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Lenovo’s focus has shifted to mostly virtual properties: Amit Doshi
Lenovo has been supporting 4 million IT employees throughout the lockdown period and has also been focusing on services and support initiatives for customers and businesses during these difficult times.
As a brand, Lenovo is bringing out more and more innovation out for customers through privacy features and support. Lenovo is making PC solutions for ‘everyone’ in India.
The company recently launched the IdeaPad Slim 3i. In conversation with Adgully, Amit Doshi, Chief Marketing Officer, Lenovo India, speaks about the brand’s vision with the new device and how it fits into today’s device ecosystem.
What made you launch a new series of laptops in the current situation? What’s the idea behind it?
As an agile brand, we have been able to quickly adapt to the COVID-19 situation by supporting our customers by ensuring their productivity, learning and business continuity is maintained. We also saw a huge uprise in the demand for laptops and PCs during the enforced lockdown, which propelled the launch.
Lenovo has been consistently introducing new form factors and experiences for all consumer segments to meet all demands. Speaking about this new series of laptops, we launched the latest range of IdeaPad Slim 3i and IdeaPad Gaming 3i for the consumer lifestyle and gaming sectors, respectively. We launched the IdeaPad Slim 3i to ensure the ‘Thin and Light’ form factor is accessible to customers from every segment. With extra attention to security, this laptop is extremely suitable in the current situation for users who are studying virtually or working from home during this pandemic.
Tell us about the communication done to support this launch.
We believe in having a flexible approach, with the right mix of traditional, digital, and social media platforms which are suitable for the current times. Our communication for this launch revolved around informing the consumers to get ready for #TheSmarterFit with the FIT defining the Fast, Intuitive and Trust elements which IdeaPad Slim 3i boasts of.
What are the challenges faced in distribution in the current scenario?
We are looking at various initiatives across purchase and after sales support to ensure that the customer experience does not get compromised. Keeping all government guidelines and safety norms in mind, we are emphasising on services such as contactless delivery and in-house repair options. We also initiated an extended customer support service for all PC brands during the lockdown.
What are the marketing channels that are working best for Lenovo? How have your media plans changed since the onset of the pandemic?
Our long-term marketing strategy is hinged on the right equilibrium between traditional and digital media. Since the onset of pandemic, television and online channels have seen a tremendous surge in consumption and our focus has shifted to mostly virtual properties.
How has your sector been affected and has reacted to COVID-19 pandemic?
The PC and laptop industry has seen exponential demand during this pandemic. We observed a spike in demand for PCs as “work from home” and “learn from home” trends started emerging and paved way for edutech opportunities. Lenovo’s priority has been to fulfil these customer requirements at the earliest and help them seamlessly adapt to such unnatural situations. During the lockdown, we had also launched a free online education platform, ‘SmarterEd’, which matched learners from classes V-XII with volunteer teachers.
Since laptops aren’t essential products, how are people taking to this new launch?
The pandemic and lockdown has increased the overall adoption of laptops due to the work and learn from home needs. Individuals are treating it as an essential device as it is one of the key tools for staying connected while being productive virtually. We have also seen a steady increase in the demand for thin and light consumer laptops such as IdeaPad Slim 3, ever since the lockdown was lifted. This is because of the growing dependency on online classes and remote learning methods for school students.
How has Lenovo’s performance been since the pandemic began? What have your sales/spends been like?
Our online sales have seen a significant increase during this pandemic. We have also observed a spike in both online and offline PC sales, since the market opened up post the national lockdown.
What is the kind of communication that Lenovo is maintaining with the consumer keeping the pandemic in mind?
Our customers are our utmost priority, and we had introduced a number of services to support our customers during these unprecedented times. During the pandemic, we launched the free OEM support for all PC brands (not just Lenovo). We also recently launched PC Pal: https://www.lenovopcpal.com/#/, which is a brand agnostic offering, where we advise buyers on the right configuration and they can then choose the brand of their preference.
What does the Post-COVID-19 era look like for Lenovo and what’s the way forward for you?
We believe it’s still too early to state any long-term commitments. However, we will ensure that we and our partners are fully prepared to support customers and adapt to the forthcoming situation.


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After much discussion and debate, the social media app TikTok is finally being banned in the United States, kind of. President Trump has made an executive order that will remove TikTok, along with WeChat, from digital app stores starting Sunday, September 20. While WeChat is being shut down in its entirety, TikTok will still be usable for those who’ve already downloaded the application.
This move comes after TikTok owner ByteDance failed to sell its US TikTok operations to an American company. Trump previously stated that if a US company didn’t take over TikTok’s American side of business by September 15, the app would be banned across the nation. Microsoft and Walmart had emerged as front runners to acquire, but it was Oracle that reached a partnership deal with the company, though the move was not an acquisition.
Both TikTok and WeChat are social media apps conceived and developed by Chinese corporations. TikTok specifically raised some serious concerns in regards to security data tracking. That, along with Trump’s ongoing feud with China is what ultimately led to this decision.
-Wilbur Ross, the US commerce secretary
Trump went on to state that TikTok owner ByteDance has until November 12 to divest its interests in TikTok in the United States. It’s this November 12 date that the TikTok service may be officially shut down in the US.
ByteDance responded to the news, making it clear that they intend to challenge the Executive Order. “We will continue to challenge the unjust Executive Order, which was enacted without due process and threatens to deprive the American people and small businesses across the US of a significant platform for both a voice and livelihoods.” The company shared.
TikTok and we chat will remain on US app stores for the next couple of days, before the ban goes into effect on Sunday. This likely isn’t the last we’ll hear about the situation, so be sure to visit the TikTok topic page on Shacknews for the latest news as more information becomes available.
Donovan Erskine posted a new article, TikTok and WeChat downloads are getting banned in the US
Good place to add that the admin appeared to ask Epic and Riot on their connections to Tencent. Types of security protocols they have etc.
Well that what they get for displeasing the Emporer.

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Amazon is coming out with a mobile phone and you can get a (really brief) glimpse of it in this video.
Nikkei says Apple’s iWatch is coming in October and it will have a curved screen display and be able to monitor your health.
Vodafone says there are secret wires that allow the government to listen to all you conversations on its network.
Twitter just bought native ad company Namo Media for an undisclosed amount.
Google’s Chrome browser became the most popular web browser in the U.S.
Dropbox continued it buying spree. It just snapped up Droptalk, a stealth messaging startup.


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Good news for people who don’t like to choose between nutrition and SustainabilityA large-scale study of more than 57,000 food products sold in the UK and Ireland found that more nutrients tend to be better for our planet than those with less nutritional value. Posted in Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesIt is one of the first studies to examine the environmental impact of multi-ingredient food products, rather than focusing on single-ingredient foods such as beef, almonds and wheat.
“What is good for one is generally good for the other,” said study co-author and ecologist at the University of Oxford, UK, Michael Clarke. Nature.com. “You don’t have to make a choice that is good for the environment but it may negatively affect your health.”
Struggling to cook healthy meals at home?
Forex meal planner is here to help you.
Previously, it was difficult for consumers to tell which products were more or less sustainable, because they often consisted of a number of different ingredients. Clark and his team set out to develop a method to solve this problem. “We have information on the environmental impacts of commodities like wheat and soybeans,” Clark said. But, “If you’re entering your local food store, you don’t just buy wheat.”
Clark and his team used an algorithm to calculate the volume of different ingredients found in thousands of products found in UK supermarkets, giving each ingredient an environmental impact score out of 100 – with 100 being the least sustainable. Factors examined included greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water stress, and eutrophication potential (the eutrophication of soil or water).
The the findings? Products containing lamb and beef were among the worst environmental triggers, scoring three times higher than those containing poultry. Sweets and pastries scored in the middle category. Low-impact foods include items made from plants, grains, fruits, vegetables, and bread products.
They then compared the nutritional data to environmental impact scores. “many [items] It was win-win and was more nutritious and sustainable, [including] The study authors wrote: Fruits, vegetables, salad, breakfast cereals, some types of bread, and meat substitutes. “On the contrary, there were many losers [items] With above average nutritional and environmental influences, [including] cheese, chocolate, savory pies and quiches.” There have been some exceptions to this trend, such as nuts, which are found to be high in nutritional value but also somewhat high in terms of environmental impact, and sugary drinks, which are considered nutritionally poor – because they are mainly composed of water And refined sugar – has a low environmental impact.
But overall, the researchers found that healthier, more advanced plant-based diets tend to be better for the environment, leading them to conclude that “replacing meat, dairy, and eggs with plant-based alternatives can have significant environmental and health benefits in places where the consumption of these foods is high.” high”. They noted that there are “multiple ways to achieve this dietary change, including direct and large substitutions (for example, beans instead of beef), or smaller transitions between similar products.”
Clark hopes consumers can take advantage of these findings to make wiser food choices.
“There are huge differences between foods, and we can start making choices that really improve our health and our environment in a fundamental way,” Clark says. “This kind of study can help us find our way there.”
In recent years, several large-scale studies have indicated that meat is the main driver of greenhouse gases. Learn more here: How does a vegetarian diet help the environment?
#huge #study #finds #healthy #foods #environment


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The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an additional six warning letters in recent days on coronavirus claims. The letters coincide with an industry coalition raising a red flag on the growing flood of such claims on dietary supplement-type products.
Holland & Barrett staff have set up a petition, signed by thousands of staff and customers, begging the company to close its stores during the coronavirus pandemic as they argue their lives and the lives of customers are being put at risk.
A coalition of dietary supplement industry trade associations have come out in support of FDA actions against fraudulent coronavirus treatment claims and have urged retailers to not stock products with such claims on their labels.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a spike in demand for immunity-boosting products, but what scope is there for new and credible research to examine if nutra products have a role to play in helping tackle the crisis?
The UK’s advertising watchdog has dismissed claims made by a retailer stating its cannabidiol (CBD) pain relief patch could reduce chronic pain, anxiety and diabetes, pointing out the claims were medicinal.
A panel of science researchers has put up a list of key findings on the role of micronutrients in supporting the immune system, which firms can tap on to educate the consumers in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
A FANCL-funded RCT study has discovered that the ingestion of tea flower extract, mulberry leaf extract, and chitosan could reduce postprandial blood glucose and triglyceride levels in healthy subjects.
Contract manufacturer Icelandirect has announced it has achieved organic certification, the company announced recently, which is part of a trend of widening organic options with the dietary supplement industry.


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- BeReal prompts users to take an unfiltered photo every day via the app’s camera
- App gives users just two minutes to take a shot
- TikTok has launched its own version called TikTok Now which gives you 3 minutes
- This comes shortly after Instagram began testing Candidate Challenge copycats
Since its launch last year, BeReal has become one of the most popular social media apps among the youth who are fascinated by the ‘anti-Instagram’ ethos.
The app prompts users to take an unfiltered photo every day via the app’s camera, which simultaneously captures a selfie and a photo using the rear camera.
Instead of letting users endlessly re-take their photos to capture their best angle, the app gives users just two minutes to get the shot.
With the rise in popularity, it was only a matter of time before rival apps started copying the simple premise.
This week, TikTok announced a copycat tool called TikTok Now, while Instagram confirmed last month that it is testing its own candidate challenge feature.
TikTok announced the new TikTok Now feature in a blog on its website this week
BeReal prompts users to take an unfiltered photo every day via the app’s camera, which simultaneously captures a selfie and a photo using the rear camera.
What is BeReal?
BeReal was created by Alexis Barreyat, a developer based in Paris.
The premise is simple – at different times everyday, users are notified to snap and share a photo in two minutes.
Users must use the in-app camera, which simultaneously captures a picture with the front and rear facing cameras.
Like other social media apps, you can follow friends and see their photos in your main feed.
Alternatively, you can search through the Discovery page, where you can locate photos taken by users you don’t follow.
If you miss the two-minute window, you can post late, but can’t see your friends’ photos until you post your own.
TikTok announced the new TikTok Now feature in a blog on its website this week.
‘TikTok Now’ is the newest way to entertain and connect with others on TikTok – a daily photo and video experience sharing your most authentic moments with the people who matter most,’ it explained.
‘TikTok Now brings the authenticity of TikTok to a new creative experience that connects you with the people closest to you.’
TikTok Now will send daily prompts to users to capture 10 seconds of video or a still photo using their phone’s front and rear cameras in under three minutes.
It has a dedicated tab at the bottom of the screen – replacing the Friends tab – where users will be able to view their friends’ TikTok Now videos and photos.
“We are experimenting with TikTok Now in the coming weeks. In the US, TikTok Now can be accessed from the TikTok app,’ TikTok explained.
‘In other regions, TikTok Now may also be available as a new TikTok Now app.
‘We will continue to enhance the user experience as we learn more about how the TikTok community adapts to this new creative format.’
Many disgruntled BeReal fans were quick to point out the similarities between the two features.
One user tweeted, ‘Everyone broke Tiktok and now Tiktok broke Beryl?? Lamau.’
TikTok Now will send daily prompts to users to capture 10 seconds of video or a still photo using their phone’s front and rear cameras in under three minutes
The launch of TikTok Now comes just a month after Instagram announced that it was testing a BeReal copycat called the Candidate Challenge. The Candidate Challenge feature was spotted by developer Alessandro Paluzzi
Another addition: ‘TikTok launches its biracial clone ‘TikTok Now’. You either die an innovator or live long enough to see yourself becoming a copycat.’
And one joked: ‘The moment we were able to take our pictures, the collapse of civilization had begun.’
The launch of TikTok Now comes just a month after Instagram confirmed that it is testing a BeReal copycat called the Candidate Challenge.
The Candidate Challenge feature was spotted by developer Alessandro Paluzzi.
He tweeted, ‘Instagram is working on the IG Candidate Challenge, a feature inspired by BeReal.
The screenshot itself reads: ‘Join the IG Candidate Challenge. Add others’ IG candidates to your story tray. And every day at a different time, get a notification to snap and share a photo in 2 minutes.’
In response to the tweet, Meta spokeswoman Christine Pai said IG Candidate is an “internal prototype” and is not yet being tested externally.
Young women who scroll through Instagram for hours more likely to have cosmetic surgery
A study concluded that young women are more likely to have cosmetic surgery if they scroll through Instagram for hours.
Experts from the University of Surrey surveyed 247 Italian women – each aged between 19-32 – about their engagement with Instagram and body dissatisfaction.
Next, each participant was shown one of four videos of Instagram images — containing varying degrees of sex — and their respective comments.
Finally, the women completed follow-up questionnaires related to their level of body dissatisfaction, mood, and intentions for future cosmetic surgery.
The team found that exposure to sexual images from Instagram increased women’s body dissatisfaction levels.
Credit: www.dailymail.co.uk /


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Shelton resident is manager of organic business to control ticks, mosquitoes
Shelton resident Matthew Brisch is the manager of the new Pure Solutions location in Westport.
The company provides organic and safe alternatives to pesticides in the control of ticks and mosquitoes.
“New England is the epicenter of blacklegged tick activity, and the need for tick control is more prevalent than ever,” said Trevor Nelson, Pure Solutions co-founder.
Lyme disease was first identified in Lyme, Conn., in 1975 and has proven to be a growing concern throughout Connecticut.
“Like so many of my friends and neighbors, my family was impacted by Lyme disease,” Brisch said. “The hardships we faced as a family as a result of Lyme drives my passion to help others avoid the same type of experience.”
Brisch previously lived in Monroe.
Pure Solutions uses National Organic Program-compliant products.
“Through a routine program of organic treatments that are safe for humans, animals and the environment, homeowners can achieve results without the harmful side effects of synthetic insecticides,” according to publicity material.
Pure Solutions also is committed to implementing sustainable business practices at its business locations, Nelson said.
“Being a sustainable company is very important to us,” Nelson said. “One way we do this is by sourcing the water we use from harvested, filtered rain-water.”
Pure Solutions now has locations serving Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.


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This post is called Carnival Cruise Line Galveston Texas. You can download all the image about home and design for free. Below are the image gallery of Carnival Cruise Line Galveston Texas, if you like the image or like this post please contribute with us to share this post to your social media or save this post in your device.
HOUSTON A Texas couple says they got off a Carnival Cruise ship in. Carnival Cruise Line is swapping cruise ships at two homeports in the Carnival Valor currently sails out of Galveston, Texas and Carnival Dream out. "Deploying their largest Dreamclass ship to operate their short cruise program demonstrates Carnivals continued. the Port of Galveston on Wednesday said it has snagged the largest cruise ship ever to be based in Texas The Carnival Cruise Lines vessel Carnival Magic will begin sailing from Galveston on Nov 14, 2011, Galveston Port. 2 Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International projects at major attractions such as Schlitterbahn Galveston Island and Moody Gardens In late. GALVESTON, Texas US marshals briefly seized a cruise ship in Texas as part of a $10 million lawsuit related to the fatal Italian cruise ship wreck The Carnival Cruise Lines ship was seized for several hours Saturday while docked in. increasing the Texas ports capacity for 4 and 5day cruises by 22 percent At the same time, the 2,974passenger Carnival Valor will move from Galveston to New Orleans The cruise line said in a news release last week that will. A lawsuit over the fatal Costa Concordia wreck in Italy could keep Galveston passengers from leaving Saturday for their fiveday Carnival cruise to Mexico Bloomberg News reported A Carnival Corp CCL cruise ship was ordered held. "Deploying their largest Dreamclass ship to operate their short cruise program demonstrates Carnivals continued.


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People on the Internet have no chill and Ghanaians are no different.
Well, after the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, the most topical issue had to do with the Patapaa’s over sized suit for the event.
He became the subject of trolls and insults for the choice and style.
However, he indicated that that was his new brand direction and that he has more for Ghanaians.
Well, today being a thursday, social media users are throwing back and Facebook user has dug the inspiration behind Patapaa’s fashion sense and we are in love with it.


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Icann has re-opened its branded domain registration system, which was taken offline when it first launched after it emerged that a bug in the system let applicants see who else had applied.
The application system was taken offline mid-April in an attempt to protect user data. It will now be open until 30 May, and Icann has published a 10-point document to help users manage their applications.
The document includes advice on managing passwords and ensuring that payment details are submitted correctly. Applicants must pay $185,000 by the 30 May deadline to have their submission processed.
“During the last few weeks, we have fixed the technical glitch that caused us to take the system offline. Also, to address user feedback, we have improved the overall system performance and the HTML preview function,” said Akram Atallah, chief operating officer, Icann.
The new gTLDs will enable organisations to apply for generic domain names, which could be for brand names such as Pepsi, or related to specific locations such as London.
But with several organisations trading under the same name in different parts of the world, the system has always been likely to generate controversy.
The revelation that applicants using the original system could see who else had applied is likely to have caused acute embarrassment at Icann.
“We recognise and regret the inconvenience caused by this glitch and the delayed closing of the application window,” said Atallah.
Icann offered to refund the application fee for any companies that no longer wanted to register for a new domain after the error. That could cost Icann up to £350m.
AMD's Ryzen roadmap on track
Celebrate your ability to use both legs with this low-cost but sturdy entry to the standing world
The framework has suffered from security flaws, including being used to create false clicks
An official announcement is expected soon


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Even though the Microsoft Metro UI update for Xbox 360 landed last week, it was always going to be a slightly longer wait for the ABC iView and SBS On Demand video streaming services. Well, part of that wait is over, with the SBS On Demand component now available.
Tagged With ninemsn
It seems kind of sad that we're still discussing the issue of mandatory web filtering, but until the Labor government decides to start listening to experts (or gets voted out of power), we don't really have a choice. yesterday, representatives from Facebook, Yahoo!7 and NineMSN told the Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety that mandatory internet filtering isn't a viable option for protecting kids.
My first email account was a hotmail account. It was the heady days of 1998 - I was 18 and about to go and follow every young Australian's clichéd dream of backpacking through Europe. These were the days when finding an internet cafe was a rare occurrence, and even when you did you had to tolerate dial up speeds. Back then, I probably would have signed up for a hotmail.com.au email address if it was available. But that was over a decade ago, and today my hotmail account is a magnet for spam and newsletters I can't be bothered unsubscribing from.
One of the coolest features in all the top of the line home entertainment kit coming to market over the next year or so is the inbuilt IP connectivity for access to online service. In Samsung's upcoming LED backlit TV range, that content will be coming directly from NineMSN.
A few years agio at CeBit in Sydney, you could gain entry be scanning a barcode that you'd received via MMS on your phone. It was awesome. Then it disappeared, never to be heard of (by me) again. But now, according to Danny Gorog over at APC, the next generation of that tech is on its way to iPhone users around the country, with Qantas developing ways for you to check in to your flight using your iPhone.
It's still a little while away yet, so in the meantime you'll have to settle for just being able to browse the Qantas website in a format especially designed for your iPhone. ANZ and NineMSN are also jumping on the iPhone-friendly website bandwagon, although both only have limited functionality as well at the moment.
The real question is though - is this just a few companies trying to leech some of the iPhone's neverending hype machine, or are they trying to create a truly convenient service using the iPhone's impressive feature set? Only time will tell...
It's April 1st, which means half of the stories you see here could be nothing more than an elaborate hoax. They're not, but they could be.
A couple of tech companies have actually put in a heap of effort to come up with some fairly elaborate April Fool's jokes. Google sent out a press release this morning about their new gDay technology, which allows users to Google search into the future.
Of the two, the Whirlpool announcement was a lot more convincing (although some commenters on the news.com.au Google story were taken in by the joke). Hit the jump for the full April Fool's releases, if that kind of thing interests you...
Word just to hand is that you can now get a regular dose of schadenfreude through Vodafone live!, with ninemsn launching free TV action on the network. Australia's Funniest Home Videos is the real golden goose here - don't we all want our fix of home grown unintentional Jackass / YouTube moments wherever we go?
For those with no sense of humour, you can watch Getaway, The Footy Show Comedians (What's that? Some kind of stand up snippets, I guess), and the 2007 Tropfest films. Not a bad bunch of clips to kill some time in transit.
Maybe AFHV should be best left to the privacy of our homes. Is it really civil to laugh out loud in public at other people's misfortune, even if it is only a vid on your mobile?-Seamus Byrne


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Disrespect is common, even respected, in some areas of the industry. Mark Ritson is not known for doffing his cap to received wisdom nor tugging his forelock before the Emperor.
Invalid traffic (IVT) has long plagued the digital advertising industry—costing marketers all over the world billions of euros due to inflated impressions, misrepresented metrics, and inaccurate reporting.
Survival of businesses is no longer a question of strength, but rather a question of the ability to iterate, adapt and evolve.
In a world of growing complexity and digital upheaval, brands must focus more than ever on building trust.
Hailed as the biggest reason someone would buy your brand, recommend you to others or share their data with you, being told to ‘build trust’ seems like a cruelly elusive solution to the challenges businesses face, and it doesn’t end there.
Today, nearly 70 percent of digital spending is powered by some form of recommendation engines.
Consumer behavior online is changing. Where feeds were once dominated by perfectly curated content, an increased desire for authentic human connection has given rise to a new era of digital interaction: one led by the online community.
The digital paradigm is rapidly restructuring the entire business model of the media industry. The end-users are no longer driven by content.
Despite the ‘data boom’ that spread like wildfire during the last decade, the creative side of marketing has remained relatively untouched by the industry’s fascination with data-driven practices.


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RBI Bans Regulated Entities From Dealing In Virtual Currencies
RBI-regulated entities can no longer deal in virtual currencies.
India virtually banned cryptocurrencies like bitcoin with the Reserve Bank of India barring regulated entities from providing services to any individual or business dealing in digital currencies.
The central bank has given three months to regulated entities like banks to unwind their positions with the entities related to cryptocurrencies, RBI Deputy Governor BP Kanungo said in a media conference. The regulator, however, decided that it will promote the use of blockchain – a public ledger that serves as the backbone of bitcoin – in financial services for strengthening transparency and improving inclusion.
The central bank’s move comes after at least three warnings to the public at large for being cautious while dealing with cryptocurrencies.
If they (cryptocurrencies) grow beyond a critical size they can endanger financial stabilityBP Kanungo, RBI Deputy Governor
The move comes as governments around the world are stepping up scrutiny of virtual currencies mainly due to their unregulated nature. The meteoric rise in the value of bitcoin in 2017, the most popular cryptocurrency, triggered worries that such currencies could facilitate everything from money laundering to tax evasion and fraud.
Since reaching a peak of almost $20,000 in early December last year, a series curbs have pulled down bitcoin and rival cryptocurrencies, with losses intensifying since the start of 2018. China, once a global hub for cryptocurrency trading, is now leading the crackdown making them illegal. Japan and South Korea too have put in place a number of regulations.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had already earlier said that the Indian government doesn't consider cryptocurrencies as legal tender and will take all measures to eliminate payments using them.
RBI said that it will issue detailed guidelines in a circular soon.
India isn’t giving up on the idea of a virtual currency completely. In line with central banks around the globe, the RBI too is mulling introducing a fiat digital currency. “These are issued by the central bank and are considered the liability of the central bank,” Kanungo said. “They will be in circulation in addition to the paper currency that we have. It also holds the promise of reducing the cost of printing notes.”
Accordingly, the RBI has constituted an interdepartmental committee that will submit a report on the feasibility of a fiat digital currency. The committee will submit its report by June-end.
The move has a “demonetisation” like effect on cryptocurrencies, according to Vishal Gupta, co-founder of the Digital Assets and Blockchain Foundation of India. “That effectively means people lose ability to conduct any trade or exchange, at least in the open market,” he told BloombergQuint in an interview.
These have become dead assets for people who are holding onto them. This is going to have huge repercussions. If you disallow trading there is no exit to this.Vishal Gupta, co-founder, DABFI
“I personally believe they [RBI] will give some relief,” he added.


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Temple-Inland, the Austin, Texas-based manufacturer, reported $17 million of EBITDA in 2009 for it's building products division, an 88% increase from EBITDA of $9 million in 2008. Temple-Inland attributed the improvement to "lower costs." A decline in the division's operating income was attributed to lower shipments and prices for all products.
"Our improvement in 2009 was due to our structural cost reduction initiatives, favorable geographic footprint, and mix of products," Doyle Simmons, chairman and CEO of Temple-Inland, said in a prepared statement.
"We remain focused on generating cash and returning profitability to the business," Doyle added.
Building products reported total 2009 sales of $576 million, down 17% from total 2008 sales of $694 million. For the fourth quarter, sales fell nearly 16% to $130 million from $154 million the fourth quarter 2008.
Overall, the Austin, Texas-based company posted a full year 2009 net income of $206 million, compared to a net loss of $8 million in 2008. For the fourth quarter the company posted a net income of $38 million, compared to a net loss of $6 million in the fourth quarter 2008.
Total 2009 revenues for the company, which also produces corrugated packaging, fell about 8% to $3.57 billion while fourth quarter sales fell 13% to $845 million.


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Google's Fitbit Bid Faces Varying Levels Of Data Concerns
By Matthew Perlman (August 11, 2020, 3:21 PM EDT) -- Google's deal for fitness tracking outfit Fitbit comes amid mounting global pressure to address the dominance of large technology firms. European watchdogs have already raised concerns, but it's not clear U.S. antitrust enforcers will follow suit.
Google LLC's CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before Congress last month alongside the heads of Amazon, Apple and Facebook to face questions from lawmakers about their companies' dominance and business practices, as well as acquisitions they've made. The public grilling was just the latest indication that the tech giants, especially Google, might soon face litigation or enforcement actions in the U.S.
State and federal enforcers are...
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Sign up to myFT Daily Digest to be the first to know about Prosus news.
Amsterdam-listed Prosus is getting with the programme. A $4.7bn acquisition of Indian payments gateway BillDesk elevates it from investor to consolidator. Not before time.
The investment arm of Naspers is itself a product of the contortions forced on the latter’s outsize stake in Tencent. That acquisition was undoubtedly a coup. But following Tencent’s lead and rolling up acquisitions gives Prosus a more sustainable edge over mere financial investors.
That matters because Prosus has paid up for BillDesk’s top line growth, rather than additional assets or profits. The deal puts BillDesk, which has no debt, on 112 times trailing ebitda or 18 times revenues. Assuming revenue growth of 20 per cent to 35 per cent, using last year’s ebitda margin of 17 per cent, Prosus paid a forward multiple of well over 80 times ebitda. Even if that trails listed peers Adyen and Latin America’s dLocal, it still looks rich.
Yet by plugging BillDesk into its expanding PayU basket of payments and fintech operations, Prosus should be able to extract cost and revenue synergies, typically about one-tenth of the cost base. BillDesk allows Prosus to build out client bases at both ends of transactions, offering a Stripe-like payments platform for merchants and businesses plus a consumer-facing digital bank.
Prosus, like fellow investors in fintech and payments, counts on growth continuing. BillDesk has grown revenues at an annual compound rate of 20 per cent in the five years to 2020. That should continue. India’s central bank predicts more than 200m new users will adopt digital payments over the next three years. Annual transactions per capita should rise tenfold to 220.
Supporting this is India’s demographic which tilts towards its youthful, mobile-toting cohorts. They should help create new business lines. PayU is exploring insurance, wealth management and buy now pay later plans among other products to cash in on the flywheel effect.
On the other hand, Beijing’s new trustbusting zeal has spoiled the party for China’s consolidators, scuppering Tencent’s plan to create a $5.3bn live streaming giant by bolting together DouYu and Huya. Without such political roadblocks, Prosus has a chance at building ecosystems in India.
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OBJECTIVES OF THE VISIT –
● To know the business model and working of the MSME sector
Students of ISBR Business School went for an industrial visit in Teknic, Electronic city under the Innoventure program. The company is an electro – mechanical manufacturing company which works towards the customer expectations and with latest technologies for their clients.
The industrial visit turned out to be very productive for the students and a great source of learning. The company’s 80 percent employer ratio is of women, taking a huge step towards women empowerment. Also, the working environment was peaceful and the visit helped students to gain knowledge of all departments in the manufacturing company, Teknic. The students learned the process and working environment, which motivated them for entrepreneurship. It also opened the windows of knowledge for aspiring entrepreneurs in various perspectives. The company motivated students and supported students to gain knowledge and open their doors of exploration, by sharing their journey and learnings. It was an amazing initiative by the Innoventure Team of ISBR Business School
with the guidance of the faculty head of Innoventure, Dr. Sheetal Mahender.


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PEACOCKS IN ADMINISTRATION
January 18 2012.
The news is breaking that clothing store Peacocks is to be put under administration, putting a total of 9600 jobs at risk.
It is too early to know what the future holds for the Peacocks branch in Newhaven, but the administrators are reported to have stated than none of the company's 611 stores would close.
That may well be a positive sounding statement, but any buyer of the company will certainly have to look at making savings and a cutback in the number of stores is an obvious early move.
The loss of Peacocks would certainly be another blow to Newhaven town centre.


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Much to the chagrin of RIM’s management, who have watched the stock rally around a number of positive Blackberry 10 announcements, a financial analyst with Canaccord Genuity has downgraded the company’s shares to a “sell”.
Analyst Michael Walkley wrote in a note to clients Monday morning that his firm does not believe BB10 will return RIM to profitability.
“Our checks do not indicate the consumer pull, carrier push or developer excitement necessary for BlackBerry 10 to reverse the challenging trends faced by RIM,” Mr. Walkley said.
“As a result, we downgrade to ‘Sell’ based on our $10 [assessment].”
According to media reports, most major financial firms — including Goldman Sachs and National Bank — have remained positive about BB10 as a return to profitability for RIM.
With this note, Canaccord joins Morgan Stanley as the second firm to view RIM’s future with an air of caution.
In his report, Mr. Walkley goes as far as to question whether the future viability of RIM as a whole.
“Given our belief that BB10 smartphones will struggle to gain sustainable traction in the highly competitive smartphone market, especially with a launch date post the important holiday season, we believe RIM may eventually sell assets, sell the entire company or materially change its business model to a smaller niche supplier,” the firm said.


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Technically, after the ban comes into effect on July 1, you can supply customers with a plastic singlet bag which is 35 microns thick, however the NRA strongly recommends that you consider alternative options due to the risks involved.
Inconsistent micron measurements
The current legislation bans all plastic bags, including biodegradable and compostable bags, less than 35 microns thick.
However, the NRA believes that retailers who use lightweight plastic bags close to 35 microns thick (and suppliers who promote them) are exposed to some risk as thickness can vary not only on one bag (eg. handle vs body) but per batch. It will be at the regulator’s discretion to measure multiple bags as well as multiple spots on a bag. If a bag is deemed to be below 35 microns thick by regulators, the retailer will not be allowed to use these bags and fines may apply.
The NRA have tested several lightweight singlet bags on the market that are promoted as compliant, and many of them fall below 35 microns somewhere on the bag.
Retailers are particularly warned to wary of lightweight singlet bags labelled ‘compliant’ with the “Plastic Shopping Bag (Waste Avoidance) Act 2008 – this is NOT the QLD legislation.”
Future adaptations of the ban
The legislation also provides scope for regulators to prescribe other bags to be banned bags in the future (see Section 99B-1b). The NRA believes that this poses some risk for retailers (and suppliers) who choose to use lightweight plastic bags that appear very similar to banned bags as consumers are likely to consider them ‘single-use’, regardless of whether “reusable” is printed on them. This could result in consumer backlash or retailers being stuck with large quantities of bags deemed banned at a later date.
National companies should be particularly wary of choosing bags close to the micron threshold as other states may choose to increase this threshold, meaning national companies would need different bags for different jurisdictions. For example, the Western Australian government will implement a ban on lightweight plastic bags less than 36 microns from 1 July 2018.
The Queensland Government received over 26,000 submissions to the discussion paper. Of these, 96% were in favour of a bag ban. This, and other consumer trends, indicate that consumers increasingly want businesses to be environmentally-responsible, not just compliant.
Consumers are unlikely to be able to tell the difference between banned bags and technically compliant 35-40 micron singlet bags because they look and feel like banned bags. These bags could even be perceived as ‘skirting’ the intent of the ban.
Therefore, the NRA believes that these bags are a poor commercial decision. They may be cheaper per unit, but if most of your customers feel strongly against them, you could actually witness:
- a loss of customers and sales,
- increased complaints and scrutiny,
- negative impacts on your brand, and
- potentially negative media attention.
The financial ramifications of going against consumer trends could be substantial.
Willingness to pay
Alternative bags like paper, cardboard and heavyweight plastic bags cost more – up to 1000 times more. However research shows that consumers are increasingly willing to pay a small fee for a genuinely reusable bag varying from approximately 15 cents for a heavyweight plastic reusable bag to several dollars for cloth or ‘green’ bags.
On the flip side, consumers are reluctant to pay for lightweight plastic bags that appear very similar to banned bags, even if they are more than 35 microns.
Many retailers are seeing this ban as an opportunity to change long-held expectations of ‘free’ bags, introducing better quality alternatives, charging a small fee, and therefore making this part of their business cost neutral (rather than an unavoidable cost of doing business).
Get a guarantee
If you do choose to use a 35 micron plastic bag, the NRA recommends getting the micron count from your supplier and some form of guarantee from them that the thickness will always be 35 microns or more – all over the bag and in every batch. The legislation includes fines for suppliers who provide false or misleading information.
Please note that if your bags are found to be non-compliant, you will need to stop using them regardless of supplier evidence or the volume of stock you have ordered.
Still not sure? Contact the NRA QLD BAG BAN team on 1800 RETAIL or firstname.lastname@example.org
- What bags are banned? >>
- Fines – Plastic bags can cost businesses over $6000 >>
- 5 steps to managing the plastic bag ban as a business
- Resources and signage for businesses
- See what other retailers are doing to prepare for the ban
Unsure if your bag will be banned? Contact the National Retail Association >>


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Shanghai Forest 📸 : Co
CHINA | Property Market
Sales volume expected to decrease although prices may not go down in certain sectors
CHINA | Outbound Investments
China issues new rules straight up restricting outbound investment in property, hotel, film, entertainment & sports
news/articles/2017-08-18/ china-further-limits-overseas- investment-in-push-to-reduce- risk
This paper puts housing front and center, and very effectively too. --Andrew Baston
From the conclusion:
- Rebalancing of China's Economy : Challenges and International Implications
- China Outbound Real Estate Investments
Reasons to Invest Abroad
Win the hearts of China’s damas – the country’s middle-aged and elderly women – and you’ll be well on your way to winning the China market.
Affluent and with plenty of spare cash to invest, China’s damas made the headlines in recent years after they rushed to buy gold in 2013, helping global gold prices stabilise from a sharp sell-off.
This group of Chinese women, who generally possess limited financial knowledge, are being keenly pursued by wealth managers and property agents as they eye China’s promising silver-hair market.
People aged above 60 will make up 39 per cent of China’s population by 2050, compared with the present 15 per cent, according to official data.
Damas are often seen in stock bourses, banks and property agencies as they go about their investment decisions in much the same way as they buy clothes in shopping malls and food in the wet markets.
“I have held shares of many enterprises, though I don’t understand their business,” said Yu Liping, a 58-year-old retired woman in Ganzhou, Jiangxi province.
“My investments are all recommended by my friends and I believe in group psychology, which means things bought by many people are a must-buy.”
Yu said all her friends and relatives her age invest. Only the very old people, like those in their 80s, would leave their money in the bank, she said.
“But in China, there are very few investment options, and if others say a financial product is good, I will also regard it as good and join the buyer’s cohort,” she said.
Yu followed her friends in buying shares of a Hunan-based bamboo fibre manufacturer in August last year and is looking forward to the company’s Australia listing next year.
But even as she enthusiastically shared details of that 150,000 yuan investment, Yu also related the woeful tale of having put 100,000 yuan earlier this year into Shenzhen Anzi Group, which was collecting funds from the public to launch its online shopping centre.
The group was in July exposed by the Southern Metropolis News for conducting illegal fund-raising and its founder was put under police investigation. Yu has not received her money back from the investment.
Yu also recalled putting 380,000 yuan into shares when the stock market was bullish last year. The stocks’ paper value had since shrunk to just 80,000 yuan, she said
The dama attributed her investment failures to new technologies and concepts such as peer-to-peer financing, trust products and crowdfunding.
“I don’t really know how to use the internet well,” she said.
Even so, Yu and her counterparts are considered financial firms’ VIPs, with wealth managers sparing no effort in maintaining good relations with them.
“Dama usually have a large amount of idle money after having saved throughout most of their lives. In a majority of families, women are the financial controllers,” said Ivan Li, a wealth manager who used to work at a China Merchants Bank branch in Shanghai’s Huangpu district.
“After retiring, these women are free all day and are more willing to invest than young people who are always busy with their work,” Li said.
The wealth manager said at least half of his 400 clients were damas and that the average amount of assets each dama put in his bank came up to half a million yuan.
In dealing with this group of clients, sales workers relied more on their “selling skills” than on professional knowledge, he said.
Last year, the Beijing Evening News reported that a young Pingan Bank accounts manager joined dozens of damas in dancing at a public square in Beijing every evening as a business development tactic.
“Because damas have little knowledge of financial products, sales people should be patient enough to answer their trivial questions,” Li said. “Some aunties spent two to three hours in front of our banks, inquring about our products and chatting with us.”
Xu Jinping, general manager for Fu Hua Asset’s eastern China region, said good sales attitude was an important factor behind many damas’ investment decisions.
The latest Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Global Financial Literacy Survey found that 63 per cent of Chinese adults who owned a credit card were financially illiterate. The poll measures a person’s financial literacy based on his or her understanding of concepts such as risk diversification, inflation and compound interest.
More than 70 per cent of adults in Asia did not adequately understand these key monetary ideas – higher than the world average of 66 per cent – according to the survey.
“In future, there will be fewer such elderly women who like to invest but are financially illiterate,” Xu said. “The market teaches them lessons and people will become more educated in wealth management.” -- 2015 December 21 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST


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Let’s face it. A lot of NFL fans are pretty upset about the whole underinflated-football-cheating-scandal better known as “Deflate-gate” surrounding last year’s Championship win by the New England Patriots against the Indianapolis Colts (unless, of course, you are a Patriots fan). Even more fans are unhappy with the lenient penalty and punishments imposed on Tom Brady and the Patriots organization following the investigation.
Well one Indianapolis Colts fan, Jacob Ayres, has decided to express his displeasure in the Deflategate matter by starting a crowdfunding campaign to create and sell his own version of a Patriots’ Superbowl ring. Using a website called Kickstarter, Ayres hopes to reach a funding goal of $750 to begin developing a more stylized and “way cooler” version of his 3D printed “Deflategate Superbowl Ring” depicted here.
Kickstarter was created to be a new way to fund creative projects that can be in the areas of films, games, music, art, design and technology. It is an “all-or-nothing” funding site, so creators have to reach their funding goals in order to receive the funds to develop their project. From the looks of it, Ayres isn’t doing so well. Backers of Mr. Ayres’ project can pledge in three dollar amounts – $20, $40 or $50. With each pledge, backers will receive a package – the “Players Pack”(3D printed Deflategate ring and 3 buttons), “Deflategate Concerned Fan” (Players Pack plus a letter to either Roger Goodell or the Patriots organization), or “Deflategate Angry Fan” (Players Pack plus letters to both Goodell and the Patriots organization). So far, Ayres has zero backers and zero pledges. He has until May 31 to reach his goal.
To produce the final version of the Deflategate Superbowl Ring, Ayres plans to use 3D printing technology and a website called Shapeways. 3D printing is the process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file. The virtual design can be made in a CAD using a 3D modelling program to create a new object, or with a 3D scanner (digital copy of an object).
Microsoft Kinect is a hardware that uses 3D scanning, and is a definite sign that future smartphones and other handheld devices will soon have 3D scanners integrated into them.
Shapeways allows creators to use any 3D printing app and modeling software to design a product. Users can upload their model into Shapeways where they will mass produce and sell the product in the global marketplace.
Hats off to Ayres for trying to engage football fans by merging sports fans, 3D printing, and Kickstarter. But with only 12 days left and two pledges for a total of just $60, his campaign is quickly losing air and could fall flat.
These Aren’t Your Father’s Ticket Stubs: The NFL Is Turning NFTs Into Playoff Keepsakes and Getting an ‘Off the Charts’ Response
With 97-to-98 percent of spectators using mobile ticketing, the commemorative NFT has become all the rage for NFL fans, who are either keeping the memorabilia or selling it on the open market—leading the league to perhaps incentivize NFTs in the future.
- Joe Lemire
- Jan. 28, 2022
Brainstormed by a French software engineer, Tactic3D operates under the premise that players learn their playbooks better visually – whether it’s basketball, football or soccer – and, in this remote, virtual world, animated 3D coaching on a computer or tablet is precisely what players need.
- Jan. 27, 2022
- Jan. 27, 2022
The Future of Live-Streamed Sports, if Up to Volumetric Video Platform Arcturus, Will Transform a Viewer Into a Producer
Pooling together former executives from Netflix, Google, Pixar, Dreamworks and YouTube, Arcturus is a futuristic company that envisions viewers controlling how they watch a sporting event: from spinning the screen to watching via third-person or first-person, whatever your finger decides.
- Joe Lemire
- Jan. 26, 2022
Uplift Labs Is Putting 'A Performance Lab in Your Pocket' by Turning iPhones into High-Grade Motion Capture, Biomechanical Tools
Already utilized by LAFC of Major League Soccer, above, to go with various MLB teams and golfers, Uplift Labs is now joining forces with the NBA, where it will continue its motion tracking analysis of what co-founder Sukemasa "Masa' Kabayama calls “singular performance moments.”
- Joe Lemire
- Jan. 25, 2022


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20 APR 2016
The main purpose of the event was the chance to meet and network with the founders of the startups which made the cut for SBR’s 20 Hottest Startups to Watch in 2016 list.
Singapore Business Review launched this year’s 20 Hottest Startups of 2016 Panel Briefing following the immense success of last year’s 20 Hottest Startups of 2015 Panel Briefing.
Singapore Business Review’s Hottest Startups Panel Briefing, now on its fourth year, has become the standard for Singapore’s booming start up scene.
The event had 4 panels discussing the hottest topics that the startups highest priorities – marketing, social media, funding and secrets to success.
Kineret Karin participated in the ‘Clinching Seed Funding’ panel with other founders and CEO’s of companies.


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Bouygues, the French construction, telecoms and media group, has sold almost half its stake in Alstom, one of the largest manufacturers of rolling stock in the world, after the European Commission blocked a plan to merge the company with Siemens’ trains business earlier this year.
The sale consisted of 29.15m shares, a 13% stake in Alstom. Launched after the market close on Wednesday, following a limited wall-crossing exercise, it took less than hour an hour for the deal to be covered. It was subsequently priced at €37, a 6% discount to the
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Skoda to launch small car with Rs 3-5 lakh price tag in 2012
Czech car-maker Skoda today said it will introduce a small car in the Indian market in early 2012, which will be priced at Rs 3-5 lakh.autos Updated: Aug 19, 2010 10:11 IST
Czech car-maker Skoda on Thursday said it will introduce a small car in the Indian market in early 2012, which will be priced at Rs 3-5 lakh.
The company, a part of the Volkswagen Group, will also introduce its sports utility vehicle, Yeti, and a stripped-down version of its premium hatchback, Fabia, in India by the end of this year. In addition, it will launch a sedan with a Rs 6-10 lakh price tag in 2011.
"We had announced to roll out one new model every year. As part of this strategy, we will enter the volume segment and will launch a small car in early 2012," SkodaAuto India Board Member and Director (Sales and Marketing) Thomas Kuehl told reporters in New Delhi.
The development of the car is underway and the company will launch the model in both petrol and diesel versions.
When asked about the possible price range of the vehicle, he said: "It will be below the Fabia... Our aim is to price in the Rs 3-5 lakh category."
The over 15 lakh units strong Indian passenger car market witnesses most of its sales coming from the small car segment and global car majors have launched a slew of new models in the Rs 3-5 lakh bracket in recent months, including Ford's Figo, General Motors' Beat and Volkswagen's Polo.
Kuehl, however, declined to comment on whether a new facility will be set up to produce the car or it will be rolled out from the existing Aurangabad unit, which has a capacity of 44,000 units per annum.
"We have not decided anything about production. We are open to sharing technologies as well as the plant of our parent Volkswagen," he added.
German car major Volkswagen (VW) has invested 580 million euro to set up a manufacturing facility in Chakan with an annual production capacity of 1.1 lakh units.
Kuehl said the company is expecting to treble its sales in the next three years, mainly on the back of the proposed small car.
The company sold about 14,800 units last year and is aiming to cross the 20,000 units mark in 2010.
Asked if the car will be exported to other nations, Kuehl said, "We never ruled out export... We study that option, but nothing has been decided now."
In addition, SkodaAuto India has geared up to launch the Yeti in the country within the next few months.
"We will launch the vehicle as a completely knocked-down unit from our plant. The price has not been fixed, but it will be competitive," Kuehl said.
Skoda had unveiled the SUV at the Geneva Motor Show last year and it was introduced in the European markets with both petrol and diesel engines.
First Published: Aug 19, 2010 10:07 IST


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Last updated on January 14th, 2023 at 02:23 PM
Dental professionals are advising consumers to consider multiple mouth hygiene options following the increasing concerns over bad breath as face masks became mandatory during Covid-19.
With bad breath related searches experiencing a 200% increase in the past 12 months, and peaking on the 27th June, it’s clear to see that British people are increasingly concerned about their bad breath following the rules and regulations around mandatory mask wearing.
While face masks are incredibly important for our health and protection during the pandemic, they unfortunately cannot mask the issue of bad breath (halitosis).
However, despite the rising concern over bad breath, a study from the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry revealed that mask wearing has negatively impacted people’s oral hygiene habits, with toothbrushing decreasing significantly as people are less concerned about their smile aesthetics, including their breath, due to the use of masks.
Dr Viren Vithlani, specialist periodontist at MyMouth leading provider of oral hygiene products, commented on these changing habits, and how steps need to be taken to prevent long term oral health issues from arising.
“We’ve seen an influx of people expressing concerns over their bad breath, so it’s alarming to see that certain people are using mask wearing as a reason for their poor oral hygiene and not visiting their dentist or hygienist,” Dr Vithlani began.
“When you neglect oral hygiene, such as tooth brushing and tongue cleaning, you may be jeopardising your future oral health, and subjecting yourself to issues such as gum disease, cavities and even heart disease, diabetes and in the most extreme of cases, cancer.”
Maintaining good oral hygiene is imperative for overcoming bad breath as a result of wearing masks for long periods of time throughout the day, and fortunately, there are various things you can do to keep your mouth feeling fresh.
How to cure mask breath
Dr Vithlani said: “If you’re someone who needs to wear masks for prolonged periods of time, such as those who work long retail shifts or work in cosmetics and the hairdressing industry, you should enhance your oral hygiene while remembering the basics.”
“Tongue cleaners, can help to clear the build-up of bacteria and debris on the surface of the tongue, working towards eliminating foul odours from the mouth and improving overall oral hygiene.”
Additionally, it is advised to drink plenty of water, as dried saliva can be a huge contributor to bad breath.
According to the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association, 41% of the UK adult population snore, hinting towards the percentage of “mouth breathers” in the UK.
Of course, standard oral hygiene habits such as brushing your teeth twice daily and stopping the use of tobacco products are highly recommended in the battle against bad breath.
There is evidence that during stressful times (such as the pandemic) many have decreased their diet quality and have increased their sugar intake as it has a comforting effect, which will also impact bad breath.
Consequently, the closure of pubs, mental health struggles and the rise of at-drinking has also increased the consumption of alcohol.
Late last year it was reported that almost half of Britons were drinking more as a result of the pandemic.
Sugars, like those from alcoholic drinks will also have an effect on the build-up of a white or yellow tongue coating.
Dr Vithlani added: “The greater the thickness of this tongue coating, the more likely it is for a person to have bad breath, but five gentle strokes of a tongue cleaner can not only remove this coating and reduce bacterial load but will effectively enhance taste sensation.”
Reducing sugar intake and combining these simple hygiene routines into your everyday alongside proper hydration and tongue cleaning should work positively towards achieving a cleaner mouth and subsequently, fresher breath.
For those that wear reusable masks, factoring in regular mask cleaning can also work well to reduce bad odours.
Experienced dental professional Dr Sameet Hindocha from My Online Dentist added: “When you breathe, you expel aerosol which contains bacteria and sulphides (or volatile sulphur compounds) which, if you wear your mask for hours at a time, will inevitably become dirty and rather smelly.
“Make sure to give your mask regular cleanings to avoid this issue.”
Following the Government’s recent lifting of most lockdown measures including social distancing and mandatory mask wearing which happened on the 19th of July, it is expected that two-thirds of adults will still choose to wear masks, such as on busy public transport routes or in crowded supermarkets, and so the above advice remains pertinent to thousands across the UK.
Dr Vithlani said: “There may well be a rise in people wanting to take better care of their oral hygiene when they no longer need to wear masks, particularly throughout the summer months and so it’s important they’re provided with the advice, support and products they need to achieve this.”
With the lift of mandatory mask wearing, what will you be doing to ensure you’re practicing good oral hygiene?


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The death knell of the Wii as we know it sounded loud and clear the other day, but as it turns out, it was mostly just a false alarm. More like an assumption, actually – Nintendo pointed out in a statement today that it never specifically said it was discontinuing the Wii anywhere outside of Japan, and the company still stands by that.
The official word came from a Nintendo rep, who confirmed the following to GameSpot.
The announcement that the Wii console has been discontinued is specific to Japan. There is no change in the status of Wii in the United States, and it is available for purchase this holiday season.
Mystery solved! The folks at GameSpot also pointed out that GameStop is selling used Wiis for a mere $50 come Black Friday, so if you’ve somehow never owned a Wii yet, it’s a pretty good investment – even with pre-order seeds already sowed in the next-gen.
Think of it this way – for under $100, you could grab a used Wii and used copies of Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. You’ll then be able to own and enjoy both the highest rated game of all time, and the game that represents the pinnacle of one-to-one motion control. What’s not to love?


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Microsoft rolled out the Windows 10 Anniversary Update last week and now the software giant is getting ready to publish the first insider builds of the Redstone 2 update. Expected to be launched in April 2017, Redstone 2 will be the next major feature update for Windows 10. An exact launch date for the new insider builds isn't known, it will arrive this month, perhaps as early as this week.
According to the source, Microsoft will rolling out build 14901 to Insiders, which will be the first Redstone 2 build for the program. Rumors have also claimed that Redstone 2 will focus more on Windows 10 Mobile than its predecessors, and it will arrive in April, 2017. This time frame possibly coincides with Microsoft's numerous hardware releases, including the highly-anticipated "Surface Phone".


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Thursday's preview of the latest news and events in Hampton Roads.
1. SAY GOODBYE TO THE IPHONE'S HEADPHONE JACK
In Apple's view, consumers will use the same wireless ear buds to shift seamlessly from listening to music on their iPhone to talking with their Apple Watch and other gadgets made by the California tech giant.
2. MAKING THE GRADE IN VIRGINIA BEACH
After more than a year of task-force meetings, surveys and heated community forums, the Virginia Beach School Board Wednesday voted 9-2 to approve changes to grading policy in the school division. The changes will take effect in the 2017-18 school year.
Today's Top Stories
The idea was a simple one and long overdue in the eyes of a Norfolk's new mayor: free public Wi-Fi in City Hall. But the network's name sounds an awful lot like, well, "con (the) public."
4. STUCK IN LIMBO
It seemed like a happy ending was in store for the Norfolk banquet hall owner, who sunk her life savings into a business that happened to lie in a Navy flight path. It seemed she beat the Navy, but now she feels like she's fighting City Hall.
5. BRACING FOR RICHMOND
Norfolk State's players say they aren't intimidated by the Spiders' lofty spot in the polls.
Amir Vera, 757-446-2705, firstname.lastname@example.org


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The folks at 345 Games have big plans for their game Bellator: MMA Onslaught. There is a patch releasing very soon which promises to clean up the gameplay and address many of the issues gamers have been raising. They have taken a few moments to give us an exclusive interview about the contents of the title update and their plans for the future. It sounds like good things are happening which are far above and beyond what most developers seek to do post launch.
Loading screens hinted at more moves being added in a future update. Is that happening? Can you give us any details?
[Matt McEnerney] We’re in the process of creating more content for the game which will certainly include new moves, but also a new arena, a new style, and some more items for your created fighter. Can’t give you specifics yet, but we’re hoping to pass certification and go live before Christmas. I can confirm that the content pack will be free! Read the rest of this entry »


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Facebook and Twitter back Apple's privacy stance
Does anyone in the tech industry think the FBI's iPhone crack request is sensible?
Silicon Valley heavyweights Facebook and Twitter have rallied behind Apple in its privacy dispute with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
For those of you who've spent the week under a rock, the FBI wants Apple to craft a custom crack of the iPhone owned by Syed Farook, who with his wife Tashfeen Malik shot and killed 14 coworkers last year in December in San Bernardino, California. Farook and Malik are suspected of being associated with terror groups.
The FBI have Malik's iPhone 5c in their possession, but don't know his passcode. It's not possible to brute-force the device, because iOS only permits ten attempts to guess a passcode. After ten unsuccessful login attempts, iPhones auto-wipe. The FBI has therefore asked Apple to craft a custom crack, to be performed on Apple premises, so they can examine the contents of the phone and won a court order that compels Cupertino's compliance.
Apple has refused to do so, saying in an open letter arguing that even in a case involving a terrorism investigation it will put customer privacy above all else.
Arguments about the rights and wrongs of that position are this week's universal water cooler conversation. And now other tech giants are weighing in. Yesterday, the likes of Google, Whatsapp and the Internet Society backed Apple's stance.
Now Twitter and Facebook have done likewise.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, constrained as he is to 140 characters, offered the following.
Facebook's been in touch with media, offering the following statement:
“We condemn terrorism and have total solidarity with victims of terror. Those who seek to praise, promote, or plan terrorist acts have no place on our services. We also appreciate the difficult and essential work of law enforcement to keep people safe. When we receive lawful requests from these authorities we comply. However, we will continue to fight aggressively against requirements for companies to weaken the security of their systems. These demands would create a chilling precedent and obstruct companies’ efforts to secure their products.”
Legislators around the world are expressing increasing disquiet with the technology industries' attitude to encryption. This matter looks likely to deepen the rift between technocrats and bureaucrats. ®
- Apple M1
- App stores
- Black Hat
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act
- Data Breach
- Data Protection
- Data Theft
- Digital certificate
- Identity Theft
- Kenna Security
- Palo Alto Networks
- Privacy Sandbox
- Tim Cook
- Trusted Platform Module
- Zero trust


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By Rex Mphisa
There is a looming route war between Beitbridge-based Zimbabwean Cross-border Transport Association (ZCTA) and South Africa’s Beitbridge Taxi Association (BTA) after the groups clashed over passengers.
It has, like South Africa’s taxis route wars, an ugly history of being bloody.
Members of the BTA who ply the Beitbridge Border Post (SA side) to Musina taxi route accuse ZCTA members of taking away their business by ferrying passengers
on their route, a 15km stretch between the SA side of Beitbridge border post and Musina.
They say Zimbabweans are reneging on a 2012 agreement to carry only goods, leaving passengers to the South Africans who earn R20 a trip per passenger.
On the other hand, ZCTA members say to stay afloat, they now have to carry passengers because of low amounts of goods on the route as numbers of Zimbabwean
shoppers to South Africa continue to dwindle.
ZCTA members have been taking more than their fair share, loading passengers on the Zimbabwean side and even inside the border post on their way to Musina,
denying their South African colleagues business.
This has not gone down well with BTA members, who throughout the week mounted roadblocks on the once lucrative 15km stretch.
The South Africans demanded amounts ranging between R1 000 and
R3 000 from any Zimbabwean vehicle belonging to ZCTA, in a punitive counter-measure. At times they forced passengers out and onto their vehicles.
Several Zimbabwean vehicles last week were stopped and cash demanded from drivers whose cars had passengers.
Some innocent travellers were caught up in the fracas.
“We have that understanding, which is an agreement. We must only carry goods on the SA side and not passengers.
“South Africans actually sold their trailers to some of our members when we sealed the deal.
“We must not carry any passengers on their soil, but some of our members are losing focus and becoming selfish,” chairman of ZCTA Takavingei Mahachi said.
“We have among us some people who are not our members and do not understand the consequences of such actions and South Africans could be justified in demanding money from people who carry passengers on their route.”
He advised cross-border shoppers to use BTA transport to avoid being caught up in a crossfire when the taxi operators in SA take the law into their own hands.
A member of BTA who spoke to The Standard said members of his association were happy to carry passengers although carrying goods was more lucrative.
He said they applied for permission to demonstrate against the unfair treatment and they would search all cars carrying passengers and demand cash from them
although it could get worse.
Mahachi condemned some members of his association for causing problems on the route, saying if managed professionally, there was enough share for everyone.


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Hidden beneath the outcry of the SEO community was a big change Google made that wasn’t the new mobile algorithm. As usual, Google is thinking three steps ahead when it comes to the growth of mobile search traffic and on April 16 Google made an important announcement. Apps that haven’t been installed will now rank within mobile search results. Previously, only installed apps would rank within your mobile search results. This experience will only happen on Android devices along with Google Play apps for now.
Why is this change such a big deal? Google is quietly struggling with the drastic increase of mobile search. Real estate on a mobile device already limits the opportunity for Google to maximize ad space. Furthermore, Amazon has also been a thorn in its side by stealing e-commerce traffic, an issue that gave birth to Product Listing Ads. All of these factors are quite detrimental to Google’s bottom-line. This app indexing update was another attempt to combat Amazon and other major retailers. The issue at hand is user experience in mobile search.
Generally, mobile users convert at one-third the rate of desktop users overall and mobile shoppers convert 160 percent more often on sites optimized for smartphones. This is clearly the main reason for the new mobile algorithm. The sad truth is that even with a mobile-friendly website, conversion rates are still well below desktop traffic, a strong indicator of poor user experience. Google doesn’t want users to change their search habits from starting at Google to beginning their shopping journey at Amazon. Thus the reason for the app index update – it is an attempt to improve user experience for shoppers.
A great example of increased app UX is entering credit card information, which is one of the reasons conversion rates are lower on mobile. A loyal brand shopper that has downloaded an app would generally have this information stored within the app. Therefore, removing this barrier and others would theoretically increase conversion rates and provide Google shoppers with a better user experience. Beyond storing credit card information, a mobile app strategy needs to consider all the factors your customer needs for a better shopping experience with your brand. Google is heading in a direction that is optimal for its users and you have to find ways to cohesively fit your brand into Google’s vision of the customer journey. If app indexing provides the proper lift for Google, expect to see this rolled out globally as well as potentially including Apple apps. If that happens, SEO for apps will be the next major trend and this update was your warning.
Now that you have a mobile-friendly website, what is your app strategy and how does it fit within your SEO strategy?
We don’t generally think of paid search as a great channel for personalisation, but increasingly, it's becoming one.
Site search matters, yet many ecommerce sites are actually deterring customers through poor experiences. Indeed, a fifth of UK shoppers are not ... read more
Back in 2013 John Gagnon wrote a very popular post detailing some of his favourite Excel tips and tricks. We thought we’d ... read more
How can you create content marketing which works for search, right from the start? Many of us probably think of SEO as ... read more


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This year marked the start of the last season of The Office, but the Dunder Mifflin name will continue to live on in the real world. Last year, Quill, an online supply-retailer, entered a partnership with NBCUniversal to sell paper using the same name as the fictional company. Surprisingly, the deal proved profitable for the Staples subsidiary, with the company's vice president of merchandising telling Bloomberg Businessweek that Dunder Mifflin-branded paper is its third-bestselling product. In fact, it is doing so well that Quill plans to expand the product line to include markers, sticky notes, notepads, and other office supplies.
Despite its previous success as one of the most popular shows on primetime television, ratings and viewership for The Office have dipped over the last few years — for example, the ninth and final season began with the show's lowest-rated season premiere ever. Coincidentally, the office supply manufacturing industry is in a slump as well. The company still sees hope in Dunder Mifflin products though, attributing its future success to customers' familiarity with the name. Let's just hope that Quill doesn't share the same fate as the paper company from Scranton, Pennsylvania.


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The solar industry is being powered as much by hype as sunlight, according to Roger Franklin, and the media feeding frenzy is concealing some concerning realities
The last couple of weeks have seen another burst of activity in the world of solar photovoltaics (PV) – Solaria's US$50m funding round led by Q Cells, IBM's interest in becoming a major player in photovoltaics...
Head of sustainability at the DIY giant chats about patio heaters, busy lizzies, and Kingfisher's plans to go net positive
Study of 18,000 households around the world finds major gap between how much waste consumers think they generate, and how much food, clothing and possessions are actually going to waste
We need climate heroes to step forward now, not in the final act, argues WWF UK's Gareth Redmond-King
Japanese utilities Electric Power Development and Kansai Electric Power Co to each take a stake in the North Sea project in first investment of its kind


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Lowe's Canada is proud to announce that Reno-Depot is expanding its e-commerce program to offer parcel delivery in almost all of Canada. This new component of Reno-Depot's Click-Buy-Renovate program comes less than a year after the program launched in January and the addition of truck delivery in all Reno-Depot stores in May. Since October 24, Quebecers and Canadians can buy products at renodepot.com and have them delivered almost everywhere in Canada.
"The response from consumers has been positive and we have seen good results at each phase of implementation of our e-commerce strategy, which spurred us to roll out parcel delivery earlier than planned," says Isabelle Laliberté, Divisional Vice President, Reno-Depot. "We attribute much of this success to the fact that our website is responsive, making it easy to browse from a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone. That means our customers can shop whenever they want and on whichever device is most convenient. This digital leap forward allows us to better meet the constantly changing needs of today's consumers."
Toronto: The owner of a Danforth East vintage shop received public objection today for selling a vintage sports item some people feel is racist.
Historica Canada has produced an animated Heritage Minute to tell the story of Toronto's Kensington Market and other neighbourhoods that welcomed waves of newcomers throughout the 20th century.
It's been a rough week for businesses on King Street in Bridgewater, N.S.


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(Pocket-lint) – Amazon is reportedly working on a live audio app, like Clubhouse, but with a twist. It will allow anyone to be the DJ of their own radio show, including music.
Project Mic, as the app is currently called, will arrive in the US first, although it’s unclear when.
Creators will be able to play songs from the Amazon Music library, according to The Verge. Besides music, there will be shows for pop culture, sports and comedy. Amazon is even looking for celebrities and influencers who might want to host their own shows. You will be able to search for shows by name, subject or music. Amazon will also highlight content, including live broadcasts, trending topics, and specific creators.
In terms of live broadcasts, the creators will apparently be able to stream to compatible devices that are Amazon Music, Twitch, Audible, and Alexa. Those who tune an Alexa device will even be able to interact from the broadcasts. That said, it’s not yet clear whether listeners will need to be subscribed to Amazon Music.
Keep in mind Axes First reported on Amazon’s plans last summer, but now more details are emerging on Project Mic’s features and how it will differ from the competition. Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, and Discord have all entered the live audio space since Clubhouse became a hit.
Written by Maggie Tillman. Originally published on .


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CBS Studios and Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd have terminated their 50:50 joint venture in India, three years after the two media companies had partnered to launch TV Channels in the country. The JV had launched three channels: Big CBS Prime (Premium General Entertaiment Channel), Big CBS Love (for women) and Big CBS Spark (Music), apart from entering the regional channel space with Spark Punjabi. Last year in February, announced the launch of a Hindi dubbed feed for BIG CBS Prime, trying to reach a wider audience. While there is no official announcement from the companies, the end of the joint venture had seemed apparent once the channels went off DTH (citing high carriage fees), according to IndiaTelevision.com, and a report in The Economic Times points towards terrible distribution for the channel.
TV Biz Is Bleeding RBNL
In Q2-FY14, Reliance Broadcast Networks Ltd reported an operating income of Rs 58.59 crore, and a loss of Rs 18.69 crore. The TV segment reported revenues of Rs 8.66 crore, and an EBITDA loss of Rs 16.97 crore. In comparison, the Radio segment reported revenues of Rs 49.8 crore and a profit of Rs 4.97 crore. TV was a key loss-making segment for the company. Details.
Reliance Broadcast Networks also has a partnership with European broadcaster RTL, which includes the channel BIG RTL Thrill. It’s key business, however, remains FM Radio 92.7 BIG FM, with 45 stations. Apart from this, it owns the TV channels BIG Magic, and TV production house BIG Productions. The company is likely to focus on more Indian content, which attracts a wider audience.
The question is: will CBS look to enter India independently now? Looks unlikely. ET reports that CBS has recently strengthened its content sharing deal with AXN in India, and quotes AXN business head Sunil Punjabi as saying that the channel will bring CBS’ biggest shows to India, now that the deal with Reliance Broadcast is over.


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World-renowned international galleries to newly join Art Busan fair
Some of the world’s major art galleries including the London-based Pilar Corrias and the Berlin-based Esther Schipper will newly join this year’s Art Busan, which is vying with KIAF in Seoul for the status of Korea’s top art fair. The Busan-based fair, on Monday, announced the list of participants and programs for its 10th edition that will take place from May 14 to 16 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (Bexco).
Meanwhile, Johyun Gallery, the biggest gallery in Busan and a regular participant in Art Busan, said Tuesday it would present artwork but will not sell any of them in the fair this year. The decision came as some news media outlets made a political issue of the gallery’s participation in art fairs, after Park Heong-joon, the husband of the gallery founder Jo Hyun, was elected as the new mayor of Busan in the April 7 by-election.
“Despite the prolonged pandemic situation, Korea's major galleries including Gana, Kukje, Hyundai, Johyun and PKM, are participating in this year’s Art Busan,” Byun Won-kyung, the new director of the fair, said in a press meeting in Seoul on Monday. A total of 110 local and foreign galleries will open booths at the fair including new Seoul-based participants such as Gallery Planet and Artside Gallery.
“Important foreign galleries such as Pilar Corrias from London, Esther Schipper and Neugerriemschneider from Berlin and CommonwealthCouncil from Los Angeles will also join Art Busan for the first time this year,” Byun said. The famous Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, who is represented by Neugerriemschneider, will present the interactive work “Your Uncertain Shadow” in a special exhibition in Art Busan, he added.
The renowned British sculptor Antony Gormley’s works will be shown in the booth of the prestigious Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac from London and new paintings by the well-known American artist Donna Huanca will be presented by Berlin-based Peres Projects, which has gained great popularity in Art Busan in recent years.
As for the Busan-based Johyun, which was the talk of the town at last year’s Art Busan after selling all 20 small paintings by famous Korean artist Kim Chong Hak within the first 30 minutes of the fair, will exhibit works by Kim and other well-known local artists but will not sell after the controversy related to the gallery founder and her husband. After Johyun's participation in the fair was announced on Monday, some critics said that some might buy artwork at the gallery's booth as a way to lobby the new mayor. Questions were raised about whether it is proper for a gallery related to the mayor to participate in an art fair which is supported by Busan city. Most major art fairs in Korea are supported by the central and local governments.
Director Byun of Art Busan confirmed Johyun’s decision on Tuesday, saying “Johyun has led the Busan art scene for about 30 years and has annually participated in Art Busan. Johyun paid the same booth rent as all the other participants — 150,000 won ($135) per square meter for this year. It did not ask us for a discount or refund after its decision not to sell artwork [...] It will not only damage the gallery but also the artists represented by the gallery, who had expected their work would be sold at the fair. Sales at art fairs are not only business but also support for artists, but this point seems to be overlooked in Korea.”
“Johyun Gallery should either sell artwork as before or withdraw from the art fair,” said Jung Il-joo, art critic and editor in chief of the art magazine Public Art. “It is strange not to sell work at an art fair, while exhibiting them. It is against the meaning of an art fair. In addition, it is against the expectations of collectors and artists.”
Regarding the controversy that led Johyun to decide not to sell the works, Jung said, “There have been cases when artwork was used [for bribery or tax evasion] in scandals involving politicians. But only such aspects of art tend to be sensationally magnified in the Korean media.”
BY MOON SO-YOUNG [firstname.lastname@example.org]


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Sustainability is a Priority at World Retail Congress 2022Digital Editor
World Retail Congress kicked off this week – running from April 5 – 7 in Rome. The goal of the congress this year is to establish a global roadmap to rebuild a better retail sector.
Bringing together industry leaders to share their experiences and insights, World Retail Congress provides opportunity for progression and development in the world of retail. In this post-pandemic world, it is crucial to come together to access the knowledge and ground-breaking ideas required to achieve this.
This year, the focus of World Retail Congress is innovation and sustainability. At the core, there are six key pillars shaping the future of retail: our planet, our society, our economy, our business, our consumer and our plan for change.
The global retail industry must work harder and faster to make a meaningful impact to deliver on climate change commitments and sustainability. World Retail Congress polled 37 major retail businesses around the world, revealing “widespread understanding of the competitive advantages to winning in sustainability.”
Their findings also showed that there was a “clear disconnect between retailers’ bold ambitions and their progress on the sustainability journey.” The study found that some companies are stuck at “sustainability basics,” simply doing enough to comply with regulations and meet the minimum expectations of investors and other stakeholders.
Most importantly, the study noted that 90% of the survey respondents who work in sustainability “believe collaboration is key to achieving their goals and targets” and that sustainability initiatives would drive value in the next five to ten years.
Half of the respondents believed their companies would invest “whatever it takes” to reach their goals. Advantages to winning in sustainability include: a competitive edge over rivals; cheaper borrowing; lower costs; attracting new customers; retaining employees; and the potential for tapping into new revenue streams.
Ian McGarrigle, chairman of World Retail Congress, said: “As the industry moves in the direction of greater sustainability, a focus on progress, rather than perfection, will be critical.”


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ASHLAND – A sunny and mild start to Small Business Saturday greeted morning shoppers who were in town to spend their dollars locally. This year, more than 19 local businesses participated in Small Business Saturday, a national marketing event started in 2010 that encourages holiday shoppers to patronize small and local brick- and-mortar businesses.
Holiday shoppers from as far away as Pennsylvania and as close as down the block hit the pavement searching for holiday gems. Many carried shopping bags emblazoned with local logos, while some sported “Shop Small” lapel pins.
Stacyn Zimmerman and Jena Rabe, both of Lincoln, were sitting on a bench in front of The Gift Niche, enjoying the warm late November sunshine. They had just finished eating lunch at Breadeaux Pizza, and were about to shop for Christmas trinkets. Last year they had shopped Silver Street on Small Business Saturday, so they had a pattern and a plan.
“We like to hit these little shops,” Zimmerman said. “And the people here are just so nice.”
Rabe said they were once again looking specifically for decorative snowmen with painted faces. “This is the only place we’ve found that carries these,” she said.
Next door, Jill Klaudt, The Olde Farmhouse owner, said her store had been busy all morning.
“We’ve had a lot of foot traffic so far,” she said.
Klaudt said that while many shoppers were buying Christmas-themed items like little canvas signs and ornaments others were purchasing clothing and jewelry.
“We’ve had a lot of repeat customers from Omaha, Lincoln, Wahoo and Fremont,” she said.
Standing behind the sales counter with her daughter Jessica, Klaudt said customers often mention how much they like the variety of stores Ashland’s downtown features.
“We’ve had groups of women who’ve come to make a day of it, have lunch, shop and then sip some wine,” she said, referring to wine tastings at the Glacial Till Vineyard store across the street.
Kayleen and Alexie Logue of Blooms Flowers and Gifts said they too had seen a lot of foot traffic, but weren’t sure yet if that would translate into meaningful sales. Fayne Petersen of Raikes Beef said foot traffic into her store had been steady, with a solid rush of business coming between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
“We were crazy busy then,” she said smiling.
But not everyone was buying Christmas gifts.
Bernie and Susan Handler were visiting Ashland during on a 48-hour trip to Omaha to celebrate a cousin’s 90th birthday. The Handlers, from New Hope, Pennsylvania, had bought cards and gift bags at Postscript, a soft lap blanket at Salt Creek Mercantile, a vintage Leon Redbone vinyl album and a Richie Ashburn baseball card from The Spare Closet. They said they were visiting Ashland for the second time and found its historic downtown “charming.”
“This is a smaller, more down to earth version of where we live,” Bernie said.
Sue Palmer of Ashland didn’t have to travel very far to support local businesses.
“People like the variety of our shops here,” Palmer said, blinking in the sunshine. “They like the ambience of our main street.”
Palmer said she believes Small Business Saturday is a valuable annual promotion for everyone. She said keeping dollars in the Ashland area is good for both merchants and customers.
Audrey Ross, a clerk at Salt Creek Mercantile, said her store was “pretty consistently busy” most of the day. She said customers were buying mostly Christmas decorations, especially the handmade soap made in Hastings and the handmade wax candles made in the store.
Ross helped Micki Pane of Omaha purchase a Christmas candle, decorative garland and festive cards.
Laura Capp, owner of PostScript, called the traffic into her shop “lively.”
Liz Kummer, a PostScript clerk, said she wasn’t sure what to expect from Saturday’s promotional event.
“I’m a bit surprised by so many shoppers as a whole,” she said.
Capp, who moved to Ashland from Iowa City, Iowa but grew up in nearby Murdock, said that she’s been “pleasantly surprised” by the supportive, family-friendly community of Ashland in general.
“In this digital age, my opening a stationary store in a town of 2,500 residents seems a little crazy on one hand, but we’ve experienced a healthy amount of business and so much support here.”
Kim Cooper of Cooper Studio and Gallery, which is filled with art, ceramics, jewelry and original gifts, said a couple from Ashland visited his shop for the first time on Saturday. Cooper, a plein air landscape artist, explained that art sales are usually based on emotional attachment and can happen all year long, not only around Christmas.
“There’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to buying art,” he said. “Last year, we had a good November, but really, art sales are not tied to the calendar.”
An afternoon of clouds and colder temperatures did nothing to dampen the spirits of friends Kirsten Mills and Tracy Wimmer, both from Omaha. The women were having fun buying “C” items – candles, cards, coffee and cider.
“This is such a cute town and such a good location between Lincoln and Omaha,” Mills said.
Shirley Niemeyer, chair of Small Business Saturday for the third year, said she wanted to let people who participated in Small Business Saturday know how grateful she was for their involvement and support.
“Thank you to all the people who shopped local and thank you to all the businesses that offered special coupons and sales for that day,” Niemeyer said by phone. “It’s really important to keep our dollars in the Ashland area.”


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City of Atlanta Announces Launch of New Incentive-Based Pilot Recycling Program to Promote Sustainability
When: Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 at 10:00am
Where: The World of Coca-Cola
Pemberton Place – Greenspace between World of Coca-Cola and Georgia Aquarium
225 Baker St NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
In the event of inclement weather, the event will take place in the Bottle Cap Suite
Parking will be provided in the Pemberton Place parking deck located on Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Luckie Street
Details: The City of Atlanta, in partnership with Rehrig Pacific, a container company and service provider along with sponsor Coca-Cola Enterprises, celebrate the launch of an exciting new recycling rewards pilot program powered by RecycleBank® and coming to Atlanta residents. The event will host city officials, Rehrig Pacific, Coca-Cola and RecycleBank representatives, as well as feature automated recycling truck demonstrations. Refreshments will be provided by Coca-Cola. Representatives from all organizations will be on hand to answer questions and explain how the program works. Already a success in 21 states and in the United Kingdom, the new recycling rewards program, powered by RecycleBank®, allows households to earn Points redeemable at local and national retailers in exchange for recycling.
Read more about the RecycleBank program on their website, www.RecycleBank.com.