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This article is part of Money's January 2022 digital cover, which features 22 ways to make 2022 the best money year of your life. Browse all 22 articles here.
The coronavirus pandemic has taken consumers on a wild ride.
In the early days, it was a toilet paper shortage. Then it was skyrocketing meat prices, followed by holiday gifts that were as hard to come by as they were expensive.
“The pandemic has turned us all into hoarders,” says shopping expert Lisa Lee Freeman. Now, she says, we’re incentivized to “stock up on what you shouldn’t be stocking up on.”
For all goods, inflation surged to 6.8% year-over-year in November, according to the latest government numbers. At-home food costs spiked 6.4%, fueled largely by meat, poultry, fish and egg prices, which ballooned nearly 13%.
To manage these soaring costs, Freeman is a big proponent of buying in bulk. But only if you’re shopping for items you truly need — and have the space for.
“What makes sense is to stock up when things are on sale,” she says.
Here are 10 items worth buying in bulk if you find them at the right price.
Inflation has disproportionately impacted meat prices, with shoppers seeing double-digit prices increases on certain cuts. If you see a good sale, you might be tempted to get a cartful. But make sure you’re buying the right type of meat and have enough freezer space to store it.
Freeman says to avoid hotdogs, bacon, sausages and lunch meat since those items don’t store well. Frozen hamburgers and fried chicken are all right for about four months, while whole chickens, steaks and roasts last the longest, between six and 12 months.
Supermarkets typically mark the price of nuts down after the holidays, so the start of the year is a good time to buy them in bulk.
Be forewarned, though: Nuts may seem like they’ll last forever in the pantry, but they can actually go rancid after a few months.
“You have to freeze them,” Freemans says. “As long as they're in an airtight container in the freezer, they could last up to two years.”
Ask any new parent and they’ll tell you: Diapers are expensive. Throughout the pandemic, they’ve only gotten costlier — and harder to come by.
If you see a good deal on diapers, buying them in bulk is a no-brainer. There’s no expiration date you have to worry about, so the only concern is storage space.
Here's another alternative: You could give cloth diapers a shot, and over the course of a couple of years, save thousands of dollars.
Canned foods are one of the best things to buy in bulk, and, as a bonus, they’ve largely avoided inflation-related price hikes.
Most canned foods can last indefinitely as long as they are stored in a cool, dry place (not under the sink, above the stove, or in a damp basement or garage), according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).Acidic foods like tomatoes and fruits don’t store quite as long, but they can still last up to 18 months, the USDA says.
Fresh fruits and veggies
Buying fruits and veggies in bulk might sound like an odd strategy, but you can actually store them for quite some time once frozen. Still, it’s not as simple as throwing a banana in the corner of your freezer and calling it a day.
“Unlike meat, with veggies and fruits, you have to know how to freeze them,” Freeman says. “If you bought [fresh] blueberries to freeze and you just stuck them in a big bag, you’re gonna have a big blue glob.”
Likewise, “if you don't blanch things like asparagus before you put them in the freezer,” she says, “they're not going to taste very good when you take them out.”
Herbs and spices
Dried herbs, like rosemary, oregano and basil can last for years.
But the biggest “no brainers,” Freeman says, are vanilla extract and salt, which “virtually last forever.” (Table salt has a shelf life of about five years, but natural salt can, indeed, last forever.)
White rice is another great bulk buy. When stored properly, it can last for decades. Brown rice, on the other hand, will only last about six months.
What’s the difference, exactly? White rice is refined (i.e. processed), so you’re only buying the white kernel. Brown rice still has the bran and germ attached to it, as well as oils that will eventually make it turn rancid, even if it's stored in an airtight container.
Toilet paper and paper towels
Now that panic buying has died down, you can buy a mountain of TP guilt-free.
If you’re willing to forgo some precious closet real estate, buying paper products on sale can pay off. They won’t expire, after all, and you're gonna need them sooner or later.
The USDA categorizes sugar as a “shelf-stable” food, meaning it’s totally nonperishable. Buying it in bulk is another “no brainer,” Freeman says, but make sure you store it in a moisture-proof container for the long haul.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the prices of personal care products have actually been deflating — so now is a good time to stock up on common bathroom items like toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.
Some of these products may have an expiration date, but they’re usually tied to the item’s effectiveness. Translation: A tube of toothpaste that's a few months past its "use by" date might not make your breath smell as fresh as a new one, but it's not going to poison you.
How to buy in bulk
Bulk buying isn’t a de-facto cost-saving strategy — there’s definitely a “right” way to do it. Here are a few of Freeman’s best tips for saving the most money when buying in bulk.
- Always do the math: When shopping, look at the price-per-unit. If it’s meat, it’s per pound. Toilet paper? Per sheet. That way you can always make an apples-to-apples comparison. And just because you’re shopping at Costco or Sam’s Club doesn’t mean it's a guaranteed deal. Make sure to compare the per-unit costs to those at your local supermarket.
- Skip over certain items: If you see a killer deal, that doesn’t automatically mean you should stock up. When it comes to bulk buying, Freeman says you should skip over coffee, condiments, over-the-counter drugs, dairy products and olive oil. Due to their relatively short shelf lives, they simply don’t make sense in large quantities.
- Know where to shop: The big warehouse retailers like BJs, Costco and Sam’s Club are a given. But you can also find plenty of good deals online on Amazon and Boxed.com. More supermarkets are starting to carry items in bulk these days, Freeman says. So don’t count them out.


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Stardew Valley Multiplayer May Come Next Month, Developer Hints
Stardew Valley's multiplayer mode is coming along well, and the public may be able to play it in "about a month," according to developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone.
The news comes from a tweet Barone posted today, in which he said development was "still making good progress on fixing bugs." As long as things come together, Barone estimated that the mode "should be ready in about a month."
If that ends up being the case, players can expect to try out Stardew Valley's multiplayer mode on PC, Mac, and Linux first, then Nintendo Switch, then Xbox One and PlayStation 4, according to a follow-up tweet.
"Not exactly sure on the timetable for those," Barone tweeted, referencing console development on the game's multiplayer mode.
In mid-February, Barone announced Stardew Valley's multiplayer public beta was planned for a "spring release" for PC. He later confirmed the game's multiplayer mode was already undergoing quality assurance and bugs were being fixed "at a very good pace." If development continues to go smoothly, that means Stardew Valley fans may have their hands on the multiplayer mode as soon as mid-May.
At least, that's the case for PC fans. Stardew Valley players on console will still have to wait for their own multiplayer beta. In the meantime, publisher Chucklefish is busy developing Wargroove, which promises to revitalize the retro turn-based strategy genre as seen in games like Advance Wars.

domain: news


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By Shuli Ren
Japanese chip manufacturer Renesas Electronics (6723.Japan) is in the final stage of negotiations to buy US-based Intersil (ISIL) for $3 billion, the Nikkei reported this morning.
The Nikkei wrote:
Renesas intends to add a premium to buy Intersil shares, seeking to take full control of the California company. It plans to use cash on hand, which totaled some 400 billion yen at the end of June, and may also consider borrowing funds from banks.
Intersil makes chips essential to regulating power in such products as automobiles, industrial machinery and smartphones. It supplies automakers in the U.S., Europe and Asia, and more of its offerings are expected to find their way into electric cars and fuel cell vehicles. Intersil also handles communications chips.
With the purchase, Renesas aims to bolster its lineup of automotive chips.
Renesas was the market leader for automobile chips until 2014 but has dropped to the third place since.
Renesas slipped 3.1% this morning. As of Friday’s close, Intersil has a market cap of $2.1 billion. If the deal goes through, it would give a major boost to Intersil’s shares.


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- Fixing Australia’s “backward” national cybersecurity posture requires “fresh thinking” on skills, resources: ACSC
- Deal in the works? BlackBerry delays Pakistan retreat by one month
- Flaws in Huawei WiMax routers won't be fixed, researcher says
- Data breach of toy maker VTech leaked photos of children, parents
- The week in security: Root-certificate stuff-ups send Dell, device makers scrambling
Amazon Web Services - News, Features, and Slideshows
Amazon Web Services in pictures
Amazon Web Services is evolving its platform in an effort to convince customers that its cloud is the best spot to run application containers. Some are buying in.
At re:Invent Amazon Web Services launched QuickSight, a business.
After a busy week at AWS re:Invent, here’s a recap of the big takeaways
MLB’s StatCast app was developed in Amazon’s cloud and gives fans a new perspective on the game.
Security is a hot topic at AWS re:Invent this year as AWS has launched new security products and big enterprise customers like Capital One and GE help convince customers that the cloud is secure.
If you avoid some gotchas and keep a close eye on resource usage, you can have a handy server in the Amazon cloud for free
The best way to stay on top of the fast-changing IaaS cloud market is through training and certification. Below are 10 of the top IaaS cloud computing certifications available.
A list of leading cloud, storage and virtualization companies are backing a new effort named the Open Container Project, which aims to create a set of standards for the fast-growing technology.
Although the video has been up for awhile, if you haven't had the chance to watch Amazon Web Service's VP & Distinguished Engineer James Hamilton spell out AWS facts at the re:Invent conference last November, do yourself a favor and pull up a chair. Fascinating stuff that gives you some insight into the rapidly evolving world of cloud computing.
Several new Docker tools are out there: Docker Machine, Docker Swarm, and Docker Compose. They come from Docker Inc. itself, which has has the advantage of being designed by the same folks who developed the Docker container.
During the past week VMware has been making power play moves in the Cloud computing market to position its offering as the premier enterprise hybrid Cloud computing platform. As it does so, however, analysts question how well the grand plan VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger has put together stacks up with heavyweights of the cloud computing market, most specifically Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
- What the CMO50’s top 10 marketing leaders have in common
- Blackmores rolls out ‘Mindful Ocean’ neuro game to track customer mindfulness
- The inaugural CMO50 list is revealed
- How Captain's Choice is cruising to a new level of digital engagement
- From tactical overhead to strategic growth driver: B2B marketing in the digital age


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The RCMP Federal Policing Prevention and Engagement and the Bank of Canada presented at a KPU webinar on being aware of fraud and counterfeit currency. The event featured speakers Cpl. Vinh Ngo from the RCMP, and Farid Salji from the Bank of Canada.
Both organizations hold various events throughout the year discussing fraud and how to be aware of it. This webinar was meant for students who are new to the country and might not be aware of the different ways scammers can target people.
Ngo says the Federal Policing Prevention and Engagement looks at scams and frauds, and monitors trends and ways to prevent them. They also create informational sessions for groups that are likely to be targeted, like seniors or students who are new to the country.
Throughout the webinar, attendees had the opportunity to ask more detailed questions on avoiding scams. The Bank of Canada and the Federal Policing Prevention and Engagement frequently collaborate, to inform people about legal currencies and how to recognize counterfeit bills.
In the webinar, Salji and Ngo gave examples of some of the ways scammers target people. For example when individuals resell their old electronic devices, scammers purchase them with counterfeit bills. Some people might not know they’ve received a counterfeit until they use it to purchase items at a store. If this is the case and the bill is denied, Salji recommends that the person hold onto the bill and take the bill to law enforcement for verification.
If the retailer wants to call the police, Salji said the person should wait until the police get there and verify the bill to see if it is a counterfeit.
“But that’s kind of one of the scenarios, so we teach them how to check it so they can verify and know in a second. They just need to actually pay attention to it,” says Salji.
Since retailers are not always experts on verifying counterfeit bills, Salji says they can make a mistake, and the person could end up losing their money.
Another popular scam is the rental scam, says Ngo.
“Not knowing the customer or the process and having the pressure of finding a place before they come to Canada, they just want to come and have an apartment off-campus, sign the agreement online, and really everything is signed unseen. And then the [scammer] has gone away with the money and is not returning in contact with the student.”
Some individuals coming into the country worry about how they can carry their money since they can’t set up a bank account before coming into the country, and Salji and Ngo warned against carrying large amounts of cash.
In the webinar, Ngo said some people hang around airports and look for travellers carrying cash. There are teams of people who work really well at distracting the victims and stealing their money.
“You don’t have to physically carry your money. You can also wire to financial institutions awaiting your arrival. You can take traveller’s cheques [or] bring credit cards,” Salji said.
Another webinar addressing this topic is planned to take place on Sept. 22.


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LAKEVIEW — DNAinfo Chicago readers headed to Cohiba Cuban Cuisine in Lakeview on Tuesday night. Follow the social media highlights here.
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods packed with restaurants, though for Cubans it has been difficult to make an imprint in one section of the city.
"We don't have a neighborhood like a Chinatown or a Mexican area like Pilsen ... We are all over the place!" said Roger Pereira, a waiter at Cohiba Cuban Cuisine, which opened in April at 2835 N. Broadway Ave.
Pereira, who is Cuban, said he is happy there is another Cuban restaurant to work at in the Lakeview after the abrupt closure of Sabor Cubana in March.
For Cohiba Cuisine's owner Elida Soria, who is of Mexican descent, the desire to open a Cuban restaurant was inspired by her love of the Caribbean island country's food and culture.
"When you know a Cuban for a few minutes, you feel like you have known them for years. It is a close, friendly and warm culture," Soria said.
Soria recruited her longtime friend, Pedro Lopez, to serve as Cohiba Cuban Cuisine's executive chef. Lopez previously worked at 90 Miles Cuban Cafe in Logan Square as well as most recently in the cafeteria of the Tribune Tower, where he mainly cooked Italian and American food.
"I am so happy to be working at a Cuban restaurant again," Lopez said.
DNAinfo Chicago reporter Serena Dai will be joining readers at a "Taste of Cuba" dinner in Cohiba's private upstairs dining room scheduled from 7-9 p.m. May 20.
Lopez and owner Soria will introduce guests to each course, while Dai will moderate an "Are they Cuban or not?" celebrity picture quiz.
The BYOB dinner will include an array of appetizers: smashed yucca stuffed with beef and spices, ham croquettes, veggie and meat filled empanadas, fried calamari and tostones rellenos, or green plantains.
The evening's entrees will include cerdo encebollado, or roasted pulled pork sauteed in onions with rice and beans, as well as a chicken and rice entree (for non-pork eaters) and mixed vegetables buttered in white wine sauce for vegetarians.
Pudin, or pudding cake, will be served for dessert.
To wash everything down, American and Caribbean soft drinks will be available too, as well as Cuban-style coffee. Pitchers of mojitas and red or white sangria can be prepared too, as long as guests bring their own bottle of rum or red or white wine. Cohiba will provide fresh fruit and garnishments for both drinks.
On a bittersweet note, the dinner will also serve as a going away party for Dai, who reports on the Wrigleyville, Lakeview and Boystown neighborhoods.
In June, Dai will be moving to New York City, where she will serve as DNAinfo New York's Williamsburg, Brooklyn reporter.
Cohiba Cuban Cuisine, 2835 N. Broadway Ave.. Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Phone: 773-935-8866.
This event requires a minimum of 20 people to reserve the private dining room as well as the group discount. Full refunds will be issued to ticket holders if we do not meet our minimum number of guests. The value of the dinner is $34 based on menu prices, so those who wish to enjoy everything that will be served at the dinner but cannot make it "in person," can buy the dinner online and redeem it anytime after May 20. Buy tickets here.


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Aroon Hirdaramani, Director, Hirdaramani Group, stated during the American Chamber’s recent “Be Inspired” webinar series that the Sri Lankan textile sector may exceed $8 billion in garment exports by 2025. According to a story in the Daily News, Hirdaramani stated that with further local value addition through initiatives like as the fabric park in Eravur, Sri Lanka is well positioned to expand. The government’s immunization campaign is assisting BOI businesses in staying open. The first jab was given to over 90% of the workers in the garment industry, while the second jab was given to over 70%.
The Hirdaramani Group has opted to cooperate with a few high-value partners in order to establish a more stable business environment. He admitted that policymakers were in communication with the sector and that the importance of the trading mechanism was recognized. According to Jeevith Senaratn, Senior Manager, Star Garments Group, the industry’s export numbers are still 10% lower than in 2019. Hasib Omar, Director of Brandix Clothing Company, stated that the industry was extremely polluting, and that this would be a future source of concern for clients. The new manufacturing procedures, according to Shirendra Lawrence, Executive Director of MAS Holdings, may be putting additional burden on the workforce.


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Global equities ended 0.5% higher amid widespread positive economic data.
US markets digested abundant central bank chatter and President Trump’s first address to Congress. Beyond all the talk, economic data were largely positive, reflecting a broadly healthy economy. The second revision of Q4 2016 GDP was unchanged—the US economy grew at 1.9% (annualized), as high consumer spending and vehicle sales offset slowing government purchases. February manufacturing data were positive with broad growth across Purchasing Managers’ Indexes (PMIs). The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing PMI rose to a multi-year high at 57.7, beating estimates (readings over 50 signal growth). ISM’s non-manufacturing PMI also bested forecasts at 57.6 based on strong orders and broad business activity. Pending home sales slowed modestly in January (-2.8% m/m), likely due to tight housing supplies. January construction spending fell on slowing federal spending (-7.4% y/y), but the release also reflected strong demand for housing: Multi-family construction rose 9% y/y and single family units rose 2.3% y/y. US labor markets remain healthy, weekly jobless claims fell more than forecast to levels last seen in the early 1970s.
European manufacturing strength echoed US gains. French, German and eurozone PMIs remained expansionary in February. A strengthening economy drove positive inflation data across the eurozone. January producer prices rose 3.5% y/y and February consumer prices rose 2% y/y. Strong German labor markets pushed unemployment below 6%, levels not seen since the country’s reunification. UK data were mixed but remained broadly positive—February home prices rose 4.5% y/y, construction PMI rose ahead of expectations, the UK’s services and manufacturing PMIs slowed, but continued to signal growth.
February Chinese manufacturing expanded on strong domestic and overseas orders, surprising forecasters’ expectations for a slowdown. February non-manufacturing PMI showed continued growth as well. Japanese data were positive. January consumer prices rose 0.4% y/y, cooling deflationary fears. Japan’s January manufacturing PMI continued expanding, housing starts rose 12.8% y/y (sharply ahead of the 3.2% forecast), retail sales were modestly ahead of estimates and unemployment fell to 3%.
US economic data are light, January factory orders and February employment reports likely take center stage. China releases February inflation and trade data, while Japan reports Q4 GDP and February machinery orders. The eurozone posts Q4 GDP and the ECB releases a monetary policy announcement. For more updates on market events, please visit www.MarketMinder.com.
Source for all data cited is FactSet. This update constitutes the general views of Fisher Investments and should not be regarded as personalized investment advice. No assurances are made we will continue to hold these views, which may change at any time based on new information, analysis or reconsideration. In addition, no assurances are made regarding the accuracy of any forecast made herein. Global equities are represented by the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index measures the performance of selected stocks in 23 developed countries and is presented net of dividend withholding taxes and uses a Luxembourg tax basis. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. A risk of loss is involved with investments in stock markets.


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Activists charge that the Sustainable Forestry Initiative is far too lax.
Daniel Hall of the American Lands Alliance adds that there’s no guarantee that products marketed as ‘SFI-certified’ actually originate in SFI-certified forests. “It’s anybody’s guess as to what’s actually in them,” he said. “In fact, over half of SFI companies’ wood doesn’t even come from SFI forests, and there’s no consumer warning when products contain non-SFI content.” For its part, SFI says its label means “the facility that produced the product bearing the label is part of a program whose participants plant more than 1.7 million trees every day.” That would seem to mean that the trees cut down to make the product were owned by an SFI member.
Last March, the Dogwood Alliance coordinated a letter signed by more than 90 Southern scientists calling for an overhaul of SFI’s standards. The letter calls SFI “a misleading marketing and advertising tool” to convince customers that industrial forests are well managed.
“The flora of the Southeastern U.S. is extremely rich in biodiversity,” said one of the letter’s signatories, Dr. (Jenny) Qiuyun Xiang of North Carolina State University. “Clearcutting of natural forest communities from the region will undoubtedly reduce the abundance of these species, destroy the natural habitats of animal species associated with the communities, and threaten the biodiversity at all levels in this region.”
SFI should not be confused with the similar-sounding Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which also certifies wood products. Although FSC has also borne the brunt of environmental criticism, the anti-SFI campaign says it “represents the minimum threshold for meaningful certification systems.” Among other things the campaign points out: FSC is predominately funded by outside sources and governed independently of the companies being certified. FSC also prohibits the takeover of natural forests by plantations; requires old-growth protection in certified forests; and discourages intensive chemical use. FSC certifications are peer-reviewed, while SFI’s are not.
SFI has its defenders. Forex Log and Lumber calls it “an exacting standard of environmental principles, objectives, and performance measures that link sustainable forestry with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, water quality, historical, geological and cultural resources.”
Brian Kozlowski, director of environment for the North American operations of Finland-based paper-making giant Stora Enso, argues, “In our view, neither FSC nor SFI is better than the other.” Kozlowski says his company views both systems as credible, and adds, “Any of the many forestry certification systems around the world—in South America, Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere—that meet our standards have value.” He says Stora Enso won’t buy wood from “conservation areas,” which he says include old growth, unless the region is part of a “sustainable plan.”
The Eco-Labels project of Consumers Union (the publishers of the popular Consumer Reports magazine) considers SFI “somewhat meaningful.” The label won points for having information on its standards publicly available, for having some transparency and for being independently verified (SFI uses auditing firms such as Price Waterhouse Coopers and BioForest Technologies and has an advisory "Independent Expert Review Panel").
However, SFI lost points with the Eco-Labels project for having a lack of broad public input and other issues. “Some of the indicators are vague or very qualitative, which could limit the consistency of the label among certified forests,” explains the Consumers Union. “For example, certified companies with research components can simply donate to themselves in order to meet the requirement for funding conservation research.” Further, guidelines do not distinguish between plantations and old growth forests and genetic engineering is permitted. SFI claims to represent people outside the forest industry on its 15-person board, and it explains that by outsiders it means (in addition to a few environmentalists) “logging companies, trade associations and non-industrial working forests,” reports the Consumers Union.
Not only is this bizarre word play that should shame even the harshest critic of former President Bill Clinton, b
ut it is a conflict of interest according to the Consumers Union.
If you were impressed by SFI’s claim that there is more forested land today than at the time of the first Earth Day in 1970, consider that industry’s numbers count monolithic pine plantations as “forests.” But Quaranda points out that pine plantations (three quarters of which were once covered in natural tree growth) are 95 to 99 percent less biologically diverse than natural forests. And while SFI member companies do indeed plant millions of acres in new seedlings, it’s only good business practice. “You’re talking about a ‘forest’ that is being planted just to be cut down 20 years later,” Quaranda said.
Don’t Buy the SFI
Sustainable Forestry Initiative


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Everybody desires to be smart at mobile photography and Adobe is creating it easier for everybody to take spectacular photos. The software system company declared a mobile camera app that will be returning to iOS and Android devices before long.
The final version of the app will launch in 2020, however, it's presently accessible as a preview.
Adobe has been delivery mobile versions of its common desktop applications to mobile phones because the company already contains a camera pp known as Lightroom CC. However, the Photoshop Camera can add a special method as Lightroom will use Adobe's AI engine, Sensei.
With the application, mobile photographers are able to take and make beautiful pictures and use Photoshop options by AI. The app can let users take a picture, edit and export pictures from the app itself. there'll even be preset filters and totally different editing choices which will adapt in line with the design of the image.
The Photoshop Camera app is able to automatically find portraits, food, landscapes, and alternative subjects. for instance, users are able to modification a photograph that was taken within the day as if it had been taken in the dark. Similarly, in Landscape pictures, users are able to modification the lighting, color and even replace entire skies.
To be fair, we've seen a number of these options on smartphones wherever users will replace entire skies or recognize subjects using AI. What Photoshop Camera will is integrate all of those options into one single application. The standout feature is that the app can have artistic “lenses” that adds animated and 3D objects to a picture.
We will be using the app before long to search out out if it's any smart or exceptional as a photography app. It might be a game-changer for several smartphone users or might simply be a gimmick like several alternative third-party camera apps.


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Zoho has announced the opening of its new office in Westlands, Nairobi in order to cater to its growing customer base in Kenya.
The office, which is currently undergoing renovations, will be ready for operations in April and will also house a modern training center for Zoho’s customers and partners. The announcement was made on the sidelines of Zoholics Kenya, the company’s annual user conference.
It will be Zoho’s first physical office in Kenya. The new office’s training center, equipped with a high-tech video conference facility, will accommodate up to 40 attendees at any given time. This will provide an environment for Zoho’s customers and partners in Kenya to engage, learn, and have hands-on interactions with the company’s industry-leading suite of 55+ business software solutions.
“We are thrilled to open our new office in Kenya,” said Veerakumar Natarajan, Country Head – Kenya, Zoho Corp. “We believe that our on-ground presence in Kenya will help us serve our customers in the country better. Zoho is committed to investing in local talent to provide the best possible service to its customers,this also reflects our strategy for business growth and expansion—transnational localism, in which we aim to be locally rooted while being globally connected. We look forward to working closely with the local businesses and empowering them digitally to drive growth and innovation.”
Over the past year, Zoho has experienced growth in Kenya, with a 48% increase in revenue and a rise in the number of employees. In addition, Zoho’s partner network in Kenya has grown by 33% in 2022, a testament to the company’s dedication towards building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with its partners in the nation. Zoho’s growth in Kenya can be attributed to the popularity of its flagship products, which include Zoho One, Zoho CRM, Zoho Workplace, Zoho Desk, and its VAT and TIMS-compliant applications—Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice, and Zoho Inventory.
The launch of Zoho Africa Digital Enabler (ZADE) package has also been received well since its launch in Kenya last year, with numerous businesses expressing interest in the program. ZADE is designed to aid small businesses in achieving digital transformation at an affordable cost, by equipping them with the same tools employed by large enterprises to manage their operations.


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The TV and phone provider had been with former incumbent Citigate for more than a decade, but has switched to the Chime Communications-owned agencies after a competitive pitch process in July.
The brief is believed to be worth about £500,000 a year and will cover public affairs, financial PR and corporate comms.
The move follows TalkTalk's split from The Carphone Warehouse last year to become a standalone company.
One source said TalkTalk was now keen to amplify its corporate voice and build a stronger corporate brand, after establishing its consumer presence with its sponsorship of The X Factor. TalkTalk uses Bell Pottinger agency Resonate to support its X Factor sponsorship.
TalkTalk's comms director Mark Schmid confirmed the appointment and said: 'We've had an excellent partnership with Citigate Dewe Rogerson for many years. It has played a big part in the TalkTalk story, from the launch in 2003 to our position today as a leading provider of phone, broadband and mobile to five million customers.'
TalkTalk was identified by Ofcom earlier this year as the most complained-about TV and broadband provider. It was hit by a record £3m fine in August for mistakenly billing thousands of customers.
The brand took control of Tiscali UK in 2009, and encountered problems switching the company's customers to the TalkTalk billing system.
The company has a new CEO, Dido Harding, and appointing different agencies could be viewed as a bid to move the brand on from issues that predate its independence.
Schmid said the firm wanted to consolidate its agency relationships under one roof, but added that Citigate would continue to work on several projects, including its Digital Heroes Awards.
Pelham Bell Pottinger MD James Henderson will work on the brand's financial comms, Bell Pottinger Public Affairs MD Tim Collins will handle public affairs, and Good Relations' Steve Marinker will look after corporate PR.


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- 30 Mar 2020, 17:34
- Updated : 31 Mar 2020, 9:23
RUMOURS that popular video-calling app Houseparty was “hacked” are distributing like wildfire online – but its creators reject a breach.
The talk software has swiftly become a hit that is viral current days, but terrified users are actually deleting the app over worries Houseparty happens to be compromised.
Due to the fact globe switches into lockdown as a result of coronavirus crisis, online users have actually flocked to Houseparty.
The hit software allows family and friends make video clip calls, play games and go out in a digital “house celebration”.
Nevertheless, more and more users on Twitter are reporting which they’ve had Spotify, PayPal and bank records hacked after getting the software.
Nevertheless the software’s owner Epic Games – the company behind popular games Fortnite and Gears of War – deny that the breach has taken destination. Continue reading Houseparty users claim app ‘has been HACKED’ – but creators deny breach


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Facebook F8 was anticipated by many, and the company has come up with some really cool features both for its users and developers. Some of the exciting technology features include their updates in VR and AR along with a few updated features for existing business to monitor, measure and maximize their conversions.
Here is the complete video of the launch
Facebook Spaces that launched today as public beta is a new VR app where you hang out with friends in a fun, interactive virtual environment as if you were in the same room. In the whole experience of Facebook Spaces, you get to choose your own avatar by simply choosing one of your Facebook photos and then you can start inviting friends and interacting with them in virtual reality.
Some of the cool features of Facebook Spaces include calling a friend in the real world with Messenger video calling, so you can bring even more people into your VR space. They can answer your call on their phone to instantly open a window into your virtual world. Whether you want to show off your latest 3D drawing masterpiece, play an amazing 360 video your friend would love, or just spend time chatting, it’s one of the best ways to be in the moment together, from anywhere.
Today is only the beginning. We’re launching in beta, and we’ll add new features as we learn from your feedback and continue exploring what makes social VR experiences most meaningful. We also plan to bring the experience to more platforms over time. We’ve only just scratched the surface of social VR technology. In the future, it will continue to transform the way people around the world stay connected with their communities and those closest to them. We can’t wait to get there.
Camera Effects Platform
Apart from diving into virtual reality, the company had something to share for the augmented reality fans. Facebook Camera, last launched last month gave the chance to people to explore their creativity with filters within the platform.
Understanding the growing needs of users to express themselves with features beyond existing standard filters, the Camera Effects Platform was launched to turn smartphone cameras into the first AR platform, providing an opportunity for artists and developers to create effects for the Facebook camera.
Frame Studio one of the features of Camera Effects platform is a web-based tool that allows anyone with a profile or Page to design frames for use on profile pictures or in the new Facebook camera.
The other half of the Camera Effects platform is an Augmented Reality experience authoring tool called AR Studio which is currently exclusive for Mac users alone.
For the companies that try to leverage most of Facebook users, it released Facebook Login and Account Kit product enhancements to help you better connect with people and engage them across different surfaces. Facebook also introduced new ways to retain and recover customer accounts to maintain those relationships.
We’re extending omni-channel analytics for Facebook’s family of apps and services with the addition of Facebook Page interactions, such as post reactions and shares, so you can measure and understand the interactions people have with your Page alongside their other activity on your website, app, and bot.
For example, an e-commerce business can measure if people who comment on an item featured in their Page post go on to view an item on their website, or purchase it in their app. The ability to view customer behavior across different channels gives businesses a unique ability to learn about and optimize their full customer journey to drive growth.
The company also introduced Messenger Platform 2.0, a new suite of tools that gives you the ability to build richer experiences, get discovered, and extend the conversational, visual and social capabilities of your bots. In the latest update, people can discover nearby places, businesses and latest bots in the platform with ease. The entire feature is split into different categories to further simplify the process.
It also has a chat extension feature that allows users to build conversations with bots and collaborate on creating shopping lists, ordering food, splitting payments, sharing music and other new and existing use cases.
If you are one of the users who constantly received Candy Crush requests, you are going to experience more of it. Facebook Games is focused on building a global community for people to play, watch and share the games they love with the people they care about. As a part of this initiative, the company announced updates for developers that would help them build and grow their games across mobiles, desktops and video platforms.
The second day of the two days event started with the keynote by Mike Schroepfer, CTO of Facebook who talked about the company’s goal to develop technology that will help everyone build global community. To do that, Facebook is investing in a number of foundational technologies over the next 10 years, including connectivity, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented reality.
In order to increase the number of VR contents on Facebook platforms, the team has developed an SDK which eliminates the traditional method of individually capturing images and then stitching them together. In the latest 360 Capture SDK, Facebook uses Cube Mapping to create and access virtual reality experiences faster.
Apart from 360 video capture, Facebook also introduced Surround 360 technology, to produce high quality audio capture for virtual reality experiences. The new camera technology lets you move around within the video scene and experience the content from different viewing angles.
This means you can move your head around in the world and see it from different angles — what’s known as six degrees of freedom, or 6DoF — bringing the feeling of immersion and depth to a whole new level.
Facebook, which has accounts of over 1.2 billion users already is still on a mission to connect more users to the platform. In its efforts to do so, particularly for the population in the remote location, the company is working on a building blocks approach using Terragraph, a custom-designed, multi-node wireless system built to bring high-speed internet connectivity to dense urban areas.
For more remote regions the company is looking at ways for connectivity to traverse expanses of land cheaply, which is why Facebook is developing MMW and aircraft technology that can beam connectivity through the stratosphere — extending fiber installations at lower cost than trying to dig fiber to these remote regions.
Facebook Building 8
At Building 8, the company is charging ahead with break through innovations that would set the pace for the next stage of communication. Their current projects focused on silent communications include a system capable of typing 100 words per minute straight from your brain – that’s five times faster than you can type on a smartphone today.
It’s a method of decoding the words you’ve already decided to share by sending them to the speech center of your brain instead of sharing every random thought. It’s a way to communicate with the speed and flexibility of your voice and the privacy of text. The company wants to do with non-invasive, wearable sensor that can be manufactured at scale.
We also have a project directed at allowing people to hear with their skin. We are building the hardware and software necessary to deliver language through the skin.


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Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST – Free Report) had its target price hoisted by Wells Fargo & Company from $135.00 to $140.00 in a research note released on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the apparel retailer’s stock.
A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on ROST. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $128.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 18th. Bank of America raised their price objective on Ross Stores from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 18th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Ross Stores from $113.00 to $127.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 18th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Ross Stores from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Ross Stores from $131.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $129.38.
Ross Stores Price Performance
Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 16th. The apparel retailer reported $1.33 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.22 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $4.92 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.84 billion. Ross Stores had a net margin of 8.75% and a return on equity of 39.34%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.00 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Ross Stores will post 5.24 EPS for the current year.
Ross Stores Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 5th will be issued a $0.335 dividend. This represents a $1.34 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 4th. Ross Stores’s payout ratio is currently 26.53%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, CMO Brian R. Morrow sold 25,945 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.53, for a total value of $3,153,095.85. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer now owns 67,033 shares in the company, valued at $8,146,520.49. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Barbara Rentler sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.07, for a total value of $2,381,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 305,425 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $36,366,954.75. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CMO Brian R. Morrow sold 25,945 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.53, for a total transaction of $3,153,095.85. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer now directly owns 67,033 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,146,520.49. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 89,948 shares of company stock worth $10,643,727. Company insiders own 2.00% of the company’s stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ross Stores
Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. bought a new position in Ross Stores during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Ross Stores during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Ross Stores during the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 458.0% in the third quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 279 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameritas Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 1st quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors own 84.79% of the company’s stock.
Ross Stores Company Profile
Ross Stores, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores under the Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS brand names in the United States. Its stores primarily offer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions. The company's Ross Dress for Less stores sell its products at department and specialty stores primarily to middle income households; and dd's DISCOUNTS stores sell its products at department and discount stores for households with moderate income.
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One of the effects of the current low-oil price environment has been a return of the concept of Saudiisation to the top of the economic agenda – a development which has had significant impacts on the telecoms sector. In 2016 the Kingdom introduced its latest iteration of the nitaqat framework, a system that evaluates companies on their Saudiisation level and assigns them a colour category accordingly: yellow or red for those with poor performances, and platinum, blue or green for the businesses that employ the most nationals. In applying the scheme over the past two years, the Saudi government has paid particularly close attention to the telecoms retail industry, which until recently had been largely served by an expatriate workforce.
On September 5, 2016 the telecoms retail segment reached its deadline for achieving complete Saudiisation. Shops dealing with mobile phones or their maintenance had been given six months to comply with the directive, but the failure of some to meet the new requirement resulted in closures and fines. However, despite the determination of the authorities to enforce the policy, the application of the framework to the industry has seen mixed results. Finding sufficient numbers of Saudis to replace expatriate workers in the sector has been challenging, and in the view of some, the transition to a wholly national workforce would have been more successful carried out in stages. “It was impossible to replace expatriates with Saudis all of a sudden. We should have allowed Saudis to work with expats for some time to get the necessary experience and overcome difficulties,” economist Mansour Al Ghamdi told local press in early 2017.
There have, however, been some successes. As part of the Kingdom’s Saudiisation initiative, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development has established a new telecoms complex in an eastern district of Riyadh. Some 83 retail outlets, all run by Saudi nationals, offer the same mix of handset and accessory sales and maintenance services as the expatriate-run shops they are intended to replace. Many of the young Saudis who are employed at the complex received training in areas such as customer service, mobile phone maintenance and sales skills from the ministry before taking up their jobs. This training was carried out electronically through the Doroob electronic portal, the ministry’s e-learning platform that aims to provide citizens with the skills needed by enterprises, small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Kingdom. According to the ministry, the complex, which opened in February 2017, has provided more than 160 jobs for young citizens. “Having skilled and motivated labour is the most important part of the business,” Abdullah Ali Al Zahrani, CEO of Contact Centre Company, told OBG. “Giving agents autonomy provides them with motivation and a stake in the company.”
While the nitaqat policy has placed some pressure on the retail channels utilised by the Kingdom’s telecoms operators, the bigger question for many industry observers concerns their ability to emulate other industries in moving business away from in-person transactions. The rapid evolution of digital channels, in this view, is the more important focus when it comes to customer acquisition and retention. The trailblazers of this trend have included the global banking industry, where people are now paying bills and transferring funds using mobile technology; the media, which is making content directly available on customers’ smartphones; and booking-based activities, such as travel and events, where customers can purchase and manage tickets online.
Surprisingly, the telecoms companies that have been the enablers of this digital disruption are now playing catch-up with other sectors, while they, too, face disruptive trends from free communication platforms like Skype, Viber and WhatsApp. A 2017 report by McKinsey, a global consultancy firm, found that telecoms operators in the region have more ground to cover in this process than their counterparts in some of the more mature markets. A look at regional telecoms firms’ websites found that 90% do not have a product comparison tool, provide automatic usage indicator updates for consumers or allow customers to apply online for the delivery of a SIM card. Around 70% of them lacked a full search function, while 50% had a “very limited” online shopping market in terms of product array and payment options, and no ability to secure financing for purchases. A similar picture emerged from a study of the companies’ mobile apps, many of which lacked the range of customer touchpoints that have become common in other markets. None of the apps offered product comparison tools, 95% had no search engine, 85% offered no option to open an account and 30% lacked dynamic advertisements.
The digital interaction between Middle Eastern telecoms firms and their business customers is another area which has yet to be fully developed. While around 70% of regional companies offer online account management tools, fewer than 50% have established dedicated business-to-business help services. Moreover, none of the surveyed companies allow new business customers to submit applications online or offer mobile apps for customers to manage business accounts.
To gain ground in this respect, the Jawwy brand is a new mobile service that has been developed with a young demographic in mind. Created by the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) with the assistance of leading global and regional telecoms firms, as well as some of the most innovative technology companies in Silicon Valley, the product is a digital-first service which works off an app, allowing customers to personalise, monitor and manage their cell phone plan in real time. Customers are free to choose the data and minutes they want, upgrade or downgrade at any time and share a plan across multiple devices. SIM cards can be purchased online and delivered within three working days, and live help is available both through the app and the company website.
While selling to consumers and businesses through traditional retail channels will remain central to the development of the Saudi telecoms sector, the proportion of customers who are serviced through digital channels will rise as platforms such as Jawwy are emulated in the market. “Digital services distribution is becoming a key channel and having an impact on the business model that telcos adapt today. The future should push telcos towards more efficient and transparent business models that are performance driven,” Faisal Al Saber, CEO of STC Channels, told OBG.
Saudi Arabia’s telecoms companies operate in a rapidly evolving environment where competition is undermining revenues, and pushing up the cost of subscriber acquisition and retention. Digital channels represent a cost-effective answer to these forces, albeit one that requires an industry overhaul. Legacy IT systems and traditional organisational structures are hindrances to the efficient development of such channels, and have brought about a scenario in which firms are following rather than leading their customers’ shift to online interactions.
According to a recent report from A T Kearney, a global management and consultancy firm, emerging market operators acquire just 0.3% of their customers via e-channels, while mature market operators secure an average of 5% through digital channels. In some mature markets, subscriber acquisition through digital means is as high as 37%. The report highlights important advantages in shifting to digital channels: in mature markets the average revenue per user gained from customers acquired through e-channels is 27% higher than that derived from customers signed up through traditional channels, while the cost of securing and retaining e-channel customers is 56% lower.
The argument for developing digital channels in Saudi Arabia is a strong one. In the competitive domestic market, the challenge for industry players is to ensure their digital offerings are capable of both attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. Methods to this end are likely to include incentives such as web-only offers, personalised recommendations, online partner and affiliate programmes, e-payment and autopayment solutions, and enhanced customer support and billing.
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A new patent that was granted to Apple this Tuesday sheds light on how Samsung’s biggest rival is working to accomplish a bezel-free design for the next-generation iPhone, internally dubbed as the iPhone 8.
According to the U.S. Patent No. 9,466,653 that was originally filed for on June 26, 2015, the electronic device that is being trademarked is one that has a display and a display-integrated light sensor. The display panel is said to be composed of a transparent cover layer, light-generating layers and a touch-sensitive layer.
To make the design tweak work, the display-integrated light sensor is going to be inserted between the transparent cover layer and the touch-sensitive layer. Another setup pertains to the light sensor being interposed between the transparent cover layer and a thin-film transistor layer that’s part of the light-generating layers.
AppleInsider says that with the design tweak, the “chin and forehead” bezels of the next-generation iPhone could be removed because the light sensor will be functioning from within the display itself. The Apple-centric website also claims that this advancement could ensure the presence of a true full-screen display on the upcoming devices.
Rumor has it that Apple is planning to ditch the bezels of its famous smartphone for its 10th year anniversary release. This redesign is said to make use of OLED display that would cover the entire face of the handset.
Since the front of the iPhone 8 is going to be primarily made of glass, it was previously rumored that the fingerprint scanner would be embedded into the screen. However, the rumor is now backed by a patent that was awarded to the Cupertino giant last week.
Late last month, an Apple employee revealed that the tech giant is working on its iPhone 7 successor in its Herzliya offices in Israel. The employee also shared at the time that the next-generation iPhone is being called internally as the "iPhone 8" and not the "iPhone 7s," which is the expected moniker if Apple’s iPhone nomenclature is to be followed.
Following the employee’s confirmation, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared his prediction for the 2017 iPhone lineup, saying that the new Apple handsets will sport glass casing up front and on the back with stainless steel surrounding the edges for a “reinforced structure design.”


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The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has passed a law granting retail staff the “right to sit” and thus improving the conditions of the workers mainly comprised of women.
“We see it as a key welfare measure for workers and will ensure store owners comply,” says Tamil Nadu Labour Secretary R. Kirlosh Kumar who assures that inspectors will visit shops to guarantee compliance.
Store owners are now obliged to provide seating to their employees so they can take the weight off their feet during the workday. Kerala became the first Indian state to adopt such a law in 2018. The right to sit is a step forward in the quest for better working conditions like fair wages, proper restroom breaks, and less surveillance.


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Charcoal shortage hits Monrovia
Yurfee B. Shaikalee
Liberia has two seasons which characterize the cost commodities either by transportation or shortage of forest products. The two seasons are: rainy and dry, with the dry lasting from mid-October to mid-April. During the dry season many goods and services are sold at a lower price than during the rainy season, while during the rainy season many roads are inaccessible to move goods from one location to another thus making prices of goods sky rocket.
Increase in deforestation and increase in costs of charcoal
This year the price shift in charcoal has had a direct link to the increase in the use of charcoal and the deforestation resulting from the clearing of the last remaining secondary forest and lowland areas close to Monrovia city. There has been a record high in the price increase of charcoal on the local market from $3.00 in April to $6.00 in May. Liberia’s main energy source is charcoal and fire wood for use in cooking, heating homes, heating water and lighting for some forest-dependent residents.
Since the end of the civil conflict in Liberia, 95 per cent of citizens now depend on fire wood for energy. The rate of deforestation instantly increased to within 50 to 75 miles from Monrovia extending into Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbapolu, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties. At first the suppliers of charcoal to the city of Monrovia were producing charcoal from old rubber trees, right within Monrovia and its environs. However, since 2005 many of the rubber farmers have sold out all their trees depleting all the trees nearby.
Today, the charcoal producers have cleared all the lowlands and secondary forest and are now in search for trees in high forest cover areas which is going to lead to a faster rate of depletion of the Liberian forest leading to forest degradation and deforestation. Because of the shortage of charcoal on the local market there has been a 100 per cent increase in the charcoal business since the beginning of the rainy season. Many citizens that cannot afford it are in desperate need of anything to burn for fuel.
Two of those affected are charcoal producer Mr. Robert S. Kon and seller Mrs. Sieh Thomas in Rally Town Market located in Monrovia.
Impact on ordinary people
According to Mr. Kon there are many factors for the increase of charcoal on the local market. “We as producers do not have trees to fell for burning any more around Monrovia. We have to travel more than 60 miles in search for trees and furthermore we have to pay for a lease from a community or personal forest owner, making charcoal production very expensive for us.” Mr. Kon also spoke of the high increase in the price of gasoline which cost $5.00 per gallon and the labor fees involved is the cost of increase in charcoal this year.
According to Mr. Kon the retailers also have to travel long distances to purchase from the producers making the market hard for both producers and consumers. “We are not responsible for the high increase [in prices] but the situation relates to deforestation and the inability of the government to decrease the price of petroleum on the local market.” Mr. Kon also lamented the lack of jobs which is forcing many young men and women into the industry making landlords increase their land rental fees.
Also affected by the high increase in charcoal is Mrs. Sieh Thomas, a retailer who spoke about the ordeal faced by charcoal retailers. “The distance we have to travel now a day is longer than before when we were travelling between five to ten miles to purchase charcoal but today we are travelling more than seventy five miles to purchase coal.” Mrs. Thomas stated. “We spend money for lodging, feeding, Forestry Development Authority (FDA) label fees which cost $7.00 per month, increase of price of a hundred pounds sack bag by the charcoal producers to $2.50 and the increase of transportation from the purchase site by truck drivers.”
The government of Liberia has not done anything about the shortage of charcoal but this has led to many families starving because of the extra cost charcoal.


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With services taking a hit in the post COVID-19 scenario, the resurgence of the manufacturing sector is now opening new avenues of growth for entrepreneurs and business ventures in 2022.
Manufacturing sector in India
The manufacturing sector is one of the important constituents of the Indian economy. According to the World Bank Estimates, the size of the Indian economy is around $3.1 trillion with the manufacturing sector contributing around 30 percent of the total GDP. This underscores the importance of manufacturing and given the huge push that the manufacturing sector in India has started receiving from policymakers, it is the best time for entrepreneurs and new business ventures to foray into the sector.
Advantages of manufacturing in India
India is home to the second-largest population in the world after China. We are inching towards the 1.4 billion mark and although having such a large population comes with its own set of challenges, it is equally enticing in terms of presenting a humongous consumer market for manufacturing organisations.
There are numerous advantages associated with starting a business in the manufacturing sector in India. In addition to getting subsidies and government support, the production organisations can be immensely benefited from the huge market potential of the target market.
Best 8 manufacturing ideas in country
There is a wide variety of manufacturing ideas that you can choose from although the following are the top 8 fields where the prospects of manufacturing are comparatively brighter than other categories:
1) Ready to Eat/Cook Foods: The revenue outlook for Ready to Eat/Cook foods in 2022 is around $55.60 billion with the category projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.21 percent between 2022-2027. These encouraging numbers are stemming from the lifestyle changes that the Indian society is going through - especially in the metropolitan areas and Tier-II cities of the country, consumers don’t have enough time to prepare the food and hence, their reliance on quick and convenient food products is growing. This change in lifestyle has come across as an attractive opportunity for the manufacturing businesses which can leverage the trend and make decent money by bridging the need by producing quality packaged food products.
2) Biodegradable packaging products: Sustainability has taken the centre stage today with clamour to save the environment rising steadily to its crescendo. Plastic, being one of the major culprits in environmental degradation, is at the centre of the fury. While some plastic manufacturing companies are cribbing about the trend, others are converting this into a business opportunity by starting manufacturing biodegradable packaging products. Take, for instance, pulp packaging category which is projected to grow at 12.1 percent CAGR between 2020-2028 with a total size estimate of $600 million by 2028. Further, the demand for other sustainable packaging products is also expected to pick up pace in the future, a cue for new ventures to capitalise on the growing demand and start manufacturing biodegradable packaging products in the country.
3) Chemical-free cosmetics: The use of harsh chemicals, preservatives, colourants, and artificial fragrances has long been a practice in the cosmetic industry. However, with rising consumer awareness and many herbal brands launching their products in the market, the trend is now shifting towards the use of organic ingredients in personal care products.
4) Pet Food: Gone are the days when people used to feed their pets generic food. Nowadays, pets are getting specialised attention and right from their veterinary care to eating choices, everything has been fully taken care of by their owners. The category is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7 percent between 2022-27 and this presents an attractive opportunity for businesses to explore this fast-expanding niche segment.
5) Agro Chemicals: With policymakers striving hard to expand the contribution of agriculture in the economy from existing 15 percent to 20-25 percent, the use of agro chemical to enhance the yield of crops has been witnessing a steady rise over the years. It’s an interesting manufacturing area where companies can choose to produce a range of products including pesticides, nematicides, herbicides, and fungicides among others.
6) Biodegradable Products: The idea of producing biodegradable products which get easily decomposed in the environment makes a decent business sense, especially in the wake of rising consumer awareness and heightened environmental activism. The hospitality industry has been promoting these sustainable products in a big manner and the total volume of the market is expected to reach 295 billion units by 2026. This huge potential can be tapped by manufacturers involved in the production of biodegradable bags, cups, straws, plates, trays, and so on.
7) Electronic products: India has the potential to become a manufacturing hub for electronic products with the country expected to produce electronic goods worth $300 billion by 2026. The manufacturing of electronics is also important for India to become a $5 trillion economy. To realise this dream, the government has come up with various incentive schemes to promote the manufacturing of electronic products in the country. Another key attractor to starting manufacturing electronic products is the wide range of choices that one can choose to manufacture. From semiconductors to mobile phones and from consumer durables to Television sets, anything can be produced and sold by the manufacturing firm in the market. In addition, businesses can also choose to set up an ancillary unit to support the manufacturing of high ticket products in the country.
8) Pharmaceutical products: COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented growth for the pharmaceutical industry. The pandemic has also brought into the picture the importance of a sufficient supply of medicines and a vibrant healthcare infrastructure for a country. For FY2022, the industry has grown by 13-15 percent domestically while in the emerging markets, the industry has registered a growth of 14-16 percent. In European business too, the Indian pharma industry has shown growth rate between 10 percent and 11 percent.
In order to make sure there won’t be any shortage of essential medicines, the government is encouraging companies to foray into the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products. In such a scenario, it will be beneficial for the new ventures to start producing pharma products and realise good returns on their investment while enjoying higher margins than other sectors.
Government support and policies
The time is absolutely right to start manufacturing in India as the sector is getting unprecedented support from the government and policymakers. The pandemic has brought the faultlines in the service sector to the fore and made the policymakers realise that over-reliance on the services might not be a good idea for the economy.
This prompted the government to start pushing the manufacturing sector even harder by offering a range of incentives and promotional schemes to entrepreneurs, startups, and business ventures. Some of the significant schemes under which new business ventures in the manufacturing sector can derive a range of benefits include the “Make in India” campaign (covering 25 sectors of Economy) and the Production-linked Incentive Scheme (4 percent to 6 percent incentives on incremental sales) with the latter founding mention in the Global Economic Prospects Report of World Bank released in the month of January earlier this year. No wonder, India witnessed a manufacturing growth of 210 percent in FY'22.
Besides, the ample availability of raw materials in India make the country a very attractive destination for manufacturing organisations. The low labour cost in the country, which is one-third to one-fifth in comparison to developed nations, further adds to the appeal of India.
The manufacturing sector in India continues to remain at the forefront of technology adoption in the country. Not only does it contribute significantly to the economy but also holds strategic importance from the perspective of Employment generation. Given the importance that policymakers attach to the manufacturing sector, new business ventures and organisations must explore the possibility of starting manufacturing in India.
If you are also planning to foray into the manufacturing industry, then you can register yourself with SolutionBuggy to get access to verified manufacturing consultants belonging to a wide range of domains and expertise in India. The platform has already completed more than 2,000 Consulting Projects across the country and is serving the topmost companies operating in the manufacturing sector of India.
(Guruprasad Bangle, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, SolutionBuggy-online platform for manufacturing industry)


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A daily roundup of small-business developments.
What’s affecting me, my clients and other small-business owners today.
- Prices at the pump may be headed below $3 a gallon.
- Remember the “fiscal cliff”? The government will run a deficit of as little as $500 billion this fiscal year.
- Facebook is rolling out a rebuilt ad platform, called Atlas, that will allow marketers to tap its detailed knowledge of its users to direct ads to those people on thousands of other websites and mobile apps.
- Here are seven signs your receptionist is very good at sales.
- At the Central Intelligence Agency’s Starbucks, even the baristas are covert.
- Nine common mistakes can doom your retail business.
- Apple’s flagship cube store came to Manhattan because a real estate developer took the biggest gamble of his life and needed to solve a problem.
Around the Country
- A Pennsylvania furniture manufacturer wins a $1,500 contest sponsored by a local bank.
- The North Dakota oil boom has a dark side.
Around the World
- A tiny Spanish island nears its goal of 100 percent renewable energy.
- Federal agencies handed out more than $400 million to ineligible firms last year.
- A research paper picks apart social, demographic, and personality traits to figure out who becomes an entrepreneur. (Will it be that uncontrollable teenager?)
- Here are 10 lessons for entrepreneurs from Derek Jeter.
- A 15-year-old wins the $50,000 Scientific American Science in Action Award for his invention of a wearable sensor for Alzheimer’s patients.
- A firing in Florida offers a reminder that companies have sweeping discretion to regulate what their workers do outside of work.
- The death of Maria Fernandes, a 32-year-old Dunkin’ Donuts worker, has been held up as a symbol of the hardships facing the nation’s army of low-wage workers.
- Here are 15 websites that will help you make money on your used clothes.
- Marc Andreessen sounds the alarm over cash-burning start-ups.
- Thousands of people are joining a new site that may be the “anti-Facebook” (as long as it doesn’t go down.)
- You can see the future of restaurants in San Francisco.
- A robot can tell you if the Thai food is authentic.
- Some restaurants are offering their customers rewards for leaving their cellphones behind.


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Marriott Corp., beset by lingering weakness in the real estate and lodging industries, said it expects to receive $220 million in cash within the next two months as it completes the sale of a number of hotels and restaurants.
Through three separate agreements that were approved by Marriott's board last week, the Bethesda-based company plans to sell 14 new Courtyard by Marriott hotels, 110 family restaurants in California and certain time-share mortgages held by the its resorts division.
Proceeds from the sales would be used to reduce bank debt, the company said.
The sales of assets comes as part of a widespread restructuring started two years ago and aimed at cutting costs, slowing expansion and paring debt.
Marriott, which has $3.6 billion in long-term debt, has been combating softness in the real estate and lodging industries that has hurt its long-standing practice of selling properties after their construction and then leasing them back long-term and managing them under contract.
Dorothy K. Lee, a senior analyst at Moody's Investors Service who downgraded Marriott debt two weeks ago, said that the agreements had been expected as part of the company's efforts to make its debt "more manageable" and strengthen the company's "financial flexibility."
"At one point a year ago, they found themselves in a more precarious position," Ms. Lee said. But after the recent restructuring, "they are a very strong company that is still burdened by a slowdown in the lodging industry," she said.
While revenues increased 11 percent in the third quarter, compared with a year earlier -- thanks mostly to the addition of 70 hotels -- Marriott earnings fell by one-third as business slowed at its hotels and airport and highway concessions.
As part of the restructuring, Marriott has cut 1,500 administrative positions and curtailed construction plans. The company sold its Roy Rogers fast-food chain in April 1990 for $365 million in cash, plus the assumption of debt, and has sold 108 other restaurants and four hotels this year for another $67 million.
Yesterday's announcement said that an institutional investor group, which the company declined to identify, agreed to buy the hotels, including the Courtyard Hotel at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, for about $140 million in cash. Marriott would continue to run the properties under long-term leases, it said.
The company is selling its California properties, primarily consisting of Bob's Big Boy restaurants, to the Restaurant Enterprises Group Inc. for an undisclosed amount.


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The Ken doll has been given a makeover as Mattel strives to diversify his body type. Known for his sculpted chest, neat blonde hair and muscular biceps, it's fair to say that he isn't a fair representation of what most men look like.
So, after creating more realistic versions of Barbie, Mattel has created new looks for Ken. While Barbie's boyfriend still looks relatively svelte (there's no sign of a Dad Bod Ken quite yet), 'The New Crew' collection features slim and broad body types, different ethnicities (African American, Asian, Caucasian, Latino) and varying hairstyles, including cornrows and man buns.
Ken first met Barbie on the set of their first commercial together in 1961. They broke up in 2004 but rekindled their relationship in 2011, and are still together.
In celebration of Ken's new look, Soho-based store Machine-A has opened an archive Ken dolls exhibition, including 1991's MC Hammer Ken and Gareth Pugh's 2009 Ken. Menswear designer Martine Rose has also launched a T-shirt dedicated to the famed figurine.


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|Articles - September 2012|
|Monday, August 27, 2012|
Page 4 of 4
Overall, there is a sense in The Dalles that the city is finally starting to see the fruits of labors started long ago. But just as some of those efforts have taken years to come to light, there is still much to be done. Unemployment in Wasco County in June was at 8.8%, a few ticks above the statewide average. Median household income in 2010 was at $42,000, about $6,000 less than Oregon as a whole.
Although Walmart has been trying to come to The Dalles near the port for years, environmental concerns over wetlands and runoff have slowed that and other endeavors. Methamphetamine has reared its ugly head, and a lack of affordable housing adds a constraint.
The Dalles, whose population grew from 12,200 in 2000 to 14,400 in 2011, has also always had to work against a particular preconception from outsiders.
“People do tend to think that the Gorge ends in Hood River,” says Salvador Miramontes Jr., director of marketing and communications for the chamber.
Likewise, the port’s Klaas says businesses prospecting for a new location don’t often look as far east as The Dalles, even though the area’s amenities — available industrial and commercial land — and relative proximity to Portland can rival those along the I-5 corridor. The area even has a unique airport just across the river that’s been recently upgraded and is readily accessible to corporate jets.
“Somehow we just need to educate people and get them to broaden their horizons a little bit,” she says.
Through its efforts at downtown and riverfront revitalization, workforce development, an effective lobbying group called the Community Outreach Team and many other avenues, The Dalles is trying to do just that. The chamber, too, recently launched a marketing campaign that highlights The Dalles’ 300 days of sunshine, its recreational bounty and its economic potential.
It will, of course, take more than marketing campaigns and waterfront trails to get The Dalles where it’s long wanted to go. But the fact that so many years of planning and effort have finally become tangible this summer makes a pretty good case that The Dalles just might be on its way.
“It’s going to be a couple of really good years,” Young says.
Friday, March 13, 2015
BY JACOB PALMER | OB DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Ten startups have secured venture capital, angel or seed funding in 2015.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
BY JACOB PALMER | DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
There are 278 companies licensed to operate as brewery, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Here are three new beer-making hubs slated to open soon.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
BY JASON NORRIS | GUEST BLOGGER
There are winners and losers with a strengthening U.S. dollar.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
BY JACOB PALMER | OB DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Baseball is returning to Portland and city officials are hoping economic opportunity comes with it.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Cycling to work is all the rage. But not everyone wants to arrive at the office messy, sweaty — and unfashionable.
Friday, March 27, 2015
BY LINDA BAKER
Founded 12 years ago, Keen Inc. likes to push the envelope, starting with the debut of the “Newport” closed toe sandal in 2003. Since then, the company has opened a factory on Swan Island and a sleek new headquarters in the Pearl District. The brand’s newest offering, UNEEK, is a sandal made from two woven cords and not much more.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
BY KIM MOORE | OB RESEARCH EDITOR
|Bike Chic: 7 stylish options for cyclists|
|Beam Me Up|
|Get on the bus!|
|Emperor of the Sea|
|The Road to Reinvention|
|Epitaph for a Boondoggle|
|FLOTUS: Tech industry to train, hire 90K vets|
|'Man-made' earthquakes becoming more frequent, powerful|
|FCC poised to block Comcast, Time Warner merger|
|Dunkin' Donuts, Domino's lead junk food revival|
|Pulitzer-winning journalist chooses PR|
|Taco Bell up, Chipotle down|
|Lilly Pulitzer line at Target crashes site|
A new report highlights how Oregon bankers are giving back to their communities.
Since 1932 Tidewater Transportation & Terminals (operating as Tidewater Barge Lines and Tidewater Terminal Company) has operated a multicommodity transportation and terminal company based in Vancouver, Washington. The friendly expression on the company’s shipping containers reflects the attitude of about 330 safety and community-conscious employees but belies how complicated the barge business really is.
The Port of The Dalles has run marine facilities since the 1930s, but they are part of a larger mission to strengthen the local economy. They focus on regional economic development with a strong bent toward adding good-paying jobs in high tech, manufacturing and other industries.
Thinking about an MBA? Join us for our upcoming Wine & Cheese Information Session to learn more about Concordia University's MBA program.
Providing attendees with unique taste of the Northwest Reception.
CFM Strategic Communications turns 25 this year and is celebrating with a revamped website, special events for firm alumni and clients, a special-label wine and a list of 25 stories about its client work over the past quarter century.


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DelVal receives a $351,321 federal grant
Jul 14, 2010
By Annmarie Ely
During her freshman year of college Kalina Desseaux, a junior majoring in conservation and wildlife management, shared a textbook to save money.
She is not alone. Because of high costs and a tough economy, an increasing number of students share books or even go without them. Desseaux said she spends between $500 and $600 per semester on books.
But at Delaware Valley College, paying for textbooks is about to get easier.
The college has just been awarded a $351,321 federal grant to purchase textbooks that will be rented to students. The program starts next semester, spring 2011.
The grant is from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. Strategic Plan Implementation Coordinator Roy Ortman, Director of Purchasing William Lyle and Bookstore Manager Robert Hirsch helped DelVal secure the grant.
“We’re excited about the process,” said Hirsch. “We anticipate that this grant will save students an excess of $500,000 within the first two years.”
The grant money covers the cost of purchasing these books for the first two years. The program is designed to generate enough money to pay for itself after the initial first two years.
Rental programs are a rather new trend and are popping up at a lot of schools. What makes DelVal’s rental program unique is the two-semester rental option that will be available.
For one semester, students who want to rent a book that costs $100 will pay $35 or 35 percent.
If the student needs to keep the book for another course – often the case with science -- he or she can pay an additional 19 percent. To keep a book for two semesters a student would end up paying 54 percent or $54 for a $100 book. The student will not have to bring the book back or set foot in the bookstore to keep it for another semester. Students will simply notify the bookstore and keep the book.
Students will sign a rental agreement before getting their books. If a book is damaged or lost, students will be charged the difference between the rental fee and the cost of a new book.
Not every book will be available to rent. In order to be deemed rentable, books will have to meet specific requirements that will help make sure the program is fiscally sustainable. Lower cost books or books for courses with low enrollment will not be rentable.
Books will have to have an anticipated life cycle of at least two years to be rentable. One-semester books must generate a surplus within three semesters and two semester rentals are required to generate a surplus within two years.
If a book is chosen for the rental program, the bookstore hopes to have enough rentals for 50 percent of the students requiring that book. Used books, priced at about 75 percent of a new book, will still be available.
DelVal is aware of online competitors.
“There are a lot of online companies popping up,” said Hirsch. “We’re definitely going to be right there with them.
William Lyle, director of purchasing, said prices of the rentals will be at least competitive if not better than the prices of online rentals.
Lyle added that the program will be convenient and inexpensive for students who won’t have to deal with the hassle and costs of shipping.
The program will also help ACT 101 students. ACT 101, also known as The Higher Education Equal Opportunity Program, was established by Pennsylvania in 1971. The program recruits highly motivated students from difficult economic backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in college. ACT 101 students have access to tutoring, counseling and other support services.
Through ACT 101, DelVal provides some students with free textbooks. The new grant is going to mean even more ACT 101 students will get free books.
“Everyone should be able to have books,” said Hirsch. “There’s a direct correlation between access to textbooks and academic performance.”
The bookstore started a much smaller trial rental program this semester. The cost of the rental books is currently 46 percent of a new book. When the new program launches there will be significantly more books available and the rental cost will be lowered to 35 percent for one semester.
The reaction to the trial program has been positive. Hirsch said there’s already excitement and he expects a “wave of enthusiasm” will follow.
“We hear constantly about students who can’t afford to buy a book or share a book,” said Hirsch. “This rental program will go a long way to help out our students.”
More information about this exciting new option will be available in a new section of our web site closer to the launch of the program.


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About 4,240 sets of high-powered magnets have been recalled because they violate federal safety standards for toy magnets, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The magnet sets were sold on Walmart.com through Joybuy, the DBA of JD E Commerce America Limited, a subsidiary of Shanghai Yanlei Network Technology Co. Ltd., of China. They sold for $14 to $15 from February 2022 through April 2023.
The items were called Relax 5mm Science Kit. The multi-color, 5mm diameter magnets were sold in sets of 216. Effective Oct. 21, 2022, federal standards required individual magnets in certain magnet products to be either too big to swallow, or weak enough that they’re unlikely to connect inside the body. If magnets fail the CPSC’s small parts cylinder test (roughy the size of a cardboard toilet paper roll), they must have a flux index of less than 50 kG2 mm2. These magnets don’t meet those requirements.
This is the second brand of magnets recalled this month for violating those safety standards. Others have been recalled in years past.
The CPSC has gone after tiny, high-powered magnets for years before adopting the standards that took effect last year. If ingested, magnets can attract to each other inside the body and cause serious issues such as intestinal blockage or blood poisoning. These magnets pose a huge risk because children — including teenagers — sometimes put them in their mouth to mimic a piercing or for some other reason.
Often used as fidget toys, these magnets caused 26,600 children to require emergency room treatment from 2010 through 2021, according to the CPSC. In addition, at least seven children have died after ingesting high-powered magnets.
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