Kibsons Announce Partnership with Gulf For Good to Help Children Around the World

** Kibsons thanks everyone who has pledged a donation and helped raise AED 150,000 to build playground and football court in the town of Kisoro, Uganda **

At the heart of Kibsons is a family, who from their very humble beginnings 40 years ago have always worked towards creating a business and brand that is known for its quality, transparency, support towards the community and that truly cares. Further increasing their support to help not just in our community but globally too, Kibsons have partnered with UAE charity, Gulf For Good in April 2020 to support in their mission of helping children from around the world.    

Since the partnership started, Kibsons.com, thanks to their generous customers, has exceeded AED 100,000 in donations, to which the brand then generously added a further AED 50,000, thus raising a phenomenal AED 150,000 in total for Gulf for Good. This has been utilized to build a playground and football court in the town of Kisoro, Uganda. The immediate area of Kisoro town has a population of approximately 16,000 people, with 60% in the district aged under 19 years old. This project has impacted approximately 8,000 children, helping them to lead a happier and healthier life. The town of Kisoro believes that the playground project couldn’t have come at a better time this summer as not only schools remain closed due to the global pandemic, the economy is also so poor right now and with so much suffering, being able to provide employment through a capital project is a huge help to the community.  

In addition, the playground project in Kisoro has been designed by a pro-bono architect in the United States, alongside an engineer in Kisoro to ensure that the project is implemented in the very best way possible. Playgrounds are not common in Kisoro and so the designers would like to make sure that this playground is designed to withstand time and be there for many years ahead for the children of Kisoro.

Jackie Baganizi, Director of Ineza Parents’ School in Kisoro says: “One of our objectives is to encourage learning through play. We believe that children are able to explore and learn a lot through play. Most of the schools in Kisoro or even in Uganda lack enough play spaces for the children. Most schools operate in rented premises which were in most cases designed for other purposes. 

Ineza school has been so lucky to have enough land where the school currently sits. This land was donated by a generous couple who previously housed the school in their home. After getting the land we were supported by Kisoro children’s foundation to put up all the buildings housing the school. The children enjoy the spacious grounds. At this point we would like to be able to put up well thought about and built play spaces appropriate for all the ages at the school. 

The playground will benefit the children in the school and those in the community during weekends and holidays. When it comes to play, the majority of children in Kisoro are left on their own to figure out what to play with and often, some end up playing with dangerous objects or in dangerous places like swimming in stagnant water. Having a playground at Ineza will enable many children to experience and get a real feel of a proper play area. It will be the best first and only built playground in Kisoro district."

Kibsons would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has pledged a donation and helped them to make this happen. 

The second phase of Kibsons’ partnership with Gulf for Good began on 15th September 2020, where they are helping to raise more funds for Enjoro School in Tanzania. They are hoping to raise enough money to build a classroom and help reduce the teacher to student ratio from 1:175 down to 1:80 students. This will also include access and facilities for children with disabilities. 

When you pledge a donation with Kibsons, this is what you are supporting. 

Kibsons is your one stop shop, covering almost everything you could need for your family, with a wide range of fresh produce, home care, baby care and pet care.  All Kibsons orders are delivered straight to your door, so there is no-need to leave your home. For more information, please visit www.kibsons.com or call +971 800 5427667. Choose Kibsons, as they truly do care. 

5,000 OPTIONS BEYOND SINGLE WOOD VENEER - INTERIORS TO SUIT EVERY CUSTOMER

 

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• Range of modern options expand Bentley’s veneer offering beyond traditional wood species

• Extensive personalisation options available through Bentley Mulliner

• Stone veneers provide the ultimate texture contrast

• Piano painted veneers bring exterior colours inside the cabin

• Open pore veneers allow natural surface to be experienced

• Carbon fibre and diamond brushed aluminium for a sporting finish

• More than 5,000 possible ways to specify fascias and waistrails

(Middle East, 26 October 2020) As the average age of Bentley clients continues to fall, the choice provided to the customer is becoming increasingly diverse and modern. Nowhere is this more evident than the newly expanded suite of veneer options available to the customer when they choose their interior, now providing more than 5,000 possible combinations involving painted veneers, open pore wood, technical finishes and even stone.

Since the very first Bentley in 1921, the finest Grand Tourers in the world have been sold with wooden dashboards. In recent years, the shaping and application of ethically sourced, sustainable wood veneer to Bentley interiors has been recognised as industry-leading – the skills of the craftspeople in Bentley’s Wood Shop are identical to those of the finest cabinet makers. Shaping and polishing wood veneer to tolerances measured in tenths of a millimetre bring an intricate, beautiful element of natural luxury to the cabin.

The Continental GT, for example, is available with seven different wood species – either as a single finish, or paired with Grand Black as a dual finish. Additionally, through Bentley Mulliner’s Extended Veneer option, any two species of wood can be combined in a dual finish.

For those customers wanting to move away from traditional lacquered wood veneer, Bentley now offers the luxury of choice through a number of veneer families and Mulliner Personal Commissioning options.

Stone Veneers – the Ultimate Contrast

Using state of the art technology, Bentley Mulliner can take stone formed over 200 million years ago and create veneers just 0.1mm thick, making them extremely light in weight. They feature a natural ‘open pore’ finish, with a stone texture you can feel as well as see.

Slate and quartzite stone is sustainably sourced from hand-selected quarries in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, India – a nation with an ancient and rich culture of stone masonry. The sections of stone are split from larger pieces and cured using a bespoke resin. Finally, they are shaped and hand finished by Bentley’s world-renowned Mulliner coachbuilding team at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England.

Four different stone colours are available, to complement a range of interiors: Autumn White, Copper, Galaxy or Terra Red.

Stone, Piano painted and open pore veneers are all available as single finishes, or as a dual finish in combination with gloss Grand Black veneer above or below – expanding the options to the customer even further.

Piano Painted Veneers – Prioritising Colour

Those customers wishing to add a splash of colour to their veneers are able to select Piano painted veneers by Bentley Mulliner, offering an ultra-modern look that perfectly complements the wide range of interior hide options available. The same quality of veneer, carefully selected by Bentley’s master craftspeople, is used as when lacquered wood options are chosen, to ensure the same flawless surface finish. The veneer is then hand sanded before it is lacquered, then paint is carefully applied to ensure a perfect finish. After painting, the veneer receives a final polish with lamb’s wool to achieve a mirror like finish.

Bentley Mulliner can paint match to any of Bentley’s 88 different exterior shades, or to a set of eight interior hide colours - Beluga, Burnt Oak, Cricket Ball, Cumbrian Green, Damson, Imperial Blue, Linen or Porpoise.

Open-Pore Veneers – for Sustainability and Texture

For those wanting to avoid the gloss of full lacquer, Mulliner provides the option of using open-pore veneer, which is finished with an ultra-thin matt lacquer solely for protection. Liquid Amber, Dark Burr Walnut and Tamo Ash veneers are all available in an open-pore finish.

Selected from only the very best, most figured stock available, open-pore veneer is painted with just three ultra-thin layers of lacquer, together totalling only 0.1 mm in thickness. By comparison, Bentley’s High Gloss lacquer coating is 0.5 mm thick and has a glossy, smooth finish. Each layer is applied by hand and sanded between applications, ensuring the lacquer sticks to the natural grooves of the wood. The resulting finish is wax-like and perfectly highlights the authentic, natural colour and texture of the wood species.

This delicate technique ensures Bentley customers can actually feel the texture of the wood. The variation in colour and grain of different cuts of open-pore veneer mean that each is also slightly different – offering a truly unique Bentley interior.

Technical Finishes – for Maximum Sporting Aesthetic

Firstly, customers may choose a technical finish. High-gloss carbon fibre replaces the veneer panels to add a contemporary, technical and sporty feel to the interior. An optic resin process enhances the 3D appearance of the carbon fibre weave to maximum effect, providing a seamless geometric surface flowing around the cockpit from one door to the other

Unique to the new Bentayga, a stunning dark tint diamond brushed aluminium finish trim is available as an option in a Bentley for the first time. Evoking the Bentley matrix grille design, this exquisite finish is produced via an intricate process of brushing the aluminium precisely from multiple directions, to achieve a contemporary three-dimensional effect.

China’s Game Streaming Market to Generate $4.5 Billion Revenue in 2020 as Top Two Gaming Platforms Merge

According to the research data analyzed and published by SafeBettingSites.com, China’s game streaming market will generate $4.5 billion in 2020, up from $3.11 billion in 2019. The space has been on an uptrend. From $1.21 billion in 2017, it is projected to reach $7.44 billion in 2022.

Based on a study made by Newzoo, China will be the top gaming market globally in 2020 with $40.854 billion in revenue. The US will be second with $36.921 billion.

Huya and DouYu Merger to Create $10 Billion Game Streaming Behemoth

iResearch data revealed that the top two streaming services in China soared remarkably. Huya.com saw its revenue shoot up by 79.6% year-over-year (YoY) as DouYu surged by 99.3% YoY.

During Q2 2020, Huya had an average of 168.5 million monthly active users (MAUs). DouYu was close behind with 165.3 million MAUs. Huya made $2.7 billion in revenue in that quarter, up by 34.2% YoY according to Market Beat. On the other hand, DouYu made $2.51 billion, posting a 34% increase YoY.

Tencent mediated a deal that will see the two merge to create an industry giant worth nearly $10 billion. The agreement is set to take effect in H1 2021 and will see the two enjoy a combined user base of over 300 million.

China’s game streaming market has about 340 million users. As such, the new entity will have control over 80% of the market. Tencent will have a 67.5% share in the new company as it currently holds a 38% stake in DouYu and is the majority shareholder in Huya. According to Macro Trends, Tencent is worth $691.16 billion as of October 21, 2020. It owns some of the most lucrative gaming titles including PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty and Honor of Kings among others.

The full story, statistics and information can be found here: https://www.safebettingsites.com/blog/2020/10/23/chinas-game-streaming-market-to-generate-4-5-billion-revenue-in-2020-as-top-two-gaming-platforms-merge

#OurTimeIsNOW: New Learning Innovation Festival to inspire positive change in education worldwide

November’s [RE]LEARN – The Learning Innovation Festival is calling for educators, influencers, learning innovators, education and change leaders to join the online event to explore key learnings and insight across the education sector

 

Educators from across the globe are being invited to a two week-long festival which aims to develop methods to bring about a global shift in education. [RE]LEARN – The Learning Innovation Festival, founded by Learnlife, will take place virtually from 9-20 November 2020 across all time zones and will explore inspiring and actionable strategies that make the learning paradigm shift possible.

 

The theme for the Learning Innovation Festival will be “#OurTimeIsNOW - co-designing and implementing a new Learning Paradigm” and will bring together educators, influencers, learning innovators, education and change leaders to connect and empower them to explore how change can be initiated from the ground level, positively impacting learning communities from all areas of the world.

 

The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted education systems on a global scale and has accelerated the unique opportunity to unleash new and modern ways of learning that equip learners with the meaningful skills they need to thrive in today's world. Now is the time to unite all learning innovation stakeholders to drive this change, rather than simply waiting for it to happen.  

 

The Learning Innovation Festival will host over 270 expert sessions, numerous networking opportunities and more than 90 workshops covering a wide range of topics from leading change, creativity and remote learning to entrepreneurship, equity and wellbeing. Alongside a Learning Innovation Hackathon designed to create transformational tools for learning institutions, the festival will promote real life challenges for young people, organized by Adobe and Autodesk.

 

More than 200 speakers from over 40 countries have already been confirmed for the event, including:

 

• Esther Wojcicki, Founder of Moonshots for Education and of Palo Alto High Media Arts Program, Godmother of Silicon Valley
• Lord Michael Hastings, Chancellor of Regents University London, Life Peerage to The House of Lords, Professor of Leadership at Stephen R. Covey Institute & Trustee for Africa Philanthropy Foundation
• Richard Wurman, Architect and Information Architect, Founder of TED Conferences
• Margret Rasfeld, Founder of Schule im Aufbruch, Learning Innovator and Principal of ESBZ
• Eduard Vallory,  Founder and Director of Escola Nova 21, Social Analyst and Change Manager
• Jaz Ampaw-Farr, CEO of Human First Ed, Thought Leader on Chaos Navigation, Resilience Ninja and Change Agent

 

Christopher Pommerening, founder and chief empowerment officer at Learnlife, said:

“Students are currently being prepared for a world that doesn’t exist anymore. The pandemic has disrupted education systems everywhere. Now is the time to unleash a new lifelong learning paradigm for everyone. [RE]LEARN is the online festival where actionable learning innovation is shared and grown among movers and shakers that are positively changing education worldwide.

 

Imagine the World Economic Forum combined with the Mobile World Congress with the focus on learning innovation – decentralised and happening across all countries at the same time, with a clear call to action: less talking and more hands-on implementation sessions and workshops.”

 

Those wishing to attend or for more information about the online event, please visit: https://relearnfestival.com

Trina Solar's Vertex 600W+ Series Modules Obtained the Industry's Worldwide Recognized IEC Certifications

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 26th October - Trina Solar Co., Ltd. (“Trina Solar” or the “Company”), a leading global PV and smart energy total solution provider, announced recently that the Vertex 600W and 550W series of glass-backsheet and dual-glass modules passed the TÜV Rheinland Photovoltaic Module IEC standard serial test and obtained two certificates, IEC 61215 and IEC 61730. The Vertex series became the first 600W+ high-power PV module that achieved IEC certifications in the PV industry.

Trina Solar’s Vertex modules (600W & 550W), using 210mm size cells, have the characteristics of high power, high efficiency and high reliability, suitable for large-scale ground mounted PV power plants and large industrial and commercial rooftop projects. Besides Trina Solar's leading PERC and multi-busbar technology, it also adopts a low-voltage and high-string power design to increase the power of single-string of modules by more than 40%. At the same time, it integrates non-destructive cell cutting, high-density cell interconnection., The modules with dual glass structure also meet the highest fire protection rating of Class A of the IEC 61730 standard, enhancing operational safety and long term reliability.

The short-circuit current (Isc) and maximum output power (Pmax) of the 600W and 550W modules have increased by more than 10% compared to last generation. According to the IEC 62915 photovoltaic module retest guidelines, various types of laboratory approvals and safety tests are required. The design-related qualification and type approval is done by applying temperature cycling (TC200), hot spot (HS) and diode heating and function (BD) tests. With high string power feature, the module Isc is accordingly higher, increased test current shall be applied during these tests, which brings usually some challenges on the module design and materials. However, Vertex’s better reliability and optimized design are deployed to meet more severe challenges and passed this stringent test. At the same time, due to the larger cell size and ultra-high- module current, the supporting junction box also has to be upgraded according to the IEC62790 standard.

Mr. Zou Chicheng, Vice President of Solar Services at TÜV Rheinland Greater China, said: “600W+ ultra-high-power modules are an important direction for the development of the photovoltaic industry. As members of the 600W+ Photovoltaic Open Innovation Ecological Alliance, Trina Solar and TÜV Rheinland play key roles to their respective advantages to help and promote the development of 600W+ ultra-high-power modules. From the beginning of the research and development stage of the Trina Vertex series modules, TÜV Rheinland has participated in the discussion and shared its own experience in product safety and reliability. Ultra-high-power modules mean that the current is further increased. To eliminate the impact of high current is a huge challenge for manufacturers, and it also puts forward higher requirements for the capabilities of third-party certification agencies. Trina Solar’s Vertex 600W+ modules have passed TÜV Rheinland's comprehensive rigorous test and successfully passed IEC certifications, becoming the industry’s first 600W PV module certified by a third-party organization. Hence it is fully demonstrating Trina’s years of accumulated R&D and strength in supporting the industrial chain, and embodies Trina’s consistent philosophy that “quality is a habit”.

Dr. Zhang Yingbin, Head of Product Strategy and Marketing Department of Trina Solar, said: “The Vertex ultra-high power module is based on the brand new 210/M12 cell technology, combining Trina’s more than 20 years of technological experience and innovation, excellent R&D team and first-class domestic intelligent manufacturing base. This combination makes the Vertex series modules quickly become the new benchmark in the industry. At the same time of technological innovation, Trina Solar has been cooperating with third-party organizations to jointly explore the testing methods and evaluation standards for the long-term reliability of modules. Reaching the TÜV Rheinland reliability certification is an authoritative third party recognition of the high reliability of the Vertex module again.  It is an important part of Trina Solar’s definition of the new high reliability warranty scheme for the Vertex series modules. We are convinced that this module with higher efficiency, higher power and higher reliability will bring a higher return of investment to customers”.