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Guided by the Central Passport, LANDMARK invites visitors to experience Central anew— from Louis Vuitton’s global spectacle to cultural, dining and seasonal celebrations.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 October 2026 – LANDMARK today unveils Destination CENTRAL, inviting local residents and international visitors to rediscover the many sides of Central through the collectible Central Passport. The programme celebrates the district’s long-standing role as Hong Kong’s gateway for arrival, exchange and discovery. Inspired by the spirit of travel, Destination CENTRAL connects experiences across Central, bringing together travel-inspired activations in partnership with Hong Kong Tramways and Asia Miles; district-wide dining privileges; a global spectacle by Louis Vuitton; and THE CHATER, an exclusive dining concept presented by LANDMARK.

Your Passport to Central

Created by LANDMARK, the luggage-inspired Central Passport is a collectible guide bringing together experiences both within LANDMARK and across the wider district into a seamless journey. Inside, a curated map is paired with personal stories and recommendations from people who know Central closely—from tram motormen, singers and public figures to athletes, celebrated chefs and bar founders—inviting visitors to uncover the area’s hidden character.

Available from collection points across the district, the Central Passport can be personalised with stamps from eight designated locations. Visitors who collect any three stamps can visit the Destination CENTRAL Redemption Counter on 2/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM to enter a lucky draw and unlock a surprise gift. Lucky winners stand a chance to receive up to 66,000 Asia Miles—equivalent to a round-trip business-class flight to Japan—alongside photobooth experiences, limited-edition keepsakes and dining vouchers. The Central Passport also includes exclusive dining privileges from more than 40 participating partners, including Lan Kwai Fong and The Murray.

Louis Vuitton at LANDMARK

Following iconic presentations on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, 57th Street in New York and ‘The Louis’ in Shanghai, Louis Vuitton brings the latest chapter of its global series to Hong Kong. Unveiling soon, the Maison will present a monumental mega-art installation at LANDMARK, reimagining its enduring “Spirit of Travel”. Complemented by the pop-up store currently at LANDMARK ATRIUM and the upcoming dedicated Basement Brand Exhibition , the experience offers a captivating glimpse into the world of Louis Vuitton—setting the stage for the highly anticipated Louis Vuitton Maison at LANDMARK.

Transit Through Central’s Changing Landscape

The travel narrative continues with the LANDMARK Tram Station and Heritage Route, created in partnership with Hong Kong Tramways. Together, they offer an interactive look at Central’s transport heritage and evolving urban landscape—from its early harbourfront and trading past to today’s connected city centre. The LANDMARK Tram Station recreates one of the city’s first-generation trams, fitted with authentic archive pieces from Hong Kong Tramways, including a traditional ticket punch, a coin box, driving console and “Dick, Kerr” controller.

A First Class Stop for Dining and Views

Taking the travel theme into hospitality, LANDMARK presents THE CHATER, an exclusive dining concept opening on 6 October, featuring an all-day menu curated by Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. Inspired by the elegance and anticipation of a grand station lounge, the new venue brings together Hong Kong and international flavours, with highlights including bubble tea and gourmet quick bites, alongside Pierre Hermé macarons and gelato set to be launched later in the season. The experience will extend to Platform 1889 on 3/F, a first-class railway carriage-inspired feature within THE CHATER’s terrace. Named for the year Sir Paul Chater co-founded Hongkong Land, Platform 1889 pays tribute to a defining moment in Central’s history while offering a prime view of Louis Vuitton’s monumental mega-art installation and the Central skyline.

Halloween Takes Over Central

From 17 to 31 October, Hongkong Land, supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and district partners, presents Halloween in Central—a heritage-led celebration that transforms Central’s iconic streetscape into a citywide Halloween playground.

At Statue Square Gardens, South, four large-scale installations set a striking scene: I Am Watching You, a giant eyeball rising over the fountain; The Awakening, a monumental gateway; the photo-ready Coffin Throne; and The Jail, a haunted reimagining of the pavilion.

On Chater Road, the programme begins with Boo-st Your Mood – Pickleball Day in partnership with Pick & Match on 17 October, a wellness-focused afternoon of active fun. This is followed by OPEN by HE.R – Halloween in Central Kick-Off Party on 18 October, bringing live music and high-energy celebrations to the street. Monster Mash Fest – Family Day arrives on 24 October with costumes, face painting, themed bouncy-castle sessions, performances and Halloween treats, before Halloween Day Unleashed closes the programme on 31 October, featuring cosplay, roving characters, themed performances and late-night festivities. Full details are available at https://www.halloweenincentral.com/

“As a key stakeholder deeply rooted in Central, Hongkong Land is delighted to bring Destination CENTRAL to life alongside our district partners, inviting the public to discover the extraordinary charm of Central anew,” said Olivia Luk, General Manager, Marketing, Hong Kong Central, Hongkong Land Limited. “Together with a rich programme of dining privileges and seasonal celebrations, we hope everyone—from daily office workers and local residents to visitors—can shape their own memorable story of Central.”

Exclusive Rewards and Privileges

Destination CENTRAL brings added benefits to every qualifying LANDMARK visit with HSBC-exclusive offers for BESPOKE members. From 28 September to 18 November 2026, eligible BESPOKE members paying with an HSBC Privé Mastercard® or HSBC Premier Mastercard® can receive up to HK$3,000 in BESPOKE Bonus Reward Vouchers, up to 135,000 Bonus BESPOKE Points, and Complimentary Beverage Passes to Platform 1889 at THE CHATER upon registration of cumulative same-day eligible spending.

Terms and conditions apply. For full programme and promotional details, including specific Central Passport mechanisms, please visit https://destinationcentral.hk.

@landmarkhk #LANDMARKHK #DestinationCENTRAL

APPENDIX

Please visit the Destination CENTRAL website at https://destinationcentral.hk for the latest programme details, terms and conditions.

Central Passport Collection & Reward Details (28 September – 18 November 2026)

Other Destination CENTRAL Activities At A Glance

Destination CENTRAL Redemption Gifts

• 66,000 Asia Miles—equivalent to one Cathay Pacific Business Class round-trip ticket to Japan*
• 26,000 Asia Miles—equivalent to one Cathay Pacific Economy Class round-trip ticket to Japan*
• Destination CENTRAL Tram Plush Charm
• Destination CENTRAL Magnet
• Destination CENTRAL Photobooth Experience
• Destination CENTRAL Mini Camera
• Ami Signature Beef Sando
• BaseHall HK$50 Gift Certificate
• THE CHATER HK$50 Gift Certificate

*Based on Cathay Flight Awards – Standard Awards as of 1 September 2026. Terms and conditions apply.

Hashtag: #LANDMARKHK

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

About LANDMARK

LANDMARK represents the epitome of top-tier luxury shopping and lifestyle experiences. Drawing from a rich heritage which began in 1904 – LANDMARK today is the luxury shopping destination of Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio including 4 iconic connected buildings, LANDMARK ATRIUM, LANDMARK ALEXANDRA, LANDMARK CHATER and LANDMARK PRINCE’S. LANDMARK offers approximately 208 of the finest stores and restaurants, all seamlessly linked by pedestrian bridges. From high fashion and accessories to watches and jewellery, from luxury living to beauty and grooming, from international cuisine to authentic gourmet dining, LANDMARK brings the ultimate shopping experience to the discerning customer.

About Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a major listed property investment, management and development group. The Group focuses on developing, owning and managing ultra-premium mixed-use real estate in Asian gateway cities, featuring Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products. Its mixed-use real estate footprint spans more than 850,000 sq. m., with flagship projects in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Its properties hold industry leading green building certifications and attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands. The Group’s Hong Kong Central portfolio represents some 450,000 sq. m. of prime property. The Group has a further 165,000 sq. m. of prestigious office space in Singapore mainly held through joint ventures and five retail centres on the Chinese mainland, including a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing. In Shanghai, the Group owns a 43% interest in a 1.1 million sq. m. mixed-use project in West Bund, which is due to be completed in 2028. Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

• Protection for ageing parents up to age 100 against conditions such as dementia, with maximum entry age at 80* and no medical underwriting required
• Lifetime protection for the child, covering death, terminal illness, total and permanent disability, with optional crisis care add-ons

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 October 2026 – Prudential Singapore (“Prudential”) has launched PRUActive Family Care (PAFC), a whole-of-life protection plan designed for Singaporeans caring for multiple generations. The plan enables caregivers to provide protection for both their child and ageing parents under a single policy.

PAFC provides lifetime protection for the caregiver’s child, as the life assured, covering death, terminal illness, total and permanent disability (TPD). It also offers critical illness add-ons that cover 182 conditions including juvenile conditions and mental illness.

The plan also includes Parent Guard Benefit that provides protection for the caregiver’s ageing parents up to age 100, without the need for medical underwriting. It offers financial and income support when a parent is diagnosed with specified age-related conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Often, older adults may find it challenging to get insurance coverage due to health-related underwriting requirements. By including protection for parents under the caregiver’s policy, PAFC helps families address the protection gap.

The launch of PAFC comes as Singapore has become a super-aged society as the proportion of citizens aged 65 and above was at 21.4 per cent in 2026, an increase from 13.7 per cent in 2016. By 2035, more than one in four citizens is expected to be aged 65 and above¹. As such, there will be an increasing number of people taking on caregiving responsibilities.

Mr Manu Tandon, Chief Health & Protection Officer of Prudential Singapore, said: “As Singapore’s population ages and families become smaller, many caregivers in the “sandwiched generation” are caring for their ageing parents while raising their young children. These caregivers can face significant financial and emotional stress as they need to fund their children’s education, meet their parents’ healthcare needs – particularly when ongoing care is required – and save for their own retirement.”

Prudential’s recent research² also highlights the financial challenges many caregivers face. Nearly three in four Singaporeans (72 per cent) cited financial support as the most important form of assistance for caregivers, yet only 13 per cent believed their household would have enough savings if a caregiver had to stop working to provide care.

Added Mr Tandon: “PRUActive Family Care helps families prepare for rising caregiving demands with protection for both parents and child under one plan, while safeguarding the caregiver’s financial future. Importantly, the Parent Guard Benefit extends protection to the caregiver’s ageing parents without underwriting required, who may otherwise find it difficult to obtain coverage.”

Supporting the Needs of the Multigenerational Families by Protecting Ageing Parents

Reflecting the diverse needs of caregivers, PRUActive Family Care offers flexibility for individuals with or without children. It allows the caregiver (the policyowner) or their child to be the life assured, with the option to enhance the life assured’s coverage by up to five times through the Multiplier Benefit. In addition, the Parent Guard Benefit provides coverage for both parents of the caregiver.

The Parent Guard Benefit offers the following financial and income support³:

• Diagnosis Support: 20 per cent sum assured (SA) upon parent’s diagnosis of covered conditions (Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy)
• Income Support: Up to 5 years upon parent undergoing the first treatment due to the diagnosis of the covered condition
• Accidental Fracture Hospital Income: Upon parent’s hospitalisation due to an Accidental Bone Fracture, a daily income of $150 will be paid for up to 10 days. This is an additional benefit that does not reduce the Parent Guard Sum Assured (SA).
• Family Support: Up to 8 per cent of SA upon parent’s death

Up to two parents can be included in the plan, with entry up to age 80* and coverage to age 100. Benefits are payable for eligible diagnoses in any of 13 recognised countries**.

Supporting Recovery and Rehabilitation

Beyond financial protection, PAFC is a holistic plan that provides value-added service to support recovery long after treatment or hospitalisation. The caregiver (policyholder), his/her child and parents, can tap on the recovery and rehabilitation services including physiotherapy, chiropractic care, osteopathy and traditional Chinese medicine, and home care and medical services.

For more information on PRUActive Family Care, including full product terms, eligibility criteria and exclusions, please visit https://www.prudential.com.sg/pruactive-family-care

Additional notes:

• With ageing, the risk of developing health conditions increases. In Singapore, an estimated 72,000 people were living with dementia in 2023, and the Ministry of Health projects this figure could rise to 135,000 by 2030 (Source: Ministry of Health Parliamentary QA, 4 November 2025)
• This protection is especially relevant as about 90 to 100 new cases of childhood cancer are detected each year in Singapore among children under the age of 15 (Source: Singhealth website, 5 October 2026)
• 1 in 3 adolescents aged 10–18 experience symptoms of anxiety, depression and loneliness (Source: Youth Epidemiology and Resilience (YEAR) Study, National University of Singapore, 2024)

* Based on age next birthday (ANB)

** Diagnosis must be provided by a registered medical practitioner in one of the following: Singapore, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China (limited to class 3 hospitals in designated cities), Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), United Kingdom, United States

Hashtag: #Prudential

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https://sg.linkedin.com/company/prudential-assurance-company-singapore
https://www.facebook.com/PrudentialSingapore/
https://www.instagram.com/prudentialsingapore/?hl=en

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

About Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd (Prudential Singapore)

Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd is one of the top life and health insurance companies in Singapore, serving the financial and protection needs of the country’s citizens for 95 years. As at 31 December 2025, it has S$66.3 billion funds under management. The company has an AA Financial Strength Rating from leading credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s and delivers a suite of well-rounded product offerings in Protection, Savings and Investment through multiple distribution channels including a network of 5,400 financial representatives.

US$10 Billion in Venture Capital Convenes to Meet Hong Kong Start-ups; Government, Business and Young Professionals Explore Opportunities in the New Economy

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 October 2026 – The Global Youth Powerhouse Summit 2026, organised by Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy, was held on 5 October at the Conrad Hong Kong. Now in its third edition, the Summit coincides with the release of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2026–2030) and the latest Policy Address, which together set a clear blueprint for the city’s future. Anchored on these core themes and conducted entirely in English, the full-day programme focused on artificial intelligence, geopolitics, Hong Kong as an education hub, capital markets, life and health technology, and start-up financing. Government and business leaders, corporate representatives and young professionals were invited to examine Hong Kong’s strategic opportunities in the new economic landscape.

The Summit aims to connect young professionals with international resources, enabling participants to engage directly with industry leaders, grasp developments at the frontier of industry, and look ahead to the opportunities and challenges arising from artificial intelligence and Greater Bay Area integration. Previous editions have drawn a strong response. Across three editions, the Summit has attracted more than thousands of in-person participants and about 17,000 online participants from over 30 countries and regions, with social media reach exceeding 50 million.

This year’s Summit was the largest yet, bringing together more than 600 young professionals, government and business leaders and corporate representatives. Participants from over 60 countries and regions joined online. More than 30 distinguished speakers and moderators were invited, including officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and representatives of leading local and international organisations such as Huawei, the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Bullish and Endowus. In addition, consular representatives from up to 20 countries attended the Summit.

The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr John Lee, GBM, SBS, PDSM, PMSM, delivered a pre-recorded video speech, encouraging young professionals to seize the opportunities of the times and inject fresh momentum into Hong Kong’s high-quality development. He said: “For our young people, I firmly believe that your opportunities ahead outweigh the difficulties. The HKSAR Government will join hands with all sectors to build platforms for you to thrive in Hong Kong, in our country, and in the global arena.”

The Deputy Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, SBS, JP, delivered an opening keynote entitled “Opportunities for the Professional Development of Young People”, and stressed: “As the saying goes, ‘Change is the only constant’—or as our Cantopop classic famously put it, ‘變幻原是永恆’. Today, we no longer measure change in years or decades, but in months and days. For our young professionals, this fast-paced era unlocks unprecedented career horizons. By accelerating Greater Bay Area integration through our new GBA Task Force and empowering you to act as the ultimate ‘super-connectors’ and ‘super value-adders’ helping Mainland enterprises go global, we are turning rapid change into your greatest professional advantage.”

Dr Kevin Lau, MH, Founding Convenor of Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy, said: “This is more than a high-level forum. It marks a milestone in the maturing of our network of young professionals. This afternoon, venture funds managing an estimated US$10 billion in assets gathered in the room — and what they are looking at is Hong Kong’s next generation. In life and health technology, our core belief is clear: artificial intelligence can assist imaging and diagnosis, but a physician’s care, and the warmth of a human hand, can never be replaced by technology.”

Other distinguished guests included Mr Kevin Choi, JP, Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Professor Frederick Ma, GBS, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Ms Bonnie Y Chan, JP, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited; and Mr James Chau, President of the China-United States Exchange Foundation and World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals. Mr Bryan Che, Chief Strategy Officer of Huawei, and Ms Cindy Chow, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, also attended in person to exchange views with young professionals.

Artificial intelligence: from first-time users to advanced users
The opening session began with remarks by Mr Kevin Choi, JP, Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, and was moderated by Ms Stephaine Chan, Director of the Office of the Vice Chairman of Esquel Group. Panellists included Ms Ilaria Chan, Chair of the Tech For Good Institute; Mr Bryan Che, Chief Strategy Officer of Huawei; and Ms Cindy Chow, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund. The discussion focused on whether small and medium-sized enterprises, non-governmental organisations and schools can genuinely put artificial intelligence to use, and on the talent, trust and practical-application issues Hong Kong faces in driving “AI for all”.

Mr Kevin Choi, JP mentioned: “Every major technology shift brings uncertainty. Our theme today from entry-level shock to AI-powered users building the next talent leader.”

Ms Stephaine Chan said: “Every AI conversation ends in the same place, right? More investment, better people, better models and stronger policy.”

Ms Ilaria Chan said: “These days, Al is so powerful that they can scan the Internet and social media and find vulnerable young people or old people. They can find it instantly and have a very sophisticated way to trick them and fraud them from scamming.”

Mr Bryan Che: “One of the opportunities of Al is because the interface is much more natural for most people to interact with. On one sense, it’s a lot easier for everyone to get started.”

Ms Cindy Chow said: “So I guess some of the most damaging thing is not allowing people to use or not, you know, really have the attitude to embrace all this new technology, what this new technology has to bring to you.”

Geopolitics: the super-connector
This session was moderated by Mr James Chau, President of the China-United States Exchange Foundation and World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals. Speakers included Ms Ilaria Chan, Chair of the Tech For Good Institute; Ms Ellana Lee, Senior Vice President, Managing Editor, Asia Pacific, and Global Head of Productions at CNN; and Professor Frederick Ma, GBS, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Mr James Chau said: “Against this backdrop, we often hear Hong Kong described as a super connector, typically framed in terms of trade volumes, capital markets and logistics but I think that these connections that we’re speaking of really only become very valuable and we understand and recognize the human bonds that pin these together.”

Professor Frederick Ma , GBS, JP said: “We are part of China. And yet we are under one country 2 systems connected to the rest of the world. That is the power of Hong Kong.”

Ms Ellana Lee said: “We made a very strategic decision when the times were tough to stay and remain in Hong Kong. I think that has and you know, we make these decisions not just out of a whim, but we are very calculative on why we need to stay. I have 8 cities across Asia Pacific. Hong Kong happens to be the hub for Asia Pacific. And there’s it boils down to four major reasons.”

Ms IIaria Chan: “Simple of how tech is helping people, there is an organization, WHO care for children that was founded 20 years ago that helps orphans in developing China back then Vietnam, Thailand now in Africa, Middle East to find loving permanent homes. But their bottleneck is how they train social workers and governments on how to take care of orphan welfare. Now this year we’ve actually been launching an online product that is able to scale these bottlenecks, especially in areas that are underfunded. This is a great example of Al tech.”

Education: Hong Kong as Asia’s education hub
This session was co-moderated by Mrs Jennifer Yu Cheng, JP, Founder of the Future Leaders Foundation, and Ms Jennifer Ma, Founder of JM Edu Consulting. Speakers included Ms Maggie Chau, School Partnership Advisor at the Academy for Educational Development and Innovation of The Education University of Hong Kong; Mr Dion CHEN, MH, Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council; and Professor Charles Ng Wang-Wai, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Mrs Jennifer Yu Cheng, JP said: “An education hub is more than a place with excellent institutions. It is a place that students and families choose, where young people flourish, and connects education with research, innovation, careers and a wider community.”

Professor Charles Ng said: “With our national policy. And I think we should do better to support this great initiatives and thinking back actually 2023 and home government already in in the government policy in October, if I remember correctly to start to increase the local student quota from 20% to 40%.”

Ms Jennifer Ma said: “As a consultant we need demand to meet supply and we are definitely seeing the demand for Hong Kong education at K12 level…….The advocacy for Hong Kong to be the gateway for China Resources and talents to leave China and go into international arenas. But at the same time, we also see a lot of international people interested in what’s happening in mainland, and therefore Hong Kong is a great gateway. So, with that global education, global education philosophy, that means they really appreciate Hong Kong trilingual education by cultural mindset.”

Mr Dion CHEN, MH mentioned: “In 2026, a lot of DSS schools will work very hard to try to welcome and also promote welcome to Hong Kong and also promote Hong Kong’s education to the students in different countries.”

Ms Maggie Chau said: “Maggie: I can see that all the universities are actually implementing AI in their curriculum. Talking about teacher education, the programs we offer, I mean, not just The Education University of Hong Kong, the programs we offer in all universities implement Al in the curriculum in a way that we draw attention to the use of Al is it has to be ethical.”

Capital markets: AI listings, asset tokenisation and the new economy
This session was moderated by Ms Emily CHAN Tan, a former CNBC anchor. Speakers included Ms Bonnie Y Chan, JP; Ms Clara CHAN Ka Chai, Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited; Mr Michael Lau, Senior Vice President and Head of Group Business Development at Bullish and Chairman of Consensus; and Mr Samuel RHEE, Co-founder, Chairman and Group Chief Investment Officer of Endowus.

Ms Clara CHAN Ka Chai said: “We always say that from zero to 1 is the most challenging part. So, the patients in terms of having staying power is the core, but it has to go in hand with other qualities like being proactive, being professional.”

Mr Michael Lau said: “I think it’s an interesting proposition to consider that these types of companies that are so capital. I would start looking beyond the current horizon of where we are to see where it could go next. And so I do think that there is a demand looking to that future where this idea of a tokenized capital market could be quite interesting.”

Mr Samuel RHEE mentioned: “First of all, maybe we just take a step back and just try to understand all of the capital markets, not just equities.”

Ms Bonnie Y Chan, JP said: “I want to point out one thing. I mean, we are operating a stock exchange and I think capital markets at the end of the day, the basic function is to match capital with opportunity. So what I’m very focused on is that I’m not just focused on technology or AI.”

Ms Emily CHAN Tan said: “We are not just witnessing a cyclical recovery, but also some would call this the threshold of a capital markets renaissance.”

Life and health technology: building a health-industry hub
This session was moderated by Professor Lo Yuk-lam, BBS, Founding President of the Hong Kong Biotechnology Organisation. Speakers included Professor LI King-Chuen, Founding Dean of the School of Medicine at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Dr Sarah SALVILLA, Director of Health and Strategic Partnerships at FWD Group; and Professor Anthony Wu Ting-yuk, GBS, JP, former Chairman of the Hospital Authority and Non-executive Chairman of Trinity Medical Group. The discussion focused on how AI in healthcare can strengthen the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s health industry.

Professor Lo Yuk-lam, BBS said: “Building HK’s holistic wellness hub, this year marks a defining moment for HK. With the release of our first ever five year plan and their chief executive policy address just a few weeks ago, our city’s road map for healthcare and biotechnology knowledge has never been clearer or more ambitious.”

Professor Anthony Wu Ting-yuk, GBS, JP said: “Every country every city is trying to recruit more talent and I think Hong Kong is an ideal position to attract talents.”

Professor LI King-Chuen said: “Our education system will be individualized. And we will do the factual knowledge transfer through mostly self-directed learning. So we guide them, we build an AI system with prescribed information.”

Dr Sarah SALVILLA said: “Prevention for sure in terms of how do we educate people to be much more proactive in their everyday lives, yes you know, kind of the lifestyle things.”

Start-up pitching: connecting with capital
The closing session was moderated by business journalist Ms Elaine Yu, with Mr LU Chin Yung, Senior Vice President (Start-ups) of the Sector Specialist Group at Invest Hong Kong. Representatives of 11 venture funds were present, including the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, Clee Capital, Click Ventures, GT Healthcare Capital Partners, Gobi Partners GBA, HKSTP Ventures, MindWorks Capital, Ryoden Medical Holdings, Seveno Capital, Verge HealthTech Fund and W2 Venture Partners. Together, the funds manage an estimated US$10 billion, have invested in more than 600 start-ups across more than 30 economies, and have backed at least nine unicorns, including Airwallex, Animoca Brands, Prenetics and GoGoX. Start-ups taking part in the pitching session included CELLmeric, Entoptica, PointFit, Syngular, Kodifly, AilsynBio, EveryBaby, A-grade, Orimmune Biotech, Nordia Biotech, Oncolmmu Nostics Limited, The Harbour School (THS), VisionBridge, Eden’s Garden, and CARE CONNECT.

Ms Elaine Yu said: “We have 15 startups and I think a group of students as well, very precocious students WHO are already thinking of ideas, real businesses with commercial viability at the cutting edge of science, research, healthcare and so forth. So, this should be a fun dynamic session.”

Mr LU Chin Yung pointed out: “Hong Kong is great in a lot of rankings in the world and this is not given, this is hard earned by your parents, by some of you sitting here. But as a young founder in Hong Kong, if you come to Hong Kong, you get to enjoy all this very safe environment. You have efficiency and then you also have a very clean government. This one I can say for sure. Yeah. And and all this, it helps the the founders to focus on your business, focus on grow, growing instead of you have to deal with many, many things.”

The Summit closed amid lively exchange. Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy said it will continue to build the Summit into a platform for dialogue between young professionals and leading figures in government and business, helping Hong Kong’s young talent seize the opportunities of the new economy.

Photos and video: Selected materials can be downloaded here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XowvT4PLTkLo-Vx6k8UJ_YyuM0O0wSlQ?usp=sharing .
Official hashtag: #GYPS2026

Annex 2: Attending guests (in no particular order)

Hashtag: #全球青年力量峰會 #GYPS2026

https://hkypga.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hkyproadvocacy?locale=sk_SK
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy

Hong Kong Youth Professional Global Advocacy is a community organisation founded in 2023 by young professionals in Hong Kong. It seeks to serve as a bridge between Hong Kong and the world, uniting Hong Kong young people globally through a range of exchange activities and cultivating an overseas youth network that supports “Hong Kong opportunities”. The organisation brings together more than 120 young professionals across finance, real estate, building surveying, manufacturing, environmental protection, healthcare, law, accounting and technology, and works closely with professional bodies, industry associations and the media. Through monthly salons and online exchanges with the Greater Bay Area, Southeast Asia and countries along the Belt and Road, it promotes understanding of the development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese Mainland, explores opportunities for collaboration, and ultimately aims to build a stronger network of professional youth and deepen exchange and cooperation with young people around the world.

Upgrades improve print quality, strengthen security and simplify ID card issuance

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 October 2026 – HID, a global leader in trusted identity solutions, is rolling out enhancements across its FARGO^® DTC ID card printers, including the DTC1250e, DTC4500e and DTC1500 models, to help organizations issue secure, professional-quality ID cards faster, with less IT support and the ability to easily scale as needs evolve.

Organizations that issue ID cards — from schools and healthcare systems to government offices, corporate campuses and others — need printers that are easy to operate, produce consistently high-quality credentials and keep pace with growing security requirements. The latest enhancements address each of those priorities.

Built to Print: Faster, Sharper Output and Stronger Security
Speed and reliability are essential for high-volume credential issuance. Printing more cards in less time with fewer interruptions, these printers have been updated with newer, faster hardware and electronics platforms. Support for high-capacity ribbons also streamlines the issuance workflow and maintains high productivity, reducing reloads and lost time. For front-desk and HR staff who issue dozens of badges a day, this means shorter lines and less time waiting on a stalled print job.

“We’ve been at this for a long time. For more than three decades, organizations have trusted us to power their ID badging programs,” said Apryl Erickson, VP and Head of FARGO. “With thousands of printers in the field worldwide, we’re excited to build on that legacy by delivering enhanced solutions that provide greater value to our end users and support their mission-critical issuance processes.”

Card quality matters just as much as issuance speed. With 300 x 600 dpi resolution, an enhanced color profile and adjustable K-panel printing, organizations benefit from having professional-quality ID cards that look sharper, have crisper text, cleaner logos and more accurate color.

When an organization issues credentials, they need to enhance card security and safeguard cardholder data. As such, all DTC printers offer enhanced AES-256-GCM encryption and resin scramble data protection. On the DTC1500 and DTC4500e, a built-in, customizable watermark overlay adds a layer of security at no added cost.

Built to Last: Secure, Reliable, Sustainable Performance and Less Downtime
Reliable and sustainable, the enhancedDTC printers are backed by three-year product warranties, provide ongoing printer health monitoring and are specifically engineered for efficient energy use.

Organizations also need to keep operator maintenance low. An integrated diagnostic utility and Color Assist tool are now built directly into the printer driver, so common issues can be identified and resolved without a support call. An optional OLED SmartScreen on the DTC1250e further simplifies day-to-day operation, helping non-technical staff be productive from day one with no IT ticket required.

Built for More: Room to Grow Without Starting Over
Programs rarely remain static, and organizations need to scale as their needs grow without incurring the cost of new hardware. FARGO DTC printers offer field-upgradable dual-side printing and encoding options that let organizations start with what they need and add capabilities later, without having to buy new base hardware, as programs expand.

These upgrades build on more than 30 years of DTC printing expertise. The portfolio also integrates with HID’s broader ecosystem for access control and identity management, helping organizations expand their credentialing programs as needs evolve. The DTC1500 and DTC4500e are also compatible with FARGO Connect™, a secure, cloud-based card printing platform that provides real-time fleet visibility.

The enhanced DTC printer portfolio is commercially available now. Product availability for enhanced FARGO DTC1250e and DTC4500e printers is slated for late October/early November, varying by region. Enhanced FARGO DTC1500 units will follow later in Q4 2026.

Building on these enhancements, HID plans to further expand the FARGO DTC portfolio later this year with a streamlined, single-sided printer designed for organizations with lower-volume issuance needs. It will not be available in the United States and Canada. It will be offered only in select regions outside these markets. The new model will bring the same reliability and ease of use while providing an accessible entry point into the broader FARGO portfolio.

FARGO printers are available through HID’s partner and distributor network.

Stay Connected with HID

Visit our Media Center, read our Industry Blog, and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
Hashtag: #HID #FARGO #TrustedIdentity

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

About HID

HID powers the trusted identities of the world’s people, places and things. We make it possible for people to transact safely, work productively and travel freely. Our trusted identity solutions give people convenient access to physical and digital places and connect things that can be identified, verified and tracked digitally. Millions of people around the world use HID products and services to navigate their everyday lives, and billions of things are connected through HID technology. We work with governments, educational institutions, hospitals, financial institutions, industrial businesses and some of the most innovative companies on the planet. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, HID has over 4,500 employees worldwide and operates international offices that support more than 100 countries. HID is an ASSA ABLOY Group brand. For more information, visit www.hidglobal.com.

© 2026 HID Global Corporation/ASSA ABLOY AB. All rights reserved. HID, the HID Blue Brick logo and the Chain Design are trademarks or registered trademarks of HID Global, ASSA ABLOY AB, or its affiliates(s) in the US and other countries and may not be used without permission. All other trademarks, service marks, and product or service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Transforming QS Practice in a New Era: Integrating Digital Construction, Collaborative Contracting and Payment Security

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 October 2026 – The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) Quantity Surveying Division hosted the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division Conference 2026 (the Conference) today at the CIC-Zero Carbon Park.

This year’s theme, “Transforming QS Practice in a New Era: Integrating Digital Construction, Collaborative Contracting and Payment Security”, reflects the evolving role of Quantity Surveyors during a time of economic restructuring.

The Conference brought together around 200 participants both in person and online, including government officials, industry leaders, professionals, academics, and young practitioners.

Mr LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) for Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, attended as the Guest of Honour and delivered a keynote speech.

Quantity Surveyors are trained professionals with expert knowledge of construction costs and contracts who play a crucial role throughout the project development cycle, from investment feasibility studies and procurement strategy to commercial governance, contract administration, and dispute management. The seminar aims to explore how, amidst the ever-changing landscape of the digital revolution and the implementation of new legislation, quantity surveyors can evolve from their traditional roles in contract and cost management into enablers who drive successful value creation in construction projects.

Mr. LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Development Bureau, said: “The theme of this year’s conference is both timely and visionary. The Conference serves as a strategic platform for surveying practitioners and professionals to exchange insights, explore best practices, and formulate a collective vision for the future of the surveying profession. The insights and best practices generated will not only contribute in advancing the role of surveying profession in the new era, but also reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a leader in construction excellence.”

The conference featured 20 distinguished speakers from Hong Kong Government bureaux and departments, the private sector, academia, professional institutions, and law firms to share their insights and best practices in the quantity surveying field. Through thought-provoking discussions, the event not only enhanced participants’ technical knowledge but also catalyzed long-term cross-sector collaboration, empowering the industry to continuously deliver highly efficient and resilient built assets in the future.”

Sr WAN Wai Ming, Tony, President of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, noted in his welcome speech, “As the construction landscape undergoes profound shifts, quantity surveyors are evolving from traditional cost guardians into strategic value architects. Under this year’s theme, we gather to explore emerging challenges, tackle critical issues, and seize new opportunities. Together, we redefine our professional identity, share actionable insights, and shape a forward-looking roadmap for the quantity surveying industry in Hong Kong.”

Sr TING Yuen Chun, Eric, Chairman of the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division, acknowledged that the built environment is facing increasingly complex social and economic pressures. He emphasised that these challenges serve as an important reminder that, while technology is a vital enabler of progress, built-environment professionals must continue to apply their expertise and professional judgement, while strengthening collaboration across disciplines, to navigate change and deliver sustainable value to society.

Sr WONG Kin Yan, Winnie, Organising Committee Chair of the Conference stated in her closing remarks, “Developments in Collaborative Contracting, Digital Construction, and Payment Security present an opportunity for our profession to evolve beyond traditional cost management.

Today’s quantity surveyors are increasingly called upon to serve as trusted advisers, driving collaboration, leading digital transformation, and championing transparency and fairness across the entire project lifecycle. By embracing these changes, we can continue to play a pivotal role in delivering sustainable, resilient and high-performing built assets for our community.”

List of Speakers (in order of presentation delivery)

Keynote Speech by Guest of Honour

1. Mr LAU Chun Kit, Ricky, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Development Bureau, HKSARG

Session 1: Collaborative Contracting

1. Mr LEUNG Lap Ki, Francis, Team Leader (Trade & Procurement), Development Bureau, HKSARG
2. Sr CHOI Wing Chung, Hayman, Project Strategy and Delivery Leader (Asia), Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited
3. Ir LEUNG Cheuk Lun, NEC Strategic Advisor, Civil Engineering and Development Department, HKSARG
4. Ir WANG Yan Hua, Chairman and Managing Director, China Road and Bridge Corporation (Hong Kong)
5. Sr Yau Wan Fong, Deputy Director, WT Partnership (HK) Limited

Session 2: Digital Construction

1. Mr WU Jin Ying, Technical Officer, Glodon (Hong Kong) Software Limited
2. Mr Elvis LI, CEO, isBIM Limited
3. Ir NG Chun Keung, CEO, dRoW Limited
4. Mr Put HUI, Senior Digital Transformation Lead, Innovative Technology, Gammon Construction Limited
5. Mr Ronald CHAN, Head of Sustainability for APAC, Currie & Brown
6. Sr Sunny CHOI, Chairman of Digitalisation Sub-committee, Quantity Surveying Division, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors; Past Chairman of Quantity Surveying Division, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (2021-2023)
7. Sr Dr Paul HO, Past Chairman of Quantity Surveying Division, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (2005-2006)

Session 3: Payment Security

1. Sr Tommy CHAN, Executive Director, Arcadis Hong Kong Limited
2. Cr Sr Ir ZA Wai Gin, Tony, Executive Director, Hip Hing Construction Co., Ltd.
3. Sr Hinson CHEUNG, Partner, Pinsent Masons
4. Sr Terry CHAK, Director of North Asia Region, Rider Levett Bucknall Limited
5. Sr TT CHEUNG, BBS, JP, Past President, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors
6. Sr CHONG Lui Chuen, Executive Committee Member, CSHK Professional Committee
7. Mr Eric CHUNG, Barrister-at-Law, Pacific Chambers
8. Sr Prof LEUNG Hing Fung, Professor and Head, Department of Law and Business, Hong Kong Shue Yan University; Adjunct Professor, Department of Real Estate and Construction, University of Hong Kong; Barrister-at-law, Arbitrator and Mediator

List of speakers and topics are downloadable here

Conference booklet is downloadable here

High-resolution event photos are downloadable here

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Hashtag: #surveyor #QS #quantitysurveying

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About the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors

Established in 1984, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) is the only surveying professional body incorporated by ordinance in Hong Kong. As of 30 September 2026, the number of members reached 11248, of which 8301 (FHKIS: 579, MHKIS: 7722) were corporate members, 49 were associate members and 2898 were probationers and students.

HKIS work includes setting standards for professional services and performance, establishing codes of ethics, determining requirements for admission as professional surveyors, and encouraging members to upgrade skills through continuing professional development.

The Institute has an important consultative role in government policy making and on issues affecting the profession. We have advised the government on issues such as building safety and unauthorized building works, problems of property management, town planning and development strategies, construction quality, construction costs and housing problems. We have also issued guidance notes on floor area measurement, real estates valuation and land boundary survey, etc.

We have an established presence in the international arenas, have overseas connections, and have entered into reciprocal agreements with professional surveying and valuation institutes in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Mainland China recognizing the counterpart’s member’s qualifications. In addition, HKIS is a member of various leading international surveying organisations.

The event will bring together industry participants from digital assets, fintech, payments, Web3 infrastructure, institutional services, and cross-border finance. It aims to provide a face-to-face networking platform for institutions, project teams, infrastructure providers, investors, and professionals. Discussions will focus on digital asset infrastructure, compliant payments, stablecoin use cases, wallet and card services, and how digital assets can enter real-world payment scenarios.

Event Details

Event Name: Token2049 Networking Event with BitGo, HashKey & UstarPay
Date & Time: Wednesday, 7 October, 18:00–21:00 GMT+8
Event Partners: BitGo, HashKey Cloud, UstarPay
Registration: Submit an application through the official Luma event page
Registration Link: https://luma.com/qjgwthvg
Entry: Approved participants may enter with a valid QR code

Please note that this event requires registration approval. All participants must submit an application through the official Luma event page. The hosts will review applications based on applicant background, industry relevance, and event capacity. Once approved, participants will receive an event QR code. Only approved participants with a valid QR code will be admitted to the event. An invitation or shared event information does not constitute official admission credentials.

Stablecoins Enter the Next Stage: From On-Chain Assets to Real-World Payments

In recent years, stablecoins have evolved from a funding tool primarily used in crypto trading into a payment and settlement medium within the global digital economy. As cross-border work, global freelancing, online subscriptions, e-commerce, and international trade continue to grow, the market demand for faster, more flexible, and geographically accessible payment methods has continued to increase.

However, for digital assets to truly enter everyday life, one core question remains: how can the speed of on-chain transactions be connected with the trust, compliance, and settlement systems required by the real world?

In traditional financial and payment networks, every movement of funds must address fundamental questions: who the user is, where the funds come from, whether the transaction is compliant, whether risk can be identified, and whether the settlement trail can be audited. For digital asset payments, these questions do not disappear simply because technology becomes faster. Instead, they become essential conditions for digital assets to move toward broader, scalable adoption.

UstarPay’s role is to build the infrastructure that connects on-chain assets with real-world payment scenarios during this transition.

About UstarPay’s Role in Real-World Digital Asset Use

UstarPay is a PayFi-focused infrastructure platform connecting supported digital assets with real-world spending and transaction use cases. Its core vision is to help digital assets move beyond trading, holding, or investment and become more practical for everyday and commercial use, subject to applicable requirements.

By connecting wallet, card, and related technology infrastructure, UstarPay helps eligible individuals and businesses access card and transaction solutions using supported digital assets. In applicable markets, and subject to supported assets, product settings, and relevant requirements, users may explore stablecoins and other supported digital assets for online shopping, travel and hotel spending, subscription services, cross-border purchases, in-store purchases, and, where applicable, ATM withdrawals.

For enterprises, UstarPay explores modular technology support connected to card applications, risk management, and settlement workflows. Relevant use cases may be considered for eligible platforms and businesses, subject to applicable laws, partner requirements, product scope, and case-by-case assessment.

UstarPay believes the future of digital asset use is not only about whether a transaction can be completed, but also whether relevant activity can be verified, monitored, risk-assessed, reviewed, and settled. Based on this view, UstarPay is exploring “Proof-of-Spend” as part of its digital asset application narrative. By connecting identity verification, AML processes, asset custody, on-chain risk assessment, transaction records, and settlement workflows, UstarPay is exploring how digital asset applications can be supported by more verifiable, monitorable, and traceable process foundations.

From a risk management and traceability perspective, UstarPay considers identity verification, on-chain transaction monitoring, asset custody, and settlement records as relevant components where applicable. The company may work with relevant technical service providers in these areas. This registration does not mean that all products, services, or markets are authorized or available. Relevant services remain subject to applicable laws and regulations, user eligibility, supported assets, product settings, partner requirements, and jurisdictional restrictions.

Guided by “Real Crypto, Real Life,” UstarPay’s long-term direction is to help supported digital assets move from on-chain holdings toward card and transaction applications that can be used in everyday and commercial contexts, subject to product configuration, applicable requirements, supported assets, and regional availability.

Event Significance: Connecting PayFi, Stablecoin Payments, and Institutional Infrastructure

The co-hosts of this event span digital asset custody, institutional infrastructure, PayFi, stablecoin payments, and on-chain yield. This reflects the digital asset industry’s ongoing evolution from single-purpose trading scenarios toward more mature financial and payment infrastructure.

As stablecoins continue to become an important tool for value movement in the global digital economy, the market demand for compliant payment access, secure asset custody, risk control infrastructure, and cross-border settlement capabilities continues to grow. Through this event, UstarPay hopes to engage with more industry participants to discuss how digital assets can enter the real world in a safer, more compliant, and more practical way.

Hashtag: #UstarPay

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

About BitGo

BitGo (NYSE: BTGO) is the digital asset infrastructure company delivering custody, wallets, staking, trading, financing, stablecoins, and settlement services from regulated cold storage. Since 2013, BitGo has focused on accelerating the transition of the financial system to a digital asset economy. BitGo maintains a global presence and multiple regulated entities, including BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association, the first federally chartered digital asset trust bank owned by a publicly traded company. Today, BitGo serves thousands of institutions, including many of the industry’s top brands, financial institutions, exchanges, and platforms, and millions of investors worldwide. For more information, visit www.bitgo.com.

About UstarPay

UstarPay is a PayFi-focused infrastructure platform designed to connect digital assets with real-world spending and transaction use cases. By connecting wallet, card, and related technology infrastructure, UstarPay helps eligible users and businesses access convenient card and transaction solutions using supported digital assets.

With a focus on compliance, transparency, and risk management, UstarPay is developing digital asset experiences designed to support traceability and transparency in supported markets. Guided by “Real Crypto, Real Life,” the company is focused on making supported digital assets more practical and relevant to everyday life, subject to applicable requirements and availability. Relevant services remain subject to applicable laws and regulations, user eligibility, supported assets, product settings, and regional availability.

For more information, please visit www.ustarpay.com.

About HashKey Cloud

HashKey Cloud is the institutional staking and yield infrastructure of HashKey Group (HKEX: 3887). It focuses on providing secure, auditable multi-chain staking and yield services for global institutions, asset managers, and professional investors. Our services include ETF/DAT staking, prime VIP staking, API staking, and prime yield, empowering institutions to manage on-chain assets and returns with efficiency and confidence.

Disclaimer: Relevant services are subject to applicable laws and regulations, user eligibility, supported assets, partner requirements, and geographic restrictions. Not all services are available in all markets.

The Singapore state-owned investment company said on Wednesday that the two offices, subject to statutory approvals, would operate as strategic hubs for Temasek and its portfolio companies. Some portfolio companies are expected to co-locate at the new sites, giving them a base from which to develop business and partnerships in Gulf markets.

Temasek said it sees broad opportunities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. It intends to increase engagement with institutions in Qatar and other Middle Eastern markets while using the Riyadh and Abu Dhabi bases to improve access to investment opportunities across Central Asia and Africa.

“The Middle East is an important part of Temasek’s global network,” chief executive Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara said. He cited the pace of economic transformation across the region and said its long-term fundamentals remained attractive, with strong alignment between regional priorities and Temasek’s investment focus.

Pillay said Temasek had built relationships in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar over several years through partnerships, co-investments and the activities of its portfolio companies. The planned offices represent a shift from managing those relationships remotely towards maintaining permanent teams in two of the Gulf’s principal financial and investment centres.

The expansion comes as Gulf governments continue programmes intended to diversify their economies, develop infrastructure and attract international capital. Temasek said its investment experience, global networks and partnership-led approach, together with the sector expertise of companies in its portfolio, could support opportunities created by that transformation.

Temasek said the new hubs would also give portfolio companies closer access to local partners and markets, allowing them to collaborate alongside the investor while pursuing opportunities generated by economic diversification and infrastructure spending.

Chia Song Hwee, chief executive of Temasek Global Investments, was appointed chairman for the Middle East and Africa with effect from September 1. Temasek said he would provide senior leadership and oversight for its engagement and long-term growth in the two regions.

Chia said having teams on the ground would strengthen engagement with partners and improve access to investment opportunities for Temasek and its portfolio companies. He added that the offices would allow the group to bring expertise from across its wider ecosystem into regional markets.

Ankit Khemka will remain managing director for the region and continue to lead Temasek’s strategy and expansion. The leadership arrangements put the Middle East and Africa under dedicated senior oversight as the investor increases its institutional presence beyond its established Asian, European and American locations.

The two offices will increase Temasek’s global network to 15 offices across 11 countries in 2027, from 13 offices in nine countries. Its existing locations include Singapore, Beijing, Hanoi, Mumbai, Shanghai and Shenzhen in Asia, alongside Brussels, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Washington.

Temasek’s net portfolio value reached S$518 billion for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, up from S$469 billion a year earlier. Its one-year total shareholder return was 10.5 per cent, while its 10-year and 20-year returns were 7.1 per cent and 6.8 per cent respectively.

The investor’s portfolio remains anchored in Singapore while spanning major global markets. Singapore-based portfolio companies accounted for 43 per cent of the portfolio at the end of the financial year, while direct investments in companies globally represented 38 per cent. The remaining 19 per cent was held through partnerships, funds and asset-management businesses.

Temasek has also been increasing investment activity across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Earlier this week, it acquired a 9 per cent minority stake in the management company of Milan-based private equity group FSI and committed capital to future FSI investment vehicles targeting growing Italian companies.

The regulated household tariff will fall to 28.59 Singapore cents per kilowatt-hour before goods and services tax for October to December, from 31.91 cents in the July-September quarter, grid operator SP Group said on Wednesday. The reduction amounts to 3.32 cents per kWh.

Families living in four-room Housing Board flats are expected to see their average monthly electricity bill decline by S$12.99 before GST. The overall electricity tariff, covering households and non-household users, will decrease by an average 10.6 per cent, also equivalent to 3.32 cents per kWh.

The cut follows a 17 per cent jump in the household tariff for July to September, when the rate climbed by 4.64 cents per kWh as high natural gas prices fed through to power-generation costs. That increase lifted average monthly bills for four-room Housing Board households by S$17.14 before GST.

SP Group said the fourth-quarter reduction reflects lower natural gas prices between July 1 and September 15, which moved down alongside global fuel prices. Singapore’s regulated tariffs incorporate fuel costs with a lag, meaning the impact of movements in international energy markets is not immediately reflected in household bills.

The Energy Market Authority sets the regulatory framework under which SP Group reviews tariffs every quarter. The energy-cost component is calculated using average daily natural gas prices during the first two-and-a-half months of the preceding quarter.

Imported natural gas accounts for about 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity generation, leaving domestic power costs sensitive to movements in global fuel markets. Fuel costs are tied to oil prices through commercial gas contracts, while other parts of the tariff cover generation, grid, billing, market administration and power-system operating expenses.

The tariff decline offers some relief after energy costs contributed to stronger consumer-price pressures during the third quarter. Singapore’s overall consumer price inflation rose to 2.3 per cent year on year in August from 2.2 per cent in July, while the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s core inflation measure increased to 2.2 per cent from 2 per cent.

Electricity and gas prices were 8.7 per cent higher in August than a year earlier, according to official inflation data. Authorities said the increase reflected the earlier surge in global energy prices, whose effect was transmitted into the regulated tariff with the usual delay.

The Monetary Authority and Ministry of Trade and Industry expect both core and headline inflation to average between 1.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent in 2026. They have cautioned that the inflation outlook remains exposed to renewed disruptions in global energy supplies, alongside other imported cost pressures.

The latest tariff reduction may therefore temper household utility costs during the final three months of the year, although it does not fully reverse the preceding quarter’s increase. The fourth-quarter rate remains 1.32 cents per kWh above the 27.27-cent tariff charged from April to June.

Piped town gas prices will also decline. City Energy said the household gas tariff will fall 8.6 per cent to 21.45 cents per kWh from October 1 to December 31, compared with 23.48 cents in the third quarter, reflecting lower fuel costs.

Households have several electricity purchasing options. Consumers may remain on SP Group’s regulated tariff or buy from retailers under fixed-price, discount-off-regulated-tariff and time-of-use plans. The regulated rate remains the default option for most households.

The share of households on fixed-price plans rose from 36.6 per cent on February 1 to 38.4 per cent on September 1, while proportion buying from SP Group under the regulated tariff declined from 63.4 per cent to 61.6 per cent.

NDP 2026 returned to the National Stadium for the first time since 2016 and played to a capacity crowd of about 42,000, the largest National Day Parade audience in a decade. Staged under the theme “Majulah Singapura, Go Beyond!”, the show ran across six chapters on an arrow-shaped stage measuring 162 metres long and 74 metres at its widest, served by six stage lifts and eight tunnel entrances and exits. More than 2,600 performers and 36 artistes took part alongside 32 marching contingents and 1,271 civilian participants, according to the NDP 2026 organising committee. The production carried 1,654 entertainment lighting fixtures and over 170 special effects machines, and featured NDP’s first indoor drone display, in which 300 drones flew 30 metres above a stadium floor occupied by performers.

Show-calling is the discipline that commits all of that to a single running order. Working from a cue script, the show-caller calls each segment change, performer entry, lighting state, audio cue, video roll and effect in sequence over headset to the crews and stage managers executing them. What separates a parade from a corporate show is that there is no reset. The running order cannot be paused or restarted, so a late cue does not delay the show. It puts the performers, the drones, the lighting, and the broadcast feed out of alignment with one another for as long as it takes to recover. Se7en Friday’s show-callers worked through the full rehearsal ladder, including the combined rehearsals, the two National Education shows, and the previews on 25 July and 1 August, building and testing the cue stack and the contingency calls for weather, timing overruns, and equipment faults. This same level of show control and precision underpins Se7en Friday’s work in dinner and dance event management and large-scale corporate productions.

The appreciation event that followed the parade was planned and run by the same team, covering catering, event decoration, master of ceremonies services, and the games and segments that made up the programme. Because the team producing it had worked the production from planning through to show day, the event was built by people who knew the schedule the participants had been keeping. For the organisers, it also placed a single supplier in charge of both the show-calling and the appreciation event, rather than a second vendor briefed from scratch once the parade was over.

Henry Tan, Events and Managing Director at Se7en Friday, said the engagement was decided in rehearsal.

“A show this size is not difficult because it is big, it is difficult because nothing waits. If a cue lands a second late, the performers, the drones, and every light in the building are a second out of alignment, and there is no way to take it back. So most of the work happened in the stadium in the weeks before, building the cue stack and deciding in advance what we would do if something went wrong, which meant that on the night there was nothing left to decide. The appreciation event was the other half of it. For months everybody on this project had been working to somebody else’s cue, and that was the one evening the people who built the show got to sit down and be looked after.”

The same cue scripting, stage management, and rehearsal practice apply to the company’s commercial work at a smaller scale. Se7en Friday runs conference and seminar event management, dinner and dance events, product launches and openings, family days and retreats, and livestreamed and hybrid events, using an in-house production team with its own warehousing and logistics fleet and full-time crew.

The NDP engagement is the largest application to date of the production discipline Se7en Friday applies to its corporate work. The company continues to operate from Singapore, serving government ministries, statutory boards, and corporate accounts. The direction Tan has set out is for the company to continue operating as a single production partner across the full run of an event, from cue scripting and technical delivery through to the events that follow it, rather than as a supplier engaged for one component of a programme.
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About Se7en Friday

Founded in 2015, Se7en Friday Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based corporate event management company with more than 10 years of industry experience. The company has delivered over 5,200 events across more than 20 industries for clients including the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, alongside statutory boards and Fortune 500 corporations. Its services span conferences and seminars, product launches and openings, dinner and dances, family days and retreats, and livestreamed, virtual and hybrid events, supported by an in-house production team, company-owned warehousing and a logistics fleet. Se7en Friday is bizSafe Level 3 certified, a certified Safe Event SG organiser, and the exclusive carrier of L-Acoustics professional audio systems in Singapore.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The companies said on Monday that the partnership would combine FSI’s access to Italy’s mid-market businesses with Temasek’s sector expertise and international network, with a focus on helping companies expand into new markets.

FSI manages about €5 billion and concentrates on growth investments in mid-sized businesses. Temasek has previously invested in FSI funds and will make further commitments to future vehicles, including FSI Scale-up Capital Solutions, a fund aimed at high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises.

Nagi Hamiyeh, president of Temasek Global Investments, said Italy was “an integral part” of Temasek’s European strategy. He said the Singapore investor had built its portfolio and relationships in the country over more than a decade, with the pace of investment accelerating in the past few years.

“Our partnership with FSI extends this commitment to the mid-market,” Hamiyeh said, adding that Temasek could use its sector capabilities and global networks to support Italian companies seeking international expansion and long-term growth.

The transaction builds on a relationship that began with Temasek’s investment in FSI funds in 2018. Temasek was an investor in FSI I, which closed in 2019, and FSI II, which closed in 2024. It is also participating in the Scale-up Capital Solutions vehicle launched this year.

FSI’s website says its flagship FSI I and FSI II funds have commitments of €1.4 billion and €1.6 billion respectively, while Scale-up Capital Solutions extends its investment strategy into the lower mid-market. The new vehicle is targeting businesses with growth potential, including companies seeking capital for expansion, acquisitions or international development.

Maurizio Tamagnini, FSI’s chief executive and managing partner, said Temasek had been a founding investor in the firm’s funds and that the two teams had worked together beyond those commitments to identify opportunities across Italian companies of different sizes.

“Today’s step therefore builds on a shared investment culture, experience and deep mutual trust between the leadership of the two institutions,” Tamagnini said. He described FSI as a channel connecting global institutional capital with Italy’s small and medium-sized businesses.

Temasek’s investment also increases its exposure to Italy, where it has invested for more than a decade. Its holdings include interests in luxury groups Ermenegildo Zegna, Golden Goose and Moncler, giving the Singapore company an established presence in one of Italy’s prominent consumer sectors.

The group has also been increasing allocations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It aims to invest between €14 billion and €17 billion in the region by 2029 and deployed about €13 billion there during the two financial years ended March 31, 2026.

Temasek reported a net portfolio value of S$518 billion for the year ended March 31, 2026. The company is wholly owned by Singapore’s Minister for Finance, but operates commercially and makes investment decisions independently of the government, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Finance and Temasek’s governance framework.

For FSI, the investment brings a major global institutional investor directly into its management company while preserving the firm’s focus on Italian businesses. FSI says its team has invested more than €3 billion in 25 companies over 15 years and completed more than 50 acquisitions.

Temasek’s move does not give it control of FSI’s management company. The investment is structured as a minority holding, while the additional fund commitments place capital alongside other institutional investors. The arrangement expands the relationship at both the management-company and investment-fund levels without altering FSI’s investment mandate.

Its investment model targets businesses where fresh equity and strategic support can finance expansion without relying primarily on leverage. The firm identifies family-owned companies, fragmented domestic industries and businesses with limited access to capital markets among the areas where it sees opportunities.

Carlsberg’s Brewmaster Zoran Gojkovic takes his pairings from the brewhouse to Singapore’s boldest tables, with exclusive deals on Grab Dine Out

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 September 2026 – Carlsberg Asia is partnering with Grab, Southeast Asia’s everyday superapp, to launch exclusive dine-out deals with Brewmaster-curated beer pairings at 28 restaurants in Singapore. Available until 25 October, the campaign invites consumers to discover unexpected pairings and enjoy them firsthand at partner restaurants.

Guided by Carlsberg’s Brewmaster, Zoran Gojkovic, this first-of-its-kind collaboration takes diners on a seamless journey, from digital inspiration to tableside enjoyment. Diners can explore curated food-and-beer pairing experiences, unlock exclusive vouchers, and head to partner restaurants to savour the perfect pairing. Whether it’s a spicy weeknight supper with local favourites, a long weekend brunch or a premium fine dining experience, every pairing is designed to turn everyday meals into memorable beer moments.

Carlsberg’s Brewmaster Brings His Expertise to Singapore’s Boldest Tables

To bring this to life, Carlsberg’s Brewmaster, Zoran Gojkovic, travelled across Southeast Asia, trading the brewhouse for the region’s most exciting kitchens. At every stop, he sat down with chefs, restaurant partners and local food communities to explore the rich culinary traditions behind each dish and share the brewing science behind great pairings. Along the journey, Zoran drew on his decades of expertise to match every innovative dish with the perfect brew from Carlsberg’s portfolio, revealing how local food culture and brewing craftsmanship blend seamlessly at the same table.

With exclusive deals now available on Grab Dine Out, Carlsberg is redefining the modern beer occasion in a bustling city filled with vibrant local flavours. The partnership allows food lovers to discover local spots, unlock personalised deals, and explore expertly crafted beer pairings tailored to diverse tastes.

Olga Pulyaeva, General Manager, Carlsberg Singapore, said: “By bringing our premium portfolio onto Grab and tapping into its extensive ecosystem, we are connecting with digitally engaged consumers and turning online discovery into real dining experiences. Paired with Zoran’s expertise in matching our beers with the city’s diverse flavours, this partnership is taking diners from inspiration to the table in just a few taps.”

Discovering the Perfect Pairing in Singapore’s Vibrant Dining Scene

The food-and-beer pairing experience spotlights a curated selection from Carlsberg’s portfolio, including the citrusy and refreshing 1664 Blanc, the rich and velvety Connor’s Stout Porter, the refined Japanese lager Sapporo, the easy-drinking Carlsberg Smooth Draught, and the OG, well-balanced Carlsberg Danish Pilsner. Each chosen to distinctively bring out the best of the city’s culinary concepts. From contemporary Chinese to an energetic Japanese gastrobar and open-flame grill mastery, the pairings are designed to showcase how Carlsberg’s beer styles complement the chefs’ creations.

At Empress, the contemporary Chinese restaurant overlooking the Singapore River, time-honoured classics such as Empress Roast Duck and a savoury Popcorn Chicken Spicy Sichuan Style take center stage. Connor’s Stout Porter‘s robust, roasty malt perfectly echoes the lacquered, smoky skin of the duck, while Carlsberg Danish Pilsner’s crisp mouthfeel and hoppy notes balance the popcorn chicken’s rich, spicy flavours.

Over at Kinki, a vibrant Japanese fusion gastrobar on Collyer Quay, bold, modern plates like Jeju Pork Jowl and Saikoro Pepper Steak meet a buzzing atmosphere. The bright, aromatic citrus notes of 1664 Blanc cut through the richness of the pork jowl, lifting every savoury note with a bright, refreshing finish. Sapporo’s light, well-balanced finish complements the tender richness of the pepper steak.

Fireplace by Bedrock, a modern wood-fired concept spotlighting premium ingredients, turns up the heat with the deep smokiness of 6-Hour Wood-Fired Pork Belly. Its robust flavours call for the mellow and easy finish of Carlsberg Smooth Draught to reset the palate between bites.

From Grab to the Table: Turning Everyday Meals into Beer Occasions

Going from craving to table takes just a few taps. On the dedicated Carlsberg selection page in the Grab app, consumers can browse participating restaurants and explore curated food-and-beer pairing deals. Simply pre-purchase a deal in the app and then redeem it at the restaurant to enjoy the exact pairing featured in the campaign. Together, Carlsberg and Grab are making great pairings easier to find and enjoy: one deal, one pairing, one shared table at a time.

Hashtag: #Carlsberg #Grab #BeerPairing

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

About Carlsberg Asia

Established in 1847 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the Carlsberg Group is one of the leading brewery groups in the world, with an attractive portfolio of beer and other beverage brands. With over 37.000 employees, and with a presence in more than 150 markets, the Group has a purpose of brewing for a better today and tomorrow. Doing business responsibly and sustainably supports that purpose – and drives the efforts to deliver value for shareholders and society.

Carlsberg Asia is a dynamic and diverse region comprising of 8 operating markets: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong S.A.R. (Macau and Taiwan), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam. Altogether we have 35 breweries in operation and some 13,000 employees spreading across the Asian markets. The Asia Regional Office is based in Hong Kong.

About Grab

Grab is a leading superapp in Southeast Asia, operating across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors. Serving over 900 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – Grab enables millions of people everyday to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending and insurance, all through a single app. We operate supermarkets in Malaysia under Jaya Grocer and Everrise, which enables us to bring the convenience of on-demand grocery delivery to more consumers in the country. As part of our financial services offerings, we also provide digital banking services through GXS Bank in Singapore and GXBank in Malaysia. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone. Grab strives to serve a triple bottom line – we aim to simultaneously deliver financial performance for our shareholders and have a positive social impact, which includes economic empowerment for millions of people in the region, while mitigating our environmental footprint.

Economists interviewed for the series said that, as a key gateway to the world’s second-largest single market, ASEAN businesses cannot afford to overlook the historic opportunity to enter the Chinese market through Hainan. Chen Bo, Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, said that with multiple policy incentives taking effect, the next decade represents a golden opportunity for Hainan. Xiao Saizi, a professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, noted that in the six months since the launch of special customs operations, the number of foreign trade companies registered in Hainan has grown rapidly. High-end manufacturing and processing industries—including chip packaging and testing, premium food processing, aviation maintenance, green energy, medical devices, and biopharmaceuticals—are among the sectors most likely to benefit.

Located at the southernmost tip of China, Hainan is within a four-hour flight of 21 Asia-Pacific countries. This natural geographic advantage makes it an important springboard for ASEAN businesses seeking to enter the Chinese market. Xiao said that Hainan received 106 million domestic and international tourist visits in 2025, making it an ideal testing ground where foreign investors can test the market at relatively low cost.

Previous surveys have shown that foreign exchange settlement is one of the key concerns for foreign investors. By the end of 2025, 11 banks in Hainan had launched EF accounts, enabling cross-border fund flows with 91 countries and regions, with total transaction volume equivalent to CNY 350.9 billion.

Several economists advised ASEAN businesses to conduct thorough internal assessments before making investment decisions. If they determine that the Chinese market will form part of their future growth strategy, they should consider entering Hainan early while the benefits of the Free Trade Port’s policies continue to unfold.

Hashtag: #FreeTradePort

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

• Commits HK$14 million over two years to empower more than 38,000 beneficiaries.
• Incubates three inaugural community projects, bridging young people and the wider community.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 September 2026 – The Hongkong Land Foundation (“the Foundation”) today announced the launch of “The Central Spark Series” with three winning projects selected from its “AI for Good” Hackathon. Together with its other ongoing initiatives, these projects form part of Hongkong Land’s HK$14 million commitment over the next two years to benefit more than 38,000 people across Hong Kong. The Central Spark Series also aligns with the HKSAR Government’s 2026 Policy Address, supporting its strategic vision for the renewal of Central as well as its agenda to strengthen people’s livelihood and foster a more inclusive society.

The Central Spark Series’ official launch ceremony brought together leaders from across government and the public sector, academia, social enterprise, and commerce. Officiating and attending guests demonstrating this cross-sector collaboration included Mr Ho Kai Ming, JP, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare; Ms Grace Chan Man-yee, Member of the 8th Legislative Council (Social Welfare Functional Constituency); Ms Jeanne Cheng, JP, District Officer (Central and Western District); Mr Ivan Ho, Harbourfront Commission Chairman; Ms Sam Lam, Interim Director of the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Prof Esterina Nervino, Associate Director of Global Governance & Innovation for a Shared Future at City University of Hong Kong; and Prof Howard Ling, Chief Consultant of Impact Incubator.

In March 2026, the Foundation organised the “AI for Good” Hackathon, a collaborative social innovation programme developed in partnership with The Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Ten NGOs and educational institutions pitched proposals to a panel of industry and community leaders. Three winning projects were selected: Central Connect by the Hong Kong Design Institute, Central as Canvas by Caritas Hong Kong, and Central POP! by the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation. These three projects form the foundation of The Central Spark Series, with further details outlined in the appendix.

The Central Spark Series leverages Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio in the heart of Hong Kong as a dynamic platform for learning, public participation and community engagement. By bringing young people, NGOs, tenants, employees and the wider public into the district, it translates the Foundation’s People, Place and Culture pillars into visible, on-the-ground experiences. Together, these projects demonstrate how different sectors can collaborate to build longer-term partnerships and create measurable social impact by creating more inclusive and resilient communities. They also nurture the next generation in art and culture, heritage and creativity, building a talent pipeline for Hong Kong’s creative industries.

Beyond Hong Kong, the Foundation extends its reach into other communities where Hongkong Land operates. The Foundation recently backed the Cultural Legacy Innovation Challenge in Beijing, supporting local young people to reimagine the travel route along the Beijing Central Axis. The project promotes the city’s heritage and history to residents and visitors from around the world. In addition to monetary support, Hongkong Land volunteers also give back to the community by offering their time and effort. This year, volunteers across Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Singapore and South Asia have contributed more than 3,000 hours to various projects.

Michael T. Smith, Group Chief Executive of Hongkong Land, and Director of Hongkong Land Foundation, said “Businesses thrive only when their communities flourish. Through our Hongkong Land Foundation, we are committed to unlocking upward social mobility for the next generation through meaningful mentorship, networks, and opportunities. Central, Hong Kong has long stood as the preeminent financial district. Through the Central Spark Series, we will bring together non-profit, academia, talent, commercial partners, tenants, and the wider community to broaden that identity to help make it a vibrant hub for creativity, collaboration, and community.”

Hongkong Land has a longstanding commitment to corporate social responsibility. Since its establishment in November 2020, the Foundation (formerly Hongkong Land HOME FUND) has committed more than HK$133 million in community initiatives benefiting more than 760,000 people. Working alongside its partners over the long term, Hongkong Land remains committed to creating lasting impact for the communities of Hong Kong and beyond.

Appendix: Winning projects of the Central Spark Series

Hashtag: #HongkongLand

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

Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is a major listed property development, investment and management group. It focuses on developing, owning and managing ultra-premium mixed-use real estate in Asian gateway cities, featuring Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products. With over US$50 billion in assets under management, Hongkong Land’s premium and ultra-premium mixed-use real estate footprint spans over 1.82 million sq. m. lettable area in operation and 1.57 million sq. m. lettable area under development, with flagship mixed-use projects in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Its properties hold industry leading green building certifications and attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands. Established in 1889, Hongkong Land takes a long-term view, investing significantly alongside its capital partners and concentrating its portfolio where it can create the most value for tenants, customers and investors. Hongkong Land Holdings Limited has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Singapore and Bermuda. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

Hongkong Land Foundation

The Hongkong Land Foundation was established in November 2020 (formerly the Hongkong Land HOME FUND) to underscore our long-term commitment to liveable cities and vibrant communities. Building on our legacy of innovation, placemaking, and sustainability, the Foundation focuses on three interconnected pillars: People, Place, and Culture. Through these pillars, we drive social engagement and community development, acting as a catalyst for meaningful social impact. We address long-term socio-economic challenges and enrich lives across the communities we serve – creating lasting positive change, enhancing well-being, and fostering shared prosperity and resilience wherever Hongkong Land operates.

Asked for a personal example, four in ten PSLE English oral practice answers give none, study finds

Key findings:

• When a question asked for a personal example, four in ten English answers did not give one.
• Asked for an opinion, 96 per cent of English answers gave a reason.
• In Chinese, 78 per cent of answers to personal-example questions gave one; the two languages are not directly comparable as the questions are different.
• More than a quarter of all practice sessions took place in the four days before the oral examinations began on 12 August.
• 8pm was the busiest hour for practice.

The main finding concerns questions such as “Have you ever…” and “Tell me about a time…”. Four in ten English answers to them stayed general: what the child usually does, or what people should do, without describing a specific experience of their own.

The problem is not that children cannot explain themselves. Almost every opinion answer gave a reason. What went missing was the child’s own experience, and that is part of what the oral paper assesses. In the PSLE English oral, the conversation section carries 25 of the 40 marks, and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) lists expressing “personal opinions, ideas and experiences” among its assessment objectives. In August, SEAB said the oral assesses communication skills, and that pupils are “not expected to reproduce … pre-prepared responses”.

Here is the same question answered two ways. Asked “Do you enjoy eating at hawker centres? Tell me about a time you went”, a general answer says: “Yes, I enjoy hawker centres because the food is cheap and tasty.” A specific answer says: “Yes, because there is so much choice. Last month my grandmother took me to the Bedok hawker centre and I tried chee cheong fun for the first time. I did not like the sauce, so she laughed and bought me chicken rice instead.” Both give a reason. Only the second describes a particular visit. The examples were written by PSLEPrep to illustrate the point; they are not children’s transcripts.

“Children have learned to say ‘because’. What they often leave out is the moment that makes the answer their own, and that is one of the things the examiner is listening for,” said Paul Whiteway, founder of PSLEPrep. “The most useful question a parent can ask is a simple one: when did that actually happen?”

Practice also bunched up before the exam. More than a quarter of all sessions in the three months began in the four days before the oral examinations started on 12 August. The busiest hour of the day was 8pm.

“At 8pm on a school night, a child can practise answering aloud with a patient examiner, and get feedback straight away,” said Mr Whiteway. “AI does not replace a good teacher. It gives children more chances to speak between lessons.”

The analysis used de-identified transcripts and reports only aggregated findings; no child is named or identifiable. The children are a self-selected group, so the findings describe children practising on the platform, not Singapore children as a whole. The full report at https://psleprep.sg/findings sets out the method and limitations and carries a chart free for editorial use.

PSLEPrep was founded by Mr Whiteway, a Singapore-based parent who does not speak Chinese and began using AI voice practice to help his son with spoken Mandarin at home. Its AI oral examiner runs a full PSLE oral practice session in either language and gives feedback and a score on each session, explained in plain English. The oral paper carries 20 per cent of the PSLE English grade and 25 per cent of the Chinese grade. PSLEPrep was named in The Straits Times in May 2026 among AI tools for PSLE oral preparation.

Hashtag: #PSLEPrep #PSLE #PSLEOral

https://psleprep.sg/

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

PSLEPrep

PSLEPrep is a Singapore-built AI oral examiner for PSLE English oral and PSLE Chinese oral practice, operated by Studio P2 Pte Ltd. Primary 5 and 6 pupils practise reading aloud and stimulus-based conversation by speaking, and receive feedback on every session. The first ten practice sessions are free; a subscription is S$29.90 a month. PSLEPrep publishes findings from its practice data, free study guides and a public database of reported PSLE oral topics. Learn more at https://psleprep.sg.

Customers can enjoy benefits ranging from global eSIM data to complimentary protection and cashback

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 September 2026 – Etiqa Insurance Singapore has launched Travel Pass, a first-of-its-kind travel insurance rewards experience that allows customers to earn rewards through their Tiq Travel Insurance purchases and unlock benefits across four membership levels. This initiative introduces a new way for customers to get more value from their travel insurance beyond individual trips.

After accumulating S$100 in eligible premium spend, customers are rewarded with Bronze membership and can progress to Silver, Gold and Platinum as their spending increases. Benefits vary by tier and include global eSIM data, Etiqa Rewards Points multipliers, transport vouchers and partner privileges. Gold and Platinum members also receive complimentary Personal Accident and Lifestyle Protection, while Platinum members are eligible for No Claims Cashback.

Reward tiers at a glance:

Through these benefits, Etiqa Insurance Singapore is shifting travel insurance beyond traditional protection, creating a more holistic travel experience that delivers both peace of mind and practical value for today’s travellers.

“Travel insurance should be more than a product customers purchase for a single trip. As people travel more frequently, protection needs to evolve and become a continuous part of how they travel with confidence. With Etiqa’s Travel Pass, we reward customers each time they choose Tiq by Etiqa, creating greater value as they continue to protect their journeys with us,” said Claudia Soh, Chief Executive Officer of Etiqa Insurance Singapore.

Tracking rewards through the Etiqa+ SG app

Travel Pass is available through the Etiqa+ SG mobile app, where customers can view their accumulated eligible spending, membership tier and available rewards. For Single Trip policies, the spending and rewards are reflected after the policy ends, subject to Travel Pass eligibility criteria.

Tiq Travel Insurance

Tiq Travel Insurance provides automatic claims payouts for eligible flight delays of three consecutive hours or more. Customers may also add optional benefits, including cover for sports equipment protection and pre-existing medical conditions.

From now until 28 December 2026, customers can enjoy 55% off Tiq Travel Insurance Single Trip plans and 30% off Annual Multi-Trip plans. Customers new to Etiqa will receive an additional S$30 discount, further enhancing the value and affordability of their travel protection.

To learn more about Travel Pass and Tiq Travel Insurance, please visit tiq.com.sg.

Terms and Conditions Apply
This policy is underwritten by Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. (Company Reg. No. 201331905K), a member of Maybank Group. This content is for reference only and is not a contract of insurance. Full details of the policy terms and conditions can be found in the policy contract. Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.

Hashtag: #Etiqa

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

About Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. (Etiqa Insurance Singapore)

Protecting customers since 1961, Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. (EIPL) is a life and general insurance company licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and governed by the Insurance Act 1966. Having protected customers in Singapore since 1961 under the name United General Insurance Co. Sdn. Bhd., the company transitioned into the Singapore branch of Etiqa Insurance Berhad in 2009. Today, EIPL in Singapore stands as the pivotal operating entity of Etiqa Insurance Group, a leading insurance and takaful provider in ASEAN.

EIPL offers a comprehensive range of life and general insurance products accessible through its diverse distribution channels, including bancassurance, agents, brokers, financial advisers, partnerships, direct and online sales via Tiq by Etiqa. Etiqa is rated ‘A’ by credit rating agency Fitch for the group’s ‘Favorable’ business profile. The company is a member of the Maybank Group.

A first of its scale for a Southeast Asian-founded company, the collaboration marks a major milestone that will significantly boost Southeast Asia’s profile in the global AI ecosystem. By combining Aolani’s capabilities and NVIDIA’s technology, the strategic collaboration will unlock financing that will further accelerate and democratise access to AI compute in Asia for global AI natives, sovereigns, and local enterprises and SMEs.

This collaboration brings Aolani’s total AI factory capacity to more than 100 megawatts (MW). 22,000 GPUs are expected to be deployed across two AI factories in Malaysia and the Philippines in early 2027. This will bring Aolani’s total deployment to over 48,000 GPUs.

An NVIDIA Cloud Partner since 2023, Aolani will be deploying NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs, a leading AI system designed to help organisations build and scale advanced AI workloads today.

Aolani will deliver NVIDIA-powered cloud services to AI-native companies, enterprises, startups, developers and institutions across Southeast Asia. A revenue-sharing and credit-support model will align infrastructure deployment with customer demand, helping broaden access to large-scale accelerated computing while giving Aolani a capital-efficient path to scale its AI factories across the region.

Driving Southeast Asia as a leading global powerhouse for AI innovation

Southeast Asia is one of the most robust AI markets in the world, with AI adoption rates among companies demonstrating stronger momentum than global average^[1]. With more than US$50 billion invested by global hyperscalers in AI-ready data centres and cloud infrastructure^[2], the region’s growth is driven by its emerging position as a global arena for cloud and AI innovation.

While Malaysia has established itself as one of Asia’s premier AI factory hubs, the Philippines represents a high-potential emerging market for AI infrastructure. Aolani’s deployment in the Philippines is expected to be among the first large-scale AI infrastructure platforms in the country, broadening access to advanced AI compute and supporting the buildout of essential AI infrastructure in Asia.

Nicholas Chia, Chief Executive Officer at Aolani said: “This collaboration with NVIDIA marks a defining moment in Aolani’s mission to deliver world-class AI compute at the speed that matches the pace of AI development, and on infrastructure that is compliant, accountable, and trusted to perform. Southeast Asia is rapidly emerging as a key global node for the next wave of global AI buildout, and we are well-positioned to lead this. We are excited to work with new partners and customers to build the Southeast Asian AI ecosystem and cement the region’s central role in the global AI landscape.”

Media Contact

H/Advisors on behalf of Aolani
[email protected]

Sources:

[1] McKinsey & Company, “AI in Southeast Asia: An Era of Opportunity,” 2024, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-asia/ai-in-southeast-asia-an-era-of-opportunity

[2] Singapore Economic Development Board, “AI in Southeast Asia: An Era of Opportunity,” https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/business-insights/market-and-industry-reports/ai-in-southeast-asia-an-era-of-opportunity.html

https://www.aolani.com
https://sg.linkedin.com/company/aolani-cloud

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

About Aolani

Where AI gets built in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore and founded in 2023, Aolani is backed by compliant and purpose-built infrastructure to deliver the performance capabilities for next-generation AI. Aolani’s AI factories enable organisations to build with confidence, scale ambitiously, and move at hyper-speed in the world’s fastest-growing AI market.

For more information, visit www.aolani.com and follow @AolaniCloud on LinkedIn.

Coinciding with the historic milestone of the Pinglu Canal being completed and navigable, a canal opens up a physical trade corridor between China and ASEAN, opening a new chapter of digital economy collaboration. “Goods Flow Across Rivers and Seas, Digital Intelligence Connects ASEAN” has become the most distinctive symbol of the era at this forum. The forum closely follows the differentiated development path of “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou + Integration in Guangxi + Application in ASEAN”, solving problems through technological breakthroughs, gathering momentum through industry-finance linkage, and promoting effectiveness through scenario implementation, to deepen and solidify China-ASEAN AI cooperation.

Technology empowers the opening, creating a new paradigm of human-machine collaboration

The forum kicked off with Guangxi’s classic ethnic song “Folk Songs like the Spring River”, where human dancers, dancing robots, accompaniment robots, and a digital crowd performing the folk song collaborated across disciplines to perform group collaborations. Relying on millisecond-level cluster scheduling technology, ethnic culture and embodied intelligence were deeply integrated to create an immersive technological audiovisual feast. This forum innovatively adopted a three-party collaborative hosting model of “human host + digital human avatar + intelligent robot”. Yang Yanqing, Professor of ShanghaiTech University, coordinated with her digital human avatar and AGIBOT Lingxi X2 to jointly host the forum, empowering the forum scene through technology, which became a major highlight of the event.

Dr. Padapxay SAYAKHOT, Director-General, Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Ministry of Technology and Communications, Lao PDR, Sun Ruijun, Director-General, China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director-General, Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Secretary of the Party Committee, Guangxi Institute of Industrial Technology, delivered speeches in succession. Both sides stated that they will use this forum as a link to deepen the connection of scientific research and innovation, the implementation of industrial scenarios, and the coordination of policies and mechanisms, gather synergy for digital and intelligent development, and serve the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

Industry authorities gather, anchoring regional AI development directions

The speakers at the forum combined international breadth and professional depth, bringing together industry experts, academic and cutting-edge research forces, industrial technology, and cross-border implementation capabilities from ASEAN countries, forming a core high ground for intellectual exchange and gathering top intellectuals for China-ASEAN AI innovation and development.

Industry experts from ASEAN countries: Dr. Wasan Pattara-atikom, Vice President, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand; Li Haizhou, Fellow of the Academy of Engineering, Singapore (SAEng), Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; YAP Hwa Jen, Professor of Universiti Malaya, Managing Director of the UPUM Sdn. Bhd.;

Academic and cutting-edge research forces: Yang Chao, Professor of Peking University, Founder and Chief Scientist of Beijing 1011 Technology Co., Ltd.; Cui Peng, Professor of Tsinghua University and Chief Scientist of Stable AI (Xiong’an) Technology Co., Ltd.; Wang Shisong, Professor of Guangzhou University, Co-founder of Abelian (a quantum-resistant blockchain infrastructure);

Industry technology and cross-border implementation forces: Li Nan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Maimai Technology Group; Yao Yuan, Vice President of the Middle East Asia-Pacific Region Division, AGIBOT Innovation (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd.; Lyu Jun, Chief Scientist of Shanghai Noematrix Technology Co., Ltd.; Liu Liqi, General Manager of Data Strategy Department, X Square Robot Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.

The guests focused on three major directions, namely embodied intelligence, AI finance, and data circulation, exploring feasible paths for technological breakthroughs, ecosystem co-construction, and joint innovation. They covered the key stages of artificial intelligence from source research and development and technology transfer to industrial implementation and cross-border cooperation, achieving a two-way dialogue between cutting-edge academic theories and practical industry needs, and providing diverse perspectives and action ideas to bridge the regional digital divide and unlock the inclusive value of AI.

Five achievements released, strengthening the solid foundation for digital intelligence cooperation

At the forum, five scientific and technological innovation achievements were released together, constructing an AI innovation supply system oriented toward ASEAN from multiple dimensions including technology products, platform carriers, talent systems, and decision-making support.

1. The China-ASEAN Cross-Border Industrial Large Language Model: It covers multilingual capabilities and industry knowledge graph for ASEAN, integrates six major agents to collaboratively analyze business scenarios, and serves as a professional intelligent partner for Chinese enterprises to expand into the ASEAN market.

2. Achievements in AI Talent Development for ASEAN: Relying on the Guangxi Academy of Artificial Intelligence, a talent training model of “a dual-mentor system, dual-integrated teaching, dual training tracks, and an integrated master-doctoral program” has been created, achieving an international education pattern of enrolling at one university, earning credits from multiple universities, gaining practical experience in multiple countries, and strengthening talent support for cross-border AI cooperation.

3. “Guikerong” Sci-Tech Finance Digital-Intelligent Foundation Platform: Developed under the guidance of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, it uses data-driven technology credit evaluation to open the value transformation chain of “technology, industry, and finance”, supporting the innovative development of technology-based enterprises.

4. Lao-Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector: China’s first AI overseas project in the power industry, implemented on Electricite du Laos, exploring a new model of “Retaining Computing Power in Guangxi, Exporting Services Globally” for compliant token going global, providing a practical example for cross-border services in the energy sector.

5. “2026 China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Industry Development Study Report”: A panoramic overview of regional industrial policy environment, market scale, and application patterns, analyzing core industry development trends, and providing decision-making references for China-ASEAN AI industry cooperation.

Exhibition and negotiation are working together to build a pragmatic platform for exchange and cooperation

The forum adheres to the principles of “promoting research through exhibitions, cooperation through meetings, and implementation through business matchmaking”, simultaneously hosting the Special Session on AI: Bank-Enterprise Matchmaking and the Industry Supply-Demand Matchmaking and Technology Achievement Exhibition, achieving precise coordination between exhibition displays and business negotiations, and building a cross-border cooperation ecosystem deeply integrating industry, academia, research, and application.

The Technology Achievement Exhibition showcased high-tech products such as the General Embodied Intelligent Robot, Fingertip 3D Force Sensors, Integrated Land-Sea-Air Inspection Equipment, Smart Wall-Climbing Industrial Robot, and AI + Embodied Intelligence Teaching and Experiment Platform, covering key tracks like humanoid robots, industrial intelligent equipment, and education and training, demonstrating the innovative strength of domestic AI technology adaptation to ASEAN scenarios.

The venue also set up an immersive AI experience zone, where interactive projects such as coffee-making robots, agile robotic arms, AI customized cultural products, and unmanned retail attracted attendees to stop and experience the vivid effects of AI empowering people’s services up close, highlighting the development philosophy of technology for good and digital intelligence benefiting the people.

Focusing on collaborative win-win cooperation to jointly build a new pattern of regional development

As an international platform for scientific and technological exchange aimed at ASEAN, the Forum on China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Cooperation has been held consecutively for four sessions, bringing together more than 4,300 guests from China, foreign government, industry, academia, and research, facilitating the connection of over a hundred industrial projects, and becoming an important platform for the exchange of ideas, interconnection of technologies, and mutual industrial support between China and ASEAN in the field of artificial intelligence.

Looking to the future, China and ASEAN will continue to deepen cross-border joint innovation, promote the orderly flow of AI innovation elements, cultivate a vibrant and inclusive regional digital innovation ecosystem, facilitate digital intelligence benefiting regional industrial upgrading and livelihood development, and jointly build a new mutually beneficial and win-win pattern of China-ASEAN digital economy.

This forum was supported by the Ministry of Technology and Communications of Laos and the ASEAN Secretariat, and co-hosted by Guangzhou University, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank, Guangxi Academy of Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Academy of Guangxi.

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

The company said an initial fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will arrive in Singapore over the coming months, with preparations beginning before a phased testing programme in 2027. Trained autonomous specialists will initially drive the vehicles manually while Waymo maps roads and adapts its self-driving system to local conditions.

The programme will expose the Waymo Driver to Singapore’s road geometry, dense traffic environment and monsoon weather patterns before the company seeks to move towards autonomous operation. Commercial rides are scheduled to be offered through the Waymo app in 2028, subject to regulatory approvals.

Initial operations are expected to focus on western Singapore, including the Labrador and HarbourFront area, before any broader passenger rollout is considered locally.

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority said Waymo would become the country’s newest autonomous vehicle operator, joining ComfortDelGro and Grab. The authority said it would work closely with the company to ensure deployments meet safety and regulatory requirements and help build public confidence in autonomous vehicles.

Waymo is entering a market where autonomous transport is already moving from trials towards limited passenger services. Public rides on autonomous shuttle services began in Punggol in April, while operators including Grab, WeRide, ComfortDelGro and Pony. ai are expanding deployments and testing additional routes.

Waymo’s arrival therefore adds a major US developer to a field that already includes regional and China-based autonomous driving companies. Singapore has sought to attract multiple operators as it develops a competitive autonomous mobility sector and evaluates how driverless vehicles could supplement existing public transport.

Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said Waymo would bring technology and operational expertise while supporting Singapore’s goal of creating additional transport options. Authorities have also stressed that autonomous vehicle deployment will not be allowed to move faster than measures to retrain and support drivers whose jobs could be affected.

The government announced a manpower transition package in July aimed at helping drivers acquire new skills and, where appropriate, move into jobs created by the autonomous vehicle sector. The issue has become more prominent as testing expands from controlled trials towards services carrying members of the public.

Singapore’s regulatory framework requires autonomous vehicles to clear technical and operational assessments before carrying passengers and progressing towards driverless operation. The Land Transport Authority assesses performance on authorised routes, including whether vehicles can cover sufficient distance without intervention and handle a range of traffic situations within their approved operating areas.

The Ministry of Transport also opened a public consultation this year on a broader legislative framework covering autonomous vehicles, including responsibility, licensing, insurance, liability and enforcement. Existing rules already require authorisation for autonomous vehicle trials and use on public roads.

Waymo said its Singapore expansion would follow the phased approach it has used elsewhere. The company has completed more than 20 million fully autonomous passenger rides and more than 300 million autonomous kilometres, according to company figures, giving it one of the largest operating datasets among commercial robotaxi developers.

Its overseas push is gathering pace. Waymo is preparing for commercial autonomous services in Tokyo and has also announced plans involving London and Munich, as it seeks to extend technology developed largely on US roads to markets with different driving environments, regulations and weather conditions.

Singapore offers a compact but demanding testing ground. Heavy rainfall, complex urban traffic, motorcycles, cyclists and dense interactions around public transport infrastructure create operating conditions that differ from many of Waymo’s established US service areas.

The company says its vehicles use lidar, radar and cameras to maintain a 360-degree view of their surroundings. The Singapore fleet will initially use Jaguar I-PACE sport utility vehicles, although Waymo has not disclosed how many vehicles will be deployed at launch or the eventual size of its commercial fleet.