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Shopping portal Amazon has announced the dates of its annual sale for Prime members. Prime Day 2019 will take place start at midnight on July 15th and end on July 16th. This year, the sale will run for 48-hours offering two full days of shopping deals and discounts. Amazon claims that the event will include thousands of deals at the lowest prices across smartphones, consumer electronics, fashion, everyday essentials, and more. There will also be over 1,000 new product launches from top brands like OnePlus, Samsung, Sennheiser, Whirlpool and more. Amazon has also teased deals and discounts on its own products and rock bottom prices on 5,000+ electronics.
As for entertainment, Amazon Prime Video will release at least one prominent title for two weeks straight starting from July 1st till July 14th. These include A Star Is Born, Venom, Kalank and Comicstaan Season 2. The 14 new titles will release in nine languages on Prime Video. Prime members can stream their first song on Prime Music and get Rs 200 as Amazon Pay balance and an additional 20 percent cash back on purchase of any Echo device on Prime Day.
On Prime Day, members are also eligible to 10 percent instant discount on HDFC Bank debit and credit cards. Amazon will offer unlimited reward points with Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit cards. There will also be no cost EMIs on credit/debit cards and Bajaj Finserv EMI cards. Members can begin saving ahead of Prime Day and get up to Rs 2,500 cash back from Amazon Pay on domestic flight bookings and up to Rs 850 on popular apps.
It is safe to assume Prime Day is Amazon’s biggest sale event of the year. Users who are not Prime members can start their free 30-day trial now or become a Prime member at Rs 129 per month, which will grant access to all its member-exclusive deals. Members can also enjoy a two-hour fast delivery in metro cities. We will curate a list of best deals when they are released, so stay tuned to Pricebaba.


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Nathaniel Boso is well-versed on Africa’s assets — a burgeoning youth population with an expanding middle class and improved living conditions, an abundance of mineral resources and an already strong apparel sourcing base — that suggest the continent could be the next China and last supply chain frontier.
For the dean of the School of Business at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, that potential is tempered whenever he hits the road. For example: A recent drive from the western part of the country, near the Ivory Coast border, to Kumasi should have taken about three hours, but the narrow and underdeveloped roads turned it into an eight-hour slog.
That arduous commute typifies the intersection between Africa’s supply chain possibilities and its present state. Consumer demand is growing, and there are isolated supply chain successes. But the continent as a whole is years away from developing the necessary manufacturing capabilities and logistics framework as well as an economic and free-trade consensus in a part of the globe plagued by geopolitical instability.
“There’s a lot of excitement about Africa, but we have to be cautious about the level of optimism,” Boso says. “We still have the least developed supply chain. The basic infrastructure for making and moving goods and services is simply not there.”
Africa has the second-largest (1.3 billion) and youngest (average age 19.7) population among continents. “The growing young population is an incredible asset,” says Dale Rogers, Ph.D., professor of business at Arizona State University. “But you have to be able to feed those people, employ them and teach them.”
Nevertheless, resources are in place for an investment race between companies and countries. They include:
- The second-largest (1.3 billion) and youngest (average age 19.7) population among continents
- A third of the globe’s known reserves of such minerals as gold, titanium, platinum and manganese
- Low labor costs
- An emerging economy, with consumer spending growing at a compound annual rate of 3.9 percent and expected to reach US$2.5 trillion by 2030, according to the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based research group.
However, that potential will remain untapped without the development process that matures supply chains and economies, says Tom Linton, a senior adviser at global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. “It comes down to a sequence of things that need to happen,” he explains. “As was the case in Asia, it starts with stability, followed by infrastructure and an educated workforce. Then, companies (will) move in to leverage the capabilities.”
The China Comparison
Conventional wisdom has suggested that Africa follow the same path as China, which in the late 1970s began designating areas as “special economic zones” and massively investing in infrastructure, helping the Communist country evolve from largely an agricultural economy to a manufacturing and technology power.
“In 1980, the infrastructure in Africa wasn’t that much different than the infrastructure in China,” says Dale Rogers, Ph.D., ON Semiconductor professor of business at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. “Some of the best infrastructure in the world now is in China because it’s continued to invest, something even the U.S. hasn’t done a good job of.” (See story on page 22.)
However, as Rogers points out,
it’s much simpler for a single authoritarian country to dictate its economic direction, while a continent of 54 sovereign states recognized by the United Nations (U.N.) has disparate characteristics and interests. Africa is also contending with such obstacles as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, noted Fatima Denton, director of the U.N. University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana, during a Brookings Institute webinar in September.
A worker inside a small-scale mine in extracts tanzanite, a rare gemstone mined commercially only in Tanzania. A third of the world’s known reserves of such minerals as gold, titanium, platinum and manganese are in Africa.
“Many countries have ambitious industrialization plans, (but) industrialization has had somewhat of a checkered history in Africa,” Denton said. “We cannot industrialize in same the way mature economies have done. Times have changed, and we are dealing with a (structure) that comes with its own associated problems. We face challenges that this continent didn’t produce but is on the front lines of, and it will be the hardest hit. So, we have to industrialize with some degree of ingenuity, (including) green industrialization and trade.”
The Brookings webinar discussed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which was founded in 2018 and commenced trade on January 1. AfCFTA advocates say the pact should spur economic growth and reduce inequality and poverty in the continent. Rogers calls it a “positive first step,” but he and Bosa are skeptical, in part because free trade does little to address stability, the first step in Linton’s sequence.
Two Africas: Inequality and Instability
Supply chains and manufacturing activity in such countries as South Africa, Egypt and Morocco are advanced and on par with those of many industrialized nations. In 2018, Morocco passed South Africa to become the continent’s biggest exporter of passenger vehicles, at an annual value of $9.9 billion.
With few exceptions, the drop-off after that top-tier trio is substantial. In recent years, Africa has been a destination for apparel sourcing; for example, Swedish clothing brand family H&M Group has eight suppliers and eight factories in Ethiopia and also sources from Morocco and Kenya. The U.S. imported a record-high $453 million of apparel from Kenya in 2019.
But inequities exist: A 2019 report from the New York University Stern Center for Business and Human Rights found that Ethiopian garment workers earned the equivalent of $26 a month, the lowest pay in the world. In comparison, the report stated, workers earned $340 a month in China, $207 in Kenya and $95 in Bangladesh.
However, perhaps the biggest inequities between countries — those that most challenge trade agreements and continent-wide economic growth — are with levels of geopolitical stability. Geopolitical turmoil is one of the biggest threats to supply chains, and Africa has a long and tragic history of it. “This is a continent with several generational political and ethnic issues that are going to be very difficult to integrate,” Boso says.
According to the 2021 Fragile States Index by The Fund for Peace, a Washington, D.C.-based research institution, 10 of the world’s 14 most unstable countries are in Africa. Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the top five. The Supply Chain Risk Insights Report 2021 by the British Standards Institution (BSI) forecast that terrorism could cause disruptions in Eastern and West Central Africa, and elections in 10 counties, including Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan, might result in social unrest.
Some countries are dominated by the military. It’s very fragile — in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, things are just not stable. Anything can happen at any time.
Among the most recent turbulence: Last year’s elections in Guinea were marred by violence, and in August, military members staged an uprising in the capital of Conakry and vowed to replace regional governors. In October, Sudan’s military dissolved the country’s transitional democratic government and declared a state of emergency, a move U.N. officials denounced as a “coup.”
“Some countries are dominated by the military,” Boso says. “It’s very fragile — in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, things are just not stable. Anything can happen at any time. And it’s so unpredictable to the extent that, in some cases, you don’t know how to even plan for risk.”
It’s hoped that more intra-continent commerce and increased participation in global trade will help ease tensions. Of the AfCFTA’s 54 nation signatories, 38 had ratified the agreement as of mid-September. “Countries with better institutions and less corruption will be more likely to experience benefits,” Wisdom Akpalu, Ph.D., dean of the School of Research and Graduate Studies at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra, said during the Brookings webinar. “There may not be political will in countries that feel they won’t benefit, and that will constrain the collective impact.”
Infrastructure Is (Almost) Everything
The second step in the sequence is infrastructure, as the agricultural products of today and the minerals promise of tomorrow lose value without capacity to manufacture and transport. “In Ghana, you see a lot of tomatoes, avocados and other products rot in the streets,” Boso says, “because there’s a supply chain problem of capability to move these commodities from production point to end user.”
While Rwanda is developing improved infrastructure, Boso says, most of sub-Saharan Africa is struggling to catch up with the top-tier nations. Like in all parts of the world, COVID-19 exposed infrastructure deficiencies, and closing the gap will be costly: The continent’s infrastructure needs require $170 billion a year of investment through 2025, according to the African Development Bank.
Ghana recently announced a $1.5 billion investment to nearly quadruple capacity at Tema, the country’s biggest port. However, transportation headaches intensify after the containers are unloaded: It takes an average of 30 days to move goods from south Ghana to the northern border with Burkina Faso, due in big part to narrow roads, Boso says.
The insufficient manufacturing capabilities mean most African businesses are import-dependent. Products from such countries as China and India come with high transportation costs that are passed on to consumers. Africa has the rubber to make personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies, but only a handful of apparel factories could be retooled to produce them.
“Even if we could manufacture PPE, it comes back to the same issue: Do we have the infrastructure to move materials around efficiently?” Boso says. “Not at this time, because there are no (transcontinental) railway lines for moving commodities across the country.”
Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways have boosted cargo service, including converting passenger jets unused during the pandemic. Airfreight volumes in Africa were up 33.5 percent in June compared to the same month in 2019 — the largest increase of any continent, according to the International Air Transport Association. However, the most vital modes in African transportation are railways, which have drawn the highest-profile investments, especially from China.
As part of its Belt and Road Initiative that has also spearheaded construction of roads, ports and power plants, Beijing has spent heavily to modernize Africa’s patchwork railway system, highlighted by new lines in such countries as Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania. In Ghana, investments on current and future railway and roads projects will exceed $2 billion; some of the funding is through loans from China.
Chinese president Xi Jinping offered Africa $60 billion in infrastructure financing in 2015 and 2018, as Beijing insisted it was not engaging in “debt trap” diplomacy. “Of course, China is not handing over these monies for free,” says Boso, who notes that one loan agreement provides a Chinese corporation access to minerals mining in Ghana. “And given some of the history, you hope African countries are using the money efficiently to develop infrastructure. You hope that’s what all the money is geared toward.”
Interest from companies in the U.S., India and Russia, among other countries, suggests an African investment race is underway. And in October, Forbes magazine reported that London-based firm Development Partners International has built an African investment fund of more than $1.1 billion.
“For businesses to relocate or establish operations in Africa, the incentives must be right,” Akpalu said during the Brookings webinar. “Whenever there are good institutions, the environment is enabling, and businesses can get a return on their investment, capital will go there. If risk is involved in investment, it’s unlikely there will be any, and that has (traditionally) been the fate of Africa. … The risk of setting up in many Africa regions has been seen as high, and we have not been able to attract those kinds of investments.”
Building Africa’s Supply Chain Know-How
The third step in the sequence — an educated workforce — is most personal to Boso. With much of the continent’s population under higher-education age, the challenge is widespread — and supply management aptitude is especially lacking, he says. That is a reason Boso left his position as doctoral program coordinator at Leeds University Business School in England to join the KNUST faculty in 2017.
“In industries across Ghana and Africa, there is a problem attracting world-class supply chain professionals,” he says. “When I talk to professional associations or supply chain people, many will say they joined supply chain work without any formal education in it. They just learned on the job. So, there is clearly a need for supply chain professionals who are well-trained and have a deep knowledge of modern supply chain management.”
In recent years, ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business and the KNUST School of Business have collaborated, most notably on ShipShape, a mobile education game that teaches such supply chain skills as purchasing, demand planning and inventory management. In 2020, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a $15 million grant to support an ASU-KNUST partnership project in Ghana: the Center for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain-Africa (CARISCA).
Among CARISCA’s objectives are to (1) drive research and training to innovate African supply chains, (2) raise the efficiency and effectiveness of the continent’s health-care and agricultural value chains, (3) build inclusion and opportunities for women and disadvantaged supply chain stakeholders and (4) develop a robust partner network.
“The growing young population is an incredible asset,” Rogers says. “But you have to be able to feed those people, employ them and teach them. (Boso) is doing important work in Ghana, as there is such a need for training and improving skills to producing a new generation of scholars, including supply chain scholars.”
Realizing Africa’s supply chain potential is a process that will take years — and economic development, free trade and building a manufacturing and infrastructure framework are critical steps. But human resources will be most valuable, Boso says.
“Much of the conversation in Africa is about how supply chains can defy the odds,” Boso says. “We talk about so many problems and challenges facing Africa. But a lot of companies have smart, innovative ways to get around those problems. So, the supply chain institutions in Africa at the moment may be weak, but we have the personnel that can provide the opportunity for innovation.”

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Insight Editions Previews Upcoming “Harry Potter” Merch at BookExpo
BookExpo is a magical place where readers can meet authors, connect with other fans, and get previews of all the most exciting books set to be released in the coming months. This year, one of our favorite booths was Insight Editions, where the creators of Harry Potter: The Wand Collection were showing off other Harry Potter items produced by the company, including several products set to be released this fall. We know there’s a ton of Harry Potter merchandise already on the market, but trust us – Insight’s Potter line is incredible.
For one, if you’ve ever wanted to make your home feel a little bit more like a Hogwarts common room – and let’s face it, who hasn’t? – you may want to take a look at Insight’s line of Potter candles. Check them out!
We also got a chance to see some of Insight’s fabulous IncrediBuilds on display, along with some upcoming DIY ornament kits that are sure to make holiday decorating extra magical.
But of course, Insight’s specialty is books, and we could hardly contain our excitement when getting a peek at an upcoming Hogwarts pop-up book – artist Matthew Reinhart was there signing posters to promote the book – and at Creatures: A Paper-Cut Book. There were only samplers of these books on display at BookExpo, so we can’t wait to see the finished products!
The only downside to seeing all this great stuff is that most of it is not yet available for purchase – be sure to keep an eye on MuggleNet for more details on when these items will be available!
All photos were taken by Matt Adelman.


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Shortage of talent no 1 barrier for Scale Up
Sci-Tech Daresbury Blog
17th June 2019
The UK continues to witness a continued increase in the number of businesses scaling up according to the latest findings from the Scaleup Institute. More than 35,000 businesses were officially recognised as scaleups in...


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Canned fish and meat trust Connors Bros. Income Fund is closing the Georgia factory involved in a botulism scare last summer after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration pulled its temporary emergency operating permit.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also withholding inspection at the Castleberry's Food Co. factory in Augusta, Ga., until the questions with the FDA have been resolved, Connors said yesterday.
The plant has about 330 full-time employees.
In July, the Connors Bros. Fund suffered a massive recall of canned chili and other products made by Castleberry's at that plant. The recall was sparked by two incidents of botulism poisoning involving four people. There were no deaths reported, but the recall was later expanded to include all products, or about 90 items.
Castleberry's blamed the problem on undercooking caused by equipment failure in a sterilization unit.


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Nokia’s Lumia 710, often lost in the shadow of its higher-profile brothers, has actually gained a modest foothold at T-Mobile USA.
While not a blockbuster, the Lumia 710 has gotten decent traction at T-Mobile’s online store. Web sites such as Amazon and Wirefly similarly have the device ranked high among T-Mobile customers.
Its performance marks a promising start to Nokia’s attempt to reenter the U.S. market. And unlike conventional strategy, the Lumia 710 didn’t achieve its success through the best specifications or the latest network connection. Instead, its attractive price tag and bang-for-the-buck value have convinced some consumers to veer off from the usual track of buying anAndroid smartphone.
The device, which initially sold for $49.99, but is now free with a service plan, has also helped T-Mobile steer basic phone customers into upgrading to a smartphone. The carrier is eager to tap into the upgrade market…
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Microsoft Developer Evangelist Nuno Silva retracted his previous statement that all current Windows Phones will be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8. In a blog post published on Wednesday, Silva wrote that he confused future Windows Phone app compatibility with phone update capabilities:
“The point I was attempting to make was simply that existing Windows Phone applications will run on the next version of Windows Phone. This is the same guidance that Microsoft shared late last year. I mistakenly confused app compatibility with phone updateability, which caused the rumors we saw yesterday. I did not intend to give the impression I was offering new guidance on any products under development or their upgradeability.”
Microsoft neither has confirmed nor denied Silva’s initial statement since the post, leaving fans and owners in confusion about the state of Windows Phone 8 updates. With Silva’s public clarification matching Microsoft’s statements, it seems even more likely that Mango phones (Windows Phone 7.5) won’t see Apollo updates (Windows Phone 8).
Then again, we could be all wrong and that Microsoft might still be deciding on its Windows Phone update strategy.
Via »The Verge


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Hoa Phat Hung Yen Steel Co Ltd, a subsidiary of leading Vietnamese steel manufacturer Hoa Phat Group JSC, has signed a number contracts to export high-quality rolled steel branded SAE to African markets.
The signing marks the group’s success in opening new export markets.
As scheduled, the first shipments with a total volume of nearly 30,000 tonnes will be transported to Kenya and Ghana in September and October this year.
The steel manufacturer shipped 160,000 tonnes of high-quality rolled steel to foreign markets in the first seven months of this year, up 2.3 times compared to the same period last year, and 35.5 per cent higher than the total output of SAE products exported in the whole last year.
Major export markets of Hoa Phat steel included Cambodia, the US, Japan, Canada, China, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines and Singapore.
Along with ready-to-use steel, Hoa Phat also sold one million tonnes of steel billets for construction in the seven months.
The completion of Hoa Phat Dung Quat port made great contributions to the transport of Hoa Phat steel, thus promoting its sales. Recently, the port received a 176,000 tonne vessel, the biggest of its kind it had ever served.
Cambodia was the largest market last year, to which Hoa Phat shipped 151,000 tonnes of steel, accounting for more than 50 per cent of its total export volume. The Kingdom ordered 70,000 tonnes of steel from the company in 2018.
The company has highlighted the importance of the Cambodian market. Its proximity to Vietnam helps reduce transportation costs, while the Kingdom’s steel industry’s current inability to keep up with demand presents a fruitful opportunity for the firm.
On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, Hoa Phat Group’s (HPG’s) share price surged 150 dong (0.65 US cents) or 1.04 per cent to close at 24,350 dong ($1.05) on Monday for a market capitalisation of 80.68 trillion dong, with 8.97 million shares traded.
VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK


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SEOUL—Samsung Electronics is planning a major investment to expand its U.S. production facilities, according to people familiar with the matter, with at least five states in discussions.
The initial capital investment is expected to be around $300 million, several of the people said, with Samsung shifting some production of oven ranges to the U.S. from Mexico. The move could generate around 500 jobs, those people said.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is the buzzword of the moment. It’s hard to browse any tech-related news site without seeing the latest development, product or service related to AI. But how is AI really impacting the tech industry?
The Rise of AI-Powered Products and Services
One of the biggest impacts of AI on the tech industry is the rise of AI-powered products and services. From digital assistants like Siri and Alexa to machine learning algorithms that can predict your shopping habits, AI is everywhere. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a great example that showcases the immense potential of AI to enhance user experience and increase efficiency. By using the power of large language models (LLMs) and integrating it with source data across all Microsoft 365 apps and services, Copilot promises to transform the way individuals engage with their tasks by turning user input into a powerful productivity tool.
Other tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Facebook are also investing heavily in AI-powered products and services. Google has made significant advancements in natural language processing, while Amazon is using AI to improve its supply chain management. Facebook, as another example, is using AI to improve its content moderation capabilities.
The Future of Work and the Role of AI
AI is going to have a significant impact on the future of the workplace, not just how we work and interact but how we leverage technology to coordinate, plan and accomplish our goals. Whilst AI isn’t going to take your job, perhaps the user that harnesses it more effectively will.
The World Economic Forum has estimated that by 2025, AI and automation could replace 85 million jobs, whilst also creating 97 million new ones. It feels inevitable jobs will be replaced by AI-powered services over time and the nature of remaining jobs will change, and in turn new jobs will be created.
We expect there will be shifts similar to the changes seen with other major technological advances such as the invention of the printing press, telephone or the internet. Shifts which will require new ways of thinking about skills and training to ensure users are prepared for the future and that there is enough talent available for critical jobs. As AI becomes more prevalent, companies need to adapt by investing and deploying new technologies effectively, retraining their employees, and creating new roles to work alongside AI.
While AI has many potential benefits, there are also ethical considerations to consider.
Implementing a responsible AI strategy is a challenge many organisations struggle with – ensuring that AI models do not perpetuate biases or discrimination based on race, gender, age, or any other protected characteristic is a key consideration.
AI relies on vast amounts of data and it’s essential that this data is kept secure and private. It’s particularly important that businesses prioritise data privacy and security, ensuring that user data is protected and used responsibly in compliance with relevant regulations and laws.
Businesses should also consider the potential implication of replacing human workers with machines. While some jobs may be lost to AI, new jobs will also be created. However, it’s important to consider the social and economic impacts of this transition.
It’s clear that AI is already making a profound impact on the tech industry. As an example, ChatGPT gained a million users in just five days after its launch in November 2022, as reported by OpenAI. This app has now become the fastest-growing app in history, with over 100 million users estimated to be using it. The recent data from Similarweb also reveals that chat.openai.com has received approximately one billion visits in the last 30 days, highlighting a significant interest in AI-powered communication. It is worth noting that the effectiveness of AI-powered tools largely depends on the quality of the data inputted; accurate and timely business data is crucial for achieving the best results.
AI is rapidly changing the way we work and interact with technology, and its impact is being felt in every aspect of our lives. The proliferation of AI-powered products and services is just one example of this transformation, and as users, we are embracing these new technologies at an unprecedented pace. While AI cannot do everything for us, it can undoubtedly improve task efficiency and effectiveness. As an example, ChatGPT was responsible for proofreading and copywriting most of this article.
As AI continues to evolve, it’s important for companies to stay ahead of the curve, invest, and adapt to the changing landscape. At QuoStar, we understand the importance of keeping up with the latest technological advancements, and we are committed to sharing insights and helping our clients leverage these technologies to achieve their business goals.


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Ah, it’s that time again!
You know, the time when millions of people around the world line up outside of Apple stores in hopes of getting their hands on the latest iPhone.
For some of us, the most stressful thing about this national holiday-like event is coming up with a good excuse to miss four hours of work.
For others, it’s being the first person to get his or her hands on the iPhone and immediately dropping it on live television. That’s exactly what happened to a man in Sydney, Australia.
As the first person to get his hands on the new iPhone, Jack Cooksey probably thought he would get a 30-second news spot and become the next big thing out of Australia.
That’s exactly what happened, but not in the manner he expected. Cooksey dropped his brand new iPhone 6 right on the pavement immediately after opening it.
What the hell do you think was going through his mind?! We have 15 ideas:
In case you missed it, Jack Cooksey, the first person to get his hands on an iPhone 6 in Australia, dropped it immediately.
1. “My bad, Steve… My bad.”
2. The same exact expression people around the world had:
3. How his one chance to be TV star went horribly wrong.
4. How he’ll have to join the rest of the “News Blooper of the Year” nominees.
5. Siri’s well-being.
6. How he might’ve meant to do that…?
7. “Believe me, I’m fine.”
8. “I need Justin Bieber to do something stupid so people can forget.”
9. “You guys don’t listen to Snoop Dogg?”
10. “Here’s how you become a viral Internet sensation…”
11. “Only God can judge me… and millions of Apple fans around the world.”
12. “You’re overreacting. I was just testing out the unbreakable screen.”
13. “I’m pretty sure this news reporter set me up.”
14. You know what they say:
15. “Nothing to see here!”
Top Photo Courtesy: We Heart It


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On-Trend Grey Engineered Oak Sienna Wood Flooring now in stock at Urbane Living The new wood flooring has just landed in stock but demand is already high. Adam Robertson said: "This is set to become one of our bestsellers in 2012." London, UK, June 12, 2012 -- The latest stock just in at Urbane Living gives homeowners the chance to bring their home up to date with grey flooring, a look that is very much in vogue at the moment. Grey flooring was recently described by Flooring Focus magazine as “the hottest colour trend in interior design”. The new Engineered Oak Sienna wood flooring, which has just arrived at Urbane Living, is fumed to give the timber a warm base colour and then finished with a grey-tinted pigment to give a subtle but distinctive hue. The wood is then sealed with wax oil. The shade is ideal for modern homes and elegant enough to work well with both light and dark furniture. Adam Robertson, co-founder of Urbane Living, commented: “Grey floors are currently popular; the hint of grey in the Oak Sienna creates a sense of calmness.” With a super-wide board of 220mm, the floor comes with a 6mm oak wear layer on 14mm birch ply, offering a long-lasting plank with excellent stability. The Engineered Oak Sienna wood flooring is a durable option and thanks to the hardwearing finish it’s suitable for both homes and commercial properties, even in high-traffic areas. Engineered wood flooring, such as this product, is also ideal for areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, where there may be humidity or moisture which could warp or damage solid wood flooring. The flooring is made from European white oak and as part of Urbane Living’s environmental policy it comes with FSC accreditation and an FSC Chain of Custody Certificate. The new wood flooring has just landed in stock but demand is already high. Adam Robertson said: "This is set to become one of our bestsellers in 2012." Price £80.87 m2 plus VAT or £97.04 inc. VAT About Urbane Living Urbane Living supplies a wide range of home décor products, including wood flooring,
natural carpets, rugs, designer wallpaper and eco-paints. When sourcing its products, the company always considers quality, performance, affordability, and environmental benefits. Urbane Livingâ€™s quality wood floors are certified either by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). This certification ensures that the wood floors have been grown in well-managed and protected forests. Media Contact: Stephanie Goh Urbane Living Unit 102, The Light Box, 111 Power Road, Chiswick, London W4 5PY +44 (0)20 7138 38 38 firstname.lastname@example.org http://www.urbaneliving.co.uk
Published on Jun 11, 2012
The new wood flooring has just landed in stock but demand is already high. Adam Robertson said: "This is set to become one of our bestseller...


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Will that push Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer over the edge? Will he now dip into Microsoft’s cash reserves and do whatever it takes to destroy Nokia — by buying BlackBerry maker Research In Motion?
RIM is growing overseas in Nokia’s sweet spot. And combined with Microsoft, it could be an even stronger force in the enterprise.
RIM certainly needs some direction. And Microsoft now may need revenge. (Unless Ballmer is happy to get rid of Elop.) So will he make the leap now and declare all-out war against Nokia?
RIM reports earnings next week, so we’ll know then if the downward sentiment is just sentiment or a real trend. But expect the Microsoft takeover talks to continue to heat up.
Related: RIM Is The New Palm — Doomed
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CPhI is the region’s leading platform bringing together pharma ingredients, product manufacturers, suppliers and buyers covering every step of the pharma supply chain from drug research and discovery to finished dosage. The exhibition is designed to increase partnerships and business opportunities on both a local and international level, which will in turn help to increase the value of the MENA pharma market to more than AED 162 billion ($44bn) by 2020.
Speaking at the event, Carle said: "CPhI Middle East and Africa 2018 formed the perfect backdrop for key players in the regional pharmaceutical sector and beyond to congregate, connect, share and ideate. Having events of this caliber in the region and in the UAE, which spotlight the local pharma landscape, will undoubtedly go a long way towards boosting the sector.
“We felt the positive impact of the event from day one with very strong footfall and interest in our company. We had senior representatives on the ground from our business development, consumer, diabetes, R&D, procurement and supply chain departments, who took full advantage of the myriad opportunities to meet with potential business partners and industry leaders from all over the world."
Hot topics of discussion at CPhI included the key drivers behind the MEA pharma market, including the growth of the population, greater investment and spending in healthcare from governments, western lifestyle influence on health such as obesity and chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and oncology.
“One of the most eagerly anticipated sessions featured Dr Amin Hussein Amiri, Asst. Undersecretary of Public Health Policy and Licensing, Ministry of Health and Prevention, UAE, in a discussion about the UAE pharmaceutical sector, which was well received by a packed audience of industry professionals” said Cara Turner, Brand Director, CPhI Middle East & Africa.
Carle added that there had been a shift in perceptions over the past few years with regards to generics and that people were starting to take more of an interest in Julphar and its products.
He said: “As the national pharmaceutical company and one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the region, Julphar is part of the fabric of the UAE and we are committed to providing affordable healthcare solutions to families and supporting the growth of the sector.
“Following a strong double digit sales growth, we have increased our market share in the UAE to reach the number 1 position. We believe we are now at an inflection point that will allow us to take full advantage of the new opportunities to innovate, grow our pipeline and better serve consumers.
“Thanks to events like CPhI, Julphar now has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a major force in the regional pharmaceutical market.”
Julphar is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa and for almost four decades, the company has been delivering high quality, innovative and affordable healthcare solutions to families across the globe. Established under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi in 1980, Julphar employs more than 5,000 people and distributes pharmaceutical products to more than 50 countries on five continents.
Julphar’s business is centered on three core business units – Julphar Diabetes Solutions, General Medicines and its consumer division, Julphar Life – which target major therapeutic segments including Gastrology, Pain Management, Wound Care, Antibiotics and Cardio-metabolism. Julphar has 16 internationally accredited facilities in Africa, Middle East and Asia that produce more than a million boxes of medicines a day. In 2012, Julphar became one of the largest producers of insulin in the world.
For more information, visit www.julphar.net
CPhI drives growth and innovation at every step of the global pharmaceutical supply chain from drug discovery to finished dosage. Through exhibitions, conferences and online communities, CPhI brings together more than 100,000 pharmaceutical professionals each year to network, identify business opportunities and expand the global market.
CPhI hosts events in Europe, North America, Korea, China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and co-locates with ICSE for contract services, P-MEC for machinery, equipment & technology, FDF for finished dosage formulations, InnoPack for pharmaceutical packaging and BioPh for biopharma. CPhI provides an online buyer & supplier directory at CPhI-Online.com.
For more information visit: www.cphi.com
© Press Release 2018


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BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) failed to release BBM, or BlackBerry Messenger, to Android and iPhone users by Sept. 21, as promised. A BBM executive told consumers not to expect BlackBerry to release a working version this week, and the company has not provided a new release date for the instant messaging app.
An iOS version of BBM briefly appeared on the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store, but was pulled due to server problems BlackBerry claims were caused by a leaked version of BBM for Android. Those who downloaded the iPhone app in time will be able to continue to use it, but the unofficial, leaked Android version is no longer functional.
As the cross-platform version of BBM fails to see a release date, many smartphone users are looking for a way to keep in touch across platforms without having to pay for SMS messages or be restricted by 200-character limits, and to easily send instant messages to groups.
Here are the International Business Times’ top nine cross-platform, instant-messaging alternatives to BBM for Android and iPhone:
Viber is used by more than 200 million users and is now available in 28 languages. It is a close, competitive race, but IBTimes has selected Viber as the number one cross-platform messaging app because it is free, and capable of doing mostly everything users are looking for in such an app, on the most platforms of any such app.
Viber can make and receive high-definition quality calls over 3G/4G and WiFi. On certain networks and devices, Viber’s voice calls actually sound better than regular phone calls, and on very slow networks it remains audible. The ability to make a phone call without accruing network minutes is a boon to every consumer who pays for minutes.
Unfortunately, Viber only works as long as both parties in an instant message chat, voice or video call have the app installed. Also, video calls are currently only available from desktop-to-desktop. However (as listed below) Viber also has one of the most comprehensive list of supported apps, including desktop platforms like Windows and Mac.
Viber uses your phonebook to connect with other users, whose IDs are their phone numbers, and recently added the capability of transferring a call from mobile to desktop or vice versa. Viber now confirms when a message is received and read, as opposed to WhatsApp, which only confirms message delivery.
If a message is received on an Android device while the user is in another app, Viber pops up with a quick reply window, similar to a Facebook Messenger "chat head." A quick reply can be typed without exiting the current app, or the notification can be closed.
Viber recently added stickers, emoticons, and Snapchat-like photo doodles to its app, users can set custom wallpapers for each conversation and on Windows Phone 8, Viber can be added as a live tile.
Viber is available on: Android, iPhone (iOS), Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Windows 8, Mac OS X, Symbian, Series 40 (S40), Samsung Bada, and a Linux client is in a (downloadable) beta. Viber is capable of free text messages or IMs, group texts, voice calls, video calls on desktop operating systems, file sharing and location sharing.
WhatsApp is currently the most popular cross-platform messaging app by far, with more than 300 million users (as of July), and roughly 27 billion messages sent daily. Facebook was rumored to be interested in acquiring WhatsApp, although the company’s founders have said they have never discussed selling the company.
WhatsApp’s CEO said the app was “bigger than Twitter” although Twitter currently has more than 550 million registered users with an average of 58 million tweets a day. But social networks have plenty to fear from WhatsApp, since its based around phone numbers and lacks most of the spam and scams found on Twitter, and better maintains user privacy.
WhatsApp costs $0.99 USD for an annual subscription following a one-year free trial, but lacks voice and video calls over WiFi and data plans, keeping it from our number one spot. However, chat groups have begun to rival social networks like Facebook and Twitter as a way of keeping in touch with groups of friends and family, since the groups are easier to organize than Google+ and conversations do not become searchable, public information.
There is no desktop version of WhatsApp available, and no video call feature. Voice calls are made over regular phone networks and therefore incur carrier charges, as opposed to Viber, Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger. However, WhatsApp recently introduced voice messages and a “last seen” presence indicator. Users cannot customize alerts for contacts or groups, and there are few emoticons, and no stickers or custom wallpapers currently available.
WhatsApp is available for Android, iPhone (iOS), Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices. WhatsApp is capable of free text messaging, group chat, file sharing and location sharing.
Acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) in 2011, Skype now has about 300 million users. Although it is still primarily used for cheap, international VoIP and video calls, native support on the Xbox One’s Kinect HD could catch on quickly, and make the service as ubiquitous with video chat as FaceTime currently is on Apple devices.
Support on the Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro are likely going to be less important to Skype, but nice for fans of Windows 8 nonetheless. There certainly are Windows 8 fans out there, for the record.
Skype allows for free user-to-user calling over 3G/4G and WiFi, and supports IMs as well as video chats, although it is best known for making international voice calls, and has done little to improve its perception or increase its market share since it was acquired. Skype purchased GroupMe shortly before being bought by Microsoft, and its app now supports group chats with hundreds of users simultaneously.
Skype is available on Android, iPhone (iOS), Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Windows 8 and Mac OS X. Skype is capable of voice and video calls over data and WiFi, instant messaging and group chat.
4) Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger has about 200 million users, and now includes stickers and emoticons, as well as Chat Heads on mobile devices. Facebook Messenger also recently began (although quite sloppily, we might add) duking it out with Android’s built-in Messaging app over the handling of SMS duties.
Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) falls well below competitors on the list, despite that fact that its Messenger app is ubiquitous, and features like “chat heads” are a creative step in the right direction.
Voice calls over Messenger, introduced this April, offer disappointingly poor sound quality. The SMS integration with Facebook conversations is poorly developed and only works on Android devices. Video calls only work over desktop, and voice calls cannot be made to desktop users.
Conversations are synced across different clients in Facebook Messenger, including browser windows and mobile devices, but notifications pop up on mobile while users are chatting in their browsers, which is unnecessary (and a little aggravating). While Android users can use chat heads to take part in a conversation without leaving an app, iPhone users cannot. While there is a Firefox extension for Messenger and a version for Windows, there is currently no desktop version for Mac.
Facebook Messenger is available for Android, iPhone (iOS), Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Windows 8, and can be accessed on Mac OS X through browser windows. Facebook Messenger offers text chat, group chats, voice calls, file sharing, location sharing, and limited video capabilities.
5) Kik Messenger
Kik Messenger is run by Kik Interactive, based in Waterloo, Ontario (practically in BlackBerry’s backyard) and interest is gaining in the app as BBM flounders -- Kik already has more than 80 million users.
Kik is adding new users every day, and has an interesting new app-within-an-app ecosystem, the HTML5-based Cards, which the company says it will be open to outside developers. Kik is limited to text and picture conversations. Kik comes with a free sticker package, and more can be had with an in-app purchase of $1.99.
Kik is free, and allows for messages to be send over data or WiFi plans, with group chats that limit conversations up to 13 people. Kik has a picture mail feature and also confirms when messages are sent, delivered and read, much like BBM. Notification options, such as group messages, can be customized and Kik is free of advertising.
Kik is available for Android, iPhone (iOS), Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Symbian. Kik allows for text messages, group chat, picture messages, “sketch” messages, and YouTube content messages.
The truth is that no cross-platform messaging app is perfect, and when BBM for Android and iPhone is finally revealed, BlackBerry’s messaging app will not be either. Android and iPhone users will not be able to make voice calls over WiFi or video calls like the version of BBM for BB10 devices, and BBM channels will probably launch for the two most popular mobile operating systems well after it is released for BlackBerry smartphones.
In the meantime, if you are waiting for BBM for Android or iPhone, take a look at apps like Viber and WhatsApp, which are already ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping in touch -- and will only cost your data plan to do so.
Five “Honorary” Mentions
BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)
BBM consists of 55 million BlackBerry users, a number that is likely to go way up once the Android and iPhone versions are released. BBM for Android claims 1.1 million unofficial installations in a 24-hour period, without ever appearing in the Google Play Store.
If there is anything positive to say about BlackBerry, it is that demand for BBM on Android and iPhone appears to be high, although the company has not revealed how many iPhone downloads occurred before the app was pulled.
BlackBerry swears that BBM will officially come again to Android and iOS devices, and will allow users to communicate with BB10 phones, however there will probably never be a versions that works on Windows Phone, and the desktop client is still in very early, experimental stages, and has not yet been announced.
BBM was the first instant messaging client to offer real-time sent and read receipts, and will work over data plans and WiFI. However, BBM voice and video are not coming to the Android, iOS versions of BlackBerry Messenger, whenever they are released, and neither will the Twitter-like feeds of the upcoming BBM Channels feature.
Line surpassed 200 million users less than two years after its launch. The cross-platform messaging app recently added video call support to iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac OS X, available over WiFi or 3G/4G networks.
LINE is free, although users have to pay for premium stickers and emoticons, and it very popular in Asia, and considered to be the messaging app of choice in Japan. LINE offers a social network feature, and offers add-on apps like Camera and Games, as well as a desktop client.
Users can use LINE to make voice calls on iOS, Android, Windows 8 and Mac OS X, although the feature is not available not on Windows Phone or BlackBerry yet. Line offers group chatrooms, the ability to toggle notifications and messages up to 10,000 characters supported in Notes. Group chats are supported by up to 100 users, and LINE offers the ability to share a location and send photo messages.
LINE recently introduced a Snap Movie feature for iPhone, similar to Vine.
Google replaced Talk with Hangouts, which allows for group text, video chat, instant messags, voice calls, file sharing and even screen sharing. However, Hangouts is poorly integrated with Google services other than the desktop version of Gmail, and there is no location sharing option.
Also, Google did not integrate Google Voice in the most recent update update (Sept. 26), although the company has promised to do so.
WeChat has more than 400 million users in China, and 100 million international users. It is available for Android, iPhone (iOS), Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Symbian, Nokia S40. WeChat introduced animated stickers are premium with version 5.0, and confirms official accounts similarly to how Twitter verifies companies and celebrities.


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BY: Kaya 959 News
This month, South Africans will have to hold on tight to their coins as two price hikes are set to strike a massive blow to consumer pockets.
Eskom has announced an increase of 15.63% in electricity tariffs from today while the fuel price is set to increase on Wednesday next week.
National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) said an agreement had been reached on Eskom’s allowable revenue for the 2021/2022 financial year. This was confirmed by Justie Joseph Raulinga in February.
Last year, the High Court found that Eskom should recover R69bn over a three-year period.
According to BusinessTech, Nersa had reportedly negotiated with Eskom and reached a settlement of R10 billion to mitigate the risk of the court ordering a R23 billion addition, the amount the High Court had originally found Eskom was entitled to for the next financial year.
This would have resulted in an increase of 21%.
The new court order stated that “an amount of 5.44c/kWh will be added to the average standard tariff for Eskom customers in the 2021/22 tariff year making the aggregate standard tariff for Eskom customers in the 2021/22 tariff year 134.30c/kWh”.
These price hikes are already filtering through to end-users in different municipalities, as seen with recent price adjustment notifications from areas like the City of Joburg.
Meanwhile, motorists are urged to brace for a record petrol price hike from Wednesday.
The Automobile Association said petrol is set to increase by at least R1 while diesel is expected to increase by 66c and a litre of paraffin will set you back an extra 37c.
Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), Dewald Ranft, said every petrol price increase means more is paid towards petrol costs and less is available for the maintenance of the vehicle.
Ranft offers drivers the following fuel-saving tips:
Accelerate at an even pace in traffic. Short bursts of the accelerator will increase fuel consumption.
Drive in a lane which has the least traffic ahead to maintain a constant speed. The engine management system will adjust the most economical settings for the best fuel consumption.
The first startup after a lengthy stand is the one which has the richest fuel mixture, therefore one must prevent harsh acceleration whilst the engine is still cold as this will spike the consumption figure dramatically. Do not idle a cold engine to warm it up, as this will not improve the fuel consumption nor lengthen the life of the engine.
If you are in a heavy traffic situation and the waiting times are lengthy, do not be afraid to turn off the engine and restart once the traffic starts moving again. Modern engines are now being equipped with this function to aid fuel saving. However prevent continuous switch-offs as this will drain the battery.
Besides driving with fuel efficiency in mind, he also suggests getting creative about how to use your car less.
“Fortunately these days many people are still working from home but are nevertheless still having to ferry children to and from school each day. Car-pooling is a great way to save on fuel expenses and may be something to consider. Also plan your shopping trips better. Avoid several short trips to shops that burn up fuel, by planning and shopping once a week. Finally if you can walk rather than drive, consider this option. It will improve your physical health and financial health,” Ranft said.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Even for a legendary film director like Martin Scorsese, the assignment was a daunting one.
Take one of the famous American period rooms at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and make essentially a one-frame movie with no camera: a tableau, not a film, but using your cinematic sensibility. Your actors are mannequins, and the costumes have been chosen for you.
“Create a one-frame movie in a period room? A great opportunity and an intriguing challenge,” the director write in a statement next to his creation, a mysterious mix of characters, emotions, and fashion in the museum’s striking Frank Lloyd Wright Room.
Eight other directors, including Regina King and Chloé Zhao, are also putting their stamp on the period rooms, for “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” the Met’s spring Costume Institute exhibit that’s being launched with Monday’s Met Gala, and officially opening May 7. Guests at the gala, which raises millions for the self-funding institute and has become a major fashion and pop culture spectacle, will be among the first to see the displays.
Also among the first: is Jill Biden. The first lady toured the exhibit at a preview Monday morning and spoke of how she’s learned, in her current job, that language isn’t the only means of communication — fashion is, too. “We reveal and conceal who we are with symbols and shapes, colors and cuts, and who creates them,” Biden said.
The first lady spoke of how the history of American design is full of unsung heroes — some of whom the new exhibit is now celebrating, especially women. She also recalled how she sent a message of solidarity with Ukraine by wearing a sunflower appliqué on the blue sleeve of her outfit at the State of the Union address. “Sitting next to the Ukrainian ambassador, I knew that I was sending a message without saying a word,” she said.
The exhibit is the second part of a broader show on American fashion to mark the Costume Institute’s 75th anniversary. Masterminded as usual by star curator Andrew Bolton, the new installment is both sequel and precursor to “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” which opened last September and is focused more on contemporary designers and establishing what Bolton calls a vocabulary for fashion. (The shows will run concurrently and close together in September.)
If the new “Anthology” show is meant to provide crucial historical context, it also seeks to find untold stories and overlooked figures in early American fashion, especially female designers, and especially those of color. Many of their stories, Bolton said when announcing the show, “have been forgotten, overlooked, or relegated to a footnote in the annals of fashion history.”
The nine directors were tapped to enliven the storytelling with their own varying aesthetics. In addition to Scorsese, they include two of the Met Gala’s hosts Monday night — actor-director King and designer-director Tom Ford. Also contributing are Radha Blank, Janicza Bravo, Sofia Coppola, Julie Dash, Autumn de Wilde, and Zhao, last year’s Oscar winner.
For King, the Richmond Room, depicting early 19th-century domestic life for wealthy Virginians, provided a chance to highlight Black designer Fannie Criss Payne, who was born in the late 1860s to formerly enslaved parents and became a top local dressmaker. She was known for stitching a name tape into her garments to “sign” her work — part of an emerging sense of clothes-making as a creative endeavor.
King says she was looking “to portray the power and strength Fannie Criss Payne exudes through her awe-inspiring story and exquisite clothing,” placing her in a prosperous working situation — and proudly wearing her own design — fitting a client, and employing another Black woman as a seamstress.
Filmmaker Blank looks at Maria Hollander, founder of a clothing business in the mid-19th century in Massachusetts who used her business success to advocate for abolition and women’s rights. In the museum’s Shaker Retiring Room, director Zhao connects with the minimalist aesthetic of 1930s sportswear designer Claire McCardell.
De Wilde uses her set in the Baltimore Dining Room to examine the influence of European fashion on American women — including some disapproving American attitudes about those low-cut gowns from Paris. Dash focuses on Black dressmaker Ann Lowe, who designed future first lady Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress but was barely recognized for it. “The designer was shrouded in secrecy,” writes Dash. “Invisibility was the cloak she wore, and yet she persisted.”
In the wing’s Gothic Revival Library, Bravo looks at the works of Elizabeth Hawes, a mid-20th century designer, and fashion writer. And Coppola, given the McKim, Mead & White Stair Hall and another room, writes that she at first wasn’t sure what to do: ”How do you stage a scene without actors or a story?” She ultimately teamed with sculptor Rachel Feinstein to create distinctive faces for her “characters.”
Each filmmaker reached into their own bag of tricks. For Scorsese, the fashions he was given were designed by the brilliant couturier Charles James — the subject of his own Costume Exhibit (and Met Gala) in 2014. Scorsese knew he needed to create a story “that could be felt across the length of that room.” He turned to 1940s Technicolor films and used John Stah’s “Leave Her to Heaven,” which he calls “a true Technicolor noir.” As to what happens before and after the scene we see — which includes a woman crying near a portrait of a man, and a Martini glass nearby — “my hope is that people will come away with multiple possibilities unfolding in their mind’s eye.”
Sure to be a talker is the display in the museum’s Versailles room, so known for its panoramic circular view of Versailles painted by John Vanderlyn between 1818 and 1819.
Ford transforms the room into a depiction of the “Battle of Versailles” — not a military conflict but the name given to a major night for American fashion in 1973 when five American sportswear designers (including Oscar de la Renta and Anne Klein) “faced off” against five French couture designers at a show in Versailles and showed the world what American fashion was made of.
In his tableau, Ford decided to make it a real battle with warring mannequins, many dressed in ensembles from that pivotal show. “The weapons have changed,” Ford writes. “In place of fans and feather boas are fencing foils and front kicks.”
“In America: An Anthology of Fashion” opens to the public on May 7. Part one, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” remains open at the Anna Wintour Costume Center. Both close in September.


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Designer Kasuni Rathnasuriya believes in preserving traditional art forms, which is why she incorporated the dying art of handmade Dutch lace into her concept designs for the inaugural launch of KÛR, the clothing line she started in Sri Lanka in 2009. Now based in New York City, KÛR specializes in hand-crafted, contemporary women’s fashion. Recently, Rathnasuriya decided to complement her lacework by adding some modern elements into her upcoming SS16 collection, which was showcased in October at the Sunshine Coast Fashion Festival in Queensland, Australia.
“I initially wanted to create a ‘Phenomenal look’ for SS16,” Rathnasuriya told 3DPrint.com. “Thus I was thinking of bringing non- conventional and conventional elements together. As an emerging brand we are very much open to technology. I always wanted to incorporate 3D printing to my designs after I saw some work in PV at Paris.”
“As a brand we believe there will be a time we all have a 3D printing facility at home and printing our own pieces,” she told us.
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HTC has already released the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the HTC One M7 and now the company has shared some details about the Android 5.1 update.
HTC’s Mo Versi has confirmed on Twitter that only the Google Play Edition of the HTC One M7 will be getting the Android 5.1 Lollipop update.
He also confirmed when the update would be available for the Google Play Edition of the HTC One M7, it looks like the handset will get the update in early Apri, you can see the tweet below.
@kennymaclean Only the GPE version of M7 will receive 5.1. Our target is early April. Thanks.
— Mo Versi (@moversi) March 18, 2015
Source @MoVersi, Phone ArenaFiled Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Top News


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Parking spots, permit processes and immigration were some of the topics that At-Large Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo heard during a tour of West Roxbury's Main Street district on Tuesday.
West Roxbury Main Streets' Executive Director Kara O'Connor introduced Arroyo to several Centre Street business owners as a part of the councilor's citywide visit of all Main Street districts. Arroyo is going to build an overarching plan with three to five points that all Main Street business owners expressed would help them.
"When we bought (Rox Diner) we didn't even know about these municipal programs. We were happy to get any help we could," said John Fortin, co-owner of the Rox Diner, regarding government programs that aid businesses. Programs like the West Roxbury Main Streets Storefront Improvement program that helped with the Rox Diner's new sign. The owner/chef added he's had a good experience in West Roxbury.
But things can always be run smoother, as Fortin told Arroyo about how certain government fees go up when you make more money. He added that transferring the license with the city from the previous owner was difficult, too.
Farther down the road, JP Bedard of Wicked Sharp, complained to Arroyo about the limited parking situation on Centre Street. Bedard, whose store opened up two weeks ago, said there aren't enough retail stores in the business district.
"Yes, you have banks and nail salons," said Arroyo.
Arroyo and O'Connor talked about how they would like to diversify the business district and not have so many duplicating businesses such as banks, nail and beauty salons.
Arroyo added that the permit process at City Hall can be very frustrating and confusing. "Why can't we just click 'beauty salon' and those are the permits you need?"
iScream Works co-owner Steve Palladino decided to ask Arroyo about why the councilor brought a motion to the City Council about a controversial Arizona immigration law.
Arroyo, a fourth-generation American, said he didn't agree with the law's initial ability to allow racial profiling.
After discussing immigration, Palladino continued the common sentiment of Centre Street business owners - there's not enough parking on the street.
Palladino also let the councilor know about the iScream Works fingerprinting ID event this weekend. Kids get a free cone after getting fingerprinted. Arroyo said he'd try to attend.
From his brief tour Arroyo gathered some pretty quick insights of what business owners wanted to build a plan to help the shops.
"The idea is I'm in a unique situation as an at-large councilor. We can find similarities (of Main Streets business districts). We need to know how can the city be more helpful or what works well and keep it."


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Given the enormity of the U.S. economic crisis, probably not. But if history repeats, the category could give a boost to a particularly weak retail year. Amid the dire forecasts, stores are pushing well-priced gift items they hope will be bright spots.
In last year’s fourth quarter, accessories was the revenue leader, generating a 32 percent share of department store sales, while apparel was 29 percent, according to research firm the NPD Group. And jewelry, watches and handbags were at the head of the pack. Jewelry and handbags also dominated third-quarter accessories dollar share at 52 and 19 percent, respectively. In jewelry, watches led at 21 of the 52 percent total.
“Accessories have always remained very important to us, but perhaps they’re different than before,” said Ron Frasch, president and chief merchandising officer at Saks Fifth Avenue. “We’re seeing a greater interest in accessories that are more gift-giving accessories, maybe things like small leather goods, soft accessories. We’re seeing the good in spite of everything, especially across the contemporary accessories zone within handbags under $1,000.”
Frasch cited brands such as Marc by Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch as those weathering the storm in handbags, and established labels such as Cartier, Chopard and Graff in Saks’ fine jewelry segment. He noted that jewelry brands spanning multiple price levels, such as David Yurman and Judith Ripka, are hanging tough.
“We believe very strongly in our jewelry and in product that is not ‘of the moment’ — product that is an investment piece and will hold up well,” Frasch said. “People make purchases or investments in jewelry from those companies with strong brand credibility.”
However, as the luxury sector feels the full force of the troubled global economy, Saks Inc. this month posted a third-quarter net loss of $42.8 million, or 31 cents a diluted share, compared with last year’s net profit of $21.6 million, or 14 cents a share. Saks said for the first time in memory its shoe and handbag business was suffering, even after opening a luxurious shoe floor at its Manhattan flagship in August 2007.
Last week, the retailer offered up to 90 percent off on select merchandise in a bid to keep traffic flowing throughout the store. According to one saleswoman, it reached “pandemonium” in the handbag department where they “were practically giving things away.” Handbags normally priced at over $1,000 were on sale between $100 and $200. By Monday, the handbags located near the elevators were completely gone, and in its place were Magaschoni cashmere sweaters at 40 percent off. Last week, designer shoes were listed at 40 to 70 percent, where a line formed for entrance into the eighth floor department. Lines were also evident Monday in the fifth floor footwear department, and the entire floor was teeming with people, combing through sale racks. The retailer is said to continue to offer big sales through year’s end.
Jim Gold, president and chief executive officer of Bergdorf Goodman, said the store is also pushing through holiday with the help of “iconic brands that will stand the test of time,” such as Chanel, Bottega Veneta and Nancy Gonzalez. Accessories fare especially well in a challenging economic climate when consumers may consider “recycling an outfit or postponing a major wardrobe purchase,” but still spend on accessories that can complete a look.
Barneys New York is focused on offering items shoppers can’t find elsewhere, such as its exclusive launch of Proenza Schouler handbags.
“Accessories are great gifts and drive the holiday business, and our focus is on artisans and exclusives that are benchmarks to that business,” said Sarah Blair, vice president and divisional merchandise manager, women’s accessories. “The more whimsical and delightful the merchandise, the better. We believe handmade beautiful items have intrinsic value.”
Coach is one brand offering festive items at accessible price points. At its Madison Avenue flagship, Coach featured a display of coin purses, wallets and jewelry all retailing for less than $100 and situated at the front of the store. Shoes ranged from 40 to 50 percent off. Last month, Coach posted a 5.8 percent drop in first-quarter net income on an 11.2 percent rise in sales. It also lowered its sales forecast for the year.
J. Crew recently began expanding its accessories collection and is looking for the effort to pay off in time for the fourth quarter. At its new Collection store in New York, the retailer placed costume jewelry displays up front and weaved handbags and shoe offerings throughout the apparel assortment.
Accessories have become so important that some retailers are reorganizing their main floors to beef up the selections and add special gift-giving pieces. Ed Bucciarelli, president and ceo of Henri Bendel, said the store is upping its assortment because “accessories are becoming increasingly important every Christmas season.”
“I don’t know whether it will save the season, but accessories are a major emphasis of our brand and our store,” Bucciarelli said. “So clearly when you come in, you will see major gift-giving shops centered around accessories and our store. We do it every year, but we are expanding the amount of accessories shops this Christmas by 30 percent over last year. The strength of the holidays is around accessories.”
The specialty store recently launched accessories-based shops in markets such as Columbus, Ohio; San Diego, and Boca Raton, Fla.
J.C. Penney Co. Inc.’s holiday program focuses on a “red box” assortment of 60 items priced between $19 and $109. The retailer is emphasizing affordable products and practical gifts.
Brian Bolke, co-owner of Dallas boutique 4510, said accessories are the dominating business moving into holiday, and luxury brands with entry-level pieces, such as scarves by Yigal Azrouël and Marni necklaces, are winners.
“We’re finding that the things our customers feel they can wear all the time and every day is where they’re finding value,” Bolke said. “Something we’ve been really focused on is working with our fine jewelry vendors to do earrings in gold or precious stones that retail under $250. We’ve just had to work a little harder to find the right things customers want as gifts and pick-me-ups that they can justify.”
Fashion brands also are relying on accessories to push them through the fourth quarter. In the last two years, brands such as Emilio Pucci, Proenza Schouler and Alberta Ferretti have launched eyewear collections, while Badgley Mischka, Zac Posen and Valentino have introduced watches.
“You must have a main-floor business to have resonance and respectability, and everyone understands that categories like eyewear and watches are part of that category and are the most approachable,” said Mark Ginsberg, senior vice president of designer brands at Marchon Eyewear, which manufactures sunglasses for Michael Kors, Coach and Fendi. “It’s part of the whole picture, but it’s an integral piece of the puzzle.”
But at some firms, accessories are more than an “integral piece of the puzzle.” For Michael Kors, which once designed exclusively for the elite, midtier accessories have become his stronghold. The company opened accessories-based stores throughout the world to push the category, which now accounts for 75 percent of its volume. Donna Karan has also relaunched her handbag business. The firm’s chairman and ceo Mark Weber, also ceo of LVMH Inc., U.S., has discussed the possibility of opening accessories-based shops.
Suzanne Hader, principal at 400twin Luxury Brand Consulting, said holiday will depend on the vagaries of the volatile stock market and decisions made by President-elect Barack Obama during the transition, such as his announcement Monday of the team that will steer his economic policies.
“We’re all holding our breath to see what the gift-giving mood is going to be about,” Hader said. “Part of it will come from how people feel about a new president coming in, can he turn things around or not? We’re seeing people shop on a budget for their Christmas shopping. We haven’t heard people talk about holiday budgets in a very long time.”
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: Dominique Maître)
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
Not only does #TheProfit return to CNBC tonight, but @marcuslemonis has launched @shopmarcus, a new shopping and lifestyle retail experience in Aspen and Chicago, with more locations to come. The retail stores offer in-store stylists and a variety of contemporary womenswear selections.
“It’s life, I’m going to face it,” @mingxi11 sighed. “I fell, but you know, I think the most important thing is that I get back up. I had the love, the help from my sister — the girl next to me Gizele [Oliveira] — she’s so nice. When I went backstage everybody was trying to comfort me like ‘Oh Ming, it’s OK.’ I’m really, really touched. I think it’s them who gave me the courage to go back on stage for the finale,” Xi told WWD of her fall at the @victoriassecret fashion show. (📷: David Fisher) #wwdfashion #vsfashionshow #victoriassecret
@louisvuitton tapped @therealpeterlindbergh for its latest city-centric photo book, which is part of a series called Fashion Eye. The primarily black and white book captures the spirit of Berlin in 57 images shot between 1989 and 2019. “Berlin is an inspiration for me, more than a city. I mean @millajovovich is simply Berlin!” said Lindbergh. #wwdfashion
“You know, I think audiences expect a certain performance so I have to deliver to them what they’re expecting to a certain degree. But I’m also a different actor and a different person, I have my own spin on the character,” says @noahegalvin of his takeover of the leading role in “Dear Evan Hansen” following the departure of @bensplatt, who originated the role. Read WWD’s interview with the 23-year-old actor on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
For pre-fall 2018, @etro created richly-colored wonderland, using tapestries, textiles and wallpapers from the Eastern world at large. The line featured floral and graphic prints and jacquard motifs, like this two-piece look featured here. #wwdfashion (📷: Giovanna Pavesi)
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)


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Rivigo shifts focus from freight marketplace to Relay-as-a-Service
October 18, 2019: Logistics-tech unicorn, Rivigo, has today announced a shift in their focus of business from freight marketplace to Relay-as-a-Service (RaaS).
October 18, 2019: Logistics-tech unicorn, Rivigo, has today announced a shift in their focus of business from freight marketplace to Relay-as-a-Service (RaaS). The shift to the relay trucking model that they have launched in August 2019 is explained as to directly address the inefficiencies in trucking and solve the challenges faced by small fleet owners while providing better customer service.
The company has added Rs. 300 crore to its topline registering a 45% annual growth last year, a more than four-fold rate compared to the growth for the entire logistics sector. It is all set to become one of the first unicorns to turn profitable, expecting to become cash breakeven in the current fiscal itself. Focused on profitable growth since the beginning of the year, the company has shifted focus away from building a freight marketplace, says the release.
Commenting on the shift in focus, Gazal Kalra, co-founder, Rivigo, said, “We believe it is important to build a freight marketplace with real value for customers and fleet owners. Through Relay-as-a-Service we directly address the inefficiencies in trucking, solve for the challenges faced by small fleet owners while providing better customer service. It is a necessary step towards becoming a profitable company that looks at a business model that not only adds to the topline but bottomline and elevates the quality of service to an industry benchmark.”
The recently piloted RaaS offers Rivigo’s technology, access to relay pilots and a countrywide network of relay pit-stops to fleet owners. It also makes its patented fuel solution and maintenance and cashless payment solutions available to fleet owners.
“In a country like India, where the quality of infrastructure and asset is a challenge, end-to-end controls fueled by deeper technology will give customers a better experience and create disruption for the industry in the long run. Hence our focus on strengthening the relay trucking technology and offering it as a service for fleet owners” added Kalra.
Started in 2014 by McKinsey alumnus Deepak Garg and Gazal Kalra, Rivigo has so far raised multiple rounds of funding to strengthen its technology and network coverage and build its patented relay-trucking network, which has been a game-changer for the logistics market in India. The company turned operating EBITDA profitable in March 2019.


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Program Finalists Harness Equifax Cloud™-Enabled APIs to Develop Transformative Solutions to Foster Financial Inclusion and Improve Access to Services
ATLANTA, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Equifax® (NYSE: EFX) announced the conclusion of its second annual developer challenge and accelerator program, hosted in partnership with 1871, which called upon U.S.-based software developers to create transformative solutions that support financial inclusion and improve access to services by leveraging Equifax Cloud enabled Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Launched in July, the 2022 Equifax Accelerate program culminated in November with a Product Showcase at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta. There, the 10 finalists shared their prototypes for helping improve the wide array of industries they serve, from fintech and digital insurance to financial planning and access to services for those in need. These finalists are:
- Mini City: Mini City seeks to eradicate homelessness by utilizing smart technology to connect vulnerable citizens to life critical services.
- Neofin: Neofin is a disruptive fintech software as a service (SaaS) that brings a seamless, e-commerce experience to the lending business.
- Billy: Billy is a digital insurance agency that makes it easier for construction businesses to manage and purchase insurance.
- VacayHQ: VacayHQ combines travel with personal finance, helping consumers build credit, qualify for the best travel credit cards and earn free travel.
- Denim: Denim is trusted by freight brokers of all sizes to simplify their financial operations and easily access working capital.
- Dytrix: Dytrix provides cybersecurity solutions and counterparty risk management for banks, credit unions, lenders, and other financial services businesses to mitigate cyber payment fraud.
- Clocr: Clocr aims to ease a family’s burden at their greatest time of need by providing an easy-to-use estate planning platform for managing digital assets.
- EQL Finance: EQL Finance is a fintech platform that provides small dollar, interest-free lending to help American working families and individuals access and improve their credit.
- Bobsled: Bobsled provides a no-code data sharing experience connecting any cloud, platform, or region.
- Freede Solutions: Freede provides agencies with a self- service digital debt resolution platform powered by artificial intelligence.
“The high caliber of innovation seen at this year’s Product Showcase underscores the power of the Equifax Cloud in helping spur solutions for many of the industry’s biggest challenges today,” said Bryson Koehler, Chief Product, Data & Analytics and Technology Officer at Equifax. “By harnessing our cloud-native technology, 2022 Equifax Accelerate program participants are finding new ways to expand access to credit, while helping provide greater access to the services businesses and consumers need to live their financial best.”
The top 50 2022 Equifax Accelerate entries were accepted to participate in a Design Sprint Challenge in August, where they received mentorship from both Equifax and 1871, a Chicago-based business incubator that supports early-stage tech start-ups, growth stage tech leaders and corporate innovators, to assist in the creation of prototype solutions. From there, 10 finalists were accepted to the Product Studio phase before presenting at the Product Showcase, where they received unlimited access to all 1871 products and services, as well as Equifax Cloud-enabled APIs and expanded data assets, helping them innovate faster than ever before.
“From delivering solutions that help individuals build credit to providing financial planning for working-class families and access to services for the homeless – data, analytics and technology play a vital role in addressing some of the most pressing issues facing consumers and businesses today,” said Joy Wilder Lybeer, Chief Revenue Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships at Equifax. “Following the success of last year’s inaugural Equifax Accelerate program, this year’s program brought even more technology – with expanded data sets for participants, including data-as-a-service, AWS Data Exchange and Snowflake Marketplace – together with later-stage startups to further the mission of fostering financial inclusion. Equifax is thrilled to work with our Accelerate finalists to drive value in the markets we collectively serve.”
For more information about Equifax Accelerate, visit the link here.
At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by more than 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Rebecca Paul-Martin for Equifax
SOURCE Equifax Inc.


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By Vuyani Ndaba
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The risks to South Africa's economic growth outlook are skewed more to the downside, according to economists polled by Reuters who cited disruptions from new coronavirus variants and extended softer commodity prices as potential challenges.
Forecasts collected in the past week suggested economic growth would slow next year to a median 2.4% from 4.3% this year, much the same as last month's forecast.
But a firm majority of economists - six of eight - who answered an extra question said their GDP forecast risks were skewed more to the downside in their medium-term outlook.
This quarter the economy was expected to contract 2.3% on a seasonally adjusted and annualised basis following unrest that disrupted businesses. The unrest probably cost around 50 billion rand ($3.3 billion), according to South Africa's national Treasury.
Tight consumer wallets and growing inequality in Africa's most industrialised economy have meant South Africans have had little to do with boosting growth or inflation, and growth has instead been a function of bumper commodity prices.
However, oil dropped below $66 a barrel on Thursday, its lowest since May, pressured by concerns about weaker demand as COVID-19 cases rise abroad and also due to a surprise increase in U.S. gasoline inventories.
Metal prices have also generally been softer in past months.
Still, trade data in June showed the value of merchandise exports rose to an all-time high. The current account is expected to register a 2.8% of GDP surplus this year before it narrows to a 0.4% of GDP deficit next year.
Meanwhile, South Africa has recorded the most coronavirus infections and deaths on the African continent but has so far only fully vaccinated less than 8% of its population of 60 million.
Consumer price index (CPI) inflation dipped to 4.6% in July, suggesting price pressures have peaked after pent-up demand sent prices to a 30-month high of 5.2% in May.
That is true to the transitory trend that most economists had predicted due to an expected correction in commodity prices.
"South Africa's weak economic recovery will keep core price pressures subdued and the headline inflation rate soft," Capital Economics wrote in a note.
Inflation is forecast to average 4.4% through 2023, well within the South African Reserve Bank's comfort range of 3%-6%. The central bank is forecast to raise rates by 25 basis points three times next year, with a pause in May, the poll showed.
South Africa's negative real rates - the gap between the CPI rate above the nominal repo rate since the beginning of last quarter - are expected to start narrowing by end-2022.
(For other stories from the Reuters global long-term economic outlook polls package)
($1 = 15.1735 rand)
(Reporting by Vuyani Ndaba; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)


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[ UPDATE 22/8/2019 14:00] Penang Smart Parking app now available for Android smartphones.
Penang has just launched its Penang Smart Parking System (PSP) app which allows drivers to pay for parking via their smartphones. During the launch, Penang Chief Minister, Chow Kon Yeow, had announced that the first 10,000 users will be entitled to RM5 worth of free credits.
At the time of writing, the app is already available for download on Apple’s AppStore but we still can’t find it on Google Play. To reload, the app accepts various top-up options including online banking, 7-Eleven, Boost and WeChat Pay.
According to the Chief Minister, the app will encourage the public the utilise eWallet technologies such as Boost, Touch ‘n Go and Grab Pay as they are heading towards a smart state. He added that it may take one to two years for people to get used to the system.
It was earlier reported that Penang has Malaysia’s first smart parking system that uses a combination of Internet of Things (IoT), sensor technology, direction guide system and online payment system. There are 36,000 parking bays in the state with 12,000 under the supervision of Penang City Council (PCC) and 24,000 bays under the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (SPMC).


text: The Government of India is trying hard to shut down the use of plastics which is very harmful for our environment. But what next? Paper? Many believe that paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic bags because these are made from renewable source, are biodegradable and also recyclable. But paper bags have a much higher global warming potential (GWP). The manufacturing of paper bags is much more intensive than plastic bags. According to life cycle assessment (LCA) studies in Europe and North America, plastic bags have a smaller environmental impact than paper bags. The Scottish government’s report in 2005 on plastic shopping bags noted that the manufacture of paper bags consume four times more water and generates three times more greenhouse gases compared to plastic bags. Using paper bags also means cutting of trees, which damages the environment. Plastic bags were invented as an alternative to paper bags in the late 1970s to protect trees and prevent cutting down of forests. A better solution could be Bioplastics, which are a form of plastic derived from renewable biomass source, such as vegetable starch. And people should also control their wastage so that one bag can be used several times.


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- Furniture sector sales edge up in May
Furniture and home furnishings store sales edged up in May after taking a dip in April, although the sector growth continued to lag behind the broad retail sector. ...
Jarrett. Furniture Today. Fri, 14 Jun 2019 13:35:41 +0000.
- 'Corpse flower,' which literally smells like death, in bloom at Palm Beach nursery
The so-called 'Corpse Flower' recently burst into bloom at the Tropical Bamboo Nursery and Gardens in Loxahatchee, Florida. But visitors can't get over the smell.
Daily Mail. Tue, 11 Jun 2019 18:29:25 GMT.
- 28 Backyard Decorating Ideas That Are as Cute as They Are Easy
These gardening and outdoor DIYs are also completely budget-friendly.
Good Housekeeping. Thu, 30 May 2019 14:36:00 +0000.
- Planting advice from Chalet Nursery as gardening season begins
It's going to be a big weekend for planting, as the weather warms up and the chances for frost are pretty much gone.
Wls. ABC News. Wed, 15 May 2019 17:18:37 +0000.
- Bangladesh: Micro-gardening helps Rohingya refugees improve diet
Micro-gardening kits are distributed to tackle malnutrition and improve the diet of Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar.
Al Jazeera. Mon, 13 May 2019 11:02:31 GMT.
- Notre Dame could provide energy for Paris with new roof
Roof would also house a garden which would provide fruit and vegetables, if design is accepted
Liam James. The Independent. Wed, 08 May 2019 14:48:00 GMT.
- Modern gardening the Australian way
Wildness or managed privacy? Large or small? Colour or greenery? Two new books reveal the twists in the techniques of Australia's top garden designers.
Sydney Morning Herald. Sat, 04 May 2019 00:02:18 +1000.
- Why Bed Bath And Pier 1 Are Two Sides Of The Same Retail Coin
Two of the biggest national home furnishings retailers are both struggling, if not for survival than for retail relevancy itself.
By Warren Shoulberg, Contributor. Forbes. Thu, 18 Apr 2019 22:44:00 +0000.
- Glass sculptures invite reflection at Kew Gardens
Visitors to Kew this spring will see a different kind of flowering thanks to US artist Dale Chihuly.
BBC News. Fri, 12 Apr 2019 15:25:47 GMT.
- 'Foreign' plants for Jewel's gardens took almost 3 years to procure, transport and acclimatise
SINGAPORE - It took almost three years getting more than 2,000 trees and palms, and over 100,000 shrubs, into Jewel Changi Airport.
Straits Times. Thu, 11 Apr 2019 12:30:00 +0800.
- Corbyn offers gardening tips to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Politics is known as a dirty game - and Jeremy Corbyn has advised a high-profile US congresswoman that budding gardeners also need to get their hands dirty.
Sky News. Mon, 08 Apr 2019 12:32:00 +0100.
- Heal Me With Plants
Gentle gardening helps patients at some hospitals relax and recover.
Ellie Shechet. New York Times. Mon, 25 Mar 2019 17:47:42 GMT.
- The right way to water your garden and lawn - CNET
Save water and save money while keeping your garden healthy.
Alina Bradford. CNET. Thu, 21 Mar 2019 12:00:01 +0000.
- Light physical activity tied to lower heart disease risk in senior women
(Reuters Health) - Senior women may be able to reduce their risk of developing heart disease by increasing the number of hours they spend in low intensity activities, such as walking and gardening, a new study suggests.
Reuters. Mon, 18 Mar 2019 14:46:01 -0400.
- Williams-Sonoma's Pottery Barn Partners with Lilly Pulitzer
Williams-Sonoma (WSM) unveils a home decor collection in partnership with Lilly Pulitzer.
Zacks Equity Research. Zacks. Fri, 15 Mar 2019 20:25:00 GMT.
- How to grow vegetables without a backyard - CNET
Don't let your lack of a yard stop you from having a garden.
Sarah Mitroff. CNET. Fri, 15 Mar 2019 17:00:05 +0000.
- Celebrate Spring and Agastache, Herb of the Year 2019!
Posted by cookinwithherbs I am gearing up for upcoming spring programs and I will be kicking off the gardening season at the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show in Little Rock, from March 1 to March 3. There is a great lineup ...
Vegetable Gardener. Wed, 13 Feb 2019 19:04:43 -0500.
- How a one-hour 'planting party' lifts spirits, builds skills among women in prison
Exposure to nature, even through a brief gardening activity, can improve well-being among women in prison, a new study finds.
Science Daily. Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:16:32 EST.
- Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening
Posted by WesternGardener Is vegetable gardening more of an art than a science? In his new book, Matt Mattus uses his experience as a visual designer, artist, horticulturist and futurist to help uncover the answer to that question.
Vegetable Gardener. Tue, 29 Jan 2019 12:06:56 -0500.
- This Greenhouse on Mount Everest Is One of the World's Highest Gardens
A Sherpa couple built their own greenhouse to grow vegetables at 13,100 feet
Smithsonian. Thu, 24 Jan 2019 20:49:06 +0000.


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Denmark: Consumer confidence falls in April amid protracted labor dispute
The consumer confidence index released by Statistics Denmark fell to 7.1 points in April, down from 8.5 points in March. Despite the fall, the index remained comfortably above the crucial zero-point mark that separates optimism from pessimism among consumers, where it has been since January 2017.
In April, consumers were less optimistic about their personal financial situation in the past year, as well as for the coming twelve months. Consequently, they were less inclined to make big-ticket purchases, whether immediately or in the coming year. Their view of the country’s current economic situation deteriorated slightly, but on the other hand they were more optimistic about the country’s prospects in the coming year. Notably, consumers kept expecting unemployment to fall throughout the year, albeit at a slower pace than they did in March.
Lower consumer confidence in April occurred as the country has been experiencing a protracted showdown between the government and unions over public sector wages, which effectively threatens to grind the country to a halt if no agreement is reached quickly. After postponing the date two times, unions are now scheduled to begin countrywide strikes starting 8 May, which would trigger a retaliatory “lockout” of 450,000 public sector employees by the government. According to analysts, the relatively slow progress in negotiations likely contributed to the decline in consumer sentiment in the month.