The abject weirdness of AI ads
TRYNGOLZATM (olezarsen) approved in U.S. as first-ever treatment for adults living with familial chylomicronemia syndrome as an adjunct to diet
Dolly Parton can listen to Christmas music all day long! “Well, you know I love all the Christmas songs," Dolly told People. "I love the fast ones, I love the slow ones." Listing her favorite tunes, she said: "I love 'Silent Night' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem,' but then I love 'Rudolph' and all of those fun things. I just love all of that.” The country music legend noted how the process of listening to music has changed through technology. “We all have either an Alexa or Siri or one of those kinds of things,” she noted. "I just always holler out, 'Alexa, play holiday music for 12 hours in my house,' or something like that, and I just like all of it.” Parton has been a Christmas icon since the ‘80s, releasing music and books centered around the holiday. She released her first holiday album, Once Upon a Christmas in 1984 and followed it in 1990 with her solo collection of holiday songs titled Home for Christmas. Her third holiday album titled Holly Dolly Christmas was released in October 2020 and featured classics including I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Mary, Did You Know?. The music legend has also created original songs for Christmas movies. Dolly Parton also publishes the Billy the Kid Christmas books and sends them to children regardless of their lifestyle.The abject weirdness of AI ads
Maura Higgins’ mum ‘in shock after daughter makes raunchy sex confession on I’m A Celebrity’
Gamefam , a metaverse media company for Gen Z and Alpha communities, said in its second annual report that its branded campaigns on Roblox and Fortnite have exceeded 2.7 billion brand engagements in 2024. The State of Brands on Roblox and Fortnite report noted that Gamefam , which makes games on Roblox and Fortnite, is the No. 1 fastest-growing private company in the media industry in 2024, according to the Inc. 5,000 list. And it’s game portfolio has surpassed 45 billion gameplay sessions to date. Gamefam continued to lead with their development of fan-favorite standalone brand games, holding claim to five of the top 15 brand games of all time on Roblox. During the year, Gamefam’s Sonic Speed Simulator became the first brand game ever on Roblox to cross a billion visits, said Joe Ferencz, CEO of GamesBeat, in an interview with GamesBeat. “It was a huge growth year for the company. Our portfolio is now at 64 million daily visits, including either ownership or exclusive partnerships with a suite of the top 25 games on Roblox,” Ferencz said. “So that’s been really exciting to see that happen, and the reason why is that our live ops practices and our brand partnerships business are extremely attractive to top Roblox developers to collaborate with.” He added, “We’ve been able to connect not only our own portfolio, but also a partnership portfolio that extends into the tens of millions of daily visits and tens of millions of DAU so that’s been really exciting.” With Roblox and Fortnite exploding in popularity and their corresponding rise in meaningful advertising and marketing opportunities, 2024 proved to be a crucial year for brands, Hollywood studios and talent to think strategically and leverage these platforms to engage younger generations. As brand marketers become more familiar with activating on Roblox and Fortnite, Gamefam has led the charge in helping them shift their thinking from just showing up to building programs that generate measurable scale and impact. At the same time, Gamefam continued to generate return-on-investment for brands with custom integrations and activations within its portfolio of the most popular Roblox and Fortnite games that maintain massive player bases, generating 2.7 billion brand engagements in 2024 via this approach. Ferencz said the integrations can take a number of forms. With Ubisoft, Gamefam partnered to put the French game company’s Brawlhalla into popular Gamefam games. That guarantees that a certain size of audience will notice the brand integraiton, in comparison to starting a brand new game. “We have five of the top 15 Roblox games of all time, so we advise few brands to make a standalone game,” Ferencz said. “Roblox is still a relatively small revenue stream by global gaming standards for individual games. The entire payout pool for roadblocks will probably hit $1 billion to developers this year. It’s highly levered to the top-end games, and with a $1 billion payout pool total that’s still significantly smaller than any of the top individual mobile free to play games.” He added, “So we’re advising video game companies: You need to be on Roblox, but you need at this time to make sure that you’re driving back to your core business streams while starting to think about how Roblox can be a revenue generating platform in its current setup for you over the next five years.” Gamefam’s strategic vision for brands and ensuing success have led to a sea change with over 400 brands activating on Roblox to date, nearly doubling last year’s total and showing a 560% increase from 2022. Similarly, Fortnite saw massive brand interest with a 330% increase since 2022 in the number of brands that created games or integrations on Fortnite. “Roblox and Fortnite are the preferred media platforms for Gen Z & Alpha, and brands need to have a metaverse strategy in order to retain and gain cultural relevance with the younger generations,” said Ferencz. “With over half a billion monthly active users across Roblox and Fortnite, the time for brands to be on these platforms is now or they risk falling behind the competitors who are moving quickly to establish share of voice, mind and heart with today’s most valuable consumers and fans.” Gamefam’s 2024 achievements Topping the Charts and Reaching New Milestones with Hit Roblox Games : Gamefam was the developer and operator behind four of the top 10 brand games on Roblox (by total visits in 2024) including Mattel’s Barbie DreamHouse Tycoon (No. 1 brand game on Roblox in 2024), SEGA’s Sonic Speed Simulator (No. 2 in 2024, No. 1 brand game on Roblox of all time), Paramount’s SpongeBob Simulator (No. 8 in 2024), and Paramount’s TMNT Battle Tycoon (No. 9 in 2024). Maximizing Cultural Moments (like the Super Bowl) Through Roblox : Building on the Super Bowl LVII success (No. 1 Roblox concert of all time), Gamefam again partnered with the NFL and brought them together with Paramount to launch a five-game Super Bowl LVIII quest on Roblox. The NFL and Paramount reached the next generation of football fans as this 30-day activation became the No. 1 multi-game brand event on Roblox with over 75 million total visits and 985 million minutes of brand engagement. Bringing the Box Office & Streaming to the Metaverse : Gamefam worked with studios behind movies and shows to promote their content to millions of players on Roblox and Fortnite before, during and after their global premieres. Specifically, Gamefam worked with Sony Pictures to build a 4-game takeover on Roblox for The Garfield Movie, resulting in the biggest multi-game movie campaign on Roblox with 31 million visits. Additionally, Gamefam partnered with Paramount to develop the first playable story to promote the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles streaming series on Paramount+. Gamefam developed other unique integrations and experiences for all of the top studios, for movies including Sony Pictures’ Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Disney’s Inside Out 2 and Disney’s Moana 2. Rocking on Roblox : Following last year’s success with Saweetie’s Super Bowl LVII concert (No. 1 Roblox concert of all time) and Cher’s holiday album launch activation, Gamefam continued to jam out with Gen Z & Alpha in the metaverse. In 2024, Gamefam and Warner Music Group teamed up again to bring seven-time Grammy winner Coldplay to Roblox for the first time with a multi-game takeover to celebrate the launch of the band’s new album Moon Music. The campaign resulted in 25+ million visits and 295 million minutes of brand engagement, equivalent to listening to Moon Music 6.7 million times. Helping Brands Achieve Scale on Roblox and Fortnite : In 2024, Gamefam worked on over 60+ campaigns and games. Gamefam launched the first official Roblox game for Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants, teamed up with gaming icon and legendary streamer Ninja for his first-ever Fortnite game takeover in Gamefam’s popular Infinite ZoneWars 2.0, and created integrations for countless brands including Samsung, Moose Toys, Skechers, Lego, FIFA and Spin Master. In recognition of the company’s trailblazing work, Gamefam was honored with 30+ prestigious awards in 2024. Those included Great Place to Work, Inc. 5000 (No. 1 fastest-growing private company in the media industry), Fast Company Best Workplaces for Innovators, The Stevie Awards for Great Employers and Deloitte Technology Fast 500, among others. In 2022, Gamefam faced complaints about its pay and crunch from employees/contractors who were unhappy, but Gamefam said it has tried to address issues in bringing more professional practices to its workforce; it noted its Great Place to Work survey showed 90% of employees said this year it was a great place to work, up from 81% the year before. Gamefam and many of its partners were named winners of advertising campaign award programs including the Clio Sports Awards (4x winner), Clio Entertainment Awards (3x winner), The Drum Awards (5x winner), Webby Awards and Campaign Tech Awards, among many others. Roblox and Fortnite again dominated social media and kids’ TV in 2024 For the past few years, Roblox and Fortnite have been solidified as the preferred platform of choice for Gen Z and Alpha, with users spending 144 minutes per day on Roblox compared to TikTok (112 minutes per day) and YouTube (70 minutes per day), according to Qustodio . This year, Roblox exploded to more than 89 million daily users (29% increase YoY) and was an instrumental tool for brands looking to reach Gen Z and Alpha. Brand games on Roblox accumulated over 1.4 billion visits with 15.8 billion minutes spent in these games. This is especially meaningful at a time when traditional kids’ TV ratings have collapsed up to 90%.4 While this space is still new, brands are already learning about what is working most effectively for them. In 2024, there was a shift in brands building integrations rather than standalone games. For all brands, especially IP that is non-endemic to gaming, integrations allow them to reach communities of millions of players in the leading games on Roblox and Fortnite, delivering meaningful and active engagement at scale. This year, 57% of brands built integrations, and 43% built standalone experiences whereas in 2023, 37% of brands built integrations and 63% built standalone experiences. The 20 percentage point increase in brands building integrations proves marketers understand activations within popular games deliver immediate value. Ricardo Briceno, chief business officer at Gamefam, said in a statement, “The shift toward integrating into popular games with millions of daily users, rather than building standalone experiences, makes sense because brands are recognizing the value of reaching players where they already hang out. By embedding themselves into these vibrant communities, brands not only create meaningful, authentic engagement but also secure their long-term connection with the generations shaping today’s culture and tomorrow’s discretionary spend.” Roblox had a lot of issues this year with parents complaining about child safety. By November, the company updated its child-safety policies and launched new tech. Ferencz said his company works to adhere to all of Roblox is Terms of Service and safety compliance protocols. But he said Gamefam goes farther than that by helping the children’s advertising review unit so it can help brands understand safety protocols on Roblox. He’s also on the board of a local nonprofit in Los Angeles. “We are doing everything we can, both in collaboration with Roblox and with our brand partners to ensure we are at the highest standards of children’s safety,” he said. More Brands Will Turn to Roblox and Fortnite in 2025 With more than 1,000 total brand games and campaigns from 500+ unique brands appearing on Roblox and Fortnite to date, expectations for 2025 are higher than they have ever been. As marketers now understand their audience-building and engagement potential, Gamefam expects to see a bigger influx of investment from brands on these platforms. 2025 will offer a breakout opportunity for sports properties and brands that are non-endemic to gaming across spaces like consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, restaurants and technology, among others. Early predictions for the rest of the decade continue to be highly positive, with the metaverse as a whole projected to have over 2.6 billion users by 2030 . The popularity of Roblox and Fortnite with young demographics mean difficulties for brands in traditional spaces. Ferencz said that young folks are really sort of living in inside these worlds, and they’re not coming out for streaming videos and things like that. “That is the propellant for for the brands here. If they’re not engaging with the new generation, that’s that’s doom for them because their brand will disappear as those people get older. If you’re not gaining relevancy on Roblox and Fornite, you are losing relevancy on Roblox and Fortnite,” he said. The Roblox and Fortnite generations are necessarily playing console games or mobile games as much. That could be a whole generation of fans that multi-generational brands like Disney are missing out on. “They’re watching video content on YouTube and TikTok, and they’re in a closed loop of UGC gaming culture. And so we have been passionate about helping the brands and characters and gaming companies that we love start to navigate and capture value in this space,” Ferencz said. With TMNT, Gamefam made a playable cutscene and the campaign generated 37 million visits. Brawlhalla was integrated with the popular TMNT game, allowing Brawlhalla to get a lot more views/plays (and rewards for players) than it otherwise would with a brand new game. In a campaign that combined SpongeBob with the NFL and Paramount in the first quarter of 2024, Gamefam delivered a five-game cross-platform quest that generated 350 million validated brand engagements for a billion minutes of face time with Roblox players, Ferencz said. “We won three Golden Cleos just this month for this campaign,” he said. Talent search As for the talent, Ferencz said the company has a lot of leadership from game companies like Electronic Arts and Zynga while it also has a lot of Roblox natives who grew up making Roblox games. There are more than 100 people at the company, but Ferencz does not share the exact number. Gamefam also has its new Gamefam Creator Fund that is investing in indie Roblox development teams. The investments from the past six months have resulted in games with about 8,000 concurrent players to date, Ferencz said. “I think we really believe that when it comes to original IP on Roblox, you cannot compete with the Roblox developer community. There are just too many smart, motivated developers working around the world to make things that you would never have thought to make, and that is what powers Roblox,” he said. And if he can’t beat them, Ferencz will join them, sometimes by acquiring promising games and matching them up with a brand. War Tycoon is a good example of that, as Gamefam acquired it a few years ago and it has grown revenue around 800% since the deal. Predictions for 2025 Here are Ferencz’s hot take predictions on how the Roblox and Fortnite will impact the marketing and media world as well as broader culture: “Roblox will become equally important to YouTube and TikTok for Hollywood movie marketing, specifically as in-game integrations like Fandango start offering a direct purchase funnel with strong measurable impact.” “2025 will be when in-game advertising on Roblox becomes a must-have piece of the media plan for every Fortune 100 brand looking to reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers.” “Roblox will break 500 million monthly active users in 2025, on its way to 1+ billion by 2030.” “In 2025, one or more of the big four US sports leagues (NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL) will use Roblox or Fortnite to break major news about the league, its teams and/or players.” “By 2026, Fortnite’s Disney platform will become a top three digital entertainment experience for six to 12 year olds.” “An original IP born from Roblox will become a blockbuster animated film by 2030, alongside apparel, toys and other IRL spinoffs.” “Marketers are realizing Roblox and Fortnite strategies are necessary to reach new, young audiences in active ways, which is way more effective than the passive marketing we’re used to seeing,” he added. “Metaverse gaming isn’t a fad, and it’s not going to stop with Roblox and Fortnite... we have our eyes on platforms like Everywhere and Horizon Worlds as the next frontier for Gen Z and Alpha engagement. With Gamefam’s expertise and top portfolio in metaverse gaming, we’re in the best position to deliver unique and captivating brand experiences with massive scale and groundbreaking IP collaborations.” If you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI. Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here . An error occured.
Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more recordsEvery year, the U.S. egg industry kills about 350 million male chicks because, while the fuzzy little animals are incredibly cute, they will never lay eggs, so they have little monetary value. That longtime practice is changing, thanks to new technology that enables hatcheries to quickly peer into millions of fertilized eggs and spot male embryos, then grind them up for other uses before they mature into chicks. The system began operating this month in Iowa at the nation's largest chick hatchery, which handles about 387,000 eggs each day. "We now have ethically produced eggs we can really feel good about," said Jörg Hurlin, managing director of Agri Advanced Technologies, the German company that spent more than a decade developing the SUV-sized machine that can separate eggs by sex. Even Americans who are careful to buy cage free or free range eggs typically aren't aware that hundreds of millions of male chicks are killed each year, usually when they are only a day old. Most of the animals are culled through a process called maceration that uses whirling blades to nearly instantly kill the baby birds — something that seems horrifying but that the industry has long claimed is the most humane alternative. "Does the animal suffer? No because it's instantaneous death. But it's not pretty because it's a series of rotating blades," said Suzanne Millman, a professor at Iowa State University who focuses on animal welfare. Chick culling is an outgrowth of a poultry industry that for decades has raised one kind of chicken for eggs and another for meat. Egg-laying chickens are too scrawny to profitably be sold for meat, so the male chicks are ground up and used as additives for other products. It wasn't until European governments began passing laws that outlawed maceration that companies started puzzling out how to determine chicken sex before the chicks can hatch. Several companies can now do that, but unlike most competitors, AAT's machine doesn't need to pierce the shell and instead uses a bright light and sensitive cameras to detect an embryo's sex by noting feather shading. Males are white, and females are dark. The machine, called Cheggy, can process up to 25,000 eggs an hour, a pace that can accommodate the massive volume seen at hatcheries in the U.S. Besides the Cheggy machine in the small eastern Iowa city of Wilton, an identical system has been installed in Texas, both at hatcheries owned by Hy-Line North America. The process has one key limitation: It works only on brown eggs because male and female chicks in white eggs have similar-colored feathers. That's not a huge hindrance in Europe, where most eggs sold at groceries are brown. But in the U.S., white shell eggs make up about 81% of sales, according to the American Egg Board. Brown shell eggs are especially sought by people who buy cage-free, free-range and organic varieties. Hurlin said he thinks his company will develop a system to tell the sex of embryos in white eggs within five years, and other companies also are working to meet what's expected to be a growing demand. Eggs from hens that were screened through the new system will supply NestFresh Eggs, a Southern California-based business that distributes organic eggs produced by small operations across the country. The eggs will begin showing up on store shelves in mid-July and NestFresh executive vice president Jasen Urena said his company will begin touting the new chick-friendly process on cartons and with a larger marketing effort. "It's a huge jump in animal welfare," Urena said. "We've done so much work over the years on the farms. How do we make the lives of these chickens better? Now we're able to step back and go into the hatching phase." Urena said the new system was more expensive but any price increase on store shelves would be minimal. The animal welfare group Mercy for Animals has tried to draw attention to chick culling for more than a decade in hopes of ending the practice. Walter Sanchez-Suarez, the group's animal behavior and welfare scientist, said laws in Europe outlawing chick culling and new efforts to change the practice in the U.S. are wonderful developments. However, Sanchez-Suarez sees them as a small step toward a larger goal of ending large-scale animal agriculture and offering alternatives to meat, eggs and dairy. "Mercy for Animals thinks this is an important step, but poultry producers shouldn't stop there and should try to see all the additional problems that are associated to this type of practice in egg production," he said. "Look for alternatives that are better for animals themselves and human consumers."Soft Tissue Repair Market Size: Strong Growth Ahead (2024-2032)
Georgia's ombudsman accuses police of torturing pro-EU protesters
The government on Thursday proposed a new law which seeks to ban unregulated lending and slap a fine of ₹1 crore on offenders along with imprisonment of 10 years. The move follows action against several digital loan apps for unregulated lending over the past two years and complaints about their unfair lending and predatory recovery practices. A draft bill - Banning of Unregulated Lending Activities (Draft) Bill - was put out by the finance ministry for comments, which can be submitted till February 2025. The bill proposes to ban any lending activity, barring one authorised by the RBI and law. The draft law proposes to bar unregulated entities from making any deceptive or false claims persuading people to apply for loans. Offenders would face a prison term of up to five years. Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Legal Complete Guide to AI Governance and Compliance By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Entrepreneurship Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Entrepreneurship Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Data Analysis Animated Visualizations with Flourish Studio: Beginner to Pro By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development 12-Factor App Methodology: Principles and Guidelines By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Learn InVideo AI: Create Videos from Text Easily By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Startup Fundraising: Essential Tactics for Securing Capital By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Design Microsoft Designer Guide: The Ultimate AI Design Tool By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program The government has also proposed an online database that would list regulated lenders and facilitate reporting of illegal lenders. It seeks to include unregulated digital lending or any other lending activity, currently not regulated by any law for the time being, other than lending to relatives. As per the bill public lending activity would mean business of financing by any person, whether by the way of making loans or advances or otherwise of any activity other than its own at an interest, in cash or kind, but does not include loans and advances given to relatives. "The draft bill appears a bit prescriptive in defining regulated lending activities. Adopting a principle-based approach may bode well for the Indian fintech sector , whose innovation momentum should not be stifled," said Soumitra Majumdar, partner, JSA Advocates & Solicitors. The bill follows a recommendation in this regard by an RBI working group on digital lending. In August, the RBI said that in order to tackle issues arising from unauthorised digital lending applications it proposed to create a public repository of digital lending apps (DLAs) deployed by regulated entities. "The RBI proposes to create a public repository of DLAs deployed by its regulated entities. The regulated entities will report and update information about their DLAs in this repository. This measure will help the consumers to identify the unauthorised lending apps," said the then RBI governor Shaktikanta Das. Earlier this year, the government had stated in the Rajya Sabha that as per the information received from the electronics and information technology ministry, during the April 2021-July 2022 period, Google had reviewed 3,500-4,000 loan apps and suspended or removed more than 2,500 loan apps from its Play Store. Similarly, during the September 2022-August 2023 period, more than 2,200 loan apps were removed from the Play Store. Experts said that BULA, with the proposed central repository of all regulated lenders, intends to establish a foundation for ethical lending. "One of the main issues in the digital lending domain is that the consumers are not aware of the real lenders as there is no physical interaction in the lending transaction. Unregulated entities used this to camouflage as authorised lenders, affecting the entire ecosystem," said Mayank Arora, director-regulatory, Nangia Andersen India. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 15, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )kevinjeon00 In the rapidly evolving automotive and industrial technology sector, Garrett Motion ( NASDAQ: GTX ) presents an intriguing investment opportunity that merits careful consideration. As a global leader in turbocharger technology with a growing footprint in zero-emission solutions, the company sits at Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Whitecaps looking for new coach, fire Sartini after 3 years at the helm‘All we can do is fight’
2024 Fantasy Baseball Breakout: Bryce MillerMohamed Salah says he is disappointed by Liverpool’s failure to offer him a new contract and believes he is “more out than in” as he nears the end of his existing deal. Watch selected NRL, AFL, SSN games plus every F1 qualifying session and race live in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. The 32-year-old, who has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season, is out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. The Egypt international showed his enduring value on Sunday, scoring twice in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory at Southampton, which took them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table. But his comments after the match suggest Salah, who arrived at Anfield in 2017 and has won the Champions League and Premier League with the club, could leave for free. “We are almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club,” he said. “I’m probably more out than in. “You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands.” Salah is one of the three key Liverpool players who will soon be heading into the last six months of their deals, with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold also out of contract at the end of the season. All three will be free to speak to overseas clubs in January if they do not sign an extension before then. Asked if he was disappointed not to have received an offer from Liverpool, Salah added: “Of course, yeah. I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end it is not in my hands or the fans’ hands. Let’s wait and see. “I’m not going to retire soon so I’m just playing, focusing on the season and I’m trying to win the Premier League and hopefully the Champions League as well. I’m disappointed but we will see.” Speaking on Monday Night Football , Liverpool legend turned Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher called out Salah for what he saw as a “selfish” approach to the situation. “Right now there’s obviously a big difference in the valuation,” Carragher said. “What Mo Salah and his agent value themselves at, whether that’s financially or in terms of length of contract, to what Liverpool do. “So the reason Liverpool wouldn’t have offered a contract yet is because Mo Salah will turn it down, so they’re still in talks. I’m desperate for them to meet in the middle, but I must say I am very disappointed with Mo Salah. That interview yesterday after the game and it comes out today. “Liverpool have got Real Madrid midweek and they’ve got Manchester City at the weekend, that’s the story for Liverpool right now. “Mo Salah, we’re all quite aware, certainly the local reporters are in Liverpool, that in the seven years he’s been at the football club he’s stopped in the mixed zone twice, which is his right, which is absolutely fine. “But he decided to stop for the third time away at Southampton on the back of winning Liverpool the game and putting that out. “Now the most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, it’s not the future of Virgil van Dijk and it’s not the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold. “The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League. That is more important than any of those players, and if he continues to put comments out or his agent keeps putting cryptic tweets out, that’s selfish, that’s thinking about themselves and not the football club.”
always wants to play, no matter what it takes. A non-surgical, lower-body procedure, as opposed to surgery, has sidelined the top-pairing defenceman for eight weeks. It’s not the best news, but a combination of not requiring right shoulder surgery and dealing now with a lower-body ailment, will add up to bringing him back for the stretch drive and playoffs. Hronek could have been sidelined for remaining of this NHL season if surgery was the only option for a shoulder that has also caused him problems in the past. Hronek was injured in the final minute of on Nov. 27 when drilled by Jack St. Ivany into the end boards. Hronek fell awkwardly as he absorbed the heavy impact on the back of his right shoulder. He was seen grimacing in pain, as he fell to the ice. In his absence, the Canucks have juggled their pairings and blueliners have soaked up more minutes and gone to the grind to get wins. They have deployed — he had five blocks and five hits Sunday in a 5-4 overtime win at Detroit — and to work with Hughes. The adjustments helped forge a 4-1-0 road record heading into the finale of a six-game trip on Tuesday in St. Paul, Minn. against the league-leading Wild. “Throughout the road trip, guys have done something to help the team,” Canucks head coach said Tuesday. “I could go down the list with key moments and has been unreal. We’re a team that can’t have four or five passengers. “Everybody has to contribute something, whether it’s Juulsen with blocked shots, or one night the penalty kill and another the power play. That’s the key.” Hronek made a seamless trade transition to the Canucks and a pairing with Hughes. His team-leading plus-14 rating speaks to how he and the Canucks captain control play at even strength by playing off each other and denying the opposition turnovers to swing momentum. Hronek was logging an average of 23:36 per outing and had 24 shots when sidelined to put a talented pairing on hold. Hughes is the get-out-of-jail card to quickly transition from the back end and Hronek is always one of his exit options, unless the Norris Trophy leader unleashes a long passing bomb. Hronek’s nine points (1-8) are a product of being responsible and opportunistic with an underrated shot to help guide the second power-play unit from the point. And he’s a big reason why the once inept penalty kill is ranked 11th at 80.6 per cent efficiency. Hronek, 27, was a restricted free agent at the end of last season. He signed an eight-year, US$58 million extension on June 18 that carries and $7.25 million annual salary-cap hit. Hronek has also had a history of shoulder trouble. He had an ailment when the Canucks traded for him on March 1, 2023 and didn’t make his Vancouver debut until March 23. He played just four games and was then shut down. Tocchet said at the time that Hronek hadn’t suffered a setback, but implied he was still lacking strength to compete. Had the Canucks advance to the playoffs, he would have been back. bkuzma@postmedia.comElderglade Mobile Game is about to open Mini Dapp on LINE 12-20-2024 12:26 AM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: ABNewswire Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/10b889af939196240abd1c16fa282d5b.png Elderglade is among the first games to launch on the Dapp Portal of LINE. Selected as a top-tier Dapp, Elderglade is set to receive maximum marketing support as part of LINE's native media activities - a true testament to their confidence in our project and its potential. This feature launches Elderglade into the spotlight across Asia and beyond. LINE - The Asia's Messaging Powerhouse with over 196 Million MAU worldwide LINE is not just a messaging app; it's Asia's messaging powerhouse, dominating in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia with more than 196 million monthly active users. Introducing Kaia: Asia's Largest Digital Ecosystem Kaia, born from the merger of technologies developed by Kakao and LINE, has rapidly evolved into Asia's largest digital ecosystem. Hosting over 420 apps, Kaia offers seamless integrations and transactions, enhancing user convenience and connectivity since 2019. Recent innovations include advanced security features and expanded messenger integrations, reinforcing its position as a robust and scalable network. Kaia excels in fostering significant business connections and harnessing top-tier talent, linking major platforms like KakaoTalk and LINE to create a comprehensive and dynamic digital environment. How LINE NEXT's Partnership Catalyzes Elderglade's Global Reach This partnership with LINE offers Elderglade a unique opportunity to capture the mass consumer market, extending far beyond gaming enthusiasts. Kaia simplifies app integration for users through a messenger-integrated wallet, allowing seamless transactions without leaving LINE. "We are thrilled to be a part of the Line ecosystem! This is a huge opportunity for us to expand to Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia!" - Adele, CMO and Founder of W3Forge, studio behind Elderglade." This approach drives mass adoption by enabling users to enjoy Elderglade's functionalities seamlessly. The user experience is streamlined, focusing solely on gameplay and rewards, which makes it easy for newcomers to onboard. Furthermore, through the Kaia Wave support program, Elderglade directly connects with hundreds of millions of LINE users via push messages, in-app banners, point-based mission campaigns, and a dedicated KOL network - ensuring rapid user acquisition and exponential growth in Asia and beyond. Being the first game to open the Dapp Portal on LINE App gives Elderglade a massive first-mover advantage, a huge exposure boost in Asia, and opens up enormous market opportunities. This partnership sets the stage for Elderglade to become one of the most popular games globally. Elderglade's Explosive Growth: From Launch to Global Sensation Elderglade's mobile game has been a massive success! In just two months, we've attracted over 1,500,000 players globally and are seeing 4,000,000+ daily matches across 180+ countries. Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/e290ee843af2975b5bfba0a203475871.png Elderglade native mobile app has been a hit, with thousands of downloads and an influx of glowing reviews. Listing on both Google Play and the Apple App Store has opened us up to a global audience of around 3 billion users, providing an even bigger funnel for user growth. Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/aba0185006711a1ebbe81b9d434d366e.png The launch on LINE is scheduled for the end of January, and is anticipated to surge new players that will solidify our global market presence before the full game release later in the year. Join Elderglade on This Revolutionary Journey Elderglade is not just a game; it's a pioneering force in AI-driven retro-style fantasy gaming. Join Elderglade on a journey to build and redefine gaming - From real-time PvP match 3 mobile fantasy game to AI-driven retro-style MMORPG Turn Based PvPvE extraction looter. Play Elderglade NOW on: Line: Coming Soon Telegram: https://t.me/Elderglade_bot Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elderglade.app iOS App Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/elderglade/id6738386041 Media Contact Company Name: W3Forge Contact Person: Adele Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=elderglade-mobile-game-is-about-to-open-mini-dapp-on-line ] Phone: +1 775-442-7340 Country: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Website: http://w3forge.com This release was published on openPR.Beware of too-good-to-be-true deals