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Kathmandu, January 24:
After almost a year of the debilitating quota phase-out by the US government for Nepali re-adymade garments, the sector still has the ability to stage a co-meback, feel industry experts.
As US importers get increasingly reluctant to import Chinese textile products, some of the products get gradually diverted towards least developed countries like Nepal. However, the change of heart in the US, is not sufficient for the revival of the Nepali garment sector. For this, the infrastructure is needed to be boosted, feel experts.
Dr Champak Pokharel, member of the National Planning Commission (NPC), while spe-aking at the project launching function â€˜Addressing the Impact of Phasing Out of Textile and Clothing Quotasâ€™ admitted that garment export has come done following the quota phase out by USâ€™. However, the garment sector, in terms of value addition, employment and export is very significant. Therefore, we need to have future strategies to move ahead by competing with existing free market mechanisms, said Dr Pokharel.
Industry secretary Bharat Bahadur Thapa, at launching function organised jointly by SAWTEE, UNDP and Action Aid Nepal urged the business sector and concerned experts to make a system so that the garment sector could be made strong.
Thapa opined that businesspeople have tremendous opportunities in the regional and global perspectives, but they have to be competent and enhance their capacities.
Sri Ram Pandey, assistant resident representative of UNDP, commented that human reso-urce development is important alongwith an enabling environment to boost the garment industry. In such a context, we need to face emerging challenges and exploit our tremendous potential, said Pandey.
Kiran Sakha, president of Garment Association of Nepal (GAN), commented that following a quota phase out of textile sector, it is in a dilapidated state for which all concerned authorities need to pay serious heed.
He informed that US importers are getting reluctant to purchase Chinese products. Given such a context, Nepali products may penetrate global markets if we could make a long term strategy and put effective lobbying mechanisms in place. He demanded to bring out a long term export policy and simplify procedures to boost export-oriented industries.
Navin Dahal executive director of SAWTEE, said, â€œIt would help in creating an enabling environment for sustainable gro-wth of industries, services and trade. Similarly, the project, according to Dahal would work to identify sectors, sub-sectors an-d products with backward linkages and having high potentials for employment, human development and poverty reduction.â€ He stressed on the need to identify the human development challenges and recomme-nd measures to address them.


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DUBAI: Licensing transactions made through Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) clocked at 254,203 in March 2020 compared to 198,895 transactions last March, reflecting a 28% increase.
The surge of online transactions reported in March, be it through the website (www.rta.ae), Dubai Drive and RTA apps, is mainly attributed to customers response to RTA’s preventive measures rolled out at the start of March to cope with the outbreak of the COVID-19.
The total number transactions made in March 254,203 comprised of 103,236 vehicle licensing transactions and 150,967 driver licensing transactions. In March last year, the breakdown of e-transactions was 198,895 comprised of 63,021 vehicle licensing transactions and 135,874 driver licensing transactions reflecting an increase of about 28 per cent.
The success of RTA’s electronic and digitisation drive over the past years is reflected in the response to the challenges of COVID-19. It supported the precautionary measures of the National Sterilisation Programme highlighted by the call to stay home. These means also reflect RTA’s care for the safety of clients spanning across the community. BIZ TODAY MONITOR

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Patients who were taking drugs containing the substance Valsartan to treat high blood pressure were surprised to find out that there was a voluntary recall of some medications due to the presence of a carcinogen. As time has gone on, the problem has only gotten worse as more medications have been found to contain the substance. There are a number of lawsuits against the makers of these drugs, both brought on behalf of all purchasers as well as on behalf of patients who have suffered their own injury from taking the drugs. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help anyone who has taken Valsartan and suffered a cancer-related injury file a complaint that could help them receive compensation.
Valsartan is not a drug unto itself, but rather is an ingredient that is found in a class of drugs. This class of drugs is meant to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. Valsartan is an Angiotensin II receptor blocker. The total size of the market is valued at roughly $1.5 billion. There are many different types of drug that contain the ingredient Valsartan, and these medications are manufactured in different places.
In November 2018, the FDA announced a voluntary recall of several medications that contain Valsartan. The specific problem was that impurities were detected in the manufacturing process that resulted in the introduction of possible carcinogens into the medications.
The specific substance that was found in Valsartan is N-nitrosodimethylamine. While this substance is not definitely a carcinogen, it is a probable cause of cancer if ingested at certain levels. At some point, the manufacturing process for the drug was changed, which resulted in the introduction of the impurity. The result was that some of these drugs contained up to 177 times the safe amount of the impurity. In December 2018, the FDA issued a warning letter to a major Chinese manufacturer of Valsartan alleging impurity control, change control and cross contamination from one manufacturing process line to another. The FDA continues to investigate the cause of the manufacturing defect.
The exact scope of the problem is still becoming apparent since it is not known exactly how many different products this manufacturing defect affected. The extent of the recall has grown as impurities are found in different products containing Valsartan. Moreover, it is not precisely known yet the impact of the presence of the substance in the drug. While this harmful substance may have been in Valsartan for up to four years, the exact nature of the problem is just being quantified. In May 2019, the FDA released its initial testing results from the batches of Valsartan that it analyzed. According to the FDA, the levels of the impurity that were found would be sufficient to cause one additional case of cancer in every 8,000 patients that were taking the highest dose of the drug. Still, there is a difference of opinion among scientists about the severity of the issue and the chances that the impurity will cause cancer. Manufacturers are continuing to announce additional recalls as they find the impurity in their drugs.
Oftentimes, product liability lawsuits allege that a drug is dangerous because of the product’s design and composition. Here, the problems surrounding Valsartan stem from a defect in the manufacturing process. Nevertheless, this is still a product defect that is addressed by product liability law, and the manufacturer can still be held accountable for any injury that results from this. Even if the defect was introduced by the Chinese manufacturer, the American seller of the drug can still be held liable under products liability law.
As of April 2019, there have been approximately 50 lawsuits filed against the makers of drugs containing Valsartan.
In February 2019, these lawsuits were consolidated into a multi-district lawsuit in federal court in New Jersey. In the combination of lawsuits, there are over 40 named defendants. Some of the injuries that have been the subject of lawsuits are gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and liver cancer. The court has indicated that it will allow plaintiffs to submit a short form complaint to make it easier for them to file legal action. The last milestone in the case was a status conference on July 10 setting out procedural issues as the cases are still early in their lifecycle. Plaintiffs’ attorneys have informed the court that they anticipate up to 2,000 lawsuits being filed due to the tainted medication.
There is also a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the drug that alleges that the manufacturers of these drugs misrepresented to patients that the drugs were similar to Diovan and were fit for their intended use. According to the plaintiffs, the manufacturers of these drugs knew or should have known about the manufacturing issues, but turned a blind eye to them and continued to sell their products.
Rosenfeld Injury Law is currently investigating further lawsuits based on this impurity. These cases are still early in their process and there are no major milestones scheduled yet. If you have taken any drug containing Valsartan within the past four years, you should be vigilant about any symptoms affecting the areas mentioned above and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any side effects. At the same time, you should also seek out a lawyer to discuss your legal options.


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These shares are poised for gains in 2021 and worth considering for your portfolio.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings (ticker symbol HLT): Hilton is a bet on a post-COVID-19 recovery. “Demand will pick up as the pandemic fades,” said Matt Gershuny, co-manager of Parnassus Mid Cap.
There’s no denying the virus’s damage to Hilton, on track to report a 50% decline in sales and a 64% drop in earnings for 2020. But Wall Street analysts expect earnings to gain ground in 2021. And a cash pot of $3.5 billion will see Hilton through.
JPMorgan Chase (JPM): Shares in the financial services giant have fallen over the past 12 months. The stock trades on par with the typical big bank, a bargain for “the best of the best” of banks, said John Buckingham, editor of The Prudent Speculator newsletter.
Low interest rates have reduced the bank’s net interest income. But record revenues in 2020 from investment banking and trading have been a boost.
Pinterest (PINS): The social-networking app allows users to share images grouped by key words. Pinterest makes money from advertising.
Its new ad technology platform, in partnership with Shopify, allows advertisers to upload catalogs to Pinterest. Users can buy items with just a few clicks, a development Baron Opportunity fund manager Michael Lippert said will transform Pinterest’s business. Pinterest isn’t profitable yet, but Wall Street analysts expect it will be in 2021.
Stryker (SYK3): Stryker’s medical devices range from implants used in joint replacements and spinal surgeries to surgical equipment and navigation systems.
Analysts at Canaccord Genuity say Stryker should be “a core position for growth-oriented investors.” New-patient demand remains in question as long as COVID-19 infection rates remain high, but hospitals are adapting their infection prevention protocols, and the rate of elective procedures has started to accelerate.
Twilio (TWLO): Twilio enables businesses to integrate text, chat, email, voice and video into products that boost customer engagement. Twilio benefits from the accelerated digitization of business brought on by the pandemic, and it is diversifying its customer base.
Though profits are still scarce as Twilio invests in growth, the communications firm is “well positioned” to meet sales growth targets of 30%-plus in each of the next four years, says Canaccord Genuity.
UPS (UPS): UBS Securities recently raised its rating on the package delivery giant from “neutral” to “buy.” The brokerage sees the potential for price hikes in 2021, given capacity limitations in the industry generally.
And cost-cutting efforts at UPS are boosting profit margins. UPS can succeed in either a sudden or prolonged recovery.
Wayfair (W): Internet home goods retailer Wayfair beat expectations for results in the most recent quarter by almost any measure. Deutsche Bank sees near- and mid-term revenue growth being driven by a larger customer base — Wayfair has 10 million more active customers than it had a year ago.
Repeat order volume as a percentage of total orders is now 72%, up 6 percentage points from the third quarter of 2019. Longer term, accelerating store closures in a fragmented industry will drive more sales online.


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Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) announced on Friday that it would be laying off 504 employees from its corporate workforce. The layoffs, which account for 10% of the company’s corporate workforce, are part of a larger restructuring effort as Walgreens moves to focus on patient care.
The layoffs will affect employees across all levels and functions, and will be concentrated in the company’s headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois, and its Chicago office. Walgreens said it would provide severance packages and outplacement assistance to affected employees.The reduction of 504 positions accounts for approximately 10% of the corporate workforce. Notably, none of the affected employees will be those working in stores, microfulfillment centers, or call centers, as clarified by Fraser Engerman, the spokesperson for the Deerfield-based company.
Engerman emphasized that the decision to downsize stems from Walgreens’ ongoing transformation into a consumer-centric healthcare enterprise. The company aims to align its organizational structure and streamline operations to better serve its patients and customers. In an email sent to employees, CEO Rosalind Brewer conveyed that these workforce adjustments are necessary for driving sustainable cost savings and facilitating investments for future growth. Although challenging, these changes will ultimately enable Walgreens to unlock value and support its long-term goals.
We are committed to keeping offices in Deerfield and Chicago,” said Marty Maloney, a Walgreens spokesman. “These changes are necessary to streamline our business, unlock value, and support our long-term goals.”
The layoffs in the drugstore industry are a sign of the challenges that the industry is facing. As competition intensifies, drugstore chains are under pressure to cut costs and find new ways to compete.


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MOUNT VERNON – The Heritage Centre Association (HCA) is partnering with First-Knox National Bank to host a chocolate walk downtown on Saturday, February 13, 2016. The event will consist of participating business and customer involvement through a fun, Valentine’s day-themed event involving many different tastes and forms of chocolate.
The event will start at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and will last throughout the day and into the early evening hours until stores close. HCA and First-Knox National Bank are providing an opportunity for all customers to be entered to win a $50 Visa gift card by participating in the social media presence of the event. To be entered, customers must take a picture with their chocolate at any participating shop and post the picture to social media using the hashtag #MTVchocolatewalk. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, February 16, 2016.
Participating businesses include:
- Heritage Centre Association
- Paragraphs Book Store
- SPI Spot
- Y-Not Cycling
In addition to the Chocolate Walk, the HCA is partnering with Young Ohio Preservationists to promote historical buildings in Heart Bomb Ohio. Participants are encouraged to take their picture with the Valentine that the participating stores will display or go to one of two special Heart Bomb locations, the C. A. & C. Depot or Shakti-fit (the I.O.O.F. building), to take their picture. Post this picture with the hashtags #MTVchocolatewalk and #Heartbombohio to be entered to win an umbrella as well as the gift card.
For questions, concerns, and further information, contact the HCA office at (740) 393-1481.
The mission of Heritage Centre Association is to create and enhance the economic, historic, and social development of the central business district and downtown Mount Vernon.


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THIS IS NOT A CAR, flashed the message on the revolving abstract sculpture at Volvo’s white minimalist booth, a brazen rebuke to the industry’s endangered status quo and an enigmatic mission statement for the future. Walking the aisles and talking to experts at the L.A. Auto Show’s press preview last week, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d opened the wrong door and ended up in a tech conference. Cars took a back seat to the industry that’s really running the show. Volvo executives touted the company’s agreement with Google to integrate Android directly into every new model, and revealed a new partnership with Amazon that will turn car trunks into mail drops. Some might say, where is the car?
Welcome to the future shock of an automotive industry grappling with a Level 5-Uber-Lyft existential threat. Carmakers now ditch the retrograde notion that they merely design and manufacture vehicles. Instead they deliver sophisticated “transportation solutions.” By baking Android directly into its infotainment systems, Volvo thinks it’s getting ahead of the curve. “The industry is changing,” said Robin Page, Volvo’s senior vice president of design, defending the company’s auto-free auto show exhibit. “The Millennial generation is really influencing how we communicate and what the focus is.”
As automakers come to grips with shape-shifting ownership models – will it be the Netflix-like on-demand version cherished by commitment-phobic Millennials? Or Airbnb-like sharing services such as Turo? – the cold reality is that automakers must look beyond steel, aluminum and tires to unlock new revenue streams. Simply selling lots of new vehicles, even with such subscription models, is not going to cut it.
The Google-Facebook Playbook
That’s why they’re stealing a page from the Google-Facebook playbook, with the growing conviction that connected cars are robust, mobile and largely untapped mines of personal information ripe for exploitation. Monetizing that data may be the industry’s best hope for sustained profits — even survival.
Volvo wants cars to be an integral part of the customer journey. “We saw the leaders of the tech world would essentially own the ecosystem,” Henrik Green, Volvo’s head of research and development, told the Los Angeles Times. “As an auto manufacturer, we had no chance to compete.”
Lauren Smith is policy counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum, where she leads the Connected Cars Project. And that mobile data, estimates Smith, could be worth up to $750 billion by 2030. “You’re seeing opportunities that would be great for consumers,” she says. For example, car-to-car data sharing that could help reduce crashes and fatalities — as well as “some things where there may be pushback.”
China, for instance, is well on its way to perfecting a surveillance state where Big Brother can watch you while you drive. All electric car manufacturers in China must upload location information and dozens of other data points stored in the car’s computers to government monitoring centers, without the car owner’s knowledge or permission, the Associated Press reported this week. But you don’t need to drive in Beijing to be tracked. Similar data is already being collected in California. In-car apps like Google-owned Waze transmit reams of location data and other metrics to the corporate mothership in Mountain View, California.
As connected cars add ever more apps and tech convenience features – Mitsubishi is developing a drone that drivers would launch from their cars to scout spaces in crowded parking lots – some see a potential Facebook-like privacy crisis buried in the end-user license agreements that few bother to read before clicking I AGREE.
Detection and Protection
John Gomez, CEO of Sensato Cybersecurity Solutions, pointed out that connected cars present intrusive data-mining dilemmas. “If we think Facebook is a challenge, [automakers] are going to know every place you traverse, right? It’s going to know about you as an individual: health-wise, your reading and listening habits.” Car seats that measure your weight, and retinal scans that detect your cholesterol level, are coming. Porsche’s new Mission-E car will track your eye movement. Progressive and other auto insurers have a plug-in module to monitor your driving habits, all leading to this central question: what happens to your driving data? “What rights do you have?” asks Gomez. “In the healthcare space, there’s legislation around HIPAA [the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] where hospitals cannot resell your data. We need the same thing in the automotive space, but there’s no HIPAA for cars at this point.”
Surprise, surprise. People need to start thinking about wiping a new kind of hard drive. Even when you trade in or resell a vehicle, the cumulative data stored in an infotainment stack and other systems can be extracted by the new owner or by hackers. “What’s happening to the hardware in your car after it’s traded in, the lease is up, or it comes to the end of its life?” asked John Shegerian, chairman of Electronic Recyclers International, which specializes in wiping sensitive data from electronic hardware. “Given the data these cars are collecting, when that car goes back, who’s going to have access to your information?”
But there are developments that make some in the connected-car space hopeful.
Smith points out that while the US lacks an omnibus privacy law on par with Europe’s landmark General Data Protection Regulation, the recently passed California Consumer Privacy Act could serve as a federal template “in part because [tech] companies don’t want 50 different laws,” Smith said. In the meantime, “consumer education is really important because where we see blowback” is when companies do something “unexpected and creepy.”
And for all the legitimate concerns about cars as assault vectors on our already embattled personal data, there may be an upside. Gomez was recently in Stuttgart observing recent advances in autonomous vehicle technology. “There are these innovative concepts they are playing with—a lot of these were cartoony when I was growing up and actually seeing them come to market is just amazing,” he said. “Hopefully it will be done responsibly. We’re not saying you shouldn’t have the data. But protect it.”
Nice optimism, but if the driving habits of tech company execs are any indication of future behavior, hold on tight, strap in and get ready for another Facebook on Wheels.


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As we reported yesterday, Tesla is preparing a massive push in China as import duties fall and local manufacturing is coming.
Now Tesla is already lowering its price by 40,000 yuan to 90,000 yuan (~$6,000 to ~$14,000 USD) depending on the model.
The 25% import duties that Tesla vehicles are subject to in China are going down to 15% starting in July, but Tesla says that they already adjusting their price structure.
Unsurprisingly, Tesla’s most expensive vehicles are seeing the biggest price reduction.
The Model X P100D gets a 90,000 yuan (~$14,000 USD) price cut.
With this said, the performance version of the all-electric SUV still cost 1.3 million yuan (~$204,000 USD) or about $60,000 more than it does in the US.
The import duties have significantly increased the price of vehicles in China, especially luxury vehicles, which make up an important part of the imported vehicles, but several automakers have also added wider margins on top of the import duties.
Tesla has long been claiming an international pricing structure that results in all vehicles costing the same everywhere after the exchange rate, import duties, and local taxes.
The company sees this as an advantage that it can implement since it operates all its store itself without going through third-party dealers who can enforce their own prices.
It has not always been the case, but it most often could be attributed to Tesla being slow to adjust pricing following exchange rate swings or policy changes.
In China, Tesla has been doing fairly well despite the 25% import duties.
The California-based automaker has doubled its sales to over $2 billion in China last year and they by far lead foreign electric car sales in the country.
Now the price reduction should help them maintain demand until they can establish local production to take advantages of more EV incentives and lower their prices even more.
An announcement about a Tesla factory in China is expected soon now that the automaker has set up a new company in Shanghai’s Free-Trade Zone.
Featured Image: Tesla gets Guinness World Record for a massive Model S and X parade in China
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Black Market Drugs
By C Gu Cited by 2 Abstract. Repugnant transactions are sometimes banned, but legal bans sometimes give rise to active black markets that are difficult ifnot impossible to. Today for his role in a nationwide black market that distributed millions of dollars' worth of fraudulently obtained HIV prescription drugs. 4 hours ago In a vicious cycle of dependency and despair, drug addicts shoplift meat and other everyday items and sell them to cash-strapped Brits. Investigators are looking at whether doctors illegally prescribed opioids to Prince and whether the fentanyl that killed him came from a. With the opioid epidemic, doctors all over the country are limiting the number of refills patients can have, and some patients are being. By S Hulme 2020 Cited by 3 Affiliations. 1 Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, 22-32 King Street, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia.
Spending on cannabis, cocaine, heroin black market drugs and methamphetamine fluctuated between 120 billion and 145 billion each year from 2006 to 2016. Some intravenous drug-users believe that after sharing needles, a heavy dose of AZT will prevent infection by HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS. The drugs seized included anticancer and antiviral treatments, narcotics, painkillers, erectile dysfunction medications and doping substances. As India faces a devastating surge of new coronavirus infections overwhelming its health care system, people are taking desperate measures. An argument for sentencing dealers based on the purity of their product. Many Canadian Internet pharmacies appear to be selling generic versions of medicines that are still patented in the United States. States should not encourage.
By R Soloveichik Cited by 1 By category, illegal drugs add 111 billion to measured nominal GDP in 2017, illegal prostitution adds. 10 billion, illegal gambling adds 4 billion, and theft. Measures by governments across the world to curb the COVID-19 pandemic have led to the widespread disruption of trafficking routes for. TULSA -- Women looking to conceive are turning to the black market to buy fertility drugs. One in ten women struggle with getting pregnant. In the US and many wealthy countries, black market imports include illegal drugs, human trafficking in all its forms, counterfeit medication. The typical price paid to donors versus link on the black market is thought to be about US5,000, but some donors receive as little as 1,000. Sales Of Black Market Drugs To Unsuspecting Prescription Drug Customers drugs from unlicensed, black market sources in California.
As India faces a devastating surge of new coronavirus infections overwhelming its health care system, people are taking desperate measures. Trafficking of counterfeit medicines is on the rise, with Interpol seizing black market drugs of counterfeit COVID related products in March 2020. Patrons of the Silk Road, by far the largest online marketplace for buying illegal drugs, were understandably alarmed when the FBI seized. Amid a punishing second wave, people across India are finding drugs, oxygen and beds in short supply. Operators of a nationwide black market have illegally sold more than 100 million of expensive HIV medications and other drugs obtained from. Usually they deal versus darknet market in black market equipment and software too. Yesby far the largest black market: drugs of course, illegal software, human trafficking.
The drugs seized included anticancer and antiviral treatments, narcotics, painkillers, erectile dysfunction medications and doping substances. Bitcoin is a cipherliterally and figuratively. The crypto-currency conjures a William Gibsonesque panorama of dark web Tor servers, masked. Free Essay: America is the home of the free and one of the world largest countries on all fronts whether it is economical, industrial, medical and countless. Nationwide deaths related to black market fentanyl pills valhalla darknet market are rising. Many victims are people who got hooked on pain pills following medical. As India battles with the deadly second wave of Covid-19 pandemic and its side effects, profiteers have continued black marketing of. Amid a punishing second wave, people across India are finding drugs, oxygen and beds in short supply.
The search screen for sellers is particularly interesting as it allows you to query both nicknames and public PGP keys. The dark side of the Internet: Attacks, costs and responses. Reasonably restricted and surrounded through mystery trusted black market drugs Marketplace on the dark web Marketplace as agora marketplace link sites links that pride! Bios: Anne Gracie is the award-winning author of the Merridew Sisters series and the Devil Riders series, along with several novellas. The app connects users to large Groups or unlimited Channels of other users, including a People Nearby feature. The profile of the average Mexican consumer is people between 17 and 32 years of age, the so-called millennials, with no criminal records, a medium to high socioeconomic status, and with enough technological knowledge to hide their identities online. It was created by non-other than the US government, as a way to help their own operatives remain untraceable. Unscrupulous servers at restaurants and bars can also use skimmers once safely out of sight from you, meaning you'll black market drugs regret ordering that Bloomin' Onion even more than usual. Escrow, 2-FA, security PIN, login phrase and mnemonic code available.
Any data leaked from these exploits can also be posted on black market drugs pastebins and dark websites. But as detailed in a groundbreaking report by McAfee on the market for stolen digital information, credit and debit cards are not necessarily the usual target of cybercriminals and fraudsters today. Counterparty is black market drugs a protocol that is designed to allow the issuance of tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain.


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While the pandemic is devastating the sector in the short term, messaging technology will play a vital role in helping restaurants recover, and adapt to a new world once the crisis subsides.
Restaurant doors have closed indefinitely around the world as the coronavirus has wreaked havoc across society; inevitably leading to a year-over-year global decline in seated diners of 100 per cent. Even once restaurants are allowed to reopen, it is clear the gastronomy sector will confronted by new challenges and restrictions.
Social distancing policies will mean a reduction in the numbers of customers allowed into a restaurant, while this 'fear factor' might deter some from going out altogether. Even existing, 'safer' options for ordering food are being reevaluated, whether it be using restaurant touchscreens or picking up food from outlets.
How pre-virus solutions can prepare us for an uncertain future
But here's the thing: The potential solutions to these challenges were already being addressed before the pandemic hit, although for very different reasons. Many food chains had been evolving their services to meet the increasing demand for takeout and home deliveries, especially among younger generations.
For example, pre-pandemic and 24% of Gen Zers ordered in around four times a week, preferring to eat their meals while binging on Netflix rather than in a restaurant.
In a post coronavirus world though, this emerging preference – combined with a new demand for increased safety — will likely see takeout requests increase even further. The real question here is: How can food chains adapt to successfully manage this new demand? The answer is by going digital.
How WhatsApp Business replaces physical with digital
As with takeout trends, the demand for digital touch points in food chain services was growing before the pandemic. Traditional offline touch points such as calling in an order had been falling out of favor with consumers; 67% of people who had previously ordered digitally via a website or app, said they preferred the digital experience.
Digital platforms such as WhatsApp in particular have been gaining traction because they tackle many of the issues raised by the increased demand for takeout orders, convenience, and in the current climate, processes that address customer coronavirus' health/safety concerns, all because a takeout order can be managed almost entirely using digital channels.
Here are six reasons why WhatsApp is a potential game-changer for food chains wanting to get back on track once stay-at-home orders are lifted:
1. Extend reach
WhatsApp is used by over two billion people every day to chat, meet and increasingly, to order and pay for items — including food orders — all from within the app. Currently, the private messaging platform already plays a significant role in many users' everyday lives, making it the ideal channel for food chains to leverage.
2. Fight app fatigue
Yes, there are food ordering apps out there already, but there is a bigger problem — 'app fatigue'. For example, Android offers users 2.47 million apps while Apple App Store features 1.8 million. That's a huge amount, and explains why users have become increasingly tired of downloading a single app that provides a single service. Instead, they are looking for apps able to perform multiple services; in other words, WhatsApp.
3. Take advantage
WhatsApp is one of Facebook's trio of social platforms that includes, yes, Facebook and also Instagram. Both these hugely popular platforms offer an ad format that can feature a WhatsApp 'Click-to-chat' button. These allow hungry customers to click on the ad button, and instantly start ordering. Powered by wa.me links, 'conversation starter' buttons can also be rolled out on official websites so again, when the customer clicks, a conversation is launched right away.
Complement these powerful features with QR codes on offline advertising such as billboards or packaging and, combined, WhatsApp Business enables food chains to take advantage of a fast, intuitive, and friction-free platform for customer takeout orders. For more advice on increasing a business's WhatsApp presence, click here.
4. Enable automation
Inexpensive self-service chatbot solutions can be integrated with WhatsApp Business, freeing staff entirely from the ordering process. A chatbot can cover the entire customer journey in-app from presenting menus and taking orders to confirming delivery addresses, taking payment, and updating the customer via notifications (see use case below). If there are any special instructions on how food should be handed over during the delivery itself, this can also be specified during ordering.
5. Notify better
WhatsApp Business allows food chains to send rich media such as images, PDFs, and maps, enabling brands to display menus, send out receipts/delivery notifications, and more. Also, if a complex issue should arise — say, the order is wrong — the customer can reach out via WhatsApp, and connect to a live worker in instant for swift complaint resolution.
6. Increase security
Before the pandemic, 68% of US consumers felt concerned about their security on the internet, and these figures will undoubtedly rise in the future as the FBI says cybercrime reports have quadrupled during the pandemic. To combat consumer fears, WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption with only the customer and the business being able to view any messaging. Better still, all messages/media auto delete after a set period.
To further increase consumer confidence, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) can be deployed if required plus verification badges displayed to reassure the customer that they are talking to a bona fide company, and not a scammer.
WhatsApp Business Use Case: Fast Casual Food Chain
The benefits of WhatsApp Business are already being leveraged successfully within the sector, including by a large Mexican food chain.
Here's how a typical order is handled by the national outlet using WhatsApp Business combined with a chatbot:
- The customer sees an ad for the food chain in their Facebook newsfeed, and presses on the 'Click-to-chat' WhatsApp button. WhatsApp opens up on their device, the chat beginning instantly:
Chatbot: Hi, what would you like to order? Here's our afternoon menu. Just tap in the number of the dish you want.
Chatbot: This dish comes with two options — A or B .
Chatbot: OK. If you would like to order more than one of this dish, type 'Yes'. Type 'No' to enter the next dish number. Type 'Cuenta' if you don't want anything else.
Chatbot: OK, you ordered Dish 8 with Option A — that's a total of 45 Pesos. Is that correct? Type 'Yes' to continue or 'No' to reorder.
Chatbot: Do you want to pick up or have your food delivered? Type 'Yes' to pick up or 'No' for home delivery.
Chatbot: Okay, here is the address you gave us last time. You want to use this one? Type 'Yes' to confirm or 'No' to enter another address.
- The chatbot offers a summary of the order, and asks the customer to confirm. Once confirmation is received, the order goes straight through to restaurant staff for processing.
Now is the time to plan a digital path out of the pandemic
While recovering from the effects of the pandemic will be a challenging process for both individual restaurants and large food chains, digital platforms such as WhatsApp offer a potential lifeline for reestablishing confidence in nervous consumers, as well as offering them a more friction-free customer experience.
By adopting CX technologies like WhatsApp Business, the sector can begin on its recovery today so it is better prepared to adapt, change and prosper tomorrow — no matter what the future may hold.
Webinar: How WhatsApp Food Ordering Helps Restaurants in a Post-Coronavirus World
Learn more about how WhatsApp can transform food chain customer experience and safety by attending the webinar How WhatsApp Food Ordering Helps Restaurants in a Post-Coronavirus World being held on May 28th at 10am CEST/4pm CEST.
- 1,500 WhatsApp free messages included!
Fast onboarding and guidance every step of the way


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We have all heard the awful tales of dodgy plumbers. From leaking taps to flooding floors, and the dishonesty of those who take payment but disappear without finishing the job.
The ACT plumbing industry was hit particularly hard in the wake of an ACT Supreme Court finding against a Canberra company for false and misleading representations in 2019.
Master Plumbers ACT (MPA) supported the ACT Government in its successful legal action and took a strong stance against any members who were found to be unethical, unreasonable, have a poor quality of work or have lost business registration or credentials.
In an effort to emphasise to all ACT residents the importance of hiring an ethical, MPA-accredited plumber, Master Plumbers introduced a nation-first $5000 Consumer Guarantee in 2020.
Master Plumbers ACT chief executive officer Claire Howe said the consumer guarantee was introduced to encourage ACT residents to seek and hire MPA-accredited plumbers.
“Plumbing is a fully licensed industry, regulated by the government, and it’s a blight on our professional reputation to have unethical operators giving our industry a bad name,” said Ms Howe. “So we’re reassuring residents with this Consumer Guarantee.
“It’s unfortunate we needed to introduce a consumer protection policy such as this, but having only been in this role since early 2021, I’m stunned by the number of complaints we still receive from the Canberra community about unethical practices taking place.”
Ms Howe said despite the guarantee, of which no claims have been made to date, they are currently seeing a stream of serious and costly non-member problem cases being referred to Fair Trading at Access Canberra, the Consumer Legal Service at Care Inc, and ending up in the ACT courts system.
Ms Howe said Canberrans are still largely unaware of the guarantee and is now urging anyone who is looking to hire a plumber to always choose a reputable MPA member plumber.
“Don’t simply call a number on a fridge magnet or postcard that’s been dropped in your letterbox unless they advertise they are a member of the Master Plumbers Association,” she said.
“Beware of salespeople who come to give a quote, who may not have relevant licenses, or who may lock you in for work via a document you sign, and then disappear, leaving you dealing with an impersonal service from an ‘umbrella company’ and a long list of ‘exceptions’ in relation to their work.”
Master Plumbers ACT recommends consumers check company and business registrations, individual plumbing licences, and public liability insurance.
“The one safeguard you have is to check if your plumber is a member of the Master Plumbers Association,” said Ms Howe.
“We’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve checked national registrations; checked ACT company and individual plumbing licences; we’ve checked insurances; and our members sign up to our MPA Code of Ethics, as well as the terms of our $5000 Consumer Guarantee.
“Ask your plumber if they’re a member of the Master Plumbers Association, call the MPA office or search our online ‘Find A Plumber Database’ to ensure you have plumbing peace of mind.”
Ms Howe said as ACT residents become aware of the Consumer Guarantee and the benefits of using a member of the MPA, they are aiming to see a significant drop in complaints.
“An MPA plumber is a plumber you can trust so make sure you use one,” she said.


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Audi Denmark and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team Astralis will continue their partnership following the original three-month pilot program.
The three-month deal was reportedly valued at $750,000. The new partnership places Audi in a “key position” on Astralis’ new team jersey, which will be launched at a fan event held at the Fields Mall in Copenhagen.
Related: Astralis secures Audi sponsorship
“We are extremely pleased to be back on the chest of the Astralis jersey,” Audi Denmark digital manager Jacob Thiesen said in a statement. “The valuation of our initial partnership demonstrated some impressive numbers and effects and the cooperation with the team and RFRSH Entertainment was second to none. On this basis, we entered negotiations in the late summer, and we’re glad to announce the partnership—again.”
Terms of the new deal were not detailed.
Audi reported a massive return on investment—10 times the initial amount—measured by Nielsen Sport, Audi said in the press release. “The partnership has the potential to play a role in Audi Denmark’s future campaigns and model releases to engage with the attractive community in the world of esports,” Astralis and Audi said in the press release.


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First set of images of the i30 Fastback N has been released by Hyundai ahead of the Paris Motor Show 2018.
The car is almost identical to the i30 hatchback with the same 2.0-liter 250HP petrol engine powering it. When it comes to design, the car features same front end. The rear end design is a new one though.
The car gets a bespoke grille, a bumper, sculpted exhaust and diffuser. The i30 hatch is already running on Indian roads. Whether or not the, i30 fastback would make it here is still not known.


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After the less than expected returns from Jeevan Astha policy, LIC has come out with a money back policy with a tenure to choose from 9 years and 12 years. The main plank which LIC is banking on the plan is that of guaranteed returns which in 9 year term is 6.5% of sum assured(…)
News, Analysis & Opinion about Indian Business
The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a blanket ban on blogging, social networking or web email services aimed at preventing cyber attacks and leakage of classified information. This ban would hit social networking sites like Facebook, Orkut and Ibibo, peer-to-peer sites like Kazaa, photo-sharing sites like Flickr and Picasa, or external email services like(…)
If you try visiting Wall Street Journal online from an IP address based in India, you’ll automatically get redirected to the Indian Edition of WSJ.com.
Apart from the ongoing success of Ghajini, the movie has been able to create much hype in the corporate world through its well tuned and finely coordinated marketing campaign pre and post movie release. Ghajini has been marketed as ‘India’s first event film’, one that has the potential to become a successful business venture rather(…)
Over a long period of time, there has been a constant debate over whether regular trading in shares should amount to an individual being taxed as ‘Business Income’ or ‘Income from Capital Gains’. In case of capital gains arising from equities sold in a recognized stock exchange, the gains are either Long-term which is exempt(…)
The reaction didn’t go down too well with Ms Barkha Dutt and the legal team at NDTV forced Indian blogger Chyetanya Kunte to issue an unconditional apology.
LIC launched its much advertised policy, Jeevan Astha with great fanfare hoping to garner Rs.25000 crore in 45 days by delivering guaranteed returns. However the scheme ended with much below expectations by garnering just one-third of target amount. The biggest attraction of the scheme was said to be the tax-free nature of investment thus making(…)
Management is an extremely competitive profession; where one is pitted against the best of the best. He has to beat the performance benchmarks amongst his peer group, in order to forge his way ahead and have a successful career.
David Boyle realized that there is a bigger audience and decided to dub his film in Hindi and Tamil. The film Slumdog Millionaire got unprecedented media coverage (helped also by the Oscar nominations); and opened to packed houses across multiplexes in the country.
A survey was recently conducted across major cities in India to determine parameters that Indian consumers take into consideration when buying a mobile phone.
Lets now see how 2009 fares for the FMCG industry and the retail trade in India. For now the small store format still rules. For the 2% Modern retailers; they have to first look inwards and sort out the mess they are in; before they can look to serve the shoppers better.
To benefit the families of 17 slain security personnel in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, Axis Bank has come forward with a novel way of setting up a special account "Account 26/11".
We look at one such Mega brand in the Indian context. The brand is called Amitabh Bachachan that has existed for the past 35 years.
Indore, like most Indian cities, till 3 years back had a public transport system run by contract mini buses run by operators who got their permit either due to their connections in the government or their ability to bribe the bureaucrats and politicians.
Cadbury launched Bourneville fine dark chocolate in India last quarter. Well coordinated marketing at relevant consumer touch points â€“ front page ad in Economic Times with catchy taglines (‘Food of the Gods and other Top Management); upscale ad campaign targeted at the well healed.
With a wide ranging analysis and views about the possible reversal in share prices of equities in global markets in 2009, many research companies are coming out with their own take on the stocks that could outperform the market. Japan based Nomura has issued a report on Asian stocks in a report called ‘Titans, Heroes(…)
One approach adopted by some of the leading FMCG majors manages to cut across the clutter. It is to divide the Indian Consumer into three broad stereotypes based on a) their size of wallet, occupation and education and b) the sort of town/village or city they live in.
Game Changing Case Studies – we look at India Cinema (popularly called Bollywood) and what changed the game for the Indian film industry in the early 90s.
The official website of Income Tax department www.incometaxindia.gov.in is being revamped and modified to host a whole range of features and utilities. With the advent of online filing of returns, online payment of taxes, it had become imperative for the existing website to become more customer friendly with easily accessibility.
In India; where 7 million small stores serve a billion consumers with 25% of them earning less than a dollar a day; the winning brands have their sachet avatar which is essentially a 2 cent pack affordable to most consumers hence available at most retail outlets.


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Inspired by the success of the open-source software movement, a group of technology enthusiasts is looking to unite the fragmented open-source hardware community in an effort to promote hardware innovation.
A group of technologists are establishing the Open Source Hardware Association, formed to promote the creation and sharing of hardware or electronic designs. The association hopes to foster growth in the open-source hardware movement, which carries the open-source ethos of a community working together to tweak and update hardware designs with the goal to improve products.
The concept of open-source hardware loosely relates to releasing designs of physical hardware — processors, machines or devices — to the public for reuse. But there are licensing and legal issues with the concept, as there is with open-source software, and the association hopes to explore those issues while also educating people about the benefits of open hardware, said Alicia Gibb, founder of OSHA.


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- Cannabis company, Citation Growth (CSE:CGRO) has started implementing its FSM technology and methodologies at its Apex facility in Las Vegas
- The company believes that these changes will triple the facility’s production, and reduce various other costs
- Citation Growth expects the facility’s full transformation to be complete by the end of summer
- The company’s first harvests under these new upgrades will also be available to market in late summer
- Citation Growth (CGRO) is currently steady and is trading at C$0.10 per share
Cannabis company, Citation Growth (CSE:CGRO) has started implementing FSM technology and methodologies at its Apex facility in Las Vegas.
The Full Spectrum Medicinal (FSM) growing technology and platform utilise the organic method of growing medical cannabis.
The methodologies increase the beneficial ingredients and remove negative secondary aspects of man-made chemical compounds. These include those found in herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides.
The FSM technology was developed by Professor Mandell, who worked with Professor Raphael Mechoulam on the research.
Citation Growth is in the process of introducing this growing technology and methodology to its North Las Vegas facility. So far, the company has changed 15 per cent of Apex’s lighting system to the full spectrum LED lighting system.
The net cost of installation will be offset by credit received for the previous outgoing lighting system. Citation Growth intends to fund the upgrades through its sale of its Celista assets. This sale is likely to complete in mid-June.
In addition to replacing the light system and introducing FSM technology, the company will also change over earth used in growing processes.
The combined impact of these upgrades could increase the facility’s production by as much as threefold.
The upgrades have also allowed Citation Growth to decrease overhead costs, by reducing staff by 50 per cent. Furthermore, the company expects it will significantly decrease ongoing power and supply costs.
Citation Growth expects to finish the replacement of the facility’s remaining lights by the end of summer. The company anticipates that the first harvests grown under the new upgrades will be available to market in late summer.
Citation Growth’s CEO, Erik Anderson, is happy with the company’s encouraging progress.
“We see the Apex facility as our launching pad to a new phase of growth for Citation and expect to be updating the market with our progress over the coming months. Our goal to be Operational Cashflow and EBITDA-positive by our fiscal year end, while seemingly difficult only a few short months ago, is now achievable.
“Our proprietary growing methodologies and technology will drive us towards our financial goals and overall success. We are moving forward, and we will be successful,” he said.
Citation Growth (CGRO) is currently steady and is trading at C$0.10 per share at 12:25pm EDT.


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Apple health benefits include prevention of heart, stomach and liver disease, pythmical, constipation, anemia, and diabetes. Finally, they also help with dental care and skin care.
Researchers have discovered that in your daily diet, neuron cells can be protected against ecstatic stress-induced neurotoxic seizures and may play an essential role in reducing the risk of neurogenic disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
Benefit: Nutrition, straight up
The medium-sized calories (95) soluble fiber (4 grams to medium apples) are packed with apples, and the apples are sweet, sweet. Also, some medium apple 1 cup of fruit one day so the fruit after a meal, you can get your daily quota for adults (in the 2,000- calorie diet about 2 cups) are well on your way to visit. Vitamin C (14%) of the value of daily arrows are the best source.
To promote weight loss, a healthy diet is not surprising, therefore, that to become a member of the apple bit calories to meet their physical needs. But according to recent studies, dried apples, participants lose weight. Some women eat a yearly dry apple cider, reduce pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease. Researchers at the Florida State University believe that antioxidant apple “is pectin (fiber) that is responsible for the care and fresh apple, which is considered to be useful.
Florida state studies are not the only to add apple consumption to cardiovascular health. Last year, the Iowa Women’s Health Study reported that in more than 34,000 women, it has been tracking for nearly 20 years, Apple was linked to low risk of death from both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. A few years ago, Finnish researchers studying the diet data gathered from 9, 208 men and women in 28 years found that eating habits were often the least risk of stroke sufferers compared to those who eat nonplayers. Experts provide heart-healthy benefits to the antioxidant compounds found in apples, which prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and prevent inflammation. Also, the apple-soluble fiber has also been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.
Protect Against Metabolic Syndrome
People eating apples may not have metabolism, a type of symptom associated with the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Joyce Hendley reported on EatingWell Magazine that researchers who analyzed health and nutrition health data (NHANES), Food and Health Surveys have found that 27% of the symptoms ‘metabolic union disease than those who did not. The rye also has C-reactive proteins, an injection mark in blood indicates the complexity of heart disease and diabetes.
Eating an apple before your work can increase your exercise tolerance. Apple provides antioxidant quinidine that helps oxygenate more lungs. One study showed that Quentin – when taken in supplementary form – allows people more on bicycles.
Warding off breast cancer
Increased evidence of power shows that Apple can help in the prevention of cancer, as is the famous researcher Karnel Roi, according to various studies conducted by Liu. Liu said its investigation adds “increasing evidence that the use of fruit and vegetables, including apples, can give users more and more phenolics, which show that they are used for healthcare. I will encourage consumers to eat more and more fruits and vegetables every day. ”
Improving neurological health
A 2006 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology and Medicine has shown that Quercetin (one of the many antioxidants and apples was found) was one of two compounds that cure the cell of neuronal oxidation and inflammation.
A second study published at the same conference and Alzheimer’s disease has demonstrated that cogeneration consumption increases the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, which reminds the memory of mice with the Alzheimer’s disease.


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Although it isn't quite as good as Spotify, Google Play Music is one of the better music streaming services out there. The service is set to be replaced by YouTube Music in the coming years. Today, Android Authority discovered a bug with Google Play Music that prevents users from casting any tracks released in 2019 to devices such as a Smart Display, Google Home, Chromecast or even the Nvidia Shield TV.
You can remedy this by playing a recent song (one that wasn't released in 2019) on your phone and then casting to a Google Home device, rather than casting (the affected 2019 song) straight away. It is by no means a fix but should help you get by until an official fix is issued. It shouldn't affect your experience with the application, but its a minor annoyance nonetheless. Here's a video of the bug in action (via Android Authority)
Only Google Play Music appears to be affected at the moment. YouTube Music seems to be working fine. It is unclear as to when the problem originated, but it is safe to assume that it was sometime in the past month or so. I haven't been able to reproduce the bug on my own Google Home Mini and Galaxy S9+, so it is entirely possible that only a certain subset of users are affected.
The user who initially discovered the bug reached out to Google support and was told that the issue has been 'escalated'. Google is yet to comment on the issue officially. Reports are coming from Europe and India, but it’s entirely possible that this is a worldwide issue. Do give it a try and let us know in the comments below if you're affected.


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By Peter Martin
THE carbon tax has boosted the cost of living scarcely at all. Despite dire talk of an ''almost unimaginable'' increase (Tony Abbott) and $100 for a Sunday roast (Barnaby Joyce) the first official consumer price figures show a far lower impact than predicted by the Treasury.
Last July, Treasury said the tax would push up the consumer price index 0.70 percentage points, adding $9.90 per week to average household costs. In return, households were given compensation averaging $10.10 per week.
But 0.70 percentage points looks like being an overestimate. Inflation figures for the September quarter - the one that encompasses almost all of the electricity and gas price rises - show them adding 0.44 points to the CPI. It's a big figure, but not that much bigger than the usual September quarter slug.
Melbourne households have endured a 13.6 per cent increase in electricity prices - unwelcome but well short of previous September quarter jumps of 19 per cent and 21 per cent.
Nationwide, electricity and gas price rises have added 0.25 and 0.33 points to the consumer price index in the past two September quarters. Treasury expected the gas and electricity price hikes to account for only half of the 0.70 boost, the rest being accounted for by businesses that passed them on.
But Commonwealth Bank senior economist Michael Blythe makes the point that if the electricity and gas impact is about half what was expected, it is likely the total impact will be, too.
''It is looking as if the Treasury's figure will be an overestimate rather than an underestimate,'' he said.
The total consumer price index increased 2 per cent in the year to September, a figure right at the bottom of the Reserve Bank's 2-3 per cent target band, giving its board room to cut interest rates again at its next meeting on Melbourne Cup Tuesday. Futures markets were last night pricing in a 60 per cent chance of a rate cut.


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India’s tourism industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, bolstered by the bold initiatives taken by the government. Not only does tourism generate handsome revenue, but it also creates ample employment opportunities. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector has shown promising signs of revival and is set to continue its upward trajectory. Here is an exciting tale of the resurgence of tourism in India, its impact on the economy, and the emerging trends shaping the sector.
Revival After Pandemic
Following the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism has demonstrated remarkable resilience and accelerated growth. Post-pandemic, the revival of this industry bodes well for the country, its industries, and its people. According to the government’s provisional estimates, foreign exchange earnings from tourism in India witnessed a staggering 107% increase, rising from ₹65,070 crore in 2021 to ₹1,34,543 crore in 2022 (as reported by ANI). This surge in earnings signifies the sector’s remarkable rebound.
Foreign Tourist Arrivals and Economic Impact
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Development of the North-Eastern Region reported a notable rise in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during 2022, reaching 6.19 million, compared to 1.52 million in 2021. Additionally, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, tourism in India contributed ₹13.2 lakh crore (US$170 billion) or 5.8% of the country’s GDP, supporting 32.1 million jobs in 2021. These figures underscore the vital role tourism plays in India’s economy and employment landscape.
Infrastructure and Aviation Investments Fuel Growth
India’s outbound tourism growth trajectory owes much to its focus on infrastructure improvements and the expansion of its aviation sector. The government’s commitment to spending $11.9 billion on airport construction and modernization by 2025 is a significant driver. Notably, the upcoming Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh, set to become Asia’s largest airport upon its opening in 2024, will bolster connectivity within the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and Western Uttar Pradesh.
The country has witnessed a substantial increase in airport development, with at least 73 operational airports established under the regional connectivity scheme since 2017. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, having joined the list of the world’s busiest international airports in 2022, further exemplifies India’s aviation expansion. Private airlines have also played a crucial role in driving outbound tourism growth, expanding their capacity to cater to the rising demand.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Aviation Sector
While India’s low-cost carriers, like Go First, have contributed to the industry’s growth, some have faced financial difficulties due to low margins and fierce competition. However, other airlines, including Air India, have capitalised on opportunities. Air India, under the ownership of Tata Sons, has embraced a multi-brand strategy, merging with low-cost airline AirAsia India and expanding its fleet with the acquisition of nearly 500 new planes. The airline’s focus on the low-cost carrier segment reflects its commitment to India’s aviation market expansion.
To sustain the momentum of India’s outbound tourism, visa restrictions need to be eased, and the number of flights from India should increase. Once these barriers are addressed, the stage will be set for exponential growth in the Indian market.
Expansion in Tier-II and Smaller Cities
One noteworthy trend in India’s tourism is the rapid expansion of hotel chains and room inventory in tier-II and smaller cities. In recent years, domestic leisure travel has seen a significant uptick, prompting hotel chains to expand their offerings in these regions at a faster pace than metro areas. According to a report by HVS-Anarock, the share of hotel rooms in tier-II and tier-III cities increased from 33% to 38% of the total inventory by the end of 2022. In contrast, the share of hotel rooms in metros decreased from 30% to 19% during the same period. This expansion has given rise to new hotels in destinations such as Agra, Haridwar, Manali, McLeod Ganj, and others, catering to the mid-market and upscale segments.
Under the visionary leadership of Shri Paras Patel, Praveg Limited is achieving new heights in hospitality. In addition to its four resorts, Praveg has plans to launch six more resorts and properties in the western parts of India. As of now Praveg operates its resorts at Statue of Unity, Rann of Kutch, Daman, and Varanasi. Six more projects in the pipeline are: Diu, Velavadar, Ranthambore, Jawai, Udaipur, and Adalaj.
Emerging Travel Trends
Various travel trends have contributed to the growth of leisure travel in India. Concepts such as weekend getaways, road trips, staycations (vacations close to home), workations (leisure trips combined with work), and bleisure (business trips extended for leisure) have gained popularity over the past two years. The rising trend in air travel, with a 60% year-on-year growth in FY23, further reflects the increased enthusiasm for leisure travel. This trend presents opportunities for listed hotels like Indian Hotels and Lemon Tree Hotels, which have a strong presence in the mid-market and upscale segments, as they benefit from the rising travel to smaller cities.
India’s tourism industry has experienced a robust revival following the challenges posed by the pandemic. The government’s proactive measures, coupled with emerging travel trends and the expansion of hotel chains in tier-II and smaller cities, have propelled the sector’s growth. With the significant contributions to the economy, job creation, and the increasing appeal of domestic and international tourists, tourism in India is well-positioned for further expansion in the coming years.


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Caesars Digital and White Hat Studios Enhance West Virginia Presence
In a significant development within the iGaming sector, White Hat Studios has broadened its partnership with Caesars Digital, marking a pivotal expansion into the West Virginia market. This collaboration underscores the growing synergy between two prominent entities in the iGaming industry, reflecting a strategic push to leverage opportunities within the United States.
White Hat Studios, renowned for its comprehensive portfolio in the iGaming space, has successfully launched its acclaimed branded titles at Caesars Palace Online Casino in West Virginia. This selection includes widely recognized games such as Peaky Blinders™ and The Goonies™, which have already garnered substantial player engagement in other states.
The partnership between White Hat Studios and Caesars Digital has flourished, evidenced by their successful ventures in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Their offerings, encompassing a range of premium slots and table games, have demonstrated consistent performance and player satisfaction.
A recent Eilers-Fantini report highlights White Hat Studios’ remarkable growth trajectory, noting a near doubling of its gross gaming revenue share at the outset of 2024. This achievement underscores the provider’s impact on the iGaming market and its ability to effectively cater to the evolving preferences of online gaming enthusiasts.
Furthermore, White Hat Studios offers the innovative Jackpot Royale feature, integrated into 30 of its games. This feature has significantly enhanced the gaming experience, distributing a total of $9.8 million across three progressive jackpots in 2023 alone, thereby adding considerable value to the operators’ content offerings.
Looking ahead, White Hat Studios is poised for further expansion within the U.S. market throughout 2024. With an ambitious roadmap featuring a slew of new products, the company is strategically positioned to strengthen its foothold as a leading supplier in the iGaming industry. This continued growth and innovation highlight the dynamic nature of the iGaming sector and the strategic partnerships shaping its future.
Andy Whitworth, CEO at White Hat Studios, said: “We’ve seen incredible results through our partnership with Caesars, one of the leading operators in the U.S. market, so we’re thrilled to be expanding upon that with entry into West Virginia.
“As the leading ‘house of brands’ provider, we’re extremely proud of how our IP-inspired content has been received by Caesars’ players, and we’re excited to grow engagement and retention rates even further with this development.”
Ricardo Cornejo Rivas, Vice President of Online Gaming at Caesars Digital, added: “White Hat Studios is a valuable partner for us that continues adding impressive gaming content to our platforms. Their dynamic and expansive range of titles have been embraced by our players in multiple jurisdictions, so we’re thrilled to bring more of their popular games to our West Virginia players.”


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More than $28 billion was set aside to help small, independently owned eateries survive the pandemic, but advocates said only 2/3 of those who...
Many small business owners across the U.S. say they need to raise their prices due to growing costs.
North Carolina woman kickstarts journey to entrepreneurship, quits job of 15 years, purchases bakery
Monica Moyer decided to embark on a new journey in 2020 after purchasing Archdale Bakery.
Christopher’s Bakery is named after Christopher Harris, who died when he was just 10 years old.
If you’re already counting down, the Fair will be back in 341 days, running from September 30 through October 23, 2022.
With Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp down for most of the day, online entrepreneurs say that made connecting to customers much more difficult.
About 15 entrepreneurs shared concerns about employment, access to capital, and supply chain challenges during a discussion with the Texas governor.


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Johnson and Johnson has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2014, during which it maintained its recent strong momentum.
The company's sales total of $18.1 billion (10.77 billion pounds) was up by 3.5 percent year on year, thanks to the successful introduction of several key products and the continued growth of existing offerings.
Its pharmaceuticals business saw a double-digit improvement in revenues during the quarter, helping to offset a drop in consumer product sales and the relative flatness of its medical devices and diagnostics unit.
Based on its Q1 success, the group has increased its earnings guidance for the 2014 full-year period to a range of $5.80 to $5.90 per share.
Alex Gorsky, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson and Johnson, said: "Our talented colleagues around the world continue to bring meaningful innovations to patients and customers, addressing significant unmet needs. We also advanced our near-term priorities and long-term growth drivers, positioning us well to deliver sustainable results."
This comes after the firm was ranked as the most innovative company in the pharmaceutical industry by Idea Pharma in a report compiled earlier this year.


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May 19, 2010 |
BANGALORE: India is the largest market for Emirates outside Dubai, a top airline official said today. "India is the largest market for Emirates outside Dubai. West Asia and Indian Ocean region, which includes India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mauritius and Seychelles, account for 12 per cent of revenue", Orhan Abbas, Vice President India and Nepal, Emirates Airline told reporters here. Corporate travel, which was down by almost 50 per cent last year, "is back with a vengeance this year.
June 17, 2008 |
MUMBAI: The Dubai-based Emirates airline, the largest customer of Airbus including the A380, is hoping to employ more airhostesses and staff from India, heightening competition in a market where local airlines are finding it hard to secure talent. The shortage of airhostesses has hit the Gulf air carrier and Emirates is eyeing overseas markets for trained manpower, especially from India. According to a source, Emirates is working to hire people from different air hostess training institutes in India and is considering tie-ups or contracts with institutes and academies.
September 8, 2006 |
BANGALORE: Dubai-based Emirates Airline on Friday announced the launch of its eight-flights-a-week service to Bangalore, starting October 29. It's the eighth Indian destination that it would serve, according to Nabil Sultan, Senior Vice-President, Commercial Operations, West Asia & Indian Ocean. Sultan and representatives of various brands under the Emirates umbrella are currently in Bangalore to introduce the airline's product and services to 400 travel and cargo agents.
April 12, 2009 |
MUMBAI: Indian Premier League (IPL) fever seems to be catching on with another team, Kings XI Punjab. The Mohali franchise of IPL has announced its sponsors and partners for the second season. Dubai-based Emirates airline will be the team's title sponsors with eight other brands, Gulf Oil, Nimbooz, Netlinkblue, Reebok, Springbok Intl, Royal Challenge, Dabur Glucose-D and Orbit being sponsors too. Orhan Abbas, vice president India and Neoal for Emirates Airline said, "We intend to have a long-lasting partnership with Kings XI Punjab.
May 4, 2011
DUBAI: Fuel costs now account for a staggering 43 per cent of airline costs, compared to just 12 per cent a decade ago, a senior industry official has said, emphasising its impact on airlines. "If by the end of the year oil prices have reached around USD 130-140 per barrel, watch this space, there will be some casualties. I expect that airlines which will struggle particularly are those on the periphery," Emirates Airline President Tim Clark said. With Emirates Airline having mitigated some of the impact by implementing small fuel surcharges and managing business costs, he said that airlines with weaker balance sheets and less flexibility would suffer if high prices continued.
June 6, 2011 |
KOLKATA: Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Dubai-based airline Emirates, recently uplifted its first e-freight consignments from Kolkata to Dubai. The airline shipped about 3,000 kg of fresh vegetables to Dubai completely eliminating the aspects of printing airway bills, handling and processing costs. The airline provides over 150 tonnes of cargo capacity on a weekly basis with 12 flights from Kolkata to Dubai. Incidentally, e-freight tool allows for most cargo processes to be done electronically and eliminating costs of paper printing, handling and processing.
March 16, 2016 |
HYDERABAD: Dubai-based air carrier Emirates Airline today said it will be able to expand its network in India from the existing ten cities to more, once bilateral agreements on seating capacity are signed with the Indian government. "We have ten points (cities) in India. We are trying to expand as much as we can. With the limited seat capacity we are very much restricted today to these ten points. "If the bilateral agreement goes through, we can gain seats and we can cover most of the points in India.
May 28, 2009 |
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dubai-based Emirates airline has provided affirmation to the growing faith in the India growth story, deciding to add as many as 22 flights per week between now and December in its India operations. That would take the airline's weekly operations in India to 185 flights from the present level of 163 flights. Officials said the airlines' enhanced connectivity was expected to support India's ambitious plan to attract 100 million travellers in 2010. Emirates' vice president for India and Nepal, Orhan Abbas told ET that the additional flights would be from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkatha, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, and that the new flights would be added between June and December in a phased manner to touch 185 flights per week by the end of the year.
November 26, 2015 |
NEW DELHI: With India set to grow in the aviation market, Gulf carrier Emirates is eyeing a greater pie in the international passenger traffic from here by flying 85 million travellers in and out of the country by 2020. According to a report released by the India Brand Equity Foundation earlier this year, India is expected to become the third-largest aviation market in the world by 2020 from the ninth-largest currently. "In the next five years, we are looking for 67 per cent growth in the number of passengers flying to and from India.
June 11, 2008 |
MUMBAI: Converge M, a joint venture between the Future Group and Axiom Telecom, on Wednesday announced its partnership with Skywards, the award-winning frequent flyer program of Emirates Airline to offer the 'Buy and Fly Offer'. Every consumer purchasing a mobile phone from Big Bazaar, Central and Mport would earn up to 3,50,000 Skyward miles and it can be availed from June 14, Axiom Telecom's Senior Vice-President, Fahad al Bannai, told reporters here. The miles can be redeemed for various rewards such as flights on Emirates or partner airlines, hotel stays, car rentals and other leisure and lifestyle products and services, provided by Skyward and its partners, he said.


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Chewing on the numbers
We’re no longer in the comfort zone on inflation. A period of fiscal correctness is needed.india Updated: Dec 15, 2009 21:33 IST
Food prices have eaten their way into core inflation — minus volatile energy and food — in November. This is the tipping point for monetary policy, which can do little to absorb supply shocks like poor harvests but can tame a demand-induced price line in manufacturing. Although the big push to wholesale inflation last month came from a 16.7 per cent rise in the food index, the more significant statistic is the 4 per cent rise in the manufacturing index. For two reasons. One, industry has thrice the weight of food in India’s most widely tracked inflation index. And two, prices are accelerating more on the shop floor than on the farm. At its June 2009 trough food inflation was sill a high 10.9 per cent from a year ago, but industrial prices were creeping up at 0.6 per cent. In percentage terms, the price of manufactures poses the
With factory output growing at 10.3 per cent in October on the back of a 9.6 per cent gain in September, companies are better placed to pass on rising input costs to consumers than they were a quarter ago. The most striking example of this trend is November’s 24.7 per cent rise in prices of processed food where the cost pressure has broken through. The unabashed rise of food prices — food inflation climbed to 19 per cent in the last week of November — should ease with higher winter sowing of rice and pulses, principal sources of price pressure. But a clearer picture will emerge when the full rabi data comes in.
Wholesale inflation in November at 4.78 per cent is nearly bursting out of the Reserve Bank of India’s comfort zone and the figure for March 2010 could settle at a fourth higher than its latest estimate of 6.5 per cent. A broad section of view sees the central bank beginning to raise interest rates by as early as January. This will in all probability be accompanied by drainage of liquidity from the financial system. The crisis-induced phase of easy money is over for India and the debate over the timing the exit of the government’s stimulus rendered irrelevant. With fiscal policy still hugely expansive, the pressure on interest rates should magnify. The cost of borrowing is a potent argument for a return to fiscal rectitude.


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The two-bedroom Gentilly house that Charle Washington rents with her boyfriend, Max Lapushin, is filled with work by local and up-and-coming artists, from letterpress posters by Amos Kennedy to framed yarn work by Pottspurls.
"As a local creative, I know how much people appreciate you supporting them, and I love art that has a story," said Washington, who runs Shop Charle, a vintage clothing pop-up shop. "I almost never paint a space," she added. "I cover it in framed artwork because the last thing I want to do when I move is paint over it."
Her art collections include kitschy trinkets, such as the Bart Simpson maracas she nabbed on a recent trip to Puerto Rico. But she's also trying to invest in larger pieces while staying within her budget. Last year, she scored two bargains from the Gretna City Yard Sale: two original paintings that had previously sold in a now defunct French Quarter art gallery for more than $900. Washington nabbed them for $50 each. "I just want more big art in my house. Big art makes your space seem bigger and a little more adult," she said.
Lapushin, who spent time in Samoa with the Peace Corps, has treasures from his travels prominently displayed. Hand-carved wooden swords decorate the bathroom, while framed pieces of tapa cloth line the hallway. A Samoan eyeball gouger, which could be mistaken for an unusual kitchen gadget, sits next to the microwave.
The kitchen, like many rental units, has inadequate storage. "We have one drawer where most Americans put their silverware," Washington joked, "and this drawer is not a standard-issue-sized drawer. It doesn't even fit a cutlery holder. So we had to figure something out."
The couple turned to Pinterest for alternative storage solutions and came up with a customizable industrial pegboard, purchased on Amazon. Baskets hold cutlery, and shelves and pegs organize other kitchen gadgets. "Even though we had to install it on this wall, it's something we expect to take with us," Washington said of the pegboard. "We wanted to buy something that we could put in any space."


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File: It is expected that wealthier South Africans will get taxed more on the money they make from selling their stocks, bonds and property.
JOHANNESBURG - MMM is now officially under Hawks investigation as more and more South African consumers are being exposed to quick return investment schemes.
The popular platform reached South African shores in 2015.
Owned and started by Russian convicted fraudster, Sergei Mavrodi, MMM promises a 30 percent return on investment after just one month.
The 30 percent return offered by MMM is above the 27 % maximum per annum, as stipulated the South African Consumer Protection Act.
The National Consumer Commission sent out a warning cautioning consumers not to allow themselves to be taken for a ride.
“If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true and don’t invest,” said commissioner Ebrahim Mohamed.
Last year, the commission assessed several dodgy entities suspected of operating pyramid schemes, some of which are now also being investigated by the Hawks.
Mohamed has urged consumers to ask a few questions before joining similar ventures.
“So consumers should ask, are you a registered company, do you have a constitution, are you registered with the Financial Services Board, and what are we selling, how is money made?,” said Mohamed.
Money is definitely being made, with some triple M customers taking to social media to dismiss claims that it is a scam.
One user posted: "Admin you are lying, when will you post about lotto, soccer6 or power ball which have been eating people all these years? Stop telling lies about MMM. I&39;m no longer broke at varsity because of MMM,so shut up!"
While another defended it as a wise investment move: "Know it&39;s scary and there have been too many scams. But MMM is just like a stokvel. Rea chaelana. Good thing about it is we get interests. Let&39;s join MMM ppl.Yesterday&39;s story about MMM collapsing is not true but it&39;s for the brave, the risk takers that&39;s why thy get rich."
The Hawks&39; investigation into triple M could hit some potholes, as tracking down the perpetrators will be difficult. The scheme operates online with no direct business number and central bank account.
The commission has also warned consumers to be aware that taking part in pyramid or Ponzi schemes, is a criminal offence.


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Like the stock market itself, the world of retail is becoming a very selective place these days. While there are signs the economy is improving, it is by no means booming, and investors are becoming a bit more selective about how and where they spend their money these days.
The cautious spending policies are showing up in the fundamentals of the retail stocks including Sketchers USA (SKX), Michael Kors (KORS) and Coach (COH) among others, but not all of these picks are telling the same story.
My research and the data in my Portfolio Grader stock ranking tool can help you find the very best retail stocks to own (or avoid), and here’s my take on the top retail stocks right now:
Sketchers Stock – Buy
Sketchers USA (SKX) is one of those retail and apparel stocks that have captured consumers fancy. The company is seeing widespread demand for its line of footwear and accessories right now.
SKX stock recently reported 21% year over year sales growth as demand was higher than even the management of the company had expected. Sketchers earnings also showed the second consecutive surprise for Skechers, and third in the last four quarters.
SKX also remains one of the few retailers that didn’t complain about bad weather in the quarter as apparently customers braved the cold and snow to get a new pair of fashionable running shoes.
The company picked up an additional boost after Meb Keflezighi wore a pair of Sketchers performance running shoes while becoming the first American to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years.
Portfolio Grader upgraded Sketchers stock an A this week. Shares of SKX are a strong buy at the current price.
Kors Stock – Buy
Michael Kors Hodlings (KORS) has captured the fancy of high-end shoppers, and is adding locations both in the United States and around the world and is on a solid growth track. So far this year, earnings are up more than 100% and KORS stock turned in an impressive fourth quarter in spite of a generally weak holiday retail season.
Michael Kors has now posted four consecutive positive earnings surprises and this excellent performance is recognized by Portfolio Grader. KORS stock was upgraded to an A back in January and remains a strong buy at the current price.
Coach Stock – Sell
Coach Incorporated (COH), unfortunately, hasn’t shared in the success of Sketchers or Kors. In fact, a lot of Michael Kors’ success has come at the expense of COH stock.
The high end hand bag and accessories company reported a rough quarter as sales and earnings fall fell sharply in the first three months of the year. Same store sales in the United Sates were much worse than analyst had expected as they declined by 21% year over year.
Also, Coach earnings showed profits fell from 84 cents a share last year to just 68 cents a share this year. Revenues were less than analysts expected and management warned investors that sales would probably continue to decline.
The company continued struggles have been reflected in its Portfolio Grader sell ranking all year. After the recent report the stock was downgraded even further to an F ranking and is currently a strong sell.
Louis Navellier is the editor of Blue Chip Growth.


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Maruti Suzuki India Ltd's vehicle sales in June 2015 were up at 1.8% to 114,756 as against 112,773 in June 2014.
M&M total auto sales fell 6% to 36,134 units in June 2015 over June 2014. Domestic auto sales fell 9% to 33,282 units in June 2015 over June 2014.
Cadila Healthcare has received the market authorisation from the United States Food & Drug Administration to market Morphine Sulfate ER tablet.
BHEL has successfully commissioned the 500 MW Kosti Thermal Power Station (TPS) in Sudan.


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Shell Oil Co. Will Sell Electricity
Shell Oil Co. is getting into the business of selling electricity and natural gas directly to homes and businesses through a new Houston-based company called Shell Energy Services Co. It expects to begin retail sales in selected deregulated markets before the end of the year.
“We would like to be a significant player, recognized nationally, just as we are recognized in the gasoline business,” said Alan Raymond, a Shell marketing executive who was named to head the new company.
Shell has talked to the state of Georgia, which is in the process of deregulating its natural gas industry, about being certified as a marketer there. Shell has a list of states in the Northeast that it is interested in, Raymond said, as well as California and some other states on the West coast, “as they invite us in.”


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JAKARTA • Indonesia's exports and imports both increased in October, after months of deterioration, from a year earlier.
The statistics bureau yesterday said Indonesia exported US$12.68 billion (S$17.9 billion) of products in October, up 4.6 per cent from a year ago, while the pace of growth was the strongest in the month since August 2014.
Imports were US$11.47 billion, up for the first time in 25 months, by 3.27 per cent, and also the strongest since August 2014.
"The highest amount of imports was seen in machinery and electrical tools that reached US$80.9 million," said Mr Suhariyanto, head of the statistics bureau.
The trade surplus was US$1.21 billion in October, a tad smaller than the US$1.27 billion of September.
With the latest surplus record, Mr Suhariyanto said, the nation has booked US$6.92 billion of surplus in the first 10 months of this year.
Indonesia's exports in October.
Imports for the same month.
The healthy trade surplus is expected to help Indonesia hold its current account deficit at a sustainable level, supporting the national currency from a possible hike of the US Federal Reserve's rate benchmark.
Low commodity prices have long hurt Indonesia's export earnings, in turn affecting everything from company profits and government revenue to people's purchasing power.
Investors were optimistic about Indonesia's growth given that the central bank has been easing monetary policy since January and that expectation has to be reversed, analysts have observed.
Bank Indonesia (BI) is widely expected to hold its main policy rate tomorrow at 4.75 per cent.
BI governor Agus Martowardojo last week said the central bank was still biased towards more easing, signalling more rate cuts in the future.
But analysts noted a plunge in the stock market, a weakening rupiah and rising government bond yields may prevent BI from more easing.
Meanwhile, BI has put a 20 per cent limit on foreign ownership in companies that offer electronic payment services in a bid to better regulate such services amid growing interest in financial technology.
The limit is for companies operating as card providers or offering switching, clearing or settlement services for electronic payments.
According to the new rules, signed last week, every company offering payment system services must also obtain a permit from BI.
The rules are meant to ensure that all companies maintain "the principles of prudence and adequate risk management" in accordance with national interests and consumer protection, BI said.
The new foreign ownership limit applies only to new investment or to any existing firm which is changing ownership.


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South African toy manufacturer Hope Sonic’s brand-new Kasi Kruza ride-on motorbike, made almost entirely from recycled materials, is now available in Shoprite supermarkets nationwide.
The Shoprite Group has almost doubled the amount of renewable energy used in its operations to 103 234MWh (FY 2022: 54 138 MWh) over the past year.
By: Retail Brief Africa The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) enlisted South Africa as one of the 16 countries that participated in this year’s global ‘Trend Tracker Survey’.
By Hanno Labuschagne - MyBroadBand The E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) will be handing out vouchers on the spot for e-waste dropped off at Makro stores over the next two weekends.
As South Africa faces water challenges brought on by seasonal climate changes - Rand Water and the South African Green Industries Council have called on industries and consumers to use water sparingly this season - climate change is affecting the ...


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Win8 Metro Testbed: The iPad app made for Testing Windows 8
It’s funny that even those in direct competition with Apple really can’t avoid utilizing the iPad and all its possible uses. With the launch of Windows 8 tablets still off in the future, it appears that potential developers are turning to the iPad as their platform for testing Win8 apps.
The app making this possible is called Win8 Metro Testbed . Somewhat surprisingly, Apple decided to let Splashtop put the app in the App Store, even though it totally replicates the Win8 interface on the iPad. There must have been some executive decision-making going on at Apple, since the Win8 Metro Testbed is clearly aimed at developers, and not meant to replace iOS functionality with stuff from Microsoft. Plus, the $49.99 price tag will definitely deter casual users who just want to experiment with a different tablet interface (note: it’s currently priced at $24.99 for an introductory period).
So, what else can we infer from Apple allowing the Win8 Metro Testbed into the App Store? Well, for one thing, they must not see Win8 tablets as too big of a threat, otherwise they surely wouldn’t want to lend a hand to developers by providing this testing ground… But then there’s Splashtop and their interesting methods of computing, which could also be playing havoc with Apple’s App Store guidelines.
An executive from Splashtop, Cliff Miller, has this to say about the testbed app:
“If they [developers] want to test their app with touch gestures there’s only one way to do that and that is to buy a Windows tablet, and that can cost $500 to $1,000 or more… And 99 percent of Win8 tablet devlopers—they have iPads.”
… And just like that, we have pretty sound reasoning for why Splashtop wanted to bring the testbed to iPad. Some of the Win8 tablet gestures that will be available for testing include:
- Swipe from the right to view the Charms menu
- Swipe from the left to switch apps
- Pull down from the top to close an app
- Swipe slowly from the left to run two apps side-by-side (“snapping”)
- Pinch to navigate files, folders, apps and data with Semantic Zoom
- And more
The interface sounds interesting, if nothing else. Check out the video to see it in action.


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Jio and Google to team up for 4G VoLTE smartphones
According to various reports, Reliance Jio is partnering up with Google to instigate a budget friendly 4G VoLTE smartphone. If the sources are to be believed, this new smartphones will operate only on on the Reliance Jio network. The phones will also include Jio apps such as Jio TV, JioCinema, Jio Music and JioMags. Both companies have not made any official confirmation regarding the partnership.If the rumours are indeed true, both companies can reap benefits from the alliance. Google has been trying to consolidate its dominance in India and Jio could be the perfect platform for this. Jio also can also expand its domain with the help of Google.
The latest news is in accordance with the previous reports that Mukesh Ambani is working on launching the low cost smartphone that would cost around Rs 1,500. Ever since Reliance Jio Infocomm has introduced its 4G network; there has been a steep increase in the popularity of the devices supporting VoLTE (voice over long-term evolution).As per a recent research, out of every 10 smartphones that were shipped in India, 7 of them were enabled with LTE. Out of every 10 LTE enabled smartphones that were launched in the third quarter of 2016, 8 of them were designed to accommodate VoLTE facility.
It is also said that Jio and Google will also come together to equip Jio’s smart TV services with advanced software. However, we will have to wait till the official confirmation from either of the companies to get more information about this possible alliance.


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A woman in Atlanta bit into a blue peanut M&M and discovered a tiny, blackened bone, probably from a nut obsessed animal who crept into the M&M to eat the peanut, then died of remorse. A Mars rep told the customer it was probably just a peanut twig. Whatever; by our estimations, this animal is most likely smaller than a peanut M&M, but has a comically wide and very short neck. Hmm, maybe we should instead ask an expert to deduce where this bone came from, which is what the customer did.
The professor who helped her out proved why you never go to a professor if you want to be coddled:
“It’s definitely bone, and it came from some type of mammal,” Blumer told FOXNews.com. “This isn’t [a] tail vertebra – it’s something higher up, and the reason I’m certain for that is because it’s hollow. The nerve cord would run through there.”
Blumer could not identify exactly what type of animal the vertebra came from but said that, because of the smoothness of the material, it had likely been dead for some time.
“It doesn’t look like there’s even a remnant of flesh on this,” Blumer said. “This has either been out in the environment for a while and it got into that container, or it went through some organism’s digestive tract first. For example, you might find something like this in an owl pellet,” Blumer said, referring to the indigestible material regurgitated by the animal.
Despite that initial no-big-deal response from a Mars rep, the company now says it’s asked for the product to be returned so it can investigate further, and blah blah blah food safety is of the utmost importance to us you know the drill.
What’s most frightening about this whole story, however, is the FDA’s response: “The FDA takes every complaint it receives very seriously and looks into it.” Oh no. They’ve gotten to you, too, FDA.