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32,000+ visitors, RM100,000 in local business revenue and international sporting participation put Sabak Bernam’s unique heritage landscape on the tourism map

SABAK BERNAM, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 October 2026 – From a 30-kilometre British-era waterway built to sustain Selangor’s paddy fields to a destination for sport, culture, tourism and community enterprise, Ban Canal is entering a new chapter — and Karnival Ban Canal 2026 is set to take it further.

Returning for its fourth edition from 6 to 8 November 2026 at Ban Canal Parit 14, Simpang Lima, Sabak Bernam, the award-winning Karnival Ban Canal (KBC 2026) is building a distinctive rural tourism platform around the theme Alam * Budaya * Lestari (Nature * Culture * Sustainability).

The festival attracted more than 32,190 visitors in 2025 and generated over RM100,000 in local business revenue. KBC 2026 aims to build on that momentum, attracting visitors from across Malaysia and internationally while creating greater economic opportunities for local communities.

Where heritage meets adventure

KBC 2026 brings together experiences rarely found in a single festival — from the Larian Bendang and fishing competitions to Kanu Slalom featuring international participants from countries including Japan and China, wall climbing and a flying fox spanning the historic Ban Canal.

The festival will also showcase Sabak Bernam’s multicultural heritage through traditional performances, Bual Bicara Malam Jumaat, local food and produce, Platform Selangor (PLATS) entrepreneur showcases, Jualan Eko Tani and nightly entertainment featuring leading Malaysian artists.

The result is more than a weekend festival. It is a platform connecting tourism, local enterprise, culture, sport and community participation, bringing visitors directly into the rural economy.

A growing platform for brands and partners

As visitor numbers and local economic activity grow, KBC 2026 is also emerging as an attractive platform for corporate partners looking to connect with audiences through experiential, community-driven and sustainability-led engagement.

Corporate partners can gain visibility across the festival ecosystem through digital and social media exposure, main-stage LED presence, on-ground branding and opportunities for direct audience engagement.

Sponsorship opportunities are available across Gold, Silver and Bronze partnerships, with scope for brands to develop activations aligned with their marketing, sustainability and community-impact objectives.

For brands looking beyond conventional advertising, KBC offers something different: the opportunity to be part of a growing destination story while putting the brand directly into the experiences of the people who visit it.

From historic waterway to living tourism destination

Ban Canal sits within the transition and buffer zones of the proposed Anjung Utara Selangor Biosphere Reserve (AUSBR) — Selangor’s 297,661-hectare “ridge-to-sea” living-economy nomination under UNESCO.

Originally constructed to channel water to the state’s interior paddy fields, the historic waterway is being reimagined as a platform for eco-tourism, rural enterprise and community development.

Karnival Ban Canal is a tangible expression of that transformation, demonstrating how natural and cultural assets can generate tourism activity, support local businesses and create new economic opportunities while preserving the character of the landscape.

Driven by the Selangor State Government, MBI Selangor, SABDA and the Sabak Bernam District Council (MDSB), KBC 2026 brings together government, communities, businesses, athletes, artists and visitors around a common proposition: that sustainable tourism can be both commercially vibrant and locally meaningful.

As Ban Canal continues its transformation, KBC 2026 offers visitors a reason to discover Sabak Bernam, businesses a platform to engage new audiences, and sponsors an opportunity to become part of a destination with a story that is still being written.

Hashtag: #SABDA

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

SABDA

The Sabak Bernam Development Area (SABDA) is a strategic economic development initiative of the Selangor State Government under Rancangan Selangor Pertama. SABDA seeks to unlock Sabak Bernam’s full economic potential while strengthening Malaysia’s food production, raising local incomes and improving community livelihoods. Its vision is to establish Sabak Bernam as a driver of sustainable economic growth, food security, resilience and environmental stewardship.

Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporation) (MBI Selangor)

Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporation) (MBI Selangor) is the strategic investment arm of the State Government of Selangor, mandated to drive sustainable economic growth and long-term value creation for the state.

MBI Selangor plays a central role in catalysing high-impact developments, facilitating strategic partnerships and unlocking the potential of key sectors to strengthen Selangor’s position as a leading economic hub in Malaysia and the region. Its investment focus spans infrastructure, industrial development, energy, digital economy and other priority sectors aligned with the state’s long-term development agenda.

Guided by the aspirations of Rancangan Selangor Pertama (RS-1), MBI Selangor actively supports initiatives that enhance competitiveness, attract quality investments and create meaningful socio-economic opportunities for the people of Selangor.

Through a disciplined and forward-looking investment approach, MBI Selangor is committed to delivering sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth, while strengthening governance, environmental stewardship and stakeholder value across its portfolio.

For more information, visit:

By Dr. Gyan Pathak Socio-political situation in India is worsening faster than anyone can handle it, even the Judiciary, which is seen as moving at comparatively slower pace in delivering justice in the fight between competing interests. “We hope better sense will prevail on everyone,” said Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant today October […]

The article Protests Against CEC, Scheming Government, And The Judiciary appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Arun Srivastava Increased aggressiveness and confrontationist attitude of Union home minister Amit Shah —musing police and state machinery, even denying the Supreme Court’s directive to maintain restraint — to curb students’ protests, has caused immense worry in the social and political circles. Apparently, it is being perceived as a sign of the saffron ecosystem […]

The article Behind Modi-Shah Turning Confrontationist Lies Fear Of Losing Ground appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

BMC Helix will bring enterprise technology executives, customers and industry partners together in Dubai on October 22 to examine how artificial intelligence and automation can improve IT operations and service management. The company’s annual roadshow, scheduled at the Museum of the Future, will focus on practical applications of AI-powered ServiceOps, including incident management, workflow automation and the integration of intelligent systems into existing enterprise technology environments. Senior […]

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 October 2026 – Access to nutritious food remains a critical part of food security. In Thailand, around one in 10 children under five lives in severe child food poverty, while national data show that 13% of children under five are stunted and 7% are underweight, underscoring that food security is not only about having enough food, but also about ensuring consistent access to safe and nutritious diets.

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Against this backdrop, Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF), in partnership with the Charoen Pokphand for Rural Lives’ Development Foundation, is expanding the “Eggs for Next Gen” program, a long-running school nutrition initiative, to 1,030 schools across Thailand, with 12 new schools joining this year. The expansion builds on nearly four decades of efforts to help children gain regular access to fresh eggs as a source of quality protein, while enabling schools to establish sustainable food production.

Launched in 1989, the program goes beyond providing food for school lunches. Participating schools receive support including poultry houses, equipment, laying hens and feed, together with technical knowledge in animal health, farm management, sanitation, production planning and egg management. Students and teachers gain practical agricultural skills, while schools can use eggs for meals and manage surplus production to generate revolving income that helps sustain future production cycles.

The initiative had reached 1,030 schools across 74 provinces, benefiting more than 229,502 students, 17,447 academic staff and2,690 communities. More than523 persons with disabilitieshave also participated in the programme, which targets approximately28 million eggs per production cycle.

Eggs for Next Gen reflects CPF’s broader view that food security depends not only on producing enough food, but on making nutritious food consistently available, accessible and sustainable over time. By helping schools produce fresh eggs locally, the programme brings quality protein closer to children, supports healthier diets, and builds practical knowledge and capabilities that allow schools to maintain food production beyond a single cycle. In this way, the initiative moves beyond short-term food support toward stronger food self-reliance at the school and community level.

As a global integrated agro-industrial and food company with operations and investments across 17 countries and products distributed in more than 50 countries, CPF advances its “Kitchen of the World” vision by placing food security at the heart of its sustainability strategy. Its global presence helps expand access to food for consumers worldwide, while its approach goes beyond producing sufficient food to strengthen quality and food safety, nutrition, responsible production and sustainable supply chains. Together, these efforts support a more resilient and sustainable food system capable of serving people over the long term.

Kobboon Srichai, Head of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations at CPF, said:

“For CPF, food security means ensuring that people can access food that is safe, traceable and affordable today and in the future. To achieve this, we need to strengthen the entire food system, from production to access. By combining technology and automation, strong partnerships, and advances in biotechnology and nutrition, we can improve both the quality and resilience of the food system. Eggs for Next Gen demonstrates how these capabilities can be translated into practical impact, improving children’s access to quality nutrition while helping schools and communities build greater food self-reliance over the long term.”

With the program now expanding to 1,030 schools, CPF continues to translate its food expertise into practical action. Supporting healthier children, stronger communities and a more resilient and sustainable food system.

Hashtag: #CPF #Zerohunger #WorldFoodDay2026 #FoodSecurity #FoodAccessForAll #SustainableFoodSystems #CPFSustainability

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

Microsoft and cybersecurity partners have disrupted a global phishing network linked to more than one billion fraudulent messages, targeting infrastructure supplied through the Chinese-language YAM Store marketplace. The operation, announced on Wednesday, involved the seizure and redirection of internet domains supporting YAM Store and two associated phishing services, CoGUI and Iron Man. Microsoft and Health-ISAC obtained an order from the United States District Court for the Southern […]

Norway’s $2.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund should be permitted to invest in major Western defence manufacturers currently excluded because of their involvement in nuclear weapons, a government-appointed commission recommended on Thursday. The proposal would allow the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund to acquire shares in companies including Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, potentially opening the way for investments worth tens of billions of dollars. Any […]

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Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Governments and state-backed borrowers are increasingly exploring bonds denominated in currencies other than the US dollar as competition for capital drives up financing costs, a senior Citigroup banker said on Thursday. Stephanie von Friedeburg, Citi’s global head of the public sector group, said demand for financing from governments and private companies was placing pressure on available investment capital, with artificial intelligence infrastructure attracting […]

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 October 2026 – Held on 11 October 2026 at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa in Singapore, AIMCONNECT 2026 gathered industry leaders from 11 countries under the theme “Where Mobility Meets the Future.” Organised by X Star Technology and Aimotion, the event welcomed representatives from more than 100 automotive organisations, over 60 financial institutions and around 20 technology companies to explore how collaboration across industries can create a more connected mobility ecosystem.

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https://youtu.be/sbUyQWx8ItQ

The event was opened by Tin Pei Ling, Member of Parliament, and Dato’ Tony Khor Chong Boon, President of the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations of Malaysia (FMCCAM). Through keynote presentations, panel discussions and live technology demonstrations, participants examined how AI-driven solutions can improve customer experiences while ensuring transparency, security and responsible decision-making.

AIMCONNECT 2026 Highlights the Shift Towards Connected Mobility

During the keynote address, “The Next Mobility Economy: Intelligence, Connection, Trust,” X Star Technology CEO Shawn Yang highlighted the growing gap between consumers’ digital engagement and completed automotive transactions.

Shawn Yang noted that consumers increasingly begin their vehicle purchase journey online, with research showing strong demand for AI-supported decision-making. According to figures shared during the keynote, 90% of car buyers conduct online research before visiting dealerships, 63% expect to use AI during their next vehicle purchase and 67% believe AI will influence their financing decisions.

However, the automotive journey remains fragmented. Customers often move between dealerships, financing providers and multiple systems, creating unnecessary friction during purchasing and ownership processes.

“Customers are not lost in one stage; they are lost to the friction between them,” Yang said. Yang said. The CEO explained that the next stage of mobility innovation requires closer cooperation between automotive companies, financial institutions and technology providers. Rather than improving isolated parts of the journey, the industry must create connected experiences that allow information, decisions and services to move more efficiently between stakeholders.

During AIMCONNECT 2026, technology demonstrations showcased emerging solutions designed to address these challenges. X Star Technology presented its Xport platform, demonstrating one-click lead-to-loan matching and real-time approval capabilities. Aimotion, MStar, AI Wingman and MK.X also introduced their latest innovations, highlighting the potential of AI-enabled tools across the automotive value chain.

Building Trust as AI Takes a Greater Role in Decision-Making

A key theme throughout AIMCONNECT 2026 was the importance of trust as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly involved in customer-facing processes.

While AI can improve speed and efficiency, industry leaders emphasised that technology must operate within clear boundaries. Decisions involving financing, customer eligibility and financial commitments require transparency, human oversight and accountability.

Yang introduced X Star Technology’s proprietary Harness framework, which combines AI operating boundaries, human supervision and traceable data management. The framework is designed to ensure that AI systems operate within authorised parameters while allowing complex cases to be escalated for human review.

“In auto finance, a single flawed decision risks customer harm and regulatory non-compliance. For AI to operate across the customer journey with true autonomy, trust cannot be an afterthought; it must be engineered into the architecture from day one,” Yang said.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of balancing personalisation with privacy. While consumers increasingly expect services tailored to their needs, excessive automation or unnecessary intervention may reduce trust. Effective AI solutions must therefore combine intelligence with appropriate restraint.

Strengthening Connections Across the Auto Finance Ecosystem

Another major discussion at AIMCONNECT 2026 focused on how stronger collaboration between automotive companies, financial institutions and technology providers can create a more efficient and trusted financing experience.

During the panel discussion “Building a Connected Auto Finance Ecosystem,” moderated by MStar CEO Zhang Peng, industry representatives explored the role of data connectivity, cybersecurity and responsible technology adoption in shaping the future of automotive finance.

Speakers from Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, The CEO Circle and JWT Bespoke examined how financial institutions and mobility businesses can use technology to improve decision-making while maintaining customer confidence.

“Better data infrastructure and connectivity can help the industry make more informed financing decisions, but technology must go hand in hand with trust,” Zhang said.

The discussion emphasised that connectivity is not simply about collecting more data. A truly integrated ecosystem requires organisations to establish clear principles for how information is shared, protected and used. Customers must also understand what information they provide and how it contributes to a better service experience.

Matthew Duncan, Director and CEO of JWT Bespoke, highlighted the importance of balancing innovation with consumer protection, drawing from Australia’s experience in automotive and financial regulation.

“Regulation works best when it protects customers and still gives the industry room to improve how people buy and finance their cars,” Duncan said.

Exploring the Future of Vehicle Ownership

Beyond financing and transactions, AIMCONNECT 2026 also examined a broader question facing the mobility industry: how will consumers define vehicle ownership in the future?

The rise of leasing, subscription services, car-sharing and ride-hailing has expanded consumer choices, creating new possibilities beyond traditional ownership models.

During the panel “The Future of Owning a Car,” moderated by Shawn Yang, industry leaders discussed how changing consumer expectations may influence future mobility behaviour.

An audience poll showed a closely divided perspective. While 54% of participants believed flexible mobility solutions could become the preferred choice within the next decade, 46% expected vehicle ownership to remain the dominant preference.

The result reflected the complexity of future mobility trends. Rather than replacing ownership completely, emerging mobility models may provide consumers with more options depending on their lifestyle, financial situation and travel needs.

James Ng, Managing Director of BYD Singapore and President of BYD Philippines, shared insights into BYD’s technology development journey.

“BYD’s first phase was electrification, delivering performance. The second phase is intelligence, using AI to enhance the customer experience. The third phase will focus on integration,” Ng said.

Xiao Ting, CEO of MK.X, noted that increasingly capable AI assistants could change how consumers approach mobility decisions.

“The decision may increasingly be less about owning a car and more about finding the right mobility solution for each journey,” noted the CEO.

Ng also highlighted the broader applications of BYD’s technology beyond vehicles, including Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and renewable energy solutions that contribute to a wider technology ecosystem.

These developments suggest that the future mobility landscape will involve not only automakers, but also dealers, financial institutions and technology platforms adapting their services to meet changing consumer expectations.

AI Is Expanding the Vehicle Experience Beyond the Point of Sale

The role of artificial intelligence throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle was another key focus at AIMCONNECT 2026.

During the panel “How Is AI Reshaping Mobility?” moderated by X Star Chief Technology Officer Michael Jia, industry experts discussed how AI can support consumers beyond vehicle selection and purchase.

Panel participants included Carson Zhang of Aimotion, Connor Liu of Google Cloud, Dr Harold Teng of MK.X Technology and Bryan Tan of Carro.

When delegates were asked where AI would create the greatest impact, personalised ownership services ranked ahead of vehicle selection, automotive financing and in-car intelligence. The results suggested that industry participants see significant opportunities in improving the ownership experience after purchase.

Bryan Tan, Chief Scientist at Carro Group and CEO of Carro Indonesia, explained that vehicle value assessment is becoming increasingly influenced by new data sources. For electric vehicles, factors such as battery condition and charging history are becoming important considerations alongside traditional indicators such as mileage.

Tan also noted that markets such as Singapore have unique considerations, including the impact of the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system on vehicle value.

These examples demonstrate how advances in automotive technology are influencing areas beyond driving performance, extending into finance, resale value and long-term ownership decisions.

However, industry leaders agreed that AI adoption must remain focused on practical benefits.

“The focus must remain on delivering practical benefits, enhancing safety and making mobility more intuitive for consumers,” Dr Teng said.

Collaboration Will Define the Next Stage of Mobility Innovation

Across the discussions at AIMCONNECT 2026, one common message emerged: the future of mobility will be shaped by collaboration.

Automotive manufacturers and dealers must better understand customer needs and reduce unnecessary friction throughout the ownership journey. Financial institutions must improve efficiency while maintaining responsible lending practices. Technology providers must develop solutions that meet operational, regulatory and customer expectations.

For policymakers and industry stakeholders, the challenge will be encouraging innovation while maintaining public confidence.

“No single company can transform the entire mobility journey on its own,” Xiao Ting said.

Zhang highlighted that the success of future mobility solutions should be measured not only by speed and efficiency, but also by how effectively the industry works together to serve customers.

“Progress should be measured not only by how quickly a loan can be approved, but by how well the industry works together to serve the customer,” Zhang said.

AIMCONNECT 2026 demonstrated that artificial intelligence will play an increasingly important role in mobility, but technology alone will not define the future. The next phase of automotive transformation will depend on building systems that are intelligent, transparent and connected — supported by stronger partnerships across the mobility ecosystem.

Hashtag: #XStar

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

About AIMCONNECT 2026

AIMCONNECT 2026 brings together automotive leaders, dealers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), financial institutions, technology innovators and industry decision-makers to explore the future of automotive commerce and mobility.

Through industry dialogue, thought leadership sessions and live technology demonstrations, AIMCONNECT provides a platform for stakeholders to exchange insights and collaborate on the next generation of connected mobility solutions.

US cybersecurity shares have surrendered part of September’s gains as investors weigh growing demand for artificial intelligence protection against the possibility that AI developers could become competitors to established security companies. Shares in leading vendors fell on Wednesday, 14 October, amid speculation that OpenAI was exploring an acquisition of security specialist Trail of Bits. No transaction had been announced, and the possibility of a deal did not […]

Google DeepMind and Singapore’s Government Technology Agency have developed an artificial intelligence system designed to identify scams within private smartphone conversations without sending messages to external servers.

The technology, announced on Wednesday at Singapore International Cyber Week, uses a customised version of Google’s Gemma model to recognise manipulation in conversations and warn users before they transfer money or disclose sensitive information.

The partners have not announced a public release date, named supported messaging applications or published independent accuracy figures. Their announcement describes a model that messaging platforms and operating system developers could integrate, rather than a scam detection application already available for general download.

The initiative forms part of the National AI Partnership between Google DeepMind and Singapore’s government. It addresses fraud schemes that unfold through extended conversations, rather than relying exclusively on suspicious links, keywords or individual messages.

Google DeepMind said the model had been adapted using examples of scams involving impersonation of banks, public institutions and prominent local figures. Its training also covered regional fraud patterns intended to make fraudulent exchanges appear credible to Singaporean users.

The system operates through two stages to limit the processing demands placed on smartphones. A lightweight classifier initially examines incoming messages for possible threats, consuming relatively little computing power. Messages considered suspicious then undergo a more detailed assessment using the fine tuned Gemma model.

During the second stage, the AI examines a broader section of the conversation to assess whether the exchange displays patterns of manipulation. This contextual approach is intended to distinguish ordinary conversations from attempts to build trust before requesting payments, passwords or other confidential details.

Where the model identifies potentially fraudulent behaviour, it generates a warning on the handset, encouraging the recipient to pause and exercise caution. The alert is designed to intervene before a person acts on a scammer’s instructions, although the organisations have not disclosed measured reductions in fraud losses from using the system.

A central feature is that the analysis takes place locally. Conversations do not need to be uploaded for cloud based examination, an important distinction for messaging services that use end to end encryption to prevent intermediaries from reading message contents.

Mark Chen, director of trust and safety at GovTech Singapore, said the collaboration sought to identify targeted local scams in real time while keeping personal communications private. The partners present local processing as a way of reconciling fraud prevention with confidentiality.

The privacy safeguards also extend to development. Google DeepMind said the model was fine tuned inside a government managed Google Cloud environment described as a sovereign sandbox, where training material remained isolated.

According to the company, private citizen conversations and personally identifiable information were excluded from training. Instead, developers used anonymised datasets derived from scam reports and intelligence feeds. Testing included synthetic conversations and local material covering different scam categories and changing impersonation methods.

Those measures describe the development process and proposed operation, rather than an independent assessment of the finished product. The partners have not released detailed public benchmarks showing false positive rates, missed scams, battery consumption or performance across different smartphone models.

Singapore has strong reasons to pursue additional protections. Google DeepMind said scams account for more than half of crimes reported in the country, while cumulative losses since 2019 exceed S$4 billion. It estimated that social engineering schemes account for as much as 80 per cent of scam losses.

Such schemes often depend on prolonged interaction, with perpetrators establishing apparent relationships or authority before introducing requests for money. Detecting suspicious intent across multiple messages therefore presents a different technical challenge from blocking known fraudulent websites or telephone numbers.

The announcement comes alongside separate Android security enhancements unveiled by Google, including optional cloud assisted analysis in Google Messages. That service uses a protected computing environment, whereas the Singapore collaboration specifically centres on keeping conversation analysis on the handset.

The distinction is significant because the two approaches involve different arrangements for processing private communications. The Singapore model is designed to assess message content without transmitting conversations externally, although its practical privacy protections will also depend on how individual applications implement the technology.

Google DeepMind said its model was optimised for smartphones commonly used in Singapore. It has not specified the minimum hardware requirements, participating mobile manufacturers or whether the technology will eventually support additional languages and markets.

By Bhasha Singh The clouds of unrest are once again gathering over the Gulf region. This time, the epicentre is Yemen’s internal power struggle, which has spilled over into Saudi Arabia, claiming several lives, including that of an Indian national. The Houthi rebels’ attacks on Saudi airports have prompted retaliatory strikes by the Saudi-led coalition […]

The article Iran’s Mediation Efforts In Yemen Are Aimed At Expanding Tehran’s Influence appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Dr Arun Mitra The Supreme Court’s order, following a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Association of India concerning unethical marketing practices in healthcare, is a welcome step. The Court has asked the Union government to constitute a panel to examine measures to curb […]

The article Supreme Court Order Concerning Unethical Practices Of Drug Firms Is Welcome appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Asia-Pacific economic growth is expected to slow over the next two years despite a powerful boost from artificial intelligence investment, the International Monetary Fund warned on Thursday.

The IMF forecast regional expansion of 4.8 per cent in 2026, compared with 5 per cent last year, followed by a further slowdown to 4.4 per cent in 2027. Its latest estimate for this year nevertheless represents a substantial upgrade from the 4.4 per cent projected in April.

The revised outlook reflects sharply contrasting pressures across Asia. Demand for semiconductors, data centres and other technology equipment has strengthened exports and investment, while higher energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict have squeezed economies dependent on imported fuel.

The fund warned that a reversal in AI investment or technology share valuations could undermine growth disproportionately because Asian manufacturers occupy central positions in global electronics supply chains. Higher sovereign borrowing costs and prolonged disruption to energy supplies present additional threats.

Emerging and developing Asian economies are projected to grow 5.1 per cent this year, down from 5.6 per cent in 2025, before slowing to 4.9 per cent next year. Advanced regional economies are expected to expand 3.2 per cent in 2026, compared with 2.5 per cent last year, then moderate to 2 per cent in 2027.

The IMF upgraded forecasts for South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, where demand linked to AI infrastructure has lifted manufacturing and exports. China and India also received upward revisions, although countries facing higher inflation without equivalent technology gains have experienced weaker growth projections.

Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, said at the fund’s annual meetings in Bangkok that technology exports had accelerated sharply during the first half of 2026. Demand for chips and investment in data centres were important contributors, alongside stronger trade within the region.

He said economies had responded to energy disruptions by diversifying fuel suppliers, reducing consumption, increasing alternative energy use and drawing down inventories. Governments had also introduced measures intended to contain inflation, protect incomes and prevent supply shortages.

Those adjustments have not eliminated the unequal effects of the energy shock. Bangladesh, Cambodia and Laos are among the fuel-importing economies with limited direct exposure to the AI investment boom and comparatively restricted financial resources to absorb further pressure.

The IMF urged monetary authorities to maintain price stability as expensive energy threatens to push inflation expectations higher. It cautioned that central banks could face difficult decisions if weaker growth coincides with persistent price pressures, particularly where currencies and capital flows respond to changes in global interest rates.

Fiscal policy should focus on vulnerable households and businesses rather than costly blanket subsidies, the fund indicated. Elevated public debt and higher bond yields reduce governments’ ability to sustain broad support programmes without increasing financial risks.

The regional assessment comes as investors reassess the durability of spending on AI infrastructure. Asian technology shares suffered steep losses on Thursday, with South Korea’s benchmark stock index falling nearly 8 per cent and Japan’s Nikkei dropping about 5 per cent amid concerns over US inflation and borrowing costs.

The fund also identified concentrated stock market valuations and increased investor leverage as potential sources of instability. A sharp repricing could affect financing conditions and confidence even in economies where orders for technology products remain comparatively strong.

Separately, the IMF expects China’s growth to slow from 5 per cent in 2025 to 4.5 per cent this year and 4 per cent in 2027. It has called for stronger domestic demand and fiscal measures to counter deflationary pressures, rather than continued reliance on external sales.

Beyond financial markets, the fund highlighted employment challenges associated with technological change. Srinivasan said its research found employer demand for jobs more exposed to AI had declined by 10 per cent, although that effect appeared to have stabilised as employers sought workers with relevant skills.

The IMF recommended addressing youth unemployment and skills mismatches, strengthening social protection and improving energy security through diversification and renewable supplies. It also supported deeper regional trade integration as governments seek to preserve access to markets despite tariff barriers.

The regional outlook additionally identified a severe El Niño episode as a potential disruption to agriculture, fisheries and hydropower generation, with possible consequences for food and electricity prices across vulnerable economies, particularly in countries heavily reliant on imported energy.

Artificial intelligence played a role in 84% of ransomware attacks experienced by surveyed organisations, while 87% reported attacks targeting identity infrastructure, according to a global cybersecurity study published on Wednesday. The 2026 Ransomware Risk Report, released by cybersecurity company Semperis, surveyed 1,200 IT and security professionals across nine countries and eight industry sectors, exposing significant weaknesses in corporate identity protection and recovery capabilities. The findings indicate that […]

Google has made its new frontier artificial intelligence model, Gemini 4 Argon, available through Google AI Studio, expanding developers’ access to advanced reasoning, software engineering and autonomous task execution capabilities. The global rollout, announced on October 13, extends access to developers and enterprises through the Gemini API, with the company positioning Argon as its most capable model for complex professional and scientific workloads. Google said the model […]

  • The MoU was signed at the LSCM Logistics Summit 2026 at Hong Kong Science Park
  • The two parties will collaborate on ICT infrastructure, AI, general computing, operating systems and cyber resilience

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 October 2026 – ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a global leading provider of integrated information and communication technology solutions, announced that its wholly owned subsidiary ZTE (Hong Kong) Limited (“ZTE Hong Kong”) and The Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (“LSCM”) today officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Hong Kong Science Park during the LSCM Logistics Summit 2026.

ZTE Hong Kong and LSCM Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Hong Kong's Digital and Intelligent Development

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives of both parties. Ir Prof Alan Lam, Chairman of the Board of Directors of LSCM, and Mr. Mei Zhonghua, Senior Vice President of ZTE, jointly witnessed the signing; Mr. Simon Wong, Chief Executive Officer of LSCM, and Ms. Wang Huan, Managing Director of ZTE Hong Kong Representative Office, signed the MoU on behalf of both parties..

In accordance with the principles of complementary strengths, equality and mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation, both parties reached a consensus on cooperation focusing on Hong Kong’s digital and intelligent development, enhancing e-government information services, and promoting the local application of secure and reliable diversified technologies in Hong Kong. They also agreed to jointly cultivate a digital and intelligent industry ecosystem suited to Hong Kong’s actual needs.

The Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM) was established in 2006 with funding from the Innovation and Technology Fund of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Since its establishment, LSCM has been committed to researching and developing various technologies that promote the development of industries related to logistics and supply chains, and to assisting industries across Hong Kong and mainland China in adopting relevant technologies.

ZTE (Hong Kong) Limited was incorporated in Hong Kong in 2000 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ZTE Corporation. ZTE Hong Kong has been deeply rooted in the Hong Kong market for many years, serving local operators over the long term. It has a strong localized service team and delivery capability, enabling it to respond quickly to customer needs, as well as full-stack locally developed products and IT application innovation solutions, which have been widely implemented. With a deep understanding of the Hong Kong market and rich project experience, ZTE Hong Kong has achieved breakthroughs and established a presence in key industries such as the public sector and finance, providing safe and reliable ICT solutions to customers across various industries. In the future, ZTE Hong Kong will continue to leverage its localized service advantages to support the digital transformation of industries in Hong Kong.

Under the MoU, cooperation between the two parties covers areas including ICT infrastructure, artificial intelligence, general computing, operating systems, and cybersecurity. Both parties will also actively promote technology and talent exchange, fully leverage their respective R&D strengths, comprehensively carry out joint innovation in areas such as general computing and artificial intelligence, and jointly develop and incubate a digital and intelligent ecosystem suited to Hong Kong. Focusing on the C86 next-generation computing platform, the two parties will carry out in-depth cooperation in areas such as locally developed computing infrastructure development and the digital transformation of government and enterprises, jointly promoting the high-quality development of industries in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

The signing of this MoU marks the official launch of the strategic cooperation between the two parties in promoting Hong Kong’s digital and intelligent development and the application of secure and reliable technologies. Both parties will take this opportunity to deepen cooperation and complement each other’s strengths, jointly contributing to Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development and enhancements in trusted public-sector digital capabilities.

Hashtag: #ZTE

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

Ransomware gangs are threatening employees’ families while deploying artificial intelligence in attacks on corporate systems, a global survey published on Wednesday found. Cybersecurity company Semperis said 37% of respondents who experienced intimidation reported threats against relatives or friends, while 84% of surveyed ransomware incidents involved attackers exploiting artificial intelligence. The findings underline how criminals are combining technical intrusions with personal pressure to extract payments. The 2026 Ransomware […]

An Arab expatriate was injured when debris from an intercepted Houthi ballistic missile struck a residential property and vehicle in Riyadh on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said. The General Directorate of Civil Defence confirmed that Saudi air defence systems intercepted and destroyed the missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia on October 14. Fragments subsequently fell in a residential area, causing limited material damage to a house […]

Meta has begun notifying approximately 1,500 people after attackers accessed its GitHub repositories using stolen employee credentials, obtaining software code and personal information belonging largely to employees in the United States. The company said notifications began on Tuesday, 13 October, several weeks after its security team discovered the intrusion. An outside group had used credentials stolen from an employee to enter repositories containing business information associated with […]

Artificial intelligence models could soon copy themselves across vulnerable internet-connected devices without human assistance, Anthropic has warned, raising concerns about a new category of decentralised cybersecurity threat. Research published on Monday by the company’s Frontier Red Team suggests smaller AI systems may acquire the capabilities needed for autonomous replication within months. Such systems could operate on ordinary consumer electronics rather than depend on expensive data-centre infrastructure, complicating […]

Companies generating at least $1 billion annually are more than twice as likely as smaller businesses to knowingly leave serious software vulnerabilities unpatched, a global cybersecurity survey released on Wednesday found. Research commissioned by software security company Chainguard showed that 66% of security leaders at businesses with revenue of $1 billion or more acknowledged leaving high or critical vulnerabilities unresolved at least sometimes. The corresponding figure was […]

By Nitya Chakraborty An analytical article recently published in The Wall Street Journal on the latest trends in Chinese economy has led to an intensive discussions among the think tank and the Communist Party leadership in China. Finally the official position is that China is happy to remain as a developing country as a part […]

The article China Refuses To Be Labelled As A Developed Country, It Is Happy As A Developing Nation appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Meta Platforms has launched its Muse Wonder artificial intelligence models, claiming performance comparable with leading systems from OpenAI and Anthropic, marking a significant advance in the company’s efforts to compete at the technological frontier. The company introduced Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full on October 12, describing them as its most capable models, designed for complex professional assignments, software development and autonomous digital assistants. Chief executive Mark […]

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