NEW YORK (AFP) – United Airlines reported another quarterly loss on Wednesday on the lingering drag from COVID-19 but offered an upbeat outlook on a travel comeback later in 2022 and in future years.
The United States (US) carrier acknowledged that it is beginning 2022 “with a scaled-back schedule” following the latest uptick in virus cases, but will “nimbly ramp up” capacity later in the year, according to a news release.
“While Omicron is impacting near-term demand, we remain optimistic about the spring and excited about the summer and beyond,” said United Chief Executive Scott Kirby.
United reported a fourth-quarter (Q4) loss of USD646 million, about a third of the loss from the year-ago period, but far from the USD641 million profit in the 2019 period.
Revenues were USD8.2 billion, more than twice the level in 2020 but a 25-per-cent drop from the figure in the 2019 quarter.
United Airlines planes are parked at gates at Newark Liberty International Airport. PHOTO: AP
The period covered by the release started buoyantly, with airlines seeing increased bookings as Covid-19 vaccinations were rolled out and most of the US economy reopened.
But hopes dimmed later in the quarter as the Omicron variant surfaced as a major worry, prompting thousands of flight cancelations over the holidays because US carriers temporarily lost airline staff who were infected.
United projected its first-quarter capacity will be down 16 to 18 per cent compared to 2019 levels. It also expects 2022 capacity to be below the level of 2019.
Shares of United fell 1.4 per cent to USD43.79 in after-hours trading.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) – Accusing the United States (US) of hostility and threats, North Korea yesterday said it will consider restarting “all temporally-suspended activities” it had paused during its diplomacy with the Trump administration, in an apparent threat to resume testing of nuclear explosives and long-range missiles.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said leader Kim Jong-un presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party where officials set policy goals for “immediately bolstering” military capabilities to counter the Americans’ “hostile moves”.
Officials gave instructions to “reconsider in an overall scale the trust-building measures that we took on our own initiative… and to promptly examine the issue of restarting all temporally-suspended activities”, the KCNA said.
Experts said Kim is reviving an old playbook of brinkmanship to extract concessions from Washington and neighbours as he grapples with a decaying economy crippled by the pandemic, mismanagement and US-led sanctions over his nuclear ambitions. The North has been ramping up its weapons demonstrations recently, including four rounds of missile launches, in an apparent effort to pressure Washington over a prolonged freeze in nuclear diplomacy.
The North’s Foreign Ministry had already warned of stronger action after the Biden administration last week imposed fresh sanctions over its continued missile tests. The UN Security Council scheduled a closed-door meeting yesterday to discuss North Korea and non-proliferation matters.
People watch North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a news programme at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. PHOTO: AP
Brunei Darussalam yesterday registered a total of 36 new COVID-19 cases comprising 20 local and 16 imported cases, said the Ministry of Health in a statement.
Forty-four cases have recovered, bringing the number of active cases to 370. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stands at 16,022. The new cases were detected through 2,782 laboratory tests carried out in the last 24 hours, making infection rate at 1.3 per cent.
The bed occupancy rate at isolation centres nationwide is 9.3 per cent. One Category 4 case needs oxygen assistance and is under close monitoring.
As of January 19, 94.7 per cent of the total population had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 93.8 per cent had received two doses.
A total of 35.3 per cent of the population have received a booster shot.
No violations were detected yesterday during the daily movement restriction from midnight to 4am.
SYDNEY (XINHUA) – Australian consumers’ pent-up desires to spend big in December were dampened by the arrival of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, according to figures released by the nation’s largest bank yesterday.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) Household Spending Intentions (HSI) Index rose by 2.5 per cent last month, the highest level since the HSI began in July 2017, with the biggest gains being in the travel, transport and retail sectors.
The CBA said that Christmas trading was boosted by the lifting of restrictions, which had been imposed during the nation’s Delta variant outbreaks.
CBA economists believed that the spending surge was also fuelled by the household savings accumulated during the earlier stages of the pandemic which had reached about AUD260 billion (about USD188 billion) at the end of December.
Senior economist Belinda Allen said the household spending data for December showed a sustained recovery from the Delta lockdowns, although increasing numbers of people isolated due to Omicron had impacted spending in January.
“The boost in the travel and transport sectors reflects increased mobility around the country in last December,” Allen said.
“Domestic tourism, such as driving holidays, lifted spending, but we continued to see reduced air travel due to availability.”
A woman walks along a pedestrian street in Canberra. PHOTO: XINHUA
Allen noted that the new variant was impacting the economy, saying, “We can see from our high frequency credit and debit card data there appears to be a fall in spending in January, with spending on services more impacted than goods spending.”
CBA economist Stephen Wu said consumer spending had already dropped in January due to the latest spikes in COVID-19 cases.
“Our assessment is that the surge in cases over the past three weeks has resulted in around three per cent less spending over the period than would otherwise have been the case,” Wu said.
“With many people in isolation, we have seen spending on services slow sharply. However, spending on goods has held up well. Online spending growth remains firm, while in-store spending is a little lower.”
Wu said spending on alcohol consumed outside the home had also fallen, although spending on eating out had been broadly steady.
“Given the number of COVID-19 cases, spending on medical and healthcare has been strong over recent weeks,” Wu said.
Porsche is launching a new platinum edition of selected Cayenne models. This special-edition of the SUV is characterised by exclusive coordinated design elements in a satin platinum paint finish as well as by extra standard equipment.
The result is a particularly stylish appearance coupled with an attractive price. Platinum editions of the Cayenne, Cayenne E-Hybrid and Cayenne S are available, as well as the corresponding Coupé variants.
The refined and exclusive appearance of the Cayenne Platinum Edition is characterised by numerous model-specific details in satin-finish Platinum.
The inlays in the slats of the air intakes at the front, the Porsche lettering integrated in the LED rear light strip, the model designation at the rear and the standard 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, which are reserved exclusively for the Platinum Edition, are all painted in this colour.
Sport tailpipes and side window trims in black further emphasise the sporty, elegant look of the special series.
The new Cayenne platinum editionA stylishly designed interior
Matching solid colours in white and black, metallic paint finishes in Jet Black, Carrara White, Mahogany, Moonlight Blue and the special colour Crayon are available.
In the stylishly designed interior, Crayon seat belts and brushed aluminium door entry sills with the ‘Platinum Edition’ logo add a special touch, as do the textured aluminium interior package and silver-coloured trims.
The Cayenne Platinum Edition also comes with extended equipment as standard. This includes LED headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), the panoramic roof system, privacy glass, a Bose®, surround-sound system, ambient lighting, eight-way leather sports seats, the Porsche Crest on the front and rear headrests, and an analogue clock on the dashboard.
Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur also offers a wide range of refinement options for the interior and exterior – from selective changes to extensive modifications.
BERLIN (AP) – Germany’s health minister expects the number of coronavirus infections in the country to keep rising for several weeks before peaking next month.
Karl Lauterbach told German public broadcaster ZDF late Wednesday that “the wave will reach its peak roughly in mid-February”.
Lauterbach warned that while hospitalisation rates are currently low, clinics could see a severe strain in the coming weeks, noting that the share of people over 50 who aren’t vaccinated is significantly higher in Germany than in other European countries, such as Italy and Britain.
Germany’s disease control agency reported 133,536 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and 234 deaths.
Omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than the previous Delta variant, according to studies. Omicron spreads even more easily than other coronavirus strains, and has already become dominant in many countries. It also more easily infects those who have been vaccinated or had previously been infected by prior versions of the virus.
People rush to a train at a subway station in Frankfurt, Germany. PHOTO: AP
Beginning January 1, the Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Municipal Department initiated a food truck programme along the popular spot for recreational activities in Jalan Residency to enliven the city centre.
Located in the empty space between the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Centre and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha (RIPAHS) Bridge facing the scenic water village, the food truck programme is on trial until March.
For a start, the municipal department has given permits to five food truck operators, with each given a space equivalent to two parking spots to operate daily from 4-8pm.
The move piqued my interest so I headed there to talk with to the vendors.
Syarikat Al-Taib – Greenwheel Food Truck Manager Mohd Izan Azwan bin Mohd Yayha expressed appreciation to the municipal department for the support and the move reflected creativity and innovation in line with the rapid change of time.
“I believe our presence here adds value to the existing infrastructure and will provide more life to the city’s atmosphere, particularly in the evenings, by drawing domestic and international tourists,” he said.
Food trucks and customers at the recreational area. PHOTOS: LYNA MOHAMADABOVE & BELOW: Pengiran Shahminan bin Pengiran Haji Besar; and Abdul Mutalib bin Haji Yahya at their food trucks
Mohd Izan shared that he opened a food truck business in last May, starting with popular kolo mee and nasi ayam penyet. However, with the new location, he decided to expands his menu to shawarma, kebab, roti John, lok lok and mango shake.
The COVID-19 outbreak has affected his live-cooking business. In an attempt to bounce back from the losses, he had set up his food truck in popular places such as beaches.
The current spot at Jalan Residency has turned out to be boon for the business.
Responses have been encouraging, not only from individuals engaging in fitness activities but also passers-by strolling along the waterfront.
Another operator, Suria binti Haji Muhammad Hussein, expressed her gratitude to the municipal department for the opportunity. The boost to her business has helped to ease the financial burden of paying for the food truck.
“It is a good move by the government to provide a platform for food truck operators as not only does it give us the opportunity to run our business legally, but it also create buzz in the area.”
Suria added that her family began selling cold chocolate drinks two months ago using a stop-go method. They settled on a fixed location since January 1, following the provision by the municipal department for food truck activities in the area.
“Since then, the feedback has been encouraging, Alhamdulillah.”
Meanwhile, owner of Bro Long Abdul Mutalib bin Haji Yahya also applauded the move by the municipal department.
“This fired up our spirit to get back on our feet and resumed our business that was halted due to the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak. We have been in business for about five years and chose this line of business because we can move between strategic spots and Alhamdulillah business have been promising and it is good to see a new atmosphere at a popular spot.”
The owner shared that it was initially difficult to obtain a permit and find a strategic place to run the business.
While there were places for rent, they tended to be too expensive for a small business, he added.
Abdul Mutalib expressed his gratitude for having a spot along Jalan Residensy as it is spacious enough for customers to practise social distancing while waiting for their orders.
Another vendor sharing his views was Pengiran Shahminan bin Pengiran Haji Besar, who applauded the municipal department for providing an opportunity for entrepreneurs to generate income, particularly during the Endemic Phase.
“I ventured into this food truck business less than two months ago, and it has been an interesting journey. Of course there have been challenges along the way but I am confident that this will be a successful business, Insya Allah. “Responses from visitors have been encouraging in the past few days and many of them welcome the presence of food trucks, especially those who frequent with their children and family,” added Pengiran Shahminan.
The vendors are participating on a three-month trial basis without any fees. Operators are only required to have healthy, fully vaccinated workers that maintain cleanliness of the area.
Boustead Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Nissan cars in the Sultanate welcomed the new year with an exclusive preview event for members of Brunei Nissan Terra Club, at Nissan Beribi Showroom on January 2.
Nissan Assistant Sales Manager Haji Shahrum bin Haji Jaafar and representative of the Brunei Nissan Terra Club Nazreen unveiled the new Nissan Terra.
According to a press release, the new Terra boasts a new superior interior and exterior design to deliver best-in-class safety, entertainment and premium features for family adventures.
Available in two variants – 2WD high grade and 4WD premium grade – the Nissan Terra is powered by a 2.5L turbocharged diesel engine with a maximum power of 188HP and a maximum torque of 450Nm, which gives the best acceleration performance, with a smooth yet powerful drive.
The new Nissan Terra also features a nine-inch AIVI system for the premium grade that offers advanced navigation systems and entertainment applications that keep drivers fully connected.
Brunei Nissan Terra Club members in a group photo. PHOTO: BOUSTED SDN BHD
The premium grade is also equipped with Bose Premium Audio which gives the best-in-class surround system and an 11-inch rear roof monitor to entertain passengers in the rear seats.
Meanwhile, the premium SUV also underwent an exterior re-design, offering an elegant appearance with the addition of the new Quad LED projector headlights with LED daytime running lights and rear LED tail lamps.
Its safety feature is further enhanced with Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies including an Intelligent Around View Monitor which shows a 360-degrees bird’s eye view of the car for easier parking especially in tight parking spaces.
Hill Start Assist helps to manage steep inclines and hill ascents, preventing the car from rolling backwards. As for the Hill Descent Control, the technology helps the car go down steep hills by adjusting the speed and brake pressure to help the driver cruise along safely.
Haji Shahrum said the event also aimed to foster a closer relationship between club members and Nissan Brunei as part of its customer relationship programme.
NEW YORK (AP) – Amazon says it plans to open a clothing store in a Southern California mall later this year, a first for the online behemoth and a fresh challenge for already struggling traditional retailers.
Amazon said yesterday that the store, which will sell women’s and men’s clothing as well as shoes and other accessories, will open at the Americana at Brand mall in Glendale, California.
Shoppers will get personalised recommendations pushed to their phones as they browse the new Amazon Style store stocked mostly non-Amazon fashion labels, the Seattle based company said. Amazon declined to offer any more details on the labels.
The store will be about 30,000 square feet, similar in size to a Kohl’s but about one-third the size of other department stores, like Macy’s. But it will offer more than double the number of styles as traditional stores do because it will show one of each style on display while keeping the rest in the back room. The selection is chosen by Amazon curators who also use feedback provided by millions of customers shopping on Amazon.com.
The store concept is likely to add more strain on the already challenged traditional clothing sellers, particularly department stores that have been scrambling to adapt to shoppers’ shift to online shopping that has been accelerated during the pandemic.
Managing director of Amazon Style Simoina Vasen declined to comment on rollout plans of the new store concept or sales projections. Amazon didn’t give a precise date for the opening of the Glendale store.
A mock-up of Amazon Style store concept. PHOTO: AP
The move is the latest foray in physical stores for Amazon, which has been opening grocery stores, cashierless convenience locations and book stores. In 2017, it bought Whole Foods Market for more than USD13 billion.
Amazon’s move into physical fashion stores comes as it unseated Walmart’s number one spot in clothing sales last year, helped by the pandemic-induced e-commerce explosion. Wells Fargo forecast in a report in March 2021 that Amazon’s clothing and footwear sales in the United States (US) increased by about 15 per cent in 2020 to more than USD41 billion.
That’s about 20 per cent to 25 per cent above Walmart. That represents 11 per cent to 12 per cent share of all clothing sold in the US and 34 per cent to 35 per cent share of all clothing sold online.
Amazon has been making a big push into fashion in recent years, including selling its own labels, and in September 2020, it launched an online shop called Luxury Stores.
Still, Amazon faces challenges in attracting the fickle fashion shopper and hopes to solve the pitfalls of in-store clothing shopping by turning to high tech features.
Upon entering the Amazon Style store, shoppers will see a curated set of items on display.
By using the Amazon Shopping app, shoppers can scan an item’s QR code to see sizes, colours and overall customer ratings. Shoppers can add these items to fitting rooms or, if they don’t need to try something on, they can send it directly to the pickup counter. Prices will range from USD10 to USD400.
Amazon says its algorithms will spit out real-time recommendations as shoppers keep scanning items that they see. Shoppers can also fill out an online survey of their preferences for style and fit. When shoppers enter the fitting room, they will find the items they requested. Using a touchscreen in their fitting rooms, they can also request other items.
“Amazon Style completely reimagines what’s possible in the fitting room, turning it into a personalised space where customers can continue to shop a seemingly endless closet of great styles,” Vasen wrote in an Amazon blog.
MOSCOW (AP) – Russia accused the West yesterday of plotting “provocations” in Ukraine even as it blames Moscow of planning aggressive military action in the neighbouring country.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova alleged that Ukrainian and Western claims of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine were a “cover for staging large-scale provocations of their own, including those of military character”.
“They may have extremely tragic consequences for the regional and global security,” Zakharova said.
She pointed to the delivery of weapons to Ukraine by British military transport planes in recent days, claiming that Ukraine perceives Western military assistance as a “carte blanche for a military operation in Donbas”.
Donbas, located in eastern Ukraine, is under control of Russia-backed separatists who have fought Ukrainian forces for nearly eight years, a conflict that has killed more than 14,000 people.
Ukraine said earlier this week that it has taken the delivery of anti-tank missiles from the United Kingdom (UK) It has rejected Moscow’s claims that it plans an offensive to reclaim control of separatist-held areas in the country’s eastern industrial heartland.
A convoy of Russian armoured vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea. PHOTO: AP
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s government, the United States (US) and its NATO allies have expressed intensifying concerns in recent weeks over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine. The concentration of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fuelled Western fears that Moscow is poised to attack its neighbour.
US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he thinks Russia will invade Ukraine and warned President Vladimir Putin that his country would pay a “dear price” in lives lost and a possible cutoff from the global banking system if it does.
Moscow has repeatedly denied having plans to launch an offensive. But it has sought a set of security guarantees from the West that would exclude NATO’s expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations and the deployment of the alliance weapons there.
Washington and its allies firmly rejected Moscow’s demands in security talks last weeks, but kept the door open to possible further talks on arms control and confidence-building measures to reduce the potential for hostilities.
Amid the tensions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ukraine Wednesday to reassure it of Western support. He travelled to Berlin yesterday to meet with his British, French and German counterparts to discuss Ukraine and other security matters.
Blinken delivered a speech on the Ukraine crisis in the German capital before flying on to Geneva, Switzerland, where he will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today.
