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The investment represents a strong vote of confidence from international investors in Australian automotive AI innovation, providing fresh capital to accelerate AI WINGMAN’s development and support its growth ambitions.

As AI reshapes the automotive retail landscape, AI WINGMAN is bringing a new level of intelligence and automation to dealership operations. Designed to help dealerships engage every customer at the right moment, the Australian-developed platform combines conversational AI with intelligent lead and customer engagement to capture more opportunities, strengthen customer relationships and drive sales growth.

The announcement follows the platform’s showcases at the AADA (Australian Automotive Dealer Association) Convention & Expo in Sydney in July and at AIMCONNECT 2026 in Singapore in October, highlighting growing industry interest in AI-powered dealership solutions.

Australian AI innovation attracts international strategic backing

Mr Lei Shen, Director of AI WINGMAN, said the investment reflects growing recognition of the potential of purpose-built AI solutions to transform how automotive dealerships engage with their customers across the entire ownership lifecycle.

“Artificial intelligence is transforming how businesses engage with customers, and the automotive industry is no exception. Today’s dealerships face more intense competition and more complex market conditions, yet many valuable sales opportunities are still lost through neglected or delayed engagement.

“AI WINGMAN was developed to address this challenge by turning untapped dealership data into actionable insights, while allowing sales teams to focus their valuable time on building relationships and converting high-potential leads.

“X Star’s strategic investment is a strong endorsement of our technology and vision. It provides a solid foundation to accelerate innovation and bring Australian-developed automotive AI solutions to a broader regional market.”

X Star Technology is a Singapore-headquartered automotive finance technology company with operations spanning Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

Already being used by dealerships franchising leading automotive brands including BYD, Zeekr, Land Rover and Kia, AI WINGMAN demonstrates how Australian-developed AI technology can be applied to real-world challenges in automotive retail.

Hashtag: #AutoSwift #AIWINGMAN

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The registration reinforces PhotonPay’s regulatory foundation for payment activities in Canada, with requirements covering operational risk management, incident response and the safeguarding of end-user funds.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 November 2025 – PhotonPay today announced that its Canadian operating entity, Photon Dance CA Inc., is now registered with the Bank of Canada as a payment service provider (PSP) under Canada’s Retail Payment Activities Act (RPAA). The entity was previously registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) as a Money Services Business (MSB). The RPAA registration further strengthens PhotonPay’s regulatory foundation in Canada and supports its continued development of local financial services across North America.

The RPAA establishes a federal framework for the registration and supervision of PSPs conducting specified retail payment activities in Canada. Administered by the Bank of Canada, it sets requirements for operational risk management, incident response and regulatory reporting. PSPs that hold end-user funds are also required to implement measures to safeguard those funds, strengthening oversight and accountability across Canada’s retail payments ecosystem.

The Canadian registration adds to PhotonPay’s broader regulatory presence across North America. In the United States, PhotonPay is registered as a Money Services Business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and holds money transmitter licenses across multiple U.S. states. Across the Americas, Europe and Asia, PhotonPay holds 35 payment licenses, regulatory authorizations and registrations, reflecting the regulatory breadth behind its operations across key financial markets.

For PhotonPay, building a global financial operating system requires more than connecting payment capabilities across markets. It also means developing the local regulatory and financial infrastructure needed to support those capabilities in each jurisdiction. As businesses expand internationally, their financial operations increasingly span different account structures, payment systems, currencies and regulatory environments. Bringing these functions together requires infrastructure that can address local market requirements while giving businesses a more unified way to manage their global finances.

This is the vision behind PhotonPay’s next-generation Financial OS. Through an integrated, API-first architecture, PhotonPay brings together multi-asset wallets, local collections, global payouts, foreign exchange, card issuing and embedded finance. By supporting both fiat currencies and stablecoins within its broader financial infrastructure, the platform connects traditional payment rails with emerging digital-asset capabilities, helping businesses manage increasingly complex financial operations across markets.

“Global financial infrastructure must be designed around the realities of the markets it serves. Regulatory frameworks, payment systems and the responsibilities involved in handling funds differ across jurisdictions, and these differences need to be accounted for at the infrastructure level,” said JP Pi, Global Chief Compliance Officer at PhotonPay. “Our approach is to build a Financial OS that brings together global capabilities while respecting the regulatory and operational requirements of each local market. The RPAA registration is another step in putting that approach into practice, as we continue developing infrastructure to support businesses operating across an increasingly interconnected financial landscape.”

Hashtag: #PhotonPay

https://www.photonpay.com

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About PhotonPay

Founded in Hong Kong in 2015, PhotonPay is a global fintech company building a next-generation, stablecoin-centric Financial Operating System (Financial OS). Its API-first architecture brings together multi-asset wallets supporting stablecoins and fiat currencies, global money movement, foreign exchange, global card issuing, embedded finance, and local clearing infrastructure, connecting digital and traditional financial rails within an integrated financial system.

PhotonPay operates 16 offices worldwide, employs nearly 600 people, and holds 35 payment and financial licenses and regulatory authorizations across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The company serves businesses across more than 200 countries and territories.

For more information, visit www.photonpay.com.

The trend began with Kim Hee-sun’s visit, followed by Korean creators exploring boat rides, heritage workshops, Xizha’s night scenery and waterfront breakfasts. Their experiences offered international audiences a glimpse into traditional Chinese culture and Wuzhen’s charm.

Why Wuzhen? Located in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, it is among China’s first designated Historic and Cultural Towns, a national 5A tourist attraction and the permanent host of the World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit. Its canals, stone bridges and traditional houses embody Jiangnan’s water town scenery. Dongzha preserves local customs, while Xizha offers nighttime sightseeing, waterfront accommodation and resort facilities. The Wuzhen Theatre Festival and Mu Xin Art Museum connect heritage with contemporary culture. Connections to Shanghai and Hangzhou make Wuzhen accessible to international visitors.

For Korean creators, Wuzhen offers more than scenery. Visitors can explore traditional craftsmanship at blue calico dyeing workshops and Yida Silk Workshop, sample local pastries such as gusao bing and dingsheng gao, and watch Dongzha’s boat-based martial arts and high-pole performances. These experiences bring local traditions to life.

Traditional sculling boats capture Wuzhen’s unhurried rhythm, gliding past whitewashed houses, stone bridges and waterfront homes. Mornings bring tea gatherings and floating markets; afternoons invite visits to Lingshui Residence and Zhaoming Academy. At dusk, Xizha’s illuminated canals create a peaceful setting before an overnight stay at a waterfront guesthouse.

Growing Korean interest also reflects changing travel preferences. With easier travel between China and South Korea, visitors increasingly seek cultural immersion, relaxation and longer stays. Wuzhen has improved international card payments, currency exchange and multilingual services. Travelers are moving beyond sightseeing toward experiencing everyday local life, supported by the town’s heritage and hospitality facilities.

From celebrity visits to social media sharing, the “Wuzhen route” offers East Asian urban travelers a chance to slow down. Whether enjoying a boat ride, traditional craft or waterfront overnight stay, visitors from Korea and beyond are invited to discover China’s water town lifestyle. Come to Wuzhen and spend a day at your own pace.

Hashtag: #Wuzhen

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Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency (NIA), said that National Innovation Day remains an essential annual forum dedicated to commemorating the royal grace, genius, and enduring innovation legacy of King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation strongly believes that human capital is the cornerstone of building an innovation-driven society. Consequently, the NIA prioritizes workforce upskilling across all generations alongside deploying technology and innovation to mitigate inequality, expand economic opportunities, enhance quality of life, and sharpen national competitiveness. This mission accelerates Thailand’s transition from a mere consumer of technology into a prolific creator of high-value innovation. The event serves not only as a platform to recognize trailblazers, but also as a catalyst to foster widespread awareness, stimulate active technology adoption, showcase Thai ingenuity on the world stage, and collectively advance Thailand toward becoming a sustainable “Innovation Nation.”

“The National Innovation Awards represent the highest distinction in Thailand’s innovation landscape. They celebrate Thai innovators whose pioneering work delivers clear, measurable value to the country, sparking pride and creative momentum across all sectors while elevating our national image as an emerging Innovation Nation,” stated Dr. Krithpaka. “Now in its 22nd year, the competition reflects a rapid leap forward in domestic innovation capability, keeping pace with an evolving global landscape. Historically, more than 6,736 submissions have entered the awards, with over 370 projects recognized, collectively generating an economic, social, and environmental impact valued at over 138 billion baht.”

Dr. Krithpaka highlighted three winning innovations from the 2026 National Innovation Awards that exemplify success across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, underscoring Thai entrepreneurs’ capacity to combine deep technology with commercial viability:

1. BUZZEBEES: Elevating CRM through AI to Boost Marketing Efficiency and Business Growth Developed by Buzzebees Co., Ltd., this end-to-end customer relationship management (CRM) and online engagement platform secured first prize in the Economic category (Large and Medium Enterprise division). Powered by advanced AI algorithms, the platform streamlines customer data management, consumer behavior analytics, and precision-targeted marketing campaigns. It empowers enterprises to connect with target demographics accurately, retain customer bases, and unlock new revenue streams.

The comprehensive suite encompasses loyalty and points-redemption programs, payment and order management workflows tailored for SMEs and restaurants, and e-commerce channel operations, alongside targeted digital media and affiliate marketing powered by a vast influencer and Key Opinion Leader (KOL) network. By leveraging real-time business diagnostics and automated campaign personalization, the platform can deploy fully functional solutions within just five business days—a 20-fold reduction in turnaround time compared to traditional development cycles that often require up to 100 days.

Currently, BUZZEBEES supports over 500 enterprise platforms, more than 1,500 SME and merchant networks, and an aggregate user base exceeding 200 million consumer and distributor accounts. Notable deployments include Tops’ personalized loyalty platform, which serves over 210,000 active users and has processed more than 40 million reward redemptions. In 2025, the company generated over 2 billion baht annually in gross merchandise value (GMV) through international affiliate channels, saved domestic corporations over 600 million baht annually by replacing reliance on foreign enterprise software, posted 2.964 billion baht in total revenue, and created an average of 260 local tech jobs annually.

2. INSPECTRA MMG: Deep-Learning AI for Mammography Analysis Enhancing Breast Cancer Screening Developed by Perceptra Co., Ltd., INSPECTRA MMG captured first prize in the Social category (Large and Medium Enterprise division). The diagnostic-support AI system assists radiologists in interpreting screening mammograms, specifically targeting the diagnostic complexities posed by dense breast tissue—a characteristic prevalent among Asian women that frequently obscures underlying lesions in standard screenings.

Trained on a proprietary dataset of more than 400,000 mammographic images from Thai cohorts, INSPECTRA MMG detects subtle indicators of malignancy to assist clinical decision-making. Deployed in Thai clinical settings for over three years across more than 220,000 processed patient cases, the tool reduces radiologists’ workloads, optimizes diagnostic throughput, and democratizes access to early cancer detection in medically underserved provinces. Validation data submitted by the company demonstrates an impressive Cancer Detection Rate of 97%, validating AI’s efficacy as a clinical decision-support asset while maintaining physician oversight as the ultimate diagnostic authority. Looking ahead, Perceptra plans to expand outreach via mobile mammography screening units for remote communities, implement an annual software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription model to fund continued R&D, and scale operations into broader Southeast Asian healthcare markets.

3. MyraShell Aroma: Upcycling Marine Shell Waste into Sustainable Luxury Bio-Materials Developed by Manee Mongkol Gems Factory Co., Ltd., “MyraShell Aroma – Sea of Love” won top honors in the Environmental category (Micro & Small Enterprise, and Social Enterprise division). The initiative upcycles discarded green mussel shells sourced from coastal fishing communities into high-value decorative bio-materials under circular economy principles, effectively curbing coastal waste while establishing sustainable secondary income streams for local artisanal fishers.

The innovation isolates nacre (mother-of-pearl) and calcium carbonate fractions from marine shells, formulating them with bio-based binding polymers and precision engineering techniques into durable, aesthetically sophisticated materials suitable for fine jewelry and luxury decor. MyraShell Aroma features a calibrated micro-porous surface that absorbs and disperses fragrances ambiently without electricity, designed for repeated aromatic refills.

The company has expanded its portfolio under the MyraShell and MyraGem brands to supply interior panels, lighting fixtures, and architectural finishes to luxury five-star hospitality brands. Manee Mongkol Gems collaborates with the Chonburi Fisheries Association and the Sawang Pratheep Community Enterprise for ethical raw material sourcing, complete with origin-traceability protocols, and partners with Kasetsart University on material validation with research grant backing from the NIA. The breakthrough gained international acclaim at Milan Design Week at Superstudio Events in Milan, Italy, where the team exhibited a 3×3-meter “Sea of Love” feature wall. Capitalizing on sustainable luxury storytelling, the company is actively expanding its direct export channels across Italy, Germany, France, and Hong Kong.

Supporting Broader Innovation Ecosystems Alongside the flagship honors, the ceremony presented accolades across complementary specialized initiatives:

• The 22nd National Innovation Awards: Organized directly by the NIA to honor impact across five dedicated pillars: Economy, Society, Environment, Innovation Communicator, and Innovative Organization. The 2026 edition drew 437 competitive submissions.
• The 26th Innovation Thailand Awards: Co-organized with the Science Society of Thailand under the Patronage of His Majesty the King, this initiative fosters youth-led innovation and guides intellectual property toward viable commercialization across two academic tiers: Higher Vocational/Undergraduate and Vocational/Secondary levels (attracting 494 entries).
• The 18th Thai Rice Innovation Awards: Co-hosted with the Thai Rice Foundation under Royal Patronage to incentivize high-value product transformation and process innovation across the rice value chain. Awards were conferred across Industrial and Community Enterprise categories, drawing 82 submissions.

Serving as the nation’s “Focal Conductor,” the NIA continues to align with domestic and international partners through its core Groom – Grant – Growth – Global framework. This integrated strategy aims to expand Thailand’s cohort of market-ready innovation-driven enterprises (IDEs), catalyze economic value creation, and fortify national competitiveness to firmly cement Thailand’s standing as an internationally recognized Innovation Nation.

Hashtag: #NIA

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An Asia digital transformation programme for founders and SMEs, starting in Malaysia, with a full refund if the delivery date is missed

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 November 2026 – Fully customised business software and AI solutions, built by engineers and backed by a full refund if the agreed delivery date is missed. Starting in Malaysia and rolling out across Asia, made possible by more than 100 partners.

Nexawork AI is an Asia focused technology company building the AI Business Operating System. It was co-founded by Allen Tan Chee Hoe, its Chief Executive Officer, and Sky Wee, its Chief Business Development Officer.

Today Allen Tan Chee Hoe announced the launch of Nexawork AI’s Asia digital transformation programme, which helps founders, project owners and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) build their first digital product. It offers custom software development, including AI solutions and AI agents, starting with a Starter Pack at RM19,900.00, with a full refund of the development fee if Nexawork AI misses the delivery date in the contract.

The programme starts in Malaysia, its first market in Southeast Asia, before extending across Asia. Applications are open now at nexawork.ai. Its pricing is made possible by more than 100 partners, who share the work and bring businesses to the programme.

Why Asia’s SMEs hold back on AI and digital transformation
Asia runs on small businesses. Across 26 economies tracked by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), micro, small and medium enterprises make up 99.8% of all enterprises, employ 67.6% of the workforce and produce 38.7% of national output. Yet many still run on paper and spreadsheets, SME digitalisation lags, and AI is widening the gap. In South Korea, a 2024 Korea Federation of SMEs survey of 300 SMEs found only 5.3% using AI, and the obstacle cited most was the lack of AI services built for their needs.

Cost and risk add to the hesitation. In Malaysia, 2026 industry estimates put even a basic first version of mobile software at RM30,000 to RM60,000, and most SME projects at RM60,000 or more. For a first time founder, that is a large bet on one vendor. Owners are avoiding risk, not technology.

“Transformation fails on the first invoice, not on the technology,” said Allen Tan Chee Hoe, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nexawork AI. “We are not trying to reprice the market. We want to give many SMEs the confidence to take their first step into digitisation, together with more than 100 partners, so a founder anywhere in Asia can build a first digital product without betting the year on it. And we are not here to replace anyone’s workforce. Our AI brings productivity to business owners and their teams, so that adoption actually happens.”

A full refund if the delivery date is missed
If Nexawork AI misses the delivery date in the contract, the business receives a full refund of the development fee. The clock starts when the business provides complete information and access, and the scope is fixed in writing before work begins.

Custom software development and AI solutions built around the business
Every system is shaped around the individual business. Professional engineers write, review and test every build, and the owner needs no technical knowledge. Projects can include a native mobile platform for ordering, payment through the business’s own provider, delivery tracking and referrals, an admin console, connections to existing software, and AI built for the business, from AI solutions on its own data to AI agents that answer enquiries or follow up on orders.

RM19,900.00 is the Starter Pack, the entry point to the programme: a focused first system built around one core workflow, such as taking orders or bookings, with an admin console for the owner. Builds with more features, AI, payments or integrations are scoped and priced above the Starter Pack.

Why the programme price is possible: more than 100 partners
The programme is designed to grow the market, not to undercut it. The price is not set to compete with the market: most SMEs would not commission development at RM100,000 or more, so the programme reaches businesses that would otherwise not digitise at all, rather than taking work from established developers. The Starter Pack can start at RM19,900.00 because more than 100 partners share the work and bring businesses to the programme, so less of each project’s price goes on sales and marketing.

Nexawork AI’s team shapes each founder’s first product before any code is written. Lavie System Solutions brings almost two decades of development experience, so proven building blocks are not reinvented for every project. Healing Mind Group, led by Lee Hong Rui, a trainer accredited by HRD Corp, Malaysia’s Human Resource Development Corporation, joins as Business Process and SME Transformation Partner to map workflows and prepare teams. Dova Space looks after the people side of change, Eco Bee Biotech and Eco Bee Shop introduce the programme to their network, and Jayv Chang Yoon Voon, marketing partner for Southeast Asia, reaches businesses through partner and community channels.

How the programme works
Each custom software development project starts with a written scope, after which the price and the delivery date go into the contract. The build runs in about twelve sprints over about three months. Every project includes three months of free maintenance; hosting, domain and infrastructure are paid by the business to its own providers, from about US$100 a month. Every system is built to connect directly to the Nexawork AI platform, which is expected to launch by the second quarter of 2027.

The founders behind Nexawork AI
Allen Tan Chee Hoe is a serial founder and product architect with 15 years of experience in technology and product development. According to internal operating records, he previously built a startup to more than 4 million users and 60,000 business owners, and his teams have supported more than 180 projects globally for companies that together raised more than US$200 million. Sky Wee, who leads global business development and partnerships, is a Singapore based serial entrepreneur and venture investor.

The Nexawork AI Partner App
Nexawork AI will also launch the Nexawork AI Partner App, expected in the first quarter of 2027, so referral partners can refer businesses to the platform and handle enquiries and introductions in one place. Partners can register their interest at nexawork.ai.

Larger digital transformation projects
Alongside the programme, Nexawork AI is helping established companies digitise through larger projects, each scoped and priced on its own and separate from the RM19,900.00 Starter Pack. They include Vorahome, a home services platform founded by Alan Foong, Vincent Wong and Ivan Hiew Chin Woon; and Big Ben Dining Group, a food, entertainment and technology dining concept founded by Bengemen Tan Boon Yong.

How to apply
To claim the programme, a business needs an official Programme Code from the Nexawork AI sales team. Founders, project owners and businesses can apply at nexawork.ai or approach any Nexawork AI Sales Manager across Southeast Asia. A salesperson will contact them to confirm the fit and issue the code, which opens the scoping session; the sales team verifies each business through its code and uses it to track every approved project. The programme is open while it lasts, until Nexawork AI announces its close, and codes, like places, are limited each month.
Hashtag: #NexaworkAI #WorkLessWinMore #DigitalTransformation #CustomSoftware #AIforBusiness #AIAgents #SMEMalaysia #SMEDigitalisation #SoftwareDevelopment

https://nexawork.ai/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/nexaworkai
https://web.facebook.com/nexaworkai

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Nexawork AI

Nexawork AI is building the AI Business Operating System for solo entrepreneurs, small teams and established businesses in Asia: one platform to run your work and your business. Money and legal commitments always wait for a human. The platform is in beta with design partners and is expected to launch by the second quarter of 2027. Nexawork AI was co-founded by Allen Tan Chee Hoe, its Chief Executive Officer, and Sky Wee, its Chief Business Development Officer. Work Less. Win More. AI Does the Rest. nexawork.ai

About Eco Bee Biotech and Eco Bee Shop

Eco Bee Biotech and Eco Bee Shop is a Malaysian bee biotechnology, conservation and wellness enterprise founded by Cathie Tan in 2002. It develops Kelulut (stingless bee) honey, propolis and other wellness products, and in 2026 was recognised by ASIA Records and ASEAN Records for its alcohol free halal Kelulut propolis extract. Bee conservation is at the heart of its mission, including its planned Eco Bee Nature Exchange, guided by its philosophy: Save Bees, Empowering People, Pure Quality. beeshop.com.my

About Lavie System Solutions

Lavie System Solutions, led by Lai Yu Long, is a Johor based development company founded in 2008 that builds custom software, enterprise and point of sale systems and online stores. lvss.com.my

About Healing Mind Group

Healing Mind Group is a training provider led by Lee Hong Rui, who brings experience in finance and corporate management, a background in process transformation and trainer accreditation with HRD Corp. It helps SMEs map their business workflows, identify operational gaps and prepare their teams to adopt systems that improve productivity.

About Dova Space

Dova Space, led by Debbie Hew Sio Yee and Hew Khai Rin, is a holistic health and wellness centre offering personalised, data driven care. It brings Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern medical expertise, natural healing and advanced medical devices under one roof, with a strong focus on sleep health: sleep care consultations, sleep quality and autonomic nervous system assessments, home use medical devices and long term sleep management programmes. Better Sleep. Better Health. Better Living. dova.space

In announcing the award, UNESCO recognized Prof. Ip as an internationally renowned neuroscientist whose research has significantly advanced the understanding of brain function and neurodegenerative diseases. It highlighted her team’s discoveries of novel biomarkers and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, the development of an innovative blood-based diagnostic technology that enables earlier detection and monitoring of the disease, and her pioneering advances in gene therapy research that have opened new avenues for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

President Prof. Nancy Ip first received the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2004, becoming the first Chinese scientist in the life sciences and the first scientist from Hong Kong to receive the honor. Her latest recognition, the 2026 UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences, marks a second major accolade from UNESCO and makes her the first Hong Kong scientist to have received both prestigious UNESCO awards.

Receiving the award in Paris, Prof. Ip expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her research team, collaborators and colleagues, and thanked HKUST for its steadfast support throughout her scientific journey.

Prof. Ip said: “I am deeply honored to receive the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences. This recognition belongs not only to me, but also to the many talented and dedicated team members, collaborators and colleagues who have contributed to these achievements. It reflects our shared commitment to advancing knowledge, deepening our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, and translating scientific discoveries into meaningful benefits for patients and society.“

She added: “Alzheimer’s disease is not just a scientific and medical challenge. It is also a deeply human one, profoundly affecting the lives of those living with the disease and their families. Their courage reminds us why our work matters and inspires us to reach higher.”

Prof. Ip also emphasized the importance of global scientific collaboration and nurturing future generations of researchers. “Science is a collective endeavor,” she said. “Every breakthrough is built on collaboration across disciplines, institutions and borders. As a scientist and university president, I believe we must also empower young researchers by giving them the freedom to pursue their curiosity, the confidence to take intellectual risks, and the support they need to tackle the grand challenges facing humanity.”

Breakthrough Contributions to Neuroscience and Alzheimer’s Disease Research

Prof. Ip has devoted more than three decades to advancing research on neurodegenerative diseases. To date, she has published over 350 scholarly papers and holds 144 patents. Her pioneering work has significantly deepened scientific understanding of intercellular communication in the nervous system, synaptic signaling, and the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Her research team has also achieved a series of breakthroughs in identifying protein targets associated with these disorders, opening new avenues for their diagnosis and treatment.

Recognizing that Alzheimer’s disease research has historically relied heavily on data from Western populations, with Asian populations being relatively underrepresented, Prof. Ip led her team in establishing a large-scale Chinese Alzheimer’s disease biobank. By integrating clinical data, neuroimaging information, and multi-omics datasets from Chinese populations, the team successfully identified multiple genetic risk factors prevalent among Chinese individuals. These findings have provided important scientific insights into disease mechanisms and laid a foundation for the development of precision diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

In recent years, Prof. Ip and her team have made significant advances in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and the clinical translation of related research. They co-developed a highly accurate, minimally invasive, and efficient blood-based diagnostic test that can aid early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and help identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment, thereby supporting timely clinical assessment and intervention planning, as well as the identification of suitable participants for clinical trials. The technology has been adopted by multiple healthcare institutions in Hong Kong and has since been expanded into community settings, helping to inform more effective disease management and risk-reduction strategies. Meanwhile, the team is actively exploring novel gene therapy approaches for familial Alzheimer’s disease through gene-editing technologies, with the goal of developing an integrated innovation pipeline spanning early diagnosis to next-generation therapeutics.

An Internationally Acclaimed Scientist

Prof. Ip is President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and concurrently serves as Director of the State Key Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Director of the Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Prior to joining HKUST, she was a Senior Staff Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in the United States. Since joining HKUST, she has held a number of key leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Biochemistry, Dean of Science, and Vice-President for Research and Development, before assuming the presidency of the University in 2022.

Renowned internationally for her scientific achievements and academic leadership, Prof. Ip is an elected member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Academia Europaea, and the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences. Her many honors include the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award, the State Natural Science Award of China (twice), and recognition by Nature as one of China’s “Ten Science Stars”. She was also appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French Government and awarded both the Silver Bauhinia Star and Bronze Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government.

The UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences was established by UNESCO to recognize outstanding scientific achievements that advance human health and improve quality of life. The Prize promotes scientific excellence, international collaboration, and the development of research networks worldwide. This year’s prize is shared by three laureates, who jointly receive US$300,000 and an Integración Tribal statuette created by Equatorial Guinean artist Leandro Mbomio Nsue.

Hashtag: #HKUST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university renowned for its excellence in innovative education, research, and impactful knowledge transfer. Adopting a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to education, HKUST was ranked 33rd globally and 6th in Asia in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and QS Asia University Rankings 2026, respectively. It was also ranked 20th worldwide in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, placing first among universities in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland for the third consecutive year. Eleven HKUST subjects were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. In addition, HKUSTs Computer Science discipline, which encompasses areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, was ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong for the tenth consecutive year in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Its graduates are highly competitive, consistently ranking among the world’s top 30 most sought-after employees. In research and entrepreneurship, more than 80% of HKUST’s research was rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in the University Grants Committee’s Research Assessment Exercise 2020. As of September 2026, HKUST members have founded more than 2,000 active start-ups, including 11 unicorns and 23 successful exits through initial public offerings (IPOs) or mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

By K Raveendran Wall Street was waiting for an excuse to punish the technology sector, whose extraordinary valuations had increasingly defied conventional measures of profitability and risk. The sweeping defeat of Donald Trump’s Republicans in the American midterm elections provided the trigger, unleashing a sell-off that exposed the fragility beneath the artificial intelligence boom. Yet […]

The article Wall Street’s AI Reckoning Offers India A New Opening appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

In announcing the award, UNESCO recognized Prof. Ip as an internationally renowned neuroscientist whose research has significantly advanced the understanding of brain function and neurodegenerative diseases. It highlighted her team’s discoveries of novel biomarkers and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, the development of an innovative blood-based diagnostic technology that enables earlier detection and monitoring of the disease, and her pioneering advances in gene therapy research that have opened new avenues for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Receiving the award in Paris, Prof. Ip expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her research team, collaborators and colleagues, and thanked HKUST for its steadfast support throughout her scientific journey.

Prof. Ip said: “I am deeply honored to receive the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences. This recognition belongs not only to me, but also to the many talented and dedicated team members, collaborators and colleagues who have contributed to these achievements. It reflects our shared commitment to advancing knowledge, deepening our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, and translating scientific discoveries into meaningful benefits for patients and society.“

She added: “Alzheimer’s disease is not just a scientific and medical challenge. It is also a deeply human one, profoundly affecting the lives of those living with the disease and their families. Their courage reminds us why our work matters and inspires us to reach higher.”

Prof. Ip also emphasized the importance of global scientific collaboration and nurturing future generations of researchers. “Science is a collective endeavor,” she said. “Every breakthrough is built on collaboration across disciplines, institutions and borders. As a scientist and university president, I believe we must also empower young researchers by giving them the freedom to pursue their curiosity, the confidence to take intellectual risks, and the support they need to tackle the grand challenges facing humanity.”

Breakthrough Contributions to Neuroscience and Alzheimer’s Disease Research

Prof. Ip has devoted more than three decades to advancing research on neurodegenerative diseases. To date, she has published over 350 scholarly papers and holds 144 patents. Her pioneering work has significantly deepened scientific understanding of intercellular communication in the nervous system, synaptic signaling, and the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Her research team has also achieved a series of breakthroughs in identifying protein targets associated with these disorders, opening new avenues for their diagnosis and treatment.

Recognizing that Alzheimer’s disease research has historically relied heavily on data from Western populations, with Asian populations being relatively underrepresented, Prof. Ip led her team in establishing a large-scale Chinese Alzheimer’s disease biobank. By integrating clinical data, neuroimaging information, and multi-omics datasets from Chinese populations, the team successfully identified multiple genetic risk factors prevalent among Chinese individuals. These findings have provided important scientific insights into disease mechanisms and laid a foundation for the development of precision diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

In recent years, Prof. Ip and her team have made significant advances in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and the clinical translation of related research. They co-developed a highly accurate, minimally invasive, and efficient blood-based diagnostic test that can aid early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and help identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment, thereby supporting timely clinical assessment and intervention planning, as well as the identification of suitable participants for clinical trials. The technology has been adopted by multiple healthcare institutions in Hong Kong and has since been expanded into community settings, helping to inform more effective disease management and risk-reduction strategies. Meanwhile, the team is actively exploring novel gene therapy approaches for familial Alzheimer’s disease through gene-editing technologies, with the goal of developing an integrated innovation pipeline spanning early diagnosis to next-generation therapeutics.

An Internationally Acclaimed Scientist

Prof. Ip is President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and concurrently serves as Director of the State Key Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Director of the Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Prior to joining HKUST, she was a Senior Staff Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in the United States. Since joining HKUST, she has held a number of key leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Biochemistry, Dean of Science, and Vice-President for Research and Development, before assuming the presidency of the University in 2022.

Renowned internationally for her scientific achievements and academic leadership, Prof. Ip is an elected member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Academia Europaea, and the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences. Her many honors include the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award, the State Natural Science Award of China (twice), and recognition by Nature as one of China’s “Ten Science Stars”. She was also appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French Government and awarded both the Silver Bauhinia Star and Bronze Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government.

The UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences was established by UNESCO to recognize outstanding scientific achievements that advance human health and improve quality of life. The Prize promotes scientific excellence, international collaboration, and the development of research networks worldwide. This year’s prize is shared by three laureates, who jointly receive US$300,000 and an Integración Tribal statuette created by Equatorial Guinean artist Leandro Mbomio Nsue.

Hashtag: #HKUST

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About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university renowned for its excellence in innovative education, research, and impactful knowledge transfer. Adopting a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to education, HKUST was ranked 33rd globally and 6th in Asia in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and QS Asia University Rankings 2026, respectively. It was also ranked 20th worldwide in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, placing first among universities in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland for the third consecutive year. Eleven HKUST subjects were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. In addition, HKUSTs Computer Science discipline, which encompasses areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, was ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong for the tenth consecutive year in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Its graduates are highly competitive, consistently ranking among the world’s top 30 most sought-after employees. In research and entrepreneurship, more than 80% of HKUST’s research was rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in the University Grants Committee’s Research Assessment Exercise 2020. As of September 2026, HKUST members have founded more than 2,000 active start-ups, including 11 unicorns and 23 successful exits through initial public offerings (IPOs) or mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

By Nitya Chakraborty On the eve of the ASEAN Summit in Manila scheduled on November 15 to 17, a big pressure has been mounted on India by the member countries of RCEP including China and New Zealand to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which was formalized in November 2020 and emerged as the […]

The article India Under Pressure To Join RCEP On The Eve Of ASEAN Summit In Manila On Nov 15-17 appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Companies including Unitree Robotics, AgiBot and UBTECH used the “Light of Internet” Expo to show how far robots have come — and how close they may be to becoming part of everyday life.

But the expo was not only about spectacle. Many of the machines on display were being developed for tasks beyond the exhibition hall.

Evan Kail, an American content creator visiting the expo, paused in front of Unitree Robotics’ GD01, a robot designed for emergency-response scenarios.

Kail said the machine captured the pace of China’s progress in robotics. A few years ago, he said, Unitree robots were widely known for dancing in televised gala performances. Now, machines such as the GD01 pointed to more practical roles, including disaster response and search-and-rescue operations.

“The leaps of technology in China are very impressive,” Kail said. “As climate change gets worse and worse, robots like this can make a difference if they are used to save lives.”

The shift from eye-catching demonstrations to practical deployment was a recurring theme across the expo. But for robots to work reliably in crowded streets, disaster zones or industrial sites, the machine itself is only part of the equation. It also needs a network capable of carrying huge amounts of data, responding almost instantly and supporting AI decisions close to where they are needed.

At China Mobile’s booth, a display highlighted one example: traffic-management robots deployed in Hangzhou, the eastern Chinese city that hosted the 2023 Asian Games.

Earlier this year, during a peak holiday travel period, Hangzhou deployed 15 robots at major intersections in tourist areas and downtown districts. Part of the Hangzhou Police Smart Mobility program, they can answer questions, guide pedestrians and vehicles, and warn people about traffic violations.

The deployment illustrates how connectivity is becoming central to the usefulness of intelligent machines. The current system uses 5G and 5G-Advanced connections and typically supports one camera on each robot. Future versions are expected to carry as many as six cameras and operate more independently within defined areas.

That will require latency below 10 milliseconds, uplink speeds above 100 Mbps and positioning accurate to within centimeters — demands that are helping shape the development of 6G.

The next generation of mobile technology is still years from commercial deployment. But its ambitions extend beyond faster download speeds. Industry plans for 6G include combining communications with sensing, edge computing and satellite connectivity.

“With 6G, networks will effectively gain radar-like eyes — the ability to sense and understand their surroundings — while AI will give them a brain,” said Liang Zeshuai, a network optimization engineer at China Mobile Zhejiang.

In this vision, a base station would do more than transmit data. Equipped with radar-like sensing capabilities, it could detect a nearby drone, identify obstacles around a blind corner or provide an autonomous machine with a more detailed understanding of its surroundings. Edge computing, meanwhile, would allow AI tasks to be processed closer to the user, rather than sending every request to a distant data center.

That could matter especially in the kinds of situations Kail had in mind: complex and dangerous environments where time, connectivity and situational awareness can make a difference.

Satellite connectivity could provide another layer of resilience when typhoons, earthquakes or other disasters damage ground-based infrastructure. China Mobile has launched a direct-to-handset service using the Tiantong and BeiDou satellite systems.

For now, 5G-Advanced — a network that goes beyond 5G in speed and performance — has already been widely rolled out across China. In Wuzhen, a 5G-Advanced “super uplink” network with upload speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps covered the conference venue for the first time. Robot dogs used the network to patrol the area, transmitting 4K video and location data in real time.

The same combination of connectivity, computing and AI is moving into industries where the gains may be less visible than a dancing robot, but potentially more consequential.

China Mobile and Sinopharm, China’s state-owned pharmaceutical and healthcare conglomerate, for example, have developed an AI-enabled cold-chain logistics platform that has reduced delivery costs by 65% and cut delivery times by 70%. The system is designed to help manage the transport of temperature-sensitive products, where delays or poor monitoring can lead to waste.

At Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, China Mobile has built what it describes as the world’s largest 5G private network for port operations. Such networks can support real-time coordination among cranes, vehicles, cameras and control systems across a vast, fast-moving industrial site.

The company is also applying AI and connected systems to public safety and emergency management, including flood-control planning and drone inspections of buildings. The aim is not only to respond faster after an emergency, but to identify risks before they become crises.

At Wuzhen, the robots remained the most visible attraction. They made coffee, danced for visitors and posed for cameras. Yet the more consequential story was happening behind them — in the networks, computing systems and satellite links that could determine how quickly AI moves from a trade-show novelty into a tool for cities, industries and, potentially, lifesaving work.

Hashtag: #TongxiangNewsOffice

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

A Multifaceted Background Spanning Film, Finance, and Broadcast Journalism

Raised in Hong Kong and an alumna of Hong Kong International School (HKIS), Zhou demonstrated creative and academic excellence early on, receiving concurrent admission offers from the Acting Department of Beijing Film Academy and the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC). She went on to complete dual degrees from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and the Marshall School of Business.

Following graduation, Zhou entered international corporate finance, working at UBS for nearly three years before pursuing and earning a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University in New York. She currently works as an English-language television feature host in Hong Kong, a bilingual content creator, and a commercial model. Having previously placed as a finalist in both Miss Asia and Miss Hong Kong, Zhou won the Miss Universe Hong Kong title in September 2026, securing her credential to represent the city on the global stage.

“The Miss Universe competition is not only one of the world’s preeminent pageants, but also a vital platform for spotlighting female leadership, cultural diversity, and global engagement,” Zhou stated. “Representing Hong Kong at this diamond anniversary edition is a tremendous privilege. I hope to present to the world the resilience, professionalism, and cultural confidence that define Hong Kong’s emerging generation.”

Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ddgozu8TK-L/

Rigorous Competition Preparation and Community Philanthropy

To prepare for the global arena at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum—a venue accommodating up to 18,000 spectators—the Hong Kong delegation designed a rigorous training regimen for Zhou. The curriculum emphasized international runway technique, multi-camera staging, and simulated on-stage Q&A sessions to sharpen public speaking under pressure.

In tandem with performance coaching, Zhou prioritized community advocacy throughout her intensive preparation period. In late October, she volunteered at a community kitchen in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, joining local volunteer teams to prepare and distribute hot meals and essential supplies to elderly residents and unhoused individuals. Zhou and her team also provided direct funding for meal ingredients, integrating civic engagement into her pre-pageant journey.

Showcasing Local Design: Evening Gown Craftsmanship and Cultural Heritage

The official Miss Universe schedule features rigorous sartorial standards across welcome receptions, philanthropic galas, preliminary judging, the national costume presentation, and the grand final.

• Bespoke Evening Gown: Tailored by an acclaimed Hong Kong fashion designer, Zhou’s competition gown integrates Hong Kong’s East-meets-West architectural silhouettes, urban dynamism, and traditional Lingnan textile craftsmanship into its fabric and tailoring.
• Cultural Heritage Exchange: For the traditional gift-exchange ceremony involving over 120 participating delegations, the team selected handcrafted cultural keepsakes reflecting Hong Kong’s heritage, designed to share the city’s unique cultural narrative with global representatives.

Official Schedule for the 75th Miss Universe World Final

Key competition milestones at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum include:

• National Costume Show: 21 November 2026
• Preliminary Competition: 22 November 2026
• Grand Final: 24 November 2026

Hashtag: #MissUniverseHongKong #MissUniverse

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Miss Universe Hong Kong

Miss Universe is among the world’s most enduring and widely followed international competitions, engaging delegates from more than 120 countries and territories annually. Miss Universe Hong Kong selects and mentors accomplished women with strong academic credentials, global communication skills, and social commitment to represent Hong Kong internationally, fostering intercultural dialogue and enhancing the city’s global profile.

About the 75th Miss Universe World Final

The 75th Miss Universe World Final will convene on 24 November 2026 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Celebrating 75 years of leadership and international pageantry under the “Diamond Edition” banner, the event brings together global delegates demonstrating leadership, stage presentation, and public advocacy.

Melco joins forces with industry leaders to deliver on the city’s Big Health vision

MACAU SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2026 – To accelerate the high-quality development of the Big Health industry in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), the “1st Greater Bay Area Health and Longevity Summit & Awards Ceremony”, proudly sponsored by Melco Resorts & Entertainment, concluded successfully today at Studio City. Jointly organized by Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group (MACAO) and iRad Hospital, the landmark event brought together international pioneers and industry leaders, drawing more than 360 guests including members of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, for high-level dialogue and exchange on the latest developments shaping the future of health and longevity.

As the Strategic Sponsor, Melco reinforced its commitment to Macao’s Big Health sector. This advances the vision established with its October 2025 launch of iRad Hospital in partnership with the iRad Medical Group at Studio City—the world’s first and Macao’s only integrated resort hospital equipped with both MRI and CT scanning facilities.

Mr. Lawrence Ho, Chairman & CEO of Melco, said, “As Macao pursues its ‘1+4’ appropriate economic diversification strategy, Melco is proud to support this inaugural wellness and longevity summit. With iRad Hospital at Studio City, we are bridging cutting-edge longevity science and world-class hospitality together under one roof – and today’s exchange of ideas among leading experts from across the world is exactly how Macao will grow into a premier global hub for medical tourism and Big Health innovation. We sincerely thank our co-organizers and the distinguished speakers and experts for sharing their invaluable insights and expertise, which contributed to the success of this inaugural event.”

Featuring an exceptional line-up of 25 global speakers from 10 regions, the Summit delivered a dynamic programme of keynotes and high-level discussions addressing the future of health and longevity. The three highly anticipated keynotes included:

Keynote 1: “One Gene. Cancer. Aging. One Switch” – Presented by Professor Dean Felsher of Stanford University, a leading cancer researcher specializing in oncology and pathology. He currently serves as the Founding Director of the Translational Research and Applied Medicine (TRAM) Program. His pioneering research focuses on the concept of oncogene addiction, utilizing innovative model systems to translate basic science breakthroughs into targeted therapeutics and novel cancer treatments.

Keynote 2: “Don’t Die: One Man’s War on Aging” – Presented by Bryan Johnson, Founder of Blueprint, and Kate Tolo, Co-Founder of Blueprint and Immortals. Together, they are pioneering the global longevity and biohacking movement by transforming rigorous health data tracking into accessible consumer protocols. Their multi-million dollar open-science experiments actively track thousands of biological markers to optimize human healthspan and redefine the limits of aging.

Keynote 3: “The Future of Longevity is Delicious” – Presented by René Redzepi and Peter Kreiner of Noma, a world-famous Copenhagen-based restaurant and food innovation lab. Together, they champion culinary exploration by unlocking the potential of hidden, wild, and treasured natural ingredients through advanced fermentation and foraging. Their work demonstrates how meticulous preparation methods and nutrient-rich, unadulterated ingredients can harmoniously elevate both exceptional flavor and long-term human wellness and longevity.

A series of high-level fireside chats further explored cutting-edge developments across wellness and longevity, science, technology and healthcare, with sessions including “Wellness & Longevity: From Vitality to Science”, “The Convergence of Quantum Computing and Biochemistry in Drug Development”, “Imaging, Omics & AI”, “Data Trust: Privacy and the Future of Health Data” and “Heritage & Innovation: New Pathways for High-Quality TCM Development in the GBA”.

Mr. Dennis Tam, Honorary Chairman of iRad Hospital and President and CEO of Black Spade Capital, said, “Longevity doesn’t begin in a laboratory. It begins with people. At iRad, we are building the Longevity+ brand around exactly that idea — bringing world-class science and genuine human connection under one roof. This first Greater Bay Area Health and Longevity Summit in Macau was proof it works: 360 business leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs, 25 speakers from 10 regions, and conversations that went far beyond any single keynote — all in just four hours. We are proud to keep building it across the Greater Bay Area and beyond, to the world.”

The event was marked by an opening ceremony officiated by distinguished guests including representatives of the event’s Supporting Units: Mr. Lo Iek Long, Director of the Health Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Choi Peng Cheong, Director of the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Larry Leong, Acting President of the Board of Directors of the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute of the Macao SAR Government; and Mr. U U Sang, Deputy Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; other government officials: Mr. Yang Quanzhou, Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; Mr. Cheong Chok Man, Director of the Policy Study and Regional Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Lio Chi Chong, Acting Director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; and Mr. Cheng Wai Tong, Acting Director of Macao Government Tourism Office; Mr. Lawrence Ho, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Melco, the event’s Strategic Sponsor; and representatives of the co-organizers: Mr. Zheng Yong Nan, Vice Chairman and General Manager of Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group; Mr. Dennis Tam, Honorary Chairman of iRad Hospital and President and CEO of Black Spade Capital; Dr. Matthew Ngan, Founder and Chairman of iRad Hospital; and Mr. Kin Wong, CEO of iRad Hospital.

The event culminated in a networking dinner and awards ceremony, honoring 17 outstanding organizations and individuals in the GBA for their contributions to the Big Health industry, medical innovation and the integration of healthcare and tourism.

Hashtag: #Melco #iRad #TaKungWenWei #longevity #GreaterBayArea

https://www.melco-resorts.com
https://hk.linkedin.com/company/melco-resorts-entertainment
https://x.com/MelcoResorts
https://www.facebook.com/MelcoCSR/
Wechat: 新濠博亚娱乐
https://www.instragram.com/melco.resorts

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited

The Company, with its American depositary shares listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq: MLCO), is a developer, owner and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe. The Company currently operates City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com) and Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com), integrated resorts located in Cotai and Taipa, Macau, respectively. Its business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), the only non-casino based operation of electronic gaming machines in Macau. In addition, the Company operates Studio City (www.studiocity-macau.com), a cinematically-themed integrated resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, the Company operates and manages City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreamsmanila.com), an integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. In Europe, the Company operates City of Dreams Mediterranean, an integrated resort in Limassol, in the Republic of Cyprus (www.cityofdreamsmed.com.cy) and licensed satellite casinos in other cities in Cyprus (the “Cyprus Casinos”). In South Asia, the Company operates the casino and manages the Nüwa hotel at City of Dreams Sri Lanka (www.cityofdreamssrilanka.com), an integrated resort in Colombo, Sri Lanka. For more information about the Company, please visitwww.melco-resorts.com.

The Company is majority owned by Melco International Development Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, which is in turn majority owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is the Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Bureau’s Middle East hub in Dubai to mobilise Gulf partners in driving initiatives under the partnership

COMO, ITALY / DUBAI, UAE / ACCRA, GHANA – African Media Agency – 5 November 2026 – e-Crime Bureau, an ISO/IEC 27001-certified cybersecurity consulting firm, and the Smart Africa Secretariat have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cybersecurity innovation and capacity development across Africa.

Signed on November 2, 2026, in Accra, on the sidelines of the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), the agreement establishes collaboration across three areas: people, processes and technology.

The firm’s Middle East hub will drive initiatives under the MoU by bringing Gulf partners into the partnership, leveraging the region’s fast-growing emerging technology and cybersecurity ecosystem, including technology companies, innovation centres, investors, government-led digital transformation and national cybersecurity initiatives. Through these partnerships, the firm aims to channel Gulf expertise, technologies and investment into programmes that strengthen Africa’s cybersecurity capabilities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO, Smart Africa, said: “Through our collaboration with e-Crime Bureau, we aim to strengthen cybersecurity expertise and advance the protection of critical digital infrastructure across the continent. ”

The partnership follows e-Crime Bureau’s global restructuring, anchored by hubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, building on 15 years of experience to serve clients across international markets.

The Middle East hub leads business development and service delivery and anchors the firm’s engagement with Gulf partners; the Europe hub focuses on standards, certifications, regulatory best practices, research, innovation and technology partnerships, and coordinates development partner engagements; while the African hub focuses on talent & skills development and project execution.

Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Executive Chairman of e-Crime Bureau, said: “Our expansion, and our partnership with Smart Africa, marks a new era for the Bureau. With global hubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, we serve as a bridge that connects expertise, talent, experience, insights and technology.”

This partnership brings together Smart Africa’s cybersecurity work, e-Crime Bureau’s expertise and the strengths of the Gulf’s technology and cybersecurity ecosystem to advance cybersecurity innovation and capability development across Africa.

Hashtag: #e-CrimeBureau

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About e-Crime Bureau

e-Crime Bureau is a global cybersecurity consulting firm operating across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, combining technical expertise and practical experience to help clients anticipate threats, respond proactively and build lasting resilience. https://www.e-crimebureau.com/

By Nitya Chakraborty China has taken the initiative to hold a trilateral summit involving Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on the sides line of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at Shenzhen, China on November 18 and 19. It was being talked about earlier, but the big defeat of President Trump at […]

The article Xi Jinping Preparing For A Trilateral Summit With Trump And Putin At APEC Summit On Nov 18-19 appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Several report full or near-full cage-free egg sourcing in all or part of Europe or North America. Their own reports show far lower figures, or none, for Asia.

The gap between the West and Asia shows in the companies’ own reports. IHG reports that 99.2% of its US hotels were aligned with its cage-free egg commitment in 2025, compared with 0% in Greater China. Marriott reports that 90.84% of egg spend at its managed US properties was cage-free in 2025, compared with 59.13% at its managed properties in Greater China.

Unilever reports 100% cage-free eggs in Europe and North America, but its latest available figure for Asia and Oceania is 7%, for 2023. It has said it will end its commitment to reach 100% cage-free eggs globally. Kraft Heinz’s animal welfare policy, issued in September 2026, commits to sourcing only cage-free eggs in North America and Europe. For other regions, including Asia, it says it will “continue to monitor the availability and affordability of cage-free eggs”. Both companies describe North America and Europe as their “biggest markets”. Sodexo has extended its timeline up to 2035 for countries where cage-free supply chains are still developing. Radisson Hotel Group’s April 2026 status report says it will focus on implementation “rather than setting additional time-bound public targets where credible pathways are not yet clear”, and Grupo Bimbo cites factors affecting “the operational feasibility of completing the transition within the original timeline”.

The advocates acknowledge the challenges, and several animal welfare groups work directly with egg producers in the region to build cage-free supply. Other companies already show that progress is possible. Hilton’s latest report lists 100% cage-free egg sourcing in the Philippines and more than 95% in Malaysia and Thailand, among its managed hotels in Asia Pacific. Accor’s June 2026 report shows 91% of its hotels in South Korea, 88% in the Philippines and 80% in Thailand offering only cage-free eggs at the end of 2025.

The advocates call on the companies to honour their 2025 commitments in Asia without further delay, and to publish market-by-market progress together with the concrete steps being taken.

Animal advocacy groups across Asia, including Farmed Animal Compliance Thailand, the Malaysia Accountability Project, the Indonesia Network for Compassionate Animal Farming, Malayang Manok PH, Vietnam Animal Welfare Watch and Accountability Lens Asia, will continue to track each company’s public reporting and progress, and will share updates as companies publish new figures for Asia.

Notes for editors: Company figures are taken from each company’s own published reports and policies, as checked on Nov 5, 2026. Some companies’ goals excluded specific countries or types of egg; details are in the source table that follows this release.

Source table

Companies credited in the release

Hashtag: #CageFree

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Skyro has operated in the Philippines since 2022, building a registered user base of more than 7 million and an active loan portfolio exceeding US$200 million. In September 2026, the company announced that it had secured approval from Malaysia’s Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to provide online moneylending services. Malaysia is Skyro’s second market in Southeast Asia.

Skyro’s first Malaysian product offers new customers cash loans of up to RM1,000 (approximately US$250), with repayment terms of up to four months. The company plans to gradually increase borrowing limits for eligible customers, potentially reaching RM10,000 (approximately US$2,500), as it builds its local lending portfolio.

The application process takes place entirely in the Skyro mobile app, without requiring a branch visit. Malaysian citizens with a valid MyKad and regular income can apply by verifying their identity and providing supporting income documents. Skyro assesses each application individually, taking into account the applicant’s income, existing financial commitments and credit history. Most applicants receive a decision within minutes, with approved funds transferred directly to their bank accounts.

Transparency is a central feature of the new product. Before signing the loan agreement, customers can review their approved loan amount, monthly installments, applicable fees and total repayment obligation, based on a fixed interest rate of 1.5% per month.

Arsen Liametov, co-founder and co-CEO of Skyro, said:

“For many people, financial needs don’t always arise at a convenient time. Whether someone needs to pay for home repairs or an unexpected expense, we want Malaysians to have another option to consider when they need short-term financing. But making credit available is only one part of our service. It’s equally important that customers understand what they’re borrowing, what it will cost and how they’ll repay it before making that decision.”

As its Malaysian business evolves, Skyro hopes to introduce a product with an approved credit limit by the end of 2026 that would enable customers to apply for subsequent loans more easily once they have established a repayment record with the lender. Skyro will use insights from its initial cash-loan offering to adapt future products to Malaysian consumers’ needs and borrowing habits as it works towards building a financial ecosystem.

The launch comes as Malaysia steps up efforts to tackle illegal moneylending, including unlicensed Ah Long lenders and fraudulent loan apps. For consumers with limited access to traditional bank credit, licensed digital cash loans and revolving credit lines can provide a safer, more transparent alternative, combining convenient access to financing with clear repayment terms and responsible lending practices.

Hashtag: #Skyro

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Skyro

Skyro is a high-growth, digital-first fintech group delivering scalable, responsible financial access across high-potential emerging markets. Launched in the Philippines in 2022, the group now has more than 7 million registered users and a credit portfolio exceeding US$200 million.

Powered by proprietary data science, AI-driven credit decisioning and alternative-data scoring, Skyro combines a mobile-native experience with modular fintech architecture to serve underserved customer segments at scale.

Founded by Arsen Liametov and Nasim Aliev through a management buyout, Skyro is financed through a balanced combination of private capital, debt facilities and strategic equity investment from GCC-based investors. The company is expanding into new markets as it seeks to build a diversified financial services business across emerging economies.

• At just 20, Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest-ever Formula 1® World Champion.
• STING Energy Boost™ celebrates the energy behind the championship: the fans who backed Kimi through every lap.
• Artists from India, Mexico and Vietnam bring that fan energy to life in portraits of the new champion.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2026 – Kimi Antonelli is the Formula 1® World Champion. As the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team celebrates his title, STING Energy Boost™ is celebrating the energy behind the championship: the fans who have supported Kimi every step of the way.

The title is Kimi’s, earned through talent and determination. But from his karting days to the top of Formula 1®, one thing was always with him: the energy of his fans. It was there through every lap, every setback and every breakthrough, long before the trophy.

The energy behind the championship

To celebrate the title, STING Energy Boost™ is bringing that energy to life through art. Artists from India, Mexico and Vietnam have each interpreted the energy behind the champion in their own style, creating portraits of Kimi through their own cultural lens.

The artworks, alongside a Championship Ode to Kimi, are live across STING Energy Boost™ digital channels.

View the artwork here: here

“Kimi’s title is a celebration for the fans who supported him through every race and every lap. Following our recent Formula 1® activations in Malaysia and Singapore, we want to keep that excitement going with STING Energy Boost™, bringing the energy of the fans to life through artists who capture their passion and support,” said Aditya Sheoran, General Manager, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore (MYPHSG), PepsiCo. “This is about bringing our global partnership closer to fans here and celebrating the energy they bring to the sport. GET. SET. STINGGG.”

“The title is Kimi’s, and what a title it is. But through every race and every lap, his fans never lost hope. Their energy never dropped, and it stayed with him all the way to the championship. Now we’re bringing the energy behind the champion to life, through artists who show what that support looks and feels like. Fast just got fastest. GET. SET. STINGGG.”

— STING® Global, official social handle

Watch STING’s official championship video here: here

Love from… all of us. #AllOfUs

Image link here

Hashtag: #AllOfUs #Sting

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About STING

STING is PepsiCo’s energy drink brand, available across Malaysia and Southeast Asia. In 2026, STING became the Official Energy Drink of Formula 1® as part of a multi-year global partnership between PepsiCo and Formula 1.

About F1

The F1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

• Cyberport Community Cumulative Funding Surpasses HK$74.5 Billion, Welcoming 19 Listed Companies and 2 Unicorns over the Past Year
• Cyberport Investors Network (CIN) Celebrates 9th Anniversary, Facilitating Over HK$6 Billion in Cumulative Funding
• Cyberport Signs MoUs with Gobi Partners and Thailand’s National Innovation Agency to Unlock Global Growth Corridors

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 November 2026 – The annual flagship event Cyberport Venture & Capital Forum 2026 (CVCF) officially opened today at Hong Kong Cyberport. The two-day forum, themed “Scaling in a Changing World: Winning the Next Competitive Cycle”, brings together over 80 influential global venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to explore new frontiers in global venture trends, capital rerouting, Enterprise and Agentic AI, One-Person Companies (OPCs), digital assets, frontier technologies, and tokenisation economy, aiming to spotlight Hong Kong’s unique position as a strategic gateway connecting the Chinese Mainland, ASEAN, the Middle East, Central Asia and global innovation and funding networks. The forum also showcases the latest fundraising achievements of Cyberport start-ups.

The forum was inaugurated by Lillian Cheong, Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry and Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, and other distinguished guests at the opening ceremony, marking the official start of this global forum.

Lillian Cheong, Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said “Turning AI potential into sustainable growth requires more than technology. It also requires investment, business expertise and access to markets. This is where today’s forum can make a difference – bringing innovators and investors together to explore emerging technologies, support promising ventures and open doors to new opportunities. The HKSAR Government will continue to strengthen the support that helps promising ventures grow as well its investment to mobilise more private capital, consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international innovation and technology centre, and as a premier hub for AI.”

Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, said: “In a shifting global capital landscape, Hong Kong’s role as a ‘super-connector’ and ‘super value-adder’ between the Chinese Mainland and the world is more valuable than ever. The cross-border dialogue and partnerships forged here will create fresh opportunities for innovation, investment and collaboration.”

Cyberport Start-ups Show Robust Fundraising as AI and the Agentic Economy Take Centre Stage

Cyberport’s start-ups have demonstrated robust fundraising performance over the past year. Cyberport gathers over 2,400 companies, Cyberport start-ups have raised over HK$74.5 billion in funding. During the year, Cyberport proudly welcomed 19 listed companies and 2 unicorns to its community. Recent high-value fundraising rounds include Finloop, Qupital and Premialab, leverage AI, blockchain and digital assets — reflecting sustained market confidence in these emerging technologies and underscoring Cyberport’s success in fostering their development.

CIN Celebrates 9th Anniversary, Connecting Global Capital with High-Potential Start-ups

As Hong Kong’s digital tech hub, AI accelerator and key incubator, Cyberport actively connects global investors with start-ups through diverse funding channels.

The CIN 9th Anniversary Celebration commemorated a successful nine-year milestone while ushering in a new chapter of leadership, as the chairmanship passed from Hendrick Sin to John Ng. To honour this pivotal handover, Hendrick Sin, Hon. Duncan Chiu, and Cindy Chow were officially designated as Honorary Chairs of CIN in recognition of their distinguished contributions to the ecosystem.

Hendrick Sin, Honorary Chair of CIN; Co-Founder of CMGE Technology Group Limited; Chairman of China Prosperity Capital, stated in his video speech, “CIN has facilitated over HK$6 billion in investments across more than 130 projects since its inception, reflecting strong investor confidence in Cyberport companies. Looking ahead, we will strengthen the quality and depth of our deal flow, enhance structured capital partnerships to broaden access to funding at different growth stages, and deepen our relationships with CVCs, PE firms, family offices and LPs, further diversifying CIN’s investor network. Through these efforts, CIN will continue to connect promising companies with the right capital, expertise and networks needed to scale and succeed.

John Ng, Chairman of CIN, added in his speech, “I’m honoured to be appointed Chairman of CIN. The network has grown to nearly 250 investment firms, an achievement that reflects the tremendous efforts of Hendrick and the CIN team over the past years. Drawing on my background in corporate venture capital and family offices, one of my priorities will be to expand CIN’s network within these communities and take CIN into its next chapter.”

Another key financing channel, CMF, has invested in 30 start-up projects as of September 2026, with total investment including co-investments exceeding HK$2.7 billion and a co-investment ratio of over 1:9.3. Further augmenting ecosystem liquidity, Cyberport, BOCHK Asset Management and BOC Group Investment formed a strategic partnership in May 2026, as well as with Taiping Financial Holdings in Aug 2026 on venture capital funds to back promising Hong Kong I&T start-ups.

Strategic Partnerships to Unlock Global Growth Corridors

At the Forum, Cyberport signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), with Gobi Partners and with Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (NIA), to solidify global corridors for cross-border expansion.

Cyberport and Gobi Partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in nurturing innovation and technology enterprises, facilitating market expansion and investment opportunities, and strengthening the innovation ecosystems of Hong Kong, Asia and the Middle East.

Building on a longstanding partnership, Gobi has invested in more than 24 Cyberport companies, including CMF co-investments. Witnessed by Lillian Cheong, Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, and Chibo Tang, Managing Partner, GBA Team of Gobi Partners, the MoU was signed by Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport, and Fred Li, Managing Director, GBA Team of Gobi Partners.

Meanwhile, Cyberport and Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (NIA) signed an MoU to promote cross-border innovation collaboration, startup development and knowledge exchange in AI, smart city and other digital technologies. It will cover soft-landing and market expansion, business matching, innovation programmes and community engagement, joint events, and proof-of-concept and pilot opportunities. The MoU was witnessed by Lillian Cheong, Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, and Preechaya Panyakrua, Innovation Counsellor of NIA, and signed by Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport, and Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of NIA.

Decoding the New Playbook for Scaling in the Age of AI

This year’s CVCF programme is organised around three umbrella themes: Mega Trends & AI Frontiers, Regional Market Focus & Global Corridors, and Market Focus & Strategic Capital Dynamics.

Opening the main stage, Mahesh Krishnaswamy, Founder and CEO of Taara, delivered the keynote “The Innovation Playbook: Capitalizing on Moonshots and Faster Cycles in the Age of AI”, sharing how Taara evolved from a radical moonshot into a real-world high-speed optical communications solution — a timely lens on compressed innovation cycles and how breakthrough technology scales.

The forum also brought together venture capital leaders from Gobi Partners, Alumni Ventures, Rasmal Ventures, Primavera Capital, Draper Dragon, Pegasus Tech Ventures, Plug & Play and more to examine AI-driven capital shifts, high-growth corridors across the Middle East, ASEAN and the Greater Bay Area, and how public-private and corporate strategic capital can accelerate tech scale-ups.

Beyond the thought leadership sessions, the event further reinforced Cyberport’s role in connecting capital, innovation and global market opportunities. It also provided a dynamic platform for business matching and startup empowerment. This year’s Founder Pitch attracted strong interest from local and international venture capital firms, enabling startups from early-stage innovators to high-growth scale-ups to present their cutting-edge solutions to investors and ecosystem partners.

Throughout the first day, the event floor featured tailored Investor Matching sessions, dynamic Innovator Showcases featuring elite, high-potential startups across key tech sectors from local and global partner networks, and dedicated Startup Clinics offering practical strategic guidance. Coupled with engaging networking exchanges, Day one concluded on a positive note, reinforcing Cyberport’s ongoing role in connecting capital, innovation, and global market opportunities.

Day two will feature the CVCF’s spotlight event “Agentic Economy Summit”, themed “Intelligent Frontiers, Tokenised Horizons”, featuring a keynote address by Joseph Chan, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, and will explore how agentic AI is reshaping business and how digital assets are redefining the way value moves. The summit will examine digital identity, institutional tokenisation, HKD stablecoins, programmable payments and machine-to-machine commerce, alongside the rise of OPCs. Day two also features hands-on startup workshops designed to equip founders with practical playbooks for pitch mastery and market scaling.

For more information on Cyberport Venture & Capital Forum 2026 and the speaker line-up, please visit http://cvcf.cyberport.hk/.

Hashtag: #Cyberport

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Hong Kong Cyberport

Wholly owned by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Cyberport is Hong Kong’s digital tech hub and AI accelerator, with a vision to empower industry digitalisation and intelligent transformation, to promote digital economy and AI development, and to foster Hong Kong to be an international AI, innovation and technology (I&T) hub. Cyberport gathers over 2,400 companies, including 30 listed companies and 10 unicorns. 40% of onsite companies’ founders come from 28 countries and regions, while Cyberport companies have expanded to over 36 global markets.

Cyberport, with Hong Kong’s largest AI Supercomputing Centre and AI Lab as the engine, has been building the AI ecosystem with industry-leading AI companies and over 500 AI and data science start-ups. Through development of tech clusters, namely AI, data science, blockchain and cybersecurity, Cyberport empowers industries across smart city and government, banking and finance, digital entertainment, culture and tourism, healthcare, education and training, property management, construction, transportation and logistics, green environment and more, while hosting Hong Kong’s largest FinTech community. Commissioned by the HKSAR Government, Cyberport has implemented proof-of-concept and sandbox schemes, subsidisation for digital tech adoption, industry tech training and start-up incubation, to drive technology R&D, translation and commercialisation, thus propelling digital transformation and intelligent upgrade across industry and society.

Also as “State-level Scientific and Technological Enterprise Incubator” and Hong Kong’s key incubator, Cyberport supports entrepreneurs with funding and office space, extensive networks of enterprises, investors, technology corporations and professional services for business growth and expansion to Chinese Mainland and overseas markets, all-round facilitation for landing in Hong Kong, talent attraction and cultivation, ready as a launchpad to take start-ups in any stages of development to the next level.

For more information, please visit https://www.cyberport.hk/en.

The REACH Reggio Emilia Conference, organised by REACH in partnership with Reggio Children and supported by the Embassy of Italy in Singapore, brought together more than 400 education leaders from 18 countries. EtonHouse and E-Bridge also announced a first-of-its-kind research collaboration with Reggio Children.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 November 2026 – EtonHouse and E-Bridge will deepen their ongoing collaboration with Reggio Children through a new partnership focused on professional learning in infant care and early childhood education. The partnership will deepen this work through regular professional dialogue, research projects and professional learning, connected with Reggio Children and the experience of the infant-toddler centres and pre-schools of Reggio Emilia.

Dates: 30–31 October 2026
Venue: METT Singapore, 11 Canning Walk, Singapore 178881
Guest of Honour: Senior Minister of State Goh Pei Ming, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development
Languages: English, Italian and Mandarin
Conference information: https://info.reach.edu.sg/2026-reach-conference

Hashtag: #REACH #ReggioEmilia #EarlyChildhoodEducation

https://www.reach.edu.sg

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About REACH-Reggio Emilia in Asia for Children

Founded in 2013 by EtonHouse International Education Group, REACH is a proud member of the Reggio Children International Network and represents Reggio Children in Singapore and China. REACH is committed to innovation, collaboration, and dialogue among educators across Asia while protecting and advocating the Reggio Emilia Approach to Education. Through international conferences, professional development programmes, publications, webinars, study groups etc, REACH advocates for children’s rights and potential, celebrating their ‘100 languages’ of expression.

As a beacon of the Reggio Emilia philosophy in Asia, REACH is committed to transformative education practices that value lifelong learning, reflective practice, and contextual change. It invites educators to join in its journey of growth, innovation, and advocacy for children’s rights in early childhood education.

www.reach.edu.sg

About EtonHouse International Education Group

Founded in 1995 in Singapore, EtonHouse has grown into a global education group with more than 100 schools across eight countries. The Group offers a highly recognised international education pathway from infant care to high school, including the International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, and the Reggio Emilia-inspired approach, all designed to nurture inquiry, creativity, and intercultural understanding. In Singapore, EtonHouse also operates E-Bridge Pre-School, providing high-quality and affordable early childhood education to support local communities. Beyond schools, EtonHouse is deeply committed to community impact through teacher training, philanthropy, and purpose-driven educational initiatives.

www.etonhouse.com.sg

About the Embassy of Italy in Singapore

The Embassy of Italy in Singapore represents Italy in Singapore and Brunei and supports relations across government, business, culture, education, science and innovation. It promotes Italian excellence while facilitating dialogue and collaboration between Italian and Singaporean institutions, companies and communities.

Italy and Singapore enjoy longstanding diplomatic relations, established shortly after Singapore’s independence in 1965. The Embassy continues to support exchanges that strengthen mutual understanding and deepen cooperation between the two countries.

About Reggio Children

Reggio Children – International Center for the Defence and Promotion of the Rights and Potential of All Children – starting from 1994, promotes and disseminates through professional development initiatives, research projects, consulting work in the educational field, ateliers, exhibitions and publishing the pedagogical and cultural heritage of Reggio Emilia’s Municipal Infant-Toddler Centres and Preschools, known in Italy and throughout the world as the Reggio Emilia Approach®.

The Reggio Children International Network was established in 2006 and is made up of references in the countries which have collaborated longest and in stable ways with Reggio Children on the realisation of initiatives and activities.

www.reggiochildren.it

New research from KPMG China and GS1 Hong Kong highlights three key priorities for retailers: building trust in AI, delivering market-specific strategies for the growing silver economy, and strengthening brand confidence across Hong Kong and other cities in the Greater Bay Area

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 November 2026 – Consumer confidence in artificial intelligence is rising across Hong Kong and other cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), but new research from KPMG China and GS1 Hong Kong shows that retailers will need markedly different strategies to convert that confidence into growth. While consumers in other GBA cities show greater openness to personalised experiences and Chinese Mainland brands, Hong Kong consumers place more emphasis on value for money.

The Growth Reimagined: Building Consumer Trust in the AI Era report identifies three themes which have emerged as a roadmap for future growth:

• Trusted AI builds consumer confidence: AI can enhance personalisation and speed up service delivery, but privacy, accuracy, transparency and a human touch will determine consumer adoption.
• Silver shoppers diverge by market: To capture the growing silver economy, brands must prioritise price in Hong Kong, and brand reputation and engaging experiences in other GBA cities.
• The low-cost-only label no longer fits Chinese Mainland brands: Their advances in quality and innovation are forcing competitors to rethink where future brand advantage will come from.

AI trust is rising but a transparency gap persists, creating new opportunities for growth

Trust in AI has risen significantly since last year’s survey. In Hong Kong, 48% of consumers now trust AI at least somewhat, up from 28%, while trust in other GBA cities has increased from 59% to 76%. Yet growing trust has not translated into the same willingness to share personal data: just 10% of Hong Kong consumers who trust AI are comfortable doing so, compared with 32% in other GBA cities.

The difference in AI trust between Hong Kong and other GBA cities is particularly pronounced among silver shoppers, defined in the report as consumers aged above 55. Just 38% of Hong Kong silver shoppers trust AI, compared with 76% in other GBA cities, underscoring the challenge retailers face in building AI confidence among older Hong Kong consumers.

To bridge this gap, retailers in Hong Kong need to demonstrate clear value before asking consumers to share more data, while providing transparency and control over how their data is used. Consumer confidence should extend across the entire retail journey: from payment and product authenticity to returns and customer support. AI should help consumers find what they need more easily, while maintaining accuracy, fairness and access to human support.

Anna Lin, Chief Executive, GS1 Hong Kong, says: “AI is increasingly shaping how consumers discover and evaluate products, and it tends to recommend those backed by data it can readily interpret and trust. Businesses with trusted, standardised product data that is structured for machines to understand and use and traceable to an identifiable source will be best positioned to earn consumer confidence and influence future purchasing decisions.”

The silver economy is not a single consumer market

Across all age groups, value remains a priority for 73% of Hong Kong consumers, compared with 45% in other GBA cities.

When asked to describe their shopping style, 57% of silver shoppers in Hong Kong identify primarily as value shoppers, compared with only 23% in other GBA cities, where brand reputation, at 37%, and shopping experience, at 27%, emerge as their leading considerations.

The findings suggest that age alone is not enough to define the silver shoppers. Retailers looking to capture the opportunities created by the region’s ageing population will need to understand how expectations differ by market, and develop propositions that reflect those differences.

Alice Yip, Partner, Head of Consumer & Retail, Hong Kong SAR, KPMG China, says: “Growth in the silver economy depends on recognising that shoppers’ priorities differ across markets. Hong Kong’s silver shoppers prioritise competitive prices, while those in other GBA cities place greater emphasis on brand reputation and shopping experiences. Capturing this opportunity involves understanding what matters locally and tailoring the retail offer accordingly, rather than treating the silver economy as one uniform market.”

Chinese Mainland speed raises the stakes for Hong Kong and global brands

Chinese Mainland brands are emerging as a stronger force in innovation and speed. In other GBA cities, that progress is already reflected in consumer perceptions: 64% choose them for value for money, 58% for safety and reliability and 50% for brand reputation.

In Hong Kong, however, they are still seen primarily through the lens of value. While 81% of consumers choose Chinese Mainland brands for value for money, fewer cite safety and reliability (39%), higher quality (33%) or brand reputation (31%). Their next opportunity is to turn Chinese Mainland speed and improving quality into stronger brand confidence.

Hong Kong brands retain a clear advantage in trust. Consumers in Hong Kong (74%) and other GBA cities (61%) cite safety and reliability as the leading reason for choosing Hong Kong brands. Among Hong Kong consumers, preference for Hong Kong brands is particularly strong in airlines (78%) and food and beverages (71%).

But trust cannot be taken for granted. As Chinese Mainland brands strengthen their safety and reliability credentials, Hong Kong brands will need to combine their reputation for reliability with greater innovation, sharper value and faster execution.

Anson Bailey, Head of Consumer & Retail, Asia Pacific, KPMG China, says: “Any brand that still sees Chinese Mainland competitors as a low-cost threat is looking in the rear-view mirror. Chinese Mainland speed is now producing better products, sharper design and faster innovation at a scale few markets can match. The real shift is that Chinese Mainland brands are learning to build brand equity at the same pace as they have built scale through value and speed. This is increasingly influencing who can win – not only in the GBA, but in consumer markets worldwide.”

Hashtag: #KPMG #GS1HongKong

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About KPMG

KPMG in China has offices located in 31 cities with over 14,000 partners and staff, in Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Dongguan, Foshan, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xiamen, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. It started operations in Hong Kong in 1945. In 1992, KPMG became the first international accounting network to be granted a joint venture licence in the Chinese Mainland. In 2012, KPMG became the first among the “Big Four” in the Chinese Mainland to convert from a joint venture to a special general partnership.

KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. KPMG is the brand under which the member firms of KPMG International Limited (“KPMG International”) operate and provide professional services. “KPMG” is used to refer to individual member firms within the KPMG organisation or to one or more member firms collectively.

KPMG firms operate in 138 countries and territories with more than 276,000 partners and employees working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. Each KPMG member firm is responsible for its own obligations and liabilities.

About GS1 Hong Kong

GS1 Hong Kong is the local chapter of GS1®, a global, not-for-profit data standards organisation represented in over 120 countries. Through globally recognised standards such as GTIN (barcodes), we enable businesses to identify, capture and share trusted data across physical and digital supply chains, helping them accelerate digital transformation, access global markets, strengthen supply chain resilience and efficiency, and advance transparency, safety and sustainability.

Building on global data standards, GS1 Hong Kong provides solutions including ezTRADE for B2B data exchange, ezTRACK for supply chain traceability, and 1QR, powered by GS1 Digital Link, connecting 2D barcodes to rich product information such as certifications and sustainability data.

The trusted data infrastructure also supports emerging business needs, from trade finance to Scope 3 emissions reporting and ESG compliance. In an AI-driven economy, we provide the foundation for high-quality data that is accurate, visible, linkable, searchable, shareable and traceable.

GS1 Hong Kong supports close to 8,000 corporate members across 20 sectors, including retail and consumer goods, food and beverage, healthcare, apparel and footwear, logistics and ICT.

Website: www.gs1hk.org