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According to data from the third fiscal quarter of 2023, business for Japanese paper companies is still difficult after the Covid-19 pandemic. The performance of only a few paper companies has improved, while the performance of most paper companies is still sluggish. Analysts said that the decline in paper company performance was mainly due to weak market demand; while the profits growth mainly benefited from the increase in paper and paperboard prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common sense, often seen as universal knowledge or beliefs that are obvious to everyone, is actually more idiosyncratic than previously thought. A study conducted by Duncan Watts and Mark Whiting at the University of Pennsylvania found that common sense is not common at all, with very few statements being agreed upon by the majority of people. The study also revealed that demographic factors such as age, education level, and political leaning were not linked to an individual's common sense. The findings have implications for various areas, including artificial intelligence and public health, where common sense plays a significant role. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: This study examines the impact of raising the ceiling value of Electronic Commerce Custom Declarations (ECCD) on Turkey's export performance processed via ECCD during the COVID-19 period. Design/methodology/approach: This paper examines the impact of the pandemic conditions on Cross-Border Electronic Commerce (ECCD) exports from Turkey to 47 countries over 42 months before and during the pandemic. An empirical analysis using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) and Mean Group (MG), Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach was conducted to identify the factors affecting export flows. Findings: The findings suggest that raising the ceiling of the ECCD trade is a vital factor in increasing exports. and this result is robust after controlling for pandemic conditions. On the other hand, although the COVID-19 shock mitigates the export volume of ECCD in the short run, it changes by reversal and increases the export level in the long run. Additionally, the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Turkey have a significant and negative impact on export flows in the short run, while they have a positive and significant effect in the long run. Practical implications: The results of this study have practical implications for policymakers, emphasizing the potential and significance of Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) trade. Originality/value: The study is a pioneering effort in the literature of CBEC to explore how changes in the upper limit on customs declarations can affect export flows, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jennybird Alcantara's paintings exhibit a bittersweet charm, blending sentimental sweetness with hidden gloomy shadows. Her work, influenced by nature and animal motifs, explores the balance between darkness and light. Alcantara's art features recurring animals like deer and rabbits, symbolizing human emotions and instincts. While she aims to highlight connections between sentient beings and their environment, she does not view her work as political. Alcantara overcomes art blocks by painting and encourages working on multiple pieces simultaneously. She draws inspiration from human dualities and experiences, incorporating patterns and rich palettes in her recent works. In her spare time, Alcantara enjoys spending time with her husband, dogs, and engaging in crafting projects and decorating. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the importance of measuring and evaluating entrepreneurial ecosystems to understand their impact on innovation and economic performance. The authors propose a choice-based predictive analytics approach called the Startup Cartography Project (SCP) that provides comprehensive and publicly accessible entrepreneurial ecosystem statistics for different regions in the United States. The SCP includes metrics such as the Startup Formation Rate, Entrepreneurial Quality Index, Regional Entrepreneurship Cohort Potential Index (RECPI), and Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Index. The research shows that certain governance and intellectual property characteristics predict firm quality, and the rate of high-growth-potential entrepreneurship follows a cyclical pattern. The article also explores the impact of state-level tax credits on entrepreneurship, the real-time assessment of entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 pandemic, the influence of political beliefs on entrepreneurship, and the potential for entrepreneurship to drive inclusive growth. The authors aim to integrate these insights into a more holistic view of entrepreneurial policy and interventions. [Extracted from the article]

Amy Ryan, a 56-year-old actress, discusses various personal experiences in an interview. She talks about dancing in front of mirrors as a child, staying up late to search for a lost bracelet, indulging in cookies-and-cream ice cream, keeping a troll doll from high school as a superstition, and finding humor in her dog's antics with toilet paper. The interview provides a glimpse into Ryan's personal life and interests. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the significance of disease and economic surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on India. It emphasizes the need for accurate information on the spread and impact of the virus, as well as the effectiveness of interventions. The article presents research papers that examine various aspects of the disease in India, including infection rates, mortality burden, and economic impact. It also discusses the challenges and limitations of surveillance methods and the importance of adapting strategies as more information becomes available. The article further examines the actions taken by households in India to protect their income and vital consumption during the pandemic, such as switching occupations and prioritizing essential goods. The study concludes that a combination of social insurance and informal credit markets helped to mitigate the impact on consumption. [Extracted from the article]

Inflation has risen sharply in many countries since the COVID-19 outbreak. Economists have debated the underlying causes. In this paper, we examine the drivers of the global import price inflation, which peaked at approximately 11 percent a year. We find that a common global component closely tracks movements in aggregate U.S. import prices until late 2022. Afterward, idiosyncratic U.S. demand shocks started to dominate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to facilitate researchers, practitioners and policymakers in understanding and managing the impact of the black swan event – COVID-19 on work from home in the social science subject area through bibliometric analysis. For this purpose, the authors analyzed publications from the Scopus database. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the authors conducted bibliometric analysis based on two major techniques: performance analysis and science mapping. The authors applied VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to address the research questions of present study. The study explored the hot trend topics and summarized them with discussions and implications. Findings: Based on the analysis of 500 publications, the authors present an overview of performance and science mapping from the perspective of different aspects such as publication output and authors. Also, authors visualized the text mining by co-word analysis forming nine clusters as well as mapping trend topics. The existing publications were divided into ten clusters according to different keyword analyses: Leadership, Mental health, Technology, Crisis Management, Gender, Challenges, well-being and Work-life balance. Research limitations/implications: Sample from the Scopus database is not exhaustive, and the dataset may be skewed due to the adoption of the selection criteria. The authors' concentration was on academic publications in English that excludes potentially intriguing and pioneering studies done in other languages. The study area was limited to social science only. Practical implications: The paramount lesson is that the COVID-19 quandary is multifaceted, necessitating not simply adaptations to current strategies but also an understanding and analysis of advancements in the economy, commerce and society. According to the analysis presented above, to overcome the COVID-19 "black swan event", managers must think ahead. The analysis gives leaders and decision-makers a range of useful information on work from home (WFH) difficulties in COVID-19, as well as initiatives and revisions that must be implemented at the economic, social and scientific aspects when dealing with such uncertainties. The findings also aid managers in forecasting the need for sophisticated technology, organizational agility and resilience to attain the desired direction of progress. Originality/value: With a focus on addressing WFH during COVID-19 from social science perspective and to synthesize its future research directions systematically, the authors performed Bibliometric analysis both with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, in order to enhance the overall analysis for higher accuracy and more reliable results that is unique value addition and contribution to the existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about the "Street Sense," a Washington's periodical that has been helping unhoused individuals earn income and tell their stories for the past 20 years.Topics include the positive impact of Street Sense on unhoused individuals' lives and the organization's struggle to secure funding for its operations in the face of declining donations and decreased newspaper sales.

The document is a collection of email exchanges discussing various topics related to technology and entrepreneurship. The first email expresses interest in a workshop on pattern discovery and its application to entrepreneurial leadership. The second email acknowledges the interest and suggests reading a paper on pattern recognition applied to Explainable AI. The third email discusses a counter-argument to a piece on China's role and activities, highlighting the importance of IP theft costs and the author's briefing on the topic. The fourth email discusses the reasons behind the changing economic landscape, including the impact of COVID-19, layoffs, housing, and AI. The fifth email discusses the need for trusted autonomy in autonomous vehicles and the role of trust in people's perception of risk. The final email discusses the potential of a structural battery made of carbon fiber and graphene's potential in battery technology. [Extracted from the article]

This article is a personal account of Tori Denyer's home renovation project. Tori and her husband purchased a four-bedroom Victorian semi-detached house in 2016 that needed updating. They started with small renovations, such as removing a blocked-up fireplace and knocking down a wall to create an open-plan living area. Over time, they saved up and embarked on a larger renovation, including an extension for a kitchen-diner/living area and a loft conversion for a main bedroom with an en suite. The article provides tips and ideas for home renovations and includes photos of the finished project. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the importance of local newspapers in Australia and the crisis they are currently facing. It highlights the closure of many local news outlets due to the shift towards digital advertising, creating news "deserts" in certain geographic areas. The article suggests targeted interventions and support for local news, such as tax cuts for journalistic salaries, a tech levy to support local journalism, and responsible advertising spend. It also emphasizes the need for news companies to take responsibility and invest in relevant and reliable local content. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of two typical relationship management approaches (trust relationship with suppliers and reciprocity) on manufacturer resilience in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, this paper aims to deepen the understanding of environmental uncertainty's moderating effect on the association between the trust relationship with suppliers (TRS) and reciprocity. Design/methodology/approach: Structural equation modeling has been used to test the hypotheses on 361 Chinese manufacturing firms' managers and independent directors during the COVID-19 crisis. Findings: The results reveal that reciprocity positively enhances three dimensions of manufacturer resilience, namely, preparedness, responsiveness and recovery capability. Reciprocity positively mediates the relationships between TRS and preparedness, responsiveness and recovery capability. Moreover, environmental uncertainty moderates the association between TRS and reciprocity. Practical implications: This study highlights the critical role of reciprocity, the relational governance approach, in enhancing manufacturer resilience in practice. This paper suggests that during emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, managers should adopt trust and reciprocity in supplier relationship governance to strengthen the resilience of manufacturing companies and adapt effective strategies according to the environment. Originality/value: This study is unique in developing new scales of manufacturer resilience through interviews and surveys with Chinese manufacturers and theoretical research. Based on the social capital theory and social exchange theory, this study shed light on the role of trust and reciprocity. It also bridges relational governance theory with the literature on manufacturing firm resilience literature to help manufacturers better understand the transdisciplinary links between relationship management and resilient operations in emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent study conducted in remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia has shown promising results in reducing the prevalence of skin sores among children. Skin sores, which are highly contagious and can lead to serious health issues if left untreated, are particularly common among Aboriginal children in these communities. The study, called the SToP program, focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing skin sores and scabies. Through a combination of training healthcare workers, community members, and school staff, as well as implementing prevention activities such as creating educational materials and conducting regular skin checks, the program successfully halved the rate of skin sores among children in the communities. However, the study also found that the uptake of recommended treatments at the clinics was low, possibly due to high staff turnover and treatment preferences. The researchers emphasize the importance of continuing to partner with local Aboriginal communities and incorporating community voices in future studies to ensure the success of skin disease control programs. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a compilation of various articles about different bars and cocktail trends in America. It highlights 11 new bars that offer unique and immersive experiences, showcasing the creativity and diversity of the drinking culture. The articles discuss specific bars such as a lesbian bar in San Francisco, a tropical lounge in Baltimore, and a quirky bar in Portland known for its murals and creative drinks. It also explores trends in the bar industry, including the rise of queer bars, savory cocktails, spirit-free drinks, listening bars, and destination drinking experiences. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the impact of gallery closures on artists' practices and prices. It highlights several galleries that have closed, such as Sarah Cottier Gallery, Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Jan Murphy Gallery, MAY SPACE, and Gallery Barry Keldoulis. The article explores how these closures have affected the artists represented by these galleries and their ability to maintain their prices and continue their artistic careers. It emphasizes the importance of gallery advocacy for artists during times of closure. [Extracted from the article]

Last week, several policy papers were published in the United Kingdom. One paper titled "Flex and Match: A new Skills Levy for growth and opportunity" suggests broadening the apprenticeship levy into a new Skills Levy to give employers more flexibility in spending their levy on training in priority areas, as long as they also invest in apprenticeships for young people. Another paper, called "Manifesto for Lifelong Learning," emphasizes the need to address the UK's skills challenges holistically. Lastly, an evaluation report titled "The Development of Accredited Digital Higher Education Distance Learning Opportunities for Prisoners" explores the feasibility of providing accredited digital higher education distance learning opportunities for people in prison, in response to COVID-19. [Extracted from the article]

Last week, several policy papers were published in the United Kingdom. One paper titled "Flex and Match: A new Skills Levy for growth and opportunity" suggests expanding the apprenticeship levy into a new Skills Levy to allow employers more flexibility in how they spend their levy on training. However, this would only be possible if they also invest in apprenticeships for young people. Another paper, called "Manifesto for Lifelong Learning," emphasizes the need to address the UK's skills challenges holistically. Lastly, an evaluation report titled "The Development of Accredited Digital Higher Education Distance Learning Opportunities for Prisoners" explores the feasibility of providing accredited digital higher education distance learning opportunities for incarcerated individuals in response to COVID-19. [Extracted from the article]

This document provides a list of recently published policy papers. The first paper discusses proposed VAT changes for independent schools in England, with the Labour Party suggesting the removal of current exemptions. The second paper focuses on a report criticizing the Office for Students' approach to regulation, highlighting concerns about its relationship with students and providers. The third paper provides an overview of school attendance rules in England, particularly addressing concerns about increased absence since the COVID pandemic. The fourth paper examines educational outcomes, attendance, exclusion, barriers to participation, and progress to higher education for Romani people and Travellers in England. Lastly, the document includes a briefing on youth unemployment statistics in the UK, including comparisons with other EU countries. [Extracted from the article]

Jeanne Marrazzo, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is focused on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the rise of drug-resistant superbugs. Climate change is contributing to the problem of AMR by affecting livestock health, increasing human mobility, and disrupting clean water supplies. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation by increasing the use of antibiotics and delaying diagnoses and treatments. Despite the severity of the issue, there is limited investment in developing solutions due to the low return on investment compared to other drugs. Public understanding of the dangers of antibiotic overuse is lacking, and trust in public health information has been undermined by misinformation during the pandemic. In addition to AMR, Marrazzo is concerned about influenza and the potential for another pandemic, especially in vulnerable populations. [Extracted from the article]

What Does a New White Paper Tell Us About China's International Aid? China's new white paper on international development cooperation has spurred a renewed debate around the Chinese government's aid. According to the white paper published in 2014, China spent 89.34 billion RMB on aid, including 32.32 billion RMB in the form of grants (36.2 percent of the total) from 2010 to 2012. [Extracted from the article]

The annual International Society for Music Information Retrieval (ISMIR) conference is the world's leading research forum on processing, searching, organizing and accessing music-related data. The 23rd International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference (ISMIR 2022) was held from 04--08 December, 2022 at the National Science Seminar Complex, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. ISMIR 2022 is the first ever ISMIR conference to take place in India. Due to the changing global landscape as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 23rd ISMIR conference became the first hybrid ISMIR conference, with both in-person and remote participants. The scientific program of the single-track conference comprised two keynotes, 113 research papers, six tutorials, 13 music pieces and five special sessions. The conference also included a Women in MIR (WiMIR) plenary session, industry presentations, a late-breaking/demo session, five satellite events, and multiple social events that showcased the rich musical and cultural heritage of India. In this report, we present a summary of the event, highlighting some unique challenges we faced organizing the hybrid conference and reflecting on the event for future improvements. Date: 04--08 December 2022. Website: https://ismir2022.ismir.net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study conducted by the University Utara Malaysia examined the effect of reading on paper versus reading on screens on the inferential reading performance of Pakistani ESL learners at the university level. The study found that the learners performed significantly better on the paper-based reading test compared to the screen-based reading test, particularly in the area of creating skills. These findings have implications for selecting reading modes, improving digital competence, and understanding the impact of reading mode shifts in developing countries with limited IT resources and digital literacy among ESL learners. The full research article can be accessed for free through the provided link. [Extracted from the article]

The article features a quick Q&A with artist Hiro, who discusses the challenges of balancing creation with family and society, his goals as an artist, and the importance of feedback in his artistic journey. Hiro also shares his approach to staying relevant in the contemporary art world by integrating traditional Japanese painting techniques with digital tools and kimono designs. The article showcases some of Hiro's artwork, highlighting his use of mineral pigments and mica on Kochi hemp paper. [Extracted from the article]

The document provides a list of publications by the CIS (Centre for Independent Studies) as of November 2023. The publications include research reports, analysis papers, policy papers, occasional papers, public submissions to the government, and chapters in external books. The topics covered in the publications range from social justice and Indigenous voices to democracy, economics, education, and political ideologies. The document aims to contribute to policy reform and promote a diverse range of perspectives on various issues. [Extracted from the article]

In the UK, Metsä Tissue's main brand is Katrin, a paper towel and toilet roll brand used by corporate and professional clients. (Bloomberg) -- Finnish company Metsä Tissue is building a new paper mill in the Humber estuary of northeast England, in an investment worth hundreds of millions of pounds that will create 400 jobs. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers insight to policy papers published in Great Britain related to education. Topics include COVID-19 announcements affecting the Higher Education and Further Education sectors in England from January 2021; latest statistics on youth unemployment; and the support for disabled students in higher education in England.

Mills & Boon, the iconic romance publisher, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Australia. The genre of romance novels has seen a surge in popularity, with books going viral on platforms like TikTok and Mills & Boon selling a book every two seconds worldwide. The publisher has a long history, starting as a jack-of-all-trades publishing house before becoming known for romance in the 1930s. During World War I and the Great Depression, Mills & Boon provided readers with an escape and a promise of a happy ending. The genre has evolved over the years, with debates about feminism and power dynamics, and Australian authors have made significant contributions to the franchise. Romance novels continue to provide readers with a universal and compelling experience, offering a guaranteed happy ending. [Extracted from the article]

A patent application has been filed for a new type of sanitary tissue product sheet refill. The application highlights the shortcomings of using cloth towels for hand drying, such as the growth of bacteria and inconvenience of frequent washing. It also addresses the limitations of using traditional paper towel rolls in bathrooms, including aesthetic concerns and the potential for waste and contamination. The proposed solution is a package of sanitary tissue product sheets that can be conveniently added to a dispenser, providing a more hygienic and practical option for hand drying in bathrooms. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to recognise the role of information and communication technology (ICT) tools in different sectors like Education, Health Care, Business, FMCG and Entertainment in the phase of social distancing. This study also attempts to provide a quantitative review of the scholarly literature on this topic. Design/methodology/approach: A comprehensive literature evaluation was undertaken using a database encompassing 150 English-language papers with publication dates ranging from 2019 to 2021. The research profile and thematic analysis are presented through a comprehensive content analysis, resulting in four themes. The study reviews various research articles and reports related to social distancing and opens a discussion on the growing importance of ICT tools during this COVID-19 era. Findings: ICT acts as a surviving tool for the economy by creating a virtual environment and helping people to stay socially connected during this pandemic. There is a lack of empirical evidence to support the facts so further research is required. Research limitations/implications: There are two drawbacks to the current study. Firstly, this study established a rigorous review methodology in which the researchers opted to exclude any grey literature, non-peer-reviewed articles, books, notes and book chapters from consideration. These sources could have had pertinent literature. Secondly, even after protocol's rigour and numerous rounds of checks by a team of academicians and researchers, an anomaly may have sneaked into the evaluation. Originality/value: The current study contributes to the growing literature on ICT tools particularly in this phase of social distancing. This paper highlights the need for future research in this area supported by different statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the consumers stripped supermarket operators' shelves bare of many paper products and household cleaning supplies during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include retailers expanded their product sourcing to include new manufacturers, instituted policies to limit purchase; and Mich.-based SpartanNash, sales of household cleaning and paper products have more than doubled in the last 12 weeks.

The article focuses on the artwork of Irmari Nacht, who transforms discarded books into sculptures as a way to raise awareness about recycling and environmental changes. It discussed that her creations are influenced by the chaos of the world, including the coronavirus pandemic, and she aims to find order and meaning through the process of repurposing materials.

The story of springs revealing aquifers, exploitation of groundwater, declining water pressure and the subsequent loss of oases has been retold time and again around the globe. Desert springs or oases have empowered people throughout history and across cultures. In other places around the world, springs are fed by "fossil water" - with no rainfall currently entering the aquifer, the system must have been replenished during wetter climates of the distant past. Likewise, the ancient Egyptians consulted a human oracle at the Siwa oasis, which is sustained by desert springs. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses two papers published in the Annals of Family Medicine that explore the impact of technology on medical practice and the adaptation of doctors. The first paper examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in monitoring asthma exacerbations in patients of all ages, including children under 5. The researchers found that AI analysis of home stethoscope recordings alone can efficiently detect asthma exacerbation. The second paper focuses on the psychological well-being of family physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to virtual care. It found that family physicians who had little choice in using virtual care had lower well-being, while satisfaction of their workplace psychological needs was associated with higher well-being. [Extracted from the article]

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The article offers information about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 disease. It mentions that lack of certainty is reflected in the research papers produced by the Government's Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-committees and by the new Independent SAGE. It also mentions that school staff do not need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) except in exceptional circumstances.

The pandemic responses of Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, North Carolina, offer insights on how navigating the COVID-19 crisis can inform district and school practices to curb student absenteeism and support student engagement in learning. Guilford used ESSER money to develop pandemic response programs that addressed wide-ranging and shifting student needs stemming from the pandemic. Authors Ayesha K. Hashim, Clark Wright, Sonya Stephens, and Miles Davison discuss seven key insights into how the district transitioned those programs to help engage students after the pandemic while working to ease absentee rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the global expansion of cocktail culture, highlighting bars in various countries that embrace local ingredients and cultural identity in their drinks. It explores how bars in Singapore, Thailand, Colombia, and Mexico are redefining traditional cocktail recipes by incorporating indigenous flavors and fermentation techniques. The text also touches on sustainability practices in cocktail-making, showcasing how bars in Seoul, Singapore, and Colombia prioritize zero waste and local sourcing. Overall, the article emphasizes the shift towards creativity, locality, and cultural storytelling in the evolving landscape of cocktail bars worldwide. [Extracted from the article]