SHANGHAI, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As a British Premium Intelligent All-Terrain brand carrying forward its heritage, Chery Group's FREELANDER has officially detailed the full exterior design features of its first strategic nameplate: FREELANDER 8. Its exterior design strikes a refined balance between heritage recognition, understated premium aesthetics and purpose-driven functionality, with thoughtfully engineered details embedded throughout the bodywork to deliver a distinct and enduring visual presence.

Front Fascia: Bold Identity and Precision Craft

The front end anchors the vehicle's premium visual identity with signature design details. Inspired by European castle stone masonry, the Debossed Badging achieves sculptural three-dimensional depth via a breakthrough 4mm deep-groove process. The three-layer geometric front fascia uses a strong horizontal layout to visually widen the stance, presenting a composed, orderly aesthetic. The Signature Interlocking Headlights deliver 5,000 nits peak brightness and 1.67 million colour combinations, setting segment benchmarks in illumination precision and dynamic lighting effects, while the Dual-Peak Hood aligns its ridgelines precisely with the headlights, guiding the driver's sightline and reinforcing a sense of control.

Side Profile: Iconic Proportions and Refined Details

FREELANDER 8 carries forward the brand's iconic Castle‑Style Body with the "solid base, light top" design, delivering a confident stance that carries forward FREELANDER's SUV pedigree. The Yacht-Style Waistline takes cues from luxury yacht lines, harmonising multi-layer body contours, creating a poised, forward-leaning stance, blending elegant premium appeal with robust all-terrain character. In addition, Flag-Style Side Mirrors that inspired by the Regimental Colours, offering a 30% larger viewing area and aerodynamic optimisation for reduced high-speed wind noise.

Rear Design: Heritage Legacy and Contemporary Premium

The rear blends iconic heritage with restrained sophistication. The Iconic Triangle Window, inherited from the 1997 original Freelander with subtle "F" and "L" design cues, elevates the rear visual centre of gravity for a lighter, more refined profile. The Full-Width Tailgate embodies the "Less is More" principle, with a near-vertical surface and inverted trapezoidal stance that delivers strong visual stability and reinforces the vehicle's robust premium SUV character.

Beyond surface aesthetics, every design element embodies FREELANDER's dedication to British Craftsmanship, balancing sophisticated visual appeal with tangible practical benefits. From refined aerodynamic performance, improved driving visibility to stable road stance, these thoughtful details translate premium design philosophy into perceivable comfort and composure in daily driving.

By reinterpreting classic British design through intelligent innovation, the FREELANDER 8 preserves the timeless allure of the legendary nameplate while adapting to the NEV era. It offers a new expression of premium intelligent all-terrain mobility, crafted for the next generation of global explorers.

About FREELANDER

FREELANDER is a British Premium Intelligent All-Terrain brand co-developed by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover. JLR leads the design and premium DNA, while Chery brings advanced technology and global top-tier supply chain capabilities. The brand is supported by a strong global foundation, including over 5,000 employees, five strategic hubs, and fully integrated capabilities spanning design, R&D, manufacturing, and global operations.

FREELANDER has outlined a clear global roadmap: entering over 90 countries and establishing more than 1,100 touchpoints within five years, with the Middle East as its first strategic stop.

Vincent CHEN

freelander.international@mychery.com

https://www.cheryinternational.com/

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aztiq today announced the promotion of David Olafsson, Danny Major and Eunsun Choi to Partner, recognizing their significant contributions to Aztiq's growth, investment activities and long-term value creation across the healthcare ecosystem.

Aztiq is an investment company focused on working with purpose-driven pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies dedicated to improving the lives of people around the world. The promotions reflect Aztiq's continued commitment to building a strong, experienced and collaborative leadership team with deep sector expertise across healthcare, investment, corporate development, finance, M&A and legal execution.

"David, Danny and Eunsun have each played an important role in Aztiq's development and in supporting our portfolio companies" said Robert Wessman, Founder and Chairman of Aztiq. "Their promotions to Partner recognize not only their individual achievements, but also the trust, judgment and dedication they bring to Aztiq and our partners and portfolio companies. They embody the entrepreneurial, hands-on and long-term approach that defines Aztiq."

As Partners, David Olafsson, Danny Major and Eunsun Choi will continue to support Aztiq's investment activities, portfolio company development and strategic initiatives to advance the firm's healthcare-focused investment platform.

Aztiq press contacts

aztiq-media@aztiq.com

About Aztiq

Aztiq is an investment company focused on working with purpose-driven pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies dedicated to improving the lives of people around the world. With deep healthcare experience, an entrepreneurial mindset and a flexible investment approach, Aztiq partners with companies to unlock sustainable, long-term value and create positive change for patients and the global healthcare ecosystem.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 6 July 2026 - Outperforming 439 teams and nearly 1,500 participants from 22 countries and territories, Team Helios, comprising two participants, Pratham Ranjan and Alok Vernekar from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, has been crowned champion of the Asian Hackathon for Green Future 2026, a competition dedicated to developing technology-driven solutions for a sustainable future.

The competition was jointly organized by three not-for-profit entities under Vingroup: the "For Green Future" Foundation, VinUniversity, and the Vingroup Young Technology Talent Club (VinTechTalent). It is the first pan-Asian environmental hackathon exclusively for undergraduate and master's students to be held in Vietnam. The Final Round and Awards Ceremony took place on July 4 at VinUniversity, Hanoi.

With the project titled "An Urban Simulation Platform for Low-Carbon Infrastructure," Team Helios won the First Prize, worth USD 8,000. The team's solution addresses a critical challenge facing many cities today: how to determine whether a green infrastructure project will truly be effective before committing significant resources to its implementation.

The team developed a district-level urban simulation platform that enables users to test options such as EV charging stations, public transportation, solar energy, and climate-resilient infrastructure, while assessing their expected impacts on travel behavior, emissions, costs, and the power grid. The solution helps city authorities identify projects worth investing in, avoid wasting resources on ineffective initiatives, and accelerate the transition to low-carbon cities.

The Second Prize, worth USD 5,000, was awarded to Team VFluxion, comprising four participants, Nguyen The Anh, Vu The Vinh, Tran Hung Vi, and Do Thi Nhu Y, from the University of Information Technology, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

VFluxion's solution addresses an increasingly important need in the transition to green mobility: how to effectively connect and coordinate electric vehicles with urban energy systems.

The team proposed a platform that coordinates bidirectional charging and discharging, enabling electric vehicles not only to consume energy but also to serve as distributed energy storage resources that can help balance electricity demand when needed. The solution aims to optimize energy use, enhance power grid stability, reduce the need to deploy high-emission backup power sources, and protect battery longevity.

Two Third Prizes, each worth USD 3,000, were awarded to two teams from Vietnam: Future Greener and ALT F4.

Team Future Greener, comprising Nguyen Nguyen Tam Nhu, Truong Dong Hung, Pham Ho Kim Ngan, and Bui Hoai Ngoc from UEH.ISB Honours College, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, and FPT University's Ho Chi Minh City campus, developed a project addressing the challenge of managing the life cycle of electric vehicle batteries amid the rapid growth of electric mobility, which brings with it the risk of used batteries being stored, discarded, or handled unsafely.

The platform tracks battery information throughout its life cycle, supports battery health assessment, and helps determine whether a battery should be repurposed or sent for recycling. The solution aims to reduce environmental risks from discarded batteries, increase transparency in the used EV market, and promote a circular economy in the battery industry.

Team ALT F4, comprising Nguyen Tuan Minh, Nguyen Thanh Vinh, and Tran Phi Anh Nhat from the University of Science, Vietnam National University Hanoi, British University Vietnam (BUV), and Hanoi University of Science and Technology, won a Third Prize for its early warning system for saltwater intrusion.

The system monitors water conditions in estuarine areas, forecasts the risk of saltwater intrusion 24 to 72 hours in advance, and sends alerts in Vietnamese directly to the phones of farmers and local officials. This early warning window can enable timely action to close sluice gates, preserve freshwater supplies, and adjust irrigation practices, thereby reducing crop losses, protecting farmers' livelihoods, and strengthening resilience to climate change.

The Organizing Committee also awarded five Consolation Prizes, each worth USD 1,000, to Project Gaia from Vietnam, AVERTIX from India, ReRootSG from Singapore, Forust from Hong Kong, China, and Seekers from India.

To reach the Final Round, the 30 finalist teams underwent a selection and training journey lasting nearly three months. From 439 teams that entered the Preliminary Round with project proposals and introductory videos, the Top 30 teams advanced to a month-long online training program with multidisciplinary experts to sharpen their problem-solving approaches and prepare for the final challenge.

At VinUniversity, the finalist teams took part in an intensive 36-hour hackathon, during which they analyzed real-world challenges, developed solutions, built functional prototypes, and refined their final presentations under the guidance of expert mentors from Vingroup's technology companies.

Reflecting on the competition's outcome, Dr. Thai-Ha Le, Managing Director of the "For Green Future" Foundation, Vingroup, said: "What makes us proud is that the Asian Hackathon for Green Future 2026 has shown that Vietnam can truly become a regional hub for Asia's young talent in the journey of innovation for sustainable development. Here, cross-border ideas are not only shared, but also tested, refined, and transformed into practical solutions capable of creating lasting value for communities."

From energy and transportation to climate, water resources, and agriculture, the environmental challenges facing Asia increasingly transcend national borders and demand regional collaboration. By bringing together young talent from diverse countries and disciplines, the Asian Hackathon for Green Future aims to foster a regional space for collaboration, where knowledge, technology, and diverse perspectives can converge, complement one another, and develop into solutions with the potential to create real-world impact.

Following the success of its inaugural edition, the competition will return for a second season in 2027 with an expanded scale and geographical reach, aiming to attract more young talent from across Asia and other regions of the world to jointly develop solutions for a green and sustainable future.

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

Hashtags: #Vingroup

Riyadh, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ​The Capital Market Authority (CMA) announces the commencement of receiving applications for authorization to carry out commodity exchange activities in the Saudi Market for a period of (123) days, starting from 1448/01/16, corresponding to 2026/07/01, until 1448/05/20, corresponding to 2026/10/31.

Through the opening of the application submission period, the CMA aims to strengthen the capital market infrastructure, increase the range of financial instruments in the Saudi Capital Market, and diversify its products. The CMA intends to grant one license to operate as a Commodity Exchange in the Kingdom during the current application period, in line with the structure of the capital market and with consideration for investor confidence and the stability of licensed markets. During this period, the focus will be on the activity for trading in a secondary market for commodity and metals derivatives contracts, in a manner that enhances its attractiveness, benefits market participants, and strengthens its position in global capital markets.

The announcement of the commencement of the application submission period follows the revised Capital Market Law dated 1441/1/19, corresponding to 2019/09/18. and CMA's earlier announcement regarding the approval of the Securities Exchanges and Depository Centers Regulations, published on 19/12/1443, corresponding to 18/07/2022, which indicated that the CMA would subsequently determine the periods for submitting authorization applications for securities exchanges and depository centers, as well as the mechanism for submitting them.

The CMA calls on all parties interested in carrying out Commodity Exchange activities in the Kingdom, to submit an application for authorization, and that the application specifically pertains to carrying out Commodity Exchange activities in accordance with the authorization requirements set forth in the Securities Exchanges and Depository Centers Regulations, using the designated application form.

For further details regarding the authorization during the current period, including the mechanism for submitting applications, as well as the requirements and procedures, please refer to the document titled "Authorization to Carry Out Commodity Exchange Activities in the Kingdom" available through the following link: (link).

In addition, inquiries from interested parties will be received by the CMA's Market Infrastructure Institutions Supervision Department through the following email: MarketInfrastructure@cma.gov.sa

Interested parties may also access the designated application form through the following link: (link).

Last modified date:01/07/2026 - 04:54 AM Saudi Arabia time

Communication & Investor Protection Division

Capital Market Authority

+966114906009

media@cma.org.sa

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

DKSH entered a strategic partnership with Lilly to sell, promote and distribute Lilly's pharmaceutical products in Hong Kong and Macau. Building on the successful collaboration in Singapore and Vietnam, DKSH will expand the access to reliable healthcare in the region.

HONG KONG SAR - EQS Newswire - 6 July 2026 - DKSH Business Unit Healthcare, a leading integrated end-to-end commercialization platform and leading provider of market expansion services for pharmaceutical, over-the-counter (OTC), consumer health and medical device companies, has entered into a distribution and promotion agreement with global healthcare leader Eli Lilly Export S.A. ("Lilly").

Through this agreement, DKSH will hold the rights to sell, promote, and distribute Lilly's current pharmaceutical portfolio in Hong Kong and Macau, further strengthening and expanding the longstanding partnership in Singapore and Vietnam.

Building on new momentum and recognized for delivering sustainable growth for partners, DKSH has been chosen to implement an alliance market business model for Lilly, providing end-to-end solutions prioritizing healthcare access to patients. With DKSH's deep expertise in integrated commercial and medical affairs capabilities, proven engagement with healthcare professionals, and robust distribution infrastructure this collaboration prioritizes the continued access to Lilly's pharmaceutical products for patients in Hong Kong and Macau.

DKSH Healthcare will ensure continued access to Lilly's medicines, with patient support programs remaining fully operational. The high-quality medical, scientific, and educational engagement that healthcare professionals rely on will continue to be maintained. DKSH Healthcare's commitment to safeguarding patients remains unwavering, with rigorous global standards for product quality, safety monitoring, and pharmacovigilance fully upheld.

Andy A. Abarquez, Executive Director-South Asia Alliance General Manager, Lilly, said: "Lilly has served patients and healthcare professionals through Lilly Hong Kong and Lilly Macau since 1984, and that commitment is unchanged. Through the collaboration with DKSH, this strategic partnership allows us to extend our reach and bring our medicines to more patients in the Hong Kong and Macau market."

Wai Ting Fong, Vice President, Healthcare, Hong Kong & Macau at DKSH, said: "DKSH and Lilly share the vision and values to work together in bringing an innovative pipeline of products to more patients. With our in-depth knowledge of the local market as well as marketing and sales capabilities, DKSH will expand the access to reliable healthcare in Hong Kong and Macau."

About DKSH

For more than 160 years, DKSH has been delivering growth for companies in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America across its Business Units Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Performance Materials, and Technology. As a leading Market Expansion Services provider, DKSH offers sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, e-commerce, distribution and logistics as well as after-sales services, following its purpose of enriching people's lives. DKSH is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, DKSH operates in 35 markets with 26,840 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 11.1 billion in 2025. DKSH Business Unit Healthcare distributes pharmaceuticals, consumer health, over-the-counter products and medical devices. With around 7,580 specialists, the Business Unit generated net sales of CHF 5.8 billion in 2025. www.dksh.com/hec

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

BEIJING, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dalam rangka memperingati hari jadi yang ke-105 berdirinya Partai Komunis Tiongkok, CGTN menerbitkan sebuah artikel yang mengulas alasan PKT terus menarik perhatian dunia internasional. Artikel tersebut mengulas bagaimana jalur pembangunan, model tata kelola, dan visi global Tiongkok membentuk ulang persepsi dunia terhadap PKT, sekaligus menghadirkan perspektif baru mengenai modernisasi dan tata kelola global.

Saat masyarakat internasional mulai mengamati Partai Komunis Tiongkok (PKT), apa yang mereka lihat? Hasil jajak pendapat global terbaru CGTN mengenai penilaian tentang peran PKT memberikan jawaban yang meyakinkan. Responden menempatkan "kepemimpinan yang kuat" sebagai kesan paling kuat terhadap Partai tersebut, diikuti oleh "kekuatan positif dalam menjaga stabilitas dunia" dan "perwakilan kepentingan negara-negara berkembang."

Temuan tersebut menunjukkan bahwa perhatian dunia terhadap PKT kini tidak lagi hanya tertuju pada keajaiban ekonomi Tiongkok, tetapi juga pada model tata kelolanya serta filosofi yang diusung dalam menghadapi berbagai tantangan global bersama. Tema-tema tersebut juga menjadi pusat perhatian dalam pidato Xi Jinping, sekretaris jenderal Komite Pusat PKT, saat memperingati hari jadi ke-105 Partai tersebut pada tanggal 1 Juli. Pidato Xi, yang juga menjabat sebagai presiden Tiongkok dan ketua Komisi Militer Pusat, terasa sangat relevan bagi para pengamat internasional.

"Modernisasi Tiongkok telah mematahkan mitos bahwa modernisasi sama dengan westernisasi." Begitulah Geeganage Weerasinghe, sekretaris jenderal Partai Komunis Sri Lanka, menafsirkan pidato terbaru presiden Xi.

Pandangan tersebut mencerminkan pesan utama yang disampaikan presiden Xi: bahwa PKT telah memimpin rakyat Tiongkok dalam menciptakan "bentuk baru peradaban manusia" sekaligus membuka jalan yang lebih luas menuju modernisasi bagi negara-negara berkembang. Selama beberapa dekade, modernisasi secara luas dipandang melalui kacamata Barat. Namun, pengalaman Tiongkok menawarkan perspektif yang berbeda.

Zheng Changzhong, profesor di Universitas Fudan, menilai bahwa pengalaman pembangunan Tiongkok menunjukkan modernisasi bukanlah proses yang dapat diterapkan secara seragam di semua negara. Berlandaskan tata kelola yang berpusat pada rakyat, perencanaan jangka panjang, dan kesinambungan kebijakan, PKT telah mengarahkan perekonomian terbesar kedua di dunia sekaligus menjaga stabilitas sosial jangka panjang.

Filosofi tata kelola PKT telah menarik perhatian para pengamat internasional. Setelah kunjungan terbarunya ke Tiongkok, Massimiliano Ay, sekretaris jenderal Partai Komunis Swiss, sangat terkesan dengan Partai yang "mengakar kuat di tengah rakyat." Richard Abitbol, ahlli administrasi asal Prancis, menyoroti bahwa kesinambungan kebijakan Tiongkok yang dapat diprediksi memberi pelaku usaha keyakinan untuk berinvestasi jangka panjang dalam inovasi.

Pengakuan yang semakin luas tersebut juga tercermin dalam data survei. Berdasarkan jajak pendapat CGTN, 63,9 persen responden mengaitkan capaian modernisasi Tiongkok dengan pengambilan keputusan PKT yang berbasis ilmiah. Sementara itu, 63,7 persen responden dari negara-negara Selatan Global meyakini bahwa Partai tersebut menawarkan alternatif yang layak terhadap jalur pembangunan Barat.

Visi global yang melampaui pola pikir menang-kalah

Menanggapi pidato Xi, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, ketua Kuhn Foundation, mengatakan bahwa dua kata kunci yang ia pahami dari pidato tersebut adalah "stabilitas" dan "keyakinan." Di tengah dunia yang diliputi ketidakstabilan dan guncangan, ia menyebutkan bahwa arah kebijakan luar negeri Tiongkok tetap konsisten.

Konsistensi tersebut berlandaskan pada visi global PKT, yang sejak dulu menjadikan upaya mendorong kemajuan umat manusia dan harmoni besar bagi dunia sebagai misinya. Dengan berpedoman pada visi tersebut, PKT menolak pola pikir menang-kalah dan secara konsisten menawarkan solusi Tiongkok bagi perdamaian, pembangunan, dan tata kelola global.

Dalam pidatonya, Xi kembali menegaskan komitmen Tiongkok untuk menghadirkan energi positif bagi perdamaian dan pembangunan dunia. Ia menyerukan kepada Partai untuk menjunjung tinggi nilai-nilai bersama umat manusia, memajukan Inisiatif Pembangunan Global (GDI), Inisiatif Keamanan Global, Inisiatif Peradaban Global, dan Inisiatif Tata Kelola Global, serta terus mendorong pembangunan masyarakat dengan masa depan bersama bagi umat manusia.

Mengutip pernyataan Xi bahwa Tiongkok adalah "pembangun perdamaian dunia, penyumbang bagi pembangunan global, dan pembela tatanan internasional," Kawa Mahmoud, presiden Global Civilization Initiative Research Center yang berkantor pusat di Irak, mengatakan bahwa komitmen Tiongkok terhadap multilateralisme sangat berharga di tengah meningkatnya unilateralisme. Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee, direktur Thailand-China Research Center of the Belt and Road Initiative, menekankan visi Xi tentang pembangunan komunitas dengan masa depan bersama bagi umat manusia. Beliau juga menyebutkan bahwa keempat inisiatif global tersebut mencerminkan tanggung jawab global PKT dan menghadirkan kebijaksanaan Tiongkok bagi kemajuan umat manusia.

Tidak sebatas retorika, visi global PKT juga ditunjukkan melalui tindakan nyata. Partai tersebut telah menjalin hubungan rutin dengan lebih dari 700 organisasi politik di lebih dari 170 negara. Selain itu, Tiongkok telah memberlakukan tarif nol bagi semua negara kurang berkembang dan negara-negara Afrika yang memiliki hubungan diplomatik dengannya, meluncurkan lebih dari 1.800 proyek kerja sama dalam kerangka GDI, serta tetap menjadi kontributor terbesar kedua bagi operasi pemeliharaan perdamaian PBB.

Bagi banyak pihak di luar Tiongkok, pertanyaannya kini bukan lagi sekadar bagaimana PKT berhasil mentransformasi Tiongkok, melainkan apa yang dapat ditawarkan pengalaman tersebut bagi dunia yang sedang mencari jalan baru menuju pembangunan dan kerja sama.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-07-03/Why-the-world-is-asking-What-makes-the-CPC-work--1OtVWfpQu64/p.html

CGTN Digital

cgtn@cgtn.com

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 4 July 2026 - At the Asian Excellence Awards 2026 ceremony held in Hong Kong, VinFast was recognized with three prestigious awards, including Best Investor Relations Company and two individual honors. The achievement underscores VinFast's growing stature and capabilities as a global electric vehicle company listed on Nasdaq.

The Asian Excellence Awards is one of Asia's most prestigious accolades in the fields of corporate governance, ESG, and investor relations. Organized annually by Corporate Governance Asia since 2011, the awards are recognized for their rigorous evaluation standards and stringent selection criteria.

This year, VinFast received recognition in three major categories: Best Investor Relations Company, Asia's Best CFO awarded to Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, and Best Investor Relations Professional awarded to Ms. Amandae Baey.

VinFast was the only Vietnamese company recognized at the 2026 awards. Other recipients this year were leading corporations from several key Asian markets, including Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

In the Best Investor Relations Company category, VinFast was highly regarded for its transparency in information disclosure, its ability to maintain regular engagement with investors and analysts, and the effectiveness of its communication and outreach initiatives with financial communities.

For the Asia's Best CFO award, the organizers recognized the critical role of corporate finance leaders in maintaining strong financial foundations, developing effective capital-raising strategies, and navigating market volatility. The award honors CFOs who demonstrate exceptional leadership in guiding their companies toward stable and sustainable growth across varying economic conditions.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Chief Financial Officer of VinFast, said: "This series of recognitions at the Asian Excellence Awards 2026 is a meaningful acknowledgment of VinFast's journey in building a global enterprise founded on advanced and sustainable governance standards. VinFast will continue to strengthen governance capabilities, enhance transparency, and foster open dialogue with stakeholders to build long-term trust in international markets."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh has served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of VinFast Auto Ltd since 2024. Having joined Vingroup in 2020, she brings extensive knowledge of the Company's operations through her leadership experience across multiple functions, including finance, manufacturing, and supply chain management. She is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) and a Certified Practising Accountant of CPA Australia.

Ms. Amandae Baey has served as Vice President of Investor Relations at VinFast since 2024, where she leads the Company's global investor engagement, analyst relations, and capital markets positioning. She is a CFA charterholder.

The awards highlight VinFast's increasing integration into global capital markets and reaffirm its commitment to adopting international governance standards, enhancing disclosure quality, and strengthening engagement with shareholders and investors through a professional, proactive, and sustainable approach.

Over the past year alone, VinFast has received dozens of prestigious international awards spanning investment and finance, corporate communications, electric mobility, technology, design, and sustainability. Notable recognitions include the "Outstanding Innovation in Sustainable Electric Mobility" and "Remarkable Contribution to Energy Independence" awards at the CNN Indonesia Awards; the "Best Value Car of the Year" award at the Autocar India Awards 2026; ranking 101st in TIME magazine's "Asia-Pacific's Best Companies of 2025" list; and six awards at the APAC Effie Awards.

About Corporate Governance Asia

Corporate Governance Asia is Asia's leading publication covering corporate governance, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), investor relations, and sustainability. Since its launch in 2002, it has become a trusted source of insights and analysis for corporate leaders, investors, regulators, and financial professionals across the region.

The Asian Excellence Awards, organized annually by Corporate Governance Asia since 2011, recognize outstanding companies and business leaders across Asia for excellence in corporate governance, ESG practices, and investor relations.

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

Hashtags: #VinFast #AsianExcellenceAwards #InvestorRelations

BEIJING, July 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, CGTN has published an article examining why the CPC continues to attract growing international attention. The article explores how China's development path, governance model and global vision are reshaping global perceptions of the CPC and offering fresh perspectives on modernization and global governance.

When the international community looks at the Communist Party of China (CPC), what do they see? The latest CGTN global polls on evaluations of the CPC's role offer a compelling answer. Respondents ranked "strong leadership" as their strongest impression of the Party, followed by "a positive force for maintaining global stability" and "a representative of developing countries' interests."

The findings suggest that global attention to the CPC has extended far beyond China's economic miracles to its governance model and its philosophy in addressing shared global challenges. These themes also took center stage during a speech by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, marking the Party's 105th anniversary on July 1. The speech by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, resonated deeply with international observers.

"Chinese modernization has shattered the myth that modernization equals Westernization." That is how Geeganage Weerasinghe, general secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, interpreted Xi's latest speech.

His observation echoes a central message delivered by Xi: that the CPC has led the Chinese people in creating "a new form of human civilization" and expanding the path to modernization for developing countries. For decades, modernization was widely viewed through a Western lens. China's experience, however, offers a different perspective.

Zheng Changzhong, a professor at Fudan University, noted that China's development demonstrates that modernization is not a one-size-fits-all process. Guided by people-centered governance, long-term planning and policy continuity, the CPC has steered the world's second-largest economy while maintaining long-term social stability.

The CPC's governance philosophy has drawn attention from overseas observers. Following a recent visit to China, Massimiliano Ay, general secretary of the Communist Party of Switzerland, was most impressed by a Party "deeply rooted among the people." Richard Abitbol, a French administrative expert, highlighted that China's predictable policy continuity gives businesses the confidence to make long-term investments in innovation.

The growing recognition is also reflected in survey data. According to a CGTN poll, 63.9 percent of respondents attributed China's modernization achievements to the CPC's scientific decision-making, while 63.7 percent of respondents from the Global South believed the Party provides a viable alternative to the Western development path.

A global vision beyond zero-sum mindsets

Following Xi's speech, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, said his two keywords from the address were "stability" and "confidence." At a time when the world is fraught with volatility and shocks, he noted that China's external policy direction has remained notably consistent.

This consistency is grounded in the CPC's global vision, which has, as always, made it its mission to pursue progress for humanity and great harmony for the world. Guided by this vision, the CPC has rejected zero-sum thinking and consistently provided Chinese solutions for global peace, development and governance.

In his address, Xi reiterated China's commitment to injecting positive energy into world peace and development. He called on the Party to uphold the common values of humanity, advance the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, and continuously promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Quoting Xi's statement that China is "a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order," Kawa Mahmoud, president of the Iraq-headquartered Global Civilization Initiative Research Center, said China's commitment to multilateralism is particularly valuable at a time when unilateralism is on the rise. Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee, director of the Thailand-China Research Center of the Belt and Road Initiative, stressed Xi's vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and that the four global initiatives reflect the CPC's global responsibility and contribute Chinese wisdom to human progress.

Beyond rhetoric, the CPC's global vision is backed by action. The Party has established regular ties with over 700 political organizations in more than 170 countries. Furthermore, China has introduced zero-tariff treatment for all least developed countries and African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, launched over 1,800 cooperation projects under the GDI framework and remains the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations.

For many outside China, the question is no longer simply how the CPC transformed China but increasingly what its experience may offer to a world searching for new paths to development and cooperation.

CGTN Digital

cgtn@cgtn.com

Copyright  2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Over Ten Thousand International Delegates Gather in Hong Kong Confirming City's Status as World's Meeting Place

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 4 July 2026 - The Hong Kong Tourism Board is proud to support the 108th Lions International Convention 2026 in Hong Kong. Having previously hosted the convention in 1992 and 2005, Hong Kong has once again been chosen by Lions Clubs International as the venue for its flagship event, attracting around 17,000 delegates from across the globe.

Hong Kong has thus become one of the very few cities among more than 200 Lions member countries and regions worldwide to have secured hosting rights three times. This underscores Hong Kong's status and appeal as the Events Capital of Asia and the World's Meeting Place.

The opening ceremony was attended by more than 10,000 representatives from Lions Clubs worldwide.

Hosting Same High-Profile Event for the Third Time Cements Hong Kong's Title as Asia's World City

HKTB Chairman Dr Peter Lam said, "HKTB is delighted to partner with the Lions Clubs International District 303 Hong Kong and Macao, China, to bring this Convention to Hong Kong for the third time. Its return affirms Hong Kong's position as the World's Meeting Place and a top-of-mind destination for MICE tourism. It also showcases Hong Kong's integrated strengths in world-class MICE infrastructure, global aviation connectivity, diverse and distinctive tourism offerings, and quality hospitality services. These are the key factors in attracting international MICE events and encouraging business travellers to return time and again. We extend our warmest welcome to Lions from around the world and, together with our industry partners, have curated exclusive itineraries and experiences to encourage delegates to stay longer and discover the unique appeal that can be found only in Hong Kong."

HKTB Chairman Dr Peter Lam delivered the opening remarks at the 108th Lions International Convention, held at AsiaWorld-Expo.

Lions Clubs International is one of the world's largest service organisations, with more than 1.4 million members and around 50,000 district clubs across over 200 countries and regions. Since 1917, the organisation has supported communities worldwide through a wide range of social service and community aid initiatives.

Lions International Convention 2026 Honorary Chairman and Past International President Dr Tam Wing-kun said, "Hong Kong is an international metropolis where Eastern and Western cultures converge. With its well-developed professional services and comprehensive MICE infrastructure, Hong Kong is an ideal host for this international mega event. I am delighted that the Convention has returned to Hong Kong. This year's edition will provide Lions from all corners of the world with a broad and diverse platform to explore the future development of international services. Delegates will also be able to experience first-hand Hong Kong's world-class cuisine and rich cultural appeal. I am confident they will be the best ambassadors possible when they return home, telling the good stories of Hong Kong to the world."

Lions Attempt Tai Chai World Record in Hong Kong

The 108th Lions International Convention is being held for five consecutive days from 3 to 7 July at AsiaWorld-Expo. To celebrate its return to Hong Kong and promote traditional Chinese culture, the organiser will attempt to set a world record with thousands of international Lions practising Tai Chi simultaneously. The activity aims to promote exercise for all and deepen participants' understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals, creating a meaningful finale to the convention.

HKTB Teams Up with the Trade to Offer Unforgettable Cultural Tourism Experiences

As a supporting organisation of the 108th Lions International Convention, HKTB has teamed up with the local travel trade and major attractions to curate a series of exclusive tourism itineraries and offerings for convention delegates. These include transport offers, attraction tickets and shopping mall discounts, gift redemptions, and theme park deals to encourage delegates to stay in Hong Kong after the convention and explore more of the city's diverse culture, cuisine, and unique tourism appeal.

HKTB will continue to bring more influential large-scale international MICE events to Hong Kong, further strengthening the city's competitiveness and appeal as world-class, top-of-mind destination for both business and leisure tourism.

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

Hashtags: #MEHK #MeetingsandExhibitionsHongKong #HongKong #MICE #Lions #LionsInternationalConvention2026

MONACO, July 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hulls taking off on foils plus electric, hydrogen, or methanol engines and onboard artificial intelligence - this is what yachting's future could look like. And it is all being unveiled next week in Monaco.

From 8 to 11 July, Yacht Club de Monaco is bringing together 54 teams from 21 countries for the 13th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. Over four days, young engineers will put their prototypes to the test at sea under the watchful eyes of industry professionals. The Village - free and open to all - invites the public to get up close to these innovations and interact with their designers.

The event is supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW, SBM Offshore, Monaco City Hall, NatPower H, and ESA NanoTech. All share the same ambition to devise solutions that will drive decarbonisation of the maritime sector. "Under the aegis of the 'Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting' initiative, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is one of the few events where young engineers have a two-fold challenge: to imagine and design innovative solutions, then test them at sea alongside industry professionals. This hands-on experience is what makes it so effective as an open-air innovation laboratory dedicated to the yachting's sector's energy transition," says YCM Director and General Secretary Bernard d'Alessandri.

Explore the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge Village

The Village in the shade near the YCM Marina is where it's all happening. Admission is free 10.00am to 6.00pm, Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 July. Visitors can take up the Winch Challenge, hop into a virtual driving seat on the simulator, and enjoy a free ice cream every afternoon. Races will be broadcast live on big screens, with prize-giving ceremonies taking place daily at 5.30pm while just metres away the contestants' boats showcase the latest innovations.

Discover an open-air laboratory dedicated to alternative propulsion systems

The YCM Marina and Monaco's bay transform into a testing ground where teams come to put their solutions - sometimes years in development - to the ultimate real-world test. They range from electric propulsion, hydrogen, methanol, and onboard AI to foils, energy management systems and bio-sourced materials. Here technologies are not displayed behind glass, but launched to face the realities of the sea, while being assessed under identical conditions.

"Young innovators recognize the importance of real-world impact in sustainable research, thus their projects integrate innovative ideas with practical application. We have always had the same attitude: research to achieve concrete outcomes. Because of this, we are making a difference today and by supporting the pioneers participating in the Challenge we will make a difference tomorrow," says Giovana Vitelli, Chair of Azimut | Benetti Group.

Get up close to boats of the future

Few technology competitions are as open as this one. Here visitors can move freely through the paddock areas, watch prototypes being prepared to race, and talk to their young designers. Such proximity is a hallmark of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, where sharing knowledge and learning is an integral part of the event.

Rub shoulders with top international universities

EPFL, Politecnico di Torino, the University of Genoa, Exocet Polytechnique Montreal, Hainan University, ?cole Nationale Sup?rieure d'Arts et M?tiers, and Cambridge University, as well as a US delegation comprising Columbia University (New York), George Washington University, Howard University (Washington DC), and Florida International University: some are already competing, while others are attending to learn more about the event and prepare for future editions. Their presence demonstrates the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge's international academic outreach.

Observe facilities that will support boats in the future

If yachting is to transform so too must the marinas. Located in the heart of the Village, the E-Dock is an opportunity for visitors to see for themselves the fast-charging stations developed by Aqua superPower and understand the vital role facilities play in the energy transition alongside the boats. The event is an extension of Yacht Club de Monaco's inhouse commitment to sustainability. ISO 14001 certified since 2016, YCM adopts actions year-round: electricity sourced from renewables, ocean thermal energy to heat and cool the building, photovoltaic panels, water recycling, a 'Clean Ports' certified marina, Biohuts, and dynamic buoys to preserve the seabed. The message is clear: the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge does not just showcase tomorrow's solutions, it takes place at a venue that is already putting them into practice.

Follow spectacular technologically inspiring races

Innovation is assessed through competition. Teams compete in speed, endurance and manoeuvrability contests as well as for the Championship title, viewed from Quai Lucciana, the Jacques Boissy esplanade or from near the YCM. It's a spectacle where sport performance and energy efficiency go hand in hand.

Meet industry professionals

The Challenge proactively fosters dialogue between new generation engineers and industry players. Through its Corporate Mentoring Programme, 20 professionals mentored 22 teams this year as they developed their projects, sharing technical expertise, practical insights and an industry perspective. The collaboration ensures transfer of skills and helps speed up the move from idea to innovation. "The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to build alliances between the new generation of engineers and our industry. We are convinced that by combining our efforts to evolve performance, responsibility and design we can build a better future for Yachting," explains Paris Baloumis, Director of Strategic Alliances, Oceanco. Taking place on Tuesday 7 July and Wednesday 8 July (10.00am to 5.00pm), the Job Forum complements this initiative by giving students direct contact with participating organisations, helping them expand their networks and maybe even leading to a first internship, job or collaboration.

Get a glimpse of the future at conferences and Tech Talks

The Challenge is also a forum for reflection and discussion. Two international conferences bring industry players, researchers and decision-makers together to discuss key issues. The Advanced Yachting Technology Conference (9 July) focuses on innovation and the most promising technologies, while the Alternative Fuels & Sustainable Yachting Conference (10 July) will tackle decarbonization pathways with discussions on nuclear propulsion, wind power, methanol, next-generation batteries and electric power. Tech Talks are an opportunity for teams to present their projects and engage directly with an International Jury and the public.

See projects that have developed into businesses

The Challenge is also an innovation accelerator. The Italian startup CompetR is a perfect example. The result of a collaboration with the UniBoat team (University of Bologna Argonauts Team), the company presented its electric outboard motor in 2024 for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Sustainable Yachting Technology Award. Spotted by MonacoTech, the company now supplies several teams with its counter-rotating propeller propulsion system, designed to improve energy efficiency while also reducing weight and consumption.

Because the future of yachting is being built today

Since 2014, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge has involved over 6,500 students and around 50 universities. Technologies presented here are already being used on boats, while startups have been launched at the event. More than just a competition, this Monaco meeting of minds has become a platform where research, industry, entrepreneurship, and knowledge sharing converge.

Attending the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge means witnessing, today, the solutions that will power the boats of tomorrow.

For more information:

Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it

VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitget, the world's largest Universal Exchange (UEX), has launched US stock options, giving users direct access to trade options on leading US-listed companies. This makes Bitget the only major crypto exchange currently offering US stock options alongside crypto and CFD markets covering gold, forex, commodities and indices.

Active features include long call and long put strategies for eligible users. Calls allow traders to take a bullish position on a stock, while puts can be used to express a bearish view or manage downside exposure. Risk for buyers is limited to the premium paid, although an option may expire without value if the expected price movement does not occur.

The launch expands Bitget's stock product line, following the introduction of tokenized stocks, its position as a leading venue for tokenized-stock trading, and pre-IPO access to private market opportunities. Stock options add another widely used Wall Street instrument to the Stock+ offering, giving active traders more ways to approach market movements, earnings cycles and portfolio risk.

Stock options expand the platform's Stock+ product, with direct-access venue for traditional US equities, built for traders familiar with established stock market products and regulated market infrastructure. The addition aligns with Bitget's wider goal of bringing crypto, stocks, commodities and other global assets into one multi-asset trading environment for users worldwide.

Demand for listed options has reached record levels. The US options market processed more than 15.2 billion contracts in 2025, an average of roughly 60 million contracts per trading day. The growth indicates wider use of options by retail and institutional participants for directional trading, hedging and capital management.

"We have consistently moved first to connect stock opportunities with our users," said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget. "This has been rewarding to us and users alike. From tokenized stocks to now options, we are executing on convergence. This is innovation crypto was born to push, our products are way ahead of its time in providing advanced trading access to stocks, gold, crypto and worldwide assets."

The initial release focuses on single-leg options buying to provide a clear entry point for users. Additional functionality, including more advanced multi-leg strategies, is planned as the Stock+ options product develops.

To mark the launch, eligible users completing their first US stock options trade may receive $15 worth of NVIDIA stock, subject to the campaign terms and regional availability.

Options trading involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all users. Product availability, supported securities and promotional rewards may vary by jurisdiction. Users should review the relevant product disclosures and understand the potential loss of the full premium before trading.

To know more about stock options trading on Bitget, visit here.

About Bitget

Bitget is the world's largest Universal Exchange (UEX), serving over 125 million users and offering access to over 2M crypto tokens, 500+ tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities, FX, and precious metals such as gold. The ecosystem is committed to helping users trade smarter with its AI agent, which co-pilots trade execution. Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships such as MotoGP. Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. Bitget currently leads in the tokenized TradFi market, providing the industry's lowest fees and highest liquidity across 150 regions worldwide.

For more information, visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

SHENZHEN, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 July 2026 - Huawei today announced that its patent licensing royalty rate for Wi‑Fi 7 technologies would be set at US$0.5 per unit for Wi Fi 7 compliant devices.

This announcement underscores Huawei's dedication to fostering a healthy innovation ecosystem through fair, transparent, and predictable licensing practices.

As the latest generation of Wi-Fi technologies, Wi-Fi 7 delivers dramatically higher throughput, lower latency, and greater reliability. Serving as much more than just a connectivity upgrade, it lays the groundwork for the next wave of digital transformation and opens up new possibilities for interactions between people and intelligent systems.

As a leading contributor to the IEEE 802.11 standards family, Huawei has played a pivotal role in shaping Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) technologies and holds one of the largest portfolios of declared essential patents for Wi‑Fi 7. The company has invested a decade of research and substantial resources into developing the core technologies that make Wi-Fi 7 truly next generation.

Huawei has thus emerged as a leader in the global Wi-Fi licensing landscape, and its patent license agreements had covered over 1.2 billion consumer electronic devices worldwide by the end of 2024.

With today's announcement, Huawei provides clear advance notice of its Wi‑Fi 7 royalty rate, which is US$0.5 per unit for consumer‑grade Wi‑Fi 7 devices. Implementers may obtain licenses either through bilateral agreements or via patent pools, on FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) terms.

In July 2022, Huawei joined the Sisvel Wi‑Fi 6 patent pool as a founding member, concurrently becoming both a licensor and a licensee of the pool. The patent pool is a valuable option for the industry which in large provides a "one-stop" licensing solution under a transparent and fair framework with lower transactions costs.

Huawei also maintains a strong and proven Wi-Fi 6 patent portfolio, which has been widely recognized and licensed across the industry. This legacy of innovation across successive generations further demonstrates Huawei's long-term commitment to advancing wireless connectivity.

Building on this success, Huawei has extended its participation to the Sisvel Wi‑Fi Multimode pool as a founding member, offering licensees a single, streamlined platform for accessing essential patents across both Wi‑Fi 6 and Wi‑Fi 7 generations.

Alan Fan, Huawei's Chief Intellectual Property Officer, said: "Through these initiatives, Huawei continues to facilitate collaborative licensing models that balance the interests of innovators and implementers, further reinforcing its leadership in shaping a transparent and efficient global Wi-Fi licensing environment."

For more information on Huawei's Wi‑Fi 7 licensing program, please visit [Huawei IP licensing webpage].

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

Hashtags: #Huawei

Recognized for Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision

Boston, Massachusetts, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HYCU, Inc., the #1 AI Resilience company, today announced that it has been named a Visionary in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Backup and Data Protection Platforms. The company was named a Visionary for the fifth consecutive year in this report.

HYCU believes this recognition reflects its continued focus on helping organizations simplify data protection while giving customers complete control over where their backup data resides. Built on the HYCU R-Cloud Platform, HYCU delivers protection for on premises, cloud, SaaS, PaaS, and modern AI workloads through a fully managed SaaS platform with customer-controlled storage.

"Every major technology shift changes what organizations need to protect. AI is no different," said Simon Taylor, Founder and CEO, HYCU, Inc. "As enterprises build AI infrastructure and adopt AI-powered applications, resilience must become part of that foundation. Our innovation is focused on helping customers protect every workload with the same simplicity and freedom they've come to expect from HYCU. We believe our recognition as a Visionary reflects that commitment and our continued investment in delivering the industry's most comprehensive platform for hybrid cloud, SaaS, and AI resilience."

Over the past year, HYCU expanded the HYCU R-Cloud Platform with new capabilities designed to help organizations strengthen cyber resilience, protect emerging workloads, and simplify hybrid cloud operations. These innovations include:

*Native Microsoft 365 protection with customer-controlled Bring Your Own Storage (BYOS)

*Data Exfiltration Protection in HYCU R-Shield through new capabilities

*Expanded protection for Microsoft Azure SQL, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer

*Enhanced Google BigQuery protection including models, metadata, and row-level security policies

*Continued expansion of protection for modern AI data platforms and vector databases

HYCU continues to differentiate itself by giving organizations complete control of their backup storage across on premises infrastructure and public cloud environments. Customers can protect cloud, SaaS, and on premises workloads using their own storage, helping satisfy data sovereignty, compliance, and regulatory requirements while avoiding vendor lock-in.

The HYCU R-Cloud Platform also delivers:

*Broad identity protection with backup and granular recovery for Microsoft Entra ID, Okta Workforce Identity, Okta Auth0, and AWS IAM

*Application-aware recovery powered by HYCU R-Graph, which maps application dependencies across hybrid and multicloud environments

*Cross-hypervisor mobility that enables organizations to recover or migrate workloads across VMware, Nutanix, Hyper-V, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud

*Malware scanning that analyzes snapshots at the source for supported workloads, helping organizations identify threats before recovery

As organizations continue to modernize infrastructure and adopt AI services, HYCU remains focused on delivering a single platform that protects traditional infrastructure, SaaS applications, cloud-native services, and AI workloads with operational simplicity and customer control.

To access a complimentary copy of the full Gartner Magic Quadrant for Backup and Data Protection Platforms, please visit here.

For more information on HYCU, visit www.hycu.com, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, and YouTube. 

Gartner disclaimer

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Backup and Data Protection Platforms, Michael Hoeck, Jason Donham, Rene Rodriguez, Rizvan Hussain, Sankalp Rastogi, 29 June 2026.

The name of the report was changed from Magic Quadrant for Data Center Backup and Recovery Software in 2016 to Magic Quadrant for Data Center Backup and Recovery Solutions in 2017 and to Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Backup and Recovery Software Solutions in 2021.

Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Gartner and Magic Quadrant are a trademark of Gartner, Inc., and/or its affiliates.

.###

About HYCU 

HYCU, Inc. is the #1 AI Resilience Company that protects, uncovers, and recovers the data that runs your business. With one platform covering more than 100 workloads across AI systems, SaaS applications, cloud environments, and on‑premises infrastructure, HYCU reduces cost for customers by eliminating complex, out-of-phase data protection operations. With HYCU R‑Cloud, customers protect any workload, recover data to a location of their choice, and connect and correlate that data to streamline compliance and governance processes. When disruption occurs, customers safely and securely resume operations quickly and efficiently, achieving true AI data resilience. Based in Boston, HYCU is trusted by thousands of enterprises and government agencies worldwide.

Don Jennings

HYCU, Inc.

617-791-1710

don.jennings@hycu.com

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Solusi Baru untuk Setiap Segmen Penerbangan Diluncurkan pada tahun 2026

Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow Diperkenalkan sebagai Mesin Kecerdasan Penerbangan Perusahaan

AUSTIN, Texas, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jeppesen ForeFlight hari ini mengungkap mesin AI milliknya yang berfokus pada penerbangan, sebagai fondasi dari strateginya untuk menghadirkan kecerdasan buatan yang bertanggung jawab ke seluruh sektor industri penerbangan.

Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow telah dikembangkan selama beberapa tahun terakhir, didukung oleh pengalaman mendalam selama puluhan tahun di bidang ini, data terdepan di industri, serta kapabilitas yang mencakup perencanaan awak dan armada, operasional pada hari pelaksanaan penerbangan, dan solusi kokpit penerbangan.

Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow merupakan mesin AI agentik dasar yang menggabungkan data yang tersedia secara komersial, data pelanggan eksklusif yang terpisah, serta pengetahuan luas di bidang ini, termasuk keselamatan, keahlian sertifikasi, dan penalaran kontekstual di seluruh pasar penerbangan. Berbasis arsitektur terbuka dan dirancang agar tidak bergantung pada model tertentu, Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow memberikan fleksibilitas penuh kepada pelanggan dalam mengadopsi AI, baik dengan mengintegrasikan agen mereka sendiri, memanfaatkan solusi pihak ketiga, maupun menerapkan agen bawaan milik Jeppesen ForeFlight.

Pelanggan dapat mengadopsinya sesuai ritme mereka sendiri, dengan biaya lebih rendah, serta tingkat kendali manusia yang dapat disesuaikan terkait pengambilan keputusan penting berdasarkan kebutuhan operasional mereka. Fleksibilitas ini, dipadukan dengan jangkauan perusahaan yang mencakup awak, armada, operasional, dan kinerja kokpit penerbangan, membedakan Jeppesen ForeFlight dari platform AI generik ataupun solusi yang hanya menangani satu kebutuhan tertentu.

Perusahaan ini telah memperkenalkan pratinjau produk pertamanya untuk pasar Penerbangan Umum, ForeFlight AI Connector, sebuah server MCP yang menghubungkan ForeFlight Mobile dengan lingkungan OpenAI ChatGPT yang sudah digunakan pelanggan. Pengguna dapat meminta AI pribadi mereka untuk mencari informasi rencana penerbangan dan opsi pengisian bahan bakar, atau membangun alat dan alur kerja yang terhubung dengan AI menggunakan data mereka di ForeFlight Mobile. Perusahaan ini berencana memperluas ketersediaan fitur tersebut ke aplikasi AI populer lainnya, seperti Gemini milik Google dan Claude milik Anthropic sehingga pengguna dapat menggunakan lapisan pengalaman pilihan mereka sendiri. 

Akhir tahun ini, Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow akan memperkenalkan penawaran pertamanya untuk segmen penerbangan Komersial dan Bisnis, yang kemudian disusul dengan kapabilitas yang berfokus pada militer.

"AI umum tampak meyakinkan, tetapi sering kali keliru. Dalam industri kami, kesalahan seperti ini dapat berujung pada dampak yang mahal, berbahaya, atau fatal. Kecerdasan buatan saja tidak cukup bagi industri ini, yang kami butuhkan adalah kecerdasan penerbangan: kepastian bahwa data, konteks, dan penalaran yang tepat diterapkan setiap saat, serta selalu diperiksa silang dan difilter melalui protokol keselamatan dan tata kelola industri," ujar Brad Surak, CEO Jeppesen ForeFlight. "Kami telah membantu industri berevolusi dari kertas ke digital hingga seluler, dan kini menghadirkan Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow ke pasar sebagai penawaran AI yang sangat berbeda, yang dapat diterapkan pelanggan sesuai ketentuan dan jadwal mereka sendiri, dengan biaya TI yang jauh lebih rendah dibandingkan transisi industri sebelumnya."

Berbeda dari pendekatan lain di industri penerbangan, Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow tampil beda dengan menghadirkan keunggulan di lima area yang sangat penting:

*Bernalar dalam Konteks - Alur kerja tepercaya yang benar-benar memahami cara kerja industri penerbangan, bukan sekadar mengacu pada berbagai hal yang terjadi sebelumnya.

*Bernalar dari Input Tersertifikasi - Data kecerdasan yang jelas sumbernya: setiap hasil mengacu pada otoritas regulasi dan akurasi tersertifikasi dari data serta kapabilitas penerbangan Jeppesen ForeFlight yang telah lama diandalkan oleh banyak pelaku industri untuk operasional yang aman dan optimal.

*Menyertakan Jejak Alasan yang Jelas - Setiap rekomendasi memperlihatkan logika sebab-akibat yang mendasarinya, mulai input spesifik dan batasan operasional hingga alternatif yang telah dievaluasi beserta tingkat ketidakpastiannya. Jejak keputusan yang dapat diaudit ini menciptakan siklus perbaikan berkelanjutan sehingga hasilnya semakin meningkat seiring waktu.

*Beroperasi di Dalam Sistem Manajemen Keselamatan (Safety Management System, SMS) Perusahaan - berbasis kerangka keselamatan yang telah digunakan dalam industri penerbangan melalui Aviation Intelligence SMS (AI-SMS) kami yang permohonan patennya masih menunggu persetujuan.

*Penilaian yang berpusat pada Manusia - AI yang menangani perihal kuantitas. Pelanggan dapat menentukan tingkat otomatisasi yang dibutuhkan, dengan kepastian bahwa manusia tetap memegang kendali atas pengambilan keputusan saat diperlukan.

"Kami memanfaatkan pengalaman puluhan tahun dalam menghadirkan solusi data dan perangkat lunak secara global, yang terus bertambah hampir setiap detik dari 60 juta penerbangan yang kami layani setiap tahun. Namun yang terpenting, AI kami membangun kepercayaan melalui setiap keputusan yang diambil," tambah Surak.

Grafik konteks penerbangan Jeppesen ForeFlight Airflow merupakan catatan paling kredibel tentang cara pengoperasian penerbangan. Ketika AI kami melakukan penalaran dari fondasi ini, setiap output mewarisi asal-usul regulasi yang tertanam secara khusus dalam AI SMS milik Jeppesen ForeFlight: mencakup identifikasi bahaya, analisis tren keselamatan, pemodelan risiko prediktif, serta integrasi data operasional dengan catatan keselamatan dengan cara yang tidak dapat didukung oleh alat tradisional. 

Operator yang tertarik mendapatkan akses awal untuk pengembangan bersama dapat menghubungi account executive Jeppesen ForeFlight mereka atau mengunjungi ai.jeppesenforeflight.com.

Tentang Jeppesen ForeFlight

Jeppesen ForeFlight menyediakan data, perangkat lunak, dan wawasan yang mendukung setiap segmen penerbangan. Pilot, operator, dan awak penerbangan memercayai kami untuk merencanakan, menavigasi, memantau, dan mengoptimalkan lebih dari 60 juta penerbangan komersial, militer, bisnis, dan penerbangan umum setiap tahun. Platform kami mendukung perencanaan awak, armada, dan penerbangan; manajemen jaringan dan operasional; serta solusi kokpit penerbangan. Data navigasi kami tetap menjadi standar global. Dari penciptaan peta penerbangan berbasis kertas seabad lalu hingga memimpin era saat ini yang didukung AI, kami menghadirkan keahlian mendalam di bidang penerbangan dengan wawasan yang tak tertandingi sebagai platform bagi industri penerbangan.

Untuk Pertanyaan Media, Silakan Hubungi

Brett Griffin

press@jepp.com

SILVERSTONE, United Kingdom, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starlight Children's Foundation has been named the British winner of the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award at the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2026.

The charity, which helps critically ill children in hospital play, laugh and do the things they love while receiving treatment, has been awarded EUR100,000 from Allwyn AG, the multi-national lottery-led entertainment company whose UK subsidiary operates The National Lottery. The Award will help Starlight to further its innovative approach to children's care.

Many children in the UK are struggling with the emotional weight of medical care, with around 1.4 million vulnerable to healthcare-related trauma*. For a child, fear can feel overwhelming, often leading to deep distress that can make their treatment journey much harder and leave lasting marks on their wellbeing. However, Starlight creates moments of escape from these difficult situations.

The EUR100,000 donation from Allwyn will further Starlight's pioneering pilot project - the introduction of the new 'Health Play Practice Educator' role to embed consistent play-informed care across the NHS, through activities and experiences. It will also facilitate the training of up to 1,000 professionals in specialised care. Starlight was commended by the judging panel for its spirit of innovation - a value shared by both Allwyn and Formula 1 - as well as the project's scalability and potential for other organisations to replicate.

Alastair Ruxton, Chief Impact Officer at Allwyn UK and F1 Allwyn Global Community Award judge, said: "We are proud to award the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award to the Starlight Children's Foundation. As judges, we were impressed by their spirit of innovation and their pioneering approach to tackling healthcare-related trauma many children face. Allwyn is proud to champion this kind of bold, systemic change, and it demonstrates how the impact of our global programme extends far beyond the racetrack."

Cathy Gilman, CEO, Starlight said: "We are thrilled and deeply honoured to receive the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award. Hospitals and medical procedures can be incredibly scary and traumatising for children, but our new role will help hospitalised children understand, cope, and heal. This incredible ?100,000 donation from Allwyn will directly fund our ambition to make hospital stays kinder and treatments gentler for seriously ill children."

Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1 and F1 Allwyn Global Community Award judge, added: "At Formula 1, we are committed to leveraging our platform to drive transformative change within our local communities. The Starlight Children's Foundation aligns closely with our broader social impact priorities, especially our commitment to using bold, innovative approaches to solve complex challenges in areas such as healthcare. Its new 'Health Play Practice Educator' role offers a scalable model for long-term impact."

Starlight Children's Foundation is the third non-profit to be recognised by the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award in 2026. Following a highly successful inaugural year in 2025, this year's programme launched in May with Canadian charity La Tabl?e des Chefs winning the first Award at the FORMULA 1 LENOVO GRAND PRIX DU CANADA for its vital work in fighting food insecurity, by recovering and redistributing meals to vulnerable families. Last week, Allwyn awarded Austrian non-profit Sindbad Mentoring at the FORMULA 1 LENOVO AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX 2026 to supercharge its mission to level the playing field for young people, boost social mobility and inspire them to pursue their dream career pathways, especially in STEM.

More NGOs will be recognised across the Grand Prix race locations this season in the Netherlands, Austin, Mexico City and Las Vegas. Later in the year, Formula 1 fans will have the chance to cast their vote on their favourite winning initiatives as part of Allwyn's plan to bring these fans closer to the programme.

Notes to editors

*Starlight Cause of Trauma report 2025

About Allwyn

Allwyn AG is a multi-national gaming entertainment company, lottery-led and with leading market positions and trusted brands across Europe and North America, listed on Euronext Athens. Its purpose is to make play better for all by focusing on innovation, technology, player safety and returning more to good causes across a growing casual gaming entertainment portfolio.

Allwyn Entertainment Ltd (Allwyn UK), a separate subsidiary of Allwyn AG, is the operator of The National Lottery in the UK.

Media enquiries pr@allwyn.com

About Allwyn's partnership with Formula 1

The multi-year partnership with Formula 1 represents a drive towards increased global awareness for Allwyn, with the sport's 24 races across the globe, 750 million fans, and 96 million social media followers, as well as its reach across broadcast channels and entertainment outlets.

The partnership will reinforce Allwyn's position as an international brand driving community impact across the world, in support of its global growth plans.

At the heart of the partnership is the development of initiatives that will support the company's ambition to be a positive contributor to society globally. With Allwyn and Formula 1 equally committed to empowering fans and local communities, the partnership will give Allwyn the opportunity to utilise the sport's ever-growing international fan base to celebrate those making positive change, sharing these inspiring stories on a global level.

About Formula 1

Formula 1 racing began in 1950 and is the world's most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world's most popular annual sporting series. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship. Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: FWONA, FWONK, LLYVA, LLYVK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock. The F1 logo, F1 Formula 1 logo, Formula 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

Press contacts

Formula 1 Press Office

E: f1media@f1.com  

T: @f1media

Further information about the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award, including eligibility criteria and the selection process, can be found on our website: https://www.allwyn.com/responsibility/community-award.

About Starlight

Starlight is the UK's leading charity working to put play at the heart of every child's healthcare. Play takes the scare out of children's healthcare, making them more resilient and receptive to treatment. We provide play resources, campaign for better health play services, and build best practice with frontline paediatric professionals.

The problem is fear. The answer is play. It's time to put play into practice.

After successful regulatory performance in Gibraltar, ADI Predictstreet receives approval to broaden its offering beyond football into additional markets, including sports, entertainment, culture and more

GIBRALTAR, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADI Predictstreet, the global prediction market platform and Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, today announced the next phase of its growth strategy after successfully completing the initial phase of its regulatory framework in Gibraltar.

Following strong performance across its regulatory obligations - including operational resilience, consumer protection, compliance and market integrity - ADI Predictstreet has received permission to expand beyond football into a significantly broader range of regulated prediction markets.

At the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament, the platform will progressively introduce new markets across additional sports, entertainment, culture, weather, and selected political events, further advancing its long-term ambition to become the leading destination for understanding what the world believes will happen next.

The expansion represents an important milestone in ADI Predictstreet's broader mission to bring prediction markets into the mainstream by enabling individuals to forecast real-world outcomes through transparent, regulated and accessible markets.

"Successfully completing this first phase with Gibraltar validates both our platform and our approach to responsible innovation," said Dimitrios Psarrakis, CEO of ADI Predictstreet. "While sport was the ideal place to introduce our prediction market platform to a global audience, our ambition has always been to build one where people can participate in forecasting the events that shape our world - from sport and entertainment to culture, weather and beyond."

"When Gibraltar licensed ADI Predictstreet, we saw an opportunity to lead the development of a new regulated sector founded on innovation, integrity and consumer protection," said Nigel Feetham, KC MP, Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry, Government of Gibraltar. "In just a few months, that vision has gained global recognition through the FIFA World Cup and a series of landmark international partnerships. It demonstrates how forward-looking regulation can create entirely new markets, attract world-class businesses and reinforce Gibraltar's position as one of the world's leading regulatory jurisdictions."

From Sport to a Global Prediction Platform

ADI Predictstreet launched globally through football as FIFA's first-ever Official Prediction Market Partner, introducing prediction markets to billions of fans during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

That partnership demonstrated how forecasting can become a natural extension of fan engagement while providing the foundation for the platform's broader expansion into additional market categories.

To deepen its liquidity, reach and impact around the tournament, ADI Predictstreet has consistently been executing a disciplined strategy of growing the prediction markets category through a network of leading partners, while actively expanding the ADI Predictstreet standalone platform. This includes notable partnerships with Kalshi to expand its global presence, Fanatics Markets in the United States, Matchbook across the UK, Ireland, and Brazil, DAZN, among others. Together, these partnerships provide a scalable foundation for long-term growth as ADI Predictstreet expands into additional jurisdictions and introduces prediction markets to more traders around the world.

Powered by ADI Chain

ADI Predictstreet is built on ADI Chain's compliance-ready institutional blockchain infrastructure, which leverages ZKsync's Airbender zero-knowledge proof technology. ADI Predictstreet is the first consumer-facing application deployed on ADI Chain's institutional-grade infrastructure, providing the scalability, transparency, and security required to support thousands of regulated prediction markets globally.

As ADI Predictstreet expands into additional categories and jurisdictions, ADI Chain will continue to provide the compliance-ready digital infrastructure supporting secure market operations, transparent settlement and long-term global scalability.

------

About ADI Predictstreet

ADI Predictstreet is a Gibraltar-licensed and regulated prediction market platform and the Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, enabling users to forecast outcomes first in football, and eventually through global news, technology, and culture. By harnessing collective intelligence from a global community, the platform transforms sentiment into measurable probabilities, creating a new model for digital participation and decision-making. Built on ADI Chain's compliance-ready infrastructure, ADI Predictstreet is designed to scale into thousands of prediction markets worldwide in the future where individuals and communities can engage with and anticipate what happens next.

Sustained AI-driven power demand and maturing US gas supply signal a structural shift in what drives Henry Hub price formation

LONDON/HOUSTON/SINGAPORE, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INSIGHT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wood Mackenzie | www.woodmac.com

The decade of cheap Henry Hub gas is coming to an end. Wood Mackenzie forecasts Henry Hub natural gas prices approaching US$5/mmbtu (real) by 2035, up from a nominal range of US$2 to US$4/mmbtu that held for most of the past decade.

That stability underpinned the buildout of US LNG export infrastructure and the expansion of gas-fired power generation now supporting AI-driven data centre growth across the country. Wood Mackenzie's report, Defying gravity: why US Henry Hub natural gas prices are set to rise, sets out why those conditions are no longer assured.

Two structural shifts are working in the same direction at once. Demand continues to grow at a sustained pace. Supply is becoming harder and more expensive to grow.

"The conditions that kept Henry Hub between US$2 to US$4/mmbtu for the best part of a decade are no longer all operating at full force," said Kristy Kramer, Head of LNG Strategy and Market Development at Wood Mackenzie. "Rapid play development, near-zero-cost associated gas, and year-on-year productivity gains drove that era of cheap, stable prices. Those tail winds have largely run their course. Power sector demand alone is calling for an additional 17 bcfd by the mid-2030s, and the highest-quality acreage is already in production. Prices will need to rise to grow supply from here."

Demand: numbers that move markets

The power sector is now the primary source of new US gas demand.  Load growth from data centres and AI investment is set to add the equivalent of roughly half the gas demand of the entire existing power sector: an additional 17 bcfd by the mid-2030s, a near-50% increase from 2025 levels Investment decisions for new US LNG export capacity reached a record high in 2025, with further projects reaching final investment decision in 2026. US LNG capacity is on track to more than double from current levels. The US is forecast to account for more than one-third of global LNG supply in the early 2030s. Demand expansion is expected to continue into the 2040s.

As the power sector leans more heavily on gas to balance intermittent renewable generation, demand has become structurally more volatile. Henry Hub prices will reflect that.

Supply: it's complicated and continues to evolve

US producers have spent years drilling their best acreage. As the highest-quality portions of Marcellus, Permian and Haynesville are developed, remaining inventory will be less productive and more geologically complex. Breakeven costs have stopped falling. Technology gains in mature plays are incremental rather than transformative.

"Associated gas accounted for roughly half of all US gas supply growth over the past decade at near-zero marginal cost. Over the next ten years, that share is expected to fall below 20%," said Dulles Wang, Director, Americas Gas and LNG Research at Wood Mackenzie. "With supply less responsive to price signals than it once was, prices will need to go higher and stay higher to bring new molecules to market, particularly from dedicated gas producers."

For upstream operators, LNG project developers and counterparties in long-term offtake negotiations, the price trajectory in this report is a direct input to investment decisions being made now. The shift in price formation at Henry Hub, from supply-driven to demand-driven, changes the risk calculus for any position exposed to US gas economics.

Henry Hub remains a localised benchmark, shaped by supply, demand and infrastructure conditions in southern Louisiana. This forecast does not imply uniform price movements across all US gas markets.

"The scale of the US LNG position may look like a commercial advantage," said Kramer. "But as the US moves past one-third of global LNG supply in the early 2030s, buyers are already asking questions about over-reliance on a single supply source. Those questions will only get louder."

Background:

Wood Mackenzie's forecast of rising Henry Hub prices has been a defining and contested position over the past 18 months, generating sustained debate among utilities, LNG buyers, upstream operators and financial institutions.

The Horizons report examines the principal risks to the forecast in both directions, including the potential for non-listed and internationally backed operators to accelerate supply, dormant or frontier plays to prove viable at scale, and a material slowdown in AI-driven power demand or global LNG trade growth.

Wood Mackenzie's Horizons report, Defying gravity: why US Henry Hub natural gas prices are set to rise, is available to clients via Wood Mackenzie Lens. To request the full report or arrange a briefing, visit woodmac.com.

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About Wood Mackenzie:

Wood Mackenzie is the global leader in analytics, insights and proprietary data across the entire energy and natural resources landscape. For over 50 years our work has guided the decisions of the world's most influential energy producers, utilities companies, financial institutions and governments. Now, with the world's energy system more complex and interconnected than ever before, sector-specific views are no longer enough. That's why we've redefined what's possible with Intelligence Connected: the fusion of our unparalleled proprietary data with the sharpest analytical minds, all supercharged by Synoptic AI, to deliver a clear, interconnected view of the entire value chain. Our trusted team of 2,700 experts across 30 countries breaks siloes and connects industries, markets and regions across the globe to empower our customers to identify risk sooner, spot opportunity faster and make every decision with complete confidence.

For more information, visit www.woodmac.com

Chris Boba

Wood Mackenzie

+44 7408 841129 

chris.boba@woodmac.com

Copyright ? 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Strongest earthquake to impact Venezuela since 1900 causes widespread damage across northern Venezuela and highlights challenges within the country's insurance market

BOSTON, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Catastrophe and Risk Solutions group at Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK), a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry, estimates economic losses from the June 24, 2026 earthquakes in Venezuela will likely exceed USD 10 billion. Verisk notes a higher degree of uncertainty than usual in estimating the insured share of industry losses because of Venezuela's macroeconomic conditions, elevated inflation, low insurance penetration, and sanctions-related market complexities.

Earthquake Sequence and Impacts

On June 24, Venezuela was struck by a rare earthquake doublet near Yumare-Mor?n in Yaracuy state, approximately 100 miles west of Caracas. A magnitude 7.2 foreshock was followed just 39 seconds later by a magnitude 7.5 mainshock, making it the strongest earthquake to impact Venezuela since 1900. The shallow strike-slip rupture occurred along the San Sebasti?n fault system within the tectonically active boundary zone between the Caribbean and South American plates and was subsequently followed by more than 430 recorded aftershocks.

Damage was most severe in the Caracas metropolitan region and the coastal state of La Guaira, where an estimated 1,400 buildings were destroyed. Significant destruction was also reported across Aragua, Carabobo, and Yaracuy states. Communities including Puerto Cabello, Catia La Mar, Maiquet?a, San Felipe, Los Teques, Petare, Valencia, and Baruta experienced severe shaking, according to U.S. Geological Survey intensity estimates.

Modeling Information 

Because of Venezuela's economic environment, Verisk notes greater uncertainty than is typical for an industry loss estimate. Factors contributing to this uncertainty include assumptions regarding earthquake insurance take-up rates, ongoing inflationary pressures, and the challenges associated with accurately valuing insured assets in a rapidly changing economic environment.

The modeled insured loss estimates do not include losses resulting from fire-following, landslides, sprinkler leakage, loss adjustment expenses, damage to uninsured properties or infrastructure, extra-contractual obligations, hazardous waste cleanup, vandalism, or civil commotion, whether directly or indirectly caused by the event. The estimates also exclude losses associated with civil engineering (railway) risks, marine cargo and marine hull risks, aviation risks, transit warehouse risks, personal accident risks, and other non-modeled sources of loss.

Building Stock and Earthquake Vulnerability

Today, the majority of residential buildings in Venezuela's urban areas are constructed of masonry, including reinforced masonry, confined masonry, and unreinforced masonry structures. Reinforced concrete is the predominant construction type in mid- and high-rise residential buildings, particularly in major urban centers such as Caracas.

Although modern engineering standards exist, seismic performance varies significantly due to local construction practices, material quality, and enforcement of building codes.

Insurance Market in Venezuela

Venezuela's insurance and reinsurance sector remains relatively small and highly concentrated compared to many global markets. The industry continues to operate under challenging macroeconomic conditions characterized by elevated inflation, currency depreciation, regulatory complexity, and limited market capacity.

These conditions create additional uncertainty when estimating insured losses following a catastrophe. Variations in earthquake insurance penetration, coverage levels, and insured property values can materially influence the ultimate insured share of economic losses resulting from the earthquake sequence.

About Verisk

Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) is a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry. It empowers clients to strengthen operating efficiency, improve underwriting and claims outcomes, combat fraud and make informed decisions about global risks, including climate change, catastrophic events, sustainability and political issues. Through advanced data analytics, software, scientific research and deep industry knowledge, Verisk helps build global resilience for individuals, communities and businesses.. With teams across more than 20 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work. For more, visit Verisk.com and the Verisk Newsroom.

Mary Keller

Verisk

339-832-7048

mary.keller@verisk.com

Copyright ? 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

SYDNEY, July 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stellar Resources Limited (ASX: SRZ) is pleased to announce a significant update to the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at its flagship Heemskirk Tin Project in the tier-1 mining jurisdiction of Western Tasmania. The updated MRE features a 64% increase in the Total Mineral Resource at the Severn deposit, reaching 8.54Mt at 0.82% Sn for 70,002 tonnes of contained tin.

This pivotal upgrade brings the total Heemskirk Tin Project Resource to 13.36Mt at 0.86% Sn, representing 115.3kt of contained tin.

A major highlight is the 125% increase in the Indicated Resource category, which now stands at 6.05Mt at 0.84% Sn for 50,739 tonnes of contained tin.

Consequently, Heemskirk remains the highest-grade undeveloped tin project in Australia and ranks third highest globally among peer projects. Across its combined assets, including the nearby St Dizier deposit, Stellar's Total Resource Base now exceeds 129kt of contained tin.

This latest Severn upgrade follows the recent 2026 MRE update for the adjacent Queen Hill deposit, which delivered a 25% increase in contained tonnes and a 32% increase in contained tin.

Stellar is advancing its Prefeasibility Study (PFS), anticipated for completion in 2H 2026.

This significant milestone follows a recent $17 million cornerstone investment from Metals X Limited (ASX:MLX). Metals X, Australia's largest tin producer and 50% owner of the nearby Renison Tin Mine, stepped in as a 16.4% strategic shareholder in Stellar Resources, providing further validation of Heemskirk's tier-1 potential.

With two drill rigs continuing to test immediate growth targets, Stellar Resources is exceptionally well-positioned to capitalise on the structural supply deficits currently driving the global tin market.

For full details on the MRE update, please view the complete ASX announcement here: Severn Resource Up 64%

About Stellar Resources: Stellar Resources (ASX: SRZ) is highly focused on developing its world class Heemskirk Tin Project located in the stable tier-1 mining friendly jurisdiction of Zeehan, Western Tasmania.

Contact:    Media Contact:

Simon Taylor 

Managing Director and CEO 

E: srzinfo@stellarresources.com 

Media Contact:

Jason Mack

White Noise Communications

E: jason@whitenoisecomms.com

Pitch Notes:

Greetings from Thailand Board of Investment (BOI).

Please find attached the latest press release of: Thailand Secures $4.1 Billion in EV Chain Investments as Southeast Asia Auto Hub Pivots to Next-Gen Tech

If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,

Mia Ogilvy Tel: (+66) 64-6966-245

BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 July 2026 - Thailand has secured over $4.1 billion (approx. 137 billion baht) in investment pledges across its electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, solidifying its position as Southeast Asia's primary automotive manufacturing hub as global carmakers realign their production networks toward clean energy.

According to newly released data from the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), the capital injection spans 198 projects, covering the entire ecosystem, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid systems, battery manufacturing, critical components, and charging infrastructure.

The investment surge comes as global automakers diversify supply chains away from geopolitical hotspots and establish regional hubs in Southeast Asia.

Unlike regional competitors focusing solely on pure electric vehicles, Thailand's policy framework supports a transition across all major propulsion technologies, including Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and BEVs.

"The transition to electric vehicles is both a global challenge and a massive opportunity," said Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) and Secretary of the National EV Policy Board, speaking at the International Electric Vehicle Technology Conference (iEVTech) in Bangkok. "We must choose to be builders, not just consumers. By supporting all technologies-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric-we allow legacy players and new entrants to invest and grow together, elevating Thai suppliers into the global value chain."

This strategy is already paying off in the market. In 2025, electrified vehicles accounted for over 40% of all new vehicle registrations in Thailand, with HEVs leading at 21.8%, closely followed by BEVs at 19.6%.

The $4.1 billion investment pipeline is highly distributed, showing deep integration across the supply chain rather than top-level vehicle assembly alone:

*Battery EVs (BEVs): $1.18 billion (approx. 39.5 billion baht) across 18 projects, establishing an annual domestic production capacity of over 370,000 units.

*Hybrids (HEV & PHEV): Combined investments of $1.18 billion (approx. 39.3 billion baht) across 14 projects, capitalizing on Japanese automakers' legacy hybrid technologies.

*Batteries & Energy Storage Systems (ESS): $1.00 billion (approx. 33.5 billion baht) across 57 projects, securing localized battery cell and pack manufacturing.

*Critical Components: $373 million (approx. 12.5 billion baht) across 49 projects, targeting high-value parts such as drive motors, battery management systems (BMS), and power control units.

*Charging Infrastructure: $292 million (approx. 9.8 billion baht) across 42 projects, funding over 22,900 charging stations nationwide, including more than 10,000 high-speed DC fast chargers.

This regulatory framework has pushed several major global automakers to localize production in Thailand. Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing pioneered local luxury BEV production in Thailand starting in 2022, followed by a major wave of Chinese EV manufacturers-including BYD, Great Wall Motor, SAIC Motor, and Aion-which established domestic assembly lines in 2024. The momentum continued into 2025 as Changan Auto and EV Primus launched their respective manufacturing operations, culminating in the 2026 production rollouts by South Korea's Hyundai Mobility and China's Omoda & Jaecoo. These manufacturing investments have culminated in the creation of more than 16,000 local jobs.

The BOI has also facilitated joint ventures and matchmaking through 18 "Sourcing Day" events. These sessions have paired more than 800 qualified Thai parts manufacturers with multinational automakers, resulting in over 1,200 business matches. The BOI estimates these sourcing links will generate over $1.79 billion (approx. 60 billion baht) in domestic procurement value, transitioning traditional tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers into the high-tech EV supply chain.

"Ultimately, we are leveraging sixty years of automotive expertise to position Thailand at the forefront of global mobility," Mr. Narit said. "Our goal is to ensure that local industry and local workforce are the ones driving this next chapter of growth."

Note: Currency conversions are based on the Bank of Thailand's average selling rate of approximately 1 USD = 33.5 THB.

The Office of the Board of Investment (BOI)

Established in 1966, the Office of the Board of Investment (BOI) has continuously played an essential role for over 60 years in promoting value-adding investment for the country, from both foreign and Thai investors, to enhance national competitiveness and drive towards a new era of sustainable and balanced growth.

Investment Services Center- PR Section, The Office of the Board of Investment (BOI)

555 Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road, Chatuchak Bangkok 10900 Tel. +66 (0) 2553 8111, Fax: +66 (0) 2553 8222

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

Hashtags: #Thailandboardofinvestment #BOI #FDI #Investment