Dubai Luxury Lifestyle

We are excited to be able to share with you news of the amazing opportunities we have within the cosmopolitan city of Dubai. Today, we would like to highlight our latest development, Sky Central Hotel; a hassle free investment located in an area that has fast become one of the city's most coveted property hotspots. We will also tell you more about our unique Discover Dubai Experience Tour, so that you too can experience this dynamic city and prestigious investment opportunity for yourself.

Why Invest in Dubai

Investing in Dubai means becoming part of avibrant hotel market in one of the most talked about cities in the world. The tax free haven of Dubai welcomed around 9 million visitors last year, making it the eighth most popular destination in the world, according to MasterCard's 2012 Global Destination Cities Index. This year, Dubai is on course to exceed 9 million, a forecast that spells good news for the city's buzzing hotel industry. Thanks to the continued surge in tourism, the Emirate's hotels continue to post average occupancy levels of 85%. In 2012, Dubai's hotels topped the global hotel list for occupancy and average revenue per room rankings, surging ahead of cities such as Hong Kong, Sydney, London, Tokyo, Paris and New York – to name but a few. With hotel performances continuing to go from strength to strength, there has never been a better time to invest in Dubai's lucrative hotel industry.

Introducing Sky Central Hotel

Let us continue by introducing Sky Central Hotel, our stunning hotel development situated in TECOM. This bustling hub dedicated to new technology, media and research - is fast becoming a lucrative place to own property. The First Group is proud to offer you the chance to own in one of these off-plan investment opportunities within this superb location.

Sky Central Hotel features 672 beautifully appointed hotel rooms across 27 levels, all furnished and fitted to international four star standards. An adjoining exclusive health clubhouses a state of the art gym and swimming pool, while full hotel services will be managed by a world-renowned hotel brand. Strategically located, Sky Central is at the heart of TECOM, a cluster of Free Zones made up of Dubai Media City, Internet City, Knowledge Village and the International Media Production Zone, and home to over 20,000 international companies. Guests can easily explore Dubai via the Dubai Metro, accessing must-see locations such as the highly popular Marina Walk in Dubai Marina; featuring waterside, al fresco cafés and restaurants, the Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping Mall featuring more than 1,200 shops, restaurants and entertainment outlets. The area is also within easy reach of the rest of the city via taxi. For a preview of Sky Central Hotel, click here to view our virtual tour.

Discover Dubai for Yourself

If all this has given you a taste for visiting Dubai, then why not let our dedicated Travel Concierge at The First Group take care of all your travel arrangements? We are delighted to be able to offer an exclusiveDiscover Dubai Experience Tour, which includes return flights, luxury airport transfers, 3 nights' accommodation and a chauffeured tour of the city. You will also have the chance to soak up the sights of Dubai Marina via our private boat tour. To help you discover this wonderful destination, we will include a complimentary Dubai Visitor Guide complete with a 3D map, and our exclusive voucher booklet, packed with savings at 20 of Dubai's top entertainment options. To find out more about this unforgettable experience, simply click here to view our Discover Dubai video.

Let us also tell you that by investing with The First Group you become part of our prestigious team. With more than 25 years of experience in the real estate market and over 2900 units sold, we know what it takes to make a development a success. Sky Central Hotel is the latest in our portfolio of property developments, which includes four luxury hotel apartment projects in TECOM, one of Dubai's busiest business districts. Our uniqueWealthBuilder programme means you can rest assured that all aspects of your investment will be fully managed, from promotion to rental, meaning you can simply relax and enjoy the lucrative returns.

Why not come to Dubai and experience it for yourself? Call our Property Wealth Consultants today on +2348127923822 +2348095041227 to book.

Innovative Property in Dubai, the UAE.

The First Group is a British-owned international property development company based in Dubai. The focus is on delivering innovative property developments in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, and solutions to meet the demands of the international property investment market.

As an emerging property market specialist and one of the region's leading independent serviced residential and commercial building developers, The First Group prides itself in offering clients quality off-plan, under-construction and completed developments, unrivalled services and pioneering products in the UAE.

With over 25 years' experience in the international property market and unparalleled commitment to excellence in all areas, including construction, design, finish and service, choosing to invest with The First Group offers a reliable and secure investment in one of the world's most lucrative property markets, the United Arab Emirates.

contact Greens Investment (The First Group Partner in Africa) +2348095041227

Discover Dubai

Discover this city for yourself with our exclusive Discover Dubai package. Tailor-made by the people that know Dubai property best, these fantastic trips show you a side of Dubai which simply can't be revealed from a website or newspaper article.

This tour will encompass a whirlwind three days in the most vibrant city of the Middle East. An experience of a lifetime, this is your opportunity to see if Dubai lives up to the hype… and we know it will. Prepare to be amazed as we take you on a tour to see the incredible Dubai property development and some of the attractions which have made the emirate one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide.

Register today for the Discover Dubai Experience

There is limited availability due to the high demand, REGISTER NOW for immediate assistance and to book your preferred tour dates. contact Greens Investment (The First Group Partner in Africa) +2348095041227

MULTI-BILLIONAIRE WARREN BUFFET’S 6 POWEFUL TIPS TO LIVE BY

Warren Edward Buffett is an American business magnate, Multi Billionaire Investor, and philanthropist. 

He is widely considered the most successful investor of the 20th century.
 He was ranked as the world’s wealthiest person in 2008 and as the third wealthiest person in 2011.

Here are his 6 major rules to living a successful life:
1. On Earning: “Never depend on a single income. Make Investments to create a second source.”
2. On Spending: “If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.”
3. On Savings: “Do not save what is left after spending, spend what is left after saving.”
4. On Taking Risks: ”Never test the depths of the river with both of your feet.”
5. On Expectations: “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Do not expect it from cheap people.”
6. On Investment: Do not put all eggs in one basket!”

Warren Buffett was presented with the Medal of Freedom in 2010, the highest US civilian award [AP]

Easy protection from eSmog with Amezcua E-Guard

Easy Protection From eSmog

The Amezcua E-Guard is a unique wellness solution that provides protection for your body from the harmful effects of electrosmog exposure from mobile phones, computers, laptops, and televisions. Your E-Guards go wherever you go by discreetly attaching to your electronic devices. Thus the Amezcua E-Guard will not only help those affected by electro-sensitivities, but also act as a preventative measure for your future protection.

Radiation consists of travelling energy in the form of waves or particles. It occurs naturally all around us and can be harmless in small doses, although through different types of radiation such as e-smog (electromagnetic radiation) the body can experience adverse effects. Amezcua E-Guard is a proven, functional and effective product that helps absorb problematic radiation frequencies, transforming them into frequencies that are more compatible and safer to your body. Additionally the E-Guard has an energetic value that subtly transmits positive information into your body, further supporting your well-being.
 

Living in a Harmful Frequency Jungle

Today, most of us can hardly imagine a normal day without a mobile phone, a computer or television. According to a study released by the Council for Research Excellence, the average adults usually spend at least 8.5 hours a day in front of screens, including computers and televisions, which both produce a number of static electric fields and alternating electric and magnetic fields at various frequencies. In many countries, over half the population use mobile phones and the market is growing rapidly. CCS Insight, a major market research and analysis body focussing on mobile and wireless sectors reports, that more than ten billion mobile phones have been sold globally since 1994, including five billion mobile subscriptions since the start of 2011.  The unavoidable transmission masts and towers can already be found everywhere and the concern whether mobile phone radiation is dangerous to humans is no longer a myth. These convenient and useful devices have become fully integrated into our lives, where they definitely have their rightful place. Yet they also cause problems involved with their  usage.
 

The Invisible Danger of Electromagnetic Field Radiation

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) of all frequencies represent one of the most common and fastest growing environmental influences, about which anxiety and speculation are spreading. They are present everywhere in our environment but are invisible to the human eye and their effects are much worse than you think! All populations are now exposed to varying degrees of EMF, and the levels continue to increase as technology advances. Numerous scientific studies and experiments show that there are increasing numbers of people who are sensitive to the electromagnetic field frequencies emitted by mobile radio-antennae, mobile phones, computers and television sets. Exposure to a consistent external frequency for more than a few minutes can cause our body's electrical functionality to be disrupted. It interferes with the body's natural healing process.The sensitive reactions display a variety of symptoms*, such as insomnia, difficulty in concentrating, anxiety, irritability, headaches, dizziness and similar responses.

*The indicated symptoms may vary based upon individual and may not be a direct result of exposure to electromagnetic fields. 

Protect Yourself. Balance Your Energy. Reduce Your Stress.

Amidst the dynamics of the modern world, a healthy body requires a lot of time and attention. Taking reasonable precautions is an important day-to-day thought for us all. The Amezcua E-Guard acts in assistance to those already affected by harmful e-smog as well as providing a preventative measure for vital protection to the body. Combining two pioneering technologies in one single chip, the Amezcua E-Guard works well with the characteristics of quartz minerals that helps absorb various radiation patterns transforming these into frequencies that are more compatible with biological systems.  An energetic value is additionally integrated into the Amezcua E-Guard to subtly transmit positive information maintaining the well-being of our body.

With its easy-to-use design, attaching the Amezcua E-Guard to your everyday electronic devices allows you to take preventative action by engaging, activating and supporting your own body’s natural defenses and energy systems. Your protection goes wherever you go!
 

The Combination of Two Pioneering Energy Technologies

Human Firewall Technology uses quartz to absorb harmful frequencies and then the frequencies emit back in a neutralised wave form. This field interacts with the human body and transmits certain specific information.
 

Energetic Programming helps enhance the overall effect by having modelled Amezcua E-Guard with information containing an energy value that promotes your well-being.
 

Key Benefits

• Protect yourself from the negative effects caused by electromagnetic radiation (e-smog).
• Activate and support your body’s natural defences and energy systems.
• Feel more focussed and more energised.
• Receive the positive informational effects and energy increases everytime your E-Guard comes into contact with your skin.

*As confirmed by Dr med. Manfred Doepp of the Holistic Center of Energy Medicine, Germany.

Get one today at Lifestyle shop located at the top left hand of this blog. Cheers!!!

HomePure Water Ultra-filtration System

The Importance of Good Water

 

Everybody knows water is essential to our survival. The Earth needs it, and we need it. Water is all around us and in us, but still, most take it for granted. When it comes to the biological function of water for humans, its importance is critical.
 

As water makes up more than two thirds of human body weight, humans would die without it in a few days. Water also plays an important role in the mechanics of the body. In fact, every cell and organ function in our anatomy and physiology depends on water to work efficiently and effectively.
 

Since water is such an important component to our physiology, it would make sense that the quality of water should be just as important as drinking eight glasses of water a day. Drinking water should always be clean and free of contaminants to ensure proper health and wellness.

Why Do We Need Water Filtration?

Water on the Earth’s surface is substantially more prone to contaminants due to heavy industrial and environmental pollution. People who may be exposed to these inorganic contaminants can become sick or susceptible to liver damage, cancer and other long-term health conditions. Organic contaminants such as bacteria, disease-carrying microorganisms, rotten plants, and animal droppings are also likely to affect water sources. We have arguably, and depending where we are, reached the point where all sources of our drinking water contain some level of contamination.  

Some examples of major contaminants that can be found in water today:

Toxic Metals (Lead, Mercury, Copper, etc.)Toxic metals are also called inorganic contaminants. Many toxic metals have been linked to long-term health problems such as cancer and serious learning disabilities.
 

Microbiological (E. Coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, etc.)Biological contaminants are living organisms such as parasites, bacteria, viruses, cysts, and spores.
 

Petrochemicals (Herbicides, Pesticides, Detergents, VOC, Carcinogens, etc.)Petroleum-based chemicals are also called ‘organic’ contaminants. Many have been linked to long-term health problems including many forms of cancer. Most have unknown long-term health effects.
 

With knowledge thus comes choice. A good filtration system installed in your home is one important way to proactively monitor and ensure the quality and safety of your drinking water. And although water filtration technology for households now prevalently exists, many people are unaware of the working principle behind the various filtration systems. The first thing to keep in mind is that a filtration method cannot find its application in a single filtration stage. Only a good complete system can produce high-quality, safe drinking water. 

"Water is the only drink for a wise man” – Henry David Thoreau

Key Benefits

9 Reasons Why You Should Choose HomePure Water Filtration System

You can enjoy the special advantages of water filtration as well as good hygiene and wellness with a simple, single management of various filtration stages:

1. Gives you safe and clean waterThe HomePure system provides clean drinking water. 
    
2. Good minerals pass through, while contaminants are kept outHomePure water filter produces water that is naturally balanced because it allows natural trace minerals to pass through filtration, whilst ensuring certain contaminants are filtered out.  The filter can absorb and remove 97% of chlorine; 99% of turbidity; 99% of the total 46 types of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) such as atrazine, carbofuran, lindane, simazine and toluene; as well as heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cr, Fe, Al, Cu), herbicides, pesticides, and TTHM (Trihalomethane).
   
   
   The heavy metals reduction is evaluated and supported by independent laboratory KEWWI (Korea).
3. Gives you good-tasting, odourless waterHomePure water is smoother, fresher, and better-tasting.
    
4. HomePure water is Pi-water
    
5. User-friendly designSleek, modern and functionally designed, HomePure water filter is the perfect appliance for the modern kitchen. Its one-way stainless steel flexible pipe allows you to use the drinking water supply in a wider radius without moving your water filter, and also prevents bacteria or dust from coming back into the filter.
    
6. Easy installation and filter cartridge replacementHomePure is a countertop filter that can be installed in seconds without the need for professional tools or plumbing . The device valve is attached directly to the main faucet and does not require an additional faucet. Its filter cartridge is also easy to change when it is due for replacement.  A smart indicator will show you when the filter lifetime has been reached through its:
   
   
   1) Flow Metre, which counts water consumption (4,320 litres);
   2) Timer, which counts the duration (12 months). Depending on whichever comes first, the smart indicator will signal when the filter cartridge has to be replaced. 
7. No electricity is neededUnlike most Reverse Osmosis or Ultraviolet filtration systems, HomePure is a mechanical Ultrafiltration unit that does not need electricity, thus providing you clean water at minimal cost.
    
8. World-class quality/German engineering/Japanese technology/Korean-madeUsing the reliability of Korean manufacturing, HomePure is made of world-class quality components and parts and uses a combination of advance German engineering plus Japanese technology.
    
9. 7-stage filtration systemHomePure is a high-quality water filtration system that incorporates a mechanical seven-filter media Ultrafiltration (UF) system, meaning seven filter stages are combined into one single filter cartridge. The well-selected filter media and its specifications allow for a clean and safe filter performance that ensures water is filtered.    

                 For purchase, get one for your family at QNET qualify store www.qnet.net using ID: HG054403

Electricity spinoffs to contribute to N1trn Nigeria power business

Expected market spin-offs in the form of ancillary services from the ongoing power privatisation, would contribute hugely to the over N1 trillion Nigerian electricity market, BusinessDay has gathered.

The power reform exercise, according to industry watchers, is expected to bolster investors’ confidence in the electricity generating and distribution industries, thereby encouraging capital investment into the sector.

Expectations are rife that with the success so far achieved, ancillary companies which will  service the industry  will come on stream. Informed sources told BusinessDay that there are foreign companies interested in building transformers, electricity meters, as well as cables, to strengthen the power sector, but that they are watching on the sidelines to see how the reforms play out.

Confirming the development, Eyo Ekpo, commissioner, markets, rates and competition, NERC, observed that the electricity market would see huge growth in the coming years.

“The foreign investors are just waiting to see if the government would successfully complete the exercise, and the level of transparency involved,” a source told BusinessDay.

The coming on of the foreign companies would also complement the efforts of local companies that are struggling to stay afloat.

“It is being expected that local companies may be partnered and recapitalised for efficiency,” another industry source said.

Currently, there is high demand for pre-paid meters in the country but because they are not produced locally, they are in short supply

A major upside to recent developments and which may be interesting to investors, is the reduction in the level of revenue risk by the distribution companies (DISCOs), a situation that signals a better future for the industry.

Eyo indicated that the ongoing privatisation of the nation’s power sector would help to meet

the electricity needs of over 60 million Nigerians who do not have access to the facility.

He further stated that some of the DISCOs have been able to achieve considerable reduction in losses, especially those arising from payment and technical risks.

“Losses are now being reduced significantly by some of the DISCOs. About six of them are already showing potential in terms of revenue, and they will drive the speed at which the Discos will come to the capital market.

“Eko Distribution Company has reduced losses by 75 percent, followed by Ikeja Disco, 65 percent and Abuja Disco, 60 percent,” he added.

The other risks he highlighted were construction, fuel supply, transmission and political risks.

It would be recalled that on March 21, 2013, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), said all the preferred bidders for the 15 Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies had met the deadline for the payment of the mandatory 25 per cent of the offer value of their bids, a milestone in the country’s efforts to end crippling power shortages.

Nigeria’s power utility company, PHCN has been unbundled into 18 successor companies including 11 distribution companies, six generation companies and one transmission company, with a view to encouraging private sector participation and attracting foreign and local investments into the Nigerian power sector, to ensure economic and reliable electricity supply.

The Federal Government is expected to net a minimum of $2.24 billion  (about N51.68bn) from the sale of companies carved out of the PHCN.

Already, the core investors in 15 of the successor power companies had paid $559.45million, representing 25 per cent of the total sum, which the government is expecting from the sale of the 15 power companies.

The remaining 75 percent of the bid sums from the core investors is $1.68bn, which is expected to be paid within the next six months.

On February 21, this year, the BPE, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the 14 preferred bidders for 15 of the 17 companies created out of the PHCN, executed Share Sale Agreements and Concession Agreements.

Current issues in investing in Nigeria’s free trade zones

To be rich is glorious”. With these five words Deng Xiaoping, former chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, and the man credited with transforming China from an economic underachiever to the second largest economy in the world, began an economic transformation that the whole world stands in awe of today. Deng realised that the unified communist political and economic model left economic development in China hamstrung. He therefore separated politics from business and used a more market oriented economic model to serve development ends. As part of this drive, China developed Special Economic Zones in various provinces. The zones provided local businesses and foreign investors with tax, regulatory and infrastructural benefits that were not generally available in the rest of China. In the years and decades that followed, they transformed their immediate provinces and served as a catalyst for economic growth on the east coast of mainland China with knock on impacts for the whole country.
Free Trade Zones are not new in world history. Variants of them span over 100 countries across the globe and when used properly, they can be an effective tool in economic development. In December 1992, the Federal Government of Nigeria passed Decree No. 63 - the Nigeria Economic Processing Zones Act (NEPZA) CAP N107 LFN 2004, to provide for a framework to establish Free Trade Zones in different parts of the country. A Free Trade Zone or FTZ is an area designated as such by the President.

The Nigeria Export processing Zones Authority grants all entities licensed to carry on approved business within the zone a number of benefits that businesses outside the zone do not enjoy. For one, the zone is notionally viewed as being outside of Nigerian territory and therefore all participants in the zone have certain benefits which confer on them administrative convenience and tax benefits not enjoyed by those outside the zone.

In relation to the FTZs, all other parts of Nigerian territory is referred to as the Customs Territory. Below, I consider the important legal and administrative issues that a foreign or local business will consider in making the decision to be located in a FTZ. Particularly, I will consider recent regulatory developments. With the Nigerian economy averaging a year on year GDP growth rate of about 7%, investors are bound to look to the most business friendly areas of the country as a base to access its 160 million strong market.
Today, there are more than 20 FTZ initiatives at different stages of development and the Authority lists 11 of them as being operational on its website. Some of these include the Calabar Free Trade Zone, the LADOL Free Zone, the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, the Onne oil and gas Free Zone and the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone. In addition to the NEPZA, FTZs are also regulated by the Oil and Gas Free Zones Act, the Investment Procedures, Regulations and Operational Guidelines (2004). In 2010 the Lekki Free Trade Zone Regulations were introduced specifically for the Lekki FTZ.

Structural Overview

NEPZA provides a regulatory framework for all FTZs in Nigeria. An FTZ may be set up by the federal government but it may also be promoted by a private sector participant or by a state government. Some of the successful FTZs today are partnerships between private entities and state governments. The President is empowered to designate an area as an FTZ. Having obtained such a designation the FTZ will continue to work with the NEPZA Authority and all entities operating within the zone will route applications for the grant of certain permits through the FTZ to the NEPZA authority. The structure is created such that an entity within an FTZ can obtain all incorporation, customs, immigration, police and other public services within the zone. The unique legal/regulatory framework of FTZs also ensures that while Nigerian laws continue to apply to entities operating within the zone, section 24 of the Act allows the Minister to exempt certain laws from applying within the zone. The law is however clear that taxes (generally speaking) that apply to businesses operating in Nigeria will not apply to businesses operating in the zones.

Tax

By far, the most attractive economic benefit of being located in an FTZ is the reduction in transaction costs that a company will enjoy through tax exemptions. The Act specifically exempts all entities operating within the zone from all Federal and State taxes, levies and rates. A company operating in the zone is generally exempted from paying Companies Income Tax, Withholding Tax, Value Added Tax, Petroleum Profits Tax and so on. These exemptions, on the face of it, appear absolute however, to fully benefit from them, a company must adopt a legal structure that protects it from tax exposure to the rest of Nigeria (i.e. the Customs Territory).

One way to do this is to conduct all business activity within the FTZ. First, all imports into the zone are tax exempt, so whether the imports are for transactions or for the purposes of adding value to a final product for sale within the zone, they will enjoy a tax free status as long as they are destined for the zone. Also, a manufacturer within the FTZ can avoid company and sale related taxes if it ensures that delivery of its products are made within the zone. Retail trade can only be undertaken with approval of the NEPZA Authority. Where delivery or sale is however to be done outside of the zone, inside Nigeria’s Customs Territory, the calculus changes as all activities carried out in Nigerian Customs Territory are generally exposed to Nigerian tax. Taking goods from within the zone into Nigerian customs territory will be viewed as importing into Nigeria and the goods will be subject to customs and excise duties. This is worth noting as investors, knowing this, may seek to rely on other potentially available tax benefits that apply within Nigerian Customs Territory.

A caveat is necessary here. While the exemption from tax is wide it is not absolute. Employees, for example, are not exempted from paying Personal Income Taxes.

Corporate Benefits

To start business in Nigeria, a foreign entity is typically required to register a Nigerian company. This requirement of the Companies and Allied Matters Act is however done away with with respect to operators in an FTZ. By section 10 of the Act they are only required to obtain a licence to carry out an approved activity from the NEPZA Authority.
With respect to work permits, foreign workers usually start work in Nigeria by obtaining temporary work visa known as a “Subject to Regularization” visa and later make these permanent by obtaining permanent work documentation or CERPAC (combined settlement and work permit for expats) from the Nigerian Immigration Service. They must have Nigerian work permits to commence work within the country. Where such work permits are not immediately forthcoming they can obtain certain visa types to commence work before the work permits become available. NEPZA avoids the bureaucratic delays that may accompany work related immigration processes by providing in section 20 that application for immigration and work permits may be made to the NEPZA Authourity.

Current Developments
A number of developments have occurred in the last few years. For one, the Lekki FTZ is buzzing with activity. It is reported to have already attracted over N170bn though still at its nascent stage. It has about 50 investors already committed to investing in multimillion dollar projects in the zone and has a varied array of investors in comparison to other FTZs.

This is particularly so because while section 16 of the NEPZA typically excludes oil from being imported or stored in the zone other than as the Minister determines, the 2010 Lekki Free Trade Zone regulations allow for the storage and use of petroleum products within the zone. The regulations were made pursuant to authority granted to the Minister in sections 16 and 27 of the NEPZA Act. The zone which includes Chinese partners is also reported to be the largest of the 19 FTZs that China has invested in outside of China.

The Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone opened in the Onne area of Rivers State in 1997 and is the only such FTZ dedicated to oil and gas activities. The zone has attracted multimillion dollar investments and has over 150 investors currently operating in the zone. The Minister for information is recently reported as saying that it has created over 30,000 jobs for Nigerians. It was created by a separate legislation, the Oil and Gas Free Zones Act, CAP O5 LFN 2004.

FTZs have come to stay in Nigeria but their success will depend on investments into them and how well their activities are coordinated. Time will tell whether they will contribute to make Nigeria rich and glorious.

Social Media Power

In the last decade social media has turned from dorm room toy to an enviable business tool. Social networking sites have been proven to provide unprecedented opportunities to get word out about yourself and your business. Unfortunately, many people have not utilized this opportunity in promoting their self person and some do not have a clue on how to use these tools effectively. Experts say a good utilization of these tools can re-engineer, re-position and even re-direct a dormant person or business towards the right path.

Experts say the first step is making a presence, create a business account for your business with a well planned time table on how to follow up by updating current information, so that it does not die from lack of new information to your intending clients.  Preferably, sign-up for a social media manager which allows you to manage all of your accounts on one site and schedule your messages to deploy, so you do not have to sit over your monitor all day.

Though creating an online platform to advertise your business is a good idea, attracting the desired traffic to your page is entirely a different kettle of fish. Experts say this is actually the most important part as your efforts will only remain meaningless if you do not have clients or intending customers on your page to benefit from whatever information you have decided to communicate to them through your updates and posts.

The best way to get more customers is through referrals and recommendations from top players in the industry. Look for other companies who complement your business, and who have similar customers. This works well especially when you partner with larger companies who may be more established and have more clients than you, experts say.

Either you are selling products/services or just publishing content for advert revenue, Experts say social media marketing is an effective tool that would popularize your product/service in little time. So the important factor here is to know why any company would need to incorporate social media into their ideas and strategies. Once that is clear your quantifying gains become a much simpler task.

There is no doubt social media is the quickest way to enhance personal branding, which also makes it easy to track social media buzz around your business and monitor it. You have higher exposure to your brand with online networking, and with spread you can gather hundreds if not thousands of prospect, experts say. Equally, do not forget to take personal care of your customers, even by adding online events and responding to your users can build loyalty. Sales teams should also use social media to generate leads and track clients as they move through the sales funnel, expert’s advice.

Experts believe social media has come to stay, and in no time savvy clients/customers will soon grow tired of corporate advertisers dressed up for regular conversation, so make sure you offer your product an online identity and more importantly ensure you always have something valuable to say to your esteemed clients.

Social media, in some way is uncontrollable. Hence, expect people to comment and share information about your business whether you like it or not. However, you can easily get hold of tools to monitor online comments and conversations that feature your brand or products. You can use this information to respond and engage with people commenting about your business. In cases of bad publicity you can go online, engage with your detractors and hopefully turn the conversation into a positive one, experts say.

Facebook set to unveil android smartphone

Facebook is preparing a deeper push into smartphone software with a modified version of Google (GOOG) Inc.’s operating system as it seeks to boost sales from ads on small screens, according to sources with knowledge of the plans.

The new software will prominently feature Facebook’s social-networking tools, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.

Facebook will likely announce a handset running the operating system at an event today (Thursday) in Menlo Park, California said Carl Howe, an analyst at Yankee Group.

The Zuckberg-led company has said the gathering is focused on a “new home on Android.”

Now that the majority of users access Facebook via mobile devices, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg needs ways to keep them engaged longer while coaxing advertisers to pay to place promotions on small screens.

The company is betting that a handset packed with Facebook-centric software will do a better job wooing users and marketers than the current approach, which emphasizes a downloadable application, Howe said.

“The problem with apps is they’re a click away from wherever you are,” Howe said in an interview.

“Facebook wants to remove that barrier.” Derick Mains, a spokesman for Menlo Park, California-based Facebook, declined to comment, as did Gina Weakley Johnson, a spokeswoman for Mountain View, California-based Google.

LEAKS REVEAL SECRETS OF THE RICH WHO HIDE CASH OFFSHORE

The British Virgin Islands, the world's leading offshore haven used by an array of government officials and rich families to hide their wealth. Photograph: Duncan Mcnicol/Getty Images

Millions of internal records have leaked from Britain's offshore financial industry, exposing for the first time the identities of thousands of holders of anonymous wealth from around the world, from presidents to plutocrats, the daughter of a notorious dictator and a British millionaire accused of concealing assets from his ex-wife.

The leak of 2m emails and other documents, mainly from the offshore haven of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), has the potential to cause a seismic shock worldwide to the booming offshore trade, with a former chief economist at McKinsey estimating that wealthy individuals may have as much as $32tn (£21tn) stashed in overseas havens.

In France, Jean-Jacques Augier, President François Hollande's campaign co-treasurer and close friend, has been forced to publicly identify his Chinese business partner. It emerges as Hollande is mired in financial scandal because his former budget minister concealed a Swiss bank account for 20 years and repeatedly lied about it.

In Mongolia, the country's former finance minister and deputy speaker of its parliament says he may have to resign from politics as a result of this investigation.

But the two can now be named for the first time because of their use of companies in offshore havens, particularly in the British Virgin Islands, where owners' identities normally remain secret.

The names have been unearthed in a novel project by the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists [ICIJ], in collaboration with the Guardian and other international media, who are jointly publishing their research results this week.

The naming project may be extremely damaging for confidence among the world's wealthiest people, no longer certain that the size of their fortunes remains hidden from governments and from their neighbours.

BVI's clients include Scot Young, a millionaire associate of deceased oligarch Boris Berezovsky. Dundee-born Young is in jail for contempt of court for concealing assets from his ex-wife.

Young's lawyer, to whom he signed over power of attorney, appears to control interests in a BVI company that owns a potentially lucrative Moscow development with a value estimated at $100m.

Another is jailed fraudster Achilleas Kallakis. He used fake BVI companies to obtain a record-breaking £750m in property loans from reckless British and Irish banks.

As well as Britons hiding wealth offshore, an extraordinary array of government officials and rich families across the world are identified, from Canada, the US, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran, China, Thailand and former communist states.

The data seen by the Guardian shows that their secret companies are based mainly in the British Virgin Islands.

Sample offshore owners named in the leaked files include:

• Jean-Jacques Augier, François Hollande's 2012 election campaign co-treasurer, launched a Caymans-based distributor in China with a 25% partner in a BVI company. Augier says his partner was Xi Shu, a Chinese businessman.

• Mongolia's former finance minister. Bayartsogt Sangajav set up "Legend Plus Capital Ltd" with a Swiss bank account, while he served as finance minister of the impoverished state from 2008 to 2012. He says it was "a mistake" not to declare it, and says "I probably should consider resigning from my position".

• The president of Azerbaijan and his family. A local construction magnate, Hassan Gozal, controls entities set up in the names of President Ilham Aliyev's two daughters.

• The wife of Russia's deputy prime minister. Olga Shuvalova's husband, businessman and politician Igor Shuvalov, has denied allegations of wrongdoing about her offshore interests.

•A senator's husband in Canada. Lawyer Tony Merchant deposited more than US$800,000 into an offshore trust.

He paid fees in cash and ordered written communication to be "kept to a minimum".

• A dictator's child in the Philippines: Maria Imelda Marcos Manotoc, a provincial governor, is the eldest daughter of former President Ferdinand Marcos, notorious for corruption.

• Spain's wealthiest art collector, Baroness Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, a former beauty queen and widow of a Thyssen steel billionaire, who uses offshore entities to buy pictures.

• US: Offshore clients include Denise Rich, ex-wife of notorious oil trader Marc Rich, who was controversially pardoned by President Clinton on tax evasion charges. She put $144m into the Dry Trust, set up in the Cook Islands.

It is estimated that more than $20tn acquired by wealthy individuals could lie in offshore accounts. The UK-controlled BVI has been the most successful among the mushrooming secrecy havens that cater for them.

The Caribbean micro-state has incorporated more than a million such offshore entities since it began marketing itself worldwide in the 1980s. Owners' true identities are never revealed.

Even the island's official financial regulators normally have no idea who is behind them.

The British Foreign Office depends on the BVI's company licensing revenue to subsidise this residual outpost of empire, while lawyers and accountants in the City of London benefit from a lucrative trade as intermediaries.

They claim the tax-free offshore companies provide legitimate privacy. Neil Smith, the financial secretary of the autonomous local administration in the BVI's capital Tortola, told the Guardian it was very inaccurate to claim the island "harbours the ethically challenged".

He said: "Our legislation provides a more hostile environment for illegality than most jurisdictions".

Smith added that in "rare instances …where the BVI was implicated in illegal activity by association or otherwise, we responded swiftly and decisively".

The Guardian and ICIJ's Offshore Secrets series last year exposed how UK property empires have been built up by, among others, Russian oligarchs, fraudsters and tax avoiders, using BVI companies behind a screen of sham directors.

Such so-called "nominees", Britons giving far-flung addresses on Nevis in the Caribbean, Dubai or the Seychelles, are simply renting out their names for the real owners to hide behind.

The whistleblowing group WikiLeaks caused a storm of controversy in 2010 when it was able to download almost two gigabytes of leaked US military and diplomatic files.

The new BVI data, by contrast, contains more than 200 gigabytes, covering more than a decade of financial information about the global transactions of BVI private incorporation agencies. It also includes data on their offshoots in Singapore, Hong Kong and the Cook Islands in the Pacific.

Are these assets owned by Nigerian Political Leaders too? What do you think? Comment below

US proposes $100m for brain research

©AP

President Barack Obama proposed to spend $100m on a new effort to study and map the human brain, dubbing it the “next great American project” and demanding US congressional approval for the funding despite federal budget constraints.

The plan, which will be led by the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Science Foundation, was announced by Mr Obama at the White House on Tuesday morning.

“You know, as humans, we can identify galaxies light years away, we can study particles smaller than an atom, but we still haven’t unlocked the mystery of the three pounds of matter that sits between our ears,” Mr Obama said.

According to the White House, the project “ultimately aims to help researchers find new ways to treat, cure, and even prevent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury”.

Mr Obama had hinted at the effort in his State of the Union address in February, in which he asked Congress to help the US “reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race”.

The president also pointed to how the project could stimulate the economy in a similar way that the Human Genome Project did more than a decade ago and keep the US competitive in the race for innovation with other countries. “We can’t afford to miss these opportunities while the rest of the world races ahead. We have to seize them,” he said. “I don’t want the next job-creating discoveries to happen in China or India or Germany; I want them to happen right here, in the United States of America.”

Republicans have, in general, been opposed to any new federal spending programmes, dubbing them unaffordable at a time when budgetary restraint is needed to trim high deficits and cut America’s debt load. But medical research is one of the toughest areas of government spending to oppose, given its popularity and impact, meaning that it could be grounds for some compromise.

A spokesman for John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, offered a relatively positive reaction, but cautioned that the money should come out of other scientific research projects, which could pit other segments of medical research against it. “This is exciting, important research and it would be appropriate for the White House to reprioritise existing research funding into these areas,” the spokesman said.

According to the White House, the initiative, which will be part of next week’s 2014 administration budget proposal, “will accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will enable researchers to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought”.

It added: “These technologies will open new doors to explore how the brain records, processes, uses, stores, and retrieves vast quantities of information, and shed light on the complex links between brain function and behaviour.”

The White House brought in several private sector partners to help launch the plan, including the Allen Institute for Brain Science, which was launched by Paul Allen, the former Microsoft executive. Also on board is the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, based in the Washington suburbs.

The development of a new technology known as optogenetics, enabling neuroscientists to manipulate brain activity with light, has been key to reaching a point where such a project can be undertaken.

The $100m in funding is requested for the 2014 fiscal year, which begins in October, and will have to be approved by congressional appropriators, meaning it could well fall victim to the rolling budget wars in the US capital.

Since the US will be operating under discretionary spending caps, and possibly even further cuts if sequestration is not reversed, even if the funding for the brain project is given the green light, the money will have to be removed from other programmes at the NIH or other government agencies.

THE WORLD'S BILLIONAIRES

Rank	Name	Net Worth	Age	Source	Country of Citizenship
1	Carlos Slim Helu & family	$73 B	73	telecom	Mexico
2	Bill Gates	$67 B	57	Microsoft	United States
3	Amancio Ortega	$57 B	77	Zara	Spain
4	Warren Buffett	$53.5 B	82	Berkshire Hathaway	United States
5	Larry Ellison	$43 B	68	Oracle	United States
6	Charles Koch	$34 B	77	diversified	United States
6	David Koch	$34 B	72	diversified	United States
8	Li Ka-shing	$31 B	84	diversified	Hong Kong
9	Liliane Bettencourt & family	$30 B	90	L'Oreal	France
10	Bernard Arnault & family	$29 B	64	LVMH	France
11	Christy Walton & family	$28.2 B	58	Wal-Mart	United States
12	Stefan Persson	$28 B	65	H&M	Sweden
13	Michael Bloomberg	$27 B	71	Bloomberg LP	United States
14	Jim Walton	$26.7 B	65	Wal-Mart	United States
15	Sheldon Adelson	$26.5 B	79	casinos	United States
16	Alice Walton	$26.3 B	63	Wal-Mart	United States
17	S. Robson Walton	$26.1 B	69	Wal-Mart	United States
18	Karl Albrecht	$26 B	93	Aldi	Germany
19	Jeff Bezos	$25.2 B	49	Amazon.com	United States
20	Larry Page	$23 B	40	Google	United States
21	Sergey Brin	$22.8 B	39	Google	United States
22	Mukesh Ambani	$21.5 B	55	petrochemicals, oil & gas	India
23	Michele Ferrero & family	$20.4 B	87	chocolates	Italy
24	Lee Shau Kee	$20.3 B	85	diversified	Hong Kong
24	David Thomson & family	$20.3 B	55	media	Canada
26	Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud	$20 B	58	investments	Saudi Arabia
26	Carl Icahn	$20 B	77	leveraged buyouts	United States
26	Thomas & Raymond Kwok & family	$20 B	-	real estate	Hong Kong
29	Dieter Schwarz	$19.5 B	73	retail	Germany
30	George Soros	$19.2 B	82	hedge funds	United States
31	Theo Albrecht, Jr. & family	$18.9 B	62	Aldi, Trader Joe's	Germany
32	Alberto Bailleres Gonzalez & family	$18.2 B	81	mining	Mexico
33	Jorge Paulo Lemann	$17.8 B	73	beer	Brazil
34	Alisher Usmanov	$17.6 B	59	steel, telecom, investments	Russia
35	Iris Fontbona & family	$17.4 B	70	mining	Chile
36	Forrest Mars, Jr.	$17 B	81	candy	United States
36	Jacqueline Mars	$17 B	73	candy	United States
36	John Mars	$17 B	76	candy	United States
36	Georgina Rinehart	$17 B	59	mining	Australia
40	German Larrea Mota Velasco & family	$16.7 B	59	mining	Mexico
41	Mikhail Fridman	$16.5 B	48	oil, banking, telecom	Russia
41	Lakshmi Mittal	$16.5 B	62	steel	India
43	Aliko Dangote	$16.1 B	55	cement, sugar, flour	Nigeria
44	Len Blavatnik	$16 B	55	diversified	United States
44	Cheng Yu-tung	$16 B	87	diversified	Hong Kong
46	Joseph Safra	$15.9 B	74	banking	Brazil
47	Rinat Akhmetov	$15.4 B	46	steel, coal	Ukraine
47	Leonid Mikhelson	$15.4 B	57	gas, chemicals	Russia
49	Leonardo Del Vecchio	$15.3 B	77	eyeglasses	Italy
49	Michael Dell	$15.3 B	48	Dell	United States
51	Steve Ballmer	$15.2 B	57	Microsoft	United States
52	Viktor Vekselberg	$15.1 B	55	oil, metals	Russia
53	Paul Allen	$15 B	60	Microsoft, investments	United States
53	Francois Pinault & family	$15 B	76	retail	France
55	Vagit Alekperov	$14.8 B	62	Lukoil	Russia
56	Phil Knight	$14.4 B	75	Nike	United States
56	Andrey Melnichenko	$14.4 B	41	coal, fertilizers	Russia
58	Dhanin Chearavanont & family	$14.3 B	73	food	Thailand
58	Susanne Klatten	$14.3 B	50	BMW, pharmaceuticals	Germany
58	Vladimir Potanin	$14.3 B	52	metals	Russia
61	Michael Otto & family	$14.2 B	69	retail, real estate	Germany
62	Vladimir Lisin	$14.1 B	56	steel, transport	Russia
62	Gennady Timchenko	$14.1 B	60	oil & gas	Russia
64	Luis Carlos Sarmiento	$13.9 B	80	banking	Colombia
65	Mohammed Al Amoudi	$13.5 B	68	oil, diversified	Saudi Arabia
66	Tadashi Yanai & family	$13.3 B	64	retail	Japan
66	Mark Zuckerberg	$13.3 B	28	Facebook	United States
68	Henry Sy & family	$13.2 B	88	diversified	Philippines
69	Donald Bren	$13 B	80	real estate	United States
69	Serge Dassault & family	$13 B	87	aviation	France
69	Lee Kun-Hee	$13 B	71	Samsung	South Korea
69	Mikhail Prokhorov	$13 B	47	investments	Russia
73	Alexey Mordashov	$12.8 B	47	steel, investments	Russia
74	Antonio Ermirio de Moraes & family	$12.7 B	84	diversified	Brazil
74	Abigail Johnson	$12.7 B	51	money management	United States
76	Ray Dalio	$12.5 B	63	hedge funds	United States
76	Robert Kuok	$12.5 B	89	diversified	Malaysia
78	Miuccia Prada	$12.4 B	63	Prada	Italy
79	Ronald Perelman	$12.2 B	70	leveraged buyouts	United States
80	Anne Cox Chambers	$12 B	93	media	United States
81	Stefan Quandt	$11.9 B	46	BMW	Germany
82	Ananda Krishnan	$11.7 B	75	telecoms	Malaysia
82	Alejandro Santo Domingo Davila	$11.7 B	36	beer	Colombia
82	James Simons	$11.7 B	74	hedge funds	United States
82	Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi	$11.7 B	68	drinks	Thailand
86	Zong Qinghou	$11.6 B	67	beverages	China
87	Dirce Navarro De Camargo & family	$11.5 B	-	construction	Brazil
87	John Fredriksen	$11.5 B	68	shipping	Cyprus
89	Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor & family	$11.4 B	61	real estate	United Kingdom
90	Harold Hamm	$11.3 B	67	oil & gas	United States