HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 August 2026 – The annual flagship event Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 (DELF 2026), organised by Cyberport, concluded successfully today. Under the theme “The Dreamatic Circus”, this year’s forum focused on key topics including artificial intelligence (AI), immersive technologies, IP economy development, and innovation in the cultural and creative industries. Over three consecutive days, the forum featured four themed experience zones — Digital Entertainment, Culture and Arts, Smart Living and Business, and Robotics and Drones — bringing together leaders and experts from technology, entertainment, culture and arts, education, and the creative industries to explore the latest trends and directions in empowering content creation, cultural preservation, and business applications through innovative technologies.

Building on the strong response on the first day, the second and third days focused on creative practice, technology experiences, and community engagement, presenting more than 35 innovative technology showcases, interactive experiences, and exciting activities. Highlights included the immersive interactive art exhibition of the Hong Kong original animation IP Another World, Nikopicto’s interactive phygital activation, Jin Technology Limited’s combat robots, and Genesis ONE’s AI- and 3D-powered fashion platform. The event also featured an Art-Tech Concert, AI game creator workshop, movie screenings, doujin event, and accessible esports experiences, enabling the public to experience first-hand the new possibilities that frontier technologies bring to entertainment, everyday life, and business applications, while showcasing the growth potential and opportunities created by the convergence of AI and digital entertainment.

Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, said, “Artificial intelligence is accelerating transformation across the entertainment and creative industries. It is not only changing the way content is created, but also creating new opportunities for cultural preservation, artistic expression, and industry development. DELF has long served as a cross-sector exchange platform, fostering collaboration among technology companies, creators, industry organisations, and talent to explore innovative application scenarios together. Cyberport will continue to actively promote the integration of AI and the creative industries, nurture I&T talent, and support start-up development, helping Hong Kong strengthen its position as an international innovation and technology centre.”

Spotlighting the Integration of AI Creation and Art-Tech

The second day of the forum centred on creative technology practices, showcasing the latest applications of AI in content creation, art, and entertainment through a series of interactive activities. The “Art-Tech Concert”, powered by the Hong Kong Innovative Technology Development Association, combined innovative technologies with live performance to demonstrate how digital tools can bring new forms of expression to music and the arts. The “Hong Kong AI Game Jam 2026 & Creator Workshop 2026”, powered by Honor U Ministry Ltd & Hong Kong Game Development Association, combined competition and learning, allowing participants to use AI tools for game development and inspiring creative thinking through hands-on challenges and guidance from industry experts. The event also featured the Accessible Gaming and Esports Experience powered by Hong Kong Blind Union.

Film and digital content creation were also key highlights. The event featured Cyberport Academy: DELF 2026 – AI Creative Micro-Academy, enabling the public to explore cutting-edge creative tools from leading brands and learn how to use generative AI and other frontier technologies for audiovisual storytelling, interactive game design, and other content creation. The forum also hosted a masterclass for the original animated film Another World, inviting Ms Polly Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of Gudo Inc., and Ms BeeWon Lee, CEO and producer of SuperString Inc, to share insights of reimagining “Another World” for a global webtoon audience.

In addition, popular programmes including XODIAC: Cosmic Code and Drone Cirque: A Circus in the Air attracted plenty of audience, combining performing arts, visual technology, and interactive entertainment in innovative formats and demonstrating new directions for technology-driven entertainment.

Bringing Together Culture, Education, and Community to Drive Innovation for All

On the final day, the forum further demonstrated the value of technology popularisation and cross-generational inclusion. Powered by Rotary Club of Smart Hong Kong, the “Elderly eSports Tournament & Experience Day” attracted senior participants to take part in various esports and interactive experience activities, showcasing the potential of digital entertainment in promoting social connection, intergenerational exchange, and lifelong learning, while further advancing gerontechnology development.

The event also hosted the “2nd Edition of Gen AI Student Social Challenge Award Ceremony and AI for Culture & IP Forum”, recognising young talent who applied generative AI to address social issues and promote cultural innovation. Industry experts were also invited to discuss how AI can empower the cultural sector and intellectual property development, opening up further possibilities for Hong Kong’s creative economy.

For the creator community, the “Creator Conflicts Doujin Exchange”, powered by Lifetime Memory, brought together illustrators, creators, and anime culture enthusiasts to promote creative exchange and collaboration, highlighting the vibrancy of Hong Kong’s original culture community.

For the movie programme, the event screened the local animation film To a Beautiful Time Gone By, selected works from companies shortlisted under the “Future Animation: 3rd AI-assisted animation production support scheme”, and selected works from the “2nd HKUST AI Film Festival Selected Projects”, including Tai Lung Fung – Full Throttle Kitchen, Tuen Min Vs. Tin Shui Wai, Cirkillation, Project J, In a Second, Where The Ink Stays, and Weaving, showcasing innovative achievements in video creation, animation production, and storytelling.

Three-Day Event Creates an Innovation Experience Platform for AI Entertainment

Throughout DELF 2026, more than 35 interactive experiences were presented, alongside 27 on-site workshops covering applications of AI and innovative technologies. Through the “Play to Earn” campaign, the public was encouraged to explore frontier technology applications while fully enjoying the fun of discovery.

The first day of the forum also facilitated a number of industry and academia collaboration outcomes. Cyberport signed memoranda of understanding with Alibaba Cloud, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Hong Kong Shue Yan University, covering areas including start-up incubation, AI applications, art-tech project research and development, and talent cultivation, further strengthening collaboration among industry, academia, and research sectors as well as the development of the technology ecosystem.

An “eVTOL Trial Flight Demo“ was also held at Cyberport Waterfront Park, showcasing the latest achievements in Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy and smart mobility. The demonstration attracted close to 1,000 visits and became another highlight of the forum.

Promoting Hong Kong as an International Hub for Digital Entertainment and AI Innovation

Through forum exchanges, creative showcases, technology demonstrations, and community activities, DELF 2026 successfully brought together the strengths of the technology, culture, arts, and entertainment sectors to explore the future development direction of the digital entertainment industry in the AI era.

Cyberport will continue to play its role as Hong Kong’s digital technology hub and AI accelerator, promoting the implementation and application of innovative technologies while nurturing a new generation of I&T and creative talent. Together with the industry, Cyberport will help open a new chapter for Hong Kong’s digital entertainment sector.

Please click here to download high-resolution press photos.

Photo 1 to 2: The three-day “2026 Cyberport Digital Entertainment Forum” concluded successfully, attracting over 4,000 participants in total.

Photo 3 to 4: “eVTOL Trial Flight Demo” conducted a flight demonstration at Cyberport Waterfront Park.

Photo 5 to 7: Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 showcased a wide range of immersive experience exhibitions and technology products, bringing rich digital entertainment experiences to the public.

Photo 8: The forum brought together more than 60 industry leaders and star speakers to share insights on the application of frontier technologies such as AI and innovation in the content creation industry.

Photo 9 to 11: DELF 2026 “Elderly eSports Tournament & Experience Day” invited Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Cheung Mingman, known as “the Patriotic Singer”, as GOH. Hundreds of senior attendees gathered on‑site to experience the fun of e‑sports.

Photo 12: Members of the public joined Cyberport Academy: DELF 2026 – AI Creative Micro-Academy to learn how to use AI and other frontier technologies to support content creation.

https://www.cyberport.hk/en

Hashtag: #Cyberport #DELF2026 #DigitalEntertainment

About Hong Kong Cyberport

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

More than 1200 home support workers are being left to worry about their jobs and their futures after Health New Zealand’s decision to cut contracts held by Visionwest, Lifewise and Presbyterian Support Northern in Auckland.

The PSA is calling on Health New Zealand to transfer their jobs to the new providers on the same terms and conditions.

“Health New Zealand must guarantee that every one of these workers, both frontline carers and the nurses and coordinators who support them, transfers to whoever takes over these contracts, on the same pay, terms and conditions,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary. “We will not hesitate to take legal action to ensure that this occurs.

“Right now these workers are extremely worried about their futures and Health New Zealand owes them an explanation and reassurance.”

The group which lost the contracts is made up of not-for-profit providers Visionwest, Lifewise and Presbyterian Support Northern. They recently made a collective bid for Health New Zealand contracts to continue providing home and community support services across Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitematā.

The organisations have each been providing home-based services to people who live alone, and currently support about 4500 older and disabled people in the region to live in their own homes.

“These workers have built special, trusted relationships with the older and disabled people they support, often over many years. Taking that away puts continuity of care, and the wellbeing of thousands of vulnerable New Zealanders, directly at risk.

“Health NZ says continuity of care is its priority. If that’s true, protecting the workforce that provides it is critical. The PSA calls on Health NZ to do the right thing by workers and the people they care for and comply with the clear provisions of Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act. We will not shy away from taking legal action to protect the interests of workers.”

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

Source: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

First in the Galaxy S26 line-up to launch with One UI 9, Galaxy S26 FE pairs advanced camera capabilities with the latest Galaxy AI

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – August 28, 2026 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced Galaxy S26 FE, the newest addition to the Galaxy S26 family and the first in the line-up to launch with One UI 9 — bringing the latest premium Galaxy experiences to more users from day one. With enhanced camera capabilities[1] and more context-aware Galaxy AI[2], it elevates how users capture, create and connect every day. Built around what users value most in a thin and light design, Galaxy S26 FE carries the iconic Galaxy S experience forward.

“Galaxy S26 FE is purposefully designed to deliver the signature strengths of the Galaxy S series, ensuring that every feature makes a meaningful difference in users’ daily lives,” said Jay Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience Office, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Packed with beloved Galaxy camera and AI experiences, backed by the latest One UI 9, Galaxy S26 FE comes to life as an ideal choice for those who know exactly what matters most to them.”

Sharper Capture, Effortless Editing

Galaxy S26 FE delivers a more capable camera experience[3] from capture to edit, with an enhanced triple rear camera and advanced image processing that help users capture and refine the moments that matter — whether shooting still scenes or fast-moving action.

• My FanCam,[4] first introduced on the latest Galaxy foldables, is now available on Galaxy S26 FE. It automatically tracks a selected person and keeps them centered, intelligently reframing video as the scene moves, so users can turn dynamic moments into social-ready content with less manual editing. * For video, Super Steady[5] with Horizontal Lock — a favourite among Galaxy S26 users — helps capture smoother, more level footage while filming fast-moving activities, travel moments and everyday scenes on the go. * Galaxy S26 FE supports 3x optical zoom, giving users more confidence when shooting from a distance. For selfies, an enhanced 12 MP front camera[6] captures more in every frame, making group shots easier to take. * Nightography a signature of the Galaxy S series, helps users capture bright and clear shots in low light, with detail preserved even in the most challenging scenes. [7], * Even after the moment has passed, Photo Assist[8] makes it easier to refine images using natural language prompts – turning day into night, adding new elements or restoring missing parts. Plus, edits can be reviewed step by step and revised or undone along the way. * With Gemini Omni[9], users can easily create and edit videos clips based on photo and videos from their Gallery, turning them into polished, ready-to-share videos.

AI Experiences, Always One Step Ahead

Powered by the latest One UI 9, Galaxy S26 FE brings a range of intuitive, context-aware Galaxy AI[10] experiences that make daily life easier by adapting to users’ routines to keep them informed and organised. It also handles everyday tasks faster and more seamlessly on user’s behalf.

• Updated Now Brief,[11] first introduced on the Galaxy S25 series, is even more personalised through customisable briefing cards like weather and wellness insights. Users can now create their own cards with a simple prompt, making Now Brief more relevant throughout the day. * Now Nudge[12] is expanded to select third-party apps and notifications, surfacing timely, relevant suggestions across more of the day — helping users turn insights into action and manage everyday routines with less friction.
• Circle to Search with Google[13] now allows users to search for multiple items in an image at once, making it easier to identify products, places, objects and more in a single step.

Built to Keep Up Throughout the Day

Galaxy S26 FE brings meaningful upgrades to the everyday essentials users rely on most — including a long-lasting battery and a bright display built for work, entertainment and creativity from morning to night.

• A long-lasting 4,900 mAh battery[14] keeps users going while maintaining the slim and refined design of the Galaxy S26 line-up. With 45W fast charging,[15] users can power up quickly and stay connected for longer. * A 6.7-inch[16] AMOLED display with up to 120 Hz refresh rate provides smooth, immersive visuals with brightness, resolution and clarity for streaming, gaming, browsing and creative work.

Users choosing Galaxy S26 FE as their next device will feel the power of the Galaxy experience from day one. An improved Smart Switch helps users get set up more easily, making the move to Galaxy feel like a warm welcome. Meanwhile, long-term software updates and Samsung Care+ provide added confidence over time.

• Upgraded Smart Switch[17] makes moving to Galaxy easier than ever. Whether switching from an Android or iOS device, users can scan a QR code to wirelessly transfer data – from passwords and passkeys to call history, accessibility settings and eSIM data — with no extra apps and less setup time. * Galaxy S26 FE is built to last, with up to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates,[18] allowing users to enjoy the latest features with confidence for years to come. * For added peace of mind, Samsung Care+[19] offers comprehensive coverage optimised to users’ needs, including tailored benefits that protect the value of the device. With One UI 9, the new Warranty and care settings hub also makes it easy to enroll in, access and manage Samsung Care+, along with other device care support. * A 6-month free trial of Google AI Pro[20] will bring expanded AI capabilities and 5 TB of cloud storage valued at USD 19.99 per month.

Together, these enhancements deliver the Galaxy experiences users rely on every day in one thoughtfully crafted device.

Availability

Galaxy S26 FE will be available starting Sept. 4 in select markets in three colours: Blueberry, Graphite and Pistachio.[21]

For more information on Galaxy S26 FE, please visit: Samsung”>https://news.samsung.com/global/”>Samsung Newsroom, Samsung”>https://www.samsungmobilepress.com/”>Samsung Mobile Press or Samsung.com”>https://www.samsung.com/nz/”>Samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com”>https://news.samsung.com/global/”>news.samsung.com .

Specifications

Specification	Galaxy S26 FE
Display	6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display 120 Hz refresh rate (60/120Hz) 1,900 nits
Dimensions & Weight	161.6 x 76.9 x 7.4, 193g
Camera	12 MP Ultra-Wide Camera F2.2, FOV 123˚ 50 MP Wide Camera OIS F1.8, FOV 84˚ 8 MP Telephoto Camera 3x Optical Zoom, Up to 30x Digital Zoom, OIS F2.4, FOV 32˚ 12 MP Front Camera F2.2, FOV 85˚
Processor	Exynos 2500 (3nm AP)
Memory & Storage	8 + 128 GB 8 + 256 GB 8 + 512 GB * Storage options and availability may vary by carrier, country or region. Actual storage availability may vary depending on pre-installed software.
Battery	4,900 mAh *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory conditions. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4,755mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
Charging	45 W wired charging*: 15 W Fast Wireless Charging *** Wireless PowerShare**** *Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFCPD. **45 W Power Adapter sold separately. Use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables. ***Wireless charging compatible with WPC. ****Limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8, S26 series, Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, S25 edge, S25 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip6, S24 series, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, S23 series, Z Fold4, Z Flip4, S22 series, Z Fold3, Z Flip3, S21 series, Z Fold2, Note20 Ultra, Note20, S20 series, Z Flip 5G, Z Flip, Note10+, Note10, S10 5G, S10+, S10, S10e, S10 Lite, Fold, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S8 Active, S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 Active, S6 edge+, Note9, Note8, Note FE and Note5. Only available with certain Samsung Galaxy wearables such as Galaxy Buds3, Buds3 Pro, Buds FE, Buds2 Pro, Buds2, Buds Pro, Buds Live, Galaxy Watch Ultra, Watch6, Watch5, Watch 5 Pro, Watch4, Watch4 Classic, Watch3, Watch Active2, Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds. If battery power is lower than 30% Wireless PowerShare may not function. May not work with certain accessories, covers, other brand devices or some Samsung wearables. During PowerShare, it may affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment.
OS	Android 17 One UI 9
Network and Connectivity	5G,* LTE,**, Wi-Fi 6E,*** Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth® v 5.4 *Requires optimal 5G network connection, available in select markets. Check with your carrier for availability and details. Download and streaming speeds may vary based on content provider, server connection and other factors. **Availability of LTE model varies by market and carrier. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *** Wi-Fi 6E network availability may vary by market, network provider and user environment. Requires optimal connection. Will require a Wi-Fi 6E router.
Water Resistance	IP68* * Water and dust resistant based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Rinse residue/dry after wet. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water and dust resistance of your device is not permanent and may diminish over time. Water and dust resistance may also diminish over time because of normal wear and tear.
Colours	Blueberry, Graphite, Pistachio* *Availability of colour may vary by market, region or carrier.

Notes

1. Compared to S25FE
2. Compared to S25FE models on One UI 8.5
3. Compared to Galaxy S25 FE.
4. My FanCam feature requires a Samsung Account login. Availability may
5. Super Steady results may vary depending on editing method and/or
6. Compared to Galaxy S25 FE. (FOV 80˚)
7. Compared to Galaxy S25 FE. Results may vary depending on light
8. Photo Assist may require a network connection and Samsung Account
9. Gemini Omni requires an eligible Google AI Pro subscription. Galaxy
10. Samsung Account login may be required to use certain AI features.
11. Now Brief feature requires Samsung Account login. Available
12. Now Nudge feature requires a Samsung Account login. Available
13. Circle to Search is a trademark of Google LLC. Available on select
14. Typical value tested under third-party laboratory conditions.
15. Galaxy S26 FE supports up to 45W wired charging. 45W power adapter
16. Measured diagonally, Galaxy S26 FE’s screen is 6.7 inches in the
17. Wired transfers from Android(tm) devices require the receiving
18. Galaxy S26 FE will support seven generations of OS upgrades and
19. Terms and conditions apply. Samsung Care+ coverage, service type
20. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Terms apply. By subscribing,
21. Colour availability may vary depending on country or carrier.

BINZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – China Hongqiao Group Limited (China Hongqiao), a globally leading aluminum enterprise, has recently been honored with the Circular Economy Leadership Award at the 2026 Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards held in Singapore. The award recognizes the company’s outstanding contributions to the development of recycled aluminum. Organized by Enterprise Asia, the award marks the third consecutive year that China Hongqiao has received this honor, underscoring international recognition of its long-standing commitment to green manufacturing and the circular economy.

As one of the global leaders in the aluminum industry, China Hongqiao has placed sustainability at the heart of its corporate strategy. The company has actively aligned itself with China’s “3060” dual carbon goals and pioneered its “25·55” Climate Action Target, pledging to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2055. To realize this vision, the company has been driving a comprehensive green transformation across its entire value chain, spanning clean energy substitution, efficient resource utilization, low-carbon technology development, and process reengineering.

Notably, China Hongqiao has built a closed-loop industrial chain encompassing mining, alumina refining, primary aluminum production, deep-processing and advanced materials, and recycled aluminum. By expanding its recycled aluminum business, the company has not only significantly reduced its reliance on raw material extraction but also achieved substantial cuts in energy consumption and carbon emissions. Data shows that, compared with conventional electrolytic aluminum production, recycled aluminum can reduce energy consumption by nearly 95% and cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 85%, delivering significant environmental benefits and offering a model for the industry.

Hashtag: #Binzhou

Source: Aged Care Association

The Aged Care Association says recent Health New Zealand contracting decisions affecting established home and community support providers raise a much bigger question about how New Zealand intends to deliver the significant expansion of in-home aged care that will be needed in the years ahead.

Aged Care Association Chief Executive Hon Tracey Martin says New Zealand needs to increase the capacity of its aged care system, not risk reducing it.

“If we want substantially more older New Zealanders to remain safely and independently in their own homes, we are going to need more care capacity, more workforce and more choice, not less.

“At a time when the care workforce is already under significant pressure, we should be very cautious about a commissioning model where a procurement decision can remove established providers, experienced workers, community relationships and service infrastructure from the system.

“Those things have taken years to build. If that capability disappears and we subsequently discover we need it again, it cannot simply be recreated overnight.”

Martin says the Association is also concerned about the prospect of long-term contracting arrangements being put in place while the Government is considering significant reform of aged care following the Ministerial Advisory Group report, A Place to Grow Old: Securing the Future of Aged Care.

“The Ministerial Advisory Group has recommended a significant expansion of care and support in people’s homes. The Government has yet to determine its response to those recommendations.

“We therefore need to be very careful about locking in commissioning arrangements for many years that could constrain the choices available to government, providers and, most importantly, older New Zealanders as that new system is developed.

“This is not an argument that every existing provider has an automatic right to a government contract. It is a question about whether limiting publicly funded care to a relatively small number of contracted providers is the best way to build the capacity, workforce and choice New Zealand is going to need.”

The Aged Care Association has been advocating for a different approach.

Under the Association’s proposed model, government would assess what care and support an individual needs and determine the publicly funded entitlement available to them.

Providers wanting to deliver that care would have to meet robust national certification, quality, safety and audit requirements. Once certified, however, they would be able to provide publicly funded services to eligible older New Zealanders, rather than having to win a regional contract before they could participate.

Funding would follow the person and their assessed level of need, with the provider invoicing the responsible government agency directly for the approved services delivered.

Martin says this would give older people genuine choice about who enters their home and provides what can be very personal care.

“Government should set the standards, determine eligibility and fund the care appropriately. Providers should have to demonstrate that they meet those standards. But once those safeguards are in place, why shouldn’t an older New Zealander be able to choose the certified provider they know, trust and want providing their care?

“Choice also creates an incentive for providers to maintain quality. If people can choose between certified providers, providers have to earn and retain their trust through the quality, reliability and professionalism of the services they deliver.”

Martin says opening the system to certified providers would also allow a wider range of organisations, including aged residential care providers, to contribute to meeting increasing demand for support at home.

“We already have aged care providers throughout New Zealand with clinical expertise, trained workforces, infrastructure and deep relationships within their communities. Where they can meet the required standards, we should be asking how we enable that capacity to support older people at home, rather than designing a system that restricts who can participate.

“The challenge facing New Zealand is not that we are going to have too much aged care capacity. Everything we know about our ageing population tells us the opposite.

“If the policy objective is to support more older New Zealanders at home for longer, then we need a strong, diverse and sustainable network of providers capable of delivering that care.

“The question should not simply be who wins the next contract. The question is whether the contracting model itself will deliver the aged care system New Zealand is going to need.

“We have an opportunity through the Government’s response to the Ministerial Advisory Group to redesign this properly: assess what a person needs, fund that care appropriately, certify providers against strong national standards, and then give older New Zealanders genuine choice over who they trust to provide their care.

“For something as personal as care in your own home, that choice matters.”

Opening in September within one of Selangor’s most ambitious developments, ASAI Gamuda Cove brings together 280 rooms, locally inspired dining, and easy access to wetlands and waterpark attractions in a well-connected destination near Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Sepang International Circuit

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – Dusit Hotels and Resorts, the hotel arm of Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is set to introduce its locally focused, affordable lifestyle brand, ASAI Hotels, to Malaysia, with the opening of ASAI Gamuda Cove.

Scheduled to welcome its first guests on 15 September 2026, the 13-storey hotel is located within the 1,530-acre Gamuda Cove township, approximately 20 minutes by car from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The largest ASAI property to date, it is also Dusit’s second hotel in Malaysia, following Dusit Princess Melaka, and the first ASAI hotel to open outside a city neighbourhood. It joins the brand’s three established properties in Bangkok and Kyoto.

Embodying the ASAI Hotels slogan, Live Local, the hotel places some of Selangor’s most distinctive nature experiences right on guests’ doorstep. It sits beside the 1,111-acre Paya Indah Discovery Wetlands, a nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary where visitors can observe native wildlife and explore a rare freshwater wetland landscape. Alongside it, the 90-acre Wetlands Arboretum serves as a living tree museum, with walking routes, birdwatching, and environmental learning activities offering further opportunities to experience the area’s biodiversity at close range.

Also nearby is the family-friendly SplashMania Waterpark, home to 39 slides and attractions, as well as Discovery Park, an outdoor recreation and entertainment hub offering activities for families and adventure seekers. An electric tram network connects key destinations across the township, allowing guests to move easily between its nature, recreation, and commercial areas without relying on private vehicles.

Across 280 thoughtfully planned rooms, ASAI Gamuda Cove’s design focuses on comfort, efficient use of space, and flexibility. Options range from compact rooms for solo travellers and couples to balcony rooms, bunk-bed configurations, and a two-room family category sleeping up to six guests. Selected rooms look towards the wetlands, while all include fast Wi-Fi, smart televisions, walk-in showers, and practical storage.

Beyond the guest rooms, the hotel features an infinity pool overlooking the wetlands, a gym, co-working areas, flexible meeting and event spaces accommodating up to 100 people, and three dining venues centred on Malaysian flavours, complemented by Thai and international dishes.

The all-day dining restaurant Nasi & Khao draws on the comfort-food traditions shared by Malaysia and Thailand, bringing Malaysian classics, vibrant Thai flavours, and familiar Western dishes together in a relaxed setting. Tea Shop provides a warm, community-focused space for curated teas and light bites from morning until late, while the Pool Bar pairs handcrafted cocktails, refreshments, and snacks with views across the infinity pool and Paya Indah Discovery Wetlands.

The hotel will also place guests approximately 20 minutes by car from Sepang International Circuit, where Formula 1 will return for the first time since 2017 with the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, taking place from 2–4 October 2026.

“ASAI Gamuda Cove shows how our Live Local approach can work in a setting where nature, recreation, and a growing community come together,” said Mr Chanin Donavanik, Group CEO, Dusit International. “It will give travellers a comfortable and practical base, provide local residents with new places to meet and dine, and put the wetlands and the wider township within easy reach. Opening just ahead of Formula 1’s return gives us an excellent opportunity to demonstrate what ASAI offers to visitors from Malaysia and around the world. And the hotel’s role will extend well beyond the race weekend: we want every stay to help guests experience more of the area and connect with the people who call it home.”

ASAI Hotels was created for travellers who value well-designed essentials, accessible rates, and a closer connection to the places they visit. Each property combines compact, functional rooms with social, dining, and co-working spaces shaped by its location. ASAI Gamuda Cove will become the brand’s fourth operating hotel, joining ASAI Bangkok Chinatown and ASAI Bangkok Sathorn in Thailand, and ASAI Kyoto Shijo in Japan.

ASAI’s Malaysian debut will also mark the latest step in Dusit’s expansion in the country, following the opening of Dusit Princess Melaka in December 2024. The company’s presence in Malaysia is set to grow further in October 2026 with the opening of Dusit Princess Ipoh, details of which will be announced soon.

For more information, please visit dusit.com/asai-gamuda-cove.

Hashtag: #Dusit

About Dusit Hotels and Resorts

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Apical, through its operating unit PT Kutai Refinery Nusantara (KRN), recently organised a nutritious menu creation competition for children under five in Kariangau Village, West Balikpapan District, East Kalimantan. The event was held in collaboration with the Kariangau Community Health Centre, Kariangau Village Family Welfare Empowerment Team (TP-PKK), Posyandu health volunteers and mothers of young children, with a total of 58 participants taking part.

Community health volunteers and mothers of young children were invited to prepare healthy, nutritious and protein-rich dishes using simple, readily available ingredients. Beyond the competition, the activity also aimed to demonstrate that nutritious meals for young children can be prepared simply and affordably at home. Prior to the competition, participants attended a practical briefing on balanced nutrition and the preparation of nutritious supplementary feeding meal menus for young children. The session was led by Dr. Emy Pramita Utami, Sp.GK, a clinical nutrition specialist at Beriman Hospital in Balikpapan.

PT Kutai Refinery Nusantara General Affairs Manager Randy Suwenli said the competition provided a shared learning opportunity for Posyandu health volunteers and mothers to learn from one another and exchange ideas on preparing healthy meals that can be easily replicated at home.

“What matters is helping families understand their children’s nutritional needs and enabling them to prepare meals using ingredients that are readily available. The dishes prepared by the participants show that simple efforts and creativity can support toddlers’ healthy growth and development,” Randy said.

Dr. Nur Ayu Hasanah, Head of the Kariangau Community Health Centre, said she hoped the activity would encourage more families to adopt healthy feeding practices for young children at home.

“With the right understanding of nutrition, readily available everyday ingredients can be prepared as balanced and nutritious supplementary foods that support toddlers’ growth and development,” she said.

The activity also reinforces Apical’s commitment to supporting efforts to reduce stunting in communities surrounding its operations. Since 2023, Apical has implemented the SEHATI programme, short for “Satu Hari Satu Telur Cegah Balita Stunting” (“One Egg a Day to Prevent Stunting in Toddlers”), through nutrition awareness activities, training and the provision of supplementary food for toddlers who are suspected of or at risk of stunting.

Through SEHATI and other community initiatives, Apical continues to strengthen its contribution to the communities surrounding its operations. These efforts are aligned with the company’s 5Cs philosophy of doing what is good for the community, country, climate and customers, and then only will it be good for the company. By working closely with health workers, local government, Posyandu health volunteers and mothers of young children, Apical, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, aims to encourage simple yet meaningful changes in everyday nutrition practices and contribute to improved child health and development in Kariangau.
https://www.apicalgroup.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/apical-group

Hashtag: #RGE #Apical #community #stunting #nutrition #health

About Apical

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 August 2026 – The annual flagship event Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 (DELF 2026), organised by Cyberport, concluded successfully today. Under the theme “The Dreamatic Circus”, this year’s forum focused on key topics including artificial intelligence (AI), immersive technologies, IP economy development, and innovation in the cultural and creative industries. Over three consecutive days, the forum featured four themed experience zones — Digital Entertainment, Culture and Arts, Smart Living and Business, and Robotics and Drones — bringing together leaders and experts from technology, entertainment, culture and arts, education, and the creative industries to explore the latest trends and directions in empowering content creation, cultural preservation, and business applications through innovative technologies.

Building on the strong response on the first day, the second and third days focused on creative practice, technology experiences, and community engagement, presenting more than 35 innovative technology showcases, interactive experiences, and exciting activities. Highlights included the immersive interactive art exhibition of the Hong Kong original animation IP Another World, Nikopicto’s interactive phygital activation, Jin Technology Limited’s combat robots, and Genesis ONE’s AI- and 3D-powered fashion platform. The event also featured an Art-Tech Concert, AI game creator workshop, movie screenings, doujin event, and accessible esports experiences, enabling the public to experience first-hand the new possibilities that frontier technologies bring to entertainment, everyday life, and business applications, while showcasing the growth potential and opportunities created by the convergence of AI and digital entertainment.

Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, said, “Artificial intelligence is accelerating transformation across the entertainment and creative industries. It is not only changing the way content is created, but also creating new opportunities for cultural preservation, artistic expression, and industry development. DELF has long served as a cross-sector exchange platform, fostering collaboration among technology companies, creators, industry organisations, and talent to explore innovative application scenarios together. Cyberport will continue to actively promote the integration of AI and the creative industries, nurture I&T talent, and support start-up development, helping Hong Kong strengthen its position as an international innovation and technology centre.”

Spotlighting the Integration of AI Creation and Art-Tech

The second day of the forum centred on creative technology practices, showcasing the latest applications of AI in content creation, art, and entertainment through a series of interactive activities. The “Art-Tech Concert”, powered by the Hong Kong Innovative Technology Development Association, combined innovative technologies with live performance to demonstrate how digital tools can bring new forms of expression to music and the arts. The “Hong Kong AI Game Jam 2026 & Creator Workshop 2026”, powered by Honor U Ministry Ltd & Hong Kong Game Development Association, combined competition and learning, allowing participants to use AI tools for game development and inspiring creative thinking through hands-on challenges and guidance from industry experts. The event also featured the Accessible Gaming and Esports Experience powered by Hong Kong Blind Union.

Film and digital content creation were also key highlights. The event featured Cyberport Academy: DELF 2026 – AI Creative Micro-Academy, enabling the public to explore cutting-edge creative tools from leading brands and learn how to use generative AI and other frontier technologies for audiovisual storytelling, interactive game design, and other content creation. The forum also hosted a masterclass for the original animated film Another World, inviting Ms Polly Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of Gudo Inc., and Ms BeeWon Lee, CEO and producer of SuperString Inc, to share insights of reimagining “Another World” for a global webtoon audience.

In addition, popular programmes including XODIAC: Cosmic Code and Drone Cirque: A Circus in the Air attracted plenty of audience, combining performing arts, visual technology, and interactive entertainment in innovative formats and demonstrating new directions for technology-driven entertainment.

Bringing Together Culture, Education, and Community to Drive Innovation for All

On the final day, the forum further demonstrated the value of technology popularisation and cross-generational inclusion. Powered by Rotary Club of Smart Hong Kong, the “Elderly eSports Tournament & Experience Day” attracted senior participants to take part in various esports and interactive experience activities, showcasing the potential of digital entertainment in promoting social connection, intergenerational exchange, and lifelong learning, while further advancing gerontechnology development.

The event also hosted the “2nd Edition of Gen AI Student Social Challenge Award Ceremony and AI for Culture & IP Forum”, recognising young talent who applied generative AI to address social issues and promote cultural innovation. Industry experts were also invited to discuss how AI can empower the cultural sector and intellectual property development, opening up further possibilities for Hong Kong’s creative economy.

For the creator community, the “Creator Conflicts Doujin Exchange”, powered by Lifetime Memory, brought together illustrators, creators, and anime culture enthusiasts to promote creative exchange and collaboration, highlighting the vibrancy of Hong Kong’s original culture community.

For the movie programme, the event screened the local animation film To a Beautiful Time Gone By, selected works from companies shortlisted under the “Future Animation: 3rd AI-assisted animation production support scheme”, and selected works from the “2nd HKUST AI Film Festival Selected Projects”, including Tai Lung Fung – Full Throttle Kitchen, Tuen Min Vs. Tin Shui Wai, Cirkillation, Project J, In a Second, Where The Ink Stays, and Weaving, showcasing innovative achievements in video creation, animation production, and storytelling.

Three-Day Event Creates an Innovation Experience Platform for AI Entertainment

Throughout DELF 2026, more than 35 interactive experiences were presented, alongside 27 on-site workshops covering applications of AI and innovative technologies. Through the “Play to Earn” campaign, the public was encouraged to explore frontier technology applications while fully enjoying the fun of discovery.

The first day of the forum also facilitated a number of industry and academia collaboration outcomes. Cyberport signed memoranda of understanding with Alibaba Cloud, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Hong Kong Shue Yan University, covering areas including start-up incubation, AI applications, art-tech project research and development, and talent cultivation, further strengthening collaboration among industry, academia, and research sectors as well as the development of the technology ecosystem.

An “eVTOL Trial Flight Demo“ was also held at Cyberport Waterfront Park, showcasing the latest achievements in Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy and smart mobility. The demonstration attracted close to 1,000 visits and became another highlight of the forum.

Promoting Hong Kong as an International Hub for Digital Entertainment and AI Innovation

Through forum exchanges, creative showcases, technology demonstrations, and community activities, DELF 2026 successfully brought together the strengths of the technology, culture, arts, and entertainment sectors to explore the future development direction of the digital entertainment industry in the AI era.

Cyberport will continue to play its role as Hong Kong’s digital technology hub and AI accelerator, promoting the implementation and application of innovative technologies while nurturing a new generation of I&T and creative talent. Together with the industry, Cyberport will help open a new chapter for Hong Kong’s digital entertainment sector.

Please click here to download high-resolution press photos.

Photo 1 to 2: The three-day “2026 Cyberport Digital Entertainment Forum” concluded successfully, attracting over 4,000 participants in total.

Photo 3 to 4: “eVTOL Trial Flight Demo” conducted a flight demonstration at Cyberport Waterfront Park.

Photo 5 to 7: Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 showcased a wide range of immersive experience exhibitions and technology products, bringing rich digital entertainment experiences to the public.

Photo 8: The forum brought together more than 60 industry leaders and star speakers to share insights on the application of frontier technologies such as AI and innovation in the content creation industry.

Photo 9 to 11: DELF 2026 “Elderly eSports Tournament & Experience Day” invited Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Cheung Mingman, known as “the Patriotic Singer”, as GOH. Hundreds of senior attendees gathered on‑site to experience the fun of e‑sports.

Photo 12: Members of the public joined Cyberport Academy: DELF 2026 – AI Creative Micro-Academy to learn how to use AI and other frontier technologies to support content creation.

https://www.cyberport.hk/en

Hashtag: #Cyberport #DELF2026 #DigitalEntertainment

About Hong Kong Cyberport

Forest City SFZ sets out who may qualify for its 5% special corporate tax rate, how the separate Malaysia Digital tax incentive works, and which activities and conditions apply to each scheme.

JOHOR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 August 2026 – Forest City has, over the past decade, built a recognised track record in green-building and sustainability credentials. Since the Malaysian Government announced the Forest City Special Financial Zone (“SFZ”) incentive package on 20 September 2024, the development has added a financial-services and digital-economy dimension. The Forest City Special Financial Zone (“FC-SFZ”) Tax Incentive offers a 5% special corporate tax rate for 10 consecutive years of assessment, extendable for a second 10-year period, to eligible companies undertaking qualifying fintech, Financial Global Business Services (“FGBS”) or Foreign Payment System Operator (“FPSO”) activities in Pulau 1, Forest City. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (“MDEC”) is the appointed government agency to process applications, which are assessed by the National Committee on Investment (“NCI”).

The FC-SFZ Tax Incentive is separate from Malaysia Digital (“MD”) Status and the MD Tax Incentive. A company does not need MD Status to qualify for the FC-SFZ Tax Incentive. Under MDEC’s current rules, an FC-SFZ applicant must also not have been granted another tax incentive for the same qualifying activity. Eligible MD Status companies may separately apply for the MD Tax Incentive, subject to the applicable criteria and approval process.

Key Incentives at a Glance

Forest City’s first decade was defined in part by its green-building and sustainability record. Forest City reports nearly 40 international awards and certifications as at August 2026, including LEED for Core and Shell (“LEED-CS”) Gold pre-certification and GreenRE Gold ratings. On 20 September 2024, the Malaysian Government announced the Forest City SFZ incentive package, adding a financial-services and digital-economy dimension to the development.

The current incentive landscape has four main components:

• Forest City SFZ corporate tax rate: Eligible companies undertaking qualifying fintech, FGBS or FPSO activities in Pulau 1 may receive a 5% special corporate tax rate for 10 consecutive years of assessment, extendable for a second 10-year period, subject to approval and continued compliance. The qualifying activity must use at least one promoted technology enabler specified by MDEC.
• Single Family Office (“SFO”) Scheme: A qualifying Single Family Office Vehicle (“SFOV”) may receive a 0% tax rate on chargeable income from its qualifying holding and investment activities for an initial 10 years, with a possible extension for a further 10 years, subject to the Securities Commission Malaysia (“SC”) requirements.
• Knowledge workers: Eligible knowledge workers working within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (“JS-SEZ”), which includes Forest City as a designated flagship area, may qualify for a special 15% personal income tax rate for 10 years, subject to the applicable conditions.
• Malaysia Digital tax incentive: This is a separate national incentive administered by MDEC. For New Investment, eligible companies may choose between a reduced tax rate — 0% on qualifying intellectual-property (“IP”) income, subject to the modified nexus approach, and 5% or 10% on qualifying non-IP income for up to 10 years — or an Investment Tax Allowance (“ITA”) of 60% or 100% of qualifying capital expenditure for up to five years. Different rates apply to the Expansion Incentive. Applications are open until 31 December 2027.

Taken together, these measures position Forest City SFZ as a potential regional base for qualifying financial-services and technology-enabled businesses assessing Malaysia’s tax framework, proximity to Singapore and access to ASEAN markets. However, the schemes are separate and should not be treated as automatically cumulative.

Forest City Tax Framework for Fintech and Technology-Enabled Financial Services

The FC-SFZ Tax Incentive is not a blanket 100% tax exemption for fintech, AI or technology companies. It is a 5% special corporate tax rate for qualifying activities under the FC-SFZ framework. MDEC is the appointed agency to process applications, while applications are assessed by the NCI.

The 5% rate applies to qualifying fintech activities, FGBS and FPSO activities carried out in Pulau 1, Forest City. The qualifying activity must utilise at least one promoted technology enabler: artificial intelligence (“AI”) or big data analytics (“BDA”); Internet of Things (“IoT”); cybersecurity; cloud; blockchain; creative media technology, including extended reality (“XR”) or mixed reality (“MR”); robotics or automation; or advanced network connectivity or telecommunications technology. Eligibility is not automatic based on location alone; companies must also satisfy the applicable corporate, activity, substance, regulatory and compliance conditions.

The “up to 100%” figure sometimes cited in relation to Malaysia Digital refers to the ITA available under the MD New Investment Incentive. It is an allowance on qualifying capital expenditure, not a 100% income tax holiday. The MD Tax Incentive is also separate from the FC-SFZ Tax Incentive and should not be assumed to stack with it for the same qualifying activity.

Comparison table:

Scheme	What it covers	Headline rate / benefit	Authority & key note
Forest City SFZ — fintech / FGBS / FPSO incentive	Qualifying fintech, FGBS and FPSO activities in Pulau 1 using at least one promoted technology enabler	5% special corporate tax rate for 10 consecutive years of assessment; extendable for a second 10-year period	MDEC processes applications; NCI assessment. Applications open 1 Sep 2024–31 Dec 2034.
Forest City SFZ — Single Family Office	Qualifying SFOV holding and investment activities	0% tax rate for an initial 10 years; possible extension for a further 10 years	Securities Commission Malaysia; SFO tax rules gazetted on 3 Oct 2025.
JS-SEZ — eligible knowledge workers	Eligible knowledge workers working within the JS-SEZ, including qualifying roles in Forest City	15% personal income tax rate for 10 years	Ministry of Finance / JS-SEZ incentive package; subject to eligibility conditions.
Malaysia Digital Tax Incentive — New Investment	Eligible MD Status companies undertaking qualifying Malaysia Digital Activities	0% on qualifying IP income and 5% or 10% on qualifying non-IP income for up to 10 years; OR 60% or 100% ITA for up to 5 years	MDEC; MD Status required before tax-incentive application. Applications open until 31 Dec 2027.
Malaysia Digital Tax Incentive — Expansion	Eligible MD/MSC Malaysia Status companies undertaking qualifying new or expansion activities	15% reduced tax rate for up to 5 years; OR 30% or 60% ITA for up to 5 years	MDEC; subject to the Expansion Incentive criteria. Applications open until 31 Dec 2027.
Malaysia standard corporate rate	Companies not qualifying for a lower or special rate	24% headline corporate income tax rate	Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN); lower tiered rates may apply to qualifying SMEs.

For accurate and current policy information, companies should refer directly to official sources, including:

Malaysia Digital Status and Tax Incentive: A Separate National Framework

MD Status is granted nationally by MDEC. An MD Status company may then be eligible to apply separately for the MD Tax Incentive, subject to the relevant criteria. Under MDEC’s current framework, qualifying Malaysia Digital Activities comprise the research, development or commercialisation of solutions, or the provision of services, using promoted technology enablers such as AI or BDA, IoT, cybersecurity, cloud, blockchain, drone technology, creative media technology, integrated-circuit design with embedded software, robotics or automation, and advanced network connectivity or telecommunications technology.

Under the current MD Tax Incentive, the available options differ between New Investment and Expansion:

• New Investment: A 0% reduced tax rate on qualifying IP income, subject to the modified nexus approach, and a 5% or 10% reduced tax rate on qualifying non-IP income, for up to 10 years; or an ITA of 60% or 100% of qualifying capital expenditure against up to 100% of statutory income, for up to five years.
• Expansion: A 15% reduced tax rate on qualifying IP income, subject to the modified nexus approach, and non-IP income, for up to five years; or an ITA of 30% or 60% of qualifying capital expenditure against up to 100% of statutory income, for up to five years.

The “100%” figure therefore refers to the ITA rate under the New Investment Incentive. It does not mean that all company income is tax-free.

The MD Tax Incentive is open for applications until 31 December 2027. A company must first obtain MD Status before submitting an application for the MD Tax Incentive.

MD Status also provides access to non-tax benefits under the MD Bill of Guarantees, including the ability to apply for foreign knowledge-worker quotas and passes, subject to the relevant immigration requirements. MDEC’s Expats Service Centre administers the related Foreign Knowledge Worker processes for eligible companies.

Eligibility Summary: Entities, Sectors and Permitted Activities

Forest City SFZ 5% rate

• Activity-based: Qualifying services are limited to fintech-related activities, FGBS and FPSO activities.
• Technology condition: The qualifying activity must utilise at least one promoted technology enabler specified by MDEC, including AI or BDA, IoT, cybersecurity, cloud, blockchain, creative media technology, robotics or automation, or advanced network connectivity or telecommunications technology.
• Location condition: The qualifying activity must be carried out in Pulau 1, Forest City.
• Substance and compliance conditions: Approved companies must meet the conditions set out in their approval letter, including commitments relating to full-time employees, knowledge workers, annual operating expenditure, ESG requirements, relevant regulatory approvals or licences, and annual compliance reporting verified by an independent auditor.

Malaysia Digital (MD) Status and MD Tax Incentive

• Activity-based: MD eligibility is tied to Malaysia Digital Activities that use the promoted technology enablers specified by MDEC. Merely operating an AI, cloud, fintech or digital business does not automatically confer tax-incentive eligibility.
• Status and tax-incentive process: MD Status is granted by MDEC. The MD Tax Incentive is a separate application available to eligible MD or MSC Malaysia Status companies, depending on the relevant incentive category.
• Geographic scope: MD Status is a national programme and does not require a company to be located in Forest City.
• No automatic stacking: MDEC states that an FC-SFZ Tax Incentive applicant must not already have been granted a tax incentive for the same qualifying activity. MDEC also confirms that MD Status is not required to apply for the FC-SFZ Tax Incentive.

Accordingly, companies should assess the FC-SFZ and MD frameworks separately. Any proposed structure involving different activities, income streams or incentive programmes should be verified with MDEC and qualified tax advisers before any combined tax outcome is assumed.

Strategic Rationale: Proximity, Talent Incentives and Regional Access

Forest City’s location proposition is based on three interlocking factors: proximity to Singapore, targeted talent incentives and early investor interest.

• Proximity as operational leverage: Forest City lies approximately 2 km from Singapore at its nearest point, placing qualifying operations close to one of Asia’s major financial and technology hubs. The Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in central Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore. MRT Corp has stated that service is targeted to commence on 31 December 2026. The RTS Link does not serve Forest City directly, so onward road transport between Forest City and central Johor Bahru will still be required.
• Talent as a bundled enabler: Eligible knowledge workers in the JS-SEZ may qualify for a special 15% personal income tax rate for 10 years, while eligible MD Status companies may apply for foreign knowledge-worker quotas and passes through MDEC’s expatriate facilitation framework. These are separate benefits with their own eligibility and approval requirements.

By June 2026, Invest Johor reported that the Forest City SFZ had recorded 260 cumulative investor enquiries through the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre-Johor, against an RM2 billion investment target. Separately, the SC reported in October 2025 that six families had received conditional approval under the SFO Incentive Scheme, with indicative assets under management close to RM400 million.

This incentive framework sits alongside Johor’s rapid emergence as a major Malaysian data-centre market. JLL has highlighted strong data-centre expansion in Johor and the wider JS-SEZ, supported by major hyperscale investments and infrastructure development. This broader digital-economy momentum strengthens the regional technology narrative, but it should not be presented as a direct operating benefit or guaranteed outcome for individual Forest City SFZ companies.

Decision Framework: Two Pathways and a Diligence Caveat

The incentive structure is best assessed through two distinct pathways, with a separate due-diligence lens for investors and advisers.

• Pathway A – FC-SFZ presence on Pulau 1: This is relevant to eligible fintech companies, FGBS providers and FPSO businesses that can satisfy the physical-location, activity, substance and compliance requirements. The 5% special corporate tax rate is available for 10 consecutive years of assessment and may be extended for a second 10-year period, subject to continued compliance and approval.

This route may suit businesses that value proximity to Singapore while maintaining qualifying operations in Pulau 1. The RTS Link is expected to improve connectivity between central Johor Bahru and Singapore, but it does not remove the requirement for companies to maintain the approved substance and qualifying activities in Forest City.

• Pathway B – MD Status and MD Tax Incentive nationwide: This pathway may be relevant to eligible digital companies operating elsewhere in Malaysia. MD Status is granted nationally by MDEC, and eligible companies may subsequently apply for the MD Tax Incentive. The applicable reduced tax rate or ITA depends on whether the company applies under the New Investment or Expansion category and on the conditions it meets.

Investors and advisers should note that headline rates are not the same as effective tax rates. The outcome for any entity depends on qualifying activities and income, approved commitments, substance conditions and the specific incentive secured. Groups with annual consolidated revenue of EUR750 million or more may also be subject to Malaysia’s domestic top-up tax rules where the relevant effective tax rate falls below 15%. Tax outcomes should therefore be modelled only after verification against current primary sources and professional advice.

The Verdict

Forest City’s proposition to fintech and technology-enabled financial-services companies is specific and condition-based: a 5% special corporate tax rate for qualifying fintech, FGBS and FPSO activities carried out in Pulau 1 using promoted technology enablers. The incentive runs for 10 consecutive years of assessment and may be extended for a second 10-year period, subject to compliance and approval. It is neither a blanket 5% rate for all AI or technology companies nor a 100% income tax exemption.

Alongside this are the separate SFO Incentive Scheme, which may provide a 0% tax rate for up to 20 years subject to SC requirements; the JS-SEZ’s special 15% personal income tax rate for eligible knowledge workers for 10 years; and the national MD Tax Incentive, which offers different reduced tax rates or ITA options depending on whether an applicant qualifies under the New Investment or Expansion category. Applications for the MD Tax Incentive are open until 31 December 2027.

Reported traction includes 260 cumulative investor enquiries recorded by Invest Johor by June 2026 and six families granted conditional approval under the SFO Incentive Scheme, with indicative assets under management close to RM400 million as reported by the SC in October 2025. Forest City also benefits from proximity to Singapore, while the RTS Link is targeted to commence service on 31 December 2026 between central Johor Bahru and Woodlands North.

For companies and investors, the key question is not simply whether these incentives exist, but whether their exact activities, income streams, location, substance commitments and corporate structure satisfy the conditions required to access them in practice. Current official guidance and qualified tax advice should be obtained before any investment or structuring

Hashtag: #ForestCity

Industry leaders and practitioners gathered in Hong Kong to advance climate adaptation, building transformation and AI-enabled solutions for a more resilient built environment across Asia.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Arup and Saint-Gobain hosted the Asia launch (Hong Kong) of their global report, Adapting Buildings to Climate Change, alongside a technical seminar on AI-enhanced building design and operation. Supported by the Hong Kong Green Building Council, BEAM Society Limited, Business Environment Council, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Royal Institute of British Architects and American Institute of Architects Hong Kong, the event brought together more than 100 industry leaders, developers, architects, engineers and sustainability practitioners to examine how the built environment can respond to the growing challenges of climate change. The Hong Kong edition follows the report’s European launch in Brussels earlier this year and marks the beginning of a wider conversation across the Asia Pacific region.

Reflecting the value of collaboration between government and industry, Mr Sammy Yeung, JP, Commissioner for Climate Change, Environment and Ecology Bureau, HKSAR Government; and Mr Benjamin Hubin, Deputy Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, graced the launch ceremony as distinguished guests. Their presence underscored a shared commitment to addressing climate challenges and strengthening the resilience of Hong Kong’s built environment.

The urgency of that shared agenda framed the evening’s discussions. The scale of the challenge is significant. More than 7,000 major climate-related disasters caused nearly US$3 trillion in losses worldwide between 2000 and 2019, and the frequency and severity of heatwaves, floods, storms and extreme rainfall continue to rise. As one of the world’s most densely developed cities, Hong Kong faces distinct pressures, with rising temperatures, intensifying rainfall and a large existing building stock reinforcing the need for adaptation alongside decarbonisation. The pressure is particularly acute in dense urban areas, where Arup’s research has found the urban heat island effect can raise city temperatures by up to 8.5°C compared with rural surroundings, putting lives at risk and driving up cooling demand. Against this backdrop, the report examines how buildings can better withstand extreme heat, flooding and storms while supporting the transition to a low-carbon future.

Building on these themes, distinguished speakers and panellists from across the built environment sector shared their perspectives throughout the evening. Through a series of presentations and a panel discussion, they explored how building owners, investors and industry professionals can extend asset life, strengthen resilience and create lasting social and economic value through climate-responsive design, retrofitting and advanced technologies, as well as the growing role of digital innovation and artificial intelligence in enabling smarter, more sustainable decision-making across the building lifecycle.

Ir Dr Vincent Cheng, Arup Fellow and APAC Environment, Climate and Sustainability Services Leader, said, “Climate adaptation is no longer a future consideration. It is a present-day imperative for our cities, communities and economies. Buildings account for a significant share of our urban assets, and enhancing their resilience is essential to protecting people, livelihoods and long-term prosperity. Through this report, Arup and Saint-Gobain aim to provide practical insights that help the industry move beyond identifying climate risks and towards implementing solutions. By combining adaptation, decarbonisation and digital innovation, we can create buildings that are not only more resilient, but also healthier, more efficient and better equipped to support thriving communities.”

Mr Ludovic Weber, CEO Asia, Saint-Gobain, said, “Building adaptation to climate change cannot be addressed through one discipline, one stakeholder or one product alone. This report reinforces and accelerates Saint-Gobain’s long-standing approach of combining materials, systems and building-science expertise to deliver integrated, performance-based solutions tailored to specific climate risks and local needs. Together with Arup, we aim to turn knowledge into practical action and help create buildings that are more resilient, sustainable and valuable over the long term.”

About the report
Adapting Buildings to Climate Change explores the impacts of climate change on buildings and sets out strategies to strengthen resilience across the asset lifecycle. It identifies three complementary design approaches, namely robustness, adaptiveness and flexibility, and presents practical families of construction solutions ranging from thermal envelope and solar protection systems to green infrastructure and enhanced-resistance measures. The report highlights the business and societal value of investing in adaptation, showing how proactive measures can safeguard assets, improve occupant wellbeing and support more sustainable, resilient cities.

Hashtag: #Arup #Saint-Gobain

About Arup

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

Source: Workers First Union

WHAT:

Workers First will launch Gig Workers First, a new union group dedicated to organising rideshare and food delivery drivers who work for Uber, DiDi, Doordash, Bolt, DeliverEasy, Menulog and other app-based platforms.

The launch follows Workers First’s pursuit of claims for more than 1,600 Uber drivers following a 2025 Supreme Court judgment, which resulted in the union securing offers of payouts for the drivers, and it comes with a renewed set of demands for fair treatment in the platform economy. Wellington Mayor Andrew Little will speak at the event in support of gig workers.

WHEN:

Tuesday 1 September, 11am – 12pm

WHERE:

Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay Community Centre, 56-58 Bay Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington

WHY:

“We beat Uber in court, and now we know the ins and outs of this industry better than anyone,” said Anita Rosentreter, Workers First Deputy Secretary. “We’re inviting all gig workers to join us and continue the movement for better pay, better treatment and a better working life.”

“Gig Workers First means every app-based rideshare and food delivery driver has somewhere to turn – for advice, for help in fighting an unfair deactivation, and for the organising strength that just won over 1,600 Uber drivers their payouts.”

“We are campaigning to repeal the changes to section 6 of the Employment Relations Act, which stripped gig workers of a fair test for employment status, and to initiate a legal presumption that platform workers are employees. Once that’s won, we will negotiate collectively on behalf of rideshare and food delivery drivers, just as we do for all workers across the country.”

“New Zealand still hasn’t ratified the ILO’s convention on decent work in the platform economy, despite the growing number of workers relying on it for their livelihoods. We’re calling on the next Government to close it and building a movement to power this change.” Rosentreter said.

App-based workers are invited to join Gig Workers First at workersfirst.nz/join-us, and more information on the project is available at the new website: gigworkersfirst.nz.

Source: Save the Children

Nine school children have been reunited with their families after being stranded at school for two days by the devastating flash floods in Northern Nepal, as rescue efforts continue to reach other students, Save the Children said.

The children arrived at an aid distribution point where Save the Children is working after walking from their school. Many children in the area travel long distances to their schools and were cut off in the aftermath of the massive surge of floodwater. With support from Save the Children, they were able to find their families.

At least 69 schools in flood-devastated districts in Northern Nepal have been destroyed or damaged, putting education at risk for nearly 19,000 children, Save the Children said [1].

The figures are based on an initial assessment and are likely to rise as rescue and response teams reach more areas and more information is available from affected communities [1]. Save the Children staff in Nuwakot said children in the devastated communities are holding onto the few belongings they have or searching for what they lost, including schoolbooks and uniforms.

Fears of further flooding are also causing new terror with families moving to higher ground. For many children, this is the first disaster of this scale they have experienced, and they are frightened, distressed and worried about their futures.

More than 500 people have died in Nepal in the disaster, and hundreds are still missing. Some families are camping in tents in front of their damaged homes as efforts continue to find survivors, while others are living with relatives or in community centres.

Tara Chettry, Country Director, Save the Children in Nepal said:

“Reuniting children with their families in the aftermath of a catastrophe is an urgent and immediate priority, so when disaster strikes, getting children back to school may not seem like the most urgent need. Education is vital. For children who have lost their homes, their belongings and their sense of security, a safe place to learn can be a lifeline.

“School gives children something that is desperately important after a disaster: safety, routine, stability. It can help children cope with what they have experienced, while connecting them with the support they need.

“Education cannot wait until the emergency is over – it needs to be part of the response from day one.”

Save the Children in Nepal’s emergency response team is working in the affected areas and delivering essential items, including household and cooking kits, mosquito nets and blankets to 1,000 households in the first phase of assistance.

The humanitarian and child rights organisation is coordinating with national and local authorities to establish the immediate and long-term needs of children and families and is ready to scale up its response.

Save the Children has worked in Nepal since 1976. The organisation runs programmes spanning child protection, child rights governance, education, climate change, gender equality, health and nutrition and child poverty.

Save the Children New Zealand has already committed $150,000 to the response in Nepal. New Zealanders wanting to donate to Save the Children’s response in Nepal can do so through the Children’s Emergency Fund.

Notes:

[1] Figures from the Education Cluster – a joint group of NGOs, UN and the Government of Nepal. The group is co-chaired by Save the Children. The 69 schools have 18,918 students enrolled (9,350 girls and 9,568 boys).

Source: Plan International

Students cut off from their families and entire communities remain isolated two days after a glacial landslide triggered devastating flash floods that hit parts of northern Nepal and the Chinese border linking Tibet, says Plan International.

More than 450 people have been confirmed dead and around 1,000 remain missing, although the full extent of the disaster is still emerging as assessments continue and search operations reach previously inaccessible areas.

More than 500 people have been rescued, but many communities remain stranded after roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure were destroyed, severely hampering rescue efforts.

Rajendra Paudel, from DEPROSC Nepal, a Plan International partner described the scene he is witnessing in Devighat Bazaar, one of the areas in Nuwakot district that has suffered extensive damage.

“There has been extensive human and physical damage across these areas. Just moments ago, a body was recovered from here and taken away. We still do not know how many people are missing. There are many people who have been affected. I have also been in contact with several affected families. They are particularly worried about students who left for school yesterday morning and those who are stranded across the Trishuli River,” he said.

Rajendra described the helicopters currently working to rescue people and cut off communities but says it has not yet been possible to reach everyone: with all concrete bridges washed away or damaged, there is no way to cross between the two sides of the Trishuli River, leaving many families and children stranded and staying in schools since the flood hit.

“The scale of destruction here is enormous…. What we are witnessing here is extremely painful. My relatives were unable to take anything out of their homes and have had to climb up the hillside on the other side to find safety. There is a deep sense of despair among everyone. People are worried about how they will rebuild their lives after this,” he said.

There are fears that a lake formed at the site where the floods occurred is rapidly rising and at risk of bursting.

“We are very concerned about the possibility of more flooding, along with the stress and trauma this disaster will have on children in particular. Our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of children and communities affected by this disaster,” said Plan International Nepal Acting Country Director Srijana Gurung.

“We are witnessing in real time the catastrophic impacts of the climate crisis. Climate events are becoming more intense and more frequent, and it is always the most vulnerable people who are disproportionately impacted; the people least responsible for causing climate change,” she added.

Plan International Nepal is working to support the Government’s emergency response and send urgently needed supplies to the impacted area’s including distribution of 300 shelter kits, 1,000 hygiene kits and 100 menstrual health management kits for girls and women who have lost their homes. Initial support is planned for around 1,000 affected households whilst the needs are fully assessed. Plan International Nepal is deploying two emergency response team members to support the joint assessment led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, coordinated through the field hub established by the Catholic Relief Service.

About Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters, and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national, and global levels using our reach, experience, and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

More than 1200 home support workers are being left to worry about their jobs and their futures after Health New Zealand’s decision to cut contracts held by Visionwest, Lifewise and Presbyterian Support Northern in Auckland.

The PSA is calling on Health New Zealand to transfer their jobs to the new providers on the same terms and conditions.

“Health New Zealand must guarantee that every one of these workers, both frontline carers and the nurses and coordinators who support them, transfers to whoever takes over these contracts, on the same pay, terms and conditions,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary. “We will not hesitate to take legal action to ensure that this occurs.

“Right now these workers are extremely worried about their futures and Health New Zealand owes them an explanation and reassurance.”

The group which lost the contracts is made up of not-for-profit providers Visionwest, Lifewise and Presbyterian Support Northern. They recently made a collective bid for Health New Zealand contracts to continue providing home and community support services across Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitematā.

The organisations have each been providing home-based services to people who live alone, and currently support about 4500 older and disabled people in the region to live in their own homes.

“These workers have built special, trusted relationships with the older and disabled people they support, often over many years. Taking that away puts continuity of care, and the wellbeing of thousands of vulnerable New Zealanders, directly at risk.

“Health NZ says continuity of care is its priority. If that’s true, protecting the workforce that provides it is critical. The PSA calls on Health NZ to do the right thing by workers and the people they care for and comply with the clear provisions of Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act. We will not shy away from taking legal action to protect the interests of workers.”

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

Forest City SFZ sets out who may qualify for its 5% special corporate tax rate, how the separate Malaysia Digital tax incentive works, and which activities and conditions apply to each scheme.

JOHOR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 August 2026 – Forest City has, over the past decade, built a recognised track record in green-building and sustainability credentials. Since the Malaysian Government announced the Forest City Special Financial Zone (“SFZ”) incentive package on 20 September 2024, the development has added a financial-services and digital-economy dimension. The Forest City Special Financial Zone (“FC-SFZ”) Tax Incentive offers a 5% special corporate tax rate for 10 consecutive years of assessment, extendable for a second 10-year period, to eligible companies undertaking qualifying fintech, Financial Global Business Services (“FGBS”) or Foreign Payment System Operator (“FPSO”) activities in Pulau 1, Forest City. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (“MDEC”) is the appointed government agency to process applications, which are assessed by the National Committee on Investment (“NCI”).

The FC-SFZ Tax Incentive is separate from Malaysia Digital (“MD”) Status and the MD Tax Incentive. A company does not need MD Status to qualify for the FC-SFZ Tax Incentive. Under MDEC’s current rules, an FC-SFZ applicant must also not have been granted another tax incentive for the same qualifying activity. Eligible MD Status companies may separately apply for the MD Tax Incentive, subject to the applicable criteria and approval process.

Key Incentives at a Glance

Forest City’s first decade was defined in part by its green-building and sustainability record. Forest City reports nearly 40 international awards and certifications as at August 2026, including LEED for Core and Shell (“LEED-CS”) Gold pre-certification and GreenRE Gold ratings. On 20 September 2024, the Malaysian Government announced the Forest City SFZ incentive package, adding a financial-services and digital-economy dimension to the development.

The current incentive landscape has four main components:

• Forest City SFZ corporate tax rate: Eligible companies undertaking qualifying fintech, FGBS or FPSO activities in Pulau 1 may receive a 5% special corporate tax rate for 10 consecutive years of assessment, extendable for a second 10-year period, subject to approval and continued compliance. The qualifying activity must use at least one promoted technology enabler specified by MDEC.
• Single Family Office (“SFO”) Scheme: A qualifying Single Family Office Vehicle (“SFOV”) may receive a 0% tax rate on chargeable income from its qualifying holding and investment activities for an initial 10 years, with a possible extension for a further 10 years, subject to the Securities Commission Malaysia (“SC”) requirements.
• Knowledge workers: Eligible knowledge workers working within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (“JS-SEZ”), which includes Forest City as a designated flagship area, may qualify for a special 15% personal income tax rate for 10 years, subject to the applicable conditions.
• Malaysia Digital tax incentive: This is a separate national incentive administered by MDEC. For New Investment, eligible companies may choose between a reduced tax rate — 0% on qualifying intellectual-property (“IP”) income, subject to the modified nexus approach, and 5% or 10% on qualifying non-IP income for up to 10 years — or an Investment Tax Allowance (“ITA”) of 60% or 100% of qualifying capital expenditure for up to five years. Different rates apply to the Expansion Incentive. Applications are open until 31 December 2027.

Taken together, these measures position Forest City SFZ as a potential regional base for qualifying financial-services and technology-enabled businesses assessing Malaysia’s tax framework, proximity to Singapore and access to ASEAN markets. However, the schemes are separate and should not be treated as automatically cumulative.

Forest City Tax Framework for Fintech and Technology-Enabled Financial Services

The FC-SFZ Tax Incentive is not a blanket 100% tax exemption for fintech, AI or technology companies. It is a 5% special corporate tax rate for qualifying activities under the FC-SFZ framework. MDEC is the appointed agency to process applications, while applications are assessed by the NCI.

The 5% rate applies to qualifying fintech activities, FGBS and FPSO activities carried out in Pulau 1, Forest City. The qualifying activity must utilise at least one promoted technology enabler: artificial intelligence (“AI”) or big data analytics (“BDA”); Internet of Things (“IoT”); cybersecurity; cloud; blockchain; creative media technology, including extended reality (“XR”) or mixed reality (“MR”); robotics or automation; or advanced network connectivity or telecommunications technology. Eligibility is not automatic based on location alone; companies must also satisfy the applicable corporate, activity, substance, regulatory and compliance conditions.

The “up to 100%” figure sometimes cited in relation to Malaysia Digital refers to the ITA available under the MD New Investment Incentive. It is an allowance on qualifying capital expenditure, not a 100% income tax holiday. The MD Tax Incentive is also separate from the FC-SFZ Tax Incentive and should not be assumed to stack with it for the same qualifying activity.

Comparison table:

Scheme	What it covers	Headline rate / benefit	Authority & key note
Forest City SFZ — fintech / FGBS / FPSO incentive	Qualifying fintech, FGBS and FPSO activities in Pulau 1 using at least one promoted technology enabler	5% special corporate tax rate for 10 consecutive years of assessment; extendable for a second 10-year period	MDEC processes applications; NCI assessment. Applications open 1 Sep 2024–31 Dec 2034.
Forest City SFZ — Single Family Office	Qualifying SFOV holding and investment activities	0% tax rate for an initial 10 years; possible extension for a further 10 years	Securities Commission Malaysia; SFO tax rules gazetted on 3 Oct 2025.
JS-SEZ — eligible knowledge workers	Eligible knowledge workers working within the JS-SEZ, including qualifying roles in Forest City	15% personal income tax rate for 10 years	Ministry of Finance / JS-SEZ incentive package; subject to eligibility conditions.
Malaysia Digital Tax Incentive — New Investment	Eligible MD Status companies undertaking qualifying Malaysia Digital Activities	0% on qualifying IP income and 5% or 10% on qualifying non-IP income for up to 10 years; OR 60% or 100% ITA for up to 5 years	MDEC; MD Status required before tax-incentive application. Applications open until 31 Dec 2027.
Malaysia Digital Tax Incentive — Expansion	Eligible MD/MSC Malaysia Status companies undertaking qualifying new or expansion activities	15% reduced tax rate for up to 5 years; OR 30% or 60% ITA for up to 5 years	MDEC; subject to the Expansion Incentive criteria. Applications open until 31 Dec 2027.
Malaysia standard corporate rate	Companies not qualifying for a lower or special rate	24% headline corporate income tax rate	Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN); lower tiered rates may apply to qualifying SMEs.

For accurate and current policy information, companies should refer directly to official sources, including:

Malaysia Digital Status and Tax Incentive: A Separate National Framework

MD Status is granted nationally by MDEC. An MD Status company may then be eligible to apply separately for the MD Tax Incentive, subject to the relevant criteria. Under MDEC’s current framework, qualifying Malaysia Digital Activities comprise the research, development or commercialisation of solutions, or the provision of services, using promoted technology enablers such as AI or BDA, IoT, cybersecurity, cloud, blockchain, drone technology, creative media technology, integrated-circuit design with embedded software, robotics or automation, and advanced network connectivity or telecommunications technology.

Under the current MD Tax Incentive, the available options differ between New Investment and Expansion:

• New Investment: A 0% reduced tax rate on qualifying IP income, subject to the modified nexus approach, and a 5% or 10% reduced tax rate on qualifying non-IP income, for up to 10 years; or an ITA of 60% or 100% of qualifying capital expenditure against up to 100% of statutory income, for up to five years.
• Expansion: A 15% reduced tax rate on qualifying IP income, subject to the modified nexus approach, and non-IP income, for up to five years; or an ITA of 30% or 60% of qualifying capital expenditure against up to 100% of statutory income, for up to five years.

The “100%” figure therefore refers to the ITA rate under the New Investment Incentive. It does not mean that all company income is tax-free.

The MD Tax Incentive is open for applications until 31 December 2027. A company must first obtain MD Status before submitting an application for the MD Tax Incentive.

MD Status also provides access to non-tax benefits under the MD Bill of Guarantees, including the ability to apply for foreign knowledge-worker quotas and passes, subject to the relevant immigration requirements. MDEC’s Expats Service Centre administers the related Foreign Knowledge Worker processes for eligible companies.

Eligibility Summary: Entities, Sectors and Permitted Activities

Forest City SFZ 5% rate

• Activity-based: Qualifying services are limited to fintech-related activities, FGBS and FPSO activities.
• Technology condition: The qualifying activity must utilise at least one promoted technology enabler specified by MDEC, including AI or BDA, IoT, cybersecurity, cloud, blockchain, creative media technology, robotics or automation, or advanced network connectivity or telecommunications technology.
• Location condition: The qualifying activity must be carried out in Pulau 1, Forest City.
• Substance and compliance conditions: Approved companies must meet the conditions set out in their approval letter, including commitments relating to full-time employees, knowledge workers, annual operating expenditure, ESG requirements, relevant regulatory approvals or licences, and annual compliance reporting verified by an independent auditor.

Malaysia Digital (MD) Status and MD Tax Incentive

• Activity-based: MD eligibility is tied to Malaysia Digital Activities that use the promoted technology enablers specified by MDEC. Merely operating an AI, cloud, fintech or digital business does not automatically confer tax-incentive eligibility.
• Status and tax-incentive process: MD Status is granted by MDEC. The MD Tax Incentive is a separate application available to eligible MD or MSC Malaysia Status companies, depending on the relevant incentive category.
• Geographic scope: MD Status is a national programme and does not require a company to be located in Forest City.
• No automatic stacking: MDEC states that an FC-SFZ Tax Incentive applicant must not already have been granted a tax incentive for the same qualifying activity. MDEC also confirms that MD Status is not required to apply for the FC-SFZ Tax Incentive.

Accordingly, companies should assess the FC-SFZ and MD frameworks separately. Any proposed structure involving different activities, income streams or incentive programmes should be verified with MDEC and qualified tax advisers before any combined tax outcome is assumed.

Strategic Rationale: Proximity, Talent Incentives and Regional Access

Forest City’s location proposition is based on three interlocking factors: proximity to Singapore, targeted talent incentives and early investor interest.

• Proximity as operational leverage: Forest City lies approximately 2 km from Singapore at its nearest point, placing qualifying operations close to one of Asia’s major financial and technology hubs. The Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in central Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore. MRT Corp has stated that service is targeted to commence on 31 December 2026. The RTS Link does not serve Forest City directly, so onward road transport between Forest City and central Johor Bahru will still be required.
• Talent as a bundled enabler: Eligible knowledge workers in the JS-SEZ may qualify for a special 15% personal income tax rate for 10 years, while eligible MD Status companies may apply for foreign knowledge-worker quotas and passes through MDEC’s expatriate facilitation framework. These are separate benefits with their own eligibility and approval requirements.

By June 2026, Invest Johor reported that the Forest City SFZ had recorded 260 cumulative investor enquiries through the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre-Johor, against an RM2 billion investment target. Separately, the SC reported in October 2025 that six families had received conditional approval under the SFO Incentive Scheme, with indicative assets under management close to RM400 million.

This incentive framework sits alongside Johor’s rapid emergence as a major Malaysian data-centre market. JLL has highlighted strong data-centre expansion in Johor and the wider JS-SEZ, supported by major hyperscale investments and infrastructure development. This broader digital-economy momentum strengthens the regional technology narrative, but it should not be presented as a direct operating benefit or guaranteed outcome for individual Forest City SFZ companies.

Decision Framework: Two Pathways and a Diligence Caveat

The incentive structure is best assessed through two distinct pathways, with a separate due-diligence lens for investors and advisers.

• Pathway A – FC-SFZ presence on Pulau 1: This is relevant to eligible fintech companies, FGBS providers and FPSO businesses that can satisfy the physical-location, activity, substance and compliance requirements. The 5% special corporate tax rate is available for 10 consecutive years of assessment and may be extended for a second 10-year period, subject to continued compliance and approval.

This route may suit businesses that value proximity to Singapore while maintaining qualifying operations in Pulau 1. The RTS Link is expected to improve connectivity between central Johor Bahru and Singapore, but it does not remove the requirement for companies to maintain the approved substance and qualifying activities in Forest City.

• Pathway B – MD Status and MD Tax Incentive nationwide: This pathway may be relevant to eligible digital companies operating elsewhere in Malaysia. MD Status is granted nationally by MDEC, and eligible companies may subsequently apply for the MD Tax Incentive. The applicable reduced tax rate or ITA depends on whether the company applies under the New Investment or Expansion category and on the conditions it meets.

Investors and advisers should note that headline rates are not the same as effective tax rates. The outcome for any entity depends on qualifying activities and income, approved commitments, substance conditions and the specific incentive secured. Groups with annual consolidated revenue of EUR750 million or more may also be subject to Malaysia’s domestic top-up tax rules where the relevant effective tax rate falls below 15%. Tax outcomes should therefore be modelled only after verification against current primary sources and professional advice.

The Verdict

Forest City’s proposition to fintech and technology-enabled financial-services companies is specific and condition-based: a 5% special corporate tax rate for qualifying fintech, FGBS and FPSO activities carried out in Pulau 1 using promoted technology enablers. The incentive runs for 10 consecutive years of assessment and may be extended for a second 10-year period, subject to compliance and approval. It is neither a blanket 5% rate for all AI or technology companies nor a 100% income tax exemption.

Alongside this are the separate SFO Incentive Scheme, which may provide a 0% tax rate for up to 20 years subject to SC requirements; the JS-SEZ’s special 15% personal income tax rate for eligible knowledge workers for 10 years; and the national MD Tax Incentive, which offers different reduced tax rates or ITA options depending on whether an applicant qualifies under the New Investment or Expansion category. Applications for the MD Tax Incentive are open until 31 December 2027.

Reported traction includes 260 cumulative investor enquiries recorded by Invest Johor by June 2026 and six families granted conditional approval under the SFO Incentive Scheme, with indicative assets under management close to RM400 million as reported by the SC in October 2025. Forest City also benefits from proximity to Singapore, while the RTS Link is targeted to commence service on 31 December 2026 between central Johor Bahru and Woodlands North.

For companies and investors, the key question is not simply whether these incentives exist, but whether their exact activities, income streams, location, substance commitments and corporate structure satisfy the conditions required to access them in practice. Current official guidance and qualified tax advice should be obtained before any investment or structuring

Hashtag: #ForestCity

Media Contact

H/Advisors on behalf of Aolani

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

Hashtag: #Aolani #AIInfrastructure #TokenFactory #Neocloud

The 97% success rate places TrendAI ahead of all other entrants on the AI security benchmark

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – The TrendAI agentic exploit-remediation engine, codename AESIR, achieved the top position on CyberGym, an independent evaluation benchmark for AI-driven security tooling.

The 97% success rate from TrendAI surpassed all other entrants currently on the leaderboard and is nearly 4 percentage points higher than the former leader, who posted a 93.2% score on Aug. 8, 2026.

CyberGym, a University of California, Berkeley benchmark, evaluates AI security tooling against 1,507 confirmed vulnerabilities drawn from 188 large open-source software projects that run in every enterprise.

Rachel Jin, Chief Platform and Business Officer, Head of TrendAI: “CyberGym’s validation changes what’s possible for enterprises adopting AI. The race isn’t to find first. It’s to close the exposure window. Cybersecurity has been defined by the scramble from discovery to exploitation; our job is to make that gap meaningless by compressing exposure time towards zero. Our advantage is turning validated vulnerability intelligence into effective risk reduction faster.”

TrendAI leverages seven AI models across four providers (Anthropic, DeepSeek, Google, and OpenAI) to maximize detection and remediation accuracy, and it powers a system built around one objective: close the exposure window faster than attackers can exploit it. It begins with discovery, powered by AI-scale identification of weak spots that static approaches miss. Each finding is then validated and turned into a working proof of concept, so teams understand exploitability and true business risk before the noise drowns out the signal. Only then does TrendAI rapidly reduce the risk, translating validated vulnerability intelligence into detection and virtual patches without waiting for the normal patching cycle.

That last step is what makes our approach and usage of agentic security different. This capability is built on more than 20 years of vulnerability research and exploit intelligence from TrendAI ZDI, giving the system a deep foundation of real-world knowledge about how vulnerabilities are discovered, validated and exploited. AI is compressing the time from discovery to exploitation, so risk reduction must move faster than the patch cycle, not wait on it. By converting validated intelligence into virtual patching, TrendAI shrinks the exposure window from weeks to as close to zero as possible, turning vulnerability management from reactive patching into proactive defense.

The TrendAI agentic exploit-remediation engine also powers dynamic discovery of threat actors actively exploiting vulnerabilities in the wild, giving security teams visibility into live exploitation in real time. Our real-world threat-intelligence layer supports the same goal: reduce exposure before attackers can exploit it.

TrendAI has published a technical blog post on the CyberGym methodology. For more information, please visit: https://www.trendaisecurity.com/en-us/resources-insights/trendai-security-blog/trendai-first-on-cybergym-top-exploit-benchmark

https://www.trendaisecurity.com
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Hashtag: #trendai #trendaivisionone #visionone #trendmicro #cybergym

About TrendAI

TrendAI, the global AI security leader and enterprise business unit of Trend Micro, empowers organizations with full AI visibility and consolidated security that inspires confidence, drives innovation, and eliminates risk. Trusted by the largest enterprises and governments across 185 countries, TrendAI secures the entire organization, from identities, to infrastructure, to data. Global Fortune 500 companies rely on TrendAI to cut risk and stop threats up to three months earlier, powered by world-leading threat and attack intelligence. AI Fearlessly.

Driving Growth through Facility Upgrades Strategic Expansion into Online Gaming

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – International Entertainment Corporation (the “Company“, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group“; HKEX stock code: 1009), is pleased to announce that its revenue grew by approximately 50.6% period-on-period to approximately HK$852.5 million for the twelve months ended 30 June 2026 (the “Period“), demonstrating resilience and adaptability in a dynamic market environment.

The Group’s revenue from the gaming operation for the Period increased by approximately 60.7% to approximately HK$819.4 million. However, due to the temporary closure of certain hotel rooms for renovation during the Period, the Group’s hotel operation revenue was down to approximately HK$33.1 million, as compared with HK$56.2 million for the twelve months ended 30 June 2025 (the “Previous Period“).

Meanwhile, the Group’s gross profit recorded a notable growth of approximately 66.4% to approximately HK$454.6 million. The increase was driven by higher gaming revenue arising from both land-based casino operation and provision of gaming platform to other authorised gaming operators. Gross profit margin for the Period was approximately 53.3%, up 5.0 percentage points from approximately 48.3% for the Previous Period.

The Group narrowed its loss for the period attributable to owners of the Company by approximately 78.2% as compared with that for the Previous Period, if excluding the non-cash loss arising from the change in fair value in connection with the issue of convertible notes.

Loss for the period attributable to owners of the Company was approximately HK$486.4 million (Previous Period: approximately HK$282.1 million).

Future Outlook

Underpinned by the Philippines’ strategic position in Southeast Asia, supportive government policies for its gaming and tourism sectors, and its rising status as a premier travel destination, the Group is optimistic about its long-term prospects, though short-term momentum in the Philippine gaming sector may soften due to geopolitical tensions and muted consumer spending.

The Group marked a pivotal milestone in its strategic expansion into online gaming through a cooperation agreement signed on 9 June 2026 between its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, New Coast Leisure Inc., and Total Gamezone Xtreme Incorporated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group’s convertible note holder DigiPlus Interactive Corp (“DigiPlus”). Under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate on the integration, aggregation, provision, technical support, and operation of approved online games and related gaming content through or in connection with the online gaming platform and operations of the Group’s casino “LaVie Resort & Casino Manila”, subject to regulatory approvals. Participation in this segment is expected to broaden the Group’s revenue base, improve operational scalability, and create new growth drivers.

Additionally, the completion of renovation works on the Casino’s ground floor in January 2026 successfully expanded the gaming space, enabling the accommodation of more gaming tables as well as additional slot machines. Further to the phase 1 and phase 2 construction works initiated last year, the Group entered into a new construction contract for the Hotel in May 2026 at the contract price of approximately HK$72.17 million, which will continue to improve the appearance and condition of hotel facilities, modernise outdated amenities, enhance the overall quality of the Hotel and elevate customers’ experiences. These improvements are expected to improve the future revenue of the Casino and the Hotel.

Separately, the Group issued the first convertible notes on 3 March 2026 and second convertible notes on 2 June 2026 to DigiPlus, each with a principal amount of HK$800 million. This completion follows the subscription agreement signed between the two parties on 17 November 2025 for the issuance of up to HK$1.6 billion convertible notes with a maturity of five years and an interest rate of 3% per annum. The issuance is expected to significantly bolster the Group’s liquidity and long-term financial position. Furthermore, the potential conversion of these convertible notes into shares would serve to broaden the Group’s Shareholders and capital base.

Looking ahead, the Group is strategically positioned to capture the next phase of growth in the Philippine gaming and tourism sectors. The convergence of the Group’s Hotel and Casino upgrades and a strategic partnership to tap into the expanding online gaming market marks a transformative period for the Group. Supported by a strengthened capital structure and strong regulatory tailwinds, the Group remains confident in its ability to drive sustainable revenue growth and deliver long-term value to its Shareholders.

Hashtag: #InternationalEntertainmentCorporation

About International Entertainment Corporation (HKEX: 1009)

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand Te Pūtea Matua

28 August 2026

Please find details below of upcoming Reserve Bank of New Zealand speaking engagements.

KangaNews New Zealand Debt Capital Market Summit 2026

9 September 2026

Assistant Governor Money Karen Silk will deliver a keynote address at the KangaNews New Zealand Debt Capital Market Summit in Auckland. The speech will explore the growing role of the repo market in supporting liquidity, monetary policy implementation, and resilient capital markets.

The speech will be published on our website at 11.40am on 9 September 2026.

For more information about the event, see: 2026 New Zealand Debt Capital Market Summit

International Operational Risk Working Group (IORWG) Conference

17 September 2026

Chief Risk Officer Greg Nesbitt will speak on a panel about strategic risk and operational risk interdependency at the 20th Annual International Operational Risk Working Group (IORWG) Conference.

The panel will discuss how strategic risk is defined within their central banks and how it is integrated into their frameworks, how operational risks can become strategic threats, how risk functions can support better strategic decisions with strong governance, and how strategic decisions need to consider operational risk implications.

No speaking notes will be published.

For more information about IORWG, see: International Operational Risk Working Group

Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand – The Future of Banking

17 September 2026

Angus McGregor, Assistant Governor Financial Stability, will deliver an evening speech on insights and observations from the Future of Banking study carried out by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

This will include trends and forces shaping the future of banking, and a range of plausible scenarios for how the sector could develop and what it might look like over the coming decade. The speech will explore the opportunities, challenges and risks these changes may create for the sector, consumers, policymakers, and the wider financial system.

The full study and a summary will be published on our website at 12pm on 17 September 2026. The speech will be published on our website at 8am on 18 September 2026.

For more details about the event, see: All Our Events | Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc (INFINZ)

Speaking engagements recap

• A list of RBNZ speaking engagements undertaken in August 2026 is available through the Reserve Bank’s speaking and engagement programme.

More information

• This list of speaking engagements may be updated. For an up-to-date list, please refer to: Reserve Bank speaking and engagement programme
• A list of September 2026 post-MPS media and speaking engagements will be published separately on our website on 31 August 2026.

Source: U.S. Department of State

Travel Advisory
August 28, 2026

Kuwait – Level 3: Reconsider Travel

There were no changes to the Travel Advisory Level or the risk indicators. Advisory summary was updated to reflect changes that family members 18 years of age or older may travel to Kuwait.

Reconsider Travel to Kuwait due to the threat of armed conflict, landmines, and crime.

Advisory summary

The U.S. government has limited ability to offer services to U.S. citizens in Kuwait due to safety risks.

U.S. government employee travel restrictions

Due to safety risks, U.S. government employees need special authorization to travel to Kuwait. Only family members 18 years of age or older may join U.S. government employees working in Kuwait.

Armed conflict

Following the onset of hostilities between the United States and Iran on February 28, 2026, there has been an ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran. Commercial aviation has also been seriously disrupted.

Aviation safety

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). This is due to risks to civil aviation operating within or nearby the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region, including Kuwait. Consult the Federal Aviation Administration for the most up to date information on current FAA warnings.

Crime

• Exercise increased caution in the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area in Kuwait City because of crime.
• The Kuwaiti police report that the neighborhood of Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh near the Kuwait International Airport is a high-crime area.

Landmines

• Landmines and unexploded ordnance exist in the desert area and some beaches north of the Mutla’a Ridge and near the border with Iraq.
• The locations of landmines and unexploded ordnance are not marked, so it can be hard to know where they are.
• There may be unexploded bombs, shells, and landmines left over from the 1990 Gulf War.
• Do not travel to areas that are “off the beaten path.” Do not touch or move objects in those areas as they could explode.

For U.S. citizens in Kuwait:

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate.
• Review the Country Security Report for Kuwait.
• Visit the U.S. Department of State website for information on travel to High-Risk Areas.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans.
• Develop a communication plan with family, your employer, or host organization. Plan together how and when you’ll confirm you are safe (text or call).
• Keep travel documents up to date and easy to access.
• Review local laws and conditions before traveling. Kuwait has strict laws prohibiting the possession or trafficking of drugs (including marijuana) and alcohol. Do not bring drugs or alcohol in your luggage and do not attempt to purchase them in Kuwait.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Stay alert especially in places visited by large groups of people and travelers or tourists.
• Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for the latest Travel Health Information before you travel.
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Masjed Al-Aqsa Street
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Telephone: +(965) 2259-1001
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Email: KuwaitACS@state.gov
Website: https://kw.usembassy.gov/

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Source: Aged Care Association

The Aged Care Association says recent Health New Zealand contracting decisions affecting established home and community support providers raise a much bigger question about how New Zealand intends to deliver the significant expansion of in-home aged care that will be needed in the years ahead.

Aged Care Association Chief Executive Hon Tracey Martin says New Zealand needs to increase the capacity of its aged care system, not risk reducing it.

“If we want substantially more older New Zealanders to remain safely and independently in their own homes, we are going to need more care capacity, more workforce and more choice, not less.

“At a time when the care workforce is already under significant pressure, we should be very cautious about a commissioning model where a procurement decision can remove established providers, experienced workers, community relationships and service infrastructure from the system.

“Those things have taken years to build. If that capability disappears and we subsequently discover we need it again, it cannot simply be recreated overnight.”

Martin says the Association is also concerned about the prospect of long-term contracting arrangements being put in place while the Government is considering significant reform of aged care following the Ministerial Advisory Group report, A Place to Grow Old: Securing the Future of Aged Care.

“The Ministerial Advisory Group has recommended a significant expansion of care and support in people’s homes. The Government has yet to determine its response to those recommendations.

“We therefore need to be very careful about locking in commissioning arrangements for many years that could constrain the choices available to government, providers and, most importantly, older New Zealanders as that new system is developed.

“This is not an argument that every existing provider has an automatic right to a government contract. It is a question about whether limiting publicly funded care to a relatively small number of contracted providers is the best way to build the capacity, workforce and choice New Zealand is going to need.”

The Aged Care Association has been advocating for a different approach.

Under the Association’s proposed model, government would assess what care and support an individual needs and determine the publicly funded entitlement available to them.

Providers wanting to deliver that care would have to meet robust national certification, quality, safety and audit requirements. Once certified, however, they would be able to provide publicly funded services to eligible older New Zealanders, rather than having to win a regional contract before they could participate.

Funding would follow the person and their assessed level of need, with the provider invoicing the responsible government agency directly for the approved services delivered.

Martin says this would give older people genuine choice about who enters their home and provides what can be very personal care.

“Government should set the standards, determine eligibility and fund the care appropriately. Providers should have to demonstrate that they meet those standards. But once those safeguards are in place, why shouldn’t an older New Zealander be able to choose the certified provider they know, trust and want providing their care?

“Choice also creates an incentive for providers to maintain quality. If people can choose between certified providers, providers have to earn and retain their trust through the quality, reliability and professionalism of the services they deliver.”

Martin says opening the system to certified providers would also allow a wider range of organisations, including aged residential care providers, to contribute to meeting increasing demand for support at home.

“We already have aged care providers throughout New Zealand with clinical expertise, trained workforces, infrastructure and deep relationships within their communities. Where they can meet the required standards, we should be asking how we enable that capacity to support older people at home, rather than designing a system that restricts who can participate.

“The challenge facing New Zealand is not that we are going to have too much aged care capacity. Everything we know about our ageing population tells us the opposite.

“If the policy objective is to support more older New Zealanders at home for longer, then we need a strong, diverse and sustainable network of providers capable of delivering that care.

“The question should not simply be who wins the next contract. The question is whether the contracting model itself will deliver the aged care system New Zealand is going to need.

“We have an opportunity through the Government’s response to the Ministerial Advisory Group to redesign this properly: assess what a person needs, fund that care appropriately, certify providers against strong national standards, and then give older New Zealanders genuine choice over who they trust to provide their care.

“For something as personal as care in your own home, that choice matters.”

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Beneficiaries will pay the price as mistakes multiply at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) because job cuts mean it is no longer resourced to do its work properly and monitor the greater use of automated decision-making, the PSA warns.

This follows the latest revelation that MSD was swamped with paperwork after a law change rushed through under urgency last year left further beneficiaries having payments wrongly suspended on top of thousands of pensioners missing their Winter Energy Payment.

“These aren’t just administrative glitches, they’re what happens when you pass complex law changes under urgency, hand them to a workforce that’s already lost hundreds of colleagues to cuts, and expect nothing to go wrong,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“MSD is accelerating the use of automated decision-making to notify beneficiaries of changes to benefits, and AI will also be increasingly used. There will be more problems and mistakes coming if this Government’s agenda continues.

“If a rushed law change processed by real people can cause this much damage, leaning harder on automated decision-making with even less human oversight risks getting it wrong on an even bigger scale, and it will be beneficiaries and their families who pay the price.

“The Minister in charge of MSD, Louise Upston says she expects MSD to manage its ‘operational workloads’ but stands by while staff are let go and then expects nothing to change. That’s just more evidence of how poorly thought through the Government’s cuts have been all along.

“MSD staff are doing their absolute best for the people who rely on them, often with less time, less support and more cases than ever before. When you squeeze a system that hard, mistakes aren’t a possibility, they’re a certainty.

“Ministers need to stop treating MSD staff as an infinite resource. Properly resourcing and staffing the Ministry is what stops real people going without food and rent money because of a backlog no one had the capacity to clear,” Fitzsimons said.

Background

28 August 2026: Christopher Luxon, Louise Upston said no benefits were cut after law change, they were wrong

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

AI Unlocks the Potential of Cultural and Creative Industries, Reshaping Digital Entertainment and Smart Living Experiences

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Cyberport’s annual flagship event, the “Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026” (DELF 2026), opened today at Cyberport. The opening ceremony was officiated by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

Themed “The Dreamatic Circus“, this year’s forum focuses on how innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, are reshaping the cultural and creative industries, driving their transformation while unlocking new opportunities for the development of new quality productive forces. The three-day forum features four themed experience zones — Digital Entertainment, Culture and Arts, Smart Living and Business, and Robotics and Drones — presenting more than 35 innovative technology showcases, interactive experiences and programmes. Highlights include the immersive interactive art exhibition of Hong Kong original animation IP Another World, dynamic technology experiences by Nikopicto, combat robots by GJS Technology, the intelligent fashion platform developed by Genesis ONE using AI and 3D tools, and other attractions, enabling the public to experience first-hand the new possibilities that frontier technologies bring to entertainment, lifestyle and business applications. The event also includes AI interactive workshops, film screenings, drone performances and various competitions, creating a vibrant and engaging digital entertainment experience for participants.

Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said in his opening remarks, “Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF) 2026 explores how agentic AI is transforming the creative industry, positioning AI not as a replacement for human imagination, but as a collaborative partner that helps deliver creators’ dreams more boldly. Over the past year, the HKSAR Government has transitioned from AI strategy formulation to active execution, steering Hong Kong towards “industries for AI” and “AI for industries” through “strengthening infrastructure and promoting the application-oriented approach” in AI development. AI is transforming the digital entertainment industry, and DELF has always been about celebrating Hong Kong’s creative spirit. With robust computing infrastructure, a supportive policy environment, and a thriving creative community, Hong Kong is well-positioned to lead the AI+ era of digital entertainment.”

Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, said, “Under the theme ‘The Dreamatic Circus’, this year’s forum invites us to explore what becomes possible when human imagination is empowered by technology. AI is expanding what creators can imagine and produce. To better support technology companies and their innovative work, with the recent completion of Cyberport 5, we are thrilled to inject new energy into Hong Kong’s I&T industry. Combined with our AI Supercomputing Centre, this advanced infrastructure provides an world-class environment for technology development, industry collaboration and commercialization. DELF is not only about seeing what technology can do today. It is about imagining what we can create together tomorrow. I hope the forum inspires fresh thinking, leads to meaningful collaboration and helps turn more of Hong Kong’s creative ideas into innovations with lasting impact.”

DELF 2026 brings together more than 60 innovation and technology business leaders, content creators, academics, experts and investors from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas to discuss how artificial intelligence, immersive technologies and other frontier innovations are advancing the cultural and creative industries into a new stage of development and transforming modern smart living experiences. Guest speakers include Ms Drew Lai, Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency; Mr Samuel Lo, General Manager, NVIDIA AI Technology Center, Hong Kong and Macau; Mr Leo Tsou, Head of Infrastructure Solutions Group Specialty, Hong Kong, Macau & China South (Greater Bay Area), Dell Technologies; Mr Zhaobo Zhou, Head of Solution Sales, Huawei Cloud Hong Kong; Mr Joe Chang, Regional Director, BytePlus; Ms Monica Zhang, AI Games Program Lead, Tencent Institute of Games; Mr Samuel Lam, CEO, X Social Group; Ms Ankie de Hoon, Board Member, Vincent van Gogh Etten-Leur; Dr Jeff Tang, Lecturer, Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and Ms Polly Yeung, CEO, Gudo Inc., among other industry experts.

The forum will feature in-depth discussions on key topics such as AI collaboration, IP ecosystem development, the cultural and creative economy, and smart living, focusing on how AI can become an important collaborator for creators and enterprises, facilitate the industrialisation of local creativity and original IP, and expand broader market horizons. A series of keynote speeches and panel discussions will also examine the impact of AI and immersive technologies on film, television, gaming, animation and other cultural and creative sectors. Topics include “Good Game: Building Healthier Entertainment Communities and Creating Lasting Social and Economic Value” and “Boundless Realities, Intelligent Imaging: AI + XR Empowering the Future Film and Television Industry Ecosystem”. Speakers include Mr Kun Gao, Director of GGWP Inc.; Prof Mike Fischer, Professor of Interactive Media at the University of Southern California; Mr Jixuan Wang, Director of the Management Office of Xi’an XR Film Industry Base, Deputy General Manager of Xi’an Film Studio, Xiying Group; Dr Tony Wong, Hong Kong Comic Legend; President, Comics and Animation Federation who will explore how AI can promote the development of original IP and create new opportunities for the cultural and creative economy.

On the first day of the forum, Cyberport signed memoranda of understanding respectively withAlibaba Cloud, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts andHong Kong Shue Yan University. Its collaboration with Alibaba Cloud will support start-ups and enhance digital skills through the AI-Builder Program, joint training, technical resources, investment, and exchange opportunities. Together with The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Cyberport will promote art tech, AI innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development, while exploring the establishment of the Cyberport Academy × HKAPA Immersive Studio for the research, development, and showcase of art tech and immersive technology projects. In partnership with Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Cyberport will focus on AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies to encourage tertiary students to participate in project-based initiatives, company visits, internships, and employment opportunities, thereby strengthening innovation and technology talent development.

These strategic partnerships underscore the value of DELF 2026 as a key platform for advancing academiaindustryresearch collaboration, while highlighting Cyberport’s pivotal role in connecting crosssector resources and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a leading regional and international innovation and technology hub. The three Memoranda of Understanding were signed by Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, with representatives from each partner organisation. Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, together with delegates from partner institutions, attended and witnessed the signing ceremony.

Following the opening of DELF 2026 today, a diverse range of exciting programmes, experiences and competitions will continue over the next two days, including eVTOL aircraft trial flight demonstrations, accessible gaming esports experiences, and senior esports and experience days, enabling participants of different ages and backgrounds to experience the vibrant world of digital entertainment. Members of the public can also join Cyberport Academy: DELF 2026 – AI Cultural and Creative Micro-Academy to learn creative skills such as art concept design and audio-visual production, and enjoy selected works from the Future Animation: 3rd AI-assisted animation production support scheme and the 2nd HKUST AI Film Festival Selected Projects, experiencing the new possibilities created by the convergence of digital entertainment and creative technology.

To encourage the public to further explore the world of digital entertainment, DELF 2026 has also launched a special “Play to Earn” campaign that combines gamified missions with rewards. Participants can collect stamps by visiting the four themed experience zones and completing designated missions, and redeem prizes along the way. Those who collect all stamps will have the opportunity to win limited-edition merchandise from the Hong Kong original animation IP Another World.

For details of the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 and the full speaker line-up, please visit: https://delf.cyberport.hk/tc/index.

Please click here to download high-resolution press photos.

Photo 1: Cyberport’s annual flagship event, Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026, opens today. Themed “The Dreamatic Circus”, this year’s forum explores new opportunities for the development of cultural and creative industries brought by AI and immersive technologies.

Photo 2: Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, delivers remarks at the opening ceremony, recognising Hong Kong’s unique advantages in developing the digital entertainment and original IP industries, as well as its position as an innovation hub connecting the Chinese Mainland and international markets.

Photo 3: Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, says in his remarks that DELF 2026 not only showcases diverse innovative achievements in AI and immersive technologies, but also promotes industry discussion on the future development trends of original IP development, industry-academia collaboration and technology-enabled cultural creativity.

Photo 4: Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Ms Maria Tong, General Manager of Partner Development, APAC North, Alibaba Cloud, sign a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Antonio Leong, VP of Hong Kong & Macau Region, International Business, Alibaba Cloud, and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

Photo 5: Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Prof Anna CY CHAN, Director, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, sign a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Dr Terry LAM, Dean of the School of Film and Television, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Prof Andrew LAINE, Dean of the School of Theatre and Entertainment Arts, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and and Mr Simon Chan Chairman of Cyberport.

Photo 6: Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Dr Jason Chow, Vice President (University Administration), Hong Kong Shue Yan University, sign a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Prof Catherine Sun, Senior Vice President, Hong Kong Shue Yan University and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

Photo 7 to 10: Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry visits the various innovative solutions in the DELF 2026 experience zone.

https://www.cyberport.hk/en

Hashtag: #Cyberport #DELF2026 #DigitalEntertainment

About Hong Kong Cyberport

Empowering SMEs and Working Professionals to Embrace AI and Foster Widespread AI Adoption in Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today held the Launching Ceremony of the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the “AI+” initiative, and supporting the HKSAR Government’s policies of “industries for AI, AI for industries” and “AI for All”. Coordinated by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme aims to promote the widespread adoption of AI across society. As one of the programme implementation partners, HKPC will lead the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” sub-programme, focusing on practical business applications, talent development, and inclusive technology adoption. The initiative will provide targeted support to SMEs, professionals, labour groups, and underprivileged communities through a range of training courses, hands-on application programmes, and industry-academia-research collaboration, promoting AI literacy and the practical deployment of AI technologies.

Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, officiated at the ceremony, joined by Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, and Mr Mohamed Butt, MH, Executive Director of HKPC. The event also brought together representatives from leading international and Chinese Mainland technology enterprises, chambers of commerce, and industry leaders, who shared successful case studies and practical insights, fostering collaboration across sectors to advance Hong Kong’s AI ecosystem.

Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said: “AI has become a key factor in global industrial upgrading and driving the development of the digital economy. Helping SMEs to achieve digital transformation and enhance competitiveness through AI is one of the focal points of the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme. This time, HKPC as the third implementing organisation for the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme, leverages its years of experience serving businesses to provide targeted and professional support to SMEs, helping them seize opportunities in the AI era. I hope that through the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme, AI will not only serve as an empowering tool to enhance corporate value and competitiveness but also transform into a super dividend that benefits SMEs and the general public. Let ‘AI for All’ become Hong Kong’s vision for ‘Upgrading for All’ and ‘Opportunities for All’.”

Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, said: “AI should not be a privilege reserved for large enterprises. It should become a productivity tool that every business, every employee, and people from all walks of life can leverage. HKPC has long been committed to helping enterprises, particularly SMEs, enhance productivity, drive digital transformation, and convert innovative technologies into tangible business value. We focus on integrating AI technologies across different industries by providing practical, scalable and replicable solutions that support smart transformation. As one of the implementation organisations of the ‘AI for All’ Inclusive Programme, HKPC will centre its efforts on ‘AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment’, connecting Government, industry, academia, technology partners and social service organisations to help enterprises, SMEs, professionals and underprivileged communities acquire AI capabilities and transform AI into real productivity and business value, thereby advancing Hong Kong’s high-quality development and digital inclusion.”

“AI for All” Officially Launches with “Business Empowerment” Series to Drive Widespread AI Adoption

To advance the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, HKPC has launched the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” training series, centred on practical business applications. Through a two-year training and promotion programme, HKPC will work with technology companies, chambers of commerce, labour groups and community partners to help SMEs, professionals, working individuals, labour organisations, underprivileged groups and the general public acquire AI knowledge and application skills. The initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of AI and support digital and smart transformation across industries, sectors and communities through three key focus areas:

1. Business and Industry Upgrading: Through AI-focused programmes such as “AI+ Industry Boost Training” and “SME AI Connect”, enterprises can rapidly adopt AI technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness. Key training topics include:

• Practical Applications of Generative AI: Learning how to use generative AI tools for content creation, data analysis, and workflow optimisation.
• AI Applications Across Industries: Exploring how AI enhances efficiency, optimises operations and drives innovation in sectors including education, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and logistics.
• AI Project Workshops: Providing hands-on experience in AI application development and implementation, enabling participants to integrate AI solutions into real business scenarios.

2. Human Resources and Leadership: HKPC will continue conducting the “Hong Kong Enterprise AI Application Trends Survey” and share insights through “AI Talent Winning Tips”, helping organisations understand AI talent management and application trends while preparing for future workforce needs. Key topics include:

• AI and Career Development: Examining the impact of AI on the future workplace and helping professionals understand emerging skills requirements.
• AI Talent Management and Application Strategies: Sharing successful corporate experiences and practical strategies for AI transformation and talent development.

3. AI for ALL: Through the free online learning platform “AI BiteClass”, HKPC will provide convenient AI learning resources for SMEs, professionals, senior citizens and underprivileged communities, enabling people from all backgrounds to access AI fundamentals and the latest application trends anytime, anywhere. Key topics include:

• Introduction to AI Fundamentals: Covering basic AI concepts, operating principles, common use cases and future trends.
• Getting Started with Generative AI: Introducing generative AI tools and their everyday applications.
• AI Ethics and Responsible Use: Building awareness of responsible AI adoption, including issues relating to data privacy, bias and transparency.

“AI BiteClass” Debuts at Launch Ceremony, Bringing Global Technology Expertise to Hong Kong

As part of the launch event, HKPC presented a live edition of the “AI BiteClass”, featuring experts from HKPC and leading global technology companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, Huawei Cloud, Lenovo, Samsung, Tencent Cloud and Microsoft. The sessions shared practical AI techniques and real-world application cases tailored for SMEs. Through concise yet insightful presentations, the guest speakers highlighted the best practices and implementation strategies for AI, demonstrating how businesses can leverage AI to drive growth and enhance operational efficiency.

Looking ahead, the “AI BiteClass” will introduce a range of free online courses covering popular topics such as generative AI, AI agents, workflow automation, data analytics and enterprise transformation. Members of the public will be able to access practical AI learning resources at any time through the online platform or via iAM Smart.

HKPC has long positioned itself as a “technology adopter and enabler”, committed to helping enterprises transform innovation into tangible business value. Since 2024, HKPC has organised more than 600 AI training sessions, serving over 32,000 participants, including SMEs, large enterprises, HR professionals, industry leaders, students, educators and members of the public. These efforts have played a pivotal role in fostering a more competitive AI application ecosystem in Hong Kong.

A series of “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” activities will be rolled out progressively. Enterprises and members of the public are welcome to register via iAM Smart and stay updated on the latest programmes. Through collaboration with global technology enterprises, industry organisations and community partners, HKPC aims to bring AI into businesses, workplaces and communities, advancing the vision of “AI for All” while empowering enterprises and co-building Hong Kong’s intelligent future. For details, please visit: https://www.hkpcacademy.org/en/aiforall/

Please download the high-res photos HERE.

Photo Captions:

1. Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, delivers a speech at the ceremony, sharing the Government’s vision for advancing the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, accelerating AI adoption and fostering innovation and technology development in Hong Kong.
2. Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government (middle), Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC (left), and Mr Mohamed Butt, MH, Executive Director of HKPC (right) officiate the HKPC Launching Ceremony of the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, jointly promoting AI literacy and application.
3. Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, says HKPC will help enterprises and talent master AI technologies through the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” series, supporting the transition from AI awareness to practical application.
4. The “AI for All” Inclusive Programme attracts representatives from the business and innovation and technology sectors to explore the latest AI developments and application opportunities.
5. HKPC hosts an “AI BiteClass” sharing session on the day of the Launching Ceremony, inviting technology companies and industry experts to present practical AI experiences and success stories, helping enterprises enhance productivity and competitiveness through AI.

Hashtag: #HKPC

About the Hong Kong Productivity Council

Empowering SMEs and Working Professionals to Embrace AI and Foster Widespread AI Adoption in Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today held the Launching Ceremony of the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the “AI+” initiative, and supporting the HKSAR Government’s policies of “industries for AI, AI for industries” and “AI for All”. Coordinated by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme aims to promote the widespread adoption of AI across society. As one of the programme implementation partners, HKPC will lead the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” sub-programme, focusing on practical business applications, talent development, and inclusive technology adoption. The initiative will provide targeted support to SMEs, professionals, labour groups, and underprivileged communities through a range of training courses, hands-on application programmes, and industry-academia-research collaboration, promoting AI literacy and the practical deployment of AI technologies.

Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, officiated at the ceremony, joined by Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, and Mr Mohamed Butt, MH, Executive Director of HKPC. The event also brought together representatives from leading international and Chinese Mainland technology enterprises, chambers of commerce, and industry leaders, who shared successful case studies and practical insights, fostering collaboration across sectors to advance Hong Kong’s AI ecosystem.

Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said: “AI has become a key factor in global industrial upgrading and driving the development of the digital economy. Helping SMEs to achieve digital transformation and enhance competitiveness through AI is one of the focal points of the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme. This time, HKPC as the third implementing organisation for the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme, leverages its years of experience serving businesses to provide targeted and professional support to SMEs, helping them seize opportunities in the AI era. I hope that through the ‘AI for All’ inclusive programme, AI will not only serve as an empowering tool to enhance corporate value and competitiveness but also transform into a super dividend that benefits SMEs and the general public. Let ‘AI for All’ become Hong Kong’s vision for ‘Upgrading for All’ and ‘Opportunities for All’.”

Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, said: “AI should not be a privilege reserved for large enterprises. It should become a productivity tool that every business, every employee, and people from all walks of life can leverage. HKPC has long been committed to helping enterprises, particularly SMEs, enhance productivity, drive digital transformation, and convert innovative technologies into tangible business value. We focus on integrating AI technologies across different industries by providing practical, scalable and replicable solutions that support smart transformation. As one of the implementation organisations of the ‘AI for All’ Inclusive Programme, HKPC will centre its efforts on ‘AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment’, connecting Government, industry, academia, technology partners and social service organisations to help enterprises, SMEs, professionals and underprivileged communities acquire AI capabilities and transform AI into real productivity and business value, thereby advancing Hong Kong’s high-quality development and digital inclusion.”

“AI for All” Officially Launches with “Business Empowerment” Series to Drive Widespread AI Adoption

To advance the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, HKPC has launched the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” training series, centred on practical business applications. Through a two-year training and promotion programme, HKPC will work with technology companies, chambers of commerce, labour groups and community partners to help SMEs, professionals, working individuals, labour organisations, underprivileged groups and the general public acquire AI knowledge and application skills. The initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of AI and support digital and smart transformation across industries, sectors and communities through three key focus areas:

1. Business and Industry Upgrading: Through AI-focused programmes such as “AI+ Industry Boost Training” and “SME AI Connect”, enterprises can rapidly adopt AI technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness. Key training topics include:

• Practical Applications of Generative AI: Learning how to use generative AI tools for content creation, data analysis, and workflow optimisation.
• AI Applications Across Industries: Exploring how AI enhances efficiency, optimises operations and drives innovation in sectors including education, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and logistics.
• AI Project Workshops: Providing hands-on experience in AI application development and implementation, enabling participants to integrate AI solutions into real business scenarios.

2. Human Resources and Leadership: HKPC will continue conducting the “Hong Kong Enterprise AI Application Trends Survey” and share insights through “AI Talent Winning Tips”, helping organisations understand AI talent management and application trends while preparing for future workforce needs. Key topics include:

• AI and Career Development: Examining the impact of AI on the future workplace and helping professionals understand emerging skills requirements.
• AI Talent Management and Application Strategies: Sharing successful corporate experiences and practical strategies for AI transformation and talent development.

3. AI for ALL: Through the free online learning platform “AI BiteClass”, HKPC will provide convenient AI learning resources for SMEs, professionals, senior citizens and underprivileged communities, enabling people from all backgrounds to access AI fundamentals and the latest application trends anytime, anywhere. Key topics include:

• Introduction to AI Fundamentals: Covering basic AI concepts, operating principles, common use cases and future trends.
• Getting Started with Generative AI: Introducing generative AI tools and their everyday applications.
• AI Ethics and Responsible Use: Building awareness of responsible AI adoption, including issues relating to data privacy, bias and transparency.

“AI BiteClass” Debuts at Launch Ceremony, Bringing Global Technology Expertise to Hong Kong

As part of the launch event, HKPC presented a live edition of the “AI BiteClass”, featuring experts from HKPC and leading global technology companies, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, Huawei Cloud, Lenovo, Samsung, Tencent Cloud and Microsoft. The sessions shared practical AI techniques and real-world application cases tailored for SMEs. Through concise yet insightful presentations, the guest speakers highlighted the best practices and implementation strategies for AI, demonstrating how businesses can leverage AI to drive growth and enhance operational efficiency.

Looking ahead, the “AI BiteClass” will introduce a range of free online courses covering popular topics such as generative AI, AI agents, workflow automation, data analytics and enterprise transformation. Members of the public will be able to access practical AI learning resources at any time through the online platform or via iAM Smart.

HKPC has long positioned itself as a “technology adopter and enabler”, committed to helping enterprises transform innovation into tangible business value. Since 2024, HKPC has organised more than 600 AI training sessions, serving over 32,000 participants, including SMEs, large enterprises, HR professionals, industry leaders, students, educators and members of the public. These efforts have played a pivotal role in fostering a more competitive AI application ecosystem in Hong Kong.

A series of “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” activities will be rolled out progressively. Enterprises and members of the public are welcome to register via iAM Smart and stay updated on the latest programmes. Through collaboration with global technology enterprises, industry organisations and community partners, HKPC aims to bring AI into businesses, workplaces and communities, advancing the vision of “AI for All” while empowering enterprises and co-building Hong Kong’s intelligent future. For details, please visit: https://www.hkpcacademy.org/en/aiforall/

Please download the high-res photos HERE.

Photo Captions:

1. Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, delivers a speech at the ceremony, sharing the Government’s vision for advancing the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, accelerating AI adoption and fostering innovation and technology development in Hong Kong.
2. Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government (middle), Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC (left), and Mr Mohamed Butt, MH, Executive Director of HKPC (right) officiate the HKPC Launching Ceremony of the “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, jointly promoting AI literacy and application.
3. Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, says HKPC will help enterprises and talent master AI technologies through the “AI with HKPC – Business Empowerment” series, supporting the transition from AI awareness to practical application.
4. The “AI for All” Inclusive Programme attracts representatives from the business and innovation and technology sectors to explore the latest AI developments and application opportunities.
5. HKPC hosts an “AI BiteClass” sharing session on the day of the Launching Ceremony, inviting technology companies and industry experts to present practical AI experiences and success stories, helping enterprises enhance productivity and competitiveness through AI.

Hashtag: #HKPC

About the Hong Kong Productivity Council

Strengthening Competitiveness via Online-to-Offline Integration and Supply Chain Agility

Results Highlights

• Revenue reached US$301.51 million, representing a strong increase of 23.2%.
• Gross profit grew by 28.2% to US$93.98 million, with gross profit margin expanding to 31.2%.
• Operating profit increased by 30.1% to US$24.29 million.
• Net profit surged by 30.0% to US$18.30 million, with net profit margin improving to 6.1%.
• Business-to-consumer (B2C) platform YesStyle recorded revenue of US$215.07 million, up 30.5%, accounting for 71.3% of the Group’s total revenue. Offline expansion was enhanced with the opening of its first physical concept store in the US.
• Business-to-business (B2B) platform AsianBeautyWholesale (ABW) recorded revenue of US$82.75 million, up 6.2%, accounting for 27.4% of the Group’s total revenue.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – YesAsia Holdings Limited (“YesAsia Holdings”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) (2209.HK), a leading e-commerce platform operator recognized for its expertise in curating Asian beauty and lifestyle products, announced today its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 (the “Reporting Period”).

The Group continued to capture strong global demand for Korean Beauty (“K-Beauty”) products, driving revenue up by 23.2% year-on-year to US$301.51 million. Gross profit increased by 28.2% to US$93.98 million, with gross profit margin expanding by 1.2 percentage points to 31.2%. Operating profit grew by 30.1% to US$24.29 million. Benefiting from forward-looking investments in localized and tech-driven logistics infrastructure, which successfully mitigated geopolitical and freight cost pressures, profit for the period surged by 30.0% to US$18.30 million, after recognition of an one-off expense of approximately US$1.24 million in termination benefits arising from the organizational streamlining. Net profit margin improved to 6.1%. Basic earnings per share were US4.39 cents (1H 2025: US3.43 cents).

Navigating Uncertainties through Market Diversification and Logistics Agility

A global market footprint remains pivotal in mitigating geopolitical risks. The US, the Group’s largest market, has absorbed the tariff shock and delivered progressive improvement during the Reporting Period, with revenue exceeding 2H 2025 even outside the typical holiday peak season. Among non-core markets (excluding the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia), robust demand across Europe and Latin America, unlocked new growth momentum, with revenue from Europe and associated countries and Latin America growing by 22.1% and 178.4%, respectively. In the Middle East, the Group navigated the regional tensions to achieve steady revenue growth of 33.4%.

Complementing market diversification, strategic investments in logistics infrastructure spanning Hong Kong, South Korea, the US, and Europe, alongside the adoption of automation technologies like AMRs, have built a highly resilient and scalable supply chain. These capabilities enabled the Group to maintain a stable baseline for business costs and absorb freight and fuel price spikes stemming from Middle East conflicts during the Reporting Period. Consequently, the increase in operating costs remained well below revenue growth, with freight cost as a percentage of revenue dropping to 19.0%, demonstrating the Group’s robust cost control and operational agility.

Integrating O2O Experiences to Drive B2C-B2B Dual-Engine Synergy

Social media marketing remained one of the Group’s core strengths during the Reporting Period, supported by an ecosystem of over 557,000 unique influencers that generated US$85.70 million and contributed nearly 40% of YesStyle‘s revenue. To amplify this online impact, the Group strategically expanded its global offline presence to seamlessly bridge online and offline customer experiences. YesStyle debuted a 1,500 sq. ft. concept store in the San Francisco Bay Area. At the same time, the Group staged high-profile activations, including a Madrid café pop-up that generated over 2 million impressions and brand events at Seoul’s Yesful Land that accumulated over 3 million impressions. Together, these physical and digital touchpoints successfully converted customer engagement into sustained loyalty.

This heightened brand exposure across end-consumer markets directly catalyzed overseas B2B purchasing demand. During the Reporting Period, ABW consolidated its newly built partnerships with retailers in the US and Latin America. Notably, ABW Online’s average order size surged 38.6% year-on-year to US$3,590.60. This uptick reflects substantially stronger purchasing appetite and inventory confidence for K-Beauty products among retailers, underscoring the powerful synergy of the Group’s B2C-B2B dual-engine model.

Mr. Joshua Lau, Founder, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of YesAsia Holdings, said: “K-Beauty remains on an upward trajectory as it becomes a mainstream player in the global beauty business. Looking ahead, we believe that there is ample room for growth for YesAsia Holdings in both the retail and wholesale spheres worldwide. Amid geopolitical and supply chain uncertainties, we are continuously reinforcing our competitive moat and market leadership through AI-empowered customer services, a highly agile supply chain, and a strategy that seamlessly converts online traffic into immersive physical experiences, thereby driving long-term value for our shareholders in a fast-evolving market landscape.”

Hashtag: #YesAsia

About YesAsia Holdings Limited (02209.HK)

AI Unlocks the Potential of Cultural and Creative Industries, Reshaping Digital Entertainment and Smart Living Experiences

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Cyberport’s annual flagship event, the “Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026” (DELF 2026), opened today at Cyberport. The opening ceremony was officiated by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

Themed “The Dreamatic Circus“, this year’s forum focuses on how innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, are reshaping the cultural and creative industries, driving their transformation while unlocking new opportunities for the development of new quality productive forces. The three-day forum features four themed experience zones — Digital Entertainment, Culture and Arts, Smart Living and Business, and Robotics and Drones — presenting more than 35 innovative technology showcases, interactive experiences and programmes. Highlights include the immersive interactive art exhibition of Hong Kong original animation IP Another World, dynamic technology experiences by Nikopicto, combat robots by GJS Technology, the intelligent fashion platform developed by Genesis ONE using AI and 3D tools, and other attractions, enabling the public to experience first-hand the new possibilities that frontier technologies bring to entertainment, lifestyle and business applications. The event also includes AI interactive workshops, film screenings, drone performances and various competitions, creating a vibrant and engaging digital entertainment experience for participants.

Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said in his opening remarks, “Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF) 2026 explores how agentic AI is transforming the creative industry, positioning AI not as a replacement for human imagination, but as a collaborative partner that helps deliver creators’ dreams more boldly. Over the past year, the HKSAR Government has transitioned from AI strategy formulation to active execution, steering Hong Kong towards “industries for AI” and “AI for industries” through “strengthening infrastructure and promoting the application-oriented approach” in AI development. AI is transforming the digital entertainment industry, and DELF has always been about celebrating Hong Kong’s creative spirit. With robust computing infrastructure, a supportive policy environment, and a thriving creative community, Hong Kong is well-positioned to lead the AI+ era of digital entertainment.”

Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, said, “Under the theme ‘The Dreamatic Circus’, this year’s forum invites us to explore what becomes possible when human imagination is empowered by technology. AI is expanding what creators can imagine and produce. To better support technology companies and their innovative work, with the recent completion of Cyberport 5, we are thrilled to inject new energy into Hong Kong’s I&T industry. Combined with our AI Supercomputing Centre, this advanced infrastructure provides an world-class environment for technology development, industry collaboration and commercialization. DELF is not only about seeing what technology can do today. It is about imagining what we can create together tomorrow. I hope the forum inspires fresh thinking, leads to meaningful collaboration and helps turn more of Hong Kong’s creative ideas into innovations with lasting impact.”

DELF 2026 brings together more than 60 innovation and technology business leaders, content creators, academics, experts and investors from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas to discuss how artificial intelligence, immersive technologies and other frontier innovations are advancing the cultural and creative industries into a new stage of development and transforming modern smart living experiences. Guest speakers include Ms Drew Lai, Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency; Mr Samuel Lo, General Manager, NVIDIA AI Technology Center, Hong Kong and Macau; Mr Leo Tsou, Head of Infrastructure Solutions Group Specialty, Hong Kong, Macau & China South (Greater Bay Area), Dell Technologies; Mr Zhaobo Zhou, Head of Solution Sales, Huawei Cloud Hong Kong; Mr Joe Chang, Regional Director, BytePlus; Ms Monica Zhang, AI Games Program Lead, Tencent Institute of Games; Mr Samuel Lam, CEO, X Social Group; Ms Ankie de Hoon, Board Member, Vincent van Gogh Etten-Leur; Dr Jeff Tang, Lecturer, Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and Ms Polly Yeung, CEO, Gudo Inc., among other industry experts.

The forum will feature in-depth discussions on key topics such as AI collaboration, IP ecosystem development, the cultural and creative economy, and smart living, focusing on how AI can become an important collaborator for creators and enterprises, facilitate the industrialisation of local creativity and original IP, and expand broader market horizons. A series of keynote speeches and panel discussions will also examine the impact of AI and immersive technologies on film, television, gaming, animation and other cultural and creative sectors. Topics include “Good Game: Building Healthier Entertainment Communities and Creating Lasting Social and Economic Value” and “Boundless Realities, Intelligent Imaging: AI + XR Empowering the Future Film and Television Industry Ecosystem”. Speakers include Mr Kun Gao, Director of GGWP Inc.; Prof Mike Fischer, Professor of Interactive Media at the University of Southern California; Mr Jixuan Wang, Director of the Management Office of Xi’an XR Film Industry Base, Deputy General Manager of Xi’an Film Studio, Xiying Group; Dr Tony Wong, Hong Kong Comic Legend; President, Comics and Animation Federation who will explore how AI can promote the development of original IP and create new opportunities for the cultural and creative economy.

On the first day of the forum, Cyberport signed memoranda of understanding respectively withAlibaba Cloud, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts andHong Kong Shue Yan University. Its collaboration with Alibaba Cloud will support start-ups and enhance digital skills through the AI-Builder Program, joint training, technical resources, investment, and exchange opportunities. Together with The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Cyberport will promote art tech, AI innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development, while exploring the establishment of the Cyberport Academy × HKAPA Immersive Studio for the research, development, and showcase of art tech and immersive technology projects. In partnership with Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Cyberport will focus on AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies to encourage tertiary students to participate in project-based initiatives, company visits, internships, and employment opportunities, thereby strengthening innovation and technology talent development.

These strategic partnerships underscore the value of DELF 2026 as a key platform for advancing academiaindustryresearch collaboration, while highlighting Cyberport’s pivotal role in connecting crosssector resources and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a leading regional and international innovation and technology hub. The three Memoranda of Understanding were signed by Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, with representatives from each partner organisation. Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, together with delegates from partner institutions, attended and witnessed the signing ceremony.

Following the opening of DELF 2026 today, a diverse range of exciting programmes, experiences and competitions will continue over the next two days, including eVTOL aircraft trial flight demonstrations, accessible gaming esports experiences, and senior esports and experience days, enabling participants of different ages and backgrounds to experience the vibrant world of digital entertainment. Members of the public can also join Cyberport Academy: DELF 2026 – AI Cultural and Creative Micro-Academy to learn creative skills such as art concept design and audio-visual production, and enjoy selected works from the Future Animation: 3rd AI-assisted animation production support scheme and the 2nd HKUST AI Film Festival Selected Projects, experiencing the new possibilities created by the convergence of digital entertainment and creative technology.

To encourage the public to further explore the world of digital entertainment, DELF 2026 has also launched a special “Play to Earn” campaign that combines gamified missions with rewards. Participants can collect stamps by visiting the four themed experience zones and completing designated missions, and redeem prizes along the way. Those who collect all stamps will have the opportunity to win limited-edition merchandise from the Hong Kong original animation IP Another World.

For details of the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 and the full speaker line-up, please visit: https://delf.cyberport.hk/tc/index.

Please click here to download high-resolution press photos.

Photo 1: Cyberport’s annual flagship event, Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026, opens today. Themed “The Dreamatic Circus”, this year’s forum explores new opportunities for the development of cultural and creative industries brought by AI and immersive technologies.

Photo 2: Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, delivers remarks at the opening ceremony, recognising Hong Kong’s unique advantages in developing the digital entertainment and original IP industries, as well as its position as an innovation hub connecting the Chinese Mainland and international markets.

Photo 3: Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, says in his remarks that DELF 2026 not only showcases diverse innovative achievements in AI and immersive technologies, but also promotes industry discussion on the future development trends of original IP development, industry-academia collaboration and technology-enabled cultural creativity.

Photo 4: Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Ms Maria Tong, General Manager of Partner Development, APAC North, Alibaba Cloud, sign a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Antonio Leong, VP of Hong Kong & Macau Region, International Business, Alibaba Cloud, and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

Photo 5: Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Prof Anna CY CHAN, Director, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, sign a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Dr Terry LAM, Dean of the School of Film and Television, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Prof Andrew LAINE, Dean of the School of Theatre and Entertainment Arts, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and and Mr Simon Chan Chairman of Cyberport.

Photo 6: Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Dr Jason Chow, Vice President (University Administration), Hong Kong Shue Yan University, sign a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Prof Catherine Sun, Senior Vice President, Hong Kong Shue Yan University and Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

Photo 7 to 10: Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry visits the various innovative solutions in the DELF 2026 experience zone.

https://www.cyberport.hk/en

Hashtag: #Cyberport #DELF2026 #DigitalEntertainment

About Hong Kong Cyberport

Close to 15,000 professionals join national AI capability effort within two months as employers build practical AI workforce capabilities

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Singapore’s ambition to build an accountancy profession fluent in artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining strong momentum, with more than 15,000 accountants and finance professionals enrolled in the ISCA AI Fluency Programme just two months after the launch. The strong early participation marks an important milestone in a broader national effort to build practical AI capabilities across the accountancy profession.

ISCA AI Fluency Programme is Singapore’s national AI learning initiative for the accountancy profession, aimed at building practical AI capabilities across the profession. It aims to equip 60,000 accountancy and corporate finance professionals over the next three years, representing approximately half of Singapore’s accountancy profession. It also develops professionals who combine professional judgement and technical expertise with practical AI capabilities that can be applied effectively and responsibly at work.

From AI awareness to workplace capability

As organisations invest in AI platforms and enterprise solutions, successful AI adoption depends not only on technology, but also on whether people have the skills and confidence to apply AI responsibly and effectively in their daily work.

The programme is designed to bridge this gap by helping professionals become AI fluent as it is built around more than 180 practical accounting and finance AI use cases spanning six professional roles, including audit, finance, tax, internal audit, governance and board reporting. It also contains over 600 practical learning activities, enabling professionals to explore how AI can be applied directly to their everyday work.

Participants learn how AI can be applied to practical workplace tasks, including financial analysis and reporting, preparing board and management materials, supporting audit planning and testing, and accelerating tax research and internal audit planning.

Strong early momentum across the profession

Participants include professionals at different career stages and in different workplace settings: from students preparing to enter the workforce and small firm practitioners to senior business leaders. To date, over 250 learners have earned their AI Fluency digital badge. Almost 80 learners have completed the full 30-hours of structured online learning, equivalent to around 10 days of instructor-led practical workshops and have been recognised as AI Champions. Early learner feedback has also been positive, with the programme receiving an average rating of 4.85 out of 5.

The strong early take-up reflects growing interest in building practical AI capabilities and recognition of their increasing relevance to accountants and finance professionals.

Employers are investing in AI capable workforces

The programme is also seeing encouraging support from employers, as organisations explore how AI learning can translate into practical workplace applications. Professionals from organisations including EY, Deloitte, DBS, SP Group and the Accountant-General’s Department (AGD), among others, are also participating in the programme, reflecting the breadth of interest and the growing relevance of AI fluency across the profession as Singapore’s workforce adapts to an increasingly AI-enabled economy.

The AGD has enrolled more than 400 officers in the AI Fluency programme, with plans to progressively extend the programme to some 4,000 public sector finance and internal audit officers across the Whole-of-Government.

The programme is also beginning to demonstrate measurable workplace impact. At Accredify, AI workflows have been developed to reduce time spent on selected finance and contract processing activities by an estimated 50 to 80 per cent, demonstrating how practical AI capability can translate into tangible business outcomes.

A profession united by lifelong learning

AI Fluency is bringing together professionals across generations. Among the programme’s earliest AI Champions is ISCA Distinguished Lifetime Member Mr Boon Swan Foo, who has completed the full 30-hour programme. His completion demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning.

Mr Boon said: “Throughout my career, I have seen our profession evolve with every major technological shift. AI is simply the next chapter. What impressed me about the programme is that it is not about replacing professional judgement. It is about strengthening it. Continuous learning has always been the hallmark of a trusted professional and AI Fluency is becoming an essential part of that journey.”

Expanding AI capabilities across the region

Building on the encouraging response in Singapore, ISCA is preparing Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese versions of the AI Fluency programme to support wider regional adoption. Discussions are also underway with professional accountancy organisations, accounting firms and corporates across ASEAN, with the ambition of sharing Singapore’s AI capability model more broadly across the region.

Within Singapore, ISCA is working towards its goal of upskilling 60,000 accountancy and corporate finance professionals over three years, while deepening adoption across organisations and supporting more learners in completing their AI Fluency journey.

The programme will also continue to evolve with new AI tools, emerging accountancy use cases and industry developments to ensure professionals remain current in an increasingly AI-enabled workplace.

Mr Lee Boon Teck, President of ISCA, said: “AI will not replace professional judgement. Its greatest value will come from professionals who can combine AI capabilities with their expertise and judgement to deliver better outcomes for clients, employers and society. The strong response to AI Fluency programme demonstrates that our profession is ready to embrace this next chapter as we work towards our ambition of building an AI-fluent accountancy profession in Singapore.”

Hashtag: #ISCA #CharteredAccountants #AIFluency #AIBilingualism #DifferenceMakers #Accounting #Accountancy

Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Huatai Securities Co., Ltd. (the “Company”; stock codes: 601688.SH, 6886.HK, HTSC.L), a leading technology‑driven and fully integrated securities firm in China, today announced its consolidated financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2026.

The Company recorded total revenue of RMB 31.31 billion, representing a year‑on‑year increase of 49.23%; net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 11.69 billion, up 54.87% year‑on‑year. Revenue from the Company’s major business segments, wealth management, institutional services, investment management and international business all recorded year‑on‑year growth, driving operating performance to a record high for the period.

Reflecting its strong financial performance, the Company has declared an interim dividend of RMB 1.80 per 10 shares, reaffirming its commitment to delivering sustainable value to shareholders.

Huatai Securities believes that sustainable competitive advantage can only be achieved through a systematic and enterprise-wide approach to artificial intelligence (AI). Since the beginning of 2026, the Company has focused on establishing AI as a future‑ready strategic infrastructure, accelerating its integration with professional financial expertise, business processes and organizational frameworks. By advancing an AI‑native business ecosystem that combines human judgement with machine intelligence, Huatai Securities is empowering employees to enhance productivity, strengthen innovation and deliver more sophisticated professional insights. This approach enables the Company to respond to clients’ evolving needs with greater efficiency, precision and service quality.

AI-driven Business Transformation

From large models to AI agents, AI technology is evolving at a rapid pace. Huatai Securities is firmly advancing its “ALL IN AI” strategy, leveraging technology not only to enhance quality and efficiency, but also to systematically re-engineer business workflows through AI-native thinking. The Company is embedding AI across key business functions, including investment research, investment banking, trading and wealth advisory, while also strengthening foundational capabilities in compliance, risk management and corporate decision‑making. As AI moves from the back office to the front line, Huatai Securities is transforming service delivery from reactive engagement to proactive support, creating a more intelligent, efficient and client-centric operating model.

Huatai Securities’ next‑generation AI‑native trading platform, the “AI ZhangLe” App, has redefined the traditional service model by shifting from an approach where clients actively seek out services to one where services proactively reach clients. The platform provides individual investors with intelligent, end‑to‑end support throughout the investment lifecycle. By deeply integrating investment research capabilities with advanced algorithms, AI ZhangLe replaces conventional command‑based interactions with natural language conversations, enabling the platform to understand investor needs, anticipate scenarios and provide proactive strategies. Before trades are executed, it scans market signals in real time to uncover potential targets based on objective indicators. During execution, it interprets investment intent through natural language interactions and translates it into actionable tasks for investors’ reference. Following execution, it delivers multi‑dimensional portfolio analysis, performance attribution and personalized optimization strategies, while proactively providing scenario‑based insights and professional decision‑support information. Since its launch in October 2025, the “AI ZhangLe” App has surpassed 5 million cumulative downloads.

As the AI transformation progresses, Huatai Securities is accelerating the development of a unified financial middle-office platform that provides a shared capability framework and data infrastructure across key business segments, including wealth management and institutional services. This platform enables the reuse of specialized expertise, integration of data assets and accumulation of organizational knowledge, driving continuous enhancement through real‑world business scenarios and iterative learning. At the core of this effort is the Company’s AI‑powered industry map, which systematically structures and embeds industry knowledge generated across investment research, investment banking and investment management activities. By transforming fragmented individual expertise and relationship networks into organizational intelligence, the platform enhances asset discovery capabilities and supports more accurate asset valuation and pricing. The AI‑powered industry map currently covers a range of strategic sectors, including lithium battery energy storage, semiconductor equipment, new energy vehicles, intelligent driving and innovative pharmaceuticals, and incorporates more than 60 specialized investment research capabilities, serving as a reusable, continuously evolving and highly scalable research foundation for all business segments across the Company.

Advancing the Real Economy Through Industrial Investment Banking

Building a modern industrial system and advancing the comprehensive upgrading of China’s industrial landscape are key priorities under the 15th Five‑Year Plan period. Huatai Securities remains committed to supporting the real economy by leveraging its full‑lifecycle service capabilities to meet the evolving needs of enterprises at every stage of development. At the same time, it is embedding AI across the upstream and downstream of investment banking industry chain to drive the intelligent transformation of core business procedures. For years, Huatai has supported more than 300 technology‑driven and innovation-focused companies, which today represent a combined market capitalization of approximately RMB 15 trillion.

The Company has continued to deepen its expertise across strategic sectors including AI and semiconductors, biomedicine, commercial aerospace, quantum computing, new energy and energy storage. Through extensive coverage of the upstream and downstream industry chain, Huatai Securities has developed a deep understanding of the underlying drivers of industrial development, enabling it to identify emerging opportunities and support enterprises in accessing capital markets, revitalizing assets and achieving long‑term sustainable growth.

As at June 30, 2026, the total committed capital of private equity funds under management of Huatai Zijin Investment Co., Ltd. reached RMB 72 billion, with 34 new investment projects carried out during the first half of the year. Meanwhile, Huatai Securities’ A‑share equity underwriting volume reached RMB 53.3 billion, representing a significant year‑on‑year increase, while total bond underwriting across all product categories amounted to RMB 718.9 billion. Huatai Securities also acted as independent financial advisor on 7 M&A and restructuring transactions approved by stock exchanges during the period, while Huatai Asset Management served as manager for 87 enterprise asset-backed securities (ABS) programs, both ranking first in the industry. Leveraging its cross‑border capabilities and integrated business model, Huatai Securities continued to facilitate the international expansion of high‑quality Chinese enterprises through Hong Kong’s capital markets. During the first half of 2026, Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited completed 12 Hong Kong IPO sponsorship mandates, ranking third in the market.

“One Huatai”: Delivering Client–Centric Solutions

Against a backdrop of profound macroeconomic adjustment and ongoing structural market transformation, wealth and institutional clients are increasingly seeking sophisticated asset-allocation strategies, enhanced risk management and highly customized solutions. In response, Huatai Securities has further strengthened its “One Huatai” integrated service platform, leveraging AI to broaden its capabilities, enhance client engagement and respond more effectively to evolving market conditions.

The Company continued to enhance its trading and asset-allocation capabilities across its wealth management platform. On a consolidated basis, net revenue from securities brokerage reached RMB 4.7 billion in the first half of 2026, representing year‑on‑year growth of 61%, while net revenue from the distribution of financial products increased 114% to RMB 600 million. Sales volumes, assets under custody and revenue from private fund products all recorded strong growth during the period. To further elevate advisor productivity and client service, Huatai Securities launched an AI‑powered advisor workbench, underpinned by a multi‑agent collaborative architecture that optimizes key business processes, including product introduction and evaluation, asset allocation and investment strategy development. The platform incorporates a suite of role‑specific intelligent agents that support end-to-end execution across core advisory workflows. Leveraging its proprietary technology infrastructure, the Company delivers AI capabilities consistently across the organization while enabling personalized workflow orchestration and tailored service delivery.

Within its institutional services business, Huatai Securities continued to strengthen its global client franchise, with its institutional client network now spanning more than 6,500 domestic and international institutions, with the number of newly opened sovereign wealth fund accounts increasing 64% year‑on‑year. The Company has established a comprehensive prime brokerage ecosystem, providing institutional clients with integrated solutions across the full investment lifecycle. Huatai Securities ranked fifth in public fund brokerage trading volume in 2025, and second in the industry for margin financing and securities lending interest income in the first half of 2026. The Company also maintained a leading position in market-making for the STAR Market and among listed funds. To further enhance its institutional service capabilities, Huatai Securities has embedded professional expertise into AI-powered solutions, enabling the systematic delivery of research and investment insights. During the period, the Company launched “Huatai Zhiyan”, an AI-enabled investment research toolbox that provides clients with access to proprietary data, research methodologies, the latest insights, valuation models and other intelligent agents. By offering round-the-clock access to professional resources and analytical capabilities, the platform supports more informed and efficient investment decision‑making.

Looking ahead, Huatai Securities will remain firmly focused on its clients, while continuing to strengthen its integrated financial services platform and enhance its ability to deliver comprehensive, high-quality solutions across business segments. The Company will continue to cultivate new growth drivers through AI innovation, further strengthen its industrial investment banking capabilities to support the development of China’s modern industrial system and facilitate the growth of strategic emerging industries. Building on the strength of its “One Huatai” service platform the Company will deepen cross‑border collaboration and connectivity across its global network, enabling it to better serve domestic and international clients and make even greater contributions to the high‑quality development of the real economy.

Hashtag: #HuataiSecurities

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – For many aspiring business leaders in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong represents more than a study destination; it is a gateway to global markets. For Clarrence Mae, a first-year student from Jakarta, that vision is already taking shape at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

Hong Kong: A Strategic Choice for Global Ambitions

A recipient of two prestigious entrance scholarships, Clarrence is currently enrolled in CUHK’s Integrated Bachelor of Business Administration (IBBA) programme. A graduate of SMAK 1 BPK Penabur Jakarta, she saw the city as a gateway to global opportunity. “I think of Hong Kong as a financial hub, a bridge between countries. For someone who wants to study international business or finance, Hong Kong is the answer.”

She first encountered CUHK at her secondary school’s education fair and was drawn to its world-class standing (ranked second in Hong Kong and 18th globally). “I fell in love with CUHK’s environment, the buildings, the nature and all the diversity. The various organisations and events sealed it. For me, CUHK is just right.” On top of her University Admission Scholarship and top-up scholarship by the CUHK Business School, her commitment was further recognised with two scholarships upon admission: the Shum Wai Yau and Kong Fook To Belt and Road First-in-the-Family Tertiary Education Admission Scholarship and the United College CUHK Golden Jubilee First-in-the-Family Tertiary Education Admission Scholarship.

Building Belonging in the CUHK Community

Since arriving on campus, the transition was not without challenges. Language barriers initially meant she missed updates and campus events, but CUHK’s support network for international students helped her find her footing. The atmosphere, she says, is family-like, giving students space to stay connected to home while building friendships across borders. A mentorship programme also gave her early exposure to Hong Kong’s professional landscape. “It really opened my eyes to the real job market here,” she said.

From Classroom to the Global Stage

Clarrence’s ambitions are clearly defined: a Big Four internship, an exchange semester, and a career in Hong Kong before returning to make her mark in Indonesia. “For business, Hong Kong is the answer, and CUHK’s reputation as one of the top universities in the world says it all. With the scholarship opportunities on top of that, it’s truly a win-win.”

CUHK’s Integrated BBA Programme

Offered by the region’s first business school, CUHK’s Integrated BBA programme gives students the freedom to shape a curriculum around their ambitions. Key highlights include:

• Unmatched Flexibility: Nine concentration areas with no intake limits, plus options for double majors, dual degrees and minors.
• A Truly Global Community: Students from over 19 nationalities, fostering cross-cultural exchange and an international outlook.
• Real-World Readiness: 89% of students complete at least one internship before graduating, and 93% access global experiential learning opportunities.
• Comprehensive Support: A dedicated mentorship programme, partnership courses and internship placements prepare students for an ever-changing business landscape.

Graduates leave with analytical, communication and ethical decision-making skills, and access to a network of over 45,000 Business School alumni worldwide.

For more information about CUHK’s Integrated BBA programme, visit

Hashtag: #CUHK

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Singapore’s fintech sector drew over US$499 million in investment across 53 deals in the first half of 2026, according to KPMG’s Pulse of Fintech H1’2026 report. This marks a drop from the roughly US$1.45 billion across 97 deals recorded in H1 2025. It also represents the most subdued first half the country saw in about close to a decade.

The moderation was uneven across the half. After a notably quiet first quarter of about US$88 million across 26 deals, activity rebounded to some US$411 million across 27 deals in the second quarter. That recovery rested almost entirely on a single US$320 million round for a cross-border payments platform in June, which alone accounted for close to two-thirds of Singapore’s total fintech investment for the half.

Anton Ruddenklau, Partner, Head of Financial Services, KPMG in Singapore said: “The headline number tells only part of the story. What we are seeing in Singapore mirrors the global market — investors are being far more selective, consolidating capital behind a small number of scaled, high-conviction platforms rather than funding behaviour we saw in prior years. A single deal carrying most of the half is a signal of that concentration. However, the fundamentals that make Singapore a strategic hub for fintech — a trusted regulatory environment, deep cross-border connectivity, and strength in payments and digital assets — remain intact, and these remain the stronghold areas where capital is still flowing.”

Investment clustered around three familiar verticals: payments, digital assets and cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. Most investments clustered towards earlier-stage companies building tokenisation, digital-asset and AI-enabled infrastructure, pointing to a market that is still forming at the foundations even as growth-stage funding thins.

Globally, the picture ran in the opposite direction on value. Fintech investment across venture capital, private equity and M&A rose from US$72.2 billion in H2’25 to US$103.1 billion in H1’26, putting the sector on pace for its strongest annual performance in four years. Deal volume, however, remained soft at just 2,100 deals globally in H1’26 against 2,500 in H2’25, as investors concentrated capital on large transactions centred on mature fintechs with well-proven business models. Singapore’s half was a local expression of that same dynamic, fewer deals, larger concentration, and a clear premium on proven models.

Figure 1: Singapore’s half-year fintech deal value and volume, H1 2019 – H1 2026

Period	Deal value (US$M)	No. of deals
H1 2019	610	85
H1 2020	578	100
H1 2021	1,234	170
H1 2022	3,540	234
H1 2023	1,609	126
H1 2024	624	155
H1 2025	1,449	97
H1 2026	499	53

Source: KPMG Pulse of Fintech, PitchBook.

Figure 2: Singapore fintech investment by vertical, H1 2026

Vertical	No. of deals	Disclosed deal value (US$M)
Artificial intelligence & machine learning	18	365.9
Payments	3	332.0
Cryptocurrency / blockchain	27	95.5
RegTech	2	19.1
ESG / greentech	1	14.0
InsurTech	4	12.3
WealthTech	1	—
PropTech	0	—
Cybersecurity	0	—

*Deals are frequently tagged to more than one vertical

Payments remains one of Singapore’s anchor verticals

Cross-border payments proved to be one of Singapore’s anchor verticals, although it was largely supported by a US$320 million deal in June. That single transaction accounted for nearly all of the US$332 million recorded across the three payments deals in the half. Two of the three deals belonging to the later stage even in a tighter funding climate reflects sustained investor appetite for scaled platforms that can move money across borders while managing compliance, currency conversion and settlement – capabilities that only grow more valuable as global trade and commerce fragment.

Digital assets and cryptocurrency continue to drive deal activity

Digital assets and cryptocurrency again accounted for the largest share of Singapore’s deal count, even if individual cheque sizes were relatively modest. The larger, later-stage names were built around regulated market infrastructure, including companies such as digital-asset services providers and crypto payments firms, while the seed and early-stage cohort skewed towards exchange, brokerage and cross-chain tooling platforms. With most capital concentrated at seed and early stage (15 of the 27 deals) rather than in large growth rounds, it signals continued confidence in Singapore as a base for regulated, institutional-grade digital-asset businesses, even as the sector’s weight in the market rests on young companies rather than proven, scaled platforms.

AI and machine learning stays central to the fintech thesis

Artificial intelligence and machine learning was the most active vertical of the half, featuring in 18 of Singapore’s 53 deals and US$365.9 million of disclosed value. The deals were split equally across early and late stage deals.

The later-stage deals clustered around applied software that embeds AI into established financial workflows, spanning cross-border payments, investment research, insurance and claims, credit-risk modelling and document processing. These are revenue-generating platforms using AI to improve productivity and margins rather than to build entirely new markets, which is why they continued to attract the larger capital even in a more selective climate, as investors are willing to pay up for proven models where AI deepens an existing commercial edge.

At seed and early stage, the profile shifts towards agentic software and infrastructure, including agentic execution platforms, agentic networks and cross-chain automation, alongside broader AI-and-crypto tooling. This could signal that investors are expecting that autonomous, AI-driven agents may become core infrastructure for how money moves and how financial decisions are executed.

2026 – Key Global highlights

• Global fintech investment has grown considerably over the past three six-month periods, rising from $50.5 billion in H1’25 to $72.2 billion in H2’25 to $103.1 billion in H1’26.
• Global deal volume fell from 2,500 deals in H2’25 to 2,100 in H1’26; this remains below historic norms, reflecting continued investor selectivity despite higher capital deployment.
• The Americas attracted over 80 percent of global fintech investment in H1’26 ($86.9 billion across 1,120 deals), of which the US accounted for $80.8 billion across 933 deals.
• Coming off a strong 2025 that saw $39.5 billion invested across 1,714 deals, the EMEA region saw $11.3 billion invested across 626 deals in H1’26 – on pace for a decade-low for both deal volume and value.
• Fintech investment in the ASPAC region remained muted, declining from $7.1 billion across 426 deals during H2’25 to $4.6 billion across 350 deals in H1’26.
• Global fintech M&A activity strengthened, with deal value increasing from $37.2 billion across 514 deals in H2’25 to $67.9 billion across 394 deals in H1’26
• Venture capital investment remained strong across the global fintech sector, led by the US which saw $16.8 billion in VC investment.
• At the sector level, payments led the way, attracting $44.2 billion in H1’26: well over 2025’s annual total, as a result of several large megadeals.
• AI-focused fintechs attract $21.4 billion across VC, PE, and M&A.

Hashtag: #KPMG

About KPMG International

Industry leaders and practitioners gathered in Hong Kong to advance climate adaptation, building transformation and AI-enabled solutions for a more resilient built environment across Asia.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Arup and Saint-Gobain hosted the Asia launch (Hong Kong) of their global report, Adapting Buildings to Climate Change, alongside a technical seminar on AI-enhanced building design and operation. Supported by the Hong Kong Green Building Council, BEAM Society Limited, Business Environment Council, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Royal Institute of British Architects and American Institute of Architects Hong Kong, the event brought together more than 100 industry leaders, developers, architects, engineers and sustainability practitioners to examine how the built environment can respond to the growing challenges of climate change. The Hong Kong edition follows the report’s European launch in Brussels earlier this year and marks the beginning of a wider conversation across the Asia Pacific region.

Reflecting the value of collaboration between government and industry, Mr Sammy Yeung, JP, Commissioner for Climate Change, Environment and Ecology Bureau, HKSAR Government; and Mr Benjamin Hubin, Deputy Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, graced the launch ceremony as distinguished guests. Their presence underscored a shared commitment to addressing climate challenges and strengthening the resilience of Hong Kong’s built environment.

The urgency of that shared agenda framed the evening’s discussions. The scale of the challenge is significant. More than 7,000 major climate-related disasters caused nearly US$3 trillion in losses worldwide between 2000 and 2019, and the frequency and severity of heatwaves, floods, storms and extreme rainfall continue to rise. As one of the world’s most densely developed cities, Hong Kong faces distinct pressures, with rising temperatures, intensifying rainfall and a large existing building stock reinforcing the need for adaptation alongside decarbonisation. The pressure is particularly acute in dense urban areas, where Arup’s research has found the urban heat island effect can raise city temperatures by up to 8.5°C compared with rural surroundings, putting lives at risk and driving up cooling demand. Against this backdrop, the report examines how buildings can better withstand extreme heat, flooding and storms while supporting the transition to a low-carbon future.

Building on these themes, distinguished speakers and panellists from across the built environment sector shared their perspectives throughout the evening. Through a series of presentations and a panel discussion, they explored how building owners, investors and industry professionals can extend asset life, strengthen resilience and create lasting social and economic value through climate-responsive design, retrofitting and advanced technologies, as well as the growing role of digital innovation and artificial intelligence in enabling smarter, more sustainable decision-making across the building lifecycle.

Ir Dr Vincent Cheng, Arup Fellow and APAC Environment, Climate and Sustainability Services Leader, said, “Climate adaptation is no longer a future consideration. It is a present-day imperative for our cities, communities and economies. Buildings account for a significant share of our urban assets, and enhancing their resilience is essential to protecting people, livelihoods and long-term prosperity. Through this report, Arup and Saint-Gobain aim to provide practical insights that help the industry move beyond identifying climate risks and towards implementing solutions. By combining adaptation, decarbonisation and digital innovation, we can create buildings that are not only more resilient, but also healthier, more efficient and better equipped to support thriving communities.”

Mr Ludovic Weber, CEO Asia, Saint-Gobain, said, “Building adaptation to climate change cannot be addressed through one discipline, one stakeholder or one product alone. This report reinforces and accelerates Saint-Gobain’s long-standing approach of combining materials, systems and building-science expertise to deliver integrated, performance-based solutions tailored to specific climate risks and local needs. Together with Arup, we aim to turn knowledge into practical action and help create buildings that are more resilient, sustainable and valuable over the long term.”

About the report
Adapting Buildings to Climate Change explores the impacts of climate change on buildings and sets out strategies to strengthen resilience across the asset lifecycle. It identifies three complementary design approaches, namely robustness, adaptiveness and flexibility, and presents practical families of construction solutions ranging from thermal envelope and solar protection systems to green infrastructure and enhanced-resistance measures. The report highlights the business and societal value of investing in adaptation, showing how proactive measures can safeguard assets, improve occupant wellbeing and support more sustainable, resilient cities.

Hashtag: #Arup #Saint-Gobain

About Arup

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

Source: Morningstar DBRS

27 August 2026

Overview

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has triggered an unprecedented surge in demand for digital infrastructure, particularly data centres. 

Once viewed as a niche segment within real estate and infrastructure markets, these facilities have rapidly evolved into a distinct asset class. 

As AI models grow in scale and complexity, their computational requirements increase exponentially, making data centres essential to supporting this technological transformation. 

Sustaining AI expansion requires significant investment. In the U.S., AI-related spending was estimated at USD 430 billion in 2025 and could more than double by 2029, reflecting both rapid innovation and the capital-intensive demands of computing, storage and energy infrastructure. To support this growth, technology companies have raised around USD 300 billion from U.S. investors and increasingly relied on bank financing for AI and data-centre development. Banks have become deeply involved in this ecosystem, not only in the U.S. but also in Europe and the UK through large-scale financing, syndicated lending and securitisation. As a result, the banking sector is increasingly embedded in the expansion of AI-driven digital infrastructure. According to Morningstar DBRS, this creates significant business opportunities for banks whilst also increasing sector concentration risks, prompting active exposure management. However, whilst data-centre lending has been one of the fastest-growing areas of bank credit in recent years, exposures generally remain a modest share of overall loan portfolios. Furthermore, banks employ a range of established risk-management tools, including syndication, concentration limits, exposure caps, portfolio monitoring and risk-transfer mechanisms, to manage sector-specific risks and limit excessive concentration.

Key Highlights

• AI is driving unprecedented investment in data centres, thereby transforming them into a strategic asset class and creating significant financing opportunities for banks through lending, syndication, and capital markets activities.
• Banks’ exposure to the data-centre sector is growing rapidly across the U.S. and Europe, supported by strong demand from hyperscalers and AI developers, but this expansion increases concentration and credit risks.
• Banks are actively managing these risks through syndication, securitisation, and risk-transfer structures, shifting part of the exposure to institutional investors whilst raising new questions around transparency and systemic risk.

Strategic Rationale for Banks’ Exposure to Data Centres

Banks’ exposure to data centres takes multiple forms, including syndicated loans to developers, corporate lending to hyperscalers and infrastructure operators, and capital-markets financing through structured finance transactions. Given the scale of modern AI infrastructure projects, financing is typically arranged by large banking syndicates capable of underwriting substantial amounts of capital. Moreover, banks support the sector through a broad range of capital markets solutions, including M&A advisory, debt arranging and equity capital markets transactions.

U.S. banks remain the dominant participants in the market. Institutions such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo regularly arrange multibillion-dollar financings for data-centre developers and AI-related infrastructure. For example, JPMorgan led a USD 7.1 billion construction loan for Crusoe’s Stargate AI campus in Texas in 2025, whilst a consortium led by Morgan Stanley and MUFG provided USD 2.6 billion of financing to CoreWeave later that year.

European banks have also increased their participation through infrastructure lending, project financing, and syndicated transactions, both within Europe and internationally. For instance, Deutsche Bank AG, in September 2025, provided EUR 600 million of financing to Sweden-based EcoDataCenter and participated in AirTrunk’s AUD 4.3 billion financing in Australia alongside other lenders. Beyond traditional bank lending, private credit funds, infrastructure investors, and asset managers are becoming increasingly important capital providers. NVIDIA Corporation’s recently announced initiative to help mobilise more than USD 500 billion for AI infrastructure illustrates both the scale of anticipated investment needs and the growing role of nonbank capital providers.

We believe banks’ involvement in data-centre financing is consistent with their traditional role in supporting large-scale infrastructure and technology investments. The sector offers attractive long-term growth prospects, significant financing needs, and access to strategically important technology clients. In addition to lending income, syndication and capital-markets activities generate substantial fee revenues in a normalising interest rate environment, whilst limiting balance sheet usage.

Key Risks Associated With Data-Centre Financing

Despite strong growth prospects, we note that data-centre financing carries several risks for banks. In our view, concentration risk is one of the most significant credit considerations for banks active in the sector. Projects are typically large and often dependent on a limited number of hyperscalers, AI providers, or specialist operators.

Credit risk is also closely linked to expectations regarding future AI adoption. Many investment decisions assume continued growth in demand for computing capacity and the sustained use of new infrastructure. If commercial AI adoption develops more slowly than expected, utilisation rates and cash flows may fall short of projections, weakening borrowers’ ability to service debt.

Data centres are also exposed to technological obsolescence risk, although to a lesser extent. Rapid advances in chip technology, computing architecture, and cooling technologies may reduce existing facilities’ competitiveness, calling for considerable additional investment to remain operationally relevant.

Finally, data centres face asset-specific risks across both the development and operating phases. For facilities under development, permitting delays, construction challenges, power-connection constraints, and cost inflation can adversely affect project performance and increase risks for lenders. For operational assets, revenues often depend on long-term contracts with a relatively small number of tenants, whilst project economics rely on access to reliable and affordable electricity. Energy-price volatility and evolving environmental regulations can adversely affect project performance and increase risks for lenders.

Insurance availability has also become an increasingly important consideration, with higher premiums, tighter coverage terms, and reduced insurer capacity already affecting some large-scale data-centre projects.

Concentration risk at the tenant level remains particularly relevant. Large hyperscalers continue to account for a significant share of industry demand and capacity commitments, creating dependency on a relatively small group of counterparties. Recent market data indicates that hyperscalers represented approximately 59% of North American data-centre tenant demand in 2026, highlighting the importance of monitoring customer concentration and counterparty exposure.

We have also previously highlighted risks related to energy availability and physical security considerations for data centres, which are likely to remain important as the sector continues to expand.

Managing Down Exposures Through Risk Transfer and Securitisation

In response to concentration, capital-allocation, and portfolio-management concerns, banks are increasingly adopting strategies to reduce retained exposures. One primary tool is syndication, which allows institutions to distribute loans across a broader group of lenders and investors, limiting single-name balance sheet exposure. The USD 2.6 billion CoreWeave financing is an example of this approach, with exposure distributed among a large lending syndicate rather than retained by a small number of lead arrangers. Banks are also making greater use of significant risk transfer (SRT) transactions, enabling them to transfer portions of credit risk to external investors whilst preserving client relationships and maintaining lending capacity. In addition, banks increasingly use loan sales and secondary-market transactions to reduce retained exposures, free up capital, and enhance balance sheet flexibility. As a result, institutional investors, including private credit funds, insurance companies, and infrastructure investors, are becoming increasingly important providers of funding for digital infrastructure projects.

Securitisation also plays a growing role. By packaging data-centre loans into ABS and similar structures, banks can convert relatively illiquid exposures into tradable securities and broaden the investor base supporting the sector. For example, Vantage Data Centers completed the first EMEA data-centre ABS transaction in 2024, raising GBP 600 million through securitised notes, whilst Switch issued USD 1.7 billion of data-centre ABS in 2024 and a further USD 3.5 billion of ABS and CMBS financing in 2025. These transactions illustrate how capital markets are increasingly being used to recycle capital and redistribute risk beyond the banking system.

In our view, whilst these mechanisms improve capital efficiency and support the continued expansion of AI infrastructure, they may also create new vulnerabilities. Strong investor demand could weaken underwriting discipline, whilst the migration of exposures from regulated banks to nonbank financial institutions may reduce transparency and complicate the assessment of systemwide risk. Regulators are likely to focus not only on banks’ direct exposures but also on the channels through which AI-related infrastructure risks are redistributed across the broader financial system.

Related Research

• Money Laundering Risks in European Banking: Credit Implications, Emerging Threats and Evolving Supervision (5 August 2026)
• ECB’s Geopolitical Reverse Stress Test: More About Risk Management Than Capital (3 August 2026)
• One Rulebook, Many Markets: The Remaining Barriers to Europe’s Banking Union (28 July 2026)
• European Commission to Further Advance European Banking Integration and Simplify Rules (21 July 2026)
• European Banking Midyear Outlook: Middle East Conflict Not Derailing Positive Earnings Dynamics (20 July 2026)
• European Depositor Preference Reform: Implications for Bank Credit Ratings (30 June 2026)
• Can Europe’s Savings and Investments Union Overcome Fragmentation to Reap Potential Credit Benefits? (15 June 2026)
• Mythos-Class AI Raises Cyber Stakes for European Banks (10 June 2026)
• Middle East Conflict is Leading to Higher Provisions for Some Global Banks (2 June 2026)
• Shifting Demographics Create Structural Challenges for European Banks (2 June 2026)
• Italian Banks’ Solid Q1 2026 Results Support Credit Profiles As Earnings Momentum Normalises (14 May 2026)
• U.S. Data Center Q1 2026 Research (27 April 2026)
• European Banks’ Middle East Exposures: Modest Direct Risk, With Potential Stress Via Indirect Macro-Financial Channels (9 April 2026)
• European Data Centre CMBS: Regulatory Clarity Could Supercharge Italy’s Data Centre Expansion (18 March 2026)
• European Banks’ AT1 Instruments at a Crossroads: Regulatory Reassessment and Market Implications (11 March 2026)
• Data Centres: AI, Power, and the Energy Transition (9 March 2026)
• Middle East Conflict: Direct and Indirect Impact Manageable for Global Banks and Asset Managers (3 March 2026)
• The Expanding Role of Synthetic SRTs in European Bank Capital Planning (2 February 2026)
• Stablecoins and the Digital Euro: The New Frontier for Europe’s Payment Landscape (19 January 2026)

Notes

All figures are in euros unless otherwise noted.

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – In an era when enterprise software valuations are being fundamentally repriced by the rise of agentic AI, Deepexi Technology Co., Ltd. (1384.HK) has emerged as a rare counterexample: a pure-play enterprise AI platform that is delivering both technology leadership and bottom-line profitability. According to the company’s first interim results following its public listing, Deepexi recorded a 115% year-over-year surge in revenue for the first half of the year, powered by a 209% leap in core AI revenue and a decisive turnaround to quarterly GAAP profitability in the second quarter of 2026. This performance has earned the company “Buy” and “Overweight” ratings from multiple brokerages within its first year of listing.

Quarterly Profitability: A Rare Milestone in Hong Kong’s AI Sector

In capital markets, ambitious visions must ultimately be backed by real financial performance—and Deepexi’s interim results provide clear proof of execution.

For the first half of 2026, the company generated RMB 284.0 million in total revenue, marking a 115.0% year-over-year increase. Its AI business served as the primary growth engine, contributing RMB 226.0 million—an impressive 209.2% year-over-year surge—bringing AI revenue to 79.6% of total corporate turnover.

Even more noteworthy is the marked improvement in profitability. First-half gross profit reached RMB 160.0 million, up 120.5% year-over-year, with gross profit margin expanding to 56.5%. Crucially, during the second quarter of 2026, Deepexi posted a standalone quarterly net profit of approximately RMB 30.1 million, officially crossing the breakeven threshold.

In Hong Kong’s technology sector, pure-play enterprise AI companies capable of achieving quarterly net profitability while sustaining high R&D investment remain exceptionally rare. This milestone underscores Deepexi’s operational efficiency, scalable software delivery, and self-sustaining monetization engine.

This scarcity value is equally evident in the company’s revenue composition and vertical reach. Industrial manufacturing accounted for more than 50% of total revenue, while retail and consumer goods contributed 30%, alongside expanding footholds in healthcare and smart transportation. In manufacturing, for example, equipment troubleshooting and predictive maintenance involve dense engineering schematics, real-time IoT sensor telemetry, and extensive historical maintenance logs—all of which Deepexi translates into structured logic that AI models can readily interpret. This deep vertical expertise and proprietary data accumulation create a formidable competitive barrier that general-purpose AI vendors cannot easily match.

Beyond the “SaaSpocalypse”: Deepexi’s AI-Native Platform Defies the Software Valuation Reset

The first quarter of 2026 witnessed what market observers have dubbed the “SaaSpocalypse”—a tectonic shift in which approximately $2 trillion in market capitalization was erased from B2B software equities, driven by a fundamental fear that agentic AI would cannibalize the traditional per-seat licensing model. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) plunged nearly 21% year-to-date, and enterprise software multiples (EV/Sales) cratered from a 5.6x average at the end of 2025 to 4.2x by mid-March.

Investors have pivoted decisively toward AI-native infrastructure—companies that manage the data and underlying plumbing of autonomous systems—while penalizing traditional application-layer SaaS vendors reliant on human-centric interfaces. As a recent Windsor Drake analysis notes, “AI-native agentic platforms clear 14x to 22x revenue, with private rounds at 20x to 30x,” while legacy standalone RPA trades at just 2.5x to 5x. The market is now rewarding AI-native architecture and measurable workflow ownership.

Deepexi sits squarely on the winning side of this divergence. Unlike traditional SaaS vendors whose revenues are tied to human seat counts—and thus vulnerable to agentic displacement—Deepexi’s token-based, consumption-driven model aligns directly with the agentic AI future. The company’s DeepWorks enterprise Agent platform does not sell per-seat licenses; it sells AI productivity, enabling enterprises to deploy autonomous agents that replace repetitive administrative work, not software seats. As the market shifts from “AI as a feature” to “AI as a replacement,” Deepexi’s business model is structurally insulated from the seat-compression forces that have punished legacy software vendors.

Focus on Enterprise AI Applications and Proprietary Domain Data

To ensure AI truly meets real-world enterprise demands, generic foundational models are insufficient on their own. Deepexi’s core competitive edge lies in its specialized “Data + AI” dual-engine architecture, anchored by the FastData enterprise data intelligence platform, the FastAGI agentic AI suite, and the Deepexi Enterprise Large Model Platform, supported by its proprietary Deepology ontology dataset containing over 2,000 vertical industry skills.

At the foundational layer, the FastData platform—powered by the FastData Foil fusion engine—acts as an intelligent lakehouse that tokenizes structured, semi-structured, and complex unstructured enterprise data into standardized formats ready for large model training and inference. Building upon this data foundation, the FastAGI platform and DeepWorks Enterprise Agent Platform provide organizations with a flexible, modular AI operating system.

Featuring a pluggable architecture, the platform connects seamlessly to leading open-source foundation models such as DeepSeek and Zhipu AI, giving enterprise clients complete autonomy while eliminating vendor lock-in. This “model-agnostic” approach is a key differentiator in an environment where enterprises increasingly demand flexibility to choose the best model for each use case, rather than being locked into a single provider.

Through native Model Context Protocol (MCP) frameworks and specialized agents—ranging from operational decision-making agents to productivity and autonomous workflow execution agents—Deepexi embeds intelligence directly into core business operations. DeepWorks is fully integrated with mainstream workplace collaboration suites such as DingTalk, Feishu, and Tencent Meeting, allowing employees to summon AI copilots directly for automated weekly reporting, data synthesis, and cross-departmental coordination—effectively turning AI into an indispensable daily productivity tool.

In an enterprise AI market where 42% of organizations already have AI agents in production and 72% are deploying across production and pilots combined, Deepexi’s proven, governed agentic workflows are no longer an experiment—they are core infrastructure.

Strategic Partnership with Huawei Cloud: Tackling Compute and Data Bottlenecks

In the commercialization of enterprise AI, computing costs and access to high-quality domain data represent two of the industry’s most critical bottlenecks. On August 12, Deepexi announced a strategic alliance with Huawei Cloud to jointly launch enterprise data intelligence solutions, providing strong operational backing for the company’s long-term expansion.

The partnership combines the complementary strengths of both technology leaders. Huawei Cloud provides underlying Ascend AI computing clusters and distributed cloud infrastructure, while Deepexi brings its deep expertise in enterprise data governance, data tokenization, and vertical AI agent deployments. By integrating with Huawei’s domestic Ascend compute clusters, Deepexi not only secures stable, long-term computing power but also significantly drives down token processing costs. This cost efficiency establishes ideal conditions for exploring usage-based, token-metered commercial billing models—precisely the kind of consumption-based pricing that aligns with the agentic AI future.

Crucially, falling AI costs are widely expected to accelerate enterprise adoption of autonomous agents. Deepexi’s partnership with Huawei Cloud positions the company to capture this demand wave with a cost structure that improves as token volumes scale—a powerful margin-expansion dynamic that stands in stark contrast to the fixed-cost burden of traditional SaaS.

Strong Institutional Backing Highlights Long-Term Investment Value

Reflecting strong capital market confidence, Deepexi announced on August 17 the successful placement of 14,286,000 new H-shares at HK$35.00 per share, raising net proceeds of approximately HK$488.0 million. Successfully closing a sizeable placement amid broader market volatility demonstrates strong institutional recognition of Deepexi’s proven business model, robust unit economics, and profitability trajectory.

The company’s strategic shareholder structure provides a solid foundation for long-term growth. It is supported by prominent independent investors, including Hillhouse, 5Y Capital, and BAI, as well as industry-focused investors such as Shanghai AI. These partnerships enhance Deepexi’s industry reputation, drive technological innovation, and strengthen its market competitiveness.

The newly raised funds are earmarked primarily for continuous R&D in next-generation enterprise agent systems and token productivity platforms—positioning the company to capture the $206.5 billion AI agent software market projected for 2026, which Gartner expects to grow to $376.3 billion in 2027.

Investment Thesis: Why Deepexi Stands Apart

1. AI-Native Architecture in an Agentic World. Unlike legacy SaaS vendors facing seat compression, Deepexi’s token-based model is structurally aligned with the agentic AI future. The company doesn’t sell software seats—it sells AI productivity.

2. Rare Profitability in Enterprise AI. Quarterly GAAP profitability at a 56.5% gross margin, with projected revenue CAGR of 95.5% through 2027, places Deepexi among the most financially disciplined enterprise AI companies globally.

3. Model-Agnostic, Vendor-Neutral Platform. In an environment where enterprises demand flexibility, Deepexi’s pluggable architecture—supporting DeepSeek, Zhipu, and other open-source models—eliminates lock-in and captures value regardless of which foundation model wins.

4. Proprietary Data Moat. With over 2,000 vertical industry skills and deep expertise in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and transportation, Deepexi’s domain-specific data capabilities create barriers that general-purpose AI vendors cannot replicate.

5. Strategic Compute Partnership with Huawei Cloud. Long-term, cost-effective compute access, combined with token-metered pricing models, positions Deepexi for sustained margin expansion as token volumes scale.

6. Institutional Validation. Backing from top-tier investors and a successful HK$488 million placement amid market volatility signal strong institutional confidence in Deepexi’s business model and growth trajectory.

The enterprise AI market has decisively shifted from early conceptual exploration into a new era of commercial execution and tangible financial delivery. Backed by mature product suites across FastData and FastAGI, proprietary vertical ontologies, strategic cloud partnerships, and an official transition to net profitability, Deepexi Technology has proven that enterprise AI can deliver both transformative technology and sustainable profits.

Hashtag: #DeepexiTechnology

Tokyo-based representative provides Japanese-language liaison for clients seeking access to FGA Trust’s Hong Kong trust and corporate services

TOKYO, JAPAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – FGA Trust, a Hong Kong-based trust and corporate services provider licensed under Hong Kong’s Trust or Company Service Provider regime (TCSP Licence No. TC008341), today announced the establishment of its Tokyo Representative Office in Shibuya, Tokyo.

The Tokyo representative office will provide a locally accessible, Japanese-language point of contact for high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners and professional advisers seeking to understand cross-border trust and succession-planning considerations involving Hong Kong and other jurisdictions.

The representative office will focus on client liaison, preliminary needs assessment and coordination with FGA Trust’s Hong Kong team and, where appropriate, independent legal, tax and other professional advisers. All trust and corporate services are provided by FGA Trust’s Hong Kong licensed entity, subject to applicable laws, regulations, client onboarding, know-your-client and anti-money-laundering requirements, with the Tokyo representative office serving as a Japanese-language liaison and coordination point.

Enquiries coordinated through Tokyo may include succession planning, family governance, corporate trust arrangements, international asset administration, and administrative support relating to internationally held real and digital assets. Each matter is considered in light of the client’s family and business circumstances, asset locations and long-term objectives.

The Tokyo representative office will be led by Mone Ota, Japan Representative of FGA Trust. Based in Tokyo, Ms Ota will lead engagement with clients in Japan and serve as the liaison between Japan-based clients and FGA Trust’s Hong Kong trust and corporate services team.

Mone Ota, Japan Representative of FGA Trust, said: “Establishing a Tokyo representative office reflects FGA Trust’s long-term commitment to building relationships in Japan. Families and business owners are increasingly considering succession, business continuity and the administration of assets held across jurisdictions. Our role in Tokyo is to provide a clear local point of contact and connect clients with the appropriate Hong Kong team and professional advisers for their circumstances.”

According to the Bank of Japan’s Flow of Funds Accounts released on 25 June 2026, household financial assets in Japan stood at ¥2,386 trillion at the end of March 2026, an increase of 7.1% from a year earlier. Against this substantial asset base, business succession, international mobility and the growing diversity of asset types are increasing the importance of carefully planned governance and succession arrangements.

FGA Trust provides personal trust, corporate trust, family-office support and international asset-administration services through its Hong Kong licensed entity. Subject to applicable laws and onboarding requirements, the firm works with clients and their professional advisers to consider trust and corporate-service arrangements tailored to their family, business and asset circumstances.

FGA Trust Tokyo Representative Office

c/o Regus, Shibuya Koen-dori Building

1-23-14 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku

Tokyo 150-0041, Japan

Japan Representative: Mone Ota

Tel: +81 80-2301-0212

https://fgatrust.com/en
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fga-trust/
https://x.com/fgatrust
https://www.facebook.com/p/FGA-Trust-100083702226285/
Wechat: 香港FGA信托
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Hashtag: #FGA #信託 #雇用 #Web3 #企業 #ウェルス・マネジメント #事業拡大

About FGA Trust

Source: BestBrokers

August 26, 2026

The term ‘unicorn’ was introduced in 2013 by venture capitalist Aileen Lee to describe privately held startups valued at over $1 billion, companies so uncommon they seemed almost mythical. At the time, there were only a few dozen worldwide, making the label a true badge of exceptional success. A little more than a decade later, the landscape looks very different.

Fueled by an unprecedented surge in venture capital and rapid growth in the global tech ecosystem, the number of unicorns has ballooned into the thousands.

As of August 2026, there are currently 1,843 startup companies with a valuation of US$1 billion or more, the so-called unicorns. This prompted the team at to analyse the latest data from Crunchbase, TechCrunch, and PitchBook to identify which industries are producing the most new unicorns, which regions have the most billion-dollar private startups, and which private companies are attracting the most investor attention in today’s volatile market.

Which Countries are Home to the Most Unicorns in 2026?

Unicorn startups around the globe are heavily concentrated in a handful of countries, with the United States in the lead, as the country is home to 945 privately held companies valued at over $1 billion, more than half of the world’s 1,843 total unicorns. The U.S. also hosts many of the most valuable private startups globally, including Anthropic, now the world’s most valuable unicorn with a valuation of $965 billion after the previous champion, SpaceX (1.25 trillion), became a public company.

Other high-profile American unicorns valued at the hundreds of billions include OpenAI ($852B), Databricks ($190B), Stripe ($159B), and Waymo ($126B). The country’s dominance reflects its deep venture capital ecosystem, world-leading research universities, and major technology hubs such as Silicon Valley that consistently produce high-growth startups.

China ranks second with 328 unicorn companies, driven largely by its massive domestic market and strong technology sector. The country’s most valuable startup is ByteDance, the parent company of short-form video app TikTok, and its Chinese counterpart, Douyin. The company’s valuation has surged to a record $600 billion in early 2026 following major secondary share sales, including a proposed deal by General Atlantic that pushed it well above previous marks amid strong revenue growth and clearer U.S. regulatory progress on TikTok operations.

India has emerged as another major unicorn hub with 83 companies, supported by rapid digital adoption and a huge consumer base. The country’s biggest startup is Reliance Jio ($128B), the telecommunications and digital-services arm of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries. Another Asian nation with a dense concentration of unicorn startups is Singapore, home to the global E-commerce platform Shein, which ranks 8th worldwide with 26 unicorn startups.

The United Kingdom leads Europe with 83 unicorns, many of which are in the finance sector, including fintech leader Revolut ($115B) and payments firm Checkout.com ($12B). South and Central America host roughly 39 unicorn companies spread across countries like Brazil (21), Mexico (10), Chile (3), and smaller counts in Colombia and Argentina.

The most valuable unicorns in the region include Brazil’s QuintoAndar, iFood, and C6 Bank, all valued at $5 billion; Mexico’s financial platform Plata ($5B); and Argentina’s fintech company Ualá, valued at $3.2 billion following recent $195 million in an equity funding.

The Largest Unicorn Companies in the World in 2026

L19: Following Elon Musk’s space-tech company SpaceX’s historic IPO, the title of most valuable unicorn went to another U.S. company, Anthropic. Chatbot Claude’s parent company is now valued at a staggering $965 billion following a series of rapid valuation increases fueled by booming demand for generative AI, major investments from technology giants, and strong revenue growth from its enterprise AI products.

L22: Just behind in second place is ChatGPT’s parent company and Anthropic rival OpenAI, currently valued at $852 billion following a record-setting $110 billion investment from Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank. The company remains one of the central players in the global AI ecosystem, as investor capital continues to concentrate heavily within a small number of leading foundation model developers.

China’s ByteDance continues to stand among the world’s most valuable private companies, with a valuation of $600 billion. Its dominance is fueled by the explosive global popularity of TikTok, which has reshaped entertainment and short-form video for billions of users, alongside Douyin’s commanding position in the Chinese market.

In fintech, Stripe holds a $159 billion valuation, and Revolut currently sits at $115 billion following a secondary share sale in July 2026. Both companies have established strong positions in digital payments and banking services. India features its largest private player: Reliance Jio, valued at approximately $128 billion ahead of a potential IPO.

1 in 4 Startups To Reach Unicorn Status in 2026 Are AI Companies

Artificial intelligence companies account for the largest share of startups that reached a $1 billion valuation in 2026. Of the 191 companies that achieved unicorn status this year, 49 startups (25.7%) operate in the AI sector, meaning that nearly every 1 in 4 newly minted unicorns in 2026 is an AI company.

These businesses focus on building AI infrastructure and specialised tools built on large language models, reflecting how deeply artificial intelligence has become integrated into the broader technology ecosystem.

Robotics companies are capturing increasingly larger investments in 2026 as advances in humanoid systems and embodied AI accelerate. As of August 2026, robotics is the second largest sector for newly minted unicorns, with 26 companies (13.6% of the total) operating in the field. The sector is dominated by the United States and China, with the most valuable newly minted robotics companies being China’s AI2 Robotics and X Square Robot, valued at $3 billion each.

In the U.S., Mind Robotics and Generalist lead the robotics cohort, with both startups currently worth $2 billion each.

So far this year, 18 fintech startups have crossed the billion-dollar mark to become unicorns. Investor interest has remained strong across digital payments, lending, financial infrastructure and AI-assisted financial services. The sector’s latest unicorn is Indian payments infrastructure company Juspay, which reached a $1.2 billion valuation after raising $50 million from WestBridge Capital.

The company processes hundreds of millions of transactions daily and serves major enterprises, highlighting growing investor appetite for the underlying infrastructure powering the global digital payments ecosystem.

The HealthTech sector has produced 15 new unicorns so far in 2026, placing it as the third most-active sector alongside fintech after robotics and AI. The sector’s most valuable new unicorn is American orthopaedic device innovator MiRus, which is now valued at $4.4 billion following a $1.5 billion funding round led by Boston Scientific. Other notable additions include Pomelo Care, valued at $1.7 billion, and Eight Sleep and Science (Therapeutic Devices), both worth $1.5 billion.

The sector’s strong performance reflects growing investor confidence in technologies that can modernise healthcare, improve patient outcomes and lower costs.

Defense & SecurityTech has seen a lot of investor interest in 2026, fueled by geopolitical tensions and advancements in defense and dual-use technology. So far this year, 12 startups have crossed the $1 billion valuation threshold to become unicorns. Germany’s STARK leads the group with a $3.7 billion valuation, having gained prominence for its autonomous strike drones and secured a €300 million contract to supply the German armed forces. U.S. companies also dominate the sector’s newcomer ranks, including Allen Control Systems, valued at $2.2 billion for its autonomous counter-drone and turret systems, and Mach Industries, which reached a $1.8 billion valuation after raising $300 million in a Series C round to scale its unmanned defence systems.

In Europe, France’s Harmattan AI became the country’s first defence unicorn after a $200 million funding round led by Dassault Aviation, while UK defence startups Roark Aerospace and UFORCE have also crossed the billion-dollar threshold.

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is the Most Valuable New Unicorn Startup in 2026

By far the most valuable startup to become a unicorn in 2026 is China’s DeepSeek, valued at around $50 billion following its first-ever external funding round, more than 11 times the valuation of the second most valuable new unicorn. The Hangzhou-based AI lab, founded in 2023 by High-Flyer founder Liang Wenfeng, became a global name after its low-cost R1 and V3 models challenged leading Western AI systems while using significantly fewer computing resources.

Its maiden fundraising marked a dramatic shift for a company that had previously relied on self-funding, with investors piling in as DeepSeek emerged as one of China’s strongest challengers in the global AI race.

U.S.-based AI lab Hark, owned by entrepreneur Brett Adcock, reached an impressive $6 billion valuation after raising more than $700 million in its Series A funding round, making it the second most valuable startup to become a unicorn in 2026. The company develops AI systems designed to automate complex knowledge work, and its unusually large early-stage funding round reflects the intense investor appetite for AI companies building beyond consumer-facing chatbots.

Hark leads a cohort dominated by AI companies, with UK-based Ineffable Intelligence valued at $5.1 billion, U.S. AI company Recursive at $4.65 billion, and humans& at $4.5 billion.

Outside AI, the most valuable newly minted unicorn is MiRus, a U.S.-based HealthTech company specialising in orthopaedic devices, which reached a valuation of $4.4 billion following a $1.5 billion funding round earlier this year. Corgi, valued at $4 billion, is the highest-valued Fintech company to achieve unicorn status in 2026. Germany’s drone startup STARK recently captured a massive funding round, valuing the company at a $4 billion valuation.

L47: The United States overwhelmingly dominates the global unicorn landscape in 2026, accounting for 105 of the 185 newly minted billion-dollar startups. This reflects the country’s deep venture capital ecosystem, strong talent pool, and continued leadership in high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.

Outside the United States, China ranks second with 30 new unicorns, followed by the United Kingdom with 14, and India with 7 new billion-dollar startups. The UK’s most valuable newly minted unicorn is Ineffable Intelligence at $5.1 billion, while China’s cohort heavily leans towards AI and Robotics startups such as AI2 Robotics and X Square Robot, both valued at $3 billion. India has seen momentum accelerate in recent months, adding 7 new unicorns since the beginning of 2026.

Among India’s 2026 unicorn class, fintech lender KreditBee and AI startup Sarvam are currently the most valuable, with both startups achieving a valuation of $1.5 billion.

Germany has produced 6 new unicorns in 2026, spanning defence, enterprise software, and infrastructure, including defence company STARK, which recently captured a $500 million funding round at a $4 billion valuation, SaaS platform osapiens at $1 billion, and observability startup Dash0 at $1 billion.

Canada’s 4 new unicorns are in the artificial intelligence, semiconductors and fintech sectors. Autonomous driving AI company Waabi is the country’s most valuable new unicorn, reaching a $4 billion valuation, followed by quantum computing and semiconductor company Photonic at $2 billion. Fintech startups Super.com and Nesto round out Canada’s 2026 unicorn cohort, valued at $1.2 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively.

Belgium and France each produced 2 new unicorns in 2026, spanning AI, cybersecurity, crypto, and defence technology. France’s newcomers include AI research company Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI Labs), valued at $3.5 billion, making it the most valuable new unicorn among the four countries, and Harmattan AI, a $1 billion defence and security AI firm focused on autonomous systems and intelligence tools.

Belgium’s two new unicorns are Keyrock, valued at $1.1 billion and specialising in crypto market-making and liquidity infrastructure, and cybersecurity startup Aikido Security, valued at $1 billion.

Spain and the Netherlands also added 2 new unicorns each since the beginning of the year. Spain’s new unicorns are spacetech company Xoople, valued at $1 billion, and quantum computing startup Multiverse Computing, valued at $1.7 billion. The Netherlands added AI company Wonderful, valued at $2 billion, and semiconductor startup Nearfield Instruments, valued at $1.6 billion, giving the country the second-highest combined valuation among the four markets.

Methodology

L57: To illustrate the current state of unicorn startups, the team at BestBrokers analysed company data from , which tracks privately held companies valued at $1 billion or more. Additional information on company valuations, funding rounds, and newly created unicorns was gathered from platforms such as , as well as industry coverage from and other publicly available sources.

Using these datasets, we identified current unicorn companies and grouped them by country, industry, and valuation to show their distribution across the global tech ecosystem. We also compiled a separate list of startups that first crossed the $1 billion valuation threshold in 2026 based on the most recent funding announcements and reported valuations.

All figures reflect the most recent data available at the time of writing. Because startup valuations and funding rounds change frequently, the total number of unicorn companies and their valuations may evolve over time.

Official report

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – HKT (SEHK: 6823) – HKT Payment Limited^[1], HKT’s financial services arm, has been selected by Hong Kong’s financial regulators to participate in the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenA.I.) Sandbox++ initiative and conduct a pilot trial on registration and verification for AI agent-initiated payment flows, helping to advance responsible innovation in Hong Kong’s financial sector.

As AI agents rapidly gain traction in financial services, they are becoming capable of initiating payments, wallet top-ups, peer-to-peer transfers, and cross-institution transactions on behalf of users. Yet, current Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) frameworks were not designed to address the verification of AI agents or determine who is ultimately responsible for their actions.

In collaboration with Red Date Technology, a provider of decentralised technology and digital infrastructure, HKT will develop an “Agentic ID” framework built on Decentralised Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs). Under this framework, each AI agent will be bound to a verified individual or enterprise principal, providing a more secured and standardised way to register and verify AI agents acting on behalf of individuals and enterprises.

Designed to strengthen security and governance, the “Agentic ID” framework aims to enhance identity verification, help mitigate the risk of impersonation or unauthorised actions, and establish a clearer audit trail for AI-driven transactions. It also leverages the zero-knowledge proof technology, which enables data to be verified and used without being revealed, giving users full ownership and control over their private information.

Monita Leung, CEO, Digital Ventures, HKT, said, “As the adoption of AI agents in payments and financial services is accelerating, robust safeguards are critical to maintaining trust, security and accountability. Through participating in the GenA.I. Sandbox++ initiative, we are committed to supporting the development of practical solutions for the responsible use of AI in digital finance. We believe this project will contribute to Hong Kong’s vision in establishing a resilient and future-ready fintech hub, as well as advancing the broader ‘AI+’ initiative.”

Launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority in collaboration with Cyberport, the Gen A.I. Sandbox++ initiative promotes cross-sector collaboration and the responsible adoption of AI across Hong Kong’s financial ecosystem.

Hashtag: #HKT

About HKT

About Red Date Technology

Red Date Technology is a leading Hong Kong-headquartered technology provider specialising in blockchain infrastructure, decentralised identity solutions, and next-generation financial technology. The company’s Agentic ID framework and Unified Agentic Payment Gateway represent its latest innovation in enabling trustworthy AI agent transactions within regulated financial ecosystems.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – Corporate buyers in Singapore are increasingly asking for gifting and packaging to come from the same supplier, and for that supplier to hold sourcing presence in the region rather than in a single procurement market. The Gift Empire Pte Ltd, a Singapore supplier of promotional gifts and customised corporate gifts, has responded to both within the same quarter, opening a Vietnam office supported by a local platform at giftempire.com.vn and launching Packaging Empire as a dedicated division for customised packaging solutions. Singapore remains the company’s primary market and the base from which it serves corporate gifting accounts across Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Packaging Empire was established in response to demand from businesses seeking one partner for both requirements. The Gift Empire has supplied customised corporate gifts and promotional gifts since 1999 to organisations including Amazon, Citibank, Maybank, Shopee, and Microsoft, and receives orders through GeBIZ, Ariba, and Coupa, the procurement systems used by Singapore government agencies and large corporate buyers. Accounts of that size have traditionally run separate vendors for promotional gifts and presentation packaging, which adds cost and complicates delivery schedules when both elements are tied to the same campaign date.

The division produces gift boxes, mailer boxes, retail packaging, product sleeves, and event packaging, covering product launches, corporate events, gift-with-purchase campaigns, festive gifting, roadshows, retail applications, and brand activations. Demand for everyday corporate gift items such as custom canvas tote bags and custom water bottles in Singapore has grown alongside the shift, and these are frequently ordered with matching boxes or sleeves timed to the same launch. Clients ordering both now work to a single production timeline under one supplier.

For buyers, consolidating the two functions changes how a project is run. A client briefs one team and works to a single production timeline, so the gift item and the packaging it ships in are scheduled against the same delivery date instead of being tracked as two jobs. Colour matching and print finishing are handled within one production process, which keeps branding consistent between the item and the box it arrives in. Quality control covers both components at the same stage, and any delay sits with a single point of accountability. Volumes across gifts and packaging can be quoted together instead of being priced by two vendors working to separate minimum order quantities. For procurement teams, a single supplier also means one vendor record to maintain and one invoice per campaign, which is a practical consideration for government agencies and large corporations buying through GeBIZ, Ariba, or Coupa.

The Vietnam operation serves a dual function. Alongside supplying Vietnamese businesses through its local platform, the office gives The Gift Empire direct presence in one of the region’s largest manufacturing bases, where a significant share of the product it already sources is made. Vietnam’s electronics sector contributed over 35 per cent of the country’s total exports in 2025, reaching a record US$165 billion, according to Vietnam Briefing. Working on the ground allows closer collaboration with manufacturing partners and tighter oversight of production and quality control. The company expects this to shorten lead times for its Singapore and Malaysia clients and reduce its exposure to disruption in any single supply market.

Vincent Lau, Sales Manager at The Gift Empire, said the changes came out of client requests and not a shift in the company’s focus.

“Most of our work is still corporate gifting for clients here in Singapore, and that has not changed. What has changed is that more of them want one team handling the gifting and the packaging instead of coordinating two suppliers against the same deadline, because when the packaging runs late, the whole campaign moves with it. Vietnam happened at the same time for a practical reason, which is that a lot of the manufacturing we already source from is there, and being on the ground changes how quickly we can sort things out.” – Vincent Lau, Sales Manager, The Gift Empire Pte Ltd

The two developments give The Gift Empire a broader service range and a wider sourcing base within the same quarter, with Singapore continuing as the primary market for its corporate gifting and packaging work. The direction Lau has set out for the company is to operate as a single-source provider for corporate gifting and packaging across Southeast Asia, where a client in any of its markets briefs one team and works to one production timeline supported by a regional sourcing network.

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Hashtag: #TheGiftEmpire

About The Gift Empire

With more buyers moving from curiosity to consideration, the next question is what makes an EV feel like a natural replacement for a conventional car. For the VinFast VF 8, the answer comes down to three things: SUV performance, a comfort-focused cabin and an ownership package that goes well beyond the showroom.

SUV performance that means business

The Middle East has a long-standing appetite for SUVs, and the VF 8 speaks that language in electric form. Its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system produces up to 402 horsepower and 620 Nm of torque in the Plus version, while the Eco delivers 349 horsepower and 500 Nm.

The numbers translate into brisk performance, with the VF 8 Plus targeting 0-100 km/h in less than 5.5 seconds and the Eco at 5.9 seconds. Both versions use an 87.7-kWh usable battery, with claimed NEDC ranges of up to 476 km for the Plus and 493 km for the Eco. DC fast charging from 10% to 70% takes a listed 31 minutes.

Going electric does not require giving up the urge to put your foot down. Actual range and performance will vary with driving style, passengers, load, tires, weather and road conditions.

A cabin that takes comfort seriously

Performance may get attention, but the cabin is where drivers spend most of their time. The VF 8 comes with a 15.6-inch infotainment display, two-zone automatic climate control, air-quality control and cabin filtration with an air ionizer.

The Plus adds 12-way powered driver’s seat adjustment with heating, ventilation and memory, alongside a heated and ventilated front passenger seat and heated, ventilated and reclining rear seats. A panoramic sunroof, heated power-adjustable steering wheel and 10-speaker audio system with a subwoofer round out the package.

The technology continues through the companion app, which supports remote vehicle controls, driver profiles, driving statistics and vehicle diagnostics. Over-the-air updates can also deliver software improvements without a workshop visit.

Ownership support that lasts beyond the test drive

A fast-growing EV market also means buyers are asking practical questions surrounding ownership: charging, servicing, repairs and battery longevity.

The VF 8 addresses those concerns with a 10-year or 200,000-km vehicle warranty and a 10-year unlimited-kilometer battery warranty. The package also includes five years or 100,000 km of free service, 24/7 mobile services and roadside assistance, access to DC fast charging and a parts supply target of 24 hours in key markets.

VinFast is also expanding the infrastructure behind that promise. At its 2026 Global Business Conference, the company signed MOUs with 29 aftersales partners, including partners serving the Middle East, and set a target of more than 1,100 service workshops globally in 2026.

For a region where EV adoption is accelerating, the VF 8 arrives with a familiar formula: SUV proportions, plenty of power and a cabin designed for comfort. The electric bit is new; the reasons to want the car are rather more familiar.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – Chubb today announced the appointment of Jon Longmore as Country President of New Zealand, effective September 2026.

Based in Auckland, Longmore will report to Chris Colahan, Country President, Australia and New Zealand (Acting). In this role, Longmore will lead Chubb’s general insurance business in New Zealand, including Commercial P&C, Personal Lines and Accident & Health.

Colahan said, “In his 15 years with Chubb, Jon has built a deep understanding of our business through leadership roles in underwriting, distribution and digital. He has a strong track record of developing high-performing teams with a genuine commitment to client and broker service, and he is well-positioned to lead the continued growth of our New Zealand business.”

Longmore joined Chubb in 2011, progressing through senior management roles in underwriting and distribution in Australia. In 2018, he was appointed Head of Digital, Asia Pacific based in Singapore, before taking on the role of Country President of Indonesia in 2020. Most recently, Longmore served as Country President of Malaysia.

Hashtag: #Chubb

About Chubb

HAIKOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2026 – Since the beginning of this year, an international social media promotion campaign themed “China’s Free Trade Port, World-Class Resort Island: Welcome to Cool Hainan” has brought China’s Hainan Free Trade Port into the view of global travelers, attracting more international tourists to visit this tropical island.

<figure data-width="100%" data-caption="A Vibrant Free Trade Port, A Charming Hainan Island.
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – Presented by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and spearheaded and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the third edition of Hong Kong Fashion Fest will take place from September 1 to 14. The two-week fashion extravaganza will bring together over 300 local and international design entities. In collaboration with six industry organisations, it will present eight flagship programmes across various cultural landmarks and stylish design spaces in Hong Kong, showcasing the city’s exceptional appeal as Asia’s fashion capital through a diverse range of fashion-themed events.

This edition of the Hong Kong Fashion Fest offers a rich lineup of programmes, covering haute couture, city-wide pop-up stores, cross-regional menswear, sustainable design forum, modern denim culture and more, propelling the creativity and aesthetics of emerging designers from Hong Kong and abroad onto the global stage. The eight flagship programmes include the opening programme “VIRTUOSE: The Artistry of Couture 2026”, the citywide fashion pop-up “Wear’s HK”, the international fashion showcase and trade platform CENTRESTAGE, “Future Threads: Menswear’s New Waves Between Italy and Hong Kong”, “Fashion Summit (Hong Kong) 2026”, “Hong Kong Fashion Fest Gala 2026”, “Fashion Asia Hong Kong 2026”, and the “5th Hong Kong Denim Festival”.

Admission to all public exhibitions at the third edition of Hong Kong Fashion Fest will be free. Members of the public and fashion enthusiasts are welcome to visit and experience the city’s vibrant creativity and energy. For more detailed information and the latest updates on Hong Kong Fashion Fest, please visit the official website (www.hongkongfashionfest.com), and follow the official social media channels on Instagram (www.instagram.com/hkfashionfest), Facebook (www.facebook.com/hongkongfashionfest) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/@hkfashionfest).

Hashtag: #HongKongFashionFest #hkfashionfest #CSTB #CCIDA #CCIDAHK

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)

27 August 2026

Niuean personnel who answered the call to serve during the First World War are being remembered with memorial headstones in honour of their service.

Thirty-nine memorial headstones were transported to Niue on a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules and handed over to the Government of Niue and the Niue Returned Services Association (RSA) in a ceremony yesterday.

The memorial headstones will be placed in villages around Niue providing a place for the community and others to pay tribute to the Niuean men who joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as part of the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion.

Head of Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand (VANZ), Alexander Brunt, says Niue’s sacrifice in the First World War was immense.

The 150 servicemen who volunteered represented around four per cent of Niue’s population at the time.

Their journey was marked by hardship, including exposure to and death from illnesses and conditions they had never experienced at home, he said.

“We hope that these memorials will help the descendants of your veterans preserve the special places where they honour and remember the loved ones they lost, their courage, service and sacrifice.”

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) was represented at the ceremony by Wing Commander Adam O’Rourke, who said it was a privilege to accompany the delivery and honour the legacy of the Niuean men who volunteered to serve with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

“Their service forged an enduring bond between Niue and New Zealand, carried forward by the Niuean coastwatchers of the Second World War,” he said.

“This partnership between our countries is reflected to this day. Kiwis of Niuean heritage continue to serve in the NZDF and our defence relationship continues to evolve to meet the needs of a changing Pacific,” he said.

VANZ, the NZDF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade worked in partnership with the Government of Niue and the Niue RSA to see this important project realised. As part of this effort, the New Zealand High Commission will provide support for the installation of the service memorial headstones in villages throughout Niue, to ensure the legacy of those who served lives on in their communities.

Video footage of the ceremony

Background notes:

Initially New Zealand declined offers of troops from Niue but following losses during the Gallipoli campaign, men were recruited from Niue and the Cook Islands. They trained at Narrow Neck camp in Auckland before embarking for Suez in February 1916.

Many of the men succumbed to illnesses they had never been previously exposed to, often exacerbated by climate conditions they were also not used to. By late May 1916, over 80 per cent of the Niuean men had been hospitalised, and the decision was made to withdraw them.

The Niuean contingent saw combat service in France, experiencing artillery fire while digging trenches and establishing communications. None died from combat, but from the illnesses they were exposed to.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 August 2026 – Corporate buyers in Singapore are increasingly asking for gifting and packaging to come from the same supplier, and for that supplier to hold sourcing presence in the region rather than in a single procurement market. The Gift Empire Pte Ltd, a Singapore supplier of promotional gifts and customised corporate gifts, has responded to both within the same quarter, opening a Vietnam office supported by a local platform at giftempire.com.vn and launching Packaging Empire as a dedicated division for customised packaging solutions. Singapore remains the company’s primary market and the base from which it serves corporate gifting accounts across Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Packaging Empire was established in response to demand from businesses seeking one partner for both requirements. The Gift Empire has supplied customised corporate gifts and promotional gifts since 1999 to organisations including Amazon, Citibank, Maybank, Shopee, and Microsoft, and receives orders through GeBIZ, Ariba, and Coupa, the procurement systems used by Singapore government agencies and large corporate buyers. Accounts of that size have traditionally run separate vendors for promotional gifts and presentation packaging, which adds cost and complicates delivery schedules when both elements are tied to the same campaign date.

The division produces gift boxes, mailer boxes, retail packaging, product sleeves, and event packaging, covering product launches, corporate events, gift-with-purchase campaigns, festive gifting, roadshows, retail applications, and brand activations. Demand for everyday corporate gift items such as custom canvas tote bags and custom water bottles in Singapore has grown alongside the shift, and these are frequently ordered with matching boxes or sleeves timed to the same launch. Clients ordering both now work to a single production timeline under one supplier.

For buyers, consolidating the two functions changes how a project is run. A client briefs one team and works to a single production timeline, so the gift item and the packaging it ships in are scheduled against the same delivery date instead of being tracked as two jobs. Colour matching and print finishing are handled within one production process, which keeps branding consistent between the item and the box it arrives in. Quality control covers both components at the same stage, and any delay sits with a single point of accountability. Volumes across gifts and packaging can be quoted together instead of being priced by two vendors working to separate minimum order quantities. For procurement teams, a single supplier also means one vendor record to maintain and one invoice per campaign, which is a practical consideration for government agencies and large corporations buying through GeBIZ, Ariba, or Coupa.

The Vietnam operation serves a dual function. Alongside supplying Vietnamese businesses through its local platform, the office gives The Gift Empire direct presence in one of the region’s largest manufacturing bases, where a significant share of the product it already sources is made. Vietnam’s electronics sector contributed over 35 per cent of the country’s total exports in 2025, reaching a record US$165 billion, according to Vietnam Briefing. Working on the ground allows closer collaboration with manufacturing partners and tighter oversight of production and quality control. The company expects this to shorten lead times for its Singapore and Malaysia clients and reduce its exposure to disruption in any single supply market.

Vincent Lau, Sales Manager at The Gift Empire, said the changes came out of client requests and not a shift in the company’s focus.

“Most of our work is still corporate gifting for clients here in Singapore, and that has not changed. What has changed is that more of them want one team handling the gifting and the packaging instead of coordinating two suppliers against the same deadline, because when the packaging runs late, the whole campaign moves with it. Vietnam happened at the same time for a practical reason, which is that a lot of the manufacturing we already source from is there, and being on the ground changes how quickly we can sort things out.” – Vincent Lau, Sales Manager, The Gift Empire Pte Ltd

The two developments give The Gift Empire a broader service range and a wider sourcing base within the same quarter, with Singapore continuing as the primary market for its corporate gifting and packaging work. The direction Lau has set out for the company is to operate as a single-source provider for corporate gifting and packaging across Southeast Asia, where a client in any of its markets briefs one team and works to one production timeline supported by a regional sourcing network.

Home

Hashtag: #TheGiftEmpire

About The Gift Empire

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2026 – Milkground (600882.SH), one of China’s leading cheese brands, today announced a strategic partnership with DKSH, a leading partner for companies seeking to grow their consumer goods business in Asia and beyond, to bring a wide range of cheese products to consumers in Hong Kong. The partnership was unveiled at a press conference attended by Milkground President Kuai Yulong and DKSH Vice President, FMCG, Greater China, Hugo Reyes, along with senior executives from both companies.

With over 160 years of experience helping companies grow across Asia and beyond, DKSH is headquartered in Switzerland and operates in 35 markets, working with more than 500 consumer goods companies and 4,800 business partners to connect them to extensive retail and food services networks across the region.

Hugo Reyes, DKSH Vice President, FMCG, Greater China, said: “Milkground has built a reputation in China for quality, nutrition, and innovation that few dairy brands can match. Consumer habits across Asia are shifting toward convenient and healthy snacking, trusted premium brands and family-oriented food solutions – trends that open up substantial opportunities for Milkground’s full range across multiple markets.”

The partnership will begin in Hong Kong’s retail market, with plans to expand into food services and, over time, other markets across Asia through DKSH’s regional network. For Milkground, DKSH was a natural choice: entering a new market takes more than getting products onto shelves – it takes an understanding of local tastes, strong retail relationships, and the patience to build a brand families trust over time, all strengths DKSH brings to the table.

Reyes added that Milkground, backed by Mengniu Group, brings mature industry experience, strong dairy R&D capabilities, and a solid supply chain, giving it a firm base for future category growth. As dairy consumption grows across Asia, he said the two companies see room to expand beyond cheese over time and look forward to exploring that opportunity together.

Kuai Yulong, Milkground President, said: “Hong Kong’s energy and openness to the world made it the natural place to start. Hong Kong remains one of Asia’s most dynamic and internationally connected consumer markets. For Milkground, our ambition is to become not just a leading Chinese brand, but a name recognised all over the world. Today’s launch is the first step of that journey.”

Looking ahead, Milkground outlined three priorities for its partnership with DKSH in Hong Kong:

Growing the range: From children to adults, from everyday snacking to the family table, Milkground plans to keep expanding and refining its cheese offerings, so Hong Kong consumers have more ways to enjoy quality cheese – and more households across the city can make it part of daily life.

Listening to the market: Milkground will pay close attention to how Hong Kong shoppers actually buy and use cheese. That feedback will keep shaping everything, from product updates and shelf displays to the in-store experience.

Working hand in hand with DKSH: Both companies plan to work closely, share information openly, and move quickly as they keep improving products, operations, and service together. The aim: happier retail partners and consumers, and a Milkground brand that Hong Kong trusts.

Kuai noted that Hong Kong consumers already have a strong appetite for cheese and well-established habits around it, which makes the city an easier market to enter than most. He sees it as the perfect place to test whether Milkground’s products can win over consumers used to international standards, calling it a meaningful proving ground for the brand’s broader ambitions.

Hong Kong is also central to Milkground’s plans beyond the city. Kuai Yulong outlined the company’s three-pronged roadmap for international expansion: first, use Hong Kong as the core to establish a presence across Hong Kong, Macau, Central Asia and Mongolia; second, expand into Southeast Asia, represented by Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore; and third, enter the Middle East, anchored by Saudi Arabia. To date, Milkground has already established a presence in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Mongolia, and has reached a partnership agreement with a leading dairy company in Saudi Arabia.

Kuai further emphasised that overseas business is one of the wings under Mengniu Group’s “One Body, Two Wings” strategy. The group’s increasingly mature and systematic approach to overseas markets will help Mengniu’s international operations scale quickly, while leveraging its core strengths to accelerate global expansion.

Hashtag: #Milkground #DKSH

About Milkground

About DKSH Group

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2026 – SenseTime Group Inc. (“SenseTime” or the “Company”; Stock Code: 0020.HK) today announced its results for the first half of 2026. During the Reporting Period, the Group recorded total revenue of RMB2.91 billion, representing a year‑on‑year (“YoY”) increase of 23.4%, and gross profit of RMB1.21 billion, up 32.9% YoY. Gross profit margin reached 41.4%, an increase of 2.9 percentage points YoY. The Group also introduced recurring revenue (“RR”) for the first time, which totaled RMB1.14 billion and accounted for 39.3% of total revenue. The Group recorded a net profit of RMB620 million under International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), marking its first IFRS profit since its public listing. Generative AI revenue reached RMB2.33 billion, representing nearly 80% of the Group’s total revenue, while overseas business revenue increased 127% YoY, significantly outpacing the Group’s overall growth rate. While delivering healthy growth in revenue and gross profit, the Group continued to improve operating efficiency, with core operating losses narrowing significantly. Non‑IFRS adjusted net loss was RMB390 million, narrowing by 67.3% YoY.

The Group continued to accelerate the large‑scale commercial deployment of its AI capabilities, building system‑level AI capabilities around the framework of “one model system, one Token Factory, and one Agent Harness” to advance AI from intelligence generation toward end‑to‑end task execution and transform these capabilities into scalable commercial value.

Dr. Xu Li, Chairman of the Board and CEO of SenseTime, said: “SenseTime’s three-pillar core capability framework, built around ‘one model system, one Token Factory, and one Agent Harness’, uses a unified model system to continuously push the boundaries of intelligence, leverages infrastructure and optimization capabilities to reduce Token costs and strengthen cost‑based pricing power, and deploys agents deeply integrated into enterprise and individual workflows to deliver complete task execution capabilities. This framework enables SenseTime to move beyond pure price competition and create sustainable commercial value through differentiated technologies and services. At the same time, it allows us to expand our user base, drive recurring revenue growth, and lay a solid foundation for the Group’s high‑quality development.”

One Model System: Advancing Native Multimodal Intelligence and Long‑Horizon Agents with Global Leading Performance

In 2026, SenseTime released a series of models at a rapid pace, spanning native multimodal unification, visual perception and reasoning, controllable generation, long‑horizon agents, spatial intelligence, and physical world models. These included the NEO‑Unify architecture; SenseNova U1, U1.5 and U1.5‑Lite; SenseNova Vision; the office‑focused multimodal agent SenseNova 6.8‑Flash‑Lite; the content creation model SenseNova U1‑Pro; the spatial intelligence model SenseNova SI‑8B; and the Kairos 3.1 world model co‑developed with Ace Robotics. Across multiple core benchmarks, these models matched or outperformed leading international models, including Gemini, GPT, and DeepSeek. Less than four months after the U1 series was open‑sourced, the three projects had collectively garnered more than 11,000 stars on GitHub.

SenseTime is advancing from digital intelligence toward physical AGI through the closed‑loop framework of “architectural innovation, system capabilities, and high‑value delivery,” continuously translating technological breakthroughs into real-world applications and commercial value.

Token Factory: Upgrading from Compute Provisioning to Scaled Intelligence Production

SenseTime’s SenseCore is evolving into a production‑oriented Token Factory. Through integrated model and infrastructure optimization, as well as capabilities in model adaptation, inference optimization, heterogeneous scheduling, energy management and global service delivery, the Token Factory not only expands Token output and lowers unit costs, but also continuously enhances the reasoning, understanding, generation, and execution capabilities embedded in each Token.

In July 2026, SenseCore delivered an average daily Token service volume of 2.4 trillion, representing a YoY increase of approximately 22 times. As of the date of this announcement, the Group’s total deployed computing power had reached 48,000 Petaflops (P).

The Token Factory provides strong support for SenseTime in advancing the performance boundaries of its foundation models and scaling their commercial deployment. It has tripled the training speed for long‑context Agent models, increased image and video generation efficiency sixfold, improved reinforcement learning training efficiency, and shortened the cycle from model R&D validation to large‑scale deployment to just one week. In addition to supporting the SenseNova foundation model, the Token Factory now serves four external foundation model providers, establishing differentiated capabilities across high‑complexity computing domains, including AI for Science (“AI4S”), video generation, embodied intelligence, world models, and city‑level intelligent applications.

In addition, the Group remains committed to advancing the domestic compute ecosystem, increasing the MFU (Model Floating‑Point Utilization) of mainstream domestic chips by up to 2.5 times compared with the baseline levels established by chip manufacturers. SenseNova U1 has achieved Day 0 adaptation across more than ten domestic chip platforms.

Through compute‑energy synergy, the Company continues to reduce the unit cost of intelligence. During the Reporting Period, its Compute‑Energy Synergy Agent achieved load forecasting accuracy of 96% and generated cumulative electricity cost savings of more than RMB12 million. For every 10,000P of computing power, annual carbon emissions were reduced by 24,000 tons.

Agents Accelerate Adoption Across Enterprise and Consumer Markets, Delivering Value Through Workflow Integration and Enhanced Everyday Experiences

Building on its model and Token capabilities, SenseTime connects models, knowledge, tools, and workflows through a unified Agent Harness, transforming underlying AI capabilities into end-to-end task delivery solutions for enterprise and individual users.

The Group’s agents are rapidly expanding across both enterprise and personal workflows. During the Reporting Period, they served more than 1,000 enterprise customers across over 20 key industries, including education, government, marketing, logistics, banking, and insurance. The Office Agent, Raccoon, has served major enterprises including Lenovo, Ping An Technology, China’s three major telecommunications operators, JD.com, and Kylin Software. Total users increased more than fivefold YoY, enterprise users grew more than sixfold, and monthly active users on the cloud platform increased nearly tenfold. In addition, the video‑generation agent Seko reached a daily video production volume of 10,000 minutes. Content created on the platform has amassed an estimated 1.5+ billion views across short‑video platforms, including 10 short-form dramas that have each surpassed 100 million views. AI productivity solutions are also expanding beyond large organizations to serve smaller teams and One‑Person Companies (OPCs). In the consumer market, the Kapi series of agents, covering use cases such as health, finance, and content creation, has surpassed 45 million cumulative users.

Computer Vision remains a strategic gateway for the Group’s expansion into industry verticals and overseas markets. During the Reporting Period, revenue from the business reached RMB500 million, accounting for approximately 17% of the Group’s total revenue. The business extended across more than 20 countries and regions and served more than 4,500 customers worldwide, with recurring customers contributing 67% of revenue.

Bridging Digital and Physical Intelligence, Unlocking Ecosystem Value

SenseTime continued to invest in frontier areas, including world models and embodied intelligence, intelligent terminals, smart healthcare, and chips. The increase in the valuation of certain AI ecosystem investments generated fair‑value gains, contributing to the Group’s first‑ever IFRS profit and reflecting the gradual realization of financial value from our ecosystem assets. Beyond short‑term investment returns, the more significant long‑term value of these ecosystem investments lies in enabling the Group gain early access to frontier domains, continuously acquire real‑world tasks, data, and feedback, and further strengthen SenseTime’s unified multimodal models and system‑level delivery capabilities.

SenseTime is deepening its “Three-pillar Framework”: one model system to raise the ceiling of intelligence and expand agents’ ability to handle complex tasks; one Token Factory to improve quality and efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance global delivery capabilities; and one Agent Harness to integrate multimodal models with the Token Factory, enabling AI to complete end‑to‑end tasks in real-world scenarios.

Looking ahead, SenseTime will continue to advance the iteration of multimodal agents, driving the evolution of the Token Factory from pricing based on Token volume to pricing based on task outcomes. The Group will also deepen the application of multi‑agent collaboration across enterprise, individual, and OPC workflows, delivering efficient and reliable productivity solutions to users.

Hashtag: #SenseTime

Source: Zero Waste Aotearoa

Long awaited updates to the Waste Minimisation and Litter Acts will not be introduced to the house this parliamentary term. The government advised stakeholders that no further work is progressing.

These updates would have given business and households a modern, fit for purpose law to help prevent and reduce waste, litter and emissions.

Sue Coutts is Director of External Affairs for Zero Waste Aotearoa. She said:

“Protecting our environment and using resources efficiently are apparently not priorities for the government.”

“New Zealanders want better recycling systems. They want alternatives to disposal. They want to make the shift away from this throwaway economy. The 2026 Kantar Better Futures Report shows that New Zealanders expect government, business and brands to do more to reduce environmental impacts.”

“Successive governments have said they’ll update the law. The background work is done. The sector and the public have been consulted twice on the proposals. We’ve been waiting for six years. These straightforward changes would help the country catch up with modern reuse and recycling systems”

“Time and time again we’re told by the Minister for the Environment that the law will be updated. The government is stringing New Zealanders along by saying they’ll progress this when they have no intention of doing so.”

“The deadline for phasing out PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging also keeps getting pushed back. Policy flip flops between governments are a major barrier to progress and investment in the reuse, recycling and waste sector.”

“Companies have already pulled back from commitments to ensure packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 because the systems that would make that possible are not in place.”

“Central government is responsible for making producers set up and fund reuse and recycling systems for their products and packaging. The work on this has been done; now, it just needs to go through Parliament.”

The original Waste Minimisation Act was passed with cross party support back in 2008.

Zero Waste Aotearoa calls on all parties to make updating the Waste Minimisation Act an early priority in the next government. That way, New Zealand can finally make some progress on reducing waste.

Notes and Relevant Links

Kantar Better Futures 2026
https://www.kantarnewzealand.com/latest-thinking/better-futures/

P9 New Zealanders make good use of limited waste management services they have access to

P12 – 87% of New Zealanders expect business/brands to take responsibility for their environmental and social impacts

P15 New Zealanders expect Government, Business and Brands to do more

MfE and MCERT

The original work on the Waste legislation updates was done by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), which has now been incorporated into The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.

MCERT – Governments Waste work programme
https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/areas-of-work/waste/work-programme-on-waste/

Link to list of cabinet papers released
https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/cabinet-papers-and-regulatory-impact-statements/amending-the-waste-legislation-policy-approvals/

Exactly the same thing happened at the end of the last parliamentary term with 7 cabinet papers and drafting proposals left sitting at the bottom of the pile.

HONG KONG SAR – EQS Newswire – 26 August 2026 – A fully integrated biopharmaceutical company – Uni-Bio Science Group Limited (“Uni-Bio Science”, together with its subsidiaries referred to as the “Group”, stock code: 0690.HK), is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 (the “Period”).

Key Accomplishments in the First Half of 2026

During the Period, the Group achieved a spectrum of accomplishments, for both of its marketed products and innovative biologics. The key highlights include:

1. During the Period, the Group’s revenue reached approximately HK$273.8 million, with net profit standing at approximately HK$31.2 million. Cash generation remained solid, with operating cash flow at approximately HK$11.4 million. Despite temporary earnings compression resulting from regulatory adjustments and front-loaded investments in R&D, commercialization, and international expansion, the Group demonstrated operational resilience by remaining profitable and financially strong.

2. As at 30 June 2026, total equity increased by 8.6% to approximately HK$448.7 million, reflecting a strengthened capital base. The debt-to-equity ratio improved to 34.9%, demonstrating active deleveraging and prudent capital stewardship. The Group remains in a net cash positive position, with a cash ratio well above 1, indicating that cash and cash equivalents significantly exceed near-term liabilities. This strong liquidity cushion enables the Group to comfortably absorb the temporary reduction in net profit during the Period without compromising its financial stability. Together, these strengths position the Group to support future R&D investment, commercialization initiatives, and international expansion.

3. Revenue of Bogutai® increased significantly by 39.3% year-on-year (“YoY”), driven by the ongoing market development and engagement with this innovative osteoporosis therapy within the medical community and among patients in China. As of the first quarter of 2026, Bogutai® ranked second in overall market share and first in the retail channel among teriparatide products in China. Its nationwide sales surpassing those of the originator brand, achieving these market positions within approximately two years of commercial launch.

4. During the Period, the Group officially commenced the commercial launch and market promotion of its high-end series, GeneQueens®, further enriching its portfolio in functional skincare and post-procedure medical aesthetics. The premium line incorporates a proprietary triple-protein complex (Fibronectin, Type III Collagen, and Type XVII Collagen), each formatted at a high concentration of 1,000 ppm to optimize cellular repair and anti-aging performance. This milestone demonstrates concrete progress in accelerating the commercialization of its synthetic biology platform.

5. The Group is advancing the development of its BMP-2 regenerative medicine program. Utilizing its proprietary ECO-KSFA® platform, the Group has successfully established a high-yield production process for BMP-2 API, a crucial growth factor in regenerative medicine widely applied in spinal fusion and bone defect reconstruction. During the Period, the Group completed pilot-scale manufacturing process for the BMP-2 drug substance and initiated development of a sustained-release gel formulation, laying a solid foundation for finalizing the product’s clinical dosage form.

6. The next-generation generic antifungal drug, Isavuconazonium sulfate capsules, completed all supplementary studies required by the regulator and the Group is preparing to submit the corresponding documentation to the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) in the second half of 2026. To support future commercialization, the Group has commissioned a dedicated production line specifically designed for the product and established strategic partnerships with high-quality API suppliers to ensure reliable manufacturing capacity and supply for commercialization.

Interim Results

The first half of 2026 marked a strategic transition period for the Group, characterized by portfolio optimization alongside expanding channel and market access. Revenue during the Period was temporarily impacted by strategic volume-based procurement (VBP) pricing adjustments for Pinup® and, to a lesser extent, GeneTime®, coupled with the structural impact of latest biologics value-added tax (VAT) policies on net selling price. For the Period, the Group recorded revenue of approximately HK$273.8 million, representing a decrease of 11.7% YoY.

Revenue of Bogutai® increased significantly from approximately HK$65.6 million to approximately HK$91.4 million, representing an increase of 39.3%. Revenue of Boshutai® increased by 50.8% from approximately HK$6.1 million to approximately HK$9.2 million. GeneTime® recorded a decrease of 12.3% in revenue from approximately HK$107.8 million to approximately HK$94.5 million. Sales volume of GeneTime® achieved high-single-digit YoY growth, reflecting continued strong underlying demand and the initial benefits of broader hospital access and prescription-base expansion. GeneSoft® recorded a 1.6% YoY increase in revenue from approximately HK$18.5 million to approximately HK$18.8 million. Pinup® recorded a decrease of 47.1% in revenue from approximately HK$108.9 million to approximately HK$57.6 million. With a limited number of product portfolio and the ongoing optimization of its marketing and distribution teams, revenue from 肌顏態® increased from approximately HK$1.3 million to approximately HK$2.2 million, representing a 69.2% YoY growth. Revenue contribution from the Group’s newly launched medical device product 金因敷® and 金因康® (Diquafosol Sodium Eye Drops) were immaterial during the Period. The Group is expanding its digital and social media presence to raise 金因敷® brand awareness, while advancing targeted non-public channel expansion to accelerate 金因康® uptake.

Gross profit was approximately HK$222.7 million, representing a decrease of 12.4% as compared with approximately HK$254.1 million for the first half of 2025, whereas as gross profit margin remained stable at 81.3%. Profit for the Period decreased by 59.0% YoY to approximately HK$31.2 million. The decrease primarily reflected short-term profitability pressure during the Group’s strategic transformation, including lower absolute gross profit resulting from pricing adjustments for certain core products and the VAT-related pricing impact, together with continued investment in commercialization, new product launches, pipeline development, and international expansion. The earnings per share were approximately HK$0.52 cents, compared with HK$1.27 cents in the first half of 2025.

Prospects

Through targeted commercial and R&D investments in the first half of 2026, the Group enters the second half well positioned to accelerate its business transformation. As generic therapies continue to yield ground to higher-margin biopharmaceuticals within the Group’s portfolio, this evolving revenue mix is expected to deliver sustained margin expansion over the long term. With biopharmaceuticals recognized for the first time as an emerging pillar industry supported by the state, the Group is committed to growing its innovation capabilities and expanding its commercial reach to capture this growing market opportunity.

Mr. Kingsley Leung, Chairman of Uni-Bio Science, commented, “The first half of 2026 presented a challenging operating environment, which we view as a transitional period toward a more diversified and all-round range of product offerings and promotional channels. During the period, we made significant progress in strengthening both the breadth and depth of our commercial platform while advancing a robust pipeline of innovative therapies. Our omni-channel strategy, spanning public hospitals, an expanding distributor network, retail pharmacy locations, and leading e-commerce platforms, continues to broaden patient access across China, including deeper penetration into Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities. At the same time, we are executing a disciplined, product-specific commercialization approach, tailoring our strategies to the distinct market dynamics of each of our eight core products. Beyond our domestic base, we are accelerating our global ambitions. We are advancing Bogutai®’s international expansion, together with our ongoing U.S. FDA submission, an important step toward establishing our first overseas commercialized therapy.

Our pipeline continues to advance meaningfully, from our proprietary EGF/FGF compound gel for wound care to next-generation BFS-based GeneSoft® formulations and our BMP-2 regenerative therapy, all underpinned by our proprietary ECO-KSFA® synthetic biology and Biological Hydrogel technology platforms. These innovation engines position us to continue delivering differentiated, high-value therapies across pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and medical aesthetics. We remain confident that our integrated strategy, combining commercial excellence, global expansion, and platform-driven innovation, will create sustainable long-term value for our patients, partners, and shareholders.”

Hashtag: #Uni-BioScienceGroup

About Uni-Bio Science Group Limited

Source: CyberPower

New OLS2K2ERT2UH and OLS3KERT2UH models deliver premium power protection, greater usable capacity and simpler management for businesses that cannot afford downtime

SYDNEY, 26 August 2026 – CyberPower has expanded its Online S Series with the launch of two new high-performance uninterruptible power supply models, the OLS2K2ERT2UH and the OLS3KERT2UH, strengthening its offering for businesses and IT professionals who need dependable power protection for critical infrastructure and connected equipment.

Designed for demanding environments, the new models combine online double-conversion technology, a Power Factor of 1, a tiltable colour LCD and an integrated maintenance bypass to deliver high-quality power protection, operational flexibility and easier day-to-day management.

OLS2K2ERT2UH

As organisations become more reliant on always-on digital systems, the cost of poor power quality, unexpected outages and service interruptions continues to rise. The OLS2K2ERT2UH and OLS3KERT2UH are built to address that risk by helping protect servers, storage, networking hardware, security systems and other essential equipment from power disturbances that can cause downtime, data loss and hardware stress.

“The introduction of the OLS2K2ERT2UH and OLS3KERT2UH reinforces CyberPower’s commitment to delivering advanced, practical power protection solutions for modern IT environments,” said Vince Mazzeo – Technical Operations Manager for CyberPower Systems ANZ. “These models are designed to give businesses more usable output, easier visibility and simplified maintenance, while ensuring the reliable, high-quality power that critical systems depend on.”

A major advantage of the new models is their High Output Power Factor of 1, which allows the UPS to deliver more usable power and support higher total watt loads. For customers, that means more efficient use of UPS capacity and greater flexibility when protecting high-value equipment. In practical terms, businesses can support more of their critical load without needing to overspecify infrastructure, improving value and reducing inefficiency.

OLS3KERT2UH

The use of online double-conversion technology is equally significant. By continuously regulating incoming power and delivering zero-transfer time, the UPS helps ensure connected equipment remains protected from blackouts, brownouts, surges and other power disturbances. For organisations running critical applications, that translates into greater continuity, reduced operational risk and stronger protection for business-critical systems.

CyberPower has also focused on usability. The new models feature a tiltable colour LCD with a clear graphical interface that makes monitoring and configuration more intuitive. As the screen can be angled upward, it is easier to read when the unit is installed low in a rack or equipment room, helping IT teams save time and manage systems more confidently.

Another standout feature is the integrated maintenance bypass, which allows operators to switch to utility power through bypass mode so maintenance can be performed without shutting down connected equipment and the wider power system. This adds tangible value for businesses that need to minimise disruption, streamline servicing and maintain uptime during routine maintenance procedures.

The new Online S models also support remote monitoring and management, with compatible models featuring a built-in Remote Cloud Card that connects to PowerPanel Cloud. This gives users access to real-time UPS information and remote management through a secure web portal or mobile app, helping IT teams respond faster, improve visibility and manage distributed environments more effectively.

For organisations planning for growth or higher resilience, the Online S platform also supports parallel expansion, enabling multiple UPS units to be connected to increase capacity and achieve N+X power redundancy. This makes the range especially attractive to businesses looking for scalable protection strategies that can grow with operational requirements while strengthening business continuity.

Additional features include relay-type dry contacts for UPS status monitoring, extended battery module auto-detection, an Emergency Power Off dry contact port and PowerPanel Management Software for power management and graceful system shutdown. Together, these features help deliver a more complete and business-ready protection solution for organisations that need both performance and control.

The launch of the OLS2K2ERT2UH and OLS3KERT2UH also reinforces CyberPower’s position as a leader in UPS and power protection technology.

CyberPower is widely recognised for delivering a broad portfolio of solutions that serve home users, professionals, SMBs and enterprise environments, with products designed around reliability, innovation, efficiency and practical ease of use. Its strong international presence, consistent focus on advanced protection technologies and ability to translate complex power needs into user-friendly, value-driven products have made the brand a trusted choice in markets around the world.

For buyers, the value proposition is clear. The new Online S models are designed to help protect critical equipment, reduce the risk of downtime, maximise usable UPS capacity, simplify monitoring and maintenance and support future expansion. For businesses, that means stronger resilience, better return on infrastructure investment and greater confidence in the continuity of essential operations.

With the addition of the OLS2K2ERT2UH and OLS3KERT2UH, CyberPower continues to strengthen the Online S Series as a compelling choice for organisations that need advanced UPS performance without compromising on manageability or value.

For more information, visit:

OLS2K2ERT2UH – https://www.cyberpower.com/au/en/product/sku/ols2k2ert2uh
OLS3KERT2UH – https://www.cyberpower.com/au/en/product/sku/ols3kert2uh

About CyberPower

Founded in 1997, CyberPower has followed a path to success through engineering excellence and quality standards in power protection and computer accessories. At our advanced technology manufacturing facilities, we build a comprehensive line of power protection products, including Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), Racks, Power Distribution Units (PDUs), Power Inverters, Surge Protectors, Mobile Chargers, power management software and computer peripheral accessories. After years of implementation of a global branding strategy, what we’ve provided to millions of satisfied customers are not only award-winning products, but a sense of security.

Whether you are an IT professional working in a Corporate Data Centre, an owner of a small-to-medium business, or a consumer using electronic devices at home, CyberPower has a wide range of power solutions to safeguard your critical equipment and valued data.

https://www.cyberpower.com/au

BINZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2026 – At a policy briefing on the Binzhou Integrated Real Estate Policy Package held by the Information Office of the Binzhou Municipal Government on August 10, officials outlined the progress of the city’s housing “trade-in” initiative.

Hashtag: #Binzhou

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières

24 August – As we reach 100 days since the Ebola disease outbreak was declared in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that communities are not receiving adequate support to contain the disease. This outbreak has become the largest and deadliest in the country’s history, and it continues to spread at an alarming rate within communities who already contend with conflict, violence, displacement, and hunger, among other health emergencies, in their daily lives.

Training for health workers and community leaders on case detection, referrals, and infection prevention and control measures must be urgently bolstered within communities affected by the outbreak.

Over the past week, deaths due to Ebola disease have been reported at a rate of roughly one every half hour. Since the outbreak began and as of 16 August, national authorities have reported more than 5,000 confirmed cases and over 2,400 deaths.

“This epidemic continues to spread, moving faster than the response can keep up,” says Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, International President of MSF. “Treatment centres remain essential for saving lives, but this response needs more than extra beds. It needs better detection, safe isolation for sick people and their contacts, and support to health workers. People seeking care in existing health facilities also need to be protected from infection. Crucially, the response must be built with communities, not around them.”

In Rho displacement camp, near Drodro, Ituri, community leaders have worked with MSF to encourage people with symptoms to seek testing, isolation and treatment early. They also promote infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of community transmission. In the overcrowded camp, which is home to nearly 50,000 people, this collaboration has helped limit the spread of Ebola and reduce mortality.

“We know our communities and how to reach our people,” says Ezrome Kiza Lumani, a community leader living in the camp. “When Ebola arrived, we did not wait. We spoke with families, listened to their fears, and encouraged people with symptoms to seek care. We have a crucial role to play in stopping this outbreak.”

Since the outbreak was officially declared, more than 60 per cent of Ebola disease deaths in DRC have occurred outside – and often far away from – Ebola treatment centres. This means many people are dying at home or in their communities without receiving care, and the virus continues to spread before cases are detected. Worryingly, case numbers are rising rapidly beyond the epicentre of Ituri, with North Kivu province experiencing particularly high levels of mortality and mistrust in the response.

“With cases emerging in new areas with little or no previous experience managing Ebola disease, Ebola-trained healthcare workers are urgently needed not only inside treatment centres, but also directly in affected communities,” says Trish Newport, MSF’s emergency programme manager in Ituri province.

MSF is currently responding across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, and Haut-Uélé provinces. Teams are operating six Ebola treatment centres, as well as isolation units, in affected areas, with more than 400 beds available — representing one third of all beds in the overall response. More than 1,400 MSF staff are supporting the response. Since the start of the outbreak, our teams have admitted more than 2,000 patients, of which more than 800 patients were confirmed to have Ebola disease.

In Beni, North Kivu province, we have worked to move our response within communities. Through supporting existing health facilities that also offer general healthcare services, which are also crucial to saving lives, systematic and symptomatic treatment can start quickly. Across the response to the outbreak in DRC, more must be done to ensure people can receive the care they need closer to home.

“Health workers and community leaders need training to help detect cases early, refer people safely, reinforce infection prevention and control, and protect themselves and others from infection,” says Newport. “The World Health Organization (WHO), other UN agencies, humanitarian organisations, including MSF, and the Congolese Ministry of Health must urgently expand this training and support.”

Community leaders like Emery Guba Mateso, also from Rho displacement camp, are sharing their experiences to encourage people to seek care. He lost his son to the disease and later survived an infection himself.

“As a person who has recovered from Ebola disease, the message I would like to share with the community is: as soon as the first symptoms appear, it is important to seek medical care promptly, because early access to appropriate treatment increases the chances of recovery,” says Guba Mateso.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au

Decontamination teams visit the home of an Ebola patient. They are accompanied by a family member waring personal protective equipment who shows them around the different rooms.

Source: Equinor

25 August 2026 08:00 (CEST)

The Troll A platform in the North Sea is being supplied with additional gas. On 22 August production started from the Troll Phase 3 stage 2 subsea project.

This helps maintain jobs, value creation and high gas deliveries to Europe from Troll A and the Kollsnes processing plant, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

The project accelerates production of 55 billion standard cubic metres of gas from the Troll West reservoir. This corresponds to nearly two years of France’s gas demand.

Lill Harriet Brusdal, vice president for Troll and Kvitebjørn

“Troll is the backbone of Norwegian gas exports to Europe. This project accelerates production from the reservoir, helping maintain today’s high level of gas exports from Troll and Kollsnes for as long as possible. With both Troll A and the Kollsnes gas plant powered by electricity from shore, the gas is produced with very low emissions,” says Lill Harriet Brusdal, vice president for Troll and Kvitebjørn.

The Troll partnership consists of Petoro, Equinor, Shell, TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips.

Troll Phase 3 stage 2 builds on the subsea facilities from the Troll Phase 3 project, which came on stream in 2021, reusing design and standardised solutions. This reduces execution time and costs and points the way for future subsea developments. Troll Phase 3 stage 2 comes on stream just over two years after the partnership’s investment decision.

“We start production with excellent HSE results, ahead of schedule and several hundred million Norwegian kroner below the cost estimate. The main reasons are efficient marine operations and a highly efficient drilling campaign, which was completed 25 per cent faster than planned,” says Trond Bokn, senior vice president for project development in Equinor.

Trond Bokn, senior vice president for project development in Equinor
Photo: Arne Reidar Mortensen / ©Equinor

The Troll phase 3 step 2-project was originally scheduled to start up towards the end of the year, and the cost estimate was NOK 12.3 billion.

The eight-well drilling campaign was completed in five and a half months by the Deepsea Aberdeen rig from Odfjell, with services from SLB and Baker Hughes. Templates and manifolds were built by Aker Solutions in Egersund for main supplier OneSubsea and installed on the field by Ocean Installer.

The umbilical, supplied by OneSubsea in Moss, and the MEG line have been extended from the existing facilities. A 28-kilometre, 36-inch pipeline was installed by the world’s largest pipelay vessel, Pioneering Spirit, and the line pipe was stored on Stord. Randaberg Industries delivered spools and pipeline end terminations, and Aker Solutions has carried out modifications on Troll A.

In this way, the project has generated significant ripple effects in Norway. In operations it helps maintain secure gas deliveries to Europe, jobs and revenues for society. More than 90 per cent of the profits from the Troll field go to the state through taxes and direct ownership in the field via Petoro.

Facts

• Partnership: Petoro AS 55.93%, Equinor Energy AS (operator) 30.55%, A/S Norske Shell 8.19%, TotalEnergies EP Norge AS 3.69% and ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS 1.64%.

• Troll is the cornerstone of Norwegian gas production and contains around 40% of the gas reserves on the Norwegian continental shelf.

• Gas from Troll alone meets around 10% of Europe’s demand, and the annual energy production from Troll corresponds to three times Norway’s annual hydropower production.

• This year, Troll marks 30 years as Norway’s largest gas-producing field. Its enormous resource base has made it necessary to plan development and production in three phases:

• Phase 1 is the gas in Troll East, which resulted in Troll A, the Kollsnes gas plant and associated infrastructure.

• Phase 2 is the oil in Troll West, which resulted in the Troll B and C platforms and corresponding infrastructure. The oil is sent to the oil terminal at Mongstad.

• Phase 3 produces the gas cap above the oil column in Troll West, while oil production continues. The gas flows to Troll A and onward through existing infrastructure.

The Troll Phase 3 development is being carried out in several steps to ensure timely production of the gas resources in Troll West. Earlier this year, the partners also decided to proceed with the next phase of the development through the TWIN project (Troll West Increased gas recovery North).

Related links

• Find out more about the Troll area: https://www.equinor.com/energy/troll

• EQUINOR@ONS 2026: https://www.equinor.com/about-us/ons

• Downloadable Troll A photo: https://equinor.fotoware.cloud/fotoweb/archives/5020-Press/?q=82FA09CDF8B24B3C%20874696EE03911E0E

Official release: https://www.equinor.com/news/20260825-more-gas-for-30-year-old-troll-a

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that hospitals are ‘managing well’ because of the Government’s Winter Plan is delusional, NZNO says.

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says the Minister’s comments yesterday beggar belief.

“Despite Emergency Departments (ED) being completely overwhelmed and patients being treated in waiting rooms and corridors, Simeon Brown claims the Coalition Government’s failed Winter Plan is ‘managing well’.

“The Minister is delusional and completely out of touch with reality. He continues to ignore warnings from nurses on the frontline that patients are at risk. He fails to acknowledge patients can’t get into their local doctors, or can’t afford to, and are arriving at EDs increasingly unwell. Once in ED, they can’t be moved because the hospital wards are full.

“Instead, Simeon Brown continues to perpetuate untruths on social media about his Government hiring 2100 more nurses despite admitting in Parliament last week the net increase is just 54 full-time nurses. With a growing and ageing population this means there are less nurses, not more,” Kerri Nuku says.

The Minister also points to Te Whatu Ora “actively recruiting for the equivalent of 2378 full-time nursing roles right across the country” and that “475 nurses have already accepted their offers”.

“This recruitment is too late to help the worst flu season in a decade and follows revelations the Minister oversaw a deliberate recruitment freeze to cut costs which left 1300 empty nursing jobs. It also doesn’t include attrition, retirement rates or the fact that some of these vacancies will be filled by the same nurses moving to different hospitals.

“Even the promised 1800 graduate jobs are smoke and mirrors when there are around 3000 nursing graduates a year. That is only 60% being hired, down from 90-100% before this Government took office. Our tauira (students) tell us they are looking to move to Australia, so New Zealand taxpayers are now paying to train the Australian nursing workforce.

“It is time for the Minister to own his decisions,” Kerri Nuku says.

Source: Zero Waste Aotearoa

Long awaited updates to the Waste Minimisation and Litter Acts will not be introduced to the house this parliamentary term. The government advised stakeholders that no further work is progressing.

These updates would have given business and households a modern, fit for purpose law to help prevent and reduce waste, litter and emissions.

Sue Coutts is Director of External Affairs for Zero Waste Aotearoa. She said:

“Protecting our environment and using resources efficiently are apparently not priorities for the government.”

“New Zealanders want better recycling systems. They want alternatives to disposal. They want to make the shift away from this throwaway economy. The 2026 Kantar Better Futures Report shows that New Zealanders expect government, business and brands to do more to reduce environmental impacts.”

“Successive governments have said they’ll update the law. The background work is done. The sector and the public have been consulted twice on the proposals. We’ve been waiting for six years. These straightforward changes would help the country catch up with modern reuse and recycling systems”

“Time and time again we’re told by the Minister for the Environment that the law will be updated. The government is stringing New Zealanders along by saying they’ll progress this when they have no intention of doing so.”

“The deadline for phasing out PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging also keeps getting pushed back. Policy flip flops between governments are a major barrier to progress and investment in the reuse, recycling and waste sector.”

“Companies have already pulled back from commitments to ensure packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 because the systems that would make that possible are not in place.”

“Central government is responsible for making producers set up and fund reuse and recycling systems for their products and packaging. The work on this has been done; now, it just needs to go through Parliament.”

The original Waste Minimisation Act was passed with cross party support back in 2008.

Zero Waste Aotearoa calls on all parties to make updating the Waste Minimisation Act an early priority in the next government. That way, New Zealand can finally make some progress on reducing waste.

Notes and Relevant Links

Kantar Better Futures 2026
https://www.kantarnewzealand.com/latest-thinking/better-futures/

P9 New Zealanders make good use of limited waste management services they have access to

P12 – 87% of New Zealanders expect business/brands to take responsibility for their environmental and social impacts

P15 New Zealanders expect Government, Business and Brands to do more

MfE and MCERT

The original work on the Waste legislation updates was done by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), which has now been incorporated into The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.

MCERT – Governments Waste work programme
https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/areas-of-work/waste/work-programme-on-waste/

Link to list of cabinet papers released
https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/cabinet-papers-and-regulatory-impact-statements/amending-the-waste-legislation-policy-approvals/

Exactly the same thing happened at the end of the last parliamentary term with 7 cabinet papers and drafting proposals left sitting at the bottom of the pile.

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Labour announced it would restore smokefree generation policies and a licensing regime for tobacco and vapes at Health Coalition Aotearoa’s (HCA) political panel on prevention.

Act, the Greens, Labour and Te Pati Māori health spokespeople addressed a strong showing of attendees at the Beehive forum on 25 August, hosted by HCA, the University of Otago and the Public Health Communications Centre.

Labour’s Ayesha Verrall also said the party would reverse the heated tobacco tax cut, “a tax break worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”

The politicians were responding to policy asks in HCA’s Prevention Brief 2026, which are evidence-based policy priorities to tackle harm from tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food, saving lives and reducing pressure on the health system.

“We were disappointed that National and New Zealand First chose not to attend and tell voters where they stand. We had hoped for a cross-party discussion,” said HCA co-chair Professor Boyd Swinburn.

Act’s Todd Stevenson kicked off the discussion talking about the party’s commitment to increasing Pharmac’s budget, which would cover innovative vaccines, such as for RSV, and widened access to shingles vaccines, plus other preventive medicines.

In closing remarks, Swinburn quipped, “I’ve got some really cost-effective policies for you, more cost-effective than Pharmac funding of drugs.”

However, there was common ground across the parties on HCA’s campaign to ‘level the playing field’ with Stevenson saying he “wasn’t opposed’ to lobbying policies, albeit with technical details ironed out.

Greens and Te Pati Māori agreed on the need for a lobbying register and a cool-down period for politicians before they could work as lobbyists, as well as caps on party donations.

Verrall said Labour was yet to announce its policy but they wanted transparency around lobbyists’ meetings with ministers, plus she had a bill in the biscuit tin to restrict tobacco lobbying.

Green Party’s Hūhana Lyndon said HCA’s policies “act as a compass for where the country should be heading”.

On the left, there was shared support for restoration of healthy school lunches to meet nutrition standards and with provision for community providers.

Verrall pointed out Labour started Ka Ora, Ka Ako and is proud to recommit to the programme, which is a significant spend on making sure people have healthy food.

The Green’s Hūhana Lyndon spoke about the party’s recently announced policy supporting Ka Ora, Ka Ako in a form closer to the original version.

“The Green Party wants to see the programme well-resourced, sustainable and expanded, so that no mokopuna will be left behind.”

Te Pati Māori’s Debbie Ngarewa-Packer was also in agreement with HCA’s policies, emphasising the importance of Māori self-determination and mana motuhake. Her party fully supports Ka Ora Ka Ako.

“We believe that no tamariki should ever go hungry at school, so we oppose the government’s defunding of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme, and we support permanent funding.

“Again, we support restricting unhealthy kai and drink and marketing that targets children.”

Stevenson gave some parting advice, which was for public health advocates to start working with the new government from the minute they came into office.

“My advice is start early in the next parliament and try to look for things that you actually think people could agree on and get bipartisan support for a few issues.”

So, while the political parties defined prevention differently, all agreed it was important.

“Our focus now is working with all parties towards our prevention policy priorities,” says Swinburn. “We would welcome the opportunity to brief National and New Zealand First on them directly.”

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2026 – Redress, the Asia-focused environmental NGO dedicated to reducing clothing’s negative environmental impacts since 2007, is calling on consumers worldwide to vote online for their favourite Finalist in the Redress Design Award 2026, the world’s leading sustainable fashion design competition. Voting for the People’s Choice Award is open until 31 August 2026, with the winner to be announced at the Grand Final Fashion Show in Hong Kong on 2 September.

The Finalists’ collections showcase innovative approaches to tackling textile waste, transforming discarded leather offcuts, secondhand hardware and industrial waste through reconstruction and upcycling techniques, while exploring next-generation materials such as biodegradable fruit leather and ethical non-livestock wool to reimagine raw materials for circular fashion.

Organised by Redress and supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as Lead Sponsor, the Redress Design Award invites the public to discover the tactile beauty of circular fashion through its latest photoshoot and cast their votes to champion sustainable fashion while empowering the next generation of circular design talents.

The photoshoot: sensory storytelling

Photographed by acclaimed Hong Kong creative Paul Sunga with hair by Davines and makeup by MakeupBees, the photoshoot celebrates the creative decisions behind each Finalist’s collection, highlighting the unique textures, craftsmanship and natural imperfections of their materials while underscoring why design matters: 80% of a garment’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage^[1].

“The Finalists of the Redress Design Award are proving that thoughtful design can transform textile waste into something beautiful. Getting up close to these garments, you see how every material choice, texture and technique tells a story, reminding us that the biggest opportunity to reduce fashion’s environmental impact begins at the design stage. I can’t wait for people to discover these collections through the photoshoot and vote for their favourite,” says photoshoot photographer Paul Sunga.

The Finalists’ collections are transported from overseas to Hong Kong for the photoshoot and upcoming Grand Final using DHL Express’ GoGreen Plus service. This service helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a Book & Claim mechanism, where the environmental attributes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) are allocated to participating shipments. Made from alternative raw materials with a lower-emission energy profile, such as used cooking oil, waste and hydrogen, SAF can reduce the air transport shipments’ lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by around 80 percent compared with conventional jet fuel.

Find out who wins at the grand final show

The People’s Choice Award winner will be announced at the Redress Design Award 2026 Grand Final Fashion Show, along with the coveted first prize including a week-long trip to the UK to connect with leading voices in sustainable fashion through a visit to Simple Approach’s Manchester operations to gain insight into responsible fashion design, development, and manufacturing, and an intensive experience with the team at luxury womenswear brand Roksanda to work on an upcycling design project.

The Redress Design Award 2026 Grand Final Fashion Show is open to an exclusive in-person audience and will be livestreamed globally on 2 September 2026 (Wednesday), at 5pm HKT / 11am CET via Facebook and WeChat. Save the date here.

Alumni showcase at centrestage open to public

Redress will also present a total of six Redress Alumni brands as part of both the Grand Final Fashion Show, and at a showcase of Alumni brands at CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong from 2–5 September 2026 (Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–7pm) supported by DHL. Industry professionals and the public alike are all welcome to come, meet designers, and see up close their sustainable, waste-reducing collections.

The Redress Design Award 2026 Photoshoot Credits

• Photographer: Paul Sunga
• Models: Pak Yan Wong (Self Management Hong Kong), Max Holmström (Primo Management Ltd)
• Creative Stylist: Matthieu Amelin
• Hair: Henry Tse for Davines
• Make-up: Cindy Lai for MakeupBees
• Production: Katt Bidegain, Charly Cheung, Nancy Liu
• Studio: Soho House Hong Kong
• Lighting: Ming Suet
• BTS videographer: Jimmy Yu
• BTS photographer: Nicky Chan

Hashtag: #Redress

Redress

The Redress Design Award

Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)

HONG KONG SAR– Media OutReach Newswire – 25 August 2026 – The Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA) hosted the Hong Kong Design Summit cum BDA Brand Award 2026 Presentation Ceremony Gala Dinner at The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong, bringing together an elite audience of 180 leading professional designers, creative industry pioneers, and corporate executives, this year’s flagship event serves as an authoritative platform celebrating excellence in design application, cross-sector matching, and strategic design-tech partnerships.

The Summit was honored to have Miss Yvonne Ip, Acting Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, as the Guest of Honour. In her address, Miss Ip highlighted the power of design to drive business growth and emphasized that the Hong Kong Design Summit, now in its third year, has become a key platform for industry exchange and collaboration, bringing design talent and enterprises together through flagship initiatives like DesignMatch, to turn creative ideas into commercial results. The Hong Kong Designers Association has been a pioneering force in the local design ecosystem for half a century, and CCIDA is proud to partner with HKDA to nurture design professionals, accelerate industrialization, and help local enterprises expand into international markets — advancing Hong Kong’s creative economy together.

Chairman’s Welcome: Driving Real Impact Through Strategic Focus

Opening the evening gala, Ms. Mui Kinoshita, Chairman of HKDA, delivered a heartfelt welcoming address reflecting on the Association’s post-pandemic transformation and strategic vision.

Reflecting on the Association’s post-pandemic vision, Ms. Kinoshita highlighted HKDA’s core strategy—”Two Awards, One Summit, One Platform“—designed to deliver tangible benefits by recognising individual design excellence, honoring corporate design investment, and driving commercial partnerships through DesignMatch. She celebrated HKDA’s expansion from 900 to over 1,300 members, calling it a testament to industry trust. Honoring the Association’s 50-year legacy, she paid tribute to founding pioneers whose dedication laid the foundation for Hong Kong’s creative sector. She concluded with a passionate call for open dialogue and unified collaboration to build a stronger, more caring design industry for the next generation.

Star-Studded Gathering of Design Icons and Industry Leaders

The Gala Dinner was anchored by an extraordinary gathering of creative heavyweights, founding pioneers, and distinguished guests across the design, creative sectors, and corporate leaders. Joining Guest of Honour Miss Yvonne Ip and Officiating Guests, including Dr. Kan Tai-Keung, SBS, BBS, Former Chairman of HKDA (Tenure: 1986, 1987, 1988), ⁠Mr. Steve Leung, BBS, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre, ⁠Mr. Alan Cheung, MH, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Council, Federation of Hong Kong Industries, ⁠Mr. Kevin Yeung, Chairman of Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, were celebrated global design icons and industry leaders who attended in strong support of the Summit, including Ms. Vivienne Tam, Designer and Founder, Vivienne Tam Fashion House, Mr. Tino Kwan, Founder and Principal Consultant of the Tino Kwan Lighting Consultants Limited, and Mr. Gu Wei, Head of AIGC Design Business, Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group. The evening was further graced by prominent design masters, industry executives, and organisational representatives. Their presence, alongside premier corporate partners and judging leaders, underscored the unified strength and collective vision of Hong Kong’s creative community.

The annual event unfolds in two key segments: the Hong Kong Design Summit, featuring the Kick-off Ceremony, DesignMatch business matching, and a landmark MOU signing; followed by the BDA Brand Award 2026 Presentation Ceremony.

Hong Kong Design Summit 2026

The opening segment convenes industry leaders and creative professionals to foster commercial growth and educational innovation:

1. DesignMatch Business Matching Sessions: An exclusive, high-impact B2B networking initiative designed to bridge corporations and design professionals, driving immediate business opportunities and accelerating the translation of creative capital into commercial success.

2. Award-Winning Brands Showcase: A curated, high-visibility showcase where outstanding design firms and corporate awardees demonstrate successful project outcomes and share strategic market insights.

3. Strategic Tripartite MOU Signing: A milestone collaboration between School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Alibaba International Design, and Hong Kong Designers Association. The parties intend to explore opportunities for collaborative initiatives in design and AI-related education in the creative industry, as well as strategic collaboration for industry development across Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Key potential areas of collaboration include:
A) Joint development and delivery of academic and professional training courses (with AI courses as the initial program collaboration);
B) Industry–academia partnerships to foster design-tech innovation and applied research;
C) Co-organisation of training courses, flagship events, forums, and summits to promote design excellence and cross-sector collaboration.

BDA Brand Award 2026 Presentation Ceremony

The second part of the event highlights design leadership and commercial results through an elite evening program, the BDA Brand Award 2026 Presentation Ceremony. An elite gathering celebrating outstanding brand design applications and recognizing excellence across diverse industries. This year’s competition attracted 150 brand entries from diverse industries, further solidifying BDA’s authoritative position as one of Hong Kong’s top brand awards. The BDA Brand Award invites nominations from professional designers or organizations, with submissions evaluated by a panel of experts based on three aspects: brand story, development, and achievements. Additionally, five assessment criteria are considered: 1) Environmental & Social Impact, 2) Cultural Impact, 3) Innovation & Technology, 4) Brand Image, Identity & User Experience and 5) Market Performance & Value.

The awards celebrated winners across multiple categories, including 1) Best Branding Image Award, 2) Best Cultural & Heritage Award, 3) Best ESG Award, 4) Best Innovation & Technology Award, 5) Best Media & Communication Award, as well as Best Award, Grand Award, and the prestigious Best of the Best Award.

A professional jury panel comprised of esteemed first-round judges—Prof Anthony Kong (Assistant Professor, School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University), Mr. Kirin Leung (Founder, Kirin+lab), Mr. Joe Wong (Founder, Joe Wong Design), Mr. Kenny Li (Founder, FM+ Concepts & FAVEbyKennyLi), and Mr. Jay Leung (Founder, Starz Group) as well as final-round judges—Ms. Mui Kinoshita (Chairman, HKDA), Prof. Viveca Chan (Founder and Chairman, WE Marketing Group), Ms. Hilda Chan (Chief Marketing Officer, HKSTP), Mr. Bosco Leung (Social Responsibility Lead, MTR Corporation Limited), and Mr. Jimmy Li (Head of Brand Partnership, Harvey Nichols Hong Kong). The judges meticulously assessed submissions through a rigorous process, including an initial online evaluation and live presentations.

From a pool of 150 exceptional brand entries, the jury evaluated each brand’s overall excellence, market impact, and alignment with the selection criteria in their respective fields. It is with great pleasure that we announce Sino Group「GoCircular」as the winner of the Best of the Best Award and fwah! as the winner of the Best of the Best Award (Startups). These brands have demonstrated unparalleled excellence, and their selection as winners is a testament to their outstanding achievements.

Additionally, 14 outstanding brands have been recognized with the Grand Award, including (in alphabetical order)

1. a²CIRCLE x TENKA TAIHEI	2. Bone Studio骨子裡
3. BrainX	4. Cohere Design柏納遨天
5. DCH Living 大昌行生活	6. Gridword Communications Ltd
7. HKUST International Summer Campus	8. ISABELLE.C 伊裳
9. Leo Paper Group 利奧紙品集團	10. LOUDER
11. Mini Greeny Heroes	12. Jumbo Kingdom – Tai Pak Floating Restaurant 珍寶王國 – 太白海鮮舫
13. The Living Art	14. Tiger Circle

The full winner list of BDA Brand Award 2026 is listed on Appendix A.

Fostering Strategic Synergies and Future Growth

The 2026 Summit reinforces HKDA’s commitment to elevating design as a core commercial driver while empowering the next generation of designers through AI-driven education and regional integration. Through structured business matching, strategic academia-industry partnerships, and award recognition, the event continues to solidify Hong Kong’s position as a premier global hub for commercial design innovation.

For more details on the event and program updates, please visit the official website at https://www.hkda.hk/

Appendix A – BDA Brand Award 2026 Winners (*in Alphabetical order)

Corporate – Best of the Best

1. Sino Group「GoCircular」

Corporate – Grand Award of the Year

1. a²CIRCLE x TENKA TAIHEI	2. 骨子裡 Bone Studio
3. BrainX	4. Cohere Design 柏納遨天
5. Gridword Communications Ltd	6. HKUST International Summer Campus
7. Jumbo Kingdom – Tai Pak Floating Restaurant	8. Leo Paper Group
9. LOUDER	10. Mini Greeny Heroes
11. Tiger Circle

Corporate – Best Award

1. Broken Fingers+	2. Dance Nefertiti
3. LYYH Studio	4. Medium.Asia
5. Valta Pro

Corporate – Best Innovation & Technology Award

1. Mercury Technology Solution

Corporate – Best ESG Award

1. Shanghai Industrial Holdings Limited 上海實業控股有限公司

2. Surplus Pork Belly Upcycling by Tam Jai Int’l

Corporate – Best Media & Communication Award

1. Gridword Communications Ltd

Corporate – Best Cultural & Heritage Award

Corporate – Best Branding Image Award

1. CAMEL 駱駝牌

2. 广州白云站

Startups – Best of the Best

Startups – Grand Award of the Year

1. DCH Living大昌行生活	2. 伊裳ISABELLE.C
3. The Living Art

Startups – Best Award

1. ALPHA WORKS	2. EAMUS
3. JLE Creative Limited	4. PARTYDAY
5. Queenie’s Studio by Queenie Jia	6. 睿合思盛文化傳媒有限公司
7. Seehow Design

Startups – Best Innovation & Technology Award

1. ALPHA WORKS	2. Dr. Onycure 灰甲博士
3. ESG VISA – The Global Passport for Sustainable Business	4. PARTYDAY
5. Silver Innovation	6. Starry Learning
7. Xinera by FoodTrack

Startups – Best ESG Award

1. ESG Visa

Startups – Best Cultural & Heritage Award

1. Tu by Tu

Startups – Best Branding Image Award

1. Excelsior interior design limited	2. EyeComfi
3. LegalOne Global Limited	4. 非遺美食 INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE FOOD
5. Renovation Guide Consultant Limited	6. Ripple & Co.

Hashtag: #HKDA #BDABrandAward #BDA品牌大獎

About Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA)

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 August 2026 – Knitup, a design-to-manufacturing platform, is introducing a flexible production model tailored to the rapidly expanding global creator economy. As online creators move beyond basic print-on-demand merch, Knitup bridges the gap by offering custom, high-end knitwear with low barriers to entry.

Over 45% of online creators are diversifying revenue through direct product launches, but the creator apparel industry is still stuck in cheap screen-printed blanks that dilute premium IP. Top creators want to build fashion-grade consumer brands, but traditional fashion manufacturers requires high MOQs, long lead times, and technical literacy. High-end creators face a trade-off: basic promotional blanks or massive inventory risk on fashionable products. Knitup solves this by enabling creators with no technical know-how to go from idea to premium products with no minimum requirement. With the advantage of full creative freedom, zero inventory liability, and rapid replenishment cycles, creators can target the premium segment with offerings of BCI Cotton and sustainable merino wool sweaters and beanies, or even step into the luxury tier segment with cashmere cardigan, dresses and blankets.

“We created Knitup to empower the next generation of creators by making the capabilities of a fashion design house accessible,” said Dorothy Pun, Founder of Knitup. “Creators and designers are enabled to make better products with minimal capital outlay. Brands and the planet are saved the burden of inventories. The world sees more creativity and innovation.”

Knitup addresses bottlenecks around mass customization for any knitted products by automatically turning digital design into knitting data that goes straight to knitting machines. What usually takes hours can now take minutes.

Since launching its online design platform in 2022, Knitup has grown to serve over 1,000 brands, ranging from emerging labels to established global names. Key capabilities include:

• No Minimums: Produce exactly what the market demands, precisely when it wants it, helping eliminate excess inventory.
• Design Expression: Bring visuals to life, from detailed custom jacquards to classic solid stitches and crisp embroidery.
• Creation Process, Edited: Styles are visualized using high fidelity virtual samples. No waste even if users over-design and kill many styles. All costed instantly. Guilt-free and simple. Also a perfect tool to get consumers’ feedback on social media.
• Sustainable Yarns: Access to environmental friendly materials that deliver both quality and great hand-feel.
• Agile Manufacturing: A frictionless three-week production lead time that allows brands to restock rapidly, introduce new styles at speed, or launch limited capsule collections in weeks.

From bold statement graphics to quiet luxury, Knitup makes conscious fashion accessible without sacrificing speed, quality, or creative expression.
https://home.knitup.io/

Hashtag: #Knitup #CreatorCommerce #PremiumKnitwear

About Knitup

Source: Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand

The Civil Aviation Authority is inviting aviation participants and industry organisations to join us for an online webinar to hear more about why we are undertaking a Business Transformation programme, Monday 31 August.

Business Transformation is a multi-year programme focused on modernising how we operate, and how we deliver safety and security services. We are still in the early planning stages for the Programme, but some of the opportunities we’re exploring include:

• New systems to support faster, consistent and more robust risk-based decisions, for example in licensing, certification and monitoring of participants
• Implementation of a modern participant portal with real-time access that enables better tracking and transparency for participants
• Improved ability to provide insights to the sector on safety and security current and emerging risks, trends and patterns.

Following our recent announcement in July, this webinar is an opportunity to hear more about our Business Transformation, what it seeks to improve for aviation participants, where the programme is currently, and how we can work with industry as it develops. The session will be led by CAA’s Chief Executive Kane Patena, with support from members of the Executive Leadership Team.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss Business Transformation. The programme is still at an early planning stage, while not all of the detail has been determined, we want to engage with you early and openly, and continue that conversation as the programme develops.

Webinar details

Date: Monday 31 August 2026

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Platform: Online via Microsoft Teams Webinar

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes

Registration

To attend the webinar, please register using the link below.

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Microsoft Teams with your webinar access link and calendar invitation. If you can’t find the email, please check your junk or spam folder.

Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ae3bafad-ef64-46b4-ac38-a6a27fe8ab90@2a3a6f74-4030-4a5e-990f-a70e20020429?source=copyLinkLegacyShareLinkDialog

We recommend joining the webinar using a Microsoft Teams account or through a web browser on your laptop or computer. This will provide access to the full range of attendee features. Please note that some functionality may be limited when joining by phone.

Questions

Questions can be submitted during the session using the Q&A function. We encourage attendees to share questions and feedback as part of the discussion. Questions will be facilitated during the webinar. Should you have any questions about the webinar in the meantime, please contact comms@caa.govt.nz.

Source: Epson Australia

SYDNEY, 25 August 2026 – Epson will exhibit at the Victorian Principals Association Conference 2026 on stand 78 at the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Exhibition Centre, giving school leaders the opportunity to explore print technology designed to support the operational, communication and planning needs of modern schools.

Held from Wednesday 26 to Friday 28 August 2026, the conference brings together more than 400 delegates, including principals, assistant principals and curriculum leaders, under the theme Leading with Connection and Purpose.

Epson’s presence at the event is designed to deliver practical value for attendees by demonstrating solutions that can improve efficiency, reduce administrative friction and support the everyday communication demands of education environments.

For visitors to the conference, Epson’s participation is especially relevant because school leaders are increasingly looking for technologies that do more than simply print. They need solutions that help staff work more productively, support clearer communication with students, families and communities and make better use of budgets and resources.

The VPA Conference is built around professional learning, meaningful conversation and leadership inspiration and Epson’s stand will give delegates a hands-on opportunity to see how print technology can support those goals in tangible ways. With the program structured to maximise sponsor engagement and personal contact, Epson will be well positioned to have direct conversations with decision-makers about the document workflows and visual communication needs shaping today’s school environments.

WorkForce Enterprise AM-C4000

Among the products on display will be the WorkForce Enterprise AM-C4000, a business colour A3 multi-function device designed for environments where operational efficiency matters. For school leaders, that makes it highly relevant. Schools produce a wide range of everyday documents, from leadership and administrative materials through to classroom resources, parent communications and internal reports and the AM-C4000 is designed to help manage those demands efficiently.

The AM-C4000 is particularly suited to education settings, with its focus on helping organisations save energy, cut waste and reduce costs. For conference attendees responsible for balancing performance, sustainability and value, the AM-C4000 represents a practical example of how the right print infrastructure can contribute to smoother day-to-day school operations.

SureColor T3160M

Epson will also showcase the SureColor T3160M, a 24-inch multifunction large-format printer that will be of strong interest to schools needing economical, high-quality output for visual and oversized materials.

The printer is designed to produce large-format colour and black-and-white output quickly, including maps, plans, drawings, schematics, presentations, POS posters and displays. That makes it particularly relevant for school environments where visual communication plays a growing role in teaching, campus planning, events, student showcases and community engagement.

With fast A1 output, a compact footprint, flexible media handling, an easy-to-use touchscreen and software for straightforward office and specialist application printing, the T3160M demonstrates how Epson is helping education organisations bring more display and planning capability in-house.

Together, the AM-C4000 and T3160M highlight Epson’s value to VPA attendees as a provider of practical, high-quality print solutions that align with the needs of contemporary school leadership.

Epson at VPA Conference 2026

Stand

78

Location

Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Dates

Wednesday 26 – Friday 28 August 2026

Show times

Wednesday: Conference opens 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Thursday: 8:15am – 3:30pm
Friday: 8:15am – 1:30pm

About Epson, Epson Australia and Epson New Zealand

Epson is a technology innovation and engineering company whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company uses technology and engineering ability to implement real-world solutions in precision innovation, industrial & robotics, office & home printing and visual & lifestyle.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1.4 trillion.

https://corporate.epson/en/

Epson Australia offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the commercial, industrial, consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets and is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market. Epson is the market leader in Australia and worldwide in sales of projectors for the home, office and education. Established in 1983, Epson Australia is headquartered in North Sydney and is a subsidiary of the Epson Group headquartered in Japan.

https://www.epson.com.au

Epson New Zealand offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the commercial, industrial, consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets and is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market. Epson is a market leader in New Zealand, Australia and worldwide in sales of projectors for the home, office and education. Epson New Zealand is headquartered in Auckland and is a branch of Epson Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the Epson Group headquartered in Japan.

https://www.epson.co.nz

HONG KONG SAR; BANGKOK, THAILAND; SELANGOR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 August 2026 – From 18 to 23 August, the CNPC E-Light Global Green Public Welfare Initiative was held in three locations: Hong Kong, China; Bangkok, Thailand; and Selangor, Malaysia. Themed “Climate Action and Ocean Conservation”, the initiative focused on three key areas—ecological protection, green and low-carbon development, and transnational people-to-people exchange—carrying out mangrove-planting activities, participating in exchanges at the World Sustainability Forum, and engaging with experts, scholars, and local residents in dialogue on ecological civilization to advance green and sustainable development.

During the period, the initiative brought together guests from government, business, cultural and educational sectors, as well as social welfare organizations across the three Asia-Pacific locations, attracting a cumulative total of more than 500 journalists, business representatives, and local community residents. Through multi-party collaboration and broad-based participation, the initiative set an example for international green public welfare and people-to-people exchange.

E-Light is an international communication brand innovatively developed by CNPC. With energy as its bond and culture as its bridge, the brand leverages cross-cultural exchanges, public welfare initiatives, public open days, and other practices to present, from multiple dimensions, the international image of Chinese energy companies as open, cooperative, and mutually beneficial. Since 2025, the E-Light brand has carried out 20 themed events in more than 20 countries worldwide.

In Hong Kong, China, the CNPC E-Light brand participated in the 12^th World Sustainability Forum as a strategic partner. CNPC was invited to join the forum’s thematic dialogue, exploring pathways to sustainable development together with experts and scholars from home and abroad, and sharing the company’s practical achievements in urban energy security and low-carbon upgrading of energy infrastructure at a thematic sub-forum.

In Thailand, the CNPC E-Light initiative was held at Bang Pu Nature Education Centre in Samut Prakan, where mangrove-planting and ecological restoration activities were carried out, with local government representatives, members of the Thai community, and journalists participating in the event. On site, participants from all sectors jointly planted 180 mangrove saplings. Local resident Kollatee said after the event that she had genuinely felt CNPC’s commitment to environmental protection, and had gained a more direct understanding of the company’s active efforts to protect the environment and engage with the local community. Meanwhile, the CNPC E-Light Cultural Exchange Center (Thailand) was officially inaugurated at Nawamintrachinuthit Triam Udom Suksa Nomklao, a secondary school in Bangkok. Teacher Thanathip Sripal of the school said that through the event, everyone saw firsthand how friendly CNPC is, and students deepened their understanding of the importance of energy.

In Sijangkang Mangrove Park in Selangor, Malaysia, local government representatives, Chinese and Malaysian enterprises, journalists and business representatives, and community residents took part in the event, jointly planting more than 200 mangrove saplings to support the ecological protection and restoration of coastal wetlands. Prior to the event, CNPC had donated to and renovated the park’s boardwalk facilities, supporting local ecological development through concrete action. At the event, Suhaimi, director of the mangrove park, presented CNPC with a certificate of appreciation. Zang Wenbo, First Secretary of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia, said that the cooperation between CNPC and Malaysia radiates the light of friendship, the light of cooperation, and the light of hope.

As an international integrated energy and chemical company, CNPC actively embraces ESG principles, continuously working with local governments, social welfare organizations, and partners across all sectors to steadily advance regional ecological protection and green and low-carbon development, build bridges for transnational people-to-people exchange and cooperation, and contribute to the joint development and shared benefits of global ecological civilization through pragmatic public welfare practices—fulfilling its role as an outstanding global corporate citizen.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Ea4GTTrvx/
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ETEPLujLX/

Hashtag: #CNPC

METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 August 2026 – Green GSM, an all-electric ride-hailing platform, today officially launched Premium Taxi, an upscale seven-seat taxi service in the Philippines. With an all-electric fleet of sophisticated and spacious VinFast Limo Green vehicles, the service is designed to deliver a comfortable and convenient travel experience, setting a new standard for the high-end electric taxi segment in the market.

As Green GSM’s second service tier in the Philippines after Green GSM Car, Premium Taxi offers a new mobility option for groups of up to six passengers, families, business travellers, passengers carrying multiple pieces of luggage, and customers seeking a smooth ride in a pleasant and relaxing environment.

The entire Limo Green fleet is finished in black to reflect its high-end positioning, making it easily recognisable and distinguishable from the existing Green GSM Car service, which features a cyan color scheme. Alongside its modern exterior design and spacious seven-seat configuration with three rows, each Limo Green is equipped with amenities including automatic air conditioning, dedicated air vents for the two rear rows, and an air filtration system that helps keep the cabin pleasant and fresh.

Alongside the three signature benefits of electric vehicle-zero emissions, no fuel odour and no engine noise-Green GSM’s Premium Taxi also delivers a five-star service experience through carefully-selected drivers who have received high ratings for service quality. Fares are transparently displayed through in-vehicle meters and on the Green GSM app, allowing customers to conveniently track their fares and trip information.

During its initial phase, Premium Taxi will operate in Makati, Taguig, Mandaluyong and Pasig City, serving travel needs across key business districts, commercial centres, hotels and transport hubs in Metro Manila. Customers can book through the Green GSM app, hail an available vehicle on the street, or contact the customer service hotline at 02-7777-8080.

Ms. Le Thi Thu Trang, CEO of Green GSM Philippines, said: “Premium Taxi is not simply about providing more space. It is designed for journeys where comfort and attention to detail matter, from family trips and airport transfers to business engagements and special occasions. By combining the spacious interior of the VinFast Limo Green with professional drivers and Green GSM’s five-star service standards, we aim to give Filipino customers a high-end mobility option that is thoughtfully-delivered from the moment they book until the journey ends.”

With Premium Taxi, Green GSM expands its all-electric mobility portfolio in the Philippines to better meet customers’ diverse needs. Going forward, Green GSM will continue to enhance service quality while consistently upholding its “5 Green Promises”, with standards of professionalism, transparency and attentive customer care, thereby contributing to greener urban transportation.

Hashtag: #GreenSM

GREEN GSM IN THE PHILIPPINES

Partnership creates new pathways for accountancy students in Guangdong to pursue the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification and gain professional exposure in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 August 2026 – The Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen Singapore–Guangdong collaboration in accountancy education and talent development, creating greater opportunities for GDUFS students in Guangdong to connect with the accountancy profession and pursue international professional pathways.

The MOU was signed in Singapore in conjunction with the 16th Singapore-Guangdong Collaboration Council (SGCC) Meeting, underscoring the strategic significance of the partnership and the growing links between Singapore and Guangdong in education, professional services and talent development.

Under the partnership, GDUFS’ Accounting, Auditing and Financial Management programmes will apply for accreditation under the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification (SCAQ) programme. Once accredited, graduates of these programmes will be eligible for fee waivers relating to five SCAQ Foundation Programme modules, providing a more streamlined pathway towards attaining the Chartered Accountant of Singapore, or CA (Singapore) designation upon fulfilling the remaining SCAQ requirements.

The partnership will also provide GDUFS students with opportunities to connect with ISCA and the wider accountancy profession, which includes industry and professional networks, events and activities. Students will have access to relevant ISCA membership opportunities and the relevant benefits, while those pursuing the SCAQ pathway will receive study support and opportunities such as internship and job-matching recommendations, SCAQ scholarships and access to ISCA’s publications.

Developing Internationally Connected Accountancy Talent

The partnership reflects ISCA and GDUFS’s shared commitment to developing the next generation of accountancy professionals with the capabilities, professional networks and international exposure to contribute across markets.

The two institutions will also collaborate on professional learning and development, including guest lectures, workshops and seminars for GDUFS faculty, students and alumni, as well as access to ISCA publications and online resources. Continuous professional development collaboration via ISCA’s specialisation programmes in financial forensics, sustainability and subscription-based online learning platforms for accounting professionals will ensure GDUFS graduates remain updated on evolving industry standards and best practices.

ISCA President Mr Lee Boon Teck said: “Our partnership with GDUFS is about building stronger links between Singapore and Guangdong in accountancy education and talent development. By connecting students with professional pathways, networks and industry exposure and opportunities in Singapore, we hope to equip the next generation of accountancy professionals with the capabilities and international exposure ready to contribute in an increasingly interconnected business environment.”

Professor Yu Pengyi, Dean of the School of Accountancy at GDUFS, said: “This partnership with ISCA marks an important milestone in our internationalisation journey, creating new professional pathways and opportunities for our students. By combining our strengths in language and accounting education with ISCA’s professional expertise and networks, we look forward to developing globally minded accounting professionals who can contribute across markets.”

The five-year partnership provides a framework for ISCA and GDUFS to further develop cooperation in accountancy education, professional development and engagement with the accountancy profession.

Hashtag: #ISCA #CharteredAccountants #DifferenceMakers #Accounting #Accountancy #MOU #GDUFS

Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)

Source: Federated Farmers

A $9.7 million funding boost from the International Visitor Levy will put feral goats and wild deer directly in the crosshairs, Federated Farmers say.

“This is an incredibly positive announcement and exactly the kind of work the International Visitor Levy (IVL) should be funding,” pest management spokesperson Richard Dawkins says.

“New Zealand has a serious pest problem, with wild animals like deer and feral goats costing farmers almost half a billion dollars each year.

“There’s also a significant environmental cost as these pests are doing huge damage not only on farms but throughout our conservation estate.

“Unfortunately, this issue is only getting worse. Pests are totally out of control and they’re breeding fast. We need to get on top of them before it’s too late.”

In 2019, the Government introduced an IVL to fund conservation and infrastructure used for tourism.

The levy raises around $240 million each year, but Dawkins says most Kiwis would be shocked to learn what that money is actually spent on.

“Less than half of that is spent on its intended purpose: $55 million on conservation projects and $35 million on infrastructure projects.

“The remaining funds effectively go back into the general government coffers, diverted and swapped out to cover baseline funding for DOC and MBIE.”

In their list of election priorities, Federated Farmers challenged the Government to commit to investing 100% of IVL funds into its intended purpose.

https://fedfarm.org.nz/Web/Web/Resources/Election-priorities-2026.aspx?hkey=6bdc8adb-5786-477e-9792-d59bacb3b501

Earlier this week the organisation released the results of its 2026 National Pests Survey, showing New Zealand’s pest problem has reached crisis point.

https://fedfarm.org.nz/Web/Web/Resources/National-Pests-Survey.aspx?hkey=4fe0cac6-4ae6-49a9-a072-cee49cb83e51

“Our survey clearly shows that farmers are spending more money and effort controlling pests – but they’re still going backwards,” Dawkins says.

The survey estimates pests are costing farmers around $466 million a year through direct control costs and lost production.

Two-thirds of farmers now report pest numbers have increased over the past five years, up from around half in 2024.

Farmers are now spending an average $6.18 per hectare each year on pest control, up around 13% in two years.

The survey also shows farmers are eight times more likely to identify forestry or Crown land than another farm as the neighbouring land use making pest control difficult.

Dawkins says that’s precisely why this funding announcement targeting wild goat and deer populations in conservation areas is so significant.

“Farmers are doing their bit on their own land, but we aren’t going to see real progress unless we can get on top of the pest populations in the DOC estate.

“Recreational hunters are a tool, but they alone are not the solution. We’re not going to shoot our way out of this problem one weekend at a time.

“What New Zealand actually needs is for the Government to be taking a much more strategic and coordinated approach to pest management.

“This funding announcement is a great start and will make a meaningful difference, but the time for sitting around and talking deer strategy has passed.

“Now is the time for action with a nationally coordinated pest management strategy that recognises the significant environmental and economic cost of these pests.”