TURKCIMENTO Calls for Level Ground on CBAM as Default Values Push Turkish Exporters to the Margin

24/03/2026

The Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association (TURKCIMENTO) has released a statement addressing the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), following omnibus legislative amendments published by the European Commission on 17 October 2025 and implementing regulations that entered into force in December 2025.

The Association identifies a gap at the centre of CBAM’s current approach to Turkish imports. Turkey’s cement industry collects emissions data through national monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems that are structured around EU methodology and produce verified, plant-level records. CBAM does not accept this data. Instead, it applies default emission values that significantly overstate the actual carbon output of Turkish producers. TURKCIMENTO warns that this discrepancy gives CBAM the character of a non-tariff trade barrier rather than a carbon pricing mechanism.

“Priority of the Turkish cement sector is the meticulous preparation and verification of emission reports within the scope of CBAM. However, any problems in the verification process of actual values would turn the gap between actual and default values into a serious financial burden,” said Volkan Bozay, CEO of TURKCIMENTO.

“When this difference is calculated based on current EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) prices, it increases the carbon cost per ton of clinker from approximately €20 to €80. The resulting amount even exceeds the average unit price of products exported to the EU, directly threatening the economic sustainability of exports.”

CBAM could affect EU consumers

“The Turkish cement sector has been operating within a monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system aligned with the EU since 2015. Low-emission dry-process kilns are used at all our facilities, and our actual emission performance is well below the default values. As no country-specific default value has been defined for Türkiye, the application of the highest emission coefficients under the ‘other countries’ category places our sector at an unfair disadvantage,” Bozay explained.

“The actual data declared by our members exporting to the EU during the CBAM transition period in Türkiye show that emissions for grey cement clinker are at the level of 0.88 tCO₂/ton. In contrast, the default value used for Türkiye under EU legislation is 1.551 tCO₂/ton. This difference leads to additional costs that do not reflect actual emission performance.”

“In its current form, CBAM could increase costs that will ultimately be reflected in final product prices, affecting EU consumers as well. Activating verification capacity on time and revising default values realistically is therefore critical. Otherwise, the mechanism may risk conflicting with the fundamental principles of the Customs Union,” Bozay added.

Offsetting Indirect Emissions by Renewable Energy

Bozay also drew attention to some technical issues that need to be clarified in practice:

“Our sector is focused on increasing the use of renewable electricity. However, for a small-to-medium-sized cement plant to fully meet its own consumption from renewable energy, a solar power plant capacity of approximately 50–70 MW is required. Making an investment of this size within or immediately adjacent to the factory site and connecting it directly is often not technically feasible.

Therefore, producers have to realize their renewable energy investments at different locations. Within the scope of CBAM, there is need for clear rules that will allow these investments and the declared actual production data to be recognized in indirect emission TURKCIMENTO.”

TURKCIMENTO Shares Proposed Solutions: “CBAM Shouldn’t Turn into a Trade Barrier”

Volkan Bozay also shared the solutions proposed by TURKCIMENTO:

“To prevent CBAM from becoming a de facto trade barrier, national values based on EU-aligned MRV data should be used instead of general ‘Other Countries’ default values. Until the verification infrastructure becomes fully operational, actual emission data should be taken as the basis and disproportionate financial burdens should be avoided.

Otherwise, as a system that fails to distinguish between low-carbon production and the most carbon-intensive production, CBAM will not effectively support low-carbon manufacturing and may instead function as a non-tariff technical barrier.

In this regard, it is also crucial to clarify the secondary regulations and technical aspects of the EU’s internal legislation related to accreditation processes as soon as possible, including the final list of organizations accredited under CBAM, which has not yet been fully defined in practice.”

Aquamania Jungle Park at Rixos Radamis Sharm El Sheikh Is Open for Guests

Elliot Preece

24/03/2026

Rixos Radamis Sharm El Sheikh has opened Aquamania Jungle Park, adding a fully equipped aquapark to the hotel’s Red Sea resort as part of its Premium Ultra All-Inclusive offer.

The park runs across 35,000 square metres and contains 28 waterslides. Dedicated children’s zones sit within the park, and the Ride House splash area provides a separate space for the youngest guests.

The park leads with the 350-metre Water Coaster, its longest and most prominent ride. A tubing ride using Hive Technology also operates on site, a system that no other property in the Middle East currently runs.

Throughout the day, guests can use the park’s food court and kiosks for meals and refreshments. The catering is spread across the site so guests can eat and rest without leaving the park at any stage.

Access to the aquapark comes as part of the hotel’s Ultra All-Inclusive package. Guests pay a single rate that covers their room, all food and drink, and full use of the park for the duration of their stay.

“The opening of Aquamania Jungle Park represents an exciting new chapter for Rixos Radamis Sharm El Sheikh and for family entertainment in the region,” said Erkan Yildirim, CEO of Rixos Hotels Egypt. “Our goal is always to elevate the guest experience by combining world-class hospitality with innovative attractions. This aquapark offers something truly special, making every stay even more memorable within our Ultra All-Inclusive concept.”

With Aquamania Jungle Park now operational, Rixos Hotels adds a significant facility to its Egyptian portfolio and contributes to Sharm El Sheikh’s continued growth as a Red Sea family resort.

Mastering Day Trading Futures: The Complete Guide to Intraday Markets

Claire James

23/03/2026

What is day trading futures?

Day trading futures is a highly active, short-term derivatives trading strategy where traders buy and sell contracts within the same session to profit from intraday price movements. This speculative investment method utilizes leveraged financial instruments to provide outsized returns on small intraday margins, requiring extreme psychological discipline, precise timing, and advanced market visualization tools to navigate successfully.

Intraday market trading explained

For traders looking to step away from the slow, grinding pace of traditional stock investing, the futures market offers an unparalleled arena of liquidity, volatility, and leverage. Unlike the broader stock market, which is often bogged down by thousands of individual tickers, day trading futures allows you to laser-focus on pure macroeconomic movement.

Whether you are trading the technology sector, energy markets, or precious metals, intraday futures trading is widely considered the ultimate testing ground for active day traders. However, it is an unforgiving environment. To survive and thrive in this space, you must move beyond basic candlestick patterns and understand the raw mechanics of order flow. This comprehensive guide will break down the contract specifications, capital requirements, strategic executions, and the elite software platforms required to dominate short-term derivatives trading.

1. Introduction: The Mechanics of Intraday Futures Trading

Before deploying capital, it is critical to understand what you are actually trading. When you participate in futures market day trading, you are not buying a physical asset or a share of a company. You are trading a standardized legal contract.

A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset at a predetermined price on a specific future date. However, as an intraday day trader, your goal is never to take physical delivery of 1,000 barrels of crude oil or a vault of gold bars. Instead, you are participating in a speculative investment method where you buy and sell these contracts strictly for the cash difference before the daily trading session closes.

The Double-Edged Sword: Leveraged Financial Instruments

The primary draw of day trading commodity futures and equity indices is the massive leverage they provide. Futures are heavily leveraged financial instruments, meaning you only need to put down a small percentage of the contract’s total notional value to control the entire asset.

This is facilitated through two types of margin:

Initial Margin (Overnight Margin): The amount of capital required by the exchange to hold a futures contract overnight. For the S&P 500, this can be upwards of $13,000 to $20,000 per contract depending on current market volatility.
Intraday Margin (Day Trading Margin): To encourage high liquidity, brokers drastically reduce the margin requirement if you promise to close your position before the trading day ends. For example, while the overnight margin on an S&P 500 contract might be $13,000, your broker may only require $400 to $500 of intraday margin to let you trade that exact same contract during regular market hours.

While this extreme capital efficiency allows retail traders to make substantial profits with a small account, it is a double-edged sword. If the market moves against you by even a few points, you can lose your entire $500 margin deposit in a matter of seconds. Therefore, strict risk management and precise active trading strategies are mandatory.

2. Clarifying Your Setup: Customizing Your Approach

The futures market is vast. Attempting to trade every single contract is a guaranteed recipe for failure. The most successful professionals specialize in just one or two markets. To refine your edge, ask yourself the following clarification questions:

Are you focusing on indices, commodities, or currencies? Equity indices (like the S&P 500 or Nasdaq) move based on corporate earnings and interest rates. Commodities (like crude oil or gold) move based on geopolitical events, supply chain disruptions, and inflation data.
Are you interested in scalping or trend following? Scalping requires lightning-fast reflexes and advanced order flow software to capture small 2-to-4 tick moves dozens of times a day. Trend following requires immense patience, holding a position for hours to capture a massive 50-point directional swing.
Do you want to know about micro or standard contracts? A standard E-mini contract pays out heavily per point of movement, but carries massive risk. A Micro contract is exactly 1/10th the size, offering the perfect training ground for beginners.
What is your preferred trading platform? The execution platform you choose will dictate the speed of your fills and the quality of your charting data.

3. The Battlefield: Identifying the Most Liquid Futures Markets

Liquidity is the lifeblood of day trading futures. You must trade markets where thousands of participants are constantly buying and selling, ensuring you can enter and exit trades instantly without suffering severe slippage. Here is a breakdown of the best futures contracts for day trading.

Day Trading E-mini S&P 500 Futures (ES)

The ES is the undisputed king of the futures market. It tracks the S&P 500 index and offers the deepest liquidity of any intraday instrument in the world.

Point Value: $50 per point (divided into four “ticks” worth $12.50 each).
Intraday Margin: Typically $400 to $500 per contract.
Behavior: The ES is highly technical. It respects traditional support and resistance levels beautifully and is the preferred market for large institutional algorithms.

NQ Futures (Nasdaq 100)

If the ES is a steady cruiser, the NQ is a high-speed sports car. It tracks the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index and is notorious for its explosive volatility.

Point Value: $20 per point (divided into four “ticks” worth $5.00 each).
Intraday Margin: Typically $800 to $1,000 per contract.
Behavior: The NQ can move 50 points in the blink of an eye. It requires a wider stop-loss and an iron stomach, making it better suited for experienced traders running momentum breakouts.

Day Trading Crude Oil Futures (CL)

Energy markets offer incredible opportunities for traders who follow global macroeconomic news. Day trading crude oil futures on NinjaTrader or similar specialized futures platforms is incredibly popular due to the asset’s distinct trend days.

Point Value: $1,000 per point (divided into 100 “ticks” worth $10.00 each).
Intraday Margin: Typically $1,000 to $1,500 per contract.
Behavior: Crude oil is highly reactive to weekly inventory reports and OPEC announcements. When oil trends, it trends hard, rarely looking back to offer late entrants a clean pullback.

The Power of Micro Contracts

For beginners, the absolute best innovation in recent years has been the introduction of Micro contracts (MES, MNQ, MCL, MGC).

A Micro Gold futures intraday scalp (MGC), for example, allows a trader to execute real money trades on the gold market with a margin requirement of roughly $230, risking only $1.00 per tick instead of $10.00. This allows new traders to learn derivatives market analysis in a live environment without the risk of blowing up their entire account on a single mistake.

4. Tactical Execution: Futures Day Trading Strategies for Beginners to Pros

Once you have selected your battlefield and understand the margin requirements for intraday futures, you need a repeatable strategy. A strategy is not a guess; it is a statistical framework used to exploit recurring market behavior.

NQ Futures Price Action Strategy: The Initial Balance Breakout

Because the NQ is highly volatile, it often establishes a clear directional bias early in the morning. An effective NQ futures price action strategy relies on identifying the “Initial Balance”—the highest and lowest price points established during the first 60 minutes of the regular trading session (9:30 AM to 10:30 AM EST).

Identify the Range: Mark the high and low of the first hour of trading.
Wait for the Break: Wait for a 5-minute candlestick to aggressively close completely outside of this range.
Confirm with Volume: The breakout must be accompanied by a massive spike in aggressive buying or selling volume.
Execute and Manage: Enter the trade in the direction of the breakout, placing a stop-loss just inside the original 60-minute range. The target is typically a 1:2 risk-to-reward ratio, capitalizing on the institutional momentum that caused the breakout.

The Micro Gold Futures Intraday Scalp: Fading the Extremes

Gold (GC / MGC) is an excellent market for scalping because it often consolidates in tight ranges while waiting for major US dollar or inflation news.

Identify the Box: Find an intraday period where gold has bounced between a specific support and resistance level at least twice.
Fade the False Breakout: Retail traders often place their stop-losses just above resistance. Institutional algorithms know this. When the price pokes slightly above resistance to trigger those stops, watch the order flow. If the aggressive buying dries up instantly, execute a short scalp, anticipating the price to slam back down into the middle of the range.

5. The Ultimate Edge: Why Bookmap is the Premier Futures Trading Tool

If you want to transition from a beginner to a consistently profitable professional in the futures market, you have to acknowledge a harsh reality: standard candlestick charts are essentially lagging indicators. They show you where the market has been, but they do not show you where the market is going. To predict future price movement, you need to see the actual liquidity—the resting limit orders waiting to be filled.

When it comes to real-time order flow and market depth visualization, Bookmap is widely regarded as one of, if not the absolute best futures trading platforms available on the market today.

Visualizing the Invisible

While traditional platforms offer a standard Level 2 DOM (Depth of Market), it is merely a flashing column of numbers that is nearly impossible for the human brain to track over time. Bookmap entirely revolutionizes derivatives market analysis by projecting the limit order book directly onto your chart as a highly visual, color-coded heatmap.

Instead of guessing if a support level will hold, Bookmap allows you to see massive, bright red bands of institutional limit orders resting at specific price points. You can physically watch large players build walls of liquidity to trap retail traders, or pull their orders at the last second to let the price crash through.

Unmatched Online Reviews and Community Consensus

The reputation of Bookmap in the day trading community is stellar. If you look at the Bookmap online reviews across professional forums and consumer advocacy sites like Trustpilot, it currently boasts an “Excellent” rating, which is incredibly rare for complex trading software.

A “Weapon for Serious Traders”: Across multiple Trustpilot reviews, users frequently describe Bookmap as a “game-changing platform.” Reviewers explicitly highlight its ability to visualize exactly what was previously hidden: algorithmic spoofing, iceberg orders (massive orders broken into smaller, hidden pieces), and aggressive market absorption.
The Best Education: Beyond the raw technology, Bookmap is heavily praised in online reviews for its built-in educational community, specifically the “Trader’s Lab.” Users consistently note that the live instruction provided by experts on the platform bridges the gap between buying a sophisticated tool and actually knowing how to use it to extract profit from the market.
Exposing Market Mechanics: One of the most dangerous aspects of intraday futures market trading is algorithmic spoofing—where high-frequency bots flash fake liquidity to manipulate retail traders into buying or selling. Because Bookmap records the historical order book at 40 frames per second, these spoofing algorithms leave a glaring, undeniable visual trail. Reviewers frequently state that without Bookmap, they would still be falling for these traps daily.

The Final Verdict on Software

Whether you are trading the E-mini S&P 500 or scalping crude oil, flying blind without order flow is a severe disadvantage. The community consensus, backed by hundreds of verified online reviews, proves that Bookmap is the premier platform for visualizing the auction market. It translates the chaotic noise of thousands of transactions into a clear, actionable video game-like interface, giving you the definitive edge required to succeed in short-term futures contracts trading.

When a Secured Business Loan Makes Sense

Claire James

17/03/2026

Cash flow pressure doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it’s a VAT bill landing before a big customer pays, or a growth opportunity that needs stock upfront.

The tricky bit is that the “right” funding option depends less on what you want to do, and more on how predictable your repayments will be. A secured business loan can be a sensible, grown-up tool in the right hands. Used in the wrong situation, it can turn a manageable squeeze into a long-term headache.

The Real Trade-Off: Speed, Cost And Control

A lot of business owners start with one question: “How fast can I get the money?” That’s fair, but speed isn’t the whole story.

With secured business lending, you’re usually trading some flexibility for a sharper rate and a bigger potential loan size. With unsecured business lending, you might get a faster decision and fewer strings attached, but often at a higher cost and with tighter affordability checks.

And the wider backdrop matters. The Bank of England base rate rose from 0.1% in 2020 to 5.25% by 2023, which fed through into the cost of borrowing across the market. At the same time, ONS reported CPI inflation peaking at 11.1% in October 2022, which squeezed margins for a lot of SMEs. In plain English: funding is more expensive than it used to be, and lenders are more cautious.

What A Secured Business Loan Actually Is

A secured business loan is borrowing where the lender takes security against an asset. That asset might be:

Commercial property (owned by the business)
A personal property (often via a personal guarantee and a legal charge)
Other assets, depending on the facility

Security doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be approved, and it doesn’t make repayments optional. It means the lender has a route to recover money if things go wrong, which can reduce their risk and sometimes improve the terms on offer.

It’s also why you should slow down and think it through. You’re not just choosing a rate, you’re choosing what you’re willing to put on the line.

When It Makes Sense

You’re Funding Something With A Long Payback

If you’re buying premises, doing a major refurbishment, or investing in equipment that pays back over years, a longer-term secured facility can be a good match.

The key word is “match”. A five-year loan for an asset that generates value for five years is easier to live with than short-term finance that needs repaying before the benefit shows up.

You’re Refinancing Expensive Or Messy Debt

If you’ve built up multiple repayments (cash advance, credit cards, short-term loans), it can be hard to see what’s actually affordable.

In some cases, consolidating onto one secured facility with a longer term can reduce monthly pressure, even if the total cost over the full term needs careful thought. This is where you want to run the numbers rather than go with gut feel.

Your Business Is Solid But The Loan Size Needs Security

Plenty of good businesses fall into the “too big for unsecured, too small for big-bank comfort” gap.

If the business is trading well and you’ve got a clear use for funds, security can help unlock a loan size that would otherwise be difficult, especially when lender criteria tighten. British Business Bank routinely highlights how access to finance for the UK’s roughly 5.5 million SMEs depends heavily on credit appetite and risk, not just business potential.

When It’s A Bad Idea

You’re Trying To Fix A Short-Term Cash Gap

A secured facility can take longer to arrange because valuations and legal work may be involved. If you need money next week to meet payroll, the timeline may not fit.

More importantly, using a long-term secured loan to patch a short-term working capital gap can be like pouring concrete into a pothole. It looks fixed, but it can restrict you later.

Your Revenue Is Unpredictable

If your turnover swings month to month, a fixed repayment can become a stress test.

You can’t “manage” a repayment you can’t reliably meet. In that scenario, flexible funding (or even operational changes like deposit policies and tighter credit control) might be safer than locking in a big monthly commitment.

You’d Regret The Security If Things Went Wrong

This is the uncomfortable bit, but it’s the honest bit.

If the security involves property, you need to be clear on the downside. If losing the asset would be catastrophic to your family or the business, it’s worth asking whether a smaller, unsecured option, a staged approach, or delaying the plan is the better call.

Secured vs Unsecured: Choosing The Right Tool

There’s no universal “best” option. It’s about fit: what you’re funding, how fast you need it, and what you can prove on paper.

Option	Features	Benefits	Typical Cost (Relative)
Secured term loan	Security against property/assets; usually longer terms	Potentially larger amounts; can reduce monthly payments by spreading term	Often lower than unsecured, but fees and legal costs may apply
Unsecured term loan	No asset security; relies on affordability and credit profile	Faster to arrange; less complexity	Often higher rates; smaller limits
Revolving credit / overdraft	Flexible drawdown and repayment; limits can change	Good for working capital swings	Variable; can become expensive if permanently utilised
Asset finance	Secured against the asset being financed (e.g. vehicle, equipment)	Matches funding to the asset; preserves cash	Varies by asset and term

If you’re weighing a secured business loan, a UK commercial finance adviser such as Funding Guru can help you sanity-check whether security is genuinely improving the deal, or just adding risk you don’t need.

The Questions Lenders Will Ask (So You Can Prepare)

Whether it’s secured or unsecured, lenders tend to care about the same fundamentals:

Affordability: can the business service the debt from trading profit, not optimism?
Evidence: management accounts, bank statements, tax filings, and a clear use of funds
Stability: time trading, customer concentration, and how “lumpy” revenue is
Credit profile: not just scores, but conduct (missed payments, CCJs, restructures)
Security details (if secured): asset value, existing charges, and ownership structure

If you prepare a simple narrative that ties the loan amount to a plan (and a repayment route), you make the lender’s job easier and improve your chances of getting terms you can live with.

A Practical Decision Checklist

Before you secure anything, slow down and run through this:

What exactly are you funding, and when does it pay back?
What happens if sales are 20% down for three months?
Is the loan replacing expensive debt, or adding more on top?
Have you compared the total cost, not just the headline rate?
Would you still take the deal if security wasn’t required?

If any answer makes you wince, that’s useful information. It doesn’t mean “don’t borrow”. It means adjust the amount, the term, or the product.

Conclusion

A secured business loan makes sense when you’re funding something durable, your repayments are predictable, and the security genuinely improves the deal. It’s a bad idea when it’s being used as a quick fix, or when the downside risk is out of proportion to the benefit.

If you take one thing away, let it be this: funding fit matters as much as funding speed. Get clear on the purpose, stress-test affordability, and choose a structure that supports the business you’re running, not the one you’re hoping to have next year.

The Top 5 AI Trends of 2026

John Richardson

16/03/2026

AI is evolving from just a tool we use to make our home, work and social lives easier into a part of everyday life and something that we will be able to rely on for more complex tasks. As AI gets more intelligent and continually expands more and more into daily life, we are looking at the top 5 predicted trends from AI in 2026.

Human in the Loop AI

Human-in-the-Loop AI is an approach we predict will become one of the biggest AI trends of 2026. It is the process of involving a human at the final stage of approval when training and using new AI tools. This approach has already been adopted by some companies that have seen better results from their AI, including fewer mistakes, as humans can provide feedback and correct the AI agent during training, leading to fewer mistakes in the long run and increased workflow. John Margerison, CEO of XFactorAi is a proponent that having a human in the Loop is a must to boost trust in AI. We believe that human-in-the-loop AI will become one of the key drivers of all AI growth in 2026.

AI Agents & Autonomous Systems

AI is evolving from the assistants we use at work into active agents that can plan and execute tasks. AI agents are no longer responding to single prompts; they will be able to handle complex tasks and operations, including coordinating processes. AI will grow from an additional tool we use to our own digital coworker, allowing individuals and smaller teams to do more with less, automating admin tasks whilst humans retain control of the strategy.

Multimodal and Context-Aware AI

AI is shifting towards a multimodal capacity which allows it to interpret text, images, data and video simultaneously. Meaning AI in 2026 will be able to listen to your instructions and comments on a piece of data whilst reading it and offer suggestions and notes on how it can be improved. AI in 2026 is also becoming more contextually aware, making it more personalised in areas such as healthcare and education, enabling it to develop an understanding of information across formats in one place.

AI Embedded into Products and Workflows

In 2026, AI is no longer going to be a standalone feature that requires the user to have a different tab open to use it; AI is going to become integrated within the products we use at work. This is already happening with programmes such as Microsoft Copilot, and by 2026, most major digital tools will have some form of AI assistance. Many businesses are already redesigning processes to integrate AI, take IMB CEO Arvind Krishna, who has focused on AI embedded in business operations through IBM Watson and Watsonx.

AI Governance and Regulation

As AI becomes more powerful and integrated into everyday life, we predict that governments in 2026 will focus heavily on regulating the industry and use of AI. Businesses are investing in transparency tools, bias-detection and explainability frameworks to reduce risk from government legislation, such as the EU AI Act, and ensure the rollout of AI meets ethical standards. Companies are also investing in these tools, as organisations perceived as responsible and trustworthy with AI are gaining customer confidence and increased revenue.

These were our top five predictions of trends that we believe will shape the AI landscape in 2026. With the rise of agents, AI will no longer need humans to be present at every step of a task, and these agents will take on more of the boring, day-to-day tasks that humans do. But there is increased demand for human-in-the-loop AI to ensure the rollout remains responsible and ethical. There will also be more scrutiny on AI companies from governments across the world to make sure that AI models are being trained in line with regulations and laws that have been agreed upon, something companies are already doing, as customers are becoming more drawn to companies that have a robust, honest AI policy and function.

WeShop begins UK campaign offering boosted ShareBack™ rewards

Elliot Preece

13/03/2026

The WeShop app now provides higher ShareBack™ rewards for purchases across hundreds of retailers
Users can gain equity in WeShop through shopping and referrals
The campaign highlights the company’s approach to community ownership in retail

WeShop Holdings Limited (“WeShop” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: WSHP) has begun its “Shopping Starts Here” campaign in the UK following its listing on Nasdaq. The campaign offers increased ShareBack™ rewards when users shop with a wide range of retailers through the WeShop app.

The initiative thanks long-standing users and invites new shoppers to the platform. Participants receive rewards when they shop, refer friends, or share product suggestions through the app. These activities support the ShareBack™ model, which links platform activity with equity ownership.

“WeShop was founded on a simple but powerful belief, that shoppers should share in the value they create,” said John Garner, Founder of WeShop. “‘Shopping Starts Here’ represents the next step in our mission to lead a retail revolution by transforming everyday shopping into shared ownership and returning meaningful value to the users who power it.”

The ShareBack™ system works differently from typical cashback programmes. The platform allocates part of its revenue to its members. Higher reward levels during the campaign aim to increase engagement and support platform growth.

About “Shopping Starts Here”

Starting today through June 30, 2026, both existing and new users in the UK can earn increased rates in WePoints from participating retailers and approved products through the WeShop app across popular categories including health & beauty, travel, fashion & accessories, tech & electronics, home & garden, pets, and more.

Through ShareBack™, users earn WePoints from both shopping and referrals. These rewards convert into ownership in WeShop, connecting everyday spending with long-term participation in the platform’s growth. WePoints are converted into ShareBack™ rewards, representing whole shares of WeShop (NASDAQ: WSHP).

WeShop invites residents in the UK to participate and benefit from “Shopping Starts Here”. The WeShop app is available free for download on the App Store and Google Play. Claim your WeShop username here — before someone else does.

About WeShop

WeShop Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: WSHP) is a pioneering social-commerce platform transforming retail through community ownership. Designed to merge shopping, sharing, and investing, WeShop rewards users with equity for their engagement through its proprietary ShareBack™ program, turning everyday purchases and referring friends who shop through the platform into real ownership. With partnerships spanning hundreds of top retailers and over a billion products, WeShop empowers users to build long-term wealth while discovering and sharing what they love. By combining e-commerce, social interaction, and user ownership, WeShop is leading a global retail revolution—where everyone can earn ownership in the company.

ShareBack™ Rewards

The offer and sale of WePoints is registered on a Registration Statement on Form F-1 originally filed on October 17, 2025 (the “ShareBack Prospectus”). Users in the United States may obtain a copy of the ShareBack Prospectus and enroll in the program through our website at https://investors.we.shop/sec-filings. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

The “Shopping Starts Here” promotional campaign is currently only being offered in the United Kingdom.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the ability for the WeShop community to earn ownership in WeShop. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and WeShop assumes no obligation to update this information. In addition, the events described in these forward-looking statements may not actually arise or may occur in a different manner than anticipated as a result of various factors, including market conditions, as well as other factors described from time to time in WeShop’s filings with SEC, including its Registration Statement on Form F-1 filed October 17, 2025 and any amendments thereto available at www.sec.gov.

Press: weshop@skyya.com
Corporate: corporate@we.shop
Commercial: partnerships@we.shop

Top Platforms to Get Booked on Podcasts in Dubai

Claire James

11/03/2026

If you run an SME in Dubai or you’re trying to build a serious personal brand, podcasts can do something most marketing channels struggle to do: build trust at speed. A good interview gives people your thinking, your voice and your story in a format that feels far more credible than another polished social post.

The problem is that most founders approach podcast guesting the wrong way. They chase the biggest shows, send weak pitches and treat every appearance like a vanity exercise. That usually leads nowhere. Getting booked consistently in Dubai means understanding which platforms actually matter, what they want from guests and how your expertise fits the audience.

Why podcasts matter more than another panel event

Dubai is full of networking breakfasts, business events and speaking opportunities. Some are useful. Plenty are forgettable. Podcasts tend to have a longer shelf life and stronger compounding value.

A solid episode can be clipped for LinkedIn, embedded into your site, sent to prospects, referenced in proposals and used to strengthen your authority across search and social. More importantly, the right appearance lets potential clients hear how you think before they ever speak to you.

That matters for SME owners because most deals are not won on awareness alone. They’re won on trust, clarity and perceived credibility. Podcast guesting helps with all three, provided you’re appearing in the right places.

Business podcasts with a founder and growth audience

This is the first category most business owners should prioritise. These shows speak directly to founders, operators, investors and commercial decision-makers. They are often the best fit if you sell B2B services, professional expertise or high-trust offers.

In Dubai, that usually means podcasts focused on entrepreneurship, business growth, leadership, startups, investment and scaling in the UAE or wider GCC. These platforms are valuable because the audience is already tuned into commercial conversations. You do not need millions of listeners if the right people are paying attention.

For a founder, the win here is straightforward. You are not just sharing a story. You are showing how you solve problems, how you make decisions and how you see the market. That is far more persuasive than saying you are an expert.

Industry-specific podcasts where expertise carries more weight

Many SME owners ignore niche podcasts because the audience looks smaller. That is often a mistake.

If you work in legal services, finance, healthcare, property, ecommerce, recruitment, construction or tech, industry-led podcasts can outperform broader business shows because the listeners are closer to the buying decision. A few hundred highly relevant listeners can be worth far more than a large but general audience.

This is where podcast strategy needs a bit more discipline. The question is not whether the show looks impressive from the outside. The question is whether the host speaks to the people you want to influence. If the answer is yes, it is a strong platform, even without a huge following.

Niche podcasts also make it easier to stand out. You are less likely to sound like every other founder talking about hustle, mindset and growth. You can speak in specifics, and specifics are what make people credible.

Creator-led and media-led podcasts with strong local influence

Dubai has a growing number of creator-led podcasts and media platforms that sit somewhere between journalism, business commentary and personal brand content. These can be powerful if your goal is visibility across both podcast and social channels.

The right host can extend your reach well beyond the episode itself. A smart clip on LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube can introduce you to an audience that never even listens to the full interview. For personal brand building, that matters.

That said, this category needs filtering. Some shows look active but have little real influence. Others are well-produced but audience-light. Before pitching, assess the host’s consistency, guest quality, clip performance and whether they have a recognisable presence in Dubai’s business scene. You want platforms with genuine distribution, not just a microphone and a logo.

Video-first podcasts that work harder across channels

A lot of the most useful podcast opportunities in Dubai are no longer audio-first. They are video-first. That changes the value of the booking.

A strong video podcast gives you more than an appearance. It gives you reusable authority assets. You can turn one conversation into short-form clips, thought-leadership posts, website proof, sales follow-up content and media coverage angles. For busy founders, that makes the time investment easier to justify.

Video also helps when your personal brand is part of the sale. If clients are buying into you as much as your company, being seen and heard matters. People make faster trust decisions when they can see your communication style, confidence and clarity.

This is one reason many businesses work with the best podcast guest booking service rather than trying to manage outreach ad hoc. The booking itself is only part of the value. Match quality, positioning, preparation and follow-through are what turn appearances into commercial assets.

What makes a platform worth targeting

Not every podcast deserves a pitch. The best platforms usually meet a few practical standards.

First, the audience needs to align with your commercial goals. If the listeners are unlikely to buy, refer or influence a buying decision, the appearance may still flatter the ego but it will not do much for the business.

Second, the host needs to know how to run a useful conversation. Weak hosts produce weak episodes. Even a strong guest can sound forgettable if the questions are lazy and the discussion stays surface-level.

Third, the platform needs signs of life. Look at release consistency, guest quality, engagement on clips and whether the show has a clear theme. An inactive or directionless podcast is rarely worth the effort.

Finally, ask whether you have something genuinely useful to say. The strongest guests do not turn up to promote a service. They turn up with a point of view, strong examples and practical insight. That is what earns attention.

How to increase your chances of getting booked

Most podcast outreach fails for obvious reasons. The pitch is generic, the guest bio is bloated and the suggested talking points are either too broad or too self-serving.

A stronger approach is to package yourself around relevance. Show the host why their audience should care, why your timing makes sense and what kind of conversation you can bring. Good hosts want guests who make their show better, not guests who want free promotion.

That means being ready with:

a sharp guest angle, not a life story
topic ideas tied to business pain points
clear evidence of credibility
a concise media bio
links to previous interviews or speaking clips if you have them

Preparation matters just as much as outreach. If you get booked and waste the opportunity with vague answers, the platform will not move the needle. The best podcast guests know their message, know the audience and know what they want the listener to remember afterwards.

Podcast guesting works best when it is treated as a strategy

The biggest mistake SME owners make is treating each booking as a one-off win. Real results come when podcast guesting is approached like a proper authority strategy.

That means selecting platforms in tiers, refining your positioning, building a body of appearances and making sure each interview supports a wider commercial objective. For one founder, that might be inbound leads. For another, it might be investor credibility, brand visibility or trust in a competitive market.

Dubai offers no shortage of platforms, but being visible is not the same as being well placed. The founders who get the most from podcasting are the ones who are selective, prepared and consistent.

For SME owners and personal brands alike, the goal is not simply to get booked. It is to get heard by the right people, in the right rooms, with something worth saying. That is where podcast guesting stops being publicity and starts becoming an asset.

BROXO Clarifies Its Brand After More Than 100 Years in Water Treatment Salt

Elliot Preece

11/03/2026

BROXO, a prominent European brand in water treatment salt, has announced a brand refresh that draws on nearly a century of work in water softening.

BROXO belongs to Hengelo Salt Specialties and Mariager Salt Specialties, both part of Groupe Salins, headquartered in Clichy, France. The brand has spent over 100 years supplying premium vacuum salt to professional water treatment systems across Europe, earning a name for quality and consistency along the way.

BROXO takes high-purity vacuum salt from underground caverns in the Netherlands and Denmark. Dutch production facilities compact this into briquettes, tablets, and specialist grades for water softening use. The salt carries 99.9% sodium chloride purity and very low calcium and magnesium content, which places it among the highest quality products of its kind on the market.

The salt serves a straightforward purpose in water softening systems: it regenerates ion exchange resins that strip calcium and magnesium from the water. Without this, limescale forms inside pipes, heating systems, dishwashers, and industrial plant. Industrial operators who manage water softening well reduce energy use, cut down on maintenance, and keep their equipment in better condition for longer.

The refresh works to make BROXO’s identity more coherent, tightening the brand’s colours, assets, and visual language into a cleaner and more recognisable whole. The updated presentation reflects the brand’s history and charts a clear course for its activity in the European market.

“BROXO has been a leader in its segment for over 100 years. This refresh is about returning to our core strengths: quality, reliability, and consistency while modernising how we present ourselves to the market,” says Nico Basson, Segment Marketing Manager Water & Retail Products. “We are building on a strong foundation and preparing the brand for continued growth.”

BROXO continues to supply restaurants, hotels, commercial facilities, and industrial operators across Europe, all of whom depend on water softening systems to keep their operations running well.

About

BROXO is a brand of Salt Specialties which is a part of Groupe Salins, one of the largest salt producers in Europe. The French group has existed for more than 160 years and currently employs approximately 2,200 people worldwide.

The Best AI Meeting Note Taker Features Teams Actually Use

Claire James

10/03/2026

Most teams don’t struggle with having meetings. They struggle with what happens after them. Notes are written, circulated and quickly forgotten. Tasks blur into follow-ups. Decisions resurface weeks later as open questions. The issue isn’t effort. It’s that traditional ways of capturing meetings no longer match how fast organisations move.

As workloads increase and teams spread across time zones, expectations around meetings have changed. Notes are no longer judged by how accurate they are, but by whether they lead to action. That shift explains why certain AI meeting note taker features are being adopted consistently, while others are quietly ignored.

Transcription is the baseline, not the value

Accurate transcripts matter, but teams now see them as table stakes. A verbatim record of a meeting is useful for reference, yet few people have time to read full transcripts after every call.

What teams actually use are summaries that reduce an hour-long conversation into a clear snapshot. Decisions, open questions and next steps are pulled forward so readers understand the outcome in minutes. This change reflects a broader trend identified by McKinsey, which has reported that employees spend a significant portion of their week processing information from meetings. Brevity is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s operationally necessary.

Automatic action items beat manual follow-ups

The most valued feature across teams is automatic task capture. When action items are identified during the meeting and recorded consistently, follow-through improves without extra admin.

Manual note-takers miss things. They interpret language differently or focus on the wrong detail. AI meeting note takers handle this more reliably by recognising when responsibility or intent is expressed, even casually.

This matters because unclear ownership is a known source of inefficiency. Deloitte has pointed out that ambiguity after meetings often leads to duplicated work and delays. Clear, written actions with owners attached reduce that risk immediately.

Context matters more than keywords

Teams don’t just want lists of tasks. They want to know why a decision was made. Features that link action items back to the relevant discussion are used far more than standalone task lists.

This contextual link saves time later. When priorities change or questions arise, teams can revisit the original conversation instead of reopening debates. Over time, this builds trust in the record of the meeting and reduces unnecessary rework.

It also turns meetings into a reference point rather than a fleeting event. Decisions stop living only in people’s heads.

Support for global and multilingual teams

For organisations working across regions, live translation and consistent summaries across languages are not fringe features. They’re essential. Teams rely on them daily to avoid misunderstandings and second-hand interpretations.

When everyone receives the same structured summary, regardless of language, alignment improves. Meetings stop favouring those who were present or fluent, and outcomes become easier to share across borders.

This capability is one reason AI meeting note takers are increasingly seen as part of a company’s core collaboration stack rather than a productivity extra.

Searchable meeting history beats scattered notes

Another feature teams return to is search. Being able to find past decisions, commitments or discussions without digging through folders or inboxes saves hours over time.

Research from Gartner has shown that poor knowledge retention creates growing operational risk as organisations scale. A searchable meeting record addresses that quietly, by making past context accessible when it’s needed.

This is where meeting notes start to resemble organisational memory rather than documentation.

How meeting intelligence fits into daily work

These patterns explain why some platforms blend into daily work more easily than others. Jamy.ai, positioned as an AI meeting note taker, is used less as a passive recorder and more as a way to ensure meetings result in clarity. Teams rely on it to capture discussions, surface decisions and turn spoken commitments into written actions without changing how they run meetings.

Because it handles transcription, summaries, task extraction and multilingual support in one flow, it fits naturally into fast-moving teams that want outcomes, not extra processes. The value shows up after the call, when fewer things are forgotten and follow-ups are clearer. This is where an AI meeting note taker earns its place.

What teams actually want from meetings now

The most used features all point in the same direction. Teams want less effort after meetings, clearer ownership and fewer repeated conversations. They don’t want more information. They want usable outcomes.

As meetings continue to dominate modern work, the tools that succeed will be those that respect people’s time and attention. Turning conversations into actions, preserving context and keeping teams aligned are no longer optional. They’re the standard teams now expect.

TRT Stages Seventh World Citizen Awards in Istanbul

Elliot Preece

25/02/2026

TRT held its seventh TRT World Citizen Awards ceremony this year, presenting honours to individuals who create social benefit in their fields on a global scale. The theme was “Inspiring Positive Change.” The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Italian architect Raul Pantaleo, who has built his career around advancing architecture as a tool for social equity and recovery.

TRT introduced the awards in 2017, anchoring them in a vision of “inspiring positive change.” The programme has become one of TRT’s most prominent social responsibility projects, bringing together recipients from different countries who have each expanded social benefit within their respective fields. Sharing their stories with a global audience gives positive change a stronger platform from which to grow.

To date, 31 people from 17 countries have received the award. The seventh ceremony took place in Istanbul on 13 February. Emine Erdoğan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was in attendance.

Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stated that the TRT World Citizen Awards is a highly valuable Project

Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was the guest of honor at the TRT World Citizen Awards and delivered the opening remarks, stated that since 2017, the TRT World Citizen Awards have been a highly valuable project drawing attention to global issues and raising awareness. She expressed that the initiative brings together hearts that stand against injustice wherever it occurs in the world, defend human dignity, and strive to make life more beautiful, and emphasized that this initiative is also a strong reflection of TRT’s broadcasting policy, which never ceases to focus on the truth and stands by the truth under all circumstances.

Following the speeches, Sobacı presented Emine Erdoğan with a design inscribed with a verse as a commemorative gift.

Head of Communications Duran emphasized the importance of a fair narrative framework

Speaking at the TRT World Citizen Awards ceremony, Presidential Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran stated that severe humanitarian problems coexist simultaneously with high levels of prosperity in the world.

Thanking TRT for its role in public broadcasting, Duran noted that, as the Directorate of Communications, they are engaged in efforts to articulate Türkiye’s honorable and virtuous stance, challenge injustices, and produce alternative discourses and narratives. Emphasizing the need for a fair narrative framework to emerge, Duran stated that they are striving to achieve this goal.

Director General of TRT Sobacı Stated That TRT Will Strive to Make People’s Stories Visible

Delivering the opening speech of the ceremony, Director General of TRT Mehmet Zahid Sobacı stated that the TRT World Citizen Awards serve as a platform where positive ideas, actions, and courageous hearts are honored. He noted that this platform enables many individuals who take action for humanity to be recognized more closely and to inspire others.

Saying that Türkiye continues its efforts under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Sobacı emphasized that, as Türkiye’s public broadcaster, TRT works with all its strength toward this cause. Sobacı underlined that, as the TRT family, they will strive to make the stories of those who uphold this claim visible and their voices heard.

Awards Presented to the Winners

The “World Citizen of the Year” award was presented to Yahya Barzaq, who had been working as a newborn photographer in Gaza and began practicing war photography during the Israel war in order to convey to the world everything that was taking place, and who lost his life in Israeli attacks on September 30, 2025. Barzaq’s award was received by his mother, Yousra Barzaq, from Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The “Lifetime Achievement Award” was presented to Italian architect Raul Pantaleo, who approaches architecture not merely as a field of aesthetic production but as a tool of solidarity and recovery developed in response to social inequalities.

In the “Communicator” category, Ibtihal Aboussaad and Vaniya Agrawal were honored for taking a clear stance regarding the ethical responsibilities of artificial intelligence applications in the technology sector. The “Youth” award was presented to Nigerian environmental activist Amara Nwuneli.

The “Educator” award was presented by TRT Director General Mehmet Zahid Sobacı to Rudayna Abdo, who has made digital education accessible for refugee and disadvantaged children.

The “Accessibility” award was presented to Joohi Tahir, who has created lasting transformation in the field of inclusivity and accessibility within Muslim communities.

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