October 14, 2021

U.S. Polo Assn.’s E-Commerce Growth Puts Brand on the 2021 Digital Commerce 360’s Prestigious Top 500 Rankings

U.S. Polo Assn.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) today announced that U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), has been ranked in the 2021 Digital Commerce 360‘s Top 500, a globally recognized ranking of the leading 500 online retailers headquartered in North America. U.S. Polo Assn. experienced a surge in web sales in 2020 due to its accelerated digital strategy and the desire by consumers to buy online during the global coronavirus pandemic.

This is the first year the multi-billion-dollar, sport-inspired lifestyle brand has been included on the prestigious Digital Commerce 360 list that tracks dozens of metrics on thousands of online retail companies. The 2021 Top 500 Report is selected and published by Digital Commerce 360 based on data and analysis on the prior-year web sales of some of the largest and fastest-growing retailers. Other top brands on this years’ list include Nike and Lululemon.

“Last year saw stronger traffic and conversion across our global websites, resulting in a triple-digit e-commerce increase compared to 2019,” said Jose Nino, Vice President of Global E-Commerce and Digital Strategy, USPA Global Licensing. “We have leveraged a multi-faceted strategy for U.S. Polo Assn. that supports an omnichannel experience. We know that optimizing online and in-store experiences provide the best opportunities for sustained growth into the future.”

With 1,100 stores across 190 countries, U.S. Polo Assn.’s digital strategy was well underway in 2020. Efforts then ramped up to accelerate digital in response to the global pandemic, with captivating results. Fast-tracking digital resulted in websites for more than 35 countries in 16 different languages and the activation of more than 6 million social media followers of the brand worldwide.

“Our global expansion of e-commerce has successfully taken U.S. Polo Assn. from one that’s been known as a brick-and-mortar brand to one that meets the customer where they want to be, whether that’s online or in-store,” said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPAGL, the company that manages the multi-billion-dollar, sport-inspired U.S. Polo Assn. brand. “We are proud to receive this recognition for such outstanding e-commerce results, especially in today’s rapidly evolving state of retail,” added Prince.

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL)

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories and footwear in 190 countries worldwide. Recently ranked the fifth largest sports licensor in License Global magazine’s 2020 list of “Top 150 Global Licensors,” U.S. Polo Assn. is named alongside such iconic sports brands as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com.

USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and its exclusive worldwide licensor. USPAGL manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand and is the steward of the USPA’s intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Through its subsidiary, Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), USPAGL also manages Global Polo TV the world’s leading production entity for global polo broadcasts and polo lifestyle content. Learn more at globalpolo.com.

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For further information contact:

Stacey Kovalsky – Senior Director, Global Communications
Phone +001.561.790.8036 – Email: skovalsky@uspagl.com

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October 14, 2021

Lack of investment in clean energy compromising fight against climate change and poverty

New research highlights a chronic lack of finance that will leave billions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia without electricity or clean cooking by 2030
Urgent action to accelerate investment in clean energy for developing countries is needed from global leaders assembling at COP26 to ensure a just energy transition

VIENNA, Austria, Oct. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This year’s Energizing Finance research series – developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) in partnership with Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and Dalberg Advisors – shows the world is falling perilously short of the investment required to achieve energy access for all by 2030 for the seventh consecutive year.

In fact, tracked finance for electricity in the 20 countries that make up 80 percent of the world’s population without electricity – the high-impact countries – declined by 27 percent in 2019, the year before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The economic strain caused by Covid-19 is expected to have caused even further reductions in energy access investment in 2020 and 2021.

Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2021, one of two reports released under the series, finds committed finance for residential electricity access fell to USD 12.9 billion in 2019 (from USD 16.1 billion in 2018) in the 20 countries. This is less than one-third of the USD 41 billion estimated annual investment needed globally to attain universal electricity access from 2019 to 2030.

Meanwhile, there is an abysmal amount of finance for clean cooking. Despite polluting cooking fuels causing millions of premature deaths each year and being the second largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide, only USD 133.5 million in finance for clean cooking solutions was tracked in 2019. This is nowhere near the estimated USD 4.5 billion in annual investment required to achieve universal access to clean cooking (accounting only for clean cookstove costs).

These findings have been released just ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, where global leaders will focus on how to spark meaningful progress on fighting climate change. As part of this, they will need to consider how to reduce global emissions from the energy sector while also increasing energy access in developing countries to support their economic development.

“We are at a critical moment in the energy-climate conversation,” said Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. “What is clear is that the path to net zero can only happen with a just and equitable energy transition that provides access to clean and affordable energy to the 759 million people who have no electricity access and 2.6 billion people who lack access to clean cooking solutions. This requires resources to mitigate climate change and create new opportunities to drive economic development and enable people everywhere to thrive. Energizing Finance provides an evidence base of current energy finance commitments and the finance countries require to meet SDG7 energy targets.”

In 2018, 50 percent of total electricity finance flowed to grid-connected fossil fuels in the high-impact countries compared to 25 percent in 2019. While this is a positive trend for the climate, tracked investment in off-grid and mini-grid technology also declined and represented only 0.9 percent of finance tracked to electricity.

Dr. Barbara Buchner, Global Managing Director at CPI, who partnered with SEforALL on Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape 2021, said: “Achieving both the Paris Agreement and universal energy access requires far greater investment in grid-connected renewables and off-grid and mini-grid solutions than what has been tracked in Energizing Finance. These solutions are essential to helping high-impact countries develop their economies without a reliance on fossil fuels.”

To better illuminate the challenges high-impact countries face, the second publication in the series, Energizing Finance: Taking the Pulse 2021, offers a detailed look at the estimated volume and type of finance needed by enterprises and customers to achieve universal energy access for both electricity and clean cooking by 2030 in Mozambique, Ghana and Vietnam. Importantly, it illustrates the energy affordability challenges people face in these countries and the need for financial support for consumers, such as subsidies.

The report finds that providing access to clean fuels and technologies, i.e. modern energy cooking solutions, in Ghana, Mozambique and Vietnam will cost a total of USD 37-48 billion by 2030; 70 percent of which will be for fuels (e.g., LPG, ethanol and electricity). A more achievable scenario would be for all three countries to deliver universal access to improved cookstoves at a total cost of USD 1.05 billion by 2030.

“Ghana, Mozambique and Vietnam each have unique challenges to achieving universal access to electricity and clean cooking,” said Aly-Khan Jamal, Partner at Dalberg Advisors, who partnered with SEforALL on Energizing Finance: Taking the Pulse 2021. “This research digs deep into these national contexts to identify solutions that can make Sustainable Development Goal 7 a reality.”

Providing results-based financing for energy project developers and exploring policies that facilitate demand-side subsidy support and reduce taxes on solar home systems are among several policy recommendations presented for Ghana, Mozambique and Vietnam.

Energizing Finance also advocates for increased innovation in financial instruments to reach the scale of finance needed for universal clean cooking access; for integration of electricity access, cooking access and climate change strategies; and for national governments, bilateral donors, philanthropies, and DFIs to all increase their efforts to mobilize commercial capital to Sub-Saharan African countries.

More of the reports’ key findings and recommendations are available here.

Notes to editors

Contact
For further details on the reports or any interview requests, please contact: Sherry Kennedy, Sustainable Energy for All: Sherry.Kennedy@SEforALL.org / media@seforall.org or +43 676 846 727 237

About Sustainable Energy for All

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization that works in partnership with the United Nations and leaders in government, the private sector, financial institutions, civil society and philanthropies to drive faster action towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030 – in line with the Paris Agreement on climate. SEforALL works to ensure a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind and brings new opportunities for everyone to fulfill their potential.

SEforALL is led by Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. Follow her on Twitter @DamilolaSDG7. For more information, follow @SEforALLorg.

October 14, 2021

Scammers Are Winning: €41.3 ($47.8) Billion Lost in Scams, Up 15%

Law enforcement worldwide received 266 million reports from scam victims, up from 139 the year before

Growth in Number of Scams Reported per Country

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In ScamAdviser’s 3^rd Global State of Scams Report, 42 countries were analyzed on the number of people scammed and the amount of money lost.

Number of Scams Boomed

The number of reported scams increased from 139 million in 2019 to 266 million in 2020. The amount lost grew from €36 ($41.7) to €41 ($47.8) billion.

While the definitions and reporting methods used by different countries for scams differ strongly, nearly all nations have reported large increases in the number of reported scams.

The number of scams and money lost is probably only a small fraction of the actual size of online fraud as less than 3% up to 15% of consumers report a scam.

Investment scams are on the rise

The money lost per victim differs strongly by country as well as the type of scam. From less than €10 for fake shops, counterfeiters, and subscription traps to several €100,000 for ransomware, Business Email Compromise (BEC), and investment/crypto scams.

With the “zero-interest” economy and boredom, people, especially men, proved to be willing victims to “investment opportunities”. These scams, also called ‘pig butchering,’ can run for 3, 6, or even 12 months. The scammer builds up a trusted and sometimes romantic relationship with the victim before inviting him to invest in an “incredible opportunity”.

Countries are becoming creative

To fight scams, many countries have resorted to more aggressive annual awareness campaigns. However, results are mixed. As the themes of the scam change (e.g. pet scams, COVID grants), citizens worldwide still seem to fall for them, despite earlier warnings.

The Center for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) booked more success. It launched an email address to report phishing emails. In 2020, CCB received 3.2 million emails. The data is used to feed Internet filters, protecting Belgium citizens from malicious domains.

Likewise, Pakistan is training CyberScouts, which can be police officers but also students and youngsters. Goal: ingrain cybercrime awareness in local communities.

Finally, Japan launched Operation “Pretend to Be Fooled”, asking people who’ve been contacted by a scammer to notify the police. The potential victim and police then work together to catch the criminal. The target victim receives a reward of 10,000 Yen (€77.50 / $88).

How to Turn the Tide

In many countries, scams are now the most reported form of crime. In Sweden, fraud was 5% of all crime cases reported in 2000. Now, it is 17% of all reported crimes. In the UK and USA, scams are now the most commonly experienced form of crime. Finally, Singapore states that 44% of all crimes are related to online scams.

The World Economic Forum estimates that 0.05% of all cybercrime is actually prosecuted. This makes scams, which are even more underreported than “big cybercrimes”, a very lucrative business.

Online security firms are scaling up. Trend Micro, for example, is heavily investing in new anti-scam services, such as the real-time scam detection tool Trend Micro Check. In 2021, they already blocked more than 2.4 billion phishing emails and scam site visits.

While many developing countries are now focusing on building cybercrime awareness amongst their populations, several developing countries have learned that education alone is not enough.

Countries like Spain and the Netherlands have made online reporting via WhatsApp and Telegram easier, resulting in more and better data. The American Federal Trade Commission is gathering all scam-related data from 3,000 federal, state, and local law enforcers.

According to several countries, the next step is for tech giants to take more responsibility, using their own data to identify and prevent scams better.

While the USA, Canada and Australia have started sharing scam data amongst each other, most countries still don’t. Yet, according to ScamAdviser, sharing online fraud data globally is the only real solution to turning the tide on the worldwide epidemic of scams.

The full report will be presented at the Global Online Scam Summit and can be downloaded from ScamAdviser.com.

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Contact:
Jorij Abraham, General Manager
E: jorij.abraham@ecommercefoundation.org,
P: +31 6 52840039

The Global State of Scams Report – 2021.pdf

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Growth in Number of Scams Reported per Country

October 14, 2021

Hyris Brings to Market Worldwide a New Test That Can Quickly Detect the Body’s T-Cell Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2, Thanks to a Partnership With Singapore’s Duke-NUS Medical

Hyris developed a rapid T-cell test to track patients’ immunity levels to SARS-CoV-2 for global clinical use after having inked an exclusive licensing agreement with Duke-NUS Medical School. This new solution leverages the Hyris SystemTM, a proprietary platform that enables genetic testing in any setting, at any time, with results available in real-time through its AI-powered platform.

Hyris supports research over COVID-19 Immunity

LONDON, Oct. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — After almost two years of fight against COVID-19, governments, NGOs, and corporations are now focusing on strategies and solutions to boost population immunity and move onto the next phase – possibly out of the pandemic.

Hyris, a global, innovation-based biotechnology company renowned for its inclusive approach to genetic analysis, offers a wide range of solutions to support medical professionals and decision-makers in the fight against COVID-19. The proprietary genetic testing Hyris System^TM has been successfully used to detect the presence of the Coronavirus on surfaces and environments (the SARS-CoV-2 Environmental test) and the infection COVID-19 into individuals (SARS-CoV-2 Human test). The tests have been able to reliably detect the presence of all the main Variants of Concern since July 2020, helping to keep people safe around the world effectively.

“Alongside with limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 new variants and potential hotspots, getting high immunity rates among populations is the number one priority for policymakers and health institutions,” says Stefano Lo Priore, Founder and CEO at Hyris. “Hyris integrated its solutions with a simple yet effective test, to measure a patient T-cell immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.”

The T-cell clinical test kit was developed through an exclusive licensing agreement between Hyris and Duke-NUS Medical School. “This new kit enables quick evaluation of T-cell immune responses in COVID-19 convalescent patients as well as vaccinated people,” adds Isabella Della Noce, Chief Biologist at Hyris. “This is a new dimension for vaccine strategies as we face the threat of new virus variants.”

Led by Professor Antonio Bertoletti from the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS, the research team discovered a simple and rapid method to measure the T-cell immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The study, titled “Rapid measurement of SARS-CoV-2 spike T cells in whole blood from vaccinated and naturally infected individuals“, was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

According to Duke-NUS’ press release, this discovery allows a rapid and large-scale expansion of studies to track T-cell activity across the world while not requiring specialised or expensive equipment, helping to define the correlates of protection from T-cells and antibodies for the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Many progressive organisations and medical centres worldwide have already chosen the Hyris System™ as the ideal ‘Point of Care’ solution in the fight against COVID-19. Such a test is a prime example of how scientific innovation is key to the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. “Today, more than ever before, we need wider access to diagnostic systems and tests, but also to support and validate vaccination campaigns around the world,” concludes Lo Priore.

Contact a Hyris expert to discover how to perform beyond your current diagnostic capability info@hyris.net.

Hyris new Test quickly detects the body’s T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2

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Hyris supports research over COVID-19 Immunity

October 14, 2021October 15, 2021

Malaysia Ready To Return As Regional and International Investment Hub — PM

KUALA LUMPUR— Malaysia is now ready to be back on track as an investment hub for both regional and international investors, driven by creative and innovative methods in encouraging investments implemented by the government.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this is also made possible through continuous cooperation with every members of Keluarga Malaysia, with safe bubbles for all businesses with new norms are being safely applied to date.

“The Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP) has outlined nine Focus Areas in revitalising Malaysia’s investment. Among others are in rejuvenating economic growth, strengthening economic enablers, improving social security, eradicating hardcore poverty and narrowing income gaps throughout the nation.

“The uniqueness of multiracial Malaysian, with diverse social strata has long provide opportunities for investors. Different race, for instance, would need different set of necessity. In another comprehension, more products and services are potentially marketable in this country,” he said in his pre-recorded keynote address at the Invest Malaysia 2021 Virtual Series 1 Thursday.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia provides the most conducive environment for the business communities to invest, among others, being the gateway to ASEAN market through Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

“The 15 countries within the RCEP alone, are generating almost 30 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP). It has been estimated that their overall aggregate of GDP income would increase by US$174 billion by 2030. This will give our corporations and micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs) a more level playing field while facilitating access to larger regional markets.

“This climate of growth is further strengthened by Malaysia’s consistent improvement in the field of digital infrastructure. In the past years, Malaysia had witnessed rapid growth in the digital economy, online businesses and cashless transactions,” he said.

As for the international stage, he said Malaysia remains an active key player in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the international economic collaboration provides more than 500 million participations with combined GDP of US$10 trillion.

Meanwhile, he said an essential component of the country’s future lies in the Malaysian Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL) and National Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

He said both of these are aligned with the National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTIN) 2021-2030 which aims to develop Malaysia as a high-tech nation by 2030.

“With the 4IR, we aim to create an ecosystem within our economy that will be led by science, technology and innovation. It will facilitate local technology development, by creating economic opportunities and developing talents in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Blockchain Technologies.

“Moreover, with MyDIGITAL, areas of policy-making will be focusing on developing the infrastructure and human capital. This will ensure broad access and optimum utilisation of new generation of technologies,” he said.

In reaching such targets, the Prime Minister said government has identified significant key strategies in economic reform, which were designed to escalate economic recovery and enhance the country’s competitive landscape for investors, allowing wider participations from both regional and international investors.

“Malaysia has given special attention for green technologies in the 4IR. Our future is connected to the environment’s health. As more countries adopt carbon neutrality targets, Malaysia has begun encouraging numerous sectors and industries in developing necessary technology.

“In the light of this, Bursa Malaysia (Malaysia’s Stock Exchange) and various government ministries are now consistently collaborating to launch a voluntary carbon market, in transiting into a zero-carbon economy,” he said.

To date, Ismail Sabri said the public and the private sectors are working together on shared vision and strategies in ensuring inclusive environmental-friendly economic growth.

“Nevertheless, we aim of becoming a carbon-neutral country as early as 2050,” he added.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

October 14, 2021October 15, 2021

Singapore Reports 3,190 New COVID-19 Cases

SINGAPORE– Singapore reported 3,190 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total tally in the country to 135,395, the Ministry of Health (MOH), said.

Of the new cases, 2,721 were recorded in the community, 498 were in migrant workers’ dormitories, and six were imported.

A total of 1,507 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 300 in serious condition, requiring oxygen supplementation, and 46 in critical condition, in the intensive care units, said the MOH. Besides, nine more cases have passed away from complications, due to the COVID-19 infection.

As of Tuesday, 84 percent of the local population have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, and 85 percent have received at least one dose.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK