant that was missing in earlier builds, an improved interface for round displays and also feature the smart answers Smart Reply.
Recall, Google introduced Android Wear 2.0 for smart watch at developers conference Google I/O in 2016, which took place in mountain view (CA) with 18 to 20 may. This is the most major update Android Wear, after its initial release in 2014.
it was Originally planned that Android Wear 2.0 will be released in the fall of 2016. Now Google has announced that the release postponed to early 2017.


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ShareChat launches “ShareChat Sakhi’ to highlight safety features to female users on platform this Women’s Day
Initiative aims at driving awareness amongst the 20 million monthly active women users for all the safety and security features available on the platform
ShareChat, India’s own social media platform today said that it aims to highlight its 20 million monthly active women users on the platform via “ShareChat Sakhi”, one of a kind in-app propositions. The initiative aims to further strengthen and build a safe and comfortable digital space for ShareChat users to connect, engage, interact and create meaningful conversations on the platform.
As part of the “ShareChat Sakhi” education drive this women’s day, ShareChat will highlight its female users about the various safety and security features available on the platform.
A special page “ShareChat Sakhi” has been created and is available across all 15 languages to address any safety issues on the platform.
“ShareChat Sakhi” will create awareness amongst its women users around the various safety features available on the platform that includes :-
- Blocking unwanted profiles
- Reporting unwanted profiles/comments
- Restriction on downloading/ screen shots of profiles on the platform
- Restriction of profiles display pictures download
- Choice of restricting sharing and comments – no downloads would be allowed from user profiles without their permission
The Week Zero awareness campaign is already live on the platform for all the female users as they sign up on ShareChat. Additionally, an email id <email@example.com has also been created to address grievances of female users on the platform.
As part of this drive, ShareChat also aims to encourage “dedicated women campaigns” to drive deeper engagement amongst ShareChat female users. ShareChat has also activated a dedicated category called ‘Ladies Corner’ in major languages to enable women led conversations on the topics closer to their hearts where all women users can freely interact, express their feelings and thoughts in the language of their choice.


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It’s a situation most carriers can only dream of. Each year, without fail, the express operators put up their rates. And yes, those rates tend to stick – because that is the price. As a result, reveals this article, FedEx and UPS have managed to raise their rates by more than 28% in five years. FedEx has even managed to slip in a 33% rate rise this year on one product. So, will shippers vote with their feet? Or keep using the networks?
By Alex Lennane


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Facebook is bringing its political advertising tools and rules to Canada in advance of that country's federal election Oct. 21. Anyone who wants to run ads about social issues, elections or politics in Canada must first confirm their identity and location and disclose who is paying for the ads,... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'
[ AdWeek | 2019-06-10 21:00:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #run ads #taking steps #social issues
An independent publisher in the UK sees how sports are changing, and is taking steps to address the gender gap in outdoor adventure literature–with an anthology by and about women. The post Vertebrate Publishing’s New Climb: Bringing Adventuring Women Into the Picture appeared first on... Continue reading at 'Publishing Perspectives'
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #vertebrate publishing #independent publisher #taking steps #gender gap
Facebook's announcement that it was taking steps to crack down on hoaxes and fake news on the platform drew attention to a specific type of fake news ads -- those that masquerade as legitimate news sites. Publishers have long been the victim of such schemes, but they have few options to squash... Continue reading at 'Digiday'
[ Digiday | 2016-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #taking steps #fake news #limited test
A Tribune Publishing investor sued the media company's directors and Chairman Michael Ferro for spurning an $864 million buyout offer from Gannett and seeking a cash infusion from a billionaire health-care entrepreneur.Tribune's board members are seeking to unfairly entrench themselves by taking... Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'
[ Advertising Age | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media company #cash infusion #board members #taking steps #newspaper publisher
Traditional publishers, tired of competing with Facebook and Google for digital ad dollars, are taking steps to get more personal with their advertising. Among the big topics discussed during Advertising Week was how media companies like News Corp and Condé Nast are getting into the ad tech... Continue reading at 'Digiday'
[ Digiday | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers step #traditional publishers #taking steps #media companies #cond nast #ad targeting
Oyster, an ebook subscription service inspired by Netflix and Spotify, is shuttering—and Google has scooped up its top execs.Oyster, the ebook subscription service and would-be Amazon competitor, is calling it quits. In a blog post published Monday, the Oyster team announced that, in the coming... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2015-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top execs #coming months #taking steps
In an unprecedented show of solidarity, broadcasters and cable networks are taking steps to present a unified front in the advertising marketplace.Effective today (Monday, May 18), the 25-year-old Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau will for the first time add representatives from the broadcast... Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'
[ Advertising Age | 2015-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #taking steps #advertising marketplace #premium video
Lauded for its digital content recently, National Geographic is taking steps to sync that award-winning multimedia content across all channels. Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'
[ Folio Magazine | 2013-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #national geographic #taking steps


text: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 04:19 PM EST Slight drop for markets Fed releases Beige Book The Toronto stock market was lower Wednesday while traders take in strong U.S. bank earnings and a cut in the World Bank’s global growth forecast for this year. The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 33.15 points to conclude Wednesday at 12,608.82 The Canadian dollar sagged 0.19 cents to 101.42 cents U.S., as the greenback strengthened on worries about the impasse over raising the U.S. debt ceiling while traders awaited the release of the latest U.S. regional economic report. In other corporate news, Canadian autoparts giant Magna International Inc. says it expects between $31.3 billion and $32.7 billion U.S. of sales globally this year. Magna says it expects about half of its total 2013 revenue will come the sale of parts to North American manufacturing operations. Magna estimates automotive manufacturers will produce 15.3 million vehicles in North America this year and 12 million in Europe. Its stock added 92 cents to $52.10. The TSX tech sector was positive after Research In Motion said the Visa credit card system has approved the smartphone company’s method for handling secure mobile payments. The green light from Visa is a step towards offering global support for any device equipped with the BlackBerry maker's mobile-payments technology and its shares were 32 cents higher to $14.59. The base metals component slid as the World Bank report raised demand concerns, pushing March copper on the New York Mercantile Exchange down three cents to $3.61 U.S. a pound. Teck Resources shed 66 cents to $36.31. Among energy issues, Suncor Energy gave back 12 cents to $33.80. The financials sector was off with Manulife Financial down 12 cents to $14. In the gold sector, Kinross Gold Corp. faded six cents to $9.50. The World Bank said what it calls a frustratingly slow economic recovery in developed nations is holding back the global economy, as it sharply cut its outlook for world growth in 2013. The German government cut its 2013 economic growth forecast to 0.4% from a previous estimate of 1%, according to that country’s economy ministry. ON BAYSTREET The TSX Venture Exchange let go of 1.59 points to 1,230.20 All but four of the 14 Toronto subgroups ended the day in the red, mostly due to the metals and mining group, down 1.4%, while health-care drooped 1.4%, and global base metals dipped 0.8%. The four gainers were led by consumer discretionaries, up 0.5%, information technology, gaining 0.3%, and consumer staples, better by 0.2%. ON WALLSTREET U.S. stocks were mixed Wednesday as investors weighed the latest corporate results against worries about the debt ceiling and global economic growth. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 23.66 points to close out at 13,511.20, with Boeing leading the decline. The S&P 500 slid 0.29 points to 1,472.05. The Nasdaq Composite moved up 6.77 points to 3,117.54, as shares of Apple rose back above $500 U.S. Boeing shares fell nearly 4% as the aircraft maker's Dreamliner continued to face problems. Two Japanese airlines grounded their fleets of 787 aircraft after one of All Nippon Airways' Dreamliners was forced into an emergency landing. Before the market opened, JPMorgan said it earned $5.7 billion U.S., or $1.39 a share, in the fourth quarter. The bank said chief executive Jamie Dimon's bonus would be cut by more than half after the London Whale debacle over bad trades. JPMorgan's earnings were in line with expectations, although revenue was hurt by declining fees and subdued trading activity, according to analysts at Baird Equity Research. Goldman Sachs reported earnings that beat expectations, driven by strong results from its proprietary trading business. Shares of Chipotle plummeted in midday trading, after the Mexican food chain restaurant revised fourth-quarter earnings well below analysts' expectations. U.S. Bancorp earnings fell short of expectations due to charges related to a previously disclosed foreclosure settlement. Shares of Sears Holding rose 4% on news that ESL Partners, a hedge fund run by Eddie Lampert, had increased its stake in the retailer. Lampert, who owns more than 50% of the stock, took over as CEO of Sears after Louis D'Ambrosio stepped down last week. eBay reports after the close. Overall, S&P 500 companies are expected to report earnings growth of 3.2% for the last three months of 2012, according to S&P's Capital IQ. As for economic reports, the government's key measure of inflation showed that U.S. consumer prices slowed to a 1.7% annual increase last month -- mostly due to a decline in gas prices. In other economic news, industrial production rose 0.3% in December, according to the Federal Reserve. Economists had anticipated a 0.2% after industrial production jumped 1% in November. Economic growth continued at a "modest or moderate" pace across the 12 districts of the Federal Reserve system in the past few weeks, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve's Beige Book. Prices on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note gained some ground, lowering yields to 1.82% from Tuesday’s 1.83%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions. Oil prices added 89 cents to $94.19 U.S. a barrel. Gold prices slid $2.40 an ounce to $1,681.50 U.S.


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The US Interior Department deputy secretary says without government funds, American affiliated Pacific island economies can't be sustained.
David Cohen says a healthy economy should be based on a strong private sector.
But he said, in many US territories, it's the opposite with oversized governments and an undersized private sector.
The US based Office of Insular Affairs is promoting business development as a top priority.
Mr Cohen said an Interior Department sponsored Business Opportunities Conference held in 2004 has been followed up with a recent business trip to Guam, the Northern Marianas and Palau this year.
Although there are no dates yet, Mr Cohen said he is keen to lead a similar business mission to the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia to encourage businesses that can add value to their economies.


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PHD India has scooped a White Pencil at the first edition of D&AD Impact Awards, The winners were announced on 27 September 2016 in New York.
PHD’s campaign, The Story of an Unborn Child – Chamki for Hindustan Unilever won the highest honour award, a White Pencil.
The D&AD Impact is a new award from D&AD and Advertising Week celebrating creativity that makes a difference. The awards recognise companies and brands making the world a better place.
To find out more information and to view the full list of winners, click here.


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The annual sales tax holiday is coming up this weekend in North and South Carolina, bringing with it the unofficial kick-off to the back-to-school shopping season and a chance to save at least a little money.
That never hurts, particularly in the current economy.
Friday through Sunday, a range of items will be exempt from sales tax, which is 7.25 percent in Mecklenburg County and slightly less elsewhere. The sales tax is 7 percent in York, Lancaster and Chester counties in South Carolina.
Saving 7 percent isn't the most immense discount in the world. But the chance to avoid paying tax – an American pastime since, well, forever – still lures shoppers.
“There's something (psychological) about a sales tax holiday that goes beyond the amount of money actually saved,” said J. Craig Shearman, spokesman for the National Retail Federation.
That said, enthusiasm for the tax-free sprees tends to drop off in the years following their debuts. South Carolina began its tax holiday in 2000, and North Carolina's started in 2002. Thirteen other states and Washington, D.C., also have some form of tax holiday.
Most, including North Carolina, place a price limit on items, including a maximum of $100 per piece of clothing; South Carolina does not. If you head to the store and can only get a rain check, you're out of luck, unless the item returns to shelves before the weekend is out: Only items purchased during the tax holiday weekend qualify.
Items bought online, over the phone or through mail order are tax-free, as long as you buy during the tax holiday.
Rental items and products used in trade or business don't count. Most electronics aren't eligible, either: Sorry, that iPhone is definitely not exempt.


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In June, the company announced it will produce the RapidE, its first all-electric car, in 2019, with a limited production run of 155 cars. The Rapide S, the model it's ostensibly based on, starts around $204,000.
"RapidE represents a sustainable future in which Aston Martin's values of seductive style and supreme performance don't merely co-exist alongside a new zero-emission powertrain, but are enhanced by it," Palmer said in the statement. "The internal combustion engine has been at the heart of Aston Martin for more than a century, and will continue to be for years to come. RapidE will showcase Aston Martin's vision, desire and capability to successfully embrace radical change, delivering a new breed of car that stays true to our ethos and delights our customers."
Palmer also told FT that while the company plans to source battery cells from overseas, it will develop its electric systems in-house. It is working with Williams Advanced Engineering in England on EV systems integrations for the RapidE.
Aston is just the latest of a long line of automakers to announce electrification plans. Notably, Volvo recently announced that it would add some form of electrification to its entire fleet by 2019.


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This morning the authors of several of the city’s more popular fashion and beauty blogs made a big announcement: They’ve teamed up to launch FBB Sessions, Toronto’s first-ever conference focused on fashion and beauty blogging.
The event is scheduled from November 16 and 17, and will take place at a to-be-announced downtown venue. According to TorontoBeautyReviews.com, “This weekend long conference will allow you to connect with other bloggers, PR reps and industry leaders. You will learn how to build your personal brand properly and treat your blog like a business. There will also be workshops and speed networking opportunities.”
Super early bird tickets are currently on sale for $70. Yeah, I know, that’s not cheap but then neither is putting on a two-day event. I have no idea what the regular ticket price will be but based on past conference experience, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was double the super early bird price. So yes, if you’re interested, get your tickets now!
I already picked up my ticket this morning. Now to figure out what to wear (I suck at fashion; maybe this conference will teach me something about that area).


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Sony president and CEO Kaz Hirai has announced that roughly half of PS4 owners are PlayStation Plus subscribers.
Sony announced earlier this year that there are now 7 million PS4 owners. This suggests that around 3.5 million of those owners have PlayStation Plus too.
PlayStation Plus is required to play multiplayer modes of non free-to-play PS4 games. Not to mention the service also gives you access to other benefits such as free games and discounts.


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CE2016, the fourth in a semi-annual series of pan-European cyber-security exercises organised by ENISA, has concluded today, bringing to a close six months of activity.
Bulk collection is on the ropes as the ECJ will clarify whether UK security legislation is consistent with European law.
The Privacy Shield negotiations have produced an unprecedented agreement between the US and the EU that there will be safeguards against the bulk collection of the EU citizens' data but critics are unconvinced.
Emma Philpot, Renate Samson and Emily Taylor gathered at the SC Congress to discuss the impending EU regulations on data privacy
Crypto-currencies like Bitcoin may not be as anonymous as they once were as the European Commision announces its intention to regulate the virtual currency exchanges that, the Commission says, aid terrorist financing.
The EU is looking to crack down on anonymous currency exchanges that could be used by terrorist.
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SC Magazine UK Articles
- Tesco Bank allegedly ignored warnings of hack from Visa
- Investigatory Powers and Digital Economy Bills could threaten economy
- Updated: A million German routers knocked offline by failed Mirai botnet attack
- Microsoft update left Azure Linux virtual machines open to hacking
- Gooligan ad fraud malware infects 1.3M Android users, installs over 2M unwanted apps
- SC Awards Europe 2016 winners announcements!
- ISIS radicalises 'lone wolves' through strong social media presence
- Updated: How will Brexit affect the cyber-security industry in UK and Europe?
- ICYMI: CEO Sacked; MS Zero-day; Passwords dropped; Ransomware wild, charging hack
- 9.2 million medical records for sale on darkweb
- ICYMI: Tesco warned; IP Bill threatens economy; German routers offline; Azure trojan; Gooligan fraud
- Data centres are on the move - where will they end up?
- 90% of ITDMs believe IAM is crucial to digital transformation success
- Research: Hacked companies could see customer exodus if breached
- Misconfigured drive exposes locations of explosives used by oil industry


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Sony says it has applied the engineering know-how from its camera, camcorder and television divisions for the release of the Xperia Z2, a new waterproof flagship smartphone capable of recording video content in Ultra HD, or 4K resolution. Sony announced details about the Xperia Z2 on Monday at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), a trade event in Barcelona.
Sony did not announce a release date for the Xperia Z2, which is expected later this year. The company often releases its flagship devices in the U.S. months after other it goes on sale in other parts of the world.
Sony says that engineers from the company’s Bravia television division worked on the Xperia Z2’s display, allowing it to reproduce colors more vividly than other devices. A new noise cancelling feature on the Xperia Z2 works with a pair of headphones, sold separately for 82 euros or $60 USD.
The Xperia Z2 features the same 20.7-megapixel camera sensor found in the earlier Xperia Z1 and Z1s. In contrast, the iPhone 5S features an 8-megapixel camera, and the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S5 camera can take pictures with up to 16 megapixels of resolution.
However, Sony has struggled to gain worldwide market share for smartphones in a market dominated by its competition. The company recently announced a sale of its Vaio computer business, and announced it would make Bravia a subsidiary company.
The Sony Xperia Z2 specs a 5.2-inch display in full HD (1080p x 1920). The Xperia Z2 also features 3GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage, in addition to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 main processor, clocked at 2.3GHz.
Sony says the Xperia Z2 will run on the newest version of Android, KitKat 4.4.2, upon its release. The Xperia Z2 also features an FM radio and WiFi compatible with the newest standard (802.11ac).
Sony claims the Xperia Z2 can last for a month on standby battery power. It also boasts an IP58 rating, which means the Xperia Z2 is dust-proof and can withstand submersion in water, a feature found in the last few flagship smartphones released by the company.
Sony also announced a tablet called the Xperia Z2, with a 10.1-inch screen. The Xperia Z2 tablet is also waterproof, and lighter than the Apple iPad Air (9.7-inches), despite having a larger display.
Follow Reporter Thomas Halleck on Twitter @tommylikey.


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The internet has changed the world we live in. “Cyberspace” allows people and businesses to communicate, connect and develop in increasingly sophisticated ways.
While the internet has made it faster and easier to communicate, this rapidly expanding technology is not without its risks. The number and severity of data breaches is rapidly rising, so it is essential for both businesses and their customers to be protected by a cyber insurance policy against the cyber liabilities that they face.
Recent legislation changes in Australia now means that it is more important than ever to consider Cyber Insurance.


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Star Alliance Named Best Alliance At World Airline Awards
Mark Schwab (l) CEO Star Alliance receiving the
Skytrax Best Airline Alliance Award from Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted (r)
Star Alliance has claimed the Best Airline Alliance title at the Skytrax World Airline Awards as well as reclaiming the title for Best Airline Alliance Lounge for its Los Angeles Lounge.
Receiving the award, Mark Schwab, CEO Star Alliance said: "I am accepting this award on behalf of more than 430,000 employees who deliver our customer promise to more than 640 million passengers each year. Regaining this accolade shows that investing into technology that facilitates the delivery of our Alliance customer benefits is paying off and that travellers are noticing a difference. Following the recent decision of our Chief Executive Board, we will invest further in modern systems and so continuously improve the Alliance travel experience."
Star Alliance was the first airline alliance to receive the Best Alliance Award from Skytrax when the category was first introduced in 2005 and has since held the award 7 times.
The awards are based on the results of the World Airline Survey, which measure quality standards across 41 key performance indicators of front-line product and service.


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Maxis, the leading converged solutions provider in Malaysia, has collaborated with Digital Catapult North East Tees Valley, the Department for International Trade and the UK Tech Cluster Group to provide a market expansion opportunity to UK tech SMEs.
Maxis is looking to the UK market for a digital solution that will enable it to improve the user experience of one of Malaysia’s biggest video entertainment services, Maxis TV.
In particular, Maxis is looking for a solution that will utilise user data to develop personalised TV experiences, in order to retain existing customers and convert those who are on trial accounts.
The Maxis Business Challenge is the first of a range of international opportunities that will enable UK tech suppliers to access the South East Asian market, as part of the UK-ASEAN Digital Business Challenge pilot.
UK tech companies will have until the 20th of August to apply for the Maxis challenge.
“The UK is home to a range of brilliant tech companies that specialise in using data to drive user experience. On our own doorstep in the North East, for example, we have the National Innovation Centre for Data alongside regional technology centres such as PROTO that harbour the latest data-driven companies. We realised that this expertise would be a great fit for the Maxis Business Challenge” comments Alex Cook, Innovation Manager at Digital Catapult North East Tees Valley.
“So when Maxis told us about its ideas for improving the Maxis TV experience, we saw the potential in bringing this to the UK. With support from the Department of International Trade and the UK Tech Cluster Group, we were able to make this challenge a reality”.
“As a service that enriches the increasingly digital lifestyles of Malaysians, Maxis TV gives customers total control over their entertainment experience. By leveraging on insights, we will be able to proactively anticipate our customers’ needs and give them what they want even before they realise it. Ensuring that Maxis TV continues to create value and differentiation enables us to deliver our promise of an Unmatched Personalised Experience. We will continue to offer innovative and relevant digital services that enable them to Always Be Ahead in a changing world,” said Rob Sewell, Chief Technology Strategy Officer, Maxis.
Applications for the Maxis Business Challenge are now open and can be submitted via the Sunderland Software City website at https://bit.ly/2VPFCIr.
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IT and cloud services provider Advanced has appointed ex-Salesforce vice president Simon Short (pictured) as its chief operating officer to give its cloud activities a boost.
Short is the former executive vice president of global customer success at Salesforce, and will help bolster customer success around Advanced’s cloud solutions through “driving high levels of retention, customer growth and acquisition”, said Advanced.
Advanced said it has developed and acquired 19 cloud products within the last two years, “with more in the pipeline for 2021”. The appointment comes 18 months after a £2 billion investment deal Advanced struck with Vista Equity Partners and BC Partners. Prior to the five years he spent at Salesforce, Short was head of technology and business management at Vodafone, as well as CTO and head of digital for the customer experience business at Capgemini.
Gordon Wilson, Advanced CEO, said of the appointment: “We want to become the best cloud software and services provider and Simon is the person who will help us get there.
“He is one of the customer success heavyweights in the industry. His vast experience in customer success, working for the world’s first and largest software-as-a-service business [Salesforce], gives us the opportunity to not only learn best practice but align to our vision of delivering a service to our customers that others can only aspire to.”
Short added: “Advanced is a fast-growing cloud software company and has had remarkable success to date. I look forward to focusing on how to make a difference to its thousands of customers and grow the business through unrivalled customer success.”


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Farm Boy is headed to Richmond Hill.
The Empire-owned banner will open the doors to a 26,725-sq.-ft. space on April 8. This will be Farm Boy's 37th location in Ontario and its first in Richmond Hill--a city 20 kilometres North of Toronto.
The store will employ 135 staff members and will offer a wide variety of farm fresh produce, butcher-quality meats, artisan cheese and fresh dairy.
In a press release, Jean-Louis Bellemare, Farm Boy president and general manager said Farm Boy had made certain enhancements to its offering to reflect changing consumer habits brought about by the pandemic.
"We’ve upgraded our meal-ready solutions in store with new full-service salad and hot bars, along with a variety of to-go options that are convenient and nutritious," he said. "We are excited to show Richmond Hill the Farm Boy experience – rooted in fresh, wholesome food, along with exceptional customer service."
In keeping pace with changing food habits, the Richmond Hill store will also offer a range of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free products.
Empire has been aggressively growing the Farm Boy banner since it acquired the Ontario-based grocer for $800 million in 2018. With Empire behind it, Farm Boy has better access to premium sites all around the Greater Toronto Area and in the downtown core.
Over the last three years, Farm Boy has opened stores in St. Catharines, Ottawa, Newmarket and downtown Toronto, and it will continue to grow in 2021 with the opening of six stores.


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Small center brings big assistance to local business owners
Published 6:57 am Monday, April 19, 2021
Housed in a small building among the many on the Lamar State College Port Arthur campus sits one of the best kept secrets in Southeast Texas.
While the LSPCA Small Business Development Center isn’t new, more than 2,000 businesses and as many jobs came to be with its assistance.
“We help small businesses start and grow, and most importantly stay in business,” said Ana Pereda, who has been the center’s director since her predecessor retired in December.
The SBDC is funded through grants from the Small Business Association and the state of Texas, the latter of which is funneled through LSPCA.
However, even though they are housed on the college campus, the SBDC is open to anyone in the public. As part of the Gulf Coast Network serving 32 counties, the local office works with businesses in Jefferson, Orange, Newton, Jasper and part of Chambers counties.
Once a client calls the center and schedules an appointment, they meet with Pereda one-on-one.
“We go over a 360-degree analysis of their business and we determine what needs they have, areas of growth, areas of opportunity; and then we create a program of work.”
The no-cost advising and low-cost training provides strategic planning, capital access, sales and marketing, market research, accounting assistance, technology commercialization, financial analysis, strategic planning, and international training.
And for every $1 invested in the LSCPA SBDC, Pereda added, the area receives $11 in capital from clients.
Industries that have benefited from the center span from industrial and construction to retail and restaurant.
In addition to individual consultations, the center provides seminars under a variety of topics — starting a business, managing a business, marketing, money and finance, food and restaurant, technology, procurement.
These seminars cover things like “how to start a business” and “how to manage funds.”
But the SBDC’s ability to train in person was hindered by the pandemic, and adjustments had to be made.
Seminars became free webinars that can be found at any time on the center’s website; and are free to anyone, not just clients from the center
“Helping a client start a business is very rewarding,” Pereda said. “When they are passionate about an idea but need a little guidance and we are able to make it a reality, it’s very rewarding.”
One misconception about the SBDC, however, is that it only helps new businesses come to be.
The center also works with existing businesses that want to expand, or perhaps change ownership.
It also provides disaster preparedness and recovery, helping clients bounce back from the hurricane and tropical storms that have sporadically slammed Southeast Texas since 2005.
With Pereda’s addition to the company, the center is now able to offer something it hadn’t before — bilingual services.
The LSPCA SBDC can be found at 1401 Proctor Street.
To make an appointment, call (409) 984-6531.


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Instagram is likely to soon launch a new advertising format that allows marketers to target their audiences via Stories, the feature at the top of the app which lets users showcase a story for 24 hours.
The “Promote for Stories” addition resembles Facebook’s Boost function which lets advertisers pay to expand the reach of their campaigns to more users according to TechCrunch.
Although Instagram didn’t reveal details on a time line for the roll out, the addition could already be in testing.
Instagram currently has one billion worldwide users.
The company also just recently added Analytics for businesses based on the popular Facebook Analytics to provide better insights and engagement measures.
Analytics provide insights into who commented or liked an Instagram post, compares the lifetime value of people interacting with Instagram posts, allows clients to segment audiences and helps them understand which audiences overlap.
In addition, the company now allows user to show screenshots of videos posted to IGTV, launching in June by Instagram.


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By Jessica Jenkins
Atlantic News, Thursday, April 15, 2004[The following article is courtesy of Atlantic News.]
HAMPTON — The Pastry Garden, located at 836 Lafayette Road in Hampton at the former location of Sweet Flours, will be opening their doors on the weekend of April 15-17. During this special grand opening event, the shop will be open from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 15, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 16-17. The public is welcome to share in the ribbon cutting and open house and to enjoy free samples of their delicious goodies.
Mother-and-son team Kathie and David White bought the business approximately two months ago, after David was a baker at Sweet Flours for more than five years. They say the former owners of Sweet Flours, Dave and Teryn Allen, taught David everything he knows about baking. Kathie, on the other hand, is experiencing baking for retail purposes for the first time and is really enjoying it. A psychoanalyst specializing in depression at Portsmouth Hospital as her career, Betty finds this a refreshing change of pace.
Natives of Hampton for 15 years, the Whites can certainly consider their business a family affair. David's mother bakes with him, and his father, who owns a television consulting business, is handling the accounting, marketing and advertising end of things. His brother, Bryan, a Web designer, even helps out with the digital technology allowing them to imprint photographic images on cakes for special occasions or weddings.
The Pastry Garden will be offering gourmet wedding cakes, all-occasion cakes, cookies, scones, individual pastries, bagels and croissants. They are happy to take special orders and also dessert catering for businesses and functions; they already supply many high-end restaurants in the area with tempting treats to sell for dessert. They pride themselves on their all natural fresh ingredients, like fruits and berries, and high quality tastes and presentations. Everything is made in-house from scratch with nothing artificial, and real fresh flowers and festive ribbons are use to decorate their cakes.
The Whites have done some minor re-decorating and are eager to start serving the public "the best cakes they ever tasted," as well as much more. They will be featuring tantalizing Bavarian cream cakes, flavored cheesecakes, carrot cakes, tortes, fruit tarts and petit fours. Stop in and try one of their mouth-watering delicacies and see that it is true that they "specialize in the fine art of dessert."
The Pastry Garden is open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and can be reached for orders or more information at (603) 926-3693. Stay tuned for their Web site, which will be coming soon. See you at the grand opening on Route 1 in Hampton this weekend!


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US Steel forecasts flat-rolled shipment volumes to be at 8.9-9.1mn nt (8.1-8.3mn mt) in 2021, up 2.3-4.6pc from 8.7mn in 2020, in addition to Big River Steel flat-rolled volumes of 2.6-2.8mn nt. European volumes are forecast at 3.9-4.1mn nt in 2021, up 30-37pc from 3mn shipped in 2020. The tubular division is expected to achieve shipment volumes of 0.4-0.5mn nt. Total legacy shipments at US Steel of 13.2-13.7mn nt in 2021 would increase shipments by 8-12pc against the 12.2mn nt shipped in 2020.
Raw steel production fell by 17.1pc to 12.7mn mt in 2020 compared to 15.3mn nt achieved the prior year. US Steel flat-rolled declined raw steel production for flat-rolled by 18.4pc to 9.3mn nt in 2020 against the previous year’s production of 11.4mn nt as capacity utilization decreased by 12pc points to 55pc. US Steel Europe decreased raw steel production by 13.8pc to 3.4mn mt in 2020 compared to 3.9mn mt in the same period a year ago. Europe’s capacity utilization dropped by 11pc points to 67pc in 2020. Tubular achieved steel production of 16,000nt and capacity utilization of 7pc.
US Steel’s total shipments declined by 18.9pc to 12.2mn nt in 2020 from 15.1mn nt in 2019. Steel shipments for US Steel flat-rolled decreased by 18.6pc to 8.7mn nt in 2020 compare to 10.7mn nt in 2019. Europe’s division dropped steel shipments by 15.3pc to 3mn nt from 3.6mn nt in the previous year. Tubular shipments decreased by 39.7pc to 464,000nt in 2020 from 769,000nt in 2019.
Average realized prices declined across all products with flat-rolled declining by 4.6pc to $718/nt, Europe decreasing by 4pc to $626/nt, and tubular falling by 12.3pc to $1,271/nt.
Net sales decreased by 24.7pc to $9.7bn in 2020 from $12.9bn the prior year. Earnings before interest and income for 2020 multiplied losses to almost five-fold to $1.1bn in 2020 from $230mn in losses in 2019. Capital expenditures declined by 42.1pc in 2020 to $725mn. Total losses almost doubled from a loss of $630mn in 2019 to $1.2bn in 2020. Adjusted EBITDA declined from $711mn in 2019 to a loss of $162mn in 2020, but adjusted EBITDA increased to $87mn in Q4 2020 compared to $4mn in the same year-ago quarter. US Steel declined sales by 9.3pc to $2.6bn in Q4 2020 from $2.8bn in the same year-ago quarter.
Big River Steel (BRS) is now fully part of the US Steel portfolio. In Q4 2020, BRS had product mix of 50pc hot rolled coil, 22pc cold rolled coil, and 28pc coated. US Steel America’s market reported increased automotive demand, appliance shipments up 6pc to 49.7mn units in 2020, and December gross shipments to service center increased by 10pc in 2020 against the same year-ago month. Inventories at service centers are low at 1.9month of supply. In the EU, the appliance sector is estimated to have contracted 5.8pc in 2020 against the prior year. US Steel has a raw steel capacity of 22.4mn nt.


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Lang Tools Has New Gasket Scrapers
Lang Tools’ new gasket scrapers are drop forged from high carbon steel.
The company says the scraping ends are precision grounds to ensure the tool will last.
All handles are strike protected with a hard cap, and ergonomically designed for comfort, secure grip, and durability.
Lang Tools’ gasket scrapers are engineered and manufactured in the U.S.A. and have a lifetime warranty.
Lang Tools, based in Racine, Wis., is an A&E Inc. company.
For more information, visit www.langtools.com.


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New York may be the city that never sleeps, but overnight visitors are still advised to check in somewhere. Staying in hotels is not for the frugal, however, especially when you add taxes, which come to more than 15 percent of the bill. No wonder so many now shop on the website Airbnb.com, where $20 a night secures a bed in a shared Queens apartment, and $285 an entire loft in SoHo. The four-year-old site, an aggregator of private vacation rentals, has increased its listings in New York City from 900 three years ago to close to 15,000 today. That’s made it not only a sizable player in the lodging industry—the city has 90,000 traditional hotel rooms—but a high-tech and potentially expensive headache for city officials.
Under a 2011 state law, residents can rent out rooms in apartments they occupy, but not the entire space. Yet Airbnb features legions of apartments available on a short-term basis. The San Francisco-based company, which operates in 30,000 cities worldwide, insists it can’t police its users and instead relies on them to follow local rules. Overall the city issued 2,587 violations of the state law from May 2011 through June of this year, and in September officials doubled the fines, which can now reach $25,000. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn says unregulated hotel rooms can endanger tourists, irk residents who have to put up with transients arriving at all hours, and put the squeeze on affordable housing.


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Ground Soap Helping People Stay HealthyMarch 29, 2020
Cornwall Ontario – Washing our hands is one the most important things we can do to stay healthy and limit the spread of the COVID-19 corona virus. And Cornwall’s Ground Soap is making it easier for people to pick up their award winning line of organic soaps.
With many of its retail partners having to temporarily shut their doors, Ground Soap has set up an outdoor no-touch pick up schedule at its Cornwall facility so people can get the soap they need. You can also purchase their soap online.
“We all have a role to play in helping keep our communities safe,” says Angela Youngs, the founder of Ground Soap. “We wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to purchase our products in a safe way.”
Ground Soap will be offering weekly “local pick up” on Mondays, starting this week. Orders need to be placed before noon on the previous Sunday via www.groundsoap.com. Customers can choose the “free local pick up” option at checkout. Delivery options include mail.
The corona virus is transmitted through the air in virus-laden droplets propelled by coughs and sneezes. The virus can land on surfaces and stay alive for hours or even days. Our hands can pick up those droplets from any number of surfaces, so they’re often an important link in the chain of transmission. Hand washing has been highlighted by health officials as being extremely important in limiting the spread of viruses.
Why Washing with Soap Works
Germs stick to the oils and grease on our hands. Water alone won’t remove much of the germs on our hands because water and oil don’t like each other, so they won’t mix. When you wash your hands with soap, the soap molecules binds the oil and dirt with the water. When you rinse everything off, the soap carries away the germs with the water.
The water does not have to be scalding hot to be effective – better to use cold or lukewarm water and keep washing for longer – more and more bacteria and virus will be washed away for every 5 seconds you keep your hands under the tap.
Even people who are conscientious about washing their hands make the mistake of not drying them properly. Wet hands are more likely to spread germs than dry ones. It takes about 20 seconds to dry your hands well if you’re using paper or cloth towels and 30–45 seconds under an air dryer.
About Ground Soap
Ground Soap is an awarding winning Cornwall company committed to helping people make healthy choices in caring for their skin. The company makes the most awesome soap using the best organic ingredients and amazing blends of essential oils. Find out more online:
- Web: www.GroundSoap.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groundsoaporganic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/GroundSoap
We summarize the latest news about the impacts of COVID-19 on Cornwall businesses on a daily basis. Click on the following link to view:


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Asia’s middle class is set to triple, from 525 million in 2009 to over 1.7 billion by 2020. China, India and Indonesia will also all be in the top ten global markets for retail consumption demand by 2020.
CBRE’s latest report, “The New Age of the Asia Pacific Retail Market,” reveals that as a result, the region is now experiencing an upsurge of new retail construction to meet demand as international retailers flock to the region.
International retailers—predominantly fast fashion brands—are continuing to enter and expand in Asia=Pacific at a rapid rate, despite concerns over the slowdown in economic growth and retail sales, especially in China.
CBRE said Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai have seen the strongest flow of new market entrants looking to capitalize on the China growth story.
Tokyo saw the strongest activity in 2013 and momentum has continued in 2014, particularly from luxury brands, which has underpinned strong rental growth this year.
In Southeast Asia, Singapore has been the main hotspot, while both Taipei and Seoul are among the most active markets globally for new retailer entrants.
According to CBRE, overall retailer demand in Asia-Pacific is set to remain subdued heading into 2015 but activity and demand levels will diverge across different markets.
“Japan and Australia are expected to remain upbeat, while activity in India should pick up on the back of relaxation of foreign direct investment in single and multi-brand retail. China, Hong Kong and Singapore will stay relatively quiet due to softening domestic consumption, in addition to Chinese shoppers’ weaker appetite for luxury goods,” said Jonathan Hsu, Director at CBRE Research, Asia-Pacific.
He noted that international retailers tend to expand to secondary cities in the region after establishing their presence in capital or tier I cities.
“Key emerging markets in Southeast Asia, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and major cities in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, will be a strong area of focus due to the growing appetite for consumer goods and relaxation of foreign investment regulations next year. The construction of new high quality shopping center supply is providing more options for retailer expansion in these markets,” he added.
In terms of retailer types, CBRE expects mass market brands to look towards highly populated markets—primarily China and India—for expansion in 2015.
Retailers in the luxury sector will opt to focus on the mature markets of Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, with China less of a priority due to the ongoing anti-corruption campaign. Bridge brands will concentrate on slightly more mature markets, including Japan and South Korea.
There are, however, challenges ahead for retailers, including rising operational costs, the rapid growth of e-commerce, and a more sophisticated and demanding consumer base, contributing to a more competitive market.
Retailers will have to implement higher standards of due diligence, competitor benchmarking and strategic planning as the retailing environment turns increasingly competitive. Retailers are also putting a general focus on portfolio reviews and consolidation, although they’re continuing to display a strong interest for well-established properties and locations in markets with a proven track record,” said Sebastian Skiff, Executive Director, Retail Services.


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It’s very rare that I actually call a game beautiful, however when it comes to Dust: An Elysian Tale I can’t think of a word more fitting. Created by XNA developer Dean Dodrill, Dust is a beautiful 2D platformer game with a heavy enthesis on combat. Dust took top honors at Microsoft’s Dream, Build, Play competition last year so it’s no surprise that the game will be seeing the light of day on the Xbox 360.
The hand painted visuals look absolutely stunning, those who enjoyed Muramasa on the Wii last year should definitely be paying close attention to Dust.
No solid release date has been announced but you can expect to see Dodrill’s breakthrough title hit XBLA some time this year.


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CHICAGO – We are a few weeks into 2016, but there are already some exciting trends to check out for the consumer, including the effects for companies and brands.
At the moment, the American consumer is looking for interesting dinners and brands to try and expand their pallets.
“This year is off to an exciting start with foodservice brands looking to consumers for direction and inspiration more than ever before,” Paul Pendola, director of foodservice at Mintel, said. “In 2016, we’ll see personalization, authenticity and revolutionary new food and drink concepts shape the industry with diner preferences and perceptions front-and-center. Restaurants and brands must continue to understand what motivates consumers to dine out and how to attract those who plan on spending less in the year ahead.”
The Chicago-based Mintel Foodservice team has identified and analyzed five trends set to hit the mainstream in the US foodservice industry in 2016.
A rising number of consumers are turning to high-protein diets, and while the use of alternative protein sources is on the rise, an American classic still holds a prominent place on menus.
Anywhere and Anytime
Consumers are increasingly eating restaurant-quality food outside of “traditional” mealtimes. When delivery isn’t an option, novel foodservice offerings are stepping in to fill the void.
Messaging over Marketing
While some consumers view the majority of food and beverage claims as nothing more than marketing talk, progressive brands are embracing a fresh approach to meaningful menus to better engage with audiences.
Brands are recognizing that rather than undecided, consumers are multi-faceted, and they increasingly find balance by going to dining extremes.
New Bar Stars
The sport of cooking isn’t the only game being played in foodservice, as the same flavor-blending and ethical sensibilities behind the dinner plate are at a bar in the glass and cup.
These trends shine a light on how Americans’ ever-developing tastes are driving customization, dichotomy, authenticity and innovation across menus, into restaurant kitchens and onto store shelves like never before.


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Khodrocar – auto industry and part manufacturing don’t have good condition in recent months. Officials and experts severally said that these two industries need support in the current situation. Also it’s been said that the government should encounter with those who try to make problem for these industries but all of them are just talking with no acting. Part manufacturing is worse than auto industry and activists are saying that the industry is at the end of its life.
Arash Mohebi Nejad, secretary of part makers association said that the current problem of part makers is not clearance if parts from customs but shortage of liquidity, ambiguity in pricing, delay in supplying first material and reduce of production rate are the main problems which are challenging auto industry and part manufacturing.
Rohallah Babaei, a member of the parliament also said that part makers shouldn’t have problem and exclusivity in auto industry and supplying parts will kill both industries. It may have other effects like unemployment.
"Auto industry and part manufacturing have different problems and one of them is the multiplicity of resources so most of them are producing lower than their capacity. Second problem is the entrance of fake part manufactures to this industry. They are businessmen who are importing instead of producing.” Baharam Shahriary, an expert of auto industry told khodrocar reporter.
"Another problem is corruption. The strange corruption in the industry and the companies that are contracting them are created. Some of the big installers proudly say that we are setting the policy and they try to push their words to others. They also preventing any entrance from small producers and closed some others.” He continued.
"The problems of multi-faceted component makers are the lack of liquidity in the business sector and the heavy pressure they are pushing on the banking market and they are forced to supply their market and the high-interest banking system. Despite the delays in receiving their payments, which are also about six to eight months, and they do not receive a fine, they will not receive additional funds, but when they are owed to banks, they will be fined and fines will be paid late. As a result, a small amount of profit will be disadvantageous.” He added.
"In a word, if I want to describe the state of the country's construction, I would say that the industry is bankrupt. And the cause of this bankruptcy is by no means self-employed. The factor is external and it is subject to the government's wrong policies. Because the government does not have a definite and cohesive planning in the development of the automotive industry and any other industry. Our automotive management system is at the disposal of government executives, and they are only considering their chair, not qualitative discussions, not market-like discussions. As the two private and public sectors collapse, the public sector has shaken the private sector, and today's component manufacturers have been crushed by automakers.” He said.
Though the former minister of the industry and minister of the new ministry have repeatedly arranged car meetings to investigate the problems of the industry, but to date, there has not been a solution to the problems of car manufacturers and car makers. Last night, Reza Rahmani has been working with manufacturers and car makers to check prices for high-speed cars. As a result of these recent ministerial meetings in the industry sector, it has proven to be a reliable source of a 30 percent increase in the price of high-end vehicles and announcements this week. Sector-makers are hoping that the liquidity section will be resolved with rising prices to save them from bankruptcy.
Khodrocar Reporter: Sepideh Ghazi Nejad


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A San Diego-based company is looking to fill hundreds of open customer service positions for the Mother's Day season. FTD Companies, Inc. announced that they are planning to hire 600 customer service associates in San Diego. The company says positions could lead to "future seasonal opportunities during peak times for the company, offering a chance for employment beyond the holiday for San Diegans looking for jobs." Scheduled interviews will begin the week of March 28 for work assignments that will last through the Mother's Day holiday in May. According to the company, seasonal employees can enjoy perks that include, but are not limited to: -- Competitive pay -- Employee discounts -- Treats and catered meals during peak times, in addition to having food trucks on site each day for lunch -- Flexible work schedules (call center is open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week) -- A casual, supportive work environment Anyone interested in applying can visit the company's website here for more information. FTD Companies' brands include: ProFlowers, FTD.com, Personal Creations, Shari's Berries and Cherry Moon Farms.
Posted at 1:26 PM, Mar 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-17 18:22:44-04
Scripps Only Content 2016


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The pepper industry plans to reduce the area under the spice and focus on improving quality to ensure long-term growth, according to the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development.
Huế city won the prize for “ASEAN Clean Tourist City” during the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2018 (ATF), Nguyễn Văn Thành, chairman of the city People’s Committee, has announced.
Việt Nam’s tourism industry boasts huge development potential and the Government has rolled out a raft of policies to develop the industry now and in future years.
Dutch DJ and producer Paul Hazendonk, owner of renowned Manual Music Label, will perform at the Lighthouse on September 16.
Promotion has become more crucial than ever for tourism development in a globalised, competitive market, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huỳnh Vĩnh Ái said on Thursday.


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This year’s NAB will have fewer product launches and more focus on streamlining workflows and reducing costs. But there will still be plenty to get tech buyers excited.
If there’s a single clear trend among all the manufacturers attending NAB, it is a response to the profound changes driven by rapidly shifting consumption habits.
“Today’s technology needs to do more than allow for technology migrations, such as the transition to HD or from manual to automated workflows,” says Snell chief executive Simon Derry.
“Manufacturers need to allow broadcasters to do more with smaller budgets, and yet give them the ability to create, manage and deliver content across multiple platforms, and to monetise their media assets.”
Translating that widely accepted assessment into product is tricky, with several firms saying they want closer dialogue with clients, and many seeking tighter integration between software and applications to overcome traditional silos.
Expect fewer individual product releases and more talk of ways to streamline workflows and costs.
Management and systems
In what is expected to be a significant NAB for Snell, Derry claims the company’s new products are not just different to anything currently around but are “truly game-changing”.
Integrated Content Engine (ICE) is an integrated playout platform that is said to be the only one that can scale from a single channel to 100+ channels while maintaining the same user interface.
“Unique to ICE is a content validation feature that analyses source material as soon as it is available to prevent invalid formats or impaired content from getting on air,” says Derry.
“This feature is critical for broadcast operations looking to avoid incompatibilities as their file-based workflows continue to change.”
Another show launch is Momentum, Snell’s media management and workflow system, and Vega, a new routing switcher that allows any combination of inputs and outputs in a mixed coax/fibre environment - something Derry believes “redefines its product category”.
Harmonic vice-president, product management, Tom Lattie says the industry is in the middle of moving from the traditional “island” approach of system design and management to a more holistic, IP-based infrastructure.
“We will showcase cost-effective, high-performance workflows that bridge the gap from traditional broadcast to next-generation multi-screen services,” he says, highlighting the debut of ChannelPort, an integrated channel playout device for its Spectrum servers.
At Harris, the theme is ‘deliver the moment’. Mathias Eckert, vice-president, sales and services, explains: “The evolving nature of how consumers digest media has transformed the way broadcasters operate, requiring solutions that automate workflows, simplify content management and support multiplatform delivery.
Harris is helping broadcasters transform signals into ‘media moments’ that inform and entertain their audiences.” Harris will introduce QuiC, a range of quality control tools for analysing video files, and HView SX Pro, a multi-display management system designed as a compact signal processing and monitoring option for control rooms.
“Live production has become increasingly complex as the number of signal sources rises, increasing the need to simplify monitoring processes across facilities,” says Eckert.
Miranda Technologies is presenting new systems to more effectively address loudness compliance and offer smarter signal management, while reducing operating costs for broadcasters and playout providers.
It will also introduce systems that automate VoD mastering, better integrate playout and simplify social media graphics, says senior vice-president Marco Lopez.
Acquisition and production
Unmissable in this category is Canon’s recently released EOS C300, which offers digital 35mm imaging in tandem with the Canon EF lens range loved by cinematographers.
Although the resolution is HD, the image starts life at almost 4K because of its 8.3 megapixel sensor. Given the way Canon derives colour information, there is little aliasing or chromatic distortion when it comes to the final image.
The latest (Mark III) version of its bestselling 5D DSLR will also be on show, and could offer high enough bitrate (50Mbps) to support HD delivery.
Canon has also promised to deliver by the end of the year a DSLR featuring a 35mm full frame CMOS sensor that supports 4K video, and it may be previewed at the show.
There is stiff competition from Nikon, whose D800 has begun shipping, and a number of relatively inexpensive largesensor cameras including Sony’s F3 and FS10, Panasonic’s AF101 and the Arri Alexa.
According to Arri business development manager Milan Krsljanin, the manufacturer will unveil “interesting developments and products that will strengthen Arri’s market leadership”.
Sony is likely to row back on 3D amid reports that it is to scale down its LA-based training facility, the 3D Technology Centre, and concentrate on developments in 4K.
Like 3D, Sony has a business that encompasses not just the front end of 4K production but also the consumer side, where it hopes to promote 4K cinema systems, 4K-capable TVs and home cinema projection.
Backing higher resolutions requires filmmakers to acquire content in the format, and central to these plans is Sony’s F65 4K camera, shipping since January with roughly 400 pre-orders worldwide.
In May, Sony will also launch a new camcorder aimed at high-end videography. The PMW-100 will cost around £3,322, sports a new sensor design, has a single 1/3-inch chip and records in the XDCAM format at 50Mbps HD422.
3D and high resolution is core to the direction of Meduza, which will announce at NAB that the Titan camera for HD 3D TV is ready to buy. However, plans to deliver its bigger brother, the MK1, which was announced a year ago, are on hold pending development of a 4K sensor.
JVC will debut a range of newsgathering cameras that are said to be smaller and lighter than current models, and deliver better sensitivity in low-light environments. Key is the ability to instantly transfer files back to a TV station without a microwave link.
According to Gustav Emrich, JVC Europe product manager, the new technology should be particularly appealing for one-person ENG operations that need to get footage on air immediately. “The technology to instantly move files to the newsroom directly from the camera will fundamentally transform the way news is gathered,” he predicts.
Post, distribution and delivery
Grass Valley says its customers are shifting from a focus on a particular technology towards a more strategic view of how tech investment can affect their business models.
“This is a very important time in the evolution of our industry and customers want to talk about the problems they are facing and the business opportunities they want to go after,” says Grass Valley executive vice-president of marketing Jeff Rosica. “We want to be much more of a partner.”
For Grass Valley, fundamental to addressing this is Stratus, a software platform integrated across the company’s product line and intended to make collaborative working easier. Released at NAB 2011, it is now operable with the firm’s K2 Dyno Replay System, which means metadata created with the Dyno will be immediately available to other operators working on the same network.
Avid director of solutions development Kevin Usher says he believes customers “increasingly need a trusted, more consultative partner to help them handle ever-growing content demands”.
The company will focus on news, where Avid has a set of integrated, web-based software tools, and sports, where it is seeing increased demand for quality content to be pushed out to fans during a game.
“Scoreboard highlights, promotions and classic clips can now be delivered in-stadium to enhance fans’ experience,” says Usher.
“To make this happen, stadiums are investing in high-quality, collaborative, media production tools.”
For Dolby, the main challenge is understanding the impact of delivering content to a wide number of consumer playback devices.
“Content creators want to ensure their content reaches the consumer in the best quality possible, even when the content creator doesn’t know what all the end devices will be,” says Dolby marketing manager Venkat Venkateshwaran.
Part of the solution might be Dolby Digital Plus, which is capable of delivering high-fidelity audio from iPods to home cinemas in up to 13.1 channels of discrete surround sound. HBO Go, Vudu and Netflix have all licensed the technology to deliver their OTT services.
Disrupting distribution patterns on both sides of the Atlantic, Netflix has become a major player as a conduit for streamed premium film and TV content on connected devices.
It even has a fund for original content, so it will be interesting to hear what chief content officer Ted Sarandos has to say at a Q&A session on Tuesday 17 April.
European broadcast veteran Gerhard Zeiler is also on the bill. The chief executive of RTL Group is on the verge of joining Turner Broadcasting System as president of its international division, and will doubtless have something to say about the strength of channel brands in an era of OTT video and apps.
The SMPTE-sponsored conference on digital cinema that opens the trade show could throw up some interesting points.
It will have fresh perspectives on 4K and will take stock of advances in high frame rates, a technology touted by director James Cameron, who will deliver a session titled ‘The Secrets of Making 3D Profitable’.
This article is taken from the March/April issue of Broadcast TECH.


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TOKYO — A former senior retail manager at Prada Japan is suing the Japanese subsidiary of the Italian luxury goods house, accusing the company of harassing and discriminating against its staff members, including herself, on the basis of physical appearance.
Rina Bovrisse, who filed her lawsuit Friday, alleges Prada Japan chief executive officer Davide Sesia asked her last year to “eliminate” about 15 store managers and another 15 retail staff members because he considered them overweight or unattractive.
Prada has denied the charges. “You can’t stop people suing you,” said a Milan-based spokesman. “We are very serene and we’ll fight back in the appropriate way.” Contacted by e-mail, Sesia deferred to the company’s press office.
In December, Bovrisse filed a labor complaint with the Tokyo District Court and the last of three closed-door hearings took place March 12. Shortly thereafter, she was fired from the company. While Prada has indicated the court ruled in its favor, Bovrisse said that’s not the case.
Prada said last week the court dismissed all of Bovrisse’s accusations and ruled that the termination of her employment was perfectly legitimate. But Bovrisse maintains that, since the court did not reach a settlement between the parties, she is free to pursue a lawsuit against the company. The trial, which would be open to the public, likely would last about one year, Bovrisse said.
Bovrisse claims Sesia requested she remove about 30 employees, mostly women in their late 30s and early 40s, from their positions at stores. These people were subsequently demoted to positions at outlets or stores at remote locations, but many of them ended up resigning from the company, she said.
The Bovrisse-Prada dispute came to light last week in a report in the English-language newspaper The Japan Times.
The former retail manager, who maintains a human resources manager told her to lose weight and change her hair color, said she hopes the suit will inspire more Japanese women to speak up when they are treated unfairly. Japan’s deferential corporate culture has convinced women here that it’s better to stay quiet, said Bovrisse.
Bovrisse, a Japanese national, has more than a decade of experience in the fashion industry including an eight-year run at Chanel in both the U.S. and Japan as well as a year-and-a-half stint at Prada’s U.S. headquarters in New York.
She is seeking compensation for emotional damages and her lawyers’ fees.


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The involvement of a direct repair program auto body shop led to “a significantly higher overall satisfaction score” in J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, the research firm announced Thursday.
Claimants who had body work done at an insurer-affiliated shop averaged an 888 out of 1,000 in overall satisfaction, J.D. Power said. But customers who used a shop outside of the relevant carrier’s network only averaged 844 in satisfaction.
“This is driven by quicker cycle times among DRP shops and regular updates on progress,” J.D. Power wrote in a news release.
Altogether, customers averaged a record-high satisfaction of 872, J.D. Power said.
The 2020 study ran from November 2019 through September and surveyed 11,055 people who filed a claim within the six months prior to being contacted. (So theoretically, this could include folks the collision industry fixed as far back as May 2019.) J.D. Power didn’t count glass-only or stolen-car claims.
In the past, there hadn’t been as much differentiation between DRP and non-DRP facilities, according to J.D. Power property and casualty insurance intelligence head Tom Super. Now, they’re “more different,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
Back in 2017, customers who patronized DRP facilities posted overall satisfaction of 873 out of 1,000, according to J.D. Power data. Non-DRP users produced an 846 satisfaction score. Since then, the spread between DRP and non-DRP shops has widened to the 44 points described above — and non-DRP shops tied to less satisfaction than in the past.
One wonders if some of the blame for diminished non-DRP satisfaction scores rests with the insurer, not the shop.
The latest “Who Pays for What?” poll conducted by Collision Advice and CRASH Network showed a disparity in how likely insurers are to reimburse a repair operation if filed by a DRP shop versus a non-DRP site.
The latest survey finds repeated instances of Top 10 insurers paying bills from non-DRP shops — which means the insurers are effectively refusing to reimburse their own customer or claimant. However, examples of parity or non-DRP shops faring better exist as well.
For example, here’s the latest seat belt inspection data collected:
We asked J.D. Power if the research had found any evidence that insurers were treating customers differently for patronizing a non-DRP collision repairer, thereby affecting satisfaction. Super said their study didn’t go that deep — such a question “doesn’t align with the J.D. Power expertise as much,” he said.
The J.D. Power research also found customers non-DRP experiencing longer overall claims and having to make more of an effort during the process. Again, these metrics could arguably capture problems with the insurer’s speed and behavior on out-of-network claims as well as a shop’s.
Cycle times were “much quicker” for DRP shops, Super said. The average time from first notice of loss to vehicle delivery took 11.6 days for insurer network facilities, compared to 16 days for non-DRP sites, Super said.
And DRPs “did extremely well” on the amount of customer effort required, according to Super. He said both the spread between DRP and non-DRP shops had improved, and DRP shops had increased their own scores as well.
He said 42 percent of DRP customers reported having to do very little, compared to 37 percent of non-DRP customers who could get by with an extremely personal effort.
“That’s pretty significant,” Super said.
Super said customers gave DRP shops better marks for quality, speed, helpfulness, keeping informed (this one showed “significant improvement” for DRP shops over non-DRP sites, he said) and estimate accuracy. In all of these elements, “DRPs are outperforming non-DRP shops,” Super said.
Super noted that it was “very difficult” for the average auto insurer to retain a customer after a crash — the consumer knows their premiums are likely to rise. In addition, the insurance industry was spending $9 billion annually on advertising trying to get consumers to shop for a new carrier.
Anything keeping a consumer within an insurer’s book can mean “significant revenue” for carriers, according to Super. Even marginal improvement can be desirable, he suggested.
If body shops can enhance customer service, “there is a direct translation to increased business outcomes,” he said.
Super also observed that COVID-19 let insurers create a “test case” around the concept of “enhanced service delivery” to eke out that additional margin. They could try out “white-glove service,” he said. And it worked: J.D. Power saw an increase in “service-related metrics” that improved “business outcomes” like customer loyalty and intent to renew a policy, he said.
Overall, the new claims study found 77 percent of customers who used direct repair program facilities were likely to renew their policy, compared to 62 percent for patrons of non-DRP shops, according to Super. He called that a “pretty significant difference.”
In other J.D. Power news, here’s which insurers it found delivered the greatest satisfaction:
J.D. Power, Oct. 22, 2020
Some insurers less consistently reimburse charges for inspecting seat belts from repairers not on their DRP, according to summer 2020 “Who Pays for What?” polling. (Provided by CRASH Network and Collision Advice)
Data from the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study is shown. (Provided by J.D. Power)


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It’s official, Nissan presented the electric version of its NV200, the e-NV200 concept in Spain, hailed as the city's next generation clean taxi.
For shoppers around the country who plan to brave the long lines looking for those Black Friday deals, most will have to stand in the cold.
Back in August, rumors began circulating about changes to the Nissan Leaf for the 2013 model year. On Monday this week, Nissan released details of the Japanese version of the 2013 Nissan Leaf.
While the average motorist couldn’t care any less which cars are fastest around the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife track in Germany, this massive road course has become the top track in the world f
As we entered the final quarter of 2012, the Nissan Leaf had one last chance to stage any sort of comeback in terms of annual sales in the battle with the Chevrolet Volt.
Any automaker who is serious about performance is involved in racing at some level as they develop performance technology.
Nissan has announced new performance upgrades to the new 2014 GT-R and it keeps getting better.
Those who lost vehicles in the Hurricane Sandy frankenstorm over the Halloween holiday can replace them with employee pricing and financing options from any of the more than 225 Nissan dealerships
It appears that Nissan’s design department is drawing its inspiration from the ghost of serial killer Ed Gein.
The history of electric car advertising campaigns has a spotty record, for example the early Nissan Leaf commercial about hugging a polar bear.
I love disruptive technologies, whether in computers or cars. Anything that shakes the traditional slothful “same as before” but with a different face is worthwhile.
There are times when due to lack of attention, blind spots we cannot see in traffic, such as the space between two parked cars, or a sudden change in the traffic around us, that an accident is almo
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced the recall of select model-year 2012-2013 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012 through July 26, 2012.


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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — People are turning to local thrift stores in order to combat the rising cost of goods. According to one research study, the second-hand market is projected to double in the next five years and become a 77-billion dollar industry. But could it also see increased prices as a result of inflation?
Bryan Stewart from Goodwill of Southern Nevada says that inflation hasn’t been a factor for them, because the only major cost of operation for the company involve staffing and occupation of space. When it comes to staffing, Goodwill, like many other companies, faces challenges with hiring and retention.
“Some of that is due to good turnover. We welcome people who are getting a start in the workplace, need immediate work, or a second chance.” Stewart told us.
The company prides itself on employing people with major barriers like minimal work skills, no high school diploma, or a disabilities. Across the valley, Goodwill has 16 retail operations, a clearance section, four attended donation stores, and an online store. It employees about eight hundred people.
Stewart says the company is maintaining operations efficiently, so they don’t pass along price increases to their customers. Over the last twelve months, they haven’t increased their prices for the core items, such as clothing. The last price hike at Goodwill for clothing occurred in 2019, and was only an increase of about ten percent.
“Obviously we’re running an operation and there will be increases over time,” says Stewart, “But compared to what we’re all dealing with, in terms of inflationary pressures, that’s quite minimal.”
Revenues collected from the sale of donated goods fuel goodwill’s workforce development programs.


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In a blog featured on the www.businessfightspoverty.org website, Dr. Susan Mboya, Group Director for Eurasia Africa Women’s Economic Empowerment at the Coca-Cola Company, describes a recent event on the economic empowerment of women, as well as her company’s work in supporting women through their value chains. The Coca-Cola Company’s own micro distribution center (MDC) model allows women to establish small, independently-owned, and low-cost distribution businesses within their value chain to serve urban and peri-urban retail markets. Programs like the new 5BY20 initiative seek to empower 5 million women entrepreneurs throughout Coca-Cola’s global system by the year 2020.
Each year Uks, a research, resource and publication center on women and media, publishes its Annual Desk Diary. This signature product is a handy organizational tool that also provides a well-rounded view of a particular theme chosen for that year. Past editions have covered a variety of topics including women’s empowerment through education, the struggle for legal rights, and striving for power and visibility in the media. Inspired by its work with CIPE and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries to create a series of radio programs about women entrepreneurs, Uks chose entrepreneurship as the main theme of this year’s Desk Diary.
Women of Pakistan: Climbing up the Entrepreneurship Ladder features a collection of success stories, news articles and essays about women entrepreneurs in Pakistan maneuvering through a complex and challenging business environment. The success stories below are just a taste of what can be found in the complete 2011 Desk Diary available for purchase by contacting the Uks office directly.
Continue reading ‘Women of Pakistan Climbing up the Entrepreneurship Ladder’ »
World Bank Study Finds That Legal Differences Based on Gender Continue to Limit Women’s Participation in the Formal Economy
Women represent 49.6% of the population worldwide, but only 40.8% of the formal economy. A recent World Bank study, Women, Business and the Law 2012: Removing Barriers to Economic Inclusion, contends that this disparity may be explained in part by the legal differences between men and women present in many countries. Building off of and expanding beyond other business indicator datasets, like Doing Business and the Enterprise Surveys, the Women, Business and the Law project (WBL) sought to identify and shed light on the additional legal barriers women face when seeking employment or starting their own business. The project studied 141 economies across the globe, measuring the legal differences based on gender in six areas: accessing institutions, using property, getting a job, providing incentives to work, building credit, and going to court.
Continue reading ‘World Bank Study Finds That Legal Differences Based on Gender Continue to Limit Women’s Participation in the Formal Economy’ »
Last week, CIPE hosted a webinar with Selima Ahmad, founder and president of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Ms. Ahmad shared stories of how entrepreneurship is transforming the lives of women in Bangladesh, described her experience in helping women overcome obstacles to equal participation in the marketplace, and shared lessons on leadership in giving voice to women. CIPE Deputy Director for Programs Jean Rogers moderated this exchange on women’s empowerment with participants from the Community of Women Entrepreneurs forum and others from several countries across the globe.
Washington – CIPE is hosting a webinar on Success Stories in Women’s Economic Empowerment from Bangladesh with Selima Ahmad, founder and president of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Friday, September 30 at 9:00am Eastern Standard Time. Ms. Ahmad will share stories of how entrepreneurship is transforming the lives of women in Bangladesh. She will describe her experiences in helping women overcome the obstacles to equal participation in the marketplace, and share lessons on leadership in giving voice to women. Registration is still open. REGISTER HERE
Continue reading ‘CIPE Women Entrepreneurs Update’ »
Last week Walmart launched the Global Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative to help empower women across its supply chain, focusing on five primary goals: to increase sourcing from women-owned businesses; to empower women on farms and in factories through training, market access and career opportunities; to empower women through job training and education; to increase gender diversity among suppliers; and to make significant philanthropic giving toward women’s economic empowerment.
In support of these goals Walmart recently announced plans to create a dedicated webpage on Walmart.com that will feature an assortment of products created by women in nearly two dozen countries, including women who work in cooperatives and own small businesses. Expected to be available in spring 2012, the site will include products such as jewelry from Guatemala, Thailand and Ethiopia; coffee from Central and South America; and dresses from Kenya. By 2016, the dedicated e-commerce site will feature approximately 500 items by more than 20,000 women in nearly two dozen countries. The goal is to provide an e-commerce marketplace for women-owned businesses that otherwise would not have access to the type of broad customer base Walmart.com offers. Continue reading ‘E-Commerce Empowerment Solution for Women around the Globe’ »
Forbes Magazine recently released its annual list of the World’s Most Powerful Women and with nearly half of this year’s power women coming from the business sector, an increase of over last year’s 39, businesswomen are proving to be a force to reckon with.
There were in fact several changes to the 2011 list, including new additions and higher rankings of returning power women, but one thing that has not changed much is the presence, or lack thereof, of businesswomen from emerging markets. Of the 49 businesswomen on Forbes’ list, a mere seven stem from emerging markets, and similar to last year only one, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, is an entrepreneur.
Continue reading ‘What’s Missing from the 2011 World’s Most Powerful Women List?’ »
There is no question that doing business in a developing country is difficult, but doing business in a developing country as a woman can at times seem impossible. Women face institutional and cultural barriers that limit their ability to start and scale up their businesses. Women are also grossly underrepresented in senior management, holding only 9% of these positions worldwide. Yet despite the hurdles most women face, there are countless examples of women overcoming these obstacles and proving that with the right amount of dedication and innovative thinking it is possible to succeed. A recent article in the New York Times showcases three such examples of inspiring women, highlighting their struggle and ultimate success doing business in the Middle East. Continue reading ‘Women Overcoming Barriers to Business: A Few Inspirational Stories’ »
Last month CIPE hosted Democracy that Delivers for Women in Washington D.C. The event gathered over 250 development practitioners, experts, grassroots organizers, and others engaged in women’s empowerment to discuss the links between women’s political and economic empowerment.
- Watch the video or read the opening session remarks on the Political and Economic Power of Women by Melanne Verveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.
- Read and comment on Gayle Tzemach Lemmon’s thoughts about the conference and the themes and questions it raised, on the Council on Foreign Relations’ Democracy in Development blog.
- Read and comment on Stephenie Foster’s Huffington Post article covering the conference.
- Check out a photo slideshow from the conference, on Flickr or on Facebook (Day 1 and Day 2).
To read more about women’s empowerment or follow-up on the Democracy that Delivers for Women conference check out the CIPE Global Update – July 2011.
A Conversation on Corporate Citizenship and Women’s Empowerment at Democracy That Delivers for Women
At the Democracy that Delivers for Women conference, the conversation on corporate citizenship was particularly insightful, offering examples of how adhering to good corporate governance standards and implementing corporate social responsibility programs can improve the business environment for women. The session was moderated by Taryn Bird, Manager of the Global Corporate Citizenship Program and Corporate Relations at the Business Civic Leadership Center, and included panelists Eileen Kaufman, Executive Director of Social Accountability International and Angel Fraile Coracho, Sustainable Development Manager at Endesa. Continue reading ‘A Conversation on Corporate Citizenship and Women’s Empowerment at Democracy That Delivers for Women’ »


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He has gone from the street of Sunderland to a fashion favourite in the celebrity world, with Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue all wearing his incredible designs.
Designer Gareth Pugh, from Grangetown, started his fashion career at the City of Sunderland College before going on to graduate from Central St Martins in 2003.
After graduating from the top fashion school, Gareth has gone on to become one of the great contemporary fashion designers, with acclaimed shows in London and a legion of celebrity fans.
Kylie Minogue famously wore his designs on her Showgirl - The Greatest Hits Tour and Showgirl - The Homecoming Tour.
Christina Aguilera was recently seen wearing head-to-toe Gareth Pugh, for an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Now the 36-year-old will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Sunderland.
University of Sunderland Vice-Chancellor Shirley Atkinson said: “We are proud to pay tribute to our honoraries at this year’s Graduation Ceremonies.
“They have all made a significant impact in their chosen careers and will be a tremendous inspiration to our graduates who are celebrating their academic success before beginning or continuing their own career.”
He just one of the famous faces that will be given honorary awards at the annual graduation ceremonies in July.
Other names receiving accolades include doctor, campaigner and This Morning broadcaster Dr Chris Steele MBE.
Sunderland born Chris will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Science, in recognition of his contribution to the medical profession and for his public health broadcasting role.
South Shields-born journalist and broadcaster Kevin Maguire will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Arts, in recognition his outstanding contribution to political journalism.
He is a visiting lecturer at the University, and associate editor of the Daily Mirror.
Alice Hall, a Sunderland graduate, founded online retailer Pink Boutique in 2012 which is now one of the UK’s fastest-growing private fashion firms.
She will be announced as the Alumni Achiever of the Year.
The honoraries will be joined by almost 3,000 graduates receiving awards from University Chancellor Steve Cram CBE.
Ms Atkinson said: “We are very proud to continue our life-changing work with the class of 2018, who, alongside all of our graduates, make a huge difference to our region and to wider society, both nationally and internationally.
“They are our tomorrow makers.”


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PSA Group, the France based Automotive giant has officially announced its plans of entering India with the Citroen brand by 2021. PSA Group is the owner of renowned car brands like Opel, Vauxhall, Citroen, DS and Peugeot. Carlos Tavares, chairman of the managing board, Groupe PSA, said that the move to enter India is in line with the second phase of its ‘Push to Pass’ strategic plan for the period 2019-2021.
The Group is marking its return to India through a joint venture with the CK Birla Group. Under this JV, PSA has established a facility in Tamil Nadu to manufacture and supply powertrains and transmission units for global and domestic automotive markets.
“We are very proud to launch Citroen in India, one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Building on the brand's success in Europe with five consecutive years of growth, I am convinced that Citroen’s selling proposition of unique styling, eco-friendly and comfortable cars at the heart of the market has all the potential to satisfy Indian customers," said Linda Jackson, CEO of Citroen.
While the brand hasn’t revealed any information as to which car will be the first to launch here, it could very well be the C5 Aircross SUV. Recently spied testing in the country, the C5 Aircross is based on the carmaker’s EMP platform. It is a premium mid-size SUV that rivals the Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass and the VW Tiguan in international markets. It will most likely get both petrol and diesel powertrains. Globally, the SUV is available with 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engines along with 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbo diesel engines. These come mated to either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
The PSA Group had first come to India in 1994 as a partner with the iconic Premier Automobiles. The partnership sold Peugeot cars in India for about three years before the Joint Venture ended in 1997. This time around the PSA Group has entered into two JVs with the CK Birla Group under which it has set up an engine plant and a separate car manufacturing facility at Hosur in Tamil Nadu.
Vyankatesh is currently associated with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Pvt. Ltd. (MBRDI) as Vice President ...
It will develop electric vehicles at this manufacturing unit with an installed capacity of 300,000 units per annum ...
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