28, Aug 2026
Syria marks first international card transaction in more than 15 years with Mastercard and QNB Group
- The transaction follows the reconnection of the country’s payments ecosystem to Mastercard’s global network
- The first payment paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mastercard and QNB Group have processed Syria’s first international card payment in more than 15 years, marking an important milestone in the modernization of Syria’s payments ecosystem.
Following the technical reconnection of Syria’s payments ecosystem to Mastercard’s global network, QNB Syria processed the first point-of-sale (POS) transaction at an eligible approved local merchant using an internationally issued Mastercard card.
The transaction establishes a foundation for the acceptance of international payments in Syria, helping connect consumers, businesses and financial institutions to the global digital economy and support the country’s longer-term economic development.
“The completion of Syria’s first international card transaction in more than 15 years is an important step in modernizing the country’s payments ecosystem. This achievement demonstrates the value of collaboration between the public and private sectors in enabling secure international payment acceptance, facilitating commerce and supporting sustainable economic development,” said H.E. Mohammed Safwat Raslan, Governor of the Central Bank of Syria.
Commenting on the achievement, Yousef Mahmoud Al-Neama, Group Chief Business Officer at QNB Group, said, “The successful completion of the first international card transaction represents an important step in the development of Syria’s payments landscape. By connecting merchants to international payment capabilities, we are enabling businesses to offer customers greater choice and convenience while supporting the transition towards a more modern and secure digital payments ecosystem. This achievement also reflects the Group’s continued commitment to payment innovation and digital transformation across the markets in which it operates.”
The successful transaction demonstrates the readiness of the infrastructure established to enable internationally issued Mastercard cards to be accepted in Syria. It also represents an important step towards broader secure digital payment acceptance across the market.
“At Mastercard, we see this first transaction as an important milestone in the evolution of Syria’s payments ecosystem. By working closely with the Central Bank of Syria and QNB Group, we are helping advance a more connected, secure and inclusive payments environment. This achievement marks an important first step towards expanding access to global payment capabilities and broader international card acceptance across the market,” said Adam Jones, Division President, West Arabia, Mastercard.
This progress reflects Mastercard’s broader commitment to supporting a modern, secure and inclusive payments ecosystem in Syria. The company will continue to work with the Central Bank of Syria, financial institutions and other ecosystem partners to advance digital payment adoption and contribute to the continued modernization of the country’s financial ecosystem.
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
www.mastercard.com
Mastercard Communications Contact: Sarah.Saleh@mastercard.com
About QNB
QNB Group is a leading financial institution in the Middle East and Africa and one of the most valuable banking brands in the region. Present in more than 28 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, it offers tailored products and services supported by innovation and backed by a team of over 31,000 professionals dedicated to driving banking excellence worldwide.
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- By Sai Krishna
28, Aug 2026
From Customer Intelligence to Autonomous Growth Intelligence:Deepansh Bhargava
Aug 28: For the last 6 years, Customer Data Platforms have transformed how brands understand their customers. They have brought fragmented data together, created unified customer profiles, enabled segmentation and made personalisation more intelligent. But the next evolution of CDPs will not be defined by how much customer data they can organise. It will be defined by how intelligently AI can convert that data into consumer value and incremental business outcomes.
The shift is from Customer Intelligence to Growth Intelligence.
Businesses today know more about their existing customers than ever before their purchase history, frequency, preferences, lifetime value and likelihood of buying again. Yet the larger opportunity lies in moving beyond what customers did to understanding what they need next, where their behaviour is changing and where the next phase of growth will come from. This also requires a sharper focus on incrementality.
Revenue, ROAS, conversions and engagement tell us what happened. But they do not always tell us how much of that outcome was created because of an intervention and how much would have happened anyway.
That difference is the Delta. AI can help take CDPs beyond systems of customer intelligence and turn them into systems of consumer and commercial decision intelligence. Instead of simply identifying customers with a high propensity to purchase, an intelligent growth system could identify intent, unmet needs and moments that matter then evaluate opportunities across acquisition, retention, frequency, basket size, category penetration, pricing, media, events and geography to identify where the highest incremental growth opportunity lies.
Growth intelligence should also help businesses identify where growth is likely to disappear. Early signals from customer behaviour, categories, geographies or spending patterns could reveal risks long before they become visible in the P&L. AI could identify the source of the risk, estimate its potential commercial impact and recommend interventions to change the trajectory. This is where the future becomes particularly interesting.
AI should not just predict customers. It should increasingly help predict the business.
The next generation of AI agents could continuously monitor customer behaviour, sales, categories, inventory, geographies, media and store performance. They could identify anomalies, form hypotheses, estimate commercial impact, recommend interventions, test them and measure the incremental outcome.
The role of the marketer would evolve from simply managing campaigns to managing the intelligence, strategy and guardrails around a more autonomous growth system.
This evolution can be built around three principles: Anticipate, Act and Account.
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Anticipate where consumer needs and growth will emerge and where they may disappear.
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Act by identifying and eventually executing the most relevant intervention for the consumer and the business.
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Account for whether that intervention genuinely created incremental value.
The CDP of the future, therefore, should move beyond being a platform that simply manages customer data. It should become a Growth Decision Platform one that helps businesses understand consumers better, identify opportunities, detect risks, recommend actions, measure incrementality and continuously learn from every intervention. The ultimate measure of such a platform should not be the volume of data it manages.
It should be much simpler:
Show me the Delta you create.
Because ultimately, consumer centricity is not the opposite of growth. It is where sustainable growth begins.
28, Aug 2026
Sugar Prices Slide 20 pc as Supply Measures Ease Market Pressure
New Delhi, Aug 28: Sugar prices have declined by around 20 per cent as government measures to discourage hoarding and maintain adequate supplies begin to ease pressure in the market.
The fall in prices is expected to provide relief to consumers and businesses that use sugar as a key raw material. Lower input costs could benefit industries such as food processing, beverages, confectionery and other consumer-goods businesses.
The government’s focus on ensuring sufficient availability is aimed at preventing artificial shortages and keeping supplies steady. Stronger monitoring of stocks and action against hoarding can help improve market transparency and reduce sudden price fluctuations.
For households, softer sugar prices could offer some relief from food-cost pressures. For manufacturers, lower raw-material costs may help reduce production expenses and, depending on market conditions, support margins.
The development is also important for inflation management. Food prices have a significant influence on household budgets, and a sustained decline in sugar prices could help moderate pressure within the food basket.
For the sugar industry, however, lower prices can create mixed outcomes. While consumers and downstream industries benefit from cheaper supplies, mills and producers may face pressure on realisations if prices remain weak for an extended period.
The latest movement highlights the importance of balancing consumer interests with the financial health of sugar producers. Continued monitoring of production, stocks, demand and exports will remain important for maintaining stability in the market.
With prices now significantly lower, the government’s supply-management measures are expected to remain closely watched by consumers, businesses and industry participants in the weeks ahead.
28, Aug 2026
ClearWay Mobility Introduces Obstacle Detection Device to be Added to the Standard White Cane Used by Visually Impaired People
The device adds obstacle alerts to a standard white cane without requiring users to change canes or rely on a smartphone
MUMBAI, India, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What began as a school science-fair project five years ago has developed into ClearWay Mobility, a smart attachment designed to add obstacle detection to the standard white cane used by visually impaired people.
Developed by 17-year-old Mumbai student Jaiveer Talwar, ClearWay fits onto a standard white cane and alerts the user to obstacles in their path through vibration, with optional audio feedback. The idea is not to replace the white cane, but to add useful technology to something users already know and are comfortable using.
The attachment has been designed around three priorities: affordability, reliability and ease of use. It works independently, without requiring a smartphone, app or a change in the user’s existing cane.
For visually impaired people navigating busy urban environments such as Mumbai, crowded streets, uneven pavements and unpredictable obstacles can make independent movement more challenging. ClearWay is intended to provide an additional layer of information while allowing the traditional white cane to remain at the centre of how the user navigates.
From a science fair to a real-world product
Talwar, a student at The Cathedral & John Connon School in Mumbai, first began working on the idea for a school science fair in 2021. He had long been interested in the intersection of technology and entrepreneurship, and chose to focus on a problem he could see around him: the difficulties visually impaired people face while navigating the city.
In 2024, he completed an internship with a prosthetics company to gain practical exposure to mobility challenges and assistive technologies.
In 2026, a revised version of ClearWay was tested with students and teachers at the Smt. Kamla Mehta Dadar School for the Blind in Mumbai. The experience provided encouraging feedback, but also gave Talwar a clearer understanding of how important simplicity, reliability and ease of use are in an assistive device.
“What started as a school project became something I wanted to keep working on once I understood how real the problem was,” said Talwar. “The most useful learning has come from speaking to users and seeing what actually matters in everyday use.”
The visit also raised concerns around the safety of visually impaired young women. In response, the current version of ClearWay incorporates GPS tracking, intended to enable family members to check a user’s location when needed.
Moving into manufacturing
ClearWay has now entered the manufacturing stage, with an initial batch being produced.
The next phase will focus on refining the product through further user feedback, working with institutions on wider testing and deployment, and exploring how the device can be made accessible at scale.
About ClearWay Mobility
ClearWay Mobility is an early-stage assistive mobility venture founded by Jaiveer Talwar. Its first product is a smart attachment for the standard white cane, designed to add obstacle alerts while prioritising affordability, reliability and ease of use.
More information, photographs and product videos are available at:
https://www.clearway-mobility.com
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3008912/ClearWay_mobility_stick.jpg
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28, Aug 2026
NYSE Expands in Texas as Dallas Emerges as America’s New Financial Hub
New York, Aug 28: The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has opened a new regional headquarters in Dallas, marking another major step in Texas’ growing role in the US financial and business landscape.
The move reflects the increasing importance of Texas as a centre for financial services, investment, technology and corporate activity. Dallas has attracted a growing number of companies and financial professionals in recent years, strengthening its position as an alternative to traditional US financial centres.
The opening of the Dallas office also highlights the changing geography of America’s financial industry. While New York remains the country’s dominant financial centre, cities across Texas are drawing businesses with their expanding corporate base, skilled workforce and growing investment ecosystem.
Texas has increasingly earned the informal nickname “Y’all Street”, reflecting its growing financial presence and its emergence as a rival destination for businesses and investors.
The NYSE’s presence in Dallas is expected to strengthen connections with companies, investors and financial institutions across Texas and the wider southern US. It could also provide greater opportunities for businesses seeking access to capital markets and investor networks.
The development comes as Texas continues to attract major corporate investments across sectors including technology, energy, manufacturing and financial services. The state’s strong business ecosystem has helped reinforce its appeal to companies looking to expand operations or establish new bases.
For the wider US economy, the growing financial footprint of cities such as Dallas signals a broader diversification of economic activity beyond traditional centres. A stronger regional financial ecosystem can support entrepreneurship, investment and job creation while improving access to capital for growing businesses.
The NYSE’s expansion therefore carries significance beyond the opening of a new office. It reflects the changing landscape of American business and the rising influence of Texas in the country’s financial economy.
As Dallas continues to attract companies, investors and financial institutions, its emergence as “Y’all Street” could mark a new chapter in the evolution of the US financial sector.
28, Aug 2026
Zoomlion Reports 9.2% Revenue Growth in H1 2026, with International Revenue Up 12.5%
CHANGSHA, China, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (“Zoomlion”) reported revenue of RMB 27.14 billion (approx. US$4.04 billion) for the first half of 2026, up 9.17% year over year, with revenue increasing in both domestic and international markets. International revenue rose 12.45% to RMB 15.54 billion (approx. US$2.31 billion), accounting for 57.25% of total revenue, while net cash generated from operating activities increased 38.12% to RMB 2.42 billion (approx. US$360.1 million).
International Business Sustains Growth as Local Capabilities Deepen
International business remained a major growth driver, with its share of total revenue rising 1.67 percentage points year over year to 57.25%. Through an end-to-end, digital and localized operating model, Zoomlion continued to deepen its presence in international markets. Growth in South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and East Asia exceeded the company’s overall international growth rate.
Zoomlion strengthened local sales, service and supply capabilities across Europe, South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. As of June 30, it had more than 30 primary business hubs, over 530 secondary and tertiary outlets, more than 300 spare parts warehouses, and nearly 7,000 local employees worldwide.
Its Hungarian aerial work platform factory began production, while its German facility was expanded and upgraded into a multipurpose hub. The company also strengthened its international management and digital systems, improving responsiveness around the clock and oversight across sales opportunities, business execution and risk monitoring.
Diversified Portfolio Creates Additional Growth Drivers
Zoomlion maintained solid positions in its core concrete and crane machinery businesses. It advanced the rollout of electric products and premium equipment such as large mixing plants and long boom pump trucks, deepened collaboration with its Italian subsidiary CIFA, continued batch deliveries of large tonnage cranes, and made progress in wind power tower cranes and premium international segments.
Zoomlion’s earthmoving, mining, aerial work platform and agricultural machinery businesses generated combined revenue of approximately RMB 12.5 billion (approx. US$1.86 billion), up about 10% and accounting for more than 46% of total revenue. Earthmoving machinery accounted for approximately 20% of revenue and became the largest contributor to Zoomlion’s international revenue among its business segments.
Zoomlion also continued to advance electric and intelligent equipment across its portfolio, including electric construction machinery, new energy and autonomous mining equipment, and hybrid agricultural machinery. Several new energy mining products received EU CE certification, supporting their entry into international markets.
Zoomlion is also advancing embodied intelligence through its subsidiary, ZValley Technology Co., Ltd., which has developed several embodied AI robot products. Zoomlion has established capabilities spanning algorithms, software, hardware and industrial applications, supporting progress toward industrial deployment.
Industry trends, including infrastructure investment, equipment replacement and continued global capital spending on infrastructure and mining, are expected to support demand. Zoomlion will continue strengthening localized operations, diversifying its product portfolio and investing in technology to support sustainable, high-quality growth.
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28, Aug 2026
STARCARES Completes Basketball Court Revamp in the Philippines, Benefiting Nearly 20,000 People
The renovated court at Communal Elementary School opens a dedicated space for learning, sport, and community life in Buhangin.
DAVAO CITY, Philippines, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — STARCARES, the community impact initiative of STARTRADER, has completed the redevelopment of the basketball court at Communal Elementary School in Buhangin, Davao City, Philippines. Now open and in daily use, the facility serves approximately 20,000 people, including around 2,000 learners, 72 school staff, 1,600 parents, and 16,000 residents of Barangay Communal.
For students, the court offers a dependable space to learn and play, doubling as the venue for graduations, award ceremonies, and school assemblies. For the wider community, it becomes a gathering place for meetings, celebrations and youth activities once classes end, reflecting how central basketball is to daily life in Buhangin.
“Before, we held graduations, school activities and community gatherings on a cracked, uneven court. Today, our students have a safe and proper space to learn, play and celebrate, while the wider community has a place that can bring people together.”
— Nelson Sepe Lubguban Jr., Principal of Communal Elementary School
STARCARES designed the redevelopment around long-term community use, ensuring the investment extends beyond construction as a practical resource for students, families and the wider Buhangin community.
“A court becomes powerful when it gives young people somewhere to show up, be seen, and grow stronger together. That is the impact we wanted to create.”
— Peter Karsten, Chief Executive Officer of STARTRADER.
The Davao project extends STARCARES’ work revitalising community infrastructure, following similar initiatives in Vietnam, Thailand and Nigeria, and reflects STARTRADER’s commitment to supporting the communities it operates in, beyond its work in financial markets.
Under ‘Where Tomorrow’s STARS Begin’, STARCARES will continue identifying communities where practical infrastructure can create lasting everyday value.
About STARTRADER
STARTRADER is a global multi-asset broker empowering retail and institutional partners to access global markets through a range of platforms, including MetaTrader, STARTRADER APP, and STAR Copy.
STARTRADER operates through entities licensed and regulated by authorities including CMA, ASIC, FSCA, FSA, and FSC, combining strong governance with a client-first approach, serving both retail clients and partners with a commitment to transparency, reliability, and long-term growth.
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28, Aug 2026
Fevicol, Visa, Hauser Germany, Birla Opus, Charmis: Raksha Bandhan, Crafted by Schbang
 - Avani Karkhanis (1).jpg)
This Raksha Bandhan, Schbang moved beyond the rakhi and mithai clichés to find a sharper cultural insight for each brand, then built the idea around it. Here’s how five brands, across five very different categories, made the festival their own.
1. Fevicol “Bhaiyya Jahan, Chhoti Wahan” / “Didi Jahan, Chhotu Wahan”: The youngest sibling’s default setting is proximity, always tagging along, always right behind. Fevicol borrows its own brand promise of an unbreakable bond and applies it to something every family recognises, the younger one who simply refuses to be separated from the older one, whether it’s toy cars or a doll’s hair getting combed.
2. Visa: “Happily Accepted by Sisters Everywhere” Gifting on Raksha Bandhan has quietly moved from cash envelopes to cards, but the emotion of “acceptance” hasn’t changed. Visa borrows the festival’s own vocabulary of blessings and gifts to position the card itself as something a sister happily accepts, making a payments brand feel native to the ritual rather than bolted onto it.
3. Flair: “Every Millimetre Matters”: Sibling squabbles over sharing, whether it’s a sweet or anything else, are timeless, down to the exact size of the last piece. Flair leans into that familiar bickering, using a ruler to measure out a mithai slice with mock precision, turning a stationery product into the tool for the oldest sibling argument there is: fairness.
4. Hauser Germany: “For Every Mistake Your Sibling Helped You Erase” The insight: a sibling’s role often isn’t the grand gesture, it’s the quiet clean-up, the bad haircut, the text you shouldn’t have sent, the terrible business idea. Hauser ties this idea to its own product, the eraser, turning a stationery item into a metaphor for the sibling who’s always helped rub out life’s smaller mistakes.
5. Birla Opus PaintCraft: “Some Memories Need No Frame”: Childhood memories with siblings aren’t preserved in photo frames, they’re preserved in the homes they were made in. By setting a simple, joyful sibling moment against a freshly painted wall, the brand repositions paint from a functional purchase to the quiet backdrop of lasting memories.
6. Charmis: “Soft Ties That Never Get Undone”: A rakhi is a tie that’s temporary, but the bond it represents isn’t. Charmis extends that idea to its own category, skincare, framing its products as a form of care that, like sibling love, is meant to last well beyond the ritual of the day.
28, Aug 2026
XCMG Unveils World’s First 14,000-Ton Ring Crane, Redefining Ultra-Heavy Lifting
XUZHOU, China, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XCMG has announced that the first main unit of the world’s first 14,000-ton ring crane has rolled off the production line, marking a historic breakthrough in ultra-heavy lifting technology. Jointly developed by XCMG and Sinopec Heavy Lifting & Transportation Co., Ltd., the crane will be the largest-capacity ring crane ever built, setting a new benchmark for major construction projects worldwide.
The crane features a modular configuration comprising two main units that work in tandem. The first main unit has completed final assembly and can independently perform lifting operations. Once both units are completed and integrated, the crane will have a maximum lifting capacity of 14,000 tons and a maximum lifting moment of 700,000 ton-meters, with several key performance specifications expected to lead the industry.
“This crane is more than an incremental improvement; it represents a transformative leap for the global heavy-lifting industry,” said Yang Dongsheng, chairman of XCMG Group and XCMG Machinery. “Our partnership with Sinopec has created a new integrated model spanning R&D, manufacturing and application, setting an industry benchmark for independent innovation and engineering application of major technical equipment.”
The ring crane also features a pioneering electric direct-drive system that converts electric power directly into motion, delivering energy savings of more than 30%, boosting operating efficiency by 20%, and reducing fuel costs and carbon emissions.
As nuclear power projects worldwide become larger and more modular, demand is rising for ultra-heavy lifting equipment. The 14,000-ton ring crane marks a major step in the growing role of Chinese-developed high-end lifting equipment in nuclear power construction worldwide. It can serve conventional energy, nuclear power and wind power projects. For conventional energy, it can lift a range of large towers and vessels as complete units, replacing sectional lifting and reducing risks in assembly, pressure testing and other installation work. In nuclear power construction, it delivers a world-first capability: from a single crane position and using a single boom configuration, it can handle plant modules and major equipment for two nuclear islands. For offshore wind, its lifting height and capacity enable the installation of larger-capacity turbines.
Yang added: “XCMG will continue to advance the independent development of ultra-large engineering equipment, bring proven, reliable solutions to a wider range of engineering applications, and provide customers worldwide with safer, more efficient and energy-saving construction solutions.”
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28, Aug 2026
Sensex Rebounds Over 400 Points as IT Stocks Lead Market Recovery
Mumbai, Aug 28: Indian equity markets staged a strong recovery on Friday, with the Sensex gaining more than 400 points and the Nifty moving above the 24,150 mark as investors returned to technology stocks.
The rebound came after two consecutive sessions of losses and was supported by positive global cues and renewed optimism around the technology sector. The sharp rise in US technology stocks, led by Nvidia’s strong outlook, helped improve sentiment towards Indian IT companies.
The Nifty IT index emerged as one of the strongest performers, gaining around 3 per cent. Major IT stocks, including TCS, Infosys and HCLTech, witnessed strong buying interest as investors responded positively to the global technology rally.
The recovery provided some relief after Thursday’s highly volatile session, when the domestic market witnessed sharp movements towards the close. Investors were therefore closely watching whether Friday’s gains would develop into a broader recovery.
Global markets also provided support. US equities ended higher in the previous session, with the Nasdaq gaining more than 1.5 per cent after Nvidia’s upbeat revenue outlook strengthened confidence in continued artificial intelligence-related spending. Nvidia shares jumped sharply, while technology and software stocks across Wall Street also advanced.
The positive sentiment extended to several Asian markets, although trading remained mixed ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium. Investors are looking for clearer signals on the US interest-rate outlook, which could influence global capital flows and emerging-market equities.
For Indian markets, the IT sector has become a key source of support. Strong demand expectations for artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services are encouraging investors to reassess technology stocks, particularly after the recent weakness in the broader market.
However, the recovery remains sensitive to global developments. Movements in crude oil prices, US bond yields and expectations surrounding monetary policy could continue to influence investor sentiment.
Market participants are also keeping an eye on the unusual volatility witnessed during Thursday’s closing session following the introduction of the new Closing Auction Session. The sharp swings near the market close have added another layer of uncertainty for traders.
Despite these concerns, Friday’s rebound indicates that investors are willing to return to beaten-down sectors when global cues improve. The sustainability of the recovery will now depend on whether buying spreads beyond IT stocks and whether the Nifty can maintain levels above 24,150.
For the near term, investors are expected to remain focused on IT stocks, global technology trends, US monetary-policy signals and domestic market volatility as they assess the next direction of the Sensex and Nifty.
