Thursday, September 17

    PR Newswire

    Since 2011, Hublot has worked with artists, from architects to painters, from street to contemporary artists to designers, icons who reshape culture and challenge perception, turning creation into a statement of identity. Today, the Swiss luxury watchmaker is proud to announce one of the most prominent, commercially successful and polarizing figures in contemporary art as its new Hublot Ambassador: Jeff Koons. For over four decades, he has transformed everyday objects into cultural icons. Balloon Dog, Rabbit, Puppy: simple forms elevated through scale, craftsmanship and attention to detail. What looks light is structurally complex. What feels spontaneous is highly constructed. This is where Hublot and Koons meet.

    “At Vantage Foundation, we believe lasting progress is defined by the value we create for people, communities, and the planet. Environmental responsibility is not a standalone initiative—it is a long-term commitment that we are translating into practical action through trusted partnerships. We are proud to work alongside Emirates Environmental Group, aligned with the objectives of the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy, while contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A sustainable future cannot be delivered by one institution alone. It requires shared leadership across business, government, and civil society. We are committed to playing our part to connect global ambitions with local action and help create impact that lasts.” Stated by Leo Wu, Executive Director of Vantage Foundation.

    Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) has entered into binding agreements to raise ₹9,825 crores (~USD 1 billion) of primary equity capital from a consortium of leading domestic and global investors. The transaction values AAHL at a pre-money equity valuation of ~USD 18 billion, establishing a significant external institutional valuation benchmark for the airports platform. The investor consortium comprises Alpha Wave Global, Premji Invest, Temasek and BlackRock managed funds. Upon completion of all three tranches, the investors will collectively hold approximately 5.54% in AAHL. The proceeds will support airport modernisation and capacity expansion to serve ~ 200 million passengers annually, integrated Adani Airport City development of ~22 million sq. ft. of mixed-use development in the first phase and the continued scaling of AAHL’s ground handling and non-aeronautical businesses.

    TerraPay, a global money movement company, and Alipay+, Ant International’s unified wallet gateway, today announced a strategic partnership to enable seamless cross-border QR payments for digital wallets, significantly enhancing global payments interoperability for users across Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. In the initial phase, 15 of the digital wallets across Africa that are connected to Xend, TerraPay’s wallet interoperability network, will be able to pay at more than 150 million merchants across Alipay+’s global merchant ecosystem. The partnership also expands TerraPay’s cross-border payment capabilities from account-to-account to global in-store acceptance.

    Combining signature G-SHOCK toughness with a sleek metal exterior, the new GST-W1000 brings out the beauty of metal with a multi-component construction featuring different finishes applied to individual surfaces. The dial features a three-dimensional geometric texture created using nano-processing technology from Yamagata Casio, the “mother factory” of G-SHOCK. The watch also incorporates TOUGH MVT. 2 for precision timekeeping.

    Registration Now Open for All in Print China 2026 in Shanghai SHANGHAI, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Artificial intelligence, automation, innovative materials and sustainable packaging solutions are transforming the print and packaging industry worldwide. All in Print China 2026 will bring these developments to life from October 12-16 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). As part of the drupa alliance, the show connects the Chinese market with the international print and packaging community, enabling attendees and exhibitors to discover technological developments first-hand and establish new business contacts. More than 1,100 exhibitors from 15 countries will present their solutions across 120,000 square meters of exhibition space. The organizers expect more than 120,000 visitors from over 120 countries and regions. Internationally established brands including HEIDELBERG, BOBST, Canon, Epson, HP, Kodak and Konica Minolta, Durst, ESKO, SCREEN, Mimaki, RISO, Xeikon, Manroland Goss have confirmed their participation.”All in Print China is far more than a trade fair – it is the definitive gateway to Asia’s most vibrant print and packaging market. For 23 years, it has stood as a trusted global beacon for technology launches, cross-border collaboration, and firsthand insight into the fast-evolving Chinese and Asian customer landscape. As we celebrate our 10th edition, we take pride

    Leaders from fire and emergency services, government, industry, academia, and international organizations gathered today for the opening of the second edition of the World Fire Congress (WFC), a global platform established to strengthen collaboration, share knowledge, and address some of the most pressing fire and life safety challenges facing communities around the world. Bringing together delegates from more than 60 nations, the Congress reflects the increasingly international nature of fire and emergency management challenges. From climate-driven disasters and urbanization to evolving infrastructure risks and community resilience, participants are convening to identify practical solutions and drive collective action on issues that transcend borders.

    Thematic discussions over the two days addressed pressing social issues including health, the well-being of older adults, urban poverty alleviation, heritage conservation, youth positive trajectory development, climate resilience and inclusive employment. Interactive Impact Studios, Co-Learning Workshops and other extended programmes further bridged visionary ideas with practical implementation, examining how meaningful social impact can be achieved on the ground.

    ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, delivered strong growth in the first half of 2026, with Assets Under Management rising 54% year on year and its workforce reaching 49,027 professionals. Meanwhile, the number of active licences also climbed to almost 14,000. The results reflect the continued expansion of capital, business activity and talent across ADGM, as global institutions increasingly structure, deploy and manage investment through Abu Dhabi.

    At Seamless Africa 2026, held September 8–9, Tongxin Microelectronics (TMC TONGXIN MICRO), a provider of security chip solutions, showcased technologies for payment IC cards, payment terminals and electronic identity documents. The company presented its Payment Product THD89 Family, the first China-developed security chip to achieve CC EAL6+ certification. The series is widely used in payment cards supporting major networks including UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, and JCB, securing transactions for hundreds of millions of cardholders.

    The week will feature over 850 speakers through a coordinated programme of more than 85 high-level events including 12 signature forums across 14 stages around Dubai. Held under a central theme of “Finance Reimagined: Where Innovation Meets Policy and Purpose,” the programme spans six defining verticals including FinTech, Tokenisation, Islamic Finance, Family Wealth, Sustainable Finance, and Private Capital. Every event under Dubai Future Finance Week targets a unique facet of financial evolution, enabling connections with global enterprises, market leaders, and regulators across a series of interlinked forums.

    Step into the kitchen and a simple question: “What should I make?” can set the experience in motion. The AI Companion Refrigerator recognizes stored ingredients and suggests meal ideas based on personal preferences. Once a recipe is selected, it can sync with the AI Companion Oven to support automatic cooking, while the AI Companion Wine Cabinet recommends pairings and maintains suitable storage conditions. After the meal, the AI Companion Dishwasher recognizes dish conditions and adjusts cleaning, demonstrating how AI can support the journey from planning dinner to cleaning up. In the laundry area, visitors can see how the AI Companion Laundry Suite turns a routine load into a simpler, more automated experience. By recognizing clothing characteristics, it selects suitable wash and dry cycles and adjusts the process automatically, creating a load-and-go experience. The experience continues in the living space. The AI Companion Air Conditioner senses indoor conditions and user presence, adapting airflow as people move through the room. Meanwhile, the AI Companion Energy System considers weather and time-of-use electricity pricing to help optimize household energy use.

    Recent research shows that cybersecurity is now a central pillar of resilience, with nearly half of manufacturers reporting a cyber incident in the past year and rising exposure driven by increased connectivity between IT and operational technology environments. The research also underscores that cyber risk is no longer episodic but an ongoing operational requirement as manufacturers scale AI, automation and connected systems.

    As container terminals across the Middle East move toward increasingly autonomous operations, the ability to maintain vehicle localization without satellite positioning is becoming an important consideration. In March 2026, Westwell achieved normal autonomous operations under Zero-GNSS conditions across its fleet at CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal (CSP ADT) at Khalifa Port, marking a further step in the development of smart autonomous container handling in the region. The milestone builds on Westwell’s automation program operations at CSP ADT, with the fleet consisting of 12 Q-Trucks and six Q-Chassis (IGV).

    As Bookme continues to grow its international presence, maintaining seamless search and booking experiences while managing extensive global travel inventory and partner integrations is a key priority. Tencent Cloud provides the infrastructure used to host and scale Bookme’s digital workloads, supporting customer journeys across its consumer platforms and embedded booking experiences. Bookme’s booking platform is also available via API in a mini-app format, delivered across more than 40 platforms. Leveraging Tencent Cloud’s infrastructure, monitoring services, security features, and technical support, Bookme is able to scale operations efficiently while maintaining the flexibility needed to accommodate spikes in demand during travel peaks, promotional campaigns, and major events. The collaboration also supports future service enhancements, ecosystem development, and continued business growth across multiple markets.

    YR Fitness, a China-based commercial fitness equipment manufacturer, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Sobek Sports for five key strength equipment series in Egypt. The partnership combines YR’s product-development and manufacturing capabilities with Sobek Sports’ local market experience, project expertise, and after-sales support. Sobek Sports is an established fitness equipment distributor in Egypt with over 300 completed projects, focusing on equipment biomechanics, user safety, and product research.

    Twelve days before opening to the public, the 18th Lyon Biennale – Contemporary Art is preparing to welcome artists, contemporary art professionals, collectors, institutions and members of the international art community for two professional preview days, on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September 2026. Then, from Saturday 19 September, the Biennale will open its doors to everyone for nearly three months of exhibitions across 11 venues in Lyon and its metropolitan area, until 13 December 2026.

    Marking the event’s 10th anniversary and as one of the highlights of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign, PBC 2026 has adopted the theme “Leap for Impact”. Drawing inspiration from the world’s leading sports and top athletes, PBC 2026 explores how qualities essential to success in sport – discipline, focus, resilience and teamwork – can drive enduring, tangible social change. It aims to examine how these qualities can be transformed into a powerful force for philanthropy, generating deeper and more enduring social impact. The Trust has long sought to transform lives and strengthen communities through the power of sport. This aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan’s emphasis on talent cultivation, youth development and the advancement of a strong and healthy sporting nation.

    The partnership will bring Dyna.Ai’s agentic AI platform into the enterprise IT environments GAPP supports across the Kingdom, helping organizations drive measurable business results. Through the partnership, Dyna.Ai and GAPP will explore opportunities to introduce Dyna.Ai’s enterprise agentic platform, including voice and text-based AI agents and AI Employee solutions, to organizations across the Kingdom, based on their specific needs and use cases.