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Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Huawei Mate 50 Pro Has the Best Smartphone Camera and the Highest Score in the History of DXOMARK

    The new king of mobile photography has arrived!

    The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro has the best smartphone camera and the highest score in the history of DXOMARK.

    The Leading Mobile Photography Smartphone Currently Available on the Market

    Top-notch 50 MP camera with ultra-aperture, and the world’s first physically adjustable aperture in 10 levels, starting from f/1.4, top performance, and the highest mobile camera test score in the history of DXOMARK testing… yes, these are all epithets we can announce Huawei Mate 50 Pro. Achieving an outstanding score of 149 points, the Mate 50 Pro has officially taken the position of the best flagship smartphone for mobile photography currently available on the market apart from excelling in numerous other categories and having several stand-out characteristics; e.g. SuperHold – with quick app launches, nimble operations, and smooth web browsing (which is a great ground for engaging with the best online betting sites in Sri Lanka), you can both get going keep going quickly.

    Huawei’s latest flagship passed the DXOMARK test of the world’s leading quality assessment laboratory with flying colors and left all the biggest competitors in the industry far behind with its superior overall performance and mobile photography features.

    Huawei Returned to First Place in the DXOMARK Ranking

    The latest DXOMARK ranking clearly shows that the new Mate 50 Pro is equipped with the best mobile camera available on the market. This flagship comes with a 50MP ultra-aperture camera and the world’s first 10-level physically adjustable aperture and includes key improvements in the optical system, mechanical structure, imaging, and image processing technology. Mate’s camera with ultra and physically adjustable aperture, which ranges from f/1.4 up to 4.0, in combination with the XD Fusion Pro image drive can set the quality of photos taken with this smartphone almost to the level of those taken with a DSLR camera.

    The prestigious portal highly praised both the technical and photographic capabilities of the latest Huawei model, giving it a total record score of 149 points. The Mate 50 Pro’s photo score of 149 points is based on outstanding performance overall as well as excellent results in the exposure, focus, and texture/noise categories.

    Pro in Every Way

    In addition to proven powerful camera capabilities, the new Mate 50 Pro comes with the distinctive design signature of the Mate series, which is minimalistic-inspired by axial symmetry. For the first time, the elegant Clous de Paris design of the pyramid pattern, which is characteristic of expensive watches, is also used. In addition to the elegant black and silver shades that are the first to come to the local market, the Mate 50 Pro is also launched in a special version made of orange vegan leather that comes with “Kunlun glass”, which makes this version extremely strong. The official durability of Kunlun glass is also confirmed by the Swiss SGS five-star glass drop resistance certification, making it the first smartphone ever to receive this certification.

    Huawei Mate 50 Pro features cutting-edge technology that significantly improves performance, and is also the first Huawei device to run on EMUI 13, which brings simplified handling of operating systems and daily interactions with simple one-touch navigation.

    Huawei Mate 50 Pro can now be ordered in the black shade in pre-order at a price of HRK 9,999 with an interesting gift. You can find more information about the device and sales locations on the brand’s website, while the full review and DXOMARK test results can be found at the link: https://www.dxomark.com/smartphones/Huawei/Mate-50-Pro.

    The Significance of DXOMARK

    A commercial website called DXOMARK, which is presently stylized as DXOMARK, bills itself as an impartial benchmark that scientifically examines smartphones, lenses, and cameras. For example, let’s portray how DXOMARK composes a camera sensor rating.

    The RAW image captured by the camera’s sensor is measured by the DXOMARK Sensor Score for a number of critical image quality characteristics. The combined score is a secret calculation of the following three sub-scores:

    • A Portrait score is a measurement of color depth in bits;
    • Dynamic range expressed as a Landscape score and expressed in pauses of dynamic range;
    • Sports score for low-light performance, expressed as an ISO equivalent.

    The resolution a camera generates when partnered with a specific lens is measured using another metric called the Perceptual MegaPix (P-MPix), which is specified as the measure of a sharpness measurement. When assessing the sharpness of a camera and a lens, according to DXOMARK, P-MPix is a more precise and pertinent statistic for photographers to take into account.

    Many independent news outlets and specialized media websites use DXOMARK scores, which would include: The Washington Post, The New York Times, China Daily, Forbes, Wired, TechRadar, CNET, The Verge, GSM Arena, Tom’s Guide, Sohu, and Sina.

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  • First made-in-Vietnam flying car to hit market in 2024

    First made-in-Vietnam flying car to hit market in 2024

    Hanoi company Airlios has demonstrated a flying electric car which it plans to sell commercially in 2024.

    The single seater, also called Airlios, could fly vertically to reach 10 meters within 10 seconds and then fly at speeds of 100 kilometers per hour, the company said at a recent exhibition.

    It can rise to as high as 120 meters, the same height as a 44-story building. It has eight batteries that are fully charged in seven to nine minutes at 30-kilowatt charging stations.

    It is mostly made of aluminum alloy and carbon fiber, and can fly both automatically and manually.

    A prototype has successfully flown 33 kilometers in 20 minutes at a height of below 120 meters. It has been tested for 100 hours and 1,000 kilometers.

    “The project is now 70-80% complete,” Mai Thien Vu, the company’s chief technology officer, told VnExpress.

    “We plan to launch the maiden flight of the commercial version of Airlios by the end of 2023.”

    Managers and engineers at Airlios began thinking about making flying cars five years ago, he added.

    If it is launched as scheduled, Airlios could become the first flying car in Southeast Asia.

    The standard version will cost around $81,000 compared to, for instance, $92,000 for Swedish brand Jetson.

    Airlios will also offer other models costing up to $99,000.

    Many startups in a number of countries have started working on flying cars though there have been few commercial launches yet.

    Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia plan to launch flying taxi services in future.

  • Bonchon stays in the Korean fried chicken game in Vietnam

    Bonchon stays in the Korean fried chicken game in Vietnam

    Bonchon, the global restaurant concept known for its Korean fried chicken, celebrates a year with market expansion, sales growth, and a new fast-casual model.

    Despite continued industry challenges due to the pandemic, Bonchon retained its strong year-to-date sales performance. In October, the company registered a 76% same-store sales increase compared to 2021. Bonchon has 15% same-store sales as of Dec. 25, 2021.

    “Sales growth has steadily increased due to strategic enhancements in operations, supply chain, and technological innovation. These strategic shifts have not only allowed Bonchon to build our revenue even further, but also to continue expanding our footprint with new openings across Vietnam,” said Bonchon Vietnam CEO, Mark Kim.

    Innovation of the store design and fine-tuning of the operating system also greatly contributed to Bonchon Vietnam’s performance.

    The store’s innovation in terms of design boasts advantages in brand identity and introduces the image of our Bonchon stores to a younger, trendier customer base. In addition, simplified adjustment and focus on important factors in the operating system have enhanced service quality and customer experience across Bonchon stores nationwide.

    Moreover, with the ability to enter the zeitgeist and respond quickly to market sensitivities, Bonchon Vietnam stayed in the game of the door-to-door delivery era by working closely with home delivery units. This particular delivery service adjustment brought about a significant source of revenue, accounting for 40% of Bonchon Vietnam’s monthly revenue in 2022.

    Additional franchise support has been driven by the integration of newly acquired experienced team members and field business consultants who guide best practices, customer service, food quality, and menu strategy.

    “In the next five years, we will be implementing ongoing strategic shifts in operations, the supply chain, and technological innovation to remain on the current growth trajectory,” Kim added.

    Bonchon is known for its signature made-to-order Korean fried chicken that is hand battered and double-fried to achieve its signature, crave-worthy crunch, and proprietary sauces crafted in the Bonchon global kitchen in Busan. Every piece of chicken is hand brushed to make each bite perfectly flavorful. Bonchon also offers an authentic Korean fusion menu with Bibimbap, Japchae, Bulgogi, and more.

    Born in Busan, South Korea in 2002, Bonchon’s founder, Jinduk Seo, dreamed of sharing his favorite flavors with the world. Just four short years later, in 2006, Bonchon went on to establish itself in the U.S. The global franchise has been spreading its reach around the world ever since with a notable presence spanning nine countries with more than 400 locations. With no indication of slowing down, Bonchon has recently confirmed new development agreements in France and Australia.

    In 2019, the brand continued to expand to Vietnam. In April 2022, Bonchon celebrated the opening of its ninth store and is preparing to welcome its 10th and 11th this November.

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  • Yeah1 profits double in Q3

    Yeah1 profits double in Q3

    Online entertainment company Yeah1 said profits for the third quarter nearly doubled from the previous one to VND14.8 billion (US$597,000).

    The profits for the first nine months topped VND22 billion, as against losses of over VND253 billion a year earlier, on revenues of VND207 billion, a year-on-year decline of 76%.

    More than half the revenues came from media and advertising consultancy and event organization.

    The company, whose equity stands at over VND900 billion, plans to increase it this year by issuing 78.6 million new shares to invest in digital media, tech media and fintech.

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  • Meta is working on Instagram Malfunction

    Meta is working on Instagram Malfunction

    Instagram seems to be down for a lot of people around the globe at the time of this writing, according to users flocking to Twitter to make their plight known to the entire world (oh, the irony) and the always reliable Downdetector platform.

    The situation is already so widespread that the social network’s PR team has also taken to Twitter to apologize to everyone for the “inconvenience” of not being able to access your Instagram accounts for the last few hours (at the time of this writing).
    What Instagram parent company Meta is not ready to confirm just yet is the nature of this “inconvenience”, which appears to include random account suspensions for a worrying number of users.
    Many people claim they are not aware of having violated any rules so egregiously that a 30-day ban would be warranted, and because the Instagram app and website themselves refuse to work for a lot of these users, appealing the decision is currently impossible.

    Account confirmation is also being required of some users, which is either not possible at the moment as well or completely broken.

    In short, Meta has a PR disaster in the making, and although the company is undoubtedly “looking into” the outage and its causes, the masses are demanding (and arguably deserving) more detailed and satisfying explanations, not to mention a swift resolution. We’ll keep you posted if we find out more or if the glitches are indeed resolved soon.
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  • Invygo Raises $10 Million For Its Car Subscription Service

    Invygo Raises $10 Million For Its Car Subscription Service

    UAE and Saudi Arabia-based startup Invygo has raised $10 million in series A funding led by MEVP as it further develops its long-term car subscription service. The startup, which was founded by Eslam Ahmed Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo in 2019 so far has raised $14.3 million.

    It counts Al Rajhi Partners, Arab Bank, Amana Capital, and Palm Drive Capital as its main investors. It also has backing from Signal Peak Ventures and Knollwood Investment Advisory, who have participated in the latest round.

    “We’ve split the full payment of the car into three. Normally, you have a massive down payment of around 20% and then your monthly instalments with no way to get out of that commitment. Our starting fee is around 5%, and you can cancel your plan at any time without any penalty,” Ganjoo said.

    Invygo offers three kinds of rental services – one is a short-term rental service that allows one to one to nine months. The other service is the long-term leasing option which allows users to rent a car for between a year and three years. There is also a subscription to own model, which offers brand new or semi-used cars on a 2–3-year rental period with a start fee that’s much lower than a traditional down payment.

    Users for a short-term rental can go to its website and look for available cars and book a rental. Users have access to all kinds of information like model number, year of make, and km clocked by the vehicle in question. Users can also filter parameters like car type, fuel type, transmission type and color.

    Invygo offers doorstep delivery, replacement of car, maintenance, regular insurance, and a 24×7 helpline. Invygo makes money by taking a cut of the subscription. It has around 200 cars in Saudi Arabia on its service and 100 cars in the UAE.

  • Indonesia Hikes Fuel Prices To Rein In Ballooning Subsidies

    Indonesia Hikes Fuel Prices To Rein In Ballooning Subsidies

    Indonesia raised subsidized fuel prices by about 30% on Saturday, as the government moves to rein in ballooning subsidies despite a risk of mass protests.

    The price of subsidized gasoline was raised to 10,000 rupiah ($67 U.S. cents) a litre from 7,650 rupiah, while that of subsidized diesel rose to 6,800 rupiah a litre from 5,150 rupiah, energy minister Arifin Tasrif said.

    “I actually wanted domestic fuel prices to remain affordable by providing subsidies, but the budget for subsidies has tripled and will continue to increase,” President Joko Widodo told a news conference.

    “Now the government has to decide in a difficult situation. This is the government’s last option,” said Jokowi, as the president is known.

    Southeast Asia’s largest economy had already jacked up its 2022 energy subsidies to 502 trillion rupiah ($34 billion), triple the original budget, pushed by rising global oil prices and a depreciating rupiah currency.

    If prices were not raised, the budget would have ballooned to 698 trillion rupiah, said Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

    She estimated total energy subsidies would range between 591 trillion and 649 trillion rupiah for this year following the price hike, assuming the average crude price stays between $85 and $100 a barrel the rest of the year.

    High energy subsidies had restrained Indonesia’s inflation, at 4.69% in August, allowing the central bank to delay raising interest rates until last month, well behind regional and global peers.

    Hariyadi Sukamdani, head of the Indonesian Employers Association, said price pressure from the fuel price hike would not be too much, predicting inflation will top 6% at the end of the year.

    “If prices of goods are too expensive, people won’t buy. We can’t raise prices too much,” he said.

    Businesses are using unsubsidised fuels, but the price hike will affect logistics costs, Hariyadi said.

    Still, accelerating inflation could put pressure on Bank Indonesia (BI) to tighten monetary policy more quickly. The bank holds a two-day policy meeting ending on Sept. 22.

    Bank Mandiri economist Faisal Rachman estimated inflation could accelerate to between 6% and 7% and BI could raise the policy rate to 4.25% this year from 3.75% now.

    Faisal forecasts 5% economic growth this year despite the fuel price increase, supported by commodity exports and post-pandemic mobility, adding that the government’s cash distribution could help cushion some of the impact on consumption. The economy grew 5.44% in the April-June quarter.

    The government has allocated an additional 24.17 trillion rupiah for cash handouts to help the poor cope with the policy’s impact, Jokowi said.

    POLITICALLY SENSITIVE

    Fuel prices are politically sensitive in Indonesia, and the changes will have major implications for households and small businesses, as subsidised fuel accounts for more than 80% of state-owned oil giant Pertamina’s sales.

    The last fuel price hike was in 2014, months after Jokowi took office, aiming to free up fiscal space. That sparked protests across the archipelago.

    The opposition Labour Party has arranged a protest involving thousands of workers for Tuesday, chairman Said Iqbal, who also heads a trade union, told Reuters. He called on parliament to pressure the government to cancel the price hike.

    “This will hurt purchasing power,” he said. “Wages have not increased for three years and inflation is bound to rise sharply.”

    Small protests against any price hike, mostly led by students, had erupted in the recent days in several cities.

    After the price hike announcement, Pertamina said it was committed to ensuring adequate fuel supplies nationally. Cars were seen queuing in some stations in the capital Jakarta after the announcement.

    Pertamina, Asia’s biggest gasoline importer, had deferred some of its gasoline deliveries for September ahead of the price hike, due to an expected drop in fuel demand, traders said.

    Decades ago Indonesia was a major oil exporter, becoming a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in the 1960s, but its oil output declined and it turned to net oil importer in the 2000s. Indonesia is still an exporter of gas.

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  • Porsche Singapore launches experience studio

    Porsche Singapore launches experience studio

    Porsche Singapore will bring a new experience studio to the city-state, under the partnership with real estate developer GuocoLand.

    The location will open in the second half of next year, at the new Guoco Midtown integrated mixed-use development on Beach Road, near the City Hall, Bugis, and Marina Centre city core districts.

    The company says the concept underscores the brand’s dedication to take it closer to customers in Singapore and provide more customer-centric experiences.

    “Porsche Studio Singapore aims to be a premier brand destination with its convenient city-centre location – a place where fans and customers alike can immerse themselves in new experiences, connecting and exchanging ideas with other likeminded Porsche enthusiasts,” said Andre Brand, GM at Porsche Singapore.

    Porsche Studio Singapore will combine the retail spaces with Porsche car displays, and an integrated F&B experience, along with co-working and community exhibition spaces.

    There are also event spaces available for larger-scale Porsche community gatherings and family reunions.

    “Porsche is the brand for those who follow their dreams, and with Porsche Studio Singapore, we want to dream big and create a space that is both experiential for customers and fans, but also home for us to interact closely with our Porsche community,” Brand added.

    Porsche Singapore also plans to launch a Porsche Now Pop-up at Guoco Tower in the Tanjong Pagar district on January 1.

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  • Shein chooses Tokyo for its first permanent store in the world

    Shein chooses Tokyo for its first permanent store in the world

    Fast fashion retailer Shein is set to open its first permanent store in the world – in Japan’s capital Tokyo.

    The store, located in the bustling fashion precinct of Harajuku, will open on November 13.

    Shein’s first brick-and-mortar store will display items and styling that caters to the Japanese market. Spanning 201sqm and two storeys, the store features three fitting rooms and an Instagrammable photo booth.

    Customers can purchase products by scanning the QR code on the tag through the Shein app. However, they cannot purchase on the spot at this store – the products are shipped to their home or office.

    The store announcement follows the launch of the Shein Osaka pop-up store, which will open for three months until January 27. Located in the western metropolis of Osaka, the pop-up store houses nine fitting rooms and displays about 800 items, ranging from men’s and women’s wear to home and pet products.

    Founded in 2008, Shein sells online in more than 150 countries and regions, mainly in the US and Europe, but not its home market China, where it produces its clothing. In February, the company shelved plans for its US market listing, according to Reuters.

  • Diesel Japan opens Ginza flagship

    Diesel Japan opens Ginza flagship

    Italian fashion retailer Diesel has launched its new flagship store in Japan, at Ginza Marronnier Gate 1, Tokyo.

    The shop, which features two floors, is designed by creative director Glenn Martins with red and white as the primary theme colors. Diesel says this renovation reflects a refreshed image and looks under Martins’s creative guidance.

    The first floor’s walls, which are red and white, reflect the brand’s red logo, and the store aims to create a spacious, airy feel by using metal racks that surround it. It also includes a big sofa, modern industrial modules, and resin shelves.

    On the other side, the basement floor also has red and white displays and walls, as well as cutting-edge architectural features. Customers can purchase an all-gender selection of denim, apparel, shoes, bags, and accessories from the Diesel Fall/Winter 2022 collection and runway looks. In addition, products from the Diesel Ginza limited and pre-sale collections are now accessible in the red look that debuted during the Diesel 22FW fashion show in Tokyo in June.

    Diesel has made Japan one of its main markets after spending more than 36 years there. The apparel company debuted its first Asia-sized flagship shop in Ginza in 2008 and its first large-scale global concept store in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood in 2010.

    The brand is also growing in other markets like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea. In collaboration with RTG Consulting and Muse Group, Diesel launched China’s world’s first Diesel Hub last year. The 900sqm Hub combines dining and retail, with a restaurant named Diesel Brave Bar occupying nearly a fourth of the area.

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  • Vingroup revenues down 5%

    Vingroup revenues down 5%

    Vingroup, Vietnam’s biggest private conglomerate, made total consolidated net revenues of VND88.191 trillion ($3.56 billion) in the first nine months, posting a year-on-year decline of nearly 5%.

    Vingroup gained after-tax profits of VND1.571 trillion, according to its latest consolidated financial statements.

    By the end of September, the firm’s total assets stood at VND555.571 trillion, up 30% against late last year, mainly due to successful transactions among new real estate projects.

    Vingroup said its property segment will continue to grow in the last quarter and next year, and its vehicle sales will rise in the last quarter. Its other segments, including trade center business, tourism, recreation, healthcare and education are also expected to recover.

    Since the beginning of this year, Vingroup has mobilized $760 million from the international capital market, including $625 million worth of international bonds and $135 million from an anti-climate change financial package from the Asian Development Bank.

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  • Amazon shares tumble after weak Christmas trading outlook

    Amazon shares tumble after weak Christmas trading outlook

    Amazon on Thursday forecast a slowdown in sales growth for the holiday season, disappointing Wall Street and warning that inflation-wary consumers and businesses had less money to spend.

    Amazon’s 12 per cent extended-trade stock drop erased about $140 billion in its market capitalisation, greater than the entire value of companies such as Morgan Stanley, Netflix and Lockheed Martin.

    For months, the world’s biggest online retailer has fought against troubling macroeconomic tides. It hosted not one, but two cornerstone sales events in a year: Prime Day in July, and the Prime Early Access Sale this month.

    For the summer event, it sold more items than ever before to its Prime loyalty shoppers, and, meanwhile, the company sought revenue from higher Prime subscription fees and a surcharge on some merchants.

    Net sales were $127.1 billion in the third quarter that ended Sept. 30, still a little lower than the $127.5 billion analysts expected, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

    But the macro outlook has not brightened. In a call with reporters, Amazon Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky said the company was bracing for slower economic growth.

    “We are seeing signs all around that, again, people’s budgets are tight, inflation is still high, energy costs are an additional layer on top of that caused by other issues,” he said. “We are preparing for what could be a slower growth period, like most companies.”

    European consumers in particular have spent less than their American counterparts, pinched by the war in Ukraine and higher fuel costs, which likewise increased Amazon’s expenses, he told reporters and analysts. The company’s international-segment operation loss widened to $2.5 billion in the third quarter from $0.9 billion a year prior.

    While Amazon would continue to fund earlier-stage businesses like its lucrative cloud-computing and advertising divisions, it would question costs elsewhere and proceed carefully on hiring, Olsavsky said.

    Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said, “It’s possible that retail sales will decline year-over-year. I don’t actually believe that will happen, but the market definitely doesn’t like it.”

    Amazon forecast net sales of between $140 billion and $148 billion, or growth as little as 2 per cent from a year earlier. Analysts were expecting $155.2 billion.

    Prior holiday quarter sales growth was 9 per cent in 2021 and 38 per cent in 2020.

    Across the retail sector, US online sales are expected to rise at their slowest pace in years this holiday season. Consumer goods company Unilever PLC likewise believes “sentiment in Europe is at an all-time low,” its chief financial officer said earlier.

    Results in the tech industry were just as poor this week for cloud-computing rivals Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc’s Google, adding to recession fears. US consumer confidence did a U-turn in October.

    “Big tech companies are not impervious to slowdowns in the economy, particularly if they are consumer driven,” said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments in New Jersey.

    Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company’s lucrative data-storage and computing division serving enterprises, only helped so much. While it provided much-needed operating income, just like rival Microsoft’s Azure cloud, Amazon fell short of estimates.

    Amazon’s cloud sales growth has ticked down consistently in the past year. Net sales there grew 28 per cent in the July-September period versus 39 per cent a year earlier, when adjusted for changes in foreign exchange.

    Paolo Pescatore, analyst at PP Foresight, said, “With so much unpredictability there is huge concern, which is impacting confidence among enterprises to invest. In turn, it is hitting the broader cloud sector and companies such as AWS and Azure.

    Facing high inflation and receding consumer demand, Amazon’s Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy has raced to control costs across the company’s vast array of businesses.

    Amazon has slowed warehouse openings and refrained from filling some open positions. It announced it would shut down its virtual healthcare service by year-end, and it is scaling back a long-touted effort to deliver goods via small autonomous sidewalk cars

    Still, worldwide shipping costs grew 10 per cent in the third quarter to $19.9 billion. Amazon’s net income also decreased to $2.9 billion in the third quarter, while beating analysts’ average estimate of a $2.2 billion profit, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

    In a statement, Jassy said, “There is obviously a lot happening in the macroeconomic environment, and we’ll balance our investments to be more streamlined without compromising our key long-term, strategic bets.”

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  • Carlyle eyes investing in Malaysia’s Caring Pharmacy

    Carlyle eyes investing in Malaysia’s Caring Pharmacy

    Multinational private equity investor Carlyle Group is reportedly in talks with Caring Pharmacy to acquire a majority stake in the Malaysian drugstore chain.

    According to DealStreetAsia, the deal is projected to reach more than US$300 million in size.

    Earlier this year, Caring Pharmacy’s majority owner, 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings was said to be in talks with several potential Japanese investors about a potential divestment of Caring Pharmacy. The chain was previously estimated to be worth around US$400 million.

    Established in 1994 by five pharmacists who were course-mates in the School of Pharmacy at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Caring offers pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and personal care products. As of 2019, the company had more than 120 stores nationwide.

    7-Eleven Malaysia recently forayed into the Indonesian pharmacy business through a joint venture between Caring Pharmacy and PI Era Prima Indonesia.

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  • Vietnam Jan-Oct rice exports at 6.1 mln tonnes

    Vietnam Jan-Oct rice exports at 6.1 mln tonnes

    Vietnam’s rice exports in the January-October period are estimated to have risen about 17.2% from a year earlier to 6.07 million tonnes, government data showed on Saturday.

    Revenue from rice exports in the period is seen up 7.4% to $2.7 billion.

    October rice exports from Vietnam, one of the world’s leading shippers of the grain, likely totalled 700,000 tonnes, worth $334 million.

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  • GM Temporarily Halts Paid Advertising On Twitter

    GM Temporarily Halts Paid Advertising On Twitter

    General Motors Co said late on Friday it had temporarily halted paid advertising on Twitter after Elon Musk completed his takeover of the social media company.

    The largest U.S. automaker said it was “engaging with Twitter to understand the direction of the platform under their new ownership.”

    Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk is also the chief executive of GM rival Tesla Inc.

    GM said, “as is the normal course of business with a significant change in a media platform, we have temporarily paused our paid advertising.” The Detroit automaker added its “customer care interactions on Twitter will continue.”

    Ad sales accounted for more than 90% of Twitter’s revenue in the second quarter. At a presentation for advertisers in May, some ad agencies and brands were already sceptical and concerned over Twitter’s future.

    On the eve of the deal’s closing, Musk appealed directly to advertisers in an open-letter tweet: “Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences! Twitter aspires to be the most respected advertising platform in the world that strengthens your brand and grows your enterprise.”

    Musk tweeted on Friday that Twitter will form a content moderation council “with widely diverse viewpoints.” Musk said no major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before the council convenes.

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