DALI Alliance lighting awards opens with new categories for 2024

DALI Lighting Awards 2024

The DALI Lighting Awards 2024 is open for entries

LONDON, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DALI Alliance, the global industry organization for DALI, the internationally-standardized protocol for digital communication between lighting control devices, announces that the annual DALI Lighting Awards are officially open for 2024 with a number of new categories.

The traditional application categories have been consolidated to five awards: Residential, Commercial Interior, Commercial Exterior, Industrial & Infrastructure, and Horticulture. This year’s Awards will also include the following innovation categories:

  • Best Use of D4i: Recognizing innovative applications of DALI D4i technology, including enhanced data communication, energy management, and advanced control capabilities.
  • Best Emergency Lighting Integration: Celebrating solutions that incorporate emergency lighting, ensuring safety, reliability, and compliance with standards during emergencies.
  • Best Human Centric Design: Honoring projects that prioritize human well-being in health, comfort, and productivity through lighting.
  • Best Integration into Other Building Systems Highlighting projects that excel in integrating lighting data with other building systems, such as HVAC, security, and energy management.
  • Innovation in Lighting: Recognizing cutting-edge technologies and advancements in lighting control solutions.
  • Sustainability and Energy Efficiency: Highlighting projects that excel in sustainability, conservation, and environmental impact.
  • Smart and Connected Lighting: Honoring advancements in smart lighting systems, IoT integration, and connected lighting solutions.
  • Non-networked Lighting:  Celebrating innovative applications in small or stand-alone spaces.

These new categories align with the growth of technologies, advancements, and innovations that are being adopted by the lighting sector.

This year’s submissions will no longer be submitted to a specific category. Entries will be placed by judges into applicable categories, allowing the possibility of a single project to win multiple awards.

Paul Drosihn, general manager of DALI Alliance, said: “We are very excited to launch this year’s DALI Lighting Awards with a refreshed approach. We are confident these changes will make it more straightforward for those across the lighting industry to enter, and gain recognition for their work.”

The awards entry deadline is 7 October 2024.

For more information and to enter the awards, visit https://www.dali-alliance.org/awards2024/.

About the DALI Alliance

The DALI Alliance is an open, global consortium of lighting companies that aims to grow the market for lighting-control solutions based on Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) technology. The DALI Alliance promotes the adoption of DALI-2, D4i, and DALI+ certification programs and supports the use of open, interoperable lighting control systems.

press@parrotprandmarketing.com

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GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000988547

China’s Unmanned Retailing Leader Ubox Signs Partnership MoU with Siwar Foods

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2024 -Beijing Ubox Online Technology Co., LTD. (“Ubox“) (SEHK stock code: 02429.HK) is pleased to announce the signing of a strategic partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Siwar Foods Co., LTD. (“Siwar”) in Saudi Arabia. This collaboration will introduce advanced unmanned retailing technology for ready-to-eat (RTE) food to major cities in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, and Medina, significantly enhancing the shopping experience for consumers.

Navigator Consulting, as the strategic advisor for UBOX in the Middle Eastern market, facilitated this signing and collaboration.

Introducing Advanced Unmanned Retailing to Saudi Arabia

The partnership between Ubox and Siwar aims to deploy state-of-the-art unmanned vending machines across Saudi Arabia, bringing innovation and convenience to the retail sector. Ubox’s extensive experience in unmanned retail operations and supply chain management in Mainland China will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s technological progress, economic development, and the growth of local employment opportunities.

Expertise and Market Insights Driving Growth

Operating within one of the world’s most developed food industries, Ubox has built a wealth of business data and operational expertise, particularly in product selection, pricing, distribution, and replenishment. These insights will ensure a seamless and efficient shopping experience for Saudi consumers, tailored to local preferences, and will actively support the growth of the local market.

Delivering Affordable and Diverse Food Choices

In collaboration with Siwar, Ubox will leverage China’s extensive and cost-effective food industry, combined with its own supply chain management expertise, to introduce a variety of affordable, exotic, and diverse RTE food options. This initiative will expand culinary choices for Saudi consumers, offering new and exciting flavors to the region.

Ubox: Innovating Unmanned Retail

Ubox’s unmanned vending machines offer a wide range of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), including bottled drinks, snacks, and freshly brewed coffee. The machines are equipped with advanced AI technology that enables intelligent identification of goods and provides convenient payment options such as face recognition, QR code scanning, and NFC. By the end of 2023, Ubox had nearly 60,000 machines deployed across 28 provinces in Mainland China, serving various locations including offices, tourist attractions, schools, hospitals, sports venues, and transportation hubs.

In 2023, Ubox generated revenue of 2.034 billion yuan (approximately SAR 1.072 billion) from its unmanned retail operations, demonstrating the effectiveness of its business model and the increasing demand for automated retail solutions.

About Ubox

Beijing UBOX Online Technology Corp is a China-based company specializing in smart retail, with a primary focus on its Unmanned Retail Business Segment. This segment facilitates the distribution of products, including bottled beverages, snacks, and freshly brewed coffee, through advanced vending machines. The Company also offers a comprehensive suite of services, including advertising and system support, merchandise wholesale, vending machine sales and leases, as well as additional services such as mobile device distribution and karaoke booth operations.

About Siwar

Siwar, based in Riyadh, is a prominent RTE frozen food producer supplying over 480 outlets across Saudi Arabia, including wholesalers, hotels, restaurants, and catering companies. Expanding into digital retailing, Siwar now operates more than 120 vending machines throughout the region.

Mavenir and Whitestack Expand the Ecosystem of Open Network Functions

Successful integration of key Mavenir network functions into Whitestack’s Open Telco Cloud platform based on Intel technology

RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mavenir, the cloud-native network infrastructure provider building the future of networks, and Whitestack, an open source-based developer of Telco Cloud solutions, today announce successful completion of a technology alignment that enables Mavenir’s Cloud-Native IMS solution to be seamlessly integrated into Whitestack’s Telco Cloud platform – demonstrating Mavenir’s pivotal expertise in facilitating cloud-native deployments. The collaboration was initiated as part of a deployment with a leading Tier 1 operator in Latin America and harnesses the power and performance capabilities of the Intel Xeon processor and Intel Ethernet technology.

Empowering mobile operators to deploy telco workloads on its cloud solutions is a fundamental aspect of Mavenir’s cloud-native strategy. Today’s announcement marks the achievement of full integration with Whitestack’s Telco Cloud solution – offering telco operators a wider array of flexible options for deploying Mavenir’s solutions – and underscores the continued expansion of the telecom ecosystem aimed at liberating operators from legacy or monolithic solutions

The two companies are capitalizing on industry momentum, following significant announcements from operators adopting cloud infrastructure for critical network functions. This trend is generating substantial interest from traditional operators. To meet this clear demand, Mavenir and Whitestack are offering a compelling performance-to-cost ratio, making the transition to cloud solutions an easy decision.

“We are very pleased to have completed the integration process in a reasonable timeframe, thanks in part to our experience with other Telco Clouds and Whitestack’s flexibility in adjusting their data plane configuration to maximize our performance,” said Brandon Larson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mavenir’s Cloud, AI & IMS Business Strategy. He added: “As the industry moves towards cloud infrastructure, cloud solutions must be adapted to be suitable for telco workloads,” says Brandon Larson. “In order to accomplish this, it takes companies like Mavenir that have developed a specialized skillset in both cloud and telco.”

Mavenir’s Cloud-Native IMS solution is based on a microservices architecture comprising Containerized Network Functions (CNFs) that adopt cloud-native principles, offering voice services that leverage the intrinsic benefits of Kubernetes to ensure high availability. This solution operates on Whitestack’s Telco Cloud platform under an automated deployment model.

“One of the many key aspects of a Telco Cloud, compared to a regular private cloud, is the ability to utilize advanced techniques for accelerating network function performance,” said José Miguel Guzmán, Telco/NFV Business Development Manager, Whitestack. “Each application has its own processing, memory, disk, and traffic profile. In WhiteCloud, we have granular control over these aspects, allowing us to provide each VNF or CNF with the optimal hardware settings to maximize their throughput, mixing and matching legacy and new-generation servers.”

“Server configurations based on Intel Xeon processors include new features designed to accelerate user traffic. When combined with the Intel Infrastructure Power Manager software and Intel Ethernet E810 Controller, these configurations allow service providers to drive optimization of their infrastructure for performance, energy efficiency and space in the telco data center,” said Alex Quach, VP Network and Edge Group, Intel.

Whitestack has emerged as a key player in the open infrastructure space in Latin America, supplying dozens of Tier 1 data centers in the region with a Telco Cloud solution based on open-source technology. Its offering includes whitebox networking, high-capacity optics systems, and COTS servers powered by Intel Xeon processors.

Mavenir, Whitestack and Intel will be participating at the Open Telco Cloud Summit 2024 in Mexico City on September 3rd 2024 – register to attend in person or virtually.

Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. 

ABOUT MAVENIR

Mavenir is building the future of networks today with cloud-native, AI-enabled solutions which are green by design, empowering operators to realize the benefits of 5G and achieve intelligent, automated, programmable networks. As the pioneer of Open RAN and a proven industry disruptor, Mavenir’s award-winning solutions are delivering automation and monetization across mobile networks globally, accelerating software network transformation for 300+ Communications Service Providers in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world’s subscribers. For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com.

ABOUT WHITESTACK

Whitestack’s flagship Telco Cloud solution integrates both VNFs (virtual machine-based) and CNFs (container-based) using proven industry-standard deployment models. As the most widely deployed Telco Cloud solution in Latin America, it boasts certifications from industry giants HPE and DELL, ensuring top-tier performance and reliability.

Whitestack’s Open Networking solutions revolutionize network infrastructure. Deploy in open DC Fabrics with advanced Spine & Leaf configurations, or enhance optical access and aggregation networks with our state-of-the-art open switches (whiteboxes). All seamlessly managed by our open SDN controller, Whitesdn, for unparalleled automated network provisioning. For more information visit www.whitestack.com.

Mavenir PR Contacts:
Emmanuela Spiteri
PR@mavenir.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID “9220049

Porsche Design and Ananda Development Debut Asia’s First Porsche Design Tower in Bangkok

BANGKOK, THAILAND/STUTTGART, GERMANY – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2024 – Porsche Design has announced a collaboration with Thai real estate developer Ananda Development to create the Porsche Design Tower Bangkok. The ultra-luxury residence, located on Sukhumvit 38, is aimed at ultra-high net-worth individuals and will be the first of its kind in Asia and the third globally. The project features 22 exclusive duplex and quadplex ‘Sky Villas’ ranging from 525 to 1,135 square meters, with an average price of USD 15 million and up to USD 40 million. Construction is set to begin next year and complete by the end of 2028.

The partnership between Porsche Design and Ananda Development combines design excellence with engineering prowess to create a future landmark. Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board at Porsche AG, stated that the project fits into Porsche’s approach to offer exclusive experiences to discerning customers and marks a significant step for Porsche in South Asia.

Stefan Buescher, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche Lifestyle Group, emphasized the design philosophy of optimizing function while uncompromisingly reducing the form to the essentials. Chanond Ruangkritya, President and CEO of Ananda Development, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting the shared passion for excellence.

Unique features of the Porsche Design Tower Bangkok include “Passion Spaces” – luxury garages for residents’ car collections, and “The Loop” – a spiral access ramp for cars leading directly to the “Passion Spaces”. The façade features a fully automated terrace door system, allowing a seamless blend of outdoor and indoor living. Another architectural highlight is the exposed pedestal structure called “X-Frame”. The top of the tower is embellished by “The Crown” – a light signature inspired by Porsche sports cars creating a landmark in Bangkok’s skyline. The tower also offers a 25-meter swimming pool, a fitness center, a spa, a social lounge, and a business lounge.

For more information, visit pdtowerbangkok.com.

About Porsche Design:

In 1963, Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche created one of the most iconic design objects in contemporary history: the Porsche 911. Following his vision to take the principles and myth of Porsche beyond the automotive world, he created the exclusive lifestyle brand Porsche Design in 1972. His philosophy and design language can still be seen in all Porsche Design products today. Every Porsche Design product stands for extraordinary precision and perfection, boasts a high level of technological innovation and seamlessly combines intelligent functionality and puristic design. Created by Studio F. A. Porsche in Austria, our products are sold worldwide in Porsche Design stores, high-end department stores, exclusive specialist retailers and the official online store (porsche-design.com).

For regular updates on Porsche Lifestyle, please follow:
Instagram: instagram.com/porschedesign
Facebook: facebook.com/porschedesign
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/porschelifestylegroup
YouTube: youtube.com/@porschedesign

About Ananda Development:

Ananda Development Public Company Limited is a leader in condominium development in prime locations along Bangkok Skytrain routes. Ananda’s projects are distinguished by their style, modernity, and outstanding quality at reasonable prices. The company offers well-known brands such as IDEO, IDEO MOBI, and Ashton. Ananda is committed to developing its corporate image while continually presenting solutions for new urban lifestyles. For more information, please visit www.ananda.co.th.

بورشه ديزاين وأناندا ديفيلوبمنت تطلقان أول برج بورشه ديزاين بآسيا في بانكوك

بانكوك، تايلاند/شتوتجارت، ألمانيا – Media OutReach Newswire– 27 أغسطس 2024 – أعلنت بورشه ديزاين عن تعاونها مع شركة التطوير العقاري التايلاندية أناندا ديفيلوبمنت لإنشاء برج بورشه ديزاين في بانكوك، وهذا المسكن فائق الفخامة، الواقع في طريق سوكومفيت 38، مصمَّم للأفراد ذوي الأرصدة المالية الضخمة، وسيكون الأول من نوعه في آسيا والثالث على مستوى العالم. يضم المشروع 22 وحدةً خاصةً بعضها ذات طابقين وبعضها ذات أربعة طوابق باسم “Sky Villas”، وتتراوح مساحاتها من 525 إلى 1135 مترًا مربعًا، بمتوسط ​​سعر يتراوح بين 15 مليون دولار أمريكي وما يصل إلى 40 مليون دولار أمريكي، ومن المقرر أن يبدأ البناء في العام المقبل وسيكتمل بنهاية عام 2028.

تجمع الشراكة بين بورشه ديزاين وأناندا ديفيلوبمنت بين التميز في التصميم والبراعة الهندسية لإنشاء معلم معماري سابق لعصره. صرح لوتس ميشكي، نائب رئيس مجلس الإدارة التنفيذي في شركة بورشه إيه جي، أن المشروع يتوافق مع نهج بورشه لتقديم تجارب مميزة للعملاء ذوي الذوق الرفيع ويمثل خطوة مهمة لأعمال بورشه في جنوب آسيا.

أكد ستيفان بوشر، رئيس مجلس الإدارة التنفيذي لبورشه لايف ستايل جروب، على أن فلسفة التصميم تستهدف تحسين الأداء وتبسيط الشكل دون تقصير في الجودة. كما عبر شانوند روانجكريتيا، رئيس مجلس الإدارة والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة أناندا ديفيلوبمنت، عن حماسه للتعاون مؤكدًا على رغبة الشركتين المتبادلة في التميز.

تتضمن المزايا الفريدة لبرج بورشه ديزاين بانكوك “Passion Spaces”  وهي مرائب فاخرة لمجموعات سيارات السكان، و”The Loop”  وهو منحدر حلزوني للسيارات يؤدي مباشرة إلى “Passion Spaces”. كما أن واجهة البرج مزودة بنظام آلي بالكامل لأبواب الشرفات لدمج أماكن المعيشة الخارجية والداخلية بسلاسة. تتضمن أبرز معالم البرج المعمارية كذلك هيكل القاعدة المكشوف المسمى “X-Frame”، والجزء العلوي من البرج مزين بـ “The Crown”  وهو عبارة عن علامة ضوئية تصميمها مستوحى من سيارات بورش الرياضية، وستصير معلمًا بارزًا في أفق بانكوك. يضم البرج أيضًا مسبحًا طوله 25 مترًا، ومركزًا للياقة البدنية، وناديًا صحيًا، واستراحة اجتماعية، واستراحة لرجال أعمال.

لمعرفة مزيد من المعلومات، تفضل بزيارة  pdtowerbangkok.com.

نبذة عن بورشه ديزاين:

في عام 1963، ابتكر بروفيسور فرديناند ألكسندر بورشه أحد أشهر تصميمات السيارات في التاريخ المعاصر وهو تصميم بورشه 911، واتبع رؤيته في توسيع نطاق تطبيق مبادئ وعبقرية بورشه كي لا تقتصر على مجال صناعة السيارات، ولذلك ابتكر علامة بورشه ديزاين التجارية الحصرية لأسلوب الحياة في عام 1972، وما زالت فلسفته وأسلوب تصميمه واضحين في جميع منتجات بورشه ديزاين حتى الآن. يتميز كل منتج من منتجات بورشه ديزاين بمستوى عالٍ من الدقة والكمال، ويفخر بأرقى مستويات الإبداع التكنولوجي، ويجمع بسلاسة بين ذكاء الأداء الوظيفي وأصالة التصميم. صُنعت منتجاتنا باستوديو إف إيه بورشه في النمسا، وتُباع في جميع أنحاء العالم في متاجر بورشه ديزاين والمتاجر الشاملة الراقية ولدى تجار التجزئة المتخصصين الحصريين والمتجر الرسمي عبر الإنترنت (porsche-design.com).

لمعرفة أحدث أخبار علامة بورشه لأسلوب الحياة بانتظام، يرجى المتابعة على:

إنستجرام: instagram.com/porschedesign

فيسبوك: facebook.com/porschedesign

لينكد إن: linkedin.com/company/porschelifestylegroup

يوتيوب: youtube.com/@porschedesign

نبذة عن  شركة أناندا ديفيلوبمنت:

تعد شركة أناندا ديفيلوبمنت العامة المحدودة من رواد إنشاء المباني السكنية في مواقع مميزة بجانب مسارات قطارات بانكوك سكاي ترين. تتميز مشاريع أناندا بأناقة طابعها وحداثتها وجودتها المتميزة وأسعارها المعقولة، وتقدم الشركة علامات تجارية معروفة مثل IDEO وIDEO ‎MOBI  وAshton . تلتزم شركة أناندا بتطوير سمعتها المؤسسية إلى جانب استمرارها في تقديم حلول لأساليب الحياة الحضرية الجديدة. لمعرفة مزيد من المعلومات، يرجى زيارة www.ananda.co.th.

Explosive Growth of Crypto Millionaires in 2024

LONDON, Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — There are now 172,300 individuals worldwide holding over USD 1 million in crypto assets — a 95% increase compared to last year — with the number of Bitcoin millionaires soaring by 111% to 85,400, according to the Crypto Wealth Report 2024 published by international wealth and investment migration specialists Henley & Partners.

The total market value of crypto assets has now reached a staggering USD 2.3 trillion, an 89% increase when compared to the USD 1.2 trillion reported in the firm’s inaugural report last year. The upper echelons of crypto wealth have also expanded dramatically, with the number of crypto centi-millionaires (those with crypto holdings of USD 100 million or more) rising by 79% to 325, and even the rarefied cohort of crypto billionaires seeing a 27% increase to 28 globally.

Dominic Volek, Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, says the rapid growth has been fueled by the introduction of crypto ETFs in major financial markets, ushering in significant institutional capital. “The cryptocurrency landscape of 2024 bears little resemblance to its predecessors. Bitcoin’s rise to over USD 73,000 in March set a new all-time high, while the long-awaited approval of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in the USA unleashed a torrent of institutional capital. Anticipation now builds for potential Solana ETFs joining the Wall Street party. These milestones have seeded a new era of crypto adoption, one where digital assets increasingly cross-pollinate with traditional finance and global mobility.”

Head of Research at New World Wealth, Andrew Amoils, says the millionaire band performed best over the past year, while billionaire growth was much lower and mainly driven by Bitcoin. “Of the six new crypto billionaires created over the past year, five came from Bitcoin, underscoring its dominant position when it comes to attracting long-term investors who buy large holdings.”

Digital gold rush creates sizeable crypto elite

Commenting in the report, António Henriques, CEO of Bison Bank and Chairman of Bison Digital Assets, points out that “in the rapidly evolving world of finance, cryptocurrencies are challenging the dominance of traditional fiat currencies. As these two financial realms intersect, we are witnessing the dawn of a new era in global finance, where the innovative potential of digital assets meets the stability of traditional money.”

Jean-Marie Mognetti, CEO and Co-founder of CoinShares, points out that “the SEC’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs marks 2024 as a transformative year for the digital asset industry, paving the way for broader institutional adoption. Bitcoin’s potential to enhance the performance of traditional investment portfolios underscores its growing significance in the financial world.”

While Bitcoin often dominates headlines, Lark Davis, cryptocurrency investor and founder of Wealth Mastery, highlights the critical role of another major player: “Ethereum is a keystone asset of the market. The majority of what is built in crypto is built on Ethereum, based on Ethereum, or bridges liquidity back to Ethereum.” This insight illustrates the complex ecosystem that has developed around cryptocurrencies, extending far beyond simple currency alternatives.

Borderless assets drive demand for global citizenship

Henley & Partners has seen a significant uptick in crypto-wealthy clients seeking alternative residence and citizenship options in 2024. To make sense of this changing crypto landscape, the firm has unveiled its second annual Henley Crypto Adoption Index. This comprehensive tool evaluates investment migration programs through the lens of the crypto investor, considering factors such as public adoption, infrastructure, innovation and technology, regulatory environment, economic factors, and tax-friendliness.

The index showcases Singapore’s continued dominance as the premier cryptocurrency hub, achieving the top score of 45.7 out of 60. Singapore excels in areas such as technological innovation, regulatory framework, and infrastructure development. Following closely is Hong Kong (SAR China), distinguished by its strong economic fundamentals and investor-friendly tax policies. The UAE secures the 3rd position, offering significant tax advantages and a rapidly expanding digital economy. Notably, none of these three countries levies capital gains tax, which is a significant advantage, especially for crypto investors and high-net-worth individuals.

Read the Full Press Release online

Contact:

Sarah Nicklin
Group Head of PR
sarah.nicklin@henleyglobal.com
+27 72 464 8965

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000987810

Apparel Group continues its Strategic Expansion in the region with 100 New Stores in the First Half of 2024

The new expansion includes globally recognized brands like Hackett London, Levi’s, New Yorker, Ardene, Birkenstock, Dune London, Steve Madden, Athlete’s Co., Beverly Hills Polo Club, Skechers, Tim Hortons, Asics and Allo Beirut

Apparel Group continues its Strategic Expansion in the region with 100 New Stores in the First Half of 2024

Apparel Group continues its Strategic Expansion in the region with 100 New Stores in the First Half of 2024

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apparel Group, the global leader in the fashion and lifestyle retail sector, has hit another record in its successful growth journey by opening 100+ new stores across the Middle East and Asia in the first half of 2024. Representing globally recognised brands like Steve Madden, Dune London, Athlete’s Co., Beverly Hills Polo Club, Aldo, Skechers, Tim Hortons, Asics, Hackett London, Levi’s, New Yorker, Ardene, and Allo Beirut, Apparel Group has imprinted a stronger footprint in key markets including India, Bahrain, the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

The launch of these new stores clearly highlights Apparel Group’s unwavering commitment to offering customers an exceptional and unparalleled shopping experience. Through these new locations, Apparel Group continues to showcase its dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every visit is marked by a superior level of service and a wide range of high-quality products.

Neeraj Teckchandani, the CEO of Apparel Group, said, “We are immensely proud to announce the opening of over 100 new stores in the first half of 2024. This milestone reflects our relentless commitment to expanding our footprint and enhancing the shopping experience for our customers in different communities all over the world. Each new store represents not just growth, but our dedication to innovation and excellence in the retail sector. We look forward to continuing this journey of success and delivering unparalleled value to our valued customers.”

These openings highlight Apparel Group’s strategic move towards consolidating its market presence while enhancing its commitment to bringing world-class fashion to the doorsteps of customers in these markets.

About Apparel Group LLC

Apparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate residing at the crossroads of the modern economy – Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Today, Apparel Group caters to thousands of eager shoppers through its 2,200+ retail stores and 85+ brands on all platforms while employing over 22,000+ multicultural staff.

Apparel Group has not only established a strong presence in the GCC – Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia & Kuwait but also strategically expanded its reach to thriving markets in India, South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Egypt. Moreover, the company has set clear strategies to venture into promising emerging markets such as Hungary and the Philippines, showcasing its forward-thinking approach.

Apparel Group has curated a diverse portfolio of brands, offering an omni-channel experience. These brands, originating from the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia, include leading names in fashion, footwear, and lifestyles such as Tommy Hilfiger, Charles & Keith, Skechers, ALDO, Crocs, Nine West, Calvin Klein, Aéropostale, Jamie’s Italian, Tim Hortons, Cold Stone Creamery, Inglot, and Rituals. This diverse range reflects the company’s versatility and adaptability.

Apparel Group owes its impressive growth to the vision and guidance of its dynamic Founder and Chairwoman, Mrs. Sima Ganwani Ved, who has taken the company from strength to strength since its inception in the last two decades.

https://www.apparelgroup.com/en/
PR@apparelglobal.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/55c3546a-a4fe-4573-b4ed-a45b8fd334ce

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9219558

Bitget Launches P2P Security Layer ‘Shield’ to Ensure Safety and Mitigate Users’ Losses

Bitget Launches P2P Security Layer ‘Shield’ to Ensure Safety and Mitigate Users’ Losses

Bitget Launches P2P Security Layer ‘Shield’ to Ensure Safety and Mitigate Users’

LossesVICTORIA, Seychelles, Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange, has announced the launch of P2P security layer Shield, which increases security within its peer-to-peer (P2P) trading. This new layer is aimed at ensuring users, building trust and reliability of the platform from fraudulent activities that can occur in P2P transactions.

The Bitget P2P Shield program offers financial protection to users who are victims to fraud on peer settlements. In such cases, users are assured of compensation to mitigate losses directly related to the platform’s operations. This feature aims to build trust among users, ensuring a more confident trading experience.

The P2P Shield is an addition to Bitget’s security layer which boasts of a $300M Protection Fund and transparent Proof-of-Reserves. The introduction of Bitget P2P Shield shows the platform’s focus on creating a safer environment for P2P trading. By addressing potential risks, Bitget aims to strengthen its position as a trusted player in crypto space.

In order to prevent P2P scams, it is important for users to verify payment deposits before releasing crypto, and mark payments as completed. Additionally, traders should avoid canceling orders post-payment and refrain from sharing personal details during trades. Unverified communications should not be trusted and users need to ensure the sender’s name matches the KYC details, and only trade within the platform to stay secure.

It is vital to note that the Shield program only covers platform-related issues. Users are encouraged to remain vigilant and exercise caution, as losses due to user-related errors, such as failing to verify payments or trading with untrusted parties, are not covered.

As a major fiat-to-crypto channel, the Bitget P2P platform now supports nearly 70 fiats including EUR, NGN and BRL. To facilitate payment, it has added over 30 payment methods such as Volet.com (Formerly Advcash), Revolut, and Bank Transfer.

For more information on P2P Shield, please visit the official announcement here.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 30 million users in 100+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget inspires individuals to embrace crypto through collaborations with credible partners, including legendary Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi and Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team).

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/39377f90-199c-4357-8941-ef064ab9cdc8

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Syrian-Iraqi talks to boost agricultural cooperation


Damascus, Minister of Agriculture in the caretaker government, Eng. Mohammad Hassan Qatana, discussed with a delegation from the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture headed by the Director General of Horticulture Department, Hadi Hussein, the development of agricultural relations between Syria and Iraq, and enhancing trade exchange of products to achieve integration between them.

Minister Qatana noted that Syria is a major source of many agricultural products exported to Iraq, especially vegetables and fruits, stressing the need to strengthen relations between the two countries in the agricultural field.

Qatana highlighted the importance of the quadripartite agreement between Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon as the nucleus of an Arab economic agreement that would enhance trade and technical exchange, unify agricultural and veterinary quarantine systems, establish unified certificates of origin between the four countries, facilitate the arrival of products, and regulate and reduce fees, noting the importance of putt
ing these agreements into effect.

In turn, the head of the Iraqi delegation stated that all proposals will be transferred to the Iraqi Minister of Agriculture.

Hadi Hussein pointed out to the historical relations that bind the two countries and the necessity of enhancing them as well as activating the quadripartite agreement in a way that serves the interests of both countries.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

4.7-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Papua New Guinea

An earthquake measuring 4.7 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Papua New Guinea on Tuesday.

The earthquake occurred 106 km from Finschhafen town at a depth of 10 km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

No casualties or material damage were reported due to the earthquake.

Source: Qatar News Agency