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Gurugram-based unicorn OYO drops thousands of hotel rooms, slashed other costs
Gurugram-based hospitality unicorn OYO is in troubled waters after the reports surfaced about company's toxic work culture. Now, as per reports, OYO is rapidly scaling back on the number of rooms on its platform to run a tighter ship. OYO has cut 65k rooms from its roster since Oct 2019. The company has reportedly stopped selling rooms, pulled out of many cities, & slashed other costs due to pressure from investor SoftBank.


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Rain has officially launched its 5G service to the public, offering unlimited data at speeds of up to 700Mbps at R1,000 per month.
Rain first launched its 5G products in September, but this was only open to a “select group of existing customers”.
The company has now opened its network to anyone who has 5G coverage and has made its latest 5G coverage map available online.
Rain’s 5G service is currently available in many areas in Johannesburg and Tshwane – where it has around 250 towers – with an estimated 500,000 households in the coverage area.
During 2020, Rain hopes to expand the network to Cape Town and Durban, and in due course cover all of metropolitan South Africa with 2,000 live 5G sites.
Rain Chief Marketing Officer Khaya Dlanga previously said Rain has seen speeds approaching 700Mbps in ideal conditions.
However, in real-world conditions, operators 5G subscribers can expect to experience speeds of around 200Mbps.
In real-world tests conducted on MyBroadband’s speed test platform, an average download speed of 500Mbps – with speeds peaking at 700Mbps – were achieved.
Watching multiple 4K Netflix streams while downloading large files simultaneously was no problem for the connection.
Upload speeds were significantly slower than download speeds, though, hovering between 10Mbps-20Mbps.
Ordering Rain 5G
Consumers can now order Rain’s 5G service from the company’s website after ensuring they have coverage where they live.
There is only one product available: Rain unlimited data for R1,000 per month with a Huawei 5G CPE Pro router for R3,450 (once-off).

domain: news


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ustwo, masters of interactive storytelling and the London-based company behind the groundbreaking touchscreen game Monument Valley, is making headlines yet again for its first experiment in virtual reality gaming, Land’s End.
Created for Samsung GearVR and launching October 30th, the game urges users to figure out what happened to an ancient civilization simply by looking around left-behind relics. To move in the virtual world, players turn their heads to visually locate “look points,” moving themselves closer towards it.
Would you play it? Do VR games excite you?


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Czechs are spending increasing amounts of money on Christmas, according to a survey carried out by the agency Nielsen Admosphere. The average amount Czechs will spend on Christmas shopping this year is CZK 12,297, which is CZK 1,310 more than last year.
The largest amount of money is traditionally spent on Christmas gifts, a sum that has risen by 55 percent since 2016. While in 2016, the average amount Czechs spent on Christmas gifts amounted to CZK 4,500, last year the sum exceeded CZK 6,000 and this year it is expected to reach CZK 7,046.
Eight out of ten respondents polled said they would give their loved ones more than one Christmas gift, with 49 percent of respondents choosing cosmetics, 42 percent clothing and sports gear and 26 percent opting to give books. 17 percent give gift certificates and just five percent are planning to give expensive gifts such as jewellery or watches.
76 percent of Czechs spend money on indoor Christmas decorations, 63 percent of households buy the traditional Czech Christmas cookies instead of baking them at home, 58 percent will invest in a Christmas tree and 42 percent will splash out on outdoor Christmas decorations.
Czechs also like to eat well during the Christmas season spending on average CZK 2,420 on food and CZK 675 on alcoholic beverages, although some spend as much as CZK 3,000 on the latter alone.
Although Czechs have been spending more on Christmas, 56 percent of respondents said they managed on their regular monthly income and 42 percent said they dipped into their financial reserves. Taking out a loan to cover Christmas expenses is rare.
Archaeologists unearth seven graves dating back to Great Moravian Empire
“Einstein in Bohemia” – Part II: how alienation in ‘half-barbaric’ Prague led him to a new theory of gravity, eventual love of a free Czechoslovakia
Ron Perlman: Cinema is a much bigger art-form than superhero movies represent
“Einstein in Bohemia” – part 1: how a Prague sojourn sparked his theory of general relativity, journey of self-discovery
Valentine’s Day 1945 - When the Americans bombed Prague


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Busa warns of severe economic impact of Wednesday's strikes
Business Unity South Africa’s executive officer Cas Coovadia has told Eyewitness News that while they understood the issues which had pushed workers out on the streets, it was counterproductive.
JOHANNESBURG - Business Unity South Africa (Busa) said the impact of Wednesday’s national strike by the country’s labour unions and federations would have a severe impact on the economy.
The organisation’s executive officer Cas Coovadia told Eyewitness News that while they understood the issues which have pushed workers out on the streets, it was counterproductive.
Busa is concerned that the national strike on Wednesday will haemorrhage whatever is left of investor confidence in the country.
While the Congress of South African Trade Unions, South African Federation of Trade Unions and Federation of Union South Africa employees who will be taking to the streets and staying away from work on Wednesday are protesting about the continued decline of the economy, Coovadia said this would harm the economy even further.
“We are trying to rebuild the economy, not from COVID, but from the recession we were in pre-COVID. So, we think it is incorrect to have a protest and a full-day strike.”
Coovadia, however, said as businesses, Busa did identify with the issues raised by labour around corruption, among other issues, which had led to the protest.
The private and public sector will be among the hardest-hit industries when workers withdraw their labour on Wednesday.


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As the world watched the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, it took Mackey back two decades to Oklahoma City.
Investigators said that the child told a family member that Wainscott and Lockridge touched him inappropriately.
Since 2012, bar owners in Marion County have been fighting the ban saying it hurts business.
A court-appointed representative of Bobbi Kristina Brown has filed a lawsuit against her partner, Nick Gordon, claiming he took money from h…
Erica Shires was sentenced to one year in jail after Lafayette police found drugs in her motel room with four children inside.
His daughter, Christina Morrah, put the ticket in a card she gave to him. But his wife, Debbie Morrah, said it was her idea to buy the $20 t…
The new mom believes every parent should have the right to breastfeed, even in the house of the Lord.
The hoverboard, which was first teased on Tuesday, is seen to be a stable product which could be available to consumers soon.


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WEST HOLLYWOOD —A woman who apparently suffers from mental illness entered a local Target store at 7100 Santa Monica Blvd on La Brea Avenue on May 3, and allegedly proceeded to the kitchen section where she found two knives, and then attacked four store customers. Deputy Clay Grant Jr. was shopping for paper towels at the time, and managed to get the suspect to drop the knives. The off-duty officer subdued her until the authorities arrived.
Store security guards immediately helped as well. Witnesses report that a woman wielding a knife was making comments about the authorities, and sounded confused began stabbing customers who were trying to get away from her. Antioch resident, Layla Rosetta Trawick, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder. The random act of violence has left one victim in critical condition.
Shoppers ran out of the store in fear that Trawick would stab them. Out of the four people wounded, one was a woman carrying a baby. The baby was not hurt during the incident. The most seriously injured victim was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in critical condition, officials said. He was showing signs of improvement late Tuesday, May 4.
Sgt. Conner with the West Hollywood division of the Los Angeles Police Department tells Canyon News, “She was arraigned on Wednesday morning and she is now being held at the CRDF facility until a trial date is set.” Family members of the suspect declined to be interviewed, but stated that they had tried many times to get Trawick some mental help.
A store manager, who asked not to be identified by name, tells Canyon News, “We care about our customers, the law enforcement authorities have been wonderful and easy to work with, and have been doing a thorough investigation since the incident. Target has placed additional security inside our store and business is back to normal. It’s still a great place to shop and we care about the safety of our customers. The store is safe and we look forward to you shopping here soon.”
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore confirmed that Trawick was previously being held at the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station jail on $1 million bond. Then confirmed she’s now been moved to a larger facility. Store security cameras captured the attack, but the footage is not being released. It has been turned over to law enforcement for further investigation and use in prosecution.


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Topics include encrypting ransomware and the impact it may have on your data, the listing of NZ software firm GeoOp, Apple’s new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Google’s Nexus 5 and further thoughts on recent announcements from...Read More
NZ Tech Podcast: News, Reviews, Opinions
NZ’s number one source of technology news and opinions all wrapped up into a regular audio package for your listening pleasure. Featuring opinions, insights and reviews from the top experts, commentators and tech news journalists in New Zealand. NZ Tech Podcast includes opinions from host Paul Spain (Keynote Speaker, Futurist) and draws on the expertise of those from across the tech community – including founders, CEOs, technologists and journalists. Proudly published by Podcasts NZ.


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North America and Europe are the clear leaders in online 3D printing, representing together more than 95% of global demand, according to a report released today by 3D Hubs, an Amsterdam-based online manufacturing platform. U.S. businesses account for nearly 50% of the global online 3D printing demand. UK firms are the most avid 3D-printing users, accounting for more than 12% of global online 3D printing, surpassing even the state of California.
Key findings of the report include the following:Since its founding in 2013, 3D Hubs has raised more than $30 million and produced more than four million parts, using various manufacturing technologies, including CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding and sheet metal fabrication. The report, 3D Printing Trends 2020, includes insights from the company’s own order database and a systematic review of news and market analyst reports.
- The total value of 3D-printed parts increased 300% in 2019, suggesting a shift away from the high-volume, low-value consumer market in favor of professional users’ workflows.
- 3D printing is now adopted by the early majority for serial production. With ubiquitous applications across multiple industries—including automotive, aerospace, maritime, medical, sports, railway and defense—3D printing is changing new product development and aftermarket supply chains globally.
- 3D printing entrepreneurship is strong and driven by applications. A record-high $1.1 billion was raised by 3D-printing startups in 2019 alone. Applications of 3D printing are attracting the largest number of investors.
- The 3D-printing market keeps growing at record speeds. Top analysts agree that, as adoption steadily increases, the total 3D printing market will continue to double in size approximately every three years, despite the current poor returns of publicly traded 3D-printing companies.
- Professional users are turning to online manufacturing platforms. The plethora of 3D-printing materials and systems makes it impossible for companies to invest in in-house capabilities that cover all use-cases. Many professionals choose online manufacturing platforms as the most competitive solution to fulfill their serial 3D-printing production needs.
- 3D printing is only one aspect of the new digital manufacturing space. Combined with other digital manufacturing technologies, such as CNC machining and low-run injection molding, and powered by digital supply chains and smart factories, 3D printing is forming a new manufacturing landscape.
The 3D Hubs report includes interviews with Emilio Juárez, EMEA Head of 3D Printing Sales for HP; Max Lobovsky, co-founder and CEO of Formlabs; Jon Bruner, Head of Enterprise Strategy for Carbon; and Dr. Cora Lüders-Theuerkauf, Network Manager for Medical Goes Additive.
The report is available free of charge (registration required).
Image: Sdecoret/Adobe Stock


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Cloud accounting software company MYOB has announced the second run of Developher, a paid full-time internship program that trains women to code.
Rent, the company behind rental listings platform Rent.com.au, is set to acquire RentPay, a payments system for the rental market, from cloud accounting software provider MYOB for $425,000 in cash.
Cloud accounting software provider MYOB is set to acquire the Accountants Practice Management division of competitor Reckon for $180 million in cash.
Looking to provide an easy avenue for consumers to browse and buy all manner of ethical products is Delpino’s, an ‘ethical department store’.
According to a report published by the ABC earlier this year, the retail sales value of Fairtrade products in Australia has increased by 70 percent over the last five years to reach more than $260 million, with consumers steadily becoming more aware of the impact their purchases can have. Of course, there is more to […]
The Rural Business Collective is an online community offering startups and small businesses mentorship opportunities, collaboration and advice.
Within Australia’s major cities, the startup scene is becoming increasingly more connected and collaborative. Taking another step forward this direction, this week saw the NSW Government announced the launch of a $35 million startup hub within Sydney’s CBD. Regional Australia, however, faces some difficulties in facilitating strong connectivity between businesses, namely due to the natural […]
AppiWork works with startups, government departments, and other businesses to build their apps and systems, while also creating its own internal apps, too.
With a new baby in tow, Zoe and Isao Hida made the decision to move from Sydney back to Zoe’s hometown of Bathurst, in northwest NSW, at the height of the global financial crisis. They weren’t the only ones to make the switch; between the financial climate being what it was, and the relaxed, family […]
Practice Ignition has announced the close of a $5 million Series A round, with the funds to help fuel the startup’s international growth.
I am wary of the obsession in the startup ecosystem of needing to use certain buzzwords in order to feel validated by Australian society and our Government.
Digital development and design agency Audacious Digital came out of a Global Startup Battle weekend run at Toowoomba coworking space Canvas in 2015.
Growing up, Julie Boulton dreamed of being a brain surgeon, because she was fascinated by the way humans work. A couple of years into her medical degree, however, she was diagnosed with a brain disorder; having developed tremors, a career as a surgeon was suddenly off the table. “One day I was sitting on the […]
Pioneering the task economy movement for the 1.3 million regional business owners across Australia is a fast-growing platform called The Rural Network.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the future of work is going to be about individuals selling their unique set of skills – the more connected households become via technology, the less relevance things like offices and shopfronts will hold in society. We have seen many metro-centric platforms, such as Airtasker and Sidekicker appear in the last […]


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MSFT Stock Price - Microsoft Corp - (MSFT)
- Prev. Close: 44.06
- Open: 44.14
- Daily Range: 43.66 - 44.20
MSFT NEWS FROM BIDNESS ETC
Microsoft Corporation Announces Closure Of Nokia Factories In China
Microsoft Corporation announces the closure of its Nokia factories in Beijing, to be done by the end of April 2015
Google Inc Android, Apple iOS Grab 96% Of Smartphone Shipments
While Android-based smartphones had a market share of 81.5% last year, iOS-based smartphones had 14.8%. Apple’s market share decreased year-over-yea...
Magic Leap Warns Of Harmful Effects From Microsoft Corporation HoloLens
Magic Leap CEO, Rony Abovitz, talks about neuroplasticity, the permanent damage VR sets, like Microsoft’s HoloLens, can cause, and what can be done ...
- Microsoft Corporation Nokia Lumia 635 Will Come With 1GB RAM
- Does Microsoft Corporation New Location Sharing App People Sense Jeopardize...
- Microsoft Corporation Moves On From Windows; CEO Nadella Lights A Fire
- Rumour Mill: Apple Inc. iPad Pro To Feature Intel Corporation Processor, OS...
- Why Investors Love Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Under Nadella
- Microsoft Corporation Offers Deal On Surface Pro 3
- Box and Apple Inc. To Bolster Microsoft Office’s Cloud Storage Options
- Microsoft Corporation Xbox One Sets Jan Sales Record; Sony PS4 Still Ahead
- MKM Sees Limited Earnings Growth For Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)
More News From Bidness
Bridgewater Cuts Stake In Apple (AAPL), Adds Microsoft ... PUBLISHED: Feb 12, 2015 at 4:54 pm ESTMicrosoft Corporation Acquires Israeli Startup N-trig F... PUBLISHED: Feb 12, 2015 at 11:25 am ESTGoogle Inc Gives Apple, Microsoft 90 Days To Fix Securi... PUBLISHED: Feb 12, 2015 at 9:59 am ESTNew York City Schools Granted Free Access To Microsoft ... PUBLISHED: Feb 12, 2015 at 8:47 am EST
Google Inc And Microsoft Corporation Team Up On Project PUBLISHED: Feb 11, 2015 at 6:53 am EST
Apple Inc. Crosses $700 Billion, Closing In On Trillion Dollars PUBLISHED: Feb 11, 2015 at 6:53 am EST
Apple becomes first US company to cross $700 billion on the back of its 2% rally yesterday. Target price revised upwards by most analystsREAD MORE
Microsoft Corporation, Samsung Group End Royalty Battle With Confidential Settlement PUBLISHED: Feb 10, 2015 at 10:13 am EST
Microsoft and Samsung have cleared the air and settled their longstanding dispute over Android royalties. They settled for an undisclosed amountREAD MORE
Microsoft Corporation Windows Mobile 10 Features “May Vary” On Low-End Models PUBLISHED: Feb 9, 2015 at 4:27 pm EST
Windows Mobile 10 might have different features on high and low-end devices, according to Microsoft employeesREAD MORE
Search Engines Battle To Land Coveted Deal With Apple Inc.’s Safari Browser PUBLISHED: Feb 8, 2015 at 9:32 am EST
Yahoo, Bing and Google are all in the running to land a deal with Apple Inc. for its Safari Browser, while there are also reports that Apple might push its own search engine out in the marketREAD MORE


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Here's are 2 actions happening in the U.S.
1.'Our right to know' in Ohio - Sierra Club
2.Tell the Governors to label rBGH-Free milk! - Food and Water Watch
Regulators in the state of Ohio are considering banning rBGH free labeling. Anyone can help, as the outcome may effect the entire country.
Laurel Hopwood, Sierra Club Chair, Genetic Engineering Committee
Governor Ted Strickland
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
Mr. Robert Boggs
Director, Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
Numerous consumers, dairy farmers, and public health organizations oppose the use of artificial hormones used in dairy products. Yet Ohio regulators may prohibit our right to know and not allow dairy farmers to label 'no synthetic hormones' or 'from cows not treated with rBGH.' This would be a precedent-setting label regulation.
Bovine growth hormone is a normal product of the pituitary gland of cows. However, Monsanto's recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is not identical to the cow's natural growth hormone. The Monsanto product, called Posilac, is the cow's natural hormone with an extra amino acid. This artificially altered hormone is a genetically manipulated, potent variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows.
When the cow is injected with rBGH, she produces higher levels of the insulin growth factor, commonly known as IGF-1. When we drink milk from rBGH injected cows, we drink more IGF-1. Elevated IGF-1 levels are implicated with increased risks of breast, prostate, and colon cancers.
Monsanto's Posilac insert states, 'Cows injected with Posilac are at an increased risk for clinical mastitis.' The Posilac insert also admits that it's associated with 'increases in somatic cell counts.' In layman terms, somatic cell counts are another name for pus in milk. What happens when cows get mastitis? Farmers give them antibiotics, which are readily available because many are sold without prescription at farm supply stores. It's hard to miss news stories about the rise of bacteria that are developing resistance to common antibiotics, which are not only becoming prevalent in hospitals and nursing homes, but also in schools and the general community.
Milk from rBGH injected cows are likely to feature more pus from infected cows' udders, more antibiotics given to cows to treat those infections, and more of IGF-1, a tumor-promoting chemical which is implicated in breast, colon and prostate cancers. In return for accepting increased pus, more antibiotics, and a tumor-promoting chemical in their glass of milk, what benefits will consumer's get? Zero.
*Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and dozens of European countries banned the use of rBGH.
*The United Nations' main food safety body, Codex Alimentarius, twice refused to affirm its safety.
*Michael Hansen, Ph.D., is a senior scientist at Consumers Union, a highly reputable source of information for the public. Dr. Hansen reported that the FDA failed to do a full toxicological assessment before approving rBGH.
*Dr. Samuel Epstein, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health professor and author of 260 scientific publications, is an internationally recognized authority on the causes of cancer. He recently filed a petition calling for the immediate suspension of the approval of Posilac based on imminent hazards.
*The public health journal, the International Journal of Health Services, had a series of articles on the problems with rBGH milk.
*The General Accounting Office, the watchdog arm of the Congress, recommended further testing of rBGH before its release. This didn't happen.
*In recognition of the link between rBGH causing mastitis in cows and the need for antibiotic treatment, scientists at Rutgers University said there needs to be greater emphasis on keeping the milk supply free of antibiotic residues. The Centers for Disease Control calls antibiotic resistance 'a major public health crisis.'
*Veterinarian Michael W. Fox, a past vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, calls rBGH 'crack cocaine for cows' because it revs them up, pulls calcium out of their bones, and makes it very painful to stand up and walk.
Dozens of countries banned the use of rBGH, the United Nations refused to affirm its safety, the Consumers Union revealed that the FDA failed to properly test the product, a professor at a medical school said it can cause cancer, and the investigative arm of Congress recommended delaying its release. Fortunately, more dairy farmers are 'getting it' - that the use of rBGH is a wrong turn in their industry.
However, this isn't a debate about its safety. A labeling ban raises a red flag about prohibiting our right to know about the foods we eat. Many dairy farmers want to offer their consumers information about their milk products and consumers want to be offered this information. We urge you to allow us full informed consent.
2.Tell the Governors to label rBGH-Free milk!
A quick e-action from Food and Water Watch
A dangerous trend has started over the last month. States across the country are starting to make rules that take away consumers' right to know whether or not their milk is made with the artificial growth hormone rBGH. Pennsylvania already has the rule, and Ohio and New Jersey are considering a rule change that would restrict dairies from labeling their milk as 'artificial hormone-free.' We need to stop this trend before it spreads any further. Help us by sending a message to these States, telling them that consumers have a right to know what's in their milk, and dairies have a right to tell them. Contact the governors today!
This isn't just an issue for these states, this is certainly an issue that affects all of us. Known as rBGH or rBST, the genetically engineered hormone is injected into cows to make them produce more milk. Besides the documented increase of infections in dairy cows injected with rBGH, which necessitates increased use of antibiotics, there are ongoing questions about links to cancer in humans. As a result, most of the industrialized countries in the world have banned this hormone, including Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and all 27 countries in the European Union.
As consumers have grown more worried about the effects of rBGH on their health, demand for rBGH-free dairy products has grown. A recent poll conducted for Food & Water Watch indicates that 80 percent of consumers want milk from cows not treated with the hormone to be labeled 'rBGH-free.' Labeling is the primary means for producers to convey information to consumers. Whether artificial growth hormones were used to produce milk is a significant issue, worthy of such communication. Denying consumers information about dairy products made from milk produced without rBGH leaves consumers without the information they need to make informed choices.
Write Governors Strickland and Corzine today, and tell them to protect consumers' right to know by allowing dairies to label their milk 'rBGH-Free'.
Thanks for taking action,
Food and Water Watch


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Pittsburgh's Cohera Medical has secured more than $25 million in Series C financing through new and existing investors. The company will use the funds to expand adoption in Germany and other European markets for its lead product, the TissuGlu surgical adhesive, which is used for large flap surgeries, such as abdominoplasty. The funds will also be used to support the clinical trials for TissuGlu in the U.S.
Cohera recently received CE Mark approval for TissuGlu and began selling it to hospitals and surgeons in Germany in September. The company plans to expand the commercial availability of TissuGlu to additional European markets early next year and is also actively pursuing a regulatory sign off in the U.S.
"In its first two months, TissuGlu has been used successfully in over 160 plastic surgery procedures in Germany by leading plastic and reconstructive surgeons," said John Kern, founder and general partner of Kern Whelan Capital and manager of Kern Medical III. "We believe that TissuGlu has the potential to fundamentally transform the patient recovery process worldwide, across many types of surgical procedures, while saving surgeons significant time and money through the reduction of post-surgical complications."
As it has been pitching its product to investors, a number of large companies expressed interest in buying Cohera, but President and CEO Patrick Daly demurred. "Being smart entrepreneurs, we listened and got an investment banker and went through the process with different companies," Daly said, as quoted by the Pittsburgh Business Times. "We liked what we were hearing and had a tentative offer, but we thought there was more value to create as a company now than to move forward with any (acquisitions or partnerships)."
It also has helped that the company has been able to raise money. "We raised the right amount and saw it wasn't the right time to sell," Daly said, as quoted by the Business Times. "So we decided to go it alone and we will continue to add value and if someone wants to come back," they can.
The global market for cosmetic surgery and treatments exceeds $30 billion, with a sustainable compound annual growth rate in the range of 25%, the company said, citing figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
- read the Cohera release
- get more from the Pittsburgh Business Times


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Total 7 Posts
U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation to Restrict Chinese Drone Purchases
A bipartisan group of Senators has introduced legislation that would restrict purchases of drones from China and other countries considered to be national security threats.
Congress Presses Biden Administration on Use of DJI Drones
At a recent U.S. Senate hearing, two Republican Senators pressed Biden administration officials on their Departments' use of Chinese-made drones.
DJI Feels Impact of U.S. Export Controls
Reports indicate that an American software design firm has stopped providing services to Chinese drone maker DJI, in response to U.S. export controls.
India Bans Most Drone Imports, Chinese Company DJI Most Affected
India recently banned most imports of drones, a policy shift that will have a big impact on Chinese drone makers such as DJI. The ban will shield the Indian industry from this Chinese competition, but how effective it will be in developing domestic manufacturing is unclear.
Members of Congress Introduce Legislation to Prohibit Chinese Drone Purchases with U.S. Grant Funding
U.S. Congressmen Garret Graves (R-LA) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) introduced legislation that would prohibit certain federal grants from being used to purchase drones that are manufactured and engineered by companies associated with the Chinese government.
Republican Members of Congress Introduce Legislation to Ban DJI Drones
Yesterday, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) each introduced legislation that would add Chinese drone company Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered List.
FCC Commissioner Calls for Restrictions on Chinese Drone Maker
Yesterday, Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr called for adding DJI, a Chinese drone company, to the FCC’s Covered List [https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist], which would prohibit federal money from being used to purchase its equipment. This list identifies "communications equipment and services ... that are deemed to pose


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spokesperson Nancy Fletcher noted that the court considered the U.
But there are only two claims made in the CMAB
spots - California has great cheese and content cows - and both would be hard to disprove.
has never filmed a "Happy California Cow" anywhere but in the state of California.
During the fall 2014 campaign drive, the CMAB
helped to award 18 schools and 3 school districts with $100,000 in grants on behalf of CMAB
and other stakeholders, including $30,000 in "Hometown Grants" from California's three NFL teams to Santa Clara Unified, Oakland Unified and South Bay Union School Districts.
FUTP 60 is a national in-school physical activity and nutrition program activated in California by the CMAB
and the San Francisco 49ers that encourages youth to consume low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains while achieving at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
To give consumers a clearer understanding of where dairy products come from and showcase the people who produce them, the CMAB
developed 15 "mini-documentaries" profiling dairy families throughout the state.
We know that children need a well-rounded and nutritious diet, and one that includes dairy, to make sure that they are fueled up for optimal learning and to sustain them through at least 60 minutes of physical activity per school day," said Jennifer Giambroni, Director of Communications for the CMAB
In today's hyper-connected world, consumers are used to instant-access to information about just about everything, including the food they eat and where it comes from," said CMAB
Vice President of Advertising Michael Freeman.
To date, Happy Cow fans have cast nearly 500,000 votes, and with consumer engagement at an all-time high, the CMAB
today announced that voting will remain open through December 31, 2009.
th] year anniversary of the CMAB
, a farmer-funded organization dedicated to building awareness and demand for California dairy products.
Whether your ice cream preferences align with the majority of Californians or you prefer a different scoop all together, the CMAB
has developed ice cream recipes featuring local, California dairy products to sweeten up your summer.
was formed in 1969 as a vehicle to promote California dairy products to consumers.


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On the television show “Project Runway,” the unconventional materials challenge – which forces contestants to create clothing from items that can range from food to flowers – often brings out the creative best in designers.
A group of N.C. State student designers will participate in an unconventional “Runway”-style challenge of their own on Saturday, Jan. 28, during Hemline for Hearts at Crabtree Valley Mall.
A collaboration between the school’s College of Textiles and the American Heart Association of the Triangle, the competition will challenge six student designers to create red dresses constructed almost entirely of red paper hearts. Each dress will feature details inspired by the Heart Association’s mission – from hemlines that mimic echocardiogram tracings to flowers representing heart disease survivors.
The designers will work on their pieces from 1 to 4 p.m., with judging held from 4 to 5 p.m. Spectators are invited to watch the competition, which will be held in front of the first floor entrance to Macy’s.
For the participating students, not only does the competition allow them to get involved in supporting a good cause, it also prepares them for the hectic world of the fashion industry.
“The fashion industry is very fast paced with stringent timelines that must be met,” says Dr. Delisia Matthews, an assistant professor in the College of Textiles. “Given these characteristics of the industry, this event teaches students how to manage their time and set attainable deadlines, while also effectively channeling the creative process. This will make students more prepared for what they will face in the industry given this hands-on experience.”
And working with paper teaches students to think creatively and use the skills they learn in the classroom to make even the most difficult material work.
“Student designers will experience a lot of challenges with paper dress production, as the paper does not conform to the contour as smoothly as a fabric does, and the paper does not allow as much tolerance as a fabric does,” says Dr. Minyoung Suh, also an assistant professor in the College of Textiles.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the event allows the students to use their fashion education to raise awareness and do good for the community.
“By partnering with the American Heart Association, this event increases our students’ social awareness and responsibility,” Matthew says. “This event is especially important as it allows them to give back to the community by exhibiting the skills and talents they have learned within our College of Textiles academic programs.”
Send Style Watch tips to firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The new pony car is the first major redo since the 2005 model-year redesign. Ford won't show the car until the Los Angeles auto show this year, but has begun running promotional spots presaging the car. The shorts were not made by Ford's ad agency, but by members of a filmmakers' Web community called Filmaka.com.
Filmaka's members were asked to submit a script about the car. The site says almost 400 scripts were submitted by filmmakers worldwide, with 22 semifinalists chosen to produce their films. JWT Team Detroit and Filmaka chose 10 winners.
The first of the winning films--which are also on www.The2010Mustang.com--aired last week during the premiere of NBC's "Knight Rider," which happens to feature the Ford Shelby GT500KR as the talking car.
The other winners' films will also run during broadcasts of the show as 30- and 60-second trailers, and will each get $5,000. The grand-prize winner gets to direct a promotional film for the 2010 Mustang launch. The full films are on the Web site, which houses specs of the new car and teaser videos.
Wes Brown, auto industry consultant with Iceology, Los Angeles, says that the forthcoming Mustang probably will not look markedly different from the current one.
"When the current Mustang came out, it made a strong enough statement to bring in a flood of loyalists, and broadened the buyer base," he says. "It stood out from other vehicles in the segment." But, he says, many of the changes were cosmetic, and the engine, suspension and technology were similar to the previous model.
He says there will likely be renewed interest in the segment with Camaro (which launches in first quarter 2009), Challenger and the 2009 Nissan 370Z also due out next year. "There will be extra interest and buzz in the sporty car segment--and I think, therefore, for the 2010 Mustang to go beyond just getting Ford loyalists the [drive train and technology] will have to be significantly upgraded."
Sales of the Mustang fell 29% last month to 8,197 vehicles, from 11,512 the year before. Sales year-to-date are off 25.7%


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The chief operating officer of Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. is leaving as the lawn-and-garden products power continues restructuring its executive ranks.
Three members of the finance committee are board members backed by an activitst investor that wants the company to sell real estate and spin off its food products business.
Central Ohio is home to two chief sustainability officers of public companies, not a bad feat when there are just 36 members with the C-suite title in the country.
Bob Evans Farms Inc. may have held onto more control of its board than initially thought, but is still losing two long-time directors.
The activist investor battling with Bob Evans Farms Inc. has a new complaint against the company – its corporate jet.
Greif will close its Turkish plant that was hit by a workers strike and an occupation and take a $27 million hit as a result this year.
A long-lasting occupation of a Greif Inc. factory in Turkey is costing the company $13 million.
Greif Inc. has created two new positions as the company shifts its structure to mirror other multinationals.
Turkish police have raided a Greif Inc. sack factory in Istanbul that employees and sympathizers had occupied since February.
Forbes released its annual ranking of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in U.S. and four Central Ohio businesses made the cut this year, three for the first time ever.
Turmoil at a European factory and missed earnings forecasts are raising concerns about Greif Inc., but the company says it is rebounding and analysts ...
Strife in Turkey is causing grief for Greif Inc.


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Microsoft has launched two new guides to help channel partners unravel the complexities of software licensing for customers.
The software giant has worked with VARs to produce the guides, A Concise Guide to Licensing and Buying Microsoft Software.
It has also launched a free online exam allowing resellers to qualify as Microsoft Licensing Sales Specialists.
Sue Hogg, UK licensing manager Microsoft, said: "We want to help partners and customers get to grips with licensing as much as possible."
Hogg said Microsoft is also working closely with organisations like the British Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses to spread its licensing message.
David Simpson, sales and marketing director at Microsoft partner Softcat, said: "The guides are written in plain English and are the clearest thing that Microsoft has produced.
"We will send them out to new customers so they can have some understanding of licensing before we sell the software. The exam carries a badge and therefore some weight."
Businesses also admit to holding data without permission of subjects
Zedsphere says end-point security vendor's offerings will be a 'key' feature of its wider portfolio
New acquisition will bring UK cloud service provider's global headcount to over 700
Law firm claims that Oracle lied to investors over what is driving its cloud revenue growth and boosted sales through 'threats and extortive tactics'


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The price of petrol goes up by 41 cents a litre today. This will push up the petrol price in Gauteng to a record R12.27 and with more increases expected in the coming months, economists say the inflation outlook for 2013 looks bleak and the poor will be hardest hit.
The diesel price is to go up by 0.01% to R11.33 a litre.
The rand has weakened significantly over the past few months as the severe economic slowdown in Europe and America subsides. The weakness of the rand means the country is now paying more for imports, especially oil.
That means further increases in the price of basic needs, like food and transport, are in the pipeline.
Eskom's push to increase the price of electricity by 16% a year over the next five years is another key contributor to the country's bleak inflation outlook.
Despite rising inflation, the Reserve Bank is not likely to hike interest because economic growth remains fragile.
Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan is expected announce a new set of measures to cushion the poor from the prevailing tough economic times.
Fuel price increases can also have a negative impact on fuel station owners. Leslie Mitchell, MD of Garagesure Consultants & Acceptances told News24: “A petrol retailer’s profit is fixed for every rand of fuel sold, regardless of the fuel price. Fuel price increases do not mean that your local fuel retailer makes more money – potentially the opposite.”
“When the fuel price rises by a significant margin, the R200 that bought 18 litres of fuel is now maybe only buying 16 litres. Many people will rather travel less than pay R20 more for fuel, which in turn has an effect on the volumes being sold by fuel station owners and results in lower spending in the convenience stores at the petrol station forecourts.”
He said there was also the problem of the owner being suddenly under-insured on the value of the fuel inventory a petrol station is holding.


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Absence makes the heart grow fonder. That is definitely the case with fast food chain A&W, who saw queues snaking around its newly opened outlet at Jewel Changi, with the longest waiting time reportedly 2 hours just to place an order.
A&W was first in Singapore way back in 1966, but left on 2003. Since then, Singaporeans have gotten their fix on A&W food from neighbouring Johor and Batam, and calls for their return has been heard since they have been gone. Now that they are back with a bang, A&W has announced that they are opening a second outlet in Singapore in June 2019, although the location was not announced. A&W will also open a third outlet by 2020.
The fast food restaurant also announced that they will commence the process to get halal certification by MUIS once the crowds at its Jewel Changi outlet slows down, and that all their food is now actually Muslim friendly. Quite why they waited this long to get halal certification is not known.


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For production companies looking to ditch the Digibeta in favour of file-based workflows, hire company Pro Motion will be on hand to deliver practical advice on tapeless production at its stand (N56) in The Production Show section of the exhibition.
The Waterloo-based hire company is set to showcase the latest Sony and Panasonic solid state cameras, which will be recording footage live at the show; the team will then demonstrate tapeless workflows by ingesting, editing and playing out the material on the stand.
Advice will also be on hand for the variety of production requirements, from lighting to lenses and microphones to VTRs. The company is also promising some special show offers for visitors.
“As first time exhibitors at Broadcast Video Expo we are excited to be able to share our technical experience on all kinds of productions, and particularly tapeless workflows since this is a new area for many people,” said Pro Motion Hire’s director, Duncan Martin.


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Witnessing the increase in global demand, South Korea-based global conglomerate Youngone Corporation has hugely invested in man-made fiber (MMF) for clothing in its factories in the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) in Chattogram. Until now, US$65 million has been invested in the 3 factories while another $120 million will be invested to operate five in total.
Youngone is the largest foreign investor in Bangladesh’s garment industry. Youngone has a plan to invest $1 billion over the next few years depending on the country’s situation. Employing more than 60,000 employees altogether in Bangladesh.
Well-known for its outerwear and MMF products, Youngone recently started manufacturing polyester fabrics at three factories covering 40,000 square meters each at the KEPZ.
Kihak Sung, Chairman and CEO, Youngone Corporation said that Japanese engineers will install some new machinery at one of the KEPZ factories soon.
Sung added that currently, 95% of all the fibers produced by Youngone is MMF that is used by its factories and other local manufacturers for a variety of garment items.
Youngone is the key supplier of down jackets in Korea and it is also the foremost supplier of The North Face products globally.
The retention value of quality down jackets in Bangladesh is more than 75% and Youngone is the main manufacturer of this superior kind of jacket for cold weather. The product is mainly manufactured in the KEPZ factories.
Besides, to ensure green energy Youngone is also investing in a solar power development project to produce 40 MW capacity to the KEPZ.


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Shoppers queue for bread on opening weekend of new Wapping street market
- Credit: Mike Brooke
Bread queues returned to the East End as shoppers flocked to buy their weekly groceries.
But it wasn’t back to the rationing of wartime Britain, but a rush for organic produce at a new Saturday event - the Wapping Docklands Market.
Will Cutteridge realised his longtime dream to run his own street market in April when he found a spot on the quayside at Shadwell Basin in the old London Docks while visiting his dad.
He was pleasantly surprised to see shoppers queueing for loaves and pasta back to and along Wapping Wall on the market's first weekend open.
“It was pretty crazy,” Will said. “We had a bread queue going out to the street. We were running around making sure people were ‘social distancing’ so queues got so long.
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“Then the bread man ran out of bread.
“The pasta maker also ran out after two hours and had to pack up. He’s coming back next week with a lot more pasta.”
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- 7 £18,000 awarded to Bethnal Green church to bring loo up to scratch
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The pie maker only had a few pastries left long before the market closed, Will said, and beer also ran out early at the pub stall.
“I’m chuffed,” he added. “Well, the proof is in the pudding.”
John Keen who runs the Dockers pub in Wapping Lane was reduced to selling spirits and cocktails on his stall.
“The real ale just sold out," he revealed. "But it was worth coming as I get to meet the community after lockdown.”
John plans to open his own beer garden on May 17, and is just adding the finishing touches.
The new Wapping Market is open each Saturday 10am-4pm at Brussels Wharf by the red bridge on Wapping Wall.
Some shoppers came from quite a distance. Families turned up from New Cross, just four stops down on the Overground, to make a day of eating al fresco on the quayside, such as young Charlie - “age five and three quarters".
The little market attracted organic farmers and east London traders as well as producers from Europe with Italian pies, olive oil and French cheeses.
Italian Romam Haider, who now lives in Bethnal Green running his own pie shop, admitted being “a little sceptical about coming” because of the coronavirus, but had so many customers for his steak and vegan pies that he ran out.
“I had long queues for a couple of hours,” Romam said. “We were struggling a bit in the first lockdown as we always sold at markets, so I hope they now get us out of trouble.”
An Italian couple also living in east London turned up in their vintage 1960s Fiat 500 to promote the olive oil they produce north of Naples.
Alfonse Petti is working at a Canary Wharf bank, but he and his wife Inge spend their spare time in markets like Wapping selling home-grown produce.
“It’s something we do on the side of our fulltime jobs,” Alfonse said. “We bought the olive grove from an old gentleman who didn’t have anyone to pass it on to and just fell in love with the place at first sight.”
Their olive grove, Inge points out, is on the slopes of Mount Roccamonfina, an old volcano that makes the soil rich in minerals.
She was pleased with the market and added: “We’ve done brisk business. It was worth getting out of bed this morning.”
The new Saturday market is an entrepreneurial dream come true for Will Cutteridge, who owned up to being “passionate about a sustainable alternative to the big supermarkets”.
Most produce travels 900 fewer miles from source to retail with less carbon emissions than goods in the supermarkets, he points out, and are wrapped in degradable paper bags rather than plastic.
Wapping Docklands Market is open on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.
Find out more at https://www.zeroomarkets.co.uk/wapping-market


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Google is actively tracking the time its partner OEMs take to release a new version of Android onto their devices. According to a Bloomberg report, the company is drawing up rankings that could shame some phone makers into better behavior
. From the report: Google shared this list with Android partners earlier this year. It has discussed making it public to highlight proactive manufacturers and shame tardy vendors through omission from the list, two of the people said. [...] Google is making progress persuading phone makers and carriers to install security updates quicker "for the good of users," Android chief Hiroshi Lockheimer said. The same expedited process may then be used to send operating system updates to phones, he explained. The most challenging discussions are with carriers, which can be slow to approve updates because they test them thoroughly to avoid network disruption.
The report adds that several OEMs are also stepping up their game to better comply with Google's new wishes. Motorola, for instance, is working on offering quarterly updates to its three years old devices.
For users with non-Nexus devices, it's really frustrating to wait for months, and in some cases, years, before their devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, HTC and other manufacturers get upgraded to a newer version of Android. Another challenge for Google is to push its partners to actively release updates to affordable and mid-range smartphones. Many OEMs mostly worry about serving those users who have the flagship and high-end models.


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The major setback that virtual reality has yet to overcome is accessibility. One can surely argue that the availability of VR headsets is not ignorable. But, gadgets aren’t very trendy when they come at a cost. Besides, who’d want to buy another device to top off their expensive smartphone, laptop and tablets which has only one purpose to serve for them – entertainment?
Well, if you thought nobody was listening to this grievance, think again. At WWDC 2017, that is, Worldwide Developers’ Conference, Apple decided to show off an intriguing feature in their upcoming iPhone 8. They used an iPad (which is also getting endowed with new features) to show an augmented reality suite where virtual cups of coffee can be placed on real tables.
Now, the iPad showed surprising compatibility with the feature, but can the iPhone show the same amount of competency? There have been rumours that suggest that Apple is working on hardware that comes with iPhone 8 that is made specially to support this feature. At WWDC, they hinted at the developers to coin the software for it. More about that later.
Let’s see how Apple plans to make AR omnipresent.
iPhones Galore Lets Everyone Explore
iPhone 8 is set to be accompanied by iOS 11 which includes the software for using AR with iPhone models. Also, other iPhones are upgradable and hence can get iOS 11 for themselves. iPhone 8 is set to be the best-selling smartphone of the year it gets released.
Moreover, since Apple has been, albeit, a little backward till now in its VR and AR game, Craig Federghi, the Senior Vice President of software engineering at Apple, suggests that it’ll be the largest platform for AR and will attract AR developers from around the world. It is also expected that other AR projects will be crushed on the release of iPhone 8 and iOS 11, making Apple the forefront runner in this race.
ARKit For The Win!
The software developers have been handed the developer’s framework called the ARKit at WWDC this year. This means the coding workforce is now hard at work in securing the best quality AR for iOS 11. iPhone 8’s supposed release in November this year enables software engineers to make AR apps that are available on the very first day of release.
Apple analyst Gene Munster implies that users can find items in the store by simply looking down an aisle through their phone. Isn’t that exciting?
Education, Apple And AR
The education world has always coveted AR. And it has plenty of reasons to do so as well. The Microsoft HoloLens has showed its potential with letting people have a better grasp on anatomy. Meanwhile, museums have benefitted from the fact that the exhibits become interactive and surreal with the use of AR (not to mention the huge crowd flow!).
Apple has also tried to make its mark on the education world. Alongwith its iBooks and iTunes U, it has also tried to pave way for iPads in classrooms. With AR by its side, imagine what education will look like in a few years!
Other than the fact that iPhone 8 is being made keeping in mind AR specifically (they have put a chip just for AR and a vertical dual-camera when held in landscape mode enables AR), we know when Apple hits the ground with AR, there’s no stopping it. Make way for the future!


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Apple Stores Experiencing 'Global' Issue With iPhone and Apple Watch Reservation Pickups
We're hearing from a number of readers over the past hour or so that Apple's retail stores are having problems completing in-store reservation pickups for the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. Multiple customers have been told there is a "global" issue affecting Apple's systems and we're hearing there are some long lines building up as customers wait for the issues to be resolved.
Some customers have reportedly been told to cancel their existing reservations and make walk-in purchases from available stock, while others are simply being told to wait things out while staff members discuss how to handle the situation.
We'll update this post if we hear more about the situation, but if you have an upcoming pickup window, you might want to be prepared for some delays.
Update: Apple's systems appear to be coming back online and reservation pickups are now being processed. There is, however, still a backlog of customers to work through.


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hackingbear writes: China e-commerce giant Alibaba Group confirmed early Sunday that it plans to become a public company in the US. The proposed US IPO, which is expected to raise more than $15 billion and giving Alibaba a $130 billion valuation, is a bid winning over Hong Kong stock exchange, which had been competing for the offering with US stock exchanges but objected to some of Alibaba's proposed listing terms. Founded in 1999 by former English teacher Jack Ma, the Hangzhou, China company, of which Yahoo owns 24%, provides marketplace platforms that allow merchants to sell goods directly to consumers controlling 80% of Internet e-commerce market in China.
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so
certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."
-- Bertrand Russell


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Belarus hopes to increase investment and trade with Israel. This matter was discussed in Minsk at a meeting of the joint trade and economic cooperation committee.
Last year, Belarus-Israel trade amounted to $93 million and this is not the limit. Belarus sells to Israel building materials, metal casting products and food.
Israel exports to Belarus drugs, herbicides and technological equipment. Special attention is paid to co-promotion of manufactured goods to the markets of third countries.
Mikhail Rusyi, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus:
In 2016, we started to study possible export of MAZ buses to the Israeli market. And I would very much like to see us in a very short time riding Belarusian buses on the beautiful land of Israel. And after some time Belarus would like to see 40-50% of these buses equipped with Israeli technologies. It would turn into our joint product.
Sofa Landver, Minister of Immigrant Absorption of Israel:
In economic terms, both for Israel and the Belarusian side have something to offer each other. This relates to trade and agriculture, medicine and, of course, tourism.
Tourism remains one of the priority areas of cooperation. A visa-free regime between the two countries has been in force for more than a year. Minsk and Tel Aviv are connected by regular flights which popularity is growing steadily.


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The Public Attorney’s Office in Oldenburg (Lower Saxony) has been investigating several hundred companies under the suspicion of systematically disregarding the farming conditions for laying hens, the German magazine Der Spiegel reports in its online edition on 24 February 2013. According to the information in Der Spiegel, hundreds of searches have taken place relating fraud and violations of the food law as well as of the law on organic farming. In addition, the companies might have also ignored laws on animal welfare and environmental laws.
The prosecutors have confirmed that approx. 150 producers are involved in Lower Saxony, and a further 50 cases were handed over to law enforcement agencies in other federal states. According to the German organic farming association Naturland, about 40 of those producers are certified organic companies.
Evidently, several million eggs have falsely been sold as "organic". The new Minister of Agriculture of Lower Saxony, Christian Meyer (Alliance 90/The Greens) has announced that if the suspicions should be confirmed, this would have serious consequences, including the withdrawal of the approval for the companies involved.
The current scandal was triggered by a now completed court case. A farmer had taken a vendor of laying hens to court. During the trial, the judge confirmed that 15,000 chicken were kept instead of the reported 12,000.


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Will Clippet be the future of news?
Clippet has released an app this week aiming to revolutionise the way young people find out their daily news.
The app delivers 20 news stories a day in ‘clippets’ of less than 60 seconds each, 10 at 7am, and 10 at 5.30pm, breaking the news down into bite-size chunks, so that they’re easily understandable, and delivering them at times that suit the app’s users.
Clippet has made sure that the service will be available offline via a playlist function, as well as via streaming, and each clippet then contains an explore feature to enable the user to read more stories relevant to the piece.
Grace Regan, 23, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Clippet commented: ‘We had to create Clippet because we felt existing media companies just weren’t engaging with young people. They were leaving us behind.
‘The language used, the length of the articles, the layout – they just aren’t right for our generation. We’re multi–taskers and audio allows users to stay truly mobile.’
With the newspaper industry supposedly dying out, could this app be the start of the future of news?
Clippet is available to download from Google Play and the App Store.
Disclosure: shinyshiny.tv’s parent company, Sutro Digital, has been working alongside the Clippet team for the launch of its app.


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On March 29, women entrepreneurs, founders from ventureLAB’s Tech Undivided initiative and senior leaders in the hardware and semiconductor industry came together from across the province to celebrate and recognize women in the tech sector. Tech Undivided is an initiative for women tech founders to grow and scale their business and first announced in Fall 2019 through a $1.7M investment from the Government of Canada and FedDev Ontario’s first-ever, Women Entrepreneurship Strategy.
“At ventureLAB, Inclusivity is one of our 5 core values of our organization’s culture. Led by our 60% diverse and female leadership team, we value diverse opinions, ideas, and perspectives to make better decisions and empower others. Today’s celebration, our Tech Undivided program and our leadership in the semiconductor space, are testaments of our intentional commitment to create a more inclusive tech ecosystem. By reducing unconscious bias we are creating the next generation of trailblazers of women tech leaders, entrepreneurs and founders ,” said Melissa Chee, President and CEO of ventureLAB.
FULL ARTICLE: venturelab.ca


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The Supreme Court has sought clarification on legal sanctity behind the Union government's policy decision to allow FDI in retail sector.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has sought clarification on legal sanctity behind the Union government's policy decision to allow FDI in retail sector.
The apex court has sought the assistance of top law officers, that of the attorney general or the solicitor general, in hearing a petition against the opening of the multi brand retail sector to foreign direct investment (FDI).
Without issuing notice to the Centre, a bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave asked the petitioner to serve the copy of the petition to attorney general (AG) G E Vahanvati or solicitor general (SG) Rohinton Nariman saying it needs some necessary clarification on the issue.
The bench, which posted the matter for hearing on October 12, directed the petitioner to delete the name of the Prime Minister as a party in the petition.
While seeking the assistance of top law officers, the bench said, "We just want to have little clarity on the issue" as some link is missing.
During an hour-long hearing, the bench said opening the retail sector to FDI is a policy matter and "policy is exclusively in the domain of the government of the day. Some may say it is good and some may say it is bad but nothing is ultra vires."
"These are matters dealt with exclusively by ministries," the bench further observed.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by advocate M L Sharma who has alleged that the notification was issued without the authority of law as approval of neither the President nor Parliament was secured.
The bench, however, observed that "this assumption that the policy has to be in the name of the President is flawed and unfounded."


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Carriers allowed to set non-basic rates
Beijing has moved a step closer towards liberalisation of China's telecommunications tariffs by allowing carriers to set their own rates for most non-basic services.
The Ministry of Information Industry (MII) yesterday posted a notice on its Web site saying it would lift price controls on a wide range of the services.
The move was to 'suit the new competitive pattern of the telecoms market and the requirements of China's entry to World Trade Organisation', as well as to 'further deepen the liberalisation of telecoms tariff system', the ministry said in a circular to all six telecoms services providers.
The list of 39 deregulated services covers mobile and fixed-line data services, Internet access, narrow-band ISDN local calls, paging services, Internet phone services, voice mail services and even mobile domestic and international long-distance automatic roaming charges.
Although the deregulation does not include basic tariffs for fixed-line local calls and long-distance calls, or mobile tariffs, the scope has clearly widened from the price liberalisation in 2000.
Under the new price-setting rules, operators are required only to report to provincial authorities before they set new rates.
Although the new guidelines were dated July 6, the MII did not release them until yesterday.
Both China Mobile and China Unicom said the new price setting guidelines would not have any financial impact, as they had already been setting their own rates on the services.
A China Mobile (HK) spokesman said: 'We have been charging on a market-determined basis for part of the fully competitive mobile services items and value-added services. The notice mainly sets out the scope of those services which do not include the basic mobile services and hence it is not expected to have any material impact on the operation of the company.'


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While the economy continues to show signs of strength, industries that traditionally cater to teen workers are scaling back, meaning opportunities for teens might appear in unusual places or later in the summer when retailers have assessed consumer demand, according to an outlook released Tuesday by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
“Retail, including long-standing clothing and accessories stores, are pivoting to online sales and continue to cut in-store workers,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., which released its annual teen summer job outlook on Tuesday.
“Teenagers will still have many opportunities, but they will not necessarily be in traditional retail stores.”
Indeed, retailers have cut over 34,000 jobs in the first two months of the year, according to Challenger tracking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracked 26,000 job losses in general merchandise stores; sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores; and electronics and appliance stores in February.
“If retailers do decide to beef up hiring, it will likely be later in the summer for back-to-school season leading up to the winter holiday shopping season. In the meantime, teens who want summer employment should look in non-traditional areas and tap into older, employed contacts to seek out possible positions,” said Challenger.
Last summer saw the strongest teen employment since 2013, when 1,335,000 teens found jobs. Employment among teens increased by 1,339,000 between May and July in 2016. That was 15.4 percent more than through the same period in 2015, when 1,160,000 16- to 19-year-olds were added to the employment rolls.
Last year’s total was helped by heavier-than-usual teen employment gains in July. A total of 492,000 teenagers found jobs in July, according to non-seasonally adjusted data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The July teen job gains were 33 percent higher than the previous July’s 369,000, and 25 percent higher than the 392,900 July job gains averaged over the previous 10 years.
The strong summer hiring brought last year’s total employment among 16- to 19-year-olds to 6,040,000, which is the highest number of employed teens since August 2008, when 6,142,000 teenagers were working.
Currently, 4,657,000 16 to 19 year-olds are employed, an increase of 49,000 workers from the previous February. If last summer’s trend continues, that number could jump to over 6 million by August.
“With unemployment at 4.7 percent and 200,000+ new jobs a month, older workers and college grads who may have been working part-time or in entry level positions will have more opportunities to move into better positions. We expect slightly more teens to find employment this summer than we saw last summer.
“We’ve seen a drop in workers who are working part-time for economic reasons, from 6.1 million last year to 5.7 million in February, and those positions may be well-suited to teen workers.
“Even with the recent gains, though, teen employment is a shadow of its former self. The latest figures are well below the employment levels of the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it was common to see 7.0 million to 8.5 million teenagers employed at the peak of the summer job surge. In 1978, more than 10 million teenaged Baby Boomers were working in July,” said Challenger.
The percentage of teenagers participating in the labor force has been declining since the 1970s. Currently, only about 32 percent of teens participate in the labor force, a figure that has held steady since the end of the recession.
The health of the overall job market could translate into new opportunities for teen workers, as older workers and college grads find employment in higher paying, better jobs. Teens might see opportunities open up in industries that have been adding jobs so far this year, like transportation, hospitality and food service, or construction.
“Construction has added over 170,000 jobs in the last six months. This is an area typically left unexplored by teen workers,” said Challenger.
“The numbers suggest that more teenagers are finding employment at other times of the year. After all, we are approaching full employment. Many metropolitan areas are already struggling with labor shortages. This environment opens doors for teen job seekers, as those who may have relegated to retail and restaurant jobs are moving up, which leaves a void that can be filled by teens,” said Challenger.
- Search where others are not. Outdoor jobs involving heavy labor or behind-the-scenes jobs are often not as sought-after by teen job seekers.
- Look for odd jobs at odd hours. ¬Offer to work evening and night shifts and to fill in for vacationing employees. As a job-search strategy, conduct a search for these types of positions during the hours they operate.
- Become a door-to-door salesman when selling your skills. ¬Do what good salesmen do — start on one block and go from business to business, door to door. Don’t simply ask for an application. Take the time to introduce yourself and build some rapport with the hiring manager.
- Call friends and relatives. Parents and other relatives are often the best source for information on job leads. However, don’t forget to stay in touch with friends and other classmates, especially those who have been able to find jobs.
- Be a job-search ninja. Wait outside the store or offices of a prospective employer to attempt to intercept a hiring manager upon his or her arrival.
- Dress for the part. Even if you are applying to work on a road crew, show up to all interviews in nice clothes. You want the interviewer to focus on you and your skills, not on your ripped jeans and paint-splattered t-shirt.
- Don’t hesitate to revisit employers. The types of businesses seeking seasonal employees typically have higher-than-average turnover. An employer that did not hire you a couple of months ago might need more workers now.
Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.Download Resource


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UK's Payhawk raises $112 million as expenses fintech race heats up
November 23, 2021, 5:23AM EST
1 min read
Automated expenses fintech Payhawk has closed a $112 million Series B round, valuing the company at $570 million, according to an announcement. Greenoaks led the round whilst existing investors QED Investors, Earlybird Digital East and Eleven Ventures participated.
The news comes with competition among expense management startups in Europe heating up. Spendesk, Soldo and Revolut Business are some of the main players. Last month, Switzerland's Yokoy raised $26 million from Left Lane. The US market is ruled by the likes of Ramp and Brex.
These platforms aggregate employee expenses into one platform for businesses and often provide automated data entry tools.
"We think that painful expense reports and bill payments should be a thing of the past and we are excited to partner with Payhawk on the way to getting there," says Greenoaks partner Patrick Backhouse.
Payhawk's raise comes only six months after its Series A in April. Since then, the company has exhibited a 663% increase in transaction volume, according to its announcement.
While its customer base is currently concentrated in Europe, the company reportedly plans to use the new funds to expand into new territories. It is due to open offices in the US, the Netherlands, Australia and Singapore.
Today the always-on demands of online markets have to be matched with the ability to access opportunities instantly and with no limits. Historically correspondent banks would move large sums of money for those needing to transfer funds while creating bottlenecks of unnecessary friction.
Ethereum had a breakout year in 2021. It’s native asset, ETH’s, market capitalization surpassed $500 billion for the first time. Its network facilitated upwards of $7 trillion value transfer. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) emerged as another “killer application” that have put its technology on the global stage and caught the attention of the masses.
In this episode of The Scoop, StarkWare Co-Founders Uri Kolodny and Eli Ben-Sasson walk through StarkWare's recent fundraise and discuss how their firm is bringing affordable blockchain transactions to the masses.


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- Homepage: http://www.transunion.com/
July 2006: "TransUnion is a leading global provider of business intelligence services supported by more than 4000 employees, in more than 30 countries worldwide. With technology-based intelligence products, including innovative credit decisioning and fraud prevention tools, advanced target marketing products, risk and profitability models and portfolio management, TransUnion enables businesses to manage financial risk and capitalize on market opportunities."http://www.transunion.com/
December 2006: "It is not just criminals who are profiting from identity theft; financial institutions are making money, too. Fear of identity theft has helped give rise to a nearly billion-dollar business in credit-monitoring services sold by the major credit bureaus — companies like Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — as well as direct marketers and banks."http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/business/12credit.html
July 2006: "The three suits charge that, under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the national bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- are required to follow 'reasonable procedures to assume maximum possible accuracy of information in consumer (credit) reports.'"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/30/AR2006063000609.html
July 2006: A relatively new addition to the credit scoring universe is the VantageScore -- introduced as a joint effort by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- which rivals the FICO score but so far is being used by very few lenders. The VantageScore, which ranges from 500 to 990 and includes A to F ratings as well, is being promoted as paying particular attention to 'thin' credit files.http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/debt/debtmanageguide/no-credit1.asp
Role Name Type Last Updated Member of (past or present) Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA) Organization Nov 1, 2006 Employee/Freelancer/Contractor (past or present) Emily Peters Person Nov 26, 2008
Articles and Resources
30 Articles and Resources. Go to: [Next 10]
Date Fairness.com Resource Read it at: May 06, 2011 ID Theft Tool That Sony Isn’t Using
QUOTE: A surveillance service is reactive. By the time you get an alert from one, thieves may have already done a lot of damage. A security freeze, also known as a credit freeze, is proactive.
New York Times May 27, 2010 With credit scores, it should be equal access for all
QUOTE: Why in the world would Congress provide some consumers with free access to credit scores, but not others? This could happen under a measure being considered by lawmakers that would grant free access to people whose credit scores were used to deny them credit or a job.
Washington Post Jan 01, 2010 Consumer Confidential
QUOTE: Do you know when you're being hustled by bankers, mortgage brokers, and investment peddlers? Check out our tip sheet on financial pros' everyday deceptions—and how to protect yourself against them
AARP Bulletin Jul 06, 2009 When a parent steals your identity
QUOTE: This crime is not as rare as you might think. And the betrayal (and damage) goes beyond the financial. Here's how it can happen -- and how to tell if it already has.
MSN (Microsoft Network) Oct 22, 2008 Banks Mine Data and Pitch to Troubled Borrowers
QUOTE: Singling out even struggling American consumers like Ms. Jerez is one of the overlooked causes of the debt boom and the resulting crisis, which threatens to choke the global economy....banks, credit card issuers and mortgage brokers, who fiercely compete to find untapped customers — even those who would normally have trouble qualifying for the credit they were being pitched.
New York Times May 31, 2008 An Alarm System For Inaccurate Credit Scores (The Nation's Housing)
QUOTE: If you really deserve a 720 FICO credit score but you have been pulled into the low 600s because of incorrect or missing information in your national credit-bureau files, you ought to know so you have the opportunity to fix the problems.
Washington Post May 25, 2008 Checking Out Roommates (Starting Out)
QUOTE: When looking for a roommate to share a house or apartment, twentysomethings are often too trusting of people they meet through, say, craigslist.org or apartment-finder Web sites such as roommates.com and roommateclick.com. Instead, think like a conscientious landlord and consider the legal responsibility of sharing a home.
Wall Street Journal, The (WSJ) Mar 06, 2008 Like Stealing Credit From A Baby
QUOTE: Child identity theft is especially pernicious because it can go undetected for years, unearthed only when the victim goes for a driver's license or a student loan, only to be turned down. By then the crime trail is cold, and the thief has likely long abandoned the accounts after maxing them out.
Forbes Mar 27, 2007 Ordinary Customers Flagged as Terrorists
QUOTE: The Office of Foreign Asset Control's list of "specially designated nationals" has long been used by banks and other financial institutions to block financial transactions of drug dealers and other criminals. But an executive order issued by President Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has expanded the list and its consequences in unforeseen ways. Businesses have used it to screen applicants for home and car loans, apartments and even exercise equipment, according to interviews and a report by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area to be issued today.
Washington Post Mar 24, 2007 FTC Says It Can't Protect Mortgage-Seekers From 'Trigger Lists'
QUOTE: [credit bureaus] know you're interested in getting a mortgage, and they know that lenders will pay plenty -- thousands of dollars a month in some cases -- to find out. Critics argue that trigger lists open the door to bait-and-switch schemes, where lenders dangle falsely discounted rates to pull in unsuspecting customers who have just applied to local brokers and have received higher quotes.
Washington Post Mar 01, 2007 Scam Alert: Grave Robbery: Even the dead can be victims of identity theft.
QUOTE: Scammers troll through obituaries for names and addresses. Then they buy Social Security numbers and other personal data—such as credit histories—of the recently departed for as little as $15 on the Internet. .... In such cases, surviving family members are unlikely to be held liable for the debt, but they may pay a price—in time and money—to unsnarl the credit and bank records of their relatives.
AARP Jan 03, 2007 7 steps to protect children from identity theft
QUOTE: A common red flag that something is amiss is unexpected mail such as collection letters or letters regarding financial accounts. Watch for credit reports in your child's name even though the child has never applied for credit...If you haven't had any problems yet, these seven steps will help protect your child from becoming a victim.
Bankrate.com Dec 12, 2006 Protectors, Too, Gather Profits From ID Theft
QUOTE: Credit monitoring has quickly gained traction with consumers through aggressive advertising that often promotes its value in protecting against identity theft. But its abilities are far more limited than is commonly perceived.
New York Times Sep 11, 2006 Credit freezes for all or victims only?
QUOTE: The idea of allowing anyone, anytime, to place a freeze on his or her credit sparks controversy between consumer advocates and financial industry proponents. Some see credit freezes as too extreme, while others see them as "the biggest tool in the toolbox."
Bankrate.com Sep 11, 2006 5 ways to monitor your credit reports
QUOTE: Identity theft can cost you thousands of dollars if it goes unnoticed, not to mention dozens of hours cleaning up your credit report and clearing debts owed. To save time and money, it makes good sense to guard -- or at least watch -- your credit reports.
Bankrate.com Aug 23, 2006 ID Security Company Finds Snags in Fraud Alert System
QUOTE: Consumer advocates have long complained that the fraud alert system mandated by Congress in 2003 as a consumer’s first line of defense against identity theft does not always work properly...The implication, Ms. Fergerson said, is that “you’ve got millions of people who think that they have fraud protection in place when actually they don’t.”
New York Times Aug 01, 2006 Favorite tricks of the car-dealer trade
QUOTE: Buying a new car can feel like walking through a field of land mines. With three major pits of profits for the dealership -- the new car price, the trade-in and the financing -- it's easy to walk right into a money trap.
Bankrate.com Jul 01, 2006 Suits Challenge Credit Bureaus
QUOTE: In a case with potentially far-reaching significance for mortgage applicants nationwide, a South Carolina consumer has filed class-action lawsuits against the three national credit bureaus, charging that they allow a practice that lowers the credit scores of millions of people.
Washington Post Jul 01, 2006 Life without credit: tough and expensive
QUOTE: as many as 60 million people -- close to one-fifth of the population -- will have trouble accessing traditional credit...the biggest cost is financial. Life costs more when you can't access credit.
Bankrate.com Jul 01, 2006 Suit calls unreported credit limits unfair
QUOTE: In a case with potentially far-reaching significance for home mortgage applicants across the country, a South Carolina consumer has filed class-actions against the three national credit bureaus, charging that they allow a practice that lowers millions of individuals' credit scores.
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Local florist plans to set up shop, bakery plans expansion
SOUTH STREET—It was a happy accident, Petal and Leaf Florist owner Cat Thomson said, that she found a new location for her store on South Street.
If everything goes according to plan, she will be taking up at the new space at the 48 South St. location that used to house the eclectic Honeyspot boutique and gift shop by the beginning of June, she said.
Meanwhile, Fiore’s Bakery owner Charles Fiore said he last week briefly considered opening a new business on Centre Street, but is instead exploring the possibility of expanding operations at the bakery.
Petal and Leaf has been doing well at its current location at 467 Centre St., but the space Thomson rents from CVS Pharmacy is a little big and the rent is a little steep, she said.
“I made the decision after sitting down with a financial advisor…He told me my best option to reduce costs was to make a move to somewhere more secure,” she said.
Thomson, who lives two blocks away from the 40 South St. location where she is planning to move, said she was heading home on the day of that meeting and saw a “For Rent” sign in Honeyspot’s window.
“I stopped and talked to them and it turned out really well. Everything worked out right,” she said.
In March, Honeyspot moved out of 48 Centre St. and into 46 Centre, where it is sharing a space with the hair salon Miss Laura’s at Cla-Mar. The consolidation came after Laura Dembski, who owns both businesses, moved with her family to Scotland.
In an e-mail, Dembski told the Gazette both businesses had been flourishing, but she “moved with my husband and two girls to Scotland for him to pursue a career in forensic reconstruction.”
He is heading up a new masters in forensics program for the University of Dundee, she said.
And, Dembski said, she is continuing to manage both businesses “remotely…I have a great, devoted staff who have helped me deal with all the glitches. There are two hairdressers who are taking on the overflow of clients and two ‘honeybees’ who have taken on the roll of assistant managers.”
Her husband has signed on for a four-year term, she said. “As things go, we plan on moving back after his term is finished, but you never know what the future holds.”
Thomson said the 48 South St. location is close to perfect for her.
While it is significantly smaller than the one on Centre Street, Thomson said most of the extra square footage at her current location is “dead space in the back” devoted to offices and storage.
“We will carry the same stuff and we might add a few lines,” Thomson said, potentially including greeting cards—items Petal and Leaf has not been allowed to carry because of a non-competition agreement with its landlord.
While she said she will miss both the neighboring businesses and her local customers at her current location at the intersection of Centre Street and S. Huntington Avenue, “It’s more my style [on South Street]. It’s less corporate and slick and more affordable and small-business-friendly.”
Businesses on the South Street have been “stepping it up over the last few years, she said. A redesign—currently in its design phase—of the South Street Mall park at South Street and Carolina Avenue will go a long way to sprucing the area up, she said. And Fiore’s Bakery, across from the Mall at 55 South St., has already gone a long way in turning the area into a local destination.
Fiore said business has picked up drastically at the bakery since it introduced vegan baked goods last year. Last fall, Helen Mathews began baking vegan pastries for the shop and since then, a number of “savory items” including vegan pizza and sandwiches have been added to the menu.
“It’s been too busy in here lately,” he joked, noting that business had also increased with the closing of Sweet Finnish Bakery a few weeks ago.
Last week Fiore told the Gazette he was considering renting the space recently vacated by Sweet Finnish at 761 Centre Street. He said at he time that he wanted to keep the current bakery location and open an “all purpose Italian eatery,”— serving simple sit down meals and featuring a deli, baked goods and espresso—at the Sweet Finnish location.
But, in a more recent interview, he said his plans had changed and he is now looking into expanding the bakery at its current location.
The rent at the Centre Street space was too high, Fiore said, and he decided he would rather continue to focus on the South Street neighborhood than try to establish a new location.
“We are a pretty good barometer on what people at this end of town want,” he said. “This place has a real nice JP feel to it, and we would have a hard time doing that at [the] Sweet Finnish [space].”
Fiore described the bakery as a place where people of all ages feel welcome, and conversation is encouraged.
He decided not to install wireless Internet access (WiFi) at the bakery specifically to discourage people from “sitting on their computers all day.”
Patrons are often able to pick up WiFi, he said, but the bakery has successfully established itself as a place where, “People can hang out and talk and get to know each other.”
Instead of moving, Fiore said, he plans to begin looking into the city permitting process to see if it is feasible to renovate the basement at the bakery’s current location into a kitchen and expand the seating area in the storefront.
Fiore said he was thrilled to hear that Petal and Leaf is planning to move to South Street. “More and more interesting shops are coming down this way,” he said. “I think people are starting to figure out they can go beyond Centre Street.”


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Rumored surfaced over the web that Motorola have been working hard on a certain X Phone in the making, that they expected will be a super Android smartphone out of the box. According to the reliable source, the rumored handset come with a 5.0 inch edge-to-edge display like the Motorola Razr M (I) and runs on Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie mobile OS platform which is also expected to have a brand new UI on the X Phone, claimed to be very much Nexus-like one and be unveiled at Google's annual Google I/O conference in May at San Francisco USA.
It would be the first time for Google to unveil a new platform iteration without a Nexus devices but knowing the relationship between the two companies. The Motorola had also 2 previous non-Nexus devices to run the latest Android device “ the Droid & Xoom” in the shelves. Moto X-Phone will be the first device to ship with Android 5.0/Key Lime Pie and also they working hard to create a UI that both compliments & enhances the Android experience and is intended to be Nexus-like devices.
Posted by Rexor Devilla


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Gone are the days, when chartered flights carrying foreign tourists used to line up at the airports in the state from all parts of the globe. Many tourism hotspots, which once thrived on the arrival of the chartered flights, are no longer the favourite destinations for globe-trotters.
The Kovalam beach is a typical example. According to the tour operators, many hotels and resorts witnessed less than usual or no bookings at all prior to the peak season from October to December.
“Countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka are giving cut-throat competition to Kerala. The island nations are now coming up with quality services with attractive packages resulting in the exodus of tourists,” said N Unnikrishnan, proprietor of Jay Maruthi Holidays, Alappuzha. He said that flight charges and hotel rates here have gone up phenomenally, which is another reason that prompts many tourists to opt for other destinations.
“When tourists can avail of quality services at affordable prices elsewhere, why should they opt for the inferior facilities available here,” he asks.
Vinesh Vaidya, secretary of Tourism Professional Club (TPC), said that many international companies like Somac, Manos and First Choice are opting for European destinations rather than God’s Own Country.
“Now, the tourists choose countries like Spain which just takes two hours by air, whereas a ten-hour journey is required to reach Kerala. In between that, the flight invariably stops at Bahrain for fuel re-fill. The strenuous hours of journey are cut down by opting for European destinations,” he said. Above all, the global recession has badly hit the tourism sector, he added.
Tour operators also cite global recession as one of the major factors that has rocked the tourism sector.
“The situation is such that in order to witness a flux of European tourists to India, it would take at least two years,” he said. Sri Lanka has made progress by leaps and bounds when it comes to tourism. “The political instability in the island nation has mellowed down to a large extent. Besides, the facilities there are comparatively cheap, and the destination is way ahead of Kerala on the cleanliness aspect,” they said.


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Jay-Be® has been awarded the prestigious Manufacturing Guild Mark from The Furniture Makers’ Company. Roger Durrans, managing director at Jay-Be®, was presented with the accreditation in Dewsbury on Tuesday the 26th of March by the Manufacturing Guild Mark chairman Ben Burbidge.
The Manufacturing Guild Mark is awarded to companies that demonstrate high standards across all aspects of their business including manufacturing, design, product quality, marketing, financial stability, commitment to training, employment conditions and sustainability.
Jay-Be® is one of only nineteen companies which currently hold the Guild Mark – joining other businesses such as Harrison Spinks, Bisley, ercol, Hypnos and Wren Kitchens.
Manufacturing Guild Mark chairman Ben Burbidge said: “Jay-Be® is the latest company to successfully demonstrate its prowess across the eight assessment criteria used to determine whether a company is deserving of a Manufacturing Guild Mark. Congratulations to the whole team at Jay-Be® who should be incredibly pleased with their achievement.”
Roger Durrans, managing director at Jay-Be®, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the prestigious Manufacturing Guild Mark and extremely proud that Jay-Be® has been recognised in this way. As a company, we have a fantastic team spirit and pride ourselves on creating innovative sleep products with increasing sustainability and functional design. All our beds, mattresses and sofa beds are made in our own Yorkshire factory, so we can be sure that our customers are getting the very best quality, design and service at excellent value.”
The Furniture Makers’ Company encourages the highest standards and best practice in the design, making, marketing and selling of all kinds of furniture and furnishings throughout the UK, recognising quality through the award of its variety of Guild Marks and Awards.
Unlike other Guild Marks, the Manufacturing Guild Mark is only open to companies who manufacture most of their products in the UK, whether it is home, kitchen or office furniture in contemporary or traditional styles.
Companies undergo an audit every three years by the Furniture Industry Research Association to ensure that things are maintained and kept to the required standard. Retailers, specifiers, distributors and customers sourcing and buying furniture from a Manufacturing Guild Mark holder can rest easy knowing that the company in question has achieved exemplary standards.