text:
Horizon Zero Dawn was one of this generation's best surprises. Despite launching around the same time as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Guerilla Games' open-world action RPG offered more than enough to warrant Game of the Year nominations, and garnered critical acclaim for the longtime Killzone developers.
With the PS5 already seeking ahead in the next-gen race, Sony will be keen for their exclusive line up to keep them ahead in the race!
We'll be updating this post with all the news we learn about Horizon Forbidden West, so be sure to keep checking back for fresh looks.
Be sure to watch our wide variety of PS5 news here!
What Is Horizon Forbidden West?
An April 2020 report published by VGC claimed that Guerrilla Games was planning a Horizon trilogy, with the sequel aiming to launch exclusively on the next-gen PlayStation 5.
"Horizon Zero Dawn 2 is said to be 'gigantic' in scope," according to VGC's sources, "with a larger game world and more freedom to explore it than in its predecessor. People with knowledge of the game also indicated the inclusion of a co-op feature, although it's not clear if this is delivered via the main story or a separate mode."
On June 11, Sony revealed Horizon Forbidden West, "a gorgeous new adventure set in a distant land ravaged by massive storms," according to an official PlayStation blog post.
"Horizon Forbidden West continues Aloy's story as she moves west to a far-future America to brave a majestic, but dangerous frontier where she'll face awe-inspiring machines and mysterious new threats," the trailer's description teases.
Among the ruins of San Francisco, Aloy will encounter a far-reaching infection Guerrilla calls the "red blight." She'll likely be able to don a mask and explore underwater areas of the map, as well, judging from the first teaser trailer.
Some of the robotic beasts you'll meet in Forbidden West include the alligator-shaped "snapjaw," pterodactyl-like "sunwings," colossal "shellsnappers" (shaped like tortoises), and the mammoth-esque "trumortusk."
Thanks to the power of the PS5, Guerrilla says there'll be "virtually no loading screens."
Work together with your allies! (Source: Sony)
While the first game was single-player only, with players stepping into the boots of Aloy, the sequel is intended to be playable in co-op.
Previously leaked concept art showed multiple players battling the original game's large beasts, so could we be teaming up with friends on PS5?
VGC reports that "it’s understood PlayStation was equally keen to see online functionality implemented in the sequel," so that could be the case.
A new PS5 launch trailer has confirmed that the game will launch in the second half of 2021.
"We're aiming to release the game next year," says game director Mathijs de Jonge, "in 2021."
While we hope there will be no price increase in next-gen titles, we simply can't say yet – and online multiplayer could open the franchise up to some microtransactions as players look to customise their characters.
The first teaser trailer was unveiled on June 11, during Sony's Future of Gaming PS5 broadcast.
With the first game coming to PC, many fans have been worried that Sony will move to port more first-party titles to PC.
Hermen Hulst, PlayStation's new Head of Worldwide Studios (and previous studio head at Guerilla Games) said: “To maybe put a few minds at ease, releasing one first-party AAA title to PC doesn’t necessarily mean that every game now will come to PC".
What stunning visuals! (Source: Sony)
Sony and Guerrilla have released the entire soundtrack from the epic reveal trailer the other day. The full video of the song can be viewed down below, or with the following link, you can play it on your music streaming platform of choice!


text:
In the lead-up to today’s big Microsoft keynote event, it was strongly suspected that Cortana, the company’s voice assistant software, would be spreading its wings beyond the confines of Windows Phone and reaching a broader audience with the Windows 10 upgrade. Now, the software maker has confirmed this to be the case, and the much-lauded feature should serve as another enticement to those considering the eventual upgrade.
Microsoft has already confirmed that Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for those on Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 – at least for the first year of Windows 10’s existence – and with Cortana now set to be baked into the software, there’s another good reason for eligible consumers to snap Windows 10 up as soon as it emerges from the ether.
Cortana may have arrived much later than competitors like Google Now and Apple’s Siri personal assistants, but the belated arrival did, in many respects, work to its advantage. For example, Microsoft could, and did, take the opportunity to learn from the strengths and weaknesses of Google Now and Siri, creating a digital assistant that essentially combined the best bits of both. With Cortana, we have a system that performs at a level way beyond its relatively young age, and the fact that Microsoft is ready to throw it into Windows 10 is a testament to its maturity.
Given that Windows Phone only occupies a small segment of the smartphone market at present, the vast majority of consumers have yet to test out or interact with Cortana in any kind of capacity. But by including Cortana with Windows 10 from the get-go, it’ll soon become as familiar as the soon-to-return Start menu, and as per today’s demonstration by Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, there’s much to be excited about.
With features like auto-filling desktop searches and seeking to guess the info you require based on your general usage habits, it’s every bit a Google Now-incarnate, with a touch of Siri-esque personality thrown in for good measure. But Cortana’s feature-set isn’t completely unoriginal, and with the ability to compose emails using simple voice commands, it should go down rather well with those aiming to be as productive as possible.
Are you looking forward to Cortana’s emergence with Windows 10?
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

domain: news


text:
Microsoft will hold a “small gathering” event in New York on May 20th. The word “small” in the invitation to the press and bloggers, strongly hinted that the company is about to introduce a smaller version of its Surface tablet. However today, Bloomberg’s reports confirms that Microsoft will indeed unveil a Surface mini tablet.
Thus far we know that Microsoft will continue pushing Windows RT, as the small version Surface will be powered by an ARM-based Qualcomm processor. And while the majority of PC makers took the Intel’s route using the Atom processor to power Windows tablets, including the 7- to 8-inch versions, Bloomberg is also reporting that Microsoft is planning to reveal additional Surface models during the New York event on May 20th.
The big news here is that we could be seeing a new Intel-based tablet from the company. However there isn’t clear details if the Surface powered by Intel’s processor will be an updated version of the current Surface Pro 2, or if Microsoft is also planning to add a Surface mini powered by Intel — Perhaps a “Surface Pro mini” using the full version of Windows 8.1.


text:
Only yesterday the government presented Diya, the electronic service, and today we already have the first results! During the day since its launch, 5,000 clients of the First Ukrainian International Bank (FUIB) registered in it. During the second day, the excitement is not decreasing - about 500 new authorizations are recorded every hour. “If FUIB clients previously used authorization with the Bank ID system no more than 200 times a day, the number of authorizations increased by 25 times with the introduction of Diya electronic service! By the end of the second day, we expect over 10,000 authorizations,” commented Dmytro Polishchuk, director of FUIB department of retail business products.
There are now two documents available in Diya: driver's license and car registration certificate. But this is enough for drivers who are clients of the bank to be able to receive all the necessary services directly in the smartphone!
- Since February 6, FUIB clients can use Diya service, where their driver's licenses and vehicle registration certificates are already available.
- Using the Bank ID system, FUIB clients have been able to use the driver's electronic cabinet since last summer, where they can check and pay for administrative offenses, obtain information about the car and driver's license, check the car by VIN code, register in electronic queue.
- At the end of 2019, FUIB was the first to launch the CIVOCL insurance service issuing through the Viber messenger from 5 leading insurance companies of Ukraine with online payment and instant receipt of the policy by e-mail. The option is also available to clients of other banks.
"Our customers have long been accustomed to the bank in their smartphone - with the PUMB Online mobile application, they can solve more than 80% of their financial needs on their own without coming to the bank's branch. The new Diya e-service is the first step to prevent clients from coming in person also to state institutions. The first who have the chance to see the benefits of online services are Ukrainian drivers - thanks to the innovations which FUIB has consistently introduced over the past two years and the innovations the state has been working on, it became possible to achieve a synergy effect and improve the quality of client service conditions,” added Dmytro Polishchuk, director of FUIB department of retail business products.
FUIB's clients may be among the first to appreciate the benefits of using public services in smartphone, due to the fact that in August 2019, FUIB joined the BankID system from the NBU. This means that all clients of the bank are free to use public services online - to do so, they only need to authorize themselves with their login and password from online banking and one-time OTP-password, which is sent to the user in SMS.
Currently, 12 banks are connected to the Bank ID remote identification system
- FUIB EXPRESS Branch was opened for clients
- FUIB is in TOP-12 best employers in Ukraine according to Forbes
- Congratulations to winners of the "We are celebrating the jubilee – we give 30 thousand for the deposit" promotion
- Режим роботи відділень ПУМБ в період з 24 грудня 2021 року по 10 січня 2022 року
- FUIB held the first internal hackathon
- JJ.P. Morgan Chase Bank awarded FUIB for the high level of automatically processed payments in US dollars
Отримати на e-mail
Перевірте e-mail Дякуємо за Вашу цікавість!


text:
A few weeks ago we brought you the press release
announcing Inception Media's upcoming release of The Danny Kaye Show - Christmas With Danny Kaye
on DVD. That announcement showed a release date of November 6th, but now the studio informs us that the title has been pushed back a few weeks. The new street date is November 20th
. Mark your calendars accordingly!


text:
昨天 21:00 ·
'This summer, Facebook will present a paper at a conference revealing a tool almost as accurate as the human brain when it comes to saying whether two photographs show the same person – regardless of lighting and camera angles. A human being will get the answer correct 97.53% of the time; Facebook's new technology scores an impressive 97.25%'
Facial recognition technology has huge potential in consumer advertising as well as in surveillance and security. But there are ethical issues, says Luke...


text:
3D Television: The Avatar Effect
by Anita Davis
Early developers of 3D TV pushed for its adoption as long as 15 years ago, but the concept is finally moving on from a pipe dream to a reality. Yet after all the hype, what will 3D TV actually offer brands and media outlets?
1. 3D televisions
3D television are simply those that can display pictures in both 2D and 3D mode, though there’s no way to see the eye-popping images without 3D glasses accompanying the set. The gadget is buzz-worthy right now because of its debut at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with help from the global 3D blockbuster Avatar. Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and LG all have plans to introduce 3D capabilities sometime this year, with Philips reportedly aiming to launch its set next year, which won’t require 3D glasses.
2. Media channels
Naturally, media channels are also getting into the mix. In the US – which is the main market experimenting with the medium – ESPN says it aims to launch its own 3D network in June and will reportedly air at least 85 live sporting events during its first year. Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX also intend to launch 3D in the US beginning in 2011. The companies say they aim to establish a solid lead in the sector, and eventually begin international distribution. A spokesperson for ESPN said that 3D provides fans a compelling sports viewing experience and will offer new marketing and sponsorship opportunities.
Read the whole story here: http://www.media.asia/DigitalMedia/sear … rc=mostpop
Share your thoughts in our discussion forums.


text:
The Android operating system has moved past the iPhone to capture the No. 2 ranking in smartphone operating systems in the first quarter of 2010, with 28 percent of the U.S. market, according to the NPD Group. The Research In Motion OS was still No. 1, with 36 percent marketshare, based on unit sales to consumers. Apple’s iPhone OS held steady with 21 percent.
It was the second consecutive quarter in which the Android posted strong growth, Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD, told the E-Commerce Times.
Much of that growth has to do with the carriers’ — particularly Verizon’s — strong promotion of Android devices, he said.
“We have seen a number of Android devices roll out in 2009 on T-Mobile and Sprint, but once we saw Verizon get behind the OS with its advertising and promotions and a trademark reserved for its own Android handsets, that is where the momentum truly kicked in,” noted Rubin, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised to see an even greater boost from AT&T as it ramps up its own Android portfolio.
That said, both Apple and RIM are preparing to update their own operating systems, so it is unlikely that Android will get too far ahead, said Ross. It may not even keep its current new perch at No. 2.
Android surpassing the iPhone is something of a shock to the industry, which had expected this to happen later rather than sooner. It may well be that these numbers are just a fluke, Jack Vonder Heide, president of Technology Briefing Centers, told the E-Commerce Times.
“I think the primary reason for the jump were the sweetheart deals Verizon was cutting. I think next quarter we will see the numbers much closer together,” he predicted.
A Permanent Change
Another school of thought is that the Android’s jump in market share illustrates trends under way that will have permanence — and that the shift happened faster than expected.
In Q1 2009, while iPhones were flying off the shelves, a number of major mobile players were sitting on the sideline, unable to participate in the modern smartphone market, Azita Arvani of the Arvani Group, told the E-Commerce Times.
“So, this vacuum in the U.S. market caused three major responses that created a perfect storm for Android,” she said.
One was that Verizon realized iPhones were adding significantly to AT&T’s bottom line, so it aggressively developed and promoted its lines of smartphones, including its first BlackBerry and then Android phones.
Then there was Motorola, on the brink of going under and not having much of a smartphone line, which aggressively developed several Android phones in rapid succession. Finally, HTC saw a big opportunity to grow in the U.S. smartphone market and put out several Android models, Arvani said.
“As a result, there are many Android phone models available to U.S. subscribers in different form factors, from different manufacturers, and through different service providers,” she noted. “So, subscribers have a greater choice with Android phones — and perhaps most importantly, Android phones start at a lower price point. Backflips started at US$49, HTC Droid Eris goes for $79.99, while the least expensive iPhone starts at $99.”
In short, the iPhone has come to dominate the high end of the smartphone market, while Android models cover lower price points as well.
“Not surprisingly, we get more subscribers attracted to lower price points,” Arvani said.


text:
Dennis and Deedee Desparrois haven’t decided where they’ll take their daily walks come Wednesday.
The Douglas County couple have visited Centennial’s Southglenn Mall nearly every day so they can get some exercise while staying out of the elements.
On Tuesday, most of the 31-year-old mall at East Arapahoe Road and South University Boulevard will close to make way for The Streets of Southglenn, a new open-air mall that promises to revive the struggling center and bring much- needed revenue to city coffers.
However, shoppers and mall employees on Friday lamented the closing of the center where people have shopped for decades.
“It’s sad to see it go, but I guess it’s just change,” Deedee Desparrois said.
She and her husband, both 60, met up with fellow walker Robert Weber, 70, of Greenwood Village as they strolled past vacant storefronts.
They joked that they were making history by taking a final walk through the mall.
Greenwood Village-based Alberta Development Partners and mall owner Walton Street Capital plan to re-create the 70-acre site as an outdoor district complete with shops, housing and entertainment.
Two of the mall’s anchors – Sears and Foley’s – will remain on the site and stay open during construction.
The new center is expected to open in 2008. The estimated price tag is $310 million. The project will include public financing.
At the mall’s food court, 83-year-old Betty Scheirman of Littleton ate a sandwich and recalled the many trips she had made to Southglenn.
“I came here for Christmas and birthday gifts and to do all my shopping,” she said.
Most of the mall’s stores have already closed their doors, but a handful remained open Friday. Many offered steep discounts to move out the last of their inventory.
A single store remained open on the mall’s second level, but there was little left to sell.
“A few people came in earlier, but everything is already shrink-wrapped,” said Dennis Uniform employee Karen Strawbridge as she pointed to mounds of school uniforms waiting to be delivered to the store’s other metro-area locations. The Southglenn store will relocate to Park Meadows Drive in Douglas County in March.
David Goldberg, a principal with Alberta Development, told a crowd at a shopping center industry event Thursday that his company intends to begin announcing tenants in May when it breaks ground on the project.
So far, interest has been strong, he said.
“It’s been a breath of fresh air. … Tenants are calling us and saying, ‘How can we get into The Streets of Southglenn?” he said.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-820-1902 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Covariant, an AI robotics company, raised $40 million in Series B funding, bringing its total funding to $67 million.
The round was led by Index Ventures and Radical Ventures with participation from existing investor Amplify Partners and others.
As a part of the investment, Mike Volpi, partner at Index Ventures, will be joining Covariant’s board.
Covariant will use the latest funding to accelerate its partnerships, introduce AI Robotics to new industries, and grow its research, engineering, and commercial teams.
From food distribution to healthcare to e-commerce, the global supply chain faces unprecedented pressure to deliver orders quickly, reliably, and efficiently while keeping workers safe, and according to the company, automation is the key to meeting those challenges.
While repetitive and predictable tasks like the movement of goods have successfully been automated, complex and unpredictable tasks that require hands, such as picking, placing, and unloading, have not. Traditional automation can’t handle the constant change and infinite variability of these tasks. Automating them requires advanced AI that can understand, learn and adapt.
Founded in 2017, Covariant is building the Covariant Brain, a universal AI that enables robots to see, reason, and act autonomously in the real world. Covariant robots learn general abilities such as robust 3D perception, physical affordances of objects, few-shot learning, and real-time motion planning, which gives them the intelligence to learn how to manipulate new objects they’ve never seen before in environments where they’ve never operated.
“As the coronavirus crisis has exposed serious frailty in the global supply chain, we’re seeing more demand than ever for our AI Robotics solutions,” said Peter Chen, Covariant CEO and co-founder.
“Our customers are eager to invest in AI and scale it across their supply chains to meet growing demands and more stringent requirements. This latest funding round, along with our recent partnerships, will allow us to scale quickly across multiple industries.”
Image Credit: Covariant


text:
Sao Paolo advertising goes underground
Source: Financial Times (www.ft.com, author: Vincent Bevins)
Four years ago, the streets of São Paulo, South America’s biggest city, were strewn with advertising. Messages on the surfaces of buildings, buses, shops, taxis and even private homes competed with billboards to create a chaotic and dizzying corporate assault on the senses.
So, Gilberto Kassab, the centre-right mayor of the city with the continent’s biggest consumer market, came up with a radical solution: a blanket ban on outdoor advertising. In late 2006, in spite of legal wrangles and business lobbying, he announced that, almost without exception, outdoor advertising would have to be removed within months.
“The Clean City Law came from a necessity to combat pollution . . . pollution of water, sound, air and the visual,” he said. “We decided that we should start combating pollution with the most conspicuous sector – visual pollution.”
At the time, advertising and marketing executives feared the ban would be an insurmountable blow, and quietly hoped the law would not be fully enforced. Industry representatives protested that the ban would limit freedom of speech, kill jobs and badly damage their sector.
“We all thought it was the end of the world,” says Marcio Oliveira, vice-president of operations at Lew’Lara\TBWA. “We thought, ‘OK, this is gonna screw up all our business.’ ”
Three years after the new law came in, it is extremely difficult to find outdoor advertising in the city – no billboards, no ads on buses or taxis or in shop windows. But equally remarkable is how quickly big advertisers and the industry itself have adapted and, in fact, thrived.
Today, it is hard to find anyone – including among advertising and marketing professionals – who still has big complaints about the Lei Cidade Limpa, or “Clean City Law”.
The city feels cleaner, they say, and the law forced creative innovations into other, newer, advertising methods that have often been more effective. “In the first instance, everybody, including the advertisers, loved this – to see their city without this visual pollution we had in the past,” says Mr Oliveira.
“I think it’s a good law,” says Nizan Guanaes, head of Grupo ABC, Brazil’s largest advertising group. “It was a challenge for us because, of course, it’s easier to simply throw garbage advertising all over your city.”
Márcio Santoro, co-president of Agência Africa, part of Grupo ABC, says that before the law, “it was really a mess. It was terrible. There came a point that for you to be noticed you had to buy a lot of ads, because there was so much noise.”The law is now so popular that some companies that were able through legal action to maintain some outdoor presence chose not to, so as not to be seen as flying in the face of Cidade Limpa.
Advertising creatives and marketing directors were forced quickly to find new ways to spend money that had been earmarked for outdoor advertising, especially since the law came into effect almost immediately. “Usually in Brazil it takes a little time for laws to get set up,” says Marcello Queiroz, an editor at Propaganda and Marketing newspaper in São Paulo. “It was really dramatic how quick things changed. Big companies had to change their focus and strategies.” Marketing directors had to find a place to spend the money they previously put into billboards. The result, they say, was a creative flowering of new and alternative methods – including indoor innovations such as elevator and bathroom ads – but primarily in digital media. “The internet was the really big winner,” says Mr Oliveira. In 2007, there was already a move towards the internet, digital media and social networking marketing worldwide, but the Cidade Limpa law gave Brazilians an extra push, he says.
Anna Freitag, marketing manager of Hewlett-Packard Brazil, says a realisation came that outdoor advertising is less effective than these newer strategies. “A billboard is media on the road. In rational purchases it means less effectiveness . . . as people are involved in so many things that it makes it difficult to execute the call to action,” she says. “HP decided to go deeper and understand consumer behaviour – the path to purchase, and place media in this direction . . . The internet and social media are the big trends associated with point of sale presence.” It also helped that Brazilians were extremely active in social media. The country has one of the highest percentages of active Twitter users in the world and Brazilians are avid social networkers. Lalai Luna, co-founder of Remix, a new agency specialising in digital and social media strategies, often focusing on music culture, says this opened up opportunities and cash flow for young creatives with experimental models to develop their craft. “Companies had to find their own ways to promote products and brands on the streets,” she says. “São Paulo started having a lot more guerilla marketing [unconventional strategies, such as public stunts and viral campaigns] and it gave a lot of power to online and social media campaigns as a new way to interact with people.”
“The internet is the next frontier for reasons I don’t have to explain,” says Mr Guanaes. “Brazil is very sophisticated in digital and social media. That’s why we have a digital agency in the US [San Francisco’s Pereira & O’Dell] and it just won the Advertising Age award for best small agency in the US.” The Clean City Law has thrown up winners as well as losers. The businesses and workers that dealt directly with in stalling and removing billboards have not benefited from the boom in digital marketing, but the move has certainly not stopped Brazilian agencies from being the focus of much international attention.
Publicis, the world’s third largest advertising group, is in the advanced stages of negotiation to buy Talent, a São Paulo agency, for a high price that underlines how highly international companies value getting a foothold in the Brazilian market.
And some international brands are choosing Brazil as a global hub for campaigns. Mr Oliveira says Lew’Lara\TBWA is creating Visa’s global campaign for its sponsorship of Fifa events in Brazil, including the World Cup, which will be exported abroad.
The plan was probably never to maintain a complete ban on all outdoor advertising for ever. The expectation was that the law would sweep the city clean and later allow for some outdoor advertising in a small number of controlled locations.
But, three years after the implementation of Lei Cidade Limpa, few are clamouring for a return to those cluttered days.


text:
Blockchain, the technology that fuels cryptocurrencies has many applications and uses instead of cryptocurrencies. Of course, cryptocurrencies have been one of the main current applications of the blockchain, but it also can be used for all kinds of purposes. And even some have seen possible uses of its traits for the gaming industry.
Ubisoft, one of the biggest gaming developers and publishers, has seen the future in blockchain gaming and has joined the Blockchain Gaming Alliance, an organization formed by gaming companies interested in bringing blockchain to the interactive entertainment industry.
Created not long ago, and with participation from nine entertainment-related businesses, the objective of this alliance, according to its web page, is:
TO PROVIDE AN OPEN FORUM FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND COLLABORATE ON RESEARCH THAT FOSTER NEW WAYS TO CREATE AND PLAY GAMES, CONVINCED THAT THIS BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY BRINGS NUMEROUS NEW BENEFITS TO THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM, FROM DEVELOPERS TO PLAYERS
Between the startups that are in this Alliance, there is Enjin, a blockchain based multiverse that will feature gaming tools to construct games with every major engine used today: unreal and unity, among others; and Ultra, a gaming distribution and rewards platform that seeks to be the next blockchain based Steam.
But the addition of the French giant company is the latest good news for this group. Games like Assassins Creed, Rayman, or Watch Dogs could be used to test this new technology in the future. And combined with the great experience that Ubisoft has with games, we will surely see blockchain used relevantly in a game and not applied like an afterthought.
This kind of interest of Ubisoft for decentralized technologies is not new; earlier this year they organized and sponsored an event called “Blockchain Heroes Hackathon”, where they invited people and developers to try and find new ways of integrating this tech to games and experiment with it.
Gaming is a very important industry worldwide, with millions of dollars of budget. Including blockchain in this field could be a good start for blockchain and cryptocurrencies to go mainstream in the long run.


text:
Metan Development Group has signed a deal with Power to become the exclusive distributor of popular soap operas "Guiding Light" and "As The World Turns" in China. Both shows are produced by TeleNext Media, Inc. for Procter & Gamble Productions.
Metan will be the exclusive distributor for 130 episodes of each series in China, marking the first time either soap opera has run in that market.
"China's vast TV and new media market has great potential," said George Sakkalli, Power's VP, Asia and the Middle East.
P&G traditionally uses "Guiding Light," "As The World Turns," and other daytime dramas to advertise household and beauty products to the housewives who watch TV during the day. But the U.S. company hasn't decided whether it will follow that tradition in China. CBS, which airs P&G-owned "Guiding Light," cancelled the series in September 2009 due to low ratings, but after airing on TV for 57 years, there are plenty of episodes for China.
"We are aware of the introduction of these soap operas into China. At P&G, we are always looking out for ways to better connect with consumers. Right now we do not have a business decision on this yet," said spokesman Charles Zhang in Guangzhou.
Car companies have performed well all year, largely because China's government dramatically reduced the purchase tax on small cars to boost the economy. But late summer and early fall are traditionally a peak sales period for dealers, because China celebrates a week-long holiday in early October and Chinese increasingly want to take road trips to explore their own country.
Volkswagen Group and its two joint ventures, Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen, sold 1,061,964 cars in mainland China and Hong Kong in the first nine months of 2009, a 37% increase that easily tops total 2008 sales.
VW's chief rival in that market, General Motors Co., announced sales in mainland China rose 55% to nearly 1.3 million vehicles during the first nine months of the year.
Consumer confidence in China's economy and increased financing options have also contributed to the rise in car sales, which include luxury brands that weren't part of the government's tax incentive program. Sales of Mercedes-Benz cars, for example, surged 50% to 37,800 units during the first eight months of this year, and BMW saw sales grow 31.3% to 54,263 units.
Japan's 3G user base has surpassed 100 million, over 90% of the country's population, and wireless internet is used by more than 80% of internet users. JOne of the world's most sophisticated 3G countries, Japan is a tought market for foreign companies, mostly because Japan is so far ahead of the rest of the world and many of the handsets and operating systems used there don't work outside Japan.
"We believe there is huge demand for a high quality wireless search service" in Japan, said Xuyang Ren, Baidu's VP of marketing and business development. But he admitted Baidu will need to further develop its services and fine tune its understanding of user preferences to succeed in Japan.
Return to the Ad Age China home page here


text:
In service of “by their fruits ye shall know them” and all that, I was in Cambridge last weekend using a night out with some friends to find out whether a patch hailed as “the licence to booze” can deliver on its promise. The night in question had a Facebook event page that hilariously riffed on the debauched habits of Bacchus, god of wine, and the drunken feasts the Greeks used to host in his honour, so if ever a “licence to booze” were going to be tested, this was the night.
In the interests of research, and in order to ensure the manufacturers couldn’t explain away any potential underperformance by claiming that it works on some types of drinks better than others, I drank broadly. Between supper at 7pm and hitting the hay at 4.30am I had knocked back varying measures of champagne, red wine, white wine, lager, apple Sourz, gin and tonic, a piña colada and a bright pink Singapore Sling, the last of which I presumably bought subconsciously, to undermine the idea among any observers that heavy-duty boozing comes naturally to me.
In the press release announcing its arrival, the patch was described as a “remedy” for “really horrendous hangovers”. It would “stop hangovers before they start”, it said, because of its “powerful blend of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants”. Its creator, a plastic surgeon from New York, was quoted saying that “only an intravenous drip stuck in your arm while drinking could be more effective”. Firebox, the online store marketing the patch in the UK, told the Standard it has been the fastest-selling product in the company’s history. The “licence to booze” claim was splashed on the front of a morning newspaper last week, and during its US roll-out The New York Times narrated the PR story of its birth — “After a night of hard partying in Manhattan” when “a light bulb” went off in the creator’s head. With Christmas party season coming up, what more could Londoners want?
Quite a lot more, it turns out. When I roused myself at 10am to greet a miserably grey Sunday, I felt my usual combination of tolerable tiredness, sickness and dehydration, and got on with my day as normal. Nothing had changed, or improved, or moved me, apart from a curiosity to find out when I got back to my desk on Monday how this widely covered product had won itself so much bark on the back of so non-existent a bite.
I called Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP in Shepherd’s Bush who advises the drinking charity Drinkaware. It is “neatly packaged up with pseudo-science”, she said, but “the only thing that is going to improve is the size of their bank balances”.
When people get a hangover, Jarvis explains, we are experiencing a combination of dehydration and the presence of the alcohol’s toxins in our system. The dehydration can be solved by drinking water along the way and at the end of the night, and our bodies are reasonably good at combating the toxins as long as we give it a chance to do so.
“The effects of deficiency in B-vitamins particularly are very common among people who are drinking, and we would recommend vitamin supplements to an alcoholic, but even then you absolutely do not need to replace them while you are drinking.”
“It is not vitamin deficiency that gives you a hangover,” says Jarvis, “I think they are being cynical.”
A day after I asked the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the body responsible for approving medicinal products in the UK, if they had tested it, a spokesman called to say that it had banned its sale in this country, issuing an “urgent notice to Firebox.com asking them to remove the hangover patch Bytox from sale.”
The MHRA’s reasoning was that it considered it to be making a medicinal claim, making it “an unlicensed medicinal product”, which it is an offence under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to advertise or sell.
A spokesman for the body said that “claims made on their website that it [the patch] prevents hangovers” were behind the decision.
Within minutes, Firebox’s website published a message on the product’s page, mourning that “despite overwhelming demand, huge public interest and plenty of positive customer feedback we’ve had to stop selling this product”.
The message continued: “We would need a special licence in order to continue marketing this product, and ... we have opted to stop selling this product immediately.”
Sorry, folks, the quest for the Christmas party Holy Grail goes on.
- More about:
- Apple (fruit)
- Newspapers And Magazines
- New York City
- Public Relations And Publicity


text:
The forecast, provided Monday by the Japan Association of Travel Agents, was based on the number of “letters of guarantee,” which are needed to obtain tourist visas for Japan.
The actual number of cancellations is likely to rise even further as the estimate does not include business travelers.
When Chinese group tour participants visit Japan, Japanese travel agencies become their guarantors and create letters of guarantee.
Letters of guarantee were prepared for some 400,000 Chinese people planning to participate in tours to Japan between Jan. 27, when the Chinese government started banning overseas group tours, and the end of March.
If the ban continues until the end of next month, almost all of their travel reservations during the period will be canceled.
The number does not include business travelers or those who did not apply for letters of guarantee despite plans to visit Japan.
In February to March last year, 1.4 million Chinese nationals visited Japan. Given this, the estimated number of 400,000 may only be a fraction of the upcoming cancellations.
Meanwhile, Japanese department store operators saw duty free sales slump during the key Lunar New Year holiday, one of the first indications of how hard the nation’s retail sector will be hit by the coronavirus outbreak in China.
Takashimaya Co.’s duty free sales during the weeklong holiday plunged almost 15 percent compared with last year.
Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings cited concerns over the virus as a reason its duty free sales slumped 10 percent during the period.
Sales at Sogo & Seibu Co., a division of Seven & I Holdings Co., dropped 15 percent, while J Front Retailing Co., which operates the flagship Ginza Six complex, saw revenue decline 5 percent.
Chinese visitors have become a key source of income for upmarket retailers in Japan as the nation’s tourism industry has flourished, helping to make up for a declining population.
The drop in tourists from China, who make up almost one-third of arrivals and more than that in spending, could hardly have come at a worse time. Retailers are already dealing with headwinds of a sales tax increase last year, as well as an unseasonably warm winter. Cosmetics maker Kose Corp. last week slashed its full-year profit outlook 19 percent due to a decline in tourists amid the outbreak.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.


text:
While the internet has enabled a world where supermassive digital files can be sent globally in seconds, the world’s shipping orders have largely been trapped in 1950s accounting technology, relying more on paper bills of lading and phone calls to document the shipment of goods, than the benefits of online commerce. The modernization of this process has largely been hamstrung by two factors: competitors (and even partners) who don’t trust each other with valuable accounting records and therefore keep largely redundant files that need to be constantly audited; and certain legal responsibilities that come with accepting one of those paper bills of lading and the accompanying goods.
In theory, the solution to both these problems could be blockchain, the accounting technology behind bitcoin that lets strangers do business with each other without sharing their personal information and that can prove a digital object is only in one place at a time. So, in September 2018, the World Economic Forum (WEF) started looking into the world’s aging supply-chain infrastructure and how blockchain could fix it. Back then, few people outside the blockchain world cared about food supply chains. While food-borne illnesses were estimated to cost the U.S. $90 billion in revenue annually, that was just a fraction of the $660 billion in revenue generated by the supermarket and grocery store industry.
Then COVID-19 hit, and that aging infrastructure was made painfully evident. While restaurants, hotels, and tourist destinations that account for as much as half of food purchases were shut down to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, milk, bread, vegetables and a wide range of other perishable products vanished from grocery store shelves. Farmers unable to recalibrate their supply chain from wholesale to retail were forced to till their crops back into the soil, and milk was dumped down drains.
Now, 18 months after the WEF started its research, its findings, released today as both a PDF and an interactive online service, could hardly be more relevant. Called ‘Redesigning Trust: A Blockchain Deployment Tool Kit,” the project is the result of interviews with 80 public and private companies and 20 governments to extract what project head Nadia Hewett, describes as “nascent insights and failures” of some of the largest projects ever launched in blockchain. If Hewett gets her way, the project will result in hundreds of completed proofs-of-concept finally being implemented to fix the world’s increasingly frail supply chains.
“Those proofs-of-concept are now being taken up and dusted off again, says Hewett, who also leads the forum’s blockchain work. “And I do think that this time what we’re seeing with this pandemic, there's going to be a lot more momentum to really make sure that things that should have been taken care of during other supply chain disruptions are really taken seriously this time.”
The tool kit details a step-by-step process for how to assemble an ecosystem of participants that will all benefit from moving some process to a shared, distributed ledger, and how to solve both technical and non-technical problems. Included in the 80 corporate participants, is state-owned Saudi Aramco, which made news last year after going public with a $2 trillion valuation, and Deloitte, the same Big Four accounting firm that previously published a report finding that 92% of all blockchain projects were dormant or dead. While the tool kit is designed to help executives and developers using any supply chain, its targeting of the oil and especially the food industry is particularly pertinent.
After consulting with representatives of past Blockchain 50 list members Bumble Bee Foods, Maersk, the United Nations World Food Program and others, the tool kit describes what it calls a minimum viable ecosystem (MVE) to launch a food supply chain connected via a blockchain. Specifically, the tool kit describes the MVE as at least a single retailer, a wholesale processing plant, a bank, a distribution center, a retail processing plant and a regulator. In addition to providing real-time information about where supplies might be bottlenecking, or to anticipate shortages before they occur, the report cites increased certainty for every member of a supply chain that the food was always at the legally required temperature, even when it was out of any single member’s control.
While the total impact of COVID-19 on the world’s food supply chains has yet to be calculated, anecdotal evidence is already rolling in. WEF tool kit contributor, the Port of Los Angeles, experienced a 23% drop in total business in February alone, and multiple reports of meat-packing plant closures augur a future meat shortage, perhaps only weeks away. And yet, in spite of numerous blockchain food supply chains already up and running for everything from olive oil to grain, Hewett says it’s very unlikely that any of the current systems alone will have a significant impact on COVID-19-related supply issues.
“While there are blockchain solutions out there right now that governments and organizations are using for different ways in short-term COVID mitigation, the tool kit is more about the long term because a well-thought-out and responsible deployment takes time,” she says.
Among five pilot partners who tested the tool kit before it rolled out today is Saudi Aramco, the most valuable publicly traded company ever. In the tool kit itself, Saudi Aramco chief digital officer Nabil Alnuaim said its recommendations were “drawn from an unparalleled community of business and technology experts.” But not all of those contributors came from such giant companies. In fact, with three other pilot partners from much smaller private institutions in the United Arab Emirates and one from Canada, Hewett says she hopes the lessons learned from the larger companies involved will help others with smaller budgets better capitalize the technology.
“We need to make sure that we level the playing field for small- and medium-size enterprises in emerging markets,” she says. “There’s many today that do not have access to best-in-class information, experts that do not have the budgets to hire consultants. And this tool kit is a combination of best practices.”


text:
|By PR Newswire||
|September 3, 2014 05:07 AM EDT||
ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As the leading distributor of market intelligence, MarketResearch.com is pleased to announce a business partnership with BIS Research which allows for the marketing and distribution of BIS Research's proprietary market analyses through the MarketResearch.com website.
For more information on BIS Research, visit: http://www.marketresearch.com/land/publisher.asp?vendorid=4011&progid=86596.
The new relationship offers business professionals throughout the world easy access to complete product descriptions and tables of contents from research publications authored by BIS Research. At the same time, visitors to the MarketResearch.com website have the ability to purchase the material directly through MarketResearch.com's secure server.
"Our ability to join hands with exceptional research publishers such as BIS research allows us to not only broaden the scope of research available in the technology market, it also allows business professionals throughout the world easier access to reports of great value that they may have previously been unaware of," notes Kelly M. Carlson, Senior Vice President, Global Operations at MarketResearch.com.
BIS Research publishes market intelligence reports focusing on the forecast, latest trends & technologies, emerging applications, market segmentation and other important market parameters helpful in strategic decision making.
"Teaming up with MarketResearch.com is an exceptional opportunity for us as our product line is an excellent fit for this resource avenue," according to Mohammad, CEO of BIS Research. "We believe that the increased exposure our products will receive through MarketResearch.com's web traffic and sales force will have a positive impact on our business as our reports make it into the hands of a wider global audience."
MarketResearch.com is the leading provider of global market intelligence products and services. With research reports from more than 720 top consulting and advisory firms, MarketResearch.com offers instant online access to the world's most extensive database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Moreover, MarketResearch.com's Research Specialists have in-depth knowledge of the publishers and the various types of reports in their respective industries and are ready to provide research assistance. For more information, call Ashlan Bonnell at 240.747.3008 or visit www.MarketResearch.com.
About BIS Research
BIS Research is a subsidiary of the SAJAN, a world leader in business translation services .We are an end-to-end market research and consulting firm, co-founded by industry veterans including the former President of IDC, a leading global market intelligence firm.
Some of BIS Research's recent titles include:
- [3D Printing Material (Metals, ABS, PLA, Photopolymer, Ceramics etc.), Technology Application (Medical, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive , Fashion & Architecture and Others) Market - A Global Study (2014-2022)
Dec. 6, 2016 09:15 AM EST Reads: 2,141
Dec. 6, 2016 09:00 AM EST Reads: 3,955
Dec. 6, 2016 09:00 AM EST Reads: 5,799
Dec. 6, 2016 09:00 AM EST Reads: 700
Dec. 6, 2016 08:45 AM EST Reads: 7,118
Dec. 6, 2016 08:30 AM EST Reads: 1,333
Dec. 6, 2016 08:30 AM EST Reads: 876
Dec. 6, 2016 08:15 AM EST Reads: 1,053
Dec. 6, 2016 08:15 AM EST Reads: 1,668
Dec. 6, 2016 08:00 AM EST Reads: 896
Dec. 6, 2016 07:45 AM EST Reads: 2,086
Dec. 6, 2016 07:45 AM EST Reads: 902
Dec. 6, 2016 07:15 AM EST Reads: 730
Dec. 6, 2016 07:15 AM EST Reads: 1,832
Dec. 6, 2016 07:00 AM EST Reads: 833


text:
In planning for the next round of Windows Phones, indications are strong that Nokia is working on an aluminum body for a high end Lumia model.
Codenamed Catwalk, the aluminum Lumia will be lighter and thinner than the current crop of polycarbonate bodied Lumias. The Catwalk would replace the Lumia 920 as Nokia's centerpiece Windows Phone.
No word on hardware specs or when we might see the Catwalk beyond "later this year". Catwalk is sure to be a hot topic of discussion next week at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show. We'll be in attendance at CES and if we hear more on the new aluminum Lumia, we'll pass it on.
Source: The Verge; Thanks, Catwalk, for the tip!
Update 6: Microsoft wants all of TikTok, but Trump's order may interfere
The Financial Times reports that as part of negotiations, Microsoft is now inquiring whether it can buy all of TikTok, instead of just the business in the US., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This new plan would include India and Europe (and excluding China).
Apple responds to Project xCloud iOS block, Microsoft kicks back
With Microsoft's Project xCloud streaming platform locked out from iOS devices, Apple doubles down on App Store restrictions.
Fresh Surface Duo renders are here, reportedly coming to AT&T
Microsoft hasn't exactly been camera shy with the Surface Duo, but a new set of renders have leaked that offer an even closer look at the device. Alongside the leaked images, the leaker says Duo will be headed to AT&T in the U.S.
Best Affordable Desk Chair for Kids in 2020
Everyone needs a comfortable and practical chair to sit at their desk with, and that includes kids who are working on homework or arts-and-crafts. Here's a list of some of our favorite options.


text:
Network security company Corero has made available the results of its latest study that compares the numbers and the effects of distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks on United States and United Kingdom firms.
The DDOS Defense and Intrusion Prevention System provider’s report shows that 31% of the organizations whose IT managers were interviewed had been targeted by DDOS attacks in the past 12 months.
If a comparison is made between the US and the UK from the standpoint of attacks, the figures reveal that only 18% of UK companies were targeted versus 38% of US businesses.
The IT directors of US mid-to-large-sized enterprises are more concerned about the possibility of being hit, while in the UK only 29% fear attacks. The numbers also show that in the UK, the commercial and manufacturing sectors are less concerned than finance or retail organizations.
When it comes to the motivations that hide behind DDOS attacks, firms from the US claim they’re mainly targeted by business competitors that want to gain an unfair advantage over them. On the other hand, in the UK, hacktivists such as Anonymous represent the main concern.
While attacks on Britain’s financial sector are mainly performed with financial extortion in mind, the ones aimed at the financial sector are started for political or ideological motives.
On the bright side of things, on average, 62% of managers say their companies are protected against malicious operations by technology that’s specially developed to counterattack such attempts.
“The UK was more cautious in deploying web business assets therefore they have not been as exposed as their US counterparts,” said Richard Stiennon, chief research analyst at IT-Harvest.
“As they deploy web applications they tend to do so in a more cautious protected manner and because of this may be experiencing less disruptive DDoS attacks. As the sophistication of attacks rises their numbers will become more in line with the US.”


text:
Samsung had introduced iris scanner feature on the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in 2016. Since then, the South Korean has been offering the feature on its Galaxy S and Note series of flagship phones.
The fresh report reveals that the company may ax the feature on the upcoming Galaxy S10 in a bid to offer higher screen-to-body ratio.
Samsung is rumored to introduce three variants of Galaxy S10 in early 2019. Fresh information coming from South Korea reveals that the company has reportedly decided to ax the iris scanner from all the three variants of the Galaxy S10 phone.
The Galaxy A7 (2018) that was announced recently is equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It is speculated that the most affordable edition of the Galaxy S10 may come with the same kind of biometric recognition feature. Contradicting rumors suggest that it could be equipped with an optical under-display fingerprint reader. The other two advanced models of the Galaxy S10 are expected to feature ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor supplied by Qualcomm.
Even though numerous smartphone OEMs have launched phones with notched screens, Samsung has remained on its notch-less 18.5:9 Infinity Display design for its smartphones. The Galaxy S10 variants may feature in-display front-facing camera that will allow them to offer higher screen space. A recent report had revealed that the Galaxy S10+ may offer a screen-to-body ratio of 93.4 percent. Samsung is also rumored to ax 3.5mm audio jack feature from the Galaxy S10 series.
In related news, Samsung has recently announced the GM1 48-megapixel sensor and GD1-32-megapixel sensor. The mass production of the new camera sensor will begin by the end of this year. Hence, it is being speculated that these sensors may end up on the Galaxy S10 series arriving next year. At least one of the three S10 variants is expected to feature a triple camera unit.
Do you think that removing the iris scanner from the Galaxy S10 could be a good move? Share your views by posting your comments below.


text:
With the gradual recovery of the global jewelry market, Chinese companies are seeing a boom in exports, with production capacity continuously increasing driven by overseas demand.
Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, the world's factory for small commodities, is at the center of the world's jewelry processing and manufacturing industry, and is benefitting from the spike in demand.
A jewelry trading company based in Panyu district, Guangzhou has witnessed a jump of up to 50 percent on jewelry exports year-on-year since April through the end of July.
The company's major business is in jewelry design and cutting, with up to 90 percent of orders coming from overseas. The company's manager surnamed Yang told the Global Times that most of their clients are from the US and Europe, with a backlog of order likely stretching out to the end of the year.
"Our production capacity is currently full and we are planning to expand production in the coming weeks with more production machines have been ordered," said Yang.
Currently, the processing volume of gold and silver jewelry in Panyu district accounts for more than 70 percent of the re-export trade volume of Hong Kong, and 30 percent of the entire global market.
In the first half of 2021, Guangzhou recorded 7.6 billion yuan ($1.17 billion) of diamond processing imports, an increase of 130 percent year-on-year, with 9.95 billion yuan of jewelry exports, up 95.2 percent from the previous year, according to data released by Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau in July.
Huang Yingshi, general manager of Evergreen Diamond based in Guangzhou said in a recent interview with news portal yicai.com that the global production of diamonds was stagnated in the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 outbreak in India, triggering a global supply shortage.
As the result, some customers and orders ended up with Chinese companies, and Huang Yingshi's company achieved a growth of more than 70 percent in the first half of this year.
Huang Haoxuan, CEO of VDA Jewellery, said that the company has already bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. VDA Jewellery is a supplier and original design manufacturer of jewelry in Hong Kong, with a factory in Panyu district, yicai.com reported. The US is the main market for the company, accounting for about 70 percent of the company's sales.
The positive import and export data was partly because of a low base effect from last year due to the pandemic, according to yicai.com, citing Liang Weizhang, general manager of the Guangzhou Diamond Exchange.
Liang pointed out that the data also illustrates two emerging trends, that jewelry consumption in the global market is still displaying robust demand, and that China's manufacturing industry remains high productivity and has the opportunity to win new international orders by fully taking advantage of unique position of the nation across global supply chains.
However, big overseas clients are still in the midst of recovery, with roughly 50 to 60 percent of their businesses have been recovered, yicai.com reported, citing Huang Haoxuan.
The full recovery and a return to a more typical growth trajectory isn't expected until 2022 to 2024 for the global diamond industry, according to the global diamond industry 2020-2021 report released by the Bain & Company and the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.
Even under the cloud of the pandemic, international consumers still value diamond jewelry as an expensive gift, said the report, adding that China has a great potential to further develop the diamond industry, and the progress will be determined by epidemic containment, government policies and market demand across the world.
In 2020, despite the rampant epidemic, the total import and export of jewelry in Panyu district still reached 25.2 billion yuan, with the main export markets remaining in the EU, the US, Canada, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions, per media reports.
Panyu district has 2,890 diamond jewelry firms from more than 30 countries and regions around the world, employing nearly 100,000 people.
However, consolidating new customers and new orders over the medium to long term remains a major challenge, some industry insiders said, noting that many companies will still choose processing and manufacturing companies in India because of lower labor costs and other commercial factors.


text:
SMEs vital for development - EMPRETEC CEO
Accra, Sept. 09, GNA - Nana Tweneboa-Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of EMPRETEC Ghana Foundation, on Saturday called on the government to create an atmosphere that would promote the growth of small and medium scale enterprises to enhance the development of the country.
"The quality, efficiency and sustainability of the economy we develop, as a country shall be dictated, beside policy direction, by the dearth of entrepreneurship and commitment of entrepreneurs we have in the nation.
"That's the more reason why the government must continue the programme of creating enabling business environment to let the private sector assume its rightful role in the economy," Nana Tweneboa-Boateng stated at the end of a 10-day entrepreneurship development and capacity building workshop for SME's in Accra.
The workshop on the theme "Flagship 52nd" was organised by EMPRETEC Ghana in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector wing of the World Bank.
It was aimed at imparting high quality, growth-oriented, internationally competitive, modern business advice and access to technology and finance to private sector operators. Nana Tweneboa-Boateng noted that Africa continued to lag behind the other regions of the world in the pace of business reform, which must be reversed through pragmatic and bold business reforms focusing on the growth of SMEs.
He said according to World Bank statistics for last year; two-thirds of African countries made at least one reform with Tanzania and Ghana ranked among the top 10 reformers.
The EMPRETEC Chief Executive said, "even though we were ranked among the top ten in the region, we still need to move into the international standard and among the world's best reformers". He said Ghana must consider several other areas of reform: making labour regulation more flexible, reducing the burden of paying taxes and speeding business entry and property registration. Nana Tweneboa-Boateng said we must also seek to introduce a unique business registration number, which would ensure that entrepreneurs would not have to register in person for the income tax, value added tax, customs and social security numbers.
The aim is to have data move around inside government, not to have entrepreneurs run around from one office to another, he said. He advised entrepreneurs to recognize and respond actively to the radical way the world was changing; "we as entrepreneurs will not survive in a world more challenging than ever before, you will face daunting challenges every day".
"To take on life in business, you will need confidence, creativity and enthusiasm in addition to technical knowledge.
"Sometimes our goals may seem like unobtainable fantasies, but the key to success lies in brining them into sharp focus, clarifying them and working out a documented plan to achieve them. If it is in your nature to dream, it should be in your nature to do it."
Nana Tweneboa-Boateng said, "There are opportunities to excel in business more than ever before. There are so many funding opportunities but the opportunities are available to only those with demonstrable preparedness to take the opportunities and utilize them profitably".
Ms Brigid Amoako Operations Analyst of IFC pledged the determination of the organisation to lend more support to the private sector, particularly SMEs but noted that they had a greater role to play in order to access the financial opportunities.
SMEs must formalise their operations, which includes, strengthening financial management, obtaining and using credible market information, exhibit and demonstrate pragmatic business models, she said. She urged SMEs to take advantage of financial packages under the IFC's Private Enterprise Partnership for Africa (PEP Africa) and the SMEs Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (SME EDI). Ms Amoako noted that these packages were to make IFC's global expertise and regional knowledge available to SMEs. 09 Sept. 07


text:
Spa Ceylon Luxury Ayurveda, opened its 3,000 square foot signature store and Ceylon Lounge in Japan’s Ginza shopping precinct. With this opening, Spa Ceylon is now the world’s largest luxury ayurveda chain with 45 locations across 12 countries.
The opening of the store was attended by Professor D Ganganath Dissanayake, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Japan and many Japanese and Sri Lankan corporates.
Speaking at the opening, Shalin Balasuriya, Director and Co-founder, Spa Ceylon, stated, “We see a lot of potential for the Spa Ceylon brand in Japan. Even though this is a mature market with many international players and strong domestic brands as well, we feel that the proven, high performance formula with natural ingredients, luxury presentation and branding elements from Ceylon will set us apart and will be the key features of success for the brand in Japan.”
This is their second location in Japan following the opening of their boutique in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.


text:
Infiniti has released a third teaser of the JX Crossover concept, which is a preview of the 2013 Infiniti JX. We’ve seen teasers of the front end, the rear and now we have our first look at the profile of the JX. It looks like the JX is going to get a panoramic sunroof and notice the shape of the D-pillar.
Expect to see the JX Crossover concept on August 18th when it premiers at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The production model is expected to debut at the LA Auto Show in November, with sales kicking off in the spring of 2012.


text:
The wealthy are pretty optimistic
North County Times
Rich people are no different than the rest of us. They just havemore money. And, when it comes to that money, America’smillionaires are feeling pretty good about the future.
The Phoenix Wealth Management Survey of people with seven figurenet worths finds that most of these big-bucks folks are optimisticabout the future of the U.S. economy and 77 percent say they havenot made any changes in their investment strategies since theterrorist attacks. Only 18 percent are adjusting their portfoliosto be more defensive during these tumultuous times.
However, the survey confirms that wealthy people are just asfrugal as everyone else. The number of high net-worth people whoare postponing big ticket purchases like expensive vacations andmajor home improvements rose to 28 percent in September, up from 19percent in June.
That’s pretty much in line with consumer activity overall. Therewas a 1.8 percent drop in personal spending during September, thebiggest decline since the winter of 1987 when most of America wassnowed in as the result of a major blizzard.
This, of course, creates a nasty Catch-22 situation. Productionlines shut down when people stop spending. Companies are forced tocut payrolls and consumers get defensive because they are afraidthey could be the next to get a pink slip. A recession becomes aself-fulfilling prophecy.
There is a natural conflict between the current desire to saveand the need to help the economy with some patriotic consumeractivity. Encouraging people to spend when they believe theirfinancial livelihood is at risk is no easy task.
Some employers are doing their part by giving workers anunexpected bonus.
However, the extra bucks come with one catch: They have to goout and spend them. The owner of the Del Amo Fashion Center inTorrance gave each of his employees $100 in cash with thestipulation that they immediately support local businesses. Don’tpay the utility bill with the newfound funds, instead go out andshop. This is part of a national grassroots effort called “Pay ItForward.”
Evidence shows that most Americans didn’t go out and spend theirtax rebate checks. They either paid down debt or put the money someplace safe. This is similar to what happened in Japan when thegovernment repeatedly cut taxes and sent out rebate checks in aneffort to stimulate the economy. Since the vast majority theresaved rather than spent, the government had to take drastic steps.They actually sent out time-sensitive rebates in the form ofcoupons that could only be redeemed for purchases. It forcedJapanese consumers to spend rather than save.
Rich or poor, making changes in your spending habits now iscertainly appropriate. But, interrupting your investment programcould prove to be costly. There is evidence people will be changingtheir retirement strategy at the first of the year if the stockmarket continues to labor. Big mistake.
The survey of wealthy people finds that they believe the economywill recover from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. When it does,corporate profits will return and higher stock prices willfollow.


text:
The world's largest annual mobile event takes place this week in Barcelona. Tune in here for our full coverage, including hands-on with new phones from Nokia, LG, Sony, Huawei, and ZTE.
Microsoft today released yet more tools that developers can use to create and manage apps for Windows Phone 8. Among the new features, Microsoft has released the Windows Phone Dev Center application. This app serves as a mobile dashboard through which developers can manage and control their apps, as well as track things such as downloads, crashes, and more. The Dev Center app also has a Live Tile that updates with crash reports and makes it easy for developers to share their application directly from the Start screen. According to Microsoft, developers have published 15,000 dedicated Windows Phone 8 apps since the platform launched in late 2013, with a total app count of more than 130,000 in the Windows Phone Store.
Nokia today made its rebranded HERE mapping and navigation services available to all devices running Windows Phone 8. Microsoft already baked Nokia Maps into Windows Phone 8. Beginning today, HERE Maps, HERE Drive Beta, and HERE Transit can be used by WP8 owners in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, and the U.K. Nokia first announced plans to rebrand its navigation services to HERE late last year. A separate HERE map app is available to the Apple iPhone, for example. The HERE apps for WP8 can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Store.


text:
Shop Small Campaign Launches in Silver Spring on Monday
The Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Maria Contreras-Sweet, is encouraging Americans across the country to shop small on November 29th as part of Small Business Saturday, a day that is dedicated to supporting the small businesses that anchor local communities and strengthen the economy.
As a member of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet, the SBA Administrator is reminding American’s to not only shop small on Small Business Saturday, but to even start with their Thanksgiving dinner items at local grocers, shop small at their Main Street businesses and dine small at their neighborhood restaurants.
On Monday, Contreras-Sweet will visit an immigrant- and veteran-owned small business grocer in Silver Spring to highlight the impact of entrepreneurs on the economy.
In Maryland, independent grocers generate $2.27B in annual sales and are responsible for over 20,000 jobs and wages of $872.75 million. According to the SBA, that fuels $218 million in state and local budget, and almost $200 million in federal resources.
According to the SBA, the weekend after Thanksgiving is considered the busiest shopping weekend of the year, and many small businesses rely on the holiday shopping period to ensure a successful year on the books.
For more information about the Shop Small campaign, visit www.sba.gov/smallbusinesssaturday.


text:
A leading cinema group in Europe, Cineworld Group has announced that it will stop the sales process for its businesses in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland because it was unsuccessful in finding an all-cash buyer.
According to Reuters, the group has reached a conditional agreement with its creditors to exit bankruptcy.
The company, which is currently protected under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, has stated that it will still consider offers for the sale of its “Rest of World” business. This includes its operations outside of the U.S., UK, and Ireland.
A court filing made on Sunday, Cineworld plans to raise $2.26 billion in the first half of 2023 in order to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings.
In 2022, Cineworld filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States due to the burden of its $5 billion debt becoming too difficult to manage.
The CEO, Mooky Greidinger said in a statement, “This agreement with our lenders represents a ‘vote-of-confidence’ in our business and significantly advances Cineworld towards achieving its long-term strategy in a changing entertainment environment.”
Cineworld is a cinema chain that operates in almost 750 locations and has more than 9,000 screens, making it the second-largest cinema chain in the world in terms of screen count.
The company has a presence in 10 countries, including the UK, US, Poland, and Israel, and employs approximately 30,000 people globally.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cinema chains were one of the industries that suffered the most. Many cinemas had to close for extended periods during the lockdowns, while others were only allowed to operate at a reduced capacity because of social distancing rules.
As a result of the pandemic, Cineworld reported a substantial loss in the first six months of 2020. This was due to the temporary closure of some of its cinemas and the postponement of the release of several blockbuster movies by movie studios.


text:
School Kids Pay For Lunch Using Their Palms [Video]
Infrared scanners implemented in the cafeteria hopes to streamline the payments.
Moss Bluff Elementary School in Louisiana, USA, will introduce palm scanners to streamline payments at the cafeteria. The school, with nearly 1,000 students, hopes to increase efficiency and reduce payment mistakes compared to human staff. The technology is able to read the unique vein patterns of each hand using infrared light and connect the person to his/her meal plans.
Not everyone is pleased with the palm reader being implemented, where one Christian parent told local TV channel KPLC-TV that, “I know where it’s going to end up coming to, the mark of the beast,” and adds that she will be transferring her kids to another school.
Watch the video below to learn more about the new technology.
To move beyond novelty activations and one-time gimmicks, PSFK equips marketers with the insights, templates and analytics to develop high-reach campaigns that meet consumers in the moment, collect and build upon experiential data, and build scale through content creation.
A talk from Scott Bedbury at PSFK 2017 stresses the importance of transparency in a country that has fallen prey to “alternative facts”


text:
Detroit Tigers tickets on sale Friday: Here are the giveaways to look for in 2020
Detroit Tigers single-game tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
According to the team, tickets for Opening Day in Detroit against the Kansas City Royals on March 31 start at $20, as well as most other games during the 2020 season.
Tickets are available on the team’s official website, over the phone at (866) 668-4437 or at the Comerica Park box office.
Among the giveaway games on this year’s schedule:
- Tigers Hawaiian shirt on May 23
- Niko Goodrum bobblehead on July 17
- Ron Gardenhire bobblehead on July 31
- Fiesta Tigres replica jersey on Aug. 15
- Lou Whitaker replica jersey on Aug. 29
Among the promotional theme nights:
- Star Wars night on May 9
- Pink Out the Park on May 10
- 26th annual Negro Leagues Tribute game on July 18
- Whitaker number retirement ceremony on Aug. 29
Consistent with previous years, the Tigers will hold postgame fireworks on nine dates and feature special promotions for kids, including Kids Opening Day on April 5, a PAWS hooded towel giveaway on June 14.
New this year: Tigers players will be available for pregame autographs prior to select Saturday home games.


text:
Last week, rumors hit the Internet that sales of Windows 8 have so far not met with Microsoft's own expectations, while Microsoft would not officially comment on those rumors. Now, an executive at electronics retailer Newegg has confirmed that sales of Windows 8 software, at least from them, have been "slow going", without actually providing specific sales numbers.
ReadWrite.com reports that Merle McIntosh, senior vice president of product management of Newegg North America said:
On the software side it has been slow going, and I think it will be that way until the pricing normalizes sometime next year ... But on the hardware side, we’re starting to see some slow but steady increases in notebooks, and as the tablets become available, we’re starting to see some good sides of the tablet part of the equation as well.
Windows 7 reportedly sold 100 million copies in its first six months. However, McIntosh added that sales of Windows 8 have not approached those of Windows 7. He added:
It doesn’t even come close. As you know ... the Windows 7 launch was coming in to solve a Vista problem, and there was lots of lots of pent-up demand for it. And so for the launch - at launch - the Win 8 stuff doesn’t compare, really.
Despite the initial sales of Windows 8, McIntosh was optimistic that the OS will see increased sales in the first half of 2013, " ... probably at the end of the first quarter, going into the second quarter."
Source: ReadWrite.com | Image via Newegg
52 Comments - Add comment


text:
Oktoberfest is the Holy Grail of beer festivals to many beer enthusiasts around the world. Each year millions of revelers make the pilgrimage to Munich, Germany to eat, drink and be merry under massive beer tents. If a trip to Europe is not feasible for you, Anheuser-Busch is bringing an authentic German Oktoberfest celebration to six of its breweries. The events, full of traditional Oktoberfest festivities, will celebrate authentic German beer, food and entertainment in September and October.
Fairfield, Calif. – September 12
Jacksonville, Fla. – September 12
Fort Collins, Colo. – September 12 and 13
St. Louis, Mo. – September 25, 26 and 27
Cartersville, Ga. – October 3 and 4
Merrimack, N.H. – October 10
In true Oktoberfest tradition, St. Louis will host a wedding ceremony to kick off the celebratory weekend. The tradition of celebrating a wedding at Oktoberfest dates back to the early 1800s when Crown Prince Ludwig, the future King of Bavaria, invited the entire population of Munich to honor his recent marriage to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
At each location, brewmasters and local dignitaries will kick off the celebration by tapping the first keg and leading guests in a ceremonial toast.
Guests can enjoy a variety of German-style beers, such as Spaten, Franziskaner and other seasonal favorites, paired with traditional German fare such as bratwursts, Bavarian pretzels and gingerbread cookies. Visitors can participate in traditional German games and enjoy live music and entertainment.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ABOktoberfest.com.


text:
OCEANSIDE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – A special military-like operation was held on Long Island Monday designed to bring some holiday cheer to our servicemen and women overseas.
As WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reported, hundreds of Christmas trees and thousands of holiday decorations, gifts and menorahs were packed up and sent on their way to troops in Afghanistan.
Some service members were on hand at Dee’s Nursery in Oceanside to held spread holiday cheer to Americans far from home over the holidays.
“We just have a blast when we see things like this come from home. Reminds us that the people back home are thinking about us,” one volunteer told Xirinachs. “Soldiers get depressed at the holiday time and the trees come in and stuff, aw man. They just light up.”
This is the 11th year of DHL Operation Holiday Cheer, Xirinachs reported. Those who have been on the receiving end say it’s always much appreciated.
“It shows support. It makes you become stronger physically and mentally,” Army Lt. Natalie Romano told Xirinachs.
DHL ships the trees and other holiday items for free. Since launching Operation Holiday Cheer in 2004, DHL has sent more than 7,000 Christmas trees to troops stationed abroad.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories


text:
DBS on track to launch local subsidiary in October: Piyush Gupta
The bank has around a Rs 50,000 crore balance sheet in India. Loans to large companies account for 70% of its book, followed by SMEs at 20% and the rest is a growing consumer book.
The bank has invested another Rs 500 crore in March 2018 to take the total capital in India to Rs 5000 crore and plans to expand to at least 50 branches and 70 banking outlets, challenging the likes of Standard Chartered, Citibank and HSBC which have been the top foreign banks in the country for more than 100 years.
“India is one of six core markets for us. We plan to move quickly from 12 cities and 12 branches now to 30 cities and 50 branches and 70 other outlets within 12 months. This network will help us reach more customers and small enterprises and also serve our large corporate clients better. We see huge growth in this market,” DBS Group CEO Piyush Gupta said.
DBS along and another lender, State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) had applied to start a new subsidiary in the country in 2015. DBS received an in-principle approval from the RBI in September 2017. That approval will now be notified as it moves its branches, customer assets and people to a new entity. The bank will hire 600 to 800 more people to add to its 1200 people as it makes a transition to a local unit.
“This will change the way we do business. We will have new touch points to service SMEs and our growing wealth management clients. But we will also have to gradually increase our priority sector targets to meet RBI regulations,” DBS India CEO, Surojit Shome said. He expects the bank’s net non performing assets (NPAs) to fall to around 1% in the fiscal year ended March 2018 from 2.12% a year earlier. The bank has recovered from a peak of 10.21% NPAs in March 2014.
The bank has around a Rs 50,000 crore balance sheet in India. Loans to large companies account for 70% of its book, followed by SMEs at 20% and the rest is a growing consumer book. RBI norms say that local lenders have to lend 40% of their incremental loans to disadvantaged sections like agriculture, minorities and small enterprises. So far DBS could make up using lending linked to exports. That holiday will end.
Shome said that the bank will partner non-banking companies active in rural areas and buy securities to make up its priority sector targets in the first five years until it gradually builds its network to make these loans by itself.
In April 2016, DBS launched a new mobile-only offering for retail consumers called digibank. That offering has helped the bank add two million customers in just about two years. Out of the total Rs 1500 deposits Rs 500 crore are coming from customers using this purely digital offering, Gupta said.
Earlier this year the bank launched a personal loan offering on digibank to go with a mutual fund marketplace earlier. It plans to sell insurance through its online offeringthis year and add credit cards probably next year in India.


text:
DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017 for women
DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017 on footwear DSquared2 and new arrivals DSquared2 for women with DSquared2 sneakers in collection DSquared2.
DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017.
The famous brand shoes DSquared2 for women, presents the new collection DSquared2 2016 2017 where we can also see more new stuff, on new arrivals DSquared2 2016 2017 and pieces that can be in the campaigns DSquared2 for sales in all the best DSquared2 clothing stores. The female line DSquared2 sneakers proposes the latest innovations exhibited in collection DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017, where it is presented the new collection composed of footwear DSquared2 such as : DSquared2 boots, DSquared2 sneakers, footwear, décolleté, shoes with heels, ankle boots, pumps, lace-up, casual shoes, dress shoes, moccasins, sandals, ballet flats and much more to discover on look DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017 and DSquared2 clothing accessories all are visible in the shops online of the brand.
All in great style DSquared2 for women in shoes DSquared2 2016 2017 on apparel online DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017 here only the most interesting pieces chosen for visitors, from onlygreatstyle.com with the pieces of the catalog chosen from photos, on footwear DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017, DSquared2 for sales, new arrivals DSquared2, fashion show and from latest news in the collection DSquared2 for women 2016 2017 on women’s sneakers online for look DSquared2 2016 2017.
New arrivals DSquared2.
DSquared2 fall winter 2016 2017.
Also to be noted in the DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017 : slip on, low top sneakers, loafers, slippers, athletic shoes, walking shoes all for latest news on footwear DSquared2, with the new arrivals DSquared2 fall winter 2016 2017 paying attention to the new campaigns DSquared2 for sales and news on shoes DSquared2 for women always only great style.
DSquared2 2016 2017.
Review onlygreatstyle.com : DSquared2 shoes fall winter 2016 2017 for women.
Weekly news for new arrivals DSquared2 in collection DSquared2 for women on footwear DSquared2 2016 2017 for DSquared2 sneakers (most read articles of the week and more), you can follow by using the Twitter follow, I like and share of Facebook, or share the article on social we are also on Google +1, thank you for choosing this site and good navigation.


text: In the past decade, rainforests of Amazon have witnessed incidents of fire several times – most of which have had man-made causes. Why were the forests set on fire? Is this must for the development of the forest areas? Why is it assumed that development accompanies capitalism? Does Brazil President Bolsonaro believe that resources from the Amazon have to be used? Prabir Purkayastha, editor-in-chief, NewsClick answers these questions among others.


text:
Local hospitality tech startup Mr Yum has won a place alongside global software giants Square and Shopify in an Andrews Labor Government program that will give Victorian businesses emerging from the pandemic a major digital boost.
Collingwood-based Mr Yum provides digital menus and ordering for restaurants, cafes and bars and its services will now be available to fellow Victorian businesses as part of unique rebate program launched today.
The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program will help eligible sole traders and micro and small businesses in all sectors to build digital capability and support their day-to-day business operations.
Businesses can trial selected digital products including website, e-commerce, finance and business management products and will be able to sign up for one of the available products with a rebate of up to $1,200 available for 12 months’ access.
Software applications offered by Mr Yum, Square, Shopify, Squarespace, MYOB and XERO are part of the program.
Mr Yum has experienced significant growth as more businesses adapt to online and contactless practices – the company, established in 2018, now has more than a million users a month and 1,000 participating hospitality venues on its books.
Hospitality venues Welcome to Thornbury in Northcote and The National Hotel in Richmond have both been using Mr Yum as they reopen following the easing of restrictions, making their premises safer for customers and staff.
Software providers will give businesses access to product-specific support and training during the trial period and once the product is purchased under the rebate program. Businesses will also be able to participate in free digital workshops offered through Small Business Victoria and in face-to-face workshops once it is safe to do so.
The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program is part of the Labor Government’s commitment to help businesses build their digital capability which will be essential as we continue to move towards COVID Normal.
For more information on the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program, visit business.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford
“We’re giving businesses the chance to get a tech edge they might not otherwise have had, which will help operators adapt, recover and grow.”
“It’s fantastic that Mr Yum is on board to provide its digital products to hospitality businesses adapting to new ways of doing business.”
Quote attributable to Mr Yum co-founder and CEO Kim Teo
“It’s so exciting to be part of this program, helping hospitality venues across Victoria adapt the latest digital menu, ordering and payment technology, to make them safer and boost their bottom line.”
Reviewed 16 November 2020


text:
What Happened to Liyah Mai? Why She Arrested?
Liyah Mai Gets Arrested: Find out about this shocking turn of events as internet star Liyah Mai is about to be arrested for allegedly stealing a high-end watch.
Read interesting and informative general stories to learn about the latest news, find out interesting facts, and gain valuable insights.
Liyah Mai About
Liyah Mai is a British star on social media, where she has become a huge hit. She is a beautiful socialite, a mesmerizing model, and a charming social media personality. Her stunning Instagram presence has won hearts and sparked emotions. Liyah joined Instagram on June 24, 2016, when she was just 17 years old. Since then, she has been a shining example of beauty, gaining over 282 thousand dedicated fans.
Liyah Mai has become a true social media influencer because she has a magnetic charm that draws people in. She uses this power to push different clothing and swimwear brands. FashionNova and Boohoo are just two of the well-known brands that have gotten her charming recommendations. But she doesn’t stop there. TikTok called to her, and with grace and poise, she danced her way into the hearts of over 436 thousand fans.
Each lip-synced video is a magical spell that leaves her fans spellbound and wanting more of her hypnotic dance moves. Liyah Mai has made a magical place on YouTube for her loyal fans since she joined the site. Even though she hasn’t posted much on this platform—she’s only posted two videos since 2020—each one is a treasure that her nearly 15,000 followers love.
Her journey is a story of love and seduction, like the song of a siren that draws us into her beautiful world. With every post, she tells us to accept our own beauty, feel the power of self-confidence, and dance to the beat of life. Liyah Mai is a bright star who lights up our hearts with her dazzling beauty. Long may her alluring presence charm our online world!
Liyah Mai Arrested
Liyah Mai, known for her carefully managed online persona, was arrested for allegedly stealing high-end watches. Twitter, where she had a huge following, was shocked by her detention. Mai’s charges have destroyed the carefully crafted façade of her opulent life, leaving her fans and followers questioning her glossy Instagram posts.
As the public scrutinizes her life, she faces strong backlash and perhaps legal action. Mai is accused of stealing costly watches from various businesses, including a major jewelry store and a watch boutique. Given her internet fame, the scale and brazenness of the alleged crimes have raised concerns.
Her arrest has left a long, dark shadow over her once-gleaming image, forcing her fans to consider the idea that her luxury online life was built on dishonesty and criminality. Many feel duped and disillusioned by her carefully maintained online presence and the charges she faces.
Discussions and rumors regarding the suspected thefts have proliferated over social media. The internet is divided on whether fame and success drove her to greed and deception or if there is more to the story. Mai struggles to restore her reputation during the judicial proceedings.
However, public opinion is merciless, and repairing her image will be difficult. The arrest of Liyah Mai shows that online personas may not necessarily mirror reality. It shows how social media can destroy popularity and fortune with a single scandal.
Also Read:- Is Sheff G Arrested? What Happened to Sheff G?
The world awaits this former internet starlet’s story and her punishment. The digital era unearths secrets and holds celebrities accountable.
What Happened to Liyah Mai?
Liyah Mai has yet to confirm or deny reports and conjecture about her situation. Her supposed arrest and charges have dominated social media, but these are just allegations until verified.
Avoid spreading untruths that could damage people’s reputations or cause panic.
Liyah Mai’s admirers and followers have expressed concern and support on social media, looking for an explanation. Her loyal followers want updates, but they should be patient and wait for verifiable information from credible sources.
Responsible information consumers should not propagate rumors or make assumptions until official details are released. Let’s wait for respectable news channels and party comments to clarify Liyah Mai’s case.
In these situations, empathy and understanding are essential since public personalities are people who deserve fair treatment and the presumption of innocent unless proven guilty. We can uncover the truth while protecting everyone’s rights and dignity by addressing this matter delicately.