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By Azlee Nor Mahmud
The effects of Malaysia’s stimulus package should be seen in the third quarter of 2020’s (Q3 2020) gross domestic product (GDP) performance, said AmBank Research group chief economist and head of research Dr Anthony Dass.
He said the modest improvement expected in Q3 2020 would come after the anticipated worst quarterly growth in the second quarter of this year.
“While we expect growth to be around negative 1.1 per cent to negative 2.0 per cent as the base case for this year, the downside is around negative 5.0 per cent,” he told Bernama.
Malaysia unveiled a RM295 billion stimulus package, namely the RM260 billion Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) and RM35 billion National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) — to boost economic activities and recover from the downturn.
The new wave of COVID-19-centric stimulus has flooded the markets and companies with cheap credit at an unprecedented pace, he said.
On the fiscal front, Dass said even if the fiscal deficit is at six per cent of GDP, it is still below the fiscal deficit of 6.9 per cent in 2009 during the global financial crisis.
“Hence, the economy still has room to expand its fiscal deficit if the need arises,” he said.
Dass, who is also a Secretariat of the Economic Action Council, said the government could raise the self-imposed debt ceiling of 55 per cent if needed.
“The increase in fiscal deficit should, in principle, not impact our credit given that the (other countries in the) world, including Malaysia, are experiencing an unprecedented time,” he said.
He said the important thing is to have the fiscal discipline to lower the deficit once the economy is out of the woods.
On the monetary side, he said the probability of a rate cut in July by 25 to 50 basis points from the current two per cent is now at 40 per cent from the initial 60 to 80 per cent.
“With the short-term recovery measures, plus some statistics unveiled in May such as the manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) which showed signs of improvement although still in the contraction region, further relaxation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) (now in the stage of Recovery CMO), strengthening of the ringgit, and ample liquidity suggest there is little room for a rate cut in July,” he said.
On the short-term recovery measures, he said the automotive industry is likely to benefit from the sales tax exemption of 100 per cent for completely knocked down (CKD) cars and 50 per cent for completely built up (CBU) cars until the end of the year.
Likewise, the property sector is expected to benefit from the reintroduction of the Home Ownership Campaign, with stamp duty exemption, relaxation of the 70 per cent loan-to-value cap for a third home, and the exemption of the real property gains tax.
Dass said for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), there is a further relief of an additional RM2 billion through the Penjana SME Financing scheme at a low financing rate of 3.5 per cent per annum, available from mid-June 2020 with a limit of up to RM500,000 per SME.
He said the SMEs in the tourism sector should benefit as well and it would provide positive multiplier effects on tourism-related businesses, and the downside risk for micro-businesses and Bumiputera entrepreneurs would likely be contained.
“Other areas that are expected to provide positive impetus to the economy are the gig economy, reliefs for investment relocating to Malaysia, and digitalisation,” he said.
He said this is on top of the various measures to protect and create jobs such as the wage subsidy programme extension and hiring incentives, subsidies and allowances such as childcare eVouchers, e-Wallet credits, free daily Internet, and unlimited public transport travel passes that should help to support consumer confidence and spending.
“With the global lockdown easing, global trade is envisaged to improve. As a trading nation, Malaysia will potentially benefit from improving global trade,” he added.
He said positive areas of contribution are expected from global semiconductor sales, oil and gas from a more stable crude price and palm oil with renewed buying interest from India.
Dass said the governments and central banks around the world are shifting to recovery mode from rescue mode as the deepest slump since the Great Depression is showing signs of bottoming out.
“After rolling out trillions of dollars’ worth of measures to prevent their economies and markets from collapsing, they are now doubling down and even spending more to backstop a recovery as coronavirus lockdowns ease…and Malaysia is no exception,” he said.
He said the economy is now in recovery phase, the fourth phase of the 6R strategy to improve the economy.
“We have moved from triage to recovery, and have realised that more fiscal support will be needed for households and small businesses to prevent this liquidity crisis from turning into a solvency crisis,” he added. – BERNAMA
The writer is a media practioner at BERNAMA


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Best of the week: Snapchat enters trough of disappointment
This week’s top stories examined concerns for Snapchat, media agencies’ and brands’ ventures into artificial intelligence and more. As always, a full list of these articles appears at the bottom.
Snapchat faces challenges with earnings and expansion
In the Hype Cycle, the trough of disappointment is an inevitable period. Snapchat parent company Snap reported its first quarterly earnings since its much-hyped IPO. Some key figures:
- 166 million daily users
- $150 million in quarterly revenue
- 90 cents average revenue per user
Don’t forget Europe: Snap faces an uphill climb in its European expansion — specifically in Germany, a company priority. Snap already created lenses for that market, and four media companies have launched as Discover partners, with Spiegel Online and Bild the first homegrown German media houses to join. The company will open a local office in a few months. But growth there won’t be easy, Jess Davies writes.
Reality check: “Snap is surfing a high tide in the U.S. They think the tide is the same here, but it’s not,” said Norman Wagner, managing director of MediaCom Beyond Advertising. “We don’t get any real figures to show reach here.”
The view of an Instant Articles, AMP holdout
Newly rechristened Dotdash (formerly About.com) is reliant on traffic from platforms, Google in particular. But for now, Dotdash is mostly holding out. Dotdash CEO Neil Vogel participated in our first Digiday+ members-only Slack town hall to discuss this (and many other topics.)
AI tools for media buying garner mixed reactions
The robots are coming for all of us, although it’s not yet clear if we’ll be friends or enemies. Dole Asia used an AI platform called Albert for a full digital campaign that included all the buying, optimization and placement.
How it worked: Dole first set KPIs and told Albert what channels and devices to target. Albert then determined what media to invest in at what times and in what formats. It also decided where to spend the brand’s budget and figured out the right combinations for creative and headlines in real time.
The upshot: “It’s going to make people extremely uncomfortable,” said Ashvin Subramanyam, vp of marketing and innovation at Dole Asia. “It’ll rupture media agencies.”
The counter: “AI is not going to rupture media agencies,” said David Gaines, chief planning officer of North American operations for agency Maxus.
Good takes elsewhere:
- The New York Times’ Jim Rutenberg pleads ad buyers to help preserve quality news sources. Good luck with that.
- For Mashable, Jack Morse delves into Mastodon, a social network he says has the potential to take on Twitter.
- Monica Jha investigates selfie deaths in India in a long-form feature for FactorDaily.
This week’s top Digiday stories:
- A cheat sheet on Snap’s first three months as a public company
- ‘We don’t get any real figures’: In risk-averse Germany, Snapchat faces challenges
- Who needs media planners when a tireless robot named Albert can do the job?
- How media agency Maxus is testing artificial intelligence
- How Vice plans to prove to advertisers its branded content works
- Programmatic 101: Marketers turn to tech vendors for ad tech lessons
- Do ad buyers have a moral obligation to save media?
- After Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner debacle, social issue-oriented advertising loses luster
- Now profitable, Patch wants to be a platform for other local news outlets
- Inside the success of Nike’s Breaking2 ‘moonshot’
- ‘A proverbial black box’: Open-exchange auctions have a transparency problem
Marketing Briefing: Why marketers are seeking deeper partnerships with artists to remix songs, offer experiences
By working with musicians and celebrities, brands can potentially generate more attention and become a part of culture, according to agency execs, who say that brands are looking for anything that can help them connect to culture more deeply.
CMO Strategies: How marketers’ social platform budgets stack up — from Instagram to TikTok
Digiday+ Research has analyzed strategies and challenges across leading marketing channels to identify key trends and best practices in our CMO Strategies series. First up: social media usage and budgets.
Culture Brands’ Eunique Jones Gibson wants to help brands uplift, empower stories for African Americans
When Eunique Jones Gibson, founder of the Black-owned marketing agency Culture Brands, launched her agency in 2017, the 39-year-old business leader wanted to demonstrate that she could ignite conversation, introspection and social change in the industry.
SponsoredWhat the measurement and currency discussion really means to TV advertisers
Ali Mack, head of TV and agency, Experian Major streaming video providers have recently made headlines by adopting new currencies for ad measurement, threatening Nielsen’s long-standing TV ratings monopoly. NBCUniversal, for example, has certified iSpot and VideoAmp as currencies for advanced audiences and formed the Joint Industry Committee with Paramount, TelevisaUnivision and Warner Bros. Discovery. […]
Danone’s Light + Fit brand invests in digital video ad spend, but won’t let go of linear TV
Danone-owned yogurt brand Light + Fit is doubling down on its streaming ad strategy, including investing in Netflix for the first time.
The ANA parts ways with PwC in its ongoing ad tech transparency project
Sources claim the trade organization ended the relationship amid frustration with developments.

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What happens when you take 25 entrepreneurs from all over the world and have them live and work together in Boulder, Colorado for 6 weeks? You get unreasonable.
These are 25 individuals that saw a social or environmental problem that they simply could not ignore. They also had an unreasonable idea: to create a solution to this prevalent issue that would also be a viable business. These businesses tackled issues such as poverty, lack of access to clean water, women’s independence, waste, energy, or education. These daring individuals have been successful: they are creating profit and they have a growing customer base. But to continue extending their reach and growing, they joined up with the Unreasonable Institute. For six weeks, they lived together, receiving skill training, mentorship, a network of support, access to seed capital, and international exposure. After the first five weeks, they held the Unreasonable Climax.
I attended the Unreasonable Climax at the University of Colorado at Boulder this summer, during which each of these entrepreneurs were given 5-minutes to tell the story about their venture. The audience was brought to laughter and tears with each presentation.
Jamila Abass of M-Farm spoke of farmers already living in poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa being undersold by middle-men. She had created a mobile app to allow farmers to directly connect to their market and get fair prices on their product. Ashley Murray spoke of turning human waste, a source of disease, into energy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Michael Wilkerson recalled the beginning of his friendship with a man in Uganda who became the inspiration for his business, Own Your Own Boda. In order to help boda boda drivers achieve financial independence, Wilkerson created a business that allowed them to rent-to-buy their own boda. Samanthi Ratnayake of Lili Dairy helps empower women in South Asia through promoting sustainable dairy farming. The creative Shalabh Ahuja of Trashion in South Asia showed a us photos of a man walking through shockingly large mounds of waste in a landfill. He found a way to utilize waste such as colorful plastic bags to create trendy fashion products while creating jobs. And this is just the surface.
Local and responsible food businesses from around Colorado came to campus during the intermission to share their product and inspiration as well. I had a chance to chat with Boulder Food Rescue, who partners with local businesses to identify food that will potentially be wasted and donate it to people in need. The deliveries are powered by volunteers on bikes, displaying their commitment to environmental responsibility.
I came full of curiosity about these entrepreneurs. Who are these daring folk who said they could no longer put up with the status quo? What was the final straw that made them say “I am going to dedicate my life to eradicating this problem”? How will they express their pain, their efforts, and their successes in five minutes?
I found that they are just ordinary people, like you and me. They saw an issue, simply had an idea – and they had the audacity to make it happen. The students of Design for America can have the same impact. We, too, can challenge the status quo. We have the creativity and resources to develop a solution and carry it forth. With your Design for America team, you can dare to be unreasonable.
Design for America is proud to be a Pipeline Partner with Unreasonable Institute. Check out their latest venture with Unreasonable at Sea!


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[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
It’s been a tough year for trailer orders, and July was no exception as preliminary net orders fell below 10,000 units. It marked the seventh consecutive year-over-year decline, according to ACT Research.
Orders hit 9,900, ACT reported, citing preliminary data trailer makers would revise soon. That compared with 28,733 a year earlier, the best July on record.
“The order cycle set us up for a very tough comparison. At the same, we are building at a dramatically higher rate than orders are coming in. So we continue to burn the backlog,” said Frank Maly, director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis at ACT Research.
Research firm FTR pegged July’s preliminary net orders at 9,000.
Trailer makers remained optimistic that orders would rebound in the third quarter.
“Certainly, the [summer] slowdown is more intense than usual, so some part of it is signaling a broader impact from the market,” said Stuart James, chief sales officer at Hyundai Translead. “That said, we have several major requests for quotes in hand already for 2020, a fact that has surprised us as expectations were that another month might have to pass before we started to see this happening.”
Davis Giesen, vice president of sales at Stoughton Trailers, said the company has opened its order books for 2020, too. “[Customers] were happy to get pricing for their capital planning.”
At the same time, “The demand and volumes we had for trailers over the last few years are not sustainable,” Giesen said. “With lead times getting back to normal, fleets will have time make decisions on their 2020 trailer needs.”
At Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co., the private fleet and leasing business still is strong, but the for-hire segment is slow, said Craig Bennett, senior vice president of sales.
“We have cut out overtime and are letting attrition take place in our plants. We’re still working through a healthy backlog of orders even though cancellations have occurred,” he said. “I’m hoping that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will make a trade deal soon. Uncertainty is not good for business.”
David Gilliland, vice president of national accounts at Great Dane Trailers, saw a return to normalcy, too, and expects August, September and October to be stronger. “We are coming off record high builds in vans and [refrigerated trailers] so nothing to panic about even if the order intake is less going into 2020.”
One company placing orders is Amazon.com, Maly said.
“I can tell you that I hear Amazon an awful lot. They are driving a fair amount of business right now,” including taking white stock trailers off the lots, Maly said, remarking on conversations with trailer makers.
That indicates to him that its logistics business is picking up.
“[Amazon is] probably trying to get some pretty aggressive positioning, not only with their own business for the theoretical holiday surge coming up, but the other freight transport they are starting to move on,” he said.
Amazon did not respond to a request for comment but recently announced new fulfillment centers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Utah.
Another fleet said it would not be adding trailers this year.
“But we had planned it that way,” said Jarit Cornelius, vice president of asset maintenance at Sharp Transport. “We did lots of catching up, getting the old out, the new in, over the past few years, and this year was set to be a no-order year.”
Sharp is a truckload carrier in Ethridge, Tenn., that operates 360 trailers — primarily dry van, combined with flatbed, end-dump and heavy-haul.
“Just like everyone else, the recession a few years back completely threw trade cycles out the window. Post-recession, we’ve been trying to play catch-up,” Cornelius said. “For trailers, we’re about 80% caught up. Some diversification in our company and the applications allowed us to slow trailer purges down somewhat and continue getting good utilization from older trailers.”
Tulsa, Okla.-based Melton Truck Lines Inc., a flatbed carrier, is scheduled to buy 385 trailers and trade in 200, Chief Financial Officer Robert Ragan said. Melton operates 2,415 trailers. The order has not been placed yet, he said Aug. 20.
“That typically occurs late September, first of October in a normal equipment cycle,” Ragan said. “The bigger picture is, we have not overreacted in good freight cycles or soft freight cycles. For 20-plus years, we have had fleet growth in the mid-to-upper single digits, growing organically.“
Melton’s ratio of trailers to tractors is 1.75 to 1, which, he said, is a little higher than for flatbed carriers typically because of its business in Mexico.
“We have quite a few trailers in Mexico and/or positioned at the border on any given day,” Ragan said.


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The EOS Network Foundation and EOS Labs, two organizations curated within the EOS Network ecosystem, scored a massive partnership with one of the leading Turkey-based cryptocurrency services.
CoinTR secures massive partnership with EOS: Details
CoinTR, Turkey's leading cryptocurrency exchange, announced that it partnered with EOS Network Foundation and EOS Labs to expand Web3 breakthroughs in the country. Turkey is the fourth ranking economy by cryptocurrency transactions and an undisputed global leader in retail crypto adoption.
The partnership was ceremonially kickstarted during CoinTR's Second Anniversary Party on Nov. 28 in Istanbul. Also, the teams announced the launch of joint Web3 Labs helmed by CoinTR and EOS Labs.
The event was attended by over 300 prominent figures from the industry, finance sector and government, including Turkey's minister of finance, the chairman of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, and the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Yves La Rose, CEO of the EOS Network Foundation, stressed the importance of this collaboration for future generations of crypto and DeFi users in Turkey:
With its dynamic economy, forward-looking approach to regulation, and increasing cryptocurrency engagement amidst global economic challenges, Turkey is rapidly becoming a key player in the digital asset space. This partnership with CoinTR is a key step in nurturing and expanding the Web3 ecosystem in this vibrant market.
This partnership combines the EOS Network's advanced blockchain technology with CoinTR's expanding market influence, aiming to revolutionize the Turkish Web3 landscape and enhance blockchain adoption both locally and globally.
From EOS staking to ecosystem growth and new user onboarding
Ali Eselioglu, the newly appointed CEO of CoinTR and former deputy executive director of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, is also excited about the prospects of the new partnership:
With the Labs project, we have the opportunity to contribute to Turkey's growth and global competitive advantage in the industry. This cooperation aims to spur innovation in the sector by hosting groundbreaking projects leveraging blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
With a fresh collaboration, a number of amazing opportunities for Turkish users of crypto has been unlocked. For instance, users of CoinTR will be able to participate in IEOs and launchpools for incubated projects, exclusively with EOS, USDT and the Turkish lira as officially supported platform currencies.
CoinTR will join the EOS ecosystem as a staking pool operator, offering incentives to EOS holders who lock their tokens on the exchange.
Last but not least, this hotly anticipated partnership will provide extensive support to selected EOS projects, encompassing marketing, token listings and other ecosystem activities.


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The share price fell 7% yesterday on news that the company would buy Covance Inc. (NYSE:CVD). That made it the biggest loser for the day on the S&P 500. With Covance shares jumping 25%, three guesses as to who the winners were.
Unfortunately, we only added the company to our Active Team (Growth Strategy) on Friday with yesterday's close making for a quick 3% loss already made on the investment. We won't be selling, though, until a Sell alert is generated for the stock. That could be in the next few days or in several months if the price reverses upward from here.
We just don't care what's been announced, or what value people put on a company, we simply make our buy and sell decisions based on what the share price is doing. We stop losses early and never sell a stock with a rising share price - no matter what the value is.


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With Black Friday just passing and onward to Cyber Monday which will continue on to a holiday increased shopping period through the remainder of the year, Amazon is on a lot of people’s electronic screens and taking in their hard-earned dollars…. Dollars that were taxedon earnings. Unlike Amazon, who avoids paying federal taxes using a variety of tax credits and tax exemptions that are legal and built into the U.S. federal tax code. A big one for this past year was the ability to deduct stock-based compensation of executives.
A look at the chart below shows what that compensation looks like:
Amazon Executive Salaries
While spending your taxed earned income on Amazon’s site, you may want to think about how VA and NY residents will continue to pay taxes on their earnings and property taxes and all taxes where applicable, but Amazon just got a sweet deal from NY and VA paid for by the tax payers. NY alone just handed out under $3 billion in subsidies to Amazon to operate its HQ2 in that state.
Incentivizing job creation is one rationale for the subsidies many cities offered up to Amazon before the two big winners, NY and VA, were announced but should this have been a part of the decision-making process in the first place?
Residents of NY and VA, which will now include an influx of relocated employees, will pay for the infrastructure, rising real estate prices and whatever rises in cost come into the supply and demand equation.
Amazon will directly profit.
In NY, Amazon will receive $897 million from the city’s Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP) and $386 million from the Industrial & Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP). It will receive an additional $505 million in a capital grant and $1.2 billion in credits if its job creation goals are met. That brings the total amount of public funds granted to $2.988 billion. In other words, the city and state (by way of you the taxpayers) will pay Amazon, with it's not so glowing labor relations, $48,000 per job.
Amazon is no small business trying to stay out of the red. In 2017, Amazon reported $5.6 billion of U.S. profits and didn't pay a dime of federal income taxes on it.
Choosing the city most strategically located to draw the most skilled workers, geographic proximity to its distribution hub, cost to operate, consideration by each city as to gentrification, infrastructure, housing and other demands an influx in population would bring are all within reasonable consideration for the proposed locations. Corporate welfare should not have been on the table. The irony of Amazon moving into a space neighboring a public housing project, aided by unnecessary corporate welfare while some of the populous screams for welfare cuts for the vulnerable poor and demonizes the residents of the projects, should not be lost.
The government does not generate a profit. It is a public servant. The money it just spent was paid by the citizenry in the form of taxes. Amazon does not need to be paid to create jobs. The jobs it creates are representative of a rise in demand for their products and services. The jobs it creates will contribute to bring more profit and more pay off to stock holders. This should not be supplemented by the working class.
Amazon has a successful business model. Let them make as much money as they can based on that model. Taking advantage of the lucrative subsidy and incentive offers to operate in the winning cities that made offers, allowing even more of profit with less cost, can be theoretically understood under the premise of the capitalistic model in which businesses exist to maximize profits. They are not evil. Amazon is just operating the way a business theoretically should. However, subsidies and tax breaks should not have been an option on the table. The average person cannot afford to start a business. Why should a highly profitable Amazon be paid outside of paying for products and services? We do not need to pay Amazon to create jobs, supply and demand for their goods and services creates jobs.
As you continue shopping for Cyber Monday deals and make more purchases into the upcoming holidays, remember the government just brokered a deal to make Amazon even more money. They decided you would pay for Amazon and its shareholders to become even more wealthy and Amazon doesn't have to pay for the improved infrastructure, increased demand for education and housing etc..., because you will—whether you can afford to or not. You won’t just be deciding to pay if you purchase their goods or services, you will be coerced to pay with your taxes.
Amazon, a publicly traded company, is invested in by stock holders…. Dear tax payers, you won’t be getting any stock, but you will be investing.
What will your ROI be?


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Wendy's is putting up its duke's and hitting Dunkin Donuts hard in its latest marketing campaign.
The international burger chain, which introduced breakfast last year, is popping up a restaurant in Providence, R.I., roughly 50km's from Dunkin's Canton, Mass., headquarters, where it will give customers free food and host a contest for 'free breakfast for a year.'
The 'DitchTheDonut' competition will be held on Instagram, @DitchTheDonutSweeps, through to mid-August. Customers who comment during the competition duration enter to win free Wendy's breakfast for a year.
The pop-up restaurant will open in Kennedy Plaza where from 7am to 11am customers can exchange donuts for Wendy's breakfast.
Wendy's is also introducing two breakfast sandwiches, including a Sausage, Egg and Swiss Croissant, Bacon, Egg and Swiss Croissant or Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit.
Most of Wendy's focus has been on McDonald's, but branching out into the breakfast market allows Wendy's to take on the coffee-and-doughnut chain.


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(Second of two parts)
In this continuation of a two-part series, more of the country’s top executives tackle the topic on how their organization is coping with the adverse effects of the pandemic in the automotive industry. Most of the responses focused on how they’re dealing with the new normal, in making sure customers and employees can safely go about their retail and work environments – work from home, after sales customer services and showroom sales. They also shared their insights on how to control their operating expenses, their digital journey when it comes to communications and promotions, and adjustments in customer behavior to align with their sales campaigns.
President, Kia Philippines
Kia fared well in this year’s ranking in terms of sales performance but Aligada says they hope to perform better in the closing months. “Our product roadmap is prepared for the next few years. In today’s situation, the inventory level for vehicles and parts is constantly monitored and maintained since this is a critical element of cost management. Timely orders and disbursements are critical to ensure we keep costs to what is needed. Overall, our intention for the Kia business is to be sensitive to our customer requirements. We listen and respond by providing support to what the buying public needs to make vehicle ownership problem free as safe personal mobility is needed by everyone. We also coordinate and work with several financing institutions so our customers are fully assisted in vehicle acquisition. Also, we maintain close and harmonious relationships among our dealer partners to ensure business operations are smoothly in place, as we prepare for getting back to normal,” said Aligada.
He also said that it is time for belt-tightening measures and communication to target markets and partners is important and will be maintained using impactful content sent via effective and efficient channels. “Dealers are extensions of Kia Philippines. They are our touchpoints to and links with our valued customers. We regularly and continuously engage with our dealer partners to provide our support ensuring that their Kia dealer business, just like ours, is kept viable and moving.”
President, Lexus Manila
“Today’s business climate brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic hit the auto industry very hard. We wish to ask the country’s top auto executives how they are coping and strategizing their organizations and networks (supply chain, dealers, customers),” said Rodriguez.
He also said that he is conscious about keeping his operating expenses low, and emphasizes to promote its appointment system with its service customers so that we can maximize our workshop efficiency. He also found a novel way to touching base with his customers – by conducting various webinars with topics and activities that would interest their high-end clientele from economic outlook, Japanese cheesecake making, health talks, and even a golf clinic with the country’s leading pro golfer Miguel Tabuena who is one of their brand ambassadors.
President, BMW Philippines
“The pandemic has definitely shaken things up and made the business environment quite difficult. It demanded that we change the way we do things. So, we take this challenge head on and welcome the opportunities that come along with it. The team is striving to be flexible while maximizing our resources to better suit the current business climate. It also helps that we are premium brand that offers two and four-wheeled options catering to wide variety. In fact, BMW Motorrad’s contribution helps to keep our numbers stable. We are also doing our very best to move towards digitalization. Since our customers have limited opportunities to visit BMW showrooms nationwide, we are slowly automating some areas of our operations while making sure that each individual still gets the best from BMW. With the support of our dealer network and partners from San Miguel Corporation and BMW Group Asia, we are positive that we will be able to make the most out of these challenging times.”
Managing Director of Pilipinas Autogroup, Inc.
During the onset of the ECQ, PilpinasAuto’s primary concern was for the health and safety of our employees and stakeholders. “Needless to say, our office and dealers implemented a very strict protocol ensuring a safe and hygienic environment always. We also fielded out our modern PUVs to help support the transportation needs of our medical frontliners during the lockdown as a small way of giving back to the community. On the business aspect, it is a known fact that this global pandemic has hit a lot of sectors really hard. PilipinasAuto chose not to dwell on the challenges but rather to focus on the opportunities the situation presented. We knew well that the construction and logistics industries will remain steadfast and gladly, the Dongfeng line-up is perfect for their requirements. This meant that our sales and marketing efforts were retuned to appeal to these trades and true enough, our sales of the Dump Trucks, light to heavy duty cargo trucks and prime movers were getting traction in the market.
Economic slowdown or not, PilipinasAuto is poised to introduce more environmental friendly Dongfeng vehicles in the near future.
Chairman Emeritus, Ferrari and Maserati Philippines
Wellington Soong is a true veteran in the luxury car market. His journey in the multi-brand luxury car market started in the 1990s and has seen many upheavals and crisis points like the Asian financial crisis of 1997, when he was just starting his luxury car importation so he is no stranger to adversity. Now with his new partners in the business, he takes his expertise and collective experience to navigate his brands in today’s turbulent pandemic auto market.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has totally redefined the demand profile of our customers’ sensitivities to their own financial realities, and all our marketing and sales initiatives are now situational.” Said Soong. He further explains that this is a very crucial time and the instinct is to survive and downscale operating costs as the market for luxury and ultra-luxury cars may have shrunk to about 30%. While lamenting that demand for his brands of cars is fluid, and depends on month-to-month understanding of their customer’s appetite, Soong added that his principals are sympathetic and supportive of the market realities so he looks forward to better times ahead.
Vicente Mills, Jr.
Chairman, Hino Motors Philippines
You would think that Hino trucks, part of the Toyota Group of Companies would not be too much affected in the commercial trucks segment of the industry. But “the pandemic affected Hino’s overall operations the same way it did many businesses both locally and globally. From January to September this year, our total sales fell from about 40% to 50% compared to last year’s same period and this applies not only to units but also parts. Around mid or late March, we went through a fine-toothed comb and reviewed all our operating expenses. We drastically cut avoidable expenses except for expenses related to continuing operations, productions and marketing,” said Mills.
“Despite the adjustments we made internally, we did not cut any of the services that we offer our customers. We focused more on what we think are avoidable expenses in terms of marketing our products and delivering our products to the customers. There is no impact on the services they receive from us or the products we give to them but the systems we have in place for distributing the products to the dealers and the dealers to the customers — all those went through drastic reviews and re-design. For example, very few of our dealers now open their displays during the usual 9-5 schedule. Their service operations have also been rescheduled. All of these have to be adjusted given the lockdown measures, the travel restrictions, as well as general business downturn. Many of our customers need not to run their vehicles like before or were able to delay purchases, replacements or expansions for their fleets during this lockdown period. The current situation has changed the way we’re doing business but not our products and services because customers still come to us for those particular features of products and services. It’s really on how we produce and deliver to meet their needs.”
Hino is taking a proactive stance in making sure its dealers are in the forefront and always make sure their fleet has access to service. “Most of our dealers are struck hard because some of their sales were cut in half, which prompted them to cut their overhead expenses as well. Our dealers are also encouraged to adopt Hino’s strategy of focusing and intensifying their sales efforts to realistic customers. Several dealers have now expanded their field service operations to cater to the customers who cannot bring their fleet to the dealerships for repair and maintenance because of the lockdown. Going out to the customer site is one of the big efforts that our customers appreciated from us during this period. And as a global brand and a part of the Toyota Group, Hino has a lot of access to what’s going on around the world in terms of direction of the automotive and manufacturing industries and other user requirements. We are able to receive this kind of information support,” Mills said.
President, Honda Cars Philippines
Honda Cars Philippines, celebrating its 30th year milestone in the country, recently introduced a new president who views this pandemic as a big challenge but feels optimistic about the near future. “Despite of the current global challenge brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain hopeful and optimistic that the Philippine automotive industry will continuously thrive and bounce back in the near future. Honda hopes to do its share in helping revitalize the economy throughout the rest of the year, by continuing with its commitment to serve the Philippine market and provide mobility for everyone by offering affordable vehicles and reliable after-sales services. To achieve this, as we all adapt to the new normal, we have crafted different strategies in order to maintain comprehensive process to provide quality products and services to our customers,” said Nakamura.
Being a very safety conscious organization, he said that its employees, since the start of the Community Quarantine around mid-March, were given work from home arrangements. To support medical frontliners for their transportation concerns, HCPI lent out vehicles to medical frontliners last April during the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine. Last August, Honda lent out another batch of Honda vehicles to various medical facilities in Laguna and Cavite.
“Now that we are slowly but surely resuming business operations, still, the safety of our customers and associates is our top priority. With this, we have prepared precautionary measures both in the dealerships and in our offices for a safe and healthy environment. These are implementation of extensive sanitation procedures in all areas, scanning of body temperatures, practice of social distancing of at least one meter apart at all times, wearing of PPEs, and washing/sanitizing their hands before entering and while inside the premises.”
Last August, Honda officially launched its online dealership facility for both sales and after-sales services, VIRTUAL@Honda. It is easy to navigate, user-friendly, and most importantly, safe and convenient since customers have the ability to conduct their dealer transactions through a contactless process—at the comfort of their homes. This is part of Honda’s continuous efforts in providing a better consumer journey to our Filipino customers as we adapt to the new normal, VIRTUAL@Honda features the suggested retail prices, exterior and interior features, and model brochures of Honda’s full model lineup. Moreover, another advanced feature of VIRTUAL@Honda is customers now have the capability to see the sequence of dealerships that have available stocks.
President, Autohub Group
Lotus/Mini Cooper/Rolls Royce
“This global pandemic is a crisis, a booster, a huge challenge and a super rush of adrenaline rolled into one. It is a game changer that paved the way to all of us in the aspect of digital advancements. Good thing the Autohub Group started the development of our Autohub Mobile App in 2018 and we were able to launch it three months before this outbreak happened. Now it is providing our clients an easier way to book their service appointments with us. We’re continuously improving this App to make it really convenient for all our clients across all Autohub brands. We’ve also started our MINI Online Showroom and continuously utilizing almost all digital platforms in all of our brands. We’ve used Facebook for our launches nowadays too. Digital all the way. We’ve started a lot of cost cutting measures from our showroom spaces to our future expansions. It may not be what we planned in 2019 for our 2020 but nevertheless, I know we will get through this if we work together and help each other, from the manufacturers to the dealers to the banks/insurance companies and to our clients. Hope they’ll come and visit us again one of these days. This is just a bump, we will all drive again soon.”


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How super fan Alyssa Milano has turned a practical idea into a trendy women’s sportswear brand for enthusiasts from the diamond to the raceway.
Burberry Group is continuing its licensing partnership with Luxottica Group for the development, production and worldwide distribution of eyewear.
Saban Brands has announced a new fashion collaboration for its surf-inspired lifestyle brand Mambo with Australia-based designer Emma Mulholland.
Grafton Fraser has acquired all 35 Jones New York retail stores across Canada and signed with Authentic Brands Group to operate the brand's e-commerce in the country.
Croakies has created a line of printed belts featuring Loudmouth's signature bold patterns.
Footwear and apparel licensee Leomil has launched a new B2B web platform that allows customers to access its collections anytime, anywhere.
Genius Brands International and its subsidiary, A Squared Entertainment, are continuing to expand the lifestyle brand Psycho Bunny into new product categories.
Lifestyle brand DGK has launched a new collection featuring Popeye, developed in partnership with King Features Syndicate.
Arnor Overseas International has launched a range of Goodyear-branded footwear in Taiwan.
Yoga-inspired athletic apparel company Lululemon Athletica has teamed with Stanley Park Brewery in Canada to launch a branded beer.
Nordstrom is expanding its partnership with the women's retailer Madewell, part of the J. Crew Group, to bring the brand to stores across the U.S.
Aeropostale and its children line P.S. from Aeropostale opened its first location in Mexico through a licensing partnership with Distribuidora Liverpool, S.A. de C.V.
European print-on-demand platform Spreadshirt has acquired the Brazilian e-commerce company Vitrinepix, which will now operate as a Spreadshirt subsidiary.
From the Simpsons to Sons of Anarchy, Fox Consumer Products has the savvy instincts needed to develop a broad array of licensed apparel programs.
Plus-size retailer Lane Bryant is teaming up with American ready-to-wear designer Lela Rose for a limited edition apparel line.
Mattel is re-launching its line of BeForever historical American Girls dolls with a little help from the Lifetime fashion competition series "Project Runway."
DHX Media has appointed Character Options as the global master toy partner for the new version of the TV series “Teletubbies.”
Canadian retailer Le Château has partnered with actress Lauren Holly for Lauren's Closet, an exclusive apparel collection launching this fall.
Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi has released a new craft line of knitting yarns exclusively at North American arts and crafts store Michaels.
National Geographic has selected adventure/travel apparel company Craghoppers as its exclusive licensed apparel partner for North America.
Fashion legwear and sleepwear brand Hue has tapped Beanstalk as its licensing agent.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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Hazardous Chemicals from China: Thoughts after Tianjin
On August 15, 2015, Kemcore's CEO wrote this piece in reaction to the explosions that rocked Tianjin's port. Our offices are based in China, and we are familiar with the facilities that exploded. The week after the explosions was an anxious time for us, as we contemplated the future of hazardous chemicals from China.
While we know the answers to many of the questions contemplated in this piece, they still serve as a poignant reminder of the ways businesses that rely on hazardous chemicals from China and other countries can be affected by disasters.
While the flames at the Tianjin explosion site have largely been extinguished, I cannot help but wonder. What comes next for hazardous chemicals in China? Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
Our company and supply partners stored sodium cyanide and other chemicals at this particular chemical warehouse in the Tianjin port in the past. We used the warehouse temporarily while waiting for our vessel. Luckily, at the time of the explosions, we did not have any cargo stored at the port. I have spoken to my colleagues who did. Many lost several hundred tons of sodium cyanide, sodium hydrosulfide, and sodium sulfide.
One of my top concerns following the explosions is what impact the Tianjin accident will have on the market for hazardous chemicals from China.
My initial thoughts are:
- After this event, the Chinese government will most likely enforce a strict policy on the handling and shipping of dangerous or hazardous chemicals from China.
- Increased compliance costs are likely.
- If the explosion was caused by a leak, we might see enforcements on packaging requirements for liquid chemicals. This has always been a weak area with some exporters. It is not hard to imagine a scenario where leaks led to the explosions. An article by Reuters also points out that the "Tianjin port warehouse where two massive explosions killed dozens of people violated packaging standards during a safety inspection two years ago, the safety bureau said." This problem of packaging standards is fairly common. I was a victim twice! The picture below shows hydrogen peroxide (24 tons) that leaked enroute the port of Durban, South Africa. Fortunately, it was discovered and offloaded and repackaged in Singapore. The leak led to a $5,000 fine by the shipping company. Why do suppliers use substandard packaging? One word. Profit! And how much profit are we talking about? The cost gap between the best quality UN-rated drums and inferior drums is approximately USD20-30/MT. This translates to roughly $480 to $720 additional profit per container. It may not sound like much, but when you're talking 10 or 20 containers of hazardous chemicals from China being shipped by a single company per month, it adds up.
- Could we see strict licensing requirements and scrutiny of Chinese companies in the hazardous chemical supply chain? This might lead to some companies losing their trade licenses.
- Consolidation/fewer suppliers? Maybe leading to higher export prices of hazardous chemicals from China?
- Could sodium hydrosulfide and sodium sulfide be the culprits? They have been known to leak in the summer. Many suppliers have incurred have fines in the past from shipping companies over leaks. At Kemcore, we have refused or delayed orders of sodium hydrosulfide and sodium sulfide, as they normally leak in the summer, even with four layers of packaging.
- Insurance. I was speaking to a client who refuses to insure cargo from China. I bet he'll think twice now. Will the insurance rates increase for hazardous chemicals?
- Are we likely to see increased IMO surcharges from shipping companies out of China?
What are your thoughts? Do you think importing chemicals from China has become more difficult since the 2015 Tianjin explosions? Share your comments below.


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Looks like 3D isn't just a fad, folks, so long as we're talking about silicon -- Intel just announced that it has invented a 3D "Tri-Gate" transistor that will allow the company to keep shrinking chips, Moore's Law naysayers be darned. Intel says the transistors will use 50 percent less power, conduct more current and provide 37 percent more speed than their 2D counterparts thanks to vertical fins of silicon substrate that stick up through the other layers, and that those fancy fins could make for cheaper chips too -- currently, though, the tri-gate tech adds an estimated 2 to 3 percent cost to existing silicon wafers. Intel says we'll see the new technology first in its 22nm Ivy Bridge CPUs, going into mass production in the second half of the year, and it's planning 14nm chips in 2013 and 10nm chips in 2015. Also, 3D transistors won't be limited to the cutting edge -- Intel reps told journalists that they "will extend across the entire range of our product line," including mobile devices. Three videos and a press release await you after the break.
Chris Trout contributed to this report.
Show full PR text
Intel Reinvents Transistors Using New 3-D Structure
Posted by IntelPR on May 4, 2011 10:05:29 AM
Intel announces a major technical breakthrough and historic innovation in microprocessors: the world's first 3-D transistors, called Tri-Gate, in a production technology.
The transition to 3-D Tri-Gate transistors sustains the pace of technology advancement, fueling Moore's Law for years to come.
An unprecedented combination of performance improvement and power reduction to enable new innovations across a range of future 22nm-based devices from the smallest handhelds to powerful cloud-based servers.
Intel demonstrates a 22nm microprocessor – codenamed "Ivy Bridge" – that will be the first high-volume chip to use 3-D Tri-Gate transistors.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 4, 2011 – Intel Corporation today announced a significant breakthrough in the evolution of the transistor, the microscopic building block of modern electronics. For the first time since the invention of silicon transistors over 50 years ago, transistors using a three-dimensional structure will be put into high-volume manufacturing. Intel will introduce a revolutionary 3-D transistor design called Tri-Gate, first disclosed by Intel in 2002, into high-volume manufacturing at the 22-nanometer (nm) node in an Intel chip codenamed "Ivy Bridge." A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
The three-dimensional Tri-Gate transistors represent a fundamental departure from the two-dimensional planar transistor structure that has powered not only all computers, mobile phones and consumer electronics to-date, but also the electronic controls within cars, spacecraft, household appliances, medical devices and virtually thousands of other everyday devices for decades.
"Intel's scientists and engineers have once again reinvented the transistor, this time utilizing the third dimension," said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. "Amazing, world-shaping devices will be created from this capability as we advance Moore's Law into new realms."
Scientists have long recognized the benefits of a 3-D structure for sustaining the pace of Moore's Law as device dimensions become so small that physical laws become barriers to advancement. The key to today's breakthrough is Intel's ability to deploy its novel 3-D Tri-Gate transistor design into high-volume manufacturing, ushering in the next era of Moore's Law and opening the door to a new generation of innovations across a broad spectrum of devices.
Moore's Law is a forecast for the pace of silicon technology development that states that roughly every 2 years transistor density will double, while increasing functionality and performance and decreasing costs. It has become the basic business model for the semiconductor industry for more than 40 years.
Unprecedented Power Savings and Performance Gains
Intel's 3-D Tri-Gate transistors enable chips to operate at lower voltage with lower leakage, providing an unprecedented combination of improved performance and energy efficiency compared to previous state-of-the-art transistors. The capabilities give chip designers the flexibility to choose transistors targeted for low power or high performance, depending on the application.
The 22nm 3-D Tri-Gate transistors provide up to 37 percent performance increase at low voltage versus Intel's 32nm planar transistors. This incredible gain means that they are ideal for use in small handheld devices, which operate using less energy to "switch" back and forth. Alternatively, the new transistors consume less than half the power when at the same performance as 2-D planar transistors on 32nm chips.
"The performance gains and power savings of Intel's unique 3-D Tri-Gate transistors are like nothing we've seen before," said Mark Bohr, Intel Senior Fellow. "This milestone is going further than simply keeping up with Moore's Law. The low-voltage and low-power benefits far exceed what we typically see from one process generation to the next. It will give product designers the flexibility to make current devices smarter and wholly new ones possible. We believe this breakthrough will extend Intel's lead even further over the rest of the semiconductor industry."
Continuing the Pace of Innovation – Moore's Law
Transistors continue to get smaller, cheaper and more energy efficient in accordance with Moore's Law – named for Intel co-founder Gordon Moore. Because of this, Intel has been able to innovate and integrate, adding more features and computing cores to each chip, increasing performance, and decreasing manufacturing cost per transistor.
Sustaining the progress of Moore's Law becomes even more complex with the 22nm generation. Anticipating this, Intel research scientists in 2002 invented what they called a Tri-Gate transistor, named for the three sides of the gate. Today's announcement follows further years of development in Intel's highly coordinated research-development-manufacturing pipeline, and marks the implementation of this work for high-volume manufacturing.
The 3-D Tri-Gate transistors are a reinvention of the transistor. The traditional "flat" two-dimensional planar gate is replaced with an incredibly thin three-dimensional silicon fin that rises up vertically from the silicon substrate. Control of current is accomplished by implementing a gate on each of the three sides of the fin – two on each side and one across the top -- rather than just one on top, as is the case with the 2-D planar transistor. The additional control enables as much transistor current flowing as possible when the transistor is in the "on" state (for performance), and as close to zero as possible when it is in the "off" state (to minimize power), and enables the transistor to switch very quickly between the two states (again, for performance).
Just as skyscrapers let urban planners optimize available space by building upward, Intel's 3-D Tri-Gate transistor structure provides a way to manage density. Since these fins are vertical in nature, transistors can be packed closer together, a critical component to the technological and economic benefits of Moore's Law. For future generations, designers also have the ability to continue growing the height of the fins to get even more performance and energy-efficiency gains.
"For years we have seen limits to how small transistors can get," said Moore. "This change in the basic structure is a truly revolutionary approach, and one that should allow Moore's Law, and the historic pace of innovation, to continue."
World's First Demonstration of 22nm 3-D Tri-Gate Transistors
The 3-D Tri-Gate transistor will be implemented in the company's upcoming manufacturing process, called the 22nm node, in reference to the size of individual transistor features. More than 6 million 22nm Tri-Gate transistors could fit in the period at the end of this sentence.
Today, Intel demonstrated the world's first 22nm microprocessor, codenamed "Ivy Bridge," working in a laptop, server and desktop computer. Ivy Bridge-based Intel® Core™ family processors will be the first high-volume chips to use 3-D Tri-Gate transistors. Ivy Bridge is slated for high-volume production readiness by the end of this year.
This silicon technology breakthrough will also aid in the delivery of more highly integrated Intel® Atom™ processor-based products that scale the performance, functionality and software compatibility of Intel® architecture while meeting the overall power, cost and size requirements for a range of market segment needs.


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While many companies are trying to threaten its position, Netflix is still a symbol of streaming platforms and has millions of subscribers worldwide. Of course, there is no shortage of active players among those who pay for the service subscription. This group will undoubtedly be interested in the fact that the representatives of this popular VoD service will be present at this year's E3. The information was given on the Twitter account of the event. Netflix will host the Bringing Your Favorite Shows to Life: Developing Netflix Originals into Video Games panel.
The presence of the famous streaming platform at one of the most important events associated with digital entertainment is not particularly shocking. Netflix has been having an affair with this branch of pop culture for some time now. Just to mention the interactive productions, like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch or Minecraft: Story Mode, which can certainly be called video games. Interestingly, the latter is an adaptation of the production of the now-bankrupt Telltale Games studio, which, according to last year's information, was supposed to create an adventure based on Stranger Things. As you know, it didn't happen eventually, but the title (already a second adaptation) based on the popular series will appear anyway. We're talking about Stranger Things 3: The Game, an old-school, isometric fighting game from BonusXP studio, coming to "all platforms". The game will be present on E3 2019, but there are more surprises. In response to a request for a small teaser Twitter NX account, whose task is to promote science fiction and fantasy positions on Netflix, revealed that the fair will feature more attractions related to the popular online service.
Of course, we don't know which games based on Netflix movies or series can be announced on E3 2019. However, there are some theories. There is talk of productions based on The Umbrella Academy or Bright. Besides, we should remember that this year, we'll also get the premiere of The Witcher series, starring Henry Cavill in the lead role. Maybe there's another computer adaptation of Geralt's adventures planned? Everything will be clear in June.
- Netflix official website


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A botnet fingered for stealing a treasure trove of information last year has struck again, harvesting sensitive documents from dozens of government agencies and contractors, according to a pair of security experts.
Microsoft said on Tuesday that it would backport an Office 2010 security feature to the older and more widely used Office 2003 and Office 2007 early next year.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) blocks more malicious sites and malware than any other browser, including its predecessor IE8, according to a report released Tuesday.
Microsoft on Wednesday issued an Office for Mac 2008 security update that patched four vulnerabilities the company had disclosed but not addressed last month.
Apple on Tuesday patched 15 vulnerabilities in its QuickTime media player for Windows and Mac OS X 10.5, aka Leopard.
Google on Thursday patched 13 vulnerabilities in Chrome as it shifted the most stable edition of the browser to version 8.
Adobe and Google have collaborated to put the Flash Player plug-in inside a sandbox within Chrome, an effort by the two companies to better protect users from attacks.
Adobe today released Reader X, the next version of its popular software that includes a "sandbox" designed to protect users from PDF attacks.
Apple today patched 27 vulnerabilities in Safari for Mac OS X and Windows, 85 per cent of them critical bugs that could be exploited to hijack Macs or PCs.
Apple on Wednesday patched more than 130 vulnerabilities in Mac OS X, smashing a record the company set last March when it fixed over 90 flaws.
Microsoft today explained why it has not patched older versions of its Office for Mac, but would not disclose a release schedule for doing so.
Security researchers today warned that Apple's OS X contains a critical vulnerability that attackers could use to hijack Macs running the older Leopard version of the operating system.
Microsoft today said it will ship three security updates next week to patch 11 vulnerabilities, including the first in Office 2010 pegged "critical."
Microsoft today warned that attackers are targeting Internet Explorer (IE) with an exploit of a critical unpatched vulnerability in all current versions of the browser.
The security researcher who created the Firesheep snooping tool defended his work today, saying it's no one's business what software people run on their computers.
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CyanogenMod Inc.: “we have a new hardware partner”
0. phoneArena 21 Nov 2013, 08:08 posted on
Speculation that CyanogenMod, now a stand-alone company, is serious with its ambitions to enter the smartphone industry has been raging for a while now, and we've covered pretty much all there is to it...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here


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Guinness Nigeria Plc has said that its share sale to existing shareholders to raise N39.7bn ($126m) was oversubscribed by 16%.
The Nigerian subsidiary of drinks maker Diageo Plc said it sold five shares from the company for every 11 held by shareholders, at N58 naira per share.
The company noted that two shareholders applied for 50 million shares and above during the share sale.
Diageo which holds 54% majority stake in Guinness Nigeria had said it was willing to participate in the rights issue to maintain its shareholding.
Guinness Nigeria has been seeking to raise funds to bolster its balance sheet after suffering quarterly losses over the last 12 months.


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New Bahrain mobile operator, MTC-Vodafone, and AJM Kooheji have signed an agreement for AJM Kooheji to act as a supplier of LG mobile handsets and accessories for MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain).
The agreement will also enable customers to benefit from the added value services offered with every purchase. The new handsets are due soon encompassing a full range from GSM to WCDMA exclusively for the Bahraini market.
MTC-Vodafone comes as a result of a network partner agreement between the Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC), a Kuwaiti company and Vodafone, a global company based in the UK. MTC-Vodafone was chosen by Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to develop the second GSM service, which was launched last year. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com )


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Mobile World Congress kicks off today, which means a bevy of mobile announcements this week. It starts with Lenovo, the world's top PC company, announcing three new smartphones as part of its S series. They include the S860, S850, and S660, all three of which come equipped with a quad-core processor and longer battery life than Lenovo's previous generation models, the company says.
Lenovo's Yoga tablet hasn't been out very long, having been announced last fall, but today Lenovo announced an update to the device that's quite pleasantly surprising. The Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ sports newer and updated hardware as well as some additional alterations to make it a lucrative buy for anyone looking for a new tablet to add to their collection.
It's been a few quarters since Lenovo shoved Hewlett-Packard aside to become the leading PC maker in the world (in terms of shipments), and whatever the Chinese OEM is doing, it seems to be working. Lenovo on Thursday announced record results for its third fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2013, noting that it generated $10.8 billion in revenue. That's a 15 percent year-over-year increase and also marks the first time Lenovo's topped the $10 billion mark.
Rumor has it Lenovo is interested in Sony's Vaio PC business
Reports emerged over the weekend claiming Lenovo, the world's No. 1 PC maker in terms of shipments, has been in talks with Sony about a possible joint venture involving the sale of Sony's Vaio PC business. Considering that Sony's Vaio PC division is operating at a loss, not to mention Lenovo having just announced plans to purchase Motorola Mobility for $2.91 billion, investors are spooked.
Google is selling its Motorola handset division to Lenovo for $2.91 billion, making it the biggest tech deal for the Chinese electronics company. The announcement follows after Lenovo’s offer last week of $2.3 billion for IBM’s low-end server business.
Putting a laptop in the hands of a child is a gamble in and of itself, let alone deploying a line of notebooks in a classroom filled with kindergarten students. Accidents happen, but rather than ignore the education segment, Lenovo on Wednesday announced a couple of ruggedized ThinkPad models built specifically for K-12 students. These include the ThinkPad 11e and the ThinkPad Yoga 11e.
Bean counters at both IDC and Gartner pegged PC shipments at a bit over 82 million units in the fourth quarter of 2013, the former tallying 82.2 million PCs representing a 5.6 percent year-on-year loss, and the latter coming up with 82.6 million system shipments for a 6.9 percent decline compared to the same period in 2012. Gartner called it the worst decline in PC market history, but there's reason to be optimistic, especially for Lenovo.
Lenovo's bringing everything to CES but the kitchen sink
One thing that's immediately evident from the rush of emails we've been receiving is that Lenovo, now the world's largest PC maker in terms of shipments, isn't planning to rest on its laurels. It's not all mobile products like smartphones and tablets, either. Lenovo is announcing so many PC-related products at this year's CES that we decided to break it up into two posts. This one will focus on a pair of ThinkVision displays, an Android all-in-one, and the company's first personal cloud storage device.
This is the second of two posts outlining PC-related products Lenovo intends to show off at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week (if you haven't already, check out Part 1). Lenovo is headed to the convention with guns-a-blazing, and in addition to everything that's been unveiled so far, the OEM will demo a new X1 Carbon ultrabook, a ThinkPad 8 tablet for professionals, some new laptops, and more.
Lenovo had a memorable year in 2013. While the competition struggled to turn a profit selling PCs, Lenovo stayed in the black while simultaneously becoming the world's largest PC maker in terms of shipments. At the same time, Lenovo hasn't been ignoring the mobile handset market, and to kick off 2014, the OEM is announcing four new smartphones, including its first ever LTE-enabled handset, the Vibe Z.


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Monty Waldin reports on the debate around Chianti Classico’s top-tier Gran Selezione classification, which is still raging four years after the first releases, and suggests several wines to try...
In February 2014 the first wines labelled under Chianti Classico’s newly created top-level tier of Gran Selezione were released, from the 2010 vintage.
Gran Selezione’s introduction was controversial, to say the least, given that no fewer than 19 different iterations of red Tuscan wines bearing the word ‘Chianti’ already existed.
The onus, one might think, was on Chianti Classico’s Gran Selezione – funded partly by the wine-growers, but mainly by EU subsidies – to demonstrate its clear points of difference from the two existing tiers below it; namely Chianti Classico Normale at the base of the quality pyramid, and Chianti Classico Riserva, which now finds itself in the middle.
Save yourself the eye-watering pain of examining reams of regulations looking for substantive technical wine-growing or winemaking differences between the Chianti Classico trio. There are none.
Scroll down to see Monty’s top Gran Selezione wines to try
Monty Waldin is a wine writer, author and the DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany
Monty’s top Gran Selezione wines to try:
Should Brunello be made more like a Burgundy or a Bordeaux?


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Some weeks ago I suggested that post and package deliveries in towns and cities could be made less polluting by using a "last mile" delivery with cargo bikes. I was interested to read that DHL, the German Post logistics company has a pilot scheme in Utrecht, Netherlands and Frankfurt am Main, Germany to test this concept using four wheel recumbent HPVs with electrical assistance.
“DHL Express has already replaced up to 60% of inner-city vehicle
routes in some European countries with cargo bicycles, and we expect
that the City Hub and Cubicycle will both help us to accelerate this
approach in other markets over the next 3-5 years,” said John Pearson,
CEO, DHL Express Europe. “Bicycles offer a number of advantages in
express delivery operations: they can bypass traffic congestion and make
up to two times as many stops per hour than a delivery vehicle. The
total cost of ownership over their lifetime is less than half of a van.
And crucially, they generate zero emissions, which reinforces our own
ongoing program to minimize our environmental footprint and supports
city governments’ efforts to promote sustainable city living.”
The concept of zero pollution is debatable. Obviously the vehicles deliver less pollution in situ, but some of the electricity to charge the batteries will be fossil sourced.
The Cubicycle vehicles used by DHL in these pilot schemes are manufactured by Velove Bikes AB, http://velove.se/.The website offers some interesting ideas about low emission deliveries in towns and cities.
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Join us for a free webinar discussing the use of additive manufacturing in the medical device industry. Guests include LimaCorporate and Unlimited Tomorrow.
Lima Corporate has pioneered cementless orthopedic implants using additive manufacturing and Siemens software.
The Rapid additive manufacturing conference is in Detroit on May 17, 2022 featuring Barbara Humpton, Siemens USA, President & CEO.
Realize LIVE 2022 has some great additive manufacturing-related content for attendees. We hope to see you in Vegas!
Siemens presents a new webinar series discussing building a business around additive manufacturing.
Join Siemens Digital Industries Software for a webinar discussing how companies can begin adopting additive manufacturing with low-risk applications.
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Qualcomm has announced another remarkable innovation in their lineup: the Snapdragon X35 modem chipset. This new chipset will open up a world of possibilities for wearables and other devices by providing them access to the lightning-fast 5G network. With the first set of products equipped with this new modem being released as early as first half of 2021, users can expect to see a range of devices benefitting from this upgrade ranging from smartwatches and medical wearables, to industrial sensors and even lower-end laptops like Chromebooks. The Cortex-A75 based Snapdragon X35 modem chipset is smaller in form than its predecessors yet reigning champion when it comes to maximum download speeds – reaching up to 220 Mbps! Compared to 4G LTE connections, this chip offers wider frequency range and far lower latency meaning users can experience less buffer time while streaming.
It is also capable of supporting midband frequencies such as C-band, CBRS 3.5 GHz and 4.9 GHz ranges which provide much higher speeds than what millimeter wave 5G connections offer but with a larger coverage area – all while having the ability to fall back on 4G LTE if necessary. This new modem has potential applications beyond just wearables alone and could be the catalyst needed for further upgrades in the future. Qualcomm is already making waves across industries such as automotive, gaming cloud computing etc through its 5G leadership position – this new advancement only serves as testament for Qualcomm’s continuous commitment towards innovating technologies that improve one’s day-to-day life.
The Snapdragon X35 modem chipset is expected to be available in devices by 2024. Keep an eye out for news and updates on this exciting new development! Qualcomm is also introducing a new high-speed data streaming feature for their 5G-connected devices which will allow them to take advantage of speeds up to 100 mbps. This advanced technology promises to reduce latency even further, provide better user experience and increase network reliability – all while taking up even less power than before.
The Snapdragon X35 modem chipset is indeed a great addition to Qualcomm’s 5G portfolio, and it will be exciting to see what further applications this technology could have in the future. It is clear that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X35 modem chipset has the potential to revolutionize the mobile device industry by bringing 5G connectivity to devices for the first time. With an expected release in 2024, users can look forward to faster download speeds, wider coverage area and lower latency – all while being able to rely on 4G LTE as a fail-safe.


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At an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, May 18, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed Minister of Infrastructure Vladislav Krykliy by 284 votes. As korrespondent.net informs Prior […]
From August 24, Ukraine will enter the so-called PAPERLESS regime. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky during the Ukraine 30 forum on digitalization. […]
The revenue of the IKEA online store exceeded UAH 500 million in Ukraine during the first year of operation.
May 14 is one year since IKEA launched its online store in Ukraine. As finance.ua informs Since the launch of the online store, the […]
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), the Antimonopoly Committee and the President’s Office to draft a law […]
The Cabinet of Ministers proposes to restrict the right to travel abroad to the head of a company with a tax debt of over […]


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Smarter than your smart phone
Here is the latest story from Laura Poitras in der Spiegel. It's about the NSA's spying capability on smart phones, which is substantial. Not that we couldn't have suspected it already --- clearly, they are leaving no stones unturned. However there is some good news:
The material viewed by SPIEGEL suggests that the spying on smart phones has not been a mass phenomenon. It has been targeted, in some cases in an individually tailored manner and without the knowledge of the smart phone companies.
Note the ad at the lower left of the story:
Sure, I'll use my iPhone to read der Spiegel. I just can't use it for anything I don't want the government to see.
Reporters should probably be especially careful about this from now on. The government has already shown its willingness to conflate terrorism, espionage and journalism. Anything on those iPhone's could easily be seen as fair game.


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- 1 Will Apple release a new iPhone in 2020?
- 2 What will Apple release in 2020?
- 3 When the new iPhone comes out will the 11 be cheaper?
- 4 Is iPhone 12 out?
- 5 Is the iPhone 12 out yet?
- 6 Is AirPods 3 coming out?
- 7 Will iPhone prices drop in 2020?
- 8 Why is iPhone 12 so cheap?
- 9 Is the iPhone 11 worth buying in 2020?
- 10 What will the iPhone 12 cost?
- 11 Is iPhone 12 pro max out?
- 12 How much will the iPhone 12 5G cost?
Will Apple release a new iPhone in 2020?
According to JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee, Apple will release four new iPhone 12 models in the fall of 2020: a 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch phones and a 6.7-inch phone. So the 5.4-inch and one of the 6.1-inch models will be the lower-end devices, presumably called the iPhone 12.
What will Apple release in 2020?
Apple Event October 13, 2020 Introducing iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro with 5G, MagSafe accessories, and HomePod mini.
When the new iPhone comes out will the 11 be cheaper?
iPhone 11 plans Interestingly, Apple iPhone 11 deals are actually cheaper than you might think. Now we’ve got the fancy new iPhone 12, Apple has reduced the price on new iPhone 11’s down to just $599 – a whole $100 cheaper than its original launch price. 7 дней назад
Is iPhone 12 out?
Pre-orders for iPhone 12 Pro begin Friday, October 16, with availability beginning Friday, October 23. iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available for pre-order Friday, November 6, and in stores beginning Friday, November 13.
Is the iPhone 12 out yet?
iPhone 12 Price, Pre Orders, and Release Date The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 officially launched on Friday, October 23. It is priced starting at $799 for 64GB of storage, with 128 and 256GB available for an extra fee. The 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini launched on Friday, November 13. 4 дня назад
Is AirPods 3 coming out?
At one point, the AirPods 3 was listed for a 2020 release, but with the recent launch of the AirPods Max, it became pretty evident that we won’t see the wireless earbuds until sometime in 2021 at the earliest. His current prediction has the AirPods 3 coming, once again, in the first half of 2021.
Will iPhone prices drop in 2020?
The iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8 originally started at $650 and $550 but then dropped to $550 and $450, respectively. With the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple now has a lineup of eight iPhones at a broad range of price points starting at $399 for the 2020 iPhone SE.
Why is iPhone 12 so cheap?
The iPhone 12 Series is priced the least in Japan. The youngest iPhone 12 Mini (64GB) costs 74800 Yen, which roughly converts to Rs. 52,000. One of the primary reasons for these insanely lower prices is the Sales Tax in Japan.
Is the iPhone 11 worth buying in 2020?
The bottom line here is fairly simple, however: if you’re looking at an iPhone 11, and you want to save some money, the phone is still perfectly viable in 2020 and beyond. The iPhone 12 is great, but it is more expensive. And it has 5G and an OLED display.
What will the iPhone 12 cost?
The iPhone 12 price starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,349, which is $100 / £70 / AU$150 more than the iPhone 11 range. That’s likely due in part to the cost of adding in a 5G modem, but also because the iPhone 12 mini is grabbing that iPhone 11 price point, starting from $699 / £699 / AU$1,199.
Is iPhone 12 pro max out?
The 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max released on November 13 alongside the iPhone 12 mini.
How much will the iPhone 12 5G cost?
Pricing will start at $699 for the 12 mini and $799 for the 12 if you’re buying the AT&T or Verizon versions. Otherwise, it will start at $729. Apple has a special deal with AT&T and Verizon to offer both phones at $699/$799.


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The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the nation's economy continues to expand "slowly to moderately," despite the devastating flooding in the Midwest.
"The effects of flooding were said to be highly concentrated and were not seen to threaten overall economic expansion," the central bank said in its latest survey of regional conditions.
"Economic activity continued to expand slowly to moderately in June and the first half of July," it said in a report on the survey, known as the "biege book."
The assessment, based on information gathered through interviews with business executives before July 27, described little change in economic conditions since the last survey, conducted in mid-June.
The biege book is prepared as an aid to Federal Reserve monetary policymakers, who are scheduled to meet Aug. 17 to consider whether short-term interest rates should be raised to cool economic demand and keep a lid on inflation.
It said that "price pressures were reported to be mixed" and analysts said they saw little evidence the Fed will move soon to boost rates.
The latest survey reported that single-family home construction continued as a source of strength for many areas of the country.
It said that retail sales grew in most districts although the rate of increase varied widely. Car sales showed the strongest increase.
Manufacturing output growth was described as generally sluggish in most districts although conditions varied.
The report said that "most districts said that manufacturers have not increased employment and do not plan to for the remainder of the year."
Export sales to Europe, which is in recession, were seen as weak although this was offset to a degree by strong exports to developing countries. Looking at credit availability, the report said that business-loan demand was unchanged although demand for mortgage refinancing was strong.
Commercial real estate markets remained sluggish, reflecting speculation in the 1980s, while banks reported no significant changes in demand for business loans this summer, the Fed said.


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According to the China Internet Network Information Center, at the end of 2012 the population of China with access to the Internet had surpassed the half a billion mark. In total, some 513 million people now access the web in some form across China.
Even so, China’s uptake of the Internet is well below the U.S. and its only the sheer number of people there that makes the half a billion figure possible. Internet penetration in the U.S. has reached 78.2%, where as China only enjoys 38.3 percent. The rate of growth in China is also relatively slow, and last year only 28 million new people joined the web. With a population of over 1.3 billion, there’s still a lot of people still to get connected.
As in the West, there has been an explosion of growth with regards to accessing the web through mobile devices. Nearly 70% of people with web access in China use a smartphone to do so, that’s 355 million people, or 38 million more than the population of the U.S.
Regardless of how slowly new people are coming online in China, half a billion users is a tempting proposition for any company pushing online services. That’s why China is such an important market, and will continue to grow in importance in the future. There’s just too many users to ignore, especially as the wealth of the country grows.
When you consider that use of mobile devices to access the web grew 3% this year in China alone (around 1.54 million new users), it helps put into context how important both mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS have become. It also demonstrates why Microsoft is pushing hard to get Windows Phone established and winning market share.


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Is Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810) at a good entry level now? My last coverage on Chinese tech stocks (Alibaba HKEX: 9988) was in February 2021. Back then, Chinese tech stocks were embroiled in a slew of regulatory headwinds following Jack Ma’s epic criticism against the regulators’ stifling innovation of the financial system. That action triggered an unprecedented storm that saw aggressive regulatory clamp downs on Chinese tech stocks.
Obviously, nobody in his right mind would have predicted the storm to last for two years. During this period, it is understandable that many investors are depressed after seeing their investments evaporated with the meltdown of Chinese tech stocks. Against this backdrop, many investors must be praying fervently for light at end of the tunnel. Recently, an SG Wealth Builder Lifetime Member requested for the coverage on one of the Chinese tech stocks: Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810), which I will duly oblige.
Admittedly, I have not invested in foreign stocks before, much less Chinese tech stocks. However, I have been watching the unfolding of the rout of Chinese tech stocks for the past two years. Like many Chinese tech stocks, Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810) had suffered huge carnage due to the crisis of confidence in Chinese tech stocks. However, recent announcement by the Chinese authorities to roll out policies to support the economy and stabilize consumption gave many investors some glimmers of hope that the slew of regulatory clamp downs may be coming to an end (finally)!
In investing, it is important to buy low and sell high. Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810) has plunged from an all-time high of HK$33.20 on 31 December 2020 to the current HK$11.70. This represents a staggering 45% correction from the all-time high. Although Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810) is at a very interesting valuation right now, it is important to examine the landscape and operating environment before jumping onto the bandwagon.
For background, Xiaomi principally engaged in the research, development and sales of smartphones, Internet of things (IoTs) and lifestyle products and the provision of Internet services. In March 2021, Xiaomi announced its entry into the electric vehicles market. Currently, their smart electric vehicle research and development team exceeds 1,000 people.
According to Canalys, in 2021, Xiaomi’s smartphone shipments ranked No. 3 globally with record-high market share of 14.1%. Samsung remained the top player while Apple came second. In mainland China, Xiaomi was ranked No. 3 in smartphone shipments and their market share increased to a record high 15.2% from 12.1% in 2020. In salient, Xiaomi’s competitive edge is in the development of smartphones and its strategic advantage is being based in China.
Note that this is an opinion article and not meant to be a financial advice. Please do your due diligence or engage financial advisors before investing in the stock market. Furthermore, I am not vested and have never invested in Xiaomi before. Whether Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810) will surge or collapse has no impact on me. Thus, this article is not meant to induce readers to make any form of investment decisions.
Xiaomi share price (HKEX: 1810) faces long winter?
While the purported easing of Chinese regulatory headwinds saw various Chinese tech stocks rebounding, Xiaomi share price is still singing the blues. Why is this so? Apparently, out of nowhere, the [This is a premium article. The rest of the content is blocked and can be accessible by SG Wealth Builder Members only. To read the full content, please sign up as member.]
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Lady Kingsmill, chair of the Model Health Inquiry - an independent body created by the British Fashion Council to look at whether models are endangering their health in an industry which notoriously puts style over comfort - said action was needed on a range of issues.
The committee, made up of high-profile members of the fashion industry including designers, models and managers, was created last March when public concern about the size zero debate reached a peak. Members of the panel will be talking to colleagues about the problems and will issue guidelines this year on how to improve current practices.
Committee member and model Erin O'Connor held a focus group yesterday with other models to discuss the issue; designers Betty Jackson and Giles Deacon will be talking to fellow designers about the preference for thin models in the shows, and Sarah Doukas, founder of the model agency Storm and the woman who discovered Kate Moss, has been speaking to other models' agents. The outsider on the panel is Adrienne Key, a consultant psychologist and clinical director of the eating disorders unit at the Priory hospital in Roehampton, south-west London.
However, Lady Kingsmill was keen to stress that the inquiry was "not just about size zero, but about health and safety within the industry as a whole", and she compared her current task to her previous roles in implementing health and safety measures in the construction industry.
"It might seem odd to compare fashion and construction, but when I started to look at working conditions in the construction industry in the 80s it was an extremely dangerous industry with little regulation. Now the British construction industry is one of the safest in the world."
There are almost no regulations regarding models' working conditions and Lady Kingsmill said the panel had heard "some terrible anecdotes from models, such as girls being taken out for late-night shoots in the middle of nowhere, and then left there, with no money for a taxi home." She added: "Fashion is an enormously important economy and should not be thought of as something fluffy, or just part of your Saturday shopping. It is time for the fashion industry to just grow up and accept that it is a real industry and to look after the health and safety of the people who work within it."
The panel aims to publish its recommendations in September, in time for the next London fashion week. Although there will be no legal obligations for designers and agencies to follow the recommendations, Lady Kingsmill said that "changes can be implemented from recommendations".
She added that some lawyers said that in future, models could sue designers and editors if they felt their health had been endangered.
But even if the inquiry does iron out the kinks in the British fashion industry, it will not resolve the problems within the industry as a whole. Anecdotal evidence, said Lady Kingsmill, suggested that "pastoral care of models" in Britain was better than it was elsewhere.
Models in New York, Milan and Paris fashion weeks are nearly always notably thinner than those on the catwalks in London because the major designers tend to show abroad and there is an almost subconscious belief in the business that the slimness of the models has a direct correlation to how upmarket a label or magazine is.
Lady Kingsmill said she would speak to magazine editors about this soon. "These are all problems that we will be looking at and I shall be talking to the fashion councils in New York, Milan and Paris about this very issue," she told the Guardian.
The key issues
Issues to be looked at by committee:
1 Number of hours worked by models
2 Diet and eating habits
3 Drug and alcohol habits
4 The age of models working
5 The industry's preference for slim models
6 Pastoral care and education available to the models when working


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Givaudan sales fall unexpectedly in the third quarter
ZURICH Oct 10 (Reuters) - Swiss fragrance and flavour maker Givaudan confirmed its mid-term guidance on Thursday, even as sales fell unexpectedly in the third quarter.
The company, which makes fragrances for Dior and Prada perfumes, said sales fell 1.1 percent to 1.09 billion Swiss francs ($1.2 billion) compared to 1.1 billion a year ago.
This fell short of the average analyst forecast for a 3.3 percent rise to 1.14 billion in a Reuters poll.
The Geneva-based firm confirmed its mid-term guidance of between 4.5 and 5.5 percent underlying annual sales growth, against average growth of about 2 to 3 percent for the market as a whole.
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During the day, Sony would have released the Xperia 1 II on the Swedish market, something they also did. However, this device is… Continue reading "Sony has released Xperia 1 II in Sweden - extremely limited at the moment"
Later this year, Sony is likely to hold an event where the manufacturer will showcase the new Xperia 5 II. Now it has come in ... Continue reading “Xperia 5 II is said to get Snapdragon 865 under the hood”
It looks like Sony revealed during the day that the company will bring Xperia 1 II to Sweden. This model will be cozy ... Continue reading "Sony Xperia 1 II is released in Sweden June 22, costs SEK 11"


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Paws up for this one!
A UPS driver made a life-saving decision while delivering packages this week in rural Iowa.
Driver Colin Mitchell was dropping off packages in Ireton, Iowa when he heard noises coming from the backyard, KTIV reported.
Mitchell noticed two dogs swimming around in the above-ground backyard pool and tried to notify the homeowners, only to find that no one was home.
In a classic case of trusting your gut, Mitchell said that he “didn’t feel right” getting back into the truck, so he went over to check on the dogs and saw that they were trapped under the pool’s solar cover.
Mitchell was able to rescue the pups, Groot and Remy, and let them out before continuing on his way.
The dogs are reportedly happy and healthy, and the owners thanked Mitchell for his help, noting that they didn’t come home until hours after the ordeal.
Entrepreneur has reached out to UPS for comment.
Related: Pizza Delivery Driver Sues Friends Over $1 Million Lottery Win
UPS drivers often meet precious pups on their routes; there’s even a 30,000-person dedicated Facebook page for drivers to post photos of the four-legged friends they make while on the clock.
Mitchell’s story was posted in the group, where he was praised as a “hero” by dog-lovers and fellow drivers alike.
“Hats off to him,” one Facebook user wrote.
We’ll raise our brown hats to Mitchell’s lifesaving actions any day!
Related: Amazon Delivery Driver Rattled After Having to Make 180 Stops in One Day
Read the full article here


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NEW DELHI: Stocks of cigarette manufacturers took a knock in Monday's trade amid reports that government may go ahead with complete ban on FDI in the tobacco sector.
Reports said the government is in the process of bringing a proposal in front of the Cabinet in the coming few days.
Shares of Godfrey Phillips were worst hit, down 16 per cent. Japan Tobacco, the world’s third largest tobacco company, was in talks of acquiring stake in the company. The Godfrey Phillips stock has lost close to 32 per cent of their value in the year so far.
Analysts said the move eliminated the possibility of foreign companies buying stakes in local cigarette makers, an ET report said. Shares of ITC too were singed as they fell 3 per cent in trade.
Reports said the commerce ministry is proposing to ban FDI in licensing for franchise, trademark, brand name and management contract in the sector. It would eventually mean that FDI would be totally banned in tobacco segment in any form.
US-based e-commerce giant said the EA award of Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) was enforceable and the single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court rightly gave an interim order in its favour granting a stay on the ongoing amalgamation.


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Before and after photos are an extremely powerful tool when it comes to weight loss.
They offer inspiration and prove that it is possible to achieve your goals even when it feels like you're never going to make it.
But Weight Watchers has announced it's taking the dramatic step to scrap the famous pictures.
They believe transformation photos promote the idea of a short-term diet that has an end date.
Going forward, they want to promote long-term change and a lifestyle direction which can last forever.
In a statement, the company said they wanted to "promote a journey of health, with no beginning, middle or end."
The announcement was made at the company's international conference.
The company's head of social media, Lauren Salazar, said: "We've made the decision to lose the expression 'before and after' because our members' journeys are so much more about then than now.
"A journey of health, with no beginning, middle or end."
A spokesperson for Weight Watchers said: "We're not going to discourage a member who wants to show where they are today versus where they started, but when they're talking about their journey, we want to celebrate all their moments.
"As a brand we want to be your partner no matter at what point you are."
Weight Watchers is a popular dieting programme followed by thousands of people across the world.
Foods are given points based on nutritional value, and members must stick within a daily limit of how many points they can consume.