#covid-19 third wave in india

[mariacallous]

Billionaire Elon Musk’s purchase of and arrival at Twitter has turned the global social media company into a raging dumpster fire with significant consequences all around the world. The closest indication of any method behind the madness may be Musk’s Nov. 9 tweet: “Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months. We will keep what works & change what doesn’t.” Even here, Musk may have been overpromising: Twitter’s offices are now temporarily shuttered following mass firings, reported mass resignations, an apparent exodus of advertisers, a new plague of fake accounts, and confusion over future content policies. Many people are horrified by the Musk mayhem, his longtime critics are having an “I told you so” moment, and those inclined to be generous are taking a cautious view of “too early to tell.” Some former employees fear the platform may only have a few weeks to live.

To save Twitter, however, the choice is unambiguous: Musk urgently needs to fire himself. This is not because his opening act has been so chaotic but for deeper structural reasons. If Twitter’s mission is to be, in Musk’s own words, “by far the most accurate source of information about the world,” the combination of Musk’s multiple conflicts of interest and Twitter’s international operations would conspire to kill that mission. For one, Twitter’s global footprint is already on shaky ground. Second, Musk’s own international entanglements make the problem much worse. Third, the business pressures bearing down on the platform will be Twitter’s final nail in the coffin under Musk.

Twitter has served many purposes worldwide. It’s been a megaphone for the world’s powerful, but it has also given power to the powerless: Cairo’s revolutionaries at Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring, desperate families searching for a hospital bed or oxygen tank during India’s second COVID-19 wave, and the #MeToo movement everywhere. Twitter has been a critical tool for crisis response during earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters.

This impressive breadth of use notwithstanding, Twitter covers large parts of the world where speech isn’t free. More than two-thirds of all Twitter users are outside the United States, contributing just under half of the company’s revenues. In only 7 of the top 20 countries ranked by the number of Twitter users is the internet labeled “free” by Freedom House (one country had no available data). The risk of manipulation and misinformation on Twitter was already high. With Musk’s arrival, that risk has risen to unacceptable levels given his other business interests.

Musk’s global business activities clearly jeopardize Twitter’s mission. One of his undeniable traits is his ability to attract funders from around the world. His Twitter acquisition was co-financed by entities with links to China, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—three countries with a questionable track record of commitment to the information accuracy Musk says he seeks. The Qatar Investment Authority, for example, invested $375 million in Twitter. Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is battling criticism for human rights violations at construction sites, media censorship, and the curtailment of the rights of women and minorities. Leverage over Twitter would give Qatar access to a megaphone to reshape the narrative. Two other problematic funding sources for Musk’s Twitter acquisition are Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Holding Company and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, who are jointly the second-largest investor after Musk. Saudi Arabia, with the eighth-highest number of Twitter users, has one of the worst records on rights and freedom in the world.

This is just the start. Musk’s conflicts of interest multiply when you consider two of his other businesses: Tesla and SpaceX. Both are crucially dependent on repressive governments, and Musk already has a clear record of pandering to them.

Tesla, for one, cannot survive without its ties to China, the world’s largest electric vehicle market by far. The electric car company’s revenues there have doubled two years in a row. Tesla also has its largest vehicle assembly plant in Shanghai, built with a loan and special concessions from the Chinese government. Most of Tesla’s direct sources for its batteries are in China. This degree of dependence on a single country with an all-powerful state makes it impossible to trust that a Musk-led Twitter would disallow its manipulation for propaganda purposes. Although Twitter is blocked in China, its diplomats and operatives abroad are active on Twitter promoting favorable narratives. In fact, Chinese authorities have created hundreds of fake accounts, creating bot armies and surveillance systems to monitor and silence dissidents abroad.

Musk’s other prominent venture, SpaceX, is also critically reliant on problematic international connections. Consider Starlink, SpaceX’s network of satellites designed to deliver high-speed internet anywhere. The company plans to expand service to most of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East next year and needs permission from government gatekeepers. It has secured a license in Qatar and will be launching its services in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates next year. The Oman Investment Authority has also made an undisclosed investment in SpaceX. The three countries rate poorly on freedoms. With leverage over Musk via SpaceX, they could gain leverage over Twitter.

Beyond Starlink, SpaceX is poised to be a major player in this growing market for space launches, part of a booming commercial space market projected to grow to more than $1 trillion by 2040. A large part of the demand—for everything from satellite launches to moon missions—will come from authoritarian and semi-democratic governments as well as private entities connected to them. All will have interests in propaganda and ways to burnish their global prestige.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Musk is easily influenced by foreign governments. China has made clear that it exerts power over Tesla, including by banning the cars from “sensitive areas” because the cars’ driver assist systems can allegedly be used for spying. State-controlled media could change their coverage of Tesla any time, with a corresponding effect on sales. Financial connections between Chinese entities and Tesla, not least the loan to build the Shanghai factory, also give Beijing enormous leverage. Musk’s response to all this has been to praise China. His eagerness to please Chinese authorities is evident, for example, in a recent tweet suggesting that Taiwan become a special administrative zone controlled by Beijing. Unsurprisingly, news of Musk’s acquisition of Twitter was quickly followed by Chinese (and Russian) propaganda mouthpieces previously banned from the platform urging Musk to allow them back.

Twitter’s own business pressures, made incomparably worse by the chaos he has unleashed, will be the final nail in the coffin of a Musk-run Twitter. As he attempts to make the platform profitable, he will severely jeopardize its mission, creating a vicious cycle where compromised trust could scare off users and advertisers—in turn requiring even more drastic attempts at monetization. Musk recently gutted Twitter’s contract workforce who moderate content—not exactly conducive to information accuracy and trust. Those “writing great code will constitute the majority of our team and have the greatest sway,” said an email to Twitter staff from Musk, which further indicates a low priority for content moderation. With staff rapidly thinning out, some countries where Twitter operates will be the squeaky wheels garnering the few resources that are left, whereas others are likely to be starved.

Trouble is, Twitter’s global operating environment has become much too complex for Musk’s capricious, Sun King style of management. The United States has historically had relatively few content moderation rules, but several U.S. states have passed laws, and there is a case against Twitter in the U.S. Supreme Court. Elsewhere, new laws in the European Union and Britain require the company to implement risk assessments, transparency reports, and data access. The EU’s Digital Services Act gives regulators tools to monitor content and demand its removal. The United States and Europe are substantial sources of advertising revenue, so the world can expect Musk to direct some of Twitter’s resources there. But elsewhere, moderation and compliance could soon look weak. U.S.-based corporate headquarters are generally notorious when it comes to adapting to non-U.S. conditions, and Musk’s management style will throw additional sand in the company’s gears.

There are others who will place demands. Musk’s arrival comes on the heels of a record number of Twitter content removal requests from foreign governments. Japan had the most requests, but the demands came from 44 countries. Except in China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and a few other countries, Twitter is accessible from any internet connection. According to some reports, roughly 4,400 out of 5,500 contract workers have been fired. This means there will be large parts of the world—with hundreds of millions of users—where misinformation and manipulation will likely thrive. The burden will fall on poorer nations, with have plenty of vulnerable users but not enough advertisers to make these places a priority for Musk. Far from being the most accurate source of information, Twitter risks becoming the most effective tool to manipulate information in large parts of the world.

The conclusion is inescapable. If Musk’s plan was to keep what works and change what doesn’t, it’s become clear that what doesn’t work at Twitter is Musk himself. He should swallow his pride, take a loss, and sell the company to a better owner.

[govindhtech]

Apollo Hospitals at Google Cloud microservices zero-downtime

Zero downtime migration of a complex micro services application to Google Cloud for Apollo Hospitals

Achieving zero downtime migration of a complex micro services application to Google Cloud for Apollo Hospitals, a healthcare company based in Chennai, India. One of India’s largest multidisciplinary healthcare systems, it offers online doctor consultations, home diagnostic tests, and online pharmacy to make healthcare affordable and accessible.

This blog describes how it migrated a critical 24×7 national application with 97 services and 40+ SQL databases to Google Cloud with zero downtime.

Growing faster with better performance, security, and reliability

COVID-19 presented new growth challenges for Apollo Hospitals, which was founded before the pandemic. Google needed rapid development in functional and non-functional areas to meet demand. Apollo 24|7 deploys VMs and containers. The application integrates SQL and NoSQL databases, Redis, VMs, Kubernetes, load balancers, WAF, and third-party public endpoints.

After the pandemic, google engineering leadership saw an opportunity to improve platform performance, security, and reliability to continue growth. Modern automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) interventions would improve robustness and scale. To provide affordable healthcare to the masses, cost efficiency was prioritized. her app has millions of active users, so needed to avoid downtime to maintain user experience.

They collaborated with award-winning Google Cloud partner Searce to implement to needs smoothly. Apollo Hospitals, Searce, and Google Cloud teams collaborated on development, testing, deployment, and monitoring, which helped the migration project succeed.

Search supported google teams throughout the project with expertise and support.

Full-stack migration without downtime

The goal was to migrate the entire app to Google Cloud without downtime. The QA, pre-production, and production environments were included.

Google process is outlined below:

DORA survey, then CAST assessment.

Developed migration waves, dependency graphs, and vulnerable library fixes

Created a Google Cloud enterprise landing zone and enabled posture management security controls.

Virtual machines, GKE cluster, Cloud SQL, and Redis instances

Built CI/CD pipelines for all services

Deployed Google Cloud services and dependencies

The Google Cloud Marketplace allows ISV services.

Connect source DBs to Cloud SQL for change data capture (CDC).

Split traffic between services to Google Cloud before the final cutover.

CI/CD pipelines, Terraform scripts, and other resources were used to deploy the QA environment on Google Cloud.

Google next environment was a pre-production replica of the production environment with lower capacity due to low traffic. Simulating a production migration helped us write the right SOPs for each application service. Then also defined service dependencies, split traffic between the old locations and Google Cloud, and tested the functionality end-to-end by sending 1-10% of service traffic to Google Cloud. They installed CDC for databases between source and target on Google Cloud and migrated all traffic to Google Cloud to complete the cutover migration.

They used many pre-production lessons during production migration. On migration day, Identity and Access Management (IAM) issues in a few services integrated with third-party services like payments caused some issues. During partial deployment on GKE, service pods communicated with source location DBs via internet and/or VPN tunnel. Therefore, bandwidth monitoring and NAT gateway port allocation had to be closely monitored to avoid packet drops. Traffic splitting allowed us to divert all traffic from Google Cloud if issues arose. This enabled a zero-downtime application migration.

This migration’s main achievements:

Migration of 97 services across three GKE clusters with gateway and ingress controllers

Used 22 Redis instances, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, Kafka.

Took static content to Cloud CDN

Cloud Armor WAF/DDoS, Security Command Center Premium

Select Marketplace services like MongoDB and Aiven Managed Kafka

Split production traffic between the old location and Google Cloud for zero downtime.

Migration of 40+ MySQL and PostgreSQL databases to CloudSQL using CDC

Transferred 2+ TB to Google Cloud.

Reduced operational costs and increased agility and security

Apollo 24|7 successfully migrated through applications to Google Cloud, improving GKE and Cloud SQL performance and latency. Moving away from monolithic code improved architectural tenets and reduced costs by using committed use discounts (CUD) pricing and Google Cloud’s per-second billing, on-demand resources, and custom-sized VMs.

They improved agility and performance by using Terraform to deploy services efficiently with fewer errors using Infrastructure as Code (IaC). The deployment found IAM policy gaps, improving security. Google’s security principles guided thorough cleanup with this project.

Path forward

Apollo Hospitals is also expanding its AI-powered solution partnership beyond the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) built with Google Cloud Consulting AI teams. They are introducing Med-PaLM 2 generative AI models for Ask Apollo and beyond.

Google and Apollo Hospitals will continue to transform Indian healthcare. Google Cloud has proven valuable in Apollo 24|7’s core applications, and they want to use it in marketing, supply chain, and customer service.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[sunnunderthesun]

Is this the best UNICEF can do?

"That David Beckham was in our Bollywood king's house yesterday," said a young man to another, both randomly browsing some social media platform on their respective phones, standing close to me on a crowded train running past acres of farmland, poorly illuminated shanties, unmaintained roads with potholes, and a landfill to reach a village.

"Don't waste your time reading about them!" commented an angry elderly voice from the crowd, responding to the young man, on the train. "For those ultra-rich losers to exist, we have to remain in poverty. They know that too well." Then the other passengers slowly joined in on the conversation that soon turned political.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused several working class people to see through the glitz of the country's gluttonous billionaires and multimillionaires – some of whom happen to be high-profile Bollywood actors earlier treasured as the nation's "superstars". The poor were left at the mercy of complete strangers – vulnerable COVID-19 volunteers battling against time to make arrangements for uncountable patients' immediate needs – during the trying hours of the pandemic's first and second waves as a number of "celebrities" kept flocking off abroad. When wealthy veteran professionals of the entertainment industry, along with business tycoons and other moneyed individuals, donated to an opaque charitable fund (the public has no idea about what may have happened to that fund), created by the nation's government following the pandemic, that would also generously reward the donors with tax deductions, the majority were steamrolling under loss of income, crippled healthcare services, and corruption as the indomitable COVID-19 ravaged the country. Innumerable common people, many of them with breathing difficulties, requiring urgent medical attention queued for hours outside overcrowded hospitals while a privileged person with mild COVID-19 symptoms could be hospitalized "as a matter of abundant precaution".

The appointment of different globally celebrated personalities as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador has always remained controversial. Elitism is glorified when someone with a net worth of millions visits a third world country to "help focus worldwide attention on the work of the United Nations". Beckham's latest trip to India was nothing but a parade of the A-listers' sense of entitlement. The Indian mainstream news sites have outdone each other to inform the public about Beckham partying with the prosperous families that run the Bollywood film industry (and influence India's politics) today, his meeting with the few opulent Indian cricketers, the cuisine he savoured, and his sugar-coated words for India and its elites who had hosted him at their respective places. His brief interaction with the Indian youth and families receiving help through programmes supported by the UNICEF can be found on social media by those who really want to know the purpose of his sudden presence in India. However, the unmistakable widening economic inequalities has bolstered the growth of a socially aware class (one has to mingle with human beings at various economic levels of the Indian society to know them) that can't stand the existence of the wealth hoarders, let alone show any interest in their affairs.

[urbtnews]

Exploring BRICS Expansion

Exploring BRICS expansion. On June 16, 2009, the 1st BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, following a series of high-level meetings. The BRICS bloc was formed in response to the changing global economic landscape to encourage cooperation on common challenges to challenge the West's hegemony. South Africa joined the predecessor BRIC to form BRICS in 2010. The acronym BRICS refers to the powerful grouping of the world's leading emerging market economies, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill coined the term "BRIC" or "the BRICs" in 2001 to describe fast-growing economies that he predicted would collectively dominate the global economy by 2050. Representatives from the BRICS emerging group gathered in Johannesburg for their 15th summit, the first in-person since the COVID-19 pandemic began. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP BRICS Expansion The BRICS summit ended on a high note, with the alliance welcoming six new members. These meetings are generally held to improve the economic conditions of the BRICS countries. They also provide their leaders with the opportunity to collaborate on these efforts. When the delegations arrived in Johannesburg, all but one country had an initial list of candidates for membership. BRICS leaders have decided to invite six more countries to join their alliance. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to join BRICS. This is according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who hosted a three-day meeting of the emerging markets group this week in Johannesburg. Their accession will take effect on January 1, 2024. "We value the interest of other countries in building a partnership with BRICS," Ramaphosa said. "We have tasked our Foreign Ministers to develop the BRICS partner country model further and a list of prospective partner countries and report by the next Summit." Russian President Vladimir Putin chose not to attend the summit because he faces arrest under a war crimes indictment issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He chose to participate virtually instead, sending a video message. The decision to broaden the group reflects a lack of progress in deepening the existing BRICS alliance, which, despite accounting for one-third of global GDP, has diverging interests ranging from China's rise as a global superpower to India's nonalignment to Brazil's status as a farm exporter. Some new members, most notably Saudi Arabia and Iran, have a history of strained relations, with little prospect of coherence beyond strengthening the bloc's representation of the Middle East and Africa. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP The US and Germany React PICUTRE: (From left to right) Germany and United States flag waving against the backdrop of a partially cloudy sky. PHOTO: COURTESY OF: Freepik. Exploring BRICS Expansion. Earlier this month, it was reported that more than 40 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Comoros, Gabon, and Kazakhstan, had expressed interest in joining the forum, according to 2023 summit chair South Africa. The United States, Europe, and other Western allies are closely monitoring the BRICS expansion and de-dollarization agenda. The United States, Germany, and the European Union have responded to the recent BRICS expansion and de-dollarization efforts. A Word from the White House Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House Press Secretary, stated that the United States will not prevent other countries from selecting trading partners. She emphasized that the US's focus is on trade with all countries and that the US will not interfere in their internal affairs. "US policy does not ask our partners to choose between the United States and other countries. We have repeatedly emphasized that the US does not want to limit countries' partnerships with other countries. But we want countries to have choices on delivering results to their citizens as well," she said. Germany's Foreign Minister Speaks BRICS expansion does not concern Germany, according to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. BRICS expansion does not worry Berlin. She emphasized that all countries can form alliances based on their national interests. "In times like these, every country in the world is aware of the importance of cooperation and partnership," she said. "Every country must keep asking itself: Which partnership best suits its own values and interests? Which are of most benefit to it in the long run?" Baerbock stated that Germany has communication channels and trade agreements with all BRICS members except Iran. She also noted that the European Union is willing to partner with BRICS members. As a result, the BRICS expansion has had no effect on global markets for the United States and Germany. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP BRICS: Exploring The Potential Exploring BRICS Expansion. The potential impact of BRICS includes strengthening economic integration within BRICS, reducing the influence of the US on the global stage, weakening the standing of the US dollar as a global reserve currency, implications for a more multipolar world economy, challenges and opportunities for the United States, impact on the US dollar’s value, BRICS expansion and economic changes, potential effects on global financial affairs, expert opinions and predictions, and potential implications for dollar denominated debt. Strengthening Economic Integration within BRICS A unified BRICS currency would undeniably strengthen economic cooperation among its member countries. The increased ease of trade and cross-border transactions may spur economic growth, fostering stronger ties and partnerships among the BRICS nations. Reducing the Influence of the US on the Global Stage The US dollar wields enormous power in international affairs. Introducing a BRICS currency could erode this dominance, putting the US's ability to use economic strength as a tool for geopolitical influence in jeopardy. Weakening the Standing of the US Dollar as a Global Reserve Currency Suppose BRICS nations choose to hold significant portions of their foreign reserves in their new currency. The US dollar's dominance as a global reserve currency may be challenged in that case. This shift could cause the dollar's value to fall, altering global trade dynamics. Implications for a More Multipolar World Economy The world may be undergoing a shift toward a more multipolar economic structure. Introducing a BRICS currency would diversify reserve currency options, paving the way for a more balanced and equitable global financial system. Challenges and Opportunities for the United States Suppose a BRICS reserve currency becomes a reality. In that case, the US may face diminished global influence challenges. Still, the actual impact will depend on various geopolitical and economic factors. Nonetheless, it may open up new trade and investment opportunities with BRICS nations, fostering mutual growth. Impact on the US Dollar’s Value The BRICS nations' collective decision to manage their vast foreign exchange reserves may have implications for the value of the US dollar. There are several possible outcomes, ranging from no impact to significant dollar depreciation. BRICS Expansion and Economic Changes Its economic and political clout will grow as the BRICS grouping expands to include more countries. Such an expansion could put the US's economic dominance under further strain. Potential Effects and Economic Changes The emergence of the BRICS currency can potentially restructure global financial systems. The implications could range from reshaping trade agreements to influencing the operations of international financial institutions. Expert Opinions and Predictions The academic and financial sectors have differing perspectives on the potential impact of the BRICS currency on the US economy. Experts are scrutinizing every detail of the evolving situation. Potential Implications for Dollar Denominated Debt Countries with significant dollar-denominated debts may see a BRICS currency as a way to alleviate their burdens. However, potential fluctuations in the value of the new currency could introduce risks. BRICS and the United Nations The BRICS have been vocal in their support for the UN architecture, viewing it as a means of mitigating the influence of 'Western' forms of intervention. In essence, they have all become key players in the UN system's operations. Analysts believe that while the BRICS nations' clout is likely to grow, the bloc is more likely to offer piecemeal economic and diplomatic alternatives to the US-led global order than to dramatically replace it. This could lead to more tensions with the West as the grouping's leaders seek to chart their own course in an uncertain world. However, in order to remain effective, the BRICS will need to manage the disparate priorities of its member countries, which will be a difficult challenge for the grouping to overcome. The Waiting Game This new environment gives the world's nations with relatively low economic and industrial development options for responding to rising tensions among major powers and positioning their countries amid excellent power competition. Prospective members are attracted to BRICS because they do not have to commit to an alliance. Experts say that tangible economic benefits may be some time away. Still, the symbolic benefit of joining an alliance separate from, or opposed to, Western interests is significant. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP Exploring BRICS Expansion Read the full article

[worksindia]

Best Space for Workspace Discoveries

April 2021, Noida. Nitish Sardar is in a frenzy. But we can't blame marketers for being sceptical. More than 12 months after quarantine, the country is amid the second wave of deaths in April 2021, amid uncertainty that the truth is only the end of the world. Like many leaders who are starting to fight against COVID-19, Sada clings to hope, battles spiritual demons, and prays to God that her world stays intact. "What if COVID lasts longer than 8 months?" Sarda founded Smartworks in 2016. Started as a co-working space in the Delhi National Capital Territory, Smartworks has experienced growth over the years it was founded, compared to office headquarters in 2019 and operational the following year. 25.76 billion rupees profit. . Sarda managed to find a place for his first attempt. 

After the arrival of Covid. Working from home has become the norm, office space has become an almost obsolete concept, and after four years of managing millions of square feet of commercial space, the pressure on Sarda has dropped to the centimetres. "Will the business survive? Even if it does, will it survive?" Asked the founder, who had a modest income of Rs 2,796 billion in fiscal year 2021. But it is worth noting that Smartworks and Sarda survived. “But for how long,” the founder wondered, raising $25 million in Series A funding from Keppel Land in Singapore in 2019. "Can the office survive?" This is the biggest question left unanswered. Another searing question, which was certain to emerge post-pandemic, was: Who will pay a premium to get flexibility at workspaces?

Fast forward to August 2023. The pandemic has waned, work-from-home has lost its charm, the hybrid model of work is gaining ground, and enterprises are back in action and have doubled down on their office space requirement. What this means for Smartworks—especially the last part as enterprises make up around 90 percent of the revenue of the startup--is just one thing: India’s biggest managed office space provider is back with a bang. The revenues have almost doubled from Rs 360.2 crore in FY22 to Rs 710.3 crore in FY23; the area of operation has leapfrogged from 4.9 million square feet to 7.2 during the same period, and footprint has expanded from 10 to 12 cities. “We knew that offices are not going to die,” says Sarda, adding that the pandemic was worse than recession. “We always gave ourselves a faint chance to survive,” he says.

What, though, Sarda didn’t know was the fact that a comeback would be much bigger than the setback. “It has been a hockey-stick recovery, and the demand has skyrocketed,” he says, adding that during the pandemic, Smartworks closed just two centres, and held on to its supply. “Nobody expected the demand to come back in such a manner,” he confesses.

So, what has worked for the flex space provider? Is it the normal demand, which has staged a strong comeback after the pandemic or did Sarda tweak the business model? The founders insist it is a combination of the two. In 2021, Smartworks transitioned to a "school management solution" model, which means managing large buildings, such as individual schools, separately, rather than individual buildings or floors in the finished building where the business most of the time.

He pointed out that the mathematical method using many places is good. First, it provides flexibility to businesses seeking more options and services for their employees. Second, it also helps Smartworks communicate its resources and add additional resources that are meaningful in the post-global world. Third, it helps Sarda provide services that companies need but find it difficult to find in the market. “Last year we sold food worth more than Rs 450 crore each month,” Harsh Binani said. From groceries to convenience stores, gyms and taxi services, Smartworks does everything to make the life of its employees easier.

Smartworks has grown rapidly over the past year, but the road ahead will not be easy. One of the biggest challenges is getting back to values. Smartworks fell from Rupees 18 Million revenue in Fiscal Year 21 to a loss of Rupees 2.042 Million in Fiscal Year 2023. But  the stern Binani did not press the panic button. Smartworks, points out the co-founder, is in a high-growth stage. It has increased its operational footprint from 1.9 million sq ft in FY20 to over 7.2 million sq ft in FY23, and expanded from nine cities to 12 during the same period. “We are likely to close FY24 at a revenue of Rs 1,100 crore and an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of Rs 150 crore,” he claims. Due to rapid growth, Binani maintains, the company incurs depreciation and lease provision—both being non-cash in nature—which gets reflected in negative PAT.

Another challenge for Smartworks would be to ensure that it doesn’t spread itself too thin. The pandemic will pass and the workplaces will be filled with workers again, but the economic impact is negative and detailed attention should be paid to micro and macro agreements at home and abroad. "Opening up is easy, but downsizing and downsizing is difficult," says one business professional who has invested in smaller competitors. "Last year we were very tight and the domestic market has changed a lot," he said on condition of anonymity. He stated that Smartworks should be aware that large companies, which make up a part of its revenue, and therefore office space will also be affected. "There must be common sense first, then violence," he said.

[delvenservices]

Ultrasound Imaging Devices Market Projected to Reach USD 9.20 billion in 2030

Ultrasound Imaging Devices Market, By Array Format (Phased Array, Linear Array, Curved Linear Array and Others), Application (Radiology/General Imaging, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Vascular, Urological, Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal, Pain Management, Emergency Department, Critical Care and Others), Device Display (Colour Ultrasound Devices and Black and White (B/W) Ultrasound Devices), Device Portability (Trolley/Cart-Based Ultrasound Devices, Compact/Handheld Ultrasound Devices, Stationary Ultrasound Devices and Point-of-Care Ultrasound Devices), Technology (Diagnostic Ultrasound and Therapeutic Ultrasound), , End User (Hospitals, Surgical Centers, Research and Academia, Maternity Centers, Ambulatory Care Centers, Diagnostic Centers and Others), Distribution Channel (Direct Tender, Third Party Distributors and Retail Sales) and region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America).

Market Overview

The global Ultrasound Imaging Devices market size was estimated at USD 5.90 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 9.20 billion in 2030 at a CAGR of 5.72% during the forecast period 2023-2030.

Ultrasound is a type of medical imaging technique. If the lungs and the mucous membrane surrounding the lungs are completely or partially filled with fluid, the bones, the lungs and the mucous membrane surrounding the lungs can be visualized with ultrasound. Ultrasound is usually used to monitor fetal development during pregnancy, but it can also be used to image the heart, arteries, thyroid, brain, eyes, abdominal organs, breasts, skin and muscles. Ultrasound images can be seen in two, three or four dimensions. Doppler and color Doppler ultrasound are two types of functional ultrasound that are used to measure and visualize blood flow in the arteries of the body, including the heart.

Urological health care procedures are growing rapidly worldwide. The increase in medical procedures related to kidney, ureter, bladder, urethra, prostate and reproductive health fueled the growth of ultrasound imaging devices. The increasing adoption of advanced technologies in these medical systems further improves their efficiency in healthcare processes. Recent developments, increased investment in the Point of Care segment with PDAs have increased the scope of these systems in primary care, EMS, anesthesia, etc. These factors contribute to the growth of the market. Recalls of devices due to faulty functions are a hindering factor for the market growth. Additionally, lack of trained technicians will limit growth opportunities during the forecast period.

The impact of COVID-19 on the market was moderate. Turnover was negatively affected by the decrease in the production volume of medical devices. Restrictions on movement, closure of various facilities and disruption of the supply chain have created a challenge for the market. In addition, the market has been hampered by the shift of focus away from non-essential medical processes. The demand for ultrasound equipment has also decreased, as the use of the imaging system has decreased due to the lack of first aid. However, the post-pandemic period is expected to bring the market back on track.

Get the Free Sample Copy at: https://www.delvens.com/get-free-sample/ultrasound-imaging-devices-market-trends-forecast-till-2030

Delvens Industry Expert's Standpoint

The pandemic had a considerable impact on businesses globally, with nations like India and China bearing the brunt of the virus's outbreak. The pandemic had a mild impact on the ultrasound imaging devices market. Ultrasound imaging equipment can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Ultrasound has grown in popularity in various therapeutic applications, including cardiology and oncology. Expanding applications of ultrasound devices in shear wave elastography, 3D imaging, wireless sensor development, CT/MR fusion, application-based ultrasound and laparoscopic ultrasound will soon occupy the industry. The increase in demand for ultrasound equipment is also due to the increase in demand for healthcare services such as increased patient visits, surgeries and hospitalizations. The increase in the  number of elderly people suffering from chronic diseases has increased the demand for medical imaging devices. In addition, in the last decade, the field of use of ultrasound technology has expanded to gastroenterology, surgery and musculoskeletal, which were previously limited to radiology, gynecology, obesity, etc. These factors have led to the expansion of the market and increased demand for Ultrasound Imaging Devices solutions.

Key Findings

The Application segment is further fragmented into Radiology/General Imaging, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Vascular, Urological, Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal, Pain Management, Emergency Department, Critical Care and Others. The Radiology/General Imaging segment is expected to account for a larger market size during the forecast period. The Radiology and General Imaging segment is growing due to factors such as rising cancer prevalence in major countries, growing market availability as well as physician preference for HIFU in cancer treatment, technological advancements in ultrasound-based diagnosis and treatment, increasing use of ultrasound in cancer diagnosis and tissue biopsy, and rising adoption of focused ultrasound in disease therapies.

The Device Display segment is further bifurcated into Colour Ultrasound Devices and Black and White (B/W) Ultrasound Devices. The Colour Ultrasound Devices is the largest market during the forecast period as devices having features such as auto colour & Doppler and auto image optimization need a colour display.

The End-User segment is further bifurcated into Small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises. Hospitals segment to account for a larger market size during the forecast period. The high market share of this segment can be ascribed to a growing number of ultrasound-based medical procedures conducted in Hospitals, as well as the expanding number of Hospitals in major markets and the increased acceptance of minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures in these facilities.  

The market is also divided into various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is estimated to account for the largest market share during the forecast period because of the strong base of healthcare facilities, widespread utilization of medications, increase in the expenses in the health care, rapid increase in the prevalence of kidney stones, high adoption of ultrasound imaging devices across well-equipped healthcare facilities and rising number of research activities in this region.  

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Regional Analysis

North America to Dominate the Market

North America is estimated to account for the largest market share during the forecast period because of the strong base of healthcare facilities, widespread utilization of medications, increase in the expenses in the health care, rapid increase in the prevalence of kidney stones, high adoption of ultrasound imaging devices across well-equipped healthcare facilities and rising number of research activities in this region.  

Competitive Landscape

Analogic Corporation

Butterfly Network

Canon Medical Systems Corporation

Carestream Health

Chison Medical Technologies Co., Ltd.

Clarius Mobile Health

CURA Healthcare

Eagleview Ultrasound

Esaote S.p.A

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation

GE Healthcare

Hitachi, Ltd.

Hologic, Inc.

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Medgyn Products, Inc.

Mindray Medical International Limited

Mobisante, Inc.

Neusoft Corporation

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Shantou Institute of Ultrasonic Instruments Co.

Siemens Healthineers AG

Toshiba Corporation

Trivitron Healthcare.

United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.

Get the Direct Order for the Report at: https://www.delvens.com/checkout/ultrasound-imaging-devices-market-trends-forecast-till-2030

Recent Developments

In February 2022, Butterfly Network, Inc. and Ambra Health established a cooperation to improve bedside imaging data interoperability. This agreement will improve access to valuable ultrasound information across healthcare systems, and increase shareability enhancing the scalability of Butterfly Blueprint, Butterfly’s enterprise platform.  

In December 2021, EagleView ultrasound introduced its wireless portable ultrasound technology, which enables greater ultrasound imaging flexibility while also cutting the cost of point-of-care solutions.

Reasons to Acquire

Increase your understanding of the market for identifying the most suitable strategies and decisions based on sales or revenue fluctuations in terms of volume and value, distribution chain analysis, market trends, and factors.  

Gain authentic and granular data access for the Ultrasound Imaging Devices Market to understand the trends and the factors involved in changing market situations.  

Qualitative and quantitative data utilization to discover arrays of future growth from the market trends of leaders to market visionaries and then recognize the significant areas to compete in the future.  

In-depth analysis of the changing trends of the market by visualizing the historic and forecast year growth patterns.

Browse More:

Report Scope

The Ultrasound Imaging Devices Market is segmented into various segments such as array format, device display, device portability, technology, application, end user, distribution channel and region:

Based on Array Format

Phased Array

Linear Array

Curved Linear Array

Others

Based on the Device Display

Colour Ultrasound Devices

Black and White (B/W) Ultrasound Devices

Based on the Device Portability

Trolley/Cart-Based Ultrasound Devices

Compact/Handheld Ultrasound Devices

Stationary Ultrasound Devices

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Devices

Based on Technology

Diagnostic Ultrasound

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Based on Application

Radiology/General Imaging, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Cardiovascular

Gastroenterology

Vascular

Urological

Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal

Pain Management

Emergency Department

Critical Care

Others

Based on End User

Hospitals, Surgical Centers

Research and Academia

Maternity Centers

Ambulatory Care Centers

Diagnostic Centers

Others

Based on Distribution Channel

 Direct Tender

Third Party Distributors

Retail Sales

About Us:

Delvens is a strategic advisory and consulting company headquartered in New Delhi, India. The company holds expertise in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports and consulting services. Delvens qualitative and quantitative data is highly utilized by each level from niche to major markets, serving more than 1K prominent companies by assuring to provide the information on country, regional and global business environment. We have a database for more than 45 industries in more than 115+ major countries globally.

Delvens database assists the clients by providing in-depth information in crucial business decisions. Delvens offers significant facts and figures across various industries namely Healthcare, IT & Telecom, Chemicals & Materials, Semiconductor & Electronics, Energy, Pharmaceutical, Consumer Goods & Services, Food & Beverages. Our company provides an exhaustive and comprehensive understanding of the business environment.

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[bolllywoodhungama]

Top 10 Bollywood actresses at the box office post-pandemic: Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, and Kiara Advani occupy the Top 5 spot

Deepika Padukone – Rs. 543.05 cr.

No of films: 1 (Pathaan)

Her hot appearance in the song ‘Besharam Rang’ added to the film’s buzz. She had a prominent role in this blockbuster film which was lauded by critics and audiences alike.

Alia Bhatt – Rs. 193.27 cr.

No of films: 2 (Gangubai Kathiawadi, Brahmastra – Part One: Shiva) Alia Bhatt spread cheer among the industry and trade when Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), the first biggie to release in cinemas after the third Covid-19 wave, took a huge opening.

Shraddha Kapoor – Rs. 149.05 cr.

No of films: 1 (Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar) Shraddha Kapoor made a solid comeback after three years with Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. Post-release, the film was well-received for its message and the performances of both Shraddha and Ranbir.

Katrina Kaif – Rs. 105.01 cr.

No of films: 2 (Sooryavanshi, Phone Bhoot) Katrina Kaif featured in Sooryavanshi (2022), the first major film to hit cinemas all over India in the post-Covid era. Her pairing with Akshay Kumar and her sizzling moves in the song ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani’ became a talking point.

Kiara Advani – Rs. 90.67 cr.

No of films: 3 (Indoo Ki Jawani, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, JugJugg Jeeyo) Kiara Advani’s popularity has gone higher many by many notches post-pandemic. Apart from the success of her digital films like Laxmii (2020) and Shershaah (2021), she scored with her theatrical films. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) was a blockbuster as it collected Rs. 185.92 crores.

Manushi Chhillar – Rs. 68.05 cr.

No of films: 1 (Samrat Prithviraj) Manushi Chhillar made a fine debut with the Akshay Kumar-starrer Samrat Prithviraj (2022). Sadly, the film bombed at the box office

Kareena Kapoor Khan – Rs. 58.73 cr.

No of films: 1 (Laal Singh Chaddha) A lot was expected from Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) but the Aamir Khan co-starrer failed to entice the audiences.

Kriti Sanon – Rs. 49.61 cr.

No of films: 3 (Bachchhan Paandey, Bhediya, Shehzada) Kriti Sanon hasn’t had an impressive run at the box office. Bachchhan Paandey (2022) didn't impress at the box office. Shehzada (2023), too, failed despite the hype, mass appeal, and pairing with Kartik Aaryan. Bhediya (2022), however, was her best-performing film in the pandemic era.

Disha Patani – Rs. 41.69 cr.

No of films: 1 (Ek Villain Returns) Disha Patani’s sizzling avatar was one of the USPs in her sole release in cinemas post-pandemic, Ek Villain Returns (2022).

Jacqueline Fernandez – Rs. 41.22 cr.

No of films: 1 (Attack – Part I, Ram Setu, Cirkus) Jacqueline Fernandez had three releases post-pandemic and none of them set the box office on fire. Attack – Part I (2022) flopped despite a novel concept.

Click her to Read more.

[mahampsc]

Watch | Data Point: COVID cases rise, but booster coverage remains low

Watch | Data Point: Is vaccine hesitancy responsible for India’s slow booster coverage? Covid-19 cases are back on the rise, the third such spike since India’s Omicron wave in January 2022. But when we look at the share of eligible people who have taken the booster dose, numbers remain significantly lower than what was seen during the inoculation drive for the first and second dose. With only…

[goldiers1]

Walmart Vriddhi Program: Unlocking Indian Entrepreneurial Potential!

  Walmart’s Vriddhi program is focused on helping Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) expand their domestic capabilities. That’s not quite as easy to do as it is to write. One entrepreneur who understands that truth intimately is Chanda Sharma. She’s the owner of the Delhi Gift House in Delhi, where she sells gifts for special holidays and occasions. Her story, and her success, are triumphs. But not without tragedy. Chanda started her business alongside her husband in 2018 just after the pair welcomed their first child. They were a team. Chanda handled the marketing, photography and product listings. Her husband interfaced with vendors and ensured the supply chain stayed well-oiled. In 2021, during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chanda lost her husband to the virus. She admits to fearing for her future: She was alone in the midst of a global pandemic, facing the demands of motherhood, a crippled economy and vendors who lacked confidence in the capacity of a woman to operate a business. Then she got a call.  

Shop in India. Walmart Vriddhi program.  

Develop

“I got a call from the Walmart Vriddhi program in June of 2021, and they asked me a simple question: ‘How is your business doing?’” Chanda remembers. “And I responded, ‘My business is inactive… and it’s been that way for three months now.” Undaunted by the inactivity, the team at Vriddhi offered Chanda something she wasn’t expecting: support. Then things started to change. “The team first suggested that I should consider clearing dead inventory and get some cash in hand,” Chanda said. “I reviewed my situation and decided to list combo packs of the items in my inventory on the marketplaces. After that, I really started to see some traction.”  

Increased revenue from training. Photo by Walmart.  

Connect

By connecting entrepreneurs to the community, learning and the Flipkart marketplace, Vriddhi opens doors to opportunity. With each learning module she completed through Vriddhi’s business course offerings, Chanda’s confidence grew. “I felt motivated after every training session I attended,” Chanda said. “After Diwali, I cleared all my loans and backed trust from my vendors. Now, I’m in the third year of singlehandedly managing my business — and my little one.”  

Grow

For Chanda, growth has meant progress. Her hard work, dedication to the process, and willingness to learn have all paid off. She’s thriving. And she’s not slowing down. “Since joining the Walmart Vriddhi team, my business has grown 10 times over,” Chanda said. “When I look back and think about how I reached this level, I have Walmart Vriddhi to thank.” Looking to the future, Chanda wants to invest in a small factory so she can own the means of production. Her goal is to create her own product line – and to employ more women in India. With Vriddhi’s backing, she thinks it’s possible. “In my family, women weren’t allowed to work, and I didn’t come from a family with a business background,” Chanda said. “If I start my own unit, I can employ more women and generate employment in my community. I can offer opportunities for artisans and weavers.” At its core, Chanda’s greatest goal is to inspire – to build a better future for her child and her community. And she’s well on her way. “No matter what you’re doing, give it your best. Only then can you grow,” Chanda said, “It can take time to understand, but once you do, there’s no going back.”  

Indian Small Business woman at her checkout till. Photo by Walmart.  

About the Walmart Vriddhi program

Walmart is a multinational retail company operating in 27 countries across the world. Founded in 1950, Walmart has grown to become one of the largest retailers in the world with over 10,500 stores. In October 2020, they launched the Vriddhi program to increase access to development opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses. The Walmart Vriddhi program provides support and access to resources such as technology, credit and capacity building. This helps small business owners develop their enterprises more effectively and efficiently. The program also serves as a platform for entrepreneurs to network with other business owners and learn from each other's experiences. Additionally, it provides support through mentorship programs where experienced mentors guide small business owners in setting up their businesses, managing operations and expanding sales channels.  

Program Review and Instructions

  Sources: THX News, YouTube & Walmart. Read the full article

[eduminatti]

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOL FEES IN INDIA

Many parents who were unable to pay their bills as a result of Covid-19 enrolled their children in public schools rather than private institutions. The fundamental reason for this is because private schools charge exorbitant prices. Many parents believe that school costs should not be thus high because classes are held online during the pandemic.

WHY ARE STUDENTS TRANSFERRING FROM PRIVATE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

There has been an impact on children's education as a result of most schools being closed in lockdown 2020. Because schools across India were required to transition to online education, parents were required to purchase a laptop or a smartphone with unlimited bandwidth in addition to paying tuition fees to the school.

 Another reason, in addition to the health repercussions of Covid-19, is that the epidemic resulted in millions of job losses and economic troubles. Due to a scarcity of jobs, migrant workers were compelled to return to their home countries, and thousands of employees in even large corporations lost their jobs.

As per research conducted by schools in Mumbai ,States where youngsters have been reported to be transferring to government schools. According to the Gujarat state education department, 2.82 lakh pupils transferred from private to government schools in the academic year 2021-22. Similarly, 1.58 lakh children in Delhi switched from private to public institutions. 

Similarly, a Telangana official from the state's senior education department said that 1.25 lakh pupils from private schools have transferred to state government schools for the 2021-22 academic year, a 40 percent increase over the previous academic year that ended in 2021.

In Haryana, two lakh pupils were transferred from private schools to government schools. According to Madhya Pradesh's state education department, 1,29,126 pupils relocated between April and September of 2021.

 During the epidemic, 1,85,480 pupils in Punjab switched from private to public schools. During Covid-19, enrolment in government schools in Uttar Pradesh increased by almost 5% at the elementary and higher primary levels. 

WHAT ARE THE OPINIONS OF PARENTS AND SCHOOLS?

Another survey done by schools in Pune shows that Meena, the mother of a Class 3 student, recently transferred her son to a government school in Delhi because she couldn't pay the fees at his previous private school. "My son is not benefiting from online education. My spouse and I are not getting paid adequately because of the pandemic.

 As a result, we chose a government school," Meena explains. Her son is also pleased with the behaviour of the teachers at the public school. He claimed that private school professors did not pay attention to the students.

 Teachers in government schools, on the other hand, are responsible for the students. A Class 12 kid from Jaipur who had previously attended a private school was forced to transfer to a government institution after his parents lost their employment.

The admissions department of a Delhi school, on the other hand, claimed, "We have granted some discounts on outstanding school costs." It did not, however, assist parents, who now solely come for their children's TCs."

 Covid-19 has grabbed the jobs of many parents, according to Anil Kaushik, head of the Progressive Private School's Association in Delhi, and this is why parents are sending their children to government institutions. Furthermore, with scientists predicting the possibility of a third wave, parents are wary about putting their children's health at risk.

THERE ARE OTHER CAUSES FOR THE CHANGE

Many parents believe that their children would receive a good education and access to certain amenities in government schools, which is another reason they are making the switch. 

For example, the governments of Haryana and Rajasthan announced plans to provide free tablets and computers, bridging the digital divide that existed in India during the pandemic. 

The government of Andhra Pradesh has created a flagship scheme named 'Jagnanna Ammavodi,' under which Rs.15000 is granted annually to the mothers of children in government schools in Classes 1 to 12. 

Another important element to note is that government schools are strengthening their facilities in comparison to prior years, and teachers are enthusiastic about teaching the pupils.

STATE GOVERNMENTS FACE A DIFFICULT TASK

The difficulty now facing state governments is how to deal with the growing number of pupils in government schools while maintaining facilities and teaching standards to demonstrate to parents that sending their children to government schools was the right decision. 

Students who have relocated as well as teachers from government schools will encounter additional hurdles in adjusting to their new surroundings.

Private schools, on the other hand, believe that this will have a negative influence on their budget and that their teachers may lose their employment as a result. 

They also believe that such a large number of pupils across India are making this shift for a temporary reason: government school education standards aren't thought to be as high as those in private schools. As a result, government schools must now demonstrate their value by improving their teaching standards and facilities.

[collegelives]

Indians Must Learn to 'Stay Safe Online' as Scammers Have Spread Phishing Net for IRCTC, UPI Users: Experts

While Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched a new campaign called “Stay Safe Online” as part of India’s presidency of the G20, a report by Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) revealed that there is a new wave of financial fraud in which scammers, monitoring Twitter complaints, are targeting IRCTC customers and UPI users.

Cybersecurity and online scams have emerged as significant concerns in recent years according to several tech experts, while the country is seeing a digital boom. From online payments to online healthcare consultation as well as education, Indians have embraced all types of new technology when needed. But at the same time reports highlighted a significant increase in online fraud cases too.

For example, as per Cyber Pravah, the third and fourth quarterly issue, UPI fraud cases have increased from 50,812 in Q4 2021 to 1,13,137 in Q1 2022. Additionally, internet banking fraud complaints saw a rise of 14% from 13,791 in O4 to 34,229 in Q1 of 2022.

It is said in the report that “technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic have also accelerated the reliance on digital platforms to perform daily and essential activities, making users increasingly susceptible to cyber threats”.

Additionally, according to data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), UPI frauds contributed significantly to a 15.3% increase in the overall number of complaints reported on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) between the first and second quarters of 2022. Read More

[121120021]

India has a reputation for being an IT powerhouse and must also be home to many quality tech firms operating there. In 2022, after the third wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Internet has become essential to most people. A well-designed website is now an essential tool for any company to become a successful brand trying to make an impact on their customers, and you need to find the best web design agency in order to achieve this goal.

One of the first things that visitors will notice is what a website looks like. If you are planning to get an attractive website made for your enterprise that can provide you with all of the resources needed for your website, it would be worth checking out the following aspects of that web development company.

1. Understand your Business Requirements

2. Search on Google

3. Shortlist the Companies

4. Look at their Portfolios and Blog Posts

5. Contact and Evaluate their Communication Process

6. Check if they are offering the best SEO Services

7. Ask for their Branding and Promotional Strategies

8. Analyze their Pricing Model

9. Compare their Price with Others

10. Post-Development Service Availability

Read this Blog for detailed information.

As much as I've researched and read reviews of the top web design companies online, V B Global Services is what sets itself apart from the rest.

[noir-2022]

How Many Employees Does Twitter Have?

Apparently, there are no hard statistics on how many employees Twitter has. However, according to Forbes, there are 5,000 people working in India and 4,000 in Brazil. There are also 2,000 employees in the United Kingdom, 2,500 in China, and 7,000 in the United States.

7,000

Almost 7,000 employees work for Twitter. Some of them work in sales. Some of them are in engineering. Others work in data science and machine learning.

There are more than 650 open roles at Twitter. The company plans to cut a quarter of its workforce. The cut could result in thousands of jobs lost.

Twitter has been profitable for two years, but its revenue still lags behind other major social media platforms. It had an estimated 217 million daily active users at the end of last year.

5,000 in the U.S.

Despite rumors of layoffs, Twitter has not yet announced plans to cut workers. However, the company is gearing up for the inevitable.

Last year, Twitter surveyed its workers and tried to cut costs by $1.5 billion. The company has also encouraged nearly 5,000 employees to work from home.

The company has also suspended all non-critical business travel for employees. And it has also made the odd decision to reintroduce the checkmark badge subscription offering, which used to signify verified high-profile accounts.

2,000 in the U.K.

During his first week in charge of Twitter, billionaire Elon Musk has laid off half the company's staff. He said the company is losing over $4 million a day. He has also fired top marketing and legal executives.

The company has previously warned staff that they could receive firing notices. But now employees say the firm is eliminating workers without giving them enough notice.

The layoffs have sparked concerns about Twitter's ability to moderate content. Advertisers have cut spending on Twitter amid concerns that its moderation processes are not up to scratch.

3,000 in India

Hundreds of Twitter employees in India have been laid off. The company has not officially confirmed the number of employees who have been laid off but estimates say it is between 40 and 50 percent of the company's workforce.

A security guard at Twitter's complex in New Delhi told Business Insider that the office had been locked since Thursday afternoon. The company closed all offices and locked access to its badge system on Friday to protect the safety of its data.

2,500 in China

During President Donald Trump's administration, Twitter pushed to halt sales to Chinese government accounts. However, a Reuters review of government tender documents shows that most of the accounts are outsourced to state media.

Twitter's China region is growing faster than any other part of the company. Its overseas ad sales to Chinese clients are estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars a year. But in the past year, Twitter has cut more than half its employees.

4,000 in India

Earlier this month, Twitter announced a 50 per cent job cut. In recent days, Twitter has laid off 3,800 employees globally, and more are expected to go. In India, the company has laid off over a hundred employees.

The layoffs have affected roughly one third of Twitter's India team. In addition, the company has shut down its Bengaluru office. It has also barred employees from mentioning confidential company information on social media.

4,000 in Brazil

Thousands of people have died in Brazil as the Covid-19 virus has rampaged through the country. The worst outbreak on record has killed over 4,000 people and will soon surpass the worst wave in the United States. This is a major concern for local health experts, who are apprehensive about a possible wave of the Zika virus.

Health experts have hailed the recent decline in cases, but warned that the virus could return if measures are not taken. Some states have reported short supplies of oxygen and sedatives.

5,000 in India

During Elon Musk's time at Twitter, he has been involved in several legal and financial matters. He also fired several top executives. He has also retrenched the company's engineering and partner relations teams. He has also changed the location of the company's headquarters. He recently told prospective investors that he plans to cut at least seventy five per cent of the company's workforce.

While the layoffs are not yet final, they are causing some anxiety among employees. Several Twitter employees are noticing changes in their workspace. The company's employee directory is gone. The company's social media team has been drastically reduced. Some employees have even been forced to leave the country.

5,000 in Brazil

Despite having a history of operating in Brazil, Twitter isn't exactly a household name. The social media behemoth hasn't advertised a single open position in the country. As a result, employees have taken to social media to vent their frustrations.

Twitter isn't alone in this department. The social media giant has laid off over 3,700 employees worldwide. Some of the company's best and brightest have left the company in droves. In India, the company fired more than a third of its marketing staff.

[mi6-rogue]

Identification of genomic signatures and multiple lineage markers from the second and third wave samples of COVID-19 in Western Rajasthan, India

Preliminary report; Most of the mutations occurred in SARS-CoV-2 are either relatively neutral or swiftly purged. However, some mutations have altered the functional aspects in terms of infectivity and transmission, host-viral interactions, disease severity and immune or vaccine escape. There are emerging evidence that certain mutations are jeopardizing the immune based therapies. The present research report is focused on the identification of genomic signatures of SARS-CoV-2 variant that caused mortality during second and third wave of COVID-19 in Western Rajasthan, India. We identified that Delta clade of SARS-CoV-2 is the predominant cause of mortality during second wave and even third wave in Western Rajasthan, India. Importantly, this study also revealed the unique and common substitution mutations within the spike domain, those are present in mortality and survived persons during the second and third wave of COVID-19 in India. In addition, this study also revealed the multiple lineage markers (Delta and Omicron), that would update with insightful understanding in the clade development of SARS-CoV-2. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.10.518819v1?rss=1%22&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr Read more ↓

[urbtnews]

Exploring BRICS Expansion

Exploring BRICS expansion. On June 16, 2009, the 1st BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, following a series of high-level meetings. The BRICS bloc was formed in response to the changing global economic landscape to encourage cooperation on common challenges to challenge the West's hegemony. South Africa joined the predecessor BRIC to form BRICS in 2010. The acronym BRICS refers to the powerful grouping of the world's leading emerging market economies, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill coined the term "BRIC" or "the BRICs" in 2001 to describe fast-growing economies that he predicted would collectively dominate the global economy by 2050. Representatives from the BRICS emerging group gathered in Johannesburg for their 15th summit, the first in-person since the COVID-19 pandemic began. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP BRICS Expansion The BRICS summit ended on a high note, with the alliance welcoming six new members. These meetings are generally held to improve the economic conditions of the BRICS countries. They also provide their leaders with the opportunity to collaborate on these efforts. When the delegations arrived in Johannesburg, all but one country had an initial list of candidates for membership. BRICS leaders have decided to invite six more countries to join their alliance. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to join BRICS. This is according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who hosted a three-day meeting of the emerging markets group this week in Johannesburg. Their accession will take effect on January 1, 2024. "We value the interest of other countries in building a partnership with BRICS," Ramaphosa said. "We have tasked our Foreign Ministers to develop the BRICS partner country model further and a list of prospective partner countries and report by the next Summit." Russian President Vladimir Putin chose not to attend the summit because he faces arrest under a war crimes indictment issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He chose to participate virtually instead, sending a video message. The decision to broaden the group reflects a lack of progress in deepening the existing BRICS alliance, which, despite accounting for one-third of global GDP, has diverging interests ranging from China's rise as a global superpower to India's nonalignment to Brazil's status as a farm exporter. Some new members, most notably Saudi Arabia and Iran, have a history of strained relations, with little prospect of coherence beyond strengthening the bloc's representation of the Middle East and Africa. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP The US and Germany React PICUTRE: (From left to right) Germany and United States flag waving against the backdrop of a partially cloudy sky. PHOTO: COURTESY OF: Freepik. Exploring BRICS Expansion. Earlier this month, it was reported that more than 40 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Comoros, Gabon, and Kazakhstan, had expressed interest in joining the forum, according to 2023 summit chair South Africa. The United States, Europe, and other Western allies are closely monitoring the BRICS expansion and de-dollarization agenda. The United States, Germany, and the European Union have responded to the recent BRICS expansion and de-dollarization efforts. A Word from the White House Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House Press Secretary, stated that the United States will not prevent other countries from selecting trading partners. She emphasized that the US's focus is on trade with all countries and that the US will not interfere in their internal affairs. "US policy does not ask our partners to choose between the United States and other countries. We have repeatedly emphasized that the US does not want to limit countries' partnerships with other countries. But we want countries to have choices on delivering results to their citizens as well," she said. Germany's Foreign Minister Speaks BRICS expansion does not concern Germany, according to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. BRICS expansion does not worry Berlin. She emphasized that all countries can form alliances based on their national interests. "In times like these, every country in the world is aware of the importance of cooperation and partnership," she said. "Every country must keep asking itself: Which partnership best suits its own values and interests? Which are of most benefit to it in the long run?" Baerbock stated that Germany has communication channels and trade agreements with all BRICS members except Iran. She also noted that the European Union is willing to partner with BRICS members. As a result, the BRICS expansion has had no effect on global markets for the United States and Germany. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP BRICS: Exploring The Potential Exploring BRICS Expansion. The potential impact of BRICS includes strengthening economic integration within BRICS, reducing the influence of the US on the global stage, weakening the standing of the US dollar as a global reserve currency, implications for a more multipolar world economy, challenges and opportunities for the United States, impact on the US dollar’s value, BRICS expansion and economic changes, potential effects on global financial affairs, expert opinions and predictions, and potential implications for dollar denominated debt. Strengthening Economic Integration within BRICS A unified BRICS currency would undeniably strengthen economic cooperation among its member countries. The increased ease of trade and cross-border transactions may spur economic growth, fostering stronger ties and partnerships among the BRICS nations. Reducing the Influence of the US on the Global Stage The US dollar wields enormous power in international affairs. Introducing a BRICS currency could erode this dominance, putting the US's ability to use economic strength as a tool for geopolitical influence in jeopardy. Weakening the Standing of the US Dollar as a Global Reserve Currency Suppose BRICS nations choose to hold significant portions of their foreign reserves in their new currency. The US dollar's dominance as a global reserve currency may be challenged in that case. This shift could cause the dollar's value to fall, altering global trade dynamics. Implications for a More Multipolar World Economy The world may be undergoing a shift toward a more multipolar economic structure. Introducing a BRICS currency would diversify reserve currency options, paving the way for a more balanced and equitable global financial system. Challenges and Opportunities for the United States Suppose a BRICS reserve currency becomes a reality. In that case, the US may face diminished global influence challenges. Still, the actual impact will depend on various geopolitical and economic factors. Nonetheless, it may open up new trade and investment opportunities with BRICS nations, fostering mutual growth. Impact on the US Dollar’s Value The BRICS nations' collective decision to manage their vast foreign exchange reserves may have implications for the value of the US dollar. There are several possible outcomes, ranging from no impact to significant dollar depreciation. BRICS Expansion and Economic Changes Its economic and political clout will grow as the BRICS grouping expands to include more countries. Such an expansion could put the US's economic dominance under further strain. Potential Effects and Economic Changes The emergence of the BRICS currency can potentially restructure global financial systems. The implications could range from reshaping trade agreements to influencing the operations of international financial institutions. Expert Opinions and Predictions The academic and financial sectors have differing perspectives on the potential impact of the BRICS currency on the US economy. Experts are scrutinizing every detail of the evolving situation. Potential Implications for Dollar Denominated Debt Countries with significant dollar-denominated debts may see a BRICS currency as a way to alleviate their burdens. However, potential fluctuations in the value of the new currency could introduce risks. BRICS and the United Nations The BRICS have been vocal in their support for the UN architecture, viewing it as a means of mitigating the influence of 'Western' forms of intervention. In essence, they have all become key players in the UN system's operations. Analysts believe that while the BRICS nations' clout is likely to grow, the bloc is more likely to offer piecemeal economic and diplomatic alternatives to the US-led global order than to dramatically replace it. This could lead to more tensions with the West as the grouping's leaders seek to chart their own course in an uncertain world. However, in order to remain effective, the BRICS will need to manage the disparate priorities of its member countries, which will be a difficult challenge for the grouping to overcome. The Waiting Game This new environment gives the world's nations with relatively low economic and industrial development options for responding to rising tensions among major powers and positioning their countries amid excellent power competition. Prospective members are attracted to BRICS because they do not have to commit to an alliance. Experts say that tangible economic benefits may be some time away. Still, the symbolic benefit of joining an alliance separate from, or opposed to, Western interests is significant. DOWNLOAD THE URBT NEWS APP Exploring BRICS Expansion Read the full article