Kids Fly Free this Summer on These Airlines!
Have daughters or sons who are fans of the Disney hit “Frozen?” Or have you always wanted to check dog-sledding in the hinterlands of Finland off your travel bucket list? Scandinavian Airlines is letting kids fly for free beginning this summer.
Families in the US looking for summer vacation ideas on a budget may want to consider adding cities like Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm to their shortlist this year, given the potential savings they could see on long-haul, trans-Atlantic flights with SAS this year.
The deal is good for children aged two to 11, traveling with an adult. Kids pay only taxes and fees on trips taken between August 20-March, 30, 2019.
Flights must be booked by May 13.
Scandinavian Airlines isn’t the only carrier to offer a kids-fly-free promotion, but it may be the most generous for a long-haul travel.
British Airways is also offering a similar deal, but for short-haul flights within the UK.
Children under the age of 12 can fly free on select return flights from London Heathrow, or from cities like Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Flights must also be booked by May 13, and the deal is good for travel between June 1 to Nov. 5, 2018.
Pakistan’s Dania Hassan Honored with ‘Emerging Young Leaders’ Award
Pakistan’s very own Dania Hassan has made the entire nation very proud!
The 18-year-old was awarded the ‘Emerging Young Leaders’ Award for her work as partners for peace and drivers of economic growth and opportunity.
Dania, along with 9 other individuals from across the globe, were recognized for their efforts in a ceremony held in Washington by the US State Department.
The award symbolizes the positive role these young people play in building sustainable peace, according to US Department of State.
Dania wishes to improve the quality of education currently being provided to the youth in Pakistan. After attending summer school at Johns Hopkins University via the US Summer Sisters Exchange Program in 2016, she established an organization called “Fun to Learn,” where volunteers conduct extracurricular programming in underprivileged schools.
The team teaches important topics including the importance of health and hygiene, environmental awareness, school safety, emergency preparedness, self-defense, and going green.
Kudos to you Dania!
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
Instagram Steals Yet Another Snapchat Feature!
Once again, Mark Zuckerburg seems to be inspired by Snapchat as this time around, Instagram is going to be experimenting with AR filters!
While addressing a large group of individuals at Facebook F8, Zuckerburg shared that Insta will be getting more updates very soon. These updates include new changes to the ‘Explore’ section, a bully filter for comments, alternatives to sharing Stories and the introduction of AR filters.
As of now, Facebook’s AR Studio is taking into consideration a custom AR filter which will be rolled out to Insta. the studio will also allow users to make their own filters and play around with their creativity, yet another option Snapchat also offers.
Instagrammers will be able to access these filters from ‘Stories’ and ‘try it on’ before adding the custom click to their profile. Instagram says a few influencers have new AR effects in progress, including Ariana Grande, Baby Ariel, Liza Koshy, Vogue, and BuzzFeed.
As of now these features are in test mode and will be dispatched soon via an update.
What do you think Insta will copy from Snapchat next?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
Government of Pakistan Revises Taxable Income Amount
The government of Pakistan has made yet another change after budget 2018-19 was announced. Previously, the minimum taxable income was set at Rs 1.2 million annually, however, the amount now has been changed to Rs 0.4 million annually.
This means that individuals earning Rs 33,333/month will now have to pay their taxes. Last week, the government provided a relief by raising the taxable income to Rs 1.2 million a year. But by taking this step it means that 44% of the people or 0.5 million individuals will not pay the taxes.
Now, the suggestion given by Federal Board of Renevue, the government has made this decision after considerations.
Taxes as Per Salary
- Individuals earning Rs 400,001 to Rs 800,000/year will have to pay Rs 1,000 as tax
- Those earning Rs800,001-1,200,000/year will have to pay Rs 2,000 as tax
“Tax rates on individuals have been lowered. Complete tax exemption has been given to people who earn up to Rs 1.2 million a year or Rs 0.1 million a month. This exemption limit, which was previously Rs 0.4 million a year, has been increased three times to Rs 1.2 million a year. Tax will be levied at the rate of 5 percent for the income between 0.2 and 0.4 million monthly.” –Miftah Ismael
“People earning above 0.4 million monthly will be taxed at the rate of 15 percent. In Pakistan, the highest tax burden was on the salaried middle-class which include teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, accountants. Reduced tax rates will significantly lower tax burden on this class.”
Unfortunately, this sudden decision means that the middle-class families will have to suffer as not everyone can afford to pay.
What do you think about this U-turn?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
L’Oréal Snaps up Korean Beauty Brand
L’Oréal is investing in the K-beauty trend with the acquisition of Korean lifestyle, makeup and fashion company Nanda Co. Ltd.
Founded in Seoul in 2004 by Kim So-Hee, Stylenanda started life as a fashion business but has since gained a reputation for its makeup brand, 3CE. The cosmetics label, which operates in Korea and Japan and has expanded its business to other Asian markets, counted a turnover of 127 million euros in 2017.
“We are thrilled to welcome this cool Korean brand in the L’Oréal family,” said Alexis Perakis-Valet, President of L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division, in a statement. “Stylenanda captures Seoul’s vibe, edge, and creativity. It is perfectly positioned to nourish the growing appetite for the makeup of millennials in Korea, China and beyond.”
So Hee Kim, CEO, and founder of Stylenanda, added: “We strongly believe that this transaction will be a landmark breakthrough for Nanda. Grounded on L’Oréal’s solid support and global platform, we envisage to expand Stylenanda’s footprints internationally, becoming a world-renowned brand to lead global trends in beauty.”
Following the transaction, which is expected to be completed in the next two months, L’Oréal plans to expand the sales of 3CE internationally, building on its existing multi-channel distribution model that spans e-commerce, speciality retailers, and point of sales in department and duty free stores, as well as flagship locations in Seoul and Tokyo. The brand will be the first Korean beauty label on the group’s roster.
Etihad Airways is Offering Pakistanis Free Stopover In Abu Dhabi
Those travelers who are traveling via Etihad Airways are in for some exciting news. The airline has just announced a wonderful offer that we are sure, you would be super excited to avail.
The leading aviation brand has announced one night’s free accommodation for all Economy Class guests that are traveling from various destinations, including Pakistan, Africa and the Middle East, free one night’s stay at Abu Dhabi.
That’s right! If you are traveling and you have a stopover in Abu Dhabi, then you can avail a free one night’s stay at the nation’s capital.
Emirates Will Now Send a Check-In Agent to your Home or Hotel!
The offer is valid from May 1st, 2018 to September 15th, 2018.
However, the traveling period for availing this amazing offer is till September 30th, 2018. Among the hotels that are included are the Yas Island Roana and Radisson Blu on Yas Island.
Mohammad Al Bulooki, Executive Vice President Commercial of Etihad Airways said that the airline is extremely happy to welcome the guests for experiencing Abu Dhabi—a city which has got a lot to offer to every kind of traveler, especially the ones who have short stopovers.
For tourists, there are many attractions the capital city has to offer. These include desert safari expeditions, arts and cultural institutions, shopping outlets, exotic restaurants along with museums to explore the rich heritage of the city.
The countries that could make use of this offer includes:
- Pakistan
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Morocco
- Jordan
- Nigeria
- Egypt
- Kuwait
- Tanzania
- Oman
- Lebanon
- Bahrain
- Kenya
- Sudan
For Pakistani passengers, a transit visa is required if they wish to exit the airport. Passengers flying with Etihad Airways may get a visa upon request prior to travel, according to the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism website. More information can be found on Etihad Airways website.
What did you think of this exciting news? Have any travel plans coming up? Let us know in the comments below!
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
Sonam Kapoor’s Wedding Invite & Schedule Revealed
All those who had been wondering about whether or not Sonam Kapoor would be getting married to her long-time beau, Anand Ahuja, well we have news for you!
In an official confirmation released by the Kapoor and Ahuja family, it has been confirmed that the adorable duo would be tying the knot on May 8th in Mumbai.
“The Kapoor and Ahuja families take great joy and pride, in announcing the marriage of Sonam and Anand. The wedding will take place on the 8th of May in Mumbai. Since it is an intimate affair, we request you to respect the family’s need for privacy. Thank you for all your blessings and love, as we celebrate this special moment in our lives,” read the joint statement.
The two families are gearing up for the big fat wedding and we have all the details including the e-invites that the couple chose to send out instead of paper ones!
And of course, we just had to share them with all of you! Read on to know all the details about Sonam and Anand’s big, fat Indian wedding!
Aisha Khan & Major Uqbah’s Dance at a Family Wedding is LIT!
Take a look at the e-invites that were sent out by the couple for their special day.
Mehndi
Amongst the wedding festivities include a mehndi and sangeet ceremony that is all set to take place on May 7 from 4pm onward at Sunteck Signature Island, in Bandra-Kurla Complex. Sonam being a fashion icon for all the youngsters have set her Mehndi-Sangeet theme to be different shades of white – different yet classy just like Sonam herself!
Wedding
The stunning couple would be tying the knot the next day on May 8th where they will be taking their vows in a traditional Sikh ceremony. With the rituals starting around 11, the guests have been requested to attend the wedding at Sonam’s aunt’s heritage mansion in Bandra. The dress code for the wedding is set for traditional wear.
Reception
After that, the guests would be partying hard at the grand reception from 8pm onward at a suburban five-star hotel – the theme for which is set to be Indian or Western formals.
Preparations have already started and Sonam’s house has been all decked up.
Sonam kapoor's bunglow veerediWEDDING pic.twitter.com/vtoAtXMyBU
— yogen shah (@yogenshahyogen) April 27, 2018
Check out the video of Sonam’s mom taking care of all the decoration at her daughter’s house.
Well we sure can’t wait for the D-day! We wish Sonam and Anand heartiest congratulations!
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
Bollywood Greats Bachchan, Kapoor Reunite After 27 Years!
Two of Bollywood’s greatest stars, Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor, will share a screen together for the first time in almost three decades when comedy “102 Not Out” is released Friday.
The movie, directed by Umesh Shukla, sees Bachchan play a 102-year-old who dreams of becoming the world’s longest-living man by making it to 118.
But to do so, he decides he has to put his downbeat 75-year-old son, played by Kapoor (who is 65 in reality), into an old people’s home.
The two actors — who were the stars of a string of hits throughout the 1970s and ’80s — last paired up for a film in 1991.
“Getting together after a gap of 27 years with Rishi ji, was just like getting off a bicycle and getting on it again,” Bachchan, 75, told the Press Trust of India news agency this week.
The cinema icon affectionately known as “Big B” shot to stardom in the early 1970s on the back of powerful roles in hits “Zanjeer” and “Sholay”.
He was dubbed India’s “angry young man” for portraying violent heroes fighting an unjust system and injecting a new aggressive element into Bollywood movies, which had previously consisted of polite romances.
Kapoor, part of India’s legendary Kapoor acting family, made a name for himself as a romantic hero following his breakthrough role in the 1973 classic “Bobby”.
Bachchan and Kapoor’s first film together was the 1976 romantic drama “Kabhi Kabhie” (“Sometimes”).
“Amar Akbar Anthony” followed in 1977, “Naseeb” in 1981, “Coolie” in 1983 and “Ajooba” (“Prodigy”) in 1991.
“You played my stepfather-in-law in ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, we were brothers in ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ and ‘Naseeb’. We were friends in ‘Coolie’ and … in ‘Ajooba’,” Kapoor, 65, said to Bachchan at a promotional event attended by AFP.
Lately, the two have enjoyed success playing cantankerous old men, notably Bachchan’s turn in “Piku” (2015) and Kapoor’s role as a 90-year-old in “Kapoor & Sons” (2016).
“102 Not Out” is an adaptation of a popular Gujarati play by Saumya Joshi.
PIA inaugural flight to the New Islamabad International Airport
Onboard the inaugural flight to the New Islamabad International Airport
Javed Akhtar’s Tweet on Jinnah Sparks Uproar!
Indian’s renowned poet and screenwriter, Javed Akhtar is known for his animosity against Pakistan. Time and again, he has snubbed our celebrities and is a strong supporter of the ban on Pakistani stars in Bollywood.
His various tweets against Pakistan have often landed him in trouble. Now yet again, Akhtar has found himself in the eye of a social media storm after he expressed his views on Jinnah’s portrait in the Aligarh University of India.
The lyricist claims that its a shame that Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s portrait is hung on the walls of the institute since he was neither a student of Aligarh University nor a teacher.
Here’s what he updated on Twitter:
Jinnah was neither a student nor a teacher of Alig Its a shame that his portrait is there The administration n students should voluntarily remove it from there n those who were protesting against this portrait should now protest against the temples made to honour Godse.
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 3, 2018
What’s more, Javed enunciated that Jinnah’s portrait should be removed by the administration and student.
His post also mentioned ‘Nathuram Godse‘, the advocate of Hindu nationalism who assassinated Gandhi in 1948.
Akhtar’s contentious tweet was bound to spark a new debate and Pakistanis are outraged over his views.
Frustation at its peak..jinna's portrait was there from decades.. y to remove now ..
— aaqib (@kashmirishaan) May 3, 2018
His followers are slamming him for mentioning Godse and Pakistan’s founder in the same tweet!
There is no need to put jinnah and godse in same tweet, it called monkey balancing. U want to talk abt godse tweet one more…But when u indulge in secular tweeting it makes ur comments less important…And as third person tweet looks more like whataboutery.
— Vivek kumar mishra (@greatvivek007) May 3, 2018
Even Indians are bashing him for comparing the killer Godse with Jinnah.
Nope. Partition was the collective failure of all to reach a consensus. Yes, Jinnah shares the blame but so do others. Nor did Jinnah 'want' anyone dead. Godse wanted Gandhi dead. Intent matters.
Like I said, Jinnah and Godse cannot be compared. Godse was India's first terrorist— Ayush Khanna (@AyushyaKhanna) May 3, 2018
However, a follower added that Jinnah has contributed a lot to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Though I am no Jinnah fan at all, I believe his portrait should stay because for AMU , he has done lots . He was a donor and also he was given a Life membership of AMU Students Union. He was also a Founder member of the University Court in 1920.
— Menon (@cochinmenon) May 3, 2018
It is noteworthy that Javed Akhtar’s tweet is followed by the violence episode at AMU over Jinnah’s portrait
Apparently, his canvas went missing after the university received threats by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker.
Aligarh: Hindu groups protested outside Aligarh Muslim University over the controversy surrounding Md. Ali Jinnah's portrait in the university campus. pic.twitter.com/QQeTxBmFWM
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 2, 2018
According to India times, the portrait was nowhere to be found, sending the student into a frenzy, with no reports as to who could have taken the portrait.
Javed Akhtar is the first Bollywood celebrity to share his two cents on the matters, asserting that Jinnah’s picture does not deserve a place in the university’s premises.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more updates.
Temperature in Karachi to Hit Another High!
Karachi to once again boil, as Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned the city of yet another heatwave, this time the temperature will likely to reach 43 degrees today!
PMD has advised the citizens of the City of Lights to avoid going out of their homes or offices unnecessarily as the scorching sun will get worse as the day continues. Just in case if there is an emergency, leave with your heads covered and carry a bottle of water.
The hot spell which is expected to be 40 degrees Celsius and possibly above will continue from Friday onwards. Earlier, the department had issued a warning claiming that the dry and hot weather will be observed throughout May and June.
This has impacted various cities of Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab as well. On the other hand, Pakistan is one of the countries, which have suffered most the changing weather patterns and the climate change in the world.
Stay safe and stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
7 European Countries Pakistanis Can Apply For Citizenship
As political instabilities are on a rise in Pakistan, it has surely made it difficult for citizens to migrate to another country. However, we’ve got some good news for Pakistanis willing to move to Europe.
It has been reported that there are 7 countries in Europe that Pakistanis can migrate to. People who were born in Pakistan, are married to a Pakistani national or are of Pakistani descent are eligible to apply for citizenship.
The 7 European Countries Include:
1.Iceland
The country has a naturalization process that allows people who have been legal residents in the country for 7 years to become a citizen after the duration is complete. However, if a Pakistani is married to a person holding the citizenship for Iceland, the person can receive citizenship within 3 years.
2. France
The country home to the city of love, Paris is on everyone’s bucket list. It would be a dream come true to live there permanently. For information on citizenship click here.
3. The United Kingdom
The UK has various visas that allow you to enter the country. Majority of people travel on a work visa and then apply for renewals and after completing a specific duration, apply for the citizenship process. However, there are various requirements one must fulfill for such a visa. Visit the immigration website to know more. Click here!
4. Italy
For those looking to settle in Italy from Pakistan, the country has types of long-term visas, work, Family and Re-Entry. Students can apply for their ‘study’ visa.
The Italy Long-term visa fees for Pakistanis are listed below:
For further information on the various visa types for Italy click here.
5. Belgium
The European country has a huge community of Pakistanis living as expats. Belgium is also among the few countries that allow its citizens to hold a dual nationality, as a Pakistani you would not have to renounce your Pakistani nationality.
Click here for further details on its immigration policies for Pakistanis.
6. The Netherlands
People who wish to stay on in the Netherlands as a permanent resident after living there on a work or study visa can opt for the naturalization process.
What is required for the Naturalization process?
- You must be 18 years or older.
- You must have lived uninterruptedly in the Netherlands for at least 5 years with a valid residence permit.
- You have always extended your residence permit on time.
- Your residence permit must be valid during the procedure.
For further information
7. Switzerland
The land of the Swiss Alps is surely a place that everyone wants to visit. Pakistanis wanting to visit or migrate can apply for the visa at the Embassy of Switzerland in Islamabad.
For further information visit the website.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for latest news and updates.
Shell Helix Paints 300 Speed Breakers for #DRIVEONPAKISTAN Campaign
Shell Helix, fully synthetic motor oil – Shell’s most advanced formulation for high-performance engines launched its #DRIVEONPAKISTAN campaign in February with the objective of creating a safety mindset amongst the citizens of Pakistan, to transform their driving experience and make the roads safer.
Through this campaign, 1.2 million citizens pledged to different safety behaviors on the road and took responsibility for their driving to improve overall roads standards in Pakistan.
This includes important and life-saving habits like wearing a seat belt, adhering to traffic laws, reduce speeding near schools, not using mobile phones while driving, ensuring infants are strapped in car seats and valuing safety above all other commitments while behind the wheel.
To reduce the risk of accidents or damage to vehicles, 300-speed breakers were painted in various cities of Pakistan to enhance the visibility of these speed bumps.
Shell collaborated with renowned celebrities, organizations and local traffic police across multiple cities to drive adherence to traffic laws. 4,500 school children were engaged on Road Safety rules to help inculcate these behaviors in the drivers of tomorrow.
“These products are blended with Shell’s patent technology PUREPLUS base oil and is geared towards providing fuel efficiency withlower carbon emissions with active cleansing agents that clean your engine while you drive.” –Business Manager Lubricants, Shell Pakistan Limited, Haroon Rashid
Shell also recognizes that today’s vehicles need a motor oil that keeps pace with their changing demands and does more to improve performance and engine life.
Shell Helix with its cutting-edge technology also introduced two new variants of its premium plus portfolio Helix Ultra 5W-20 and Helix 0W-20 that will be available pan-Pakistan across all distribution channels.
Shell is recognized as the world leader in lubricant technology with its unrivaled investment in lubricant R&D and experience that extends over 100 years.
With 350 lubricant research specialists working in six laboratories around the world specialists in base oils, additives metallurgy, chemistry, and fuels are brought together to develop optimum blends.
Whether for a Ferrari Formula One racing car or a family car, Shell Helix Technology helps to keep the engine running as the designers intended – at maximum efficiency.
Emirates Will Now Send a Check-In Agent to your Home or Hotel!
Emirates has launched a new service that will send a check-in agent to a traveler’s home, hotel room or office so that flyers can breeze past the check-in desk and head straight to immigration.
For about 350 AED (US $95), passengers can call for an Emirates agent to make a home or hotel visit. The agent will complete security checks and the check-in process, weigh and tag the bags, and send the luggage to the airport.
Customers will be given a boarding pass and can then make their way to the airport, baggage, and stress-free.
The service is available for customers traveling all classes and includes baggage handling for up to seven pieces.
The service can be booked up to 12 hours before flight departure and is applicable for travelers flying out of Dubai International Airport on an Emirates flight.
The Home Check-in service rolls out officially following a test run conducted in October.
How Facebook Can Help Empower the Elderly & Relieve Social Isolation
Using social networking sites such as Facebook could help older adults interact with others and feel more empowered and less lonely, according to new research.
Carried out by researchers from the National University of Singapore and Penn State University, USA, the new study looked at 202 participants aged 60 years and older who had been using Facebook for at least a year.
The researchers “friended” the participants on Facebook so they could analyze their profiles and count the number of times participants had used each of the site’s various features in the past year, such as posting status updates.
Participants were also asked to complete a questionnaire to collect data on the gratifications that they gained from Facebook.
The researchers found that those who interacted more on Facebook obtained more gratification from the social media site, with those who posted more status updates and personal stories reporting a higher sense of community, while those who spent more time customizing their profiles reported feeling more in control.
Participating in conversations on comment threads was also found to be important in providing interaction gratification.
According to study co-author S. Shyam Sundar, the results suggest that social media cannot be thought of as either good or bad, but instead the multiple features available on different sites mean the experience can be different for each user.
“People tend to think of Facebook as a black box that either has an overall positive effect or a negative effect, but what distinguishes this study is that it makes an effort to go in and see what people do in Facebook — and that’s what matters,” said Sundar. “So, in other words, social media, by itself, is neither good, nor bad, but it’s how you use it.”
Sundar added that for older adults, who may be less mobile, the features of social networking sites could be important, making them feel like they are part of a large community and therefore less lonely.
The team noted that according to Pew Research Center 34 percent of Americans aged 65 years and older used social networks in 2017, an increase of 7 percent from 2016, adding that Facebook is considered to be the most popular social network site among older adults.
The results can be found published online in the journal New Media & Society.
Cambridge Analytica to Close After Facebook Data Scandal
Cambridge Analytica, the British marketing analytics firm, announced Wednesday that it was closing and would file for insolvency in Britain and the United States after failing to recover from the Facebook data scandal.
The decision follows weeks of intense pressure on the company, hired by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign after allegations emerged it may have hijacked up to 87 million Facebook users’ data.
It claimed it has been “vilified” by the “numerous unfounded accusations” which torpedoed its business and left the firm with “no realistic alternative” but to go into administration.
“Despite Cambridge Analytica’s unwavering confidence that its employees have acted ethically and lawfully… the siege of media coverage has driven away virtually all of the company’s customers and suppliers,” it said in a statement
“As a result, it has been determined that it is no longer viable to continue operating the business.”
An affiliate of British firm Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL), CA has offices in London, New York, Washington, as well as Brazil and Malaysia.
It drew attention after former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon reportedly once sat on its board and was bankrolled to the tune of $15 million (12.5 million euros)by US billionaire and Republican donor Robert Mercer.
It first became embroiled in scandal in March when Canadian whistleblower Christopher Wylie, a 28-year-old former analyst for the firm, revealed it had created psychological profiles of tens of millions of Facebook users via a personality prediction app.
The revelations instantly reverberated around the world, wiping billions from the social media giant’s market value and drawing scrutiny from politicians and regulators on both sides of the Atlantic.
To make matters worse for CA, CEO Alexander Nix was suspended within days after he was filmed by undercover reporters bragging about ways to win political campaigns, including through blackmail and honey traps.
As the crisis intensified, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg was forced to apologize to its billions of users amid a small but growing exodus from the site.
He eventually appeared before Congress for a two-day grilling by lawmakers and has since vowed to overhaul the way the Facebook shares its users’ data.
In Britain, regulators ratcheted up a probe into CA, raiding its London offices, and later extending the investigation to 30 organizations, including Facebook.
A second whistleblower from the firm also emerged at a parliamentary hearing in April claiming Britons’ personal data may have been misused by a pro-Brexit campaign ahead of the 2016 referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union.
Earlier this month, Facebook upped its count of the number of people impacted, admitting that up to 87 million users may have had their data harvested.
CA has vehemently denied exploiting that data for Trump’s election campaign, claiming it deleted data obtained in breach of the social network’s terms of service.
At a London press conference last week a CA spokesman claimed the company was “no Bond villain” and had broken no laws.
It hired British barrister Julian Malins to conduct an independent investigation into what it termed “a torrent of ill-informed and inaccurate speculation” and posted his report on its website Wednesday.
“(The) report… concluded that the allegations were not ‘borne out by the facts’,” CA said.
“(It) has been vilified for activities that are not only legal but also widely accepted as a standard component of online advertising in both the political and commercial arenas,” it added.
But the company conceded the crisis had taken too heavy a toll and said its board had appointed lawyers in Britain to oversee the insolvency process and would be following suit in America.
CA said that although its financial condition was “precarious” it intended “to fully meet its obligations to its employees”
Initial reaction to the news in Britain was guarded.
Damian Collins MP, chair of a parliamentary committee that held the hearings on the issue and questioned Nix in February and Facebook executives last month, warned CA “cannot be allowed to delete their data history by closing”.
“The investigations into their work are vital,” he added.
Facebook Reveals Internal Rules for Removing Controversial Posts
Prince Harry, Meghan Pick Carriage for Wedding Procession
Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will ride in an open-top horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Windsor after their wedding later this month, Kensington Palace announced on Wednesday.
Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will ride in an open-top horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Windsor after their wedding later this month, Kensington Palace announced on Wednesday.
The pair have chosen the Ascot Landau carriage for their procession through the town on May 19, their official London residence said in a statement.
“Prince Harry and Ms. Markle are very much looking forward to this short journey which they hope will allow them to express their gratitude for everyone who has gathered together in Windsor to enjoy the atmosphere of this special day,” the statement said.
The carriage will be drawn by four Windsor Grey horses — Milford Haven, Storm, Plymouth and Tyrone — and accompanied by a travelling escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment as it departs St George’s Chapel before touring a circuit of the town.
The carriage is one of five Ascot Landaus in the palace collection, which are used by Queen Elizabeth II for her procession at the Royal Ascot horse race.
Two featured in the 2011 wedding procession of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, also carrying best man Prince Harry, the maid of honour, bridesmaids and pageboys from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.
Kim Kardashian Launches New Fragrance, Defends Bottle Design
Kim Kardashian is continuing to push boundaries in the fragrance industry with the launch of her new scent, “KKW Body.”
The reality TV star and beauty entrepreneur’s latest perfume launched earlier this week, after days of teasing on social media. Dubbed “a summer perfume,” the scent comes packaged in a bottle molded on the exact contours of the beauty mogul’s naked torso — an artistic process she has been sharing with her 110 million followers on Instagram over the past few days.
The move has sparked controversy among fans, who have drawn comparisons between the KKW Body packaging and Jean Paul Gaultier’s “Classique” fragrance bottle, which has been around since the 1990s. The French designer himself appeared to wade into the debate with an Instagram post captioned “Keeping up with the fragrance’s news!”, while Kardashian defended her design in an interview with Cosmopolitan.
However, the debacle doesn’t seem to have slowed down sales of the new perfume — in a recent social media post, Kardashian wrote: “KKW BODY @KKWFRAGRANCE is doing so well! Thank you all for the successful launch it’s so crazy to see how my fragrance business has grown in such a short period of time! This launch has had the best response out of all of my launches! This makes me so happy! I’m so grateful!”
The perfume itself features top notes of bergamot and peach nectar, a heart of jasmine sambac and rose absolute turkey, and base notes of sandalwood, musk and golden amber.
Kardashian launched her KKW Fragrance label last year, and her debut trio of scents, “Crystal Gardenia,” “Crystal Gardenia Oud” and “Crystal Gardenia Citrus,” sold out within days upon their release. A follow-up “Kimoji Hearts” Valentine’s Day collection also went out of stock within days when it was released back in February.