NX China participates in 2nd China International Consumer Products Expo

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Nippon Express (China) Co Ltd (NX China), a group company of Nippon Express Holdings Inc, has participated in the second China International Consumer Products Expo, held in Haikou, to familiarise visitors with the Nippon Express Group's services in Hainan Province.

According to a statement, NX China established a new Hainan office in Haikou, Hainan Province, on July 1 this year.

The company's exhibit booth acquainted visitors with the global network of its air/ocean cargo forwarding services that constitute the Nippon Express Group's strengths.

This year’s second expo attracted approximately 2,000 exhibitors (including approximately 40 Japanese companies) and 280,000 visitors, maintaining its status as the largest consumer product exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region.

The first expo was held in May last year with the aim of revitalising consumption by showcasing domestic and international luxury brand products.

The Nippon Express Group will continue supporting the business expansion of its customers worldwide by strengthening ties and creating new partnerships with customers and relevant organisations through participation in exhibitions around the world.

-- BERNAMA

TRILLER COMPLETES PRE-PUBLIC LISTING FINANCING PLANS FOR Q4, 2022 NASDAQ LISTING:ILLR, ALSO COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF BARE KNUCKLE FIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Announcement comes following the most successful BKFC event to date at Wembley Arena in London

LOS ANGELES, Aug 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Triller, the AI-powered open garden technology platform for creators, today announced it had completed a substantial pre-public financing in the form of debt and equity. This announcement comes on the heels of its filing its S-1 with the SEC, the document a company files prior to a public listing. The company has reserved the ticker symbol “ILLR” with the Nasdaq stock exchange.

Participants in the round include Total Formation Co, an affiliate of Fubon Financial, one of the largest financial institutions in Asia with ownership of Taiwan Mobile, Taipei Fubon Bank, Fubon Life, and many others, and was for the third straight year on Fortune Global 500’s list of “The Top 500 most valuable Global Brands. Other investors included, Falcon Capital, Clearvue Partners and others.

“This was an important step for Triller to be properly funded entering the Public Markets,” said Mahi de Silva, CEO and Chairman of Triller. “We are very pleased to have such strong market leaders as investors and look forward to bringing Triller to the world via a Nasdaq listing,” he continued. “If the capital markets continue to be stable, we are targeting an early Q4 public listing.”

Triller also announced that it concluded the acquisition of of Bare Knuckle Fight Championship (BKFC), a transaction it announced it had contracted earlier this year.

Bare Knuckle has quickly become a world-wide phenomenon with deals consummated or in negotiations across more than 20 countries, and an unprecedented growth in the United States. BKFC is the fastest growing combat sport with an anticipated 200,000 subscribers between the BKFC app and Triller’s wholly owned Fite TV.

“Bare Knuckle Fight Championship has enjoyed never before seen growth, as it offers something that all fight audiences can connect with,” said Mahi de Silva CEO and Chairman of Triller. “This acquisition is a game-changer for Triller, as it accrues numerous synergies across our entire platform and allows us to supercharge BKFC even further,” continued Silva. “By leveraging our creator platform, combined with our social media infrastructure, ad-tech and mar-tech capabilities, influencer network, and FITE TV’s streaming services currently enjoyed by five million paying households, makes this acquisition a no brainer for both parties.”

The announcement comes in the wake of BKFC’s most successful, largest event-to-date, held on August 22 at Wembley Arena in London. This past weekend BKFC had its most successful event to date at Wembley Stadium in London, and trended number 2 in the world on Twitter. As a result, the digital streaming, pay-per-view, and subscription service FITE.TV by Triller, now has over 200,000 subscribers.

“I started BKFC from scratch and it has become a way of life, and will forever change boxing and MMA,” said Dave Feldman, Founder and CEO of BKFC. “We spent over a year working with Triller prior to the acquisition, getting to know their team, their plans and the way in which BKFC would be integrated into their ecosystem. What became clear is that Triller was the only home for us. They are not seeking to change BKFC but will help supercharge our growth, maximizing our marketing and monetization. I can say without hesitation there is no company out there that has both the ambition and the tools of Triller to change the ways people consume combat sports,” Feldman concluded.

As the world of social media and the way in which brands market are changing dramatically, Triller has led the way to Web3 and decentralization with a “open-garden” ecosystem, helping creators gain ownership of their audiences, control their monetization and financial destiny. Triller saw over 750 million content interactions last quarter and looks at each interaction as an opportunity for monetization. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44029

Quectel's ultra-high bandwidth 5G R16 module certified for use in the United States

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, has announced that its 5G NR module RM520N-GL, compliant with 3GPP Release 16 (R16) standards, has been certified to operate on T-Mobile’s 5G and LTE-A networks in the United States.

With this certification, RM520N-GL customers can commercially deploy their home gateways, industrial routers, industrial automation devices, unmanned delivery vehicles, robots, drones, consumer and industrial laptops and other next generation IoT applications on T-Mobile’s 5G and LTE-A networks.

“We are thrilled to see that Quectel has made further significant progress in 5G, as our module supporting 5G R16 features has gained this important certification in the North American market,” said President and CSO of Quectel, Norbert Muhrer, in a statement.

“This confirms our commitment to drive innovation and provide our global customers with highly reliable, best-in-class IoT solutions, which will help accelerate the next wave of 5G IoT applications.”

Based on Qualcomm’s SDX62 platform, the RM520N-GL supports both 5G NSA and SA modes, as well as R16 enhanced features such as ultra-high bandwidth, millisecond-level latency, 5G network slicing and ultra-reliability.

In order to help customers simplify their designs, Quectel also provides a full range of off-the-shelf and customised 5G antennas which boost wireless connectivity significantly.

IoT developers can bundle the RM520N-GL module with Quectel’s antennas and pre-certification services, reducing both cost and time-to-market for their 5G devices.

More details at www.Quectel.com.

-- BERNAMA

AllianceBernstein shares insights on low volatility investment opportunities

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Equity markets are facing heightened uncertainty stemming from rising inflation, slowing growth, the prospects of higher interest rates and geopolitical tensions, according to AllianceBernstein.

Amidst this unsettling shifting backdrop, investors may be wondering how to manage the resulting volatility within their portfolios or whether they should remain invested.

The global investment management and research firm, in a statement, said that exiting a rocky market instead of sticking it out may lead to worse results for nervous investors.

The firm’s approach to low-volatility investing targets companies with three fundamental characteristics: quality, stability and price, in order to help mitigate downside risks and generate greater returns for investors when markets recover.

AllianceBernstein finds that stocks of quality companies with stable performance patterns, and that are trading at attractive prices are a good way to navigate volatility.

“Rather than pull money out of the market, investors could take a low-volatility approach to build a resilient portfolio that can weather different market conditions, one that can reduce losses in market declines, while capturing most of the upside in a rising market to deliver a smoother pattern of returns,” said Southeast Asia client group managing director Karen Lim.

While most sectors have not been spared from the widespread market selloff this year, certain sectors have turned out less volatile than others. The broad technology sector, for example, was one of the worst-hit sectors, the statement said.

Some healthcare and consumer companies have also remained resilient, despite the market turbulence, it added.

Within each of these sectors, there will be winners and losers, but AllianceBernstein has found that companies with strong cash flows and business models are likely to withstand market pressures and thrive in subsequent recoveries.

-- BERNAMA

WHR GLOBAL ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT, CHRIS LAGERMAN

WHR also Promotes Tenured Employees to Director of Global Operations and Client Services Manager

MILWAUKEE, Aug 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHR Global, Inc. (WHR), a leader in the global employee relocation industry, announced that Chris Lagerman will be its new President, effective immediately. This promotion reflects Chris’ dedication to WHR and the global mobility industry. Over his 20-year tenure at WHR, Chris previously served as a Relocation Counselor, Client Services Manager and most recently, as Director of Global Operations (DO).

As DO, Chris guided a team of Client Services Managers throughout WHR’s offices in the US, Switzerland and Singapore. WHR helps some of the largest global organizations and has relocated tens of thousands of employees to over 100 countries worldwide. WHR specializes in providing each expatriate with a dedicated relocation team, white-glove service and 24/7 availability for their entire relocation journey. As a testament to Chris’ DO success, WHR only lost one corporate client in its 27-year history, which is a direct result of Chris’ passion for best-in-class service.

WHR CEO Roger Thrun believes Chris will continue to drive the success of WHR’s services and technology. “Chris has been instrumental to our growth in the last 20 years and will continue the velocity of our global expansion. I am very proud that he is part of WHR,” said Thrun.

"I'm honored and grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to driving WHR's further growth," said Lagerman.

Effective immediately, WHR also announced that Heather Hess has been promoted to Director of Global Operations, leading all Client Services Managers in the US, Switzerland and Singapore. WHR also announced that Peter Janotta has been promoted to Client Services Manager, effective immediately. Heather and Peter have been at WHR for 14 years each, embodying WHR’s service-oriented approach to global mobility and successfully managing relocation programs for Fortune 500 companies. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=43915

NIPPON EXPRESS' NX AGRIGROW RECEIVES VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR VISIT

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- NX AgriGrow Co Ltd, a group company of Nippon Express Holdings Inc, received a visit from Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam on August 4.

In a statement today, it said Vu recently made a tour of companies in Hokuto City, Japan during which NX AgriGrow was recommended to him by Hokuto Mayor Eiji Kamimura as a firm engaged in cutting-edge agriculture.

NX AgriGrow, formerly Nittsu Farm Co Ltd, was established by the Nippon Express in Hokuto City, west of Tokyo, in 2016.

The company has since been working with the local community on projects aimed at eliminating abandoned farmland, contributing to local employment and resolving other issues facing the city.

In February this year, NX AgriGrow concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement with Hokuto City to promote the sustained development of agriculture and revitalise the local economy.

It is also striving through Hokuto’s key industry of agriculture to create a new model for sustainable regional development.

-- BERNAMA

AM Best assigns 'A' to Generali Life Hong Kong's Financial Strength Rating

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best, has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a+” (Excellent) to Generali Life (Hong Kong) Limited (Generali Hong Kong). 

According to a statement, the outlook assigned to these credit ratings is stable.

The ratings reflect Generali Hong Kong’s inclusion as a member of the lead rating unit of Italy’s Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. (Generali), which has a balance sheet strength that AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, very favourable business profile, and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Since its establishment in 2016, Generali Hong Kong, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Generali, has been adding to the latter's life insurance portfolio in the region, initially via a diversified broker channel, and more recently, through a combination of broker and online-to-offline digital distribution channels.

The addition of Generali Hong Kong to the Generali rating unit reflects its contribution to Generali’s growth and diversification strategy. 

In addition, Generali provides various implicit and explicit support to Generali Hong Kong, including capital commitment, parental guarantee, operation and reinsurance support, as well as risk management. 

Hence, AM Best views Generali to be strongly committed to Generali Hong Kong’s development and long-term success and will provide necessary financial support if needed.

More details at www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

EXPERTS ISSUE CRITICAL FRAMEWORK FOR USING MICROBIOMES TO PROTECT WILDLIFE -- KAUST

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- A group of leading experts have issued a critical framework for using microbiomes to protect wildlife in an ethical and efficient way.

Beneficial Microbes for Marine Organisms (BMMO), an international network of collaborators with expertise in crosscutting areas of probiotic research, have published a paper in Nature Microbiology, Harnessing the microbiome to prevent global biodiversity loss.

It provides a science-based framework to accelerate the responsible research and development of microbiome solutions, according to a statement from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

Founder and co-chair of BMMO and associate professor of marine science at KAUST Dr Raquel Peixoto said: “Key ecosystems, which host many forms of life, are at the brink of ecological collapse, driving enormous biodiversity losses and mass extinctions, and disrupting ecosystems central to supporting livelihoods.

“Our framework provides a pragmatic regulatory wildlife-adapted tool to guide scientists and stakeholders through the fight against biodiversity loss.”

Contributing authors include professors Gabriele Berg of The Graz University of Technology; Christian Voolstra of the University of Konstanz; and, Ute Hentschel of GEOMAR.

The scientists examine the use of probiotics to “reboot” healthy microbiomes and protect key, and sensitive, symbiotic relationships between hosts and their associated microbes. 

The team propose a science-based framework, outlining a path from laboratory bench to pilot and large-scale applications of microbiomes, to save threatened ecosystems.

-- BERNAMA

OKX MAKES PEER-TO-PEER TRADING SAFE, ACCESSIBLE AND FEE-FREE

 ·  In addition to expanding payment methods to make P2P Trading more accessible, OKX acts as an intermediary to offer risk management to traders

· OKX also does not charge any fees for P2P Trading
 
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Aug 3 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- World-leading cryptocurrency platform OKX has today introduced its new-and-improved P2P (peer-to-peer) Trading platform. The service not only allows users to trade seamlessly between one another, but makes safe, reliable P2P trading available to a far broader range of users.

P2P Trading on OKX empowers users to become their own marketplace by issuing “advertisements” in order to trade with one another and better control the price they buy and sell at. This includes users in unbanked markets who may lack access to conventional banking infrastructure. OKX’s P2P Trading platform not only offers more than 900 payment methods from across 40 different currencies, but is offered to users free of fees.

Lennix Lai, Director of Financial Markets, OKX, said: “P2P Trading on OKX empowers users to trade on their own terms. But more importantly, it makes secure person-to-person trading accessible to far more people, including those around the world who lack access to traditional banking services. This is one of the ways in which OKX is empowering users the world over to liberate themselves from traditional financial systems and strive to attain financial independence.”

The OKX platform plays a facilitation and risk management role in P2P trades. After a deal is struck between users, OKX holds the funds in escrow until the buyer’s payment is confirmed. This allows the exchange to manage the risks faced by users and ensure safe and stable trading between them.

OKX’s overhaul of its P2P Trading platform includes a new-and-improved homepage UI, and an easy-to-use navigation bar that makes it easy to switch seamlessly between the marketplace, orders and ads. The revamp also provides streamlined access to P2P guides, FAQs and tutorials to help users learn how to get the best out of the platform.

Discover more about how to P2P trade on the OKX Academy, or check OKX P2P Trading out for yourself here.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=43801

AM Best maintains stable outlook call on Malaysia's non-life insurance segment

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency AM Best has maintained a stable outlook rating on the Malaysian non-life insurance industry segment due to its underwriting discipline and the market’s recovery following the economic fallout from COVID-19.

The agency’s “Market Segment Outlook: Malaysia Non-Life Insurance” report states that non-life gross written premiums rose by 4.0 per cent to RM21.97 billion (US$ 4.95 billion) in 2021, 44 per cent of which was driven by the general takaful segment.

According to a statement, the increase follows a contraction in non-life premiums in 2020 and was driven by a recovery in most lines of business, especially fire, engineering and the growing motor takaful segment.

Over the near to medium term, AM Best expects the segment’s growth to be supported by the country’s economic recovery and increased insurance penetration.

Whilst economic growth has rebounded with the lifting of prolonged COVID-19-related social and business restrictions, the increased adoption of digitalisation has improved the ease of policy subscriptions and is helping to raise insurance penetration.

Key lines of business, in particular motor and fire insurance, are expected to drive the growth of the non-life insurance segment. 

Following the end of movement restrictions and lockdowns, the motor insurance business is likely to expand over the near term, supported by growing new vehicle sales.

In response to capital market volatility conditions, AM Best expects non-life insurers to continue monitoring their underlying risk exposure to various investment classes, as well as actively adjust and refine their portfolio allocations as part of their risk management.

More details at www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

Zenas BioPharma secures IND approval for Thyroid Eye Disease treatment

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- Global biopharmaceutical company Zenas BioPharma announced it has received approval of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China.

This is for the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical study of ZB001 for the treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).

“We are proud that the IND application for ZB001 was approved by the NMPA about two months following its submission, highlighting our team’s unique ability to efficiently execute on our development programmes,” said Chief Executive Officer at Zenas, Hua Mu, MD, PhD. 

According to a statement, the main objective of the Phase 1/2 is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of ZB001.

ZB001 is a differentiated humanised monoclonal antibody targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) intended for the treatment of TED.

TED is a debilitating vision-threatening autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis within the orbit of the eye. 

With no approved therapies for TED patients in China, treatment options are limited and often involve high doses of steroids associated with serious side effects or surgical intervention. 

More details at www.zenasbio.com.

-- BERNAMA