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Ohio sports betting market will be one of the best in the US, sources say
When Ohio launches sports betting on New Years Day, it will become the fourth largest legal state and have one of the most consumer-friendly markets.
The “biggest simultaneous launch ever,” as Ohio Casino Control Commission Executive Director Matt Schuler calls it, will open the door to no less than 46 mobile sportsbooks, from kiosk betting to bars, grocery stores and more. Between partnerships with Buckeye State’s many pro teams, low taxes and small business opportunities, sports betting will be everywhere.
“It will be one of the most competitive markets in the country, if not the most competitive,” said Brandt Iden, head of government affairs at Sportradar.
“The place you’ll want to be if you bet”
The abundance of potential sportsbooks will force operators to compete for the best payouts, allowing bettors to shop around for the best lines.
Ohio’s sports betting law allows five times more betting apps than New York, which has led all states in dollars wagered each month since going live. Unlike New York, which imposes a 51% rate, operators in Ohio will pay a 10% tax and can deduct any income related to promotions.
This should open the door to a plethora of promotions for Ohioans to take advantage of.
“This is where you’ll want to be if you’re betting on sports. You’re going to have a lot of opportunities for competition,” said John Pappas, director of state advocacy at iDEA Growth. “Given the size of the market, you’re going to see some companies launching for the very first time.”
One such company, JACK Entertainment, has already been launched, hoping to capture market share before betting officially begins. Ohioans can download and use the betJACK app to make their picks now, though the money won’t be on the line until the Jan. 1 start date.
Professional teams embrace betting
All of Ohio’s top 10 professional sports teams — plus the PGA and NASCAR — that operate properties in the state will be able to obtain online sports betting licenses. The rest of these licenses are reserved for casinos and racinos, which are essentially racetracks with legal gambling venues.
This basically means that online sportsbooks must partner with one to have a presence in the state. And several sports bets have already positioned themselves to get started.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Fubo Gaming are working on a 3,000 square foot betting parlor inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse that should look like a Vegas-style sportsbook. At the street level of the arena, Caesars plans to open its own retail sports betting site.
Bally’s Interactive and the Cleveland Browns are working on a similar venture, while Tipico’s has partnered with MLS’s Columbus Crew and betPARX with the PGA Tour. Expect similar announcements ahead of launch.
Professional teams in Washington DC and Arizona have already launched in-stadium sportsbooks, while other teams across the country are working on theirs. In-person betting accounts for around 15-20% of revenue in places where online and retail is legal, but these partnerships should be a great marketing tool.
“It’s an opportunity to market to tens of thousands of people gathering in one place several times a week and getting them to place bets,” Pappas said. “It makes people think of you more as a physical presence rather than just a website with no connection to certain people. That’s important.”
Milk, eggs and $20 on ML Bengals
Ohio, like a few other states, is going to let small businesses in on the action. Bars, restaurants, convenience stores and supermarkets will be able to set up sports betting kiosks, as Ohio law makes a Type C license available at any location with a Class D liquor license.
These kiosks will be limited to $500 per wager and should essentially play a societal role similar to that of lottery tickets. Kiosks are a bit different from traditional counter-style sports betting. They cut down on waiting time, allowing customers to place bets in person quite easily and don’t have the pressure of chatting with a cashier.
“It’s about finding those casual bettors who go to the grocery store, pick up a few things and say ‘oh, there’s a game tonight, let me put $20 on it,'” Iden said. “I think it will become a popular model.”
It remains to be seen how many of these establishments apply for licenses (applications open on June 15). In Washington DC, nearly 40 companies have set up kiosks – although these are all tied to the city’s only mobile betting app, which is operated by the DC Lottery.
“I can’t imagine a scenario where everyone in the market launches on Jan. 1. It never works that way,” Pappas said. “I imagine you’ll have a good launch of 10-20 online operators first, and then more will come into the market over the course of the year.”


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Massive news hints at when cruising may resume for Aussies
Anyone who’s keen to go cruising again may be tempted by the new season of domestic trips from Sydney, proposed by the second-largest cruise liner in the world, Royal Caribbean International.
A luxury cruise liner is taking a punt on Australians getting vaccinated by summer and officials allowing their ships to set sail.
The cruise liner has announced a new season of domestic sailings for those who are vaccinated - including trips to places like: Hobart, Kangaroo Island, Airlie Beach and Port Douglas.
Foreign-flagged cruise ships have been banned from entering Australian waters since March 2020 and the restriction is not due to lift until September.
At this stage, there are no guarantees the ban will be lifted at that time.
But Royal Caribbean is expecting one of its vessels to set sail from Sydney between December and March.
Industry spokesman, Joel Katz, said the Australian economy has lost more than $6 billion since cruising was suspended and this has jeopardised more than 18,000 local jobs.
Katz said he’s concerned by Australia’s lack of progress on resuming cruises and he stated: “The cruise industry has done an enormous amount of work to implement extensive new health protocols globally, but Australia is now the only major cruise destination in the world where there is no progress towards their adoption.”
Last year, an inquiry found New South Wales health authorities made serious mistakes in their handling of the Ruby Princess, after the ship was linked to 663 Covid-19 infections and 28 deaths.
Despite signs of a major COVID-19 outbreak on board the Ruby Princess, thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark and continue on their travels, leading to further outbreaks.
Image: Getty Images

domain: news


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Blog: Russia ban prompts Dutch growers to look for home comfort
Hannah Abdulla | 15 August 2014
"We eat our problem" is the latest approach being taken by Dutch farming groups to flog surplus fruit destined for Russia.
In the wake of Moscow's ban on fruit and veg imports from the EU, there has been concern among farming groups the excess supply would drive down prices in European markets.
The European Commission has reacted, announcing measures to support fruit and veg growers in the bloc.
In the Netherlands growing groups have has decided to take the bull by the horns.
Eleven produce groups, including The Greenery and LTO Nederland, have come together to launch the Samen Sterk, encouraging Dutch consumers to buy local, using the slogan "we eat our problem". The campaign has launched on Facebook, Twitter and through its own website stichtingsamensterk.nl.
The campaign adds to the idea of customer transparency, being open and honest with consumers about the position of growers and the economy and getting them to contribute to improving the situation.
Some analysts do not believe the ban will significantly impact prices. Speaking to just-food, Lianne van den Bos, food analyst at Euromonitor said: "Consumer prices are not likely to drop as often retailers have long-term agreements with suppliers for foods prices and thus are not able to drop prices," she says.
But the Dutch approach stands out as proactive and, while hoping to be a solution to Russia's ban, there could be a long-term benefit through encouraging local consumption.
The UK retail giant has sought to "simplify" its trade terms with suppliers....
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According to the “Global Black Caviar Market” research conducted by WWF in conjunction with the TRAFFIC Wildlife Monitoring Network, Ukraine has been among the top three of the countries that illegally import black caviar to Europe and the United States. Next to it in this ranking were also Russia and Iran.
However, the study also notes that in 81% of cases in the EU countries, and in 95% of cases in the US, the importation of caviar occurs without indicating the country of origin.
The study presented in Geneva demonstrated that the non-binding nature of black caviar labeling under the international CITES standard in key countries of sturgeon distribution greatly facilitates illegal trade of it.
According to Natalia Gozak, WWF Wildlife Coordinator in Ukraine and the project “Life for Danube Sturgeon”, in accordance with CITES, in Ukraine it is necessary to introduce an obligatory system of labeling products for black caviar producers. So far such a system of marking is introduced voluntarily.
According to her, it should include mandatory genetic certification of manufacturers, a procedure for testing products on the market and a centralized traceability system.
The authors of the study demand that the law enforcement agencies of European countries strengthen control over the importation of black caviar, especially from the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Iran and Azerbaijan.
The study also notes that illegal fishing, which is provoked by the high price of caviar and the popularity of this product specifically from wild sturgeon, leads to a rapid reduction in the population of wild sturgeon.
By the way, officially officially black caviar from Ukraine is exported only by two companies – Osetr and “Bester”.


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The Romanian authorities have ordered the slaughter of 20,000 pigs after an outbreak of swine fever at a farm in the west of the country.
All farms in Timis county belonging to Smithfield Foods - one the largest US meat processors - will be inspected for signs of infection, officials say. Road checks have been set up in the area to prevent the movement of meat. Swine fever is a recurrent problem in Romania, which has been banned from exporting pork to other EU countries. Timis official Ovidiu Draganescu said that all 25 farms belonging to Smithfield Foods will be tested for swine fever. The virus has already been found in the Cenei farm, where the slaughter of pigs has already been ordered.
Swine fever is a highly infectious disease. Infected pigs must be slaughtered and the carcasses buried or incinerated. Smithfield - which claims to be the biggest pork producer in the world - bought the Timis farms in 2004. Animal health and food safety standards have been main concerns as Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union on 1 January 2007. The EU told both countries they would have to eradicate swine fever before they could sell pork in the rest of the EU without restrictions. (bbc.co.uk)


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HTC may have unveiled their new 4G phones at this month’s CES 2011, but from some leaked sources, a new Android 3.0 smartphone is in the pipeline and could be launched in May this year. And the name? HTC Saga.
HTC has showcased many of their 4G smartphones at the recent CES 2011, and it looks like there is another leak from the Taiwanese maker. Apparently, a new smartphone by the name of “HTC Saga” is scheduled to be launched in May this year. (HTC Saga is the codename of the phone; the name has not been finalized”.
According to unnamed sources, HTC Saga will be based on Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), and runs 1GHz processor. It will also sport a 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen display, supports Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi. The HTC Saga would be the manufacturer’s first Android 3.0 smartphone. We can only wait closer to the launch date to know more details about the mysterious HTC Saga.


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United Airlines has begun selling one-year “subscriptions” to those members who want to upgrade to roomier seats.
Memberships to United’s Economy Plus seating starts at $299.
But only Mileage Plus members with the most miles get unlimited access to those seats, offering five extra inches of legroom in a special section at the front of the coach class.
The subscription fee allows a customer and flying companion to upgrade from regular coach class to Economy Plus for free when booking flights, if seats are available.
The airline said the extra legroom for its most frequent flyers is “a fitting tribute to our most valued customers.”


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Nigerian economy continues to nosedive as recent inflation report confirmed all is not well with Africa’s largest economy.
The consumer price index data shows price of goods and services in the economy grew than expected in March, pushing inflation rate to 12.8 percent on an annualized basis, this is the highest inflation rate in almost four years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, report on Tuesday.
Food prices surged 12.7 percent in March, compared with 11.4 percent recorded in February its obvious increase in transportation costs driven by on-going fuel scarcity is partly responsible for recent surge in food prices.
Since Nigerian central bank pegged the Naira at 197-199 per dollar in March 2015 and restricted dollar usage in the economy by ensuring domiciliary account users withdraw in local currency, the US dollar widely use in Nigeria has gained around 52 percent against the Naira on the black market.
Making imports more costly for a nation that’s a net importer of refined fuel and food products.
John Ashbourne, an economist at Capital Economics Ltd. in London, said by phone on Tuesday “It looks like the fuel problem won’t go away in the short term, and we think inflation could rise to 14 or 15 percent this year.”
He further stated “the inflation rate could add pressure to accelerate further interest-rate increases.”


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Update: Microsoft has changed the wording of its Vista Capable program from "The Windows Vista Capable logo is designed to assure customers that the PCs they buy today will be ready for an upgrade to Windows Vista and can run the core experiences of Windows Vista" to "All Windows Vista Capable PCs will run these core experiences at a minimum".
A new class action lawsuit was filed against Microsoft, claiming that Microsoft engaged in deceptive practices by promoting computers as "Windows Vista Capable" even if they couldn't run the new operating system's "signature" features.
The proposed class action was filed on behalf of personal-computer buyer Dianne Kelley of Camano Island. Dianne claims that Microsoft and computer makers avoided a lull in PC sales by assuring consumers that the machines they were buying last year could run the delayed operating system upon its January release.
Microsoft responded by saying that computers with "Windows Vista Capable" stickers are capable of running Windows Vista Home Basic which provides "the core experience of Windows Vista", while computers with "Premium Ready" stickers are capable of running the operating system's advanced features.
Windows Vista Home Basic edition lacks the Aero interface, Media Center capabilities, Flip 3D window-switching and other features available in other Windows Vista versions. These features are what consumers perceive as Windows Vista, the complaint alleges, seeking class certification and unspecified damages.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Technology stocks put in a generally upbeat market session Wednesday, with a big reorganization at Hewlett-Packard Co. holding the sector’s spotlight throughout the day.
H-P’s shares gave up 52 cents to close at $23.75. Before the market opened, H-P
Todd Bradley, executive vice president of H-P’s PC business since 2005, will head up the new PC and printing operations. Vyomesh Joshi, who had been executive vice president, will retire from the company.
Memory chip maker Micron Technology Inc.
RBC analyst Doug Freedman kicked off coverage on Micron’s stock with an outperform rating and $11 price target, predicting that the February quarter “should represent the bottom” as prices for PC-based DRAM chips begin to bounce back.
A big gainer was online professional networking company LinkedIn Corp. LNKD, which rose almost $6 a share, or 6.5%, to close at $97.78. Goldman Sachs analyst Heath Terry raised his rating on the company to buy from neutral. Terry also raised his price target to $130, up from $80 previously.
Online social-gaming company Zynga Inc.
IT services contractor SAIC Inc. SAI rose 3.5% to close at $13.61. Late Tuesday, the company reported a fourth-quarter net loss due to settlement charges involving a payroll program the company developed for New York City. Excluding those charges, SAIC said results would have exceeded analysts’ consensus forecasts.


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Brexit affects potato industryDuring the Europatat Congress in Antwerp, Belgium, Cedric Porter of the World Potato Markets gave a presentation titled Brexit and the Potato Industry. Last June, 52 per cent of the British people voted to leave the European Union, and this month, negotiations between the UK and the EU will start. Brexit itself is planned for March 29, 2019.
Cedric entered with a piggy bank, click here. "There isn’t much money in it yet", he mentioned. Nevertheless the real question is how that would develop over the next six months.
However, last week’s general election in the UK has made the situation more uncertain. Prime Minister Theresa May was hoping to gain a majority by calling early elections, but she failed to do so. She now needs to form a coalition with the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to govern. The DUP wants no changes to the current Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland border, or the trade arrangements. The Conservative Party, on the other hand, wants to control immigration, meaning the UK cannot remain part of the EU Single Market or the Customs Union. The general election has likely made the EU’s position on Brexit stronger. The EU also appears stronger after pro-EU results in recent French and Dutch elections.
The UK is one of the largest potato consumers in the world. Although the amount of fresh potatoes is declining, that of processed potatoes and chips have shown a slightly increasing trend. According to Cedric, the UK imports products worth 575 billion euro a year, while exports amounts to 380 billion euro. However, the weaker pound has made importing to the UK more expensive. This year, the pound is 12 per cent weaker than last year, and even 17.5 per cent down on two years ago.
If the UK wants to leave the EU Single Market and Customs Union, it will either have to negotiate a new arrangement, or EU/UK trade will have to occur under WTO rules. This would impact the imports much more than the exports. One of the issues the UK has to bear in mind, is that the UK leaving the EU would mean they are also leaving the Common Agricultural Policy. The Tories have committed to preserving support payments until 2022. This could mean EU reforms would happen before UK reforms. The UK will also have to take care of regulations that are now covered by the European Union. However, these regulations will probably have to comply with the EU if the UK wishes to do trade with the EU.
People in the UK will continue to need to eat, meaning that the UK will continue to be a market for EU suppliers. The UK might also eventually be able to trade more freely with other parts of the world. Brexit may provide opportunities for EU countries operating in the UK. Or, as Cedric said: “Forget Brexit. The real potato opportunities are outside of Europe.” He illustrated these words with a graph showing the world’s population by region. Europe’s and the EU’s population are overshadowed by those of Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America. And according to the UN, those populations will only increase in coming years, as opposed to that of Europe, which will stagnate. It’s therefore estimated that the global consumption of potatoes will increase.
Brexit is still very likely to happen, but the chances of a ‘Breturn’ have also increased. What’s more, a Brexit with similar arrangements to now is more likely, after last week’s general election.
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Construction to date stands as one of the largest industries in the world and the MENA region is no exception. Many governments especially of its most affluent petrol-exporting countries struggled and still are due to a shortage of skilled workers, weak productivity growth, and waste. Construction sites of the future ‘will be people-free’ were already thought about back in 2014, when experts in construction processes were advancing ideas on developments being foreseeable soon through BIM-based Automated Construction. But unlike what happened in manufacturing in the developed world with all their adopted automated processes, the construction world has witnessed little progress, standing as one of the least digitized industries worldwide despite the recently proven potential of robots, drones, and printed buildings.
The construction sector is on the cusp of a technological transformation which will drive sustainability considerations to the forefront of decision-making, according to experts who will be debating key challenges associated with construction megatrends at an event this month. Robots are predicted to replace humans as the sector becomes increasingly automated over the next 30 years, supporting the drive for carbon-neutral development while radically improving health and safety on building sites. Dr Will Cavendish, global leader digital services, Arup; Aref Boualwan, senior manager digital transformation & strategy, CCC; Peter Jones, technical & operational efficiency director, Skanska; and Sherief Elabd, director of industry strategy, Oracle Construction and Engineering, will be among speakers at the Construction Technology Forum 2019, on September 24 and 25 September at Address, Dubai Marina, Dubai. According to Arup’s Cavendish, firms wishing to stay at the forefront of the construction sector must make both technology and sustainability considerations a priority or they risk being left behind. He says: “With the world becoming more polluted and fossil fuel use needing to fall, the transformation to carbon-neutral infrastructure, buildings, transportation and grid will become paramount to being able to live and operate in the Middle East.” Skanska’s Jones shares this vision for the future of the construction sector, adding: “Sites will deliver net-zero carbon through the use of electric vehicles, and plant and machinery powered from renewable resources.” By 2050, Jones predicts construction sites will look more like assembly plants dominated by robots. He says: “There will be very little build completed on site, except for foundations and earthworks. It will be more like an outside factory, with various sub-assembled components being delivered to site to be assembled by robots or automated vehicles. Ninety per cent will be manufactured off-site and only brought to site for final assembly.” CCC’s Boualwan also foresees connected systems and robots permeating future construction sites, creating a major shift in the required workforce skills. He believes a big advantage of this will be improved health and safety: “One of the main reasons why robots are increasingly deployed is their ability to replace workers in dangerous and hazardous construction zones, thus helping to improve safety measures.” Boualwan envisages significant opportunities in the construction sector for start-ups to help drive digitalisation. He believes this could help eradicate the days of construction delays and spiralling budgets: “The sector has lagged when it comes to technological advancements. Partnering with construction technology start-ups could help put an end to the expansion of construction schedules, and the continuous increase in labour and material costs. I believe the GCC construction scene is on the cusp of a new, ever-evolving era of engaging construction technology start-ups.” Middle East construction firms need to respond to advances in the sector in order to maintain their competitive advantage, and Arup’s Cavendish recommends they do this by prioritising considerations such as: sourcing sustainable materials; integrating with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; considering the “circular economy” to understand what happens at the end of a building’s lifecycle; and integrating smart technologies into buildings from design and through the lifecycle to deliver carbon-neutral operations. Oracle’s Elabd also endorses the need for prompt action in order to keep up with the rapid pace of change associated with tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modelling (BIM) and drones. He adds: “Companies need to be taking technology trends seriously now by investing their resources in quality research and development, and most importantly by focusing on process re-engineering and integration within their business culture and markets. Without a clear process which supports collaboration and adoption, there is no pathway to successful digital transformation.” “AI is the big game-changer in construction as everything is now revolved around improving productivity, especially labour, in a market that is more competitive than ever.” “Sustainability will become inherited and integral to any new construction, with constant improvements in performance driven by AI and automation, as well as the use of sustainable materials which promote less energy and water consumption.” With governments in the region laying the foundations for data-driven economies, the Construction Technology Forum is designed to provide insights into how adopting technology can reduce operational costs, boost productivity and enhance overall quality across all elements of the industry supply-chain. The Construction Technology Forum is organised by Ventures Connect, a partnership between b2b Connect and Ventures Middle East; two businesses committed to empowering companies across the Middle East and Africa Region while enabling critical connections with key stakeholders and decision-makers across various industries.
In MENA’s Maturing Ecosystem dated September 3, 2019, author Chloe DOMAT says that “as the region’s digital startups and fintechs grow and prosper, they must learn to scale, despite a highly fragmented economy.”
Once again this year, the digital economy of the Middle East and North Africa is set to break records. The first half saw $471 million in total funding and 238 deals, according to the latest report from Magnitt, a Dubai-based entrepreneurs’ network. That’s a 66% increase over the dollar volume in the first half of 2018 and 28% more deals.
Digital startups barely existed in the MENA region a decade ago. Now, fintech is a thriving sector embracing hundreds of new companies, jobs and investors. As the ecosystem expands with tens of newcomers each year, funding tickets get bigger and bigger.
“If we look back a few years, a deal at $2 million or $3 million would have made the headlines; today, we have multiple $10 million-plus deals,” says Omar Christidis, founder and CEO of Arabnet, a Beirut-based events and research company specializing in the region’s digital economy. “This is an indicator of the increasing maturity of the market.”
Major deals so far this year have included a $100 million capital injection in Dubai-based Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG); a $65 million Series A round for Yellow Door Energy, also in Dubai; and $42 million for Egypt’s Swvl, a transportation app.
There is still a disconnect, however, between the growing demand for funds at all levels and the capital currently available to satisfy it, industry insiders say. Money is expected to keep pouring in, as an increasing number of international institutions enter the region. Big names like Endeavor Catalyst (US), Vostok New Ventures (Sweden), MSA Capital (China), Global Founders Capital (Germany) and Kingsway Capital (UK) already make up a third of the Middle East’s investor list.
Aiming to attract even more foreign capital, countries including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also started establishing funds of funds.
Funding ($ Mil.)
Yellow Door Energy
For the first time, numbers of local companies are successfully reaching the end of the startup lifecycle and exiting through mergers or acquisitions. In March, Uber bought Careem, a Dubai-based ride-hailing application, for $3.1 billion, in a deal that marked the region’s first unicorn exit.
The pace has only picked up. At least 15 Middle Eastern startups have performed exits since January, including digital fashion platform Namshi, sold to Dubai’s Emaar Malls in February; the purchase by Majid al Futtaim, a Dubai-based shopping mall and retail operator, of Saudi Arabian online grocery store Wadi in May; and EMPG’s purchase of Jumia House, a property portal for Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, in June.
These exits leave a new generation of former staff members with a lot of means. After Careem’s exit, 75 ex-staffers cashed out over $1 million each. That financial capital, as well as the beneficiaries’ acquired knowledge and expertise, will allow a number of them to start new business ventures.
The Imperative to Scale
While tech companies grow larger, entrepreneurs face new challenges.
“As mature startups move to larger funding rounds and raise interest for acquisitions, they need to scale operations, whether vertically with new business lines or geographically,” says Philip Bahoshy, CEO and founder of Magnitt.
Navigating across the region’s approximately 22 countries, each with its own complexities, is not easy, however. From Morocco to Iraq, Arab states differ dramatically from one another in size, population, wealth, laws, digital infrastructure and business culture.
“Seeing the MENA region as one big market is to a certain extent a misrepresentation because our markets are superfragmented,” says Christidis. “A company that wants to grow from Lebanon into Jordan into Iraq into Kuwait into Saudi Arabia has to enter five separate markets.”
The UAE is clearly driving the game. In the first half of 2019, the Emirates received 66% of the money invested in all MENA startups and captured 26% of the deals, according to the Magnitt report. Dubai has by far the most developed ecosystem, with a concentration of global firms’ regional headquarters, major funding institutions and accelerators.
The UAE, and Dubai itself, have worked to build an advantage. In 2017, the UAE became one of the first countries in the world to appoint a minister of artificial intelligence. Dubai’s Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has promised that the government will go 100% paperless by 2021.
“The UAE has been leading from the front,” says Amol Bahuguna, head of payments and cash management at Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD), which just launched a new e-invoicing service. “Everything that has to do with the government is going digital. You have a real top-down approach to innovation and things move fast.”
Much will hinge on how the UAE, and Dubai in particular, manage their response to the current economic slowdown. Recent government data show that real estate, financial services and tourism—the pillars of the economy—are in a slump. In 2018, Dubai also recorded its biggest net loss of jobs since the global financial crisis.
The Emirates have competition, too, from Saudi Arabia, the biggest emerging market in the region with over 34 million people and high purchasing power. The authorities there are keen to diversify their oil-based economy, including promotion of the digital sector.
Riyadh set up a fund of funds to attract foreign investors to support startups. Saudi authorities will invest dollar-for-dollar as a limited partner in any new fund that commits to investing in the kingdom. They have also promised to streamline the licensing process for foreign startups so that they can settle in Saudi Arabia easily.
New Saudi-based funds such as Saudi Telecom’s $500 million ST Ventures, Vision Ventures and Hala Ventures, that have emerged in the past three years, are becoming large players in the regional venture capital game, leading $10 million-plus investment rounds.
On the other side of the MENA map, North Africa is also showing strong digital growth potential. Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt are investing heavily in the development of their own high-tech ecosystems, aiming to become the bridge to Europe and the gateway to sub-Saharan Africa. Tunisia recently passed laws supporting tech innovation; and in September, Tunis will welcome Afric’Up, a large pan-African startup-pitch competition.
Fintech’s “Gold Mine”
Although it hardly shows in this year’s top deals, fintech remains the fastest growing sector within MENA digital economy. In the first half of this year, fintech accounted for 17% of all deals, up 9% from 2018. Interestingly, almost 90% of the total $24 million funding went to early stage startups, underscoring that the sector is still in its infancy.
The data also reveals enormous potential. Arab countries are home to over 380 million people, half of them under age 26. Financial inclusion is among the lowest in the world, with only 52% of men and 35% of women owning a bank account as of 2017. The vast majority of those with bank accounts, however, own a mobile phone (86% of men and 75% of women).
By mid-2018, the whole MENA region, including North Africa, had 381 million unique mobile subscribers, according to GSMA Intelligence, a mobile industry trade body. Smartphones accounted for 52% of all connections and are expected to grow to 74% by 2025.
“These figures highlight the tremendous opportunity,” says Nameer Khan, founding board member of the newly established UAE-based MENA Fintech Association. “The region is literally a gold mine.” The lure for fintech investors and entrepreneurs is the chance to enter an untapped market in which hundreds of millions of users could leapfrog from the cash economy to the digital.
Fintech subsectors widely thought to hold growth potential include insuretech, robo-advisory wealth management and sharia-compliant services. But payment services, not surprisingly, stand out prominently for both the number of startups and the value of deals. Mobile payment, money transfer and lending platforms remain the main focus; while more-sophisticated technologies such as blockchain, the cloud and artificial intelligence still lag.
Egypt’s Fawry is one of the biggest success stories in payments. Launched in 2008, the company raised $122 million; its initial public offering on August 8 sold 36% of its share capital for $97 million. Also attracting notice in the sector are PayTabs, a Saudi Arabian online payment facility that announced in August that it had raised $20 million to support its expansion in the region and into Southeast Asia, India, Africa and Europe; and the Dubai-based peer-to-peer lending platform Beehive, with a total capital injection of $15.5 million as of March 4.
The payment landscape looks to change rapidly, however, as larger players seek their share of the fintech market. Careem, for instance, claims over 30 million users in the region and is currently rolling out its Careem Pay e-wallet. If the service succeeds, Uber-owned Careem could become one of the biggest MENA fintechs.
Digital Banking Multiples
Banks and financial institutions view the fintech surge as an opportunity to outsource innovation and digitization. From simple online banking and mobile applications to investment platforms and e-wallets, most MENA lenders are seeking partnerships with startups. Some have even rolled out fully fledged, branchless digital neobanks, including Emirates NBD’s Liv., Mashreq Neo, and Gulf International Bank’s Meem.
These operate under a conventional lender’s license, however. Since they were developed by traditional banks, they are not industry disruptors, like startups Revolut and N26; rather, they act like new-business verticals, intended to seduce tech-savvy youth and target the unbanked. For a digital banking startup to seriously challenge the major players would be a monumental task.
“Banks in the Middle East are very large; what we are seeing recently is market consolidation, so they are getting even bigger,” says Arabnet’s Christidis. “I don’t think any of the startups really want to take them on, head to head. I’m not sure either that there would be investors ready to bankroll that kind of an investment. Furthermore, I question what kind of industry lobbying bite the banks would put on if they really started seeing that kind of thing emerge.” Christidis believes only an already established player from outside the region would have the financial muscle to give it a chance to compete.
Such a competitor might come from outside the financial sector entirely, however. Abu Dhabi Global Market, a key Emirati financial center, announced in July that it is ready to issue digital-banking licenses to nonbanking firms “with innovative value propositions.”
As this suggests, while the MENA digital economy is developing faster than ever, legal and regulatory frameworks need to adapt for growth to be sustained. Procedures to register a company, licensing and liability laws in case of business failure or bankruptcy are among the key differentiators governments will have to consider as they look to make themselves more competitive.
“Governments are showing concerted interest in building digital ecosystems for their countries,” says Magnitt CEO and founder Bahoshy. “There are still challenges to be overcome, but we can expect success stories to be more frequent, have higher value and have more impact in the coming years.”
In Lebanon, around 350,000 Syrian refugees don’t have access to enough safe and nutritious food. To stem the crisis, the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations introduced an electronic voucher system to distribute food aid. People are given debit cards loaded with “e-vouchers” that they can use in certain shops to buy food.
But we found that Syrian refugees living in rural Lebanon often have to make difficult choices when buying essential items at the expense of food. Their e-vouchers can only be used in exchange for food, not other essentials like nappies.
Refugees have to engage in “grey-area transactions” that work around the e-voucher system, by asking shop owners to sell them the nappies and instead record on the system that they bought food. This places refugees in a vulnerable position – shop owners often charge higher prices for scanning non-food items as food, but refugees have no choice but to depend on shop owners to cooperate.
Collective purchasing allows refugees to pool their cash and e-vouchers so that one person can buy non-food items for another and be repaid with food. This allows people a degree of autonomy – they don’t have to rely on shop owners to allow them to buy non-food items using their vouchers. Instead, the community can manage their resources and needs among themselves.
Unfortunately, the e-voucher system prevents refugees from buying goods in bulk. Shop owners are advised by the WFP that purchases by refugees should be typical of buying food for a family. If refugees want to buy enough rice for their community and benefit from a wholesale discount, then the shop owner can refuse the transaction. This makes collective purchasing – something refugees often prefer to do when they have cash available – more difficult.
The WFP is currently piloting blockchain technology to replace this e-voucher system in Jordan and Pakistan. This is an exciting opportunity to alleviate these problems and help to empower both refugees and the shop owners, but only if the refugees themselves are involved.
Food aid designed by refugees
Rather than using a debit card, under this new system refugees would have a digital wallet that is similar to a bank account that you can access online. And instead of it being hosted by a bank, it’s part of the blockchain.
A blockchain is a shared log of transactions, with each user being able to track how much money and goods have been exchanged. This is constantly updated as transactions of food aid and money transfers are agreed between the customer and the shop owner. Each transaction forms a block of new information. The digital ledger is an expanding chain of interconnected blocks of information – hence the name, blockchain.
The WFP is using blockchain technology to cut costs on currency exchange and bank transfers. But the blockchain still allows transactions between refugees and shop owners in the same manner as the e-voucher system. If this new and innovative technology mimics the model that came before, the restrictions on what refugees can do will continue and blockchain will mimic paternalistic aid models that focus on efficiently distributing aid, rather than empowering refugees to leverage their own ways of coping with food insecurity. But if aid is designed with input from refugee communities, the technology could give Syrian people in Lebanon more agency when buying the essentials they need to live.
Blockchain can write smart contracts, which would allow people to buy items together. These are agreements whose terms are automatically enforced by an algorithm. Smart contracts act like a lock box with two keys that can be used to open it, one key is given for each party involved in the contract.
When the smart contract is created, both parties set the conditions that need to be met for them to be able to use the keys to open the lock box. Both keys need to be used for the lock box to open and for the money to transfer to complete the transaction. Before this can happen, both parties must agree that the conditions of the contract have been met. With this, refugee communities can negotiate collective purchases with shop owners and hold them accountable to the agreements they make.
Negotiating the terms of the smart contract means that refugees have more of a say over what they consider to be a fair deal. Once the smart contract is in place, the agreed sum of money for the purchase will be placed in a digital wallet – the lock box – that is bound by the terms of the smart contract. The value of items purchased by refugees is deducted once they’ve verified their identity with a retina scan, but the money will only be released to the shop owner if the refugees verify that they received the items.
We saw how these smart contracts could rebalance the power disparity between refugees and shop owners. Including refugees in the design process of humanitarian technologies and aid models can ensure they incorporate the values and practices of the people they’re supposed to help. Future innovations must be rooted in the daily lives of refugee communities. These technologies can empower people and make a real difference to their lives, but only if they’re allowed to design how they work.
A new study shows 15m Facebook subscribers in the MENA region; a big increase in Arabic language users. In fact, it was found that not only this platform does help socialise but does also contribute above all to informing on the goings-on in any particular country and/or intercountry affairs.
There are more subscribers to Facebook in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) than there are copies of newspapers circulated in the region, a new report has said.
The study by Spot On Public Relations said Facebook has more than 15 million users in the region, while the total regional Arabic, English and French newspaper circulation stands at just under 14 million copies.
“Facebook doesn’t write the news, but the new figures show that Facebook’s reach now rivals that of the news press,” said Carrington Malin, managing director of Spot On Public Relations.
“The growth in Arabic language users has been very strong indeed: some 3.5 million Arabic language users began using Facebook during the past year, since the introduction of Arabic support and we can expect millions more Arabic language users to join the platform,” he added.
Five country markets in MENA now account for some 70 percent of Facebook users – Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the report added.
The study said only 37 percent of Facebook users in the Middle East are female compared with 56 percent in the US and 52 percent in the UK.
Egypt’s 3.5 million Facebook subscribers helped to make North Africa the largest Facebook community in MENA accounting for 7.7 million out of a total of 15 million MENA users.
It added that 33 percent of the UAE’s population uses Facebook and it also now stands as the country’s second most visited website after google.ae, according to websites ranked by Alexa.com.
Some 68 percent of Facebook users in the UAE are over 25 years old, flying in the face of perceptions that social media is a ‘generation Y’ phenomenon.
However, much of Facebook’s growth across the rest of the region has been driven by the under 25s, the report said.
Over 48 percent of Facebook subscribers in Saudi Arabia are under 25 years old, with an equal split between English and Arabic users.
However, about three times the number of Arabic users have joined Facebook in Saudi over the past year, compared with the number of English language users.For all the latest UAE 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.
AMEInfo Staff members report business news and views from across the Middle East and North Africa region, and analyse global events impacting the region today.
Over 50% of the population are active internet users, a number that is expected to rapidly increase by the year 2030, as per Admitad’s 2nd annual industry report outlining e-commerce trends in Egypt.
Though only 15% of online users in Egypt shop online, the populous is becoming progressively approachable in online communications
The e-commerce market in the MENA Region is expected to reach $28.5 billion by 2022
“Despite the low rate of internet users currently, we are seeing an exponential growth in the e-commerce market in Egypt” – Artem Rudyuk, Head of Admitad MENA
Admitad MENA, a branch of the Global Affiliate Network Admitad, has released its second annual industry report that has comprehensively researched the increasing growth of e-commerce and online users across Egypt. Although the internet is only used by half the population of Egypt, it is still developing at an exponential rate. In fact, by the number of users alone, Egypt ranks first in the whole MENA region. By the year 2030, the growth of e-commerce in the country is expected to be remarkable – the road map includes improved Internet Networks (5G) and the opening of more than 4000 post offices for logistical convenience to aid this active development.
In a recent report by PHD Egypt, Nour Saleh evidently notes how the Egyptian government is getting involved at all levels to increase awareness of the vast opportunities that digitization can bring to the country overall. As Egypt ventures the translation of their public sector and economy towards a digital platform, the availability of data is voluminous. The country is making prominent efforts to simplify mundane tasks and provide a smooth pathway into a digital era, including encouraging businesses to equip this transformation.
An analysis by Bain & Company estimates that the e-commerce market in the MENA Region is expected to reach $28.5 billion by 2022. As this industry continues to rise, even the small pool of internet users in Egypt is impressively active. Today, a vast majority of Egyptian people rely on social media communities, Facebook being at the top to search for information on goods and where they can find the best deals. Though only 15% of online users in Egypt shop online, the populous is becoming progressively approachable in online communications and are therefore being profoundly influenced by recommendations. Through this conscious endeavour, Egypt is proving that today is the best time to be in the e-commerce market in the MENA Region and advertisers need to start getting ready for an era of digitization.
“Despite the low rate of internet users currently, we are seeing an exponential growth in the e-commerce market in Egypt. As governments get involved and aim to simplify these processes through the addition of updated logistics and easy bank processes, we are already seeing a rise in advertisers penetrating the Egyptian market and expect to see this continue. There is no doubt that more advertisers in Egypt will start to embrace digital transformation very soon and we are seeing many of them jump onto the bandwagon already!” – Artem Rudyuk, Head of Admitad MENA
Revolt on the horizon? How young people really feel about digital technology. It is already happening but on the other side of the Mediterranean. The 2011 raucous events liberally labelled ‘Arab Spring’ surfing on the then available Social Media did take their respective establishments by surprise in Tunisia and Egypt. Lately, it is Algeria’s as well as Sudan’s that no doubt are undergoing the same treatment. The almost full and deep spread of Digital Technology is definitely for something in the simultaneous and coordinated gatherings, for instance in every single town and village of all and far-flung 48 provinces of Algeria. Moreover, the impact of social networks has given a specific decantation process via all social media seems to help in delineating issues and decide ways to pursue each and to which end. Inevitable progress and/or technological advances in the digital hardware in hand is making it hard to predict where all this is leading.
As digital technologies facilitate the growth of both new and incumbent organisations, we have started to see the darker sides of the digital economy unravel. In recent years, many unethical business practices have been exposed, including the capture and use of consumers’ data, anticompetitive activities and covert social experiments.
But what do young people who grew up with the internet think about this development? Our research with 400 digital natives – 19- to 24-year-olds – shows that this generation, dubbed “GenTech”, may be the one to turn the digital revolution on its head. Our findings point to a frustration and disillusionment with the way organisations have accumulated real-time information about consumers without their knowledge and often without their explicit consent.
Many from GenTech now understand that their online lives are of commercial value to an array of organisations that use this insight for the targeting and personalisation of products, services and experiences.
This era of accumulation and commercialisation of user data through real-time monitoring has been coined “surveillance capitalism” and signifies a new economic system.
A central pillar of the modern digital economy is our interaction with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms. We found that 47% of GenTech do not want AI technology to monitor their lifestyle, purchases and financial situation in order to recommend them particular things to buy.
In fact, only 29% see this as a positive intervention. Instead, they wish to maintain a sense of autonomy in their decision making and have the opportunity to freely explore new products, services and experiences.
As individuals living in the digital age, we constantly negotiate with technology to let go of or retain control. This pendulum-like effect reflects the ongoing battle between the human and technology.
My life, my data?
Our research also reveals that 54% of GenTech are very concerned about the access organisations have to their data, while only 19% were not worried. Despite the EU General Data Protection Regulation being introduced in May 2018, this is still a major concern – grounded in a belief that too much of their data is in the possession of a small group of global companies, including Google, Amazon and Facebook. Some 70% felt this way.
In recent weeks, both Facebook and Google have vowed to make privacy a top priority in the way they interact with users. Both companies have faced public outcry for their lack of openness and transparency when it comes to how they collect and store user data. It isn’t long ago that a hidden microphone was found in one of Google’s home alarm products.
Google now plans to offer auto-deletion of users’ location history data, browsing and app activity as well as extend its “incognito mode” to Google Maps and search. This will enable users to turn off tracking.
At Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is keen to reposition the platform as a “privacy focused communications platform”, built on principles such as private interactions, encryption, safety, interoperability (communications across Facebook-owned apps and platforms) and secure data storage. This will be a tough turn around for the company that is fundamentally dependent on turning user data into opportunities for highly individualised advertising.
Privacy and transparency are critically important themes for organisations today – both for those that have “grown up” online as well as the incumbents. While GenTech want organisations to be more transparent and responsible, 64% also believe that they cannot do much to keep their data private. Being tracked and monitored online by organisations is seen as part and parcel of being a digital consumer.
Despite these views, there is a growing revolt simmering under the surface. GenTech want to take ownership of their own data. They see this as a valuable commodity, which they should be given the opportunity to trade with organisations. Some 50% would willingly share their data with companies if they got something in return, for example, a financial incentive.
Rewiring the power shift
GenTech are looking to enter into a transactional relationship with organisations. This reflects a significant change in attitudes from perceiving the free access to digital platforms as the “product” in itself (in exchange for user data), to now wishing to use that data to trade for explicit benefits.
This has created an opportunity for companies that seek to empower consumers and give them back control of their data. Several companies now offer consumers the opportunity to sell the data they are comfortable sharing or take part in research which they get paid for. More and more companies are joining this space, including People.io, Killi and Ocean Protocol.
Sir Tim Berners Lee, the creator of the world wide web, has also been working on a way to shift the power from organisations and institutions and back to citizens and consumers. The platform, Solid, offers users the opportunity to be in charge of where they store their data and who can access it. It is a form of re-decentralisation.
The Solid POD (Personal Online Data storage) is a secure place on a hosted server or the individual’s own server. Users can grant apps access to their POD as a person’s data is stored centrally and not by an app developer or on an organisation’s server. We see this as potentially being a way to let people take back control from technology and other companies.
GenTech have woken up to a reality where a life lived “plugged in” has significant consequences for their individual privacy, and are starting to push back, questioning those organisations that have shown limited concern and continue to exercise exploitative practices.
It’s no wonder that we see these signs of revolt. GenTech is the generation with the most to lose. They face a life ahead intertwined with digital technology as part of their personal and private lives. With continued pressure on organisations to become more transparent, the time is now for young people to make their move.


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Recycling in the Name of UNIQLO and HSE
HSE School of Art and Design, in conjunction with UNIQLO, has unveiled a new exhibition entitled, 'New Life for Old Things'. The exhibition showcases a vast array of ingenious ways to give new life to old things - the most important aspect of sustainable fashion.
This unique exhibition, put together by HSE students, is intended to increase awareness of UNIQLO’s global initiative to use donations of old clothes to help those in need. The project’s best pieces will be on display throughout December at Moscow’s Atrium. As exhibition pieces, they are not available for sale.
Students studying Fashion at the School of Art and Design have been working under the guidance of exhibition curators, Ekaterina Pavelko, Maria Smirnova and Ekaterina Sycheva. Together, they have been experimenting with form and various techniques of stylization using processing and deconstruction techniques and have turned old into new using a technique known as ‘upcycling’. The collaborative works embody ways to breathe life into old things, by recreating them in new forms.
Three years ago, the brand announced the Russian launch of UNIQLO RECYCLE. This involved placing cardboard boxes in UNIQLO stores for the collection of customers’ old UNIQLO clothing. The clothing was then redistributed throughout Russia to those in need - to families and individuals who had fallen on hard times. This is a global initiative and it has continued – customers can still donate using the boxes in UNIQLO stores. Since its launch in 2006, the initiative has enabled the collection and redistribution of more than 20 million items to 62 countries and regions around the world.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the lecture ‘Deconstruction, Recycling, and Respect for Things’ will be held on December 5 at 7pm in the mobile lecture theatre located on Level 3 of UNIQLO’s Atrium store. Ekaterina Pavelko and Maria Smirnova will talk about new strategies in the field of sustainable fashion – that is, fashion created with a view to saving the environment and encouraging conscious consumption. They will also talk about fashion concepts in what is currently a saturated market.
On November 30, a new exhibition opened at Belyayevo Gallery called Collective Belyayevo, featuring works by sophomores from the Photography in Fashion and Advertising bachelor’s programme of the HSE School of Art and Design.
A new exposition in the assembly hall of the HSE building on Staraya Basmannaya is dedicated to the events of August 1968: the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Soviet troops. Here, you can see declassified documents from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union archives; leaflets and posters; amateur photos by railroad worker Josef Kut illustrating what was happening on the streets of Prague; and a ‘graphic diary’ by Czech artist Jiří Jirásek.
The Moscow metro has launched a big educational project ‘Hello, Moscow!’ (Priviet, Moskva!). This will turn the Moscow transport system into a ‘guide’, telling the passengers about the city in various contexts, and making the everyday commute a more useful and interesting journey. The project creators include HSE staff and alumna.
A project by Zlata Sapko and Marina Aleksashina, third-year students of the programme in Fashion, won a competition organized by Hermès and the HSE School of Art and Design. The presentation of the project took place in GUM.
The HSE Art Gallery is the first of its kind among Russian universities. The gallery is expected to become a space for established contemporary artists and students to work together and share their experiences with one another. They will be able to not only present their works at the gallery, but also participate in the creation of exhibitions.
White walls with stickers and residue from coloured tape, smoothies and vegetarian dishes at the cafeteria, and students whom it’s difficult to send home even at 11:00 p.m. – this is how third-year Fashion student Zhenya Sychev and third-year Communication Design student Inna Zozulya described the HSE School of Design in the latest edition of Open House.
The Design School is launching HSE Film School, bringing together all educational levels: the BA in Film and Video-Art, Modern Art programmes, further education, post-graduate and MA studies. HSE Film School is led by renowned film director and screenwriter Alexander Zeldovich, who talks here about why contemporary film needs a new approach, what will be taught in the Film School, and why.
When a classroom is well-organized, children not only feel comfortable, but also learn more effectively. Ways to create such a space were discussed at the research seminar ‘Design of educational spaces’, which was held at the Center of Leadership Development in Education at HSE’s Institute of Education on July 12-13.
The exhibition Design NEXT opened last Wednesday at the Central House of Artists in Moscow’s Krimsky Val area. This is the continuation of the first Moscow Biennale of Design, which took place in 2017. During the event, group exhibitions by Moscow design universities were all brought together at a single location. The exhibition also featured personal expositions by Russian graphic, industrial, and fashion designers, including Anna Kulachek and School of Design Curators Alexandra Lartseva, Stephan Lashko, Philipp Tretyakov, and Tim Yarzhombek.


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Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (DUSIT) has announced its first quarter performance of 2023 (January-March), including total quarterly revenue of 1,717 million baht - 588 million baht higher than the 1,129 million baht reported in 1Q22, representing a 52.1% YoY increase.
These results were driven by the return of international tourism, high-season travel, and the significant growth of DUSIT's food business.
Successfully adjusting revenue per available room (RevPAR) to meet strong room demand, DUSIT recorded its highest average hotel room revenue since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic three years ago. In 1Q23, hotel revenue was 634 million baht, an 88% increase on the same period of last year, when 1,192 million baht was reported.
Food Business generated revenue of THB 307 million in 1Q23, up by THB 165 million or 116.2% YoY from the 142 million baht reported in 1Q22. This mainly came from DUSIT's international school catering business and the baking factory and franchise business that the company invested in as part of its strategy for expansion and diversification in mid-2022.
In 1Q23, the company had a core profit of 11 million baht. This figure is significantly higher than the core loss of 126 million baht during the same period of last year and the core loss of 107 million baht from the previous quarter. This resulted in a net profit of 8.63 million baht in 1Q23. Core EBITDA was THB 356 million in 1Q23, an increase of 69.5% YoY and 44.4% QoQ.
DUSIT is optimistic about its performance in 2023. The continued recovery of the tourism sector is expected to boost revenue in hotel business, while food business is set to continue its growth. DUSIT will leverage these opportunities to contribute to the overall stability of the company this year.
Source: i2C Communications


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Trust Fully Leases Stage 1 of Northlands
Kiwi Income Property Trust Fully Leases Stage 1 of Northlands
High demand augers well for NZ’s largest shopping mall
Auckland (May 1) - Strong demand for retail space has enabled Kiwi Income Property Trust to fully lease the first stage of the new Northlands Shopping Centre in Christchurch well ahead of schedule.
Demand for space in the centre is so strong that stage one of the development is fully leased three months ahead of the scheduled opening.
“We are experiencing strong and continuing demand from national and international companies for quality retail space within the redeveloped centre,” said Angus McNaughton, Chief Executive of Kiwi Income Property Trust.
Mr McNaughton said the high demand augers well for the success of the complete Northlands development, which is poised to add value to Kiwi Income Property Trust’s already-significant retail assets. The $90 million Northlands redevelopment will feature 120 shops, and with 40,700 square metres of retail space will become the largest enclosed shopping centre in New Zealand.
The first stage of the redevelopment comprises 54 stores and these are scheduled to open mid year, with the second and third stages of the redevelopment to be completed by Christmas and March next year respectively.
“The very strong interest in new retail space shows the strength of the economy in general, and the retail sector in particular,” said Mr McNaughton.
A number of established retailers have been attracted to stage one of the development, including children’s clothes retailer Pumpkin Patch, jeweller Stewart Dawson, and homeware and gift store Acquisitions. Lush, a U.K.-based international retailer of handmade cosmetics will enter the South Island market for the first time with a new shop at the Centre.
One of the five major anchor tenants of the Northlands redevelopment, The Warehouse, will also open its new Northlands store mid year. The other four anchor tenants are Farmers, Pak’N Save, Hoyts Cinemas, and Countdown.
Mr McNaughton said the calibre of the tenants in the centre is a testament to the quality of the redevelopment.
“For Kiwi Income Property Trust this is a significant development and it is pleasing to see the success we are having at this stage in the project,” he said.
“The redevelopment is helping to re-weight our overall portfolio more in favour of retail assets and will ensure that the Trust continues to be one of the most balanced and solid investments New Zealanders can have in their portfolio.”
Kiwi Income Property Trust is New Zealand’s largest listed property Trust with assets of more than $880 million. It is the 13th-largest company on the New Zealand Stock Exchange by market capitalisation.
major assets include the Royal & Sun Alliance Centre and
National Bank Centre in Auckland, the Majestic Centre in
Wellington and the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Centre in


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Vine to Wine Kicks Off Taste of The Beach Aug 23
August 13, 2013 by Jill Tanner
Taste of The Beach is uncorking its 2013 lineup and the three-day event kicks off with Vine to Wine - A Wine Preview on August 23 at Seascape Resort's ballroom from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Vine to Wine will have tastings of more than 250 wines to be featured during Taste of The Beach, which runs from Nov. 1 through 3. For $55 (buy tickets online), guests will have the opportunity to sample the judges’ selection for best of show (red and white), along with gourmet foods.
“Vine to Wine sets the tone for Taste of The Beach with an unparalleled wine tasting and culinary walkabout. It’s a great introduction for the events we will host in early November, showcasing all South Walton has to offer while we raise money for local charities,” said Wendy Morton, Taste of The Beach board member and vice president of operations of the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Taste of The Beach was founded in 2008 to highlight the area’s beaches, culture, and restaurants with unique wine events and a charity auction. Additional events for Taste of The Beach 2013, which is sponsored by SoWal.com, include Al Fresco Reserve Tasting in Ruskin Place in Seaside on Nov. 1; After Dark…The Experience at Gulf Place on Nov. 1; Seeing Red Wine Festival in Seaside on Nov. 2; and the Taste of The Beach & Charity Auction at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa on Nov. 3.
Taste of The Beach 2013 consists of nine events at several of the area’s resort destinations. In its sixth year, Taste of The Beach is a collaborative effort between the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce and Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF). For more information, including specific event and ticket details, please go to www.tasteofthebeachfl.com or call (850) 267-0683.


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Two months after state laws restricting payday loans took effect, some loan stores in Illinois are shifting the way they do business, prompting concern among consumer advocates and state regulators.
Some lenders are now selling five- or six-month installment loans that carry annual precentage rates as high as 400 percent. The loans do not fall under new regulations, which apply to payday loans with terms of 120 days or less.
"We have seen evidence of payday loan lenders creating new products to circumvent the law," said Lynda DeLaforgue, co-director of Citizen Action/ Illinois, a consumer group that lobbied for the reforms after working with legislators and some members of the payday loan industry.
"Sometimes I wonder ... if we shouldn't have just banned payday loans to begin with," DeLaforgue said.
As for the idea of regulating loans by capping rates or banning payday loan shops, "the whole notion flies in the face of what government should be in the business of doing," said Gary Mack, spokesman for the Illinois Small Loan Association, an industry trade group. "It should promote competition and allow the market to determine rates."
The Payday Loan Reform Act, signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich last summer, limits the amount a company can charge for a payday loan to $15.50 per $100. The law caps the total loan amount at $1,000 or 25 percent of the borrower's monthly salary (whichever is less), and it prohibits borrowers from having more than two loans at a time.
The act also outlines a number of disclosure requirements and requires lenders to set up repayment schedules for borrowers who have problems repaying the loans. Plus, lenders must enter loan information into a database that will allow regulators with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to track a company's loans to make sure lenders are not violating the law.
Several loan companies filed suit last week in Sangamon County, seeking to put on hold the requirement to use the database and the provisions allowing the state to track loans to watch for violations.
The suit says the provisions will harm the companies and that the state failed to follow the correct procedures for issuing rules.
"I think our state legislators, when they voted for this reform bill, didn't intend to see the payday loan morph into another product," DeLaforgue said.
But staff members within the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which is charged with enforcing the new state laws, were not surprised to hear about the five- or six-month loan products being marketed around the state.
"This is something we expected," spokeswoman Sue Hofer said.
In 2001, when the typical payday loan in Illinois was for 14 days, the department set out to enforce then-new rules governing the loans. Those restrictions were for loans with terms of 30 days or fewer. In response, payday loan stores started selling 31-day loans.
Before the new law took effect Dec. 6, the department sent a letter to every consumer installment loan licensee in the state informing them of the new consumer protections, Hofer said.
The letter warned companies that the department has the authority to enforce subterfuge provisions – when a business attempts to skirt consumer protections written into the law.
The department started enforcing those subterfuge provisions Wednesday to make sure there's compliance with the intent of those consumer protections, Hofer said.
Regulators want to make sure firms are not trying to steer people away from loans under which consumers would be protected and instead toward other products, such as five- or six-month installment loans that carry higher APRs and fees, Hofer said.
Although department investigators plan to sweep the state throughout the month to check for compliance, they've already been out in full force.
Since Dec. 6, the department has issued fines nearly every day, Hofer said. The largest fine so far was $10,000, issued to Cottonwood Financial for allegedly not complying with the intent of the consumer protections, Hofer said. Cottonwood, which runs The Cash Store and Cash ASAP and has 45 stores in Illinois, allegedly steered customers toward a 140-day loan product.
"I haven't heard many (lenders) are getting out of the very short-term loan, but it does not surprise me there are more consumer installment loans out there," Mack said.
Some members of the Illinois Small Loan Association always offered products other than payday loans, including five- or six-month installment loans, he said.
Since the law took effect, the state's payday loan lenders have faced financial challenges, such as meeting their expenses, Mack said. Members are concerned national chain operators of payday loan stores will move more rapidly into Illinois and cut out the independent shops.


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Azra Games has introduced that it has efficiently raised over $10 million in additional see funding for its latest sport title. Whereas this can be a additional quantity of funds it sought to safe, the operating whole quantity of funding is nearer to $25 million for this up-and-coming studio.
Main this newest funding spherical was Andreessen Horowitz, which has confirmed a hawkish agency for blockchain gaming tasks, following the kick-off of its $600m funding pool for gaming. Along with a16z, Coinbase Ventures, Play Ventures and NFX have been amongst comply with on traders.
Being led by Otero, a former supervisor at Digital Arts, Azra has gained a optimistic reception from the investing world, one which has contracted and turn into a little bit extra averse following the crypto reversal. With its group of trade veterans, its flagship title, Legions and Legends, goals to launch throughout a broad church of PC and cellular players.
Being a prolific participant of Dungeons and Dragons, Otero believes that, whereas NFTs will probably be an integral a part of the sport, they won’t represent the inspiration of play. Nevertheless, these gamers seeking to get entangled sooner reasonably than later, can pay money for prelaunch go NFTs, grading them early sneak peeks of the video games idea artwork, and its beta.


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Today Steorn unveiled their updated web site, and there’s a lot that’s new.
The video on the home page sums up the biggest news: Steorn is about to release Orbo, its claimed ‘free energy’ technology, to developers. They are calling for 300 qualified engineers to sign up for free, non-commercial development licenses. These engineers will be invited to join the Steorn Knowledge Development Base (SKDB), an online community of Steorn developers that includes a set of “e-learning modules” to walk potential developers through all of the physical principles necessary to understand how Orbo works. The SKDB, which has been in beta with a small set of members for over a year, will at first be open to 300 new engineers, but is then expected to open up to anyone who’s interested sometime in 2009. Commercial development licenses will also be available later this year.
In addition to the SKDB, Steorn has announced the release of several Orbo-related commercial products. Their USB Hall probe is used to record magnetic flux. The magnetic torque measurement system is designed to measure the torque of a rotary magnetic system, by subtracting away external influences such as friction, gravity, and air drag. ZeroF passive magnetic bearings eliminate friction by using permanent magnets to separate the moving parts. Each of these products appears to be geared at building and testing systems based on the Orbo technology.
Finally, the Steorn site now features a page briefly explaining how Orbo works, and announces a series of talks to be given at engineering universities around the world, beginning in the Middle East this month, continuing to Europe in the summer, and finishing in the United States in autumn.
It looks like Steorn is going ahead with the plans they announced in December, to begin the commercialization of Orbo in February. If it weren’t for the fact that Orbo is supposed to be impossible, and that there still remains not a single photo or video of a spinning, self-sustaining device anywhere on Steorn’s site, this would look like any other exciting but routine product launch. Orbo’s promise of free energy feels closer than ever today, but yet again it’s still too early to be certain that this isn’t all just smoke and mirrors. Hopefully we’ll learn more soon as these 300 engineers sign up and begin to try to replicate Orbo on their own.


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Rocksteady Studios has published the first gameplay footage for the upcoming 1989 Batmobile, a new version of the Dark Knight's iconic vehicle coming to Batman: Arkham Knight next week as DLC.
The Batmobile is based on the version of the vehicle seen in the 1989 Tim Burton film. As you can see, it's longer and narrower than Arkham Knight's standard Batmobile. The handling is better, too, Rocksteady explains, and tracks have been designed specifically for it.
Take a look at the video below to see more and hear directly from Rocksteady developers about the new Batmobile, as well as the upcoming Robin AR challenge map.
Arkham Knight's August DLC, which also includes the Bat-Family Skins pack, arrives next week for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It will launch first for season pass owners.
The game's first expansion, the Batgirl-focused A Matter of Family, was developed externally at Batman: Arkham Origins studio WB Games Montreal. However, August's DLC was made by Rocksteady itself.
In other recent Arkham Knight news, the PC edition of the game is still facing issues. As a result, the game remains unavailable to buy at major retailers and the game's DLC has been delayed. An "interim" patch is expected to be released later this month.
Making matters potentially worse, a recent report claimed that Warner Bros. knew about the issues for Arkham Knight on PC "for months."
Are you looking forward to trying out the new Batmobile? Share your thoughts in the comments below.


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Datamonitor expects the global television broadcast market to undergo significant revenue growth, from $284.1 billion in 2007 to $326.2 billion by 2010, according to a Datamonitor report, “2008 Trends to Watch: Media and broadcasting technology.”
However, that growth can be achieved only through revenue diversification from value-added and bundled services, including internet service provision, HD content, on-demand solutions, interactive applications and multi-platform distribution, the report qualified.
“From personal media players (PMPs), to TV sets, to mobile phones, people will access media content on a variety of different devices over a multitude of communications networks,” said Datamonitor Media and Broadcasting Analyst Chris Khouri, author of the report. “As such, broadcasters are faced with strong pressure to adapt to multi-platform entertainment provision.”
In 2007, broadcast revenues in the US totaled $132.4 billion, and in Europe $72.8 billion, Datamonitor estimates; in each case, the bulk of revenues is from advertising: US, 58%; Europe, 43%.
Together, the US and Europe accounted for $205.2 billion in TV revenue – more than 70% of the worldwide total, according to Datamonitor’s figures.
Digital TV adoption, particularly IPTV and cable services, will grow in both the US and Western Europe, the report forecast.
There were around 149.5 million households subscribing to a digital television service in Western Europe and the US in 2007, Datamonitor estimates, and of those:
- Digital cable services accounted for a 32% share.
- Satellite’s share was 43%.
- Digital terrestrial television (DTT) accounted for 22% and IPTV around 3%.
By 2010, some 193.5 million households in the US and Western Europe will be connected to a digital television service, the report forecast:
- In terms of absolute growth, the two largest gainers will be DTT and digital cable growing by an estimated 13.3 million and 14.5 million households, respectively.
- In terms of market share, IPTV and DTT will show the strongest percentage growth with a 2.7% and a 3.7% increase, respectively.
Diversified Revenue Streams
To tackle continued threats of piracy, declining advertising effectiveness, the entrance of non-traditional competitors and audience fragmentation, broadcasters are diversifying their revenue streams, Datamonitor said.
“Advertising has been a steadfast revenue generator for the broadcast sector,” said Khouri. “However, as consumption habits transform and consumers utilize multi-platform channels as well as on-demand and time-shifted viewing, traditional revenue generation models are losing their effectiveness to bring returns. Broadcasters therefore will need to look to a variety of diversified revenue streams to bolster income.”
Datamonitor cited the UK as a prime example of diversification models with broadcasters obtaining significant revenue from non-traditional broadcast sources including TV shopping, interactive services, pay-per-view and program sales.
About the report: Datamonitor’s “2008 Trends to Watch: Media and broadcasting technology” outlines the trends that will challenge the broadcasting sector over the coming year. They include shifting consumer habits, revenue diversification, multi-platform distribution and addressable digital ad insertion. The report describes the market issues, strategic implications and technological adoption for players in the broadcast sector. The report outlines key business trends as well as highlighting broadcast revenue make-up for broadcasters in 2007.


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China has given approval to the plans to discontinue the ban on the sales of video game consoles in the region, which will provide an opportunity to the game console developers like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft to tap the huge market.
China restricted Game consoles, in the year 2000 raising concerns over the content of the international games and the impact that the game titles can have on kids.
Approval comes with a condition
However, the ban is lifted with the condition that the game console developers will have to establish their operations within the Shanghai free trade zone. A document related with the rules of the free trade zone has been issued by the State council.
The companies will be allowed to start selling their products in the region only after conforming to the necessary rules and norms.
China and Free Trade Zones
State Council has undertaken the tasks of losing the grip over Free Trade Zone in the Chinese city of shanghai, and the recent approval for game consoles is a part of the process.
Shanghai’s Free trade Zone is scheduled to open on September 29th and is absorbing a lot of limelight. Shanghai Free trade Zone is expected to be a zone more like Hong Kong, which is a Chinese territory, but have its own separate set of rules.
However, China did not announce anything material related to the Internet policy, which negates the rumors of Facebook and Twitter ban being lifted in Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
Gaming consoles a massive opportunity
However, China has exhibited its determination of relaxing its policy on the sales of video game consoles. Gaming consoles market can constitute up to billions of dollars once the ban is revoked. According to the reports last year, China’s gaming industry earned $9.7 billion in revenue across all segments, and it can surge to $21.7 billion by 2017.
Microsoft took an early step few days back when it entered into a joint venture with Chinese company BesTV to develop games, and the project will be taken ahead in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
It remains to be seen as to how consumers in China will react to the gaming consoles as up till now they have been largely relying on PCs and mobiles for games.


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For Seminyak, a Whole Lot of Glitz
SEMINYAK ~ With ultra-luxurious villa complexes and resorts alongside the ocean serving as a backdrop, jaded Jl. Seminyak Raya and surrounding areas are getting a much-needed facelift â€“ in the form of private enterprise and a seemingly unceasing local and foreign desire for cutting-edge property on what has repeatedly been voted the worldâ€™s most popular island destination.
By William J. Furney
The Bali Times
The latest newcomer to the scene is The Haven, a mix of contemporary-style apartments, villas and a hotel in the midst of the frenzied retail street that serves as an artery from Kuta to Kerobokan and beyond.
Hankering after a freehold villa at these fashionable digs? Forget it. Theyâ€™ve sold out, says Jeffrey Kam, project director for developer PT Emerald Paradise.
â€œAlmost all the buyers are Indonesians from Jakarta,â€ he told The Bali Times during the propertyâ€™s launch last Saturday evening, a sumptuous affair attended mostly by Indonesians and featuring a babi guling (roasted suckling pig) in progress and other culinary endeavors just off the thronged show unitâ€™s main door.
Seminyak, says PT Emerald Paradise, is now de rigeur with tourists.
â€œ… it has now become a preferred destination for both overseas and local tourists. As developments continue to expand northward, Seminyak will eventually become the center of (the) Bali holiday paradise,â€ the firm says in its sales literature.
Construction is soon set to start on The Haven, and is due for completion in 2008, said Kam. When finished, the site will be host to Hotel Seminyak, a three-star boutique property; 60 apartments â€“ half one-bedroom, half two; and four one-bedroom villas and three two-bedroomed.
Just yards down from The Haven is the Aston Sun Island Villas & Spa, a 23-unit complex that formally opened on November 24 last year and is now seeing an influx of Japanese guests, according to sales manager Itha Novita.
Other guests have come from Australia, the United States and Europe, she told The Times, adding that Seminyak was chosen for the development â€œbecause itâ€™s a central location for tourists.â€
Meanwhile, near to Petitenget Beach, a number of high-class developments are slated to open in the coming weeks, among them the ultra-high-tech C151 Seminyak Resort and nearby, Sentosa Private Villas and Spa, which launches this Friday, January 26.
Nestled among ricefields just down from the famed beachside Ku De Ta restaurant and nightclub frequented by the islandâ€™s elite and well-heeled vacationers, the C151 Resort stands out from the crowd with its sleek, Ã¼ber-stylish look and internal wizardry that defines a new form of luxury, according to the developer, Hanno Soth of PT Hanno Bali, a development and investment firm that has other projects underway around Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia.
â€œBali is one of the most exciting and exclusive vacation destinations in the world and is fast becoming a premier playground for jetsetters and wealthy individuals,â€ says the firm in corporate information.
â€œAll C151 Villas have been designed for privacy, luxury and functionality. Our hi-tech luxury SMART VILLASâ„¢ are complete with private swimming pools, wet bar and advanced modern comforts, including plasma and LCD TVs in each room – including all bathrooms.â€
High-speed, broadband internet comes as standard, says the company, pointing to the need of its executive clientele to stay in touch with business and colleagues in Hong Kong, Singapore and elsewhere in the world even when lounging about in style.
At the Sentosa development, the management emphasizes the hotel-beating luxurious nature of its 32 villas, saying they â€œprovide guests with a sense of privacy and ultimate luxury, superior to a hotel room environment.â€
Of three stages of development, the first two have sold out while the third is in the final selling stage, according to the developers.
As for amenities in the area, Jl. Oberoi in recent years has transformed itself into a vibrant nightspot home to a host international-style restaurants and bars catering to the upmarket tastes of those vacationing in this fast-developing part of the island.Filed under: Headlines


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It’s been a fast-food kind of week in Fat City
It’s been kind of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate week here in Fat City, thanks to the scandal surrounding the lawsuit filed against Taco Bell. Attorneys for the claimant say the fast-food giant uses a “beef” product in its Tex-Mex creations that’s only 35-percent beef after you take out all the binders and extenders.
But why eat at Taco Bell at all? Kansas City has plenty of terrific small taquerias and even a few independently owned drive-ins that serve a superior taco. Read on for more about that, and other stories.


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Fast Car Entertainment events
Glenn Rowswell at 9:10 am, 8th June 2016Read More
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The 40th birthday of one of the UK’s most popular small cars will be celebrated in style as part of a new event taking place in Brighton this summer...
Glenn Rowswell at 8:55 am, 31st May 2016Read More
Glenn Rowswell at 11:15 am, 27th May 2016Read More
Hot on the heels of the most successful Japfest ever, which attracted over 20,000 Japanese performance fans, there’s only a month to go until the second of 2016’s Japfest events draws in the crowds – and the cars!
Glenn Rowswell at 11:58 am, 24th May 2016Read More
Glenn Rowswell at 10:49 am, 23rd May 2016Read More
Glenn Rowswell at 10:22 am, 20th May 2016Read More
A breath-taking collection of the world’s most exotic supercars will come together in a unique display at an all-new show for 2016...
Glenn Rowswell at 10:50 am, 19th May 2016Read More
According to the iconic TV advert, Minis have feelings too… But then that’s hardly surprising, as the Mini, be it modern or classic, has one of the biggest personalities on the road.
Glenn Rowswell at 11:41 am, 4th May 2016Read More
Fans of one of the most iconic car brands in the world enjoyed a fantastic spectacle at The International Ford Show, which took place over Sandown Park, Surrey.


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Center for Food Safety Calls for Court Decision on GE Labeling Delay
Consumer Group Seeks Court Ruling in Response to USDA's Failure to Issue GE Food Disclosure Rules
San Francisco, CA. Today, Center for Food Safety (CFS) filed a motion for summary judgment on its federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for failing to issue the genetically engineered (GE) food disclosure law by the mandatory deadline of July 19, 2018. Congress gave USDA two years after the 2016 GE labeling law was passed to draft and issue new labeling rules, but USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue missed the deadline.
"The American people have waited more than two years for USDA to issue mandatory GE labeling rules," said George Kimbrell, CFS legal director. "It's unfortunate that we have to take it to court to force USDA to do its job and give consumers the labeling rules they voted for, but it seems that's the only method the Trump administration's USDA will respond to. It's our hope that the Court can get Trump's USDA on a timeline it will actually follow with enforced deadlines."
CFS and allied organizations submitted hundreds of thousands of consumer comments to USDA in support of an on-package label using text or a clear symbol. CFS is critical of several of the labeling options proposed by USDA such as QR codes, which require a smart phone and broadband connection to find out if a product was produced with GE technology or not. In 2017, CFS filed a separate lawsuit over USDA's unlawful withholding of a study mandated by Congress on whether digital or QR code GE disclosure would be accessible to Americans, resulting in the release of the study showing major segments of Americans, including disproportionately rural, minority, elderly, and poor Americans, would not have sufficient access to information disclosed through QR codes.
CFS has been fighting for mandatory GE food labeling for over two decades at the federal and state levels, work that helped lead to the passage of the 2016 federal law. After CFS executive director Andrew Kimbrell wrote the award winning book, Your Right to Know: Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food, CFS assisted in drafting and passing the first-ever law to require labeling of GE fish and fish products in Alaska. In addition to writing model legislation used to create a GE labeling rule on a federal level, CFS also wrote model legislation that has been used in dozens of state legislation efforts, including California, Washington, Connecticut, and Maine. CFS filed a legal petition with FDA that garnered more than ½ million comments in support of mandatory GE food labeling nationwide. 64 countries, including member nations of the European Union, Russia, China, Brazil, Australia, Turkey, and South Africa require standards of mandatory GE food labeling.
View the motion for summary judgment here.
View the complaint here.


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* Headline EPS down 36 pct
* Revenue rose 2 pct
* Shares up more than 1 pct
(Adds details, shares)
JOHANNESBURG, Feb 26 (Reuters) - South Africa’s biggest casino and hotels group Sun International (SUIJ.J) posted a 36 percent fall in first-half profit as fewer people visit its hotels and casino due to the economic downturn.
Sun International, which operates the popular Sun City resort, said on Friday adjusted headline earnings per share fell to 216 cents in the six months to end-December, worse than its forecast range of a 20-30 percent decline.
The company has been hit as consumers in Africa’s biggest economy, battling job losses and high personal debts, stay away from gambling, while tourism from abroad has slowed due to the global financial crisis.
Revenue rose 2 percent to 4.1 billion rand ($530.1 million) and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation was 11 percent lower at 1.2 billion rand.
Shares in the company rose 1.66 percent to 91.95 rand by 1234 GMT, outpacing a 0.04 percent higher JSE All-share index .JALSH
(Reporting by Gugu Lourie and Tiisetso Motsoeneng)
((firstname.lastname@example.org; +27 11 775 3162; Reuters Messaging: email@example.com.)) (For more Africa cover visit: af.reuters.com -- To comment on this story email: SouthAfrica.Newsroom@reuters.com)
($1=7.734 Rand) Keywords: SUNINTERNATIONAL/
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Elmwood Avenue Starbucks customers who pre-paid for their coffee earlier this week walked away empty-handed. Instead, finding a picket line and a locked door.
Store workers are on strike and Starbucks’ online ordering system was turned on and accepting customer payments.
Michelle Eisen has worked at Starbucks for 12 years and was a key player in the organizing effort.
“And in turn, they were aggressive and hostile,” Eisen said. “And they were taking it out on the people who were standing out there with picket signs, because in their mind, you know, this was our fault. And it got really scary.”
“As the first unionized store in the country, we’ve faced continual abuse and retaliation from corporate since the moment we won, which was last December, that has escalated in the last week in the form of frivolous write-ups,” she added.
Elmwood Starbucks Workers United employees and others hit the picket line starting last Thursday.
Eisen believes the online ordering system being kept on for some of Sunday and Monday was a tactic to turn customers against the union.
“So there’s, in my opinion, there’s no way that this is not a deliberate act,” she said. “My suspicion is that they were turning them on just long enough to give us a backlog of orders. So that when we were starting our picketing, you know, there was a few dozen customers who had just placed orders who were now coming up and being upset.”
The longtime barista said she’d never felt scared on a picket line, until the mobile order situation.
A Starbucks spokesperson said that isn’t the case and that the system, which must be manually turned on and off, malfunctioned. The coffee giant is working to help affected customers.
“We’re not doing this because we want to be difficult, and we want to punish the community,” Eisen said. “We’re doing this because we deserve safe working conditions, and we deserve a living wage. And this is what we need to do in order to get that.”
The strike is ongoing and there’s no definitive date on when the baristas will be back behind the counter.
Customers who paid up and never received their drinks can contact Starbucks at 1-800-782-7282.
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Patrick Ryan is an award-winning reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2020. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.