Saturday 28 September 2019

AVIS BUDGET GROUP NAMES AVIS CAR RENTAL AND BUDGET CAR RENTAL LICENSEES OF THE YEAR

LONDON, Sept 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR) has announced its Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental Licensees of the Year for the International Region, which includes, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Asia-Pacific. This year’s recipients of the annual awards are Avis Turkey and Budget Romania. Each honoree accepted the accolade at a celebratory event held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The annual Avis Budget Group International Licensee Awards recognize licensee partners that have demonstrated growth in annual financial performance, measured against their respective country’s economic conditions, excellence in customer service and alignment with the brand’s initiatives.

Keith Rankin, President, International at Avis Budget Group said: “I’m delighted to announce our Licensee Award winners, Avis Turkey and Budget Romania. Both winners have invested in their businesses, delivered strong growth and consistently generated high levels of customer satisfaction. As a global mobility company, with a presence in approximately 180 countries, we rely on the expertise and professionalism which our licensees offer Avis and Budget customers in their markets. These awards are to celebrate and recognize their hard work, passion and dedication.”

Avis Car Rental in Turkey has driven growth in market despite challenging economic circumstances, that continue today. In this difficult environment, Avis Turkey focused on revenue management and revenue generation, whilst investing in the ancillary sales area of the business. As a result, Avis Turkey has not only maintained its number one market share position, but also grown the business by more than 22 percent, whilst keeping consistently high customer service scores, showing determination and spirit in the face of adversity.

Budget Romania is accepting this award after a very successful year, which has seen a revenue growth of 19 percent and a fleet size growth of more than 10 percent. Whilst investing in the brand, marketing and its rental locations, the country can celebrate a 10 percent increase in its customer service score over the prior year, providing quality vehicles at great value prices.

Contact: Laura Watts
+44(0) 7342 075 430 
laura.watts@abg.com

About Avis Budget Group
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a leading global provider of mobility solutions, both through its Avis and Budget brands, which have more than 11,000 rental locations in approximately 180 countries around the world, and through its Zipcar brand, which is the world’s leading car sharing network, with more than one million members. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australasia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 30,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. More information is available at www.avisbudgetgroup.com.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=35621

Friday 27 September 2019

SmartStream AI managed service for proactive data monitoring

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 -- SmartStream Technologies has launched artificial intelligence (AI) into its existing managed service offering, which covers reconciliations, corporate actions, cash management and reference data.
SmartStream has worked alongside its clients to introduce AI into their offering, to reduce operating costs and pricing, as well as improve operational efficiency and reporting.
The new AI service increases the quality of managed services with new monitoring tools, as it will trace incoming messages for SLA’s - ensuring data is delivered correctly.
SmartStream senior vice-president (Managed Services), Nick Smith said: “The new AI function is taking the stress out of data reporting, a significant improvement to back office efficiency, whilst helping to lower costs.
“In addition, it enables the bank to maintain a control team to monitor performance and results on a daily basis.
-- BERNAMA

Toshiba launches voltage-driven photorelay with lower power dissipation




KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (Toshiba) has started to ship ‘TLP3407SR’, a new voltage driven photorelay that delivers lower power dissipation and the industry’s smallest mounting area.
The new photorelay cuts maximum input power dissipation to 3.3mW, supporting lower power consumption by equipment such as probe cards, automatic semiconductor test equipment, semiconductor testers and the boards of associated application.
When the input is a high voltage of 5V or more, the new photorelay can be driven by adding an external resistor in series, allowing designs with a maximum trigger LED reference current of 0.2mA, according to a statement.
The TLP3407SR’s small S-VSON4T package has a mounting area that is smaller than the current VSONR4 package and is the industry’s smallest. It supports size reductions in equipment like probe cards, or mounting of more photorelays.
Toshiba is among the leading general device companies offering customers and business partners outstanding solutions in discrete semiconductors, system LSIs and HDD. More information at http://toshiba.semicon-storage.com.
-- BERNAMA

Latest iPhone optimises storytelling via multi-camera video app

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 -- With the new iPhone’s release, GEMI emerges as a unique video capturing tool to feature front and back camera usage simultaneously, creating an ultra-immersive experience.
Built upon the latest hardware technology in iPhone 11, GEMI is the world’s first multi-cam recording tool on the App Store.
This free easy-to-use app integrates special effects into real-time reporting, surpassing many existing professional post-recording editing tools.
GEMI co-founder and chief executive officer, Vincent Yang said: “There are so many life moments captured where the cameraman is not in the frame. With GEMI, we put the storyteller back into the story. The story is only complete if you’re in it.”
The tool is now available for download on the App Store and will live exclusively on iPhone XS, XR and 11 devices with the latest iOS 13 update.
Headquartered in Redwood City, California, GEMI comprises a dynamic team of content creators and professionals from the entertainment and technology sectors such as Warner Brothers, Linkedin, Snapchat and Facebook.
More details at https://www.gemihq.com/
-- BERNAMA

Thursday 26 September 2019

AMAZON PRIME VIDEO LAUNCHES NEW FEATURES FOR THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ALLOWING NFL FANS AROUND THE GLOBE TO CUSTOMIZE THEIR STREAMING EXPERIENCE

X-Ray puts viewers in control of how they experience the game and delivers Next Gen Stats powered by AWS to fans in a whole new way

Kay Adams and Chris Long host NFL Next, a new live show produced by NFL Films and featuring expert insights exclusively on Prime Video

Twitch doubles co-streamers broadcasting on their interactive social video service

Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer returning to lead play-by-play and analysis for TNF

SEATTLE, Sept 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- (NASDAQ: AMZN) — For the third straight year, Amazon Prime Video brings NFL fans around the world Thursday Night Football Presented by Bud Light Platinum and launches new innovations allowing Prime members to experience the game they love like never before, with a new lineup of expert insight and analysis, access to robust live data and a simplified experience.

“We’re revolutionizing the way football fans stream Thursday Night Football and allowing Prime members to personalize how they watch and hear the game,” said Marie Donoghue, Vice President of Prime Video Sports. “There’s something for every football fan — from deeper gameplay analytics at their fingertips, to differentiated commentary, to the ability to easily discover and watch on any device, anywhere in the world. We think both longtime sports fans and those new to the game will love watching and engaging with TNF on Prime Video and Twitch.”

The Thursday Night Football schedule on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch kicks off Thursday, September 26 at 8:20 PM Eastern with the Green Bay Packers hosting the Philadelphia Eagles.

X-Ray Puts Fans in Control

X-Ray for TNF creates opportunities for fans to watch and understand the game without taking their eyes off the screen or missing a play. This season, X-Ray brings some of the same Next Gen Stats previously available only to coaches and announcers to all TNF fans on demand, on every play and at their fingertips, driving a deeper appreciation for the on field action. Fans can dive into leading edge insights like a quarterback’s average time to throw, a running back’s average yards after contact and a wide receiver’s average yards of separation, which are enabled through Next Gen Stats’ real-time player tracking.

X-Ray is available for football fans streaming TNF on Android, iOS, and Fire TV. Prime Video is also enabling analytics on the go with a discoverable and easy to use mobile experience that allows customers to bring up and dismiss real-time stats by simply flipping their phones. To access X-Ray, fans can simply flip their phones, tap the “Stats by X-Ray” button on their phone or tablet or click ‘up’ on the Fire TV remote control during the game.

A Different Kind of NFL Show

NFL Next, a new 30-minute live show available exclusively on Prime Video at 7:00 PM Eastern each Thursday and produced by NFL Films, will provide viewers with fresh insight and smart commentary from two-time Super Bowl Champion Chris Long, NFL Network’s Kay Adams and Next Gen Stats expert James Koh. NFL Next will host featured guests including current and former players, while iconic sports journalists Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer will return to provide commentary, in addition to leading play-by-play and analysis.

“We’re excited to collaborate once again with Amazon Prime Video to produce a different kind of NFL show,” said Ross Ketover, Chief Executive of NFL Films. “To have the talents of Chris Long, one of the most insightful players to play this game, paired with a dynamic personality like Kay Adams makes for a show we think fans are going to love.”

“I am excited to be part of NFL Next and the Amazon family,” said Chris Long. “It was important to me that my first venture into football broadcasting was in a forum that I feel will give the viewer a unique under the hood look of the game.”

Choose Your Audio

Prime Video is once again producing multiple audio options to enable football fans around the world to customize their viewing experience. In addition to the default FOX broadcast with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, Prime members can choose from two additional Prime Video exclusive audio streams: Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer and U.K. English language broadcasters Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth.

“I can’t wait for another season of Thursday Night Football!” said Hannah Storm. “It’s such a challenging and fun opportunity and we have an awesome group of women in front of the mic and behind the scenes to give Prime members our own unique perspective on the game.”

“I’m thrilled that Hannah and I are building on our groundbreaking first season coupled with our expanding roles on NFL Next as well as offering the most unique viewing experience with Amazon’s technical innovations,” said Andrea Kremer.

FOX Deportes Spanish Production

Additionally, Prime members in the US and Mexico have access to FOX Deportes, the exclusive Spanish-language broadcast.

Join the Twitch Party

For the third year, TNF will also be available to Twitch viewers, including co-streamed commentary from popular streamers on Twitch’s interactive social video service, so get ready to fill chat with your finest cheers, memes, and emotes. Many of your favorite streamers will be co-streaming the matchups and adding their unique commentary to the broadcasts, including surprise guests coming later this season. Fans can cheer on their favorite teams with NFL themed emotes and test their fandom with real-time game trivia all season long. Check out the Twitch blog post to see a complete list of co-streamers for every week. Visit Prime Video to view the full TNF schedule and watch the official FOX broadcast available in over 200 countries and territories around the world.

The TNF games scheduled to air on FOX, NFL Network and Amazon Prime Video kick off Thursday, September 26 at 8:20 PM Eastern with the Green Bay Packers hosting the Philadelphia Eagles. TNF games will be available to stream on Amazon via Prime Video and Twitch in addition to NFL, FOX and FOX Deportes digital properties across devices. NFL Network and Amazon availability subject to change.

About Prime Video

Prime Video is a premium streaming service that offers customers a vast collection of digital videos — all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place.
 
  • Included with Prime: Watch thousands of popular movies and TV shows, including our critically-acclaimed Amazon Originals including the Emmy Award-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Homecoming, Hanna, Fleabag, Good Omens, Carnival Row, Mindy Kaling’s Late Night, Donald Glover’s Guava Island, the Academy Award-winning Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman, Academy Award-nominated The Big Sick and Cold War, and exclusives, live sports including Thursday Night Football and licensed and self-published content available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
  • Watch more with Prime Video Channels: Prime members can add 150+ channels in the US like HBO, Cinemax, STARZ, SHOWTIME, CBS All Access, NBA League Pass and MLB.tv — no extra apps to download, and no cable required. Only pay for the ones you want, and cancel anytime. View the full list of channels available at amazon.com/channels.
  • Rent or Buy: Enjoy hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and entire seasons of current TV episodes, available for all Amazon customers to rent or buy.
  • Instant access: Watch where and when you want with the Prime Video app on your smart TV, mobile device, Fire TV, Fire tablet, Apple TV, Chromecast, game consoles, Comcast X1 or from the web. For a complete list of compatible devices, visit amazon.com/howtostream.
  • Enhanced experiences: Make the most of every viewing with 4K Ultra HD- and High Dynamic Range (HDR)-compatible content. Go behind the scenes of your favorite movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb. Save it for later with select mobile downloads for offline viewing.

In addition to access to movies and TV shows included with Prime, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign up for Prime or to find out more visit: amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190925005313/en/

Contact

Amazon.com, Inc.
Media Hotline
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source : Amazon
 
--BERNAMA

Manulife Malaysia, Rise Advisory To Increase Agency Partners

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 -- Manulife Insurance Berhad held a signing ceremony to officiate its partnership with Rise FinCom Advisory (Rise Advisory) recently.

In a statement today, this move is in tandem with the company’s aspiration to grow its number of agency partners and double the company’s market share by 2021.

Inspired by the true-life medical cases, Rise Advisory aims to be the touchstone in shaping the insurance landscape through Critical Illness Fund (CIF).

“The goal is for every Malaysian to be fully prepared should the unforeseen happen,” it said.

Rise Advisory, founded in May 2019, aspires to provide comprehensive financial planning services through the advancement of technology and data which will be used to design simpler products that better serve people’s needs.

On the other hand, while providing a full range of financial services including training and building technology capabilities for agents’ ease-of-work and educating customers.

--BERNAMA

BRANDSTARS ANNOUNCES 2019 KOREA LUXURY BRAND

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- BRANDSTARS Selection Committee announced the final winning selections for 2019 Korean luxury brands.

The committee categorizes the most loved brands in Korea, China, and Southeast Asia by categories and announces an overall evaluation of the brands throughout the Asia region.

The brands selected for two consecutive years include Amorepacific SulwhasooLG Household and Health Care's The History of Whoo and Nature Republic in the cosmetics category; Korea Ginseng Corporation's CheongKwanJang in the health food category; LG Electronic PuriCare in the air purifier category, Huggies in the disposable diaper category; Buldak Ramen in the Ramen Category; Gentle Monster in the sunglasses category; MCM in the bag category; CUCKOO in the rice cooker category; and CGbio’s GISELLELIGNE in the filler category.

This year's newly selected brands are LG Pra.L in the at-home beauty device category; Charmzone and MANYOFACTORY in the cosmetics category, and MIDM Jen'y 3D Motion in the skincare device category. Apharm produced 3 newly selected brands including PETIT[N] in the healthcare category and Dr.NUELL and RANGBLACK in the cosmetics category.

LG Pra.L was named the at-home beauty device of this year with its proven safety and efficacy based on the LG Electronics' outstanding hardware manufacturing technology.

With its continuous investments in technology, Charmzone has several skin-related patent technologies, expanding its reach to more than 20 countries by word of mouth.

Apharm yielded a great result that three of its brands were selected. Dr.NUELL, renowned for the cosmetic product that makes skin healthier when it's applied, and RANGBLACK were selected in the cosmetics category. The company's PETIT[N], a premium health functional food brand was selected in beauty and healthcare category.

MIDM Jen’y 3D Motion was selected for the skin care device category for its world-class technology and user convenience. It is a Galvanic base device that offers heating, cooling and vibration massage functions all in one device.

BRANDSTARS Selection Committee is a professional organization composed of experts from media and industries, specialize in brand evaluation, consulting and market research. The committee is dedicated to promoting Korean brands to consumers who love Korean products and showing the right direction of brand management to the companies by providing information about Korean brands consistently to China and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/52099079/en

Contact

BRANDSTARS Selection Committee (brandstars.co.kr)
Ki-joo Kim +82-2-544-0153

Source : BRANDSTARS Selection Committee
 
--BERNAMA

Wednesday 25 September 2019

WENCOR GROUP AND GMF AEROASIA ANNOUNCE THE SIGNATURE OF A MATERIALS SOLUTIONS COOPERATION AGREEMENT

SINGAPORE, Sept 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wencor Group (Wencor) and PT Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia Tbk. (GMF) have signed a cooperation agreement to develop a Total Material Solutions Program.
 
“This new agreement with GMF aligns with Wencor’s mission to provide engineering, program management and material services necessary for MRO facilities to effectively serve their customer base,” said Wencor CEO Chris Curtis. “We look forward to engaging with the GMF team and welcome the opportunity to help them support their customer’s needs.” 
 
The agreement between Wencor, a leading solutions provider to the aerospace aftermarket, and GMF, a world class MRO and internationally certificated repair station, outlines the general framework for the development, adoption, and maximization of alternate parts usage, DER repairs and maintenance kits. Long-term, the program will result in greater cost savings and more efficient business practices that will enhance the bottom line and process flow for GMF, its subsidiary and affiliated company’s operations.
 
“Wencor has been one of  our close partners for more than 10 years with on-site consignment and component maintenance and repair kitting services,” said GMF CEO Tazar Marta Kurniawan. “This cooperation agreement signals an important step in GMF’s strategic transformation towards market leadership in the Asia Pacific. Through this collaboration, we hope to aim to develop our capability of manufacturing PMA parts and enhance the usage of PMA parts. We look forward to working closely with Wencor to jointly find ways to reduce aircraft maintenance costs and improve reliability.”
 
CONTACT:
Christopher B. Curtis
Chief Executive Officer
770-626-3607
Chris.Curtis@Wencorgroup.com

Source: Wencor Group

--BERNAMA

EPIQ LAUNCHES GLOBAL INFORMATION GOVERNANCE SERVICES TO MANAGE SENSITIVE LEGAL AND CORPORATE DATA

NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Epiq, a global leader in the legal services industry, today announced enhanced information governance services to help clients efficiently and compliantly manage their electronically stored information in all environments, including on premise servers, in the cloud, or in hybrid systems.

Moving to the cloud increases internal collaboration capabilities and can be a transformative shift for high performing businesses. Epiq now has improved capabilities to help companies, globally, drive efficiencies in their business, control their data management and eDiscovery costs, as well as reduce the risk of regulatory-related fines.

“Information governance is a not a single, one-time event; it is a journey,” said Tammy Klotz, director of information security at Versum Materials. “The art is balancing protection and productivity to match your organization’s risk appetite. You cannot do this alone. We have had a couple of false starts and it wasn’t until we worked with Epiq and Microsoft that the path became clear. Epiq listened, challenged, and ultimately helped us map and deploy the solution. Epiq helped us by minimizing wrong turns and avoiding significant construction delays.”

“Epiq has provided compelling information governance service offerings to clients for years and has helped clients navigate the complexities of managing data,” said Roger Pilc, president of legal solutions, Epiq. “Our capabilities have substantially increased since 2018 when we acquired Controle LLC, an innovative information governance-focused SaaS software and professional services firm. With the additional expansion of our global information governance practice, Epiq is uniquely able to provide clients with the industry’s most robust and efficient tools to control digital information and mitigate regulatory, compliance, and security risks.”

Epiq has a strong command of the industry’s best data privacy practices, particularly in the areas of data compliance, data migration, and data security. The new information governance services at Epiq include:

· Data compliance: Microsoft Office 365 data compliance enablement services at Epiq help clients configure solutions to address requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation, the California Consumer Privacy Act, and other data privacy laws and processes, including data subject access requests. Additionally, Epiq helps enterprises create legally defensible retention policies and strategies as well as assists with data discovery and classification.

·  Data migration: Epiq supports migration of legacy workloads and disparate data stores to the cloud, including email, SharePoint files, on premise files, and social media data. The suite of services provided by Epiq includes legally defensible migration and deletion methods that help reduce overall costs for an enterprise.

·  Data security: Microsoft Office 365 data security services at Epiq help clients enable the complete suite of services offered in the Office 365 Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS) Suite. The service manages security breach identification, incident response, security score improvement, and data breach notifications. As part of this process, Epiq helps clients execute the proper data classifications needed for effective EMS Suite usage.

Bolstering these services, Epiq has increased its global privacy compliance expertise by hiring a breadth of talented individuals who support and manage the Microsoft Office 365 data security and compliance services at Epiq. The information governance team of experts has proven experience in privacy policy, compliance, information management, security, and information technology in addition to offering robust consulting services in North America, EMEA, and APAC regions.

Epiq is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and participates on the Microsoft Security and Compliance Partner Advisory Council, which is an invitation-only council of experts who advise on Microsoft 365 product development.

About Epiq
Epiq, a global leader in the legal services industry, takes on large-scale, increasingly complex tasks for corporate counsel, law firms, and business professionals with efficiency, clarity, and confidence. Clients rely on Epiq to streamline the administration of business operations, class action and mass tort, court reporting, eDiscovery, regulatory, compliance, restructuring, and bankruptcy matters. Epiq subject-matter experts and technologies create efficiency through expertise and deliver confidence to high-performing clients around the world. Learn more at www.epiqglobal.com.

Press Contact
Jill Brown
Epiq
+1 713 933 2905
jbrown@epiqglobal.com

Source: Epiq Systems Inc

--BERNAMA 

THE 2019 CHINESE FARMERS' HARVEST FESTIVAL AND THE FIRST CHINA MEIZHOU INTERNATIONAL ELITE SUMMIT OF TEA INDUSTRY HELD IN MEIZHOU, GUANGDONG

MEIZHOU, China, Sept. 24, 2019 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

On September 23, China celebrates not just the autumnal equinox, the 16th of China's 24 solar terms, but also its state-level "Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival". At this festive moment, Meizhou, a prefecture-level city of southern China's Guangdong Province, shows the country the great harvest in fall and promotes its signature tea products worldwide. The 2019 Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival and the First China Meizhou International Elite Summit of Tea Industry are held in the capital of Hakkas in the world from September 22 through 24. As one of China's 70 most featured harvest celebrations in rural areas in 2019, the event serves as an important parallel session of Guangdong to celebrate the fest for farmers.

The event is designed to celebrate the harvest, promote local culture and revitalize countryside. Themed "Capital of Hakkas in the World Celebrates the Harvest and Outstanding Jiaying Tea Enjoys Nationwide Reputation", according to the Publicity Department of the CPC Meizhou Municipal Committee, the event promoted a host of agricultural products ranging from Meizhou pomelo and rice to Jiaying tea in the forms of dancing, singing, presentation of intangible heritage, labor techniques in the fields and sitcom. This is how Meizhou presents its farmers and encourages more people to gain an understanding of the city.

The increasingly popular and impressive tea from mountainous Meizhou is underpinned by a sound environment as the northern city of Guangdong stays committed to pursuing ecological development. On September 22, tea industry leaders from 21 countries and regions convened at the Elite Summit, which was held in Hanshan Mountain of Fengshun County, intending to discuss the future development of the tea industry and promote Jiaying tea in China and beyond. On top of the harvest scenes of Hakka farmers, the time-honored tea culture and exceptional tea resources have greatly impressed the attendees.

"It (Hanshan Mountain) is a beautiful place with magnificent scenery. I'm convinced that a scenic place like this will attract more and more tourists. A tour of the tea plantation in Hanshan has given me an amazing experience," said Ian Gibbs, Chairman of the International Tea Committee.

It was hoped that Meizhou would take the event as an opportunity and make its best effort to implement the rural revitalization strategy and uphold the new development philosophy, said Zheng Weiyi, deputy secretary-general of the People's Government of Guangdong Province. With that, he continued, the city should integrate the tea industry with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, expand the influence of the Summit and ensure that more outcomes are achieved from hosting the gathering. In doing so, Meizhou would bring its tea industry, culture and economy to a new high.

Source: The Publicity Department of the CPC Meizhou Municipal Committee

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=35581

smartTrade extends ongoing relationship with National Australian Bank

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 -- Multi-asset, end-to-end trading solutions leader, smartTrade Technologies has announced the extension of its ongoing relationship with National Australian Bank (NAB), Australia’s leading bank for businesses.
NAB FX business is powered by LiquidityFX, smartTrade’s sophisticated and flexible end-to-end trading platform. LiquidityFX was selected in 2014 as a market connectivity solution for NAB, offering a mature, quick to market solution, according to a statement.
“This partnership’s extension and development is proof of a successful implementation with managed, hosted and collocated services and the capability of covering NAB FX market connectivity, aggregation and distribution needs,” said smartTrade Technologies chief executive officer, David Vincent.
smartTrade has an excellent track record of delivering business coverage in challenging time frames while meeting regulatory requirements. It will also increase its local presence by hiring additional personnel that will be based in Australia.
-- BERNAMA

Rise of China´s Tianjin as global smart manufacturing centre

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 -- China’s Tianjin is in the top 10 of the 50 leading global smart manufacturing centres rated this year, based on the impressive performance of Tianjin Binhai New Area.

In a statement, the Media Convergence Center with Tianjin Binhai New Area said the rating indicated robust growth potential in smart manufacturing and urban development.

With a focus on strengthening industrial cultivation and intelligent technology, Binhai New Area has invested 800 million yuan to support 293 intelligent manufacturing projects to promote industrial transformation and upgrading in an all-round way. (100 yuan = RM58.66)

The proportion of intelligent manufacturing in Binhai New Area's economy has exceeded 50 per cent, with a world-class advanced manufacturing industrial base in the making.

The new area currently has eight competitive industrial chains in smart manufacturing, including Autonomous & Controllable; Big Data + Cloud Computing; Robotics + Unmanned Equipment; and, Industrial Internet + Intelligent Manufacturing.

-- BERNAMA

Tuesday 24 September 2019

CHINA'S HANGZHOU PRESENTS CREATIVE STORYTELLING OF GLOBAL CULTURES

HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 24, 2019 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 
The 13th (2019) Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo was held in the eastern Chinese city from Sept. 19 to 23 in bid to boost the city's cultural industry and global charm, according to the Publicity Department of Hangzhou Municipal Government.
 
"Culture is enriched in exchanges and mutual learning," said Zhou Jiangyong, Hangzhou's municipal committee secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and member of the standing committee of Zhejiang provincial CPC committee. "Hangzhou has a long and profound history and a holy place that demonstrates the 5,000-plus years' history of Chinese civilization. We will use cultural creativity to tell the stories of Hangzhou, Zhejiang and China, and strengthen cultural exchanges, mutual learning and cooperation with other countries to further enhance Hangzhou's international competitiveness and influence."

Held for 13 years since 2007, the expo has not only witnessed the changes and development of China's cultural industry, but also increasingly become a link of cultural exchanges between the East and the West.
 
The five-day event attracted more than 400 foreign exhibitors from 53 countries and regions. Over 2000 cultural enterprises and organizations from all over the
world displayed their products and services in eight exhibition areas. The common pursuit of creativity for a better life in different cultural backgrounds around the world was demonstrated via this international platform.
 
The expo has attracted more than 286,000 people to participate in exhibitions and other activities, and the total amount of on-site transactions and signed projects reached 16.75 billion yuan (of which the project financing exceeded 15 billion yuan), a record high in performance.
 
In the main exhibition area, cultural works from Italy, Britain, Switzerland and other countries are on display, featuring fashion, design, manufacturing, culture and food elements. The theme exhibition area of Hangzhou is of oriental zen style, with more than 30 Chinese national arts and crafts masters and old artists exhibiting their works of the highest contemporary industrial level. The curtains and shadows create an atmosphere of flowing clouds and running water, evoking a poetic scenario. Every piece of these delicate works demonstrates the peak level of Chinese aesthetics.
 
It is worth mentioning that the expo set up the British national theme exhibition area for the first time last year, attracting more than 130 well-known British cultural enterprises and institutions to display nearly 1,000 pieces of local cultural and creative products. The expo continued to hold the national theme day section this year, inviting Italy as the guest of honour and launching a series of related cultural exhibitions and exchange activities.
 
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, gondolas of Venice, and even the balconies of Romeo and Juliet are recreated in an immersive block arrangement. Tuscan craftsmanship, Milan fashion, Rome history, Verona story fill the exhibition area of 1,000-plus square meters, with fresh cultural products from over 60 brands from the Apennines Peninsula presenting the romantic Mediterranean style. CLAMORI's third-generation successor Lella Amato may pick the best "grandma bag" for you.
 
Italy's Verona is no stranger to most Hangzhou people, as Verona, the West Lake, the Grand Canal and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City were listed on the World Cultural Heritage List successively. The two historic cities are bonded by cultural heritage.
 
The friendly exchanges between China and Italy in commodities, trade, art and culture could be traced back to 2000 years ago, Ludovica Murazzani, commercial consul of the Italian Consulate General in Shanghai, said at the opening ceremony.
 
As a guest of honor, Italy will show its Hangzhou friends Italian culture and lifestyle in an all-round manner. The year of 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Italy diplomatic relations and the year of traditional Chinese medicine culture and tourism. Italy will follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo to deepen bilateral cultural and creative exchanges and cooperation to inspire infinite possibilities, she said.
 
Preliminary statistics showed that the added value of the cultural industry in Hangzhou reached 180.9 billion yuan in 2018, and Hangzhou has risen to the country's top club in terms of the scale and contribution of the sector. Hangzhou will further develop its cultural industry, and the expo is expected to provide important support for Hangzhou to build an international cultural and creative center to highlight the fresh charm of this famous historical and cultural city.
 
As a famous historical and cultural city in China and depicted as "the finest and most splendid city in the world" by Marco Polo, Hangzhou has been the source of inspiration for the most outstanding Chinese artists, writers and poets for over one thousand of years. Nowadays, the innovative and digital-driven cultural industry enables Hangzhou to continue its cultural exchanges with the world and tell wonderful oriental stories with cultural.
 
Source: The Publicity Department of Hangzhou Municipal Government
 
Image Attachments Links:
http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=345937
 
--BERNAMA

MARY KAY, IN COLLABORATION WITH UN AGENCIES, LAUNCHES WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACCELERATOR

Strategic Partnership Will Invest in Female Entrepreneurship Around the World
 
DALLAS, Sept 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today, Mary Kay Inc., a leading advocate of women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, announced the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator, a multi-partner initiative designed to inspire, educate, and empower women entrepreneurs around the world. With no qualifying barriers to participate, the ground-breaking initiative is a strategic collaboration developed in consultation with six United Nations agencies: UN Women, United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP), International Labour Organization (ILO), International Trade Centre (ITC), UN Global Compact (UNGC), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Accelerator will offer a guided digital curriculum supplemented by on-the-ground training and mentorship. In addition, it will serve as an advocacy platform to eliminate entrepreneurial roadblocks for women, ranging from digital literacy to legal reform—enabling women to fully participate in the growth of their local and national economies. The Accelerator will support global efforts to encourage businesses to establish and expand relationships with women-owned businesses, including corporate procurement. Future expansion of the program will include funding opportunities accessible to women who complete the curriculum.

“Mary Kay has empowered women through entrepreneurship and supported their aspirations for financial security and independence for more than 56 years,” said Deborah Gibbins, Chief Operating Officer of Mary Kay. “Private and public-sector organizations must work together to ensure all women entrepreneurs have access to the tools and education they need to make their dreams of financial independence a reality, lifting up their families and communities.”

The Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator initially will be available in six languages, with more to come as the program expands to 192 countries. The Accelerator also will convene an advisory committee of entrepreneurs, celebrities, and advocates to oversee the expansion and promotion of the program.

“An informed woman with money in her pocket, is an empowered woman. With the growing number of female innovators active today, women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment are strongly on the rise,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women. “The advocates from across the world who are joining forces to create the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator will enable more women than ever to become knowledgeable entrepreneurs, cultivate financial independence, and support their local communities.”

“At ITC we look forward to joining the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator through our SheTrades Initiative to achieve real progress on achieving SDG5 to empower all women and girls,” said Arancha González, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre. “With this partnership we will empower women and girls to pursue their entrepreneurship dreams, and equip them with the skills needed to turn those dreams into business success.”

The Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator is the latest in a series of recent steps taken by Mary Kay to empower women and improve their lives around the world. Earlier this year, Mary Kay added its name to a growing roster of businesses and corporations committing to the Women’s Empowerment Principles, a joint project of the UN Global Compact and UN Women developed to emphasize the business case for corporate action to promote gender equality. Mary Kay is also a signatory of the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. During the United Nations General Assembly, Mary Kay will sponsor the WE Empower UN SDG Challenge, the first global business competition for women entrepreneurs convened by renowned fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

To learn more about the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator, visit www.WE-accelerate.com.

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company more than 55 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ash’s original vision continues to shine—one lipstick at a time. Learn more at www.marykay.com.

About UN Women

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.

UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on four strategic priorities:
UN Women also coordinates and promotes the UN system’s work in advancing gender equality, and in all deliberations and agreements linked to the 2030 Agenda. The entity works to position gender equality as fundamental to the Sustainable Development Goals, and a more inclusive world.

About International Trade Centre (ITC)

The International Trade Centre (ITC)’s SheTrades initiative aims to connect 3 million women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses to international markets by 2021. SheTrades works with governments, corporations and business support organizations to undertake research, shape enabling trade policies and regulations, facilitate financing, and expand access to public tenders and corporate supply chains.

SheTrades provides women entrepreneurs with a varied learning environment with a flexible curriculum through shetrades.com. This includes free online courses, participation in face-to-face workshops, engagement through live webinars on a range of topics and a greater understanding of their markets. development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information, visit www.intracen.org. Follow ITC on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact work is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the mandate of the UN Global Compact is to guide and supports the global business community in advancing UN goals and values through responsible corporate practices. With more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and more than 60 Local Networks, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world.

For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at www.unglobalcompact.org.

About United Nations Office for Partnerships

The United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) serves as a global gateway for catalyzing and building multi-stakeholder partnerships to advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNOP provides a platform for effective partner engagement and works to leverage the assets and expertise of a broad range of partners in furtherance of the SDGs. The Office oversees the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships, the United Nations Democracy Fund, the SDG Action Hub, and the Secretary-Generals’ SDG Advocates.

For more information visit: https://www.un.org/partnerships/content/welcome-united-nations-office-partnerships.

About the International Labour Organization

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a UN agency created in 1919 and devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour peace is essential to prosperity. Today, the ILO helps advance the creation of decent work and the economic and working conditions that give working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress. Its tripartite structure provides a unique platform for promoting decent work for all women and men.

The ILO’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Development programme (ILO-WED) is part of the Small and Medium Enterprises Unit (SME) and has been running for over a decade. ILO-WED works on enhancing economic opportunities for women by carrying out affirmative actions in support of women starting, formalizing and growing their enterprises, and by mainstreaming gender equality issues into the ILO's work in enterprise development.

Website: www.ilo.org/wed | Twitter - @ILOWED | Facebook – ILO WED (International Labour Organization)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190923005285/en/

Contact

Media Contacts:
Mary Kay Inc.
Michael Wassmer
media@mkcorp.com
+1-972-687-5332

ICF Next
Grace Kramer
grace.kramer@icfnext.com
+1-847-363-9077

UN Women
Oisika Chakrabarti
oisika.chakrabarti@unwomen.org
+1-646-781-4522

International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland
hetland@intracen.org
+41 (0)22 730-0145

Source: Mary Kay Inc.
 
--BERNAMA

Nippon Express invests in India´s Future Supply Chain Solutions Limited

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 -- Nippon Express Co Ltd, acting through its subsidiary, Nippon Express (South Asia & Oceania) Pte Ltd has agreed to make an investment in India’s Future Supply Chain Solutions Limited (FSC).
The company’s board during its recently-held meeting approved the execution of a Share Subscription Agreement and Shareholder Agreement with FSC and a Share Purchase Agreement with some FSC shareholders.
FSC is among India’s leading logistics service providers and a part of the Future Group, India’s largest retail group.
The Nippon Express Group aims to become a logistics company with a significant presence in the global markets as laid out in the ‘Nippon Express Group Business Plan 2023 - Dynamic Growth’, beginning financial year 2018.
The group’s core strategy is to focus on strengthening its India business to capitalise on the rapid growth expected in the Indian logistics market.
The partnership with FSC will add complementary capabilities to Nippon Express and enable it to provide end-to-end logistics services to its customers, resulting in the growth of its Indian logistics business.
-- BERNAMA

Stable credit ratings outlook of COSCO SHIPPING Captive - AM Best

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘a’ of COSCO SHIPPING Captive Insurance Co Ltd (COSCO SHIPPING Captive) China.
In a statement, the global credit rating agency with an exclusive focus on the insurance industry said the outlook of these credit ratings was stable.
The ratings reflect COSCO SHIPPING Captive’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best describes as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
In addition, the ratings reflect the wide range of support the company receives from its parent, China COSCO SHIPPING Corporation Limited, which AM Best perceives to benefit from strong government support.
COSCO SHIPPING Captive’s risk-adjusted capitalisation remained at the strongest level last year, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio, and is supported by very low underwriting leverage, a prudent reinsurance programme and conservative investment portfolio.
The insurance company underwrites mainly marine-related business for the group and its affiliates, as well as other risks stemming from the group’s operations including cargo, liability and commercial property.
As a start-up company, COSCO SHIPPING Captive faces execution risk in achieving its business plans, although this is mitigated via conservative assumptions and regular experience reviews.
More details on the company’s credit ratings at http://www.ambest.com

-- BERNAMA

Monday 23 September 2019

PEARSON OUTSTANDING LEARNER AWARDS CEREMONY RECOGNISED HIGH ACHIEVERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- In a grand celebration held at Le Meridien Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on 21st September 2019, 450 guests comprised of learners, parents, teachers and representatives from the schools witnessed the Outstanding Learner Awards ceremony as Pearson recognised and awarded its BTEC, Edexcel and LCCI high achievers and encouraged them to continuously strive for excellence.
 
For 2019, Malaysia had an outstanding record of 121 winners from 35 different institutions receiving a total of 151 awards. This includes 47 LCCI winners with a total of 62 awards, 56 Edexcel winners with a total of 71 awards and 18 BTEC winners.
 
The Pearson Edexcel awards recognised the academic achievements of the award recipients which sets them as the learners who achieved the highest score in their subjects in the country and in the world (outside of the UK) from among thousands of learners who sat for the respective examinations including International A Levels, International GCSE, Lower Secondary Curriculum and International Primary Curriculum.
 
Pearson Edexcel is the international version of the British educational system, by the largest UK awarding body. Offered here in Malaysia from primary to A Levels, the internationally recognised Pearson Edexcel curriculum has been the choice of many students looking to progress to their ideal higher education institution, either at home or overseas.
 
Highlights from the event include Alea Yang Ni from Epsom College Malaysia who achieved three awards; the Highest Mark in the World for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics, Highest Mark in Malaysia for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology and Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Literature.
 
The Pearson LCCI awards Gold Medals to the highest scoring learner and Silver Medals for the second highest scoring learner in the world and in country for the respective subject in the whole of the calendar year. These Pearson LCCI awards are presented to eligible learners who have taken LCCI subjects from Level 1 to Level 4. Kuan Weng Yuen from Shen Jai School of Commerce, Ipoh, emerged as the most impressive learner with a World Gold achievement in Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Statistics.
 
Pearson BTEC award winners were nominated by their respective centres and selected by a panel consisting of executive management from Pearson regional and global offices, and representatives from industry and professional associations. Nominations must include details of what makes the nominee a truly exceptional learner as reflected in their excellent BTEC grades, examples of key successes, in and outside the classroom, their exceptional dedication, commitment, proactive thinking and initiative, professional excellence and other co-curricular efforts and how their example is a role model to other fellow learners.
 
“We want to acknowledge our students’ diligence and achievements and hope they continue to strive for excellence in their lives. Most importantly, we want our students to continue to reach their learning goals and work with those around them to make exceptional contributions to lives and communities around the world,” said David Barnett, Managing Director, Pearson APAC.
 
This year we are proud to have learners who achieved the gold status for world awards in all of our qualifications, whether Edexcel, BTEC or LCCI. Year on year we see the numbers of achievers are growing, some even achieving highest marks in the world for some subjects. This is a testament to the growing quality of the teaching and learning environment available at our schools here in Malaysia,” said Ng Boon Teen, Country Director for Malaysia.
 
In the same ceremony, Pearson also recognised the achievements of 4 LCCI registered training centres across Malaysia that achieved Silver status and 1 centre that achieved Gold status in the Pearson LCCI Centre Award. The award benchmarked the achievement of LCCI registered learning centres against performance targets such as pass rates and registrations. It provides special recognition to learning centres who provide quality teaching and support for students.
 
About Pearson
 
Pearson is the world’s learning company, with expertise in educational course ware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Our mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. We believe that learning opens up opportunities, creating fulfilling careers and better lives.
 
Pearson is also the UK's largest awarding body and we are regulated by Ofqual, which is the regulator for the public examinations system in England and Wales. We offer academic and vocational qualifications that are globally recognised and benchmarked, with educational excellence rooted in names like Edexcel, BTEC, and LCCI. For more, visit qualifications.pearson.com/en/home.html.
 
Source: Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Noorfaiza Mohd Safawi
Key Account Manager
Pearson Qualifications
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Tel: +603 - 22897021

--BERNAMA