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Emirates makes history with one-off A380 touchdown in Beirut
Arrival of A380 confirms readiness of airport to accommodate A380 operations
Dubai, UAE – 29 March 2018: The Emirates A380 touched down in Beirut today for a historic one-off service to Rafic Al Hariri International Airport (BEY), contributing to an aviation milestone for Lebanon and its hub airport. The landing demonstrated the airport’s readiness to accommodate the A380, the world’s largest commercial passenger jet.
The special A380 flight was operated by Captain Robert Nicholls from the UK and First Officer Hasib Bu Alwan, a Lebanese national. The 517 passengers travelling on EK 957, many of whom had made their bookings to be on this unique flight, were joined by a top-level delegation led by the airline, including; Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand; H.E. Hamad Saeed Sultan Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Lebanon; H.E. Elias Bou Saab, Advisor to the Lebanese President for International Cooperation; Dr. Nejib Ben Khedher, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Skywards; Ali Jaber, Managing Editor – MBC Media; Marwan Rahbani, Owner – Rahbani Productions; Raymond G Khouzami, Chief Executive Officer – Al Thuriah Building Contractors Ltd; Joseph Nassib Ghessoub, Chief Executive Officer – CMS and Jihad Hitt, Chief Executive Officer – GETAC Group. Upon landing at 1030hrs at Rafic Al Hariri International Airport the aircraft was met with a ceremonial water cannon salute, and the Emirates delegation was welcomed by H.E. Avedis Guidanian, Minister of Tourism attending on behalf of H.E. President of the Republic of Lebanon; Deputy Ali Bazzi – Representing H.E. President of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri; H.E. Youssef Fenianos, Lebanese Minister of Transport; H.E. Raed Koury, Minister of Economy & Trade; H.E. Walid Al Boukhari – Chargee D’affaire of the Saudi Arabia Embassy to Lebanon, government officials and Rafic Hariri International Airport executives. After a welcoming ceremony, government officials, VIPs, media and members of the travel industry were given a guided tour of the A380 by Emirates cabin crew, several of whom were from Lebanon. Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand said: “The Emirates A380 is fundamental to our overall strategy, and bringing this popular aircraft to Beirut represents a significant milestone in our operations to Lebanon, a country we have been serving for over 27 years and we remain wholly committed to stimulating further growth within the market. We thank the Lebanese government, the Ministry of Transport and the government authorities who have worked hard to make today’s one-off service a tremendous success.” This year marks the Emirates A380’s 10th anniversary, and the iconic aircraft has transformed flying for over 96 million passengers on over 106,000 flights. The Emirates A380 flying to Beirut operated in a three-class configuration, with 429 generously pitched seats in Economy Class on the lower deck, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper deck. Emirates’ A380 is renowned for its First Class Private Suites, Shower Spas and Onboard Lounge for First Class and Business Class passengers, offering a wide range of drinks and canapés, as well as space to socialise or simply relax. Passengers travelling on the main deck in Economy Class enjoyed stretching out in seats with a pitch of up to 33 inches. Passengers in all classes enjoyed the 13 time award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system with a choice of up to 3,500 channels on-demand. As the largest operator of the double-decker aircraft, Emirates’ fleet of 101 A380s now fly to 48 global destinations. The Emirates A380 service today operated as EK 957 and EK 958, departing Dubai at 0725hrs and arriving in Beirut at 1035hrs. The flight departed Beirut at 1415hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1905hrs.Built for the Way We Communicate Today: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ fuel new discoveries with Super Slow-mo video, best-in-class low light camera and AR Emoji for a more personalized way to express yourself.
Samsung Electronics introduces the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, the smartphones that reimagine the way people communicate, share and experience the world. Made for an age in which consumers increasingly communicate and express themselves more with images, videos and emojis, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ drive innovation with Samsung’s advanced camera. Redesigned with a new Dual Aperture lens that powers an innovative low light camera, Super Slow-mo video capabilities and personalized AR Emoji, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ ensure users do not miss a moment and make their everyday epic. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ deliver an enhanced entertainment experience with powerful stereo speakers tuned by AKG, immersive audio with Dolby Atmos® and a refined edge-to-edge Infinity Display 1– a key staple in Samsung’s design heritage. In addition, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will come with the new SmartThings app, which unites Samsung’s existing IoT services into one single, smart experience. “The way we use our smartphones has changed as communication and self-expression has evolved,” said DJ Koh, president and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, we have reimagined the smartphone camera. Not only do the Galaxy S9 and S9+ enable consumers to shoot great photos and videos anywhere, it’s a smartphone that’s designed to help them connect to others and express themselves in a way that’s unique and personal to them.”Camera Reimagined
Today’s cameras are for more than taking pictures – they’re for connecting and communicating. Consumers want a smartphone camera with state-of-the-art technology, so they can express themselves with high-quality images and tools to tell their own, unique story. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ cameras are built with these consumers in mind, with a Super Speed Dual Pixel sensor with dedicated processing power and memory to take amazing shots with high photo quality. The Galaxy S9 and S9+’s camera features include:- Super Slow-mo: Make every day moments epic with dynamic, slow-motion video that captures 960 frames per second. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also offer automatic Motion Detection, an intelligent feature that detects movement in the frame and automatically begins to record – all users have to do is set up the shot. After capturing the Super Slow-mo video, users can select background music from 35 different options or add a tune from their favorite playlist. Users can also easily create, edit and share GIF files with a simple tap in three playful styles of looping to watch the action over and over again.
- Low Light Camera: Good lighting is the secret to any great photo. But often, photos are taken in less-than-ideal lighting conditions and most smartphone cameras have a fixed aperture that can’t adjust to low or bright lighting environments resulting in grainy or washed out pictures. Similar to the way the iris of a human eye expands and contracts, Samsung’s Dual Aperture2(F1.5 / F2.4) automatically lets in more light when it’s dark and less light when it’s too bright, taking photos that are crisp and clear.
- AR Emoji: Samsung lets users create an emoji that looks, sounds and acts like them. AR Emoji uses a data-based machine learning algorithm, which analyzes a 2D image of the user and maps out more than 100 facial features to create a 3D model that reflects and imitates expressions, like winks and nods, for true personalization. AR Emoji shares users’ real-life emotions not only in video but also with a range of stickers and uses a standard AGIF file format so users can share their emojis across most third-party messaging platforms.
- Bixby: Samsung’s intelligence platform, integrated into the camera, uses augmented reality and deep learning technologies to provide helpful information about a user’s surroundings.3 With real-time object detection and recognition, Bixby instantly generates information directly on top of the image that the camera is pointing at. Users can translate foreign languages and currency in real time with Live Translation, learn about their surroundings, purchase products seen in the real world and track calories throughout the day.4
Entertainment Reimagined
Smartphones are often our go-to choice for entertainment, which is why Samsung created a device that offers premium sound experiences with stereo speakers tuned by AKG. Whether users are watching their favorite movie or streaming their favorite artist’s latest album, sounds are clear, crisp and rich in quality. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also support Dolby Atmos, giving the effect of 360-degree sound. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ audio experience is complemented by Samsung’s revolutionary Infinity Display. First introduced on the Galaxy S8, the bold, bright Super AMOLED Infinity Display blends right into the phone with virtually no distracting notches. With adaptive contrast enhancement, users can use their device even in direct sunlight.A Device that Fits with the Connected Lifestyle
As the first smartphone to support the new SmartThings app, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are the central hub to manage every facet of the connected lifestyle at home, at the office or on the go. The SmartThings app will be introduced with the Galaxy S9 and S9+ and will connect to other Samsung and non-Samsung devices. For those constantly on the move, the next-generation Samsung DeX empowers a mobile lifestyle by bringing a large, full-screen experience to the mobile handset. With the DeX Pad, a new docking system, users can easily connect the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to a larger monitor, keyboard and mouse to expand the mobile experience with enhanced document editing or even full-screen gaming.5Users can also transform the Galaxy S9 and S9+ into a Touch Pad with the DeX Pad.6The Best Comes Standard with the Galaxy Foundation
Samsung sets the gold standard for smartphones with IP687 water and dust resistance and wireless charging and goes a step beyond with the Galaxy S9 and S9+. The devices now support expandable memory of up to 400GB with a Micro SD Card and are equipped with the latest premium application processors offering powerful performance and sophisticated image processing. In addition, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ give users the peace of mind knowing that their phone is protected by Knox 3.1, Samsung’s latest defense-grade security platform. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ support three different biometric authentication options – iris, fingerprint, and facial recognition – so users can choose the way they want to protect their device and applications. The devices feature Intelligent Scan, a new verification that intelligently uses the collective strength of iris scanning and facial recognition technology to quickly and conveniently unlock a user’s phone in various situations. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also introduce Dedicated Fingerprint, giving users the option to use a different fingerprint to access Secure Folder than the one used to unlock the phone. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ take health to the next level with an improved optical sensor built directly into the device, providing richer, more accurate information on users’ health status. This sensor allows the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to keep track of users’ Heart Load Factor, a new measurement of the real-time demand placed on the heart.8 The Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be available starting in March 16, 2018 in select markets and will be offered in Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue and a new hue, Lilac Purple. For more information about the Galaxy S9, visit news.samsung.com/galaxy, www.samsung.com/galaxy or http://www.samsungmobilepress.com.Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Product Specifications
Galaxy S9 | Galaxy S9+ | ||
OS | Android 8 (Oreo) | ||
Display | 5.8-inch Quad HD + Curved Super AMOLED, 18.5:99,10 (570ppi) | 6.2-inch Quad HD + Curved Super AMOLED, 18.5:99,10 (529ppi) | |
Body | 147.7mm x 68.7mm x 8.5mm, 163g, IP687 | 158.1mm x 73.8mm x 8.5mm, 189g, IP687 | |
Camera | Rear: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor with OIS (F1.5/F2.4) Front: 8MP AF (F1.7) | Rear: Dual Camera with Dual OIS – Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor (F1.5/F2.4) – Telephoto: 12MP AF sensor (F2.4) Front: 8MP AF (F1.7) | |
AP | 10nm 64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.7 GHz + 1.7 GHz)11 10nm 64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.8 GHz + 1.7 GHz) | ||
Memory | 4GB RAM 64GB/128GB/256GB12 + Micro SD Slot (upto 400 GB) | 6GB RAM 64GB/128GB/256GB12 + Micro SD Slot (upto 400GB) | |
SIM Card | Single SIM: Nano SIM Dual SIM (Hybrid SIM): Nano SIM + Nano SIM or MicroSD slot | ||
Battery | 3,000mAh | 3,500mAh | |
Fast Wired Charging compatible with QC 2.0 Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA | |||
Network | Enhanced 4X4 MIMO / CA, LAA, LTE Cat.18 | ||
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou)13 | ||
Payment | NFC, MST | ||
Sensors | Iris sensor, Pressure sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint sensor, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, HR sensor, Proximity sensor, RGB Light sensor | ||
Authentication | Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, face recognition, Intelligent Scan: multimodal biometric authentication with iris scanning and face recognition | ||
Audio | Stereo speakers tuned by AKG, surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology, Audio playback format: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF | ||
Video | MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM |
Amazon Music Announces Immersive Programming Experience The Soundboard with Elton John
Just ask, “Alexa, play The Soundboard”
“The Soundboard” provides an inside look at the making of Revamp and Restoration, two recently announced albums from Universal Music Group that celebrate the iconic artist’s legendary songs
Elton John and long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin present the music and stories behind their extraordinary catalogue and songwriting partnership, with commentary surrounding new interpretations of these classic songs from a diverse roster of some of the world’s biggest artists including Chris Martin, Demi Lovato, Brandon Flowers, Josh Homme, Chris Stapleton, Q-Tip and more
“The Soundboard” will begin streaming April 6 for Amazon customers across the U.S., U.K., Germany and Austria
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apr. 3, 2018– (NASDAQ: AMZN) — Amazon Music today announces “The Soundboard with Elton John,” an immersive original audio program that offers fans an exclusive listen to intimate conversations and storytelling with today’s musical icons. Airing exclusively on Amazon Music beginning April 6, the day the two albums, Revamp (Island Records) and Restoration (Universal Music Group Nashville), are released, “The Soundboard with Elton John” tells the stories behind the music with the iconic artist and his longtime lyricist, Bernie Taupin, as well as a diverse roster of some of the world’s biggest artists including Chris Martin (Coldplay), Demi Lovato, Brandon Flowers (The Killers), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Q-Tip, and more. Elton John stated, “When an artist loves a song enough to cover it, well, that’s the ultimate compliment. As songwriters, Bernie and myself are thrilled when people we admire and respect as much as those on Revamp and Restoration choose to add their own unique twist — it means our songs continue to resonate and reach new audiences. It’s been wonderful working with Amazon Music to bring our stories behind the new songs to life and I hope fans will enjoy listening to The Soundboard as much as we did recording it.” Available to Amazon customers across the U.K., U.S., Germany and Austria, the multi-hour collection of interviews and music will be broadcast globally for a limited time beginning April 6 by visiting www.amazon.com/eltonjohn. Those who begin listening to “The Soundboard” will immediately pick-up wherever the stream is currently in progress and will hear stories from iconic artists spanning the pop, rock, country, and urban music genres discussing the evolution of these timeless songs, and how they were brought to life through new interpretations within a modern-day tribute album. “For decades, Elton John and Bernie Taupin have collaborated with each other to produce timeless songs, and we’re honored to be working with them on a behind-the-scenes look at a new generation of artists who have reimagined these classics,” stated Alex Luke, global head of programming and content strategy for Amazon Music. “As fans, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the songs, and with our production of The Soundboard we celebrate one of the richest songbooks of the modern era from the perspectives of Elton, Bernie and the artists covering the music with original recordings and in-depth interviews.” Cindy Mabe, President of Universal Music Group Nashville, said, “Nashville is best known for honoring the craft of songwriting and the songwriter above everything else, and it’s been incredible to hear the stories behind the incredible interpretations of these classic songs featured in The Soundboard. It was genuinely an honor to get to completely reimagine and reinterpret some of the most timeless songs of the incredible writing duo of Elton John and Bernie Taupin through country music’s most gifted story tellers of our time. Restoration focuses on the gift of the storytelling inside the songs and takes a unique turn on these incredible songs which have left such an indelible mark on people from all walks of life. I’m proud of these new interpretations of classic hits and it was such a delight to see how much these interpretations moved both Bernie and Elton.” David Massey, President/CEO of Island Records, said, “I’m excited for fans around the world to hear Elton and Bernie tell the stories on The Soundboard behind some of the most memorable songs ever written. I couldn’t be prouder of the new perspectives these incredible artists offer on Elton and Bernie’s timeless songs.” “The Soundboard with Elton John” is available to listen on the Amazon Music mobile app and Web Player in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Austria, to all customers with an Amazon account, with or without an Amazon Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription. The broadcast can also be accessed via the Amazon Music mobile app and Web Player, iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. “The Soundboard with Elton John” is the latest feature to launch within Amazon Music’s personalized natural language voice controls powered by Alexa, which has reimagined how customers experience music. When paired with Alexa, customers can ask for music by lyrics, mood, genre, era, activities and more, simply by voice. Learn more about Amazon Music by visiting: www.amazonmusic.com.Alibaba to Acquire Full Ownership of China Online Delivery Platform Ele.me
Angelo De Guzman from First Central Hotel Suites Wins ‘Sales/Marketing Manager of the Year’ Trophy at Hotelier Express Awards 2018
Angelo De Guzman, Asst. Marketing Manager of First Central Hotel Suites, was declared the winner of the prestigious ‘Sales/Marketing Manager of the Year’ title at the Hotelier Express Awards 2018 in Dubai last week. Competing with some of the best names in the industry (from Rove Hotels to Copthorne, Citymax and Al Waleed Palace), Angelo walked away with the trophy at the glittering award ceremony attended by more than 250 hospitality professionals from across the Middle East.
Congratulating Angelo, Wael El Behi, General Manager of First Central Hotel Suites, said, “We are honoured to receive this coveted award that is considered a benchmark of hospitality excellence. It is a celebration of people who are making a real difference to the hospitality sector in the Middle East. Angelo has been a pillar behind our marketing and digital initiatives and his remarkable achievement today embodies the spirit of innovation. Our ultimate aim is to provide a truly memorable experience to our guests at every step of their journey.”
Expressing his delight on winning the award, an ecstatic Angelo, said, “I am absolutely thrilled and extremely proud to be named ‘Sales/Marketing Manager of the Year’ at the Hotelier Express Awards 2018. It is wonderful to be recognized for all the hard work and passion on such a prominent platform. I am very grateful to the judges, my colleagues and other industry professionals for this honour. I would also like to share this award with all my teammates, especially our general manager, who supported me in all my initiatives.”
Angelo’s innovative work on Artificial Intelligence (AI) which gathers real-time feedback, sealed the win. Named SARAH, the fully automated system, follows human behavioral patterns allowing the hotel to collect important guest information, feedback, or special requests during their stay. In addition to this, he revamped the Hotel’s website putting Digital at the forefront – a key focus in driving brand preference and commercial performance.
First Central Hotel Suites was also shortlisted as the Serviced Apartment Team of the Year at the Hotelier Express Awards 2018. In addition, General Manager Wael El Behi and Restaurant Manager Jefferson Juan won nominations under GM of the Year (Independent Hotel) and F&B Manager of the Year categories, respectively.
About First Central Hotel Suites:
Featuring 524 apartments, equipped with top-notch facilities, First Central Hotel Suites is superbly located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road in close proximity to Dubai Marina, Montgomerie, Emirates Golf Club, and Mall of the Emirates. Included in its facilities are fabulous dining, leisure and business amenities designed to meet the needs of modern travelers.
For more information visit: www.firstcentraldubai.com