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Spieren voor Spieren wins Dutch F1 Allwyn Global Community Award to transform lives through adaptive sport

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:23:00 +0700

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands, Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spieren voor Spieren has been named the Dutch winner of the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award at the 2026 FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX. The non-profit, which works to transform the lives of 20,000 children with muscular diseases in the Netherlands, has been awarded ?100,000 from Allwyn, the multi-national lottery-led entertainment company.
The judges were impressed by how Spieren voor Spieren uses sport to promote inclusion and long-term positive change. The full ?100,000 donation will support the 2026 Spieren voor Spieren Day on 30 August; an annual event for 600 participants, where children with muscle diseases and their families can safely enjoy sport, play and new experiences.

In the Netherlands, 20,000 children battling muscular diseases face the daily loss of mobility and independence, whether that's walking, playing or breathing independently. Spieren voor Spieren - which also visits Formula 1 race weekends annually with its young ambassadors - changes this reality by accelerating research, improving access to earlier diagnoses and innovative treatments, and investing in sport and physical activity programmes that help children with muscular diseases stay active.

The Spieren voor Spieren Day, which will be bolstered and expanded by the donation, is an annual event that brings together hundreds of children and their families to push their limits, play sports, climb, dance, make new friends, and meet elite athletes. Themed Everything Upside Down - in celebration of unexpected moments and new experiences - it provides a day like no other, filled with joy, energy and empowerment.

Spieren voor Spieren's relationship with Formula 1 will continue to make a lasting impact through this Award. Several of the foundation's young ambassadors, children living with muscular diseases, attend a race weekend annually with their families. For these children, whose daily routines are often dictated by medical treatments and physical challenges, the track offers a rare escape: a day defined not by limitations, but by speed, spectacle and the opportunity to be part of the global Formula 1 community.

Ale? Vesel?, CEO of Allwyn Czechia and F1 Allwyn Global Community Award judge, said: "Spieren voor Spieren's mission perfectly embodies the Award's focus of empowerment and inclusion, creating an environment where children and their families can experience genuine connection with others facing similar challenges. The combination of sport, family engagement and community building makes the project highly visible, emotionally compelling, and strongly aligned with the spirit of the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award."

Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1 and F1 Allwyn Global Community Award judge, added: "At Formula 1 we recognise that sport has the unique power to inspire and connect children, families, and communities. We are proud to award Spieren voor Spieren this accolade because its initiative perfectly embodies our commitment to inclusion, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate and thrive in the sporting experience."

Monique Maks, director of Spieren voor Spieren, said: "We're incredibly proud and grateful to receive the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award. Every day, 20,000 children in the Netherlands live with the effects of a muscle disease. We stand beside them during the biggest challenge of their lives, but it's a challenge we can't overcome alone. Because this is about more than medical breakthroughs ? being part of everyday life matters just as much. This Award makes that possible for at least one day during our annual Spieren voor Spieren Day."

Ronald de Boer, ambassador for Spieren voor Spieren, added: "As a former professional footballer, I know what it means to fight for something. But while I fought for titles and trophies, these kids fight every day just to keep up. That takes enormous determination. So to me, these kids embody the true meaning of fighting spirit. We celebrate that spirit every year at the Spieren voor Spieren Day. And this award means we can keep doing exactly that."

Spieren voor Spieren is the fourth non-profit to be recognised by the F1 Allwyn Global Community Award in 2026, following the British Starlight Children's Foundation; Canadian charity La Tablee des Chefs; and Austrian non-profit Sindbad Mentoring. More organisations will be recognised across the Grand Prix race locations this season in Austin, Mexico City and Las Vegas. Later in the year, Formula 1 fans will have the chance to cast their vote on their favourite winning initiatives as part of Allwyn's plan to bring these fans closer to the programme.

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

About Spieren voor Spieren
Spieren voor Spieren is a Dutch non-profit organisation committed to improving the lives of approximately 20,000 children living with muscle diseases in the Netherlands. The organisation supports research, earlier diagnosis and the development of new treatments, while also creating opportunities for children to participate in sport and physical activity. Through its programmes and partnerships, Spieren voor Spieren helps children and their families stay active, build connections and enjoy experiences that might otherwise be inaccessible to them.

TDCX Opens Second Hyderabad Campus, Reinforcing India as Key Global Delivery Hub

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:19:00 +0700

Photos: TDCX Founder and CEO Laurent Junique (center) cuts the ribbon at the company's second Hyderabad campus at Meenakshi Eco Park, joined by Group CIO and EVP Byron Fernandez and India Country Director Ananth Premkumar, August 20, 2026.

New Meenakshi Eco Park campus supports a more than 600% increase in TDCX's India headcount over three years, reinforcing the country's role in serving global technology and digital economy clients

HYDERABAD, INDIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 21 August 2026 - TDCX, a leading global customer experience solutions firm, today opened its second campus in India at Meenakshi Eco Park in Hyderabad. The new site reinforces India's position as the company's fourth-largest operations base and follows a more than 600% increase in TDCX's India headcount over the past three years.

Hyderabad is one of TDCX's fastest-growing locations, supported by the city's strong technology ecosystem, deep talent pool, and growing reputation as a center for customer experience, sales, digital support, and technology-enabled services.

The India Business Process Outsourcing services market, valued at approximately US$18.7 billion in 2024, is projected to reach US$51 billion by 2035 (Market Research Future, India Business Process Outsourcing Services Market, April 2026). TDCX has outpaced this market as global clients consolidate complex customer, sales, and technology workflows with fewer, more capable partners.

Byron Fernandez, Group Chief Information Officer and EVP, TDCX, with executive oversight of the company's India operations, said: "India has moved well past the cost arbitrage conversation. When clients choose Hyderabad for customer experience, sales, or technology support, they are choosing access to skilled, ambitious talent that can run complex workflows at scale. Our expansion here reflects how seriously global clients now take India as a primary delivery market, rather than a secondary one."

A campus built for scale and speed

Located within the 6 million sq. ft. Meenakshi Eco Park, one of Hyderabad's key technology corridors, the new campus is designed to support TDCX's continued expansion in India while giving employees a workplace built around learning, collaboration, and performance.

TDCX India supports leading global brands across digital advertising, e-commerce, fintech and technology, delivering omnichannel support for clients across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and North America. TDCX India has achieved strong customer and business outcomes for global clients, achieving high customer satisfaction scores while supporting complex workstreams across multiple markets reflecting the strength of its delivery model and the quality of talent in the market.

Ananth Premkumar, Country Director, TDCX India, said: "Hyderabad has emerged as one of India's leading hubs for technology, innovation, and customer experience delivery. As our clients expand across global markets, they need partners who can quickly build high-quality teams at scale. For one of our technology clients, we are able to make agents production-ready in under six weeks, helping them accelerate their go-to-market timelines. This combination of skilled talent, speed, and operational excellence is what makes Hyderabad such a strategic location for TDCX."

Recognized as a Great Place to Work for four consecutive years, TDCX India continues to build its reputation as both a strong delivery hub and an employer of choice.

About TDCX

Singapore-headquartered TDCX is a leading global customer experience solutions firm that provides customer experience solutions, sales and digital marketing services, and content moderation for clients across industries including digital advertising and social media, e-commerce, fintech, gaming, healthtech, media, technology, and travel and hospitality.

With a focus on helping companies enable the future, TDCX's smart, scalable approach, driven by innovation and operational precision, positions it as a key partner for companies targeting tangible outcomes. With more than 20,000 employees across 37 locations worldwide, TDCX provides clients with comprehensive coverage in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

For more information, please visit www.tdcx.com.

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

Hashtags: #TDCX #CX #Outsourcing #EnableTheFuture

HKC, KOORUI and ANTGAMER Invite Global Partners to IFA 2026 for an Immersive Vision of the Future

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:13:00 +0700

*HKC Invites Global Partners to IFA 2026

BERLIN, Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HKC, KOORUI and ANTGAMER will jointly showcase their latest innovations at IFA 2026, taking place September 4-8 at Messe Berlin. Global partners are invited to visit Booth H22-111 and experience the latest display technologies under the theme "IMMERSIVE VISION, INSTANT RESPONSE," exploring how next-generation displays are reshaping professional creation, competitive gaming and AI-connected experiences.

At IFA 2026, HKC Exhibition Zone will showcase the latest breakthrough innovations across its three brands, highlighting the unique strengths and technological capabilities of each brand.

HKC will showcase a flagship portfolio of professional displays, including THE World's First RGB-MiniLED monitors in multiple sizes, integrating breakthrough backlight technology with ultra-high resolution to redefine visual standards for creators and professionals. QD-OLED and 5K High-resolution, high-refresh-rate display technologies will also be featured, demonstrating HKC's continued efforts to push the boundaries of display technology.

ANTGAMER will present three exclusive World's First gaming display innovations, featuring advancements in extreme refresh rates designed to usher in a new era of ultra-smooth, Thousand-frame-rate-class gaming experiences. These solutions are engineered for competitive gamers seeking every millisecond of advantage.

KOORUI, a brand focused on younger users, will unveil The World's First AI interactive monitor with an innovative form factor. Its visual AI avatar enables companion-style desktop interaction, creating a new category of AI companion displays.

KOORUI will also extend its display technology into living and working spaces, showcasing next-generation large-screen RGB-MiniLED and MiniLED TVs, Showcase KOORUI's interconnected display ecosystem covering all-scenarios of modern-day life.

You are cordially invited!

HKC, KOORUI and ANTGAMER sincerely invite global partners to visit Booth H22-111 for tour and exchanges. Get early access to multiple world-leading display technologies and jointly explore the future of vision.

Event Information

Event: IFA 2026

Date: September 4?8, 2026

Venue: Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Booth: H22-111

About HKC

HKC is a leading global display technology enterprise with three brands-HKC, KOORUI and ANTGAMER. HKC Co.LTD is committed to continuous innovation in display technologies and product development, providing high-quality display products and integrated solutions for consumers, professional users and gamers worldwide.

Contact:

Email: Oversea-sales@hkcdisplay.com

sales@koorui.com

sales@antgamer.net

Website:

https://www.hkcglobal.net/

https://koorui.com/

http://www.antgamer.net

Constellation Brands to Present at the 2026 Barclays Global Consumer Conference on September 8, 2026

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:08:00 +0700

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ), a leading U.S.-based total beverage alcohol company, announced today that Nicholas Fink, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Garth Hankinson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the 2026 Barclays Global Consumer Conference on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in Boston, MA. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. ET and is expected to cover the company's financial metrics, operating performance, strategic business initiatives, and outlook for the future.

A live, listen-only webcast of the presentation will be available on the company's investor relations website at ir.cbrands.com under the News & Events section. When the presentation begins, financial information discussed in the presentation, and reconciliations of reported GAAP financial measures with comparable and other non-GAAP financial measures, will also be available on the company's investor relations website under the Financial History section. For anyone unable to participate in the webcast, a replay will be available on the company's investor relations website through the close of business on March 7, 2027.

ABOUT CONSTELLATION BRANDS

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ), a U.S.-based company, is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. Our mission is to build brands that people love because we believe elevating human connections is Worth Reaching For. It's worth our dedication, hard work, and calculated risks to anticipate market trends and deliver for our consumers, shareholders, employees, and industry. This dedication is what has driven us to become one of the fastest-growing, large CPG companies in the U.S. at retail, and it drives our pursuit to deliver what's next.

Every day, people reach for brands from our high-end, imported beer portfolio anchored by the iconic Corona Extra and Modelo Especial, a flavorful lineup of Modelo Cheladas, and favorites like Pacifico, and Victoria; our exceptional wine brands including The Prisoner Wine Company, Robert Mondavi Winery, Kim Crawford, Schrader Cellars, and Lingua Franca; and our craft spirits brands such as Mi CAMPO Tequila and High West Whiskey.

As an agriculture-based company, we strive to operate in a way that is sustainable and responsible. Our ESG strategy is embedded into our business and we focus on serving as good stewards of the environment, investing in our communities, and promoting responsible beverage alcohol consumption. We believe these aspirations in support of our longer-term business strategy allow us to contribute to a future that is truly Worth Reaching For.

To learn more, visit www.cbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Maggie Bowman 213-500-2401 / maggie.bowman@cbrands.com

Carissa Guzski 315-525-7362 / carissa.guzski@cbrands.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS
Blair Veenema 585-284-4433 / blair.veenema@cbrands.com

David Paccapaniccia 585-282-7227 / david.paccapaniccia@cbrands.com

21st Palermo-Montecarlo (18-23 August 2026)

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:05:00 +0700

Black Jack 100 makes it four in a row

MONACO, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Jack 100 crossed the finish line first to clinch their fourth victory in a row. Remon Vos's Maxi 100, skippered by Tristan Le Brun, both Yacht Club de Monaco members, arrived in Monaco on Thursday having set off from the Gulf of Mondello, Sicily, at 12:30 on Tuesday.

The crew completed the 500-nautical-mile Palermo-Montecarlo race in 47 hours 27 minutes 2 seconds to secure a fourth line honours victory for the 100-footer, which has dominated the event since 2023 and holds the record it set in 2025 of 38 hours 53 minutes 13 seconds.

Four in a row

Black Jack 100 was the boat to beat, and it didn't take long to live up to that challenge. In the early hours of the race, the 100-footer moved to the front of the fleet, closely pursued by Furio Benussi's 86-foot Maxi Marta07, sailing this year under Yacht Club de Monaco's colours and Circolo della Vela Sicilia, with YCM member Guido Miani among the crew. Nice-Fiamme Gialle came in third although the podium rankings are still provisional.

As the fleet rounded Capo Gallo, Sicily, the first strategic tactical decision had to be made. In a light 8 knot breeze, the three leaders opted to go west before heading up to Sardinia. At this point, the leader Black Jack 100 had not yet managed to break away. The first part of the race played out in light airs, with pressure fluctuations affecting positioning. "There were a lot of transitions, It's not easy to find the right strategy when the wind keeps switching and coming from almost opposite directions", said Tristan Le Brun. As they headed up to the Strait of Bonifacio, the Maxi maintained its lead.

The situation changed after clearing the strait. As a south-to-southwest airflow strengthened, speeds picked up and Black Jack 100 started to pull ahead. By Thursday morning, just over 100 nautical miles separated them from their closest rival Marta07.

This victory was particularly special for Giulio Guaterri, a young sailor from YCM's Sports Section who was experiencing his first Palermo-Montecarlo race on Black Jack 100, alongside a seasoned offshore racing crew.

Battle in corrected time remains wide open

With this fourth line honours victory, the Black Jack 100 crew also win the Giuseppe Tasca D'Almerita Challenge Trophy, which they will lift on Sunday 23 August at the prize-giving ceremony held in the YCM at 7.00pm.

But while victory in real-time is in the bag, the Palermo-Montecarlo race is far from over. Following the Maxi 100, other boats will be arriving in the Principality, and the battle for the Angelo Randazzo Challenge Trophy, decided on corrected time, remains wide open. Shooting Star, the Bavaria 44 skippered by YCM member Eug?ne Van Koppen, is still in the race.

Taking into account weather conditions forecast for Friday 21 August, between the Strait of Bonifacio and Monaco, the organisers have amended the Race Instructions. With winds of 60 to 80 knots predicted from around 05:00 and 13:00, the race will be suspended. The time spent in shelter, from the moment a boat leaves the course until it resumes racing, will be deducted when calculating the final overall rankings in corrected time.

Palermo to Monaco: 500 nautical miles and 21 years of history

Launched in 2005, the Palermo-Montecarlo race links Sicily to the Principality with this 500 nautical mile race. For this 21st edition, 39 boats representing 11 nations set off from the Gulf of Mondello. Organised by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the event counts towards the Italian Offshore Racing Championship (Federazione Italiana Vela) and serves as the final leg of the International Maxi Association's Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.

The race also continues online

As the crews gradually make their way to the Principality, the Palermo-Montecarlo is also playing out on Virtual Regatta. Nearly 7,000 people are taking part in this year's digital version of the event, facing the same weather conditions and strategic choices as the sailors at sea.

For more information:

Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it

APBD 2027, GMNI Bengkalis Minta TAPD dan DPRD Lebih Cermat

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 14:20:00 +0700

BENGKALIS,-Sekretaris DPC GMNI Kabupaten Bengkalis, Asrul Sahputra, memberikan peringatan kepada Tim Anggaran Pemerintah Daerah (TAPD) dan DPRD Kabupaten Bengkalis dalam proses penyusunan dan pembahasan APBD Tahun Anggaran 2027. Asrul meminta agar APBD 2027 disusun dan dibahas secara cermat, realistis serta berbasis data, terutama dalam menetapkan asumsi pendapatan, belanja, transfer daerah dan kemampuan fiskal daerah.(23-8-2026)

Menurut Asrul, hal tersebut penting agar pengalaman serta catatan dalam pengelolaan APBD sebelumnya, khususnya tahun 2024, benar-benar menjadi bahan evaluasi dan tidak kembali terjadi pada APBD 2027.

Asrul menilai asumsi APBD bukan sekadar angka dalam dokumen anggaran. Asumsi tersebut menjadi dasar dalam menentukan target pendapatan, belanja dan arah kebijakan fiskal daerah. Karena itu, setiap proyeksi harus memiliki dasar perhitungan yang rasional serta memperhatikan kondisi dan kemampuan riil daerah.

Keresahan tersebut juga berkaitan dengan hasil pemeriksaan dan rekomendasi BPK terhadap pengelolaan keuangan daerah sebelumnya. Menurut Asrul, catatan pemeriksaan tersebut semestinya tidak berhenti sebagai dokumen administratif, tetapi harus menjadi bahan evaluasi dan koreksi dalam penyusunan serta pembahasan APBD 2027.

"Kami memberikan warning kepada TAPD dan DPRD. Jangan sampai kesalahan atau ketidaktepatan dalam menetapkan asumsi PAD kembali terjadi. Kalau sudah ada catatan dan rekomendasi pemeriksaan BPK, itu harus menjadi bahan pembelajaran. Jangan menunggu persoalan muncul dalam pelaksanaan baru dilakukan evaluasi," ujar Asrul.

GMNI juga mengingatkan bahwa ketidaktepatan dalam perencanaan dan penganggaran dapat menimbulkan persoalan pada tahap pelaksanaan. Apabila kemudian ditemukan ketidaksesuaian yang berindikasi pelanggaran ketentuan atau menimbulkan kerugian keuangan negara/daerah, kondisi tersebut dapat menjadi persoalan hukum dan membuka ruang bagi aparat penegak hukum (APH) untuk melakukan pemeriksaan sesuai kewenangannya.

"Kami tidak mengatakan APBD 2027 bermasalah atau TAPD maupun DPRD melakukan pelanggaran. Warning ini justru bentuk pencegahan. Jangan sampai kelemahan dalam perencanaan dan pembahasan anggaran kemudian menjadi persoalan di belakang hari. Lebih baik semua potensi persoalan dicegah sejak awal," tegas Asrul.

Ia juga menilai TAPD dan DPRD memiliki peran penting dalam memastikan kualitas APBD. TAPD perlu memastikan penyusunan anggaran didukung data dan asumsi yang dapat dipertanggungjawabkan, sementara DPRD perlu menjalankan fungsi pembahasan dan pengawasan secara kritis terhadap setiap target pendapatan, belanja dan kebijakan anggaran yang diajukan.

"Jangan sampai pembahasan APBD hanya berorientasi pada berapa besar anggaran yang disepakati. Yang jauh lebih penting adalah bagaimana dasar perhitungannya, apakah realistis, apakah sesuai kemampuan fiskal daerah, dan apakah sudah memperhatikan catatan serta rekomendasi BPK," katanya.

DPC GMNI Bengkalis juga mendorong agar proses penyusunan dan pembahasan APBD 2027 dilakukan secara transparan sehingga publik dapat mengetahui dasar penetapan target pendapatan, belanja serta kebijakan anggaran daerah.

"APBD adalah uang rakyat. Karena itu, TAPD dan DPRD harus sama-sama memastikan setiap angka yang masuk dalam APBD 2027 memiliki dasar yang kuat. Jangan sampai sesuatu yang sebenarnya dapat dicegah sejak tahap perencanaan justru menjadi persoalan ketika anggaran sudah berjalan," tutup Asrul.

DPC GMNI Bengkalis memastikan akan terus mengawal APBD 2027 secara kritis dan konstruktif, terutama terkait ketepatan asumsi anggaran, dasar perencanaan, tindak lanjut rekomendasi BPK serta efektivitas penggunaan anggaran bagi kepentingan masyarakat Bengkalis.(Rilis Gmni )

Polbeng dan Transformasi Digital Pesantren: Membentuk Santri sebagai Kreator Teknologi

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:47:00 +0700

BENGKALIS ? Transformasi digital tidak lagi sebatas persoalan kemampuan menggunakan perangkat teknologi, tetapi telah menjadi bagian penting dari proses pembentukan generasi yang adaptif, kreatif, dan produktif. Kesadaran tersebut menjadi landasan Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis (Polbeng) dalam melaksanakan kegiatan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (PkM) bertema "Transformasi Digital Pesantren melalui Penerapan Teknologi Informasi bagi Santri Pesantren Madani Sungai Alam.(22-8-2026)

Program ini dirancang bukan sekadar untuk memperkenalkan teknologi kepada santri, melainkan mendorong perubahan cara pandang terhadap teknologi. Santri diarahkan untuk tidak berhenti sebagai pengguna teknologi, tetapi mulai memahami bagaimana teknologi dapat menjadi instrumen pembelajaran, komunikasi, kreativitas, bahkan pengembangan potensi diri.

Rangkaian kegiatan diawali pada 18 Agustus 2026 di Pesantren Madani Sungai Alam melalui sesi pengenalan teknologi yang disampaikan oleh Larbiel Hadi, S.Sos., M.Si. Para santri memperoleh wawasan mengenai perkembangan teknologi informasi sekaligus pentingnya kemampuan beradaptasi di tengah perubahan digital yang berlangsung semakin cepat.

Pesan tersebut menjadi penting karena perkembangan teknologi telah mengubah cara masyarakat memperoleh informasi, berkomunikasi, belajar, dan menghasilkan karya. Dalam konteks pendidikan pesantren, literasi digital dapat menjadi jembatan yang memperluas ruang belajar sekaligus membuka kesempatan bagi santri untuk mengembangkan kompetensi yang relevan dengan kebutuhan zaman.

Dari Pengguna Menjadi Kreator Digital

Tahap berikutnya dilaksanakan pada 20 Agustus 2026 di Laboratorium Jurusan Administrasi Niaga, Program Studi Bisnis Digital, Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis. Kegiatan tersebut dibuka langsung oleh Direktur Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis, Ir. Johny Custer, S.T., M.T.

Dalam sambutannya, Direktur Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis menekankan pentingnya penguasaan teknologi bagi generasi muda, termasuk para santri. Teknologi, menurut perspektif kegiatan tersebut, perlu ditempatkan sebagai sarana yang dapat digunakan secara positif dan produktif untuk menjawab tantangan kehidupan modern.

Orientasi inilah yang kemudian diterjemahkan dalam kegiatan praktik. Santri mendapatkan materi mengenai desain digital menggunakan Canva serta pemanfaatan Artificial Intelligence (AI) yang disampaikan oleh Ir. Andri Nofiar, AM, S.Kom., M.Kom.

Pendekatan pelatihan tidak berhenti pada penyampaian teori. Para peserta secara langsung mempraktikkan pembuatan desain digital dan mengeksplorasi pemanfaatan AI sebagai teknologi pendukung proses kreatif. Dengan demikian, peserta tidak hanya memahami konsep, tetapi juga mengalami proses menghasilkan karya secara mandiri.

Sebanyak 20 santri mengikuti kegiatan tersebut. Antusiasme peserta terlihat ketika mereka mulai mengeksplorasi berbagai fitur Canva dan mencoba mengintegrasikan teknologi AI dalam proses menghasilkan desain.

Model pembelajaran semacam ini memperlihatkan bahwa literasi digital akan lebih bermakna ketika peserta didik diberi kesempatan untuk bereksperimen. Teknologi tidak diposisikan sebagai sesuatu yang abstrak, melainkan sebagai alat yang dapat digunakan untuk menghasilkan sesuatu yang konkret.

Kreativitas sebagai Modal Generasi Digital

Apresiasi terhadap kreativitas peserta turut diberikan melalui penghargaan bagi desain terbaik dan desain terfavorit. Penghargaan tersebut bukan sekadar bentuk apresiasi, tetapi juga bagian dari strategi membangun motivasi dan kepercayaan diri santri dalam menghasilkan karya digital.

Di tengah derasnya arus informasi digital, kemampuan menciptakan konten yang baik menjadi kompetensi yang semakin penting. Santri yang memiliki kemampuan desain, memahami teknologi AI, dan mampu mengomunikasikan gagasan secara visual memiliki modal tambahan untuk beradaptasi dengan ekosistem digital.

Karena itu, transformasi digital di lingkungan pesantren idealnya tidak dimaknai sebagai upaya mengejar teknologi semata. Lebih jauh, transformasi tersebut merupakan proses membangun manusia yang mampu menggunakan teknologi secara kritis, etis, kreatif, dan produktif.

PkM sebagai Jembatan Pengetahuan Perguruan Tinggi

Kegiatan ini sekaligus memperlihatkan peran perguruan tinggi dalam menjembatani pengetahuan akademik dengan kebutuhan masyarakat. Melalui pelaksanaan Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi, Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis tidak hanya menjalankan fungsi pendidikan dan penelitian, tetapi juga menghadirkan pengetahuan serta keterampilan yang dapat dirasakan secara langsung oleh masyarakat.

Lingkungan pesantren menjadi salah satu ruang strategis untuk membangun ekosistem literasi digital. Para santri merupakan bagian dari generasi muda yang akan berhadapan langsung dengan perubahan teknologi dalam berbagai bidang kehidupan. Membekali mereka dengan kompetensi digital berarti mempersiapkan sumber daya manusia yang lebih siap menghadapi perubahan tersebut.

Yang menarik, program ini tidak berhenti setelah pelatihan selesai. Tim pengabdian telah menyiapkan pendampingan secara berkala setiap dua minggu sekali. Pendampingan tersebut diarahkan untuk membantu santri mengembangkan keterampilan desain, memperdalam pemanfaatan AI, serta meningkatkan kualitas karya digital yang dihasilkan.

Pendekatan berkelanjutan ini menjadi bagian penting dari transformasi digital. Sebab, keterampilan teknologi tidak cukup dibangun melalui satu kali pelatihan. Ia membutuhkan proses belajar, praktik, evaluasi, dan pendampingan yang konsisten.

Menuju Pesantren yang Adaptif terhadap Teknologi

Program transformasi digital yang dilakukan Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis bersama Pesantren Madani Sungai Alam pada akhirnya membawa pesan yang lebih luas: kemajuan teknologi harus diikuti dengan peningkatan kapasitas manusia yang menggunakannya.

Santri tidak cukup hanya mengetahui cara menggunakan teknologi. Mereka perlu memahami bagaimana teknologi dapat dimanfaatkan untuk belajar, berkarya, berkomunikasi, dan menciptakan peluang.

Melalui pelatihan Canva dan AI, para santri diperkenalkan pada satu bagian kecil dari ekosistem digital yang sangat luas. Namun, dari proses tersebut dapat tumbuh kebiasaan penting: berani mencoba, menciptakan, mengevaluasi, dan mengembangkan karya.

Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis berharap program ini dapat mendorong santri Pesantren Madani Sungai Alam menjadi generasi yang tidak hanya melek teknologi, tetapi juga mampu menjadi kreator digital yang produktif dan bertanggung jawab.

Dengan demikian, transformasi digital pesantren bukan sekadar perubahan dari cara manual menuju penggunaan teknologi. Transformasi tersebut merupakan ikhtiar untuk membangun sumber daya manusia yang mampu menjadikan teknologi sebagai alat untuk memperluas pengetahuan, memperkuat kreativitas, dan mengembangkan potensi diri.

Kegiatan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat ini dilaksanakan dalam kerangka program PNBP Polbeng Tahun 2026 berdasarkan Nomor Kontrak 182/PL31.07/PM/2026. Melalui program tersebut, Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis terus memperkuat kontribusinya dalam menghadirkan pendidikan dan teknologi yang lebih dekat dengan kebutuhan masyarakat.(Rilis)

Industrial Development Bureau of Hengqin Officially Joins ICCA, Exploring Global Resource Channels for the Macao-Hengqin MICE Industry

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:36:00 +0700

HENGQIN, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 21 August 2026 - Recently, the Macao-Hengqin MICE Enterprises & ICCA Bay Area Members Seminar 2026 was held at Tianmu Qintai in Hengqin. With the theme "Global Bidding and Breakthrough Strategies for Emerging Destinations," the event was hosted by the MICE Industry Association of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and brought together more than 100 industry representatives.

During the event, Mr. Lin Yanjie, Head of the Culture, Tourism, Exhibition, and Trade Division, and Dr. Sherry Tan, Associate Professor at the Macao University of Tourism, shared their insights into the development opportunities brought about by this milestone.

It is noted that Macao-Hengqin MICE cooperation has entered a stage of regularized and sustainable development, supported by an increasingly well-established framework spanning policy, operational models, and talent development.

The revised Measures for Supporting the Development of the MICE Industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, issued in January 2026, provide subsidies of RMB 800 per participant for international conferences included in ICCA statistics, with a maximum subsidy of RMB 1 million per event, together with additional special incentives. Enterprises obtaining ICCA accreditation for the first time will also receive a one-off reward of RMB 200,000, further strengthening support for the growth of MICE market players.

At the same time, the collaborative model between Macao and Hengqin continues to evolve, while efforts to develop a strong talent pipeline are advancing in parallel.

Over the next two years, Hengqin plans to attract more than ten international conferences eligible for inclusion in ICCA statistics. Applications for 2027 conferences in key fields such as artificial intelligence and materials science have already entered the bidding process. These initiatives will further enhance Macao-Hengqin's international visibility and influence, while strengthening its voice in the global MICE industry.

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

Engineering His Future: Vietnamese Scholar Vo Xuan Dat Makes His Mark at CUHK

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:33:00 +0700

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 21 August 2026 - At a time when Asian universities are competing globally for top talent, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is emerging as a destination of choice for high-achieving students across Southeast Asia. Among them is Vo Xuan Dat, a Vietnamese scholar now in his second year studying Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (SEEM). His journey reflects a broader shift toward a new generation of internationally minded engineers equipped with interdisciplinary skills to navigate increasingly complex, data-driven industries.

Strategic Selection: A Global Education Hub

For students planning to study abroad, choosing a university often means balancing academic reputation with a curriculum that aligns with current industry needs and global trends. Hong Kong's blend of Eastern and Western cultures, strong academic institutions, and global career pathways makes it a natural draw. Through CUHK's Scholarship Nomination Programme for Vietnamese students, Dat identified a programme that stood apart. "CUHK quickly became my top and only choice because of its strong reputation, supportive community, and the unique major I was passionate about," he shared.

Bridging Technical Rigour and Holistic Education

Since joining the Faculty of Engineering, Dat's academic experience reflects a broader transformation in engineering education. The SEEM curriculum continuously challenges students to think critically and solve complex operational problems. Its unique blend of engineering principles and economic theory equips students to tackle real-world business challenges. Dat has especially valued courses that combine quantitative problem-solving with practical business applications.

Beyond his major, CUHK's University General Education courses has allowed Dat to explore interdisciplinary fields beyond engineering, reinforcing a holistic perspective that is increasingly valued by global employers.

A Vibrant Campus Environment and Cross-Cultural Connection

Outside the lecture hall, Dat has built a rich university life. He participates in cultural exchange workshops, joins language exchanges with international students, volunteers at campus events, and explores Hong Kong through hiking trips.

One memory stands out in particular: celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival on campus with close Vietnamese friends. "Sharing these special cultural moments made me feel truly at home and gave me more confidence adapting to university life," he noted. For Dat, CUHK is defined by the balance of academic rigour and inspiring community.

CUHK's Systems Engineering and Engineering Management Programme

The SEEM programme prepares graduates to manage complex, data-driven systems across modern industries by integrating engineering technology with management. Key highlights include:

Specialised Streams: Offers focused specialisation streams in Business Information Systems and Decision Analytics.

Analytical Toolkit: Trains students in advanced mathematical tools including optimisation, stochastic modelling, and computer simulation.

Technology at the Core: Infuses core engineering studies with cutting-edge expertise in machine learning, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

Global Career Paths: Equips competitive graduates for prominent positions in asset management, information technology consulting, and e-commerce supply chain management.

For more information about CUHK's undergraduate programmes, visit https://admission.cuhk.edu.hk/.

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

Hashtags: #CUHK

Founder Group Secures US$1.5 million EPCC Subcontract under Malaysia's Corporate Green Power Programme for 29.99MWac Large-Scale Solar Facility in Kedah

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:27:00 +0700

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Founder Energy Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Founder Group Limited (NASDAQ: FGL) ("Founder Group" or the "Company"), has been engaged as subcontractor under Malaysia's Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP) for the procurement, electrical and mechanical installation and commissioning of a 29.99MWac large-scale solar photovoltaic facility in Daerah Kuala Muda, Kedah. The engagement is valued at RM6.05 million (approximately US$1.5 million).

CGPP is a national mechanism enabling corporates to directly procure renewable energy from large-scale solar developers via the grid, supporting corporate decarbonization commitments while adding grid-scale renewable capacity in Malaysia.

Malaysia's Renewable Energy Acceleration: CGPP and the New LSS6 Programme

Malaysia's renewable energy (RE) sector is undergoing rapid structural growth, driven by national policy initiatives under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), which targets 70% RE capacity by 2050. Driven by new market mechanisms: including the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), the launch of Solar ATAP (Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme).

In July 2026, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) launched the Large-Scale Solar (LSS6) frameworks which offers 2,500MW solar capacity which expected to attract investment ranging RM13 billion to RM15 billion (approximately US$3.2 billion to US$3.7 billion).

For Founder Group, the combination of CGPP's corporate offtake demand and LSS6's expanded utility-scale pipeline represents a significant tender book and order book opportunity. As energy-intensive businesses seek to insulate themselves from tariff volatility under Regulatory Period 4 (RP4) and fluctuating Automatic Fuel Adjustments (AFA), and as national utility-scale capacity targets accelerate, the Company expects growing demand for EPCC across both the large-scale solar and commercial and industrial (C&I) segments, alongside continued growth in operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the industry nationwide.

Expanding Service Capabilities: Full-Suite EPCC & AI-Powered O&M

Under the LOA, Founder Energy's scope covers procurement, electrical and mechanical installation, and commissioning of the solar facility, excluding major equipment to be purchased directly by main contractor. Founder Energy's responsibilities include obtaining and maintaining all approvals, licenses, clearances and permits required for construction and operation, and delivering, installing, testing and commissioning the system up to the interconnection point in accordance with Prudent Utility Practices and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) requirements.

Beyond the turnkey EPCC execution, Founder Group also provides long-term asset lifecycle management. The Company integrate the Company's proprietary AI-driven Operations & Maintenance (O&M) technologies. Featuring AI-driven diagnostics, predictive maintenance algorithms, and drone-assisted visual and thermal inspection technologies designed to identify anomalies and detect module defects with minimal manual intervention, supporting uptime and performance across solar assets.

CEO Commentary

"Being engaged as subcontractor for the electrical and mechanical installation and commissioning scope on a near-30MW facility reflects the trust that major industry players place in our execution capability," said Lee Seng Chi, chief executive officer of Founder Group Limited. "Programmes like CGPP, and now the newly launched LSS6, are central to Malaysia's renewable energy roadmap. Each subcontract award strengthens our track record and positions us to capture a larger share of the pipeline as the industry scales toward the nation's 70% renewable energy target by 2050."

About Founder Group Limited

Founder Group Limited is a pure-play, end-to-end EPCC solutions provider for solar PV facilities in Malaysia. The company's primary focus is on two key segments: large-scale solar projects and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar projects. The company's mission is to provide customers with innovative solar installation services, promote eco-friendly resources and achieve carbon neutrality.

For more information on the Company, please visit https://www.founderenergy.com.my/.

Flash Sports & Media Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLZH) Named Official Title Sponsor of the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:19:00 +0700

Title sponsorship secured through Liberty Gaming - FZCO, working in partnership with Cricket Switzerland to assist the growth of T20 cricket in Switzerland, with options exercisable by Flash for two further seasons

Flash to be designated Official Title Sponsor of the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team; sponsorship procured and managed by Liberty Gaming - FZCO, working in partnership with Cricket Switzerland, the national governing body, to assist the development of T20 cricket in Switzerland; rights package spans team clothing branding (subject to applicable team and competition regulations), matchday and training-venue signage, digital placement and broadcast presence; agreement also grants Flash film-crew access and content rights for use across its streaming platform; initial season with options, exercisable by Flash, for two additional seasons.

ZURICH, Switzerland and NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flash Sports & Media Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLZH) ("Flash" or the "Company"), a cricket-focused sports and media company seeking to develop and commercialize cricket media, league-management, sponsorship and related sports-entertainment opportunities, today announced that it has entered into a title sponsorship agreement to become the Official Title Sponsor of the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team (the "Team").

The sponsorship is procured and managed on Flash's behalf by Liberty Gaming - FZCO ("Liberty"), a Dubai-based company, working in partnership with Cricket Switzerland, the national governing body responsible for the Team. Beyond brand exposure, Flash intends to use the relationship to assist Cricket Switzerland in raising the profile of the Swiss T20 program - through content production, international distribution, and commercial visibility for the Team.

The agreement is effective as of August 5, 2026 and covers the balance of the current competitive season, with options exercisable by Flash, in sequence and on advance written notice, to extend for a second and thereafter a third season. The Company does not currently expect the agreement, individually, to be material to its financial results. This press release should be read together with the "Forward-Looking Statements" section below and with the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors and liquidity disclosures contained therein.

A European Platform for Cricket Content and Brand Visibility

The Company believes Switzerland's position within Europe's corporate, financial and sports-governance ecosystem, together with the growth of European cricket among diaspora communities and across the Associate Member competition calendar, makes it an attractive market to enter. The Company believes a national-team title sponsorship offers an efficient entry point into that market. The sponsorship is intended to support Flash across the following areas:

Brand presence on a national team through the balance of the current competitive season

Original content capture for Flash's streaming platform and social channels

Category exclusivity in gaming, sports media and sports streaming

Relationship development with a European national governing body

Audience reach into European and diaspora cricket communities

A repeatable, capital-efficient template for national-team sponsorships in additional markets

Working in Partnership to Assist T20 Cricket in Switzerland

Flash intends to work in partnership with Cricket Switzerland, alongside Liberty, to assist the growth of the T20 game in Switzerland. The Company's contribution is intended to be practical rather than purely financial: capturing and producing content around the national team, carrying Swiss T20 cricket to international audiences through Flash's distribution channels, and lending the Team the commercial visibility that comes with a listed title sponsor. Flash believes that raising the profile of the national team is the most effective way to broaden participation, attract further commercial partners to Swiss cricket, and support Cricket Switzerland's own development objectives. Activities in this area are intended to be developed collaboratively with Cricket Switzerland and remain subject to its priorities, scheduling and operational requirements; they are not fixed contractual commitments.

Content production around the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team, including interviews and behind-the-scenes material

International distribution of Swiss T20 content through Flash's streaming platform and channels

Commercial visibility for the Team through association with a Nasdaq-listed cricket media company

Support for Cricket Switzerland's efforts to attract further sponsors and partners to the Swiss game

Sharing of production and promotional know-how developed across Flash's cricket properties

Building a pathway for greater exposure of Swiss players to the wider international T20 ecosystem

Content and Streaming Rights

In addition to conventional signage and clothing branding, the agreement provides Flash with access for its film crew to training sessions and agreed events to record interviews and other content, and the right to use that recorded content, together with agreed match footage, for its streaming platform and promotional purposes. Access is subject to availability and to Cricket Switzerland's operational requirements. Content created by or for Flash under the agreement is owned by Flash, subject to any underlying rights required to appear in it. The Company views these content rights as the strategically significant element of the arrangement, consistent with its stated objective of building an owned content library across its cricket properties.

Leadership Commentary

Asvin Lakkaraju, General Manager, Cricket Switzerland:

"We're delighted to welcome Flash as a partner of Cricket Switzerland. Our shared vision of growing the game, engaging new audiences and inspiring the next generation of players and fans makes this partnership particularly exciting. By combining Cricket Switzerland's ambition to develop and grow cricket across Switzerland with Flash's innovative approach to media and fan engagement, we look forward to creating new and exciting ways for people to connect with and experience the sport."

Andreas Lutz, Chief Operating Officer, Liberty Gaming ? FZCO:

"Our role is to bring credible, long-term commercial partners into the sport, and to make sure the relationship works for the governing body as much as for the sponsor. Flash brings production capability, distribution, and an understanding of how cricket audiences actually consume the game. Applied in partnership with Cricket Switzerland, that is what helps a developing T20 nation move forward."

Bradley Nattrass, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Flash Sports & Media Holdings, Inc.:

"Our strategy is to build a portfolio of cricket properties that feed a single content and distribution engine. National-team sponsorships like this one are a capital-efficient way to extend that footprint into new markets and secure content rights. But we also see a responsibility that comes with it. We intend to work in partnership with Cricket Switzerland to assist the growth of T20 cricket there - putting our production and distribution capability behind the Swiss game so that a strong national team is seen by the audiences it deserves."

Strategic Context for Flash

The Swiss National Cricket Men's Team sponsorship extends Flash's cricket portfolio beyond South and Southeast Asia and into Europe. It complements the Company's anchor asset - the commercial and media rights to the Lanka Premier League - and its franchise-league initiatives, including the recently announced Malaysia T20 League (MT20) and planned leagues in Singapore and Zimbabwe. The Company regards partnership-led national-team relationships, in which Flash assists a governing body in developing its T20 program while building an owned content library, as a repeatable model for entry into further markets. The benefits the Company realizes will depend on the specific terms of its contractual arrangements and on delivery of the sponsorship rights, and may differ materially from any industry-level references included in this release.

Industry Context (Third-Party Data)

For general reference only, third-party reports describe T20 cricket as a high-engagement global format with an estimated fan base of approximately 2.5 billion across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and other markets. According to the International Cricket Council, the ICC has more than 100 member nations, the substantial majority of which are Associate Members; Switzerland has been an ICC Associate Member since 2021. These figures relate to the broader industry and are not a projection of the Company's financial results, revenues, or economic impact from this sponsorship, and should not be relied on as such.

Additional Information Regarding This Release

This section is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read together with, the "Forward-Looking Statements" section below. References to the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team, Cricket Switzerland, Liberty Gaming ? FZCO, the sponsorship rights, the term, anticipated activations, audience reach, market size, or commercial benefit are based on the Company's current plans, the terms of its contractual arrangements, third-party information, or industry estimates, and are subject to change. Delivery of the sponsorship rights is subject to a range of conditions, including applicable team and competition regulations, governing-body approvals, scheduling, technical feasibility, and the performance of counterparties. Renewal for additional seasons is at the Company's option, and no assurance is given that any renewal will be exercised.

Statements regarding the partnership with Cricket Switzerland, assistance to the development or growth of T20 cricket in Switzerland, content production, distribution activity, or increased profile for the Team describe the Company's present intentions and objectives, are to be developed collaboratively with Cricket Switzerland, are not fixed contractual commitments of either party, and may change or may not be achieved. Nothing in this release creates a partnership, joint venture or agency between the parties. References to market size, audience, or industry metrics are based on third-party information or industry estimates that the Company has not independently verified. Information contained on, or accessible through, the Company's websites is not incorporated by reference into, and does not form part of, this press release. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any offer of securities will be made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

About Flash Sports & Media Holdings, Inc.

Flash Sports & Media Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLZH) is a cricket-focused sports and media company seeking to develop and commercialize cricket media, league-management, sponsorship and related sports-entertainment opportunities. Its anchor asset is the Lanka Premier League, with Innovative Production Group FZ, LLC (IPG) integrated as the Company's in-house rights, league-management and production engine.

The Company is also seeking to build owned distribution through its OTT platform and a dedicated cricket channel, and has announced plans to establish additional T20 franchise leagues, including in Malaysia, Singapore and Zimbabwe. The Company intends to generate revenue from media rights, sponsorships, advertising, ticketing, merchandise and franchise fees. These initiatives are in varying stages of development, and there can be no assurance that any of them will be completed on the anticipated timetable or at all, or that they will generate revenue or be profitable. Information contained on, or accessible through, the Company's websites is not incorporated by reference into, and does not form part of, this press release. www.flashsportsandmedia.com

About Cricket Switzerland and the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team

Cricket Switzerland is the national governing body for cricket in Switzerland and is responsible for the Swiss National Cricket Men's Team. Cricket Switzerland is an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council.

About Liberty Gaming - FZCO

Liberty Gaming - FZCO is a company incorporated in the United Arab Emirates and based at IFZA Business Park, Dubai. Under the title sponsorship agreement, Liberty secures, procures and manages the delivery of the sponsorship rights on behalf of Flash Sports & Media.

About Twenty20 Cricket

Twenty20 (T20) is a format of cricket in which each team plays a maximum of 20 overs. Introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2003, T20 matches are typically completed in approximately three and a half hours. For more information, visit: http://www.t20worldcup.com

Source: Flash Sports & Media Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLZH)

AI-powered Martech Firm Tec-Do Announces Completion of New Financing Round

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:10:00 +0700

BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tec-Do, a global leader in AI marketing technology, today announced the completion of a new financing round, led by Huatai-General Atlantic, with participation from Forebright Capital, GAC Capital, GSR Ventures and other investors. This financing provides strong support for Tec-Do's next phase of AI research and development, product commercialization, global expansion, and capital market initiatives.

The financing attracted strong interest from leading investors, reflecting growing confidence in Tec-Do's innovative AI approach, built around its Navos Marketing Multi-Agent Platform and Tec-Chi Specialized MLLMs, as well as its proven ability to deliver measurable business growth for enterprise customers. This round brings together a group of investors with strong global perspectives, long-term capital and deep industry resources.

Leading this financing marks Huatai-General Atlantic's first-ever RMB investment, made through the joint venture fund, established by Huatai Baoli Investment Management. Tec-Do's long-term shareholder GSR Ventures increased its investment in this round. The participation of new leading investors alongside continued commitments from existing shareholders reflects the forward-looking confidence of international capital markets in the large-scale commercialization of B2B AI Agents and further underscores Tec-Do's expertise in the field.

Proceeds from the financing will be primarily used to further advance Tec-Do's core AI technologies, including the Tec-Chi Specialized MLLMs and Navos Multi-Agent Platform, as well as to attract and develop top-tier AI talent. As AI begins to fundamentally reshape the global business landscape, Tec-Do will also accelerate its strategic investments in Agentic Commerce, Agent-to-Agent (A2A) collaboration, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), helping global brands capture new growth opportunities across the information discovery, consumer decision-making, and transaction journeys increasingly shaped by AI.

Shuhao Li, Founder and CEO of Tec-Do, said: "AI is reshaping the foundations of global business, and we are at the beginning of a new era in which AI is redefining how businesses grow. Truly valuable AI is not simply about making technology more powerful; it must go deeper into real business operations and continuously create measurable business value. That is the core belief behind Tec-Do's Useful AI approach. As AI-driven transformation reshapes global commerce, we aspire to be a leading force in this transformation, helping brands around the world capture new growth opportunities and turning AI into a true engine for business growth."

The strong investor interest in Tec-Do is rooted in its nearly decade-long experience serving more than 100,000 cross-border businesses. From search and social media to content-driven commerce and now AI-powered conversations, Tec-Do has consistently positioned itself well within major shifts in the global commercial landscape. The company has established deep partnerships with leading global commercial platforms and AI-native consumer interfaces, including Meta, Google, TikTok, and OpenAI, helping customers continuously unlock new channels and opportunities for business growth.

Today, Tec-Do's business spans more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. Its Navos Multi-Agent Platform connects the entire workflow of global market intelligence, creative generation, campaign execution, performance attribution, and continuous optimization. Data and practical insights accumulated across markets, industries, and consumer scenarios are continuously fed back into Tec-Do's proprietary Tec-Chi Specialized MLLMs, creating a self-reinforcing optimization flywheel that continuously improves the platform's intelligence and performance.

According to the latest benchmark results, Tec-Do's Tec-Chi Question Answering & Reasoning Model ranked No.1 globally in the SuperCLUE evaluation of specialized advertising and marketing foundation models, while its Content Understanding Model ranked No.2 overall in the "Cross-Border Marketing Video Understanding" benchmark. In July 2026, Navos also launched its 2.0 iteration, evolving into an all-in-one enterprise AI Workforce capable of dynamically orchestrating multiple models, tools, and specialized agents based on specific business objectives. The evolution marks a shift from AI simply providing recommendations toward collaborative execution and delivery of measurable business outcomes.

Tec-Do is also translating its AI capabilities from benchmark performance into real-world commercial impact. In July 2026, Tec-Do became one of the first official technology partners for ChatGPT Ads globally. In initial customer testing, a cross-border brand using Tec-Do's technology with ChatGPT Ads achieved a significant reduction in marketing costs while increasing ROI to 2.5 times its previous level. The results demonstrate Tec-Do's ability to help brands unlock new growth opportunities as AI-native consumer interfaces reshape the global advertising and commerce landscape.

Looking ahead, Tec-Do will remain committed to its founding principle of "Technology Empowers Business." The company will continue integrating specialized AI models and multi-agent systems across the full spectrum of business growth, including marketing, sales, and customer success, moving AI beyond point solutions toward a new AI-for-work operating model. Through this evolution, Tec-Do aims to help more businesses capture global opportunities, achieve sustainable growth, and lead the emerging era of Agentic Commerce.

About Tec-Do

Founded in 2017, Tec-Do is a leading AI marketing company delivering results-centric marketing solutions for global business growth. Powered by Tec-Chi multi-modal large language models (MLLMs) and Marketing Multi-Agent Platform Navos, the company delivers end-to-end marketing solutions through a suite of AI-native, performance-driven products. These products restructure and autonomize mission-critical marketing processes-including market intelligence, content generation, campaign delivery, and performance optimization-across global media channels. In 2025, Tec-Do served over 100,000 advertisers, representing a diversified customer base that spans e-commerce, gaming, entertainment, and local commerce.

For more information, please visit https://www.tec-do.com/en/.

Media Inquiries:

monica.guan@tec-do.com

Constellation Brands Announces $100 Million Investment to Support U.S. Farmers

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:00 +0700

Company expands commitment to American agriculture and beer supply chain with support for growers in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ), a leading U.S.-based total beverage alcohol company, today announced an incremental $100 million investment over the next five years to support U.S. farmers in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota, reinforcing the company's long-term commitment to American agriculture and the vital role it plays in sustaining America's iconic beer industry.

The investment includes incremental purchases from American farmers and initiatives designed to help strengthen the future of these U.S. farming communities.

This investment reflects the company's continued commitment to U.S. farmers as they face sustained pressure from declining acreage, shifting demand, rising input costs, and weather-related challenges that have made it harder for many growers to maintain and expand their businesses. Barley, corn, and hops remain essential to the American beer industry and its extensive and multifaceted supply chain inclusive of U.S. farmers, maltsters, brewers, distributors, retailers, transportation and logistics partners, and local communities across the country.

As part of this investment, Constellation Brands will partner with growers in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota to identify opportunities that help sustain their farming operations for the long term. The company is establishing Constellation's Farmers Future, a grower-led advisory committee that will bring together farmers, trade groups, and community leaders to help inform investments intended to strengthen agricultural resilience and the domestic agricultural supply chain.

"U.S. barley, corn, and hops farmers are an essential part of the American economy and foundational to our business," said Nicholas Fink, President and Chief Executive Officer of Constellation Brands. "Their work supports communities, drives economic activity across the supply chain, and makes it possible for our products to reach consumers across the country. We have deep respect for the persistence and expertise of these growers, especially after several challenging years for American farming, and we remain committed to continuing to support this foundational part of our supply chain."

Constellation Brands already invests more than $750 million annually with American farmers and suppliers, including purchasing approximately 80% of all U.S. barley exports. This commitment is part of the company's broader economic impact in the U.S., where it invests more than $4.2 billion annually in employee wages, capital expenditures, and U.S. taxes. The company's operations also support more than 100,000 American jobs across its supply chain.

As part of this initiative, Constellation Brands will partner with growers and agricultural partners to determine how its investment can help support farm resiliency, market access, sustainability, and the continued economic vitality of farming communities in key producing states.

"Idaho is proud to be one of the top barley-producing states in the nation, and this investment from Constellation Brands is great news for our farmers and rural communities. Our growers work hard every day to supply the barley that fuels a critical American industry. This kind of long-term partnership recognizes their contribution to Idaho and the U.S. economy," said Idaho Governor Brad Little (R-ID).

"North Dakota has a long and proud history as a barley-growing powerhouse, and we appreciate Constellation Brands investing in our farmers so they can continue to play a pivotal role in the U.S. beverage industry well into the future," said North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong (R-ND).

"Idaho is the nation's leading producer of barley, and it is an important part of our state's agricultural economy. An investment in Idaho barley is an investment in thousands of Idaho jobs and a commitment to American-grown crops. I commend this good news for Gem State growers," said Idaho Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID).

"Idaho's barley farmers are an important anchor in our agricultural economy and communities. This investment will support jobs and keep costs low for farmers across the Gem State as they help to feed the world," said Idaho Senator Jim Risch (R-ID).

"Montana's barley farmers are the backbone of our agricultural economy. This announcement comes at a critical time for our growers, and it shows what's possible when American companies invest in American farmers. I appreciate Constellation Brands' commitment to Montana and the Trump administration's continued focus on strengthening U.S. agriculture," said Montana Governor Greg Gianforte (R-MT).

"Ag is Montana's top industry, and the hard work of our farmers and ranchers puts food on the table for millions of families across the country and around the world. The future of Montana relies heavily on our ag community, and investments like this will be critical to protect and promote Montana agriculture," said Montana Senator Steve Daines (R-MT).

"Montana's farmers feed America, support good-paying jobs, and keep our rural communities strong. This investment is a major vote of confidence in Montana barley growers and will help family farms stay competitive and pass their operations on to the next generation. I'm proud to see Constellation Brands doubling down on Montana agriculture," said Montana Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT).

"North Dakota is a leading producer of barley, with our farmers producing more than 28 million bushels last year. We appreciate this $100 million, five-year investment in North Dakota and the surrounding states' barley industries. Our barley production is integral to the U.S. brewing industry and this investment will benefit both of these important industries," said North Dakota Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee.

"North Dakota is a leader in American barley and corn production, and today's announcement from Constellation Brands is a long-term investment in the farmers who make that success possible. Our grain growers strengthen our national agricultural economy and supply chains, and they deserve the support to keep their farms resilient and sustainable," said North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND).

"Montana's farmers are the best in the world, and they deserve strong partners who are willing to invest in their future. I appreciate Constellation Brands' continued commitment to Montana barley growers. Investments like this strengthen our agricultural economy and create more certainty for the producers who keep it moving," said Montana Congressman Troy Downing (R-MT).

"Thank you to Constellation for their recognition of and investment in Montana agriculture. Montana farmers grow some of the best products available. This expansion will build on the already strong ag economy and further strengthen our ag security. Bravo Zulu to all," said Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT).

"I'm thrilled to see the $100 million investment supporting American barley farmers and strengthening the supply chain. As the nation's leading barley-producing state, Idaho growers are powering our economy. I'm excited to celebrate this great news with barley growers nationwide," said Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID).

"I'm thrilled to see Constellation Brands expanding its commitment to American agriculture through increased support for barley, hops, and corn farmers across Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. Idaho is a leading producer of these vital crops, and this initiative will further strengthen our agricultural sector, give growers a greater voice, and support farming communities across our state," said Idaho Congressman Russ Fulcher (R-ID).

"This announcement helps deliver exactly what our farmers are asking for: more local markets. North Dakota's barley, corn, and hops growers are proud to produce a quality product that is used and enjoyed right here in our own country. This is very welcome news from Constellation Brands right as producers are harvesting their fields. Thank you," said North Dakota Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND).

"Constellation Brands current and future support for our agricultural community comes at a critical time. Our sustainable future depends on committed partners, innovative products and new markets for American farmed barley and wheat, inside and outside of the U.S. We appreciate the continued steadfast support of Constellation Brands in support of our growers and look forward to working with them and other great companies who support our future," said the Idaho Barley Commission, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, and the North Dakota Barley Council in a joint statement.

"Strong markets and committed end users are critical to the future of U.S. barley production. We welcome continued investment in American barley growers and appreciate Constellation Brands' commitment to engaging producers as these initiatives are developed. Investments that expand opportunities for U.S. grown barley and strengthen our rural communities are important to the long-term success of our growers," said the Montana Grain Growers.

ABOUT CONSTELLATION BRANDS

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ), a U.S. headquartered company, is a leading producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. Our mission is to build brands that people love because we believe elevating human connections is Worth Reaching For. It's worth our dedication, hard work, and calculated risks to anticipate market trends and deliver for our consumers, shareholders, employees, and industry. This dedication is what has driven us to become one of the fastest-growing, large CPG companies in the U.S. at retail, and it drives our pursuit to deliver what's next.

As an agriculture-based company, we strive to operate in a way that is sustainable and responsible. Our strategy is embedded into our business, and we focus on serving as good stewards of the environment, investing in our communities, and promoting responsible beverage alcohol consumption. We believe these aspirations in support of our longer-term business strategy allow us to contribute to a future that is truly Worth Reaching For.

To learn more, visit www.cbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The word "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These statements may relate to business strategy, future operations, prospects, plans, and objectives of management, including the amount, timing, beneficiaries, and results of the investment to support U.S. farmers and agricultural partners, including planned purchases, initiatives, and opportunities to help sustain farming operations, the company's continuing commitment to U.S. farmers and American agriculture, the establishment and goals of Constellation's Farmers Future grower-led advisory committee, and the role and contributions of U.S. farmers and agricultural partners in the U.S. beverage industry, as well as information concerning expected actions of third parties. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur or will occur on the timetable contemplated hereby. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and Constellation Brands does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

In addition to risks and uncertainties associated with ordinary business operations, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including the accuracy of all projections and other factors and uncertainties disclosed from time-to-time in Constellation Brands' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2026, which could cause actual future performance to differ from current expectations.

MEDIA CONTACTS INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS

Maggie Bowman 213-500-2401 / maggie.bowman@cbrands.com

Carissa Guzski 315-525-7362 / carissa.guzski@cbrands.com Blair Veenema 585-284-4433 / blair.veenema@cbrands.com

David Paccapaniccia 585-282-7227 / david.paccapaniccia@cbrands.com

AMSYS and SEYOND Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Spatial Intelligence and Operational Digital Twins

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:59:00 +0700

Partnership pairs SEYOND's high-fidelity LiDAR perception technology with AMSYS's Enterprise AI and Operational Digital Twin expertise to deliver next-generation Spatial Intelligence Platforms for public sector and enterprise customers

HOUSTON, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMSYS, leaders in sovereign AI managed services, and SEYOND, a global provider of image-grade LiDAR technology, today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the adoption of high-fidelity spatial intelligence through the integration of advanced LiDAR perception, Enterprise AI, and Operational Digital Twin platforms.

As SEYOND's strategic distributor, integration partner, and managed services provider, AMSYS will expand access to SEYOND's LiDAR portfolio across state and local government, transportation, critical infrastructure, smart cities, education, healthcare, logistics, and industrial markets - delivering solution design, AI integration, systems engineering, Operational Digital Twin deployment, and lifecycle support.

AMSYS PR Cover

The partnership fuses SEYOND's market-leading LiDAR sensing with AMSYS's expertise in Enterprise AI, computer vision, sensor and data fusion, and Operational Digital Twin architectures, giving organizations a single operational command layer to monitor, analyze, predict, and optimize physical operations in real time. Customers can transform assets, infrastructure, campuses, and public spaces into living Operational Digital Twins that continuously synchronize real-world conditions with digital intelligence - improving visibility, safety, resource utilization, and response times across mission-critical environments.

AMSYS brings proven experience delivering AI and infrastructure solutions to public sector and enterprise organizations and was named the 2026 NVIDIA State and Local Government Partner of the Year for its leadership in AI-driven infrastructure adoption. As a single-source partner spanning LiDAR perception, AI inference, edge computing, cybersecurity, systems integration, and managed services, AMSYS reduces deployment complexity and accelerates time-to-value versus traditional multi-vendor approaches.

"Customers don't need more data, they need to act on it faster," said John Rohrer, President, Enterprise AI, AMSYS. "This partnership turns SEYOND's LiDAR into real-time intelligence AMSYS can deploy at scale, so customers get one partner instead of a patchwork of vendors."

"The future of infrastructure will be defined by how effectively organizations can understand and respond to the physical world in real time," said Randy Lack, Director of Sales Stationary Markets at Seyond. "By combining Seyond's LiDAR perception technology with AMSYS' Operational Digital Twin platform, we're helping create a digital layer for the physical world. That enables smarter operations, greater resilience, and better outcomes for the communities these environments serve."

About AMSYS

AMSYS AI is a division of AMSYS Group, a diversified holding company delivering Enterprise AI, technology services, and infrastructure solutions to public sector and enterprise organizations nationwide. AMSYS specializes in sovereign AI managed services, systems integration, and operational digital twin deployment. For more information, visit https://amsys.ai

About SEYOND

SEYOND is a global provider of image-grade LiDAR technology serving the Smart and Safe cities, Critical infrastructure, automotive, intelligent transportation, robotics, and industrial automation sectors. Founded in Silicon Valley, SEYOND's portfolio includes its Falcon, Robin and Hummingbird LiDAR sensors and its SIMPL perception software platform, supporting use cases from smart infrastructure and industrial automation to autonomous driving. For more information, visit https://seyond.com

Media Contacts

AMSYS

Jenny Salinas

VP, Marketing & Public Relations

jsalinas@amsysis.com

SEYOND

Seyond Marketing Team

PR@Seyond.com

21st Palermo-Montecarlo 2026 (18-23 August)

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:52:00 +0700

39 boats set off from the Gulf of Mondello

MONACO, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flat seas, a ten knot westerly breeze and 500 nautical miles lies ahead of the 39 contestants in the 21st Palermo-Montecarlo who set off from the Gulf of Mondello, Sicily, at 12:30 this Tuesday bound for Monaco.

Having crossed the start in the lead group, the three-time winner and current record holder of this offshore race, Black Jack 100, was the first to head for the disengagement mark on the first upwind leg.

Organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the Palermo-Montecarlo counts towards the Italian Offshore Championship (FIV - Federazione Italiana Vela) and serves as the final leg of the International Maxi Association's (IMA) Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge. Follow the race at: https://pro.yb.tl/pm2026/

Six Maxis and a record to beat

All eyes are naturally on Black Jack 100, owned by Remon Vos and skippered by Tristan Le Brun, both YCM members. The Maxi has three consecutive victories in the bag this season and holds the Palermo to Monaco record of 38 hours 53 minutes 13 seconds achieved in 2025. Aboard is Giulio Guaterri, a young sailor from YCM's Sports Section, for whom this edition is especially significant is it marks his first venture into the realities of offshore racing aboard a demanding racing yacht.

"Boarding a 100-footer is a significant experience, because these boats are complex and powerful, yet also extraordinary," explains Tristan Le Brun. There is no question of getting carried away by this milestone. "We prefer not to make predictions: the first part of the race could be marked by light unstable winds, requiring a great deal of focus and concentration. There's some tough competition out there and the challenge promises to be an interesting one". That is certainly the case with Marta07. This year, Furio Benussi's 86-footer has on board YCM member Guido Miani, alongside Edoardo Bonanno (who has competed 17 times in this race), Antonio Saporito and the Austrian Olympic medallist Thomas Zajac. "For the first time, the Yacht Club de Monaco and Circolo della Vela Sicilia are participating together with a mixed crew, a collaboration that embodies the spirit of friendship between the two clubs," notes Agostino Randazzo, President of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia. YCM is also represented by Eug?ne Vankoppen's Bavaria 44 Shooting Star.

Star-studded line-up for 500 nautical miles

The battle for supremacy is not limited to Black Jack 100 and Marta07. Fiamme Gialle Nice, a 78-footer also designed by Reichel Pugh, is another big-hitter to watch. Skippered by Francesco Nerone, the crew includes several sailors from the Guardia di Finanza's Gruppo Sportivo, among them the former America's Cup sailor Paolo Cian at the helm and Pierluigi Fornelli on tactics. The big boat fleet also includes the French 69-footer Intuition (which competed last year), the Austrian VOR 65 Sisi, a veteran of several round-the-world voyages, and Andrea Fornaro's Swan 60 Seaquill. Behind the Maxis, the race for the overall title remains wide open. In the TP52s, Arkas Blue Moon and Chocolate 3 are among contenders for the Angelo Randazzo Trophy (awarded to the winner on corrected time), as is Zephir, an FC44 with the lines of a scow, designed by Finot-Conq.

The fleet also attracts a wide variety of backgrounds and projects. Aboard Our Dream, a 15m Sun Odyssey from the Lega Navale Italiana in Palermo, Beppe Tisci is sailing with a mixed crew that includes sailors with disabilities, such as Carmelo Forastieri, who competes on the Para Sailing circuit in the Hansa 303 class. Four boats have also opted to cover the 500nm course double handed in the X2 category.

Bonifacio the first major hurdle

After a start taken in a 10 to 12 knot breeze, the 39 crews representing 11 nations are expected to encounter stronger winds as they head to Corsica and the Strait of Bonifacio, a mandatory passage. Then comes a decision that can make or break a good result in the Palermo-Montecarlo whether to go up the east or west coast of Corsica. Routing choices, shifting winds and tactical decisions made in the coming hours will start to open up gaps. For Black Jack 100, their own race record will inevitably weigh on the crew's minds. The first arrival could take place during Wednesday-Thursday night although Thursday morning (20 August) is more likely. The Maxis are battling for Line Honours and the Giuseppe Tasca D'Almerita Challenge Trophy, while the rest of the fleet will be competing for victory in corrected time.

Racing plays out ashore

After its success at the 2025 edition, the Palermo-Montecarlo race is again available via the Virtual Regatta platform via computer or smartphone. Contestants face the same weather conditions and strategic choices as the crews out at sea. The platform also hosts digital versions of The Ocean Race, the Vend?e Globe, and other major offshore and ocean races. Last year, 8,454 participants took part. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers overall, the top three in the Interclub Challenge between the two organising clubs, and the best under-18 finisher.

For more information:

Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it

Cloudera Powers the Agentic AI Era with Cloudera Anywhere Cloud

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:45:00 +0700

New hybrid data and AI platform is designed to deliver cloud-native agility with enterprise control, enabling organizations to activate AI while ensuring full governance, sovereignty, and interoperability

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cloudera, the only company bringing AI to data anywhere, today announced Cloudera Anywhere Cloud, our new platform for building, deploying, and scaling production-grade data and AI applications across multi-cloud and on-premises environments. Designed to operate standalone or complement existing massive data lakes, Cloudera Anywhere Cloud is built to deliver a unified cloud experience wherever data resides.

The platform combines modular agility, self-service provisioning, and automated management with complete data control and sovereignty. Powered by Cloudera's agentic copilot, Cloudera Anywhere Cloud enables teams to automate workflows, and launch advanced AI capabilities directly against their proprietary data estates without moving sensitive assets.

Organizations across every industry are racing to operationalize AI, but most remain constrained by fragmented infrastructure, lengthy platform upgrade cycles, and increasingly complex data sovereignty requirements. Recent research revealed 73% of IT leaders believe infrastructure performance constraints have hindered operational initiatives, reflecting the difficulty of scaling AI across fragmented environments. As enterprises struggle to balance rapid innovation with security and risk management, high-value AI initiatives often stall long before reaching production.

Cloudera Anywhere Cloud addresses this challenge by bringing push-button simplicity and cloud-native agility directly to enterprise data, wherever it resides. Featuring a simpler, outcome-driven interface, it allows teams to focus on solving urgent business use cases and activating AI rather than navigating software mechanics. It is built on a modular architecture that enables organizations to deploy, govern, and scale independent AI and data services across public clouds, sovereign infrastructure, and private data centers through a single control plane. By eliminating disruptive migrations and proprietary vendor lock-in, organizations can move from experimentation to production faster while maintaining unified governance and digital sovereignty across their entire data estate.

"Enterprise AI has outgrown the public cloud-only model," said Leo Brunnick, Chief Product Officer at Cloudera. "Organizations shouldn't have to choose between innovation and control. Cloudera Anywhere Cloud brings the speed and flexibility of the cloud directly to enterprise data. This allows enterprises to accelerate AI initiatives while maintaining complete ownership of their data and intellectual property, all while optimizing the cost of their infrastructure, tokens, and business models."

Cloudera Anywhere Cloud enables organizations to:

Accelerate AI-enhanced use cases and Private or Sovereign AI deployment to shrink project timelines from months down to minutes and realize faster time to value across agentic AI initiatives.

Quickly optimize workload placement across public clouds, sovereign infrastructure, and private data centers to run applications wherever business, regulatory, or economic priorities dictate without moving or copying any data.

Maintain centralized zero-trust governance across distributed data estates for continuous enterprise compliance, unbroken lineage, and complete digital sovereignty

Deploy decoupled modular data services through self-service marketplace blueprints in any environment. Customers can deploy Cloudera engines such as Spark, Kafka, or Trino, as well as any other open source or partner engine of their choice.

Leverage open, standards-based interoperability with Apache Iceberg, Polaris catalog, and unified APIs to instantly connect analytics engines without vendor lock-in or custom integration tax.

Streamline operations with agentic copilots that convert plain-language requests into automated data workflows or infrastructure management across environments, eliminating operational friction for business and technical teams, while being connected to any company environment.

"Working with complex data environments every day, we know that moving from AI experimentation to production requires both the freedom to innovate and confidence that data remains governed and under our control," said Sergio Rodr?guez de Guzm?n CTO and Co-Founder at IXEN.ai. "Cloudera Anywhere Cloud gives our teams a consistent foundation for data, analytics, and AI across on-premises and cloud environments. We're excited about its potential to help us accelerate the development of agentic AI capabilities while maintaining the governance, flexibility and control required at enterprise scale."

Cloudera Anywhere Cloud allows customers to transform their data estates into an open marketplace ecosystem, combining self-service agility with automated corporate guardrails to accelerate enterprise AI initiatives safely. As a result, developers and data practitioners can utilize a plain-language agentic copilot to rapidly deploy first-party, partner, and open-source data, analytics, and AI capabilities. Every deployment maintains full interoperability while automatically inheriting enterprise governance policies for continuous compliance.

"Enterprises are racing to put AI agents on top of their data, but agents can't reason over rows and joins alone," said Weimo Liu, CEO, PuppyGraph. "They need to query knowledge: ontology, entities, relationships, and context. With Cloudera Anywhere Cloud delivering trusted, Iceberg-based data across cloud, data center, and edge, PuppyGraph queries that same data as a knowledge graph in real time, with zero ETL and no data movement. Together, we enable every data platform team to become a knowledge team, running graph-powered AI on enterprise data wherever it lives."

As agentic AI transforms enterprise competitiveness, organizations need an architecture engineered to run complex, autonomous AI applications at scale. Cloudera Anywhere Cloud is designed to provide a single operational standard that combines cloud-native speed with enterprise-grade governance, giving organizations the freedom to innovate on their own terms while maintaining complete control over where workloads run and where data resides.

Cloudera Anywhere Cloud is being showcased today at Cloudera's EVOLVE event in Singapore. Register for upcoming EVOLVE events, learn more about Cloudera Anywhere Cloud and sign up for our upcoming webinar.

About Cloudera

Cloudera is the only hybrid data and AI platform company that large organizations trust to bring AI to their data anywhere it lives. Unlike other providers, Cloudera delivers a consistent cloud experience that converges public clouds, on-prem data centers, sovereign clouds, and the edge, leveraging a proven open-source foundation. As the pioneer in big data, Cloudera empowers businesses to apply AI and assert control over 100% of their data, in all forms, improving security, governance, and real-time and predictive insights. The world's largest brands across all industries rely on Cloudera to transform decision-making and ultimately boost bottom lines, safeguard against threats, and save lives.

To learn more, visit Cloudera.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X. 2026 Cloudera and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact

Jess Hohn-Cabana

cloudera@v2comms.com

6th Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous 20 and 21 September 2026

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:38:00 +0700

Innovation at the service of marinas comes to Monaco

MONACO, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 20-21 September, the Yacht Club de Monaco hosts the 6th Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous, organised by M3 Monaco, a Monegasque consultancy specialised in the development and management of marinas, yacht clubs and sailing schools.

Professionals from 28 countries, including marina managers, investors, architects, industry representatives, innovation companies and captains, will gather to exchange views on the issues shaping future port and maritime infrastructure.

It is supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, ESA NanoTech, Bombardier, MB92 Group, Skytopia, Plus Marine, and Italian Yacht Masters.

Over the two days, workshops, panel discussions, project presentations and networking sessions will inform the exchanges between professionals in an approach focused on concrete solutions and the evolution of port models.

On Sunday 20 September workshops will concentrate on cybersecurity for connected marinas; new construction materials ranging from bio-concrete and recycled composites to sediment valorisation; and decarbonisation of the existing fleet through refit. Marinas and architects will also present their projects.

On Monday 21 September, panel discussions broaden the scope to include biodiversity as a value factor, new investment models, architecture in the face of climate change, energy production, and new usages. The afternoon will be dedicated to artificial intelligence applied to the waterfront, berth evolution due to yacht electrification, connected services, and marina project development from site selection to completion.

Innovation in competition

This edition will also bring innovation to the fore. Around 30 start-ups and scale-ups have been selected in the Innovation category, while 11 architectural projects will be presented as part of the Architecture competition.

All these projects will be competing for the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Awards 2026 presented on Monday 21 September at the closing event ceremony. The awards recognise the most outstanding initiatives and concepts that are contributing to the evolution of marinas into facilities that are smarter, more sustainable and adapted to new uses.

In bringing together innovation, architecture, investment and port operations, the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous provides an international platform dedicated to the evolution of marinas and solutions that will shape their future uses. Through this event, part of the collective 'Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting' initiative, the Principality reaffirms its role as a focal point for stakeholders who are envisioning and developing tomorrow's port infrastructure.

For more information:

Press Office LaPresse - ufficio.stampa@lapresse.it

NOAA Publishes TMC USA's Consolidated Application for an Exploration License and Commercial Recovery Permit for TMC USA-A in the Federal Register

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:28:00 +0700

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TMC the metals company Inc. (Nasdaq: TMC) ("TMC", "The Metals Company" or the "Company"), a leading developer of the world's largest resource of critical metals essential to energy, defense, manufacturing and infrastructure,

Today announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") published in the Federal Register the consolidated application submitted by the Company's subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC ("TMC USA"), for an exploration license and commercial recovery permit for TMC USA-A under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act ("DSHMRA") and its implementing regulations.

Publication of the consolidated application in the Federal Register follows the determination of full compliance by NOAA on April 28, 2026, and provides public notice of TMC USA's submission. NOAA's review will continue under DSHMRA and its implementing regulations and is now expected to proceed through remaining steps, including:

Certifying the application

Conducting the required environmental review and providing a draft Environmental Impact Statement for public comment

Making a final determination on whether to issue the exploration license and commercial recovery permit and associated Terms, Conditions, and Restrictions

Gerard Barron, Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, said: "Publication of our consolidated application in the Federal Register is an important milestone on the permitting path under DSHMRA as it starts the clock on the public comment period that NOAA views as a prerequisite to certification. Every step toward a final regulatory decision brings us closer to potential commercial production and to a future in which the United States has greater mineral sovereignty in several critical minerals. Our confidence in the permitting process remains high and we continue to advance our first project toward commercial production in parallel with NOAA's permitting process."

Earlier this year, TMC USA submitted a consolidated application for an exploration license and a commercial recovery permit for polymetallic nodules in the TMC USA-A area in international waters of the Clarion Clipperton Zone ("CCZ") in the Pacific Ocean. The application was filed under NOAA's new consolidated application and review process and represents the first submission of its kind. It covers a ~65,000 km2 exploration and commercial recovery area, with an estimated resource of 619 Mt of wet nodules and potential exploration upside of an additional 200 Mt.

TMC USA's application draws on one of the most comprehensive datasets ever assembled on polymetallic nodules and their surrounding ecosystems, informed by more than a decade of environmental baseline studies, scientific research and offshore engineering.

In addition to the USA-A consolidated application, TMC USA is also advancing an application for an exploration license over the USA-B area. On August 17, NOAA published a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the USA-B application in the Federal Register, following its earlier certification of the application on May 26, 2026. The USA-B application area covers ~122,000 km2 of seafloor containing an estimated 1.02 billion tonnes of polymetallic nodules with high grades of nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese, and several rare earth elements.

NOAA has played a central role in advancing scientific understanding of deep seabed mining impacts since the 1970s, including conducting environmental research cruises in the CCZ, monitoring early nodule collection trials, and publishing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement covering the CCZ in 1981. In the 1980s and 1990s, NOAA conducted further research into benthic plumes through its Benthic Impact Experiments program where the agency used a custom-built machine to simulate and study seafloor disturbance. The agency issued comprehensive DSHMRA implementing regulations in 1981 (for exploration licenses) and 1989 (for commercial recovery permits) and has maintained an active licensing program since that time, with multiple exploration licenses renewed on a five-year basis.

About The Metals Company

The Metals Company is a developer of lower-impact critical metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, on a dual mission: (1) supply metals for energy, defense, manufacturing and infrastructure with net positive impacts compared to conventional production routes and (2) trace, recover and recycle the metals we supply to help create a metal commons that can be used in perpetuity. The Company has conducted more than a decade of research into the environmental and social impacts of offshore nodule collection and onshore processing. More information is available at www.metals.co.

Contacts

Media | media@metals.co

Investors | investors@metals.co

Tonglu Enhances Regional Tourism Strategy Through Immersive Experiences and Infrastructure Upgrades

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:56:00 +0700

Scenic Tonglu County. Photo by Huang Qiang

TONGLU, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 20 August 2026 - Olympic champion diver Quan Hongchan visited the Chuiyun Tongtian River scenic area in Tonglu, China, in early August - not to dive, but to joke with the "Turtle Immortal," a costumed performer entertaining passengers on boats through the river and its caves.

The exchange spread quickly on Chinese social media. For visitors, the character has become more than a photo opportunity: people stop to trade lines, ask questions and play along. Some have traveled specifically to meet the performer.

The small scene reflects a larger change underway in Tonglu, a county in Zhejiang province in eastern China. Long known for its scenery along the Fuchun River, Tonglu is adding performers, interactive storylines, water activities and even unexpected roadside attractions to encourage visitors to take part rather than simply look on.

A cave tour with characters

The "Turtle Immortal" is played by Zhang Yunbin, a 26-year-old opera performer who studied in Russia and speaks English and Russian. His setting is not a conventional theater but a river route winding through limestone caves.

At Chuiyun Tongtian River, Zhang is one of a rotating cast inspired by Journey to the West, the classic Chinese novel. Visitors may encounter Zhu Bajie, also known as Pigsy, as well as the Bull Demon King and Taishang Laojun, a Taoist deity.

More than 120 performers take part in the program. Rather than delivering a fixed show from a stage, they improvise with visitors, pose for photos and pull travelers into short scenes along the route.

The approach is part of what tourism marketers call immersive travel, though the experience is fairly straightforward: visitors are invited to respond, joke back and become part of the moment.

Similar experiments are appearing elsewhere in the county. At Yaolin Wonderland and Yan Ziling Fishing Platform in Tonglu, performers appear among caves, riverbanks and mountain paths as characters drawn from folklore, history and local life. A visit might include a brief role-playing exchange, a story about the site or an encounter that changes the pace of an otherwise standard tour.

The goal is to give visitors a reason to linger.

An aquarium at a highway rest stop

Tonglu's most unusual tourism experiment may not be in a scenic area at all.

During China's May Day holiday this year, travelers stopping at the Tonglu service area on the G25 Changchun?Shenzhen Expressway found more than fuel, snacks and restrooms. The rest area featured a large aquarium, mermaid performances and crowds pausing to take photos.

The attraction turned a routine highway break into a destination in its own right. According to figures released by local authorities, the service area received more than 80,000 visitors a day during the holiday.

The idea is to capture some of the spending that would otherwise pass through the county without stopping. A traveler who pulls over for coffee may stay for a show, buy a meal or decide to explore nearby attractions.

County data show that Tonglu received 1.61 million visits during the May Day holiday, up 13.2% from a year earlier.

Tourism revenue reached 958 million yuan, or roughly $132 million, a 12.4% increase, according to authorities.

Those numbers do not prove that a single aquarium or character program drove the growth. But they point to the value Tonglu sees in making travel stops more memorable - and in turning short visits into longer ones.

More ways to spend a summer day

In late July, Tonglu launched a summer tourism campaign "Water Play Kingdom: Tonglu Is Wild." The branding is aimed at visitors looking for a mix of rafting, family activities, village stays and outdoor recreation.

The county's tourism offerings now range from river rafting and mountain-stream activities to the family resort, rural walks and evening events. The strategy is less about promoting a single landmark than about creating enough options for visitors to spend a full weekend - or return in another season.

That broader approach matters in a destination with no shortage of natural scenery. Tonglu's rivers, caves and hills remain the foundation of its appeal. But local planners are increasingly treating those landscapes as settings for activities, stories and encounters rather than as backdrops for a quick stop and a photo.

Making travel easier for overseas visitors

Tonglu is also preparing for more international travelers.

The multilingual "Turtle Immortal" has become a lighthearted symbol of that effort. When the performer chats with overseas visitors in English, Chinese social-media users joke that "the Heavenly Palace has opened an international branch."

Behind the joke is a more practical effort to improve the visitor experience. Yaolin township in Tonglu has been selected as a provincial pilot area for inbound-tourism innovation, with work underway on multilingual signs, international payment options and other services for overseas guests.

For international visitors, those details can matter as much as the attractions themselves. A cave performance or rafting trip may be memorable, but clear directions, workable payment systems and accessible information determine whether a trip feels easy or frustrating.

The county's tourism push is still rooted in the things that first drew people there: water, mountains and caves. What is changing is the role of the visitor.

In Tonglu, tourists may still come for the view. But they may also find themselves joking with a cave character, watching mermaids at a highway rest stop or joining an activity that asks them to do more than pose for a photo.

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

Hashtags: #Tonglu

Paymentology Powers GoTyme Bank's Apple Pay Launch in the Philippines

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:51:00 +0700

GoTyme Bank becomes the first digital bank in the Philippines to enable Apple Pay, expanding secure and seamless digital payments for 10 million customers

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 18 August 2026 - Paymentology, the leading global issuer processor, today announced the successful launch of Apple Pay for GoTyme Bank in the Philippines. Through this launch, GoTyme becomes one of the first issuers in the Philippine market to enable Apple Pay, giving 10 million customers an easy, secure and private way to pay using their Apple devices.

As one of the country's fastest-growing digital banks, GoTyme continues to accelerate its digital payments strategy by expanding secure, seamless and convenient payment experiences for Filipino consumers. Customers can now securely add their GoTyme debit card to Apple Wallet and make contactless payments in stores, within apps and online wherever Apple Pay is accepted.

Apple Pay uses industry-leading tokenisation technology, meaning card numbers are never stored on devices or shared with merchants. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, with every transaction authenticated through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode, providing an additional layer of security while delivering a fast, frictionless checkout experience.

Nate Clark, President and CEO at GoTyme Bank commented: "At GoTyme Bank, we're constantly looking for ways to make banking simpler, safer and more rewarding for our customers. Bringing Apple Pay to GoTyme Bank customers in the Philippines gives them an easy and secure way to pay wherever they shop while continuing to earn rewards points on all their transactions. This is another step in our commitment to making everyday banking more beautiful and convenient for our customers.

The launch comes as digital payments continue to reshape the Philippine economy. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), digital payments now account for more than half of all retail payment transactions, as consumers increasingly embrace mobile-first banking and contactless payments. Meanwhile, smartphone penetration continues to rise, supporting growing demand for digital wallets and tokenised payment experiences. As digital commerce accelerates, enabling secure mobile payments through services such as Apple Pay is becoming an increasingly important differentiator for financial institutions.

Minh-Ha Truong, Head of Growth, APAC at Paymentology, added: "As a long-standing partner to GoTyme, we're proud to support another significant milestone in its growth journey. Bringing Apple Pay to market demonstrates how modern, cloud-native issuer processing enables digital banks to rapidly deliver innovative payment experiences while maintaining the highest standards of security, scalability and performance. Together, we're helping shape the future of digital payments in the Philippines."

The launch further strengthens GoTyme's position as one of Southeast Asia's leading digital banks and highlights the value of Paymentology's cloud-native issuer processing platform in helping banks and fintechs rapidly introduce innovative payment capabilities that meet evolving customer expectations.

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

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