SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 19 April 2026 - In conjunction with National Infertility Awareness Week (19-25 April 2026), Monash IVF Singapore, alongside partners like Fertility Support Singapore, is shifting the spotlight to a long-overlooked narrative: male factor infertility.

While fertility discussions often centre on women, statistics show that male factors contribute to approximately 50% of all infertility cases. Male factor infertility can arise from a range of factors, including low sperm count, reduced sperm motility, abnormal sperm morphology, hormonal imbalances, genetic conditions, or underlying medical issues. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and environmental exposures may also affect sperm quality over time.

Despite its prevalence, male factor infertility is often less discussed in Singapore, which can lead to delays in assessment and treatment. Early evaluation, including semen analysis and medical consultation, can help identify potential concerns and guide appropriate next steps for couples.

To support greater awareness, Monash IVF is launching a series of digital educational content aimed at de-stigmatising male reproductive health and providing actionable insights for men to take charge of their fertility. These resources will cover common causes of male infertility, when to seek medical advice, and the types of assessments and treatment options available. By making this information more accessible, the clinic aims to encourage earlier evaluation and more open conversations about male factor infertility, both within relationships and in the wider community.

As Singapore's demographic landscape evolves, Monash IVF Singapore is contributing to broader discussions on reproductive health. With the national Total Fertility Rate (TFR) reaching a record low of 0.87 in 2025, the need for comprehensive and patient-centred fertility care continues to grow.

Understanding Modern Fertility Challenges: Beyond Biological Factors

The decline in fertility is not merely a biological hurdle but a reflection of the intense pressures that Singaporeans face today. The "workplace rat race", high-stress environments, and environmental factors have contributed to a trend of delayed parenthood. Many individuals are choosing to start families later due to career progression, financial considerations, and evolving life priorities. At the same time, age remains a key factor, as both egg and sperm quality may decline over time.

As such, these same pressures do not just delay parenthood; they also make it more difficult for individuals to pursue fertility treatments in Singapore. Managing appointments, coping with the physical and emotional demands of treatment, and balancing work responsibilities can become an added strain for many.

"Fertility is often treated as a private struggle, but it is a societal challenge," says June Jonet, Marketing and Business Development Head of Monash IVF Singapore. "We are calling for greater understanding and support within the workplace. Employees undergoing fertility treatments or preservation need an environment that recognises the physical and emotional toll of this journey, rather than one that penalises them for it."

Monash IVF's Approach to Assisted Reproductive Care

Monash IVF Singapore's clinical and laboratory team is led by Chief Embryologist Ng Pei Hui, supported by a team of senior embryologists and Fertility Specialists, including Dr Kelly Loi, Dr Suresh Nair, and Dr Yap Lip Kee.

The clinic applies a range of established assisted reproductive techniques to enhance success rates, tailored to individual clinical needs. These include:

Piezo-ICSI: A fertilisation method that uses a blunt needle with high-speed vibration to gently penetrate eggs and assist sperm injection. It may be considered in cases involving fragile oocytes or advanced maternal age.

IMSI: A technique that uses high-magnification imaging to support sperm selection, enabling embryologists to identify and avoid sperm with morphological abnormalities, such as vacuoles.

PICSI: A method of biological sperm selection using hyaluronic acid to help identify mature sperm with a lower likelihood of DNA damage.

Embryoscope+: A time-lapse imaging system that continuously monitors embryo development without disrupting stable culture conditions, supporting the selection of embryos with strong developmental potential for transfer.

The Power of Planning: Fertility Preservation

Alongside treatment, Monash IVF Singapore highlights the importance of proactive planning. As more women and couples choose to delay parenthood, elective egg freezing (a form of fertility preservation) has become a vital tool. At the same time, early assessment of male factor infertility, including semen analysis, can identify potential concerns and help couples prepare more confidently.

"Even with the range of treatments available today, timing still matters," says Chief Embryologist Ng Pei Hui. "Early consultation allows patients to better understand their options and make informed decisions."

With infertility affecting approximately 1 in 6 individuals, it is now recognised as a relatively common medical condition rather than a rare exception. This is why at Monash IVF Singapore, fertility care is not only about addressing challenges as they arise but also about supporting early planning for both men and women. With options such as elective egg freezing, male fertility assessment, and fertility health checks, the clinic aims to help Singaporeans better understand their reproductive health and make informed decisions at different stages of their journey.

For more information about Monash IVF Singapore and what they do, visit their website.

Hashtag: #MonashIVF  #malefertility  #mensfertility  #reproductivehealth  #fertilityawareness  #menswellness 

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

HONG KONG, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. By bundling a series of mega events under the promotional platform "Hong Kong Mega 8", the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is showcasing to global audiences Hong Kong's diverse and vibrant appeal as the "Events Capital of Asia" to attract visitors to the city. As a long-time supporter of this world-class sporting event, HKTB is introducing China-made robots previously featured on CCTV's Spring Festival Gala to perform and cheer at the opening ceremony, offering audiences worldwide a fresh experience that brings together sports, innovative technology and culture.

HKTB is introducing China-made robots previously featured on CCTV's Spring Festival Gala to perform and cheer at the opening ceremony

Dr Peter Lam, HKTB Chairman, said, "This year marks a significant milestone for the Hong Kong Sevens as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Over the past half-century, the Hong Kong Sevens has witnessed the development of rugby in Hong Kong, while also becoming a major annual international sporting event that draws worldwide attention, successfully attracting visitors from around the world to be part of it. With the strong support of China Media Group, HKTB has arranged for China-made robots previously featured in CCTV's Spring Festival Gala to appear as special guest performers, adding a new highlight to the event. While enjoying world-class rugby, audiences can also experience the global-leading capabilities of China's robotics, as well as Hong Kong's distinctive charm as the 'Events Capital of Asia', where sports, innovative technology and culture come together."

        

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said: "I am very grateful to Hong Kong China Rugby and the Hong Kong Tourism Board for their efforts in adding so many exciting elements to this year's 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens. The robots' performance was truly fun and full of energy. I hope local and visiting fans will come together this weekend to join the Hong Kong Sevens party."

Blending tradition with innovative elements, the opening performance of the 50th edition was packed with highlights. Following a dragon dance, 10 robots teamed up seamlessly with a cheerleading squad, kicking off the event with dynamic choreography and precise coordination, hyping up the crowd in the stadium.

Immediately following the innovative cheerleading performance, lasers danced across the Main Stadium pitch, displaying the participating nations over the years, the names of legendary Sevens players, and the effect of twin dragons soaring over Hong Kong, celebrating 50 years of golden development for the Hong Kong Sevens. The closing ceremony on Sunday will feature a spectacular pyrotechnic display launched from the stadium roof, bringing the three-day tournament to a dazzling finale.

Robots produced by Chinese Mainland company Unitree Robotics perform as special guests at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Sevens.Robots produced by Chinese Mainland company Unitree Robotics perform as special guests at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Sevens.

HKTB also brought the robots to the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui and the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point to film promotional footage showcasing Hong Kong.

For overseas promotion, HKTB partnered with the Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) to invite a number of international key opinion leaders (KOLs) to visit Hong Kong and experience the mega-event appeal of the Hong Kong Sevens. Among them were three athletes who appeared in Netflix Korea's Physical: 100 - Noh Sung-yul, a South Korean fitness YouTuber with over 10 million followers; artist Justin John Harvey; and well-known actor Lee Jae-yoon. In addition to appearing at Kai Tak Sports Park and the Hong Kong Sevens Fan Village to experience the event's vibrant atmosphere, the trio explored various Hong Kong landmarks and checked out a series of distinctive experiences combining fitness challenges with local food culture, filming promotional content for HKTB and expanding the international exposure of both the Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong tourism. At the same time, HKTB invited partners from the local travel trade, the MICE (meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions) and cruise sectors, and overseas travel agency representatives and media, to attend the event to witness this annual international sporting highlight and experience Hong Kong's charm as the "Events Capital of Asia".

Members of the media can download the photos and videos from the following link:

https://assetlibrary.hktb.com/assetbank-hktb/action/browseItems?categoryId=2402&categoryTypeId=2　

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr Cameron Tong Tel: 2807 6367                Email: cameron.tong@hktb.com

Mr Chokie Cheng Tel: 2807 6342                Email: chokie.cheng@hktb.com

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

HANNOVER, Germany, April 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Industrial operations are under pressure from every direction. Energy costs are rising. Legacy systems are holding back progress. The talent pipeline is thinning. And the window to act is narrowing. At Hannover Messe 2026 (20-24 April, Hall 13, Booth C34), Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, is showing what it looks like when those problems finally meet their match.

Across five live areas - Operational Efficiency, Legacy Drag, the Talent Gap, Data and Cybersecurity, and Energy Efficiency - Schneider Electric, AVEVA, ETAP, and ProLeiT are demonstrating how the convergence of electrification, open software-defined automation, and Industrial AI powered intelligence is already changing the economics and competitiveness of industrial operations.

"Industry has been promised transformation for years. What we're showing at Hannover Messe 2026 is something different - real outcomes, at scale, that customers benefit from today. When you converge electrification, open software-defined automation, and AI-powered intelligence, you don't just solve today's challenges - you fundamentally change what's possible for industrial operations," said Gwenaelle Huet, Executive Vice President, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric.

That ambition doesn't stop at Schneider Electric's own booth. No single vendor solves industrial transformation alone - and at Hannover Messe 2026, Schneider Electric's strategic collaborations make that philosophy visible.

STRATEGIC PARTNER CO-INNOVATION

Strategic collaborations on show include:

Schneider Electric and Deloitte (Hall 15, Stand E75): Together Schneider Electric and Deloitte deliver the full scope of industrial transformation that meaningful digital change demands. The collaboration combines Deloitte's world‑class consulting, change management and technology services expertise with Schneider Electric's domain expertise, purpose-built, AI-enabled OT and software technology that turns digital ambition into real operational outcomes.

Schneider Electric and Microsoft (Hall 17/G06): This long-standing collaboration unveils next-generation agentic manufacturing capabilities. Schneider Electric's Industrial Copilot, powered by Azure AI, collapses tool and team silos into a closed-loop, software-defined workflow - where specialized AI agents coordinated by an AI orchestrator automate routine design decisions, maintain end-to-end traceability, and adapt in real time. Production changes that once took weeks are now completed in hours, cutting engineering time by up to 50%. Featured products: Azure Arc & Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Automation Expert.

Schneider Electric and Dell Technologies (Hall 14/H52): Schneider Electric and Dell Technologies are collaborating at Hannover Messe to demonstrate how organizations across all industrial sectors can accelerate their Industrial AI journey with secure, scalable infrastructure. Together, we showcase the full path from resilient local OT systems powered by ProLeiT, forming the foundation for digital and AI‑enabled operations, to AI‑ready digital‑twin design enabled with Aveva and NVIDIA Omniverse for faster planning and lower deployment risk. Complemented by fast‑to‑deploy prefabricated modular data centers and proven architectures built on Dell Technologies solutions, this collaboration delivers a future‑ready foundation for any industry adopting AI at speed.

Schneider Electric and HPE (Hall 13/C34): Schneider Electric and HPE demonstrate virtualized control and Open SDA running real automation workloads on standard servers, proving how data centers can become scalable, resilient automation platforms. A first-of-its-kind setup delivering scalable, redundant, software-defined automation for next-generation data centers; ideal for operators modernizing cooling, HVAC, or industrial infrastructure for AI-era performance.

Schneider Electric and AWS (Hall 15/D76, Stand 21): At the AWS booth, Schneider Electric demonstrates how open, software‑defined automation spans from edge to cloud using EcoStruxure Automation Expert and soft dPAC, running on AWS. The architecture leverages Amazon EC2 for cloud‑based virtualized control, plus AWS Outposts and AWS IoT Greengrass across edge environments, enabling soft dPAC to be deployed consistently from edge to cloud. The demo addresses one of the most common barriers to OT modernization - the complexity of deploying and operating automation systems across distributed and heterogeneous environments - showing how vendor‑agnostic control, AI‑assisted engineering, and unified automation pipelines can reduce latency, simplify architecture, and support secure, scalable operations.

Schneider Electric's partner ecosystem at Hannover Messe 2026 extends further, with Red Hat, Margo, MaxGrip, Intel, UniversalAutomation.org, and Orgalim among the additional collaborators represented across the fair - reflecting the breadth of the open, interoperable industrial ecosystem Schneider Electric is building.

CUSTOMER OUTCOMES IN ACTION

Schneider Electric is working with leading manufacturers to convert structural pressures into competitive advantage through next‑generation electrification, automation, and AI-powered intelligence - delivering results that are live in customer operations.

Royal Avebe, the farmer‑owned cooperative is electrifying heat‑intensive processes at its Foxhol facility through a unified power‑and‑process architecture that delivers real‑time energy intelligence, dynamic load management, and prosumer capability - enabling decarbonization of onsite heat without requiring additional grid capacity. The electrification roadmap directly contributes to Avebe's climate targets, including 30% emissions reduction by 2030 and continuous 1.5% annual energy‑efficiency improvement.

H2E Power, a pioneer in next‑generation green hydrogen systems, is leveraging open, software-defined automation and energy technology to transform high‑temperature solid oxide electrolyzers into self‑optimizing assets, reducing degradation, extending system life, and lowering the cost of green hydrogen production. The system has surpassed 6,000 hours of stable operation and has demonstrated just-in-time predictive maintenance and promise in cutting electricity consumption by up to 10%.

SUEZ is working with Schneider Electric to modernize water and waste infrastructure through integrated electrification, automation, and digital solutions-improving energy efficiency, operational resilience, and sustainability performance across critical assets.

Evonik is collaborating with Schneider Electric on advanced automation and digital technologies to improve process efficiency and support circular economy innovation in chemical and materials production.

NEWEST OFFERS AND DEMOS AT HANNOVER MESSE 2026

Schneider Electric is showcasing its latest solutions and live demonstrations across the fair, including:

Foxboro SDA (European debut) - The world's first open, software-defined DCS, blending Foxboro's proven reliability with the openness of EcoStruxure Automation Expert. Decoupling software from hardware accelerates modernization, simplifies AI integration, and delivers high-availability operations for hybrid and continuous process industries.

Intelligent Drives Portfolio - The latest Schneider Electric drives - ATV6100, Altivar APM, Altivar Predict, Altivar Solar, and EcoCare-enhanced HVAC systems - combine advanced motor control with embedded predictive analytics, cutting downtime and optimizing energy use across industrial and infrastructure environments.

EcoStruxure Foresight (Preview) - A new AI-powered operations platform for the built environment, unifying energy, power, and building management in a single interface. Foresight reduces vendor complexity, embeds AI across the full operational lifecycle, and delivers real-time correlated data, predictive maintenance, and robust OT cybersecurity.

Modicon M590 dPac with EcoStruxure Automation Expert - Software-defined automation, now distributed. The M590 dPAC combines PLC-like control, high-availability redundancy, and edge networking in one compact device - with dual-core processing, conformal coating, 0?60?C operation, and RSTP ring recovery for continuous uptime. Designed for Modicon Edge IO NTS and built for water and wastewater, CPG, discrete manufacturing, and data centres.

SCADAPack 470d & 474d with EcoStruxure Automation Expert - Rugged Smart RTUs bringing EcoStruxure Automation Expert to remote operations for the first time - merging Smart RTU, PLC-like control, and embedded Linux edge computing in a single device. Designed for lift stations, water distribution, wastewater collection, irrigation, and IIoT gateway functions.

SF₆-Free AirSeT Medium Voltage Technology - AirSeT replaces SF with pure air insulation and vacuum interruption, delivering safer, cleaner, regulation-ready medium voltage switchgear with built-in connectivity for condition-based maintenance.

TeSys Tera PROFINET - Designed to meet the demands of modern industrial environments, TeSys Tera continuously monitors key motor parameters including running current, voltage, power, and power factor. Through seamless digital connectivity, it transmits real-time data to automation systems, enabling enhanced visibility, faster decision-making, and smarter control.

Intelligent Powertrain - Schneider Electric's complete electrical distribution architecture - MV switchgear, transformers, LV panels, UPS, drives, and busway - unified through an ETAP digital twin. Validated against a real deployment, the solution simulates power outage response, asset health review, and maintenance planning in real time.

Integrated Power and Process - A unified power and process solution optimizing the full asset lifecycle, from digital twin-driven design through to energy-aware operations. It delivers up to 20% lower electrical and Instrumentation & Control CapEx, 10% better process energy performance, 15% less unplanned downtime, and up to three percentage points of improvement in profitability.

Data Interoperability with AVEVA - The AVEVA PI System, Asset Information Management, and CONNECT platform unify OT, engineering, and IT data into a single industrial data foundation - connecting seamlessly to Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, and Snowflake for AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics without custom integrations or data duplication.

Digital Twin and Cybersecurity for Airport Baggage Handling - Virtual commissioning and real-time tracking in one solution. Pre-deployment scenario testing cuts go-live risk, while full IATA Resolution 753 compliance ensures baggage is tracked across every key journey point - check-in, loading, transfers, and arrival. Integrated OT cybersecurity delivers end-to-end visibility and resilience across the entire baggage lifecycle.

Intelligent Building Climate Control with EcoStruxure Automation Expert - Software-defined, occupancy-based airflow control for airports and large public buildings - no traditional PLC required. AI-powered infrared detection feeds intelligent variable speed drives, delivering up to 30% overall HVAC energy savings and up to 80% savings through optimized cooling.

SE Advisory Services - Industrial Digital Transformation - Drawing on Schneider Electric's own smart factory transformation, SE Advisory Services addresses operational efficiency, asset performance management, data connectivity, cybersecurity and sustainability across real customer deployments. A hands-on OT cybersecurity simulation demonstrates the consequences of unmanaged cyber risk - and how to prevent them - across CPG, water, metals and mining, and data center environments.

PRESS AND INDUSTRY ANALYST CONFERENCE & BOOTH TOUR

Tuesday, April 21st | 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CET (Schneider Electric Booth C34, Hall 13)

How does intelligence become action and action become advantage? Schneider Electric and AVEVA, joined by customers already leading the transformation, will explore how AI-powered intelligence and next-generation automation are answering industry's biggest questions and delivering measurable results on the ground.

You can still register to attend the press and analyst conference here. It will be streamed live and available for re-play via LinkedIn here.

Featured speakers include:

Gwenaelle Huet, Executive Vice President, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric

Caspar Herzberg, Chief Executive Officer, AVEVA

Richella Odebrecht, Chief Marketing Officer, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric

We will be joined by several of our valued customers, including:

Siddharth R Mayur, Founder & MD, h2e Power

Erik Weinans, Manufacturing IT Engineer, Royal Avebe

To learn more, please access our full Hannover Messe 2026 press kit here.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader, driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and grids to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, enhancing performance, resilience, and sustainability. The portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-powered systems, digital services, and expert advisory. With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in over 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world's most sustainable companies.

www.se.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f9f1757e-4ed3-4fe7-939b-35cd2b1f43e1

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, Tiongkok, April 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sejak peluncuran globalnya, iCAUR, merek strategis kendaraan energi baru dari Chery Group, meraih popularitas yang luas di seluruh dunia berkat model V23-nya. Fitur khas serta kemampuannya yang menyeluruh menjadikannya pilihan populer di segmen SUV bodi kotak berbasis energi baru.

Di pasar kendaraan energi baru Asia Tenggara, model ini terus menunjukkan performa yang unggul dan secara konsisten menduduki peringkat No.1 dalam penjualan di segmen kendaraan energi baru model SUV bodi kotak di kawasan tersebut. Hasil solid di pasar ini membuktikan daya tariknya di tingkat global.

Pencapaian ini secara langsung mencerminkan keberhasilan ganda iCAUR V23 dalam memperkuat reputasi sekaligus memperluas pangsa pasar di pasar-pasar utama seperti Thailand, Indonesia, dan Malaysia. Pada Februari, V23 diluncurkan di ajang Indonesia International Motor Show dan memborong tiga penghargaan utama: Best APM Outdoor Activity, Favourite New Car Launch, dan Favorite Newcomer Car Brand. Model V23 juga mengumpulkan lebih dari 300 blind pre-order (pemesanan awal tanpa detail lengkap), yang langsung memberikan dampak kuat di pasar lokal.

Di pasar Thailand, V23 mencatatkan performa yang menjadi acuan pasar, dengan penjualan kumulatif melampaui 4.000 unit. Model ini berhasil menduduki peringkat No.1 di segmen SUV bodi kotak EV murni selama dua bulan berturut-turut dan menembus lima besar model EV berdasarkan jumlah registrasi di Thailand. Pada ajang Penghargaan Model Terbaik Tahun 2026, model ini meraih penghargaan Best Performance Compact SUV EV dan Best Boxy Style, yang meraih pengakuan luas baik dari aspek penjualan maupun reputasi. Di Malaysia, V23 juga mencatatkan performa solid, dengan lebih dari 1.800 unit telah dikirimkan sejak peluncuran serta memperoleh respons positif dari pasar lokal.

Sebuah model dapat terus memimpin di pasar luar negeri terutama karena produknya mampu memenuhi kebutuhan berkendara di pasar lokal. Asia Tenggara memiliki kondisi medan yang kompleks, dengan banyak wilayah pegunungan serta jalan yang belum beraspal. Pengguna lokal juga memiliki tuntutan tinggi terhadap kemampuan off-road, kepraktisan ruang, serta kenyamanan untuk mobilitas sehari-hari. iCAUR V23 dirancang untuk memenuhi berbagai kebutuhan utama tersebut. Dengan sudut datang 43?, sudut pergi 41?, serta ground clearance (tinggi kolong) 210 mm, kendaraan ini mampu menghadapi perjalanan perkotaan maupun aktivitas luar ruang dengan mudah. Dengan jarak sumbu roda 2.735 mm, kendaraan ini menawarkan kabin dan ruang kargo yang luas sehingga sesuai untuk perjalanan solo, keluarga, maupun berbagai kebutuhan lainnya.

Performa solid V23 di Asia Tenggara juga didukung oleh berbagai sertifikasi yang kredibel. Model ini telah meraih peringkat keselamatan bintang lima dari ASEAN NCAP, yang menjadikannya SUV bodi kotak listrik murni pertama yang mencapai hasil tersebut. Struktur bodi sangkar yang terbuat dari 70% baja berkekuatan tinggi, serta lebih dari selusin fitur sistem bantuan pengemudi canggih (ADAS), menghadirkan perlindungan keselamatan komprehensif bagi pengemudi dan penumpang. V23 juga menempati peringkat No.1 dalam studi 2026 China New Energy Vehicle Automotive Performance untuk segmen SUV listrik murni ukuran menengah oleh J.D. Power. Hal ini semakin menegaskan kekuatan produknya di pasar global.

Produk berkualitas tinggi dapat terus mengoptimalkan potensi pasar sekaligus menghadirkan lebih banyak kejutan bagi pengguna. iCAUR V23 telah membangun ekosistem modifikasi yang sangat fleksibel yang memenuhi kebutuhan personalisasi pengguna di berbagai wilayah. Hal ini sekaligus semakin meningkatkan kemampuan adaptasinya di pasar. Dalam 2026 Beijing Auto Show dan iCAUR International Business Summit mendatang, merek ini akan memamerkan beragam versi modifikasi V23, yang sepenuhnya menunjukkan potensi kustomisasi serta fleksibilitas penggunaannya dalam berbagai skenario. Robot AIMOGA dan robot anjing juga akan turut hadir di stan pameran iCAUR. Nantikan informasinya lebih lanjut!

Perusahaan: Chery Group

Narahubung: Zeng Zhaoqing

Email: cengzhaoqing@mychery.com

Situs web: https://www.icaurglobal.com/

Kota: Wu Hu

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

MANILA, Philippines, April 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CAPHRA believes that India risks making it harder for people who smoke to quit if they initiate a restriction on nicotine gums and lozenges, whilst cigarettes and other tobacco products remain widely available, after reports that regulators may tighten over-the-counter access to approved nicotine replacement products.

CAPHRA said the proposal would be a serious step backward for smoking cessation and public health. If approved quit aids become harder to obtain while the deadliest tobacco products remain easy to buy, more people who smoke are likely to delay quit attempts, give up on quitting, or continue smoking.

CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas said the contradiction was impossible to ignore.

"This is public health madness," Loucas said. "If cigarettes are readily available, nicotine replacement therapies should not be harder to get."

Loucas said nicotine replacement therapy is a recognised, evidence-based cessation aid that helps people who smoke manage cravings and withdrawal without exposure to the toxic smoke produced by burning tobacco.

"These products are not magic bullets, and they are not risk-free," she said. "But they are established quit aids, and good policy should make them easier to access, not harder."

The concerns follow reports that India's Drug Technical Advisory Board has recommended tighter access to most nicotine replacement products, with only unflavoured 2 mg nicotine gum reportedly exempt and nicotine lozenges excluded. CAPHRA said that approach risks reducing treatment access at the very point people who smoke need more support, not less.

A letter published in the peer-reviewed Indian Journal of Psychiatry warned that stricter regulation of nicotine replacement therapy in India has already reduced availability for patients seeking treatment for tobacco dependence. The authors also argued that such restrictions run against the goal of improving access to treatment for quitting tobacco use.

Clarisse Virgino, CAPHRA's Philippines spokesperson said the greatest harm would fall on people who already face the biggest barriers to care.

"Every extra barrier means another smoker may give up on quitting before they even start," Virgino said. "That is especially damaging for lower-income and rural communities, where access to doctors, cessation clinics and specialist support is already limited."

The Indian Journal of Psychiatry letter also noted that nicotine gum was added to India's National List of Essential Medicines in 2022, underlining its recognised role in smoking cessation support rather than a product that should be pushed further out of reach.

"Nicotine replacement therapy is not the problem. Smoking is," she said. "Indian regulators should reject this proposal and expand access to approved quit aids through pharmacies, community settings and public quit campaigns."

CAPHRA said any credible tobacco control strategy should reduce barriers to evidence-based cessation support, not create new ones.

Media Contact:

N.E. Loucas, Executive Coordinator

CAPHRA

neloucas@caphraorg.net

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

*Six poster presentations showcase Zymeworks' next-generation ADC programs, including multiple first-in-class pan-RAS inhibitor ADCs 

*Data highlight efficacy, tumor-selective delivery, and favorable tolerability across multiple solid tumor models

*New programs include Ly6E, CLDN18.2, and PTK7-targeting ADCs, as well as novel payload and platform innovations

*New clinical data from Phase 1 trial of ZW191 to be presented in an oral presentation on April 21

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zymeworks Inc. (Nasdaq: ZYME), a biotechnology company managing a portfolio of licensed healthcare assets while developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics, today announced six poster presentations featuring new preclinical data from its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and payload development programs at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026.

"Our AACR presentations highlight the breadth and depth of our ADC platforms, including multiple novel approaches to targeting RAS-driven cancers," said Paul Moore, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Zymeworks. "These data reinforce our strategy to develop differentiated therapeutics with the potential to improve efficacy while addressing key limitations of existing treatment approaches."

Poster Presentation Highlights

ZW191 - a differentiated FRα-targeted topoisomerase I antibody drug conjugate active in combination with standard of care drugs

Abstract: 1707

Session: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

ZW191 is a clinical-stage (NCT06555744) folate receptor alpha (FRα)-targeting antibody-drug conjugate featuring a novel antibody and a moderate-potency, bystander-active topoisomerase I inhibitor payload (TOPO1i), ZD06519, designed to drive improved efficacy and tolerability versus existing FRα-targeted ADCs. In nonclinical studies, ZW191 demonstrates activity across all levels of FRα expression and shows promising combination potential with standard-of-care therapies, supported by a favorable tolerability profile.

Key non-clinical findings include:

*Differentiated by its superior internalizing novel antibody and moderate potency novel TOPO1i payload.

*Favorable tolerability profile, attributed to moderate potency TOPO1i payload and moderate stability linker, potentially achieves higher ADC dosing, better tolerability and improved combination potential with standard of care chemotherapeutics.

*Nonclinical in vitro and in vivo studies support the efficacious combination of ZW191 with standard of care therapies across multiple modes of action.

A pan-RASi antibody drug-conjugate platform with high activity in RAS sensitive cancers

Abstract: 1642

Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

Zymeworks' RASi-ADC platform integrates novel tricomplex pan-RAS inhibitors into ADCs to enable tumor-selective delivery and improved therapeutic index.

Key findings include:

Strong regressions observed in multiple tumor models at single doses as low as 1 mg/kg

ADC delivery demonstrates improved tumor selectivity compared to orally administered RAS inhibitors

Favorable tolerability observed in rodents and non-human primates

Platform supports development of broadly applicable ADCs for RAS-mutated cancers

Development of ZW418, a biparatopic PTK7-targeting antibody-drug conjugate incorporating a novel pan-RAS inhibitor payload for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract: 4944

Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

ZW418 is a first-in-class biparatopic ADC targeting PTK7, designed to enhance binding, internalization, and delivery of a pan-RAS inhibitor payload in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Key findings include:

Strong anti-tumor activity observed across PTK7-expressing RAS-mutant NSCLC xenograft models, at doses as low as 1 mg/kg

Biparatopic design enhances receptor engagement, internalization, and payload delivery

Selective cytotoxicity in KRAS-mutant tumor cells while sparing normal tissues

Favorable pharmacokinetics and tolerability support further development

ZW427, a Ly6E-targeting antibody-drug conjugate bearing a novel pan-RAS inhibitor payload for the treatment of RAS mutated cancers

Abstract: 7715

Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

ZW427 is a first-in-class ADC targeting Ly6E, designed to deliver a novel pan-RAS inhibitor payload to tumor cells in colorectal (CRC), pancreatic (PDAC), and lung cancers.

Key findings include:

Robust anti-tumor activity observed across CRC, PDAC, and NSCLC xenograft models with a range of Ly6E expression

Targeted delivery enables sustained RAS inhibition in tumors with reduced activity in normal tissues such as skin and colon

Favorable tolerability observed in rodents and non-human primates at exposures exceeding projected efficacious doses

Potential to improve efficacy and safety profile compared to small molecule pan-RAS inhibitors

ZW439, a novel CLDN18.2-targeting pan-RAS inhibitor antibody-drug conjugate for the treatment of RAS mutated pancreatic cancer

Abstract: 4556

Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

ZW439 is a novel ADC targeting CLDN18.2, designed to deliver a pan-RAS inhibitor payload in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Key findings include:

Strong anti-tumor activity observed in CLDN18.2-expressing RAS-mutant xenograft models, at doses as low as 1 mg/kg

Target-dependent delivery of pan-RAS inhibitor payload with potent RAS pathway inhibition and cytotoxicity

Robust bystander activity supports activity in heterogeneous tumors

Favorable pharmacokinetics and tolerability compared to small molecule RAS inhibitors

Design and evaluation of mRNA translation inhibitors for use as antibody drug conjugate payloads

Abstract: 2062

Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

Zymeworks presented a novel class of eIF4A inhibitor payloads designed to inhibit mRNA translation and enable a new mechanism for ADC therapies.

Key findings include:

Over 40 novel eIF4A inhibitor payloads synthesized spanning a range of potency and hydrophilicity

Hydrophilic linker designs improve both efficacy and tolerability in vivo

Demonstrated robust anti-tumor activity across multiple targets including HER2, TROP2, EGFR, Ly6E, and PTK7

Represents a novel payload class with potential to overcome resistance to existing ADC payloads

Posters are available on the Company's website located at https://www.zymeworks.com/publications/.

Oral Presentation Details

Results from Part 1 dose escalation of ZWI-ZW191-101 study: Phase 1 first-in-human multicenter open-label study of ZW191, a folate receptor α (FRα)-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), in participants with advanced solid tumors

Abstract: CT306

Session: Advances in Precision Oncology

Lead author Patricia LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR will present an updated data cut from the late breaking abstract on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 2:30 - 4:30 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST). The presentation will be available on the Company's website located at https://www.zymeworks.com/publications/ at the time of the session.

About Zymeworks Inc.

Zymeworks is a global biotechnology company managing a portfolio of licensed healthcare assets and developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics to improve the standard of care for difficult-to-treat diseases, including cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. Zymeworks' asset and royalty aggregation strategy focuses on optimizing positive future cash flows from an emerging portfolio of licensed products such as Ziihera (zanidatamab-hrii) and other licensed products and product candidates, such as pasritamig. In addition, Zymeworks is also building a portfolio of healthcare assets that can generate strong cash flows, while supporting the development of innovative medicines. Zymeworks engineered and developed Ziihera, a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody using the Zymeworks' proprietary Azymetric technology and has entered into separate agreements with BeOne Medicines Ltd. (formerly BeiGene, Ltd.) and Jazz Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited granting each exclusive rights to develop and commercialize zanidatamab in different territories. Zymeworks is rapidly advancing a robust pipeline of product candidates, leveraging its expertise in both antibody drug conjugates and multispecific antibody therapeutics targeting novel pathways in areas of significant unmet medical need. Zymeworks' complementary therapeutic platforms and fully integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility and compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly differentiated antibody-based therapeutics. These capabilities have been further leveraged through strategic partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. For information about Zymeworks, visit www.zymeworks.com and follow @ZymeworksInc on X.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" or information within the meaning of the applicable securities legislation, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to Zymeworks' preclinical and clinical development of product candidates; status of studies and the related data; anticipated preclinical and clinical data presentations; potential safety profile and therapeutic effects of Zymeworks' product candidates; Zymeworks' implementation of its long-term strategy; and other information that is not historical information. When used herein, words such as "plan", "believe", "expect", "may", "continue", "anticipate", "potential", "will", "on track", "progress", "preserve", "intend", "could", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based upon Zymeworks' current expectations and various assumptions. Zymeworks believes there is a reasonable basis for its expectations and beliefs, but they are inherently uncertain. Zymeworks may not realize its expectations, and its beliefs may not prove correct. Actual results could differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: any of Zymeworks' or its partners' product candidates may fail in development, may not receive required regulatory approvals, or may be delayed to a point where they are not commercially viable; Zymeworks may not achieve milestones or receive additional payments or royalties under its collaborations; regulatory agencies may impose additional requirements or delay the initiation of clinical trials; the impact of new or changing laws and regulations; market conditions, including the impact of tariffs; potential negative impacts of FDA regulatory delays and uncertainty around recent policy developments, changes in the leadership of federal agencies such as the FDA, staff layoffs, budget cuts to agency programs and research, and changes in drug pricing controls; the impact of global and regional geopolitical or public health developments on Zymeworks' business, research and clinical development plans and timelines and results of operations, including impact on its clinical trial sites, collaborators, and contractors who act for or on Zymeworks' behalf; zanidatamab may not be successfully commercialized; Zymeworks' business strategy related to anticipated and potential future milestones and royalty streams and existing and potential new partnerships may not be successfully implemented; Zymeworks' evolution of its business strategy may not deliver meaningful shareholder returns; Zymeworks may be unsuccessful in actively managing and/or aggregating revenue generating assets alongside its active R&D operations; ongoing and future clinical trials may not demonstrate safety and efficacy of any of Zymeworks' or its collaborators' product candidates; data providing early validation of our antibody drug conjugate platform and next generation pipeline programs may not be replicated in future studies; Zymeworks' assumptions and estimates regarding its financial condition, future financial performance and estimated cash runway may be incorrect; inability to maintain or enter into new partnerships or strategic collaborations; and the factors described under "Risk Factors" in Zymeworks' quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (copies of which may be obtained at www.sec.gov and www.sedarplus.ca).

        

Although Zymeworks believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance they will prove to be correct. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The above assumptions, risks and uncertainties are not exhaustive. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as may be required by law, Zymeworks undertakes no obligation to update, republish, or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or circumstances, or to reflect the occurrences of unanticipated events.

Contacts:

Investor Inquiries:

Shrinal Inamdar

Vice President, Investor Relations

(604) 678-1388

ir@zymeworks.com   

Media Inquiries:

Diana Papove

Vice President, Corporate Communications

(604) 678-1388

media@zymeworks.com

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, China, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From April 21 to 26, the public is invited to step into the Chery Group's LEPAS brand public exhibition and experience a poetic dialogue where elegance, art, and lifestyle converge. At a street corner in Milan, light and shadow dance across tree-lined cafes, where history and contemporary design flow seamlessly through the city's urban fabric. Here, LEPAS will make its European debut-"Here's to Elegance"-a tribute to refined living and an open invitation to all who embrace an elegant lifestyle.

Located in Tortona, at the heart of Milano Design Week, the LEPAS brand space sits next to the picturesque Navigli canal district, where the dynamic urban landscape meets serene artistic spaces, infusing this creative field with a unique poetic tension.

The journey begins with the signature orange passage, each step a threshold between time and space. In the courtyard, greenery and shifting light weave together to create an immersive atmosphere, reflecting LEPAS's unique design philosophy: the seamless harmony of Leopard Aesthetics and Elegant Technology. A dedicated photo zone, shaped by light and color, turns every pause into a moment of ritualized elegance.

Inside the main exhibition hall, the space unfolds like a flowing canvas. Vehicles are presented as sculptural works of art, poised for their reveal. Light moves gently across ceilings and walls, inviting visitors to engage with the evolving space and feel the rhythm created by the interplay of design and advanced technology. Every installation, every beam of light, and every visual pause echoes LEPAS's vision of modern aesthetics, conveying its interpretation of modern elegance and technological innovation.

Beyond visual design, the experience extends into a multi-sensory journey. Guests can savor curated coffee tastings accompanied by live violin performances. With a crafted cup in hand, visitors experience a dialogue between flavor and form, while violin melodies flow through the space, harmonizing with the clean lines of modern design.

At the heart of this sensory experience stands the LEPAS L6, making its European debut. Standing before the vehicle, the warmth from the coffee, the rhythm of strings, and the sculpted surfaces of the L6 come together in perfect harmony. Its poised stance and dynamic lines embody LEPAS's Leopard Aesthetics, while beneath its elegant exterior, the LEX platform delivers a smooth, quiet, and refined driving experience-transforming mobility into an extension of lifestyle. Here, technology is no longer distant or impersonal; it becomes an integral part of Elegant Driving, where taste, sound, and sight intertwine, offering a preview of LEPAS's composed and elevated mobility experience.

The LEPAS European Debut is more than a brand showcase-it is a deep convergence of European culture, contemporary design, advanced technology, and the pursuit of elegant living. LEPAS warmly invites all design enthusiasts and seekers of elegance to experience this unique moment, where Milan's spring light meets the brand's vision of Drive Your Elegance, leaving behind a unique memory of the season.

Exhibition Information

Theme: Here's to Elegance

Dates: April 21-26, 2026 (11:00 - 18:00)

Location: Via Tortona 27, Milan

Highlights:

11:30-12:30 Coffee Tasting, Live Band Performance, Interactive Live stream

15:30-16:30 Coffee Tasting, Live Band Performance, Interactive Live stream

Company: Chery Group

Contact Person: Peiwen Tan

Email: tanpeiwen@mychery.com

Website: lepasinternational.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db027204-2fde-40f0-b27a-e963ed431ac8

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, China, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Since its global launch, iCAUR, the new energy strategic brand of Chery Group, has gained wide popularity worldwide for its model V23. Its distinctive features and all-around capabilities make it a popular choice in the new energy boxy SUV segment. In the Southeast Asian new energy market, it continues to deliver strong performance, and continuously ranked No.1 in sales in the region's new energy boxy SUV segment. These solid market results prove its global appeal.

This achievement directly reflects the iCAUR V23's dual breakthrough in both reputation and market share across key markets such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In February, the V23 launched at the Indonesia International Motor Show, winning three major awards: Best APM Outdoor Activity, Favourite New Car Launch, and Favorite Newcomer Car Brand. The V23 model also received over 300 blind pre-orders, making an immediate impact on the local market.

In the Thailand market, the V23 has delivered benchmark performance, with cumulative sales surpassing 4,000 units. It has ranked No.1 in the boxy pure EV SUV segment for two consecutive months and entered the top five EV models by registrations in Thailand. At the 2026 Model of the Year Awards, it won Best Performance Compact SUV EV and Best Boxy Style, achieving wide recognition in both sales and reputation. In Malaysia, the V23 has also performed strongly, with over 1,800 units delivered since launch and gaining local positive recognition.

A model can keep leading in overseas markets mainly because its product fits local driving needs. Southeast Asia has complex terrain, with many mountains and unpaved roads. Local users also have high demands for off-road ability, space practicality, and daily commuting use. The iCAUR V23 is designed to match these key needs. With a 43? approach angle, a 41? departure angle, and 210mm high ground clearance, the vehicle can handle both city commuting and outdoor trips with ease. Its 2,735mm long wheelbase also provides a spacious cabin and cargo space, making it suitable for solo travel, family trips, and other scenarios.

The solid performance of the V23 in Southeast Asia is also backed by multiple authoritative certifications. The model has received a five-star safety rating from ASEAN NCAP, becoming the first pure electric boxy SUV to achieve this result. Its cage body structure made of 70% high-strength steel, along with over a dozen advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), provides comprehensive safety protection for drivers and passengers. The V23 also ranked No.1 in the 2026 China New Energy Vehicle Automotive Performance for mid-size pure electric SUVs released by J.D. Power, further proving its product strength in global markets.

A high-quality product can continuously unlock market potential and bring more surprises to users. The iCAUR V23 has built a highly flexible modification ecosystem that meets the personalized needs of users across different regions, further enhancing its market adaptability. At the upcoming 2026 Beijing Auto Show and the iCAUR International Business Summit, the brand will showcase various modified versions of the V23, fully demonstrating its customization potential and scenario expansion capabilities. The AIMOGA robots and robotic dogs will also make an appearance at the iCAUR exhibition booth. Stay tuned!

Company: Chery Group

Contact Person: Zeng Zhaoqing

Email: cengzhaoqing@mychery.com

Website: https://www.icaurglobal.com/

City: Wu Hu

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

*Space economy has been growing rapidly (estimated $1.8T in 2035E); undetected and unmonitored space objects put national security, national sovereignty, and vitality of the space economy at risk, calling for robust infrastructure to protect high-value assets

NorthStar is a highly differentiated space and satellite data analytics company established to monitor and react to active space threats, recognized as mission-critical by key defense, civil, and commercial customers

*Transaction includes a fully committed $30 million common stock PIPE anchored by Cartesian Capital Group, with participation from leading Canadian and U.S. institutional investors

*Transaction is expected to provide the business with minimum gross proceeds of $30 million, before giving effect to any additional funds remaining in the trust account

*New capital enables NorthStar to accelerate deployment of its space-based sensor network and scale its data and analytics platform

MONTREAL and NEW YORK, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthStar Earth & Space Inc. ("NorthStar" or the "Company"), a global leader in Space Situational Awareness ("SSA") and Space Domain Awareness ("SDA"), and Viking Acquisition Corp. I ("Viking") (NYSE: VACI), a special purpose acquisition company, announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the "Business Combination Agreement"). Upon closing of the transaction, shares of the combined company are expected to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "NSTR".

NorthStar's planned constellation demonstrates industry-defining capabilities in delivering advanced, scalable SSA and geospatial intelligence services to commercial customers and governments. Through its network of bespoke sensors designed to monitor orbital activity and provide threat detection, NorthStar is uniquely equipped to service the rapidly growing space economy and to provide the necessary support systems to ensure satellite safety, support defense and security operations, and enable orbital sustainability.

Stewart Bain, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar, said, "NorthStar intends to play a vital role in safeguarding orbital environments and advancing sustainability in space. At this critical juncture, becoming a public company provides NorthStar with unprecedented access to capital to scale our operations. The transaction positions NorthStar to keep pace with the challenges presented by the increased frequency of new launches and deliver greater value to stakeholders across the space industry. Our team is mission-driven as we seek to make a lasting positive impact on our planet through advanced Space Situational Awareness."

"We are proud to partner with NorthStar, a company at the forefront of space-based intelligence and a clear leader in addressing the growing need for Space Situational Awareness," said N. H?kan Wohlin, Chief Executive Officer of Viking. "NorthStar's differentiated technology, strong customer interest, and scalable business model position it to capitalize on powerful secular tailwinds across defense, security, and commercial space. We believe this transaction offers a compelling opportunity for investors to participate in the next generation of space infrastructure."

Beth Michelson, Partner at Cartesian Capital Group, added, "We are thrilled to build on our partnership with NorthStar as it enters its next phase of growth. We have been consistently impressed by NorthStar's execution capabilities and its ability to commercialize space information and intelligence services. These strengths reinforce our conviction in NorthStar's differentiated value proposition and long-term growth potential. As lead investor in this round, we are excited to support the company in scaling its platform, expanding its global reach, and unlocking new opportunities across the sector."

Transaction Overview

The transaction includes a fully committed $30 million common stock PIPE anchored by Cartesian Capital Group, with participation from leading Canadian and U.S. institutional investors, which may be satisfied through a direct subscription or the purchase and non-redemption of Viking's existing public shares. The transaction is expected to provide the business with minimum gross proceeds of $30 million, before giving effect to any additional funds remaining in the trust account.

Under the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, the transaction values NorthStar at a pre-money valuation of $300 million. The expected proceeds from the transaction will be used to fund payload capital expenditures such as sensors to include on satellites, spacecraft integration and deployment, and non-recurring engineering expenses.

Stewart Bain and the NorthStar executive team will continue to lead the Company following the close of the transaction, with the defined goal of executing NorthStar's growth strategy.

The boards of directors of NorthStar and Viking have each unanimously approved the proposed transaction, which is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Advisors

Cohen & Company Capital Markets, a division of Cohen & Company Securities, LLC, is serving as exclusive financial advisor, lead capital markets advisor, and sole placement agent to NorthStar, and Greenberg Traurig, LLP is serving as the Company's legal counsel. KingsRock Advisors, LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Viking. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP is serving as legal counsel to Viking.

About NorthStar

NorthStar's precise information services identify and anticipate the position of space objects to enhance spaceflight safety. NorthStar is the first commercial service to deliver space-based SSA and SDA capabilities on an international scale. With headquarters in Montreal, Canada, a European headquarters in Luxembourg, and a dedicated US operation in New York, NorthStar addresses the ever-growing threat of space collisions as a major contribution to empower humanity to preserve our planet.

About Viking

Viking Acquisition Corp. I is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Viking is sponsored by KingsRock Advisors, LLC, an independent global advisory firm, with securities offered by KingsRock Securities, LLC, a FINRA member firm and SIPC. KingsRock advises on a wide range of corporate finance matters and private capital markets transactions, including debt, hybrid, equity and M&A.

Media Contacts

NorthStar

Prosek Partners

Pro-NorthStar@Prosek.com

Viking

Gil Ottensoser

Gil.Ottensoser@viking.kingsrock.com

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

FREMONT, Calif., April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the wake of the new 2026 Sidley Blockchain Bulletin, which highlights tokenized Real-World Assets (RWAs) as the next frontier for capital markets, Dmitry Shubov Consulting is releasing a new strategic analysis focused on the "compliance gap" hitting Southeast Asian (SEA) startups.

With the June 3, 2026, New York UCC Article 12 rollout just around the corner, the briefing delves into the new "exclusive control" rules that these firms must meet if they want to turn their digital assets into legitimate collateral for U.S. bank financing.

Industry leaders identify three critical frictions currently stalling SEA expansion:

The Control Standard Hurdles: The biggest wall for cross-border expansion right now is getting digital architecture to play nice with UCC Article 12's "Control" rules. If an SEA startup can't prove the "exclusive power" required by these new amendments, their tokenized assets are likely to get rejected by U.S. institutional credit markets that now demand strict, modernized collateral eligibility.

The July Enforcement Deadline: California's Digital Financial Assets Law (DFAL) hits full enforcement this July, ending the era of regulatory ambiguity. A documented licensing roadmap is now the baseline for any serious conversation with U.S. capital partners.

The Enforceability Paradox: There is a persistent disconnect between "code" and "courtrooms." U.S. judges increasingly look for "Code-Plus" architecture-smart contracts backed by human-readable legal wrappers that ensure a "meeting of the minds" if a dispute arises.

"This year, the technology is there, but the legal regulatory frameworks are where there may be some opportunity for legal tech firms, and tech firms in general. Many regions, like SEA and Dubai, have groundbreaking technology to really game-change, but the U.S. 'anchor' is what is necessary to close deals with U.S. investors," says Dmitry Shubov, Founder of Dmitry Shubov Consulting.

Navigating the U.S. regulatory landscape can be a bit of a labyrinth, and partnering with a consulting firm can be the best first step to ensure cross-border tech success. Dmitry Shubov Consulting specializes in guiding early-stage SEA legal tech firms into the U.S. market and closing the gap between domestic investors and SEA innovation. For more details on entering the U.S. market as a new legal-tech firm or an established SEA-based legal-tech firm, reach out to Dmitry Shubov Consulting.

About Dmitry Shubov Consulting

At Dmitry Shubov Consulting, our mission is to connect accredited investors with groundbreaking legal technology startups, fostering innovation and growth across Southeast Asia and helping Asian businesses enter the U.S. market. For more information, please visit our website or contact us directly.

Media Contact:

Support@dmitryshubovconsulting.com

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

SHENZHEN, China, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heilind Asia Pacific, a regional business of Heilind Electronics, one of the world's leading distributors of interconnect products, has been recognized as the "2025 Quality Supplier of the Year" at the annual industry awards organized by HQEW.

Heilind Asia Pacific

Ken Liu, General Sales Manager attended this event on behalf of Heilind Asia Pacific.

Established in 2008, the HQEW Annual Enterprise Selection is one of the most influential and authoritative awards in the electronic components industry. The selection employs a multi-dimensional evaluation mechanism, combining market performance and industry feedback to systematically recognize benchmark companies. Heilind Asia Pacific stood out among numerous nominees through its resilient supply chain capabilities and consistently high standards of customer service, successfully winning the "2025 Quality Supplier of the Year" award.

In 2025, the global semiconductor and electronic components market continued to expand, driven by accelerating demand in artificial intelligence (AI), new energy vehicles, and 5G communications. In this dynamic environment, supply chain stability and responsiveness have become increasingly critical, reinforcing the vital role distributors play in bridging manufacturers and end customers while ensuring continuity of supply.

As a specialized distributor focused on interconnect and related products, Heilind Asia Pacific has developed strong expertise across key application sectors, including industrial, automotive, new energy, AI, and communications. Leveraging its global resource network and localized service model, the company delivers comprehensive, one-stop solutions covering product selection, supply assurance, and technical support, continuously enhancing delivery efficiency and service reliability.

About Heilind Electronics

Founded in 1974, Heilind Electronics, Inc. (www.heilind.com) is one of the world's leading authorized distributors of connectors, relays, switches, thermal management & circuit protection products, terminal blocks, wire & cable, wiring accessories, insulation and sensor, hardware & fastener products. Heilind has locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, and mainland China.

Heilind Asia Pacific (www.heilindasia.com), a subsidiary of Heilind Electronics, commenced operations in Dec 2012. Besides being headquartered in Hong Kong, where it also has distribution centers and value-added centers, Heilind Asia now has 25 sales locations & 5 warehouses throughout Asia. Our leading industry service offering to customers in the Asia Pacific is the result of a commitment to the belief of "Distribution As It Should Be".

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sarah Luo - Marcom and PR Manager, APAC Heilind Electronics

sarah.luo@heilindasia.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/829dd919-0cc1-4d30-a584-a334c0e26d47

Photo: Ken Liu, General Sales Manager attended this event on behalf of Heilind Asia Pacific.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 18 April 2026 - VinFast today announced the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on strategic cooperation with 14 e-scooter distributors in the Philippines. The agreements demonstrate VinFast's ability to rapidly scale its retail network, while further affirming its long-term commitment to advancing green mobility and building a comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem in the Philippines.

To support its planned product launch in June 2026, VinFast has continued to partner with leading motorcycle distributors in the Philippines, including Wheeltek Motor Sales Corporation; Gentrade International Phils., Inc. (Transcycle); Superbikes Corporation; Motoxpress Sales Corporation; FMN Industrial Corp.; Eduhome Enterprise, Inc.; Keymotors Incorporated; Motorpro by Abenson Ventures Inc. and Aserco; Moto Atelier Inc.; Ciclo Suerte; HG Motorzone; HGC Main Marketing (Motorboy); BLC Cycle Parts Supply; and Auto Ten Trade & Services Corp. Similar to the partners signed in January 2026, these partners have extensive networks, demonstrate strong operational capabilities, and possess longstanding experience in the motorcycle business, alongside a clear orientation toward the green transition.

VinFast and its partners will collaborate to rapidly roll out a showroom network across the market, with many outlets expected to be launched in parallel at the time of product introduction, laying the foundation for accelerated expansion of nationwide sales and after-sales services. The showrooms will be developed in high-demand areas with strong potential for green transition such as Metro Manila, Metro Davao, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Metro Cebu, Bulacan, and other major urban provinces, and will adhere to VinFast's global standards for operations and brand identity.

In the initial phase, the network will distribute a portfolio of swappable-battery e-scooters, including Evo, Feliz II, Viper, and other models expected to be launched in the near future, alongside upcoming models that will be further adapted to local infrastructure conditions and consumer usage patterns in the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of Southeast Asia's largest motorcycle markets, characterized by strong demand for personal mobility and rapid urbanization. Amid fuel price volatility and a growing shift toward sustainable solutions, e-scooters are emerging as a promising pathway, particularly when supported by an integrated ecosystem.

VinFast is pioneering the development of a comprehensive e-scooter ecosystem in the Philippines, encompassing dealer networks, after-sales services, financing solutions, and energy infrastructure. Notably, the company aims to deploy approximately 30,000 battery-swapping stations nationwide in the near term, in collaboration with infrastructure partners, to deliver a convenient and flexible user experience.

Earlier in 2026, VinFast announced plans to expand its e-scooter business across five key international markets, including the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Thailand, and Malaysia, as part of its global strategy to scale a green mobility ecosystem.

Ms. Vo Thi Cam Tu, Managing Director of VinFast E-Scooters Overseas Market, said: "Our partnerships with 14 major dealers in the Philippines mark an important step in rapidly establishing a strong distribution and service foundation from the outset. We are not only introducing products tailored to local needs, but also developing an integrated ecosystem, from battery-swapping infrastructure to after-sales services, enabling consumers to access and adopt e-scooters in a convenient, efficient, and sustainable manner."

In recent years, VinFast has steadily built its presence across key Southeast Asian markets, including the Philippines, through a diverse electric vehicle portfolio and strategic partnerships in infrastructure and services. The expansion into e-scooters further completes its green mobility ecosystem in the market and the region, while providing consumers with more flexible options in the transition to sustainable transportation.

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

Hashtags: #VinFast

HONG KONG, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The four-day 2026 HKTDC Spring Electronics Fair concluded successfully. HKC with its high-end gaming brand ANTGAMER, partnered with Saroasis, a Tencent studio, to showcase Fate Trigger under the theme "Precision Performance, Trigger the Ultimate Experience." The booth created an immersive space integrating hardware technology with game IP elements, drawing strong attention from media and visitors throughout the event.

During the exhibition, the booth remained highly popular, attracting media and industry professionals from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Industry discussions focused on topics such as whether ultra-high refresh rates will become the new standard for gaming displays and the future of OLED. Professional visitors engaged deeply with the products, capturing content and experiencing the displays firsthand.

Through the Fate Trigger collaboration, ANTGAMER seamlessly integrated game visuals with hardware scenarios. The booth design and immersive presentation conveyed a unified brand and game experience, attracting a large number of young visitors for photos and hands-on interaction, setting the stage for deeper collaboration between ANTGAMER and Fate Trigger.

ANTGAMER's high-performance products gained strong recognition from esports users. The flagship ANT275PQ MAX, featuring a 540Hz refresh rate and QHD resolution, delivered exceptionally smooth visuals. The ANT257PF, with a 750Hz refresh rate, drew repeated engagement from competitive players. The fourth-generation WOLED (Tandem OLED) model ANT275ZQE and HMO-Fast IPS models ANT253PQ/ANT27DPQ were also well received for their response speed and color performance.

HKC demonstrated its innovation in display technologies, showcasing advances in QD-OLED, MiniLED, and high-performance LCD. QD-OLED achieves a 0.03ms response time with high color gamut; MiniLED supports UHD160/FHD320 dual-mode switching; and high-performance LCD reaches up to 500Hz, covering diverse gaming and multi-scenario needs.

Industry observers noted that HKC and ANTGAMER's combination of advanced technologies and IP collaboration reflects strong momentum in both performance breakthroughs and ecosystem development.

With the exhibition's conclusion, HKC and ANTGAMER further strengthened their global presence through a "technology + ecosystem" approach. The collaboration with Fate Trigger also attracted strong interest from younger audiences. Moving forward, both brands will continue advancing technology and ecosystem development, pushing the boundaries of display innovation and driving the evolution of the esports display industry.

Contact:

Email: hkcprcontact@szhk.com.cn

Website:

https://www.hkcglobal.net/ 

http://www.antgamer.net 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9ab4dc72-703b-49d8-a160-d12e44158cdb

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

CGTN mengulas kunjungan Perdana Menteri Spanyol Pedro S?nchez ke Tiongkok, dengan menekankan peran pertukaran tingkat tinggi berkelanjutan sebagai faktor pendorong utama dalam memperkuat hubungan Tiongkok-Spanyol di tengah ketidakpastian situasi global. Artikel ini juga membahas peningkatan kerja sama ekonomi serta komitmen bersama terhadap multilateralisme, rantai pasok global yang stabil, dan kerja sama terbuka, dengan menempatkan hubungan itu sebagai kekuatan penstabil di tengah lingkungan internasional yang semakin terfragmentasi.

BEIJING, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Di kantor pusat raksasa teknologi Tiongkok, Xiaomi, Perdana Menteri Spanyol Pedro S?nchez mencoba berbagai perangkat elektronik konsumen mutakhir, menguji coba kendaraan listrik, dan berulang kali menggambarkan pengalamannya sebagai "Muy bien" (sangat bagus). Selanjutnya, beliau berpidato di hadapan mahasiswa di Universitas Tsinghua, dengan mendorong pemahaman timbal balik lebih besar antara Eropa dan Tiongkok.

Momen-momen itu merupakan bagian dari kunjungannya ke Tiongkok pada tanggal 11-15 April, yang merupakan kunjungan keempat dalam empat tahun. Kunjungan ini sekaligus menunjukkan nuansa kunjungan yang memadukan simbolisme dengan sinyal kebijakan, serta menegaskan hubungan yang semakin menguat melalui pertukaran tingkat tinggi yang berkelanjutan.

Dalam pertemuan di Beijing, Presiden Tiongkok Xi Jinping menyatakan bahwa Tiongkok dan Spanyol perlu memperkuat kerja sama di berbagai bidang, seperti perdagangan, energi baru, dan ekonomi cerdas, serta mendorong pertukaran di bidang budaya, pendidikan, riset ilmiah, dan olahraga.

Beliau menyebutkan bahwa meskipun situasi internasional terus berubah dan penuh gejolak, Tiongkok dan Spanyol tetap memelihara hubungan yang stabil, melalui kerja sama yang dibangun dengan tekad strategis. Beliau mengingatkan adanya pelajaran berharga yaitu pentingnya mengambil keputusan yang tepat berdasarkan kepentingan bersama.

Sementara itu, Perdana Menteri Pedro Sanchez mengatakan empat kunjungannya mencerminkan betapa pentingnya hubungan itu bagi kedua negara, serta menyerukan keterlibatan yang lebih mendalam dan sikap saling pengertian. Beliau menambahkan bahwa Spanyol sangat menghargai status Tiongkok sebagai negara besar.

Pertemuan itu mencerminkan upaya lebih luas dari kedua negara untuk mempertahankan pertukaran tingkat tinggi yang konsisten. Interaksi rutin seperti ini telah menjaga kesinambungan ikatan bilateral, bahkan di tengah meningkatnya ketidakpastian geopolitik.

Selain dialog politik tingkat tinggi, kerja sama ekonomi juga tetap menjadi pilar utama dalam hubungan itu. Selama bertahun-tahun, Tiongkok menjadi mitra dagang terbesar Spanyol di luar Uni Eropa, dengan nilai perdagangan bilateral yang terus meningkat. Data terbaru menunjukkan peningkatan pertukaran barang dan jasa, serta munculnya bidang-bidang kolaborasi baru di sektor energi hijau, kendaraan listrik, dan industri digital. Pada tahun 2025, nilai perdagangan bilateral barang antara Tiongkok dan Spanyol mencapai lebih dari $55 miliar, naik 9,8% dibandingkan tahun sebelumnya.

Sementara itu, perusahaan-perusahaan Tiongkok telah meningkatkan investasinya di Spanyol di berbagai sektor seperti baterai listrik, energi terbarukan, dan infrastruktur, yang berkontribusi pada penciptaan lapangan kerja lokal dan pembangunan industri. Produk pertanian dan pangan Spanyol, termasuk minyak zaitun, anggur, dan daging babi, telah memperoleh akses lebih luas ke pasar Tiongkok, yang mencerminkan struktur perdagangan yang saling melengkapi.

Kunjungan Perdana Menteri Pedro S?nchez memperkuat tren ini, dengan kedua pihak mengeksplorasi cara untuk semakin menyeimbangkan perdagangan dan memperluas akses pasar. Dokumen kerja sama di berbagai bidang seperti ekonomi dan perdagangan, pendidikan, sains dan teknologi, serta pertanian dan pangan ditandatangani sebagai bagian dari upaya lebih luas untuk mempertahankan ikatan ekonomi di tengah penyesuaian rantai pasok global.

Selain keuntungan bilateral, kunjungan ini juga memiliki implikasi yang lebih luas di tingkat internasional. Presiden Xi Jinping menyerukan agar Tiongkok dan Spanyol bekerja sama secara erat untuk menolak segala bentuk kemunduran menuju hukum rimba, serta bersama-sama menjunjung tinggi multilateralisme sejati, dengan menegaskan dukungan bersama terhadap tatanan internasional berbasis aturan.

Perdana Menteri Pedro S?nchez juga menekankan pentingnya kerja sama multilateral dan ekonomi global yang seimbang untuk mewujudkan kemakmuran bersama. Pernyataannya ini sejalan dengan posisi Spanyol sebagai pendukung dialog dan kerja sama di dalam Uni Eropa, terutama seiring meningkatnya perdebatan mengenai perdagangan, keamanan, dan tata kelola global.

Kedua pihak juga menunjukkan adanya kesamaan pandangan dalam menjaga stabilitas rantai industri dan rantai pasok global, di tengah meningkatnya tekanan proteksionisme dan tuntutan pemutusan hubungan ekonomi di berbagai belahan dunia. Kerja sama ini menjadi contoh bagaimana negara-negara perekonomian utama dapat berupaya bersikap terbuka sekaligus mengatasi perbedaan melalui dialog.

Dalam konteks lebih luas, kunjungan Perdana Menteri Pedro S?nchez mencerminkan periode meningkatnya ketidakpastian global, di tengah konflik dan fragmentasi ekonomi yang turut membentuk arah perdebatan kebijakan. Di tengah situasi ini, Tiongkok dan Spanyol menegaskan pentingnya kepastian dalam hubungan bilateral, serta menempatkan kemitraan mereka sebagai sumber stabilitas.

Menjelang berakhirnya kunjungan Perdana Menteri Pedro S?nchez, penekanan pada kesinambungan, dalam pertukaran para pemimpin, kerja sama ekonomi, dan kesamaan sikap terhadap isu global, menunjukkan bahwa kedua pihak memandang hubungan ini sebagai hubungan yang tangguh. Di tengah dinamika lingkungan internasional, ikatan Tiongkok-Spanyol tidak hanya dianggap sebagai saling menguntungkan, tetapi juga sebagai bagian dari upaya lebih luas untuk mempertahankan kerja sama di dunia yang semakin kompleks.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-04-15/How-China-Spain-deepen-ties-amid-global-uncertainty-1Mn08gN0HlK/p.html

Kontak: CGTN Digital jiang.simin@cgtn.com

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Clean Core Thorium Energy is preparing for a demonstration irradiation of its patented ANEEL fuel with manufacturing technology enabled by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

CHICAGO, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) announce an agreement to manufacture demonstration irradiation (DI) bundles of ANEEL fuel. This milestone follows successful completion of a collaborative Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative (CNRI) project which provided model verification and validation of the computer codes and analysis methods used in the design and safety analysis of ANEEL fuel.

Advancing Fuel Performance and Testing

DI bundles are prototypic (full-scale) ANEEL fuel bundles matching actual reactor fuel bundles designed for interface and irradiation testing. Manufactured by CNL at the Chalk River Laboratories, these bundles will enable CCTE to conduct demonstration irradiation which will provide practical, in-reactor data for to support future qualification and potential deployment of ANEEL fuel in CANDU reactors and other Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs). CNL will lead the development, qualification, and manufacturing of ANEEL fuel under Canadian Standard Association (CSA) requirements for manufacturing nuclear fuel. This will allow for a DI that would provide additional reassurance to the designer, the utility, the manufacturer, and the regulator, of acceptable fuel performance and the first example of operational experience for a new fuel design.

"This milestone advances ANEEL from validated models to an engineered, fleet-compatible fuel design," said Mehul Shah, Founder and CEO of Clean Core Thorium Energy. "The fabrication of reactor-representative bundles with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, followed by CCTE's subsequent irradiation, will position us to generate the performance data necessary to support regulatory review and future fleet deployment. It marks a foundational step toward commercial readiness."

"CNL has maintained core capabilities in fuel research, development and fabrication enabling us to take on the manufacturing of novel and next generation fuels," explains Dr. Monica Regalbuto, Vice-President, Science & Technology. "We are pleased to be working with CCTE and to apply the deep expertise of the labs to this exciting advanced fuel project."

A Comprehensive Development Roadmap

This initiative is a core component of CCTE's broader ANEEL fuel development programme, which includes:

Model Validation: Successful model and analysis method validation at CNL.

Irradiation Testing: Accelerated burnup qualification at Idaho National Laboratory's Advanced Test Reactor, targeting burnup levels exceeding 60 GWd/t/MTU

Regulatory Progress: Completion of a Phase 1 pre-licensing vendor design review with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Together, these activities support the ongoing qualification and commercial readiness of ANEEL fuel for use in existing CANDU reactor and PHWR designs.

About ANEEL Fuel

ANEEL is CCTE's patented nuclear fuel technology combining thorium with enriched uranium. The fuel retains the same external geometry as existing fuel for PHWRs and CANDU reactors, including 19- and 37-element designs. This allows for integration into current reactor fleets without major reactor hardware modifications or core design. ANEEL is designed to achieve higher burnup and improved fuel utilisation in a once-through fuel cycle, with the potential to reduce long-lived spent fuel volumes per unit of energy generated and strengthen proliferation resistance.

About Clean Core Thorium Energy

Clean Core Thorium Energy is a nuclear fuel company exploring thorium-driven nuclear innovations. Clean Core's patented nuclear fuel technology (called the ANEEL fuel) is comprised of thorium and enriched uranium (LEU+ to HALEU), which can improve the safety and cost-efficiency of pressurized heavy-water reactors. The ANEEL fuel is a novel solution to safety, waste, and proliferation concerns in today's nuclear plants.

Learn more at https://cleancore.energy/. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn and X.

Milan Shah

Chief Operating Officer

info@cleancore.energy

About CNL

As Canada's premier nuclear science and technology laboratory and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. CNL fulfils three strategic priorities of national importance - restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.

By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector, and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.

To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca. 

Philip Kompass

Director, Corporate Communications

1-866-886-2325

media@cnl.ca

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*Long-standing strategic collaboration showcases new milestones that help manufacturers boost efficiency and resiliency across the complete lifecycle

*Industrial copilot, powered by Azure AI, cuts engineering time by up to 50% with production changes that once took weeks now completed in hours

HANNOVER, Germany, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, will spotlight new milestones in its strategic collaboration with Microsoft at Hannover Messe, demonstrating how their combined technologies are enabling manufacturers to modernize operations, accelerate engineering, and strengthen resiliency.

Schneider Electric provides the industrial execution backbone for the collaboration through EcoStruxure Automation Expert, its open, software‑defined automation platform that runs consistently across on‑premises, edge, and hybrid environments. Microsoft extends this foundation with Azure cloud and AI services that orchestrate, analyze, and optimize industrial processes. The result is a unified approach to agentic manufacturing, open automation, and end‑to‑end sustainability.

Manufacturers today face increasing product variability, supply chain instability, and mounting pressure to modernize safely. Schneider Electric addresses these challenges by connecting engineering intent with real‑time operational execution. Their combined platform enables teams to standardize reusable logic, validate automation through simulation, maintain traceability throughout the lifecycle, and scale interoperable operations across diverse sites and hardware.

Schneider Electric is working with Microsoft to develop the next generation of agentic, software‑defined manufacturing, an integrated workflow spanning design, engineering, build, commissioning, and operations. At the core is EcoStruxure Automation Expert, which allows manufacturers to author, simulate, validate and deploy automation logic once and run it anywhere without retooling. Schneider Electric's deep expertise in safety, compliance, and industrial integration ensures reliability in highly regulated environments.

"From agentic design to software defined operations, Microsoft and Schneider Electric demonstrate a single, interoperable workflow that validates, simulates, and deploys automation logic consistently across cloud and edge," said Gwenaelle Huet, EVP Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric.

Where traditional automation programs require separate tools and handoffs at each phase - engineering design, simulation, commissioning, and operations, the joint platform collapses these into a single traceable workflow. Specialized AI agents, coordinated by an orchestrator, automate routine design decisions and validate logic before deployment, reducing design-to-build lead times and improving first-pass yield. Schneider Electric's industrial copilot for manufacturers, powered by Azure AI, is already delivering results in the field: engineering teams report up to 50%-time savings on control configuration and documentation tasks, with production line changes that previously required weeks now completed in hours.

In one live autonomous green hydrogen deployment with H2E Power, an Indian green hydrogen pioneer, the platform has maintained more than 6,000 hours of stable autonomous operation in one of the most demanding industrial environments - high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis for green hydrogen production - cutting the levelized cost of hydrogen by up to 10%, equivalent to around EUR500,000 per year for a typical 10 MW plant. 

"With agentic design, we're closing the loop from engineering intent to operational reality, automating decisions, validating early, and handing off reusable automation packages that Schneider Electric can simulate and deploy consistently across cloud and edge," said Dayan Rodriguez, Corporate Vice President, Manufacturing and Mobility, Microsoft.

At their respective booths at Hannover Messe 2026, Schneider Electric (Hall 13, Stand C34) and Microsoft (Hall 17, Stand G06) will offer hands-on demonstrations of early-stage co-innovation capabilities, spanning live demonstrations, engineering-grade AI, and an open-standards ecosystem, as part of a growing program to advance the next generation of manufacturing.

Press contact: media.relations@se.com

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader, driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and grids to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, enhancing performance, resilience, and sustainability. The portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-powered systems, digital services, and expert advisory. With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in over 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world's most sustainable companies.

  

www.se.com

Discover the newest perspectives on energy technology on Schneider Electric Insights.

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WUHU, China, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, international oil prices have continued to fluctuate at a high level of $120 per barrel, with fuel prices in many European countries surging by over 16% in just two weeks. The soaring cost of travel has become a major concern for households and consumers worldwide.

According to calculations by the clean energy organization Transport & Environment, if oil prices remain above $100 per barrel for an extended period, the fuel cost per 100 kilometers for gasoline vehicles will reach as high as EUR 14.20 - meaning that for an average family driving 20,000 kilometers annually, annual fuel expenses alone will approach 3,000.

Against this backdrop, the SHS Super Hybrid System equipped in OMODA & JAECOO models offers a practical cost-saving solution for family travel in the era of high oil prices, backed by authoritative media tests, global extreme challenges, and real user feedback.

Authoritative Long-Term Media Test: Six Months of Validated Everyday Low Fuel Consumption

Top Gear, the UK's leading automotive media outlet, conducted an in-depth, six-month long-term test on the JAECOO 7 SHS-P. The results showed that, in a charge-depleted state (running on gasoline only, without recharging), it consistently achieved fuel efficiency of over 50 mpg (approximately 4.7 L/100 km).

In its test report, Top Gear specifically noted: "Despite not adding any extra electric juice to the 7's regular petrol diet, I've been regularly returning over 50mpg, which I reckon is pretty tidy from a bluff, weighty SUV." This assessment implies that, for urban users without daily charging access, the JAECOO 7 SHS-P can still significantly cut fuel costs by nearly half compared to same-class vehicles, significantly reducing the burden of daily refueling.

Extreme Real-World Test: Three Key Metrics Define the Efficiency Benchmark

Beyond everyday scenarios verified by authoritative media, the extreme real-world tests organized by OMODA & JAECOO across diverse global terrains further explored the upper limits of the SHS system's efficiency. In comprehensive challenges covering city congestion, highway cruising, and hilly mountain roads, the system delivered three impressive results:

Extreme CS fuel consumption 3.1 L/100 km: Under specific fuel-saving test conditions, the SHS system achieved results far surpassing the official WLTP rating. Based on current European fuel prices, the fuel cost per kilometer is approximately ?0.108. Compared to the typical fuel consumption of 8 - 10 L/100 km for comparable gasoline SUVs, driving 20,000 km annually can save over EUR1,400 in fuel costs.

Electric Range 151.6 km: The actual electric range far exceeds the official rating of 90 km, fully covering the daily commuting distances of the vast majority of European households.

Combined Range 1,613 km: The actual total range exceeds the official WLTP rating of 1,200 km by over 400 km. One tank of fuel allows a round trip from Paris to Berlin without refueling, dramatically reducing travel costs while offering ultimate travel freedom.

Owner Testimonials: A Low-Fuel-Consumption Experience

Beyond the data, real feedback from OMODA & JAECOO owners around the world provides the most direct proof of the SHS hybrid system's economy. A JAECOO 7 owner shared his experience on social media: "I charge every night, and a full charge lets me drive about 56 miles. I only need to refuel once every six weeks or so." He admitted that he was initially "skeptical about hybrid vehicles," but after driving for several months, he acknowledged that the dramatic drop in refueling frequency was directly reflected in his monthly bills.

This experience, described by many owners as "effortless savings," means that users have quietly optimized their travel costs without having to consciously change their driving style or sacrifice the use of air conditioning or entertainment systems.

Technology-Driven Innovation: The Energy Efficiency Logic Behind the SHS Super Hybrid System

Given the current landscape of high fuel prices, fuel-saving methods that rely solely on driving techniques are no longer sufficient to meet user needs; upgrading the underlying technical architecture is key to reducing travel costs.

As a core achievement of OMODA & JAECOO's hybrid technology development, the SHS Super Hybrid System operates on the principle of "electric power in the city, gasoline on the highway, and efficient coordination." From the underlying architecture, it achieves dual breakthroughs in both performance and fuel economy.

In urban commuting scenarios below 60 km/h, the vehicle primarily relies on electric motor, with the engine intervening only within its high-efficiency range to assist, enabling zero-fuel-consumption driving. During highway cruising, the engine seamlessly engages for direct drive, balancing power response with fuel efficiency. Users can achieve seamless fuel savings without altering their driving habits.

9 Countries Super Hybrid Marathon

In response to rising travel costs caused by fluctuating global oil prices, OMODA & JAECOO leverages the SHS Super Hybrid System to effectively reduce user expenses, breaking the long-standing trade-off between mobility and cost savings, and safeguarding users' freedom of travel through technological innovation.

It is reported that, during Auto China 2026, the brand will not only showcase its hybrid lineup but will also launch a long-distance HEV marathon test covering various road conditions. This test will use real-world performance as a benchmark to further evaluate the efficiency, stability, and reliability of the SHS system under different environments and operating conditions. More details will be released during the event.

About OMODA&JAECOO

In 2025, Chery Group, the parent company of OMODA&JAECOO, ranked 233rd in the Fortune Global 500, achieving the fastest ascent among global automakers, and maintained its position as China's top passenger vehicle exporter for 23 consecutive years. OMODA & JAECOO takes "Co-Create A Beautiful Life With Young People" as its brand vision, while OMODA focuses on building "The World's Leading Crossover Brand", JAECOO adheres to the philosophy of "From Classic Beyond Classic" and is committed to building" Global Elegant Off-Road Brand", and building differentiated competitiveness through dual routes. By 2025, the OMODA & JAECOO brand has expanded into 64 markets worldwide, covering Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and more, demonstrating strong global growth momentum, especially in the European market, becoming the fastest growing car brand in Europe and even the world. In the field of new energy vehicles, OMODA&JAECOO relies on the world's leading SHS technology, with Super High Power, Super Low Efficiency, Super Long Combined Range, while providing efficient new energy solutions for global users, but also steadily advancing towards the objective of becoming the "The World's Number One Hybrid Brand". Notably, beyond its continuous breakthroughs in the core automotive sector, OMODA & JAECOO has extended its technological innovation into the field of intelligent technologies. The robot, jointly developed with the AiMOGA team, has entered real public service scenarios and made its official debut at the Asian Youth Para Games, representing a landmark practice in automakers' intelligent transformation and further expanding the brand's value boundaries.

Company: OMODA&JAECOO 

Contact Person: Wu Zehui

Email: wuzehui@mychery.com

Website: https://www.omodajaecoo.com/

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Coventry leads the secondary market in policy count, face value, and total amount paid to policyowners, reinforcing its position as the industry's most active and consistent buyer

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coventry, the leader and creator of the secondary market for life insurance and a pioneer of the life insurance-backed asset class, today announced that it remains the leading life settlement provider in the secondary market in terms of total policies purchased, total face value, and total amount paid to policyowners among reported providers. These results are reflected in Coventry's newly released 2025 Life Settlement League Table Report, which compiles market data derived from public records filings and provider disclosures. The Coventry companies have held the top spot for thirteen consecutive years.

Coventry, together with its affiliate Life Equity, purchased more than 1,400 life insurance policies from policyowners in the secondary market alone in 2025, representing approximately $1.6 billion in face value, making it the largest purchaser of life insurance policies in the secondary market. Further, the Coventry companies paid policyowners more than $240 million for their policies in 2025.

"Coventry continues to set the pace for the secondary market for life insurance through scale, certainty of execution, and disciplined capital deployment," said Reid Buerger, CEO of Coventry. "That leadership is driven by the strength of Coventry's people, the rigor of its processes, consultative engagement with advisors, and the continued investment in technology that supports consistent execution and better outcomes for policyowners and advisors."

This approach is supported by Coventry's vertically integrated model and proprietary data, enabling more precise evaluation, broader purchase criteria, and customized outcomes for policyowners.

Individuals interested in viewing the 2025 Life Settlement League Table Report may visit https://www.coventry.com/2025-League-Table.

About Coventry

Coventry is the leader and creator of the secondary market for life insurance and a pioneer of the life insurance-backed asset class, operating an integrated platform across four complementary verticals: the secondary market for life insurance, longevity lending, life insurance and annuity distribution, and insurance technology. Through these businesses, Coventry expands financial options for policyowners, provides capital solutions backed by life insurance policies and other longevity-linked assets, broadens access to protection and retirement products, and applies technology to enhance pricing, risk management, and operational efficiency across the life insurance ecosystem.

Guided by a longstanding commitment to consumer rights and market integrity, Coventry leverages its leadership position to raise industry standards, expand consumer choice, and responsibly develop institutional-quality life insurance-backed investment solutions. Over its history, Coventry has acquired more than 23,000 life insurance policies, completed more than $50 billion in longevity-linked transactions, delivered more than $6 billion to policyowners, and originated more than $1 billion in life insurance-linked loans. To learn more about Coventry, visit Coventry.com.

Media Contact:

Jonny Shiver

Vice President, Marketing

jshiver@coventry.com

(215) 836-8300

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

April 16, 2026

Combining always-on spectral imaging with AI reconstruction to deliver enhanced levels of image quality, efficiency, and clinical insight across radiology, cardiology, and oncology

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance for the Philips Spectral CT Verida system, bringing its next-generation, AI-powered spectral CT innovation to the United States.

AI-based reconstruction integrated into the imaging chain

Verida incorporates Spectral Precise Image, with a third-generation Nano-panel Precise dual-layer detector with intrinsic noise reduction, along with an AI-based deep learning reconstruction engine, designed to reduce noise and enhance image quality across CT applications [1]. Clinicians are able to customize optimal image de-noising according to their preferences.

"With FDA clearance for Verida, we are bringing the next evolution of spectral CT to more markets," said Dan Xu, Business Leader of CT at Philips. "By combining always-on spectral imaging with AI-powered reconstruction, Verida enables clinicians to see more, first time right, supporting faster, more informed decisions and expanding the role of CT across clinical pathways."

Always-on detector-based spectral CT for clinical versatility

Built on Philips' industry-leading detector-based spectral CT technology, Verida enables always-on spectral imaging without requiring separate scans or workflow changes. It includes system and software enhancements designed to support clinical workflow, including improvements to the spectral result generation pipeline and updated computing infrastructure to support performance and usability. Verida reconstructs 145 images per second, so entire exams automatically appear in less than 30 seconds - 2? faster than previously, enabling up to 270 exams every day [2].

By capturing both high- and low-energy data in a single acquisition, clinicians can access conventional and spectral results simultaneously, supporting enhanced tissue characterization and material differentiation. This approach eliminates the need for pre-selection or repeat scans, enabling first-time-right imaging and deeper clinical insight across a broad range of applications [3].

Verida is a Computed Tomography X-ray system intended for diagnostic imaging in radiology, interventional radiology, and cardiology, and in oncology as part of treatment preparation and radiation therapy planning. It is indicated for head, whole body, cardiac, and vascular CT applications in patients of all ages [1]. The system is also intended to be used for low dose CT lung cancer screening when performed within established screening protocols [4]. Extended field-of-view images and respiratory correlated scanning (4DCT) are for treatment preparation and radiation therapy planning/simulation use only [3].

For more information about the Philips Spectral CT Verida system, visit the Philips website.

*Data on file

[1] Spectral Precise Image is an AI-based reconstruction feature with supplemental data for clinical interpretation and does not replace professional clinical judgement. SPI has been clinically evaluated in adults (≥22 years); pediatric use has not been clinically validated.

[2] Spectral CT Verida Premium up to 270 (4 CIRS config) exams a day (16 hours dual shift working day) meeting the needs of radiology departments with extended work hours and very high patient throughput.

[3] See Instructions for Use for complete indications, limitations, and feature-specific restrictions.

[4] Please refer to clinical literature, including the results of the National Lung Screening Trial (N

Engl. J Med 2011; 365:395-409) and subsequent literature, for further information.

For further information, please contact:

Jayme Maniatis 

Philips Global External Relations  

Tel.: +1 617 804 8368

E-mail: Jayme.maniatis@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips' patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips generated 2025 sales of EUR 18 billion and employs approximately 64,800 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. 

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Compliance Permit Analysis Agent and Next-Gen Emissions Calculation Management Toolset help enterprises reduce risk, improve auditability, and act faster on complex environmental requirements

TORONTO, April 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Cority, the converged platform for preventing EHS+ risks in operations, today announced it has won two 2026 Environment+Energy Leader Awards for product innovation in environmental compliance and emissions management. The annual program recognizes companies delivering measurable progress in energy management, environmental performance, and sustainability. The two awards recognize Cority's Compliance Permit Analysis Agent and Next-Gen Emissions Calculation Management Toolset, two capabilities built to help organizations manage rising environmental complexity with greater accuracy, efficiency, and confidence.

The recognition reflects Cority's broader focus on embedding practical AI and advanced data management directly into enterprise workflows. Both award-winning capabilities are part of CorityOne, Cority's EHS+ platform, which helps organizations connect trusted data, automate critical work, and improve decisions across environmental management, employee health, safety, quality, and sustainability. Cority has been a market leader in EHS+ for 40 years and is trusted by more than 1,500 organizations worldwide.

Cority's Compliance Permit Analysis Agent, part of the Cortex AI suite in CorityOne, was recognized for applying purpose-built AI to one of the most persistent operational challenges in environmental compliance: the manual interpretation of permits. The solution automatically deconstructs permit language and translates it into structured, trackable compliance tasks, helping organizations reduce administrative burden, improve consistency across sites, and lower compliance risk. It also supports multi-language permit analysis and interactive Q&A, allowing users to engage directly with permit content and surface specific requirements faster.

Cority's Next-Gen Emissions Calculation Management Toolset was recognized for helping organizations generate accurate, auditable, and decision-ready emissions data at scale. The embedded toolkit gives sustainability teams greater control over how emissions are calculated and managed, including access to more than one million time-stamped emissions factors, flexible methodology management, gap-filling functionality, and audit dashboards that provide detailed visibility into data sources and calculation logic. It is designed for organizations moving beyond basic carbon accounting into more rigorous reporting and assurance environments.

Judges praised Cority's Compliance Permit Analysis Agent as "a strong and well-focused entry" with "a compelling use of embedded, purpose-built AI to address a real and growing compliance challenge." They highlighted the solution's automated permit deconstruction, multi-language support, and interactive Q&A as examples of AI applied thoughtfully to a specific, high-value workflow.

Judges also described Cority's Next-Gen Emissions Calculation Management Toolset as "highly mature" and "technically robust," citing its ability to support accurate, auditable emissions data at a global scale. They also pointed to Cority's factor library, methodology controls, and audit dashboards as meaningful differentiators in a market where traceability and flexibility are increasingly critical.

The award-winning products reflect real-world needs already emerging across Cority's customer base:

Early users of the Compliance Permit Analysis Agent have used it to cut permit review time from hours or days to seconds in some workflows, while improving visibility across multilingual, multi-site operations.

Cority's emissions capabilities are also helping organizations improve consistency across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 reporting, streamline external assurance, and adapt to changing methodologies and reporting standards with less manual work.

"These awards reflect where the market is headed," said Ryan Magee, CEO, Cority. "Environmental and sustainability teams need tools that can handle real complexity, whether that means interpreting permits across jurisdictions or producing emissions data that stands up to scrutiny. We are focused on building capabilities that are deeply embedded in the work itself, so teams can move faster, reduce risk, and make better decisions."

About Cority

Cority helps customers see and prevent risks across their operations in real time. Our EHS+ platform converges people, processes, data, and AI agents to provide a clear view of information people can trust, automate workflows that make people more impactful, and deliver personalized insights and expertise to improve decision-making. Cortex AI puts domain-expert intelligence directly into everyday workflows - secure by design, governed by you, and built to scale. While most solutions respond to risks one at a time, Cority helps prevent them across environmental management, employee health, safety, quality, and sustainability. For 40 years, Cority has been the market leader in EHS+, recognized by top analysts and trusted by more than 1,500 of the most complex organizations worldwide. Learn more at our homepage.

Media Contact:

Natalie Rizk

natalier@theriotmind.agency

About the Environment + Energy Leader Awards

Now in its 14th year, the Environment+Energy Leader Awards program recognizes excellence across products, projects, startups and organizational initiatives that deliver meaningful advancements in environmental programs, sustainability, and energy management. Entries are evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts, with a focus on innovation,

scalability, and measurable impact. Winners are recognized as leaders in advancing best practices and setting new standards across the global energy and environmental landscape.

For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:

Kay Harrison

Head of Awards Program

VP | Associate Publisher - kay@environmentenergyleader.com

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