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Business Upturn
4 hours ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
William Briggs Sworn in as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration
By GlobeNewswire Published on July 23, 2025, 20:47 IST WASHINGTON, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on July 9, 2025, William (Bill) Briggs was sworn in as the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration at the SBA headquarters in Washington, D.C. 'I'm pleased to welcome Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs to the SBA as part of an incredible leadership team that is hard at work delivering results for America's job creators,' said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. 'With a strong record of service at the agency and in the private sector, Bill will be a tremendous asset as we work to restore the SBA as an engine for opportunity and economic growth – and advance President Trump's agenda that will Make Main Street Great Again.' 'It's an honor to be back at the SBA and to continue my work serving America's small businesses,' said SBA Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs. 'Under the leadership of President Trump and Administrator Loeffler, our job creators are poised for a historic era of growth, innovation and prosperity. I'm excited to deliver that comeback to Main Streets across America – by empowering them with the capital, counseling, and contracting opportunities to thrive.' Briggs previously served as Acting Associate Administrator for SBA's Office of Capital Access during the first Trump Administration, where he played a leading role in the development and implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Texas native and small business owner, Briggs brings over two decades of private sector experience to the role. # # # About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Hole in one: Pinhole pupilloplasty emerges as alternative to corneal transplants
Sometimes, it is the small innovations in health care, the repurposing of familiar procedures that holds the hope for a revolution. It is in the latter category that Pinhole Pupilloplasty (PPP) falls. Having been described initially in 2018, it has only recently emerged as a possible simple, low-cost alternative to corneal transplants. Amar Agarwal, chairman, Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospitals, who first described the procedure in 2018, says it was developed only as a technique to correct astigmatism and abrasions. 'For seven years now, we have been performing PPP to correct high levels of astigmatism – a condition where the cornea is conical. Since then, the technique has been picked up by ophthalmologists across the Russia, Vietnam too, apart from India. There is a small learning curve, but it will be easy enough for eye surgeons,' he explains. Those who have already started doing the PPP procedure will just have to apply it for corneal transplant situations, he adds. PPP uses the simple optics principle – of controlling the light that enters the eye, in order to clarify vision. The cornea is the transparent outer layer of the eye. It bends (refracts) light to help focus it, and the pupil is the dark circular opening in the centre of the iris. Its role, like the aperture in a camera, is to adjust size to control how much light enters the eye. While the corneal transplant tries to address the damage to the cornea, PPP tries to restore vision by tackling the pupil. In PPP, the size of the pupil is reduced surgically, to 1.5 mm, thus blocking peripheral vision and allowing focused central rays inside the eye, ensuring that the image is clear and without distortion. This can bring the patient back to near 20/20 vision immediately after surgery, Dr. Amar says. For instance, Subbalakshmi, a patient who has travelled from Australia to get the PPP procedure done in Chennai, says the moment the bandages were removed, three hours after surgery, she could see very well. 'Almost immediately, I knew the sharpness of my vision had improved significantly after surgery. If I was a 5-6 on a visual scale pre-surgery, after the procedure, I suddenly went up to a 9.5,' she says. Summoning another common metaphor to explain the scenario, Dr. Amar says: 'If you consider the cornea as the front window, and let's say it becomes damaged due to injury, or there is a tear, there is an opaque area, or the cornea is conical, which is what happens in astigmatism. What will happen is that the rays of light will not reach the retina comfortably. All these patients are going to need eye transplantation at some point.' The team at the hospital even worked with optics expert Jack T. Holladay to develop a pinhole pupil gauge, a tool used to gauge the pupil size suitable for each patient. 'When we did corneal transplants, we found that not all patients regained good vision, some continued to have a number of problems still – even if they could see, the vision was blurry,' explains Dr. Amar. 'That is when we said, 'hold on, why are we doing a transplant in this case, will PPP work better?' When we started seeing great results using PPP on these patients, it became clear that this was indeed a viable alternative to corneal transplants.' Since then, they have done a 100 procedures, and the results have been satisfactory. In contrast, corneal transplants come with chances of rejection, a long healing time, the need to take drugs for an extended period, and see-sawing visual fact, even no guarantee of restoration of vision,' he adds. While children with corneal injuries are ideal candidates for the procedure, it works on adults who have had corneal tears or scar formation as well, apart from injuries. 'In fact, if I have to choose between a corneal transplant and a PPP, I opt for the latter. Even when we perform corneal transplants, we do an extra PPP procedure, to improve the chances for the patient to see better,' Dr. Amar adds. Not all people waiting for a transplant will benefit from PPP, clarifies Soundari S., regional head, clinical services, Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospitals. Some people will still require corneal transplants, but using PPP on those who will benefit from this procedure will make it possible to reallocate the available donor corneas to those who need them. Given that globally, there are more than 20 million people waiting for a donor cornea, and there is a desperate shortage of corneas, any other technique that can restore vision will come as a boon to patients, Dr. Amar says.
News18
8 hours ago
- General
- News18
Delhi to add 2,856 modern bus queue shelters inspired by global designs
New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) The Delhi government will construct 2,856 modern bus queue shelters across the capital, drawing design models from global cities like London, Singapore and Moscow as well as Indian cities to offer commuters a smarter and more uniform travel experience. The government plans to replace outdated Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) shelters under this major revamp and expand the existing network with modern structures and innovative designs. These new shelters will feature digital display screens showing real-time bus arrival information, route maps, QR code-based feedback systems, solar panels for energy efficiency, CCTV cameras for enhanced security, USB charging ports and smart lighting to improve visibility and safety during night hours, an official told PTI. To achieve uniformity, 1,397 shelters have already undergone feasibility surveys and an additional 1,459 shelters are proposed for the next phase, bringing the total to 2,856, the official said. All 2,856 shelters will be taken under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with no expenditure from the Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (DTIDC), following a recent meeting chaired by the Delhi transport minister, he added. Among these, 250 are old-type DTC shelters, 1,580 are stainless steel modern shelters, and 191 are mild steel shelters installed through MP and MLA LAD funds. PTI NSM ANM NSM ANM KSS KSS (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 20:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Agriland
9 hours ago
- Business
- Agriland
CSO: Ireland had 6th most expensive food prices in 2024
Ireland was the sixth most expensive country in terms of food prices in 2024, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), published today, Wednesday, July 23. In its publication 'Price levels of food, beverages and tobacco 2024: How Ireland compares', a total of 36 countries in Europe were surveyed. The most expensive country for food was Switzerland, with Ireland ranked sixth having food prices which were 12% above the EU27 average and the least expensive listed as North Macedonia. Ireland was the third most expensive country in the Eurozone for 'bread & cereals', the sixth most expensive country for 'fruits, vegetables, & potatoes', the eighth most expensive for both 'milk, cheese & eggs, and fis'h, the ninth most expensive for 'meat', and the 12th most expensive for 'oils & fats'. In terms of alcoholic beverages, the most expensive country in the study was Iceland, while Ireland ranked fifth and Italy was the least expensive for alcoholic drinks. Ireland topped the list of countries for the most expensive non-alcoholic beverages and also tobacco in 2024, with prices for such beverages 40% higher than the EU27 average, The non-alcoholic beverages category included: coffee; tea; cocoa; mineral waters; soft drinks; concentrates; fruit juices; and vegetable juices. Turkiye was the least expensive for tobacco and North Macedonia had the cheapest non-alcoholic beverages. Commenting on the results, senior statistician in the Prices Division at CSO Ireland, Edel Flannery said: 'Looking at how the price levels of food, beverages, and tobacco in Ireland compared with other European countries in 2024, Ireland was the second most expensive country in the Eurozone and third most expensive of the 27 European Union (EU27) countries for food, with prices 12% above the average for the EU27. 'Of the 36 countries surveyed, food was the most expensive in Switzerland at 61% above the EU27 average, and the least expensive in North Macedonia at 27% below the EU27 average.' CSO The information is compiled from data collected as part of the Eurostat-OECD Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) programme, under which price data on food, beverages and tobacco in 2024 was collected by 36 European national statistical offices. Information for Ireland was collected by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The countries included in the analysis, in 2024, were: The 27 member states of the European Union (EU); The three European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland); The six candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkiye). In the 'Food, Beverages & Tobacco 2024' survey, prices were collected for 456 individual items covering the main broad categories including: Bread & Cereals; Meat; Fish; Milk, Cheese & Eggs; Oils & Fats; Fruits, Vegetables & Potatoes; Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. The results presented are based on the price levels for a fixed basket of items.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Karnataka gets 750 electric buses under PM-eBus Sewa scheme
) Karnataka has been allotted 750 electric buses under the Centre's PM-eBus Sewa scheme, but the government of Karnataka has been urging for direct subsidy instead of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) procurement model. In response to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP D. Veerendra Heggade, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu stated in Parliament that the Central Government had approved 750 e-buses for Karnataka under the scheme. 'As per the demand received from the State of Karnataka, a total of 750 electric buses have been sanctioned for all 10 eligible cities of the State under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme. Bengaluru and Udupi are not eligible as per the scheme's guidelines,' he said. Launched on August 16, 2023, the PM-eBus Sewa scheme aims to strengthen public transport systems by deploying 10,000 electric buses across India through a PPP model. 'Deployment of electric buses under the scheme is subject to completion of work related to associated infrastructure (behind-the-meter power and civil depot infrastructure). A total of 7,293 buses have been sanctioned so far out of which 6,518 buses have been tendered,' Mr. Sahu said. In Karnataka, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, and Mysuru have each been allocated 100 buses while the remaining five eligible cities have been sanctioned 50 buses each. City-wise allotment of buses under PM-eBus Sewa Scheme City Buses Belagavi 100 Hubballi-Dharwad 100 Kalaburagi 100 Mangaluru 100 Mysuru 100 Shivamogga 50 Tumakuru 50 Ballari 50 Vijayapura 50 Davanagere 50 Total 750 Source Ministry of housing and urban affairs However, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has criticised the current PPP approach. He emphasised that it was far more straightforward to procure and operate buses during the UPA era. 'Earlier, the Centre contributed 50% of the cost while the State and transport corporations shared the remaining 50% equally,' Mr. Reddy recalled. 'But now, under the NDA government, the subsidy is not given directly to States. Instead, private companies that win tenders receive the funding, own the buses, and are responsible for drivers and maintenance. The State-run corporations are only responsible for deploying conductors and paying the operator on a per-kilometre basis,' he added. Mr. Reddy has urged the Central Government to revert to the earlier model by directly providing financial assistance to State transport corporations for a more transparent and efficient rollout. Karnataka plans to introduce a total of 14,750 electric buses during the financial year 2025-26. A senior official from the Transport Department said that these buses would be procured through a combination of schemes, including PM-eBus Sewa, PM e-DRIVE, and other externally aided initiatives. In addition to the e-buses, the State intends to add 1,000 diesel buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, which involves hiring private operators to run State-owned buses.
