TRIBUNE News Service One year after the announcement of the plan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched projects under the smart cities mission in Pune, officially kick-starting the ambitious project of the government. Projects with a total investment of Rs.2,900 crore were also launched on Saturday in states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha under the Atal …

  AP When the U.S. housing bubble peaked a decade ago, soon to burst with far-reaching consequences, the pain was particularly severe for black and Hispanic Americans. A disproportionate number of minorities succumbed to subprime mortgages and foreclosures and lost their homes. Their collective loss of home equity and shift toward rental housing could widen America’s racial and ethnic divides …

  John Boitnott / TNS Every new customer converted is a battle won for a small business. It’s no easy task to reach a broad audience and convince strangers to trust your business with their money, especially when you lack the established reputation of a larger company. Luckily, there are many growth strategies for small businesses out there, from segmenting …

  Laas Geel / AFP Centuries have passed since Neolithic artists swirled red and white colour on the cliffs of northern Somalia, painting antelopes, cattle, giraffes and hunters carrying bows and arrows. Today, the paintings at Laas Geel in the self-declared state of Somaliland retain their fresh brilliance, providing vivid depictions of a pastoralist history dating back some 5,000 years …

  Our Correspondent EMIRATES BUSINESS Pizza is a universally loved food. When made right, it can be a magical eating experience. Nkdpizza is a unique pizza place where they serve a natural and healthy pizza with no preservatives. Nkdpizza is set out to improve the standards of pizza making in the UAE. The pizza place aims to handcraft one pizza …

  Our Correspondent EMIRATES BUSINESS Dubai Furniture Manufacturing Company LLC (DFMC), a market leader in premium mattress segment in Middle East, is offering 50 percent Buy back on any King Koil mattress and accessories throughout Summer and Ramadan. Each King Koil mattress is manufactured with cutting edge technology and designed with comfortable sleeping surface to provide optimal firmness and support …

  London / AFP Britain’s vote to leave the EU could open a period of turbulence for the country’s airline industry, which has soared under the EU’s Single European Sky system over the last two decades. Among the mass of agreements that Britain will have to renegotiate with Brussels are those governing flights between Britain and the rest of the European …

  New Delhi / TNS It can’t get any cheaper. Major Indian low-fare airlines have slashed fares by at least 30% to beat the lean season. From June to mid-October, it is lean season for airlines, while the summer quarter of April to June is peak travel season as schools close for holidays. “We have noticed that fares have come …

  Indianapolis / Bloomberg Finish Line Inc. surged the most in more than seven years after beating first-quarter expectations in a weak retail environment, helped by strong sales of Adidas brand shoes. Sales rose 2.3 percent to $453.5 million in the quarter ended May 28, the Indianapolis-based company said in a statement. Analysts estimated $567.9 million, on average. Profit was …

  New York / Bloomberg Veritas Capital, a New York based private-equity firm, is the leading bidder to acquire Airbus Group SE’s aircraft maintenance and repair unit Vector Aerospace Corp., according to people familiar with the matter. If successful, the buyout firm plans to combine the unit, which could fetch as much as $800 million, with its existing portfolio company …