16, Sep 2026
Finance’s Best Festive Week Isn’t Diwali. Marketers Who Catch It Win
By Sanjay Trisal, GM, India, AppsFlyer
September 16, 2026: Every festive season, finance marketers converge on the same seven days. Diwali gets the media plan, the war room, and the results deck circulated to leadership afterward. Our numbers say that week doesn’t decide the season.
AppsFlyer’s India Festive Report 2026 tracked 2.1 billion installs, 5 billion re-engagement conversions, and $700 million in ad spend across India’s 2025 festive window. Inside that scale sits a pattern most finance marketers never check for: the vertical’s biggest revenue week didn’t fall during Diwali. It landed the week after, alongside Chhath Puja, and pulled in 13% of the season’s Android revenue and 11% of iOS revenue, ahead of Diwali week’s own 11% and 9%.
The spend backs up the shift. Re-engagement budgets rose 102% on Android during Diwali week, then climbed another 97% the week after. Conversions moved even more, up 124% on iOS and 23% on Android over that same stretch. Read on its own, this looks like the best kind of marketing story: customers who came back for Diwali stayed engaged well past it. A loyalty win, hard-earned.
I’d have believed that story too, if I’d stopped at the top-line numbers. Retention data tells a sharper story. iOS cohorts acquired in this window hit 13.1% retention on Day 7, well above the usual 11.5%. By Day 30, that lead has shrunk to 8% against a baseline of 7%, a gap that’s nearly closed. Android shows almost none of this movement, at Day 7 or Day 30. Average the two platforms together, and the whole pattern vanishes. What looks like sustained loyalty is really a short, real, platform-specific window, not a lasting behavior change.
October’s install data points to the same conclusion from a different angle. The events driving the post-Diwali surge – gold buying around Dhanteras and financial planning tied to Chhath Puja – also produce the strongest install-to-purchase conversion of the entire year: 3% on Android, 7% on iOS. This isn’t a single-week sentiment spike. It’s intent that shows up consistently, in a season built around exactly this kind of financial decision-making.
None of this shows up on a chart that plots one metric against time. It only appears when spend, conversion, revenue, retention, and platform get read together, and even then only if nobody averages away the split between Android and iOS. That’s the harder discipline, and it pays off.
I don’t think the answer is to wait until Day 30 to decide whether a spike was real, and I don’t think it’s to write off the week after Diwali as a short transaction bump dressed up as engagement. The value sits earliest, in the days right after Chhath Puja, while that financial intent is still active. For finance marketers in India, that week is this season’s clearest opening. It rewards whoever measures it precisely enough to see it: split by platform, counted in the week it’s actually earned, not folded into an average that hides it.
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- By Neel Achary
16, Sep 2026
TAT spotlights Bangkok Art Biennale 2026 as a contemporary citywide art experience
Angels & Mara transforms temples, museums, landmarks and public spaces into an art route for culture-led travel
BANGKOK, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is highlighting Bangkok Art Biennale 2026 (BAB 2026) as a citywide contemporary art experience that will strengthen Bangkok’s position as a global art destination. Scheduled from 29 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 under an Angels & Mara theme, the fifth edition brings Thai and international artists into dialogue with the capital’s heritage, spirituality, urban life and creative future.
TAT Governor Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool said, “Bangkok Art Biennale 2026 reflects TAT’s direction to position Thailand as a high-value and meaningful destination, where culture, creativity and contemporary identity create deeper reasons to travel. By turning Bangkok into a citywide platform for artistic discovery, Angels & Mara strengthens the Thai capital’s global visibility, supports the Festival Economy, and connects visitors with experiences that bring together heritage, imagination and the creative energy of Amazing Thailand.”
Angels & Mara shapes the citywide platform that explores the tension between guardians of light and forces of temptation. Drawing on religious, cultural and philosophical traditions, BAB 2026 examines the dualities that define modern life, from hope and despair to spirituality and materialism, memory and forgetting, desire and restraint. Set in Bangkok, whose Thai name, Krung Thep, means City of Angels, the theme gives visitors a deeper look into the capital, while offering artists a powerful framework to reflect on the uncertainty, conflict and transformation of modern life.
The programme features a growing roster of artists and collectives from Thailand and around the world, working across painting, sculpture, photography, performance art, film and multimedia. The line-up reinforces BAB 2026 as an international platform for artistic dialogue, stimulating conversation across cultures, generations and disciplines.
BAB 2026 will unfold across temples, museums, cultural institutions, educational spaces and major public venues. Locations include Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Wat Prayoon (Temple of the Iron Fences), Museum Siam, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, One Bangkok, centralwOrld, Siam Paragon, the National Museum Bangkok and the Art Centre, Silpakorn University. Together, these venues connect Bangkok’s historic quarters, riverfront communities, civic landmarks and emerging areas, offering visitors a new art route to explore the capital.
Against this urban backdrop, TAT will connect BAB 2026 with Thailand’s wider tourism appeal, encouraging visitors to experience Bangkok through contemporary art, heritage sites, creative districts and everyday city life. This approach supports culture-led travel and reinforces the capital as a place where heritage, creativity and contemporary urban culture converge.
The festival is a collaboration of Thailand’s cultural, tourism, government and private-sector partners, with Thai Beverage Public Company Limited as a major supporter since 2018. This shared commitment reinforces Bangkok’s appeal as a regional centre for contemporary art and extends the value of art into tourism, education, public engagement and the wider economy.
Founded in 2017 and first staged in 2018, Bangkok Art Biennale was created to transform Bangkok into one of Southeast Asia’s leading modern art destinations. Previous editions have attracted more than 3.5 million visitors and presented works by over 300 artists from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania and Africa. Meanwhile, the pandemic-era BAB Virtual Venue reached over 2.3 million online viewers worldwide.
More information, including the latest participating artists, artworks, venues and public programmes, is available through official Bangkok Art Biennale channels.
Website: www.tatnews.org
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16, Sep 2026
GHIT Fund Launches “NTDpedia” to Help Turn Apathy Into Action Against Neglected Tropical Diseases
The interactive educational website makes NTDs understandable
to a general audience, the first step toward public support that drives R&D
for the 1.5 billion people affected by these diseases
TOKYO, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund announced the launch of “NTDpedia: Your Guide to Neglected Tropical Diseases.” Designed as an accessible, visually intuitive digital encyclopedia, NTDpedia aims to address a root cause of neglect: Most people have never heard of these diseases. Awareness is the first step; people cannot advocate for, fund, or research a disease they do not know exists.
Website URL: https://www.ghitfund.org/ntdpedia/en
Overcoming Indifference: Why NTDpedia Matters Today
While Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) sets a clear mandate to end epidemics of NTDs by 2030 under the banner “Leaving No One Behind,” NTDs remain severely underfunded and overlooked. Affected populations are trapped in a vicious cycle: Poverty breeds disease and disease deepens poverty. Lack of clean water and sanitation elevates infection risks, while inadequate healthcare infrastructure leads to severe complications, economic loss, social stigma, and further marginalization.
“The greatest barrier to ending NTDs is not just the lack of medical tools but also lack of awareness and societal apathy,” said Osamu Kunii, CEO of the GHIT Fund. “NTDpedia was built to transform a distant problem into something people can understand and then care about, which is the first step toward meaningful global action.”
Key Features of NTDpedia: Connecting Global Challenges to Daily Life
Supervised by world-renowned tropical medicine and global health expert Prof. Kenji Hirayama from Nagasaki University, NTDpedia covers the 21 disease groups recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), including viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections, as well as snakebite envenoming and noma.
To help users intuitively navigate and relate to these complex conditions, the platform introduces two distinct visual discovery frameworks:
- Four Curated Key Phrases to Personalize the Cause:
- Climate change: Highlighting diseases that expand into new geographies, including high-income nations, as a warming climate combines with global travel and trade
- Poor sanitation and poverty: Showing how unsafe water, poor sanitation, and crowded housing keep these diseases circulating and how illness in turn deepens poverty.
- Children at high risk: Highlighting diseases that fall hardest on children, affecting growth, schooling, and lifelong health.
- Once common in Japan: Revealing that several of these diseases were once present in Japan and no longer remain in living memory.
- Categorized Visual Transmission: Diseases are categorized by how they spread and what causes them: parasites, bacteria, viruses, insects, other animals, water/soil, and other routes.
Catalyzing R&D and Global Action
The GHIT Fund envisions NTDpedia becoming a resource for anyone curious about these diseases, from students and teachers to companies and advocates. Apathy often reflects unfamiliarity rather than indifference. By making these diseases visible and understandable, the GHIT Fund aims to build public support that drives investment in research and development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for NTDs.
*Please note that this website was created for general readers who may not have background expertise in the field. Estimates and figures regarding NTDs can differ across various sources; therefore, the content herein has been compiled from multiple references. We kindly ask users to verify the latest data and primary sources prior to referencing this information.
The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership (PPP) fund that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases. https://www.ghitfund.org/
For more information, contact:
Katy Lenard at +1-202-494-2584 or klenard@burness.com
Eriko Mugitani at +81-36441-2032 or eriko.mugitani@ghitfund.org
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ghit-fund-launches-ntdpedia-to-help-turn-apathy-into-action-against-neglected-tropical-diseases-302879854.html
16, Sep 2026
TransNusa Expands Australia-Bali Presence with Daily Melbourne-Bali Connection and First-Ever ‘Premium Plus’ Service
TransNusa Masterstrokes Australia-Bali Market with Powerhouse Double-Launch of New Melbourne-Bali Daily Connection Alongside Its First-Ever ‘Premium Plus’ Service
In its latest signature expansion move, the airline, lead by Datuk Bernard Francis, has masterfully synchronized its existing commercial assets to implement a twin launch guaranteeing passengers not only a convenient new flight schedule but also an elevated, next-level travel experience that can be enjoyed with family and friends.
Today, the Premium Service Carrier has officially opened ticket sales for its highly anticipated direct flights between Melbourne and Bali (Denpasar), commencing as a daily service on October 19, onwards.
This landmark launch seamlessly pairs optimized arrival and departure slots with the market debut of TransNusa’s customized Premium Plus seating, offering an intelligent travel solution, designed to maximize passenger comfort and connection efficiency. The travel solution provides TransNusa passengers with connections to 11 island and prime tourism destinations.
Datuk Bernard Francis, Group Chief Executive Officer of TransNusa, in highlighting the strategic importance of the new route, said, “The launch of the Melbourne-Bali route represents a monumental step forward in our international expansion strategy.”
Datuk Bernard Francis… TransNusa unveils twin launch with new Premium Plus service introduction alongside its Melbourne-Bali route announcement
“This new route introduction marks a defining milestone in TransNusa’s international growth strategy. It strengthens Bali’s position as a premier gateway between Australia and Asia, while giving travellers a compelling new choice that combines connectivity, value and a distinctly premium travel experience.”
“Bali remains a prime global holiday destination, and by connecting it directly to Melbourne, we are providing travellers from Australia with a highly competitive, premium flying alternative,” Datuk Bernard explained, adding that TransNusa has always strived to deliver beyond expectations as its aim is to provide reliable, comfortable, and affordable travel choices across the region.
In tandem with the route launch, TransNusa is breaking new ground by unveiling its first-ever Premium Plus service class. Tailored for travellers seeking elevated comfort without the traditional business class price tag, Premium Plus offers priority perks and enhanced baggage allowance.
To celebrate the dual milestone, the airline is rolling out exclusive introductory fares with standard basic seats that starts from just AUD299, while the all-new Premium Plus experience begins at an introductory rate of AUD699, giving travellers the opportunity to experience the new Melbourne–Bali service and TransNusa’s all-new premium offerings at an exceptional value.
The introduction of Premium Plus marks another significant milestone in TransNusa’s evolution as a premium-service airline, reflecting its commitment to giving passengers greater choice, comfort and value across its growing international network.
To ensure an elite journey, the newly developed Premium Plus tier features only 20 limited seats per flight.
Strategic Daily Flight Schedule
To cater to both business travellers and holiday-makers, TransNusa will operate a highly efficient overnight and morning schedule.
TransNusa Flight 8B 18 departs Bali (DPS) at 20:45 from I Gusti Ngurah International Airport and arrives at Melbourne Airport (MEL) at 05:40 the following morning. While the TransNusa Flight 8B 19 departs Melbourne Airport at 06:25, arriving back in Bali (DPS) at 09:40.
Beyond Point-to-Point: A Gateway to Island Paradise and Major Asian Hubs
Moving past conventional point-to-point operations, TransNusa’s new service is strategically engineered to offer passengers the ultimate flexibility for travel Beyond Bali. By positioning Bali as a primary international hub, the airline opens up thrilling, diverse journeys across its extensive network.
Passengers from Australia can effortlessly transition to travel Beyond Bali to discover the sun, sea, and holistic healing benefits offered by Indonesia’s hidden tropical gems, including the world-class marine ecosystems of Wakatobi and the breath-taking volcanic landscapes of Manado, Bima, and Lombok.
Furthermore, TransNusa has synchronized its flight schedules to provide timely, hassle-free transits to leading global tourism and commercial destinations, including Guangzhou (China), Singapore, and the sun-drenched beaches of Phuket, Thailand.
“Today, we are celebrating more than just a single point-to-point connection. Our goal is to design ultimate travel experiences that bring the best of sun, sea, and healing experience directly to our passengers. By scheduling timely transits from Bali, we are giving travellers from Australia complete flexibility to extend their journeys seamlessly Beyond Bali to exotic domestic havens like Wakatobi, Manado, Bima, and Lombok, or major regional capitals like Singapore, Phuket, and key cities across China.
“We are also incredibly proud to debut our first-ever Premium Plus service on this route. Premium Plus bridges the gap between value and luxury, ensuring our guests can experience superior comfort and hospitality at an introductory price of AUD699. Combined with our entry-level introductory fare of AUD299, we are ensuring that every traveller finds a personalized option that matches their budget and journey requirements.”
TransNusa transitioned to its globally recognized Premium Service Carrier model to stand out from traditional low-cost competitors, ensuring that even standard tickets include generous baggage provisions with standard comfort features such as water and snacks and extended legroom. The new Melbourne service builds upon the success of the airline’s existing international networks, establishing a robust link between Australia and the rest of TransNusa’s rapidly growing Asia Pacific network.
Tickets for the Melbourne–Bali route are available for purchase immediately. Due to the high demand and the strictly limited 20-seat capacity for the premium experience, travellers are encouraged to secure their seats and design their multi-destination itineraries early by visiting the official website at transnusa.co.id or through any authorized travel booking platform.
16, Sep 2026
Vodia Announces Vodia Billing
BOSTON: Sept 16 – Vodia Networks, Inc., a provider of unified cloud communications solutions to enterprises, contact centers, and managed service providers (MSPs), is pleased to announce Vodia Billing, Version 1.0.0-beta, a standalone billing middleware for Vodia PBX fleets.
MSP billing needs to answer three important questions: What is the amount of each invoice? Who owes the company payment? What invoices have been paid? Vodia Billing has been developed to answer and resolve these questions quickly, correctly, and seamlessly.
Vodia Billing turns raw call data into invoices
Vodia Billing ingests CDRs, rates calls against rate sheets, and handles recurring charges based on PBX entities such as extensions, auto attendants, call queues, maximum concurrent trunk calls, etc., as well as hardware one-off charges and taxes. Once this information has been processed, Vodia Billing issues and delivers invoices, handing them off to Xero or QuickBooks Online (if connected). Vodia billing sits beside the PBX and turns raw call records into accounting entries, fraud alerts, and invoices.
Vodia Billing and Vodia Analytics
Vodia Billing is a companion product to Vodia Analytics, which transforms PBX call data into clear, actionable insights with real-time dashboards, detailed call records, and AI-powered analysis. Vodia Billing has been built with the same architecture and the same interface conventions as Vodia Analytics, but with a separate server and a separate database:
● Ingests CDRs from one or more Vodia PBX systems over the PBX’s own webcdr webhook; recovers missed days from archive CSV files.
● Rates outbound calls against your rate sheets, with per-destination charge types, connect fees, billing increments, minimum durations, and included-minute allowances.
● Counts recurring items from daily PBX snapshots: extensions, hunt groups, auto attendants, queues, DIDs, and concurrent-call peaks.
● Computes tax in per-bucket components, or hands tax computation to QuickBooks Online (must be connected).
● Produces invoices with gapless fleet-wide numbering, frozen detail, twelve languages, per-tenant branding, and revocable share links.
● Delivers by email with a call-detail CSV attached, and by CSV over SFTP, HTTP, or email to a payment system.
● Hands off to accounting, Xero or QuickBooks Online, with customer mapping, payment sync back, and per-invoice push state.
● Chases payment with configurable reminder schedules and overdue alerts.
● Watches for fraud with 20 detectors, optional automatic extension disable on the PBX, and per-tenant threshold overrides.
● Reports margin per tenant per month, split by charge basis, with loss-makers flagged (partner-only, never visible to customers).
Quick Start
Quick Start is the best way to test drive Vodia Billing: it goes from a bare server to a first draft invoice, with a worked example at each step.
Vodia Billing is another step in the company’s journey to provide MSPs with everything they need to find and retain customers and grow their brands. The company also recently announced the new Vodia Partner Program and new Vodia Partner Portal, which give service providers, MSPs, system integrators, and technology partners a clearer way to grow their Vodia business.
16, Sep 2026
76 percent Young Talent: Hindustan Zinc’s Next-Generation Engineers Are Reimagining India’s Zinc Story
Udaipur, 16 September 2026: As India celebrates Engineers’ Day, Hindustan Zinc Limited, the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and one of the world’s top ten silver producers, is spotlighting the growing role of young engineering talent in shaping the future of one of the country’s most critical industries. With 57.8% of Hindustan Zinc’s executive workforce comprising employees from engineering backgrounds, 76% of its young professionals coming from core engineering disciplines, and nearly 10% of the company’s leaders under the age of 35, a new generation of engineers is bringing together technical expertise, digital capabilities and innovation to transform mining and metals operations.
Across Hindustan Zinc’s technology-led operations, young engineers are increasingly working at the intersection of core engineering and emerging technologies. From remote blasting and tele-remote equipment handling to real-time monitoring systems, operational intelligence platforms, automated processes and digital control rooms, engineers are contributing to safer, smarter and more efficient ways of working across the company’s mines and smelters.
At Hindustan Zinc, this transformation is supported by a strong engineering talent base. Of the company’s total executive workforce of 2,685 employees, 1,551 are from engineering backgrounds, with women executives representing 20.5% across diverse disciplines including mining, metallurgy, mechanical, electrical and environmental engineering. The company also continues to strengthen its young talent pipeline, with 335 campus hires in FY26, bringing fresh technical perspectives into an industry undergoing rapid technological and operational change.
Mr. Amarendu Prakash, CEO & Whole-time Director, Hindustan Zinc, said “The engineer of today is entering an industry that is fundamentally changing. At Hindustan Zinc, we are seeing a new generation of engineers bring this mindset to the workplace and challenge conventional ways of solving complex problems. Our responsibility is to create an environment where their curiosity, technical capability and ambition can translate into innovations that strengthen the future of mining and metals.”
With over 62% of its workforce under the age of 35 and a 26.3% gender diversity ratio, Hindustan Zinc is building a workplace where young talent is empowered with meaningful responsibilities, rich job content and the freedom to innovate. With rapid digitalisation and automation transforming industrial operations, the company is fostering a startup culture within a large-scale manufacturing environment, enabling employees to bring fresh ideas, agility and ownership to the shopfloor, mines and business functions alike.
Beyond its executive engineering talent, Hindustan Zinc’s engineering ecosystem is strengthened by more than 423 non-executives who are directly and indirectly involved in critical engineering processes across its mines and smelters. Working closely with heavy machinery, complex equipment and high-intensity industrial operations, they form an essential part of the company’s operational backbone.
The employee-first approach is also reflected in the company’s commitment to creating career-enhancing and equal opportunities for its people at every stage of life. From enabling women employees to take up roles across shifts and critical operations, to offering flexible work hours, spouse hiring, year-long sabbaticals for childcare, and leave policies that prioritise mental and physical well-being, Hindustan Zinc continues to strengthen a workplace where employees can grow both personally and professionally. The company also encourages talent mobility, giving employees the opportunity to explore roles across business functions based on their interests, aptitude and aspirations.
16, Sep 2026
ViaBTC Partners with Mempool to Expand Access to BTC Transaction Acceleration Services
HONG KONG, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ViaBTC, a leading global multi-cryptocurrency mining pool, today announced a partnership with Mempool to expand access to Bitcoin transaction acceleration services. Under the partnership, ViaBTC will use its Bitcoin mining pool infrastructure and expertise in block construction and transaction processing to accelerate eligible transactions, helping more users get their Bitcoin transactions confirmed sooner.
Bitcoin transactions can remain unconfirmed for extended periods when the network is congested or transaction fees are too low. To help users address these delays, ViaBTC became one of the first providers to launch a Bitcoin transaction accelerator in 2016, offering free and paid options. It has continued to refine the product and its underlying technology ever since. As of September 16, 2026, ViaBTC has accelerated more than 800,000 BTC transactions.
The partnership marks another step in ViaBTC’s efforts to build partnerships across the Bitcoin infrastructure ecosystem. Since its launch in 2016, ViaBTC has navigated multiple market cycles and Bitcoin halvings, building a decade of experience in mining pool operations and technology development. That experience underpins its services for miners worldwide and supports the expansion of offerings such as transaction acceleration. Working with Mempool extends the reach of ViaBTC’s mining pool infrastructure, bringing its technical expertise to more applications across the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Haipo Yang, Founder and CEO of ViaBTC, said that miners’ long-term trust is built on reliable day-to-day operations and sustained investment in technology and service. Whatever the market does, ViaBTC puts the security, stability, and efficiency of its mining pool first. The partnership with Mempool marks another step in expanding the company’s ecosystem collaboration, drawing on years of technical and operational experience. Going forward, ViaBTC will stay focused on what miners need, strengthening its infrastructure to support their long-term growth and the continued operation of the Bitcoin network.
The partnership will not change how users access or use the ViaBTC Transaction Accelerator. Users can continue to submit eligible transaction IDs through the ViaBTC website and mobile app, where they can also view their acceleration history and request status.
ViaBTC will continue to strengthen the security, stability, and efficiency of its mining pool infrastructure while improving its products and services for miners. It will also explore further partnerships with block explorers, wallets, and other Bitcoin infrastructure providers to bring its technology to more applications. Through continued investment in technology and collaboration, ViaBTC aims to serve miners worldwide while providing reliable infrastructure for a broader range of needs across the Bitcoin ecosystem.
About ViaBTC
ViaBTC is a multi-cryptocurrency mining pool serving miners worldwide. Launched in 2016, it specializes in secure, stable, and efficient Proof-of-Work (PoW) mining services, supporting major PoW cryptocurrencies including BTC, LTC/DOGE, BCH, ZEC, and KAS. ViaBTC has served more than 2 million users across over 150 countries and regions. Its BTC, LTC/DOGE merged-mining, BCH, and ZEC pools rank among the world’s leading mining pools.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/viabtc-partners-with-mempool-to-expand-access-to-btc-transaction-acceleration-services-302878960.html
16, Sep 2026
Union Bank of India Unveils ‘Union SUDARSHAN’ and 14 New Initiatives for Smarter Banking
Mumbai, September 16, 2026: Union Bank of India on 10.09.2026, inaugurated ‘Union SUDARSHAN’, the Bank’s first fully automated, centralised banking intelligence hub, marking a significant milestone in its digital transformation journey. The event, held at Union Bank of India, M.S. Marg, Mumbai, was graced by Shri Sanjay Lohiya (IAS), Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Government of India, in the presence of Shri Asheesh Pandey, Managing Director & CEO, Union Bank of India, along with Shri Nitesh Ranjan and Shri Ramasubramanian S, Executive Directors, and Shri Prakash Baliarsingh, Dr. Priti Jay Rao and Shri Prakash Chandra Kandpal, Non-Executive Directors on the Board of the Bank. Senior executives from other Banks, LIC and Indian Banks’ Association were also present on the occasion.
At the event, Union Bank of India also launched 14 new strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing customer convenience, improving operational efficiency, and enabling seamless banking services. Designed after extensive research and consultation with field functionaries, the initiatives are intended to help the Bank’s systems navigate and respond with far greater clarity, empowering employees to serve customers with confidence, speed and ownership.
The event also witnessed the inauguration of the ‘Union Bank Museum’, showcasing the Bank’s evolution and milestones, celebrating its legacy, culture and contribution to India’s banking and financial landscape, while paying tribute to the founders of Union Bank of India, erstwhile Corporation Bank and erstwhile Andhra Bank.
In his address, the Chief Guest, Shri Sanjay Lohiya, IAS, Secretary, DFS, MOF, GOI highlighted the growing importance of cyber security in today’s digital banking landscape and emphasised the effective use of technology to promote ease of doing business, strengthen cyber resilience, enhance customer-centric service delivery and support sustainable business growth. He encouraged the Bank to continue introducing initiatives that make it more robust, resilient and future-ready. He also highlighted the importance of engaging India’s youth in the banking and financial ecosystem and harnessing their contribution towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Asheesh Pandey, Managing Director & CEO, Union Bank of India, said, “Union SUDARSHAN reflects our vision of building a smarter, more agile and future-ready institution. By harnessing the power of data, artificial intelligence and intelligent automation, we are building efficiency across systems, strengthening governance, enabling proactive risk management and enhancing customer service.”
Union SUDARSHAN represents a paradigm shift from conventional monitoring systems to an intelligence-led governance framework. Powered by advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the platform identifies anomalies across channels through intelligent behavioural baselines, combining automation with human governance. This enables early risk detection, stronger oversight and evidence-based decision-making, marking a strategic shift from reactive monitoring to proactive governance. The platform also features an exception-based alert management framework with automated escalation across hierarchies.
On the occasion, Shri Nitesh Ranjan, Executive Director, Union Bank of India, said “The 14 new initiatives launched today are aimed squarely at ease of doing business for our customers and for our own staff. Each of them has been designed to simplify processes, cut down turnaround times and remove friction from everyday banking. Together, these initiatives mark a decisive step towards a more efficient, customer-centric Union Bank of India.”
Together, Union SUDARSHAN and the Bank’s strategic initiatives reflect Union Bank of India’s continuing commitment to becoming a Bank for the Future one that combines technology, efficiency and institutional legacy to deliver stronger governance, sharper agility and a superior banking experience for every stakeholder.
16, Sep 2026
Bybit Launches Bybit Odds, Giving Traders a Simpler Way to Trade Crypto Price Views
New Price View Contract product gives traders a defined return and maximum exposure without leverage or liquidation
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, today announced the launch of Bybit Odds, a new Price View Contract that allows users to trade on the future price movement of BTC and ETH with fixed returns and a defined amount at risk.
Bybit Odds gives traders an alternative to conventional leveraged products. Users select a price view, choose the amount of USDT to allocate and see the potential return before confirming the trade. The product does not use leverage, and positions are not subject to liquidation. This provides a straightforward way for traders to participate in crypto price movements without managing a leveraged position.
The launch adds a new format to the growing range of crypto odds products available through centralized exchanges, while keeping the trading process within Bybit’s existing platform and account infrastructure.
Three Trading Formats for BTC and ETH
Bybit Odds is initially available for BTC and ETH through three Price View Contract formats:
- Up/Down: Users take a view on whether the price will be higher or lower at the end of the selected period.
- Price Target: Users take a view on whether the price will be above or below a specified price at expiry.
- Price Range: Users take a view on whether the price will remain within or move outside a specified price range at expiry.
Available trading periods range from five minutes, 15 minutes to seven days, covering both short term and longer duration price views.
Defined Exposure and Fixed Returns
The return for each Bybit Odds trade is displayed before the order is placed. Users can start with an allocation of 5 USDT, while the amount allocated to a trade represents the maximum amount at risk for that position.
As Bybit Odds does not use leverage, positions are not subject to liquidation or margin calls associated with leveraged trading. This allows users to determine their exposure at the point of entry rather than adjusting margin as the underlying price moves.
Bybit Odds is integrated with Bybit’s Unified Trading Account (UTA) and is available on both Web and App. Users can access the product through their existing Bybit account and use USDT from their UTA.
The product is supported by institutional market makers, providing liquidity for available contracts and facilitating pricing within the Bybit trading environment.
Bybit Odds expands the range of trading products available on the platform, giving users another way to participate in crypto price movements alongside Bybit’s existing spot and derivatives markets.
Bybit Odds is now available on Bybit Web and App.
#Bybit / #NewFinancialPlatform
About Bybit
Bybit is The New Financial Platform.
We believe every person should have access to every financial opportunity on earth. That’s why we’re building the first intelligent platform that connects anyone, anywhere to the world’s finance.
Trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, Bybit brings together investing, trading, payments, and wealth-building in a single secure and intelligent ecosystem. Through the combination of AI-powered technology, deep global liquidity, robust security, and transparent operations, Bybit makes global finance more accessible, efficient, and empowering for everyone.
Built for everyone. Powered by intelligence. Open to the world.
Learn more at Bybit.com.
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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-launches-bybit-odds-giving-traders-a-simpler-way-to-trade-crypto-price-views-302879909.html
15, Sep 2026
SQC Appoints Semiconductor Veteran John Hollister as Chief Financial Officer
Hollister brings 25+ years of financial leadership across the global semiconductor industry, including previous CFO roles at GlobalFoundries and Silicon Labs
SYDNEY, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), a pioneer in quantum computing and atomic-precision manufacturing, today announced the appointment of John Hollister as Chief Financial Officer, effective 17 August 2026. Hollister will lead global financial strategy and operations as SQC advances its roadmap to universal, commercial-scale quantum computers.
Based in the U.S., Hollister is a global finance executive with more than two decades of leadership experience within the semiconductor industry. He has led and scaled international teams through periods of accelerated growth, with expertise spanning capital formation, financial planning and analysis, worldwide accounting, financial reporting, M&A, tax and investor relations.
Prior to SQC, Hollister served as CFO at GlobalFoundries, one of the world’s largest semiconductor foundries. Earlier in his career, he spent two decades at Silicon Labs, including 11 years as the company’s CFO, and held previous roles at Cicada Semiconductor and Cirrus Logic.
SQC Founder and CEO, Michelle Simmons, said: “Building a globally competitive quantum computing company requires the sharpest minds and deep knowledge. John brings a track record of financial rigor and expertise that is critical to advancing our commercial roadmap and scaling our world-leading manufacturing technology. We are delighted to have him on board.”
SQC Chief Financial Officer, John Hollister, added: “I look forward to building the financial infrastructure to support SQC’s next phase of growth, both in Australia and globally. Bringing quantum computing to the world is a massive opportunity, and SQC’s atomic-precision manufacturing capability gives us a distinct commercial and scientific advantage.”
Hollister’s arrival follows the appointment of Karna Nisewaner as Chief Legal Officer in June 2026. Together, these appointments bolster SQC’s executive leadership with decades of expertise building and running the operational machine behind chip design and manufacturing. SQC is one of 11 companies selected for Stage B of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, and the company continues to deploy its quantum-enhanced AI and materials simulation chips to customers today.
For more information, visit www.sqc.com and follow SQC on LinkedIn.
About Silicon Quantum Computing
Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) is at the forefront of global efforts to deliver a commercial-scale quantum system. Backed by 25 years of technological leadership, SQC holds a singular advantage: exclusive capability to manufacture silicon chips with atomic precision, enabling quantum computing systems with world-leading algorithmic fidelity. With in-house QPU manufacturing, SQC iterates new chips weekly while delivering quantum-enhanced AI and materials simulation systems to customers today. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
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