Once seen as just a rainy-day essential, umbrellas are now making a stylish return as a fashion statement. From luxury runways to celebrity front rows, designers are transforming the humble umbrella into a bold summer accessory.


From runways to front rows, umbrella return to fashion 

Luxury fashion houses Gucci and Adidas have launched an umbrella that costs $1,600-dollar. This umbrella is now facing severe criticism from people in China because it is not even waterproof.

The Good Life: Would you buy $1,600-dollar Umbrella?

Kerala's village Alappuzha has found a unique way with a very basic tool for social distancing in their fight against coronavirus. The villagers will be using an umbrella for social distancing.

Kerala's village Alappuzha has found a unique way with a very basic tool for social distancing in their fight against coronavirus. The villagers will be using an umbrella for social distancing. The panchayat authorities of the tourist destination will ensure that umbrellas are available to all. According to panchayat officials of Thanneermukkom, Kerala's Finance Minister Thomas Isaac came up with this unique idea to promote social distancing. Why an umbrella? Umbrellas are basic and cheap tool found in almost every household in the state, a gap between two people holding an umbrella will ensure at least a one-metre gap to ensure enough distance. The minister took to Twitter to share the picture of people practising physical distancing in the village, he said: "To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold the umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure a minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at a subsidized rate." To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at subsidized rate. pic.twitter.com/6qir4KXPSL — Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) April 26, 2020 × Kerala has 480 coronavirus cases including four deaths. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 29,974 with 1,594 new cases and 51 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, India's health ministry said on Tuesday. The death toll due to the virus has now climbed to 937, the health ministry said. There are 22,010 active COVID-19 cases with 7,027 patients cured of the virus

One man one umbrella, Kerala's village finds a unique way to promote social distancing

The United Forum of Bank Unions on Tuesday threatened to intensify their stir in July and August against the 'meagre' two per cent salary hike, officials said.

The bank employees had observed a two-day strike on May 30 and 31 against the hike.

The United Federation of Bank Unions, the umbrella organisation of nine bank unions, met here and congratulated the staff for observing the two-day strike, general secretary of the federation CH Venkatachalam said.&nbsp

"It has been decided to further continue the struggle with more strikes. Having regard to the need for an amicable solution, it was decided to meet the higher authorities in the government and the banks", he told PTI.

"However, if no solution is forthcoming in these meetings, the United Forum of Bank Unions will proceed and announce more agitations", he said.&nbsp

Meanwhile, a report from Tirupathi quoted senior vice-president of the National Confederation of Bank Employees, VVSR Sarma as saying that the bank staff would intensify the stir in a phased manner in July and August to press for their demands.

"Prior to intensifying our agitation, United Forum of Bank Unions decided to submit a memorandum on the wage hike issue and other banking developmental issues to finance minister Arun Jaitley by this month-end," he said.&nbsp

The United Federation of Bank Unions, the umbrella organisation of nine bank unions, met and congratulated the staff for observing the two-day strike

The United Forum of Bank Unions on Tuesday threatened to intensify their stir in July and August against the 'meagre' two per cent salary hike, officials said. The bank employees had observed a two-day strike on May 30 and 31 against the hike. The United Federation of Bank Unions, the umbrella organisation of nine bank unions, met here and congratulated the staff for observing the two-day strike, general secretary of the federation CH Venkatachalam said. "It has been decided to further continue the struggle with more strikes. Having regard to the need for an amicable solution, it was decided to meet the higher authorities in the government and the banks", he told PTI. "However, if no solution is forthcoming in these meetings, the United Forum of Bank Unions will proceed and announce more agitations", he said. Meanwhile, a report from Tirupathi quoted senior vice-president of the National Confederation of Bank Employees, VVSR Sarma as saying that the bank staff would intensify the stir in a phased manner in July and August to press for their demands. "Prior to intensifying our agitation, United Forum of Bank Unions decided to submit a memorandum on the wage hike issue and other banking developmental issues to finance minister Arun Jaitley by this month-end," he said.

Bank staff threaten to intensify stir in July, August

Hong Kong&#39;s 2014 pro-democracy &quot;Umbrella Revolution&quot; was re-imagined as a zombie apocalypse by gamemakers who transformed politicians and protesters into the walking dead using virtual reality (VR) technology at a comic and games expo on Friday. 
 
Teenagers and video game enthusiasts packed the Ani-Com show at the city&#39;s harbourfront convention centre and queued for &quot;Hong Kong Infected&quot;, where they shot down protesters and police officers who had been afflicted by an unknown contagion. 
 
In late 2014, tens of thousands took part in a mass pro-democracy rally, dubbed the &quot;Umbrella Revolution&quot; which paralysed the city for more than two months, with residents calling on Beijing to allow fully free elections of future leaders. 
 
The rally exploded on September 28 of that year when police fired tear gas to disperse crowds.But in the virtual reality parallel universe, they were turned into zombies. 
 
&quot;(In the game) there is a mysterious gas released at that time when protesters are being dispersed,&quot; Elphonso Lam, art director for production house YYY Industry which created the game, told AFP. 
 
&quot;You can imagine how scary it would be as the protesters, police and even lawmakers turn into zombies,&quot; Lam said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We wanted to make a record of what Hong Kongers have experienced, so we used this topic,&quot; he said, adding that very few local productions would be willing to touch upon such a sensitive issue.&nbsp;The game was designed for the virtual reality platform and players got their first look at the show. 
 
Players also have to gun down &quot;the boss&quot;, an enlarged, zombified version of a pro-Beijing lawmaker, in a three-dimensional re-creation of the area near the government headquarters where the protests were held. 
 
The game is expected to be released next year along with a feature-length film and a comic series on the same storyline. 
 
Player Flan Lau, 24, who along with other players wore an Oculus VR headset and held up a mock gun to play the demo, said the experience was better than traditional video games. 
 
&quot;If you are unable to experience a three-dimensional environment... there is a difference,&quot; the subway technician told AFP. 
 
Sony also displayed their newest VR kit, which will launch in October with their PS4 gaming console, to the exhibition. 
 
&quot;Everybody is talking about VR...I believe this trend will totally change the gaming industry,&quot; Sony Marketing Communication for Hong Kong assistant general manager Jacqueline Chiu said. 
 
Players donning VR headsets at Sony`s Playstation booth beat up baddies as Batman in &quot;Batman: Arkham VR&quot;, while others carried out robberies in &quot;The London Heist&quot;. 
 
The Ani-Com show is one of the biggest of its kind in Asia, where teenagers and video game lovers go to buy limited editions of toy figures and wear costumes mimicking their favourite comic book heroes. 
 
(AFP)

A virtual reality game, featuring in this year's Ani-Com, intends to show what Hong Kong went through during the 2014 protests

Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella Revolution" was re-imagined as a zombie apocalypse by gamemakers who transformed politicians and protesters into the walking dead using virtual reality (VR) technology at a comic and games expo on Friday. Teenagers and video game enthusiasts packed the Ani-Com show at the city's harbourfront convention centre and queued for "Hong Kong Infected", where they shot down protesters and police officers who had been afflicted by an unknown contagion. In late 2014, tens of thousands took part in a mass pro-democracy rally, dubbed the "Umbrella Revolution" which paralysed the city for more than two months, with residents calling on Beijing to allow fully free elections of future leaders. The rally exploded on September 28 of that year when police fired tear gas to disperse crowds.But in the virtual reality parallel universe, they were turned into zombies. "(In the game) there is a mysterious gas released at that time when protesters are being dispersed," Elphonso Lam, art director for production house YYY Industry which created the game, told AFP. "You can imagine how scary it would be as the protesters, police and even lawmakers turn into zombies," Lam said. "We wanted to make a record of what Hong Kongers have experienced, so we used this topic," he said, adding that very few local productions would be willing to touch upon such a sensitive issue. The game was designed for the virtual reality platform and players got their first look at the show. Players also have to gun down "the boss", an enlarged, zombified version of a pro-Beijing lawmaker, in a three-dimensional re-creation of the area near the government headquarters where the protests were held. The game is expected to be released next year along with a feature-length film and a comic series on the same storyline. Player Flan Lau, 24, who along with other players wore an Oculus VR headset and held up a mock gun to play the demo, said the experience was better than traditional video games. "If you are unable to experience a three-dimensional environment... there is a difference," the subway technician told AFP. Sony also displayed their newest VR kit, which will launch in October with their PS4 gaming console, to the exhibition. "Everybody is talking about VR...I believe this trend will totally change the gaming industry," Sony Marketing Communication for Hong Kong assistant general manager Jacqueline Chiu said. Players donning VR headsets at Sony`s Playstation booth beat up baddies as Batman in "Batman: Arkham VR", while others carried out robberies in "The London Heist". The Ani-Com show is one of the biggest of its kind in Asia, where teenagers and video game lovers go to buy limited editions of toy figures and wear costumes mimicking their favourite comic book heroes. (AFP)

Zombies take over Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution at gaming show

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