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Zeal Connect launches the world’s first AI-native help desk built exclusively for travel and beta customers say it changes how operations are run

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Travel Moves Billions of People a Year on Software That Can’t Read a Booking. Zeal Desk Just Changed That.

PUNE, India, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Anyone who has run a travel operation knows the 2 AM story: a guest standing at a front desk in another time zone, a hotel that never received the amendment, and the ticket that could have prevented it sitting in a queue sorted by age, not urgency inside software built for password resets, not people in transit.

That story ends with today’s launch of Zeal Desk; the world’s first AI-native help desk built exclusively for the travel industry. It wasn’t adapted from a generic tool it was written for travel from the first line of code, so it reads PNRs and hotel confirmation numbers the way a seasoned agent does, opens the live booking behind every ticket, and sorts the queue by check-in date because in travel, urgency is measured in arrivals, not ticket age.

Behind the desk, five specialised AI agents: Classifier, Prioritiser, Resolver, Auditor and Reconfirmation put the routine on Autopilot: amendments, refunds, cancellations and reconfirmations are now resolved end-to-end on the live booking, with every reply audited before it leaves. Every request email, WhatsApp or chat lands in one booking-aware inbox and follows playbooks the operator writes in plain language.

Classic Holidays ran Zeal Desk through its beta and came out convinced.

“We walked in skeptical, every help desk claims AI these days. Then we watched Zeal Desk open the booking, check the fare rule, contact the hotel and close the ticket before an agent could finish reading it. Our first reaction was disbelief. Our second was simpler: we are never running operations the old way again.”
 – Rishabh Doshi, Managing Director, Classic Holidays.

“Travel has spent two decades running the world’s most operationally complex industry on hand-me-down software tools that don’t know what a PNR is. Zeal Desk is what support looks like when it’s built for travel from day one. It isn’t a better ticket queue; it’s a different way to run a travel operation.”
 – Yogesh Chaudhari, Co-founder & CEO, Zeal Connect.

Zeal Desk arrives enterprise-ready SSO/SAML, GDPR tooling, PII redaction, multi-brand workspaces and SLA engines connecting to GDS, mid-office, CRM and booking stacks, and is live today with OTAs, DMCs, bedbanks and agencies across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Europe and Southeast Asia.

Zeal Desk is available now at zealconnect.com

ABOUT ZEAL CONNECT

Zeal Connect builds AI-powered products for the B2B travel industry, serving OTAs, DMCs, travel agencies, bedbanks and supplier operations teams worldwide. Its platform spans Zeal Desk, the AI-native travel help desk, and Zeal Reconfirmation, the pre-check-in hotel confirmation service. Zeal Connect is headquartered in Pune, India.

 

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STARTRADER Introduces 24/7 US Stock CFDs Across NVIDIA, Apple, Meta, and Leading Global Equities

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STARTRADER today launches 42 new 24/5 US Stock CFDs and announces the introduction of 43 new 24/7 US Stock CFDs from 27 July 2026, expanding its offering to 85 new instruments.

DUBAI, UAE, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — STARTRADER today announced the launch of 42 new 24/5 US Stock CFDs and confirmed 43 new 24/7 US Stock CFDs from 27 July 2026, giving clients direct access to 85 widely traded names.

The 24/5 range spans technology, energy, healthcare, finance, and industrials, covering Boeing, SpaceX, Mastercard, and Palo Alto Networks across themes including defence modernisation, cybersecurity, and aerospace innovation.

From 27 July 2026, the 24/7 stock CFD range addresses one of the most persistent constraints in equity trading: exchange schedules. Available from Monday through Sunday, 00:00–24:00 (GMT+3 platform time), it covers CFDs on AI and semiconductor leaders NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft, and AMD; platform economy giants Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, and Palantir; financial anchors JPMorgan and Visa; and emerging-sector names including Tesla, Circle Internet Group, and AST SpaceMobile.

As market-moving events increasingly occur outside traditional trading hours, the ability to respond without restriction has become one of the most meaningful advantages a broker can offer. STARTRADER’s commitment is structural: a product architecture built around the pace at which the world moves and the needs of clients across every time zone.

“Our clients follow markets across time zones, make decisions over weekends, and receive news at midnight. This launch is built around that reality, giving every client equal access, wherever they are and at any hour.”
Peter Karsten, Chief Executive Officer, STARTRADER

With a growing global client base and a clear direction toward broader, deeper market access, STARTRADER is actively building the next phase of its product offering, one where the barriers between clients and the markets they want to trade continue to narrow.

Trading CFDs involves a significant risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors. Please ensure you fully understand the risks before trading.

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, STAR-APP, and STAR-COPY. Regulated in five jurisdictions (CMA, ASIC, FSCA, FSA, and FSC), STARTRADER combines 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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SOURCE STARTRADER

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New Pearson and AWS Research: Only 14% of UK Learners Consider Themselves Highly AI-Ready

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New UK report points to practical application of AI and critical human skills as the bridge between higher education and AI-enabled work 

LONDON, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world’s lifelong learning company, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) today released new UK research revealing the disconnect between AI knowledge and real-world application of those skills as a key challenge in preparing graduates for an AI-enabled future. 

What does the data tell us? 

Only 14% of UK learners consider themselves highly AI-ready (combining AI knowledge with critical human skills). 

43% of UK employers cite the disconnect between knowledge and real-world application of AI as a key difficulty when hiring graduates.

47% of UK learners say the best preparation for an AI-enabled career is a combination of university education and practical work experience. 

The findings reveal a clear execution gap: learners, higher education leaders, and employers recognise the continued importance of university education, but graduates need more opportunities to apply AI in ways that reflect real workplace expectations. This not only means more workplace experience such as apprenticeships, but also using AI tools that are directly integrated into courseware so students can use it ‘in the flow’ of work.

Skills that employers are looking for include the ability to apply human judgement to AI capabilities, communication and collaboration skills, and adaptability. 

Sharon Hague, UK CEO, Pearson said: “AI is changing the expectations graduates face as they move from education into the world of work. The UK benefits from world-class institutions and strong graduate adaptability, but without the right skills this potential will not translate into the workplace. High youth unemployment and an impetus among businesses to drive enterprise value highlights the need to help students build, practice, and prove AI-ready capability that prepares them for work.” 

Valerie Singer, General Manager of Global Education, AWS said: “Students are using AI, but usage alone isn’t what employers are looking for. They want evidence that graduates can apply AI to solve real problems. The gap isn’t access, it’s the distance between exposure and proof. Programmes like the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance give students hands-on experience so they leave with skills they can show, not just tools they’ve tried. That’s how we make sure what students learn actually prepares them for the workforce.” 

What is the solution? 

To support action, the report introduces the AI Readiness Friction Framework, identifying where progress is slow across the learning-to-work continuum. Recommended actions include:

Pace: Accelerate the cadence of curriculum and institutional decision-making through modular design, stackable credentials, and faster review cycles. 

Connection: Build ongoing feedback loops with employers and industry bodies. 

Capability: Invest in faculty and instructor AI capability as core system infrastructure. 

Governance: Replace ungoverned access with clear, practical guidance that embeds AI use into everyday learning and assessment. 

Experience: Move beyond access to tools by embedding structured opportunities to practice and apply AI capabilities in authentic workplace contexts. 

Skills: Prioritise the development of compound capabilities such as strategic intelligence, ethical stewardship, and critical human skills. 

How to find out more 

Combining Pearson’s expertise in learning, assessment, and workforce skills with AWS’s deep insight into how AI is built, deployed, and governed, the research offers a shared framework for institutions and employers to align around a clearer, more practical definition of AI readiness and a more direct path to delivering it. 

For more information and to view the full UK report, please visit pearson.com/power-of-learning/ai-readiness.html

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That’s why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at plc.pearson.com. 

About Amazon Web Services 
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is guided by customer obsession, pace of innovation, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. By democratizing technology for nearly two decades and making cloud computing and generative AI accessible to organizations of every size and industry, AWS has built one of the fastest-growing enterprise technology businesses in history. Millions of customers trust AWS to accelerate innovation, transform their businesses, and shape the future. With the most comprehensive AI capabilities and global infrastructure footprint, AWS empowers builders to turn big ideas into reality. Learn more at aws.amazon.com and follow @AWSNewsroom.

Media contacts 
Pearson: laura.ewart@pearson.com 

AWS: hsearle@amazon.co.uk 

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Loft Dynamics Brings Virtual Reality Pilot Training to South Asia with Indocopters

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The Indian subcontinent’s largest specialist helicopter MRO will use Loft Dynamics’ VR H125 simulator to expand training access and extend its safety role from aircraft readiness to pilot readiness as Airbus H125 activity grows

ZURICH, Switzerland and GREATER NOIDA, India, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Loft Dynamics, the leader in virtual reality (VR) pilot training, today announced that Indocopters Private Limited will install the first Loft Dynamics Airbus H125 TXi VR full-motion simulator in India. The installation will create South Asia’s first dedicated H125 VR training site, expanding pilot training capacity across the region.

For Indocopters, the leading specialist helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organization in the Indian subcontinent, the installation marks a natural extension of its safety role. The company supports operators across the region, helping keep helicopters airworthy, available and mission-ready. With Loft Dynamics’ simulator, Indocopters will also help prepare the pilots who fly them.

The installation also comes as Airbus Helicopters and Tata Advanced Systems begin producing the H125 in India at the country’s first private-sector helicopter final assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. More than 80 H125 aircraft are already in service across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and as more enter service, operators will need pilot training infrastructure that can scale with the fleet.

“The H125 is the backbone of multi-mission helicopter operations across the Indian subcontinent, supporting missions ranging from utility and corporate transport to emergency medical services, disaster response and high-altitude operations, often within the same fleet,” said Ajay Shah, CEO of Indocopters Private Limited. “These demanding missions therefore require a very high level of pilot preparedness. The Loft Dynamics H125 flight training device will enable us to deliver realistic, safe and repeatable training for critical scenarios such as emergencies, adverse weather, confined-area landings and high-altitude operations. This project reinforces our commitment to enhancing pilot proficiency, improving flight safety and advancing helicopter training standards in the country.”

“The next leap in aviation safety will not come only from better aircraft. It will come from giving pilots better ways to prepare,” said Sebastien Borel, CEO of Loft Dynamics. “Advanced helicopter simulation has spent too much time out of reach — something pilots had to travel to, schedule around and use too rarely. That model does not match how operators fly today. Indocopters’ investment shows where the industry is going: toward training that sits closer to the fleet, happens more often, reflects real missions and helps operators build readiness before the aircraft ever leaves the ground.”

Indocopters will use the simulator for Airbus H125 family type-specific training, emergency procedures, safety training tailored to the region’s topography and operating challenges, and selected basic training. The system is expected to support pilots across Indocopters, its affiliates — including Global Vectra Helicorp Limited, India’s largest private helicopter company — and other operators across the region. It will be installed at Indocopters’ headquarters in Greater Noida, near Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), the main international airport serving New Delhi and the National Capital Region.

“The H125 plays a leading role in helicopter operations across India and South Asia, and its next growth chapter in the region depends on more than aircraft availability,” said Sunny Guglani, Head of Airbus Helicopters, India and South Asia. “It depends on the ecosystem around the aircraft — maintenance, parts, training and pilot readiness. With the H125 final assembly line now operational in Vemagal, India is building more local capability around one of Airbus Helicopters’ most successful aircraft. Indocopters’ investment in Loft Dynamics’ simulator adds an important training capability to that ecosystem and offers critical safety benefits by allowing pilots to safely rehearse high-risk or impractical flight scenarios. As a result, the simulator gives operators the ability to enhance flight safety in the region.”

Indocopters’ H125 TXi VR full-motion simulator will feature a six-degree-of-freedom motion system and an integrated glass cockpit. The system pairs full-motion simulation with a 360-degree 3D VR environment, force-feedback controls and a compact footprint, helping pilots practice normal operations, abnormal events, emergency procedures and mission-specific conditions in a controlled setting. Loft Dynamics’ flight simulation training devices are much smaller than traditional full-flight simulators, making advanced training easier to place closer to operators and pilots.

The announcement comes as India’s helicopter sector continues to build local aviation capacity, from aircraft operations and maintenance to training. Through Indocopters and Global Vectra Helicorp Limited, the Vectra Group combines large-scale flight operations with deep technical and maintenance capabilities across the region.

About Loft Dynamics
Loft Dynamics AG is a global leader in immersive pilot training, and the only company with VR simulators qualified by the FAA, EASA and JCAB. Trusted by Alaska Airlines, Airbus Helicopters, the Los Angeles Police Department, and more, we serve the aviation ecosystem, including commercial airlines, eVTOLs, and diverse helicopter operators, as well as schools, OEMs, governments, and regulators. Our mission is to make high-quality, immersive pilot training more accessible, affordable and scalable than ever before. We produce full-motion VR simulators that are roughly 10 times smaller and significantly more cost-effective than legacy simulators. We also provide a connected suite of solutions that integrate our simulators worldwide, including at-home training kits, virtual instruction from the world’s top pilots and AI-driven, data-rich training intelligence. Loft Dynamics is leading a global paradigm shift in pilot training and powering the next generation of highly skilled pilots. Learn more at LoftDynamics.com.

Contact
Press@loftdynamics.com

About Indocopters Private Limited
Indocopters Pvt. Ltd. is one of India’s leading helicopter aviation companies, providing comprehensive solutions across helicopter maintenance, operations, continuing airworthiness management and technician training. With over two decades of experience, the company has earned a reputation for operational excellence, uncompromising safety standards and regulatory compliance. Serving government agencies, corporate clients and private operators, Indocopters has consistently invested in strengthening India’s rotary-wing aviation ecosystem through advanced technology, skilled manpower and world-class infrastructure. For more information visit www.indocopters.com

Contact
info@indocopters.com

 

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