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SoftBank leads $ 680million funding round in fantasy football game NFT Sorare
Sorare is an online game where players purchase officially licensed cards depicting soccer players and form teams that play against each other, the result being based on the performance of the players in real games.
Blockchain-based fantasy soccer game Sorare has raised $ 680 million in a SoftBank-led funding round, with players including former England international Rio Ferdinand and Spaniard Gerard Pique also investing, announced on Tuesday. the society.
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Sorare, based in Paris, said the investment valued the company at $ 4.3 billion.
Founded in 2018, Sorare is an online game where players purchase officially licensed cards depicting soccer players and form teams that play against each other, the result being based on the performance of the players in real games.
Cards are traded in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a kind of crypto asset that records the ownership status of digital goods on the blockchain.
The NFT market saw explosive growth in 2021, with the most popular collectible and sports-related types of tokens.
âWe believe that NFTs represent a new paradigm for collection, usability and engagement with assets,â said Michel Combes, president of SoftBank Group International, in comments sent via email.
“This shift from physical to digital assets is very powerful and creates many exciting potential business models.”
Sorare is the largest sports-based NFT platform by sales volume, according to NonFungible.com, a website that tracks NFT market data. She plans to open an office in the United States and expand into sports other than soccer.
âWe have seen the immense potential that blockchain and NFTs have brought to unlock a new way for soccer clubs, footballers and their fans to experience a deeper connection with each other,â said Nicolas Julia, CEO and co-founder of Sorare.
“We believe this is a huge opportunity to create the next giant in sports entertainment.”
As of January 2021, there have been $ 150 million in sales on Sorare, which accepts credit card payments and cryptocurrency ether. The most expensive single card is Cristiano Ronaldo’s, which was purchased for 245,072 euros ($ 287,420.44) on March 13.
Read also | Messi joins crypto craze as he receives part of PSG fees in fan tokens
The fundraiser was SoftBank’s first investment in Sorare, via its SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
SoftBank’s fund for Latin America also contributed, which Combes says is due to the fact that SoftBank can use its connections with the American and Latin American football leagues and its investment in broadcaster Televisa-Univision, to increase Sorare’s user base there.
This is not Soft Bank’s first foray into NFTs: it also led investments in the NFT Open Sea market in July and invested in the decentralized financing platform Juggernaut in March.
Other investors in Sorare’s increase include: venture capitalists Accel and Bessemer Ventures as well as footballers Pique, Ferdinand, Frenchman Antoine Griezmann and Spain’s Cesar Azpilicueta.


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Time Files New Release. IPCPR 2016 The mavericks of Foundry Tobacco Company are proud to unveil a unique collaboration with boutique cigar maker AJ Fernandez. Time Flies was conceived to … Continue Reading News: New release from Foundry Cigars “Time Files” cigar.
Dunhill New Releases. IPCPR 2016 Dunhill proudly presents three exciting new cigar offerings which will be previewed to cigar retailers at IPCPR. This includes Dunhill Aged Maduro, the limited edition … Continue Reading News: Dunhill New Releases.
Welcome to Scholl Canyon Golf & Tennis Club Located atop the rugged Verdugo Mountain Range in Glendale, California, the Scholl Canyon Golf and Tennis Club offers exceptional golf and tennis … Continue Reading “Panoramic views” Scholl Canyon Golf & Tennis Club Glendale, CA.
Cohiba Macassar. Distant from even the most primitive modes of transportation, Indonesian Macassar is arguably the most difficult ebony in the world to procure and one of the world’s most … Continue Reading News: Cohiba Macassar Cigars new at IPCPR 2016.
La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli and Black Maduro. La Gloria Cubana is launching two new lines, one created solely for sale at brick and mortar cigar shops and the … Continue Reading News: La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli and Black Maduro.
Hoyo La Amistad 2016 IPCPR. The legendary Hoyo de Monterrey brand continues its bold march into the future with an intriguing, limited edition collaboration called La Amistad. The blend was … Continue Reading News: Hoyo La Amistad 2016 IPCPR.
TWO NEW RIDES JOIN THE CAO GARAGE. Introducing Handbrake and Roadkill. When we heard our Flathead cigar received a 95 rating, we knew we had to give CAO fans something … Continue Reading News: CAO Introducing Handbrake and Roadkill.
Macanudo Inspirado is now shipping to retailers. Macanudo Inspirado…The Evolution Continues Macanudo’s acclaimed international blends will soon be available to cigar lovers in the U.S., with the release of two … Continue Reading News: Macanudo Inspirado is now shipping to retailers.
Presenting The New HOYO. General Cigar will launch a new version of Hoyo de Monterrey exclusively for brick and mortar retailers. The new collection called Hoyo will be available in … Continue Reading News: PRESENTING THE NEW HOYO.
CAO Steel Horse Will Welcome Two New Vitolas. CAO Steel Horse is launching two smaller-format smokes — Handbrake (4.5” x 50 – SRP per cigar is $6.99) and Roadkill (5.5 … Continue Reading News: CAO Steel Horse Will Welcome Two New Vitolas.
ICONIC MACANUDO BRAND LAUNCHES NEW LOOK. General Cigar announces today that the company has modernized the design of its iconic Macanudo logo for the U.S. market. Beginning on January 15, … Continue Reading News: Iconic Macanudo Brand Launches New Look.
Brand History: CAO International, Inc. is the producer of one of the country’s top lines of premium cigars. Founded by Cano A. Ozgener in Nashville as a labor of love … Continue Reading “Adventure into the unexpected” CAO Colombia cigars by General Cigar Company
Macanudo Estate Reserve. IPCPR 2015 To experience Macanudo Estate Reserve is to savor a tradition that spans nearly half a century, for this exceptional cigar hearkens back to the very … Continue Reading News: IPCPR 2015 Macanudo Estate Reserve.
Luchador El Gringo. IPCPR 2015 The Leccia Tobacco Luchador series continues with the introduction of El Gringo, a full-flavored, four-cigar line up that commands as much attention as a pro … Continue Reading News: Leccia Cigars Luchador El Gringo release at IPCPR New Orleans 2015.
La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show. IPCPR 2015 The innovators behind the original boutique cigar brand proudly unveil a retrospective of the La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show series. The limited edition … Continue Reading News: IPCPR 2015 La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show.

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Buffett-backed BYD net income surges more than 400% on surging electric car sales
Profits of BYD Co. surged fivefold last year after the Chinese automaker sold a record number of vehicles. tram and strengthen the battle with Tesla Inc. to gain market share.
Net income rose 446% to 16.6 billion yuan ($2.4 billion), the company said on Tuesday, matching a preliminary profit of 16 billion to 17 billion yuan it reported. 30. Analysts expected 15.98 billion yuan, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
BYD has sold 1.86 million electric and plug-in vehicles crossbreed by 2022, more than the previous four years combined and account for about 30% of total new energy vehicle sales in China. Half of them are battery-only electric vehicles. For comparison, Tesla has delivered 1.31 million electric vehicles. BYD stopped making cars that run entirely on fossil fuels last year.
The launch of the new luxury electric vehicle will help BYD expand its offerings this year and will help drive earnings growth further. But profits are likely to be squeezed by the ongoing price war in China sparked by Tesla by cutting back on domestically produced models.
Warren Buffett-backed BYD is stepping up its operations overseas, including in Norway, Denmark, the UK, Thailand and Australia.
BYD shares were up 1.5% in Hong Kong trading ahead of Tuesday’s results. They are down nearly 20% since early February, when the price war escalated and data showed Chinese auto sales fell in January as purchases slowed during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Company founder Wang Chuanfu will hold a post-earnings event with analysts and the media in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning.


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Xiaomi launches Redmi 1S at Rs 5,999, exclusively on Flipkart
Flipkart will at the end of the day has a glimmer sale model for its new phone, however Xiaomi's Vice President worldwide Hugo Barra said they would have a significant stock set up when the phones go available to be purchased on Sept 2. Prebooking for the gadgets begin at 6pm on Tuesday (August 26).
In July, Xiaomi had declared that the Redmi 1s will be sold at Rs 6,999 for the Indian market. In any case, the price has been dropped to 5,999 to further heighten the opposition in the budget portable section in India.
With a 4.7-inch HD screen portected by Dragontrail and backed by solid 1.6 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Msm8228 processor, 1gb RAM and an Adreno 305 GPU, the phone will posture genuine rivalry to gadgets like the Moto E and the Lumia 530. Barra asserted the Redmi 1s was better in specs and performance than another phone accessible in adjacent price focuses.
The dual-SIM phone likewise emphasizes a 8mp back camera and accompanies ƒ/2.2 aperture, 28mm wide point lens, and 1080p video recording. The Redmi 1s games a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display. It accompanies 16gb of locally available storage and a microSd card space that further grows it up to 64gb. It is fuelled by a 2000mah battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Xiaomi's MIUI layer on top. There's a 8mp back shooter and a 1.6mp front camera.
Barra said this phone was propelling with the full suite of embellishments, which incorporates a SIM card convertor to let individuals with micro-Sims utilize the phones scaled down SIM space. The all new Redmi 1s will go on sale on September 2 and the enlistments for the phone will start at 6pm today. Looks like, Xiaomi alongside Flipkart will take after the same glimmer sale technique.


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Allo, the new messaging app from Google, is currently making its way to iOS. It’s designed to be as simple as can be, so you don’t need to setup an account or jump through any other hoops to get started. You can even message others who don’t have Allo installed. Here’s how it works.
Early word back in April of this year suggested Google was working on a dedicated app, called Trips, that would function as a daily trip planner for when on vacation.
Apple’s Live Photos are still one interesting aspect of Apple’s newer devices, so it’s no surprise to see other companies wanting to work with them in one way or another.
Google has aspirations to remove Chrome Apps from other platforms, like Apple’s desktop operating system, but the process will take some time.
Duo, the new video calling app from Google, is now available on iOS following its initial unveiling at Google I/O back in June. The app promises to provide simple 1-to-1 video calling without the headaches that come with rival services.
Apple hasn’t been shy when it comes to releasing iPhones with 16GB of built-in storage, even up to its latest flagship devices.
Families like to share content, from books, TV shows, and movies, and making that as easy as possible is key.
Google Maps is one app that gets updated on a regular basis, usually with new features baked in, but an incoming update is focused more on cleaning things up.
Google is said to be hard at work developing its very own Android Wear watches that will tackle the Apple Watch head-on. New renders now offer an early glimpse at those devices for the first time ahead of their official unveilings.


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Founded in 1967, Dataram is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of reliable, high capacity and innovative memory solutions. Dataram provides customized memory solutions for OEMs and memory upgrades for leading brands including HP, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Dell, Intel and AMD Opteron.
In 1976, Dataram invented the first SSD called BULK CORE which attached to minicomputers from ModComp and emulated hard disks made by DEC and Data General. Each chassis held 8x 256k x 18 RAM modules and had a capacity of 2 megabytes.
In October 2008, Dataram re-entered the SSD market with the acquisition of strategic assets from Cenatek whose CEO joined Dataram to lead the company’s return to solid state storage, an area they pioneered 32 years ago.
So, it would be more correct to say Dataram is re-entering the storage market. While the company has not announced what the product is, they do say it is focused on application performance improvements as well as cost savings. So is it an SSD or a Cache or what? Soon we’ll find out.
Memory Industry Leader Dataram Enters Storage Market
August 19, 2009
Will soon unveil innovative data storage acceleration product line
Princeton, NJ, August 19, 2009 – Dataram Corporation [NASDAQ: DRAM], a worldwide leader of advanced memory solutions, today announced plans to launch a unique storage product line that will deliver application performance improvements as well as cost savings without the need for an expensive storage upgrade or replacement. This product launch supports Dataram’s corporate strategy to deliver data center solutions that optimize performance, leverage existing IT investments, and make measurable reductions in the total cost of ownership associated with these assets.
“Companies have increased their focus on maximizing performance, extending the life of their existing infrastructure, stretching their hardware dollars and achieving substantial cost savings,” said John H. Freeman, Dataram’s President and CEO. “For more than four decades Dataram has set the standard for performance and reliability in memory, and we look forward to taking an evolutionary, yet exciting step into data storage acceleration.”
Dataram’s U.S. manufacturing facility, strategically located distribution centers, and sales offices located on three continents will allow the company to serve a diverse clientele with its upcoming product line. Over the past year, the company made significant investments in research and development. Early customer evaluations are currently being conducted before the products are shown publicly for the first time at SNW in October.
“Early customer feedback has been very positive,” said Jason Caulkins, Dataram’s Chief Technologist. “We have significantly improved their application performance resulting in immediate, positive return on investment.”
In its 42 year history, Dataram has placed particular focus on users with demanding, complex and transaction-intensive environments where performance and reliability are critical. Its memory solutions have been successfully deployed in industries such as financial services, life sciences, oil and gas, government and defense. With the launch of its storage products and complementary software and services, Dataram is poised to uniquely position itself as a valued and strategic business partner. Dataram extends its presence through its Partner Community which includes world-class distributors, VARs, system integrators and application service providers.


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Reports are coming that there has been another search engine to be blocked in China. At first, we thought it might be another rumor but no. It is true. It has been confirmed by the state-owned company of China.
Reports have it that it has been made confirmed by the China Unicorn which is a Telecom owned by the state of China that they have received orders from above to block the famous Microsoft Search Engine BING. This news has been cited by the Financial Times, and they were also citing a course for confirmation.
Although Microsoft has not responded as such on this news, they are looking into this matter and searching for a reason if this is true. If the news is to true, then it will be the second biggest search engine to exit from China.
Google has already withdrawn itself from China since they were not allowed to practice free and independent internet. Google took its related websites as well.
Among other famous websites to be blocked in China are Facebook, Yahoo, and Twitter. All of these famous social websites were created by the west, and China likes to have a sense of control over things which was apparently not possible if free and open internet is allowed.


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The parent company of the fast-food chain Burger King has said it has been unable to close its 800 stores in Russia as the operator of its stores in the country has “refused” to do so.
In a nutshell
Last week Burger King, which is owned by Restaurant Brands International (RBI), followed suit with other restaurant chains that decided to cut ties with the country as the invasion of Ukraine continues, however, the parent company has since released a statement saying they have encountered complications in ceasing operations there.
But in a letter to employees, David Shear, RBI's president for international operations said, "We contacted the main operator of the business and demanded the suspension of Burger King restaurant operations in Russia. He has refused to do so."
Shear added that if Burger King were to get its franchisee, Alexander Kolobov, to stop trading in the country, it would need the help of the Russian government, something that Shear said, "will not practically happen anytime soon".
In the letter Shear continued to explain the issues with withdrawing immediately from Russia, stating that, "no legal clauses that allow us to unilaterally change the contract or allow any one of the partners to simply walk away or overturn the entire agreement.
"Would we like to suspend all Burger King operations immediately in Russia? Yes. Are we able to enforce a suspension of operations today? No,” he added.
Reuters reported that it was not clear how to reach Kolobov for comment.
Burger King is not the only fast-food company that faced issues when cutting its operations in Russia. Earlier this month Mcdonald's faced complications when attempting to pull its business from the country.
As Mcdonald's operates with a franchise model, as with Burger King, the corporate bosses of the fast-food joint had less power to shut down stores in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
However last week the multi-national company said it would be temporarily closing all 847 of its restaurants in Russia.
As well as shutting its operations in Russia, RBI also said they were committed to distributing free meal coupons to charities supporting Ukrainian refugees.
“We committed to redirecting any profits we receive from the business, including our ownership stake, to the United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR) and made an immediate donation of 1 million dollars toward that commitment. We’ve also worked with franchisees from more than 25 countries to distribute 2 million dollars of free meal coupons for Burger King restaurants to NGOs supporting Ukrainian refugees," Shear added.


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Cobalt is a key ingredient in the lithium-ion batteries that power smartphones, laptops and electric cars. 60% of the world’s supply is mined in Congo, according to “The Cobalt Pipeline” (September 2016), a Washington Post special report which documented the appalling working conditions of the “artisanal miners”. Occupational health and safety concerns for miners was also expressed in “The Battery Revolution is exciting, but Remember they Pollute too”, by Carla Lipsig Mumme and Caleb Goods in The Conversation (June 2015).
In a December 20 article, the Washington Post reports on two new initiatives to curb “the worst forms of child labor” and other abusive workplace practices in the supply chain for cobalt. The first, the Responsible Cobalt Initiative, is being led by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for Metals, Minerals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters, and supported by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with members pledging to follow OECD guidelines which call for companies to trace how cobalt is being extracted, transported, manufactured and sold. Apple, HP, Samsung SDI and Sony have signed on.
The second initiative, the Responsible Raw Materials Initiative (RRMI) has been launched by the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition , a nonprofit group sponsored by more than 110 electronics companies, and “dedicated to improving the social, environmental and ethical conditions of their global supply chains.” The EICC states that it “engages regularly with dozens of non-member organizations including civil society groups, trade unions and other worker’s groups, academia and research institutions, socially responsible investors, and governmental and multilateral institutions.” Ford Motor Company is a member of the Responsible Raw Materials Initiative, by virtue of being the first auto manufacturer to join the EICC. ( Press release is here (February 2016). Ford has sought to brand itself as a leader in ethical supply chain management ; see their report, Going Further towards Supply Chain Leadership . Tesla, the most high-profile electric vehicle manufacturer, is said to be considering membership in the RRMI. According to a report from Energy Mix (June 24, 2016) “Tesla’s Ambitions Demand ‘Unprecedented Quantities’ of Key Minerals” , including lithium, nickel, cobalt, and aluminum to produce vehicle batteries. As of January 2017, Energy Mix also reported that Tesla started mass production at its lithium-ion battery Gigafactory in Nevada, which will be the world’s largest when it is complete in 2018 .


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Malaysia’s IT sector pushes global envelope, wins WCIT awards


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Starbucks to open 1,500 more cafes in U.S.
ASSOCIATED PRESS / JANUARY 2011
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Pedestrians walked by a Starbucks store in Atlanta. Starbucks, the world's biggest coffee company, announced that it plans to add at least 1,500 cafes in the U.S. over the next five years
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The complicated ad tech landscape is not for everyone. But for some tech- and media-savvy marketers, it pays to take control. And little by little, some of them are doing just that.
Netflix is one of those marketers. The video giant has built an in-house programmatic team. Kathy O’Dowd, senior manager for programmatic buying in North America at Netflix, spoke at the Digiday Programmatic Summit in New Orleans today about the lessons it has learned — and the considerations brands should make when deciding how deeply they want to control their programmatic ad spending.
“There are many different goals to think about, resources to consider and the culture of a brand,” said O’Dowd, who joined Netflix last November from Publicis Groupe programmatic trading desk VivaKi.
Here are the top tips from O’Dowd for marketers who might want to bring programmatic ad buying in-house:
Consider your experience level
Not all brands have enough experience in programmatic advertising. After all, an Association of National Advertisers survey recently found that 40 percent of marketers had no or very little understanding of the area. For the less-experienced in programmatic, it’s better to rely on external partners, O’Dowd cautioned.
“If a brand is testing programmatic, even if they understand the value of it, maybe it’s not the best time to bring a team in-house, go through all that effort, spend all that money, if it’s not a good fit,” she said.
Programmatic requires people — and that can be expensive
For all the talk of automation, the irony of programmatic is that it still requires people — often more specialized in data and analytics. Such talent is in short supply and is, therefore, rather expensive. Marketers thinking of building an in-house team should consider their spending volume. After all, the cost of an in-house team could make the move not worth the hassle or expense if the ad spending volume isn’t there.
“All the resources that are required to manage a programmatic buy have a pretty significant cost associated with it,” O’Dowd said. “If the ROI isn’t there, go with an agency. Let them take your smaller media spend, do a very good job with it, and set you up for success when and if you’re ready to expand beyond that.”
Decide whether you can link programmatic with all your other marketing
Programmatic, ideally, is far more than simply a buying tactic. But since the practice is still new, programmatic is often set up as a specialized discipline. The risk for a brand is that its programmatic team becomes isolated from its search, TV buying and other teams. That siloed system means a marketer won’t reap the full benefits of programmatic, O’Dowd warned.
“If you bring that team in-house, you have an opportunity to share cross-channel findings, be agile, to do more with programmatic,” she said. “That’s an amazing opportunity to take advantage of.”
Figure out if you really have a programmatic strategy
There is a big difference between strategy and tactics. Much of programmatic is still tactical, such as using site retargeting and standard data sets for ad targeting. That’s fairly run of the mill and not something you need an in-house team for, according to O’Dowd.
The strategic approach, however, uses programmatic advertising to test and learn, continually trying to find a competitive advantage. That can mean tackling difficult questions, such as the true long-term value of a tactic like retargeting. Often, those questions are better handled by a marketer team than by an agency, O’Dowd said.
“An agency is looking to be a good partner, to support a brand, but they’re looking at being able to maintain that relationship for a year, two years — they’re looking at that next contract,” she said. “Your in-house team can come up with these crazy questions. They can run these tests that might be a bad idea. And it can be very successful for the brand to learn what they have to say.”
See video of O’Dowd’s full presentation below.
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At the Kroger Co., executives often learn the business from the ground up — starting as clerks or cashiers before getting the attention of middle or senior managers and ascending the corporate ladder.
Last month, 36 years after he had started as a stock boy, Rodney McMullen, on the top rung of that ladder at 53, presided at his first annual meeting as chief executive of the $100 billion corporation.
Humble to a fault, McMullen’s easygoing demeanor belies the critical roles he has played for years before becoming CEO on Jan. 1. He has been intimately involved in the strategy that has grown Kroger’s sales every quarter for 101/2 years — transforming shopping for American consumers who want a viable alternative to Wal-Mart.
The company is kicking its Arkansas-based competitor’s rear end — something Wall Street has noticed. Kroger’s stock hit an all-time high of $50.20 in recent weeks even as the rest of the grocery industry appears to be in peril.


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Craig Miranda ’24
Recently, Lina Khan graciously agreed to meet with a group of SOMers for a conversation on the current state of antitrust regulation in the United States. Chair Khan is a 2017 graduate of Yale Law School and the current chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). To say that she is active in her goal to protect consumers from anti-competitive practices of big businesses would be an understatement. Since taking over the helm at the FTC in 2021, Lina Khan has made headlines by challenging the status quo of business operations, particularly by big technology companies and in the pharmaceutical industry. This was a unique opportunity for students at Yale SOM to meet with Chair Khan and get a first-hand glimpse into the mind leading one of the country’s two top antitrust regulators.
The overarching theme of the conversation was the role that a regulator plays in deterring anticompetitive business practices. Chair Khan explained that antitrust regulation is not equivalent to anti-business. Rather, a regulator is responsible for ensuring that businesses compete fairly and that large incumbent companies with immense market power do not indulge in unlawful practices that would prevent a new entrant from competing on the merits of their product/service. In effect, the FTC is pro-competitive, stimulating innovation and acting as a representative for the interests of consumers and employees, who are less concentrated and hold less bargaining power than big businesses.
The FTC does this by not only challenging the potentially anticompetitive modus operandi of specific businesses, but more importantly, developing an environment where other businesses are deterred from engaging in similar practices. Chair Khan cited numerous cases that did not even go to trial because companies resorted to structural or behavioral remedies that would no longer dampen competition.
We also got a glimpse into the human side of Chair Khan. Not only does she take on some of the biggest and most powerful people in corporate America, but Lina Khan does so as the youngest chairperson of the FTC. Chair Khan answered student questions on navigating internal and external organizational challenges as a female leader and the importance of not sinking into a victim mindset.
Given my post-MBA career interest in infrastructure M&A, I am taking Competition Economics and Policy with Prof. Fiona Scott Morton, former chief economist of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ at Yale SOM and M&A Deal Negotiation with Igor Kirman, partner of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, at the Yale Law School. I am grateful for the opportunity to meet with the chair of the FTC and learn more about antitrust from the top regulator. Lina Khan’s grace and eloquence were truly inspiring.
Jason Liu ’25
As someone who has worked with attorneys and members of the FTC, I was eager to get the chance to meet directly with Chair Khan and hear her perspectives on the role the FTC plays in shaping antitrust laws and in the future with big tech and AI.
Prior to coming to SOM, I worked in economic consulting and helped the FTC quantify their case against bad actors and anti-competitive behavior. Seeing how that looks from the FTC’s point of view—what makes them start an investigation, how they choose to run it, and what charges they bring—was like seeing how my piece of the puzzle fit in with the rest of it. Chair Khan also brought a whole different lens to view anti-competitive behavior, as not just bad for the consumers but also for other competitors and businesses!
After hearing Chair Khan’s perspective, I now want to further develop my market analysis skills to help companies legally, and ethically, serve consumer needs. While I haven’t figured out if this is in the realm of consulting, government oversight work, or internal strategy, I do know that at the end of the day, my work will be about helping consumers.


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Bengaluru-based Foodvista India Pvt. Ltd, which operates cloud kitchen and food delivery platform FreshMenu, has raised Rs 21 crore ($2.94 million) in a fresh funding round.
The food-tech startup raised this amount earlier this month from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Zodius Technology fund and serial entrepreneur K Ganesh’s Growthstory, according to the company’s filings with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Lightspeed injected $1.64 million while Zodius and Growthstory invested the rest.
As per Techcircle estimates, the company raised this round at an estimated valuation of $48 million (Rs 342.50 crore). The company's last known major funding round was in January 2016, when it raised $17 million (Rs 110 crore then) at a valuation of nearly $41 million.
It could not be ascertained whether the fresh capital infusion is a bridge round or part of a larger funding round. Recent media reports stated that the company was looking to raise up to $75 million and that it was in talks with private equity firms TPG Capital, General Atlantic, Kedaara Capital and Singapore state investment firm Temasek for the infusion.
Email queries sent to Rashmi Daga, founder of Freshmenu, seeking comments did not elicit a response till the time of filing this report.
Founded in 2014 by IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus Daga, FreshMenu prepares meals and delivers from its own kitchens. It operates on a cloud-kitchen model, where it brings on board chefs to its centralised kitchens to prepare the food and delivers only online.
In this model, the company controls the brand, tech infrastructure and logistics in order to achieve profitability. Though it runs its operations only online, in 2017 it also opened a restaurant in Bengaluru for dine-in and takeout.
In September last year, Techcircle reported a series of top management exits that the company attributed to professional reasons.
For 2017-18, the company’s operating revenue grew 72% to Rs 122.3 crore from Rs 70.9 crore the year before. However, net loss widened to Rs 43.8 crore from Rs 42.3 crore.
The food-tech segment in India was almost written off in 2015-16 but has seen a resurgence over the past couple of years. In fact, two of the most recent unicorns, Swiggy and Zomato, are from this segment.
Last month, online food delivery startup Swiggy raised $1 billion in a fresh round of funding led by South African technology conglomerate Naspers, marking one of the single-largest infusions into an Indian startup.
Earlier this month, Techcircle reported that food-tech unicorn Zomato was courting new investors in a bid to raise up to $1 billion in fresh funding from potential investors that include existing Chinese investor Ant Financial.


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TAIPEI: Taiwan's export orders likely rose in April for the 14th month in a row, a Reuters poll showed, buoyed by strong sustained demand for technology products during coronavirus-induced lockdowns.
The median forecast from a poll of 12 economists expects export orders to rise 32.6per cent from the year-ago period. Growth forecasts ranged from a growth of 25per cent to up to 38.8per cent.
Taiwan's export orders are a leading indicator of demand for Asia's exports and for hi-tech gadgets, and typically lead actual exports by two to three months.
The region's export orders, a bellwether of globaltechnology demand, jumped 33.3per cent from a year earlier to US$53.66 billion in March.
Taiwan's manufacturers, such as the world's largest contract chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, are a key part of the global supply chain for technology giants like Apple Inc.
The data for April will be released on Thursday.
(Poll compiled by Carol Lee, Reporting by Ben Blanchard; editing by Uttaresh.V)


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â€œLoan up to Rs 10 lakh can be given through microfinance institutions. It will give a boost to trade and help the economy go grow at a faster pace. We are making all efforts for thisâ€ said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, and MSME while addressing chartered accountants of North India through video conference.
Gadkari also said that there is a need to form social microfinance institutions to offer loans to small industrial units.
He said that due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the economy has faced huge losses, even people are nervous and have fear in their minds.
â€œIt is our duty to bring people out of nervousness and fear. Together with self-confidence, we should tackle the situation and move ahead,â€ he suggested. He said that the country had faced several natural calamities and the country has emerged out of such situations.
â€œThe pandemic will last for a long duration. We have to make a habit to live with it and keep a positive mind with self-confidence,â€ he said. Milkmen, vegetable vendors, cobblers, and small traders in remote villages and tribal areas should get financial help through microfinance institutions.
â€œReserve Bank of India should give permission for such microfinance institutions which can give loan from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. A chartered accountant should take the responsibility to monitor such microfinance institutionsâ€ he said.
â€œTo make self-reliant India, one has to become self-reliant. We have to bring the change with the latest technology, skill development, new innovations, available market in the country. If foreign investment comes, it will boost the economy of the country and they will also get good returns,â€ Gadkari pointed out.


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By Makinde Oluwarotimi, Abuja
An experienced ecotoxicologist and lead scientist, Dr Silke Bollmohr, has said that if pesticides’ usage in Nigeria is not properly regulated, it can cause chronic health effects like cancer.
She stated this yesterday, during a webinar conference themed, ‘Challenges of Pesticide Use and Regulation in Nigeria’, organised by the Abuja branch of Heinrich Boll Stiftung, a political foundation.
According to Dr Bollmohr, in 2018, about $384million worth of pesticide products were imported into Nigeria. Presently, there is 1,004 pesticide products in the nation and altogether, they contain about 145 active ingredients.
“A lot of these pesticide products can have chronic effects on human health if their usage is not properly monitored. Out of the 1004 products currently available in Nigeria, after thorough research, our results were alarming.
“About 26 of these pesticide products have carcinogenic effects on the human health (cancerous). In order words, they can damage the human genome or disrupt cellular metabolic processes. We also discovered that about 244 of these products are neurotoxic, meaning that they cause adverse effects on the structure or function of the nervous system.
“Other alarming results and downsides of improper usage of these pesticides on our farms and in our warehouses like the toxic effects on bees, fishes etc, can be found in our full report.”
Dr Bollmohr, while discussing avenues by which these chronic health effects can be prevented, said that reduction in the use of toxic pesticides, pest control using mechanical, cultural and biological strategies would help greatly.
While speaking, the host of the conference, Jochen Lucksheiter, the Abuja head of office, said that even though Agriculture in Nigeria accounts for about one-fifth of the nation’s GDP and due to the rapidly increasing national population, economic situation and pandemic, there is increasing demand for locally produced food as against imported foods, the level of high dependence on the use of pesticides should be properly managed because of its negative effects on human health and animal life.
The question is, with the rapidly increasing Nigerian population and subsequent high demand for food, will the farmers, storage workers and customers be willing to cut down on their high dependence on pesticides for preservation? A lot of research needs to be done, properly reported and carefully examined.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and other organisations like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Veterinary Medicines and Allied Products were well represented at the conference.


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GRAHAM — Designer Isaac Mizrahi once said that "more than any single designer, Kenneth Block gave New York fashion its sophistication."
Original works by Block, as well as other designers in the late designer's collection, will be on display Aug. 16 through Oct. 20 in the exhibit, "Reflections of Elegance: Kenneth Paul Block and the Masters of Fashion Illustration," at Alamance Arts, 213 S. Main St.
Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
The show is curated by the Kenneth Paul Block Foundation, which is the holder of the most extensive archive of the designer's artwork.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For more details, call 336-226-4495 or visit www.alamancearts.org.


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The global epoxy adhesives market size is expected to reach U.S. $10.5 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., an India & U.S. based market research and consulting company
The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2021 to 2028. An increase in investments in the automotive and electric vehicles (EVs), as well as the renewable energy industries are the prominent factors attributed to the market growth during the projected period.
By technology, the two component segment dominated the market and was estimated at $2.9 billion in 2020. The two component epoxies have excellent shear strength owing to different curing characteristics and provide an additional advantage of getting cured at room temperature, which aids to its consumption.
By application, the automotive and transportation segment dominated the market with a revenue share of more than 42.0% in 2020. Growth in the EV industry and increasing consumption of adhesives over mechanical fasteners in vehicles is anticipated to boost the market growth.
The epoxy adhesive sector is projected to experience significant development in the future, owing to the growing emphasis on the incorporation of lightweight materials in the automotive and transportation industry. The use of adhesives offers a reduction in the weight of the final product, which has become a crucial factor in the aerospace and automotive industries in recent years.
The power and energy segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 7.1%, in terms of revenue, during the forecast period. Adhesives are used to protect and bond sensitive mechanical and electrical components, such as solar panels, charge controllers, and wind-turbine blades .
Moreover, epoxy adhesives are used in various other industries as well, such as medical, sports tools, and defense.
- Epoxy resin market: The global epoxy resin market size was $7.99 billion in 2015. Growing end-use industries including transportation, marine coatings, aerospace, electrical and electronic laminates, composites, and decorative powder coatings are expected to augment the global epoxy resins demand.
- Epoxy composite market: The global epoxy composite market size was valued at $28.40 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3% from 2021 to 2028.
- Epoxy coating market: The global epoxy coating market size was estimated at $21.52 billion in 2015, growing at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2016 to 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various commercial and industrial sectors, which led to a halt in new investments resulting in a downfall in global revenue. Moreover, with the continuing second and third waves of the virus, restrictions were seen in Q1 2021, as well.
During the pandemic, the prices of raw materials have increased owing to a rise in logistic costs, unavailability of raw materials, and unfavorable weather conditions. It also adversely impacted the end-use industries which remained shut down during the pandemic. That is starting to change.
A growing focus on sustainable solutions is also expected to bolster the consumption of adhesives, which is further anticipated to offer lucrative growth opportunities for the market. Furthermore, a surge in construction, as well as home improvement activities has been witnessed during the COVID period, as people were spending more time at home. Therefore, wide-scope applications in various industries make the market more lucrative.


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As smartphone and tablet consumers are increasingly accessing information, games and videos via browsers, mobile sites and apps, there has been a solid trend toward using HTML5 as a standard for both mobile and desktop platforms. Often considered as way to target all consumers in a fragmented mobile market, as [...] more...
October 2, 2012 Jeff Jaffe, Chief Executive Officer Tim Berners-Lee, Director W3CIMIT 32 Vassar Street Room 32-G515 Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Dear Messrs. Jaffe and Berners-Lee: The Digital Advertising Alliance (“DAA”) is writing to express strong opposition to the current posturing of the W3C’s effort to establish a “do-not-track” standard. On September 21, 2012, the Tracking Protection Working [...] more...
The specter of new federal “Do Not Track” (DNT) legislation and its potential ramifications loom ominously over the digital ad industry. But while Congress is not expected to vote on DNT legislation until at least next year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) apparently has already begun to take matters into its [...] more...
ADOTAS – Although more or less protected from the nearly 100-degree (F) heat baking Manhattan outside the very air-conditioned Crowne Plaza Hotel, yesterday’s IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) Marketplace — Advertising Technology conference heated up in a figurative sense for a bit as IAB senior vice president and general counsel Mike Zaneis [...] more...
ADMONSTERS – The shockwaves reverberated around the digital advertising industry fast and hard: Included in Microsoft’s just-released Windows 8 upgrade is Internet Explorer 10, which not only features Do Not Track functionality but is also the first browser with “on” as the default setting. Oh yes, even Google agreed a few months ago [...] more...
ADOTAS – If you don’t know much about HTML5 yet, you’re not alone. Still a relatively new language (it was only introduced just over a year ago), HTML5 is still very much a work in progress. It could be 10 years or more before it receives its World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) [...] more...
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Adknowledge Announces Launch of ‘AdStation International’KANSAS CITY, Mo., November 25, 2013 (ADOTAS) – Adknowledge is pleased to announce the launch of AdStation International, a global [...] more...
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13th January 2016
As Sainsbury’s reports a Q3 trading update Helal Miah, Investment Research Analyst at The Share Centre, explains what it means for investors…
This morning, supermarket Sainsbury’s reported that Q3 like-for-like sales excluding fuel had declined by 0.4%, while total sales excluding fuel rose 0.8%. These numbers were slightly ahead of expectations. The fall in sales could be credited to the company’s decision to reduce levels of promotional activity over the period, combined with the fact it also reduced the number of multi-buys in favour of lower regular prices. Investors should appreciate that the group expects its second half results to be better than the first half based on the performance of its like-for-like sales results in Q3. However, it does expect food deflation and pricing to remain a challenge.
The outlook continues to look challenging for UK food and drug retailers as online retailers continue to test the big four, demonstrated by the likes of Amazon planning on launching a UK grocery service in the UK. However, interested investors should acknowledge that according to the latest research from Kantar Worldpanel, Sainsbury’s was the best performer of the big four over the festive period. This was due to the group attracting an additional 114,000 shoppers and its premium ‘Taste the Difference’ brand recording its best ever Christmas. Despite this news, the data also confirmed that discounters Aldi and Lidl continue to steal market share.
After last week’s news that Sainsbury had been targeting the acquisition of Home Retail, and still indicating they are interest in that acquisition, the stage could be set in retail in general for a year of consolidation in 2016.
Sainsbury has a solid balance sheet, which ensures it is fit to meet the challenges it is being presented with. However, to maintain that strength, dividend income has fallen as it targets dividend cover of 2 times its underlying earnings. Subsequently, we recommend Sainsbury’s as a ‘buy’ for contrarian investors only, as the company leverages its range of shopping channels, diversifies its products and services and focuses on flexibility and convenience. Investors should note that this is where it has advantages over the likes of Aldi and Lidl.


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Autodesk is previewing its new Stingray Game Engine this week at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. The company is also launching Autodesk Maya LT 2016, the latest release of its 3D animation and modeling software for professional indie game developers.
Built using the core technology behind the Bitsquid engine acquired last summer, Stingray is currently in development and comprises intuitive, powerful tools that make it easier for professional and novice developers to bring graphically advanced games to market on a wide range of platforms, says Martin Wahlund, CEO of Fatshark, which is using the new Stingray engine to build their upcoming Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide game.
The technical preview at GDC will highlight several core areas of focus that make it easier for game makers of every level create the next generation of blockbusters., according to the folks at Autodesk. The company will give a live demonstration of several key advances it has made in Stingray such as:
° Simultaneous platform deployment: A live link between Stingray and multiple target devices allows game designers to evaluate their games simultaneously on multiple platforms;
° Integrated workflow: A more efficient pipeline to export 3D content;
° Modern data-driven architecture and rendering capabilities: A data-driven core architecture makes it easier for a user to change the look of a game without having to rewrite and re-compile the engine.
To learn more or apply for beta access, visit: www.autodesk.com/stingray.


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Looking to capitalize on the soaring connected TV advertising market, TV manufacturer/smart TV data company Vizio is launching Vizio Ads, a service that enables advertisers to buy TV inventory.
Inventory can be bought across the Vizio SmartCast platform, including partner OTT apps, and on Vizio’s WatchFree service.
Vizio owns Inscape, which provides smart TV automated content recognition data. Inscape has more than 12 million active and opted-in TV devices.
Vizio’s WatchFree service comes from streaming TV service Pluto TV. It offers news, sports, movies, TV shows, and other content -- without a monthly subscription or transaction fees.
As Vizio Ads launches, the company cites an eMarketer study showing that the connected TV (CTV) advertising market is projected to total $7 billion in 2019
Mike O’Donnell, senior vice president of Vizio’s Platform Business, is overseeing the service. He stated that “a direct-to-TV advertising business” will help brands find new ways to engage with viewers.


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It’s over five years since the economic crisis began and since then businesses and households up and down the UK have been hanging in the balance.
Soaring rates of inflation and low consumer confidence have all had an impact on spending and saving behaviour. While the economy is nowhere near its 2008 peak, there have been promising signs of an economic recovery in recent months.
One of the biggest factors in the claims of a recovery is GDP, as the Office for National Statistics found that it grew by 0.7% in one month. This follows a 0.3% increase in the previous month.
This exceeds estimates and puts the UK’s growth somewhere near that of Germany. The improved performance has led the OECD to revise its forecast for GDP growth, to 1.5% from 0.8%.
While Britain has performed well, some other new markets haven’t faired quite as well. For example, China has been downgraded to 7.4%, compared to its previous forecast of 7.8%.
After the amended figures of the OECD, the Office for Budget Responsibility is also set to revise its own GDP forecast.
It’s always a good sign for the economy when consumers are willing to go out and spend money.
After months, or even years, of restrained spending, retail spending is finally on the rise. July saw a 3% increase on the year before in real terms, but almost 5% up in cash terms.
The motoring industry has been particularly strong, with sales of cars on the rise for the 17th consecutive month and 12.7% up on the previous July.
Small business confidence
It’s not just consumers that are benefitting from the improvements in the British economy; small businesses have also shown increased confidence.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has recently published a Small Business Index, which measures confidence. It rose to 33.5 in the third quarter, a substantial increase its previous high of 18 was recorded in 2010.
More firms are now looking to take on staff, rather than make cuts, and with more workers available, they are confident to expand further. Around 40% of firms also reported higher revenues in 2013 and many of them also plan to increase capital investment over the next 12 months.
Employment rates rising
Thankfully, with more small businesses having the confidence to employ more staff, employment rates are also on the rise.
The Office of National Statistics also found that the number of Scots in employment was the highest it had been since 2009.
The Bank of Scotland chief economist, Donald MacRae recently commented on how quickly the Scottish economy is recovering. The bank’s PMI survey found that employment is rising faster than it has done in over six years – although it’s still below the national average.
With Scottish employment is up for the ninth month in a row, the only other place in the UK to better the rates was the West Midlands. Mr MacRae also mentioned that the PMI survey found that there has been an increase in new work and business activity as well as employment.
Impact on interest rates
The Bank of England has claimed that it had no plans to increase the 0.5% base rate while unemployment was above 7%, which it expected to take at least three years.
However, with an apparent recovery in full swing it’s possible that more people might end up in employment sooner than expected.
Should the base rate be increased, borrowers could be affected.
Concern for unsustainable growth
Despite the good news around the economy, there has been some concern about unsustainable and unbalanced growth.
The services sector has seen the biggest improvements, whereas the manufacturing industry has not seen an increase, with output growing by less than 1% a year since 2009.
However, others are claiming that UK manufacturing will never get to the level it was before the economic crisis.
So, while it might not be completely balanced, the economy is on its way to recovery. The growth of GDP, better employment rates and a boost in business confidence are just a couple of the signs that the UK is finding its feet once again.


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General Motors has recalled millions of vehicles worldwide in response to claims and investigations alleging that faulty parts in their vehicles have caused several deaths and injuries. GM is alleged to have used substandard parts and that the company was aware of the real and potential dangers that these substandard parts posed to consumers. As of August 2014, GM instituted 66 recalls, totaling 39 million vehicles worldwide, almost 14 million of which were produced in the United States. 2.6 million of the vehicles were recalled due to a faulty ignition switch that causes cars to shut off while driving and disables airbags. The faulty ignition has been linked to at least 60 deaths. The latest recall is for a wiring problem that has affected 2.7 million cars and has been linked to 13 deaths. The wiring problem allegedly causes the brake light to malfunction, resulting in the light not turning on when the brakes are applied or turning on when the car is motion. Electronic stability control, cruise control, traction control, and panic breaking assistance operation may also be affected by the faulty wiring. The Department of Justice, federal investigators and Congress have begun to investigate GM for the recall delay and violations for a potential cover-up and wrong doing. As a manufacturer, GM is liable for an injury caused by the products that it manufactures. Therefore, GM is liable for any injuries suffered by consumers due the faulty and substandard parts used in their vehicles. A fund has been established by GM to pay valid claims involving the faulty ignition switch. If you or a family member has been injured due to the malfunction of one of the recalled GM vehicles, contact our experienced attorneys to discuss potential litigation for the compensation of damages. Here's a complete list of all GM's recalls as compiled by CNN
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Secrets about tech companies are a major feature of the insider trading charges unveiled so far. Companies including AMD, Dell, Research in Motion, Marvell, Western Digital, Taiwan Semiconductor, Sierra Wireless and Broadcom allegedly had secrets leaked about them — including revenue and sales forecasts.
The alleged secrets passed about Apple products and product sales came courtesy of a business development official at Flextronics, Walter Shimoon, according to the government’s legal complaint released today. The government said Flextronics had business dealings with Apple, including supplying parts such as the camera and charger components for the iPhone and iPod.
Shimoon, according to the insider-trading charges, gave an unnamed government witness a secretive chat about a brand new Apple device in the works. The conversation took place in Oct 2009, nearly four months before the introduction of the iPad.
“They [Apple] have a code name for something new…It’s, it’s totally…it’s a new category altogether. And, uh, I speculate, it doesn’t have a camera in it, what I figured out. So I speculated that it’s probably a reader…Something like that…I believe it’s called…K48. That’s the internal name…So you can get, at Apple you can get fired for saying K48…That’s how crazy they are about it.”


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The outdoor retailer REI shocked the consumer world last month went it announced that stores would be closed on Black Friday, the biggest retail day of the year.
Following on the example set by REI, several other retailers as well as state agencies are closing or offering free admission to state parks, choosing the outdoors instead of the shopping center.
The non-profit cooperative renowned for its altruism suggests consumers spend the day outside with their families (what a novel concept) and urged people to share their suggested activities on Twitter using the hashtag #optoutside.
Since then, retailers such as Nordstroms, Marshalls and Costco each decided to also close their doors. Rather than reap the financial benefits on the busiest day of the year, these companies are betting that good will and positive press will go much further.
Now several states are hopping on the band wagon and offering free admission to their state parks. The Minnesota park system recently announced that all of its states 75 parks would be free to attend on Friday.
“We want you to spend time with your family outdoors on the day after Thanksgiving, and with free park entry all day, you have no excuse not to get out there and walk off your turkey dinner,” a statement read.
In Missouri, where admission to its park system is always free, the State Parks department announced that no camping fees would be collected for the evening of Friday Nov. 27.
In California, some 49 state parks will be free as part of “Free Friday in the Redwoods” sponsored by the non-profit Save the Redwoods League.
“Thanksgiving is about sharing time with friends and family, and appreciating our many shared blessings. Redwood parks are uniquely suited for both!” read a press release.
Photo credit: Dreamstime


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The Take: AT&T makes changes while H-E-B adds heat
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The Take is a recurring blog that will feature a daily rundown of news and views of interest to San Antonio.
AT&T’s new message
If the campaign is successful, the phrase “Mobilizing your world” will become ingrained in the public mind along with the AT&T brand, replacing the old theme “Rethink possible.”
AT&T plans to spend big on the new slogan making it appear almost continuously on television, in print and online, as well as on billboards, signs in AT&T stores, screens in airports and office lobbies, the New York Times reports.
The company which has long been associated with land-based, copper-wire telephone services is hoping to rebrand itself as a high-tech mobile company in the new digital era.
H-E-B is planning to add more heat to its grocery shelves.
505 Southwestern, part of Los Angeles-based Flagship Food Group LLC, has signed an agreement with H.E. Butt Grocery Co. to sell its line of sauces and salsas in 62 H-E-B stores across Texas.
The company says its products are all natural, gluten free and made with 100 percent green and red chile peppers from the Hatch Valley of New Mexico.
The products come in five varieties including Flame Roasted Green Chile, Green Chile Sauce, Enchilada & Tamale Sauce and an assortment of salsas.
Guess where the head of the country’s largest radio company wants advertisers to spend more money?
It’s probably no surprise that Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman has urged marketers to give more consideration to radio for their advertising dollars. But Pittman says radio truly deserves better than it is getting and has been largely overlooked despite its “incredible return.”
Mike W. Thomas covers technology/telecom, military, finance, regulatory issues as well as nonprofits/education.
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By Staff writer
Latest data from STR reveals October was 22nd consecutive month of year-over-year average daily rate decreases
Hotels operating in the UAE continued to see declines in occupancy and room rates during October, according to the latest data from industry consultants STR.
It said the UAE's hospitality sector reported an occupancy dip of 2.9 percent during the month to 75.6 percent, while average daily rates (ADR) dropped 9.6 percent to AED668.05, the lowest for an October since 2005.
As a result, revenue per available room (RevPAR) declined by 12.3 percent to AED505.34.
STR said October was the 22nd consecutive month of year-over-year ADR decreases in the UAE, due in part to consistent and significant supply growth, which is up by 5.1 percent year to date). At the same time, demand has remained strong, up 5 percent year to date.
In Dubai, hotels saw occupancy fall by 2 percent to 78 percent, ADR was down 9.8 percent to AED764.63 and RevPAR dropped 11.6 percent to AED596.16.
STR said strong supply growth (up 5.8 percent year to date) has slightly outpaced a year-to-date demand increase (up 5.6%) in the market. In addition to the strong development pipeline, STR analysts attributed Dubai’s performance to a decline in visitors from the drop in oil prices.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, STR reported decreases in occupancy (down 7.2 percent to 56.2 percent), ADR (down 3.6 percent to SR796.30) and RevPAR (down 10.6 percent to SR447.46).
STR said as one of the Gulf’s key hubs, Riyadh is heavily dependent on corporate travel but that business has suffered with the drop in oil prices, and coupled with significant supply growth (up 8.9 percent year to date), Riyadh’s performance has slumped.
Regionally, hotels in the Middle East reported a 4.4 percent decrease in occupancy to 64 percent, a 9 percent drop in ADR to $174.19 and a 13 percent decline in RevPAR to $111.48.For all the latest travel news from the UAE and Gulf countries, follow us on Twitter and Linkedin, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.
still expensive for consumers. while for the corporate world it might be value for money; but business are looking for ways to avoid spending in this tough and challenging economic climate.
This comes as no surprise as further new hospitality properties come into the market and dilute it still further, the number of rooms basically outstrips demand' Plus if Saudi Arabia does go into recession in 2017 as reported by AB quoting a new report, then rates will continue to deteriorate. There are still new hotels slated for construction.
@khalid if you are flying people mostly from Europe and Asia Dubai hospitality is currently great value. Flying with QA makes it usually cheaper, or if you have a meeting in other GCC country and then make a stop over of 2-3 days. It is interesting that this place is more interesting now as a meeting point than as a permanent FOB
@Red Snappa good thing that our official resident expert has decided that low oil prices will not affect Dubai economy.
They are going to need to drop significantly more if the hundreds of hotels are looking to continue to attract international tourists for either few day stop overs or holidays.
Coincidentally, I have ended up speaking in passing to several random holiday makers recently at various hotels, they have all commented that as regular visitors that the cost these last few years and particularly this year of everything surrounding their stay, from F&B to shopping etc has really surprised them at how expensive it has become, to the point where they probably wont be making the trip again...........


text: Yesterday, Apple released a new commercial that focuses on the new 3D Touch display of the iPhone 6s, specifically its new “Peek and Pop” feature. This allows you to peek at a link, picture, etc. with a light press without completely opening it. A deep press will open it like any other iPhone would. The ad also has a brief cameo appearance with Jamie Foxx.


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Record numbers of voters turned out on May 2 to say no to a soda tax in Santa Fe, New Mexico. By proposing a two-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary soft drinks, policymakers meant to encourage healthier consumption choices. What soda tax advocates dont realize, however, is that a soda tax might actually encourage worse eating and drinking habits.
Santa Fes decisive defeat of the soda tax (11,533 no votes versus 8,382 votes in favor) is a win for public health even if it seems like a loss at first glance. Its also true, though, that governments around the world could do more to improve their citizens health.The tax seems brilliant in its straightforward logic. People buy less of a good when its price goes up, and so higher after-tax soda prices should lead individuals to consume less sugary soft drinks, thereby avoiding the scourges of obesity, Type II diabetes and tooth decay, or at least that is what the supporters claim. But simple thinking isnt enough. Individuals react in more ways than politicians can anticipate and are ingenious when it comes to finding ways around obstacles between them and their favorite vices.
Philadelphias experience with a 1.5-cent-per-ounce soda tax demonstrates how easy it is to find ways around a tax confined to one city. It took retailers located outside Philadelphia only a few days before they advertised their locations to pull in soft drink shoppers. Guides to soda sellers just outside the bounds of the taxing jurisdiction quickly emerged on social media.
Even when soda taxes increase prices, as Econ 101 teaches, it doesnt mean that healthier options will be chosen instead. Research shows that people substitute salty and fatty foods when faced with a half-cent-per-ounce soda tax. Moreover, the effect of the tax on obesity is vanishingly small: the same researchers concluded that the tax likely would cause less than a two-pound weight loss in low-income individuals over the next decade.
Less than a two-pound weight loss over ten years is a far cry from the health benefits promised by the soda taxs advocates, but the taxs effects dont stop there. People naturally choose healthier options and are more likely to exercise as their incomes rise. So a regressive soda tax is a bad way to promote health because it reduces the disposable incomes of those it is meant to help. In fact, economic research shows that sin taxes like those proposed for soda may even exacerbate income inequality.
If soda taxes boosted economic growth, then maybe their defenders could claim they will help individuals make healthier choices. But the number of reasons to think soda taxes hurt the economies of cities that enacted them is growing. Take the case of Philadelphia again. Only two months after implementation of Philadelphias 1.5-cent-per-ounce tax, Phillys supermarkets and soda distributors reported 30 to 50 percent drops in beverage sales and announced layoffslikely because of cross-border shopping. We can only hope that the Philadelphians who lost their jobs found new employment in nearby towns.
Soda sales dropped by ten percent in Berkeley, Calif., in the months following the enactment of a one-cent-per-ounce tax there, but they rose by seven percent just beyond the city limits.
The lost jobs and the sugary, fatty and carbohydrate-laden foods individuals consume when soda prices rise supposedly are unintended consequences of the seemingly simple soda tax. The evidence is accumulating, however, that such consequences are foreseeable and likely create negative health effects of the same magnitudes as the ones policymakers are attempting to prevent.
The failure of soda taxes to promote healthy choices doesnt mean that governments are incapable of helping people live healthier livesits just that the right path to that goal isnt through social engineering.
Instead of bludgeoning the already poor with regressive taxes, policymakers should try to get out of their way and allow them to improve their own lives. Easing occupational licensing restrictions and clearing out the tangled web of regulations that impede small-business startups and innovation are great places to start.


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China reiterated its opposition to new curbs on investment in the US, as White House officials tussle over trade policy and the imposition of tariffs approaches.
Restrictions on US exports to China - of sensitive technologies that the government wants to protect - will backfire, hampering President Donald Trump’s intention to lower his nation’s trade deficit, according to Commerce Ministry spokesperson Gao Feng on Thursday.
Beijing is monitoring the impact of the proposed strengthening of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin won an internal fight to stave off an even tougher approach to curbing Chinese investment in US technology.
Even so, there’s little sign of a broader detente between the two sides, as a July 6 start-date for tariffs on $34bn of Chinese imports approaches.
“The US wants to expand its exports and narrow the trade deficit. It has huge potential in high-tech products and services trade. However, the move to restrict exports can only backfire,” Gao said.
He also argued that a protectionist US has become a major drag on global cross-border investment and economic growth, and repeated the threat that China will fight back with "quantitative and qualitative measures" should the US roll out a new tariff list.
China looks more exposed to the impact of worsening trade relations with the US than just a few months ago. Economic data for May came in below expectations, and the slide looks likely to continue in June.
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BRUSSELS: May 30, 2016. IKEA, Nestlé, Philips, DB Schenker, Deutsche Post DHL, Mercadona, Colruyt and Kingfisher are among 19 global brands that have told European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker his regime must introduce fuel efficiency standards for new trucks and trailers by 2020.
The companies say the move would save businesses billions of euros, lead to cheaper goods, protect the environment and boost energy independence.
Road transport currently accounts for one-fifth of Europe’s carbon emissions, and while trucks make up less than 5.0 percent of all road vehicles, they are responsible for 25 percent of road transport’s fuel use and carbon emissions.
Meeting the EU’s 2030 climate targets as well as the more challenging targets of the Paris climate deal will require major efforts in the road freight sector said the companies in a letter to Juncker.
Bart Vandewaetere, Nestlé’s assistant-vice president Relations with European Institutions noted: “Nestlé is working, together with our supply chain partners, to cut transport fuel consumption and GHG emissions by another 10 percent by 2020 (versus 2014), on top of already made reductions. We do this by efficiency optimizations such as routing, avoiding of empty runs and using at maximum the available vehicle capacities. Increasing the fuel efficiency of trucks will give the transport industry the required boost to further reduce overall CO2-emissions after 2020, when most of the other options have been fully exploited.”
Nestlé’ (right) is currently celebrating its 150 anniversary in the historic district of Vevey, Switzerland where Henri Nestlé invented his ‘farine lactée’ and established his first production plant.
In the letter to Juncker the company said it costs €35,000 per year to fuel tractor-trailers – costs which are then passed on to consumers through higher-priced products. Nestlé and the other members of the group argue that a 35 percent improvement in efficiency would save businesses up to €10,000 per year, per truck, while reducing annual carbon emissions by 37 million tonnes by 2030. “This would help big shippers, freight forwarders and hauliers to scale up their voluntary emissions reduction commitments and help the EU meet its ambitious climate goals,” they said.
Ewald Kaiser, CEO of DB Schenker Region Europe and board member for Land Transport pointed out: “Political framework decisions should provide balanced incentives for best-in-class performers in order to drive innovation.”
William Todts, freight director at sustainable transport group Transport & Environment added: [EC] “Commissioner Cañete has said truck CO2 standards are essential and he’s right. More fuel-efficient trucks will save hauliers money, boost the economy and protect the environment. It’s time for the Juncker Commission to follow the example of the U.S., China and Japan and set ambitious truck fuel economy standards.”


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can you really make money selling on amazon
Amazon has been in the news for a while now for 'paying its employees below market level'. According to several media reports, over 50 vice presidents of the company have quit the company in 2021 citing pay reasons.
Once the employee decides to take the bonus, they can not work for Amazon again, he said.
To that end, many companies will pay you to use and rate their clients' apps and sites. Your candid opinion of what you like or don't is valuable input.


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An Albany mother and daughter have been arrested for allegedly scamming the Coca Cola Co. of $20,000 in prizes in a promotion involving bottle caps.
“I think it’s more than that. Coca-Cola thinks it’s substantially more than that,” Albany Police Detective Mike Wood said of the amount of the suspected loss.
The two are alleged to have obtained winning game codes to get prizes such as gift cards, concert tickets and movie tickets and sold them online, Wood said.
Sarah Lanae Jones, 31, faces four counts of computer theft, four counts of identity theft, two counts of first-degree aggravated theft and second-degree theft, according to an indictment. She is set to be arraigned on the indictment on Aug. 1.
Carrie Lynn Jones, 54, was charged with four counts of computer theft, two counts of first-degree aggravated theft, and second-degree theft, according to her indictment. Her arraignment is set for July 25.
The Joneses were booked at the Linn County Jail on Monday and released that same day without having to post bail.
Carrie Jones declined comment when contacted Wednesday. A phone call to Sarah Jones was not returned. The mother and daughter live at the same address on Front Avenue.
Through Coke’s contest, which ran from May to August 2011, customers got codes on bottle caps that could win them prizes. Contest rules specified that a person could win only twice and a household only five times for the entirety of the promotion.
For each aggravated theft charge, police tracked the Joneses’ activity for a month. They are accused of claiming thousands of prizes in each time period worth more than $10,000, Wood said.
In August 2011, Coke workers contacted Albany police about an Internet address that had won an “extraordinary” number of prizes, Wood said.
Wood said investigation included the service of search warrants for the Joneses’ house, computers and financial records.
According to the indictment, the identity theft charges stem from Sarah Jones creating imaginary people’s identification for her own use.
Wood wasn’t sure about how the women were getting the winning codes but said that wasn’t necessary to prosecute the case.
“Oftentimes, when we solve crimes, we do not know the how,” Wood added.
A Coca-Cola investigator from Atlanta and a ticket broker from Connecticut testified before the grand jury.
The case was lengthy because police had to deal with several companies during the investigation, and there was a large volume of information to process, Wood said.


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The TWU has warned that unless government action on the hike in fuel is targeted at supporting owner drivers and transport operators on razor-thin margins, the economic crisis at the bottom of supply chains will result in more trucking deaths.
In a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the TWU has outlined that an absence of regulation to ensure rising operational costs are absorbed by wealthy retailers, manufacturers and oil companies at the top of supply chains means the Federal Government must step in to prevent owner-operators from going under or being forced to take deadly shortcuts to make ends meet.
Whether through cuts to the fuel excise, or a subsidy scheme for struggling transport businesses, the Federal Government must map and track exactly how assistance will ease the existential threat to businesses and deadly pressures on drivers.
The Without Trucks Australia Stops Senate Report tabled in August 2021 recommended the Federal Government establish an independent body to set binding standards in trucking, such as cost recovery. Over six months later, the Morrison Government has failed to enact the recommendations.
The squeeze on transport contracts from the top of supply chains pressures operators and drivers to delay maintenance, speed, overload trucks and drive fatigued. The pandemic, flooding and now rising fuel costs have exacerbated the deadly pressures on truck drivers.
Since the Senate Report was tabled, 35 truck drivers have been killed, 13 so far in 2022.
TWU Assistant National Secretary Nick McIntosh said the fuel crisis must be addressed through deliberate, targeted support for those who need it most – truck drivers and transport operators battling to maintain safe, viable businesses.
“The cost of fuel won’t hit consumers like it will hit truck drivers struggling to stay afloat. Since the Coalition Government tore down a road safety watchdog in 2016 and put nothing else in its place, owner0drivers and small operators on razor-thin margins have been forced to bear the brunt of rising operational costs, posing an existential threat to many small businesses.
“Under the Morrison Government, there is a deliberate absence of regulation to ensure wealthy retailers, manufacturers and oil companies at the top of transport supply chains are accountable for safe conditions and appropriate cost recovery. Owner-drivers and operators have to find ways to keep the wheels turning, and that can mean taking deadly risks like delaying maintenance on trucks, overloading, or driving fatigued. In Australia’s deadliest industry, Government inaction is literally killing people on our roads.
“It is clear that Morrison must address the fuel hike. While pressure will be coming from all sides it is crucial that truck driver safety and the viability of transport businesses this country relies on are front and centre of any financial assistance. We don’t need a pre-election PR stunt, we need protection for essential transport businesses and to save lives on our roads,” he said.
The TWU has also slammed the recently announced Road and Rail Supply Chain Review as farcical for deliberately putting the transport workforce “out of scope”. The TWU has been calling on the Federal Government to sign up to a set of supply chain principles to protect essential industries against external shocks like covid variants, flooding and global supply chain disruption.


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According to the information, AITO Wenjie delivered a total of 4585 new cars in April. Since March 2022, AITO Wenjie M5, M7, and M5 (electric version) have delivered a total of 100000 vehicles so far. This is a big achievement for the Huawei collaborated car models.
The high-end autonomous driving version of the AITO M5 extended range and electric version was released on April 17. It further enriches the product matrix of the AITO Wenjie series. Also, Panoramic Smart flagship SUV M9 is likely to launch in the fourth quarter of this year.
In April, Wei Xiaoli delivered 25681 vehicles and continued to rank first. Xiaopeng delivered 7079 vehicles and was still struggling. Weilai only delivered 6658 vehicles with a major decline.
The Passenger Association previously announced the sales forecast for passenger cars in April. The retail sales of passenger cars in the narrow sense in April are expected to be 1.570 million units, with a monthly decline of 1.3%.
Affected by the low base in the same period, the year-on-year increase of 49.8%. Among these, the retail sales of new electric vehicles are expected to be 500000. This is a month-on-month decline of 8.4% and a penetration rate of 31.8%.


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Jobs Linked to Exports
About 25,500 manufacturing jobs in Oklahoma, or 12.4 percent of all such jobs, are a result of exports, figures published by the U.S. Commerce Department show.
In 1981, the year in which latest figures are available, Oklahoma manufacturers exported $2.7 million of their products, ranking the state 27th among the 50 states.
Exports from Oklahoma increased 16 percent from 1980. Manufacturing jobs related to exports in Oklahoma increased 6.7 percent, while total manufacturing jobs in the state increased 3.8 percent. BIOG: NAME:
Archive ID: 138577


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CALLING COLVILLE: Matchesfashion.com has launched Colville, a contemporary label, with an installation at the retailer’s town house in London’s Marylebone.
Named after artist David Hockney’s Seventies residence, the brand is the brainchild of Molly Molloy, Kristin Forss and Lucinda Chambers. Design directors Molloy and Forss honed their skills at the Italian brand Marni for more than 10 years and worked with Chambers, who styled the label.
The designers describe their label as “personal, modern and eclectic, fearless, sensitive, eccentric and rigorous” and said during a walk-through that it’s an amalgamation of Chambers’, Forss’ and Molloy’s arty styles.
There is a focus on color, self-expression and texture.
The 30-piece offering is filled with layer-able pieces including tailored outerwear, cropped parkas, graphic printed dresses, skirts, jacquard knits and trousers.
The trio has also teamed with jewelry designer Vicki Sarge and milliner Stephen Jones on accessories. Prices range from 345 pounds for a pair of shoes to 1,560 pounds for a coat.
It will be sold exclusively at the British retailer.
“We love working together, we knew we could create a brand that we all wanted to wear and it felt very natural,” said Molloy.
Forss said the inspiration was “the women we know, who are intelligent and exciting and who are wanting to wear our clothes.”
Chambers noted that the trio is working on the next collection. “We are really excited by it,” said Chambers. “And that’s what we are focusing on now.”


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Advanced Medical Optics shares gained 8.8% after the company reported first-quarter earnings jumped on 5.6% higher sales, and it affirmed its outlook for 2007 adjusted earnings. Earnings reached $12.1 million, or 20 cents a share, from $2.6 million, or 4 cents, in the year-earlier period. Earnings were cut by a total of 3 cents a share due to two special items: an in-process-R&D charge tied to the acquisition of WaveFront Sciences, and an unrealized loss on derivative instruments. Sales climbed to $251.7 million from $238.2 million. A survey of analysts by Thomson Financial produced consensus estimates of 16 cents of earnings on $242 million of sales.
Aftermarket Technology Corp. shares jumped 11% Wednesday. Late Tuesday, the Downer's Grove, Ill.-based company reported first-quarter net earnings of $9.67 million, or 44 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $3.2 million, or 15 cents a share, in the year-ago period.
Alcoa Inc. /quotes/zigman/246295/delayed/quotes/nls/aa AA +1.20% shares rose 5.3% after the company said it plans to explore the disposition of its packaging and consumer businesses. These businesses generated about $3.2 billion in revenue in 2006, roughly 10% of the company's total for the year. In addition, the Dow component also said it's looking at strategic alternatives for its AFL Wire Harness and Aluminum Casting operations, which had combined revenue of about $1.6 billion in 2006. The company expects to complete the process by the end of the year.
Amazon.com /quotes/zigman/63011/delayed/quotes/nls/amzn AMZN -0.53% shares soared 27% after the company reported that first-quarter profit more than doubled and sales jumped 32% as it sold more goods through its Web site. See full story.
Arkansas Best shares moved up 5.9% after the company said its first-quarter net income dropped 22% to $4.8 million, or 19 cents a share, as tonnage declines at its ABF Freight Systems unit continued into 2007. The quarter also included a 3 cents a share charge for pension settlement accounting. Revenue fell to $422.6 million from $425 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected earnings of 15 cents a share.
Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. shares rallied 16% after the company said it plans to recapitalize its balance sheet and return $150 million to shareholders. Asset Acceptance said it will repurchase up to $75 million of its shares through a combination of a Dutch auction tender offer, and purchases from its largest shareholder, chief executive and chief financial officer -- who own 50.5% of the company's stock -- following the tender offer. The balance of the $150 million return of capital to shareholders will be paid in the form of a special one-time cash dividend, the company said.
Baker Hughes /quotes/zigman/219109/delayed/quotes/nls/bhi BHI +0.75% shares gained 7.8% after the company said its first-quarter net income rose 10% to $365 million, or $1.17 a share, with revenue up 20% to $2.47 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected earnings of $1.10 a share. The oil services group said revenue outside North America should grow between 19% and 21% in 2007, while U.S. revenue is expected to rise 7%. Capital spending is expected to be between $1.0 billion and $1.2 billion, it added.
Bally Total Fitness Holding shares jumped 18% after the company said it has agreed to sell its 16 Toronto facilities to Extreme Fitness Inc. and GoodLife Fitness Centres Inc. Proceeds from the transactions are estimated to be about C$19.6 million ($17.6 million).
BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. /quotes/zigman/86973/delayed/quotes/nls/bdsi BDSI +1.55% shares rose 30% after the company said its Phase III study showed patients treated with Bema Fentanyl showed a statistically significant improvement on the primary efficacy endpoint of reduced pain intensity. Bema Fentanyl consists of a dissolvable polymer disc that can be applied to the inner lining of the cheek to deliver the opioid Fentanyl to cancer patients.
Carter's Inc. /quotes/zigman/313169/delayed/quotes/nls/cri CRI +1.87% shares moved up 6.8% after the company said first-quarter earnings fell 39% to $9.61 million, or 16 cents a share. The Atlanta marketer of clothes for babies and young children said sales rose 5% to $320.1 million.
Chaparral Steel Co. shares rallied 12% after the Midlothian, Texas-based company announced that its board has initiated a review of strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of the company, and has hired Goldman, Sachs & Co. to assist in the review. Chaparral said it does not plan to disclose developments unless and until its board approves a definitive transaction.
Cheesecake Factory /quotes/zigman/69373/delayed/quotes/nls/cake CAKE +0.98% shares gained 9% after the company said first-quarter net income was flat at 24 cents a share.
C.H. Robinson Worldwide /quotes/zigman/98519/delayed/quotes/nls/chrw CHRW +0.69% shares surged 11% after the company posted first-quarter net income of 42 cents a share, up from 33 cents in the year-earlier period. Sales rose to $1.62 billion from $1.50 billion.
Corning Inc. /quotes/zigman/223221/delayed/quotes/nls/glw GLW +0.68% shares added 5.3% after the company said it earned 20 cents a share in the first quarter, up from 16 cents in the year-earlier period. The New York specialty glass company said that excluding charges, it earned 28 cents a share. Sales climbed to $1.31 billion from $1.26 billion. The average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Financial was earnings of 26 cents on revenue of $1.29 billion.
CV Therapeutics Inc.'s shares gained 9% after the company posted a first-quarter loss narrowed to 93 cents a share from $1.57 a share. The company posted revenue of $15.3 million vs. $5.1 million.
Desert Community Bank shares surged 20% after the Victorville, Calif.-based company agreed to be acquired by East West Bancorp Inc. /quotes/zigman/73773/delayed/quotes/nls/ewbc EWBC +0.14% for $24 a share, or $142.6 million.
Industrial Services of America /quotes/zigman/62263/delayed/quotes/nls/idsa IDSA -0.18% shares jumped 47% after the company reported first-quarter net earnings of $793,080, or 22 cents a share, up from $416,526, or 12 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Louisville, Ky.-based logistics management services company posted revenue for the three months ended March 31 of $17.9 million vs. $14.5 million.
Shares of K2 surged 20% after the company agreed to be acquired by Jarden Corp. /quotes/zigman/305091/delayed/quotes/nls/jah JAH +0.07% for $15.50 a share of cash and stock The companies said in a statement that Jarden will pay $10.85 a share cash plus 0.1086 of its shares for each K2 share. They valued the deal at $1.2 billion, including Jarden's assumption of K2's debt. K2 shares closed on Tuesday at $12.58 each, indicating a takeover premium of 23%.


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The recent spike in local COVID-19 cases has seen eateries and restaurant operators revising their operations, with some placing restrictions on the number of dine-in customers, while others are limiting services to delivery and takeaway.
The last week has also seen numerous restaurants announcing via social media platforms that their employees had contracted the virus, or red-coded as a close contact of a COVID-19 patient.
Speaking to the Bulletin, McDonald’s Brunei Marketing Lead Noor Hafilah binti Haji Mohd Salleh said that the fast food joint has, since the first outbreak, undertaken measures and strictly adheres to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid out by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to prevent the spread of the virus.
“It is important to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees are well-protected. It is also a top priority to ensure everyone, including customers and suppliers, acknowledge the measures we have in place.
“In terms of curbing the COVID-19 transmission chain, we have – since last year – shortened our operating hours and split the workforce into teams. This is one of the means to ensure their safety, on top of conducting antigen rapid tests (ART) on them,” she said.
Express Brunei employee Naqiuddin said the eatery strictly adheres to the SOPs, before adding that, “While most of our customers enjoy dining in, others prefer take-away services. Before entering the premises, customers are required to get a temperature check.
They must also hold a green or yellow BruHealth code, and have no flu-like symptoms.”
Meanwhile, customer Aqilah said the swell in numbers has affected her appetite for dine-in for now.
“I will opt for dine-in services when the numbers drop. There is the option of takeaway services, but I will only consider those that are willing to drop off the meals at a customer’s vehicle. Personally, I would rather choose eateries or home-based food businesses that offer home delivery services. That way, enhanced contactless measures can be taken,” she added.