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Through the partnership, T2P will leverage Paymentology’s next-generation issuer processing platform to deliver scalable, secure and flexible card programmes for fintechs, financial institutions, corporates and enterprises looking to launch innovative payment solutions.

The collaboration strengthens T2P’s growing payments ecosystem, enabling businesses to bring new prepaid, corporate and digital wallet-linked card programmes to market more quickly while benefiting from Paymentology’s real-time processing capabilities, global expertise and highly configurable platform.

Thailand has become one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital payments markets. According to the Bank of Thailand, online payments increased by 13.5% year-on-year in 2025, reflecting growing adoption of digital wallets, QR payments, embedded finance and cashless payment experiences. As businesses look to capitalise on this shift, they increasingly need trusted technology partners that can reduce complexity and accelerate innovation.

By combining Paymentology’s cloud-native issuer processing platform with T2P’s local market expertise, the partnership will help organisations develop payment solutions that meet evolving consumer and business expectations while supporting Thailand’s continued digital transformation.

Minh Ha Truong, Head of Growth APAC at Paymentology, said:“Thailand is one of the most exciting payments markets in Asia. As demand grows for embedded financial services and innovative card programmes, organisations need technology that allows them to launch quickly while remaining flexible enough to evolve with customer expectations.We’re delighted to partner with T2P as they continue expanding their payment capabilities.“

The partnership will initially support a broad range of use cases including:

• Prepaid card programmes
• Corporate and commercial payments
• Employee spend management
• Digital wallet-linked cards
• Embedded finance solutions
• Cross-border payment programmes supporting Thailand’s thriving tourism sector

TaweechaiPureethip, Chief Executive Officer at T2P, said: “Our partnership with Paymentology is an important step in strengthening T2P’s card and payment technology capabilities. Paymentology’s modern issuer processing platform, real-time processing capabilities, flexibility and experience across markets give us confidence as we continue to develop reliable and scalable payment solutions for businesses in Thailand. Together, we aim to make it easier for organisations to bring practical, secure and flexible card-based payment programmes to market.”

As payment services become increasingly embedded into everyday consumer journeys and business operations, the partnership positions both organisations to support the next generation of payment innovation while expanding access to more secure, reliable and practical payment tools for businesses and consumers across Thailand.

Hashtag: #Paymentology #T2P

https://www.paymentology.com/en/

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

Largest Ecosystem Lineup at LEAP East 2026 Achieves Over 1,500 Business Matching Sessions

• MEINONG ROBOT, a company within HKSTP ecosystem, stood out among more than 500 competing startups to win the 2nd Runner-Up in the Rocket Fuel East Startup Competition, securing a US$10,000 equity-free award; another park company, GenEditBio, also advanced to the Top 6 finalists.
• HKSTP joined hands with more than 30 park companies to take the global stage of LEAP East as the event’s exclusive Tech Ecosystem Partner, facilitating over 1,500 business discussions and meetings.
• Under the theme “Gateway to the NEXT”, the HKSTP Pavilion featured innovations from 23 park companies, attracting more than 3,000 visits.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 July 2026 – MEINONG ROBOT, a company from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) ecosystem, won the 2^nd Runner-Up in the Rocket Fuel East Startup Competition at LEAP East 2026, secured a US$10,000 equity-free award and gained exposure to global investors to accelerate its business expansion. Another park company, GenEditBio, also outperformed more than 500 competing startups and made it to the Top 6 Finalists.

Making its debut in the Asia-Pacific region, LEAP East chose Hong Kong as its host city, bringing together technology leaders, investors, policymakers and tech ventures. As the event’s exclusive Tech Ecosystem Partner, HKSTP participated alongside more than 30 park companies, facilitating over 1,500 business discussions and meetings from 8 to 10 July.

Under the theme “Gateway to the NEXT”, the HKSTP Pavilion featured innovations from 23 park companies across four key sectors: Life and Health Tech, GreenTech & Sustainability, Smart Cities & Urban Tech, and AI, Data & Robotics, attracting more than 3,000 visits.

Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said: “LEAP East’s decision to land its first overseas edition in Hong Kong delivers three important messages to the I&T community. First, Hong Kong has become tech companies’ gateway into the global markets, which reflects the development and achievements of Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem over the years and demonstrates the city’s unique ability to connect Middle Eastern capital, Asia-Pacific markets and supply chains in the Chinese Mainland, positioning Hong Kong as a true I&T hub. Second, the Middle East and other emerging markets represent the next strategic destination for tech companies. Driven by numerous application scenarios in smart cities, green energy and AI infrastructure, together with the ambitious transformation agenda under Saudi Vision 2030, these markets offer unprecedented growth opportunities for Hong Kong tech companies. Third, Hong Kong’s I&T community is demonstrating a growing global impact. From HKSTP executives and park companies contributing to international forums and thought leadership discussions, to HKSTP serving as the exclusive Tech Ecosystem Partner, and two park companies reaching the Top 6 of the Rocket Fuel East Startup Competition, with one securing the 2^nd Runner-Up, all of these achievements underscore Hong Kong’s increasingly prominent position on the global I&T stage.”

In addition, Terry Wong, CEO, Eric Or, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer, Filla Mak, Chief Property and Asset Officer, and Dr Charleston Sin, Head of AI & Data, took part in keynote sessions and panel discussions throughout the event. They shared strategic insights on HKSTP’s I&T ecosystem, biotech, smart cities, and AI, fostering international dialogue, inspiring new breakthroughs and collaborations, and further strengthening HKSTP’s influence within the global I&T ecosystem.

To strengthen connections between park companies and the international innovation community, HKSTP co-organised “Build East: Agentic AI Demo Day and Tour” with Minds by Animoca Brands one day before LEAP East 2026, inviting global investors and startups to gain first-hand insights into Hong Kong’s largest I&T ecosystem and explore cross-border collaboration and investment opportunities.

Hashtag: #HKSTP

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

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

• Supporting Asia‑Pacific’s transition from BS 476 to the more comprehensive EN 13501‑1 fire‑classification framework
• ArmaPrene™‑based insulation, including ArmaFlex® Ultima, achieves significantly lower smoke emissions to support safer evacuation and fire‑engineering compliance
• ArmaLive Experience Centre builds industry capability through product insights, demonstrations, audits and hands‑on installation training
• Active collaborations with industry partners and relevant public-sector bodies to help shape safer built environments
• Long‑term commitment to safer, more energy‑efficient buildings through technical guidance, training and regional knowledge‑sharing

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 July 2026 – Armacell, a global leader in flexible equipment insulation and engineered foams, deepens its collaboration with industry stakeholders across Asia‑Pacific to enhance energy efficiency, sustainability and fire‑safety standards in the built environment.

Central to this expanded engagement is the ArmaLive Experience Centre, which serves as a regional hub for training, technical insight and hands-on demonstrations. The centre is designed to support engineers, consultants, installers and regulatory professionals as they respond to increasingly performance‑based compliance requirements—particularly in the areas of sustainability, energy efficiency and fire safety.

Supporting Asia‑Pacific’s transition to modern fire‑safety standards

Across Asia-Pacific, regulators and industry professionals are steadily moving from legacy BS 476 classifications to the more comprehensive EN 13501‑1 fire-performance framework. This shift reflects a growing focus on smoke‑performance—an essential advancement, as smoke inhalation remains one of the leading causes of fatalities in building fires.

To support this transition, Armacell provides data‑driven guidance, technical resources and targeted training that help stakeholders interpret performance criteria, understand material behaviour and assess system-level implications under the newer standard. These efforts are designed to enable informed specification decisions and support safer fire-engineering outcomes across a wide range of building applications.

A prime example of Armacell’s material innovation is ArmaFlex Ultima, developed using the company’s patented ArmaPrene technology. Generating about ten times less smoke than conventional elastomeric insulation, ArmaFlex Ultima achieves Euroclass B‑s1,d0 performance, enabling specifiers and fire engineers to significantly enhance safety in critical areas such as escape routes, mechanical services and other high-risk building zones.

ArmaLive Experience Centre: Strengthening regional technical capability

Located in Singapore, the ArmaLive Experience Centre delivers an expanded programme of learning and engagement designed to strengthen technical capability across the Asia-Pacific region and raise material and installation standards. The Centre offers a range of practical and knowledge-based initiatives, including:

• Product insight sessions showcasing compliance performance, system reliability and application-specific considerations.
• Energy and acoustic audits to support sustainable mechanical design and operational optimisation.
• Hands‑on installation training to help installers improve workmanship quality, reduce system losses and meet fire-safety and performance requirements.
• Live demonstrations and scenario‑based workshops focused on insulation selection, fire‑performance criteria and correct installation techniques.

Together, these programmes foster closer collaboration among developers, engineers, consultants, contractors and regulators, deepening their understanding of how insulation solutions contribute to energy efficiency, acoustic performance and fire safety.

Driving industry standards through technical partnerships

Armacell works closely with professional associations, technical bodies and relevant public-sector organisations across Asia‑Pacific to help advance technical standards and support a safer, more sustainable built environment.

Through seminars, joint technical exchanges and shared learning initiatives, the company shares expertise in insulation selection, performance benchmarks and comparative material behaviour—strengthening compliance awareness and improving the quality of building design and system specification.

By combining advanced materials knowledge with sustained industry engagement, particularly through the ArmaLive Experience Centre, Armacell supports informed specification practices, builds regional capability and reinforces its long‑term commitment to safer, sustainable and more resilient buildings across Asia-Pacific.
Hashtag: #Armacell

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

About Armacell

As the inventor of flexible foam for equipment insulation and a leading provider of engineered foams, Armacell develops innovative and safe thermal and mechanical insulation solutions that create sustainable value for its customers. Armacell’s products significantly contribute to driving energy efficiency worldwide.

With more than 3,100 employees and 26 production plants in 20 countries, Armacell operates two main businesses, Advanced Insulation and Engineered Foams. Armacell focuses on insulation materials for technical equipment, high-performance foams for acoustic and lightweight applications, recycled PET products, next-generation aerogel technology and passive fire protection systems.

For more information, please visit: www.armacell.com

By Nantoo Banerjee Fake news is flooding across India’s nearly half-a-billion social media and messaging platforms, threatening trust, relationships, and democratic processes. The country, boasting almost a billion internet subscriptions, is facing a growing crisis of misinformation with digital content spreading faster than truth across the online community. To add to the concern are Artificial […]

The article AI-Generated Deepfakes Are Eroding Social Trust appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The online fashion retailer is considering an offer of between $2 billion and $3 billion, although the final size will depend on its valuation, investor demand and prevailing market conditions. The timetable could also change as the company completes the remaining stages of Hong Kong’s listing process.

Shein is scheduled to face the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s listing committee this week. Approval at the hearing would allow the company and its advisers to move towards investor presentations, price discovery and bookbuilding.

Some people involved in the process expect the shares to begin trading in September or October rather than August, reflecting the time required to complete regulatory documentation and market the offer to institutional investors. A successful listing would rank among Hong Kong’s largest consumer-sector flotations in years.

China’s securities regulator has approved the proposed sale of up to 341.6 million H shares. The clearance removed one of the biggest obstacles confronting Shein, which submitted confidential listing documents in Hong Kong about a year ago after encountering difficulties in New York and London.

The company could seek a valuation of between $40 billion and $50 billion. That would represent a sharp retreat from the $100 billion valuation achieved during a private funding round in 2022, when pandemic-era online shopping growth and investor enthusiasm for digital retail pushed its value above several established fashion groups.

Shein was valued at about $66 billion in 2023. The lower range being discussed for the Hong Kong offer reflects tighter investor scrutiny, greater competition, changing customs rules and concern over the durability of its low-cost cross-border business model.

The retailer, founded in Nanjing in 2012 by entrepreneur Sky Xu and now headquartered in Singapore, sells inexpensive clothing and lifestyle products across roughly 150 markets. Its data-driven system tests products in small batches, measures consumer demand and orders additional stock when items gain traction.

That model has helped Shein respond rapidly to fashion trends while limiting unsold inventory. It has also placed pressure on traditional retailers and brought intense scrutiny of production volumes, environmental impact, working conditions and supplier oversight.

Although Shein has positioned itself as a global company, much of its manufacturing network remains concentrated in China, particularly around Guangzhou and other parts of Guangdong province. That dependence brought the company within the scope of China’s overseas-listing review system despite the relocation of its corporate headquarters.

Shein previously pursued a New York flotation but faced political resistance and demands for deeper examination of its supply chain, data practices and alleged exposure to forced labour in Xinjiang. The company has said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards forced labour and requires suppliers to comply with its sourcing standards.

A subsequent attempt to list in London also stalled. Britain’s financial regulator had cleared the company’s prospectus, but the transaction could not proceed without approval from Beijing. Disagreements surrounding disclosures about supply-chain risks complicated the process.

Hong Kong offers Shein a venue closer to its manufacturing base and within a regulatory framework more acceptable to Beijing. The city’s market, however, may produce a lower valuation than the company once expected from New York or London, where international consumer and technology companies have traditionally attracted broader investor coverage.

The proposed offer comes during a strong period for Hong Kong listings. Companies raised about HK$209.9 billion across 85 new flotations during the first half of 2026, the market’s best first-half performance in five years. A pipeline of hundreds of applicants has strengthened expectations that the city could remain among the world’s leading fundraising centres this year.

Shein’s leadership is also changing as the listing approaches. Executive chairman Donald Tang is expected to step down and continue as a senior adviser. Tang played a central role in the company’s engagement with governments, regulators and investors during its attempts to secure a Western listing.

Xu is expected to take a leading role in presenting the investment case to prospective shareholders. Investors are likely to examine Shein’s growth prospects, profit margins and ability to adapt to customs changes, particularly the removal of duty-free treatment for low-value packages entering the United States from China and Hong Kong.

For much of the past century, urban development followed a relatively straightforward equation: build housing, expand infrastructure and accommodate population growth. This formula is now showing its limitations. As climate risk intensifies, biodiversity declines and cities compete not only for investment but also for talent, developers around the world are now forced to redefine the very nature and purpose of what they build.

From the Gulf to Singapore, and from Scandinavia to Southeast Asia, large-scale urban projects are evolving into integrated ecosystems where mobility, green infrastructure, education, healthcare, digital services and environmental restoration are planned together. The industry paradigm has shifted from constructing buildings to designing places capable of sustaining both economic growth and quality of life over generations.

Vinhomes has initiated a comprehensive repositioning to navigate this global transition.

Known as Vietnam’s largest residential developer, the company is increasingly recognized not merely as a builder of housing projects, but as a creator of large-scale lifestyle ecosystems, communities where urban planning, technology, ecology and public services are conceived as parts of the same system.

When Nature Becomes Urban Infrastructure

For decades, environmental considerations were often introduced after a city’s masterplan had already been completed.

The emerging model reverses that sequence. Across many of its recent developments, Vinhomes operates on the principle that natural systems should become the starting point of planning. Hydrology, coastal conditions, biodiversity and existing vegetation are treated as design inputs that shape the urban layout from the earliest stages.

This philosophy marks a notable departure from conventional large-scale development, particularly in rapidly urbanising markets where natural landscapes have frequently given way to intensive construction.

With more than 30 developments across Vietnam and a land bank equivalent to roughly two-thirds the size of Singapore, Vinhomes has the unusual opportunity to test this planning approach at a metropolitan scale.

Rather than replicating identical urban formulas, each project is designed around the ecological characteristics of its location.

The company maintains that the long-term success of a city should ultimately be measured not by how much has been built, but by whether natural ecosystems continue to thrive decades after residents have moved in. That perspective aligns with an increasingly influential school of urban planning in which green infrastructure is viewed as essential public infrastructure.

Factors Compelling Cities Toward Regeneration

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks have become standard across global investment. Urban planners, however, are beginning to question whether sustainability alone is sufficient.

Maintaining today’s environmental conditions may no longer be enough if tomorrow’s cities must also respond to rising temperatures, sea-level change and growing demographic pressures.

Vinhomes’ strategic response is crystallized in its ESG++, a framework that extends beyond conventional ESG principles by introducing two additional objectives: Regeneration and resilience.

The distinction is subtle but important.

Regeneration implies restoring ecological systems rather than simply reducing environmental impact. Resilience focuses on designing cities capable of adapting to changing climatic, technological and social conditions over many decades.

Projects such as Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio and Vinhomes Global Gates Ha Long are intended to demonstrate how these concepts can be incorporated into large-scale urban planning, combining renewable energy, smart infrastructure and ecological restoration within a single development model.

This shift highlights a growing global consensus: the success of next-generation cities will ultimately be measured by their ability to adapt to increasingly complex environmental challenges.

Vietnam’s Urban Story Is Becoming Part of a Global Conversation

For many international audiences, Vietnam remains associated primarily with its cultural heritage and natural landscapes. Urban development may become an equally important part of that story.

Rapid urbanisation, expanding infrastructure investment and a national commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 have created conditions in which entirely new urban models can be planned without many of the legacy constraints facing older cities.

This developmental opportunity is capturing increasing global interest.

Commenting on Vinhomes Green Paradise’s participation in the global 7 Wonders of Future Cities initiative, Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of the New7Wonders Organisation, described Vietnam as undergoing a “transformative step change” in its national identity and global positioning. He pointed to the country’s progress in reducing the carbon footprint of urban mobility as an example of coordinated action between government and the private sector that offers valuable insights extending beyond Southeast Asia.

For Vinhomes, participation in international platforms such as 7 Wonders of Future Cities is therefore less about showcasing a single project than about contributing to a broader discussion on how rapidly developing economies might approach urban growth differently. The company’s evolution mirrors a wider shift taking place across the global property sector.

Increasingly, the core value proposition for developers is no longer anchored in how many buildings they can deliver. Instead, it centers on whether they can create cities that remain economically competitive, environmentally resilient and socially relevant long after construction has ended.

Hashtag: #Vinhomes

https://vinhomes.vn/en

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

CUHK’s Academic Excellence and Global Research Impact

CUHK’s academic rigour is further recognised in the 2026–27 Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, where it ranks 28th globally and 5th in Asia, remaining Hong Kong’s top university for the fourth consecutive year. The University features 15 subjects in the global top 50, including five in the top 10, such as Education and Educational Research (#1), Gastroenterology and Hepatology (#2), Computer Science (#7), and Arts and Humanities and Artificial Intelligence (both ranked #9).

CUHK: Where Bold Ideas Become Impactful Research

CUHK provides an exceptional environment for impactful research, supported by approximately 300 research institutes and centres, alongside four state key laboratories approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. Reflecting on the academic environment, Zhamilya Zhirenova, a PhD student in Biomedical Science from Kazakhstan, has deepened her expertise through her involvement with the Centre for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine (CNRM), an InnoHK research centre CUHK established with Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet.

Unlike traditional research pathways, where students are often confined to a single university laboratory, Zhamilya gained extensive experience at Hong Kong Science Park, a dynamic setting that closely resembles industry. “It feels more like an industrial company,” she reflected, “and that experience has been invaluable.” For researchers with ambitions beyond academia, such early exposure to the pace and expectations of the biotech industry provides a distinct advantage.

Nurturing the Next Generation of Scientific Innovators

Many of CUHK’s scholars are globally renowned experts who have made significant breakthroughs in their respective fields. These experts provide valuable mentorship, cultivating an intellectually stimulating environment for innovative research.

At the Centre for Novostics, an InnoHK research centre dedicated to advancing molecular diagnostics, Yasine Malki, a Chemical Pathology PhD student from Hong Kong, highlighted mentorship as a defining aspect of his experience at CUHK. Benefiting from the mentorship of Professor Dennis Lo, CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President, and a pioneer in molecular diagnostics, Yasine collaborates with specialists in molecular technologies, bioinformatics, and clinician-scientists, exemplifying CUHK’s dynamic, multidisciplinary approach to medical science.

Through the latest global rankings, CUHK continues to demonstrate the impact of its research and scholarship. The University offers robust financial support to attract top-tier global talent, such as the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) for the 2027–28 intake, which provides over HK$1.81 million (approximately US$232,420) in funding. Applications open on 1 September 2026.

Hashtag: #CUHK

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About CUHK

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a leading comprehensive research university with a global reputation and world-leading rankings. Located in the heart of Asia, CUHK has a vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. The University has eight faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Together with the Graduate School, the University offers over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All faculties are actively engaged in research in a wide range of disciplines, with an array of research institutes and research centres specialising in interdisciplinary research of the highest quality.