CLOUDFLARE POWERS PRIVACY ENHANCING TECHNOLOGY IN MICROSOFT EDGE SECURE NETWORK

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc announced that Microsoft Edge is leveraging Cloudflare’s Privacy Proxy technology, a key part of Cloudflare’s privacy stack, to enable its Edge Secure Network feature.

According to Cloudflare in a statement, this integration will allow Microsoft Edge users who opt in to browse the Internet more privately, without being tracked across websites.

It provides an extra layer of protection when browsing the web and visiting unfamiliar sites, ultimately reducing risk and enhancing security for Internet users.

“This integration with Microsoft Edge will give Internet users peace of mind when it comes to connecting to public Wi-Fi at coffee shops or airports, shopping online, and masking the original sin of the internet, IP addresses,” said Cloudflare chief executive officer, Matthew Prince.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Edge Principal Product Manager, Andrew Nolan said: “We are excited to be working with Cloudflare because of its reputation for building privacy-forward technologies and deep involvement in developing the next generation of open privacy-enabling protocols.

“This integration ensures privacy and balances performance, giving our users protection in the moments they need it the most. Embedding privacy preserving technology into the Microsoft Edge browser demonstrates our continued commitment to provide our users with advanced security and peace of mind as they browse online.”

Cloudflare’s privacy-first approach, paired with Microsoft Edge Secure Network, supercharges Internet users’ ability to access potentially unsafe URLs, such as those served over an insecure HTTP connection, securely, routing traffic through an encrypted tunnel.

This integration provides Edge users with automatic browser traffic security; connection encryption; online tracking prevention; and location privacy.

-- BERNAMA

LANLING COUNTY SHOWCASES VAST BURDOCK PRODUCTS AT FOOD CULTURE FESTIVAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The "2023 China (Lanling) Burdock Food Culture Festival" held recently in Lanling County offered a diverse range of burdock products such as burdock tea, burdock noodles and burdock snack that left consumers amazed and spoilt for choice.

According to the News Office of the People's Government of Lanling County in a statement, burdock possesses various medicinal values and remarkable health benefits, including its rejuvenating and longevity properties.

As the "hometown of vegetables in China" and "hometown of burdock in China", Lanling County boasts a vast burdock cultivation area with each burdock plant offering a diverse range of products.

By leveraging the development of a series of burdock-based products and agricultural tourism projects, Lanling County has expanded its market channels in which the cultural festival has transformed burdock into a delectable delight for everyone to savour.

During the cultural festival, 100 renowned chefs from various parts of Shandong Province showcased a grand burdock feast featuring Lanling's finest specialty ingredient.

The delectable array of dishes captivated everyone's taste buds, whereby the combination of Linyi fried chicken and Lanling burdock, known as "Burdock Chicken", became an irresistible delicacy that people eagerly lined up to savour.

Furthermore, Lanling's distinctive local ingredients, including Lanling burdock, Cangshan garlic and Great Wall chilli, were artfully incorporated to create a delightful fusion of flavours that delighted all.

As the primary hub for burdock products, Zhuangwu Town in Lanling County has seen the establishment of over 100 burdock processing enterprises, which had a significant impact in providing employment and income opportunities for over 200,000 individuals.

-- BERNAMA

SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST 2024 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) announced the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will host the 2024 World Environment Day.

The event will highlight the Kingdom’s pioneering efforts locally, regionally and internationally, leading initiatives to raise awareness and promote action for the protection of the environment, according to a statement.

With a focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience, the event, marked annually on June 5, will reiterate the pressing need for global cooperation and concerted efforts in implementing the right policies and actions to protect and restore nature and ensure a sustainable future.

UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen welcomed Saudi Arabia participation in the collective global efforts to restore land and achieve drought resilience, and noted that UNEP and KSA will endeavour to intensify efforts to restore nature and preserve the planet for future generations.

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to emphasise the importance of participatory action to protect the environment.

In line with this philosophy, KSA has exerted diligent efforts, locally and regionally, by launching the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives and implementing a set of initiatives under its National Environment Strategy.

The Saudi government adopted the new Environmental law and the National Environmental Awareness programme, to ensure the protection of the environment in the KSA.

The Kingdom also launched the National Environment Week and established five environmental centres to conserve the environment in the country, as well as the Environment Fund.

Since 1973, World Environment Day has become the largest global platform dedicated by the UN to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the environment. With UNEP at the helm, over 150 countries participate in the global celebrations every year.

-- BERNAMA

AI-Media Showcases Subtitling Innovation At IBC Show 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- AI-Media, the leader in technology-driven live captioning & subtitling, transcription and translation solutions, announced its presence at the IBC Show 2023, from Sept 15 to 18, in Amsterdam.

According to AI-Media in a statement, its Chief Sales Officer, James Ward is leading the company’s delegation and represent its commitment to excellence in delivering cutting-edge solutions to clients and partners.

The event promises to be a gathering of industry experts, thought leaders and innovative companies in the broadcast and media technology sector.

“We are delighted to participate at the IBC show once again. This tradeshow is an exceptional platform for us to showcase our latest innovations and demonstrate how we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the broadcast industry,” said Ward.

AI-Media is showcasing several key broadcast solutions at the event, the cornerstone of which is its artificial intelligence (AI)-Powered live automatic captioning solution, LEXI.

LEXI consistently delivers accuracy rates of over 98 per cent, identifies speaker changes, uses AI to ensure captions do not interrupt onscreen content and all at a fraction of the cost of human captions.

The recently launched AI-powered LEXI Captioning Tool Kit also featured at IBC2023, featuring six key solutions each designed to address different captioning needs.

LEXI Tool Kit transforms content creation and captioning, offering complete end-to-end solutions for media companies, broadcasters, event producers, educational institutions and content creators worldwide.

With IP video production at the forefront of innovation in the broadcasting landscape; broadcasters can look to AI-Media’s ALTA solution for their IP compatible closed captioning and subtitling encoding solution.

-- BERNAMA

ARM ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING AND FULL EXERCISE OF UNDERWRITERS' OPTION TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

CAMBRIDGE, England, Sept 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Arm Holdings plc (“Arm”) today announced the closing of its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 102,500,000 American depositary shares (“ADSs”), representing its ordinary shares, at a price to the public of $51.00 per ADS, including the underwriters’ full exercise of their option to purchase up to an additional 7,000,000 ADSs to cover over-allotments. Arm’s ADSs began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) on September 14, 2023, under the ticker symbol “ARM.”

Raine Securities LLC acted as financial advisor in connection with the IPO. Barclays, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan, and Mizuho acted as joint book-running managers for the IPO. Barclays acted as Billing and Delivery Agent, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as IPO Allocation Coordinator, J.P. Morgan acted as Stabilization Agent, and Mizuho acted as Roadshow Launch Coordinator & Salesforce Presentation Host.

A registration statement on Form F-1 relating to the IPO has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and was declared effective on September 13, 2023. The IPO is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus relating to the IPO may be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-888-603-5847 or by email at barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attn: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, by telephone at 866-471-2526 or by email at prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 866-803-9204 or by email at prospectus-eq_fi@jpmorganchase.com or Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Attention: U.S. ECM Desk, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, by telephone at (212) 205-7602 or by email at US-ECM@mizuhogroup.com.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offers, solicitations or offers to buy, or any sales of securities will be made in accordance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

About Arm

Arm technology is building the future of computing. Our energy-efficient processor designs and software platforms have enabled advanced computing in more than 250 billion chips and our technologies securely power products from the sensor to the smartphone and the supercomputer. Together with 1,000+ technology partners, we are enabling artificial intelligence to work everywhere, and in cybersecurity, we are delivering the foundation for trust in the digital world – from chip to cloud. The future is being built on Arm.

All information is provided "as is" and without warranty or representation. This document may be shared freely, attributed and unmodified. Arm is a registered trademark of Arm Limited (or its subsidiaries). All brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. © 1995-2023 Arm Group.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230918967694/en/

Contact

Media
FGS Global
ArmHoldings@FGSGlobal.com

Arm External Communications
Global-PRteam@arm.com

Investors
Arm Investor Relations
Ian Thornton
Ian.thornton@arm.com 

Source : Arm Holdings plc

15 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHINA-SINGAPORE TIANJIN ECO-CITY: FROM SALT-ALKALI WASTELAND TO GREEN NEW CITY

AsiaNet 100332

TIANJIN, China, Sept. 18, 2023 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (hereinafter referred to as the "Eco-City") is a significant cooperative project between the governments of China and Singapore. It is also the world's first eco-city developed through intergovernmental collaboration, with construction commencing on September 28, 2008. Over the past fifteen years, with joint efforts from both China and Singapore, the Eco-City has become a thriving and sustainable home on the once salt-alkali wasteland.
 
The Eco-City has firmly established an ecological value system of respecting nature, expanding green development, and pursuing economic growth. After 15 years of development and construction, it has seen a built-up area of 22 square kilometers, a green coverage area of 11 million square meters, and the proportion of nearshore waters with excellent water quality reaching 100%, earning it the National Practical Innovation Base for Turning Lush Mountains and Lucid Waters into Gold and Silver and an Exemplary Case of a "Beautiful Bay". Furthermore, it has constructed the zero-carbon smart energy town, promoted the use of prefabricated and passive buildings, and attracted institutions involved in green building materials, equipment manufacturing, and design consulting, thereby forming a complete upstream, midstream, and downstream industry chain and witnessing an annual revenue of over RMB15 billion, according to China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Administrative Committee.
 
The Eco-City has firmly grasped the direction of building a modern industrial system, resulting in dominant industrial clusters such as intelligent technology services, cultural and health tourism, and green building and development. It has seen the number of market entities exceeding 28,000, with the proportion of industrial tax revenue reaching 76%. The Eco-City has attracted a number of prestigious institutions and high-quality projects, including China Nuclear Industry University and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, with over 40% of investments coming from Beijing's enterprises.
 
The Eco-City has deeply embraced the development philosophy of putting people first to persistently ensure and improve people's livelihoods while continuously enhancing their sense of happiness, fulfillment, and security. The resident population in the region has exceeded 130,000, with the number of students in schools and kindergartens reaching 35,000, which shows the growing attractiveness and influence of the city.
 
In terms of education, the Eco-City has introduced high-quality educational resources such as Tianjin Nankai High School and Tianjin Foreign Languages School affiliated to Tianjin Foreign Studies University. In the fields of healthcare services, it has made dedicated efforts to attract renowned hospitals and doctors while continuously optimizing healthcare resources.
 
Source: China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Administrative Committee

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2023 AND 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept 15 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBL International Limited (Nasdaq: BANL) (the “Company”) has filed with Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) the Form 6-K Account Report for the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022. Please see below the financial highlight. 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHT

· Net income increased by approximately 5.9% or $64,000 from approximately $1,089,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, to approximately $1,153,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2023.

· The Group’s consolidated gross profit for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was approximately $4,006,000, representing a slight decrease as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2022 of approximately $4,043,000, such slight change was mainly due to the combination factors of the gross profit per ton of marine fuel sold and the partially offset effect by the increase in sales volume. The increase in sales volume was mainly attributable to the comparative lower average marine fuel prices for the six months ended June 30, 2023 as compared to the corresponding period last year and coupled with the increase in the financial resources available, which, in turns, strengthened the Group’s ability to purchase additional marine fuel (in dollar amount) as a result.

· Due to the decrease in marine fuel price which was partially offset by the increase in sales volume, the Group’s consolidated revenue decreased by approximately 18.6% or $43,741,000 from approximately $235,696,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, to approximately $191,956,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2023.

· Basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share is approximately $0.05.

· Total shareholders’ equity of the Company increased by approximately $13,202,000 from approximately $12,112,000 as of December 31, 2022, to approximately $25,314,000 as of June 30, 2023. 

For details of the account report for the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, please refer to https://investors.banle-intl.com for Form 6-K filed with SEC on September 14, 2023. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47012

AEROVIONE SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AVIATION TRAINING ACADEMY WITH KA WAH FI CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND CZECH AVIATION TRAINING CENTER

SUBANG, Selangor, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- AEROVIONE SDN BHD signed two letters of intent for the development of the AEROVIONE ACADEMY. AEROVIONE signed with Ka Wah Fi Capital management Pvt. Ltd. (Labuan), a subsidiary of Ka Wah Fi Capital, Hong Kong for the funding of the development of an dual approved (CAAM and EASA) Pilot Theoretical Training Center and the planning and design for a multi-simulator pilot training center. To support this development, AEROVIONE signed with CZECH AVIATION TRAINING CENTER (CATC) to provide theoretical training under CATC for pilot training and for technical expertise in the development of the multi-simulation training center.
 
With the funding support from Ka Wah Fi and technical support from CATC, AEROVIONE plans to develop a multi-simulator training centre serving the region with a target start of construction of facilities in 2024. This training center is targeted to support the type rating training within the ASEAN region to support the demand of the aviation growth in the region.
 
AEROVIONE is focused on addressing specific concerns with a focus on human capital development and strategic projects in the Aviation sector in Malaysia and within the South East Asia region. “We are pleased to have the funding support of both Ka Wah Fi and CATC in developing our regional aviation training academy. This is in line with our strategy and business plan to extend provision of training beyond our borders.” said Madam Rusilawati Mohd Noor, the Managing Director of AEROVIONE. “With our vision of being the premier aviation training center and service provider in the ASEAN region with world-class collaborating partners within 3 years, this collaboration provides a solid partnership from which we can build on”.
 
AEROVIONE currently offers end-to-end pilot training for commercial pilots from Ab-initio training through Type Rating and Base Training with the majority part of the training being conducted in Czech Republic. With the availability of several different types of Level D Full Flight Simulators including the B737-NG and the Airbus 320-NEO, AEROVIONE can offer Type Rating training for new pilots as well as current pilots who need to have additional type rating. AEROVIONE is looking forward to collaborating with airlines within Malaysia and the region especially in the area of Type Rating for current pilots as they add new aircrafts or change aircraft types to their fleet. “We believe we can assist airlines within the region with the currently high demand type rating training for current pilots as the commercial airlines grows from 2023 onwards.” continued Madam Rusilawati. “In the future, with our own training center in Malaysia, we will offer the current options for Type Rating training locally, thereby providing easier access and efficiency for the airlines.”

 
AEROVIONE is a Malaysian-owned company focussing on aviation training and services. Its mission is to provide programs that are aviation industry focused in the creation of future professionals and provide services that meets the industry demand. With experienced team, AEROVIONE is positioned to deliver quality training and services through the future. For more information on AEROVIONE, please visit its website at www.aerovione.com.
 
CATC is a Czech Republic company that has a long established record in providing aviation training to customers world-wide. With over 100 years experience, it has continued to provide internationally-recognized training of high standards. For more information on CATC, please visit its website at www.catc.cz.
 
Ka Wah Fi Capital Management Pvt. Ltd. (Labuan), is under Ka Wah Fi Capital, Hong Kong and is a strong investor world-wide. For more information on Ka Wah Fi Capital, please visit its website at https://hkjhfi.com/ka-wah-fi.
 
Source: Invest Selangor Berhad (for Selangor Aviation Show (SAS)) 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47021

GLOBAL COMPONENT ASIA: TAKES FLIGHT TO CELEBRATE 1000TH COMPONENT MILESTONE AT SELANGOR AVIATION SHOW 2023 - A JOURNEY BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Selangor, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- Global Component Asia (GCA), an aviation industry trailblazer started its, set the stage ablaze at this year’s Selangor Aviation Show with the grand announcement of its monumental achievement: completing its 1000th repair order. This remarkable feat, achieved in seven years, defines the standards of commitment, trust, and excellence.
 
In 2016, GCA took its maiden flight in the aviation arena, promising to deliver unparalleled excellence and reliability. Fast forward to today, with an astounding 1000 repair orders to its name, GCA stands as the embodiment of excellence and reliability,.
 
This journey has been a thrilling odyssey, characterized by GCA’s consistent delivery of excellent component repairs and services, garnering acclaim from their clientele. GCA has been relentlessly committed to dependability and to surpass customer expectations.
 
The 1000th component milestone aligns with Leonardo Malaysia’s own 1000th repair order with GCA, culminating in a moment that highlights the power of partnership and trust. To mark this extraordinary achievement, GCA, represented by Dato’ Nonee Ashirin binti Dato’ Mohd Radzi, Chairman of GCA, who presented Leonardo Malaysia with a commemorative Memento of Appreciation, which includes a certificate of appreciation and a commemorative t-shirt as a testament to this milestone moment.
 
At GCA, it has never been just about components; it is about crafting a narrative of trust and soaring relationships. As they celebrated this remarkable milestone, they extended a resounding thank you to all partners, customers, and supporters who have been integral to their thrilling journey.. Together, they embarked on the next chapter of aviation excellence, promising more exciting journeys. 

About Global Component Asia (GCA)
 
Global Component Asia is one of the top players in the aviation MRO industry, specializing in electrical and lighting component solutions for various platforms. Their MRO services are highly regarded for their focus on quality and customer satisfaction, using advanced technologies and practices to provide safe, reliable, and efficient support for equipment and systems. The company’s expertise and commitment to excellence in quality and compliance have earned them approvals from various regulatory bodies, including CAA Malaysia, DGTA (Malaysia), and the Federal Aviation Administration.
 
In addition to their MRO services, Global Component Asia is also an authorized distributor for Dunlop Aircraft Tyres and Luminator Aerospace, two well-known and respected names in the aviation industry. The authorization reflects the company’s reputation as a reliable partner for businesses seeking to optimize the performance and safety of their equipment and systems.
 
With its strong reputation, extensive experience, and innovative approach, Global Component Asia has become a trusted partner for businesses across various segments within the aerospace industry. Whether it is providing MRO services, supplying high-quality electronic components, or offering specialized solutions for specific industries, Global Component Asia remains committed to delivering the highest levels of quality, safety, and reliability.
 
https://globalcomponentasia.com.my/
 
Source: Invest Selangor Berhad (for Selangor Aviation Show (SAS)) 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47015

JUNIPER RESEARCH LAUNCHES COMPREHENSIVE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE FOR THE $59BN CUSTOMER INTERACTION PLATFORMS MARKET

BASINGSTOKE, England, Sept 14 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Juniper Research, the foremost experts in telecommunications markets, today launched the telecom industry’s most comprehensive customer interaction platforms research subscription. This offering is designed to provide operators and service providers with the tools to leverage the billion-dollar opportunity presented by:

• CCaaS (Contact Centre-as-a-Service)
• Chatbots
• Conversational Commerce
• CPaaS (Communications Platform-as-a-Service)
• Customer Data Platforms
• OTT Business Messaging
• RCS Business Messaging

Subscribers to the Customer Interaction Platforms Market Intelligence Centre, which already includes several leading operators and engagement solutions vendors, benefit from access to:

• Highly granular data and forecasts – Over 550,000 statistics for key industry metrics, covering 60 countries and 8 key global regions.
• Unparalleled industry insight – Market and trend analysis, together with analyst insight and strategic assessment.
• Detailed competitive analysis – Competitor appraisal and market positioning for over 60 leading solutions vendors via Juniper Research Competitor Leaderboards.

Unlock Your Competitive Advantage with Industry-leading Expert Support

Subscribers to the Customer Interaction Platforms Market Intelligence Centre enjoy complimentary access to harvest, a proprietary online data platform that allows users to explore and analyse the latest market data.

In addition, new in-depth market reports are regularly added to the subscription, ensuring that no matter how fast the industry moves, subscribers never have to worry about being left behind.

“Customer interaction platforms enable businesses to facilitate seamless and personalised customer experiences – a newfound necessity given today’s tough trading conditions. This new portfolio is designed with platform vendors in mind, giving them the tools to stay ahead of customer expectations and leverage the latest opportunities within omnichannel communications.” – Tony Crabtree, Founder & CEO, Juniper Research

The Customer Interaction Platforms Market Intelligence Centre offers the most cost-effective use of an organisation’s budget; delivering enterprise-wide licencing, expert support, and quarterly forecast updates at an unbeatable price. To learn more, visit the website or contact the team to request a free sample or demonstration.

Juniper Research has, for two decades, provided market intelligence and advisory services to the global telecommunications sector, retained by many of the world’s leading network operators and communications platforms. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47004

BEST'S COMMENTARY: HONG KONG 1-IN-500-YEAR FLOOD LIKELY TO HAVE EARNINGS IMPACT ON INSURERS

HONG KONG, Sept 14 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The recent devastating flooding following Super Typhoon Saola in Hong Kong and other parts of China may further pressure upcoming reinsurance renewals, in what has already been a hard market the last few years, according to a new AM Best commentary.

Referenced as 1-in-500-year event, the storm dropped a quarter of Hong Kong’s annual rainfall total in 24 hours. In the Best’s Commentary, “Hong Kong 1-in-500 Year Flood Likely to Have an Earnings Impact,” states that AM Best expects that the gross losses on property and auto lines will not be quite as severe but could come close to rivaling the HKD 3.1 billion (USD 400 million) in losses wrought by Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, but that the overall impact of the rainstorm is likely to be more of an earnings event for insurance companies than a material hit to capital adequacy. However, the impact on reinsurance pricing, which is already elevated, could make it too costly for some smaller companies.

Offsetting factors include lower inflation in East Asia as compared with many other parts of the world, and supply chain normalization, which continues as the region recovers from the pandemic. Good risk management of the city’s drainage systems and contingency planning also should help minimise insurance losses.

To access the full copy of this commentary, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=335604.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47000

ANNUAL INVESTMENT MEETING ANNOUNCES NEW IDENTITY AS AIM CONGRESS, GEARS UP FOR 13TH EDITION IN ABU DHABI, MAY 2024

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Sept 13 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Under its new identity as “AIM Congress,” the Organizing Committee of the World’s Leading Investment Platform will once again gather together regional and international leaders, thinkers, and innovators at the 13^th edition of the event taking place from 7 to 9 May 2024 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

To be anchored on the theme “Adapting to a Shifting Investment Landscape: Harnessing New Potential for Global Economic Development,” AIM Congress 2024 is supported by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) as lead partner.

To be hosted again in the UAE’s vibrant capital, AIM Congress 2024 plans to surpass the success achieved by its last year’s edition which attracted 10,313 participants and 693 speakers from 175 countries.

His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, expressed his enthusiasm for AIM Congress 2024, stating that, “For more than a decade, AIM Congress has been steadfast in its commitment to promote global economic cooperation and harness the potential of countries especially emerging markets. Amid the backdrop of the shifting global investment scene, it is all-important for countries to adapt and explore new avenues for growth. For its 2024 edition, AIM Congress will continue to be the leading venue where the world’s key economic stakeholders congregate to facilitate dialogue and pave the way for impactful investments that propel a brighter, better future for each and everyone.”

His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: “Building on the remarkable success of AIM’s previous edition, we are raising the bar to meet the expectations of the global investment community. As the Capital of Capital, Abu Dhabi is leading global conversations on investments outlook and dynamics in an era characterised by mega shifts. Our approach to inward and outward investments is guided by our unwavering commitment to place human development, sustainability, and advanced technology at the core of socio-economic plans at local and international levels, support of ESG agendas, and enhance synergies through international cooperation to improve life for all.”

For his part, Dawood Al Shezawi, President of AIM Global Foundation, commented: “In the face of the various challenges confronting our world today, coupled with the continued decline in global economic growth, emerges the announcement of AIM’s new identity as AIM Congress, which positions itself as a premier venue for investment, providing the optimal platform for esteemed leaders and decision-makers around the world to collectively address our most pressing issues, reshape the global trade and investment landscape, and ultimately foster positive, enduring social and economic impacts in diverse regions worldwide.”

AIM Congress is built upon a foundation of its five key pillars – FDI, FPI, Startups, SMEs, and Future Cities – that underpin the event’s objectives and provide a framework for its activities.

For more details 
Shreya Verma - +971 521133926
shreya.verma@aimcongress.com 

SOURCE : Annual Investment Meeting (AIM)

H.I.G. CAPITAL CLOSES RECORD $5.5 BILLION H.I.G. MIDDLE MARKET LBO FUND IV

MIAMI, Sept 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global alternative asset management firm with $58 billion of capital under management, is pleased to announce the closing of H.I.G. Middle Market LBO Fund IV (the “Fund”). The Fund closed with aggregate capital commitments of $5.5 billion, in addition to co-investment separately managed accounts of $450 million, significantly exceeding its original target.

The Fund will build on the team’s deep-rooted track record by primarily making control equity investments in complex situations in U.S. middle market companies with asymmetric risk/reward profiles and a differentiated value proposition.

Sami Mnaymneh and Tony Tamer, co-Founders and co-CEOs of H.I.G., commented: “We are delighted with the continued support from our investors, reflecting the strong performance of the H.I.G. Middle Market team and its differentiated investment approach. We are confident that our unique platform will continue to set us apart in this space.”

Keval Patel, Head of H.I.G. Middle Market, commented: “We are excited to build upon H.I.G.’s successful middle market strategy with this latest fund. Our scale and operational expertise dedicated to the middle market continue to create a meaningful competitive advantage for us and allow us to drive significant returns to our investors regardless of the macroeconomic environment.”

Added Jordan Peer Griffin, Executive Managing Director and Global Head of Capital Formation, “The resounding support of our limited partners led to a successful fundraise that was meaningfully oversubscribed during a very difficult fundraising environment. It is a testament to our investors’ high level of confidence in H.I.G., our investment strategy, and our ability to consistently source attractive investments and generate outstanding returns.”

The Fund was supported by H.I.G.’s long-standing investor base, and also welcomed new investors across the globe, in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Middle East and Latin America. The Fund’s Limited Partners are a diverse and prestigious group of institutional investors including foundations, endowments, public and corporate pensions, consultants, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices.

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. Capital is a leading global alternative investment firm with $58 billion of capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/ value-added approach:

1. H.I.G.’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations, and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.
2. H.I.G.’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. also manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.
3. H.I.G.’s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.
4. H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector.

Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The firm’s current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $52 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com

* Based on total capital raised by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
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Contact

Jordan Peer Griffin
Executive Managing Director
jpeer@higcapital.com

Keval Patel
Managing Director
Head of H.I.G. Middle Market
kpatel@higcapital.com

Source : H.I.G. Capital

CORPAY CROSS-BORDER LAUNCHES PAYMENTS GPS FOR LIVE PAYMENT TRACKING

Payments GPS unlocks a new era of payment transparency, providing real-time status updates on cross-border payments.


TORONTO, Sept 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Corpay¹, a FLEETCOR® (NYSE: FLT) brand and global leader in business payments, is proud to announce that Corpay’s Cross-Border business has launched Payments GPS, a proprietary tracking technology that allows clients and partners to monitor payments in real time.

Leveraging best-in-class technologies, including SWIFT GPI (Global Payments Innovation), Payments GPS allows for a comprehensive infrastructure for clients and partners to continuously monitor payments. It provides an intuitive user experience, API Suite, and push notifications – making payment tracking more convenient than ever before.

“We have witnessed a high demand for transparency in the cross-border payments space. Our vision for Payments GPS is to provide clients and partners with one interface where they can track all payments across Corpay’s networks,” says Corinne MacMillan, Chief Product Officer, Corpay’s Cross-Border Solutions. “And we don’t plan on stopping here. We’re on a mission to continue improving our infrastructure and data-sharing across all networks so we can continue delivering leading-edge transparency.”

Prior to the launch of Payments GPS, understanding the status of payments would require senders to call in or request a payment investigation offline – a process that could take days. Payments GPS drastically reduces these manual touchpoints by providing full details on the payment status, associated fees and any necessary documents clients may need to upload on a centralized platform. Each payment can be easily monitored and tracked using a Tracker ID that is assigned when it is processed by Corpay.

Core benefits of the product include:

• Transparency: Provides real-time payment status from initiation to settlement and allows clients to monitor each step of the journey.
• Centralized platform: Clients can access secure, thorough, and reliable information about the movement of payments across banks, including BIC codes, payment received and released dates, deductions, FX rates, and credited amounts.
• Knowledge: Provides detailed insight into bank fees and other charges upfront, enabling clients to make more informed decisions.
• Certainty: Real-time tracking ensures up-to-date information and gives clients confidence that the payment was successfully delivered to the recipient.
• Convenience: Enables a superior self-serve option for clients and partners, which allows for better exception handling and reduces investigation time and cost.

Providing a transparent self-serve platform for clients will also tremendously reduce the number of payment investigation cases opened for Corpay’s internal operations team.

“In today’s world, transparency is everything. At Corpay, we want our clients to have the same level of visibility and knowledge about the status of their payments as we do,” said Mark Frey, President, Corpay’s Cross-Border Solutions. “Payments GPS marks the first step in our endeavors to build comprehensive infrastructure aimed at increasing transparency throughout the payment process."

For information about Payment GPS and the benefits it can provide, please visit https://cross-border.corpay.com/payment-gps/.

About Corpay

Corpay is a global leader in business payments, helping companies of all sizes better track, manage and pay their expenses. Corpay provides customers with a comprehensive suite of online payment solutions including Bill Payment, AP Automation, Cross-Border Payments, Currency Risk Management, and Commercial Card Programs. Corpay is part of the FLEETCOR (NYSE: FLT) portfolio of brands. To learn more, visit www.corpay.com.

¹“Corpay” (a Fleetcor (NYSE: FLT) brand) in this document primarily refers to the Cross-Border Division of Corpay https://www.corpay.com/cross-border; a full listing of the companies that are part of the Corpay brand is available here: https://www.corpay.com/compliance.

* Subject to credit and compliance approval from the relevant Corpay company.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230912182602/en/

Contact

Media:
Keera Hart
Senior Account Director
(905) 580-1257
Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com

Corpay:
Brad Loder
VP, Cross-Border Marketing
(647) 627-6635
brad.loder@corpay.com

Source : Corpay

YANCHENG HOSTS 2023 WORLD COASTAL FORUM, SEPT 25-27

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- The 2023 World Coastal Forum aiming to create a global cooperation platform in the field of coastal ecology with clear orientation, diversified participation, strong actions and rich products, will be held from Sept 25 to 27, in Yancheng, China.

Originating from the Yellow (Bo) Sea Wetland International Conference, the World Coastal Forum has been held for four consecutive sessions in Yancheng, according to the Information Office of Yancheng Municipal People's Government in a statement.

Themed "Our Coasts: Green and Low-carbon Development", the conference will hold four themed fora and more than 10 special seminars.

As a host, Yancheng actively builds an exchange and cooperation platform for coastal wetland cities worldwide, creating an "ecological environment" "Circle of friends", gathering global wisdom, conspiring with poetry and distance.

Currently, Yancheng is deeply participating in international ecological governance dialogue and cooperation, advocating and building an ecological economic circle around the Yellow Sea, and carrying out pragmatic cooperation in ecological mutual learning and economic integration.

In recent years, the city has practised the concept of "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", planted a solid ecological foundation, and painted a new picture of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature, providing a copyable and scalable Yancheng Plan for global coastal ecological protection and restoration.

Yancheng has the largest coastal wetland on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean and on the edge of the Asian continent, as well as the vast lake wetland in the Lixia River area, with two international business cards of "World Natural Heritage" and "International Wetland City".

-- BERNAMA

ZOOM INTRODUCES ZOOM AI COMPANION - AVAILABLE AT NO ADDITIONAL COST WITH PAID ZOOM USER ACCOUNTS

New generative AI-powered assistant helps improve collaboration and productivity

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept 6 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) announced that Zoom AI Companion (formerly Zoom IQ), the company’s generative AI digital assistant, is now included at no additional cost for customers with the paid services in their Zoom user accounts¹. AI Companion reinforces Zoom’s vision to deliver limitless human connection on one platform, empowering people by increasing their productivity, enhancing their skills, and improving team effectiveness. Zoom also announced today that Zoom IQ for Sales, its conversational intelligence software, will be renamed Zoom Revenue Accelerator.

Since Zoom introduced generative AI in early June, thousands of companies have benefited from free trials of Team Chat compose and Meeting summary. Beginning this fall, Zoom will significantly expand its generative AI offering across its platform with the launch of AI Companion, at no additional cost with paid Zoom user accounts.

Zoom’s federated approach to AI delivers high-quality results and lowers costs by dynamically incorporating its own large language models, along with third-party models such as Meta Llama 2, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

Rooted in this unique approach, Zoom AI Companion delivers powerful, real-time digital assistant capabilities to help users improve productivity and work together more effectively. Zoom customers can expect to see AI Companion throughout the entire platform, from Meetings, Team Chat, Phone, Email, and Whiteboard, with additional features on the roadmap.

“We are transcending the hype in generative AI by delivering tangible products and disrupting the industry’s pricing model, making it easy for businesses and people like you and me to leverage generative AI’s full benefits in our day-to-day work,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom. “We were founded on doing what’s right for our customers, and we firmly believe that offering Zoom AI Companion at no additional cost to our paid Zoom user accounts delivers tremendous value as we all navigate the challenges facing us today. We are excited to see our customers and users start using AI Companion and about our strong roadmap for further innovation underpinned by a commitment to responsible AI.”

How Zoom is Putting Customer Privacy First with Generative AI

Zoom’s goal is to invest in AI-driven innovation that enhances user experience and productivity while prioritizing trust, safety, and privacy. In August, Zoom shared that it does not use any customer audio, video, chat, screen-sharing, attachments, or other communications-like customer content (such as poll results, whiteboards, or reactions) to train Zoom’s or third-party artificial intelligence models. Additionally, AI Companion is turned off by default — account owners and administrators control whether to enable these AI features for their accounts. Zoom provides admins and users control and visibility when AI features are being used or activated. By putting its customers’ privacy needs first, Zoom is taking a leadership position, enabling its customers to use AI Companion and its capabilities with confidence.

Modern Work Powered by Zoom AI Companion

AI Companion makes it easy and frictionless to collaborate and become more productive, removing repetitive tasks and distractions, and helping teams collaborate more effectively.

AI Companion incorporates several new real-time AI capabilities immediately, with additional capabilities expected to launch over the next few months. AI Companion is transforming modern work in the following ways:

• With Zoom Meetings, users can watch recordings faster through highlights and smart chapters, and review summaries and next steps, so they can easily catch up on a missed meeting. In the meeting, if enabled by the meeting host, attendees can catch up quickly without disrupting the meeting flow by discreetly submitting questions via the in-meeting AI Companion side panel to receive an AI-generated answer on what they missed. Post-meeting, hosts can receive an automated meeting summary to share with attendees and those who were unable to attend a meeting. These capabilities help team members who may be in different time zones catch up asynchronously. Planned for spring 2024, users will also have the ability to receive real-time feedback on their presence in meetings, as well as coaching on their conversational and presentation skills.
• Zoom Team Chat is critical for real-time and asynchronous work, but it is easy to get lost in the volume of messages. AI Companion allows users to quickly draft messages based on the context of a chat thread, as well as change tone and length, so they can spend less time composing replies. In the coming weeks, users will be able to catch up on long chat threads through generative AI summarization, and by early 2024, users will have the ability to auto-complete chat sentences and schedule meetings from a chat.
• This fall, Zoom Whiteboard users will get help from AI Companion with generating and categorizing ideas, and by spring 2024, users will be able to harness their whiteboard content to generate images and populate whiteboard templates.
• Additionally, in early fall, Zoom Mail users will be able to get draft email suggestions. By spring 2024, users will be able to add meeting summaries to Zoom Notes and summarize SMS threads and calls with Zoom Phone.
• In spring 2024, users will be able to interact with AI Companion through a conversational interface that will be able to understand the context of questions and support users with their content across the Zoom platform, such as prior meetings, chats, and select connected third-party apps, even initiating actions on their behalf. For example, users will be able to interact with AI Companion to get help with:
  • Pre-meeting preparation: Ask AI Companion to find the status of key projects to prepare for an upcoming customer meeting. AI Companion will be able to surface knowledge from meetings, chats, whiteboards, emails, documents, and, with users’ permission, from third-party applications on behalf of the user, to provide the latest updates.
  • In-meeting real-time support: Ask AI Companion real-time questions during the meeting to catch up on key points in the discussion, create and file a support ticket on an issue raised during a call, or provide a draft response to a question raised during the meeting.
  • Post meeting: Ask AI Companion to summarize the meeting that was held, automatically identify action items and key stakeholders, and surface the next steps to the relevant stakeholders in Team Chat or, with users’ permission, in their third-party applications.

Easy intuitive interface

Users will be able to access AI Companion from within their existing workflows such as within Zoom Meetings, Zoom Team Chat, and Zoom Whiteboard for capabilities such as Meeting summaries, Team Chat compose, and Whiteboard generation with a simple, easy-to-use experience. Starting now, users can additionally have interactive capabilities with AI Companion via a side panel by accessing these directly within the Meetings experience; this capability will expand across the Zoom platform in spring 2024, as capabilities are added.

For more information on AI Companion, visit the Zoom website.

About Zoom
Zoom is an all-in-one intelligent collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic for businesses and individuals. Zoom technology puts people at the center, enabling meaningful connections, facilitating modern collaboration, and driving human innovation through solutions like team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel cloud contact center, smart recordings, whiteboard, and more, in one offering. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more info at zoom.com. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46914

KYRIBA APPOINTS VISIONARY LEADER MELISSA DI DONATO AS NEW CHAIR AND CEO

Transformative Tech Executive to Usher in New Era of Innovation and Growth for Enterprise Liquidity Management SaaS Pioneer


SAN DIEGO, Sept 6 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Kyriba, the global leader of cloud-based finance and liquidity solutions, announced today the appointment of Melissa Di Donato as Chair and Chief Executive Officer. A respected technology visionary and accomplished leader, Di Donato will succeed Jean-Luc Robert, who is stepping down from this position and will join the company’s Board of Directors.

Di Donato joins Kyriba from open source innovator SUSE where, as the first female CEO, she spearheaded unprecedented growth, including two strategic acquisitions and a multi-billion-euro IPO debut on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Her track record of success also includes senior executive roles at SAP, Salesforce, IBM, and Oracle. Known for her commitment to customers, people, and inclusive leadership, she will bring her expansive industry experience and bold vision to lead Kyriba into a new era of growth.

“I am honored to join Kyriba and build upon its unmatched heritage in treasury management,” said Di Donato. “Kyriba is poised to enter a new era of success. Together with this exceptional team, we will capitalize on the enormous opportunities before us to deliver greater value and meet our customers’ end-to-end needs in enterprise liquidity management. Jean-Luc has set a strong foundation and trajectory, and I am eager to lead Kyriba into its next chapter of customer-focused growth.”

Outgoing Kyriba CEO Jean-Luc Robert added, “I am proud of our success over the past 20 years, evolving from a SaaS startup to a global brand and technology innovator. We have redefined the treasury software industry and are now at the cusp of an exciting inflection point. Melissa is a proven leader with the strategic acumen needed to expand our market leadership and I have every confidence in her ability to lead Kyriba in this new chapter.”

In addition to her role at Kyriba, Melissa brings valuable experience from serving on the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, and as a Non-Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Europe Limited. For more than 10 years, Di Donato has been an Advisor and Board member for Notion Capital portfolio companies helping leaders, companies, and boards scale for commercial excellence with a current focus on Mews Systems. She also serves as the Chief Executive of the Handelsblatt and Bain & Company Female Allstar Board and was recently appointed as a Non-Executive Director at the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Committed to empowering young women, Melissa is the co-founder of Inner Wings, a charitable foundation focused on mentoring and role modeling programs for girls. Among her accolades are KPMG and Wirtschaftswoche’s Women in Tech Forum and Decision Maker awards, as well as the 2023 European CEO Award recognizing her as Business Woman of the Year.

About Kyriba Corp.

Kyriba empowers CFOs, Treasurers and IT leaders to transform liquidity performance and drive value creation through data-driven financial decisions. Kyriba is a secure, scalable SaaS platform that delivers intelligence and financial automation enabling thousands of multinational corporations and banks to maximize growth, improve financial resilience and increase operational efficiency. For more than 2,500 clients worldwide, including 25% of Fortune 500 and Euro Stoxx 50 companies, Kyriba manages more than 1.3 billion bank transactions and $15 Trillion in payments annually. Kyriba is headquartered in San Diego, with offices globally.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230905953345/en/

Contact

Jenny Robles
KCSA Strategic Communications
kyriba@kcsa.com

Source : Kyriba

YOURGENE UNVEILS MAGBENCH AUTOMATED DNA EXTRACTION INSTRUMENT, KIT FOR NIPT WORKFLOWS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Yourgene Health plc (Yourgene), an international molecular diagnostics group, has launched the Yourgene MagBench Automated DNA Extraction Instrument and Kit, which is available to Sage customers across Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East.

MagBench solution offers a simple, fast and cost-efficient, bench-top robotic cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extraction workstation optimised for Yourgene’s Sage 32 NIPT Workflow, according to a statement.

This provides clinical laboratories with a streamlined end-to-end solution, from sample to report, enabling them to provide a more accurate and competitive non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) service.

Yourgene Vice President of Sales, APAC, Dr Rob Henke said the company is committed to delivering best-in-class NIPT solutions, where precision and quality assurance are key.

“MagBench enables an economical and automated NIPT workflow. Reducing manual procedures improves user experience, facilitating true walkaway time while minimising the risk of contamination and improving testing accuracy.

“This decreases the number of screening failures, greatly improves efficiency and helps lower expectant parents’ anxiety,” he said.

The instrument is easy to use, quick to install and provides users with an intuitive touchscreen user interface with built-in protocols, offering fast run times and flexible sample throughput to meet the laboratory’s testing needs.

Meanwhile, the kit comprises sample and elution tubes, pre-sealed cartridges with all the reagents needed for efficient cfDNA purification, and individually packaged tip sets with a unique cross-notch design for precise volume pipetting.

Increased automation during DNA extraction, limits hands-on procedures, minimising the chance of human error, and with single-use tip disposal and a built-in UV lamp for decontamination between runs, it minimises the risk of cross contamination. It also improves the accuracy and consistency of pipetting, resulting in a lower failure rate.

The NIPT workflow includes extracting DNA from the maternal plasma using MagBench, followed by library preparation and enrichment, sequencing, and Sage Link analysis to estimate the risk of a foetus having trisomy 21, 18 or 13, rare autosomal aneuploidies, sex chromosome aneuploidies and the most clinically relevant microdeletions.

-- BERNAMA

8X8 SMS FRAUD PREVENTION COMMUNICATION API ENABLES ENTERPRISES TO SAFEGUARD CUSTOMERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- An integrated cloud contact centre, unified communications and Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) platform provider, 8x8 Inc, has launched 8x8 Omni Shield solution that allows enterprises to proactively safeguard their customers from fraudulent short message service (SMS) activity.

The new SMS fraud prevention communication application programming interface (API) is part of the 8x8 CPaaS portfolio, which helps enterprises drive business growth by integrating various communication channels, including SMS, voice, chat apps and video interaction, to enhance customer experience.

“To meet the needs of our customers, we are constantly evolving our 8x8 CPaaS portfolio as we evaluate customer pain points and develop solutions that will deliver substantial business value.

“Delivering a solution that is truly game changing for our customers is our goal, and we are thrilled by early adopter results for our new Omni Shield solution, including an 80 per cent reduction in fraud traffic,” said the company’s General Manager, CPaaS, Stephen Hamill in a statement.

SMS fraud is the automation of delivery of high-volume, high-cost SMS messages that cybercriminals can monetise by having the messaging charges billed to unsuspecting organisations.

As the telecommunications industry grapples with significant losses, many SMS providers struggle to have an operational response to fraud.

The need for advanced solutions has become increasingly evident, and 8x8 is taking a proactive stance to provide enterprises with the highest level of safeguarding for their customers.

Enriched with pre-built communication APIs, the solution is seamlessly integrated with real-time messaging, across web and mobile applications, and proactively detects and prevents fraudulent activities via automated fraud alerts, real-time notifications, live traffic monitoring as well as instant phone number assessments.

-- BERNAMA

CHANGES OF PORT BULK COMMODITY TRADE IN THE FORM OF INDICES STABILIZE GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL AND SUPPLY CHAINS

AsiaNet 100300

QINGDAO, China, Sept. 1, 2023 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/-- At the 2023 Qingdao Yellow River Basin Land-Sea Linkage High-Quality Development Seminar held on August 26, 2023, the International Shipping Hubs Development Index Report (2023), the Xinhua - SPG Port Bulk Commodity Index Annual Operation Report (2023) and the RCEP Seaborne Trade Index Report (2023) were released. According to the participants, the port bulk commodity trade in the form of indices can be digitally presented to realize the efficient linkage between port shipping and bulk commodity trade and offer reliable guidance for the smooth operation of the global industrial chain and supply chain. Following the "Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index", the China Economic Information Service (CEIS) has introduced another global port and shipping assessment index -- the International Shipping Hubs Development Index Report (2023). This report evaluates the overall development of the world's main shipping hubs and port clusters based on various categories and characteristics. The findings suggest that international trunk hubs, including Singapore Port, Shanghai Port, Ningbo Zhoushan Port, Rotterdam Port, and Qingdao Port, have attained a high level of development; Guangzhou Port, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Tianjin Port are examples of regional integrated hubs, which have distinctive features and rank top among the RCEP members. The comprehensive evaluation results of port clusters show that the Yangtze River Delta port cluster and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area port cluster have secured leading positions. Similarly, the Shandong port cluster situated around Bohai Bay and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei port cluster demonstrate robust international competitiveness. CEIS and Shandong Port Group jointly released the Xinhua-SPG Port Bulk Commodity Index, which has been constantly upgraded and improved since its debut in 2021. The index has formed a comprehensive system of price index, inventory index, and entry & exit index. This year, the index system expanded the spot trading price index of sulfur and petroleum coke upon expansion. After expansion, the index system includes seven price indices for crude oil, iron ore, coke, steel billet, hot rolled C material, sulfur, and petroleum coke, as well as six volume indices for iron ore inventory, coke inventory, inbound iron ore, outbound iron ore, inbound coke, and outbound coke. According to the plan, the petroleum coke inventory index will continue to be released in future. The purpose is to accurately reflect the trend of commodity market fluctuations in ports, provide a value benchmark and effective reference for port trade activities, and comprehensively enhance the ability to monitor, analyze, and early warning capabilities of domestic and foreign commodity prices. The RCEP Seaborne Trade Index Report (2023) took the 14 member countries (except for Laos) of RCEP as the research objects and selected six major categories of cargo, including container cargo, iron ore, coal, oil products, LNG, and car, as the analysis objects to reflect the annual development trend of RCEP seaborne trade from two dimensions, including overall trade volume and seaborne trade volume. According to the index report, the RCEP Seaborne Trade Index reached 101.4 in 2022, surpassing the 2019 baseline for two consecutive years. The RCEP seaborne trade volume has gained an increasingly larger global market share, especially in the container segment. The report reveals that the RCEP Seaborne Trade Index had a decline of 0.2 points year-on-year in 2022, in line with the prevailing downward trajectory observed in the worldwide volume of seaborne commerce. According to the report, the RCEP agreement, which will take full effect for the 15 signatories in the first half of 2023, would result in a more favorable seaborne trade prospect among RCEP members than the global trade outlook in 2023. Source: China Economic Information Service