Dedicated entity to offer more focused services, innovative products, and assurance that all operations are conducted in accordance with syariah principles

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sompo Indonesia today announced the official commencement of operations for PT Sompo Insurance Sharia ("Sompo Syariah"), a new general syariah insurance company established in full compliance with Financial Services Authority ("OJK") regulations.

The launch underscores Sompo Indonesia's commitment to supporting the growth of Indonesia's syariah financial industry while upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance.

Sompo Indonesia has been providing syariah-based asset protection services since 2017, offering insurance solutions tailored to the needs of individuals and businesses while adhering to syariah principles. Over the years, the company has delivered reliable protection and peace of mind to customers, while contributing to the growth of syariah financial services in Indonesia.

With the establishment of this syariah entity, customers will benefit from more focused services, innovative products, and assurance that all operations are conducted in accordance with syariah principles.

Eric Nemitz, President Director & CEO Sompo Indonesia said: "The establishment of Sompo Syariah allows us to serve the community with greater clarity and focus. By creating a dedicated syariah entity, we strengthen our ability to deliver protection that is compliant, responsive, and aligned with the needs of our customers. This step reflects our long-standing commitment to Indonesia and reinforces the trust that has guided our work for many years.

Sompo Syariah also represents a thoughtful evolution of our syariah services, providing a structure that supports stronger governance, more tailored solutions, and deeper alignment with national priorities. We believe this foundation will enable us to contribute meaningfully to the continued development of Indonesia's syariah financial ecosystem."

Ratna Indrayani, CEO of Sompo Syariah, said: "Sompo Syariah reflects our commitment to offering protection that is fair, transparent and grounded in syariah principles. Our focus is on serving the community with solutions that reflect modern needs while staying true to values that provide stability and confidence for our customers. Operating as an entity allows us to concentrate more fully on delivering services that support people in their daily lives.

We are committed to expanding access to syariah-based protection and strengthening understanding of its benefits. Through education, outreach, and responsible innovation, Sompo Syariah will continue to develop offerings that help more Indonesians engage with syariah finance in a way that is practical, clear, and aligned with their needs."

The general syariah insurance industry has also demonstrated significant growth. According to data from the Indonesian Sharia Insurance Association (AASI), in the first quarter of 2026, general syariah insurance assets grew by 13.77%, reaching IDR 10.8 trillion.

About Sompo

We are Sompo, a global provider of commercial and consumer property, casualty, and specialty insurance and reinsurance. Building on the 138 years of innovation of our parent company, Sompo Holdings, Inc., Sompo employs approximately 10,000 people around the world who use their in-depth knowledge and expertise to help simplify and resolve your complex challenges. Because when you choose Sompo, you choose The Ease of Expertise. 

"Sompo" refers to the brand under which Sompo International Holdings Ltd., a Bermuda-based holding company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates its global property and casualty (re)insurance businesses. Sompo International Holdings Ltd. is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Sompo Holdings, Inc., one of the leading property and casualty groups in the world with excellent financial strength as evidenced by ratings of A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best (XV size category) and A+ (Strong) from Standard & Poor's. Shares of Sompo Holdings, Inc. are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

To learn more please follow us on LinkedIn or visit sompo-intl.com.

About Sompo Insurance Indonesia ​

Sompo Insurance Indonesia ("Sompo Indonesia") is one of Indonesia's leading general insurers and part of Sompo International Holdings Ltd, a global provider of commercial and consumer property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Since 1975, Sompo Indonesia has helped protect the safety, health, and well-being of individuals and businesses across Indonesia, combining deep local market expertise with global insurance capabilities.

Sompo Indonesia provides a comprehensive range of general insurance solutions including health, personal accident, travel, motor vehicles, cargo, property, fire, earthquake, and other specialty insurance products. Through an extensive distribution network that includes brokers, agents, bancassurance, leasing companies, automotive manufacturers, and direct marketing channels, the company delivers solutions tailored to the evolving needs of its customers.

Backed by strong financial strength and a commitment to excellence, Sompo Indonesia helps customers and business partners navigate risk with confidence through responsive service and long-term partnership.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

XI'AN, Tiongkok, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pada 15 Oktober 2026, Konferensi Kemitraan Global SHACMAN Group & GlobeFest telah digelar di Pusat Konvensi & Pameran Internasional Xi'an dengan mengusung tema "Next Move, Next Horizon (Langkah Berikutnya, Cakrawala Berikutnya)."

Ren Guo, Sekretaris Komite Partai pada Komisi Pengawasan dan Administrasi Aset Milik Negara Provinsi Shaanxi, serta Liu Yi, Ketua Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group, turut hadir dalam acara tersebut. Lebih dari 1.800 dealer, pelanggan utama, mitra dalam rantai industri, dan perwakilan media dari hampir 100 negara dan wilayah berkumpul di Xi'an untuk menjajaki peluang baru bagi pengembangan bisnis di pasar global.

Dalam pidato utamanya, Liu Yi mengungkapkan bahwa penjualan kendaraan SHACMAN di pasar internasional mengalami pertumbuhan signifikan selama tiga kuartal pertama 2026 dibandingkan periode yang sama tahun sebelumnya. Sementara itu, kontribusi bisnis internasional terhadap keseluruhan bisnis perusahaan terus meningkat. Di tengah perubahan lanskap persaingan industri kendaraan komersial global, SHACMAN menguraikan tiga prioritas strategis: internasionalisasi sebagai pendorong pertumbuhan, kepemimpinan di sektor energi baru, serta peningkatan adaptasi terhadap kebutuhan lokal. Perusahaan juga mengumumkan target yang ingin dicapai di pasar internasional pada tahun 2030.

Untuk menerapkan prioritas tersebut, Tian Chao, General Manager Shaanxi Heavy Duty Automobile Import & Export Co., Ltd., menyampaikan laporan mengenai operasional perusahaan di pasar internasional. Beliau menguraikan lima strategi bisnis yang mencakup produk, pasar, pembiayaan, layanan, dan saluran distribusi. Dalam penjelasannya, beliau menekankan pentingnya pengembangan pasar secara berkelanjutan bersama mitra global untuk memperkuat daya saing.

Merek SHACMAN PowerCore resmi diluncurkan dalam konferensi tersebut. Merek ini merupakan hasil kerja sama SHACMAN, Weichai Power, Cummins, FAST, dan HanDe Axle. Dengan mengandalkan kualitas "Golden Powertrain" yang telah teruji, merek ini menghadirkan sistem penggerak inti terintegrasi yang mencakup teknologi diesel, gas alam, listrik berbasis baterai, hibrida, dan hidrogen. Hal ini mencerminkan komitmen perusahaan untuk menghadirkan nilai bagi pelanggan di seluruh dunia: "Memilih SHACMAN berarti memilih produk dan layanan berkelas dunia." SHACMAN juga memperkenalkan "transporte," solusi untuk seluruh siklus hidup transportasi energi baru, yang meliputi kendaraan, penyediaan energi, dan layanan operasional. Berbagai produk kendaraan energi baru, termasuk model kendaraan listrik berbasis baterai dan hibrida, turut dipamerkan. Sejumlah indikator kinerja utama produk tersebut mencapai level yang termasuk terdepan di industri.

GlobeFest menghadirkan enam zona pameran regional: Asia Pasifik, Timur Tengah, Amerika, Rusia & Asia Tengah, Eropa, serta Afrika. Masing-masing zona menyelenggarakan acara khusus bertajuk "Moment". Pada acara Europe Moment, model X6000 dan X6000e untuk pasar Eropa ditampilkan secara bersamaan setelah memperoleh Persetujuan Tipe Kendaraan Utuh (Whole Vehicle Type-Approval/WVTA) Uni Eropa. T?V Rheinland turut menyerahkan plakat sertifikasi secara langsung di lokasi acara. Pada acara Africa Moment, perjanjian aliansi layanan regional resmi ditandatangani. Selain itu, pesanan ekspor penting ke Afrika juga berhasil dikirimkan.

Hingga saat ini, produk SHACMAN telah diekspor ke lebih dari 160 negara dan wilayah, dengan total ekspor kumulatif mencapai lebih dari 450.000 kendaraan.

Melalui perencanaan strategis, pengembangan ekosistem bisnis bersama, kerja sama regional, dan perluasan jaringan layanan, SHACMAN menggandeng mitra globalnya untuk memperkuat adaptasi operasional terhadap kebutuhan lokal di berbagai pasar internasional.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Baar (Switzerland), 21 October 2026 - MET Asia, MET Group's Singapore-based regional business focused on developing LNG and broader energy activities across Asia-Pacific, has announced the appointment of Esther Ang as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 November 2026.

Esther Ang succeeds into the role after nine years with MET Group, during which she has played a key role in expanding the company's LNG activities and global reach. She currently serves as Head of LNG Origination on MET International's LNG Desk, where she has made significant contributions across the LNG value chain, with a strong focus on LNG origination and strengthening MET Group's international presence. A Singaporean citizen, Esther brings extensive regional expertise and market knowledge to the role.

As CEO of MET Asia, Esther will lead the further development of MET Group's origination and trading activities across Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, supporting the company's ambition to grow its global LNG portfolio and regional energy presence.

Established in Singapore in 2023, MET Asia is MET Group's regional platform for Asia. The company was created to expand the Group's footprint in the region, strengthen its global LNG activities and pursue selective investments in energy infrastructure, renewable energy and flexibility assets.

MET Group sources LNG from various suppliers worldwide including long-term US FOB purchases, and seeks to expand its partnerships on a global scale. In 2025 MET Group delivered 5.42mt mostly into its European import system. This year, the portfolio is expected to grow further, with Asian deliveries achieving 30% of delivered volumes. MET looks forward to building on its strong European import basis to extend its strategies to the cornerstone of global LNG growth.

Esther Ang, incoming CEO of MET Asia, said: "Asia is one of the most important energy markets in the world and offers significant opportunities for growth. Since establishing our presence in Singapore, we have built a strong foundation for the business, and I look forward to working with our colleagues to reinforce trust with partners and further develop regional and wider global collaborations together."

MET Group

MET Group is an integrated European energy company, headquartered in Switzerland, with activities and assets in natural gas, LNG, power, and renewables. MET serves customers in 24 countries through subsidiaries and is present in 33 national energy markets as well as 51 international trading hubs.

The company's 1,400+ employees represent close to 60 nationalities. MET has extensive experience operating renewable and flexible assets, thus providing the widest possible support to energy transition. In 2025, MET Group's consolidated sales revenue amounted to EUR 28.6 billion, with a total transacted volume of natural gas amounting to 241 BCM and total traded electricity of 160 TWh.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

*Global Debut of the V25 and Assembly of the V Series Family: Unveiled at the 2026 iCAUR International User Summit, the V25 makes its official world premiere, joining the V23 and V27 to complete the V Series family lineup. Centered on the dimensions of "Restraint, Capability, Freedom," the V25 embodies the "Future-Classic Design" philosophy, bringing "Classic Never Fades" into the future.

*Onstage Debut of Official Customized Vehicles and New Milestones in Globalisation: Three official customized variants - the V23 Forge, V27 Sun Roam and V25 Game Changer - made their joint on-stage appearance, with their market rollout scheduled no later than early 2027. The event also updated the brand's globalization progress: iCAUR has expanded its footprint to over 40 markets in 2026, with cumulative global sales of the V23 exceeding 100,000 units.

*Elevated Customization Experience and Global Community Rollout: iCAUR is formalizing its personalized co-creation framework. Moving forward, every showroom will house a dedicated customization zone, with customization options available concurrently at new model launches. The brand has set up official user clubs across 9 countries and will extend its reach to more nations via the "Club Connect" initiative in 2027. The event also hosted the inauguration of its first cohort of global brand ambassadors.

*User Stories Bring "Classic Never Fades" to Life: Real stories shared by four global users translate "Classic Never Fades" from a design philosophy into tangible lifestyles. They underscore the brand's commitment to co-defining the expressions of classic lifestyles alongside users and fostering enduring connections.

WUHU, China, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The iCAUR Global Brand Launch took place during the 2026 iCAUR International User Summit, marking the world premiere of the V25, which joins the V23 and V27 to complete the V Series family lineup. Held under the theme "Classic Never Fades | Make It Yours," the event revolved around three pillars - future-classic design, official vehicle customization and user community - demonstrating how iCAUR builds product identity through classic design and cutting-edge technology, and empowers users with avenues for personal expression, forging lasting bonds spanning products and communities.

Future-Classic Design: Defining the V25 Through Restraint, Capability and Freedom

The event opened with the brand's product philosophy. Dr. Su Jun, Vice President of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., posed the opening question: "What is a car really for?" to frame discussions around the bond between vehicles and people. He noted that amid ever-larger screens, extended driving ranges and proliferating technical jargon, the automotive industry faces another form of homogenization: more vehicles look alike, leaving little lasting impression. iCAUR's answer lies in "Future-Classic Design": distilling simple forms, distinct character and recognizability from timeless design language, then infusing them with futuristic attributes via technology, new-energy powertrains and novel usage scenarios.

Su Jun unpacked the V25 using three keywords: "Restraint, Capability, Freedom." Restraint manifests in its boxy silhouette, near 1:1 body proportions, iconic round lamps and minimalist lines with no redundant flourishes. Capability is delivered by extended-range and battery-electric powertrain options, while the i-AWD system on all-wheel-drive variants supports diverse road conditions, delivering the "Go Anywhere" and "Go Further" confidence for urban, highway and mountain driving - the very foundation of the V25's "All-Way SUV" positioning. Freedom is enabled by more than 20 ecosystem interfaces; camping gear, outdoor equipment and even a roof-mounted coffee maker can serve as extensions of users' lifestyles. While boasting unique personalities of their own, the V25, V23 and V27 collectively uphold the family concept of classic design, all-terrain capability and self-expression.

Official Customization Takes the Stage: Classic Design Forms the Foundation; User Expression Completes Personalization   

If Dr. Su Jun laid out iCAUR's product fundamentals, Ronna Luo, CEO of iCAUR International, shifted focus to how users participate in shaping their vehicles. She explained that "Classic Never Fades" and "Make It Yours" operate on two levels: classic design creates an enduring foundation, and personalized customization imbues each vehicle with the owner's unique identity. Classic therefore exists not merely in styling, but permeates users' daily self-expression. She shared that roughly 50% of global iCAUR users customize their vehicles, and user creativity also fuels product iteration. In 2026, the V23 won the Red Dot Design Award and the V27 claimed the TADA Best Interior Design Award, testifying to its internationally recognized design prowess. Meanwhile, iCAUR intentionally preserves design headroom, inviting users to co-complete the vehicle.

The three official customized vehicles showcased on-site serve as the most intuitive embodiment of this philosophy. The V23 Forge amplifies urban character with a wide-body kit and gloss-black accents, striking a bolder stance while retaining the V23's playful spirit. The V27 Sun Roam draws inspiration from 1980s off-road vehicles and vintage cameras, pairing rugged proportions with refined details, crafted for those who cherish the journey itself.

The V25 Game Changer injects adventure and gaming-inspired personality into its classic rugged silhouette, through widened wheel arches, rocker panel color schemes and controller-themed elements. Market rollout for the three models is scheduled no later than early 2027; deliveries will adopt KD assembly or dealer-fit kits, subject to local regulations and market conditions. Beyond the main stage, over 20 user- and partner-co-created customized vehicles surrounded the venue, extending "Classic Never Fades" from the stage into real-world usage scenarios.

From Market Expansion to Club Connect: Turning Co-creation into Long-term Relationships

Beyond official customized builds, iCAUR is institutionalizing and sustaining co-creation. Ronna Luo shared that iCAUR has expanded to over 40 markets in 2026, emerging as a preferred new-energy SUV option across multiple regions, with more than 100,000 users driving the V23 worldwide. Moving forward, every iCAUR showroom will feature a dedicated personal customization zone. At new model launches, iCAUR will also unveil bespoke classic editions in tandem, responding to user inspiration with tailored offerings.

iCAUR has established official user clubs in 9 countries to date. In 2027, the brand will connect users across additional markets via its global "Club Connect" programme, facilitating idea exchanges and leveraging user feedback to refine products and experiences. The event also welcomed iCAUR's first cohort of 10 global brand ambassadors, including Mary-Ann (South Africa), Keem Yap (Malaysia), Humam Reno (Indonesia), Thomas Nawilis (Indonesia), Parawee (Thailand), and Humaid Yousuf Saif (UAE). Through Club Connect, iCAUR will continue to select users who contribute to the brand and community, transforming one-off co-creation activities into a permanent mechanism.

User Stories: Bringing "Classic Never Fades" Down to Tangible Daily Life

Beyond institutional frameworks, four user stories bring "Classic Never Fades" and personal expression to real life. South African owner Rod MacDonald fitted his V23 with roof LED lights, a black vented hood, round-lamp front bumper and all-terrain tires to fulfil weekend off-roading needs. He said the vehicle let him stay "true to himself" and had brought him new friends and renewed vitality.

Malaysian user Yan Yan Lee utilised the flexible interior space to store photography gear and deployed a foldable front-row table to work between shoots, turning the V23 into a mobile photo studio. Khalid Al Shamesi from the UAE chose iCAUR out of resonance with "Classic Never Fades", and recommended the vehicle to his father, wife and cousin, seeing the car as a carrier of timeless spirit and emotional bond.

Kit Leung from Hong Kong, China, shared his dual identities: a rapper on stage and a father in daily life. He believes iCAUR's classic design delivers rugged exterior and warm interior, never growing outdated, and perfectly matches his full self. The first cohort of global brand ambassadors also attended the ceremony, where Su Jun and Ronna Luo presented awards and took group photos with the users.

From the V25's world premiere and the V Series family assembly, to official customization offerings and Club Connect, iCAUR anchors "Classic Never Fades" across three dimensions: products, customization and community. As the V25 and official customization kits launch in more markets and Club Connect expands throughout 2027, the bond between iCAUR and its users will evolve beyond a single launch event into ongoing co-creation. Classic design sets the long-term framework, while user expression defines each vehicle's unique character. Classic Never Fades - they stem both from design's restraint against the passage of time and from users continuously writing their own stories with their vehicles.

About iCAUR

Chery Group's iCAUR is a new energy automotive brand driven by Future Classic Design and technology. Guided by its design philosophy, iCAUR combines classic design elements with modern aesthetics and technology to develop distinctive vehicles for urban mobility and outdoor exploration. With a focus on product innovation and customization, iCAUR offers diverse vehicle choices and personalization options, extending its brand experience through user services and a growing range of user engagements initiatives.

iCAUR's product portfolio is supported by technologies including i-AWD intelligent electric all-wheel drive and the REEV Golden Range Extender, delivering performance and capability for a range of driving conditions. With a growing presence in more than 40 markets worldwide, iCAUR continues to expand its international business and user engagements, guided by its brand belief: Classic Never Fades.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates and WUHU, China, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In November, LEPAS, Chery Auto's Premium NEV brand, will officially enter the Middle East market, with its full NEV product portfolio making its first collective appearance in the Gulf. The LEPAS L8 PHEV will launch progressively in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and other markets.

Alongside its vehicles, LEPAS will present designs and collaborative initiatives developed for the region, bringing its vision of elegant mobility to local customers.

Expanding the Global Footprint with Middle East Entry

For LEPAS, 2026 marks the "Year of Elegant Delivery." Since its European debut during Milan Design Week in April, LEPAS has continued to expand its global presence. Preorders for the LEPAS L8 have begun in several European countries, while deliveries of the LEPAS L6 and L4 continue in Southeast Asia and other regions. Entering the Middle East will mark another step in this expansion, introducing new cultural perspectives on elegant living.

The Gulf's NEV market is entering a period of sustained growth, with younger customers increasingly valuing design, individuality and quality. In a market rich in choice, brand must connect with local lifestyles. The region's diverse lifestyles and vibrant fashion and design communities offer LEPAS a starting point for entering the Middle East and connecting with customers through design and collaboration.

LEPAS's entry also builds on Chery Auto's established presence in the Middle East. Several brands under Chery Auto continue to strengthen their regional presence through new model launches this year. Drawing on Chery Group's local market experience and partner network, LEPAS will offer Gulf customers more brand and vehicle choices. Guided by its positioning as the "Preferred Brand for Elegant Mobility Life" and its three core pillars of Leopard Aesthetics, Elegant Technology and Exquisite Space, LEPAS will work with local customers to explore mobility experiences that combine design, technology and comfort.

Shaping New Expressions of Elegance in the Gulf

As LEPAS expands globally, design and lifestyle collaborations remain central to its engagement with customers. From Milan Design Week and London Design Festival to the Venice Film Festival, LEPAS has connected with partners worldwide through art, design and lifestyle. At its inaugural LEPAS Global Elegant Lifestyle Week in October, themed "TOGETHER IN ELEGANCE," stories from Global Elegant Lifestyle Partners worldwide helped LEPAS deepen its understanding of elegance across cultures. In the Middle East, LEPAS will continue this collaboration with emerging local designers and customers, incorporating Gulf culture into design and mobility experiences to explore new expressions of elegance.

LEPAS also plans to collaborate with local lifestyle brands across industries, exploring how its design language can fit into everyday life in the Gulf. Through design, sports and music, customers can join creative exchanges blending local influences with global perspectives and express elegance in their own way. These collaborations will offer fresh interpretations of Gulf lifestyles and enrich LEPAS's "Drive Your Elegance" philosophy.

For LEPAS, entering the Middle East is about more than market expansion. It is also an opportunity to engage with the Gulf's distinctive lifestyles, aesthetic preferences and creative communities. Together with local customers and partners, LEPAS will explore NEV mobility options combining elegant design with comfort and quality, opening a new chapter for elegant mobility.

About LEPAS

LEPAS is Chery Auto's Premium NEV brand, dedicated to creating elegant mobility experiences for users worldwide. Committed to becoming the Preferred Brand for Elegant Mobility Life, LEPAS brings together Leopard Aesthetics, Elegant Technology, and Exquisite Space - transforming elegance into a driving experience you can see, feel, and trust.

Supported by a growing global dealer network of more than 500 sales and service outlets, LEPAS is expanding its international footprint through localized operations, delivering products and experiences tailored to users across global markets.

About Chery Auto

Founded in 1997, Chery Auto is a global automotive manufacturer specializing in vehicle development, intelligent technologies, and new energy solutions. The company operates in more than 130 countries and regions, supported by a strong international network of research, production, and strategic partnerships.

Chery Auto has remained China's No. 1 passenger vehicle exporter among Chinese brands for 23 consecutive years. Guided by its global philosophy of "In somewhere, For somewhere, Be somewhere," Chery Auto is committed to advancing sustainable mobility through continuous innovation and global collaboration.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

San Francicso, CA, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meltwater, the global leader in actionable intelligence for PR, Communications and Marketing teams, and We Are Social, the socially-led creative agency, have released Digital 2027, their latest annual report on social media and digital trends worldwide.

Digital 2027 reveals major milestones in artificial intelligence and social media adoption, with more than a third of the global population now using generative AI tools each month, and social media user identities climbing to nearly 70 percent of the world's population. The report also highlights a significant shift in online behaviour, pointing to a noticeable decline in traditional web traffic as users spend more time on social platforms, pivot to native mobile apps, and embrace AI-powered platforms.

Gen AI adoption accelerates 

The Digital 2027 analysis estimates that active users of generative AI tools have grown to 3.24 billion - equivalent to 38.9 percent of the global population. Active GenAI users have increased by an impressive 57.2 percent over the past 12 months, adding 1.2 billion new users.

ChatGPT remains the GenAI market leader, attracting twice as many monthly active users as its nearest rival. However, platforms like Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude are making significant gains, with active users of Gemini's mobile apps increasing fourfold over the past year, and its web user base now over 60 percent the size of ChatGPT's.

Social media time and platform loyalty surges 

Global social media user identities now stand at 5.81 billion, equivalent to 69.9 percent of the global population. The global total increased by 2.7 percent over the past year, thanks to the addition of 151 million new user identities.

Crucially for brands, consumers are spending ever more time on these networks. The typical internet user has increased the time they spend on social media and online video platforms by 3.8 percent over the past year, reaching an average of 19 hours and 18 minutes per week.

When looking at where that attention goes, YouTube captured the greatest share of total global social media time, closely followed by WhatsApp and Instagram. When measuring average time spent per active user, TikTok leads with 1 hour and 55 minutes per day. 

Social networks remain a key destination of choice for commerce for younger demographics in particular: 46.9 percent of internet users aged 16 to 24 use platforms like Instagram and Facebook as their primary source of information when researching brands and potential purchases.

Online habits shift 

Digital 2027 highlights how the rise of AI and native mobile apps is reshaping the traditional internet. Across the world's top 10,000 web domains, total monthly web traffic has declined by more than 10 percent since the public launch of ChatGPT, and the total time spent using the web has fallen by 11.2 percent in just the past 24 months. However, despite AI's impressive momentum, online adults are still 74 percent more likely to say they visit search engines when researching brands than they are to visit an AI platform, and AI isn't the only reason web behaviours are evolving.

Digital 2027 is a comprehensive 900-page report covering the entire online ecosystem. It features data from GWI, Similarweb, Statista and more. Other key highlights include:

A varied marketing mix: The typical online adult now relies on an average of 5.8 different channels to find new brands.

Global internet penetration: Internet users have reached 6.15 billion, meaning 73.9 percent of the global population is now online.

Channels with influence: Digital ad spend increased by 8.7 percent over the last year, with social media up 18 percent, and influencer ad spend increasing by 15 percent 

The ultimate web debate: Google search data confirms cats continue to rule the internet at the end of 2026, fetching 4.15 billion results compared to 4.02 billion for dogs.

"Audiences no longer discover, research or make decisions about brands in one place. They move across news, social platforms, mobile apps and, increasingly, AI assistants. With generative AI adoption growing nearly 60% in the last year alone, LLMs have quickly become an environment where first impressions are formed. For marketers and communicators, visibility is no longer about showing up or counting reach. It means understanding how your brand appears in each environment, which sources and narratives shape their perception, and where brands can credibly influence the conversation. The teams best positioned to build relevance and trust will be those that understand how people discover, discuss and decide, then use that intelligence to focus their strategies and act with confidence," said Alexandra Bjertn?s, Chief Strategy Officer at Meltwater.

Mobbie Nazir, Global Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at We Are Social said: "The data in Digital 2027 proves that we are experiencing a fundamental shift in how people behave online. With social media use reaching 5.8 billion and gen AI woven into the daily habits of over a third of the world, the competition for attention is fiercer than ever. For marketers, the role of the traditional 'web' has changed, which means brands need to go out and actively meet consumers where they are - on social feeds and within AI interfaces. To cut through the noise, brands must focus on creating culturally relevant, compelling ideas that people actually want to engage with and share."

About Meltwater

Meltwater is the global leader in actionable intelligence for PR, Communications, and Marketing teams. By analyzing 1.3 billion pieces of content daily, Meltwater transforms media, social, and AI signals into intelligence that leaders rely on to make faster, more confident decisions. With 27,000 customers worldwide, Meltwater is the intelligence platform global brands trust to stay ahead. 

Meltwater: Intelligence you can act on. 

Learn more at meltwater.com.

About We Are Social

We are a global socially-led creative agency, with unrivalled social media and influencer marketing expertise. With over 1,200 people in four continents, we deliver a global perspective to our clients in a time when social media is shaping culture.

We make ideas worth talking about. We understand social behaviours within online communities, cultures and subcultures, spanning the social and gaming landscape. We build influencer partnerships with impact. 

We work with the world's biggest brands, including adidas, Samsung, Google and Amazon, to reach the right people in a strategic, relevant and effective way.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

KOPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Menurut penelitian klinis selama 12 bulan, konsumsi suplemen whey permeate kaya kalsium dua kali sehari membantu mempertahankan kepadatan mineral tulang pada perempuan pascamenopause.[1] Penurunan kadar estrogen selama menopause dapat mempercepat pengeroposan tulang dan mengurangi kepadatan mineral tulang sehingga meningkatkan risiko osteoporosis.

Temuan ini berasal dari proyek RENEW, sebuah kolaborasi penelitian yang mengkaji potensi pemanfaatan whey permeate kaya kalsium sebagai bahan pangan bioaktif untuk mengurangi pengeroposan tulang pada perempuan pascamenopause.

Sebanyak 316 perempuan menyelesaikan penelitian tersebut. Peserta menerima plasebo atau 800 mg kalsium per hari yang berasal dari kalsium karbonat atau whey permeate kaya kalsium (dengan atau tanpa inulin), yang dibagi menjadi dua dosis sehari. Seluruh peserta juga menerima vitamin D yang membantu menjaga kesehatan tulang.

Setelah 12 bulan, kepadatan mineral tulang tetap terjaga pada perempuan yang mengonsumsi whey permeate kaya kalsium (n=78). Sementara itu, kelompok plasebo (n=75) mengalami penurunan kepadatan mineral tulang. Penanda pergantian jaringan tulang dalam darah juga menunjukkan adanya perlambatan pengeroposan tulang yang cukup jelas pada bulan ketiga. Penambahan inulin tidak memberikan manfaat tambahan bagi kesehatan tulang.

Penelitian ini menggunakan dua bahan dari Arla Foods Ingredients, yaitu Capolac, bahan berbasis susu yang kaya kalsium, dan Variolac, bahan berbasis laktosa.

Simon B?ge Riis, Ilmuwan Nutrisi (PhD) di Arla Foods Ingredients, mengatakan: "Sekitar satu dari lima orang dewasa lanjut usia di seluruh dunia mengalami osteoporosis. Kondisi ini sangat umum terjadi, terutama pada perempuan pascamenopause dan masyarakat di kawasan Asia. Hal ini menegaskan pentingnya strategi nutrisi yang efektif serta potensi whey permeate kaya kalsium dalam mendukung kesehatan tulang."

Valorisasi whey permeate kaya kalsium dapat mendukung produksi whey yang lebih efisien dan berkelanjutan sekaligus membuka peluang bagi pengembangan berbagai bentuk produk pangan inovatif.

Arla Foods Ingredients tengah mengembangkan fruit bar kaya kalsium berbahan dasar buah kering, dengan kandungan 265 mg kalsium per porsi 10 gram. Format produk yang praktis ini dapat disesuaikan dengan preferensi cita rasa di berbagai wilayah. Produk ini juga menerapkan solusi yang membantu mengurangi limbah buah sehingga mendukung pendekatan produksi pangan yang lebih sirkular.

Riis menambahkan: "Bahan berbasis susu yang kaya kalsium dengan harga terjangkau dapat membantu mengatasi kekurangan kalsium, khususnya di negara-negara berkembang. Bahan-bahan ini juga dapat mendukung pengembangan solusi pangan yang ditujukan untuk mengatasi berbagai kekurangan zat gizi."

Tentang proyek ini

Penelitian RENEW, yang dilakukan di Denmark dan didanai oleh Innovation Fund Denmark, merupakan kemitraan antara Arla Foods Ingredients dan sejumlah institusi akademik terkemuka. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan bahan pangan yang menggabungkan kalsium susu, whey permeate kaya laktosa, dan inulin, yang dapat membantu penyerapan kalsium.

Referensi:

[1] Tetens I, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2026;101339.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hotel101 Global Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ Ticker: HBNB) ("Hotel101" or "Hotel101 Global"), a leading asset-light, prop-tech hospitality platform pioneering a globally standardized "condotel" business model, listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and a subsidiary of Philippine-listed DoubleDragon Corporation (PSE Ticker: DD),

Announces the signing of definitive binding agreements for a country-wide joint venture for the expansion of Hotel101 in Egypt, starting with the development of an approximately 750-room Hotel101 in Cairo, Egypt.

This expansion marks a significant milestone in the company's global growth strategy, bringing its novel, globally standardized condotel business model to one of the Middle East and Africa's most dynamic capital cities and a major cultural tourism gateway.

The hotel, to be named Hotel101-Cairo West, is planned to occupy a prime site in Hay Al Ashgar along Ahmed Zewail Road in 6th of October City, Giza. This strategic position is expected to offer guests connectivity via major arterial roads, including El Wahat Road and the Cairo Ring Road, with access to Sphinx International Airport and the wider Greater Cairo road network. The area has rapidly emerged as one of West Cairo's key growth districts, known for its modern infrastructure, improving transport links, and strong mix of residential, commercial, and tourism developments, while sitting within the broader catchment of the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Key Location Advantages:

* Prime Ahmed Zewail Road Position: Located along Ahmed Zewail Road with direct access to El Wahat Road and links to the Cairo Ring Road. Upon completion, guests are expected to benefit from road connectivity and proximity to Sphinx International Airport, providing access for both domestic and international travelers.

* Proximity to Major Attractions: Situated within the West Cairo corridor serving the Giza Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum. The site is expected to offer a balance of modern urban development and cultural tourism demand, with easy access to key attractions, residential communities, and commercial amenities across Greater Cairo.

When completed, Hotel101-Cairo West is expected to generate a total project value of approximately 5.465 billion Egyptian Pounds (US$102.09 million) and is expected to be completed by 2029, forming part of Hotel101 Global's global expansion strategy.

Hotel101-Cairo West is expected to offer 4-star amenities at affordable prices, including a ballroom, ample meeting spaces, and a conference center tailored for business events. Consistent with Hotel101's offerings across its locations globally, guests are expected to enjoy modern rooms, 24/7 reception, all-day dining, swimming pools, a full-size gym, a business center, children's playground, ample parking, luggage storage, and other amenities.

The development is subject to customary governmental, regulatory, corporate and other approvals.

About Hotel101 Global

Listed on Nasdaq (Ticker: HBNB) with a market capitalization of approximately US$1.1 billion as of October 16, 2026, Hotel101 is an asset-light, prop-tech hospitality platform pioneering a globally standardized "condotel" business model. Hotel101 aims to disrupt the global hotel and hospitality sector through its unique tech-enabled business model that positions it to generate revenues twice: first from the advance sale of individual hotel units during the construction phase; and second, from long-term recurring revenue derived from day-to-day hotel operations.

The expansion of Hotel101 toward its long-term goal to operate in 100 countries globally is expected to be driven mainly by joint ventures and, in the future, license agreements with local developers in various countries worldwide.

The Hotel101 Global Group is advancing its global expansion plans toward its medium-term goal to be in 25 countries and its long-term goal of operating one million Hotel101 rooms in 100 countries globally.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities laws of certain jurisdictions, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this document, including statements regarding the future financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations of Hotel101 Global Holdings Corp.

("HBNB") and its subsidiaries (the "HBNB Group"), are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "set," "expect," "predict," "potential" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, HBNB's expectations concerning anticipated sales revenue once fully sold and project value, the project location, expected number of rooms, expected project completion date and expansion goals, the outlook for the HBNB Group's business, productivity, plans and goals for future operational improvements and capital investments, operational performance, future market conditions or economic performance and developments in the capital and credit markets and expected future financial performance, as well as any information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations of the HBNB Group.

These forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of HBNB. Although HBNB believes that such plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, HBNB cannot assure you that such plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved or realized.

Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and actual results or events may differ materially from those projected or implied in those statements.

Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the HBNB Group's ability to execute on its business model, potential business expansion opportunities in foreign countries and growth strategies, manage future growth, retain and expand customers' use of its hotel services and attract new customers, and source and maintain talent; risks relating to joint venture partners, including owners of pre-sold condotel units in Hotel101 hospitality projects, who may have interests different from and may take actions that adversely affect the HBNB Group; risks relating to project cost and completion; risks relating to the HBNB Group's sources of cash and cash resources; risks relating to offering deferred payment schemes, including the risk of customer default; the HBNB Group's ability to effectively compete in the highly competitive hospitality industry; any declines or disruptions in the travel and hospitality industries or economic downturn; applicable laws and regulations to real estate development and marketing activities and hotel operation and management activities in the jurisdictions where the HBNB Group has operations or intends to expand into; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in HBNB's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2025 on Form 20-F and under the heading "Risk Factors" in HBNB's registration statement on Form F-4 (File No.: 333-287130) and other documents to be filed by HBNB from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of HBNB's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that are not presently known to HBNB or that HBNB currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. HBNB cautions you against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect current beliefs and are based on information currently available as of the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements set forth herein speak only as of the date of this document. HBNB does not undertake any obligation to revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs. In the event that any forward-looking statement is updated, no inference should be made that HBNB will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters or any other forward-looking statements.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, China, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During the 2026 Chery International User Summit, the LEPAS L6 EV completed its first LEPAS Global Elegance Drive on October 19-20 as part of the inaugural LEPAS Global Elegant Lifestyle Week, held under the theme "TOGETHER IN ELEGANCE."

Bringing together 34 Elegant Driving Ambassadors from 15 countries, the approximately 700-kilometer journey from Shanghai to Wuhu passed through Tonglu, Qiandao Lake and Shexian, putting the L6 EV's driving dynamics, ride comfort, intelligent parking, driving range and charging performance to the test across diverse road conditions.

Experiencing Elegance on Every Road

On day one, the convoy traveled from Shanghai to Qiandao Lake. The L6 EV's 540? panoramic view system helped drivers navigate city traffic, while ADAS features eased highway driving.

Thomas Jervis, an Elegant Driving Ambassador from the UK's Auto Express, commented: "The acceleration of the LEPAS L6 EV is very smooth, and its power delivery on straight roads and when merging onto highways is sufficient to meet my needs." He also highlighted the driving range, noting that it was broadly in line with the officially stated figures.

At Qiandao Lake, participants tested Automated Parking Assist (APA) and Remote Parking Assist (RPA) in tight spaces and the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function in a camping setting. They also shared driving impressions and perspectives on new energy mobility over local food and music by the lake, offering LEPAS insights into user needs across markets.

Mountain Roads Put Comfort and Control to the Test

On day two, winding mountain roads and changing gradients toward Wuhu highlighted the L6 EV's steering response, controlled body roll, smooth power delivery and braking. Its chassis absorbed bumps effectively, keeping rear-seat passengers comfortable over uneven surfaces.

A quiet cabin, generous headroom and legroom, and intelligent features added to long-distance comfort. Jacobus Gert Hendrik Venter, an Elegant Driving Ambassador from South Africa's Navigating Media, shared his impressions: "The interior really stands out to me. The materials feel refined, the build quality is impressive, and the Sony sound system is absolutely great. LEPAS has really nailed the sound experience."

Across diverse real-world driving conditions, participants experienced the L6 EV's driving dynamics, comfort and elegant technology across diverse real-world conditions, discovering greater ease and refinement throughout the journey.

From seeing elegance to experiencing it, the first-ever LEPAS Global Elegance Drive brought elegant driving to life on real roads. Participants' feedback will help LEPAS better understand user needs across global markets and deliver more composed, comfortable and refined journeys.

About LEPAS

LEPAS is Chery Auto's Premium NEV brand, dedicated to creating elegant mobility experiences for users worldwide. Committed to becoming the Preferred Brand for Elegant Mobility Life, LEPAS brings together Leopard Aesthetics, Elegant Technology, and Exquisite Space - transforming elegance into a driving experience you can see, feel, and trust.

Supported by a growing global dealer network of more than 500 sales and service outlets, LEPAS is expanding its international footprint through localized operations, delivering products and experiences tailored to users across global markets.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Memperluas jaringan pengembangan klinis tahap awal Fortrea melalui kapabilitas bioanalitik khusus, peningkatan kapasitas unit penelitian klinis, serta platform yang lebih terintegrasi bagi klien

Sorotan

Fortrea merampungkan akuisisi divisi Early Phase Services dari Worldwide Clinical Trials

Menambah laboratorium bioanalitik seluas 60.000 kaki persegi yang memenuhi standar GLP di Austin, Texas; unit farmakologi klinis berkapasitas 200 tempat tidur yang memenuhi standar GCP di San Antonio, Texas; serta fasilitas penyimpanan spesimen biologis di Pflugerville, Texas

Memperluas kapasitas pengembangan klinis tahap awal Fortrea menjadi lebih dari 570 tempat tidur di seluruh dunia serta menambah kapabilitas bioanalitik khusus untuk molekul besar dan molekul kecil

Memungkinkan pelaksanaan studi fase awal yang lebih terintegrasi dengan mengurangi proses serah terima operasional antara fungsi klinis dan bioanalitik

Memperkuat platform pengembangan klinis menyeluruh Fortrea untuk mendukung klien mulai dari studi pertama pada manusia hingga Fase IV serta pengumpulan bukti pascapersetujuan

Mendukung strategi pertumbuhan Fortrea dengan memperbesar skala kapabilitas pengembangan klinis tahap awal, meningkatkan kapasitas unit penelitian klinis, serta memperkuat kemampuan perusahaan dalam menciptakan nilai jangka panjang bagi pemegang saham

Menjamin kesinambungan operasional, pelaksanaan studi, dan dukungan bagi klien selama masa transisi melalui perjanjian aliansi strategis antara kedua perusahaan

DURHAM, North Carolina, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) ("Perusahaan"), organisasi penelitian berbasis kontrak (CRO) global terkemuka, hari ini mengumumkan bahwa pihaknya telah merampungkan akuisisi divisi Early Phase Services dari Worldwide Clinical Trials.

Divisi tersebut mencakup operasional Unit Penelitian Klinis ("CRU") dan Laboratorium Bioanalitik, yang diakuisisi melalui transaksi senilai sekitar $45 juta dengan pembayaran seluruhnya secara tunai.

Akuisisi ini memperkuat platform pengembangan klinis menyeluruh Fortrea dengan menambahkan CRU berkapasitas 200 tempat tidur yang memenuhi standar Praktik Klinis yang Baik (GCP) di San Antonio, Texas; laboratorium bioanalitik seluas 60.000 kaki persegi yang memenuhi standar Praktik Laboratorium yang Baik (GLP) di Austin, Texas; serta fasilitas penyimpanan spesimen biologis di Pflugerville, Texas. Secara keseluruhan, aset-aset ini memperluas kapasitas studi fase awal Fortrea menjadi lebih dari 570 tempat tidur di seluruh dunia serta menambah kapabilitas bioanalitik internal untuk molekul besar dan kecil. Peningkatan tersebut memungkinkan Fortrea mendukung klien mulai dari studi pertama pada manusia hingga pembuktian konsep dan pengembangan tahap lanjut.

"Penyelesaian akuisisi ini semakin memperkuat platform pengembangan klinis kami yang terintegrasi, skalabel, dan memiliki keunggulan ilmiah tersendiri," ujar Anshul Thakral, CEO Fortrea. "Transaksi ini menunjukkan kemajuan nyata dalam upaya Fortrea untuk kembali bertumbuh melalui investasi pada kemampuan kami dalam meraih peluang bisnis baru dan menciptakan nilai jangka panjang bagi klien. Dengan menggabungkan kapabilitas farmakologi klinis dan bioanalitik yang saling melengkapi, kami berharap dapat meningkatkan kecepatan, fleksibilitas, dan tenaga ahli yang dapat kami tawarkan kepada klien dalam memajukan program pengembangan yang semakin kompleks. Kami dengan senang hati menyambut tim Early Phase Services untuk bergabung dengan Fortrea dan berharap dapat memberikan pengalaman yang lancar bagi klien, relawan, serta pasien yang pada akhirnya kami layani."

"Melalui investasi ini, Fortrea menambah kapabilitas dan kapasitas sebagai bagian dari komitmennya untuk membantu klien merancang dan melaksanakan program pengembangan tahap awal dengan lebih cepat, ketelitian ilmiah yang lebih tinggi, serta keterhubungan operasional yang lebih baik," ujar Scott Dove, Ph.D., presiden Clinical Pharmacology Services di Fortrea. "Penambahan kapabilitas bioanalitik khusus dan peningkatan kapasitas CRU memberikan lebih banyak cara bagi tim kami untuk mendukung studi sederhana maupun kompleks, menyederhanakan pelaksanaan studi, serta menghasilkan data berkualitas tinggi yang menjadi dasar pengambilan keputusan terkait pengembangan."

Penambahan kapabilitas ini melengkapi bisnis Clinical Pharmacology Services milik Fortrea yang sudah ada sekaligus memperluas jaringan CRU perusahaan di Amerika Utara. Platform gabungan ini dirancang untuk mengurangi proses serah terima operasional antara fungsi klinis dan bioanalitik serta mempercepat waktu penyelesaian. Platform ini juga memberikan fleksibilitas yang lebih besar kepada klien terkait studi yang kompleks dan melibatkan jumlah peserta yang lebih besar, akses yang lebih luas ke berbagai kelompok relawan, serta peningkatan kapasitas tempat tidur di seluruh jaringan pengembangan tahap awal Fortrea.

Fortrea dan Worldwide Clinical Trials juga telah mengadakan sejumlah perjanjian yang bertujuan untuk menjaga kesinambungan bagi klien, karyawan, dan program yang sedang berjalan. Kedua organisasi tetap berfokus pada upaya mempertahankan momentum proyek serta memastikan proses transisi yang lancar bagi karyawan, klien, dan relawan.

Operasional divisi Early Phase Services yang diakuisisi kini menjadi bagian dari unit bisnis Clinical Pharmacology Services milik Fortrea.

Penasihat

Barclays bertindak sebagai penasihat keuangan Fortrea, sedangkan Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. bertindak sebagai penasihat hukumnya.

Tentang Fortrea

Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) adalah penyedia solusi pengembangan klinis global terkemuka untuk industri ilmu hayati. Kami bermitra dengan perusahaan biofarmasi, bioteknologi, alat medis, dan diagnostik besar dan sedang berkembang untuk mendorong inovasi layanan kesehatan yang mempercepat terapi yang mengubah hidup bagi pasien.

Fortrea menyediakan manajemen uji klinis fase I-IV, farmakologi klinis, dan layanan konsultasi. Solusi Fortrea memanfaatkan pengalaman selama tiga dekade yang mencakup lebih dari 20 area terapeutik, antusiasme terhadap ketelitian ilmiah, wawasan luar biasa, serta jaringan situs peneliti yang kuat.

Tim kami yang berbakat dan beragam, yang bekerja di sekitar 100 negara, memiliki skala yang memadai untuk memberikan solusi yang terfokus dan tangkas kepada klien di seluruh dunia. Pelajari lebih lanjut cara Fortrea menyederhanakan pengembangan obat di Fortrea.com serta ikuti kami di LinkedIn, X dan Bluesky.

Pernyataan Peringatan Mengenai Pernyataan Berwawasan Ke Depan

Siaran pers ini berisi "pernyataan berwawasan ke depan" dalam arti undang-undang sekuritas federal, termasuk Pasal 27A dari Undang-Undang Sekuritas dan Pasal 21E dari Undang-Undang Bursa. Pernyataan berwawasan ke depan secara alamiah menangani masalah yang tidak pasti hingga taraf tertentu, seperti pernyataan tentang manfaat terantisipasi dari transaksi tersebut, termasuk kinerja keuangan dan operasional di masa depan, serta waktu terantisipasi untuk menyelesaikan transaksi.

Dalam konteks ini, pernyataan berwawasan ke depan sering kali membahas ekspektasi kinerja bisnis dan keuangan masa depan serta kondisi keuangan, dan sering mengandung kata-kata seperti "petunjuk," "ekspektasi," "mengasumsikan," "mengantisipasi," "berniat," "merencanakan," "meramalkan," "meyakini," "berupaya," "melihat," "akan," "ingin," "menargetkan," ungkapan serupa, dan variasi atau bentuk negatif dari semua kata ini yang dimaksudkan untuk mengidentifikasi pernyataan berwawasan ke depan, meski tidak semua pernyataan berwawasan ke depan mengandung semua kata pengidentifikasi ini.

Hasil sebenarnya dapat berbeda secara signifikan dari pernyataan berwawasan ke depan ini karena sejumlah faktor, termasuk, tetapi tidak terbatas pada: kemampuan para pihak untuk memenuhi ekspektasi terkait perlakuan akuntansi dan perpajakan atas transaksi yang diusulkan; manfaat yang diharapkan dari akuisisi mungkin tidak terwujud, atau mungkin terwujud lebih lambat atau pada tingkat yang lebih rendah daripada yang diperkirakan; kesulitan, penundaan, biaya, atau gangguan yang terkait dengan pengintegrasian bisnis, operasional, karyawan, sistem, dan proses yang diakuisisi ke dalam Perusahaan; kemampuan untuk mempertahankan pelanggan dan hubungan bisnis yang sudah ada dari operasional yang diakuisisi serta memperoleh bisnis baru setelah akuisisi; kemampuan untuk mempertahankan dan mengintegrasikan karyawan kunci dari bisnis yang diakuisisi; kemampuan para pihak untuk memenuhi kewajibannya masing-masing berdasarkan perjanjian layanan transisi dan perjanjian lainnya; kewajiban, pengeluaran, atau dampak merugikan yang tidak terduga terkait dengan bisnis yang diakuisisi; kemampuan untuk terus memenuhi persyaratan regulasi, mutu, dan akreditasi yang berlaku bagi fasilitas yang diakuisisi; serta faktor lainnya yang dijelaskan dari waktu ke waktu dalam dokumen yang diserahkan Perusahaan kepada SEC.

Untuk diskusi lebih lanjut mengenai risiko yang berkaitan dengan bisnis Perusahaan, lihat bagian "Faktor Risiko" dalam Laporan Tahunan terbaru Perusahaan pada Formulir 10-K dan Laporan Triwulan berikutnya pada Formulir 10-Q, sebagaimana diserahkan kepada Komisi Sekuritas dan Bursa AS ("SEC").

Faktor-faktor risiko tersebut dapat diubah atau diperbarui dari waktu ke waktu dalam laporan berkala dan dokumen lainnya yang selanjutnya diserahkan Perusahaan kepada SEC, yang dapat diakses melalui situs web SEC di www.sec.gov. Semua faktor ini tidak boleh dianggap sebagai daftar lengkap dan harus dibaca bersama dengan pernyataan kehati-hatian lain yang disertakan atau dimasukkan melalui penyebutan saja dalam laporan ini dan dalam pengajuan Perusahaan ke SEC.

Semua pernyataan berwawasan ke depan dibuat khusus per tanggal laporan ini dan Perusahaan tidak memikul kewajiban apa pun, selain yang mungkin diwajibkan oleh hukum, untuk memperbarui atau merevisi pernyataan berwawasan ke depan apa pun untuk mencerminkan peristiwa atau pengembangan di masa depan. 

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

WUHU, China, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At the 2026 Chery Global Innovation Conference in Wuhu, Chery showed how CheryMind, a domain-specific foundation model for physical AI and its independently developed and controlled Ziwei chips underpin applications beyond automotive manufacturing.

The technologies span embodied AI robotics, autonomous mobility, electric aircraft, smart agriculture and energy, illustrating a strategy built on automotive-grade engineering and adaptation to global markets.

Drawing on Chery's automotive supply chain and reusing 70% of its R&D technologies, AiMOGA Robotics developed its MoAgent intelligent agent, bringing automotive-grade quality standards and mass-production cost advantages into robotics. Its portfolio on show included Mobo, a humanoid robot for home companionship, alongside public-services robots. AiMOGA's products have reached more than 60 countries and regions, with commercial deliveries exceeding 3,000 units.

Chery also presented its purpose-built, factory-integrated Level 4 Robotaxi, developed for global markets and equipped with Falcon Pilot intelligent driving technology. It supports automated passenger pick-up and drop-off and coordinated with autonomous charging robots. Chery's intelligent driving systems are certified under frameworks including UN/ECE and designed to meet regulations across more than 130 countries and regions.

The same technological foundation supports the Lingxiao J506 passenger-carrying eVTOL aircraft, designed for a top speed exceeding 350 km/h and a range of more than 1,000 kilometres. Chery has applied electrification and AI algorithms to intelligent farming equipment, completing more than 66,700 hectares of automated field operations.

Chery showcased Volt-dragon Ultra-Fast Charging and a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) demonstration station combining solar generation, battery storage and megawatt-level charging in a local microgrid. Through bidirectional power flow, electric vehicles can act as distributed energy storage units, feeding electricity back into the grid during peak demand and improving energy management.

The model has shown commercial potential in Europe. At an electric heavy-truck facility in Spain, a solar-plus-storage microgrid has replaced diesel generators and significantly cut operating costs. Chery plans to build 20,000 V2G-enabled stations worldwide by 2029, including in markets with developing electricity infrastructure.

These are not standalone innovations but interconnected applications built on CheryMind. From the earliest stages of R&D, Chery accounts for regional differences in regulations, electricity grids and road conditions, turning global R&D and local adaptation into sustainable solutions spanning mobility, energy and everyday life worldwide.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Turn pointless meetings, nightmare coworkers, and corporate clich?s against your friends in a fast, brutal party game for 2-5 players

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pleiades Interactive announced that Employee Disposal Program, the party game HR definitely did not approve, is available through the Pleiades Interactive online store and hobby stores worldwide for $44.99 / ?34.99.

Following a successful Kickstarter campaign that attracted more than 3,500 employees-in-training and raised over $200,000, Employee Disposal Program turns the shared misery of working life into a fast-paced tabletop battle. Pointless meetings. Passive-aggressive coworkers. Corporate bootlickers. Karen from HR. The colleague who refuses to end the video call. They're all here.

Watch the Employee Disposal Program trailer here:

YouTube | Download

Designed for 2?5 players, Employee Disposal Program takes less than five minutes to learn, with games typically lasting 5?30 minutes. Every employee begins with five cards and two precious Sanity Cards. Draw a card, take an action, and try to destroy your coworkers' Sanity before they destroy yours.

Lose both Sanity Cards and congratulations: you're fired. No severance provided.

With more than 130 illustrated cards, players can attack colleagues with recognizable workplace horrors, protect themselves with questionable corporate defenses, redirect the blame, or use abilities to send the entire office into chaos.

One moment, a Credit Vampire may be making somebody else's job miserable. The next, a Corporate Bootlicker could save an employee from disaster. Other cards turn familiar workplace stereotypes and frustrations into increasingly absurd ways to make sure everyone else has a worse day than you.

Every card is illustrated by artist Zayane, bringing exaggerated coworkers, corporate jargon, and everyday work frustrations to life. Because apparently suffering through them once at work wasn't enough.

Management Has Approved Additional Workplace Misery

The Deluxe Edition includes the Work From Home and Retail & Hospitality Workers expansions, each adding 30 new cards inspired by their own special brands of professional suffering, from endless video calls to impossible customers. It also includes all three bonus mini-packs unlocked during the Kickstarter campaign.

Those optional packs introduce even more ways to make the workplace unstable. Corporate Politics cards can impose new rules across the entire game, while secret Job Role cards give each employee a unique one-time power to deploy when they need it most.

And getting fired doesn't necessarily mean your work here is done.

With the Redundant Employee Pack, the first player eliminated can return as a vengeful former employee, drawing from a separate deck to continue causing pain and misery for everyone fortunate enough to still have a job.

Employee Disposal Program Key Features

Survive the Corporate Ladder: Every employee has two Sanity Cards. Destroy your coworkers' Sanity before they destroy yours, or prepare for immediate termination.

Weaponize the Workplace: Attack colleagues with corporate nightmares, block incoming attacks with ridiculous defenses, redirect the blame, and use abilities to derail the entire workday.

Get Onboarded in Under Five Minutes: Simple rules get new employees playing quickly, with matches typically lasting 5?30 minutes.

130+ Illustrated Cards: Workplace stereotypes, pointless corporate behavior, and professional misery are brought to life by artist Zayane.

Stir Up Office Politics: Optional Corporate Politics cards can introduce new rules that affect everyone at the table.

Everyone Has an Agenda: Secret Job Roles give employees special one-time powers to deploy when office politics get particularly ugly.

Getting Fired Isn't the End: The Redundant Employee Pack lets the first eliminated player come back and continue tormenting their former colleagues.

Two More Departments to Suffer Through: The Deluxe Edition includes both the Work From Home and Retail & Hospitality Workers expansions.

Perfect for Team Building*: Bring it to the next office party and discover exactly how much your coworkers have been holding against you. *HR approval not guaranteed.

"After years of watching corporate life unfold around us, we decided the healthiest response was obviously to turn it into a game," said Raj Singh, Director at Pleiades Interactive. "Employee Disposal Program takes the frustrations almost everyone recognizes from work and lets players weaponize them against their friends. It's fast, chaotic, ridiculous, and hopefully more enjoyable than another meeting that should have been an email."

Employee Disposal Program is available now for $44.99 / ?34.99 through the Pleiades Interactive online store and hobby stores worldwide.

Assets for Employee Disposal Program are available here: https://uberstrategist.link/Employee-Disposal-Program-Press-Kit

About Employee Disposal Program

Employee Disposal Program is a fast, brutal party game for anyone who has ever suffered through office politics, pointless meetings, or nightmarish coworkers. Players weaponize workplace frustrations against their friends, defend themselves with ridiculous corporate solutions, and stir up office politics while trying to protect their Sanity and avoid getting fired. Think of it as group therapy for people with jobs, except destroying your coworkers' careers is encouraged.

About Pleiades Interactive

Pleiades Interactive creates visually distinctive, irreverent games for adult audiences, turning the shared miseries of modern life into experiences people can laugh about together. Rather than sanding down adult themes, profanity, or aggressive humor to appeal to everyone, the studio creates games that know exactly who they are for.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Source: CGTN

BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 20 October 2026 - In Rongjiang, a county in Guizhou, southwest China, soccer is bringing communities together and creating new opportunities for local businesses.

From packed stadiums to traditional music and dance, the Village Super League is about much more than the game; it's a celebration of local culture, community spirit and hometown pride.

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

Hashtags: #CGTN

The company introduces a suite of AI products to close the conversation gap across Zoom Workplace, customer experience, developer tools, and events

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today at its annual Zoomtopia customer conference, Zoom Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM), a leading AI-first platform for human connection, introduced a new Unified Context Layer and several new products with AI-powered capabilities.

The new offerings are designed to help businesses transform rich meeting context into meaningful deliverables that help accelerate work outcomes.

Business conversations drive critical decisions and build customer history every day. A customer interaction might start in a meeting, continue by phone, and carry on in chat threads. But when that context is scattered across applications, people and AI agents lose the thread and teams spend significant time piecing together what happened, when it happened, and what they should do about it.

Zoom's new Unified Context Layer helps close that gap by linking conversation history with relevant documents and data. Together, these sources give people and AI agents a fuller picture of the work and what needs to happen next.

This new layer brings together conversations with near real-time activity across Zoom and connected third-party applications, giving people and AI agents access to business context that might otherwise be lost or siloed. Configurable settings and controls help manage access, while coordination among AI agents turns business context into actionable insights.

Zoom is increasingly becoming a system of action as organizations, large and small, put the company's AI tools to work at scale.

Zoom Virtual Agent customer count has surged by 256%1, and users who leverage Zoom's various AI tools report completing tasks twice as fast, with 72% citing high or extremely high business impact, compared with a market average of 63%2. Zoom is expecting to surpass $5 billion in annual revenue this year.

With a growing enterprise footprint across industries from healthcare to financial services, retail, and education, the company is advancing its vision for workplace productivity, one where the line between conversation and execution shrinks.

"AI models are only as powerful as their understanding of your business, and that context makes all the difference," said Eric Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom. "Fragmented product experiences isolate conversations, stall decisions, and drag businesses down. Today, with the Unified Context Layer, we're laying the groundwork for a system of action designed to turn conversations into completed work."

"Our teams have the information they need, but it's often dispersed across meetings, notes, and different systems," said Christine Sarros, senior vice president of Enterprise Engineering, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. "Zoom's new solutions could help bring that context together, so teams can enter customer conversations with a clearer understanding of what's been discussed, what's been decided, and what needs to happen next. We see an opportunity to spend less time reconstructing history and more time helping our customers move forward."

At Zoomtopia, Zoom is bringing this vision to life with innovations across collaboration, AI, customer experience, and events. The announcements below show how it all connects business context to the tools and workflows people actually use to get work done.

Give people and AI agents context to turn conversations into action

Every meeting, chat, and document leaves a trail of discussion, decisions, and action items. Zoom's Unified Context Layer accesses this information to help people and AI agents quickly move from context to clarity to action.

The Unified Context Layer makes work even more efficient when used with the newly introduced capabilities that include:

Follow the meeting: Delivers personalized transcripts and summaries for users who miss all or parts of a meeting. (Expected December 2026.)

Enriched notes: Links shared screens, slides, charts, and in-meeting chat to relevant moments in a searchable transcript. (Expected November 2026.)

My Notes hardware integrations: Extends My Notes to in-person conversations through new devices from DTEN and Bota. (Expected November 2026 and Q1 2027, respectively.)

My Notes Workflows: Turn meeting summaries into follow-up work in everyday tools like Zoom Chat and Salesforce, with ready-made workflows for sales, marketing, and IT, or custom ones created by describing what to automate in natural language, no separate workflow builder needed to get started. (Expected October 2026.)

New Zoom Chat experience: A refreshed chat experience designed to help surface relevant conversations and bring AI agents directly into discussions to take actions based on administrator-defined controls. (Expected December 2026.)

ZoomMate Agent Teams: Specialized AI agents that work together in an AI team to support faster execution of work. (Available now.)

Bring Zoom capabilities into the AI tools businesses already use

Developers and AI agents can now access Zoom capabilities outside the Zoom app. Through APIs and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, teams can connect scheduling, transcription, search, administration, and contact center actions to other AI environments and workflows. Highlights include:

MCP Servers: With new MCP servers across the portfolio, developers and AI agents can coordinate actions outside the Zoom UI. (Available now.)

Connections to AI Assistants: Use supported Zoom capabilities within AI environments, including Claude, Codex, Copilot, and Muse. (Expected October 2026.)

Search & Ask APIs: Query Zoom's Unified Context Layer directly from Claude, GPT, Codex, Muse, MS Copilot, Gemini, and Slackbot, as well as MCP-compatible agents. (Available now.)

Zoom Admin MCP Server: Perform admin tasks conversationally. (Expected October 2026.)

Reduce barriers to natural, engaging conversation

To help users show up as their best in meetings, Zoom is making conversations clearer, more natural, and more inclusive, with AI driving more meaningful outcomes. These new enhancements strengthen the foundation for the unified context layer with:

Voice Translator: "Translate Me" enables a speaker to translate their audio for all participants using a synthesized version of their own voice, designed to preserve a natural feel. (Expected October 2026.)

Pose Correction: Subtly adjusts a user's video when they glance away from the camera, helping maintain a camera-forward appearance. (Expected December 2026.)

Touch up my Voice: Users can use this feature to alter their own voice with real-time accent smoothing so speakers come through more clearly and naturally. (Expected December 2026.)

High-quality screen sharing: Enhanced media support for 60 frames per second screen sharing. (Available now.)

Live Meeting AI Agent: Proactive meeting assistance that helps find answers, keep meetings on track, and nudge engagement. (Expected Q1 2027.)

Carry customer history from one interaction to the next

Customer service breaks down when customers have to constantly repeat themselves, and agents have to reconstruct past interactions Zoom CX extends shared customer context across a variety of channels, including live and AI agents, providing a broader view of the past and present to help inform future outcomes. Highlights include:

Customer Profiles: Brings dynamic customer profiles into Zoom CX with real-time context across channels and interactions. (Expected November 2026.)

CX Insights Transcript Intelligence: Automatically classifies voice, chat, and email transcripts and makes them queryable in natural language, joined with operational data, such as handle time, queue, and outcome. (Expected November 2026.)

Zoom Virtual Agent - Kiosk: Brings AI-powered self-service to physical retail locations via branded kiosk agents, resolving customer requests on the spot without relying on

in-store staff. (Expected November 2026.)

Give businesses control as AI takes on more work

Zoom is adding new management controls that enable administrators to manage AI activity across the account while supporting customers' existing guardrails and data-classification policies. Highlights include:

Centralized AI Management: Provides administrators with greater control over how AI features are configured and used across the organization. (Expected December 2026.)

Sensitivity Labels: Seamlessly sync with Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels or create native labels in Zoom, then automatically enforce policies based on the sensitivity of meetings and content. (Available now for select Zoom Workplace customers.)

AI Guardrails: Set account-level rules governing what AI can generate or use in its responses. (Expected Q1 2027.)

Deepfake Risk Detection: Introduce deepfake risk detection tools designed to help flag potential synthetic media across hiring, customer experience, and meeting scenarios. (Expected December 2026.)

Zoom Compliance Manager support for My Notes and Zoom Canvas: Archives and monitors AI-generated summaries, notes, and documents to help address organization's own retention and supervision requirements3. (Expected January 2027.)

Extend the business value of events beyond the closing session

Most of what happens at a live event disappears the moment it ends. Zoom Events now brings powerful AI functionality to event planning, content creation, and analytics. These capabilities help reduce the amount of heavy setup work involved and extend the value of event content long after sessions end. Highlights include:

Content Studio: Turn one recording into a multi-language, multi-format asset library. (Expected October 2026.)

Agentic Event Setup: Use AI to help configure event details, from sessions to registration, before launch. (Expected November 2026.)

AI Analytics for Events: Query event data in plain language, score engagement, and generate shareable reports, cutting post-event analysis time significantly. (Available now.)

Taken together, today's launches represent a significant step for Zoom toward becoming a system of action for modern work by connecting conversations to the work that follows, across roles and industries. For more information on announcements from Zoomtopia 2026, visit the Zoom newsroom.

About Zoom

Zoom (NASDAQ: ZM) is a system of action for modern work, turning live collaboration into completed results. From entrepreneurs to global enterprises, customers choose Zoom to seamlessly collaborate, communicate, and drive outcomes across meetings, phone, contact center, and more - all with the built-in assistance of Zoom AI. Founded in 2011, Zoom is headquartered in San Jose, CA. For more information, visit zoom.com.

_____________________

1 2QFY27 Earnings Report

2 According to Zoom's 2026 GenAI ROI Study (a quantitative survey of 500 U.S.-based knowledge workers).

3 Zoom Compliance Manager is not a substitute for independent legal or compliance review.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Denodo, the AI data layer company, announced the findings of a comprehensive independent study conducted by research firm Veqtor8.

The research report, titled "The ROI of an AI Data Layer for Agentic AI," reveals that enterprise deployment of a governed AI Data Layer delivers a 290% return on investment (ROI) over three years, enables 3x faster agent deployment velocity, and achieves a 68% reduction in AI operating costs.

As enterprises transition from experimental generative AI pilots to running populations of autonomous and semi-autonomous agents in production, reliable access to live, governed, and semantically consistent enterprise data has emerged as a primary bottleneck.

Based on in-depth interviews with enterprise practitioners, hyperscalers, and technology partners across global banks, telecommunications groups, chemical manufacturers, and logistics leaders, Veqtor8's research quantifies the economic and operational advantages of implementing Denodo's AI Data Layer compared to fragmented, custom-built architectures.

Key Findings and Economic Impact

The research constructs a composite enterprise financial model, representing the average size of all enterprises interviewed. This model scaled from 100 agents in Year 1 to 900 agents in Year 3 across 100 distributed enterprise data sources. Key quantitative outcomes over a three-year period include:

2.9X More Business Value Generated from AI Initiatives: Comprising both net cost avoidance and total business value added.

3X Faster Agent Deployment: Agents reach production three times faster by leveraging pre-built, reusable data products instead of building custom integrations for each deployment.

68% Lower AI Operating Costs: By delegating queries directly to the AI Data Layer and filtering data prior to model ingestion, context payloads per task drop from -18,000 tokens to -5,760 tokens, and compute costs drop by a similar amount.

>75% Integration & Governance Cost Avoidance: Eliminates connector proliferation and MCP server sprawl, reducing maintenance costs by 79% and policy administration effort by 76%.

Overcoming the "MCP Server Sprawl" Challenge

Without a unified logical data layer, enterprise agents require custom Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, RAG pipelines, and per-agent security controls for every underlying data source. In regulated industries where a single production agent may touch 30 to 50 disparate cloud, SaaS, legacy, and operational systems, this approach causes severe integration drag and governance vulnerabilities.

"Agents are only as effective as the data they can reach," said Andrew Milroy, Chief Analyst at Veqtor8 and author of the report. "Connecting an individual system is straightforward, but orchestrating dozens of systems into a coherent, reliable workflow under consistent security policies is extraordinarily complex. Denodo's AI Data Layer abstracts this complexity, allowing enterprises to profile data once and reuse governed data products across every agent entitled to access them."

"Enterprises cannot afford to choose between speed, governance, and cost efficiency when scaling AI," said Alberto Pan, Chief Technology Officer at Denodo. "By unifying access, semantics, and centralized policy enforcement across distributed data estates without requiring massive data relocation, the Denodo Platform provides the essential foundation for trusted, enterprise-grade AI agents."

Research Report Availability

To download a complimentary copy of the full Veqtor8 research report, "The ROI of an AI Data Layer for Agentic AI," please visit denodo.com.

About Denodo

Denodo is the AI data layer company. The award-winning Denodo Platform powers trustworthy agents and applications, transforming enterprise data into reliable insights for analytics and self-service. For more information, visit denodo.com.

About Veqtor8

Veqtor8 is an independent advisory and insights platform focused on AI, data management, cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure. Veqtor8 helps organisations become AI-ready, optimize their data strategies and strengthen digital resilience through practical, independent research, executive workshops, reports and presentations.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

DUBAI, Uni Emirat Arab, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GTCFX dengan bangga mengumumkan pengangkatan Charbel Raffoul sebagai Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Pengangkatan ini menandai pencapaian penting dalam perkembangan perusahaan yang berkelanjutan serta komitmennya terhadap keunggulan operasional, kepemimpinan yang kuat, dan pertumbuhan internasional.

Berbekal pengalaman hampir dua dekade di industri jasa keuangan, Charbel memiliki keahlian yang luas dalam tata kelola perusahaan, kepatuhan terhadap regulasi, operasional keuangan, dan manajemen strategis. Pengangkatan ini semakin memperkuat tim pimpinan eksekutif GTCFX dalam mendukung upaya perusahaan mencapai tujuan strategis jangka panjang dan memperluas kapabilitasnya di pasar keuangan global.

Pengalaman Luas di Berbagai Lembaga Keuangan Terkemuka

Sebelum bergabung dengan GTCFX, Charbel menjabat sebagai Chief Compliance Officer & Financial Crime di Equiti. Selama lebih dari delapan tahun berkarier di perusahaan tersebut, beliau berkontribusi dalam pengembangan kerangka kerja kepatuhan, manajemen risiko kepatuhan, serta praktik regulasi.

Karier profesionalnya juga mencakup sejumlah posisi senior di berbagai lembaga keuangan ternama, termasuk sebagai Director di ADS Securities, Head of Compliance di Alpari ME, dan Back Office Manager di Swissquote.

Sepanjang kariernya, Charbel telah mengembangkan keahlian yang bernilai dalam operasional jasa keuangan, pengawasan regulasi, manajemen risiko, dan tata kelola organisasi. Pengalamannya di berbagai bidang dalam industri ini memberikan fondasi yang kuat untuk memimpin GTCFX dan mendukung perkembangan perusahaan yang berkelanjutan.

Mendorong Pencapaian Visi Global GTCFX

Sebagai Chief Executive Officer, Charbel akan mengarahkan strategi GTCFX dengan berfokus pada penguatan kapabilitas operasional, pengembangan inovasi, peningkatan tata kelola perusahaan, serta dukungan terhadap pengembangan bisnis internasional.

Kepemimpinannya akan berkontribusi pada upaya berkelanjutan perusahaan untuk meningkatkan efisiensi operasional, memperkuat hubungan dengan klien dan mitra, serta memberikan nilai jangka panjang melalui layanan profesional dan praktik bisnis yang bertanggung jawab.

Dengan memadukan pengetahuan luas di industri ini dan pemahaman yang kuat tentang standar regulasi serta operasional, Charbel menghadirkan perspektif berharga untuk mendukung perkembangan GTCFX yang berkelanjutan di sektor jasa keuangan global.

Pengangkatan ini mencerminkan komitmen GTCFX untuk membangun tim pemimpin yang berpengalaman dan mampu mendukung ambisi strategis perusahaan sekaligus mempertahankan standar profesionalisme, integritas, dan transparansi yang tinggi.

Berbekal Pengalaman, Melangkah Maju dengan Percaya Diri

GTCFX terus berupaya memperluas kehadirannya di pasar internasional dan memperkuat kapabilitas organisasi. Dalam upaya tersebut, perusahaan tetap menempatkan kepemimpinan eksekutif yang berpengalaman sebagai elemen penting untuk mencapai visi jangka panjangnya.

Latar belakang profesional, pengetahuan industri, dan pengalaman manajemen Charbel akan berperan penting dalam mendukung tahap perkembangan perusahaan selanjutnya.

GTCFX menyambut hangat Charbel Raffoul sebagai Chief Executive Officer dan menantikan kontribusi kepemimpinannya dalam membentuk babak baru yang ditandai dengan inovasi, kemajuan, dan pertumbuhan global yang berkelanjutan.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Inaugural Year Marked by Significant Progress in Case Administration, Capacity Building and International Engagement

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 20 October 2026 - The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) today hosted the IOMed 1st Anniversary Celebration at its headquarters in Hong Kong. The Hon John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.

Professor Teresa Cheng, Secretary-General of IOMed, Mr Cui Jianchun, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, the Hon Andrew Cheung, Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and more than 140 guests from Contracting States and Signatory States to the IOMed Convention, diplomatic missions, government agencies, the legal and dispute resolution community, and the business sector, celebrated the first anniversary of IOMed together, reflecting on its achievements in the inaugural year, and reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing peace, cooperation and common development through dialogue.

Celebrating an Important Milestone

Professor Teresa Cheng, the Hon John KC Lee, and Mr Cui Jianchun delivered remarks celebrating this memorable moment.

Chief Executive remarked that, "The IOMed is a vital platform for promoting global peace and prosperity. And the HKSAR Government will continue to support the IOMed, in keeping with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong, after all, is the world's only Chinese‑English, bilingual common law jurisdiction. And our status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre is internationally recognised."

Professor Cheng stated, "IOMed will continue to provide accessible, efficient, and effective mediation services, strengthen international partnerships, and promote mediation through capacity building and the exchange of experiences."

Commissioner Cui Jianchun said in his speech that "Over the past year, we have witnessed the International Organization for Mediation transition from vision to reality through the 'ACE' framework-Accession, Cases, and Ecosystem. As the host country, China remains fully committed to supporting IOMed's long-term goals, injecting positive legal energy into peaceful dispute settlement and contributing to a shared community for humanity."

Since its inauguration one year ago, IOMed has continued to promote the peaceful settlement of international disputes through mediation. In an increasingly complex and evolving international environment, mediation plays an important role as an amicable, effective and flexible means of dispute resolution. By promoting dialogue and mutually beneficial solutions, mediation can help bridge differences, build trust, and strengthen international cooperation.

Successful Stories in IOMed-Administered Mediation

IOMed is the world's first intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation. Since commencing operations, IOMed has received multiple cases and facilitated the successful settlement of more than one case, including its first case of international maritime dispute. The case involved enterprises from China, a Contracting State of IOMed, and Singapore, a non-signatory State. With the assistance of the mediator, the parties reached an amicable settlement efficiently through mediation, demonstrating the effectiveness of mediation as a means of resolving complex cross-border commercial disputes.

The case also reflects the openness and inclusiveness of IOMed as an independent international organization. Subject to the consent of the parties concerned, disputes involving non-Contracting States and their nationals may also be submitted to IOMed for mediation. A growing number of cases have since been submitted to IOMed, reflecting increasing confidence in its mediation mechanism and professional services.

Expanding Global Cooperation Network

Growing confidence in IOMed is also reflected in the continued expansion of its international cooperation network. To date, the number of Signatory and Acceding States has increased to 48, while the number of Contracting States has reached 18, spanning Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania and Europe.

The Global Mediation Summit, hosted by IOMed in May 2026, brought together participants from more than 60 countries and regions, demonstrating broad international recognition of and support for mediation. In addition, IOMed delegations conducted outreach visits to 15 countries, attending international conferences and engaging government officials, local business community and legal professionals. At the same time, its Headquarters welcomed more than 2,500 visitors from around the world.

Through cooperation with other international organizations and partners, IOMed has delivered a range of training programmes on inter-State mediation and investor-State mediation for its member States. It has also launched platforms for intellectual exchanges, such as Dialogue with Mediators and the IOMed Global Dialogue Series, supporting sharing of knowledge and best practices with a view to promoting the use of mediation.

Contributing to Hong Kong's Development as the "Global Capital of Mediation"

As the first intergovernmental organization headquartered in Hong Kong, IOMed's achievements during its inaugural year also underscore the unique strengths of Hong Kong, the host city of the Organization, as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre and a bridge connecting different legal systems and cultures.

Based on the 2026 Policy Address and Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan, the Hong Kong SAR will continue to render full support to the work of the IOMed headquartered in Hong Kong, building a Global Capital of Mediation. IOMed welcomes this strategic direction and is confident that IOMed and Hong Kong will continue to make significant contribution to each other's development and success.

Fostering a Global Mediation Ecosystem

Looking ahead, IOMed will continue its efforts to foster a global mediation ecosystem. Through international exchanges and cooperation, as well as training and capacity-building initiatives, IOMed will continue to promote the use of mediation among governments, the business community, the legal profession and other stakeholders, with a view to enhancing global awareness and understanding of mediation.

IOMed is preparing to launch the IOMed Moot, a mediation moot competition, to promote the culture of mediation among the youth and cultivate next-generation professionals. In addition, IOMed will continue to organize events under IOMed Global Series and Dialogue with Mediators, providing platforms for professional exchange and collaboration, and contributing to a more effective and inclusive framework for the resolution of international disputes.

Hosting IOMed Forum in December 2026

On 8 December 2026 (Tuesday), IOMed will host the inauguraledition of its signature event IOMed Forum under the theme "Mediation for Peace and Prosperity - The New Frontier" in Hong Kong. The Forum will bring together government officials, legal experts, business leaders and international stakeholders to exchange insights on the future of international mediation. Interested participants are invited to save the date and register via the link: https://bit.ly/IOMedForum.

*Five-year research project unites 42 public and private partners across 17 countries to conduct 22 clinical studies involving 14,000+ patients; first patients will be enrolled this month

*Project aims to help cardiac patients avoid deterioration through early, personalized interventions delivered across the cardiac care journey

Interventions will be co-created with patients and designed to systematically address socioeconomic, sex- and gender-related and digital access gaps

*With a total budget of EUR 27.6 million, the project is co-funded by the European Union Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and industry partners

*Circle CVI brings expertise in AI-enabled cardiovascular MR and CT image analysis, supporting the consortium's focus on earlier diagnosis, personalized risk assessment and imaging-guided care.

CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Circle Cardiovascular Imaging (Circle CVI), a provider of AI-enabled cardiovascular imaging software, today announced its participation in EXIT-CVD, a five-year research project bringing together 42 public and private partners across 17 countries.

Co-funded by the European Union's Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and industry partners, the consortium is led by University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and Philips and aims to transform how cardiovascular disease is detected, monitored and treated.

The project will conduct 22 clinical studies involving more than 14,000 patients, investigating opportunities to prevent disease before it develops, reverse disease progression or halt deterioration in advanced disease. Patient enrollment for the first studies is scheduled to begin in October 2026.

Cardiovascular health is fundamental to overall health and well-being, yet more than 60 million people in the European Union are living with cardiovascular disease. For many, the condition significantly reduces quality of life and well-being. Without early detection, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, cardiovascular disease can progress silently from early risk factors to established disease and ultimately, cardiac events that may lead to premature death.

"Our vision is a future where heart disease is no longer an irreversible pathway," said Professor Pim van der Harst, Project Coordinator of EXIT-CVD and Head of Cardiology at the University Medical Center Groningen. "By understanding both the biological and social drivers of cardiovascular disease, and deploying integrated innovations across diagnostics, monitoring, and care, we can empower patients and clinicians to exit the disease continuum before it's too late."

"For more than 30 years, we have viewed cardiovascular disease as a continuous journey, from risk factors such as hypertension, to atherosclerosis, a first cardiac event and ultimately, for many patients, heart failure," said Robin Nijveldt, Chief of Cardiology at UMC Utrecht. "Yet most of us improve care within our own specialty and rarely have a complete view of the patient's experience. EXIT-CVD is an ambitious effort to build that holistic view together, helping transform cardiac care for millions of patients across Europe."

The EXIT-CVD clinical studies will focus on the three key exit points along the cardiac care journey: early detection through digital monitoring (early exit), personalized risk assessment and targeted interventions (mid exit), and advanced therapies to support recovery in later-stage disease (late exit). By combining diagnostics, digital tools and advanced therapeutic approaches, EXIT-CVD aims to deliver actionable, evidence-based strategies that can be implemented across diverse healthcare systems in Europe.

Innovation that reaches everyone

New diagnostics and digital tools often reach well-resourced populations first, widening gaps in access and outcomes. The project will therefore embed implementation science and equity-by-design principles to ensure that the solutions are scalable, sustainable, and accessible to all relevant populations, including those historically underserved. A digitally enabled, FAIR-compliant data platform aligned with the European Health Data Space (EHDS) will support the integration, evaluation, and real-world scalability of the project's innovations.

"Advanced cardiovascular imaging can help clinicians understand not only what disease looks like today, but how it may progress and where intervention could make a difference," said Erkan Akyuz, CEO at Circle Cardiovascular Imaging. "EXIT-CVD brings together the clinical, technology and patient perspectives needed to explore those opportunities across the care journey. We are proud to join this collaboration and bring our expertise in AI-enabled image analysis to its ambition of earlier, more personalized cardiovascular care."

Circle CVI brings expertise in AI-enabled cardiovascular image analysis through its cvi42 platform, which combines cardiac MR and CT analysis, coronary plaque quantification, and tools for structural heart and electrophysiology procedure planning within a unified environment. Its capabilities include assessment of cardiac function, blood flow, myocardial tissue characteristics and coronary artery disease, helping clinicians translate complex imaging data into quantitative findings. This expertise aligns EXIT-CVD's emphasis on imaging-guided disease stratification and personalized clinical decision-making.

Clinical studies

The EXIT-CVD research consortium will conduct a total of 22 clinical studies involving more than 14,000 patients across Europe, including:

Camera-Based In-Hospital Monitoring (CARDIO-CAM study): Deployment and evaluation of an unobtrusive, video-based patient monitoring system that continuously captures cardiorespiratory signals and relevant clinical context.

Spectral CT for Early Detection, Risk Stratification and Personalized Patient Care Pathways (LEADER-PAD study): Development and validation of new approaches for the early detection of cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic and low risk symptomatic patients using spectral CT.

Nurse/HCP-Led Remote Heart Failure Monitoring (REMODEL-HF study): Multinational randomized study evaluating the Heart Failure Management System (HFMS), a non-invasive remote monitoring technology, in patients recently hospitalized for heart failure, with the objective of improving outcomes and optimizing guideline-directed medical therapy.

Imaging-Guided PCI Randomized Trial (GUIDANCE-PCCT study): Evaluation of clinical and procedural outcomes of PCI guided by photon counting CT versus standard angiography-guided PCI.

Advanced Imaging in Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies (NOTIFY-2 study): Validation of AI-driven image and ECG analysis algorithms to improve early diagnosis of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) and underlying disease risk stratification.

Consortium partners

The IHI EXIT-CVD public-private partnership comprises 42 partner organizations from 17 countries:

Clinical and academic partners: Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Spain), Politecnico di Milano (Italy), University of Pavia (Italy), Centro Cardiologico Monzino (Italy), EOC (Switzerland), KU Leuven (Belgium), NIKARD (Poland), UMC Utrecht (Netherlands), UMC Groningen (Netherlands), Technical University Eindhoven (Netherlands), Universit?tsklinikum K?ln (Germany), King's College London (UK), London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), and Varsinais-Suomen Hyvinvointialue (Finland).

Industry partners: Philips, Circle CVI, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, HeartBeam, Medtronic, Huawei, XVIVO Perfusion, AstraZeneca, Cardiomed, Megi Health, Viatris, Cordys, Novartis, Corbotics, ZOLL, Sanofi, Repairon, Johnson & Johnson MedTech Heart Recovery, Onsentia, and CogStack

Healthcare consultancy: Bridg Ou and IQVIA Solutions

Patient organization: Stichting VrouwenHart

Medical association: European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

More information can be viewed on the EXIT-CVD website.

This project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101253160. The JU receives support from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program and COCIR, EFPIA, Europa B?o, MedTech Europe, and Vaccines Europe. Funded by the European Union, the private members, and those contributing partners of the IHI JU. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the aforementioned parties. Neither of the aforementioned parties can be held responsible for them.

Circle Cardiovascular Imaging (Circle CVI) develops AI-enabled software for cardiovascular image analysis, visualization and reporting. Its flagship platform, cvi42, brings together cardiac MR, cardiac CT, vascular CT, structural heart planning and electrophysiology planning tools in a unified, vendor-neutral environment. Designed for clinical and research workflows, Circle's solutions combine automated analysis, quantitative assessment and integrated reporting to support efficient, reproducible cardiovascular imaging. For more information, visit www.circlecvi.com.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carlyle Coutinho, Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave), has been named the 2026 Ontario Energy Association (OEA) Leader of the Year, becoming the first CEO of a dedicated district energy company to receive the honour.

The recognition reflects Coutinho's leadership in advancing innovative, large-scale energy solutions and in elevating the role district energy can play in meeting Ontario's and Canada's energy needs.

The OEA Leader of the Year award, one of the highest honours in Canada's energy sector, recognizes individuals who demonstrate vision, innovation, collaboration and a strong commitment to customers.

Under Coutinho's leadership, Enwave has recently delivered several major projects that highlight the value of district energy in Ontario's energy system:

Expanded Enwave's Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) system through the construction of a fourth intake pipe, increasing the system's cooling capacity by approximately 60%. The DLWC system eliminates approximately 50 MW of electrical demand relative to a business-as-usual commercial office chiller plant.

Commissioned the Enwave Green Heat Plant at Pearl Street Energy Centre, where large-scale heat pumps recover waste heat from district cooling customers and reuse it to provide low-carbon heat to other district-connected buildings. The facility can also reduce its grid electricity draw by up to approximately 6 MW during peak demand periods by dispatching non-electrical, on-site energy sources, without interrupting hot water service.

Developed a large-scale thermal battery at The Well, a mixed-use development in downtown Toronto, which stores heating and cooling energy for use when it delivers the greatest benefit to customers and the electricity system.

"I'm honoured to receive this recognition from the OEA, and proud to share it with the Enwave team. Their expertise and commitment, together with the collaboration of our customers and partners, make these achievements possible," said Carlyle Coutinho, CEO of Enwave and past Chair of the International District Energy Association. "District energy has an important role to play as the need for reliable, affordable and secure clean energy grows in Ontario and around the world. By recovering heat, storing energy and sharing it across buildings, we can deliver cost-effective heating and cooling while helping ease demand on the electricity grid."

As electricity demand and building electrification grow, Ontario will need solutions that make more efficient use of existing and new energy infrastructure. By serving multiple buildings through shared equipment, recovering otherwise wasted heat from hospitals, data centres and other district cooling customers, and shifting electricity use away from peak periods, district energy offers a practical path to electrifying heating and cooling.

Looking ahead, Enwave is bringing its district energy model to more communities. In 2027, the company plans to commission two new systems in Ontario, at Lakeview Village in Mississauga and the Etobicoke Civic Centre in Toronto, extending district heating and cooling to new customers while supporting grid reliability. Enwave is also constructing an upgraded energy-from-waste facility in Prince Edward Island, intended to double the waste processing capacity of its existing district energy system there.

About Enwave

Enwave is one of the largest commercial owners and operators of community-based district energy systems in North America. The company develops reliable energy solutions at scale, tailored to the unique needs of municipalities, commercial developments, universities, hospitals, data centres and residential communities.

Enwave provides thermal energy services to over 100 million square feet of mixed-use space across Canada using technologies including Deep Lake  Water Cooling, waste heat recovery, thermal storage, geoexchange, biomass and energy-from-waste. Enwave is owned by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and IFM Investors, which acquired the company in 2021.

Copyright 2026 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 20 October 2026 - VinFast VF 3, the best-selling electric mini-SUV of VinFast Philippines, has claimed the top spot in the local BEV segment after recording 2,906 units sold from January to August 2026 according to the CAMPI report.

Dubbed as the "Tiny Titan," the VF 3 asserted its popularity among first-time Filipino EV owners looking for compact and practical vehicles. Already gaining strong traction before recent oil price hikes, the VF 3 saw demand surge during the global energy uncertainty as volatile domestic fuel prices pushed Filipino motorists towards cost-efficient mobility options.

Beyond the impressive specifications of the VF 3, the model's market dominance is credited to VinFast's comprehensive Ownership System that helps address key barriers to EV adoption. The number one BEV brand's first-of-its-kind initiatives such as the Battery Subscription Policy, which lowers upfront costs, and the Residual Value Guarantee Program, which protects long-term asset value, continue to appeal to Filipinos looking for practical mobility solutions.

Coupled with its free charging program until March 31, 2029, the brand's expanding charging networks in the country builds a strong total cost of ownership case for VF 3, attracting Filipinos to make the EV shift amidst fuel price volatility.

Mr. Antonio "Toti" Zara III, CEO of VinFast Philippines, said: "We are deeply grateful and incredibly proud of the warm reception that VF 3 received in the Philippines. Achieving the number one spot is a milestone that demonstrates Filipino drivers' readiness to embrace electric mobility when backed by an ecosystem that supports their entire journey. The incredible reception of the VF 3 proves that eliminating traditional barriers through our comprehensive Ownership System makes going electric a seamless, practical choice. But the Tiny Titan leading the charts is only the beginning of our mission in the country, as we vow to continuously expand and evolve this ecosystem to ensure sustainable EV ownership remains accessible, effortless, and dependable for every Filipino motorist."

The VF 3's success in the Philippine market reflects consumer reception and the model's suitability for local mobility needs. To continue meeting consumer needs and enhancing the ownership experience, VinFast is steadily expanding its vehicle lineup and further developing its comprehensive Ownership System - encompassing growing dealership networks across the Philippines, the Battery Subscription and the Residual Value Guarantee programs, the V-Green network, and dedicated aftersales support. VinFast continues to remove barriers to EV ownership and make electric driving a practical, seamless choice for Filipinos.

VinFast is expected to sustain this momentum by continuing to expand its charging network and dealership footprint across the country. To experience the country's best-selling electric mini-SUV firsthand, customers are invited to book a test drive or visit any authorized VinFast dealership nationwide.

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

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