by | Jun 25, 2025 | Business
Watsons turned up the excitement last June 24 with the official launch of its Shop Now for EXTRA-mazing Surprises Campaign at the Watsons Mall of Asia store, treating shoppers, fans, and guests to a high-energy experience complete with brand showcases, exclusive product perks, and limited-time surprises that lived up to the campaign’s name.
The event was packed with music, exclusive perks and activities, and a preview of the new offers lined up for the quarter. Headlining the program were two of today’s fast-rising OPM acts—1st.One and Amiel Sol.
“Today’s event isn’t just about new promos or exciting performances—it’s a celebration of our continued commitment to creating experiences that go the extra mile for our customers. Our goal at Watsons has always been to go beyond just offering a wide range of products. We want to give our customers an experience that’s EXTRA —from the way they shop, to the rewards they receive,” said Joweeh Liao, Health Business Unit, Finance, Property, and Store Development Director of Watsons.
As part of the rollout, Watsons introduced its two EXTRA-mazing promos to reward loyal Watsons Club members:
1 Million Watsons Club Points to be given away:
Until August 20, Watsons Club Members who spend a minimum of P1,000 in a single receipt are eligible to join the e-raffle for a chance to win Watsons Club points—with a total of 1 million points up for grabs on Watsons’ biggest e-raffle to date.
Get Instant Viu Rewards and a chance to Win a Year-Long Subscription:
Members can also earn a raffle entry for a chance to win a one-year Viu subscription with every P1,000 purchase that includes participating health and beauty products. Meanwhile, those who shop online with a minimum spend of P1,500 will receive a one-month Viu subscription instantly.
“These promos are more than just incentives—they’re an invitation to experience the Watsons’ difference, and to feel valued every step of the way,” added Liao. “We want to make every visit to Watsons feel like a celebration—and with these promos, we’re making that happen.”
Beyond the promotions, the event underscored Watsons’ commitment to helping Filipinos look good, do good, and feel great. With over 1,100 stores nationwide, an extensive range of health, wellness and beauty products, and services like Express Delivery and Click & Collect via the Watsons App, the brand continues to make it easier for Filipinos to stay healthy and confident.
Going EXTRA, Watsons also reinforced its mission of creating a positive impact through accessible healthcare, sustainability efforts, and programs that uplift communities and support the planet.
“Because our customers deserve more than just great deals, they also deserve moments that are rewarding, delightful, and truly memorable,” said Liao. “That’s why we also invite everyone to sign up as Watsons Club members to enjoy even more exclusive benefits.”
To learn more about Watsons’ EXTRA-mazing promos and updates, follow @WatsonsPH on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, or download the Watsons App.
by | Jun 25, 2025 | Business
The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (based in Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture. Chairman: Hiroshi Mizohata) and KDDI Corporation (based in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. President and CEO: Hiromichi Matsuda) have announced the addition of new options for “Osaka eSIM” starting June 25, 2025, and will launch new data add-ons for long-term visitors, including 30 GB (30 Days) and 15 GB (15 Days) options.
■ “Osaka eSIM” toppings
[For foreign visitors]
[NEW] 30 GB (30 Days)
Price: JPY 2,780
Duration: June 25, 2025 – End date undetermined
[NEW] 15 GB (15 Days)
Price: JPY 1,670
Duration: June 25, 2025 – End date undetermined
Unlimited Data (3 Days) (Note 1)
Price: JPY 790
Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined
Unlimited Data (24 Hours) (Note 1)
Price: JPY 330
Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined
Unlimited Data (6 Hours) (Note 1)
Price: JPY 250
Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined
Unlimited Data (2 Hours) (Note 1)
Price: JPY 180
Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined
(Notes)
■About Osaka eSIM
Osaka eSIM is a mobile communications service offered by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau in collaboration with the KDDI Group. They utilize “povo SDK,” which allows the company to incorporate povo’s communication services into their own, allowing consumers to use the quality and safety of au’s network.
Customers purchase plans online and customize them via “toppings” to suit their needs in terms of data usage and length of stay, in as little as three minutes. (note 2)
■”Osaka eSIM” first-time user special
Osaka eSIM is offering a “first-time user special” in which customers can receive “Unlimited Data (24 Hours)” (note 1) to commemorate the start of service.
Eligibility: Foreign visitors
Special details: Input a promo code after registration to receive “Unlimited Data (24 Hours)” (note 1)
Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined
■How to use “Osaka eSIM”
■About communication services for foreign travelers offered by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau
In January 2014, the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau began offering free public Wi-Fi (Osaka Free Wi-Fi, or OFW) for people visiting Osaka, especially tourists from overseas.
In addition, the Bureau worked with Wire and Wireless Co., Ltd. to offer “Osaka Free Wi-Fi OpenRoaming” from October 2024, which is compatible with “OpenRoaming” (note 3), an international standard of authentication which is being increasingly adopted in Europe, the United States, and Japan, with the goal of expanding OFW and making it more comfortable to use.
In addition to OFW, which can only be used in specific places, the Bureau also offers “Osaka eSIM,” which covers a wide area and can be used easily during transit. A large number of tourists are expected to visit Osaka for Expo 2025, and the Bureau is striving to provide a comfortable and seamless communications environment and increase the satisfaction of visitors.
■About povo SDK
Povo SDK is an open communications service that allows companies to incorporate povo’s communication service and offer their own plans. Music and video subscription services, e-tickets, and smart phone payments have become increasingly more widespread, amplifying the need for an internet connection in people’s daily lives.
This allows companies to offer unlimited data for specific services or original toppings that other companies don’t carry. The duration and data amount can also be customized, allowing the company to provide appropriate toppings to suit the customer’s needs.
povo SDK site: https://povo.jp/open-telecom-sdk/
(note 1) Network speed may be limited during network congestion.(note 2) Time until the user begins using the service as calculated by KDDI. This may differ based on the customer’s situation.
(note 3) An international wireless LAN roaming infrastructure developed by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and their group companies, a global association of telecommunication carriers and public wireless LAN providers. Wire and Wireless is working with Cityroam, a member of the WBA that operates the roaming infrastructure in Japan, to provide services compatible with OpenRoaming.
*Prices displayed include tax unless stated otherwise.
For Media Inquiries
KDDI Digital Life Corporation
PR: pr***********@***********fe.com
by | Jun 24, 2025 | Business
Over 70 Australian artists, producers and composers will undertake career-defining activities around the world, backed by investment through Music Australia’s Export Development Fund.
The fifth round of the Export Development Fund sees $997,787.95 invested in 78 projects, involving a range of artists; from solo acts to bands, producers, composers and songwriters to support headline tours, debut showcase performances, artist residencies, publicity campaigns and more.
The Export Development Fund is a matched funding initiative, designed to elevate emerging, breakthrough, and established acts into the international market, whilst fostering sustainable and thriving careers. The program focuses on three key pathways: Performance and Touring, Professional and Artistic Development and Market and Audience Development.
This announcement follows the launch of The Bass Line, Music Australia’s landmark study into the economic contribution of Australia’s music industry. The analysis revealed strong international demand for Australian music, with music export contributing an estimated $975 million to the total Australian music industry revenue.
Since its launch, the Export Development Fund has successfully supported over 400 projects to date highlighting the importance of a dedicated contemporary music export program in Australia.
Among the highlights of the 78 supported projects:
- Lutruwita/Tasmania-based artist, activist, author and proud Warnindhi lyagwa woman Emily Wurrumara will be bringing her ARIA-award winning albumNarato international audiences on her Canadian Folk Festival run.
- Fast rising hip-hop artist LEE. will travel to Los Angeles to strengthen his creative development, expand his professional network and enhance his commercial prospects.
- African Australian producer Chandler Jewelswill travel to Toronto, Canada to work with multi-platinum GRAMMY-award nominated producer WondaGurl, following his participation in the inaugural ARIA Collab program.
- Not-for-profit record label Music in Exilewill undertake a global press campaign to support the release ofJutna, a full-length album with an accompanying short film created by musicians with lived experience of migration and displacement working in the Australian music industry.
- R&B neo-soul artist Anieszkawill engage in extensive co-writing sessions with producers and artists in the UK and Germany to diversify her personal sound.
-
Harpist and composer Paul Nicolaouwill undertake an intensive weeklong workshop, “Writing and Recording for Video Games” in Vienna, mentored by 3x GRAMMY-nominated and BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory.
-
DJ-producer DAWSwill undertake production and co-writing sessions with international producers across Europe.
-
Female-fronted heavy band Full Flower Moon Bandwill return to Europe and UK for their headline tour and a debut showcase at Reeperbahn Festival.
Applications for the next round of the Export Development Fund close on Tuesday 8 July.
by | Jun 24, 2025 | Business
Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has entered a three-year partnership with UNICEF Luxembourg to advance digital skills and blockchain literacy among young people .
The partnership enrolls Bitget into the Game Changers Coalition (GCC) led by UNICEF Office of Innovation (OOI). Support from Bitget will help reach 300,000 people – including adolescent girls, parents, mentors and teachers with blockchain skills- across eight countries; Armenia, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Morocco, and South Africa.
Through the partnership, Bitget Academy, the educational arm of Bitget, will help develop UNICEF’s first interactive, online and in-person blockchain training module based on video games creation skills development for teachers and young people. This is a welcome inclusion to a curriculum already reaching hundreds of thousands of people. Support from Bitget will also help expand the Coalition’s reach to a ninth country.
“This partnership reflects our shared belief that digital skills are a powerful driver of opportunity and inclusion,” said Sandra Visscher, Executive Director of UNICEF Luxembourg.“By collaborating with Bitget, we want to provide adolescents and young people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to shape their own futures. Innovation should be a force for inclusion, opening doors, broadening horizons, and ensuring that technology works for everyone, everywhere.”
In a move to extend the ecosystem’s reach, Bitget will also aim to introduce UNICEF to leading blockchain protocols and developers from across the Web3 landscape to participate in the educational initiative. These contributors could serve as mentors and partners, offering diverse perspectives and possibilities for blockchain technologies.
“Emerging technologies should not be reserved for the privileged few—they must be introduced early and equitably. Blockchain, with its real-world use case and potential for social good, is one of the most powerful tools we can give to our younger generation to build products that change the way we look at modern society. With Blockchain4Her, what began as a mission to empower hundreds of women has scaled into a global movement to educate thousands of girls. This is the kind of scale and impact blockchain was built for,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget.
Every year, adolescent girls and young women in low and middle-income countries miss out on USD 15 billion in economic opportunities due to a gap in internet access and digital skills relative to their male peers. With 90 per cent of jobs today requiring digital competencies, the Game Changers Coalition responds to the urgency of closing the gender digital skills gap.
Together, Bitget and UNICEF are working to build a scalable, inclusive model that equips young women with the tools to navigate and shape the digital economy of tomorrow.
As part of the Game Changers Coalition, Bitget joins the Global Video Game Coalition, Micron Foundation and ecosystem builders – Women in Games in a shared ambition to reach 1.1 million girls by 2027, with learning and skills-building opportunities.
With the help of Bitget Academy, and support from the $10M initiative Blockchain4Her, Bitget plans to enhance digital literacy and financial independence among women taught to them at a young age.
Bitget’s Blockchain4Her initiative has previously supported women through mentorship programs, funding opportunities, and educational resources.
Together, Bitget and UNICEF Luxembourg aim to empower a new generation of girls with the knowledge and skills they need to participate actively in the evolving crypto economy.
by | Jun 24, 2025 | Business
Karaoke Manekineko was honored to sponsor Lantern Matsuri 2025 at UCSI University! Held on 28 June, this festive evening celebrated Japanese culture with fireworks, food stalls, and traditional games. As a proud sponsor, Karaoke Manekineko joined the excitement and shared our love for music with the amazing UCSI community.
Karaoke Manekineko Malaysia was
honoured to be one of the official sponsors for the highly anticipated Lantern
Matsuri 2025, held at the UCSI Campsite from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Organized by the UCSI Japanese Cultural Society (JCS) and supported by UCSI
University and Student Affairs & Alumni, this vibrant Japanese
cultural event brought together students, families, and culture lovers for a
night of unforgettable memories.
As a brand that shares deep roots in Japanese entertainment culture, we
at Karaoke Manekineko were truly honoured to take part in this meaningful celebration. The
event featured a rich lineup of food and game stalls, cultural
performances, open karaoke sessions, a lively cosplay competition,
and a spectacular fireworks display—offering attendees an immersive
experience of a traditional Japanese summer matsuri.
Our team was
thrilled to contribute to the festival’s vibrant atmosphere by showing our
support and engaging with the crowd. We set up a dedicated booth where visitors
could interact with our team, enjoy casual conversations, and experience the
friendly spirit of our brand. This engagement reflects one of our core mottos—to
revitalize local community and the world—as we continue to embrace
opportunities that bring joy and cultural exchange to local communities.
We extend our
heartfelt appreciation to the UCSI JCS team for inviting us to be part
of such a well-organized and energetic festival. It was a valuable chance to
connect with fans of Japanese culture and music, and we look forward to more
meaningful collaborations in the future.
by | Jun 23, 2025 | Business
A UNSW academic’s innovative research uses ocean currents to optimise shipping routes and reduce the environmental impact of sea transport.
Each day more than 50,000 cargo ships ply the world’s oceans, carrying about 90% of all the goods that are traded worldwide.
Global shipping is an enormous industry – and it’s responsible for 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions: if the shipping industry were a country, it would rank as the sixth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
To find more efficient routes for cargo ships, Associate Professor Shane Keating, a researcher in oceanography and applied mathematics at UNSW Sydney, has developed an algorithm using state-of-the-art ocean models and artificial intelligence (AI).
“With better ocean forecasts, ships can use the power of currents as they travel, reducing fuel use and cutting emissions,” says A/Prof. Keating.
His innovation will deliver ocean forecasts to the shipping industry under UNSW Sydney spinout company, CounterCurrent.
The company is built on 15 years of research studying ocean currents with a focus on forecasting, satellite remote sensing and data science.
“The algorithm is like a Google Maps for the sea, giving the most efficient route in real time based on the behaviour of ocean eddies.”
Mapping the ocean
A/Prof. Keating is an expert in a type of ocean current called eddies, swirling circular currents that are the oceanic equivalent of atmospheric storms.
Eddies are found in every ocean basin and make up 90% of the kinetic energy of the ocean, but they aren’t well represented in existing ocean current forecasts.
By better incorporating ocean eddies in forecasts, Keating says that commercial ships can harness these currents to find more efficient routes across the ocean.
Most ships travel the shortest distance between two points on the Earth’s surface. It’s known as a great circle route.
But that route, although it’s the shortest distance, is not the most fuel efficient route because ocean currents are constantly moving the ship off that perfect geometrical line. The ship has to use its engines and therefore burn more fuel to stay on the line.
By going with ocean currents, ships will travel slightly longer distances over the surface of the Earth, but they’ll travel more efficiently because they’re moving with ocean currents rather than against them.
You can do this in real time if you know where those ocean currents are.
Empowered by satellite images
One of the reasons this is possible is due to improved satellite technology, which now provides images that allow eddies to be tracked.
A/Prof. Keating began to look at how satellites could be used to measure the ocean from space after completing his doctoral degree in astrophysics at the University of California San Diego.
“In the past few decades, satellite technology has completely revolutionised the way we look at the ocean,” he says.
“Before the satellite era, our picture of the ocean was of a giant bathtub of seawater with just a few large ocean currents – like the Gulf Stream and the East Australian Current.
“Thanks to satellites, we now know that the ocean is highly turbulent and chaotic, like our atmosphere, and is filled with thousands of ocean eddies that can range in diameter from ten to 300 kilometres and depths of up to 2000 metres.”
Although eddies rotate slowly, with current speeds of up to two metres per second, the fact that seawater is 800 times denser than air means that each of these eddies has more momentum than a tropical cyclone.
Our view of ocean currents got a major upgrade in December 2022 with the launch of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite.
SWOT is a joint US-French satellite mission capable of mapping ocean currents with ten times the resolution of existing satellite technology.
A/Prof. Keating is a member of the international science team for the SWOT satellite and leads the Australian SWOT working group (AUSWOT), a consortium of researchers and stakeholders working to support the SWOT mission in the Asia-Pacific region.
To make the most of observations from satellites such as SWOT, researchers need to compare them with measurements taken at the surface.
In October 2023, A/Prof. Keating and a team of UNSW oceanographers boarded the state-of-the-art CSIRO research vessel RV Investigator to gather essential ocean data under the satellite’s path as it orbits Earth.
Data collected from commercial vessels also plays an important part in helping improve our understanding of ocean currents and how they might be changing in a warming world.
In April 2024, A/Prof. Keating participated in a voyage on board a 140 metre-long cargo vessel travelling from the Port of Newcastle to Auckland, as part of the Ships of Opportunity Program (SOOP), a global partnership between the maritime industry and research scientists that uses commercial vessels to gather ocean observations for marine weather forecasts.
“It was amazing,” says A/Prof. Keating. “You are travelling across the ocean at the speed of a golf cart, so you can really see the impact of ocean currents on the vessel.”
Putting the puzzle together
A/Prof. Keating’s voyage onboard the cargo vessel gave him an inside look at a virtually invisible industry.
“Shipping is the lifeblood of the global economy, worth a staggering $20 trillion per year,” A/Prof. Keating says, “but we almost never hear about it unless something goes wrong.
“All of that shipping has a huge carbon footprint – over a billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year is emitted by the shipping industry.”
The International Maritime Organisation – the UN body that regulates the global shipping industry – has set a target of zero shipping emissions by 2050, with mandatory uptake of zero emission fuels such as green hydrogen and green methanol.
However, it will take time to replace the existing merchant vessel fleet with ships that can use alternative fuels, and, even then, these fuels will be 6–10 times more expensive than traditional bunker fuel.
A/Prof. Keating’s ship routing technology allows vessels to cut costs and emissions by making small adjustments to the ship’s route to take advantage of natural currents.
Having tested his technology on more than a hundred vessels, A/Prof. Keating has been able to demonstrate consistent fuel savings of up to 20%.
He is now engaging with several shipping companies and ship builders to commercialise the technology and make it accessible to the wider industry quickly.
“It’s a win-win for shipping companies,” says A/Prof. Keating. “They can save money and meet their emissions reductions targets right now, without any modification to the vessel or change in the vessel transit time.
“My hope is that, within the next 5 years, this research will change the way that ships cross the ocean so that shipping companies can meet their emissions targets.”
A/Prof Keating’s research is supported by a grant of sea time on RV Investigator from the CSIRO Marine National Facility, the Ships of Opportunity Program, the Australian Research Council Linkage scheme, the Australian Economic Accelerator Seed Grant and the TRaCE Enterprise Academic Fellowship.
![[Himala ng Niyebe at Cherry Blossoms] Isang natatanging karanasan sa taas na 1,900m: Maranasan ang “Snow Walls” at “Spring Snow Play” sa Otari Village, Nagano. May espesyal na operasyon sa maagang tagsibol hanggang Mayo 6; magbubukas ang Tsugaike Nature Park sa Hunyo 6](https://i0.wp.com/slvrdlphn.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Cherry-Blossoms.jpg?fit=1157%2C768&ssl=1&resize=200%2C200)
You must be logged in to post a comment.