Just in:
Govt opposes Arlekar’s PSC action // Pinarayi faults UDF over mounting road crashes // DIP Holding targets Dh1.12 IPO price and $529m proceeds // After Reaching 7 Million Users in the Philippines, Skyro Launches Transparent Cash Loans in Malaysia // ADIA and partners establish $1.4 billion aviation venture // Emirates Group records AED 4.1 billion half-year profit // Utilities pursue ₹1,992 cr in unpaid bills // Democrats secure Senate majority after Republican election losses // As AI Reshapes Education, Singapore Convenes Global Dialogue on the Future of Early Childhood Education // Burying Head In “India Made Poverty Reduction” Data Is Dangerous // Asia Left Behind: Ten international companies have yet to report delivering on their cage-free egg pledges across the region // OpenAI identifies 948 Linux privilege escalation flaws using AI // Ta’ziz finalises $1.39bn funding for Ruwais industrial facilities // XRG secures agreement for $1.45bn Australian LNG stake // Fast Just Got Fastest: STING Energy Boost™ Celebrates Kimi Antonelli’s Formula 1® World Championship and the Fan Energy Behind It // ADIPEC leaders urge investment in global energy networks // BJP’s Aggressive Response Exposes Anxiety Over Opposition Unity // Vance attributes Republican midterm defeats to Iran conflict // U.S. Mid Term Result Is A Clear Verdict Against Trump’s Authoritarianism // xCube Access Welcomes Entrust Capital Limited  Expanding Access to Professional Portfolio Management //

News related to
global

Scientists examining Nepal’s catastrophic August glacier collapse have identified accelerating movement in satellite images before the slope failed, strengthening hopes that high-resolution monitoring could provide warning of some future Himalayan glacier disasters. The 26 August failure high in the Lhende catchment near the Nepal-China border sent ice, rock, mud and water down the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system, devastating settlements and infrastructure. Nepalese authorities say the disaster has […]

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 September 2026 – Global digital business services leader TP (ex-Teleperformance) has been named Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 Asia-Pacific Company of the Year in Customer Experience Management Services, the analyst firm’s top honor recognizing the market participant that exemplifies visionary innovation, market-leading performance and customer care. TP was recognized for combining AI orchestration, operational discipline, and measurable customer impact across Asia-Pacific.

TP named Frost & Sullivan's 2026 Asia-Pacific Company of the Year in Customer Experience Management Services

Frost & Sullivan credited TP’s ability to move AI from experimentation into live operations, which Frost identified as one of the most urgent gaps in the industry. TP applies AI across the service delivery lifecycle to help teams become productive faster and improve service quality at scale. This starts with AI-enabled recruitment and onboarding, extends into simulation-based training that helps customer experts build proficiency before handling live interactions, and continues through workforce management and AI-assisted coaching. In quality assurance, TP now reviews every transaction rather than the small sample the industry has traditionally relied on, sharpening coaching precision, compliance visibility and operational learning.

“As AI becomes embedded into customer operations, enterprises need outcome-based models that orchestrate AI and human agents to improve productivity and deliver measurable business value,” said Dave Rizzo, President and CEO, APAC, TP. “TP designs workflows that use AI to elevate human work, while linking productivity gains to the business outcomes clients want to achieve. Being named Frost & Sullivan’s Asia-Pacific Company of the Year recognizes the progress we are making in delivering that transformation for clients across the region.”

Frost & Sullivan highlighted TP’s work with a major hospitality brand in Singapore as an example of this approach in practice. The engagement went beyond operational delivery to integrate technology across legacy and modern systems, while also implementing an AI-enabled knowledge platform that delivers trusted, context-aware answers to customer inquiries across multiple operational teams and lines of business. Together, these capabilities supported a broader redesign of the service infrastructure behind a high-touch, premium customer experience. Beyond individual client engagements, TP’s operations across Asia-Pacific play a dual role in TP’s strategy as both a delivery engine and a business development engine in a high-growth demand market. Frost & Sullivan noted that TP’s regional footprint enables it to respond to different language, regulatory, cultural, and operational requirements.

“The company’s centers of excellence in Asia-Pacific contribute to the development of solutions across AI, machine learning, natural language processing, analytics, and automation. This gives the region a role beyond labor delivery. It becomes a capability engine for global transformation,” said Krishna Baidya, Vice President, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan.

Frost & Sullivan also highlighted TP’s approach to reframing the traditional onshore-versus-offshore debate. Across Asia-Pacific, TP supports offshore, nearshore, onshore and hybrid delivery models, using technology and local market capabilities to balance cost efficiency, service quality, language requirements and regulatory needs. This flexibility allows TP to tailor delivery models to the realities of individual markets rather than relying on a single approach.

With operations in close to 100 countries and services spanning more than 170 markets, TP combines global scale with regional delivery depth, technology and human expertise. Across Asia-Pacific, this is translating into measurable outcomes, including an agentic triage use case that reduced referral-to-booking turnaround from approximately 24 hours to minutes while improving booking conversion. The recognition reflects how TP is evolving its digital business services for the next phase of AI-enabled transformation while keeping human oversight, empathy, judgment and relationships central to the service model.

Hashtag: #TP




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

AboutTP in SINGAPORE

TP in Singapore is part of the , a global leader in digital business services which consistently seeks to blend the best of advanced technology with human empathy to deliver enhanced customer care that is simpler, faster, and safer for the world’s biggest brands and their customers. The Group’s comprehensive, AI-powered service portfolio ranges from front office customer care to back-office functions, including high-value digital transformation services, collections and operations consulting. It also offers a range of specialized services such as interpreting and localization, visa and consular services, and recruitment process outsourcing services. The teams of multilingual, inspired, and passionate experts and advisors, spread in close to 100 countries, as well as the Group’s local presence allows it to be a force of good in supporting communities, clients, and the environment.

For more information: .

Malaysia is considering Huawei’s Ascend 910C processors for a RM2 billion sovereign artificial intelligence project, potentially placing Chinese hardware at the centre of infrastructure designed to keep sensitive national data under domestic control.

The government is seriously evaluating Huawei’s AI accelerators for the initiative, although no final procurement decision has been announced and the number of chips under consideration remains unclear. The project would be operated by state-linked Telekom Malaysia, which was selected through a public tender and already works with Huawei on cloud infrastructure.

The deliberations put Malaysia at the centre of a widening contest between Washington and Beijing over the technology underpinning artificial intelligence. US officials have warned that use of Huawei’s Ascend 910C could violate American export-control rules, while Malaysia has maintained that technology decisions should serve its national interests and comply with applicable laws.

Huawei’s 910C is the company’s flagship AI accelerator currently available at scale. Malaysia is considering that product rather than the newer Ascend 950 series, which remains in limited production. Huawei has sought to expand sales of its AI systems beyond China as US restrictions continue to limit its access to advanced foreign semiconductor manufacturing technology.

Telekom Malaysia’s existing AI computing service uses Nvidia processors, highlighting the competing technology options facing Kuala Lumpur. The government is also discussing another tender process that could give Nvidia and other US suppliers a more direct opportunity to compete for the sovereign AI contract.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly argued that Malaysia should build domestic technological capability rather than remain solely a consumer of systems developed overseas. His government formally established AI Malaysia Berhad under the Digital Ministry in July to lead its ambition of becoming an “AI Nation” by 2030 and to strengthen national AI development, governance and deployment.

Sovereign AI has become particularly important to the government because the proposed infrastructure is intended to process information that could include sensitive government, military and intelligence material. Kuala Lumpur wants such data to remain within Malaysia, reducing dependence on foreign-controlled computing environments and giving national institutions greater authority over storage and access.

Anwar has also questioned the implications of the US Cloud Act, which allows American courts in specified circumstances to compel US technology companies to provide electronic data even when it is stored abroad. Speaking to university students in April, he described the law as unreasonable while acknowledging the difficulty of challenging Washington on the issue.

US officials have raised separate security concerns about Huawei equipment being used to handle intelligence-related material, including information supplied by foreign governments. A State Department spokesperson said secure technology was essential to economic prosperity and warned that suppliers susceptible to government manipulation could pose risks to critical infrastructure, privacy, intellectual property and national security. The statement did not name China or Huawei.

Malaysia’s National Security Council officials are expected to visit Washington later this month for discussions that will include the technology issue. The talks come as the United States promotes American AI hardware, software and applications across developing markets and considers government-backed financing packages to strengthen the international position of US suppliers.

The current evaluation follows an earlier controversy in May 2025, when a deputy communications minister said a Malaysian AI initiative would deploy 3,000 Huawei Ascend chips. Her remarks were withdrawn shortly afterwards, and the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry clarified that the project concerned was privately driven, not endorsed or coordinated by the government.

At the time, the ministry said any government AI infrastructure programme would require legal, operational and reputational due diligence. It also reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to applicable export-control laws while asserting the country’s sovereign right to formulate policy according to national interests.

Malaysia’s National AI Action Plan for 2026-2030 calls for responsible adoption, stronger domestic capabilities and globally competitive locally developed solutions. The programme links AI deployment to economic productivity, public-sector transformation and governance, placing infrastructure choices within a strategy.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai Multi Commodities Centre has formally brought the world’s largest silver bar into regulated tokenised investment, allowing eligible investors to buy fractional digital interests linked to the 1,971kg Guinness World Record asset. The launch makes the bar the first tokenised commodity asset issued under the DMCC-Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority tokenisation framework, advancing Dubai’s push to create regulated markets for real-world assets represented digitally. […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Etihad Salam Telecom Company signed 29 strategic partnerships during LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, using the four-day technology gathering to widen its portfolio across connectivity, cloud services, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and enterprise digital solutions. The company, known as Salam, said the agreements formed the centrepiece of its participation as a strategic sponsor and supported its shift from a traditional telecommunications provider towards an integrated […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Bahrain has signed its Participation Contract for Expo 2030 Riyadh, establishing the formal framework for its pavilion, programmes and visitor experience at the six-month World Expo. The agreement, signed in Manama on September 3, moves Bahrain’s participation from confirmation and preparatory work into detailed planning and implementation. It was signed by Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, president of the Bahrain Authority for […]

Iran will announce a new restricted maritime zone near the Strait of Hormuz and sign off a shipping corridor agreed with Oman within days, according to its top national security official. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the restricted area would begin at what Tehran calls the US Navy’s blockade line and extend into parts of the Gulf. He warned that vessels entering […]

Advertisements

Global research explores how newer wealth, continued business ownership, and family stewardship influence philanthropic practices among Asia’s wealthiest families

  • Roughly 94 percent of Asia‘s wealthiest families are first- or second-generation wealth holders
  • Approximately 95 percent of Asia’s wealthiest families retain control of the businesses that generated their wealth

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 September 2026 – As private wealth continues to expand globally and an estimated US$74 trillion is expected to transfer between generations over the next 20 to 25 years, understanding how wealthy families approach philanthropy is becoming increasingly important. New research from The Bridgespan Group, based on analysis of 186 of the wealthiest individuals and families across 20 economies spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, sheds light on how the world’s wealthiest families give, what they fund, how they organise their philanthropy, and how they seek to create change.

Supported by Bridgespan’s Funders Council comprising the Institute of Philanthropy, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Gates Foundation, and with contributions from the Financial Services Development Council and Wealth Management Institute, High-Impact Family Philanthropy: What Makes Family Giving Distinctive marks the third year of the High-Impact Philanthropy series, building on previous research on institutional philanthropy and corporate giving.

“This research comes at a pivotal moment for family philanthropy, especially as private wealth continues to grow,” said Xueling Lee, co-author and partner at Bridgespan. “Our research helps fill a knowledge gap on how the world’s wealthiest families organise their philanthropy and pursue impact, and finds distinguishing characteristics in Asia.”

In Asia, where founders and second-generation leaders often remain closely involved in the businesses that generated their wealth, philanthropy is frequently connected to broader questions of stewardship, business ownership, succession, and community engagement. The research finds that these differences are shaped by factors including the relative newness of wealth, continued business ownership, and the close connection between family, business, and philanthropy. Bridgespan’s research on corporate giving highlights this dynamic: founder- or family-linked companies account for 11 of Asia’s 20 largest corporate funders, compared with four among the world’s 20 largest corporate funders.

“Beyond the scale of their giving, many families bring a long-term perspective, deep personal commitment, and relationships across sectors built over decades,” said Brian San, secretary-general of the Institute of Philanthropy. “These qualities are particularly relevant in Asia, where family-owned businesses remain a powerful force and philanthropy is often closely connected to family stewardship, business leadership, and community engagement. The report highlights how these characteristics can help families catalyse collaboration, support innovation, and contribute to meaningful impact over time.”

“This research confirms what we have seen firsthand: family philanthropy has driven some of today’s boldest solutions and most pioneering research. These funders are uniquely positioned to take risks and build coalitions that can solve big, complex problems at their root,” said Deepali Khanna, senior vice president and head of Asia (division) at The Rockefeller Foundation. “Some of the work we are proudest of, like the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, started because family philanthropies were willing to commit early and jointly at a time when no single institution could have carried it alone.”

While the report finds that wealthy families around the world share many common philanthropic behaviours, it also identifies several characteristics that distinguish family philanthropy in Asia.

  • Asia’s wealth is newer: Approximately 94 percent of wealth held by Asia’s wealthiest families sits with first- or second-generation wealth holders, compared with roughly 85 percent in high-income economies outside Asia. The relative newness of wealth influences how wealth is held, the degree of family involvement in operating businesses, the availability of liquid assets, and the form philanthropy takes.
  • Asian families retain tighter control of their businesses: Approximately 95 percent of Asian families maintain control of the businesses that generated their wealth, compared with roughly 68 percent outside Asia. Where wealth remains closely tied to an operating business, philanthropic decisions often sit alongside broader considerations such as government relationships, succession planning, and reputation.
  • Families fund remarkably similar issues across regions: Education, health, and support for marginalised and vulnerable populations are among the top issues supported by wealthy families. In Asia, families are more likely to support elderly care, religion, and sports, while families from other regions more frequently fund science and technology initiatives, including those related to artificial intelligence.
  • Few families publicly report outcomes from their giving: More than 80 percent of families in Asia publicly report outputs from their giving, such as schools built or teachers trained, compared with just 45 percent of high-income families outside Asia. However, outcome reporting, such as learning gains or graduation rates, remains uncommon across all groups.

Beyond examining how families give, the companion report How the World’s Wealthiest Families Give explores approaches that help families translate their resources and influence into meaningful and sustained impact:

  1. Taking risks others cannot or will not: Families often have the autonomy to move from decision to deployment more readily than institutional or corporate funders. In Singapore, for example, the Lien Foundation made a decade-long push into early childhood development, a sector that few had championed when it began. Its sustained work alongside government and other stakeholders contributed to broader sector development over time.
  2. Facilitating collective action: Families with trusted relationships across sectors can bring together stakeholders who might not otherwise gather, helping fragmented efforts to evolve into coordinated action. In 2024, the Jollibee Group Foundation, led by Tony and Grace Tan Caktiong, partnered with the Provincial Government of Basilan, the Zuellig Family Foundation, and the League of Corporate Foundations to expand its school feeding programme. Together, the partnership supports the delivery of nutritious meals to nearly 25,000 children in 250 schools.
  3. Mobilising multiple types of capital: A family with authority across philanthropic and investment decisions may be able to move capital across different instruments with fewer external negotiations, board approvals, or fiduciary obligations to outside investors.

Download the full reports:

Hashtag: #TheBridgespanGroup #Bridgespan #CSR #ESG #Philanthropy #FamilyPhilanthropy #InstituteofPhilanthropy

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

About The Bridgespan Group

The Bridgespan Group () is a global nonprofit that collaborates with social change organisations, philanthropists, and impact investors to make the world more equitable and just. Bridgespan’s services include strategy consulting and advising, sourcing and diligence, and leadership team support. We take what we learn from this work and build on it with original research, identifying best practices and innovative ideas to share with the social sector. We work from locations in Boston, Delhi, Johannesburg, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, DC.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The United Arab Emirates is accelerating alternative routes for energy exports and trade to reduce its exposure to disruption from the war with Iran, presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on Monday. “Our energy exports will not be held hostage, nor will our trade and economic activity,” Gargash told the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, saying the government was expanding port capacity on the […]

Alibaba Cloud has launched its first cloud region in Brazil, bringing two data centres in São Paulo into operation and extending its infrastructure network into South America. The new region gives businesses, start-ups, developers and public institutions access to Alibaba Cloud services hosted inside Brazil, including computing, storage, containers, networking, security, databases, big-data and cloud-native products. The company said the local infrastructure was designed for workloads requiring […]

More than 25 years after its founding, AlarmSystemStore.com continues to earn industry recognition, receiving Alarm.com’s Silver Premier Partner designation for the third consecutive year.

INDIANA, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 September 2026 – AlarmSystemStore.com, a security solutions provider founded in Columbus, Indiana, in 1997, has been recognized as an Alarm.com Silver Premier Partner for 2025, marking the third consecutive year the company has earned the distinction. The recognition reflects performance during the previous calendar year and highlights the company’s continued commitment to helping homeowners and businesses adopt smarter, more reliable security solutions.

A Nearly Three-Decade Success Story
When AlarmSystemStore.com was founded in 1997, the security industry looked very different. Traditional alarm systems relied heavily on landline communication, remote access was virtually nonexistent, and smart home technology had yet to enter the mainstream.

Over the past 28 years, the company has evolved alongside the industry—embracing alarm monitoring, cloud-based security, video surveillance, smart automation, and connected property management solutions. As an authorized dealer for DSC, Qolsys, Alarm.com, Honeywell, Resideo, Alula, Uplink Security, and a supporter of most other major brands, including 2Gig and GE Security, for its monitoring and interactive services, the company has built its reputation on selection, expertise, and value.

A Different Model: DIY and B2B, Without the Markup
Unlike traditional alarm companies, AlarmSystemStore.com caters to the do-it-yourself, direct-to-consumer, and direct business-to-business markets as a discount provider of professional-grade equipment and services.

Customers typically save more than 50% off the same equipment and services offered by traditional alarm companies. The company backs every sale with free technical support and offers a pre-programming and setup option for customers who prefer a more plug-and-play experience.

Three Consecutive Years of Recognition
The latest award marks a significant milestone for the company:

  • 2023 Alarm.com Silver Premier Partner
  • 2024 Alarm.com Silver Premier Partner
  • 2025 Alarm.com Silver Premier Partner

Because each designation reflects the prior year’s performance, the three-year streak points to sustained engagement and consistent growth within the Alarm.com partner network.

“Alarm.com has quickly become our top recommended service for customers, surpassing all others. It’s truly a top-notch service, which is apparent from both their tremendous growth and our growth with them as a dealer. We are proud to be affiliated with them,” said Andy Bowman, President at AlarmSystemStore.com.

About Alarm.com and the Premier Partner Program
Alarm.com began offering cloud-based interactive security services and integrations with security hardware in 2002 and went public in 2015 — the same year AlarmSystemStore.com Store became an authorized dealer. Today, the platform offers a range of cloud-based services, including alarm system command and control, smart home automation, and video and access control, and currently serves more than 6 million active residential and commercial subscribers globally.

Alarm.com services are available only through authorized dealers such as AlarmSystemStore.com, who provide activation and ongoing service support for the end user. The Premier Partner Program recognizes dealers that demonstrate strong performance, customer engagement, and commitment to delivering exceptional experiences on the platform — placing AlarmSystemStore.com among a select group of recognized partners.

Looking Ahead
As security technology continues to evolve through artificial intelligence, video analytics, and connected devices, AlarmSystemStore.com remains focused on helping customers adopt solutions that are both effective and easy to manage — at a price that undercuts the traditional alarm model. The same principle that guided the company in 1997 still applies today: trusted guidance, professional-grade equipment, and long-term support, without the premium price tag.

Hashtag: #AlarmSystemStore.com

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

About AlarmSystemStore.com

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, provides professional-grade security systems, smart home automation solutions, video surveillance products, and technical support for homeowners and businesses throughout the United States. The company specializes in helping customers design, install, and manage security solutions powered by industry-leading technology.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai OPEC+ producers have agreed to keep their October oil production quotas unchanged, resisting pressure for another supply adjustment as war-related disruptions continue to remove millions of barrels a day from Middle Eastern output. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman decided at a virtual meeting on Sunday to maintain September’s required production levels through October, OPEC said. The seven countries also […]

Student Flag-guard Team debuts new signature uniforms, embodying vigour and a sense of mission

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 September 2026 – The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) today (7 September) commenced the 2026/27 academic year with a solemn Flag-raising Ceremony this morning, with the CUHK Flag-guard Team, clad in student-designed new uniforms, conducting the ceremony – demonstrating vigour and a sense of mission. The national flag, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flag and the CUHK flag were solemnly raised to the national anthem, marking the start of the new academic year.

It was followed by the Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates 2026. The events come at a landmark moment for the University, following its recent rise to 18th place in the QS World University Rankings and the official launch of its new strategic plan, CUHK 2026–2030: Leaping to Greatness.

The Flag-raising and Flag-guard Team Recognition Ceremonies

The Flag-raising Ceremony was attended by more than 130 guests, including the Hon Alice Mak Mei-kuen, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs of the HKSAR Government, Ms Wan Ning, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Professor Hon Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, Honorary Professor in CUHK’s Faculty of Social Science, Dr Norman Chan Tak-lam, Vice-Chairman of the CUHK Council, Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President, alongside Legislative Council members, members of the University Council, senior management, representatives of Colleges and Faculties, staff, students and alumni.

CUHK Flag-guard Team with guests
CUHK Flag-guard Team with guests

Following the Flag-raising Ceremony, the University held the Recognition Ceremony for the CUHK Flag-guard Team. Miss Mak, Dr Chan and Professor Lo presented 18 Appointment Certificates and 5 Certificates of Appreciation respectively. In addition, a student received the “Best CUHK Flag-guard Team Member Award 2025-2026” in recognition of her outstanding performance and dedication to the team.

Three awards for the Flag-guard Team Uniform Design Competition were also presented. The final design of the new uniforms was developed from the winning concepts of the champion students and further refined with valuable input from Professor Lo. Featuring CUHK’s signature purple and gold – representing devotion and loyalty, and perseverance and resolution, respectively. The new uniforms reflect the team’s professionalism and vibrant spirit, while embodying the youth’s loyalty and commitment to the nation, Hong Kong and the University, as well as their steadfast dedication to promoting patriotic values.

Navigating the AI era through virtue and ethics

CUHK holds the Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates 2026
CUHK holds the Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates 2026

At the Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates 2026 held at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, Professor Lo welcomed the incoming cohort, encouraging them to regard CUHK as their second home for intellectual and personal growth.

Addressing how students could navigate the artificial intelligence (AI) era, Professor Lo emphasised the importance of developing both technical capabilities and sound moral judgement. He encouraged students to use AI responsibly, with honesty, independent judgement and respect for others. He noted that, as routine tasks became increasingly automated, human strengths such as empathy, critical reasoning and moral judgement would become even more important, highlighting why the University motto, “Through Learning and Temperance to Virtue”, was more relevant today than ever.

Professor Lo added that a journey at CUHK would open up opportunities for students to become responsible global citizens, “Social responsibility begins with an awareness that our actions and attitudes can make a difference. As an ancient Chinese saying goes, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’ (「千里之行,始於足下」). The idea of changing the world may seem daunting. Yet social responsibility often starts with small, everyday actions on campus and in the local community: volunteering, supporting community initiatives, embracing sustainability or extending kindness to those around us. Meaningful change is built one step at a time: start locally while thinking globally, using knowledge and talent to contribute to the common good.”

Professor Lo invited students to actively participate in the journey of shaping CUHK’s future trajectory, adding that their curiosity, integrity, fresh ideas and willingness to contribute would play a vital role in the University’s development.

Hashtag: #CUHK #Inauguration #Flag-raising #newacademicyear #Flag-guard #uniform






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

With 30 Years of Industry Dedication, A-Share Listed Enterprise Huali Shares Achieves Over 50% Growth Against Market Trends
HUAFULI Makes Its First Foray into Hong Kong with the Grand Opening of the 2,800 sq. ft. “HUAFULI Hong Kong Home Art Gallery”
Executive President Xie Zhikun Reveals Deep Ties with Hong Kong; Hong Kong Regional Manager Ken So Addresses Industry Pain Points and Sets HK$100 Million Sales Target

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 September 2026 – HUAFULI, a high-end decorative panel brand under the Shanghai Stock Exchange main board listed company “Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.” (Stock Code: 603038.SH), has leveraged its 30 years of brand heritage and formidable R&D and supply chain strength to achieve a rapid growth of over 50% against recent market downturns! Backed by a robust brand history, HUAFULI served as a supporting furniture materials supplier for top-tier international events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, and the 2011 Shenzhen Summer Universiade, earning national-level recognition for its quality.

(From left) Mr. Wang Tangxin, Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; Mr. Xie Zhikun, CEO and Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; Mr. Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung, Brand Spokesperson of HUAFULI; Mr. Jacky Tan Xujie, Vice Chairman of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; Mr. Ji Juntao, Vice President of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Lu Xuqiu, Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd. jointly officiate the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the new showroom.
(From left) Mr. Wang Tangxin, Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; Mr. Xie Zhikun, CEO and Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; Mr. Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung, Brand Spokesperson of HUAFULI; Mr. Jacky Tan Xujie, Vice Chairman of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; Mr. Ji Juntao, Vice President of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Lu Xuqiu, Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd. jointly officiate the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the new showroom.

HUAFULI today officially announced its full-scale entry into the Hong Kong market, establishing its presence in the heart of Lockhart Road, Wan Chai—renowned as “Hong Kong’s Building Materials Street.” A grand opening ceremony was held for its brand-new 2,800 sq. ft. flagship exhibition hall, the “HUAFULI Hong Kong Home Art Gallery”. The brand offers an Integrated Door-Wall-Cabinet solution and localized services, using Hong Kong as a strategic pivot to expand into the global market!

The ceremony, themed “Huafuli: A New Chapter in Hong Kong”, was officiated by management representatives, including Mr. Jacky Tan Xujie, Vice Chairman of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd., Mr. Xie Zhikun, CEO and Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd., Mr. Lu Xuqiu, Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd., Mr. Wang Tangxin, Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd., Mr. Ji Juntao, Vice President of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd., and Mr. Ken So, Sales Manager of the Hong Kong Region, Huafuli. The event also featured a heavyweight guest, three-time TV King, renowned artist, and Brand Spokesperson Mr. Wayne Lai, who attended the ribbon-cutting and conducted a live contract signing ceremony, witnessing this significant milestone in HUAFULI’s development in Hong Kong.

30 Years of Dedication: From Single-Product Champion to System Service Provider; Executive President Xie Zhikun Reveals Deep “Hong Kong Ties”

Founded in 1995, Huali Shares was listed on the SSE main board in 2017. In its early years, the brand took the lead in breaking foreign technological monopolies, spearheading the formulation of China’s furniture edge banding industry standards, and achieving the highest national sales for ten consecutive years. Over 30 years of development, the brand has successfully upgraded from an edge banding sales champion to a whole-house system service provider encompassing decorative panels, edge banding, and home hardware. Amid the transformative challenges faced by the home building materials industry in recent years, HUAFULI has defied market trends with a robust growth of over 50%, demonstrating remarkable business resilience and market leadership.

During his opening speech, Mr. Xie Zhikun, CEO and Co-founder of Dongguan Huali Industries Co., Ltd., shared emotionally: “Thirty years ago, we started with a single edge banding strip, proactively formulating the industry standards for furniture edge banding in China and maintaining the number one sales position nationwide for thirty consecutive years. With this dedication, we successfully upgraded from a ‘single-product champion’ to a complete system covering decorative panels, edge banding, and home hardware. Even when the industry faced challenges recently, HUAFULI still achieved a 50% growth against the trend. In fact, our connection with Hong Kong began back in 2008 when we established a subsidiary here. Hong Kong people are extremely particular about home quality, placing special emphasis on eco-friendliness, moisture resistance, and health, which are precisely HUAFULI’s strengths. The ‘HUAFULI Hong Kong Home Art Gallery’ unveiled today is not just an ordinary showroom, but a home art gallery that offers peace of mind and lifestyle aesthetics. In the future, we will collaborate with all sectors in Hong Kong using solid products, a professional team, and localized services, opening a new chapter where quality and craftsmanship parallel each other—basing ourselves in Hong Kong, connecting with the Mainland, and radiating globally!”

Mr. Ken So, Sales Manager of the Hong Kong Region, Huafuli, Addresses Three Industry Pain Points, Eliminates Northbound Travel Hassles, and Sets a HK$100 Million Sales Target

In an exclusive media interview, Mr. Ken So, Sales Manager of the Hong Kong Region, Huafuli, deeply analyzed the business logic and localized strategy behind the brand’s entry into Hong Kong:

  • Eliminating Cross-border Travel Fatigue to Significantly Boost Deal Success Rates: Mr. So pointed out that local interior designers and homeowners were often limited to brochure samples or had to endure tiring trips to Mainland factories to view actual materials. “We established ourselves directly in the core area of Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, building a 2,800 sq. ft. high-spec exhibition hall. Designers can now bring clients at any time to view 1:1 physical large panels and finished door-wall-cabinet displays. The art gallery does not retail directly to homeowners but serves as a shared design base for Hong Kong designers and contractors, addressing eco-concerns on the spot and significantly improving local designers’ deal success rates.”
  • Insisting on a 100% Direct-Sale Model with Unified National Pricing—”Not a Cent Added”: Differentiating from traditional building material brands that rely on multi-tiered agents, Mr. So emphasized HUAFULI’s commitment to a direct-sale system: “Whether in the Mainland or Hong Kong, HUAFULI is directly operated by the group, ensuring high consistency in product quality, after-sales service, and pricing. Although we have set up a top-tier showroom in the prime location of Wan Chai and hired a star spokesperson, the panel prices remain unified nationally with the Mainland—’not a cent added’—truly yielding benefits to local partners with sincerity.”
  • Eco-friendly Panels Replacing Traditional Laminates; Setting a HK$100 Million Sales Target: Mr. So analyzed that eco-friendly decorative panels are in a golden growth period in Hong Kong, gradually replacing traditional fireproof laminates and veneers. “We see massive market potential, and HUAFULI has set a target of achieving HK$100 million in sales in Hong Kong within 3 to 5 years! The Hong Kong market is strict and aligned with international standards. We are using Hong Kong as a touchstone and strategic hub for adapting to global standards, and will further expand into more overseas markets in the future.”
  • Strong Supply Chain Backing to Achieve “Zero Minimum Order, Next-Day Delivery” Express Fulfillment: Relying on six major production bases in the Mainland (totaling 600,000 square meters) and a network of 14 branch warehouses, HUAFULI breaks the traditional months-long waiting period for imported building materials. It provides the local industry with a localized, one-stop delivery service characterized by “zero minimum order, zero inventory requirements, same-day response, and next-day delivery,” greatly alleviating the financial and warehousing pressures on local partners.

Global Debut of German-Japanese Nano-Microcrystalline EBH Technology; Dual Ultimate Eco-certifications Lead New Trends in HK Building Materials

With Hong Kong’s increasingly stringent requirements for green buildings, indoor air quality, and ESG standards, HUAFULI brings a high-specification product system suitable for the Hong Kong environment:

  • Hong Kong Debut of the German-Japanese EBH Series: Combining German plasma spraying and Japanese precision light-curing technologies, this series boasts top-tier performance across six dimensions: anti-fingerprint (90% reduction), scratch resistance (2H+ hardness), anti-mildew and antibacterial (99.5%+), and yellowing resistance. Its surface presents an advanced, luxurious 5° matte gloss, perfectly adapting to Hong Kong’s humid climate.
  • Dual Highest Eco-certifications: “ENF Grade + JIS JAS F4-star”: Showcasing top-tier eco-friendly panels (including Particle Board, Multi-layer Plywood, and Oriented Strand Board, etc.) that have comprehensively passed the dual certifications of the national highest environmental standard “ENF Grade” (formaldehyde emission ≤0.025 mg/m³) and Japan’s highest environmental standard “F☆☆☆☆ (F4-Star).”
  • Recognized by the “Hong Kong ECO Mark”: The products have obtained the Hong Kong Green Label Scheme certification, achieving extremely low TVOC and formaldehyde emissions from the source. This directly addresses the pain points of Hong Kong’s indoor air quality and aligns with the high standards for ESG inspection by developers.
  • Patented Laser Edge Banding 2.0 and colour matched door-wall-cabinet system: The entire series comes standard with the original factory’s seamless laser edge banding technology, achieving panel edge banding in-one. HUAFULI particularly advocates the “Integrated Door-Wall-Cabinet” concept, where interior doors, wall panels, and custom cabinets are all made from the same original factory batch of substrates with identical colors and textures. This achieves zero color difference and a highly unified whole-house aesthetics with perfectly extended textures, providing unparalleled one-stop quality solutions when paired with original factory moldings and hardware components.

Star Spokesperson Mr. Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung Attends the Event, Heavily Endorses Dual Ultimate Eco-friendliness at Contract Signing

The atmosphere at the grand opening ceremony was vibrant, with traditional auspicious lion eye-dotting and lion dance performances kicking off the splendid prologue for the “HUAFULI Hong Kong Home Art Gallery.” Brand Spokesperson Mr. Wayne Lai Yiu Cheung conducted a grand contract signing ceremony on site and joined management guests for a celebratory group toast and photo.

Hashtag: #HUAFULI

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

About HUAFULI

Founded in 1995, Huali Shares was listed on the main board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2017 (Stock Code: 603038.SH). Starting from the field of decorative composite materials, the company has adhered to integrity and innovation, inherited the spirit of craftsmanship, and over the past 30 years, has developed into a comprehensive holding enterprise encompassing home building materials, smart water affairs, membrane filtration materials, and industrial digital intelligence businesses. It is committed to leading industry progress through high-level R&D, satisfying people’s aspirations for a better life through technological innovation, and empowering industrial upgrades through digital and intelligent technologies. Its home building materials business primarily focuses on edge banding, decorative panels, and home hardware, mainly used in panel furniture, interior decoration, and commercial space construction. It is the first domestic home materials manufacturing enterprise to break the German technological monopoly and possess independent intellectual property rights, and is the leading formulator of important industry standards for edge banding in China.

Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas outlined an investment-led blueprint anchored by an upgraded Joint Public Private Committee (JPCC), private-sector syndication, and World Bank alignment ahead of the 2026 Annual Meetings and 2028 ASEAN Chairmanship.

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 September 2026 – Thailand is ready to cross into “new horizons” — achieving high-income status and driving a more resilient ASEAN, declared Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas as he delivered the closing address at the Bangkok Business Summit 2026 today,

Public and private sector leaders at the closing of the Bangkok Business Summit 2026, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.
Public and private sector leaders at the closing of the Bangkok Business Summit 2026, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

Detailing the strategic “why, how, and design” of the national transition, Dr. Ekniti stated that entering new horizons is an unavoidable global imperative. While ASEAN is uniquely positioned to capture emerging opportunities, the region must guard against severe geopolitical, technological, and climate risks with proactive, unified action.

Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, at the closing panel of the Bangkok Business Summit 2026.
Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, at the closing panel of the Bangkok Business Summit 2026.

“The goals must be clear, and we are completely on the same page: Thailand must achieve high-income status,” said Dr. Ekniti.

“The recipe provided by the World Bank aligns directly with what our business leaders have outlined. An investment-led growth policy, private-sector-centred endeavours, and persistent implementation are what the government and business community are now executing together. Think of the seven new growth engines as our forwards on the pitch. The government acts as both coach and midfielder — spearheading investment, driving trade, empowering SMEs, unlocking regulatory friction, and cultivating human capital. Meanwhile, fiscal and financial stability serves as our steadfast defensive backline.”

Dr. Ekniti affirmed that the Joint Public and Private Committee (JPPC) will no longer function as a purely advisory body, but will operate as an executive economic steering council mandated to enact structural reforms and track execution against the World Bank’s recommendations.

“We will not be the same old Thailand. We will be driving the global agenda. Thailand will enter new horizons, empower people, and build resilience,” Dr. Ekniti emphasised. “In the next two years, Thailand will assume the Chairmanship of ASEAN. We will establish a long-term, multi-year agenda for a stronger, more resilient ASEAN. If this new model of public-private partnership carries on, we will decisively reinvent Thailand.”

Key leaders representing the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking (JSCCIB) delivered strategic sector priorities to anchor the transition.

Representatives of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) share Thailand's strategic economic direction.
Representatives of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) share Thailand’s strategic economic direction.

Payong Srivanich, Chairman of the JSCCIB and the Thai Bankers’ Association, underscored that reinventing the economy requires modernising legacy industries while creating space for future engines.

“From three core challenges – structural, competitiveness, and public-sector efficiency – came the White Paper outlining the seven industries of the future,” stated Mr. Payong. “This time, the government has presented a credible policy framework based on collaborative public-private partnership. Thailand must address fundamental security—whether in food, energy, or low-carbon growth. We are declaring to the world that we are done with planning and on the same page. Now we are geared up for execution.”

Dr. Poj Aramwattananont, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand, stressed that amid geopolitical friction, geoeconomics, and regional conflict, growth must be anchored in ASEAN’s 600-plus million people which serve as both supply and demand networks.

Adapting to international trading rules is inseparable from Thailand’s targeted accession to the OECD by 2028. The accession process acts as the structural catalyst to modernise domestic legislation, corporate governance, transparency, and fair market competition to premier global standards—lowering compliance costs and solidifying investor confidence.

Pimjai Leeissaranukul, Chairwoman of the Federation of Thai Industries, insisted that Thailand must build its own brand; it can no longer afford to be just the world’s OEM. She called for a decisive departure from labor-cost competition toward high productivity, automation, AI, and green sustainability. She advocated expanding target sectors—such as next-generation electric vehicles, smart electronics, automation, and wellness—while enforcing enhanced public procurement.

Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, Vice President for East Asia and Pacific at the World Bank, observed that the eyes of the financial world will be on Bangkok next month as it hosts the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings, providing Thailand with a premier global stage to show that it is advancing on a credible pathway to attain high-income status by 2037.

“The World Bank has presented a series of structural reforms that Thailand can pursue to reach high-income status, creating more and better-paying jobs for young Thais in the future,” Mr. Jaramillo stated. “The plan deliberately puts the private sector at the center, because experience has taught us that the private sector is the primary engine of employment. This reform agenda is multifaceted, requiring coordinated national effort, and, more importantly, relentless persistence in implementation.”

The Bangkok Business Summit 2026 concluded with a clear consensus: today’s closing discussions mark the formal launch of sustained, institutionalised execution across the public sector, private enterprise, and multilateral institutions to ensure Thailand stands as a resilient economic anchor for the wider ASEAN region.

Hashtag: #JSCCIB

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

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Iran plans to declare a new exclusion zone near the Strait of Hormuz after its forces targeted three oil tankers and three US-linked vessels in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian shipping, raising risks to commercial traffic through the Gulf. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the proposed zone would extend from what Tehran describes as the US naval […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ROX has begun local vehicle production at its newly completed Advanced AI Manufacturing Centre in Abu Dhabi, with the first three ADAMAS models carrying the “Made in the Emirates” mark rolling off the line. The company said the start of production marks a new phase in its localisation strategy, extending its Abu Dhabi presence from regional operations into manufacturing, supply chains, technology and […]

By Prosenjit Biswas, Head of Marketing at Masdar EOR How can a foreign company hire employees in the UAE without setting up its own local entity? This is a common situation for international companies entering the UAE. You may want to hire one employee, build a small team, mobilise people for a project, or simply test the UAE market before committing to establishing your own company. The […]

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 September 2026 – Shenzhen HQVT Technology Co., Ltd. (01392.HK), a prominent leader in China’s multispectral artificial intelligence sector, has published its interim financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2026. Marking the company’s inaugural operational scorecard following its listing on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on June 22, 2026, the interim report confirms accelerating commercial momentum across its core product lines. According to Frost & Sullivan data, HQVT ranks first in China’s overall multispectral AI industry and first in the multispectral AI large model services segment by revenue, reinforcing its established competitive moat across critical physical space safety scenarios. Further underscoring its market leadership, HQVT was recently recognized by LeadLeo Research as a top 10 benchmark vendor in China’s physical AI industry application practice.

Hong Kong Stock Connect Inclusion Set to Unlock Mainland Capital and Enhance Trading Liquidity

Hang Seng Indexes announced on August 21, 2026, that HQVT has been officially included in the Hang Seng Composite Index. The index change will be implemented after the market close on September 4, 2026, and will take effect on September 7, 2026. Upon this effective date, both the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges are expected to simultaneously add HQVT to the list of eligible stocks under the Stock Connect programs (Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect). This will formally enable mainland Chinese investors to trade the stock through their Stock Connect accounts from September 7 onward.

The Stock Connect channel is expected to significantly broaden HQVT’s investor base by providing access to mainland China’s substantial retail and institutional capital pools. The influx of mainland investors via Stock Connect is poised to materially enhance trading liquidity.

Recent Financial Developments Of The Company

The financial results reflect a structural shift toward high-value software intelligence, with consolidated interim operating revenue reaching RMB 410.5 million, representing a strong year-over-year increase of 84.5%. The primary growth engine was multispectral AI foundation model services, which surged 382.5% year-over-year to RMB 320.0 million, elevating the segment’s revenue contribution. Excluding non-recurring listing expenses, adjusted net profit reached RMB 27.6 million, up 21.9% compared to the prior-year period, while net cash used in operating activities narrowed by 50.2% year-over-year to RMB 34.2 million, and cash and cash equivalents amounted to RMB 595.6 million as at 30 June 2026, keeping the financial position sound. To support long-term product differentiation, HQVT expanded its R&D expenditure by 125.3% year-over-year, maintaining an R&D headcount ratio of 43.1% and amassing a portfolio of 158 registered patents (including 101 invention patents) and 46 software copyrights.

Proprietary Multispectral Sensing Across Mission-Critical Infrastructure

HQVT’s technological foundation centers on its proprietary “Super Eye” perceptual platform, an integrated vision architecture that extends detection capabilities beyond visible light 380 nm – 780 nm into the ultraviolet 10 nm – 380 nm and thermal infrared 780 nm – 1 mm bands. Processing sensory inputs via the proprietary “Zhiyuan Origin Large Model”—which has completed dual filings with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and recently secured Shenzhen’s official model service provider qualification—the system detects micro-arcing, dielectric degradation, and localized thermal spikes long before physical combustion occurs. This capability is deployed through a three-tier collaborative defense matrix combining Tier-1 rack-level internal monitoring, Tier-2 room-level spatial sensing, and Tier-3 autonomous robotic patrol scanning.

This technological framework achieved significant commercial milestones across key industrial verticals during the first half of 2026. In the Internet Data Center (IDC) space, where high-velocity forced-air cooling systems often dilute smoke and hinder traditional detectors, HQVT secured large-scale AI foundation model deployment contracts from a prominent Shanghai state-owned enterprise and a Shenzhen-listed enterprise. Concurrently, in electrical power systems and new energy infrastructure, the company entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with Deep Robotics to integrate multispectral AI modules into quadruped robotic inspection platforms, enabling contact-free, online fault diagnostics across high-voltage substations, cable interlayers, and distributed battery energy storage installations.

Edge AI Breakthrough and Scalable Global SaaS Expansion

A major technical milestone during the interim period was the successful migration of HQVT’s foundation model architecture from centralized server clusters to compact Edge AI terminals powered by the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin platform. By removing the necessity for expensive on-premise compute servers and eliminating cloud-network latency, this on-device implementation drastically lowers initial capital expenditures while ensuring instantaneous safety responses. This edge breakthrough transforms HQVT’s commercial delivery model, facilitating product standardization and expanding the company’s addressable client base beyond large state-owned enterprises into the broader commercial market and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Soochow Securities, in its inaugural coverage report on HQVT dated July 31, 2026, assigns a “Buy” rating with a target price of HK$58.57 per share—implying approximately 113% upside from the Sept 04 closing price of HK$27.42. The broker’s valuation is anchored on 2027E revenue of RMB 1.31 billion at a 32x P/S multiple, citing the stock’s scarcity value as the only Hong Kong Main Board-listed multispectral physical AI pure-play, the industry’s 40%+ CAGR, and anticipated margin recovery as hardware costs are amortized across repeat projects. The report notes that the Edge AI breakthrough serves as the single largest near-term catalyst, with commercialization orders representing the critical verification point for investors.

Looking ahead, HQVT is directing its IPO capital toward expanding production capacity, advancing edge-model iterations, and executing an international go-to-market strategy. To penetrate overseas markets, the company has partnered with Singapore-based LINKWISE to accelerate deployments across Southeast Asian data centers and is actively preparing channel rollouts in the Middle East and Europe. By pairing standardized edge perception hardware with cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription tiers for analytics and diagnostic reporting, HQVT is positioning itself to build recurring, high-margin international revenue streams within the global physical AI safety sector. The interim results approval by the board on August 28, 2026, and the September 7 Stock Connect effective date represent the two immediate catalysts for investor attention.

Hashtag: #ShenzhenHQVTTechnology

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

KOCHI: Artificial intelligence is accelerating the scale, speed and sophistication of cybercrime, making resilience and skilled manpower critical to protecting essential systems, Director General of Police-rank officer and Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Manoj Abraham warned at the Kerala Cyber Suraksha Summit 2026.

Addressing the second edition of the summit at Le Meridien, Kochi, on Saturday, Abraham said cyberattacks had evolved to a point where they could cripple countries and organisations, disrupt critical infrastructure and interfere with military operations without conventional weapons being used.

He cited a 389 per cent year-on-year rise in confirmed ransomware victims worldwide, a figure also recorded by FortiGuard Labs for 2025, when 7,831 victims were identified compared with about 1,600 a year earlier. The security company linked part of the increase to the availability of AI-enabled crime tools and automated attack capabilities.

Abraham also pointed to the financial impact of online fraud across India, saying reported losses reached Rs 19,813 crore in 2025. Data compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal put the number of complaints that year at about 21.77 lakh, underscoring the volume of fraud cases confronting enforcement agencies and financial institutions.

The senior police officer said artificial intelligence had changed both the economics and operational reach of cybercrime by allowing attackers to automate tasks that previously required greater technical skill, time and manpower. That shift has increased the need for organisations to design systems capable not only of preventing breaches but also of continuing essential operations and recovering quickly when attacks succeed.

A shortage of cybersecurity skills is adding to the pressure. Abraham referred to a global gap of 4.8 million cybersecurity professionals, an estimate published by ISC2 in its 2024 workforce study. The organisation’s 2025 study shifted emphasis from total headcount to shortages in specific skills, finding that employers were increasingly concerned about capabilities in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud security and incident response.

Abraham said Kerala’s human-resource base could provide an advantage in meeting demand for cybersecurity expertise, provided training kept pace with rapidly changing threats. His remarks placed workforce development alongside technology investment as a central component of cyber resilience.

Gaganyaan astronaut-designate Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, who also addressed the summit, said cybersecurity alone would not be sufficient unless India strengthened its own artificial-intelligence capabilities. He said future conflicts and industries would increasingly blur distinctions between physical and digital domains, making sovereign technological capacity more important.

“No amount of cybersecurity is ever completely sufficient. True security can only be guaranteed if we develop our own AI technology,” Nair said, arguing that the country should use its software strengths to build indigenous systems rather than depend entirely on technologies developed elsewhere.

Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden inaugurated the summit. He welcomed an initiative by F9 Infotech to provide cybersecurity training, awareness programmes and certification without charge to government educational institutions across Kerala, an effort aimed at expanding access to basic cyber skills.

F9 Infotech founder Jayakumar Mohanachandran said cyber protection needed to extend beyond corporate leadership and specialist teams to ordinary users, businesses and public institutions. He said more than Rs 56,000 crore in cyber-fraud complaints had been recorded across India over the past three years, while response systems had helped prevent losses exceeding Rs 11,000 crore across roughly 32 lakh complaints.

FortiGuard Labs’ 2026 threat assessment, reflecting 2025 activity, also found that exploitation attempts rose by about 25 per cent to nearly 122 billion worldwide, while critical vulnerabilities could be targeted within 24 to 48 hours of disclosure. The findings illustrated the shrinking window available to defenders to patch exposed systems, revoke compromised credentials and contain intrusions before attackers move laterally through networks or deploy ransomware at scale globally.

Artificial intelligence is pushing cyber resilience from a technical concern into a boardroom test of whether organisations can withstand disruption, protect trust and restore operations when attacks strike. The pressure intensified after Financial Stability Board chair Andrew Bailey warned G20 finance ministers and central bank governors on August 31 that frontier AI could materially alter the speed, scale and economics of cyber risk. Bailey said its potential […]

Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino has attributed Bitcoin’s failure to match gold’s global reach to a generational divide among financial decision-makers, arguing that the cryptocurrency remains poorly understood by many of the people who control pools of capital. Ardoino said Bitcoin is still at an early stage of adoption compared with gold, whose role as a store of value and reserve asset has been embedded in financial […]

Nepal has asked the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage for emergency financing after the August 26 Bhote Koshi disaster, putting the fledgling global climate-aid mechanism under pressure before it has made its first funding awards. The government’s request, signed by Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Agriculture, Forests and Environment Minister Gita Chaudhary, says the scale of destruction exceeds Nepal’s domestic resources and immediate response capacity. […]

U. S. forces struck three Iranian crude oil tankers on Saturday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles towards two American Navy warships, escalating a renewed exchange of attacks around the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. U. S. Central Command said an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer evaded multiple Iranian attacks while patrolling regional waters. No American personnel were harmed, it said. The […]

VISHNU RAJA
RYO YAMADA
HITORI GOTOH
IKUYO KITA
Just in: