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'Whatever means necessary': How these insiders tricked Loblaws shoppers into signing up for credit cards
Past employees come forward with stories of targeting 'low income' shoppers and 'faked signatures'
They're young, they're cocky and in a rare interview, they're dishing about the tricks they used to sign up thousands of customers for President's Choice Financial MasterCards.
"When we were all in the field, it was mostly do whatever means necessary to get them to sign up for a credit card," said one man who recently left the job after two years.
He and two other men interviewed by CBC News have all worked for SDI Marketing — a national firm hired by PC Financial to get customers shopping in Loblaws-owned stores to apply for the bank's MasterCard products.
PC Financial is a banking company owned by Loblaw Cos. Ltd.
The three men are speaking out after Loblaws claimed a Go Public investigation featuring a Toronto customer who was unknowingly signed up for a credit card was a "rare" occurrence. CBC has agreed not to identify the workers.
The men admit that over the past two years, they've often misled customers — telling people they were only signing up for free PC Points, a free bag of cookies on "customer appreciation day," or an "information package" about store products.
In reality, they were scanning customers' personal IDs — to "verify they lived in the neighbourhood" — and submitting applications for credit cards with a 19.97 per cent interest rate.
'Turned a blind eye'
All three men said the deception was condoned by SDI management.
"They knew exactly what all the salesmen were saying in the field to get those high numbers of applications and they just turned a blind eye," one worker said, as his colleagues nodded in agreement.
Lower income people … are more susceptible to a slick-talking salesperson.- SDI Marketing employee
The workers said they got "zero training" from head office and were all hired through friends after "a two-minute phone call" with an SDI manager. They said they were often pressured to sign up 50 customers in a six-hour shift.
"If those goals were not met, they'd question us," one worker said. "And pressure us to get those sales by whatever means necessary."
Management didn't emphasize, they said, that under federal law, customers must willingly consent to applying for a credit card.
Go Public also heard from former SDI employees who said they were trained to mislead customers.
Phil Chiu only lasted one week at a No Frills store in Newcastle, Ont. After he signed up 11 people on his first day, his manager told him: "The quota here is 20."
Canadians coast-to-coast also wrote to Go Public to say they, too, were unknowingly signed up for credit cards while shopping in Loblaws-owned stores.
Some have filed complaints with the Competition Bureau, which has told them an investigator has been assigned.
Workers targeted the poor, young people
The three anonymous insiders said their managers encouraged them to approach people who appeared to be low income.
When one of the men was posted in a poor Toronto neighbourhood, he recalled his manager saying, "That's a low-income No Frills. You're going to kill it."
I literally pictured a dollar sign over their heads.- SDI Marketing employee
"Lower-income people need those 20,000 grocery points," his colleague added.
"So they are more susceptible to a slick-talking salesperson than say, somebody who shops in [the wealthy Toronto neighbourhood of] Forest Hill and has two degrees."
Many SDI workers earn $13 an hour, plus commission. But these insiders worked on commission only — up to $10 per credit card application, claiming they often earned over $100 an hour.
Young people were easy targets, too, the men said, because they typically have less financial literacy.
"When young people walked into the store, I literally pictured a dollar sign over their heads," one worker said.
Simon Fraser University student Brooke Ancell said she was approached by an SDI worker at her local Superstore in Coquitlam, B.C., last November and asked if she'd like a PC Points card.
The male employee scanned the 19-year-old's driver's licence and asked how much she earned annually. When she told him her salary was about $8,000 a year, she said he instead wrote down $15,000.
He then directed her to a nearby booth where she thought she would pick up her points card. It turned out to instead be a PC Financial MasterCard.
"And I'm like, 'What is this?'" says Ancell. "We went from PC Points to now a credit card. It was a bit shocking to me; I didn't have words."
Banks like PC Financial and others are making big profits on their credit cards.
According to a report by Canaccord Genuity, Canadians owe $60 billion on their plastic — an amount that represents three per cent of all bank loans, but generates 10 per cent of loan profits.
Credit card use is also increasing; in 2015, purchases on cards went up by 15 per cent over the year prior.
Company says it has retrained entire workforce
After Go Public's initial story last November, both Loblaws and PC Financial said complaints about its method for securing credit card customers were uncommon.
SDI Marketing now says it has retrained "100 per cent of all reps" working in Loblaws-owned stores, requiring them to "complete and pass a series of exams."
Workers also have to sign a "code of ethics agreement" and SDI says a number of employees have been fired.
Loblaws declined an interview request, as did PC Financial. But in a statement, the bank said it is exploring "the use of new technologies to monitor the in-store activities of our third-party representatives."
Committing fraud to sign up customers
In addition to the misleading tactics the workers said were encouraged by SDI managers, one of the men said being on commission led him to commit fraud by faking customers' signatures on credit card applications.
That's what Muriel Vatcher says happened to her.
After receiving a PC Financial MasterCard in the mail about a week after unknowingly being signed up while shopping at a Real Canadian Superstore in St. Thomas, Ont., Vatcher demanded to see a copy of the submitted application.
Her signature, she said, was clearly forged.
"I was absolutely horrified," says Vatcher. "I was speechless. I couldn't believe somebody could do that."
Her husband, Dave, understands why workers on commission might be tempted to fudge things.
"I can't blame them for twisting the rules to make some money," Dave Vatcher says. "But the bank and the stores — they're using that against the customers."
Watchdog calls for more consumer protection
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre says bank regulators need to do a better job of ensuring Canada's Bank Act is being followed and that people are fully aware when they're signing up for credit cards.
"If the banks won't stop targeting people in places like grocery stores, when they have their guard down, then the regulators should look at putting regulations in that just don't let them do it anymore," executive director John Lawford said.
"Will the FCAC [Financial Consumer Agency of Canada] do a mystery shop [in Loblaws stores]?" he added. "Getting out and … seeing where credit cards are really signed up for is step one."
That is echoed by the SDI workers who say they want shoppers to really know what's going on.
"This is not a person giving you free points or free cookies," one worker said. "You're applying for a financial product."
Submit your story ideas
Go Public is an investigative news segment on CBC-TV, radio and the web.
We tell your stories and hold the powers that be accountable.
We want to hear from people across the country with stories they want to make public.
Submit your story ideas at Go Public.
Follow @CBCGoPublic on Twitter.
With files from James Roberts


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Although we aware that toxins and harmful chemicals are all around us, they usually do not care about their presence in hygiene products. However, care should be taken the next time you go to buy a cleanser or shampoo and conditioner set.
Unfortunately, manufacturers can put any toxic chemical in shampoos and other products such as the FDA allows a strange list of chemicals that are used in these products, including known carcinogens that contribute to problems of failure liver and endocrine.
Namely, a recent study found that many companies have not been honest about what they really are chemicals in their products.
The analysis by Environmental Health Center based in Oakland, California, said at least 98 of shampoos and investigated soaps included a carcinogen known as cocamide diethanolamine (cocamide DEA). It is a very controversial ingredient, but it is common in many body care products, which has landed four manufacturers of personal care a lawsuit in California.
However, when presented by Environmental Health Center after discovering cocamide DEA these companies face enormous consequences for their actions. Namely, it is illegal (Proposition 65) for manufacturers to use certain substances and do not warn consumers about them and their effects.
This chemical in the product we use should worry too much, as the foam stabilizer and bulking agent is a possible carcinogen. In fact, after a study last year found to cause cancer in laboratory animals, which was banned in the state of California.
Believe it or not, some of their companies pampering and favorite hair can use this ingredient. The list of these famous brands include Colgate, Palmolive, Paul Mitchell, Prell, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Kohl and many others.
Furthermore, laboratory tests found that this carcinogen is also used in children’s products, including Kmart brand of bubble bath and shampoo / conditioner Babies R Us.
So far in relation to the fact that the lawsuit was launched last year, only three companies have agreed to reformulate their products.
However, it is necessary to be aware of the negative effects of these chemicals, and seek a better alternative for them.
Therefore, in order to protect their own health, you should be aware of what you are putting in your mouth and in your body. This means that you should carefully choose what hygiene products for purchase in the future.
The truth is that your money does not end in companies that have not marked this chemical carcinogen in its products. Moreover, in order to protect their own health and the health of your whole family, you can also learn to prepare your own natural shampoo, or you can choose to buy only proven, ecological brands.

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The targets for the fair included creating awareness of Perstorp amongst German end-users (farmers) and promoting ProSid™ MI 700 – our latest innovation in the field of non-corrosive mould inhibitors. Eurotier 2012 was also the first opportunity to personally introduce ProPhorce™ SR, which was deliberately launched shortly before the exhibition to promote top-of-mind with visitors. A completely new stand was designed to enable us to reach these targets.
“We are very satisfied with the exhibition”, said Tony Toebak, Market Communications Manager of Perstorp Performance Additives. “In addition to doing well in terms of the objectives we set, it was obvious that our long-term efforts are paying off. Perstorp’s brand awareness is clearly increasing in the feed market. We are building a reliable image in the market, so now many key decision makers have ‘visit Perstorp to discuss feed additives’ on their to-do list for the exhibition”.
Largest livestock show ever
In terms of exhibitors (2445 from 51 countries) Eurotier 2012 has already established itself as the largest livestock show ever. The 27% growth in exhibitors is mainly due to the vastly increased interest by international companies. The expected visitor numbers were around 160.000. Final numbers are yet to be released.


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Sean Zanini / Getty Images
BY MIA RISHER FEB 7, 2022
The Brooklyn Museum will honor the life of late artist and fashion designer Virgil Abloh in an exhibit opening this summer. Titled “Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech”, the exhibit is set to open July 1, 2022 and will run until January 29, 2023 showcasing Abloh’s numerous creative ventures throughout his lifetime. The retrospective builds on the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago’s 2019 exhibit, the first show that ever covered the artist. Organized by curators Michael Darling and Antwaun Sargent, “Figures of Speech” will be the first exhibit on Abloh since his passing in 2021.
Virgil Abloh was an influential Chicago-born designer most famous for his role as the Creative Director for Louis Vuitton and for founding Off-White, a high end streetwear luxury fashion label. This past year, Abloh tragically passed away after a two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare cancer, at age 41. Abloh was an influential trailblazer and his impact on the fashion industry will be remembered forever.
While the Brooklyn Museum has not given out too many details about the upcoming exhibit, we can expect to see work spanning the entirety of Abloh’s life including personal art and pieces from Abloh’s tenure at Louis Vuitton, Off-White, Nike, and much more.
“Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech” is set to open July 1, 2022 at the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn.


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By Mack Hogan
2016 will be a big year for Toyota, with a variety of updates coming to the Toyota and Scion lines. These new models will bring increased safety, convenience, and efficiency to the lineup. Below are the models that are either all new or significantly updated.
For 2016, Toyota makes their best-in-class Avalon even better. The current Avalon made headlines when it came to the market for the 2013 model year. No one had made a full size car as comfortable, quiet, high-quality, and stylish as the Avalon. To stay in the lead, Toyota is refreshing the…


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Bill Ford, Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett, right, shakes hands with Lions vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. during pregame warmups.
DETROIT, MI - Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, announced Tuesday it has purchased the Van Tuyl Group, the largest privately held car dealership group in the United States.
The resulting company and dealer network has been renamed Berkshire Hathaway Automotive. It is the fifth-largest car dealer among all auto dealership groups in the U.S., with more than $9 billion in revenue and 81 independently operated dealerships, and more than 100 franchises across Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas.
"This is the beginning of a journey that will have no end," Buffett said in a statement. "Cecil and Larry (Van Tuyl) have given us the ideal platform with which to build an auto dealership business that will be thriving and growing 50 and 100 years from now."
Berkshire Hathaway Automotive is headquartered in Dallas. Jeffrey C. Rachor, formerly Van Tuyl Group's president, has been named the company's CEO.
"Our partners and 10,000 plus associates are extremely proud and excited about the bright future as Berkshire Hathaway Automotive," Rachor said in a release. "We are all grateful that Mr. Van Tuyl found the ideal buyer to preserve the Van Tuyl business model and our unique entrepreneurial culture."
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter


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Oracle, which acquired Portal earlier this year after a longer than expected fracas with the company's shareholders, says the new version of the software -- Oracle Communications Billing and Revenue Management Release 7.3 -- is focused on streamlining the operational processes and costs related to managing communications billing and revenue management systems.
Sanjay Mehta, Oracle's director of product marketing for Portal, said the company streamlined these processes by providing a new central management console to monitor systems. He said the console offers tight integration with HP OpenView, Hewlett-Packard's widely used application management software.
"The second aspect of that is around providing a performance dashboard so that as you're looking at the system end-to-end, you can ensure it's running as optimally as possible on the available hardware configuration," Mehta said.
Mehta added that in response to customer demand, the new version of the software offers the ability to conduct upgrades with zero or little downtime.
Oracle's offer to purchase Portal for about $200 million in April was initially met with opposition by some of the company's shareholders. Oracle renewed its tender offer twice before finally taking ownership of the company in June.
Ray Wang, a business applications analyst with Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research, told SearchOracle.com at the time that the purchase of Portal Software allows Oracle to compete directly with software companies like Amdocs Ltd. in the areas of order management and convergence.
Portal, which began as an Internet Service Provider in the late '80s, has since evolved to allow communications and media companies to manage finances related to multiple services including broadband, cable and voice over IP among others, according to Andrea Ward, Oracle's vice president of marketing for Portal.
"Oracle has really taken on a strategy to focus more on specific industries, and they started that about 18 months ago with the acquisition of Retek to set up their global retail business," Ward said.
During that time period Oracle has also begun making incursions into the financial services market by upping its stake in the Indian firm I-Flex, which makes analytical software for the banking industry, as well as the communications and media markets with Portal, Ward added.


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During January, over 304 thousand tons of seaborne freight were processed at Durres Port quays. According to the DPA Statistics Department the figures display an estimated increase of 11 % comparable to January 2019 as well as a considerable monthly exceed of 9% with accordingly 94 thousand tons handled regarding exports and 12% increase on processed imports.
Cargo ships and container vessels operating at the three terminals have recorded this month over 245,000 tonnes of import/export goods processed. Meanwhile, Durres-Bari and Durres-Ancona ferries have marked a decrease of 5% comparable to the same period of the previous year, processing an amount of over 59.000 tonnes of cargo.
Almost identical rates of passenger volumes against January 2019 accounted at 53,772 passengers has been reported at the Ferry Terminal, while the number of vehicles, lorries and ferry boats adds up to 15,767 vehicles during the respective month.
Port of Durres throughput amounted to 304.000 tons during January 2020.Imports freight handled at the 3 terminals rose by12% while an exceed of 9% resulting from exports is marked comparable to January 2019. Roughly identical rates recorded in terms of passengers and vehicle traffic volumes.


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A Kirkcudbright butcher has won a top award for their delicious lasagne.
J Hall and Sons scooped gold award in the ready meals category at the Scottish Meat Trade Fair in Perth.
Delighted owner Alan Caldow said: “This is a product that is very popular with the public. It’s my own recipe – secret now of course!”
Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said: “It is important for us to encourage our local butchers to produce quality new and innovative offerings to interest customers during summer barbecue season and those who find they have limited time to prepare meals.
“This type of product is proving increasingly popular and discerning customers will always look to their local butcher for first choice.
“Scottish butchers like J Hall and Sons are leading the way with some of the best products in Scotland – using fresh ingredients - and we’re delighted they’ve achieved this recognition from their industry. These awards show customers just what a high standard their local butcher sets.”


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SEMrush, the online visibility management and content marketing SaaS platform, recently conducted data analysis on three most trending media services in India – Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Tata Sky.
Read Also: Netflix ramps up distribution in India as it ties up with cable operators to mobile handset players, telecom companies
The case study revealed Netflix subscription is the most searched keyword in the time duration from Jan 2018 to July 2019. After the announcement of Netflix’s new subscription plan for India, its price search volume increased swiftly by 83% between June 2019 and July 2019. Besides, Amazon Prime subscription stands as the second most searched keyword with an average search volume of 6,878.9.
“Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Tata Sky are the new age media services which are giving tough competition to each other. All three of these media services are significantly attracting Indian audiences for the subscription with interesting packages. The data revealed in the study is self-explanatory for their accelerating popularity amongst viewers. According to this case study by SEMrush, Indian audiences are inclining more towards Netflix’s subscription in last couple of months, all credits to its interesting subscription plan," Fernando Angulo, head, international market, SEMrush, said.
Read Also: How piracy is killing the game for Netflix’s Sacred Games
On the other hand, Tata Sky’s app has the highest searched volume of 44,826 during the same time duration. Tata Sky has the smallest traffic volume, but it has shown a tremendous year-on-year growth counting to 293%. Wherein, Netflix witnessed a 146% growth in its traffic volume after Tata Sky. Interestingly, Amazon Prime enjoys the biggest traffic volume from India, but its year-on-year growth is merely 70%.
The desktop traffic to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in July was 11,138,893 and 13,593,504 respectively. Both the media services have grown by 36% in July 2019 as compared to the previous month.
Read Also: Netflix seeks activity data to improve on-the-go streaming
Netflix shows the biggest growth of mobile traffic (15.6%) between June 2019 and July 2019, after it announced its new subscription plan, however, Tata Sky and Amazon still are bigger in numbers of mobile device traffic counting to 7,537,672 and 12,290,142 respectively as compared to Netflix’s traffic count 6,244,056.


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UK based advertising giant WPP announced today that its unit WPP Digital’s investment division WPP Ventures has launched a new joint company, Polestar, a startup that will provide integrated e-commerce solutions in China.
WPP Digital will take a minority stake in Polestar, leaving its leadership to its principle investors – founder, Figo Yang, who will serve as CEO, and Allen Liu, COO – who bring together years of e-commerce expertise gained at Alibaba, Netease, Yahoo!, HP and UTC
Polestart will work in conjunction with WPP companies to help Chinese and international brands to establish and manage all aspects of their Chinese e-commerce operations, from marketing through to purchase, fulfilment and delivery, across multiple consumer platforms such as Alibaba’s Taobao (C2C) and TMall (B2B), JD.com and the mobile messaging service WeChat.
Polestar is also developing products and services in the emerging O2O (online to offline) sector, including an e-commerce data management platform allowing clients to track, measure and optimize their e-commerce operations.
China’s e-commerce market is the world’s largest, having surpassed the US in 2013, with Chinese online shoppers forecast to spend RMB3.3 trillion in 2015 (US$540 billion), according to Bain & Co. Despite the country’s fast-growing e-commerce sector, China lacks companies that currently provide integrated e-commerce solutions.
Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP, said, “Understanding and monetizing the e-commerce opportunity is a top priority for all brands in China, and by partnering with Polestar we can now offer our clients a one-stop solution, a first in China.”
This investment marks a further step towards WPP’s declared goal of developing its networks in fast-growth markets and sectors.
As the demand for immediate payments implementation grows in the United States, Iliad Solutions have identified one of the largest risks to face the payments industry over the next few years.
Barclays has signed contracts with six of the fintech startups that just graduated from its second New York accelerator programme.
Company card killer Pleo has raised $3m in new funding as it prepares for public launch in the UK and Denmark.
Cheques are become less and less common in the UK according to new research from global market research firm Mintel which claims contactless card use has overtaken cheque payments in the UK for the first time.


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Samsung has finaly launched its most delayed Galaxy Fold in India, which comes with the world’s first Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex Display. The Samsung Galaxy Fold is desinged to fit within the palm of your hand, when closed, the Fold allows users to access essentials on the cover display. When opened, the Fold has a 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display. The Galaxy Fold is priced at Rs 1,64,999 and pre-bookings open on 4 October 2019.
Samsung has added six cameras, Android 9 with One UI on top and Snapdragon 855 chipset in its Galaxy Fold.
About the Foldable Feature of Samsung Galaxy Fold:
Samsung Galaxy Fold’s internal screen does not merely bend. It simpliy folds. Folding is a more intuitive motion, and a more difficult innovation to deliver. Samsung says it has invented a new polymer layer and created a display around 50 percent thinner than the typical smartphone display. The screen comes with a Dynamic AMOLED display
Samsung has used a new Hinging Mechanism in the Galaxy Fold so that it opens like a book, and closes flat and compact. “To achieve this, Samsung engineered a sophisticated hinge with multiple interlocking gears. This system is housed in a hidden enclosure for a seamless and elegant look,” Samsung said in a statement.
The fingerprint scanner is found on the side where the thumb naturally rests, and the two batteries and the components are evenly distributed.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Battery:
The Galaxy Fold comes with a high-powered, next-generation AP chipset and 12GB of RAM and a sophisticated dual battery system (4380mAh typical dual battery). Galaxy Fold is also capable of charging itself and a second device simultaneously via Wireless PowerShare, while connected to a regular charger so you can leave your second charger at home.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Camera:
The Galaxy Fold comes with six lenses out of which three in the back, two on the inside and one on the cover.
As stated above there are three selfie cameras: One 10MP selfie camera when the device is closed and a dual selfie camera (10MP main sensor and 8MP depth sensor) when you open the device.
At the rear is a three camera-system a 16MP Ultra-Wide Camera, a 12MP Wide-angle Camera and a 12MP Telephoto Camera.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Price, Booking details:
Galaxy Fold comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB internal storage, and will be available in Premium Cosmos Black color, at Rs 164,999.
You can pre-book your Galaxy Fold from October 4, 2019 and deliveries will begin on 20 October 2019. Galaxy Fold will be available for pre-booking online on Samsung’s official online store, Samsung Shop, and offline in 35 cities across select 315 outlets, including the iconic Samsung Opera House in Bengaluru.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Comes with these special features:
The Galaxy Fold comes with Bixby support and Samsung Knox to keep your data and information safe. “From using your phone to make purchases with Samsung Pay, to using Samsung Health to manage your health and wellness, the Galaxy ecosystem is there as you pursue things, you’re passionate about,” the company said.
Samsung has worked with Google and the Android developer community to ensure that apps and services are available for the Galaxy Fold’s unique experience.
Those why buy “Galaxy Fold” will get their device delivered to them through a concierge. Among the other personalized services is Galaxy Fold Premier Service, which comes with a dedicated helpline (1800-20-7267864) that will have expert customer care executives on call 24×7. It also offers a one-year Infinity Flex Display Protection. The one-year Infinity Flex Display Protection will include accidental damage coverage with one-time protection, genuine parts, expert repair service and Galaxy Fold’s display. The one-year Infinity Flex Display Protection entitles customers who accidently damage their display to get it repaired for a discounted fee of Rs 10,500.


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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Fort Wayne's NBC) - A Fort Wayne pharmacy is offering curbside pick-up for customer orders in order to limit customers' exposure to COVID-19.
Fort Wayne Custom RX is located at 425 E Dupont Road in Fort Wayne.
The owner of the pharmacy said the new service began on Wednesday.
"We don't want our patients getting sick, and we certainly don't want our staff getting sick," said Dr. Gregg Russell, the owner of Fort Wayne Custom RX.
Russell said customers can order their medication ahead of time via phone and an employee of the pharmacy will bring the order to the customers' car in the parking lot.
The owner said his team has been practicing social distancing, however, the new change allows his workers and customers to operate in a safer environment.
"To inform them (customers) that that we are really trying to practice social distancing, and we want them to take this serious too," Russell said.
Fort Wayne's NBC talked with a couple of employees to get their thoughts about the change.
"I feel extra safe... we want to show that we are doing this for everyone's safety, but we still have a job to get done, and that's taking care of our patients," said Kylee Baker, an employee at the pharmacy.
Fort Wayne's NBC talked with a customer, who was picking up medication, about the new service.
"I'm glad the pharmacy is stepping up and doing what they need to keep us (customers) safe during the required transactions that we have to make," said Chris Alexander, a customer.
The owner said the pharmacy will continue to offer curbside pick-up as long as they need to in order to help keep the community safe.
To learn more about Fort Wayne Custom RX, please click here.


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Suzuki Motorcycles forayed into the Indian market back in the year 2006 and in a span of 12 years, the brand has now achieved 4 million units in production. The 4 millionth unit has just been rolled out from the company’s manufacturing facility in Gurgaon. This new feat is a shot in the arm for Suzuki which is targeting 1 million units in annual sales volumes by the year 2020 along with a doubling of overall market share in India. It already has 521 dealerships in the country at the moment.
Satoshi Uchida, the Managing Director at SMIPL, expressed his gratitude to all the customers, partners and other stakeholders who have put their trust and faith in Suzuki Motorcycles and its pioneering products over more than a decade in the Indian market. He also added that the new achievement is just what the brand needs to achieve its sales targets of 7.5 lakh units by the end of the present financial year.
The company currently sells 16 products in the Indian market which includes premium offerings such as the V-Strom 650XT, Hayabusa, GSX-R1000R and GSX-S750 and also the RM-Z range of dirt and off-road motorcycles in addition to mass market hot-sellers like the Access 125, Intruder 155, Burgman Street and Gixxer line-up. Suzuki also exports bikes to more than 30 countries worldwide from India.


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Samsung has released the first beta of an application to turn Galaxy smartphones into sound or light sensors. The beta only works in a few countries and it also only supports newer phones for now.
The application is called Galaxy Upcycling at Home and the beta will be released in the United States, the United Kingdom and Samsung’s home country South Korea, Samsung said. There are two applications so far in the Labs section of SmartThings, where the features can be found.
Among other things, the beta can use the phone as a sound sensor and it is possible to distinguish baby crying from the sound of pets. That makes the phone suitable as a baby monitor. If the software recognizes a sound, the recording goes to a user’s current smartphone.
In addition, it is possible to use the app so that a telephone becomes a light sensor. Via Samsung’s own SmartThings platform, it is possible, for example, to automatically turn on lights when the phone detects that it is getting darker than a preset value.
In addition, the app includes ways to reduce the phone’s battery consumption when used as an IoT device, so that the phone will last longer. The beta does not yet work on old phones: the oldest is the Galaxy S9 from 2018. Moreover, it only works on expensive models for the time being: S, Note and Z phones. Samsung announced the Upcycling program in January. The intention is that phones that users no longer use as such, will receive the functionality to function as IoT devices via a latest update. It is not yet clear which phones will be compatible and when those updates will come.


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Moderna hires a chief brand officer to guide vaccine campaigns through 'time of rapid growth'
In the last couple years, Moderna has transformed from a small Cambridge biotech with big dreams into one of the most talked-about drugmakers in the world. In Q1 alone, the company’s mRNA vaccine for Covid-19 pulled in more than $1 billion. Now, it’s beefing up its marketing game.
Moderna is bringing Ogilvy Health veteran Kate Cronin on board as chief brand officer to scale up during “a time of rapid growth,” CEO Stéphane Bancel said Monday.
“Kate has an impressive track record of strategic planning and execution while using creativity and a digital-first mindset to create integrated, best-in-class campaigns for global commercial biopharmaceutical companies,” Bancel said in a statement. “I look forward to partnering with her to amplify Moderna’s story and the promise of mRNA science for patients.”
Cronin studied biology at Smith College in the small but eclectic western Massachusetts city of Northampton. She later went on to conduct research in neurobiology at Cornell University Medical College. Most recently, she was global CEO of the advertising company Ogilvy Health, where she ran public relations and influence, brand strategy, advertising, medical education, market access and patient and consumer engagement.
While at Ogilvy, Cronin led brand and public relations for some big-name pharmas, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck and Pfizer.
“What Moderna has achieved is truly inspirational and I’m incredibly excited to be joining a company that has such a tremendous impact on the world,” Cronin said in a statement.
The new appointment comes just weeks after the US government inked a deal for another 200 million doses of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, bringing the country’s total dose order to 500 million. So far, Moderna has delivered around 217 million released doses to the US.
On June 10, Moderna filed for an emergency use authorization in adolescents, based on positive data from 12- to 17-year-olds in the Phase II/III TeenCOVE study. No cases of Covid-19 were seen in participants who received two doses of the vaccine, suggesting a 100% efficacy rate, according to Moderna.
Moderna’s $MRNA stock, which sold for under $20 for most of 2019, is selling for more than $220 apiece.
“I look forward to building the brand and communicating about the future potential for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics and how that science can impact patients’ lives,” Cronin said.


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Daimler AG on May 22 said that its shareholders approved a hive-down restructuring plan that involves spinning off its car and van business and its truck and bus business into two legally independent entities.
The restructuring, called Project Future, will take effect from Nov. 1 and will see Mercedes-Benz managing the Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans divisions, and Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses merged in Daimler Truck AG. Both the companies will be co-determined German stock corporations with registered offices in Stuttgart.
Additionally, Daimler Financial Services, which already operates independently, will be renamed to Daimler Mobility from July 24.
After the hive-down takes effect in November, Daimler will operate as the units' publicly listed parent and will provide groupwide services. The Mercedes-Benz parent said the restructuring aims to promote more operating flexibility and faster decision-making.
The company added that it has agreed with General Works Council to rule out redundancies for Daimler AG employees until 2030.
In the same release, Daimler said it will pay out an annual dividend of €3.25 per share, the second-highest in its history. As planned, CEO Dieter Zetsche stepped down and was replaced by Ola Källenius.


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Opening a new business in small towns can be risky, as lower population levels tend to reduce the opportunity for most franchise models. Yet one chain has had a hell of an idea to counter that. Hell Pizza has recently announced its latest venture: a low-cost mobile store concept named Hell on Wheels.
A fully equipped Hell Pizza kitchen on wheels can set up as a semi-permanent fixture in smaller towns as part of a new franchise opportunity. Low set-up costs and ongoing expenses means these franchises are a great investment in areas where the population may be too small to support a permanent physical store.
Rather than risk a new store in a low-population area, these Hell on Wheels mobiles are perfect for franchisees to launch their own business, says Ben Cumming, Hell general manager.
“We really hope the lower entry costs will encourage people to take the next step into business ownership. We want people with the drive and passion to take the brand forward, and if we can help groom a new generation of Kiwi entrepreneurs then all the better.”
“We’ve made it easier for those who want to own their own franchise – particularly young staff throughout our existing network, who have proven themselves in store management roles and are keen to take on further responsibility.”
Further responsibility includes running a commercial kitchen inside a 6.5-metre-long, triple axis unit. Commercial ovens capable of cooking 80 double pizzas per hour, a refrigerated bench, deep fryer, separate sink and hand basin with hot water tank and a wastewater storage system can all be found inside the industrial-looking trucks.
These mobile powerhouses give their owners the opportunities to pick and choose locations, as well as catering events. Their flexibility means owners can tap into more revenue streams than a brick and mortar store may be able to access.
Hell on Wheels has already had two franchises launched in Whanganui and Cambridge. Cumming says both have been running at near capacity on busy nights, attracting queues of people as well as taking online orders and sending out deliveries.
“This is a very promising start and will give prospective franchisees added confidence in launching their own Hell on Wheels business.”
Purchasing a franchise can be ideal for those seeking to own their own retail business without starting from scratch.
One of the most important aspects of a franchise is branding: it’s a major part of what franchisees are buying in to, and brand reputation will ultimately make a business. The Hell branding is widely known throughout New Zealand, meaning franchise owners can leverage the pre-existing reputation while also having the experiential value of a Mad Max-style portable restaurant.
Entrepreneurial spirit and relaxed regulations are some of the areas credited for New Zealand’s franchise success, and the new Hell opportunity fits in well with the company’s laid-back ethos.
Hell on Wheels territories
Hell is initially targeting 30 territories, which it will begin advertising from April onwards.
Auckland and Northland
Upper North Island
Lower North Island
Ohakune/ National Park
For more information on becoming a franchisee please contact:
Ben Cumming, Hell general manager
M: 027 364 2431


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Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disclosed that part of the role she will play as the World Trade Organisation boss is to reduce export restrictions to make vaccine acquisition and production more inclusive.
The WTO DG and Nigeria’s former Finance Minister disclosed this during a meeting with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha on Tuesday in Abuja.
“The main reason we are here is really to see how the WTO can support Nigeria, in improving its economy. ‘We are in a pandemic and of course, you cannot advance the economy until you take care of the health aspects,” she said.
She said the WTO came to discuss with the Presidential Task Force on what is happening in relation to the arrival of the COVID vaccines, how it is being distributed, and the challenges.
“Part of the challenges we’ve had in this pandemic is the fact that some of our member countries put export restrictions on the movement of medical supplies, equipment, and even supplies to make vaccines.
“So one of the things that WTO can do is to work with members to reduce these export restrictions. If you take vaccines, for instance, I’ll just give you one number from the manufacturer of Pfizer, the Pfizer BioTech vaccine.
”We had a meeting with the manufacturers a couple of days ago in Geneva and their representative said that it takes 280 components to manufacture their vaccine. And it’s in a supply chain that involves 19 countries.
”So in the supply chains, so many of our products, medical products are global. And so when a country puts export restrictions on one, it means that you slow the production everywhere, that’s where the WTO comes in,” she said.
Mustapha disclosed that “developing economies stand to benefit if they learn from the lessons of this adverse impacts and look at their systems, their governance system, their economic foundations. He urged that this is an opportunity to improve economic inclusion to develop agendas and policies.”
In case you missed it
- Recall Nairametrics reported Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is visiting Nigeria for a week to assist entrepreneurs and improve the economy.
- Nairametrics reported yesterday that Okonjo-Iweala stated Nigeria should start looking at establishing the capacity for manufacturing vaccines locally.
- She also added that her role at the World Trade Organisation would be used to support women entrepreneurs, and MSMEs, and all the marginalized and excluded.


text: At a press conference, Namco announced that Tales of Eternia, the third installment in its popular RPG series is already in production. The game is currently 25 percent complete and is scheduled for a Japan release next year. Character design is being done by Tales of Destiny veteran Mutsumi Inomata as Production I.G. will be returning to help with the game's cel animation production. The game will also feature an improved version of the Linear Motion Battle System.


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As many regions of the nation, particularly California and the American Southwest, face unprecedented water shortages, car wash manufactures and operators across the industry continue to innovate and invest in water efficient technology.
Today Tommy Car Wash Systems, a Michigan-based car wash equipment manufacturer and site developer, announced that Quality Car Wash’s Waverly Ave location, a single high-tech, high-volume car wash tunnel in Holland, MI saved just under an estimated 28 million gallons of water than would have been used if customers had instead washed the vehicles at home.
The California drought continues to worsen and some parts of the country are drier than they have been in decades. With ever-stricter water use restrictions being put into effect many laymen would think that car washes are probably going out of business. After all, car washes use hundreds of gallons of water on each car, right?


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Marketing budgets are getting slashed, layoffs are becoming commonplace, founders and top management are taking pay cuts, and perquisites — that include free food at the workplace — are being taken away, at least at some startups for the time being.
Unacademy chief executive Gaurav Munjal, in a note this week, urged employees to “embrace frugality as a core value” and turn the edtech firm profitable as soon as possible. Munjal and the top management are taking pay cuts, with industry insiders saying that founders at some other startups may follow suit. India’s startups have also fired thousands of employees in the past few months to cut costs. At Unacademy offices, meals and snacks will no longer be complimentary, according to the CEO’s note.
Employee payroll and marketing are still the biggest chunks of expenses for startups, while travel and perks account for only 10-15%, according to estimates. Hence, cutting back on the latter is more about optics, and the sector would continue to see layoffs in the coming months, said industry insiders.
“Given the current market situation, investors are advising startups to have a runway of at least 18-24 months. High (cash) burn models are being questioned the most and are finding it hard to get investor support. Founders are therefore working on cost optimisation very actively,” said Vikram Gupta, managing partner of IvyCap Ventures.
Marketing budgets at startups have come down significantly already, said Sajith Pai, director at early-stage venture fund Blume Ventures. “They will no longer be throwing money behind vanity projects or anything that is not core to the business. If founders see that there’s a small chance that VC money will not flow like before, they will go all out to reduce the expenses-revenues gap.”
Startups that have raised large capital are under pressure and will see salary cuts for top management, lower marketing budgets and will be more watchful on discretionary expenses, said Ashish Sanganeria, senior partner at executive search firm Transearch India.
Startup founders agree that this is the time to be circumspect. While there are startups that are burning $5-10 million a month, they need to put their costs back in order, even those who have had a tighter rein on expenses will be extra cautious.
Many companies have cut down on their marketing spending by 30% to as much as 70%, said Mayank Kumar, cofounder at edtech startup UpGrad.
“Some, after layoffs, have also moved out of larger office spaces or have cut down on seats in co-working spaces to save on rental expenditure. While there are a few K-12 and ecommerce companies who are likely to cut back in a bigger way to address the cash-flow crunch and build sustainability, those in the higher education sector are in a relatively stronger place,” Kumar said.
According to Abhishek Mehrotra, chief HR officer at fintech platform Yubi (formerly CredAvenue), while his company has always been very cost-conscious, the overall industry has to be ready for a funding winter and focus on executing plans by being conscious of unit economics to tide the wave.
Some investors are optimistic, saying that many startups are still scaling up in this environment.
Prashanth Prakash, partner at venture capital firm Accel, said while the overall focus has shifted towards profitability, he doesn’t see much pay cuts being taken by top management.
“The next few quarters may see a little evening out, but there is still a significant demand for tech talent,” he said.
- Front Page
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- Concor Suitors Seek Clarity Over Shareholder Rights
Potential suitors for Container Corporation of India (Concor) have sought clarity over shareholder rights after the sale of a partial stake in the logistics major by the government.E-auction for RCap Later this Month; Base Bid at ₹5,231 Cr
Lenders of Reliance Capital will hold an e-auction later this month for Anil Ambani’s insolvent financial services company to identify the highest bidder, two people aware of the development told ET.Premium Models Drive Car, TV, Smartphone Sales in Diwali Season
Indian consumers have purchased more premium cars, smartphones, televisions and appliances than ever before during the week leading up to Diwali this year.
ETPrime stories of the day
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A national steak restaurant has denied it will be them taking on a unit in the Guild Hall.Advertisement
Miller and Carter Steakhouse were among those rumoured to be taking on what was Vittorias.
The chain has Preston on its ‘desirable locations’ list which was circulated in 2018.
Simon Rigby announced just after Christmas the Italian restaurant, Vittorias, would be closing on Sunday (30 December).
Read more: A new bar and restaurant is opening in what was Solita
Mr Rigby, the multi-millionaire owner of the Guild Hall, said a ‘steak restaurant, a national operator with strong local ties, would be taking its [Vittorias] place’.
A spokesman for Miller and Carter Restaurants told Blog Preston: “We have no plans to open at the Preston Guild Hall.
“However, we’re constantly looking at opportunities to grow our Miller and Carter brand and Preston is somewhere we are considering for the future.”
Read more: Olive Tree Brasserie could be named as UK’s best independent restaurant
What would you like to see opening in what was Vittorias? Let us know in the comments below


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DirecTV Settles Allegations of Deceptive Advertising
By: Attorney General Van Hollen
MADISON – Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today announced a settlement with DirecTV over allegations that DirecTV has engaged in deceptive advertising. Under the terms of the judgment, which will be filed in Dane County Circuit Court, DirecTV must change its marketing practices, pay the state $185,000, and provide restitution for injured Wisconsin consumers. The settlement is the result of an investigation in which 48 other states and the District of Columbia participated. DirecTV must pay a total of $13.25 million to the states, as well as provide restitution to consumers nationwide who have been injured by DirecTV's practices.
Numerous consumers have filed complaints alleging, among other things, that DirecTV:
- Did not clearly disclose to consumers the price that the consumer would be charged and the commitment term that the consumer would be required to keep DirecTV services;
- Did not clearly disclose to consumers limitations on getting a certain price for DirecTV;
- Enrolled consumers in additional contracts or contract terms without clearly disclosing the terms to the consumer;
- Enrolled consumers in additional contracts when replacing defective equipment;
- Did not clearly disclose to consumers that they would automatically renew a seasonal sports package; and
- Offered cash back to consumers when the consumer would actually receive bill credits.
The settlement requires DirecTV to:
- Clearly disclose all material terms to consumers;
- Replace leased equipment that is defective at no cost except shipping costs;
- Not require the consumer to enter into an additional contract when simply replacing defective equipment;
- Clearly disclose when a consumer is entering into a contract;
- Clearly notify consumers before a consumer is obligated to pay for a seasonal sports package;
- Clearly disclose all limitations on the availability of local channels;
- Not misrepresent the availability of sports programming;
- Not represent that a consumer would get cash back if the consumer would actually get a bill credit; and
- Clearly notify consumers that they will be charged a cancellation or equipment fee at least 10 days before charging the fee.
The settlement also requires DirecTV to resolve consumer complaints about its practices. Unresolved complaints sent to DirecTV or the Attorney General that involve conduct addressed in the settlement and occurred after January 1, 2007 are eligible for the restitution program. Additionally, consumers can file a complaint with DirecTV or the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (at 1-800-422-7128) by June 9, 2011 to be considered for the restitution program as long as the complaint is about activity that occurred after January 1, 2007. DirecTV will attempt to resolve the complaints with consumers. If the complaint cannot be resolved, DirecTV shall inform the consumer that the complaint can be resolved by a Claims Administrator and mail a Claim Form to the consumer. The Claims Administrator will then resolve the dispute between the consumer and DirecTV.
The settlement is subject to approval by the Dane County Circuit Court. Assistant Attorney General John Greene represents the state in the action.


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Planet Fitness stock nosedives 15% as board FIRES longtime CEO Chris Rondeau in shock move
- Planet Fitness board announced CEO Chris Rondeau’s ouster on Friday morning
- Rondeau led the gym chain for a decade, after starting as a desk clerk in 1993
- His firing was a mystery move that sent the company’s stock into nosedive
Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondeau has been abruptly fired by the company’s board of directors, in a mystery move that sent the company’s shares into nosedive.
The statement offered little explanation for the move, saying only that Rondeau had not been fired as ‘the result of any material or unexpected financial events.’
Planet Fitness, a low-cost gym chain, has more than 2,400 locations around the world, known for their purple color schemes and signage declaring a ‘judgement free zone.’
Rondeau had served as CEO since 2013, after working his way up from front desk clerk at the company’s first location in Dover, New Hampshire, where he started working in 1993.
Last year, Rondeau’s compensation package totaled $5.6 million, down from $9.3 million in 2021, according to public disclosures.
A spokesperson for Planet Fitness did not immediately respond to a request for more information about Rondeau’s dismissal.
Shares of the company dropped as much as 15 percent on Friday morning and traded as low as $50.21, their lowest since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.
In a statement, Planet Fitness board chair Stephen Spinelli Jr said: ‘As we enter the next chapter of Planet Fitness’ journey, the Board felt that now was the right time to transition leadership.’
Rondeau also issued a statement saying: ‘My 30-year career at Planet Fitness has been an incredible ride, and it’s been an honor to lead this Company and serve our employees, franchisees and members, all of whom have played a key role in our tremendous growth and success.
‘I am grateful for and look forward to supporting the management team in an advisory capacity, and have confidence in the long-term potential of Planet Fitness.’
Planet Fitness says it has engaged an executive leadership search firm to help in the hunt for a new permanent CEO, and will consider both internal and external candidates.
The company’s stock is down about 34 percent since the start of this year.
‘While PLNT (Planet Fitness) saw significant growth during Rondeau’s tenure as CEO, the transition announcement follows a more recent period of stock underperformance driven primarily by lower-than-expected franchise store growth,’ said RBC analyst Christopher Carril in a note.
In August, the company reported that its revenue rose by nearly 28 percent to $286.5 million in the second quarter while net income nearly doubled to $44.2 million.
‘Despite this leadership adjustment, we wouldn’t expect any change in the company’s strategy near team,’ said Jefferies analysts led by Randal Konik in an investor note.


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Most of us often get confused between the various types of milk when buying as deciding betweenfull-fat andlow-fat milk is a hard decision.
Over the last three decades, the fat-free trend increased tremendously, with people opting for low-fat milk because it has become the new thing, Yahoo News reported.
However, in recent times, youngsters are once again moving towards full-fat milk, thanks to a TikTok video going viral.
So let’s end the debate once and for all.
Full-fat milk also known as whole milk or cow milk, contains a fat content of at least 3.25%. No fat is removed from the milk during processing. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as other vitamins, Aarp.org reported.
Whereas low-fat milk also known as skimmed milk or fat-free milk contains between 1-2% fat.
A 2021 study looked at 72 patients with metabolic syndrome and found that full-fat dairy diets did not affect blood pressure or cholesterol when compared to low-fat dairy diets. It was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Another research published in the Journal Circulation in 2016 followed over 3,300 persons over 15 years and found that people with the highest blood levels of certain fatty acids — found in full-fat dairy — had a 44% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
A major concern among adults is that high saturated fat levels may not be good for older adults but a 2018 study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutritionfound that Individuals who consumed more whole-fat dairy products and had greater fatty acid levels also had a decreased risk of heart disease and mortality from all causes.
DrDariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, said, "I think what all these studies together say is that we need to stop making blanket recommendations such as ‘avoid full-fat dairy'."
Lactose intoleranceis a fairly common condition in which lactose — a naturally occurring sugar present in milk — triggers digestive symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, bloating, and gas.
If you are lactose intolerant, Mozaffarian recommends that you stick to dairy products that are naturally lower in lactose, such as hard cheeses and yoghurt. You can also look for lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk products.


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Maerki Baumann, a Swiss private bank based in Zurich, will become the second bank in the country to accept cryptocurrency assets. Earlier this year, Hypothekarbank Lenzburg became the first Swiss bank to provide company accounts for blockchain and crypto-related fintech companies.
Maerki Baumann will begin accepting cryptocurrency assets from payments received for services rendered. It will also accept cryptocurrencies earned from crypto mining. The move comes in response to new market demands as well as the global increase in the popularity of cryptocurrencies.
According to the bank’s statement, Maerki Baumann is not ready to provide direct investments into cryptocurrencies. However, the bank will provide “expert” assistance to any clients interested in investing in digital assets.
The bank seems to have opened the door to future investment products, saying that the bank “closely monitors the development” of cryptocurrencies as viable investment vehicles; and the bank is also monitoring and its “underlying regulation.” This suggests that as the regulatory climate improves and global acceptance of cryptocurrency rises, the bank could in the future begin offering direct crypto investments to its clients.
“We currently see cryptocurrencies as alternative investment vehicles, but we have limited experience and data (prices, volatility, trading volumes) available in our house.”
Maerki Baumann “currently advise against larger investments in cryptocurrencies. Crypto currencies [sic] are not, in our estimation, suitable for long-term investment due to the uncertainties outlined above.”


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BEIJING - Android-based handsets may beat Apple's iPhone to dominate China's cellphone market, according to an executive from a mobile Internet firm.
Yu Yongfu, chief executive of UC Mobile, China's biggest vendor of mobile Internet browsers, told China Daily on Monday that he believes Android operating system cell phones have far more potential than iPhones in China as Google-backed mobile operating system is a more open platform and gets wider support from cellphone vendors.
"Apple products are very fancy, but their popularity is limited to a very small group of consumers," said Yu.
He is the second Chinese entrepreneur since last month to publicly express pessimism about iPhone's development in the world's biggest mobile population.
Last month, Liu Chuanzhi, chairman of PC maker Lenovo, said that Apple is missing a tremendous opportunity in China and places the blame squarely on Apple CEO Steve Jobs, according to a report in the Financial Times.
According to research firm The Nielsen Company, Google's Android handsets accounted for 27 percent of all smartphones sold in the United States in the first quarter of this year, while iPhones made up 23 percent.
But in China, sales of iPhone are about twice to that of Android-based phones, according to Pang Jun, an analyst from research firm GFK China.
Android is an operating system for mobile devices such as cell phones and tablet computers.
A report from AdMob, a mobile advertising network, said there were already more Android devices than iPhones in China in April, partly due to the poor sales of official iPhones in the country.
Yu estimated that shipments of the iPhone and iPod Touch in China are less than 4 million, including those sold the gray market. But Android-based handsets will soon take the helm, "because almost everyone in the industry supports the system," Yu said.
He also predicted that mobile phones will surpass personal computers as the preferred device for Internet users in China by the end of 2011.
Established in 2004, UC Mobile is the biggest developer of mobile Internet browsers in China, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the market share, according to figures from domestic research firm Analysys International. The company's flagship browser, UCWEB, supports both Android and iPhone systems.
Yu said on Monday that China's mobile Internet market will see explosive growth in the next couple years as more users are turning to 3G services. That will give great opportunities for many Chinese firms as users in the United States and Europe are not as interested in using cell phones as those in Asia.
Venture capital firms Ceyuan Ventures and Morningside Group invested about $10 million in UC Mobile in 2007, while Alibaba Group and Nokia's venture capital fund also have a stake in the company.
Yu also said on Monday that the company plans to aggressively expand its presence in the international market and is open to strategic partnerships.


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Nike Flyknit Air Max 2014
Officials said the storm surge would flood some places to roof level. "This is a cyclone of savagery and intensity," Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in a nationally televised news conference as the storm moved toward the coast. "People are facing some really dreadful hours in front of them. "More than 10,000 people fled to 20 evacuation centers in a danger zone stretching 190 miles (300 kilometers), amid strong warnings in the past two days. Many others moved in Nike Flyknit Free Rn Men's
of firebombing farmers and factories, or killing off expensive livestock. CAIRNS, Australia (AP) A massive cyclone struck northeastern Australia early Thursday, tearing off roofs, toppling trees and cutting power to thousands, the most powerful storm to hit the area in nearly a century. The eye of Cyclone Yasi roared ashore at the small resort town of Mission Beach in Queensland Nike Flyknit Air Max 2014 state, battering the coast known to tourists as the gateway to Nike Flyknit Air Max
the Great Barrier Reef with heavy rain and howling winds gusting to 186 mph (300 kph). Yasi compounded the suffering for Queensland, waterlogged by months of flooding that killed 35 people and inundated hundreds of communities. It struck an area north of the flood zone, but the Bureau of Meteorology said it would bring drenching rains that could cause floods in new parts of the state. Witnesses reported roofs being ripped off, buildings shaking and trees flattened under the power of the winds.
with family or friends in safer locations.
The storm's front was about 300 miles (500 kilometers) across, with the worst of the winds expected to lash the coast for up to four hours, although blustery conditions and heavy rain could last for a day. "It's such a big storm it's a monster, killer storm," Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said, adding that the only previous cyclone measured in the state at such strength was in 1918. "This impact is likely to be more life threatening than any experienced during recent generations. "In the city of Cairns, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Mission Beach, gues.
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Annually, the Devens Utility’s Department performs a cost of service rate study for the gas and electric utilities. This year’s study resulted in an increase of the electric rates by 8-10% depending on the rate class. This is a direct result of increased transmission and capacity system costs that continue to rise in the New England electric service territories. Additionally, energy cost increases are related to the extreme winter peak electric prices that the New England area has been experiencing for the past two winters. In fact this past winter resulted in steeply increased electric power costs that we chose to absorb and not pass on to our customers during an already tough winter due to the extreme cold wave that hit New England. You will notice that we did our best to decrease the overall impact of needed energy charge increases by lowering the distribution charges across all rate classes as much as possible and still meet financial goals and obligations of the electric utility.
Read more via: devenscommunity.com/community/community-services


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A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges that Yuga Labs “inappropriately induced” the community to buy Bored Ape Yacht Club non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the project’s affiliated ApeCoin (APE) token.
The proposed class-action driven by law firm Scott+Scott was published on July 21, claiming that Yuga Labs used celebrity promoters and endorsements to “inflate the price” of the BAYC NFTs and the APE token.
It also alleges that Yuga Labs promoted the growth prospects and chance for huge returns on investment to “unsuspecting investors.”
“After selling off millions of dollars of fraudulently promoted NFTs, YUGA LABS launched the Ape Coin to further fleece investors.”
“Once it was revealed that the touted growth was entirely dependent on continued promotion (as opposed to actual utility or underlying technology) retail investors were left with


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Back in March I reported first about this camera. And now it’s official! Sony is teasing the FX6 on their Cinema Line page. Sony has not announced the specs yet… This is the teaser video of their entire FX line … Continue reading Sony officially teases the new FX6 E-mount camcorder!
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As what has become an unfortunately tragic year comes to an end, direct marketers need to keep in mind important new developments that can affect their business practices. Some of these developments come as a result of the recent terrorist attacks.
Highlights of some of the more interesting developments follow:
Don't call us. One of the more prevalent developments is the enactment of state do-not-call lists. These laws, which require telemarketers to run their calling lists against state-run DNC lists or the Direct Marketing Association's Telephone Preference Service, have gone from a handful of states to a near majority in the past year, with more on the way. New states include California, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana and Texas. Regulators have been actively enforcing these laws.
“Risk-free” is risky business. In the aftermath of the Federal Trade Commission's recent $9 million settlement with Triad, the agency has announced it will focus on purported “risk-free” offers that involve some element of risk to the consumer, including shipping and handling issues and “free-trial” offers that result in the consumer being charged after the trial period expires. The new FTC chairman has announced that he will ask the commission to amend its telemarketing rules to restrict “free trial” offers, perhaps even barring telemarketers from using a consumer's credit card information to promote an offer from another company, without the consumer's consent.
Moreover, the FTC has always taken an aggressive stance on the word “free.” Marketers should keep in mind that by offering a product or service as free, there can be no markup to cover the cost of the item. Moreover, any restrictions on the “freeness” of the item must be clearly and conspicuously disclosed.
Charitable solicitation issues. As previously discussed in this column, charitable solicitations in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will likely garner regulators' attention. A little-noticed provision of the recently enacted USA Patriot Act of 2001 amends the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, the law that provides the FTC the authority to create the Telemarketing Sales Rule. It extends the act's application to additional telemarketing activities, including the solicitation of charitable contributions. The FTC has advised that it is considering proposed amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule that will implement this new authority. State regulators will likely focus on charitable solicitations given the incredible outpouring of support by the American public.
For that matter, it is likely that marketing any product or service that is in some way connected with the events of Sept. 11 and the aftermath will likely face strict scrutiny. For example, regulators are challenging marketers of biohazard products and the like. If a company markets such a product, it should make sure that its claims are adequately substantiated and otherwise in compliance.
Healthcare discounts. As promotions that offer discounts on healthcare services, such as prescription drugs and the like, continue to proliferate, states are beginning to enact laws restricting such promotions. Illinois recently passed a law, effective Jan. 1, that requires advertising for such products to state in bold and prominent type that the discounts are not insurance. The law also requires that each healthcare provider listed in conjunction with the card have a contract with the provider of the discount service. Other states are beginning to enact similar laws.
California's “class-action” law. California's unique consumer protection act continues to mystify marketers. The law allows practically anyone to bring what is essentially a class action on behalf of all California residents alleging a violation of the state's consumer protection laws, some of which are hypertechnical.
A recent appellate decision found that a representative plaintiff need not have purchased the product or show that members of the public were deceived, relied upon the fraudulent practice or even sustained any damage. The only requirement the plaintiff must show is that the defendant's practice is unlawful, unfair, deceptive, untrue or misleading. The plaintiff's burden of proof is simply to show that members of the public are likely to be deceived by the practice. Marketers continue to pay a heavy price when sued under this law by people who did not even purchase the product.
Privacy issues. While there is some indication that the new FTC commissioner will not take up the privacy issue as much as his predecessors, the agency continues to focus on certain issues, including pretexting, privacy policies, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
Pretexting is the practice of obtaining personal financial information through fraudulent means, such as calling a bank under the pretext of being the customer, a practice made unlawful under the recently enacted Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The FTC has brought actions against three information brokers and advises that it will continue to enforce this prohibition.
The FTC has also taken an aggressive stance against companies that deviate from their announced privacy policies and will likely continue to do so. The FTC has announced that it intends to aggressively enforce the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which governs the reporting of credit-related information, and to continue to enforce COPPA, which severely restricts the collection of personally identifiable information from children younger than 13.
Marketers must be vigilant to ensure that their advertising programs comply with the heightened regulatory mood.


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AMD’s upcoming next-gen RDNA 3 graphics cards should introduce new features to push forward with high-end gaming – in terms of robust resolutions and frame rates – promised the company’s chief executive in an earnings call.
As Wccftech (opens in new tab) highlighted, in the call after AMD’s latest fiscal results reveal, CEO Lisa Su said, “Our high-end RDNA 3 GPUs will deliver strong increases in performance and performance per watt compared to our current products and will include new features that support high resolution , high frame rate games.”
Performance gains per watt are expected to be on the order of 50% (or slightly more) than we’ve previously heard from AMD, the same big leap that was seen when moving from RDNA to current-gen RDNA 2 GPUs.
All of this comes ahead of the November 3 launch of the next-gen graphics cards, with the high-end models expected to be the first crop of RDNA 3 offerings. Those early GPUs will likely be the RX 7900 XT, possibly alongside a 7900 variant. More powerful XTX and maybe a 7800 XT, according to the latest rumors.
Note that these graphics cards won’t be on sale for a while – maybe not until December, following the latest speculation.
Analysis: So, is FSR 3.0 inbound?
What would these new features be? (And it’s quite revealing that the AMD chief executive mentions ‘features’, in the plural, rather than just an innovation.) Well, the most obvious candidate for something to beef up high-end gaming and push forward with those fast frame rates is FSR 3.0. This would be going against Nvidia’s DLSS 3, the latter having been introduced with Team Green’s new generation Lovelace (although only the expensive RTX 4090 flagship is on sale at the moment).
We’re basing that probability primarily on the fact that it fits the description Su provides – a frame rate booster and something that lets you play games upscaled to a resolution that mimics 4K – and also that FSR 3.0 is rumored to be in the works. for RDNA 3. in June.
The theory is that it will be a big step forward and could use AI (machine learning) to make it more powerful, just like Nvidia DLSS (and Intel XeSS). This is despite Team Red arguing that AI isn’t necessary for good quality upscaling (although we can get FSR 3.0 without AI of course – all are just whispers of the vine).
What isn’t mentioned, or hinted at here, is ray tracing, and rumor has it that AMD could fall far short of Nvidia’s prowess in that department. In other words, the situation won’t change much, although the gap seen with current-gen cards could be narrowed a bit.
That said, there have been some interesting rumors about the raster performance (no ray tracing) that AMD can achieve (and even more efficiency). So keep your fingers crossed for the event, as we may see something special to really worry Nvidia – and hopefully boost competitiveness in the high-end GPU arena. (Although that, of course, depends on where AMD goes with pricing, not just performance).


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It’s been a few years, and I thought you’d like to know there has been some recent activity regarding Dizzy.
Many of you may have noticed that Retro Fusion (Chris Wilkins) wrote a book about our early days of game development and the stories behind all those Dizzy games, Simulators and other games of the 80’s and early 90’s. The book “Let’s go Dizzy, The Story of the Oliver Twins”, was a successful Kickstarter and has been selling well since. It can be bought here:- http://bit.ly/OTBookBuy or on Amazon.
Whilst digging though the vast archive in Philip’s loft, to get all the materials for the book and ensuring that we gave the Chris & Roger as much great material as possible we found some old discs of old unreleased games. These were Nintendo NES games, that were sadly never released, the reasons are detailed in the book. With the help of some dizzy fans, we got these games released and you can find them on these web pages to either play in browser or download on play on emulators or even a real NES with devices like EverDrive.
This is the 30th Anniversary of Dizzy after all! Some of you may be aware of the latest Kickstarter that is still live for a few more days for the Spectrum Next. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1835143999/zx-spectrum-next
It’s a new Spectrum that will plug into your latest HDMI TV, running games from SD Cards, it runs in traditional mode and is compatible with all existing Spectrum games but also and has some newer enhanced features. The big Dizzy news is that we have announced we will design a new Dizzy game for the Spectrum Next. http://bit.ly/NewDizzy
We felt that we could afford the ‘hobby time’ it takes to design a new game, and it is being developed by a team of Spectrum/Dizzy fans, who recently rewrote, from scratch, Crystal Kingdom Dizzy, on the Spectrum, making many great improvements. https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2017/04/crystal-kingdom-dizzy-remastered-and-released-for-easter/
Lastly, you may be interested to know that any money we may have received from the book, or these Dizzy games, is going to charity, Namely Special Effect, the Gaming charity that enables disabled kids to access video games www.specialeffect.org.uk , and The National video game Arcade www.thenva.com, in Nottingham, that recently opened a new Dizzy Exhibit – that will remain open until at least the end of the summer.
We hope that you will be interested in all this Dizzy news.
Philip & Andrew Oliver AKA The Oliver Twins


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The UK business community is divided over the economic impact of Brexit, with some arguing it will boost the fortunes of those businesses which will be left behind.
Read moreTheresa May’s Government has said that a vote to leave the European Union would allow Britain to renegotiate the terms of its membership of the bloc, and some believe it will also open up opportunities for British businesses in the future.
Read MoreIn the business community, many of those in the UK business sector are in favour of remaining in the EU and believe that the uncertainty over the future of Brexit has caused many businesses to focus on the positives.
ReadMoreHowever, business leaders have been more vocal in their criticism of the Government’s approach to Brexit, saying that the Government has been too slow to respond to their needs and fears.
“We need a robust, detailed and robust response to Brexit and that has not been delivered,” said Stephen Barclay, chief executive of the British Chambers of Commerce.
“There has been no action by the Government in the wake of Brexit on issues like investment and employment and the Government should deliver that in the next few weeks.”
Read moreA number of business leaders also said they believe that businesses will suffer if they do not receive the right level of support from the Government.
“I’m not convinced that we will benefit economically from Brexit,” said Simon Cockerham, chief operating officer of the CBI.
“I’m also not convinced about the benefits for the UK’s trade.
The impact will be less than we thought and that will impact the UK as a whole, as well as the rest of the world.”
If we don’t have the right measures in place to provide our businesses with the right certainty and certainty that they need, the risks will outweigh the benefits.
Brexit is a big risk to the economy, the trade relationship and the UK. “
We need to prepare to have to rethink our business plans and to do things differently and to make sure that we have the infrastructure to manage the challenges that Brexit will bring.”
“Brexit is a big risk to the economy, the trade relationship and the UK.
If we don.t prepare for this then we are going to lose all of those things that have built this economy,” said McCartney.
The Business Council of Britain (BCB) has also issued a warning about the impact of a potential Brexit loss of investment and jobs.
“The Government must do more to reassure business in the weeks ahead about the economic risks of Brexit and the economic benefits of continued membership of a customs union,” said the BCB’s chief executive, Stephen Gethins.
“While we are not advocating a ‘hard Brexit’, we urge the Government to put in place the right safeguards to ensure that businesses have confidence and certainty of trade and investment with the EU.”
The Business Secretary has promised to make a case for staying in the European Economic Area (EEA) after Brexit.
“It is essential that the Prime Minister takes this opportunity to make clear the Government does not want to lose the trade benefits of the Single Market.
This is a key part of the Brexit deal and we need to make this a priority,” he said.
Read MoreNews stories from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Northern England and the rest.


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Recipients of the latest Sure Fit Slipcovers catalog will find more than new coverings for old furniture. The New York-based manufacturer/marketer’s Special Decorating Edition introduces bedding and window treatments to match Sure Fit’s best-selling slipcovers.
Sure Fit mailed 3 million copies of the 44-page catalog on Sept. 2, primarily to customers and requesters, says Marisa Thalberg, senior vice president of marketing and new business development. The special edition focuses on several of the company’s most popular fabrics, including denim, chenille, suede, and corduroy. All of these fabric choices are now available in matching bedding and window treatments. Price points range from $69 to $159 for slipcovers, $99 to $139 for bedding, and $39 to $49 for window treatments.
Along with unveiling its window and bedding collections, Sure Fit has revamped its catalog creative as part of an overall strategy focusing on selling customers not just a slipcover but a new look for rooms. “This is the first real statement that we’re more than just a slipcover company — that we’re a decorating company,” says Thalberg. Catalogs will now display spreads of rooms showcasing each of the three product lines the company sells. Each catalog will also include tips on how to achieve the featured looks.
Though the new merchandise categories featured in the special edition will become permanent fixtures of the catalog, Sure Fit hasn’t forgotten the foundation of its business, says Thalberg: “We think the main hook is still our slipcovers.” But while the catalog’s product line is larger, its name is now a little shorter: Sure Fit Slipcovers has dropped the “by Mail” from the book’s title. The company wanted to reinforce its brand name, Thalberg says, and since customers can order online as well as through the mail, Sure Fit Slipcovers by Mail had become “a dated and less-relevant name.”


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Audio and fitness headphone brand Monster is launching its “Sound of Champions” campaign by partnering with Roc Nation Sports and the summer’s boxing showdown, Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” Powered by Monster at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on June 17. The campaign comes part of a new, continuing Monster “Sound of…” series, which will focus on how athletes use music as an inspirational tool during workouts, and how they look to Monster to provide the powerful sound they need to excel.
With the Golden State Warriors laying claim to the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, Bud Light is launching content “raising a beer to all the dunks, steals, blocks and most of all, friendships formed over the course of 82 games.” The video can be viewed here.
Oakley gears up for the U.S. Open with a new take on its One Obsession #CantStop campaign, featuring Bubba Watson. The multi-channel brand campaign includes broadcast, digital, social, advertising, retail and an enhanced experience on oakley.com/one-obsession with Watson’s One Obsession 30-second spot debuting Saturday on FOX.
Twitter reports the top Tweeted moments from the NBA Finals: 1) Warriors win NBA Finals (Game 5) 2) Warriors complete comeback, win 118-113, go up 3-0 in series (Game 3) and 3) Steph Curry’s 3-pointer gives Warriors 129-115 lead in Game 5. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant was mentioned 1 million times during Game 5 alone.
Facebook reports that 38 million people had more than 209 million interactions related to the NBA Finals this year on the platform, which reports that the most talked-about player of the series on Facebook was LeBron James, followed by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
FloSports announced plans to partner with the Amateur Athletic Union to provide live coverage for 13 AAU track and field events across the country on FloTrack.com. The alliance includes live coverage of the 51st annual AAU Junior Olympic Games from Ypsilanti, Mich. from July 31-Aug. 5.
Entertainment agency PMK BNC is getting into the esports space, announcing the formation of a new cross-agency practice with Momentum Worldwide focused on connecting brands with video games, esports and the nearly two billion video game fans around the globe. The practice provides consultation services for brands interested in the world of gaming and esports, identifying opportunities for sponsorships, in-game marketing, influencer marketing, team and league representation, and more; best-in-class activation expertise for brand experiences and live events; branded content; digital/social engagements; and more. The new practice will be led by Momentum’s Glenn Minerley and PMK BNC’s Mark Van Lommel.
GINX Esports TV is dedicating Friday night to Fight Night, serving up its first live ‘all-nighter’. The esports/gaming network, which in now available in over 45 million homes across 80 countries – will showcase three live international esports events back-to-back and uninterrupted over the course of this weekend. Events will include the OGN Apex S3 from Seoul, Korea; followed by live coverage of the Call of Duty World League in Anaheim, and wrapping up from Atlanta for the ELeague CS:GO Clash for Cash rematch between Astralis and Virtus.Pro.
Mike O’Hagan is joining The Players’ Tribune to serve as Vice President of Operations where he will oversee content and sales operations. Prior to joining The Players’ Tribune, O’Hagan served as EVP Operations & Marketing at SpinMedia.
SportsCastr.Live announced the addition of Charles “Chuck” Baker to its team of advisors. Baker currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Sports Industry Group at O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
Cubs/Mets on MLB Network at 7p.


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Giant snakes, such as boa constrictors and pythons, are likely to damage tourism in parts of Florida and the southern U.S., a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey finds.
The report, released Tuesday, didn’t put a dollar amount on the economic impact of the big snakes, but said the largest economic costs, although uncertain, are likely to be associated with damage to tourism.
Pythons, thought to have been released after pet owners tired of them, have become established in the Everglades and southern Florida. In July, a nine-foot pet python strangled a central Florida toddler in her bed after it escaped.
“Fear of snakes is not entirely rational and one well-publicized attack on a human could jeopardize considerable tourism business,” the report said.
The report noted that all giant constrictors would be unpopular with some potential tourists, though the impact is likely to be greater in places that are heavily dependent on tourism, such as Florida, southern California, or Hawaii.
Other economic impacts from the snakes could come from invasion of urban areas; tendency to eat live poultry and carry diseases; and damage to wildlife popular with bird-watchers and other tourists.
Pythons may be controllable in the vicinity of bird rookeries and wildlife officials may be able to protect isolated places like the Lower Florida Keys from giant constrictors, but the costs could be high, according to the report.
Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., introduced legislation to allow python hunts in the Everglades and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. introduced legislation to ban the imports of snakes.
The federal report, however, notes that there could be costs associated with enforcing trade bans on snake imports.


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It’s time for COVID-19 heroes to suit up.
After a donation drive launched last month, the #SuitforHeroes initiative that seeks to fund the personal protective equipment or PPE of COVID-19 frontliners, some art pieces by internationally-recognized Filipino comic book artists are now up for a blind auction.
Filipino comic fans are enjoined to bid on six high-quality prints of the campaign’s distinctive art pieces in a blind online auction through Suits for Heroes website.
They may then place their bids and those who would place the highest bid for would get the winning print which is rendered on a 12×18” board paper and autographed by the artist who created it.
Proceeds of this initiative would go to the country’s medical heroes.
Among the comic legends who contributed their art works include Whilce Portacio (X-Men), Leinil Yu (X-Men, Superman: Birthright), Stephen Segovia (Joker/Harley, Hellions), Kajo Baldisimo (Trese, Buffy), Mico Suayan (Batman, Bloodshot), and Harvey Tolibao (Green Arrow, Green Lantern) with Levy Ramirez (Deathstroke) on colors.
Aside from the six prints of these artists, the online auction also features the original artwork of Suayan, who forewent digital media to create a physical painting for his piece.
The online blind auction began August 1 and will run until Friday, August 7.
Last month, the initiative’s organizer Comic Odyssey in association with fellow comic retailers Filbar’s and Planet X, and in partnership with Wunderman Thompson Philippines also launched a donation drive where comic enthusiast-donors received a postcard featuring the art of the week in exchange for their donation.
This #SuitForHeroes Initiative also benefits the PPE-purchasing operations of Frontliner Feeders Philippines, Kaya Natin, and Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Incorporated.


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The moment you have all been waiting for has arrived. We were expecting this information to be revealed at the Spike VGX awards, but Bungie has surprised us early. The Destiny release date has been revealed and we’re pleased to say it is going to be a worldwide launch on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles.
Without further ado, we can confirm that Destiny will be launching on September 9, 2014. This is a worldwide date across all platforms, meaning gamers in Europe will not have to endure the usual wait when games are released in the US first.
The date was revealed by Bungie, along with this fantastic teaser image which we’ve included below.
On top of the launch date news, we can tell you that the Destiny beta release date has been pinpointed to a date in Summer 2014 as well. Remember we told you here during Sony’s All Access PS4 event that Bungie had reached a deal with Sony to ensure that the beta releases on PS4 and PS3 first.
With these key dates now established, we can finally countdown to September 9 and to what is surely going to be one of the games of 2014. Give us your reaction to the date and Summer beta launch. Do you think it is ‘pointless’ to buy this game on PS3, Xbox 360?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Local businesses offer bright deals and accommodation options
Bright Deals, a new website designed to help small businesses reach a wider audience, is starting its' service by only advertising deals aimed at emergency and key workers.
The new business will support the wider local economy by helping local traders advertise and get greater social media reach.
Four free adverts will be given to traders who sign up for an account, with their deals posted to the Bright Deals homepage for customers to be able to see and use. Redeeming the deal will require customers to share it on Facebook, giving small local businesses a boost on social media.
Stamford apartments are being offered at reduced rates to key workers (photo: Darren Grigas)
NHS workers are more exposed to coronavirus than any other key workers at the moment, so some of them are choosing to move out of their family home to avoid spreading the virus.
As a result, Stamford Stays, a company who offers a number of different luxury apartments, has committed to doing what they can for NHS workers.
Despite having a noticeable loss in income due to cancellations, they've offered rooms at rates that won't get them a profit, but will merely cover the cost to run the locations.
They said: "We have already reduced our rates online as nurses and key workers may try to book via these portals and we do not want to make them unavailable to them.
"If they come to us directly however, then we will vet them to ensure they meet the criteria as per the government guidelines and agree our lowest possible rates, just enough to keep them running for key workers for as long as they need."
They also have limited accommodation in and around Peterborough available on the same scheme.
To get in touch, you can email email@example.com or call 01780 693433.