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Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Viber launches two new features for Premium users

    Viber launches two new features for Premium users

    It’s been less than a month since Viber launched its premium service in the United States and several other countries, and the company has just announced it’s now rolling out two new features to those who chose to pay to be Premium users.

    So, if you’re paying for Viber Plus, you should be getting two new important features: Invisible Mode and Read Voice Messages. Both should further enhance privacy and ease of communication on Viber.

    The new Read Voice Message feature turns voice messages into text so any message can be ready anytime, anywhere. Invisible Mode is just as useful since it allows users to read messages and browse on the platform privately.

    Not only that, but users will also be able to see who is online while their own status shows offline. More importantly, thanks to Invisible Mode, you’ll be able to open messages without revealing that it’s been read.

    “With such a wide user base, we want to continue expanding our services to offer seamless and easy-to-use communication tools that work for our global users. Additionally, anonymity and privacy is what makes Viber a leading super app. These features add new value to Viber Plus and boost the overall experience for our users,” said Ofir Eyal, CEO of Rakuten Viber.

    And if you don’t have Viber Plus yet, perhaps these two new features will make you start paying for it. To go premium, you’ll have to pay just $1.99 per month, and you’ll be getting not just new features but also stop seeing ads.

    The new features will be rolled out to the premium service for iOS in the US, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Switzerland, Kuwait, Australia, Tuvalu, Israel, Sweden, Austria, India, and Italy, with additional regions added on a rolling basis.

    According to Viber, Android users where Viber Plus is available will have access to the two new features sometime in September.

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  • Chinese company to build aluminum factory in Vietnam

    Chinese company to build aluminum factory in Vietnam

    Innovation Precision Vietnam, a unit of a Chinese manufacturer, has received licenses to build a $165 million aluminum factory in the central province of Nghe An.

    The company, a subsidiary of aluminum products manufacturer Shandong Innovation Metal Technology, will build a plant with the capacity to produce 100,000 tons of aluminum a year, according to Nghe An’s People’s Committee.

    It is set to begin operations in October next year and will create 1,500 high-skilled jobs.

    Innovation Precision Vietnam received all its licenses within only two months of its representatives first entering the province to consider investing.

    This will be the first plant that Shandong Innovation Metal Technology has built outside of China.

    Shandong was established in 2002 and is among the 500 biggest manufacturers in China.

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  • Singapore, Japan to collaborate on green air lanes

    Singapore, Japan to collaborate on green air lanes

    A recent dialogue saw a mutual agreement between Singapore and Japan’s aviation authorities to work together towards initiating greener air lanes between the two countries.

    At the 2nd Singapore-Japan Dialogue on Aviation Collaboration, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) shared the same view that the concept of an ‘aviation green lane’ should encompass airline operations, airport processes and air traffic management (ATM).

    The two are planning green ATM measures on all flights between Singapore and Tokyo, which will save fuel, cut carbon emissions, and reduce flight times. This follows a successful one-month trial in June 2023 whereby CAAS and JCAB implemented green ATM for one daily passenger service.

    Another initiative proposed for greener air traffic management is expanding the multi-regional trajectory-based operations (TBO) project to more air navigation service providers (ANSPs). Last month, ANSPs of Singapore, Japan, Thailand, the United States and Boeing saw the first successful multi-regional TBO demonstration flight, part of a 3-year collaboration to advance the concept and bring about significant benefits for airspace users, including greater flight efficiencies and reductions in carbon emissions.

    CAAS said these ATM concepts would complement the current push for SAF, which it considers he key element to achieve carbon neutrality for aviation, but the two warned that there would have to be sufficient supply and competitive pricing in the Asia Pacific region.

    Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of the CAAS, explained that the collaboration on green ATM establishes tangible measures that can be immediately implemented and translate to immediate fuel and carbon emission savings.

    “These measures can be scaled up to cover more flights and serve as a pathfinder for wider adoption by more countries. With the successful conclusion of the green ATM trial and the extension of green ATM measures to all flights between Singapore and Tokyo, Singapore and Japan show that green ATM can complement sustainable aviation fuel as a key feature of an aviation green lane.”

    On other important areas, the two civil aviation authorities will share best practices on fostering a positive safety culture and leveraging technology to overcome manpower shortage and raise productivity.

    The two have also agreed on the necessity to resume flights and city links to meet strong demand with plans to restore direct flights between Singapore and Okinawa from November 2023.

    The two sides first signed a strategic framework agreement in December 2022 to advance their civil aviation collaboration. As of July 2023, the number of weekly flights between Singapore and Japan has recovered to over 65 percent of pre-Covid level in 2019, with 122 weekly passenger services operated by six air carriers on city links to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo.

  • Instagram might label AI-generated content

    Instagram might label AI-generated content

    Recently, Meta, in collaboration with Microsoft, introduced the new Llama 2 – a next-generation large language AI model. This new technology enables companies to customize AI for their needs, like creating chatbots and image generators. It seems that consumer-facing generative AI tools based on this model are already on the horizon.

    It looks like Meta is developing several new generative AI features for Instagram. These features include labels that will help users to identify images “generated by Meta AI.”

    If you wonder what reverse engineers do, they are sort of detectives for technology. They take apart things like software or devices to figure out how they work, even if they were not the ones who originally made them. It’s like solving a puzzle to understand the hidden secrets behind the technology.

    The screenshot shared by Paluzzi shows an in-app message explaining that posts created using Meta’s generative AI tools may soon be labeled within Instagram. This suggests that the company could be interested in helping users identify AI-generated content.

    There have been concerns about the safety and impact of free consumer-facing AI tools on our online presence. Some worry that they could aid the spread of misinformation or mislead people. To address these concerns, some AI companies, including Meta, have pledged to adopt AI safety measures, like using watermarks for AI-generated content. The introduction of labels for AI-generated content on Instagram might be part of these measures.

    Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI stand at the forefront of the artificial intelligence sector in the US. Last month, following a call to action from the White House, they made commitments to incorporate safeguards into their AI technology. Additionally, these industry leaders have joined hands to establish the Frontier Model Forum, an association focused on advancing AI, of which Meta is also a part. The forum’s primary goal is to ensure frontier AI models’ secure and ethical advancement.

    As AI continues to advance at a rapid pace, social media platforms should pay more attention to AI-generated content and clearly label it, even if the content is generated from third-party apps or software. Instagram already has many AI-generated human-like models posing as influencers, which can lead to confusion and misperception of reality.
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  • YouTube deletes over 3,000 Vietnames videos

    YouTube deletes over 3,000 Vietnames videos

    YouTube has deleted over 3,000 videos about a cartoon character name Wolfoo due to alleged copyright violations even as the Vietnam-based producer Sconnect continues to deny all accusations.

    The videos, which had billions of views, were asked to be removed by U.K. company Entertainment One, which claimed that Wolfoo was based on its creation “Peppa Pig”, Sconnect said in a report to Vietnamese authorities at the end of July.

    Entertainment One reported the videos to YouTube in April, claiming that the scenes used in Wolfoo videos were copied from Peppa Pig.

    The company in July again reported the videos, claiming that the Wolfoo videos were also copying some of the audio and sound effects from Peppa.

    But Sconnect said that in both cases, Entertainment One and YouTube were not able to provide any clear evidence to show that copyright regulations were infringed.

    Sconnect said that the scenes and sounds mentioned are popular in everyday life.

    There is no legal ground for the claims, the studio argued, adding that its requests to YouTube since June have received no response even though the number of removed videos is increasing.

    Wolfoo Family, one of the YouTube channels that provides the videos, has lost around 2.4 billion views due the removed videos since May.

    Sconnect is now asking Vietnamese authorities to convince Google and YouTube to stop accepting copyright claims from Entertainment One.

    YouTube and Entertainment One have not commented on the issue.

    Sconnect, established in 2014, has 19 Wolfoo-related YouTube channels.

    “Wolfoo” is an English-language YouTube preschool animated web series about a young wolf and his anthropomorphic family.

    British preschool TV show “Peppa Pig” features an anthropomorphic piglet and her family. The show first aired in 2004.

    Entertainment One last year had sued Sconnect in Russian and British courts over intellectual property infringement, claiming Wolfoo is a “reworked” version of the Peppa Pig characters.

    Following an independent review, in July Russian experts rejected this claim and the Moscow City Court terminated Entertainment One’s suit against Sconnect.

    Entertainment One then immediately withdrew all claims.

    YouTube said earlier it never acts as an intermediary to resolve conflicts between two parties and only provides tools for users to protect themselves.

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  • Macau In 2023: More Than Just Casinos

    Macau In 2023: More Than Just Casinos

    Known as the “Vegas of Asia”, Macau’s economy has traditionally relied on gambling as its primary source of revenue. But the world changes and both the government and independent traders have seen the need to diversify as the economy can’t rely on casino footfall alone. This has led to interesting innovations in other industries, which have rapidly developed from the ground up, often using local products, and appealing to the 600,000 Macau residents as much as the tourists. With the allure of Macau’s gambling scene still bringing in millions of tourists a year, hundreds of independent businesses have a great chance to thrive and expand.

    Macau’s tourism industry is being driven by visitors from nearby Hong Kong — so far this year more than 2.5 million people have traveled to Macau to play in the gaming halls. This is a major shot in the arm for the gambling industry in the city, as well as the restaurants, cinemas, and retail outlets that rely on casino tourism.
    The gambling industry worldwide hasn’t slowed down either, powered by online casinos, which continue to develop more sophisticated games for those who play slots online or enjoy live dealer games at the card tables. As far as destinations for land-based casinos go, Macau is at the top of the pile, and despite the iconic status of Las Vegas as a playground for gamblers, it regularly outperforms its American counterpart by six times.

    Innovative & Independent BusinessesDespite the dominance of the casinos, a vibrant market has opened up, giving opportunities for small businesses to establish themselves. Macau’s small size means that local companies can make more impact than they could on the Chinese mainland or other huge markets, with their intense competition in all sectors. A good example is the food delivery app Aomi because in a larger country, it wouldn’t stand a chance, but a local service needs less capital to penetrate the market and can operate at a competitive level.

    While major brands still dominate the malls and resorts, many small businesses have emerged, which are often taking advantage of increased online engagement with independent companies. Macau has seen a rising trend in people monetizing their hobbies and creating fresh ideas and concepts — handmade jewelry by Miden Designs and bespoke scented candles from Imbali Essentials, to name a couple that have launched in the last three years.

    Somewhere beneath the bright lights Portuguese influence can still be felt in Macau, and is probably best represented in food form. Monoymous Macau entrepreneur Asai has collaborated with Portuguese chef Pedro Almedia on several projects, and over the last two years they have successfully opened fine-dining spot Portucau, as well as a traditional pie-shop Pastéis de Chaves. And their tavern Three Sardines serves petiscoes — small plates similar to tapas — to enthusiastic locals and tourists alike.

    Another independent company, The Moo Creamery, has been proffering vegan and lactose-free ice cream online since 2020, and proved so successful that a retail shop opened in 2021. Not only is the ice cream delicious, but it is also low in sugar and made mainly from raw ingredients, making it a great healthy option for kids and adults.

    Macau will always be a casino town. But if you scratch the surface you’ll find a buzzing hive of activity, with local retailers to check out and support, great independent eats and drinks, and a whole host of other interesting small businesses. Hopefully, these innovative companies will continue to thrive.

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  • Panduan Bagaimana untuk Menjana Pendapatan melalui YouTube

    Panduan Bagaimana untuk Menjana Pendapatan melalui YouTube

    Pernah tertanya-tanya bagaimana para penggiat YouTube yang bermain di laman slot seperti 7Slots menjana pendapatan dengan membuat kandungan? Begitu juga dengan Che Nom yang dikenali dengan resepi masakannya yang enak, hanya dengan menyediakan resepi dan masakan di laman akaunnya. Malah, ada juga penggiat YouTube yang meraih ribuan malahan jutaan tontonan hasil daripada kandungan yang dikatakan tidak memberangsangkan. Jika anda berminat untuk mencipta kandungan, inilah panduan untuk anda. Panduan ini dapat membantu anda memulakan perjalanan karier YouTube anda.

    Apa yang perlu dilakukan sebelum bermula

    Ramai yang berpusu-pusu ingin menjadi penggiat YouTube, tetapi malangnya, ramai yang tidak berhasil. Kenapa? Hal ini kerana mereka tidak mengikut langkah yang betul, dan terus sahaja memuat naik video mereka, tanpa meneliti tentang strategi yang berkesan untuk menarik penonton dan menjana pendapatan.

    Berikut adalah langkah-langkah yang perlu diambil kira untuk mula bergiat:

    Memilih Niche/Tema

    Tema/niche ialah satu hal yang saling berkait antara kandungan dan harus berfokus pada satu topik yang jelas, contohnya, jika anda memilih niche kecantikan, sudah tentulah anda harus sering menyiarkan video yang berkaitan dengan kecantikan. Banyak kelebihan niche ini antaranya:

    1. Penonton dapat mengetahui apa yang anda ingin sampaikan dalam video.
    2. Video anda menjadi rujukan ramai orang.
    3. Menjadikan kandungan anda lebih tersusun.

    Jika anda keliru tema apa yang sesuai dengan anda, anda boleh fikirkan minat, pengetahuan dan pekerjaan anda lalu terapkan tema yang sesuai dalam kandungan anda.

    Belajar daripada Pesaing Anda

    Teknik belajar untuk kandungan YouTube adalah dengan meniru dan inovasi teknik pesaing anda. Anda perlu tahu dengan siapa anda bersaing supaya anda boleh tahu mengapa penonton memilih untuk melihat video mereka.

    Pelajari bagaimana mereka mengambil video mereka, dari sudut kamera, pencahayaan, suntingan dan pengenalan video mereka. Anda akan dapat memahami dengan lebih baik, apa yang sesuai untuk anda, dan apa yang tidak.

    Sumbang Saran dan Jadualkan Kandungan Anda

    Sumbang saran dan penjadualan ini sangat penting kerana ia dapat membantu anda menyusun jenis video atau jenis idea yang anda ingin olah atau paparkan kepada penonton.

    Membuat satu video mungkin memakan masa yang lama, jadi pastikan anda sudah bersedia dengan beberapa video ke hadapan supaya anda tidak tergesa-gesa untuk merakam atau menyunting pada saat-saat akhir.

    Pastikan anda mempunyai jadual untuk siarkan video ana. Hal ini kerana dapat membantu penonton untuk mengetahui bila mereka dapat melihat siaran anda. Ini tidak langsung, dapat membantu anda mendapatkan tontonan lebih banyak jika penonton sudah tahu jadual anda.

    Bina Halaman Saluran YouTube Anda

    Anda sudah mempunyai tema, sudah mempunyai beberapa video untuk disiarkan, tetapi apa yang penting, anda perlu menjaga Halaman Saluran YouTube anda.

    Nama dan Penerangan Saluran

    Nama saluran anda perlulah mudah diingati dan ditaip. Lebih bagus lagi, jika anda menggunakan nama anda serta diikuti tema anda. Contoh: Aina Beauty Review, Syafuan Production dan banyak lagi. Anda juga boleh menggunakan penjana nama yang ada di Google untuk mendapatkan nama saluran yang bagus.

    Untuk mengoptimumkan lagi saluran anda, isi penerangan YouTube anda tentang tema anda, dan letakkan sekali jenis sosial media supaya mereka yang berminat dengan kandungan anda, dapat menghubungi anda.

    Imej Profil

    Sudah tentu, gambar profil sangat penting untuk meyakinkan para penonton. Bayangkan, anda tidak meletakkan gambar profil, walaupun isi video anda sudah cukup bagus. Tetap tidak dapat meyakinkan orang untuk menonton video anda.

    Terdapat banyak aplikasi atau laman web untuk meningkatkan kualiti gambar anda. Anda boleh menajamkan lagi gambar, menambah warna latar belakang, menyunting gambar supaya kelihatan lebih menarik.

    Muat naik Video Pertama Anda

    Setelah anda melengkapkan semua di atas, anda sudah boleh memuat naik video pertama anda. Perhatikan kualiti bunyi dan pencahayaan ketika memuat naik video.

    Anda pasti pernah mendengar perkataan “clickbait?” Atau kata lainnya, umpan klik. Ramai yang tidka puas hati jika umpan klik ini langsung tidak sama dengan video yang disiarkan, tetapi ini juga merupakan salah satu strategi pemasaran tanpa perlu mencari penonton.

    Jika kita ingin mencari sesuatu video, pasti seseorang itu akan menaip kata kunci yang diingini. Pastikan tajuk video anda mempunyai kata kunci yang sesuai serta terpulang kepada anda jika anda ingin menggunakan teknik umpan klik.

    Thumbnail atau lakaran kecil juga penting supaya penonton tertarik untuk melihat video anda. Anda perlu memilih dan menggunakan lakaran kecil yang menarik, dan ini dapat menambahkan tontonan.

    Buat Duit dengan Saluran Anda

    Ini topik yang sering menjadi permintaan ramai. Boleh dikatakan, ia mudah dan juga tidak mudah. Oleh kerana anda berada di Malaysia, sudah pasti anda dapat menyertai Youtube Partner Program. Tetapi, untuk layak menyertai program ini, pastikan anda memenuhi keperluan tersebut:

    1. Mendapat 1,000 pelanggan dengan 4,000 jam tontonan umum dalam 12 bulan lepas ATAU.
    2. Dapatkan 1,000 pelanggan dengan 10 juta tontonan Shorts umum yang sah dalam 90 hari lepas.

    Bagaimana untuk memohon

    Jika anda telah memenuhi keperluan dan saluran anda layak untuk memohon, daftar untuk program daripada komputer atau peranti anda:

    1. Daftar masuk ke YouTube.
    2. Di bahagian atas kanan, klik gambar profil anda > YouTube Studio.
    3. Di menu sebelah kiri, klik “Dapatkan”.
    4. Pilih “Mohon” untuk bermula.
    5. Klik “Mula” untuk semakan dan menerima terma Asas.
    6. Klik “Mula” untuk membuka akaun AdSense atau pautkan akaun anda yang aktif.

    Teruskan Memuat Naik Video untuk Menjana Pendapatan

    Untuk kekal berjaya dalam menjana pendapatan di YouTube, penting untuk memuat naik video secara konsisten. Apa yang utama, kualiti kandungan perlulah mempunyai nilai positif atau menarik baik dari segi hiburan, berita atau inspirasi.

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  • Cebu Pacific upgrades aircraft fleet this year

    Cebu Pacific upgrades aircraft fleet this year

    Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific has increased its aircraft deliveries for 2023 to a record high of 21 to further improve its operational resiliency amidst growing demand for air travel.  

    The airline originally had plans to add 15 aircraft to its fleet, and now expects six more to be added to its fleet. It welcomed its ninth aircraft this year on 27 July, a brand-new Airbus A321neo, which was delivered from the Airbus centre in Hamburg, Germany using blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on its flight. 

    Cebu Pacific is expecting 21 individual aircraft delivered this year, of which 17 are NEOs and four are CEOs (current engine option) on short-term lease. It aims to shift to an all-NEO fleet by 2028. 

    Earlier in June, Cebu Pacific received a brand new A320neo aircraft from Airbus’ final assembly line in Tianjin, China, powered by SAF with 41 percent blend, marking a major milestone for its sustainable aviation initiatives.   

    “This aircraft delivery allows us to increase our operational resilience while continuing to provide safe, reliable, and affordable air travel to our passengers. Our ongoing re-fleeting with new-generation, fuel-efficient aircraft and our continued use of sustainable aviation fuel will also help our decarbonization efforts in making the aviation industry more sustainable,” said Alex Reyes, chief strategy officer.  

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  • Qatar Airways taps PROS for optimal pricing

    Qatar Airways taps PROS for optimal pricing

    Qatar Airways Cargo is empowering its online channels with real-time personalised dynamic pricing for air freight bookings with PROS Smart Price Optimization and Management.

    The AI-powered optimisation solution models improve win rates by personalising the price offering and maximising sales. This means customers can now receive real-time, reliable, and personalised pricing with each shipment requested via Digital Lounge, marketplaces and host-to-host integrated connections, enabling them to book immediately with the best prices available

    Qatar’s Digital Lounge places an emphasis on user experience and ease of use, allowing customers to price and book cargo shipments without the need to call or email the sales team directly. The new pricing feature is now live on all online booking channels across the airline’s network.

    The carrier said PROS Air Cargo Orchestration Services enables it to provide real-time, optimised prices to third-party digital marketplaces like WebCargo, CargoAI and Cargo.one.

    “PROS real-time pricing engine provides a highly accurate, scalable pricing capability that directly translates to a reliable and responsive buying experience for our customers,” said Florent Bonello, Vice President Cargo Revenue Management at Qatar Airways Cargo. “As a next phase of our implementation, we are seamlessly integrating PROS Smart Configure Price Quote within our sales ecosystem, so that we can quickly manage and deliver omnichannel quoting across our spot, contract and allotment sales.”

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  • Google Maps on Android Auto gets a design tweak that will help drivers on the road

    Google Maps on Android Auto gets a design tweak that will help drivers on the road

    Google Maps is rolling out a new design for the Maps app on Android Auto. The new design adds a sidebar to the Maps experience in your car where controls live.

    Previously, map controls were only displayed when you interacted with the map. But with the new design, the controls are always visible in a translucent bar on the left side of the screen.

    The new translucent bar’s controls include zoom, changing the map’s orientation, changing what is said out loud by the assistant, and access to additional settings.

    The new design appears to be in its testing stages although some users already report seeing it on Android Auto v10 and v9.9 with Google Maps v11.90. This version isn’t live yet for everyone and it is not yet clear if the new design will be available for older versions of Android Auto.

    The new Android Auto design has a very significant benefit: It makes it easier to access map controls while you’re driving since they are now positioned closer to the driver — at least in the U.S. — and you no longer have to fumble around with the touchscreen to find the controls you need. Even if you’re not familiar with the app, this new design makes the most used controls more visible and easier to get to.

    Note, though, that this view only shows up when the app takes up the full screen and not when it uses the Coolwalk split-view redesign that Android Auto introduced a few months back. This also follows a redesign of how the Google Assistant appears in your console, showing more consistency with what you see when you use the Assistant on your phone.

    This tweak to Maps on Android Auto is a welcome improvement. It makes it easier to use Maps while driving, providing a more consistent look and feel across Android Auto apps.

  • WhatsApp begins rollout of instant video messages in chats

    WhatsApp begins rollout of instant video messages in chats

    WhatsApp continues on its quest to revolutionize communication by adding more and more methods to share your thoughts. Now, in addition to its popular voice messages, WhatsApp is adding video to the mix.

    The popular messaging app has announced the rollout of instant video messages where its users can easily create and share brief personal videos directly within a chat. This was also shared by Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg by a message on his Instagram channel, followed by a video on how the feature will work.

    Video messages can be up to 60 seconds long, which the company believes is long enough to add a personal touch to users’ interactions and allow them to share their experiences more vividly. They are also very easy to use, making use of the same button WhatsApp users are already using to send voice messages, employing a neat little trick to switch from audio to video mode.

    Tapping on the microphone icon will switch to video mode and holding the button will start to record video. Additionally, a swipe-up feature allows you to record hands-free.

    Upon opening a video message in a chat, the video will automatically play without sound, but you can easily enable the audio by tapping on it. Video messages are protected with end-to-end encryption to ensure your privacy, providing a secure communication experience.

    The rollout of video messages has already begun, and over the next few weeks, it will become available to all users. This follows the release of a brand new WhatsApp standalone app for Wear OS after years of relying on notifications for users to view their messages on their smartwatch. We hope this trend of releasing timely features continues for WhatsApp as it can only benefit its users, especially when there are so many different messaging app options to choose from.

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  • 7-Eleven continues regional expansion with Dalyellup store opening

    7-Eleven continues regional expansion with Dalyellup store opening

    After opening four new stores in 2021, including its first regional store in Busselton, 7-Eleven will continue to invest in the state, with seven new stores on the horizon for 2022.

    Sine opening its first store in WA in 2014, the company has invested $47 million across the State, and according to Nick Maddox, 7-Eleven Area Lead – WA, will invest a further $6 million in new stores in 2022.

    “Approximately 45 additional West Australians have joined our team in 2021, and we hope to have about 100 new roles available as our network continues to grow in 2022.”

    Maddox said the company was incredibly excited to have opened their first regional store in Busselton and plan to grow its regional network by adding a new store in Treendale early next year.

    7-Eleven is continuing to look for the right locations to bring its offer to new communities in metropolitan and regional Western Australia.

    Maddox said they are interested in sites in both established suburbs and growth corridors positioned within reach of customers along busy commuter routes, immersed within residential precincts along connecting roads, local shopping, and community centres.

    “Our preferred sites provide convenient access for passing traffic and suitable room for vehicle movement and easy customer parking. We’re continuing to work with landlords and developers in Western Australia to secure locations to serve our local communities.”

    The pace of 7-Eleven’s growth means there’s potential for people who want a career in retail and to accelerate their progression, stated Maddox.

    “For people looking to make a career path in a new industry, our career development and network growth provide support and opportunity.

    “We’re looking for talented people with the right capabilities who might be interested in leadership. We invest in giving our people the skills they need to take advantage of the opportunities our growth provides.”

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  • AirAsia Doubles Passengers In 2Q And Powers Capital A Growth

    AirAsia Doubles Passengers In 2Q And Powers Capital A Growth

    Today Malaysia’s Capital A Berhad (Capital A) announced its operating statistics for the second quarter of its financial year 2023. The announcement details the performance of Capital A’s aviation, digital, logistics and aviation services segments from April 1st to June 30th, 2023 (2Q2023).

    With the operating segments so closely interconnected, a strong performance in Aviation drives equally strong performances throughout the Capital A group. That was certainly the case in 2Q when the four consolidated airlines virtually doubled the passengers carried in the same quarter last year.

    AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia and AirAsia Philippines carried 14.2 million passengers in 2Q, compared to 7.2 million in 2Q 2022. Across the aviation group, 16.2 million seats were available, and this capacity management resulted in a load factor of 88%, up from 82% last year.

    The consolidated AirAsia airlines operated 146 of their 166 activated aircraft and have now recovered to 73% of capacity and 74% of passengers carried compared to the pre-pandemic first half of 2019. The group operated 88,900 flight stages with an average length of 1,165 kilometers (724 miles) and, at the end of the quarter, was operating 146 aircraft from its total fleet of 210 aircraft.

    In terms of individual airlines and their share of group passenger traffic, AirAsia Malaysia (MAA) led the way with 6.45 million at a load factor of 87%, followed by AirAsia Thailand (TAA) with 4.64 million at 89%, AirAsia Philippines (PAA) with 1.63 million at 91% and AirAsia Indonesia (IAA) with 1.52 million at 84%.

    MAA used 66 aircraft to fly 40,385 stages, TAA used 44 to fly 28,475, PAA used 15 to fly 9,921, and IAA used 21 to fly 10,119. IAA had the longest average stage length of 1,433 kilometers (890 miles), followed by MAA, TAA and PAA with 908 kilometers (564 miles).

    Summarising the quarter, Capital A said the domestic performance was incredibly strong and the international market remained buoyant with favorable load factors. It added that more aircraft have now been allocated to international routes in response to the strong resurgence in demand.

    Capital A has three businesses in its Aviation services segment: Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), Santan and Ground Team Red (GTR), which each supply services to the operating airlines and external customers. ADE is the maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in the region.

    In 2Q, it completed 22 base maintenance checks, up from 12 in the same period last year, which was made possible by adding two additional maintenance lines in Senai, Malaysia. Its line maintenance activities grew by 179% year-on-year, with 98% performed on narrowbody aircraft and just 2% on widebodies.

    Santan is the group’s inflight service provider, selling 4.8 million units in 2Q, up 189% YoY. Among those, 98% were perishable and non-perishable food and beverage items, with the balance from sales of duty-free and merchandise products. Capital A said the surge in demand was directly attributable to the increase in flight frequencies and the higher number of passengers carried by the group’s airlines.

    GTR is the group’s affiliated ground handling services company, and in 2Q, it managed 37,000 flights, of which 94% were AirAsia branded, and handled 5.7 million passengers. GTR also managed 16,787 tonnes of cargo, up 39% YoY due to the increased belly hold capacity as more flights operated on domestic and international routes.

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  • Gold prices decline

    Gold prices decline

    SJC gold price fell 0.22% to VND67.1 million ($2,833.91) per tael Wednesday morning.

    Gold ring price gained 0.09% to VND57.05 million per tael. A tael equals 37.5 grams or 1.2 ounces.

    Globally gold struggled for momentum on Wednesday as traders refrained from making big bets ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy decision due later in the day.

    Spot gold inched 0.1% lower to $1,963.59 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures edged 0.1% higher to $1,965.30.

    “Broader markets are looking for an extended rate pause through the rest of the year, while Fed officials could push back by leaving the door open for one more hike in September or November,” said Yeap Jun Rong, a market strategist at IG.

    While most traders see rates holding in the 5.25%-5.5% range in 2023, 35% see a chance for another 25 basis-point hike in November, according to CME’s Fedwatch tool.

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  • ChatGPT app for Android is now officially available on the Play Store

    ChatGPT app for Android is now officially available on the Play Store

    Chat GPT, the revolutionary AI-powered chatbot, has been making headlines in the tech world for its ability to simulate human-like conversations through the use of its advanced language model. Although initially the most popular way to use the tool was via its official website, it soon became obvious that its users wanted to take Chat GPT with them on the go with the convenience of just launching a mobile app rather than a browser.

    This became half a reality when OpenAI, the AI research company that developed Chat GPT, released an app for iOS devices. When the iOS version was released, OpenAI promised that an app for Android was soon to follow.
    Two months later, OpenAI followed its promise and opened pre-registrations for Android users interested in installing the app. Once registered, the app was to install on your phone automatically once it was available.

    Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait long as the app is now fully available on the Google Play Store with its listing stating that “This official app is free, syncs your history across devices, and brings you the newest model improvements from OpenAI. With ChatGPT in your pocket.” This is great news for those that already use Chat GPT on their desktops and would like to have their chat history available everywhere.

    Just as with the iOS app, ChatGPT Plus subscribers will have exclusive access to the next-gen GPT-4 language model, early access to features, and faster response times. Free subscribers, however, will be using OpenAI’s standard GPT-3.5 language model.
    In addition to the new official app, Android and iOS users alike have the option to utilize the ChatGPT chatbot through the Bing app, which now offers a Bing Chat widget that can be conveniently added to their mobile device’s home screen. Your move Google.
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