ResidentialBusiness

As costs spiral, ministers search for ways to get people with medical problems into workView the full article

FT analysis finds that while liquidity usually improves, adding a New York listing does not always boost multiples or coverageView the full article

Federal Maritime Commission chair says taxes on Chinese vessels docking in US should be used to create domestic championsView the full article

The government needs to view the hard times coming upon us as an opportunity, as well as a crisisView the full article

The Chinese tech giant is establishing a lead in a fiercely competitive sector, and its billionaire founder is back in favourView the full article

Remote work is here to stay, and late-stage startups offer a nice mix of financial backing, stability, and potential for success that might be lacking in your current job. If you’re looking for a chance to join a company on the move while working from the comfort of your own home, this is the list for you. From AI to health to cybersecurity and more, these remote-friendly companies have plenty of openings. Grafana Labs: 50 Grafana Labs provides a suite of tools—including Grafana, Prometheus, Loki, and Tempo—that help organizations monitor, analyze, and understand their applications and infrastructure. Grafana Labs is hiring for a variety of remote roles, including positions in engineering (software, backend, security), product management, customer success (technical account management), sales (account executives, solutions engineers), marketing (community, product, partner), support, and people operations. Vercel: 37 Vercel is a cloud platform for building and deploying fast, modern, web applications, best known for its focus on developer experience and non-server functions. Vercel is hiring for a range of remote positions in engineering (front-end, back-end, site-reliability engineering), product management, sales, marketing, finance, legal, and people operations. Headway: 36 Headway is a platform that connects patients with therapists who accept insurance, aiming to make mental health care more accessible and affordable. Headway is hiring for various remote roles in engineering (front-end, back-end, full-stack), product, data, and operations, focused on building and scaling its platform and network within the U.S. Apollo.io: 35 Apollo.io is a sales intelligence and engagement platform designed to help sales teams find, connect with, and close more deals by providing a comprehensive database of business contacts and integrated sales tools. Apollo.io is hiring for a wide range of remote roles primarily across sales (account executives, solutions engineers, sales-development representatives), engineering (various specializations), product management, marketing, customer success, and operations. Halcyon: 26 Halcyon provides a platform for cybersecurity, focusing on end-point protection and threat intelligence to help organizations defend against advanced cyberattacks and ransomware. Halcyon is hiring for remote roles primarily in engineering (software, security), sales (account executives, sales engineers), marketing, and customer success. Phantom: 26 Phantom is a cryptocurrency wallet offering a user-friendly interface for managing digital assets, staking, and interacting with decentralized applications. Phantom is hiring for a variety of remote roles including engineering (mobile, back-end, security), product, design, marketing, and customer support. Hightouch: 26 Hightouch is a platform that syncs data from data warehouses directly to business tools to arm marketing, sales, and customer-success teams with accurate data in real time. Hightouch is hiring across a variety of remote roles including engineering (back-end, front-end, DevOps), product management, sales, marketing, customer success, and operations. Cyera: 21 Cyera provides a cloud data-security platform that helps organizations discover, classify, and manage data-security risks across their cloud environments, enabling businesses to comply with regulations and prevent data breaches. Cyera is hiring for remote positions primarily in engineering (back-end, front-end, data science, security), product management, sales, customer success, marketing, and operations. Arize: 20 Arize provides a machine learning observability platform that helps organizations monitor, debug, and improve the performance of their machine learning models to ensure the models are accurate and reliable. Arize is hiring remotely across various departments, including engineering (back-end, front-end, machine learning ops), product, customer success, sales, and marketing. 1Password: 19 1Password is a password manager that helps individuals, teams, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, credit cards, and other sensitive information. The company is hiring for various remote roles across the U.S. and Canada, with a focus on engineering (software, security), product management, design, marketing, sales, customer support, and operations. Runway: 15 Runway builds creativity-based AI tools and infrastructure to generate images, videos, and other media using machine learning models. Runway is hiring for a variety of remote roles, primarily in engineering (machine learning, software), product, design, and research. Fingerprint: 13 Fingerprint provides a device intelligence platform that enables businesses to accurately identify website visitors, prevent fraud, and improve user experiences. Fingerprint is hiring remotely across a variety of departments, including engineering (front-end, back-end, security), product, sales, marketing, customer success, and operations. View the full article

Markets rise on hopes of fiscal spending to spur demand as economy battles deflationary pressureView the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I apologize for my coworker’s behavior at a conference? Recently, I attended an industry conference hosted by an important client. People in my field from across the country attended for purposes of brainstorming and networking. I attended with a senior colleague from my company, Jane, who is one of my mentors and has a significant influence on my career here. On the last night of the conference, after the official events were over, many of the attendees and client representatives met at the hotel bar. A smaller group of us then proceeded to a local bar, and everyone was drinking throughout the night. By the time we reached the final bar, Jane was pretty drunk and engaged in some obnoxious behavior toward another attendee. For some reason Jane repeatedly commented on the other attendee’s appearance, kept implying she’d had cosmetic surgery, and then teased her when she denied it. The comments were completely inappropriate. If Jane had been male, the comments would have been downright creepy and harassing. It was clear that the other attendee was very annoyed and offended. I was embarrassed and tried to acknowledge the incident and apologize to the other attendee as we were leaving the bar. I’m pretty sure Jane has no recollection of her behavior (she was still drunk the next morning when we flew back) and I have not addressed it with her directly. I don’t believe anyone from the client is aware of her behavior either, and there’s little chance that I’ll ever directly interact with the offended attendee. However, I’m still bothered by what happened and concerned it might affect my professional reputation. The client is circulating all attendees’ contact information and I’m torn on whether to contact the other attendee. Was my acknowledgement and apology in the moment sufficient and I should let sleeping dogs lie, or would it be appropriate to reach out to this other attendee and offer a more substantial apology? No, leave it alone. You already apologized once which made it clear you didn’t condone Jane’s behavior, and so it’s unlikely to affect your reputation. Emailing the other attendee to apologize again would be overkill. 2. A professional acquaintance messaged me on a dating app and his profile is gross My field is relatively small, and there is a lot of personal/professional overlap because so many of us went to college and/or worked together at some point in our careers. Due to the nature of my job, many people in my field who work in my region know who I am and communicate with me professionally. I am also a woman in my late 40s who, after a long period of being happily single, recently created a dating app profile. I received a message on the dating app from a man who stated that he knows me professionally and that we are connected on social media. I don’t know him on a personal level, but we have met in passing and we have a number of mutual friends and acquaintances. I also know I’m not interested in dating him, but since I went to peruse his profile before declining the request to chat. His profile was WILD. There were references to his proficiency at oral sex. He mentioned warming up with Tai Chi before pleasuring his lady. He referred to himself as a God looking for a Goddess. Granted, I’ve only been on this app for a month, but I had never seen anything this blatantly sexual even from the scads of young 20-somethings on their sustained cougar hunts. I understand the potential for exposing myself to this kind of material on a dating app. Had this been some random man I would have just laughed, deleted, and moved on with my life. But this man knows me professionally and took the time to POINT OUT that he knows me professionally, all the while knowing what I was going to see if I clicked on his profile. That feels intentionally inappropriate to me and I am completely icked out by it. I’m not even sure what my question is, aside from where do I go from here? I immediately declined the connection on the app, but my instinct is to disconnect with him on socials as well. Is that an overreaction? I know this doesn’t equate to sexual harassment, but I’m utterly creeped out by him now! How do I handle any kind of professional communication in the future? What if I run into him at a conference? If nothing else, just tell me that I’m not the crazy one for thinking he was out of bounds here. You are not the crazy one. This man messaged a professional acquaintance knowing she would read about his tai chi enhanced oral sex hobby. If you’re going to have a dating app profile that’s so overtly sexual … don’t message professional acquaintances from it. If you must message a professional acquaintance from it, maybe clean it up first. I don’t think it’s an overreaction to disconnect from him on social media. He grossed you out, and you want to minimize further contact with him. If you need to communicate with him for work in the future, being scrupulously professional is the way to go, and hopefully he’ll pick up on those cues and follow your lead. Related: https://www.askamanager.org/2016/09/i-matched-with-a-coworker-on-a-dating-site.html 3. Asking my boss for a letter to a country that he hates I happen to be in a profession that is globally in demand, and for a wide variety of personal, professional, and political reasons and because *gestures at everything*, I am considering emmigrating to a Commonwealth country. The emmigration process itself, however, is not what gives me pause. In the later stages of the process, I would be required to get letters from past and current supervisors documenting that I meet certain professional experience requirements. The problem: my boss has called the country I am most seriously considering a “communist nation” and a “failed socialist state” multiple times, in meetings, no less. Alison, it’s Canada! WTF! I am concerned that I can’t rely on him for the aforementioned letter. I am thinking that, if I get to that stage, I should go to his boss (my department head) instead and leave my boss off of the immigration piece of things. Am I just being unreasonably cautious or does going around my boss sound justified? I could use a gut check here. I don’t think you’re being unreasonably cautious. It’s possible that your boss would be perfectly happy to write you the letter without his opinions of Canada (!) interfering with what he writes — in fact, that’s probably likely (since disliking a country is very different than trying to sabotage someone’s chances of moving there) — but with something so high-stakes, I can see why you’re concerned. If your boss’s boss knows you well enough to write the letter, there’s no reason you can’t approach him about it. Obviously there are all the normal cautions about letting your employer know you’re actively making plans to leave your job, but if your work is in demand, that may be much less of a consideration (and it sounds like the letter is required regardless). 4. Is this employer BS’ing me about a salary transparency law? I was recently offered a job from a NGO based in Colorado. The posted salary range was between $70-80K. The range was below what I was seeking, but the job could be a great fit. At offer, they offered me the high end of the range — $80K. Great! But, when sending my offer, they also sent the official job description, which showed a salary range for the role that was far larger, between $60-105K. I was bummed out — even though they gave me a number at the top of their posted range, it was far lower than the top of their actual range, and with my experience, far lower than where I would theoretically sit within their full range. When I attempted to negotiate, they told me due to pay transparency laws, they were unable to do so. Is this accurate? Due to the law in Colorado, are they really unable to negotiate when their stated range in the job description is different from the (more narrow) range they posted publicly? The Colorado law does say that an employer may ultimately pay more or less than their posted range, as long as when they posted the range, that was what they genuinely believed they would be willing to pay for the job. That said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if their lawyers have told them they need to stick to their advertised ranges so there’s no room for challenging that. Possibly more important, though, the larger range you saw in the job description might refer to the salary band for the role itself, while what you saw in the ad might be for new hires. It’s not uncommon for a salary band to go higher than what they’ll start people at (meaning that you can get raises that move you above the range they posted, but they won’t start you above the posted amount). Related: how to ask about salary when you’re invited to interview 5. What’s the deal with skip-level meetings with my boss’s boss? I am scheduled for a skip-a-level meeting with my manager’s manager. What are these for and what do I do at them? Are they useful to me and how do I utilize them? Yes, they can be very useful! They tend to be general check-ins — a chance for your boss’s boss to hear how things are going from your perspective, spot problems they otherwise might not know about, and offer a chance for you to ask questions, inquire about upcoming strategy, or raise issues about your manager. It’s also an opportunity for you to get to know each other better, which can be helpful if you ever want to, for example, apply for a promotion. Typically you don’t need to go in with any particular agenda — your boss’s boss will likely drive the meeting — but it’s smart to think ahead of time about whether you do have questions you want to ask or things you want to raise, as well as be prepared to answer, “So, how are things going?” View the full article

Hostinger has announced the global launch of Hostinger Horizons, an AI-powered no-code web app solution designed to help businesses and individuals create fully functional web apps without coding skills. The platform enables users to develop, publish, and host web apps without relying on third-party integrations. “To realize your idea online, you often need either money, time, or knowledge – and very often – all of it. We aim for a completely new user experience where all you need is an idea, and you can make it a reality in minutes without any hassle. I believe that Hostinger Horizons will change the way small businesses operate and the way people think about the possibilities of their online presence,” says Giedrius Zakaitis, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Hostinger. Simplifying Web App Development Hostinger Horizons offers an accessible alternative to traditional web development, which typically requires extensive coding knowledge or costly professional assistance. Unlike standard websites such as blogs or e-commerce stores, web apps provide interactive experiences, allowing users to input data, receive customized outputs, and engage in real-time collaboration. Examples of web apps that users can create with Hostinger Horizons include appointment schedulers, fitness planners, and QR code generators. The AI-driven system enables users to generate, update, and refine web apps through a user-friendly chat interface, with real-time previews displayed next to the chat. Key Features and Global Availability The platform supports over 80 languages, voice commands, and image uploads, allowing users to share sketches or screenshots for reference. Hostinger began testing the tool in late February with a small portion of its customers and has now made it available worldwide to both existing and new clients. Hostinger plans to enhance the platform with future updates, including visitor login systems, payment integrations, and connections to other digital tools. These updates will also introduce automatic testing, issue resolution, and web app optimization to streamline the development process further. Pricing Hostinger Horizons pricing starts at $19.99 per month, with all plans including one month of free hosting and a 30-day money-back guarantee. This article, "Hostinger Launches AI-Powered No-Code Web App Solution, Hostinger Horizons" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Hostinger has announced the global launch of Hostinger Horizons, an AI-powered no-code web app solution designed to help businesses and individuals create fully functional web apps without coding skills. The platform enables users to develop, publish, and host web apps without relying on third-party integrations. “To realize your idea online, you often need either money, time, or knowledge – and very often – all of it. We aim for a completely new user experience where all you need is an idea, and you can make it a reality in minutes without any hassle. I believe that Hostinger Horizons will change the way small businesses operate and the way people think about the possibilities of their online presence,” says Giedrius Zakaitis, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Hostinger. Simplifying Web App Development Hostinger Horizons offers an accessible alternative to traditional web development, which typically requires extensive coding knowledge or costly professional assistance. Unlike standard websites such as blogs or e-commerce stores, web apps provide interactive experiences, allowing users to input data, receive customized outputs, and engage in real-time collaboration. Examples of web apps that users can create with Hostinger Horizons include appointment schedulers, fitness planners, and QR code generators. The AI-driven system enables users to generate, update, and refine web apps through a user-friendly chat interface, with real-time previews displayed next to the chat. Key Features and Global Availability The platform supports over 80 languages, voice commands, and image uploads, allowing users to share sketches or screenshots for reference. Hostinger began testing the tool in late February with a small portion of its customers and has now made it available worldwide to both existing and new clients. Hostinger plans to enhance the platform with future updates, including visitor login systems, payment integrations, and connections to other digital tools. These updates will also introduce automatic testing, issue resolution, and web app optimization to streamline the development process further. Pricing Hostinger Horizons pricing starts at $19.99 per month, with all plans including one month of free hosting and a 30-day money-back guarantee. This article, "Hostinger Launches AI-Powered No-Code Web App Solution, Hostinger Horizons" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Chiang Mai burning season refers to the time of year when the air in Northern Thailand is filled with haze from forest fires and the burning of crop waste. Even though this is a problem across Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai has become the focus of the pollution crisis. The city has made international headlines for being the most polluted city in the world. The fires are from when farmers burn the stubble in harvested rice fields. There are also fires from slash-and-burn farming, where new agricultural land is cleared from forest and bushland. Fires are also being lit in forests to clear forest litter to harvest mushrooms. The fires are in Northern Thailand, as well as Laos and Myanmar. Agricultural fires are also a big issue in Central Thailand with sugarcane burning. This is one of the sources of Bangkok’s pollution crisis, and a contributing factor to transboundary haze. The air pollution has become such a well-known issue that it’s now affecting tourism to the region. In what should be a prosperous time of year for the tourism industry, tourists are now staying away and those that can leave migrate for the burning season. When is the Chiang Mai burning season? The burning season typically occurs in the latter half of the dry season from February to April. There is no set dates, and varies in its severity from year-to-year. The impact of haze on health One of the most concerning effects of the haze crisis is its impact on public health. The smoke from burning vegetation releases harmful pollutants and particulate matter into the air, leading to respiratory issues and exacerbating pre-existing conditions. The haze can trigger allergies, respiratory infections, and other health problems, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. Hospitals record an increase of inpatients that are being admitted for breathing difficulties. Tourism and economy Chiang Mai’s economy relies heavily on tourism, and the annual haze poses a threat to the future of this vital sector. The dangerous, persistent smog deters tourists from visiting the region, affecting local businesses, hospitality industries, and the livelihoods of those dependent on tourism. The burning season has become so well known that tourists now know to avoid Chiang Mai in the burning season. Efforts to address the issue provincial and national authorities, along with environmental organisations, have been working on reducing the annual haze problem. Initiatives include promoting sustainable farming practices, implementing stricter regulations on burning, and investing in alternative land-clearing methods. Additionally, public awareness campaigns aim to educate both farmers and the general population about the long-term consequences of open fires. How to measure air quality An air quality index (AQI) is an indicator of air pollution shown on a scale from 0 to 500. There are variations in measurement system between different countries, but the following scale is the most used: 0 – 50: Good (Green) 51 – 100 Moderate (Yellow) 101 – 150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Orange) 151 – 200 Unhealthy (Red) 201 – 300 Very Unhealthy (Purple) 301 and higher Hazardous (Maroon) Two of the most popular sites that measure air quality are IQAir and the World Air Quality Index project (aqicn.org). They sometimes show different results, depending on site updates and what stations they are getting data from. One might show 120 while the other shows 130. Either way, you know the air is unhealthy. They both give a general idea of the air quality in real time. [AQI display at Ombra Caffe detecting unhealthy air in Chiang Mai.] If you are living in Chiang Mai the quickest way to check the air quality is to see how visible Doi Suthep is. On a clear day the green contours of the mountain are visible. [Doi Suthep as viewed from Huay Kaew Rd and Nimmanhaemin Rd.] As the days get hazier the mountain becomes a monotoned shape behind the smoke. [Hazy sunset in Chiang Mai.] On the worst days the mountain completely disappears from view. [Doi Suthep shrouded in smoke, as viewed from Huay Kaew Rd and Nimmanhaemin Rd.] Chiang Mai burning season news Every year there is much handwringing from local and national politicians with promises to find a solution, yet we read the same headlines every year. This section is an archive of news about the Chiang Mai burning season over the years. The articles show how some years are more apocalyptic than others, and it includes when announcements have been made to try and addreess the burning issue of the smoky season. 2025 Chiang Mai ranks as the most polluted city in the world, authorities declare crisis – [17/03/25] NASA confirms PM2.5 dust in Northern Thailand is caused by burning – [03/02/25] “After completing the air quality monitoring and data collection under the ASIA-AQ project in March last year, the Thai team, led by GISTDA and various agencies, has continued its research on the data and contributing factors in collaboration with NASA.” 2024 Chiang Mai’s atmosphere the worlds most polluted today – IQAir – [15/03/24] “According to the IQAir website, the AQI reading in Chiang Mai is 200, followed by Tashkent in Uzbekistan at 193, 154 in Lahore in Pakistan, 160 in Beijing, 157 in Wuhan, 155 in Yangon, 154 in New Delhi, 154 in Dubai, 153 in Hang Zhou and 151 in Calcutta.” Flame game foiled: Chiang Mai crackdown scorches forest arsonist – [14/03/24] “Chiang Mai authorities have taken swift action against forest arson, resulting in the arrest and fining of a perpetrator following a tip-off from a vigilant citizen. Yesterday, March 13, a man was spotted igniting a fire within the protected forest area of Ban Pang Keut, Mae Taeng district in Chiang Mai. The deputy governor personally delivered a cash reward to the informant whose alert led to the apprehension.” Chiang Mai sets B10,000 reward for reporting forest burners – [10/03/24] Chiang Mai residents warned to avoid outdoor activities and wear PM2.5 protective gear – [08/03/24] “Chiang Mai continues to experience forest fires, with 328 hotspots detected throughout Wednesday (March 6) while at 7 p.m., it ranked as the world’s worst air quality, according to the IQAir website.” Firefighters struggling to contain wildfires in Chiang Mai – [04/03/24] “…national park officials continued to combat what appeared to be never-ending forest fires in Chiang Mai’s lower districts, blaming local villagers for setting fires because they mistakenly believed they were beneficial to vegetation.” PM2.5 air quality to worsen in Northern Thailand as 69 wildfires burn in Chiang Mai – [26/02/24] Huge forest areas destroyed by raging fires in Chiang Mai – [25/02/24] “Officials blamed torching by local villagers looking for edible foods and spillovers from burning of farm leftovers for the fires.” Chiang Mai residents win air pollution lawsuit – [22/01/24] “The Chiang Mai Administrative Court ruled on Friday (19 January) that the Prime Minister and the National Environment Board must complete a management plan to address local air pollution issues in 90 days.” Chiang Mai governor orders tight measures against burning of farm waste – [10/01/24] “Chiang Mai governor has instructed chiefs of the province’s 25 districts to intensify measures against the burning of agricultural residue in a bid to reduce PM2.5 pollution.” 2023 PM eyes tourism-crimping haze – [30/11/23] “Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday voiced concern over the impact of PM2.5 pollution on Chiang Mai’s tourism industry during the high season and pledged to hold talks with neighbouring countries to combat haze and smog pollution.” Chiang Mai seeks solution to smog – [07/11/23] “As the smog season draws nearer, Chiang Mai tourism operators are urging the government to accelerate the passage of the Clean Air Act and implement other mechanisms to reduce pollution from the agricultural sector.” How Chiang Mai became the world’s most polluted city – [12/04/23] “Burning fields are blamed for hazardous levels of air pollution in northern Thailand but the government is doing little to act.” Pollution choking Thailand’s north hits tourism, worries public – [10/04/23] As hazardous haze envelops Thailand, residents seek refuge – [13/03/23] “Chiang Mai was rated as the most heavily polluted city in the world, exceeding the likes of Delhi, Lahore and Dhaka on air quality monitor IQAir’s real-time index of 100 major centres around the globe.” Chiang Mai to hand out face masks as dust from fires hits hazardous levels – [08/03/23] “Thai authorities struggle to contain forest fires, a persistent cause of air pollution during the dry season.” It’s pollution season again – [30/01/23] “Chiang Mai has had five data points report pollution levels at higher than 200 migrograms per cubic metre, with the Mae Chaem data centre reporting numbers as high as 284.” 2022 For fire-ravaged northern Thailand, there’s now an app to battle the blaze – [28/02/22] ‘Burning season’ ignites with 4k fires – [02/02/22] “More than 4,000 so-called hotspots caused by slash-and-burn activities have been detected across the North as the “burning season” begins.” 2021 New data exposes Thailand’s 2021 “burning season” – [17/05/21] “For a few months each year, Chiang Mai, northern Thailand’s tourist-friendly cultural hotspot, ranks among the world’s most polluted cities. Chiang Mai’s air pollution is largely attributable to agricultural burning rather than fossil-fuel-related combustion experienced in other global cities.” Feeding the beast: Chiang Mai smoke seen as world’s climate change problem -[22/04/21] “From Chiang Mai air pollution to global climate change, animal agriculture is the elephant in the room — and biochar one way to tame it.” Bangkok fiddles whilst Chiang Mai burns – who’s behind the annual smoke season? – [21/03/21] Holding those behind the haze to account – [21/03/21] “Chiang Mai spent several days this month as the most polluted city on the planet, with PM2.5 levels reaching 226 microgrammes per cubic meter (μg/m³) there. The predictability of the annual surge in pollution and the lack of effective preventative action have angered city residents and concerned civil society groups.” [Composite showing Chiang Mai city as seen from Doi Suthep on March 5 and March 10 2021, when the PM2.5 level was 70.9 and 114.4 respectively. (Photo: Gary Boyle).] Chiang Mai among world’s most polluted cities as forest fires rage in northern Thailand – [11/03/21] “According to AQI readings by the Pollution Control Department, five northern provinces recorded unhealthy to hazardous levels of air quality on Thursday (Mar 11). These provinces include Mae Hong Son (350), Chiang Mai (248), Chiang Rai (291), Tak (219) and Lamphun (213).” Air pollution in Chiang Mai sends 30,000 to hospital – [10/03/21] “Chiang Mai health officials say beyond 31,000 people have sought medical treatment for respiratory issues.” 2020 Chiang Mai smog casts pall over businesses – [03/04/20] “Thailand’s northern region has been hit with toxic levels of air pollution due to forest fires on Wednesday, especially in the Chiang Mai province, with some areas being engulfed in air quality levels 12 times above safe levels.” Man charged with burning forest in Chiang Mai – [10/04/20] “Police arrested a suspected arsonist in Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai province on Thursday (April 9), as part of a clampdown on forest-burning that has seen air pollution spike in the northern region.” Air quality in North still ‘critical’ – [30/03/20] “Air pollution across the upper North remains at critical levels with authorities monitoring almost 400 active hotspots in Chiang Mai alone on Sunday. The air quality did not improve on Monday morning, with IQAir recording “very unhealthy” air quality and hazardous, ultra-fine PM2.5 dust levels at 170.1 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m³) at 10.30am in the so-called “Rose of the North”.” Strict no-burn zone measures to be implemented in North – [06/02/20] “The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation is coordinating with administration officials in the North and related agencies to ensure law enforcement puts out forest fires and tackles the severe air pollution.” 2019 Thailand’s famed ‘Rose of the North’ is wilting – [23/06/19] “Ancient Chiang Mai is suffering from over-development and pollution.” Unhealthy smoke over Thailand – [12/04/19] “For more than a month, northern Thailand has been experiencing unhealthy, elevated levels of smoke and air pollution. The thick haze is a result of wildfires and prescribed burning by farmers clearing their land for the planting season. Meteorologists expect the unhealthy air quality to last into May.” [NASA Earth Observatory image shows smoke and haze blanketing portions of southeastern Asia on April 12, 2019,] On the front line with the Chiang Mai firefighters battling the flames behind the world’s worst air – [06/04/19] Chiang Mai braces for watered-down Songkran as city chokes in smog – [05/04/19] “Chiang Mai’s travel trade is bracing for muted Songkran celebrations as the smog crisis is likely to put a dent on visitor arrivals to the northern city and the surrounding provinces for the upcoming Thai New Year.” Thai leader orders action to fight pollution in Chiang Mai – [04/04/19] Thai junta chief demands action to cut smog – [02/04/19] Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai suffer haze and smoke until at least May – [01/04/19] Chiang Mai residents up in arms over choking smog amid government inaction – [01/04/19] “Local authorities’ inability to deal with the severe problem – the result of a spreading forest fire – with any sense of promptness has already led to a campaign to remove Chiang Mai Governor Supachai Iamsuwan from office.” Thailand urged to declare emergency in Chiang Mai as air pollution hits ‘disastrous’ levels – [30/03/19] “An academic has called on the government to declare a state of emergency in Chiang Mai and most of Thailand’s northern provinces over ‘disastrous’ levels of smog.” Northern Thailand was once a paradise. Now forest fires have made the air worse than Beijing’s. – [07/03/19] “In mid-March, the city with the worst air pollution in the world wasn’t an industrial powerhouse populated by millions. It was Chiang Mai, the tourist-friendly cultural center in northern Thailand.” Chiang Mai tops world pollution charts – [12/03/19] Chiang Mai air pollution worst in the world – [13/03/19] “The air quality index (AQI) in Chiang Mai as of 4pm Tuesday stood at 230, compared with 170 in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka and 164 in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to Air Visual, an app that monitors air quality.” 2018 We’re No. 1? Chiang Mai air pollution smashes competitors – [12/04/18] “The “Rose of the North” won world recognition Wednesday for the dubious distinction of having the worst recorded air quality during peak conditions.” Explaining Chiang Mai’s smoke pollution with real data – [01/04/18] “An interview with Craig Houston, an aeronautical engineer and Chiang Mai resident who has been collecting and analysing date related to the pollution crisis.” Chiang Mai ranked sixth worst for air pollution globally – [18/03/18] “Air pollution in the North continues to be critical, with small dust particles of 2.5 microns in size (PM2.5) exceeding safe limits at almost every air-quality testing station.” 2017 Chiang Mai has worst small particle pollution in Thailand: Greenpeace – [18/05/17] “Chiang Mai is Thailand’s most-polluted city in terms of dangerously small pollutants which kill tens of thousands in Thailand annually”. 2016 Thailand: Air quality levels in Chiang Mai reaches unhealthy levels – [19/04/16] “The air quality in northern Thailand, particularly Chiang Mai, has reached unhealthy levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at the time of publishing registering at 113, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Smog causing health woes for thousands in Chiang Mai – [18/04/16] “Thousands of people in Chiang Mai have developed symptoms that can be linked to air pollution this month.” 2015 Amid northern haze, a burning desire for wealth – [29/03/15] “As the seasonal smoke worsens, the forest fires caused by a lucrative mushroom trade and other foragers are only exaggerating the problem.” Smog shrouds northern Thailand as air pollution hits unhealthy levels – [03/03/15] “Northern Thailand was shrouded in smog as air pollution hit unhealthy levels in some areas, due to uncontrolled burning and wild fires.” 2014 Transboundary pollution in Northern Thailand causes dangerous levels of smog – [26/03/14] “Chiang Mai, the largest city in the North and second-largest in the country, announced this year’s first day of “unsafe” air quality on March 11. Levels of PM10 (particulate matter of less than 10 microns) rose above the Thai government’s threshold of 120 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3). Neighboring provinces have since reported similarly hazardous measurements. By comparison, PM10 in Bangkok has hovered between 40 and 50 during this same period.” Chiang Mai air quality health threat – [14/03/14] “Air quality measurements in Chiang Mai have registered above the ‘healthy’ spectrum for three consecutive days.” 2012 [Stop Burning – April 2012.] Haze spreads across north: Thailand – [27/02/12] Links and resources Causes and solution of forest and agricultural burning in Northern, Thailand [PDF] International Journal of Agricultural Technology 2022Vol. 18(4):1715-1726 Seasonal Patterns and Trends of Air Pollution in the Upper Northern Thailand from 2004 to 2018 Volume 22, Issue 5, May 2022. View the full article

National Audit Office finds Home Office cannot say what the immigration mechanism is contributing to the economy View the full article

Chancellor wants probes by the Competition and Markets Authority to be faster and more predictable View the full article

Hedge funds and brokers eye the country’s corporate bonds and the rouble View the full article

Prime minister’s move could spark more turmoil as fallout over intelligence failures before October 7 attack continues View the full article

This week, our Small Biz Breakdown crew is back and talking about some of the biggest stories that matter most to small business owners and entrepreneurs right now. Check out the always lively discussion of this week’s panel as they discuss some of the latest innovations in AI technology, specifically a new offering from OpenAI, as well as a talk about some of the latest economic conditions and how they affect small business owners nationwide. See what they had to say about these topics and much more on this week’s episode of Small Biz Breakdown below … Small Business News Here are the top headlines from Small Business Trends from the last week that are important to small business owners … Omnisend Survey: 39% of Shoppers Abandon Purchases Due to AI Chatbots A new survey by Omnisend reveals that AI-powered customer service tools may be driving shoppers away rather than improving their online experience. According to the survey, 39% of shoppers have abandoned a purchase due to frustrating interactions with AI chatbots, while 40% cite poor customer service as AI’s biggest drawback in ecommerce. Google Expands Availability of Deep Research and Gems in Gemini App Google has announced an expansion of Deep Research and Gems within the Gemini app, making the features available to additional Google Workspace customers. NFIB Survey: Small Business Optimism Declines in February The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported a decline in small business optimism for February, with its Small Business Optimism Index falling by 2.1 points to 100.7. Despite the decline, this marks the fourth consecutive month the index has remained above the 51-year average of 98. However, the index remains 4.4 points below its recent peak of 105.1 recorded in December. OpenAI Introduces New Tools for Building AI Agents OpenAI has announced the release of new tools designed to help developers and enterprises build AI agents that can independently accomplish tasks on behalf of users. The update includes a suite of APIs and tools aimed at simplifying the development of agentic applications. Intuit QuickBooks Introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone for Seamless Contactless Payments Intuit has announced the launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone for QuickBooks Online customers in the U.S., providing small and mid-market businesses with a streamlined way to accept in-person contactless payments using only an iPhone. The new functionality enables QuickBooks users to manage their business finances more efficiently while improving cash flow and payment processing. Saltbox Launches ‘Luck of the Entrepreneur’ Grant for Small Businesses Saltbox, a leading flexible co-warehousing and logistics provider, has announced the launch of the Luck of the Entrepreneur grant to support small businesses. Timed with St. Patrick’s Day, the initiative offers financial assistance to entrepreneurs, reinforcing Saltbox’s commitment to helping small business owners scale effectively. New Report: TikTok Supports 28 Million Jobs Across 7.5 Million US Businesses A new report from Oxford Economics reveals that TikTok has become a key driver of employment in the United States, with 7.5 million businesses on the platform supporting more than 28 million workers. The study, published today, highlights TikTok’s role in job creation and economic opportunity, particularly for small and mid-sized businesses. 4. Zoho Unveils Projects Plus, a Unified AI-Driven Project Management Platform Zoho Corporation has launched Projects Plus, a new AI-powered project management platform designed to enhance efficiency and collaboration for mid-sized and enterprise organizations. California Businessman Indicted for Tax Evasion A federal grand jury has indicted Edward Michael Greer, a Newport Beach businessman, on charges of tax evasion. According to the indictment, Greer, the owner of insurance salvage company Greer & Kirby Co. Inc., allegedly misclassified millions of dollars in personal expenditures as business expenses between 2017 and 2020. Fiverr Launches Freelancer Equity Program, Offering Shares to Top Freelancers Fiverr has introduced a Freelancer Equity Program, granting shares to top-performing, eligible freelancers based in the United States. The initiative aims to provide financial benefits beyond traditional earnings, reinforcing Fiverr’s commitment to its freelancer community. As freelancers are projected to represent half of the U.S. SBA Launches Made in America Manufacturing Initiative to Boost U.S. Industry The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the launch of the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative, an effort aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing by cutting regulations, expanding access to capital, and strengthening supply chains. Constant Contact Report Highlights Social-First, Tech-Driven Small Businesses Constant Contact has released its latest Small Business Now report, revealing that new small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are leveraging social media and technology to drive growth and navigate economic challenges. The study surveyed 1,600 SMBs across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada that have been in operation for five years or less. Apple Unveils New MacBook Air with M4 Chip and Lower Starting Price Apple has announced the launch of the latest MacBook Air, featuring the powerful M4 chip, up to 18 hours of battery life, and a new 12MP Center Stage camera. The new MacBook Air models now start at $999, $100 less than the previous version, with an education pricing option of $899. Small Biz Breakdown: Should Creative Companies Charge Less If They Use AI? This week on Small Business Breakdown, our expert panel is back and talking about headlines saying that consumers are turning their attention to small businesses over bigger retailers. Is this actually happening or just something someone is saying? Our panel discusses. They also tackle the topic of creative companies and their use of AI. Apple Unveils iPad Air with M3 Chip and New Magic Keyboard Apple has introduced the latest iPad Air, now powered by the M3 chip, bringing significant performance improvements and enhanced portability. The new iPad Air is available in two sizes, 11-inch and 13-inch, with a starting price of $599 and $799, respectively. Customers can pre-order today, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 12. New Survey Reveals Small Businesses Lag Behind Larger Counterparts in Security and Unification Affordable technology has eased the friction of digital workplace transformation, opening the process up to businesses of all sizes and budgets. Yet, surprisingly, the majority of businesses are still lagging behind, and the trend applies extra to small businesses. This article, "Small Biz Breakdown: New from OpenAI and the Latest Economic Indicators" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This week, our Small Biz Breakdown crew is back and talking about some of the biggest stories that matter most to small business owners and entrepreneurs right now. Check out the always lively discussion of this week’s panel as they discuss some of the latest innovations in AI technology, specifically a new offering from OpenAI, as well as a talk about some of the latest economic conditions and how they affect small business owners nationwide. See what they had to say about these topics and much more on this week’s episode of Small Biz Breakdown below … Small Business News Here are the top headlines from Small Business Trends from the last week that are important to small business owners … Omnisend Survey: 39% of Shoppers Abandon Purchases Due to AI Chatbots A new survey by Omnisend reveals that AI-powered customer service tools may be driving shoppers away rather than improving their online experience. According to the survey, 39% of shoppers have abandoned a purchase due to frustrating interactions with AI chatbots, while 40% cite poor customer service as AI’s biggest drawback in ecommerce. Google Expands Availability of Deep Research and Gems in Gemini App Google has announced an expansion of Deep Research and Gems within the Gemini app, making the features available to additional Google Workspace customers. NFIB Survey: Small Business Optimism Declines in February The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported a decline in small business optimism for February, with its Small Business Optimism Index falling by 2.1 points to 100.7. Despite the decline, this marks the fourth consecutive month the index has remained above the 51-year average of 98. However, the index remains 4.4 points below its recent peak of 105.1 recorded in December. OpenAI Introduces New Tools for Building AI Agents OpenAI has announced the release of new tools designed to help developers and enterprises build AI agents that can independently accomplish tasks on behalf of users. The update includes a suite of APIs and tools aimed at simplifying the development of agentic applications. Intuit QuickBooks Introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone for Seamless Contactless Payments Intuit has announced the launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone for QuickBooks Online customers in the U.S., providing small and mid-market businesses with a streamlined way to accept in-person contactless payments using only an iPhone. The new functionality enables QuickBooks users to manage their business finances more efficiently while improving cash flow and payment processing. Saltbox Launches ‘Luck of the Entrepreneur’ Grant for Small Businesses Saltbox, a leading flexible co-warehousing and logistics provider, has announced the launch of the Luck of the Entrepreneur grant to support small businesses. Timed with St. Patrick’s Day, the initiative offers financial assistance to entrepreneurs, reinforcing Saltbox’s commitment to helping small business owners scale effectively. New Report: TikTok Supports 28 Million Jobs Across 7.5 Million US Businesses A new report from Oxford Economics reveals that TikTok has become a key driver of employment in the United States, with 7.5 million businesses on the platform supporting more than 28 million workers. The study, published today, highlights TikTok’s role in job creation and economic opportunity, particularly for small and mid-sized businesses. 4. Zoho Unveils Projects Plus, a Unified AI-Driven Project Management Platform Zoho Corporation has launched Projects Plus, a new AI-powered project management platform designed to enhance efficiency and collaboration for mid-sized and enterprise organizations. California Businessman Indicted for Tax Evasion A federal grand jury has indicted Edward Michael Greer, a Newport Beach businessman, on charges of tax evasion. According to the indictment, Greer, the owner of insurance salvage company Greer & Kirby Co. Inc., allegedly misclassified millions of dollars in personal expenditures as business expenses between 2017 and 2020. Fiverr Launches Freelancer Equity Program, Offering Shares to Top Freelancers Fiverr has introduced a Freelancer Equity Program, granting shares to top-performing, eligible freelancers based in the United States. The initiative aims to provide financial benefits beyond traditional earnings, reinforcing Fiverr’s commitment to its freelancer community. As freelancers are projected to represent half of the U.S. SBA Launches Made in America Manufacturing Initiative to Boost U.S. Industry The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the launch of the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative, an effort aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing by cutting regulations, expanding access to capital, and strengthening supply chains. Constant Contact Report Highlights Social-First, Tech-Driven Small Businesses Constant Contact has released its latest Small Business Now report, revealing that new small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are leveraging social media and technology to drive growth and navigate economic challenges. The study surveyed 1,600 SMBs across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada that have been in operation for five years or less. Apple Unveils New MacBook Air with M4 Chip and Lower Starting Price Apple has announced the launch of the latest MacBook Air, featuring the powerful M4 chip, up to 18 hours of battery life, and a new 12MP Center Stage camera. The new MacBook Air models now start at $999, $100 less than the previous version, with an education pricing option of $899. Small Biz Breakdown: Should Creative Companies Charge Less If They Use AI? This week on Small Business Breakdown, our expert panel is back and talking about headlines saying that consumers are turning their attention to small businesses over bigger retailers. Is this actually happening or just something someone is saying? Our panel discusses. They also tackle the topic of creative companies and their use of AI. Apple Unveils iPad Air with M3 Chip and New Magic Keyboard Apple has introduced the latest iPad Air, now powered by the M3 chip, bringing significant performance improvements and enhanced portability. The new iPad Air is available in two sizes, 11-inch and 13-inch, with a starting price of $599 and $799, respectively. Customers can pre-order today, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 12. New Survey Reveals Small Businesses Lag Behind Larger Counterparts in Security and Unification Affordable technology has eased the friction of digital workplace transformation, opening the process up to businesses of all sizes and budgets. Yet, surprisingly, the majority of businesses are still lagging behind, and the trend applies extra to small businesses. This article, "Small Biz Breakdown: New from OpenAI and the Latest Economic Indicators" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

President’s envoy says Moscow and Kyiv have ‘narrowed’ their differences on a potential ceasefireView the full article

Order to slash funding to pro-democracy broadcasters part of efforts to radically reduce government servicesView the full article

Washington’s continued engagement with Belfast is fundamental to the region’s stability and prosperityView the full article

At RescueTime, our small but mighty team represents more than a handful of US states. Georgia. New York. Illinois. Kentucky. Texas. Washington. North Carolina. Tennessee. We work across 3 different time zones and a spread of nearly 3,000 miles. At this point, an expanded team is the norm, not the exception. More than 80% of The post Screen sharing that matters: 9 ways shared team dashboards enhance team collaboration appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

Tariffs, market volatility and political uncertainty threaten to undermine key driver of growth in world’s largest economyView the full article

Watchdog will begin assessing tech group’s compliance with new obligations under Online Safety Act View the full article

Capitalising on the G7 nation’s vast geography could spark an economic boomView the full article

New defence minister calls for closer links to Nato and EU neighboursView the full article