Ensuring a Smooth Entry for Tourists Bringing Health Products for Personal Use BANGKOK, Thailand – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) advises travellers to review the latest guidelines from the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on importing health products for personal use. These guidelines are issued to ensure a smooth, hassle-free entry process, whether…
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Angie Woodford began sharing her journey battling cancer on social media“People would ask me how I was doing. Instead of terrific, I would say ‘scarrific,’ because I have so many scars now in my body from all the surgeries that I would just kind of, I’m a big jokester, pretty dry humor, but I would just say ‘I’m scarrific,’ and so that’s how I came up with Scarrific Warrior.”Woodford made all-natural products to help with the side effects of her battle.Later, she expanded to make household items ranging from candles to soaps.“I continued to make other products to help myself during the journey, like my dandelion salve for joint pain, and my relief roll on for joint pain and body aches, and I made this healing cream that helped with the sores that were on my face and my head from the chemo and different things like that.”She shared some products amongst friends, and she later got an idea to sell them.“My friend told me, ‘You should sell this stuff.’ So, I decided that I would try to get it on some of the shelves in the stores in town.”While Woodford isn’t big on business, she wanted to help.“I never intended to open a business. I’m not sure that I’m a businessperson, but I did want to help other cancer patients. I have sent a lot of care packages to people when I find out different people who are going through the same journey that I’ve gone through.”Woodford has gotten into a few stores across the state, and at a recent craft fair, she’s gotten recognition.“About five or six people in the two days, come into my area, and they knew my products, but it was really cool for them to say, ‘Are you Angie?’ or ‘Are you Scarrific Warrior?’. So, to me it was like, ‘okay, that’s kind of neat that people are learning the name.’”Copyright 2024 WABI. All rights reserved.
DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) – Before the sun was up on Thursday, employees at Duluth’s new Chick-fil-A opened their doors for their grand opening.“We saw a really good turn out this morning,” Duluth Chick-fil-A owner-operator Jon Farr said. “People were waiting in line in both the front of the store and the drive thru.”The new Chick-fil-A is located next to Miller Hill Mall.Farr said he was thrilled with the turnout of the opening morning.However, opening the doors to the first Chick-fil-A in Duluth wasn’t the only thing he was excited about. He said it’s an opportunity to raise his family in Duluth.Farr was raised in Anchorage, Alaska. He said he was ready to get closer to the outdoors, just like where he grew up.“I share a lot of values with the local community here. I like hiking, biking, fishing,” he said. “I really enjoyed growing up in Alaska and wanted to give my family the same experience.“According to the president of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, the outdoor experience in Duluth could help entice more businesses to move to the area.“I think in addition to being a great place to bring a business, if you’re a proprietor of a business, it can be a great place to have your family come along with you,” said Matt Baumgartner, the president of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce.Although the outdoor offerings might not be what brings in all businesses to the area, he said that he’s seen a trend in the right direction.“Just recently in this last few months of the fall, we’ve had at latest 16 to 20 new businesses open and they’re in a variety of sectors,” he said.He said that the timing isn’t random, but about weather.“I think any time you can get your business open in a time when the weather is still palatable, I think that’s really beneficial.”For Farr, he believes that the timing is going to be beneficial for business.“We’ve got Black Friday coming up and I think we’re just expecting the best.”Click here to download the Northern News Now app or our Northern News Now First Alert weather app.Copyright 2024 Northern News Now. All rights reserved.
The Bangalore Book Festival (BBF), once a marquee event in the city’s calendar, was last held in 2019. Then the pandemic happened. Despite multiple attempts since then, the festival has not made a return. Now, efforts are underway to bring BBF back in 2025.In the five-year gap since BBF’s last edition, several new book festivals have emerged in Bengaluru, primarily organised by private entities. Among these is the latest addition, Pustaka Sante, hosted by Kannada publisher Veeraloka Prakashana. The three-day event, featuring 100 Kannada book stalls, will take place from November 15 to 17 at Shalini Grounds, Jayanagar.“The event is entirely organised and funded by me, driven by my passion for promoting the Kannada language,” said Veerakaputra M. Srinivas, an industrialist and publisher. “Earlier this year, I held a similar exhibition at HSR Layout, which was well-received.”
Pustaka Sante, hosted by Kannada publisher Veeraloka Prakashana, will take place from November 15 to 17 in Jayanagar.
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Efforts on to revive BBFA. N. Ramachandran, President of the Bangalore Booksellers and Publishers Association, which organised BBF for 14 editions until 2019, highlighted the hurdles in reviving the festival. “The main challenge is funding and support. While many industries have recovered post-pandemic, book sales remain sluggish. We have struggled to secure sponsorship or government funding,” he said.He said book festivals in cities like Chennai and Delhi receive state government backing, which helps sustain them. “In the current economic climate, small booksellers and publishers cannot afford the high stall fees needed to make the festival self-sustaining,” he added. However, Ramachandran said efforts are on to revive BBF.A new visionMeanwhile, a newly formed group, the Karnataka Booksellers and Publishers Association, is also planning a book festival for Bengaluru, with an emphasis on Kannada literature.“One of the issues with BBF was its heavy focus on English books, which led to limited interest from the State government. Festivals like the Chennai Book Fair prioritise regional language books, which attract significant footfall,” said Guruprasad D.N., a member of the association and a publisher.We are planning to hold a book festival, with a focus on Kannada books, but not letting go of English books either,” he said. Published – November 15, 2024 06:33 am IST
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Maya Train delegation participated in the “World Travel Market 2024” to promote cultural and sustainable tourism.
The Maya Train, one of the most ambitious initiatives in the Mexican tourism sector, was present at the World Travel Market 2024 (WTM), the most important international fair in the tourism industry.
Held from November 5 to 7 at the ExCeL London exhibition center, this event brought together the main global players in tourism and served as a key platform to promote innovative destinations and projects.
The Maya Train took advantage of its participation to consolidate itself as a benchmark in cultural and sustainable tourism, highlighting its potential to connect travelers with the cultural and natural wealth of southeastern Mexico.
During its intervention, the project delegation, led by Germán Redondo Suárez, head of the Corporate and Commercial Strategy Unit, held more than 220 meetings with companies in the sector, seeking to strengthen its presence in international markets and establish new strategic alliances.
At the World Travel Market 2024, the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, highlighted the importance of the Maya Train as an engine of economic and tourism development for the southeast of Mexico, a project that promises to boost the region and improve connectivity between the most emblematic destinations of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Strategic Alliances and Promotion in the British MarketThe Maya Train not only took advantage of the fair to promote its routes, schedules, and rates, but also to present the innovative Maya Pass, an exclusive pass that facilitates the travel experience in this highly connected project. In addition, alliances were established with key companies in the tourism sector, such as Journey Latin America, Airalo, World2Meet (W2M), and Mexican Tours, to increase the visibility of the Maya Train in international markets, particularly in the United Kingdom.
The British public’s interest in diversifying their travel options was evident, and the Mayan Train positioned itself as a unique option for those seeking to discover the natural landscapes and ancestral cultures of southeastern Mexico while promoting sustainable tourism.
A Commitment to Sustainable TourismThe participation of the Mayan Train in the World Travel Market 2024 reaffirms its commitment to becoming a tourism project of international relevance. This event not only allowed the Mayan Train to show its potential as a proposal for cultural and sustainable tourism but also to consolidate its image as a bridge between the main global tourism trends and the riches of southeastern Mexico.
With these actions, the Mayan Train continues to take firm steps towards its positioning as a key driver for the tourist, cultural, and economic development of Mexico, highlighting the region as a unique and high-value destination for travelers from around the world.
TYT Newsroom
Dr Mazlina (seated third right) gestures during a photo call with participants and representatives of the workshop organisers.
KUCHING (Nov 15): The Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) Sarawak, in collaboration with the Tourism Productivity Nexus (TPN) and Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), successfully organised the Malaysia Tourism Excellence (MaTEx) Certification Workshop and Sustainable Tourism Action Plan, themed Driving Productivity, Excellence, and Sustainability in the Tourism Industry.
Held at the MPC Sarawak Complex yesterday, the workshop gathered 50 participants from the tourism sector, including business event venues, business event companies, product/site operators, and environmental and sustainability personnel from across Kuching.
The workshop aimed to enhance the quality and standards of the tourism industry through the MaTEx certification initiative and to develop industry readiness strategies for sustainable tourism practices.
Attending the event was TPN champion Rohizam Md Yusof, who is leading efforts to promote sustainable tourism practices and strengthen government-industry collaboration in driving digital transformation within the tourism sector.
In her welcoming speech, MPC Sarawak director Dr Mazlina Shafi’i emphasised the importance of this programme in strengthening the competitiveness of Sarawak’s tourism industry.
“Programmes like this not only bolster the standards of the tourism industry but also pave the way towards sustainable environmental conservation. Sarawak, as a prominent tourism destination, requires collective efforts and high commitment from all stakeholders to achieve sustainability.
“The MaTEx certification and sustainable tourism strategies established here will serve as guidance and encouragement for all parties to move forward with best practices that align with global demands,” she said.
“Through this workshop, we hope to build collaborative strategies with tourism industry players in Sarawak that aspire to bring about positive change and lead in excellence and sustainability. This is a collective initiative to ensure Sarawak remains relevant and competitive as a preferred global tourism destination.”
She said the MaTEx Certification Programme introduced here is expected to help Sarawak’s tourism industry enhance service and product quality, meeting both local and international tourist expectations.
Additionally, it empowers the industry with sustainable tourism strategies that will position Sarawak as a leading tourism destination committed to environmental sustainability in alignment with the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.
Mazlina said MPC encourages all tourism industry players to actively contribute to positive changes towards a productive, excellent and sustainable tourism industry, thereby helping to contribute to the economic growth of both the state and the nation.
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SA citizen scientists encouraged to join national koala survey – Science News Today – EIN Presswire
SA citizen scientists encouraged to join national koala survey – Science News Today – EIN Presswire
As President-elect Donald Trump is forming his cabinet and key leadership positions, the transition team is reportedly considering Andrew Puzder, former CEO of CKE Restaurants (the parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.), as a potential nominee for secretary of labor. Puzder, who was initially chosen by Trump for the post in 2017 but later withdrew, is known for advocating for reduced labor regulations that he argues hinder economic growth.
Other names in the running, according to multiple news reports, include Patrick Pizzella, former deputy secretary of labor, and Johnny C. Taylor Jr., CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Other names have been floated too, including Rep. Brandon Williams from New York. Each contender has a unique background that could shape the Department of Labor’s approach under a new administration.
If Puzder is selected, companies may expect a rollback of Biden-era regulations, particularly those expanding overtime pay and encouraging environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in retirement investments. Puzder’s record suggests a focus on reducing regulatory burdens on businesses, potentially making it easier for employers to classify workers as independent contractors rather than employees – a significant shift affecting wage-and-hour policies and benefits obligations.
However, Puzder’s past nomination faced scrutiny over issues like his stance on immigration and past personal controversies, which may complicate his confirmation.
Pizzella has a long history within the agency and favorable views within certain management-side labor circles. Pizzella, a key figure in the Trump-era Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, has emphasized collaboration with employers to address compliance without heavy penalties, a business-friendly approach likely to appeal to many companies. His familiarity with the DOL’s operations could mean a smooth transition and predictable regulatory environment for businesses.
Taylor, as head of SHRM, offers another distinct possibility. His tenure focused on advancing HR interests and workplace issues, providing a voice for business concerns on labor regulations. If chosen, Taylor could bridge labor policies with a more comprehensive understanding of HR practices, possibly influencing policies on workplace inclusivity, employee development, and labor relations.
Changes in the DOL’s leadership will significantly affect companies, particularly in areas related to labor classification, wage-and-hour policies, and workplace compliance. A business-aligned Labor Department may bring regulatory relief, yet companies should still prepare for potential legal and compliance shifts as the new administration establishes its priorities.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A family-owned Sioux Falls auto dealer has been sold this week.According to SiouxFalls.Business, the second-generation Sioux Falls business, Schulte Subaru, has been sold to Twin Cities-based Luther Automotive Group.Luther Automotive was founded in 1952 by Rudy Luther and has remained family-owned. The dealer represents more than 27 automotive brands, has more than 4,000 employees, and operates more than 45 dealerships across Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.Schulte Subaru, which will continue to carry the name, is the first in South Dakota to be purchased by Luther Automotive.