Day: February 15, 2022

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First AI-Powered TV Ad Management Platform, Moneyball, Joins Forces with LUSI

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MMA Global, Inc. (OTC Pink: LUSI) (the “Company” or “ZUKI.APP”) (name and ticker symbol change pending) is pleased to announce that it has joined forces with LILAKFORTUNE, LDA (doing business as “Moneyball”), the first artificial intelligence (AI)- powered TV ads management platform, connecting sporting organizations, clubs, teams, and other influencers (large and small) and the brands who sponsor them with their fans and followers through over-the-top (OTT) media services.

Applications for Moneyball tech include:

  • Post advertising dynamically embedded through video ads.
  • Using machine learning-based approaches to automate and optimize the processes for potential consumer identification, information extraction, and market segmentation.
  • Targeted advertising in order to present the most relevant advertising messages to consumers.
  • Managing semantics-driven video ads.
  • Distribute the data efficiently in order to maximize the ROI for brands for media Consumers.
  • Integration with existing technologies already deployed.
  • High-Level Data and Analytics.
  • Object detection – Different engines focused on specific groups of game objects and formations.
  • Optical flow-based Computer Vision to identify movement of a ball/moving object.

Moneyball General Manager Joel de Silva said, “We decided to partner with ZUKI.APP, since we are both in a mission to empower digital experiences and convert the right audience into engaged fans.”

Transaction Overview

The deal takes the form of a share swap, which sees the Company taking a 25% equity ownership stake in the voting shares of Moneyball, which is valued at eight million U.S. dollars ($8,000,000), and Moneyball receiving 6,153,846 voting shares of the Company at a price of $0.325 per share. By law and agreement, the shares issued on both sides in connection of this deal will be restricted for a year. In this transaction, the Company will have VIE control for purposes of consolidating the results of these two companies.

This deal contemplates, LUSI, Moneyball and LUSI’s other group companies collaborating to raise up to $75 million in capital together, with up to $2 million of that new capital earmarked for application to the execution of Moneyball’s ambitious strategic plan to grow and to diversify its revenue streams through adoption of its AI-powered by sporting clubs across Europe, with the main focus being on top flight professional football (soccer) clubs. Moneyball has three such clubs aboard so far, one in Brazil and two in Portugal.

About ZUKI.APP

Learn more about ZUKI.APP and its sister companies at https://www.zuki.app/zuki-group.

Forward-Looking Statements Notice

This press release includes statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” and for this reason is subject to the forward looking notice disclaimer found at https://www.zuki.app.

Media Contact

Please direct media inquiries as follows:

ZUKI.APP:

Jim Phipps
MMA Global, Inc.
3275 S. Jones Blvd.
Suite 104
Las Vegas, NV 89146
JPhipps@zuki.app
+18018003350
https://www.zuki.app

Moneyball:

Joel de Silva
LILAKFORTUNE, LDA
Lugar de Catapeixe, s/n
4550-215 Castelo de Paiva
Portugal
https://www.getmoneyball.com

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Japan Festival 2022 Online Shares the Charms of Japan

The 6th Japan Festival was streamed live on February 12 and 13, in a record first for the event. The Japan Festival is the biggest Japanese event in the Lao PDR, which has been running once every two or three years since 2011.

In the past, various stage performances and activities delighted the live audience.

This year, by holding it online, not only residents in Vientiane capital but also people living in other provinces, and also in Japan could enjoy the various programmes.

The festival opened with remarks by Mr. KOBAYASHI Kenichi, Ambassador of Japan to Lao PDR. Mr. Kobayashi emphasized recent achievements which have furthered cooperative relations between Japan and Lao PDR. “It is my sincere hope that this festival will increase Lao people’s interest in Japan, and motivate them to visit Japan once this pandemic is over,” Mr. Kobayashi said.

The first day kicked off with a dynamic dance performance presented by students from Sakura High School in Japan. Short films of the cities of Takayama, Tahara, and Ise, as well as Kumamoto Prefecture showed the charms of different areas and their friendly relationship with the Lao PDR. In addition, Japanese volunteers who are working in the Lao PDR gave presentations about their home-towns.

Meanwhile, JICA’s projects and activities in Lao PDR were introduced through a movie and interview with the Chief Resident Representative of JICA Laos. Activities from the Lao-Japan Institute were also presented, with a demonstration of how to put on and wear a yukata. When the Japan Quiz Competition started, the event livened up as participants competed against each other with their knowledge about Japan.

“Art, Culture and Japanese Language” from the Vientiane office of the Japan Foundation Asia Center, kicked off the second day. This introduced the role of the center, which promotes exchanges between Japanese and Lao artists and supports Japanese language education in the Lao PDR. The Japan Heart, an international medical volunteers’ organization explained how their medical support has saved many lives in the Lao PDR.

Programs about Japanese home cooking and the Japanese tea ceremony also wowed the viewers. The chef at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence gave a lecture on the characteristics and charms of Japanese cuisine, as well as a presentation on Japanese sake, showing types of sake and how to enjoy sake, with guidance about sake- food pairings.

The program was recorded and can be watched on the Facebook of Japan Festival in Laos. (https://www.facebook.com/JapanFesLaos)

Source: Lao News Agency

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UNICEF Strengthens Public Security Staff’s Capacity and Hotline Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

UNICEF handed over IT equipment worth around USD 12,636 (approximately 144,758,00 LAK) to the Department of Anti-Human Trafficking of the Ministry of Public Security to support their work in addressing human trafficking and promoting justice for children in Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The equipment was handed over by Ms. Beate Dastel, UNICEF Deputy Representative to the Lao PDR to Police Colonel Anousinh Sakpraseuth, Deputy Director General of the Department of Anti-Human Trafficking, Ministry of Public Security on Feb 15.

Procured with the support from UNICEF, the equipment handed over include video conference sets, desktop computers, professional camera recorders, LCD projector, mobile phones, and desk telephones. The equipment will be used by the hotline staff, media division, and the national steering committee in the work to address human trafficking in the country. It will also be used to coordinate and build capacity among the national and sub-national steering committees working on addressing human trafficking and justice for children while adopting hybrid working modalities.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry of Public Security has provided services to many women and children to report cases and help make them feel safer during these troubling times. The equipment provided will help us further build the capacity of our staff so that they can provide mobile hotline services, produce video production, facilitate online training and coordination to the public security at the sub-national level and to provide assistance to staff in performing their duties. Our sincerest thanks to UNICEF for their contribution,” said Police Colonel Anousinh Sakpraseuth, at the handover ceremony conducted at the Ministry of Public Security in Vientiane Capital.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of children’s lives in the Lao PDR. The confinement caused by the lockdown, school closures, and limited availability of social services on the ground due to COVID-19 has contributed to increased stress levels among families and a rise in marriage migration, labour exploitation, surrogacy, online violence, and other child-related issues.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is both a serious health and social crisis for the Lao PDR and many other countries around the world, with women and girls from low-income families being particularly vulnerable to its impact. The loss of employment, lack of access to information, healthcare, and social services have heightened the risks for them to become victims of violence, exploitation, neglect, abuse, and trafficking, which are all serious issues that we as a society are currently facing. UNICEF is working closely with the Government of the Lao PDR to support law enforcement actors and social workers to continue providing their services to every child during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ms. Beate Dastel, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in the Lao PDR.

Source: Lao News Agency

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Laos reports 441 new Covid-19 infections, three new deaths

Laos has reported 441 new Covid-19 cases and three new deaths attributed to Covid-19 over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country to 139,685 including 3,545 active cases and 601 deaths.

Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh told a press conference today that the new infections included 415 cases classified as domestic infections and 26 as imported cases.

The local infections included 73 cases reported in Vientiane, 69 in Xayaboury, 63 in Huaphan, 62 in Savannakhet, 39 in Attapeu and 30 in Phongsaly.

Meanwhile, the imported cases were documented in Huaphan (23 cases), and Savannakhet (3). Yesterday, some 292 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals nationwide.

As of Feb 14, over 4.8 million people, representing 65.68% of population in the country, have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to Deputy Director General of the National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, Dr Buaphanh Khamphaphongphan.

Over 4.2 million people, representing 57.71% of the population, have been administered with all recommended doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Globally, as of Feb 14, Covid-19 has infected over 410 million people and claimed over 5.8 million lives, according to the World Health Organization.

Source: Lao News Agency

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Nigerian Rights Group Sues Authorities Over Twitter Agreement

A Nigerian rights group has filed a lawsuit to force authorities to publish an agreement reached with Twitter in January to lift a block on the social media company. The rights group says the failure by Nigerian authorities to publish all the details of the agreement raises concerns about citizens’ rights and censorship.

A Nigerian rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), said this week that authorities ignored its request last month to publish the agreement.

The lawsuit seeks a court order compelling authorities to publish details of the agreement reached with Twitter before the company restored access to the site in Nigeria.

Nigeria suspended Twitter last June for deleting a tweet from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened regional separatists and referred to the 1960s war in the Biafra region.

Nigerian authorities lifted the ban in January, boasting that its new engagement with the company will create jobs and generate revenue for the country.

But rights groups are concerned the terms of agreement may include clauses that violate the rights of citizens, says Kolawole Oluwadare, a deputy director at SERAP.

“If this agreement has the tendency to impact on the rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression, it’s important that Nigerians have access to the agreement, scrutinize the terms and critique it if necessary, because of the effect it will have on our ability to use Twitter freely,” said Oluwadare. “How are we sure that those terms do not necessarily affect even the rights to privacy? I’m talking about the access of Nigerian government to the data of Nigerians.”

Nigerian authorities are often accused of trying to stifle free speech.

In 2019, lawmakers considered a bill that sought to punish statements on social media deemed to diminish public confidence in the president or government officials. The bill never passed.

This week, Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed criticized Twitter and the Canadian government as having double standards citing the truckers protest against COVID-19 mandates in Canada.

“Twitter actively supported the EndSARS protesters and even raised funds,” said Mohammed. “These are the same entities that are now rushing to distance themselves from the protest in Canada and even denying them the use of their platforms.”

But Amnesty International spokesperson Seun Bakare has this to say: “International human rights laws are clear on standards that even platforms like Twitter and Facebook must uphold,” said Bakare. “They must uphold the fundamental tenets of freedom of expression, and access to information and they must not bend their rules just to please any government at all.”

Under its agreement with Twitter, Nigeria said the company agreed to be legally registered in the country, run a local office, appoint country representatives to interface with authorities, pay taxes and enroll officials in its partner support portals.

It remains unclear if Nigerian officials have the ability to monitor and block prohibited content.

An ECOWAS court of justice is scheduled to rule on SERAP’s lawsuit this week.

Source: Voice of America

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Plans Set for New Private Spaceflights

A billionaire who led an all-private space crew into orbit last year has announced plans for up to three new missions in conjunction with SpaceX, including one with a spacewalk.

Jared Isaacman, who founded payment processing company Shift4, will lead the first of the new flights with a launch potentially coming by the end of this year.

In addition to a mission featuring the first spacewalk attempted by non-professional astronauts, the planned flight also includes achieving a record altitude in Earth orbit.

As part of the partnership with SpaceX, the flights are set to utilize SpaceX spacecrafts.

Source: Voice of America