(SeaPRwire) - Maritime intelligence reports indicate Russia is secretly sending oil to Cuba via misleading shipping methods to get around U.S. sanctions, at a time when the island is struggling with fuel shortages and power cuts.Per Cuban officials and the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, an alleged shipment occurred during one of Cuba’s most severe energy crises and just before a March 16 grid failure that left about 10 million people without power."The Hong Kong-registered tanker—unaffected by sanctions—exhibits AIS patterns that imply it falsified its position and probably traveled to Cuba to unload its cargo in early March," stated Windward AI.On March 18, The Financial Times also noted that another Russian-flagged tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, loaded with crude oil, was projected to arrive in Cuba by April 4.The Moscow Times reported that on March 17, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists during a Cuba-focused briefing, "We stand ready to offer all possible support."These purported shipments took place as State Department senior officials informed [redacted] that current laws allow Cuban businesses and residents to buy oil, yet the Cuban government is blocking this possibility.The official clarified that the U.S. oil embargo solely prohibits the Cuban government from purchasing oil.In its March 18 report, Windward AI was the first to name the Sea Horse tanker as the primary vessel involved in the suspected secret oil delivery.The company stated the ship is believed to have carried between 190,000 and 200,000 barrels to Cuba while acting in ways that align with sanctions avoidance. Even though the tanker isn’t sanctioned, Windward analysts highlighted multiple questionable actions.These actions included turning off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) during a ship-to-ship transfer near Cyprus (where it probably loaded its cargo) and operating without Western insurance—both typical signs of sanctions evasion.Additionally, the tanker frequently changed its declared destination: it first indicated Havana, then switched to "Gibraltar for orders"—a strategy often employed to hide the final delivery location.Following its Atlantic crossing, the tanker seemed to drift while transmitting that it was "not under command," with analysts proposing its AIS signals might have been tampered with to hide its actual position and actions.These movements strongly suggest the tanker might have finished an unreported delivery to Cuba before restarting regular communications.U.S. actions, which amount to an oil blockade, have disrupted fuel deliveries to the island since January 29.This policy change came after significant developments in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, which further restricted Cuba’s fuel supply and deterred other tankers from docking at its ports.Donald Trump warned that nations supplying oil to Cuba could face tariffs, while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized the measures as an "economic war" and promised ongoing resistance in a post on X.A U.S. official told [redacted] on March 17, "The only solution to Cuba’s energy crisis is to tackle the root cause of its economic problems: complete government control over economic activity."They added, "The government must implement major reforms, permitting privatization and enabling the Cuban people to support themselves."Another senior State Department official noted, "Otherwise, Cuba’s blackouts have sadly been a common occurrence for many years—a sign of the failing government’s incompetence and inability to provide even the most fundamental goods and services to its people.""This is the tragic outcome of more than 60 years of Communist governance. An island once considered the Caribbean’s crown jewel has fallen into extreme poverty and darkness."As President Trump has stated, the remaining parts of the government should strike a deal and finally allow the Cuban people to be free and prosperous, with U.S. assistance," the official said.On March 17, Trump told reporters, "Cuba is in really bad shape right now. They’re in talks with Marco," then added, "We’ll be taking action regarding Cuba very soon." This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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Half a Century Ago, a Mysterious Sci-Fi Film Sparked a Rock Star’s Reinvention
Screen Archives/Moviepix/Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - David Bowie always possessed an otherworldly aura, even during periods when he wasn't spending nights with synthesizers and subsisting on green peppers and milk. When he was engaged in such habits, the combination of his slender limbs, pale complexion, and one eye permanently widened from a childhood injury — he did not have heterochromia, despite common myth — appeared utterly alien. This made the shape-shifting rock icon the perfect choice to star in one of the 1970s' most mysterious science fiction movies.The Man Who Fell to Earth — which fits the melody of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" perfectly — originates from a 1962 Walter Tevis novel. Tevis also authored the source material for The Hustler and The Queen’s Gambit. This connection is clear early in Nicolas Roeg's adaptation, which meticulously follows the novel's plot while withholding the characters' inner thoughts and drives. Consequently, the film can seem to be concealing things from the viewer, a feeling that is both aggravating and fitting for the narrative.Bowie plays Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien who assumes the unlikely guise of a delicate Englishman adrift in the New Mexico desert, a region known for Roswell and atomic testing. In the opening, Thomas pawns what he says is his wedding ring. It is later revealed to be one of many gold rings on a chain in his pocket, which he sells individually until he has a stack of cash. This strangeness extends to his encounter with attorney Oliver Farnsworth (Buck Henry), who reviews documents Thomas provides, along with the money, during a late-night meeting at his home.Roeg and screenwriter Paul Mayersberg quickly skip ahead several years, showing Farnsworth as the head of a vast corporation and Thomas as the secluded inventor whose patents generate immense wealth for all involved. This serves primarily as backstory, setting the stage for Roeg's true focus: a peculiar character portrait of an alien who is first rescued, then ruined, by human beings and their vices.Initially, his bond with Mary-Lou (Candy Clark) — who, though much shorter, manages to carry the polite, gaunt Thomas to his room after he faints in her hotel lobby — gives Thomas a purpose. She notes his skinniness and introduces him to the enjoyment of food; she flirts and introduces him to sexual pleasure. While selecting a future home together, she remarks on their lovely day; he looks at her, contemplating. So this is a "lovely day." More harmfully, she also introduces him to alcohol, a substance that ultimately devastates both their lives.A concensus around Bowie’s performance was that he wasn’t really “acting.” | British Lion Films/ShutterstockThe film features other characters and subplots, such as Rip Torn as a scientist and ex-professor who uncovers Thomas's secret soon after they meet. However, Roeg is primarily captivated by imagery, focusing on Bowie's physique and capturing his reactions to new sensations and feelings. The star's unnatural look, accentuated by his two-toned hair and pallor, does much of the acting; a scene where Thomas reveals his true form to Mary-Lou requires only some latex and reptilian contact lenses. But Bowie also projects a sense of detachment, as if he is removed and unable to connect with others. In reality, this can be a byproduct of fame; in the film, the alienation has an extraterrestrial cause.A longstanding opinion holds that Bowie, in a fragile state and often under the influence of cocaine, was not truly performing in Roeg's film. He was merely being his own nervous, peculiar self. Bowie cultivated this story himself, telling Rolling Stone in 1983 that "just being me was perfectly adequate for the role. I wasn't of this earth at that particular time." While the mid-'70s were indeed a difficult era for the musician — he retired Ziggy Stardust in 1973 and later described being in a "fugue state" — his practice of adopting and shedding stage personas arguably trained him not just for acting, but for this particular role.Bowie was initially slated to score The Man Who Fell to Earth, but the task ultimately fell to John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas. (It was, again, a turbulent time for Bowie.) A year later, however, his explorations yielded something exceptional. In 1976, Bowie returned with the album Low, which infused electronic and ambient elements into his glam-rock style. As the first part of his "Berlin Trilogy," it marked the start of an immensely creative and influential chapter. And what image did he choose for the album cover, symbolizing his artistic rebirth? A still from The Man Who Fell to Earth. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more. The Man Who Fell to Earth is currently streaming free on PlutoTV.
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One person dies after cable car detaches and plummets at a Swiss ski resort
(SeaPRwire) - A person was killed on Wednesday after a cable car cabin at a Swiss ski resort plummeted and crashed onto a snow-covered mountainside.Authorities stated the deadly event occurred at approximately 11 a.m. local time at the Engelberg ski resort in central Switzerland.According to a press release, "A cabin on the 'Titlis Xpress' gondola lift, traveling between Trübsee and Stand, came off the cable and fell down a snow-covered slope in rough terrain." It added, "An individual inside the cabin at the moment of the accident suffered fatal injuries."The victim was a 61-year-old woman. The precise cause of her death has not been released.Authorities from multiple agencies are investigating the cause of the accident.Norbert Patt, CEO of Titlis cable cars, told a news conference, as reported by the Blick newspaper, "It is also crucial for us that the incident is examined in minute detail. We will supply all data comprehensively." He further stated, "This is an exceptional occurrence. Gondolas are not supposed to crash."Patt mentioned there was some wind when the gondola fell but could not specify its intensity.A number of schoolchildren at a ski camp saw the accident happen."I was truly shocked. After that, we were scared to ride the gondola back down," a 14-year-old girl informed the news outlet. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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Former Assad-era prison chief found guilty of torture in US federal court in historic first
(SeaPRwire) - A U.S. federal jury in Los Angeles on Monday convicted a former Syrian prison official of torture and immigration fraud charges, with prosecutors asserting he oversaw and sometimes personally inflicted severe abuse on detainees during the tenure of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's now-deposed government.Samir Ousman Alsheikh, a former brigadier general who previously led Damascus Central Prison, also known as Adra Prison, was found guilty after a nine-day trial of conspiracy to commit torture, immigration-related fraud offenses, and three counts of torture, according to the Justice Department.This case represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of accountability, as Alsheikh is the first official from the Assad era to be tried and convicted in a U.S. federal court.Prosecutors stated that the 73-year-old ordered and supervised the torture of political prisoners between 2005 and 2008. The abuses included beatings, suspension from ceilings, and the use of instruments like the "Magic Carpet," which contorted victims' bodies to cause extreme pain.Authorities reported that he entered the United States in 2020 after misrepresenting his past on his visa application and subsequently sought to become a U.S. citizen.Alsheikh, who was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport in 2024 as he attempted to board a one-way flight to Beirut, faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each torture-related conviction."Samir Ousman Alsheikh ordered, directed, and directly participated in heinous acts of torture designed to inflict excruciating mental and physical pain with the goal of punishing and silencing political dissent," stated Tysen Duva, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s criminal division, in a press release."For many years, he evaded responsibility for his crimes in Syria, including by lying to U.S. immigration authorities in order to reside in the U.S. with the hope of obtaining citizenship. Thanks to the courage and perseverance of the victims and the dedication of Department of Justice prosecutors, along with their law enforcement partners, justice has prevailed, and Alsheikh can no longer run from his past."A federal criminal complaint filed in July 2024 indicated that Alsheikh was associated with Maher al-Assad, the younger brother of Bashar al-Assad, who commanded the Syrian military's elite Fourth Division.In 2011, Assad appointed him as governor of Deir ez-Zor following anti-government protests that swept across the country during the Arab Spring.The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), a Washington-based advocacy organization, aided investigators in bringing the former regime official to justice. The group initially identified Alsheikh in Los Angeles through a tip and conducted its own verification using open-source materials and leaked Syrian government data.SETF then alerted U.S. authorities and collaborated with the FBI and Justice Department to help build the case, including connecting investigators with key witnesses who testified about abuses at Adra Prison. According to SETF, the organization advocated for torture charges rather than solely immigration violations to ensure broader accountability.Mamoun al-Homsi, a former independent member of the Syrian Parliament, who was arrested in 2001 for advocating democratic reforms and spent five years at Adra Prison, told Digital in an interview, via a translator, that Alsheikh was notably more brutal than other prison directors.Al-Homsi explained that while previous prison heads generally followed prison regulations and did not single out detainees for their political views, Alsheikh's appointment in 2005 marked a significant change."The toughest torture for me wasn't anything done to me physically as much as it was what was done to others on my behalf," al-Homsi stated.Mouaz Moustafa, Executive Director of SETF and an attendee at the trial, informed Digital that testimony revealed Alsheikh had instructed another prisoner, Khaled Abdul Malek, to poison al-Homsi."Khaled Abdul Malek had come so close to Mamoun al-Homsi, so he told him about this plan and told him don't eat anything from anyone to the point where Mamoun al-Homsi would go to the trash if there was any and wash whatever is left," Moustafa recounted.Malek refused Alsheikh’s order to poison the prominent political figure, resulting in his confinement in Wing 13, a notorious section of the prison known for torture."Khaled Malik then had his back broken," Moustafa said, adding that Malek arrived in court using a cane and had difficulty walking.Al-Homsi reported surviving on olive pits and losing over 60 pounds. He was released in 2006 and later relocated to Canada.The former parliament member told Digital that the verdict sends a message that former regime officials cannot escape accountability, even if they leave Syria and attempt to establish new lives abroad.Al-Homsi described the verdict as a sign that justice, though long overdue, is finally being served, an outcome he deemed crucial for the future of a free Syria. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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Pakistan blamed by Afghanistan for hundreds of fatalities in Kabul hospital attack
(SeaPRwire) - A purported airstrike on an Afghan hospital, which allegedly resulted in hundreds of deaths, is facing increasing examination—focused not just on the strike itself, but also on what critics characterize as a subdued international reaction.According to Reuters, Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government stated that over 400 individuals were killed and hundreds injured when a strike hit Kabul’s Omid Hospital, a key drug rehabilitation center. The Associated Press reported that civilians, including children, have also lost their lives in intensifying cross-border strikes in Pakistan. These casualty numbers have not been independently confirmed.This strike occurs against the backdrop of a swiftly escalating military campaign between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has grown more severe over the past three weeks.Cross-border airstrikes and skirmishes have spread across several provinces, with Pakistan targeting what it claims are bases of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—a militant group responsible for attacks within Pakistan and designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. The Taliban government has accused Islamabad of breaching Afghanistan’s sovereignty.During a U.N. briefing on Wednesday, a spokesperson noted that the conflict has now entered its third week, with significant civilian consequences. U.N. humanitarian agencies reported that over 115,000 people have been displaced, more than 300 shelters damaged or destroyed, and at least 25 health facilities shut down or disrupted due to the violence.Pakistan has refuted targeting a hospital, asserting that the operation hit militant infrastructure."Since the start of this counterterrorism effort, Pakistan has aimed to defend and safeguard its people … by targeting terrorists and terrorist infrastructure that are fostered and supported by the Afghan Taliban," Prime Minister’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi told Digital.Zaidi stated that the strike was aimed at weapons and ammunition at Kabul’s Camp Phoenix, emphasizing, "There are no civilian hospitals in Camp Phoenix," and suggesting that reports of a rehabilitation facility being hit might stem from "secondary explosions" caused by stored weapons.Two days after the attack, the United Nations condemned the reported strike on Wednesday, with Secretary-General António Guterres, via a spokesperson, "strongly condemning" an airstrike that "reportedly led to the death and injury of civilians at a hospital," and urging an independent inquiry.Nonetheless, some analysts argue that the response is disproportionate to the incident’s magnitude."U.N. officials quickly condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s regime as unlawful ‘aggression’ … Yet Pakistan’s airstrike on Kabul’s Omid Hospital—killing over 400 civilians—has only elicited a delayed ‘strong condemnation’ … and standard calls for ‘de-escalation’," UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer told Digital."This cautious reaction—no personal outcry from Guterres, no emergency session naming Pakistan, and no comparable outpouring from U.N. rapporteurs or agencies such as WHO, U.N. Women, and UNICEF—exposes blatant hypocrisy," he stated. "When hundreds of vulnerable Afghans perish in a hospital, the U.N. offers temperate remarks. Yet when the U.S. or Israel can be held accountable—justly or not—the condemnation is immediate and intense. When some victims are deemed far more important than others, the U.N. reveals its cynical political agenda. This double standard does not uphold human rights; it undermines them." Australian human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky echoed this criticism in a post on X, labeling the strike "an absolute massacre," and highlighting what he described as a lack of global outrage: "World outrage? Zero. Could barely make it to page 17 in the newspaper here." This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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Following an Iran-affiliated group’s claim of attacks across Europe, Belgium deploys military to secure Jewish locations.
(SeaPRwire) - Belgium is bolstering security measures for its Jewish population following a recent synagogue attack that has intensified anxieties throughout Europe. A newly identified terrorist organization, suspected of having links to Iran, has claimed credit for a string of assaults on Jewish sites across the continent.According to a Digital report, the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, or "The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right," stated it was responsible for several recent incidents, including a March 9 explosion at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium. The organization also asserted involvement in an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam and an explosive attack targeting a Jewish school in Amsterdam. Multiple sources have also connected the group to a fourth incident at a Jewish location in Greece, though information regarding that event remains scarce.On March 15, Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated that "a jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy" was responsible for the violence, noting that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "continues to sponsor and export terror across the globe."Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin characterized the explosion outside the Liège synagogue as a "despicable antisemitic act" aimed directly at the nation's Jewish community.Prime Minister Bart De Wever addressed the situation on X Monday, stating, "Antisemitism is an attack on our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in Liège and throughout the country."Joe Truzman, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the FDD’s Long War Journal, suggested to Digital that the conflict in Iran may have "compelled the group, for whoever is behind this, to start launching these attacks." Truzman added that he "suspect[s] this organization is being directed" and that there is "an entity behind it."Following the Liège attack, Belgian authorities declared that protective measures would be intensified."To protect our Jewish community, we are deploying military personnel to support security on our streets. The safety of every citizen must be guaranteed," Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken stated on X on Monday. "Antisemitism and hatred against Jews will never be tolerated. We will stand firm against it, always."The decision received commendation from U.S. officials."Last week, I urged Belgian officials to adequately protect Jewish communities—thank you, Defense Minister Francken and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prévot, for stepping up with increased security measures," wrote Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism at the Department of State, adding that he looks forward to collaborating with Belgian partners "to safeguard the Jewish community."Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers also praised the move, describing it as a rare instance of tangible action rather than mere words."We hear a lot of talk about combating antisemitism and other forms of hatred — but it’s satisfying to see practical action, like this, to guard the public square against brute terrorist violence targeting Jews and others," Rogers posted on X. "Liberty in the tweets, order in the streets."Belgium has historically maintained elevated security levels around Jewish institutions following previous incidents, such as the 2014 shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, which resulted in four deaths and remains one of the most severe antisemitic attacks in the nation's recent history.Nevertheless, Jewish advocacy groups warn that the current situation signals a dangerous and renewed escalation."This criminal act against a Jewish house of worship is deeply alarming and part of a broader and troubling rise in antisemitic incidents and violent extremism across Europe," the World Jewish Congress noted in a statement on March 10. Digital reporter Beth Bailey and Reuters contributed to this report. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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Aleen Inc. Insights: Exploring LOINC Standard to Enhance Wellness Data Consistency
Toronto, ON, March 18, 2026 (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Aleen Inc. (CSE: ALEN-U), a digital wellness company, is currently exploring data standardization approaches that may support the continued development of its Personal Wellness Account.As part of its regular internal research initiatives aimed at refining and differentiating its digital products, Aleen Inc. is currently exploring the potential relevance of the LOINC framework. This widely recognized standard provides structured naming conventions that help organize and unify the identification of wellness-related indicators across digital environments.By studying the principles of standardized data structures, Aleen Inc. seeks to better understand how consistent terminology and classification models can contribute to more organized wellness data environments. Standardization can serve as a foundational layer for future system capabilities, enabling digital systems to observe patterns, compare information across datasets, and identify relationships within wellness data over time.Insights from this research may inform potential improvements within Aleen’s developing infrastructure, including the company’s Personal Wellness Account environment and its evolving Mindful Wellness Database. These exploratory efforts are intended to support more structured wellness tracking and clearer organization of user-centered insights while maintaining Aleen’s non-medical framework.This research initiative reflects Aleen Inc.’s continued commitment to responsible innovation, thoughtful data architecture, and the gradual expansion of its digital wellness technologies designed to provide accessible, AI-assisted wellness insights.About Aleen Inc.Aleen Inc. operates as a digital wellness and well-being insights company. Its platform transforms personal wellness information into simple, personalized insights that promote greater self-awareness and balance in daily life. Aleen’s mission is to empower individuals with knowledge and clarity through responsible use of technology and data.For more information, visit www.aleen.ca.Forward-Looking StatementThis press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future plans and developments by Aleen Inc. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Aleen Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements except as required by law. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Illuminance announces global expansion and launch of its international platform
TORONTO, ON, March 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Illuminance has announced its entry into the international market simultaneously with the launch of its global platform, built on its own computational infrastructure powered by a distributed network of quantum nodes (Quantum Node). The platform is designed to support scalable operations across global financial markets, with a focus on high-frequency analytics and automated data processing.The modern economic landscape demands a fundamentally new type of infrastructure — one that goes beyond traditional financial products. With its international launch, Illuminance positions itself not as a standalone platform, but as a next-generation computational layer for the evolving financial ecosystem.At the core of this architecture is the Quantum Node — a distributed computational unit that forms the foundation of the entire system. These nodes are responsible for processing large volumes of market data, performing parallel analytical operations, and enabling high-speed decision-making across the network.Each quantum node contributes to the platform's overall computational power, allowing the system to dynamically scale as the network grows. This distributed approach ensures low latency, high throughput, and stable data processing even under heavy loads.The infrastructure is supported by the Illuminance Grid, which serves as the coordination layer. It synchronizes data flows between quantum nodes, manages task distribution, and aligns AI-based models in real time. Importantly, neither the grid nor the quantum nodes store users' funds or execute financial transactions directly — their role is strictly limited to computation and analysis, providing a clear separation between capital and infrastructure.This architecture enables Illuminance to overcome key limitations of both centralized and decentralized systems, particularly in areas such as high-frequency analytics and real-time market data processing. By separating financial execution from computational intelligence, the platform can operate at scale without overloads, making it highly effective for applications like automated crypto arbitrage.The system is built for continuous expansion. As more quantum nodes are integrated into the network, the platform's analytical capabilities grow, delivering deeper market insights and more efficient trade execution in global trading environments.The launch of the international platform marks a significant strategic milestone, positioning Illuminance as a provider of cutting-edge computational infrastructure for next-generation financial systems.About IlluminanceIlluminance is a technology company developing a high-performance computational layer for global financial markets. Its architecture is based on a distributed network of quantum nodes, complemented by the Illuminance Grid coordination system. Together, they form an infrastructure inspired by quantum technologies and optimized for automated crypto arbitrage. The platform focuses on real-world AI applications to ensure speed, scalability, and resilience in complex market conditions.Media Contact:corporate@illuminanceglobal.comhttps://illuminanceglobal.com Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Video captures fiery aftermath of Iran missile strike near Tel Aviv after two people killed
(SeaPRwire) - Video footage captured the fiery aftermath of a ballistic missile strike that hit Ramat Gan, a neighborhood east of Tel Aviv, overnight Tuesday, killing at least two people, according to Israeli officials.The footage shows a car engulfed in flames, with wreckage scattered across the street as emergency responders assess the scene and ambulance sirens sound in the background.The missile was launched by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which said it targeted central Israel to avenge the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and one of the country’s most powerful figures.Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it launched Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr multiple-warhead missiles, which it claims have an increased chance of evading missile defense systems and can overwhelm radar tracking. Israel said the two victims killed in the overnight strike were a couple in their 70s.The attack is part of a rapidly escalating tit-for-tat conflict that began Feb. 28 following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have since killed multiple senior Iranian officials. Those include Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij militia, who was killed Tuesday.Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also said Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in an overnight strike, though Iran has not confirmed his death.Iran has responded with a widening campaign of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, U.S.-linked positions and energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, including strikes reported in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.The broader conflict has raised fears of a regional war and potential disruptions to global energy supplies, as Iran has also threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical transit route for the world’s oil. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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Israel eliminates Iranian intelligence minister who survived initial strike, official confirms
(SeaPRwire) - A senior Israeli official stated on Wednesday that Israel carried out a precision overnight strike that killed Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib. The official noted that the strike was made possible by a joint U.S.-Israeli intelligence collaboration, and characterized Khatib as a key figure behind plots targeting American officials. "This individual has American blood on his hands. His network specifically targeted both current and former U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump," the official added. According to the official, Khatib had previously survived a large-scale strike on Iran’s senior leadership at the "Defense Council" compound in Tehran during the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury, an attack that killed more than 40 Iranian leaders in roughly 40 seconds. He was reportedly the only person to survive that initial attack. "Today, he met the fate of his fellow combatant comrades," the official noted. Since the start of the war, Israel has targeted and killed several senior Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij unit, and Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Israel Defense Forces said Khatib played a central role in directing crackdowns against protesters, including arrests and killings during recent unrest and the nationwide demonstrations sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Khatib in 2022 for his leadership of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), which U.S. officials stated was responsible for cyberattacks against the United States and its allies. The Treasury noted that the ministry oversaw global cyber operations targeting government and private-sector organizations, including disruptive attacks on critical infrastructure. United Against Nuclear Iran, a nonpartisan advocacy group, shared that Khatib enlisted in the IRGC at the outbreak of the 1980 Iran-Iraq War and studied under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. He joined MOIS in 1985 or 1986, after the agency was established in 1983. Last week, the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program offered up to $10 million for information on senior Iranian security figures tied to the IRGC and its networks, including Khatib. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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COSCO SHIPPING Ports Announces 2025 Annual Results
HONG KONG, Mar 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (“COSCO SHIPPING Ports” or “CSP” or the “Company”, SEHK: 1199), the world’s leading ports logistics service provider, today announced the annual results of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) ended 31 December 2025.2025 FY Results Highlights- Total throughput increased by 6.2% YoY to 152,994,965 TEU- Total equity throughput increased by 3.4% YoY to 46,850,076 TEU- Total throughput from terminals in which the Group has controlling stakes increased by 1.8% YoY to 33,246,933 TEU- Total throughput from the Group’s non-controlling terminals increased by 7.5% YoY to 119,748,032 TEU- Revenue of the Company increased by 11.0% YoY to US$1,669,017,000- Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company increased by 1.1% YoY to US$312,141,000- Declared a second interim dividend of US1.328 cents per shareFINANCIAL REVIEWIn 2025, the port and shipping market faced pressure amid slowing global trade growth, tariff adjustments, trade protectionism, and geopolitical uncertainties. Leveraging lean operations management and resource process optimization, COSCO SHIPPING Ports maintained its operational resilience and core competitiveness. Annual revenue of the Company amounted to US$1,669.0 million, increased by 11.0% YoY, cost of sales was US$1,253.5 million, increased by 15.4% YoY. Gross profit was US$415.5 million, decreased by 0.3% YoY. Share of profits from joint ventures and associates amounted to US$343.4 million, increased by 7.3% YoY. During the year, profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was US$312.1 million, increased by 1.1% YoY.OPERATIONAL REVIEWMarket ReviewIn 2025, despite a complex and severe external environment, China’s economy advanced under pressure, achieving relatively rapid growth in its merchandise trade and demonstrating strong resilience and vitality. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, in 2025, the total of China’s import and export reached RMB45.47 trillion in 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 3.8%, maintaining its position as the world’s largest merchandise trader. Specifically, exports amounted to RMB26.99 trillion, posting a YoY increase of 6.1%, while the amount of imports grew by 0.5% YoY to RMB18.48 trillion. Notably, robust growth was recorded in trade with emerging markets such as ASEAN, Latin America, and Africa, with respective year-on-year increases of 8.0%, 6.5%, and 18.4%.Overall PerformanceIn 2025, the Group’s total throughput increased by 6.2% YoY to 152,994,965 TEU (2024: 144,032,722 TEU). Specifically, total throughput from terminals in which the Group has controlling stake increased by 1.8% YoY to 33,246,933 TEU (2024: 32,655,388 TEU), accounting for 21.7% of the Group’s total, and the total throughput from non-controlling terminals increased by 7.5% YoY to 119,748,032 TEU (2024: 111,377,334 TEU), accounting for 78.3% of the Group’s total.During the year, the Group’s total equity throughput increased by 3.4% YoY to 46,850,076 TEU (2024: 45,318,318 TEU). The equity throughput from terminals in which the Group has controlling stake decreased by 2.0% YoY to 19,566,743 TEU (2024: 19,958,253 TEU), accounting for 41.8% of the Group’s total, and the equity throughput from non-controlling terminals increased by 7.6% YoY to 27,283,333 TEU (2024: 25,360,065 TEU), accounting for 58.2% of the Group’s total.ChinaTotal throughput of the terminals in China increased by 4.6% YoY to 114,836,474 TEU in 2025 (2024: 109,808,199 TEU) and accounted for 75.1% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of terminals in China increased by 1.6% YoY to 32,786,033 TEU (2024: 32,279,961 TEU), accounting for 70.0% of the Group’s total equity throughput.Bohai RimTotal throughput of the Bohai Rim region increased by 5.1% YoY to 52,060,240 TEU in 2025 (2024: 49,550,213 TEU) and accounted for 34.0% of the Group’s total. Total equity throughput of the Bohai Rim region decreased by 0.2% YoY to 13,261,079 TEU (2024: 13,282,472 TEU) and accounted for 28.3% of the Group’s total equity throughput. The total throughput of Dalian Container Terminal Co., Ltd. maintains steady growth, with total throughput increased by 2.2% YoY to 5,393,205 TEU (2024: 5,277,625 TEU).Yangtze River DeltaTotal throughput of the Yangtze River Delta region increased by 2.2% YoY to 16,848,434 TEU in 2025 (2024: 16,484,202 TEU) and accounted for 11.0% of the Group’s total. Total equity throughput of the Yangtze River Delta region increased by 2.1% YoY to 4,868,227 TEU (2024: 4,766,173 TEU) and accounted for 10.4% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Wuhan CSP Terminal Co., Ltd. has advanced simultaneously on land and sea, deepening collaboration with shipping companies, enhancing the density of its Yangtze River shipping routes, expanding intermodal water-rail channels, promoting the development of an international train assembly and distribution centre, and increasing rail freight volume, achieving a 31.8% YoY increase in total throughput to 323,624 TEU (2024: 245,627 TEU).Southeast Coast and OthersTotal throughput in the Southeast Coast and Others region decreased by 6.3% YoY to 5,621,527 TEU in 2025 (2024: 6,002,237 TEU) and accounted for 3.7% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of Southeast Coast and Others region decreased by 0.6% YoY to 4,285,921 TEU (2024: 4,311,464 TEU) and accounted for 9.2% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal Co., Ltd. strengthened its commercial marketing efforts and facilitated the addition of new shipping routes, leading a 4.1% YoY increase in total throughput to 2,679,812 TEU (2024: 2,574,593 TEU).Pearl River DeltaTotal throughput of the Pearl River Delta region increased by 5.2% YoY to 30,243,273 TEU in 2025 (2024: 28,756,347 TEU) and accounted for 19.8% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of the Pearl River Delta region increased by 3.9% YoY to 8,256,568 TEU (2024: 7,945,689 TEU) and accounted for 17.6% of the Group’s total equity throughput. Guangzhou South China Oceangate Container Terminal Company Limited actively responded to the restructuring of shipping alliances and route adjustments, seizing growth opportunities in emerging Southeast Asian markets. Driven a significant YoY increase in container volume on Asian regional routes, driving a 7.9% YoY increase in total throughput to 6,025,563 TEU (2024: 5,582,825 TEU).Southwest CoastTotal throughput of the Southwest Coast region increased by 11.6% YoY to 10,063,000 TEU in 2025 (2024: 9,015,200 TEU), accounting for 6.6% of the Group’s total throughput. Total equity throughput of the Southwest Coast region increased by 7.1% YoY to 2,114,238 TEU (2024: 1,974,163 TEU) and accounted for 4.5% of the Group’s total equity throughput. The increase in total throughput and equity throughput can be attributed, on one hand, to the ongoing release of trade benefits from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). On the other hand, Beibu Gulf Port Co., Ltd. has accelerated the development of the Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port and the international hub seaport. It has continuously optimized its container shipping network, intensified cargo sourcing efforts, and driven year-on-year growth in container volume.OverseasTotal throughput in overseas terminals increased by 11.5% YoY to 38,158,491 TEU in 2025 (2024: 34,224,523 TEU) and accounted for 24.9% of the Group’s total. Total equity throughput of overseas terminals increased by 7.9% YoY to 14,064,043 TEU (2024: 13,038,357 TEU) and accounted for 30.0% of the Group’s total equity throughput. The total throughput of Piraeus Container Terminal Single Member S.A. decreased by 6.0% YoY to 3,976,713 TEU (2024: 4,228,474 TEU), primarily due to a slowdown in market demand within the Mediterranean region. CSP Zeebrugge Terminal NV strengthened its commercial marketing efforts and added multiple mainline and feeder services, driving a 33.1% YoY increase in total throughput to 894,227 TEU (2024: 671,989 TEU).PROSPECTSThe global geopolitical landscape in 2026 remains complex and challenging, with persistent uncertainties in trade patterns. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts in its latest World Economic Outlook report that the global economy is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2026, maintaining a steady growth trajectory. According to London-based shipping consultancy Drewry, global container throughput growth is projected to slow to 1.8% in 2026. Against this backdrop, the Company will adhere to a high-quality development philosophy, closely aligning with the goal of becoming a world-class port logistics service provider. The Company will focus on our core business, improve operational efficiency, and strive to enhance global competitiveness and sustainable development capabilities.First, the Company will prioritize strategic guidance to optimize our global port layout. Guided by the principle of “expanding globally while deepening efficiency domestically”, the Company will accelerate the construction of a global terminal network that synergistically integrates developed and emerging markets, greenfield and brownfield terminals, and hub and gateway ports. The Company will strengthen corridor development, elevate service levels at key hub ports such as COSCO SHIPPING Ports Chancay PERU S.A., Piraeus Container Terminal Single Member S.A., and CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal L.L.C., and systematically advance hardware and software investments aligned with business growth and smart, low-carbon initiatives. Concurrently, the Company will increase the size of feeder networks, enhance route aggregation effects, and achieve a strategic framework where all terminals connect to form a network and develop synergistically.Second, deepen operational synergy to comprehensively enhance quality and efficiency. The Company will adhere to lean operations while strengthening marketing and internal coordination, as well as closely monitor shifts in the international shipping landscape to increase coverage of the parent company’s dual-brand routes at subsidiary terminals. The Company will also deepen business integration with the fleet of China COSCO SHIPPING Corporation Limited (the Company’s ultimate controlling shareholder) to accelerate diversified business development. The Company will expedite the construction of a digital marketing and business platform to transition from experience-driven to data-driven operations. Key initiatives include advancing the intelligent route planning project to enhance operational efficiency and strengthening standardized management of equipment throughout its lifecycle to sustain operational capacity.Third, strengthen network aggregation and enhance comprehensive service capabilities. The Company will focus on upgrading from “single-point development” to “network synergy.” Continuously reinforce trunk and feeder networks and corridor development at key hubs to enhance transshipment and network capabilities. Vigorously develop integrated “port + logistics” services and promote standardized supply chain products. Leveraging key logistics nodes, provide customized end-to-end solutions for emerging cargo types such as photovoltaic and energy storage. By coordinating global network resources, the Company will establish a tiered, synergistic operational system to comprehensively enhance supply chain resilience and service value-added.Fourth, accelerate innovation-driven development to cultivate and expand new productive forces. The Company will actively embrace digital and green industrial trends, integrating technological innovation with core business operations. The Company will deepen the integration of innovative applications like artificial intelligence with terminal operations, expanding the scaled application of digital twins and AI technologies in intelligent scheduling, equipment maintenance, and safety control. In green and low-carbon initiatives, the Company will intensify the promotion and application of new energy equipment, advance port microgrid construction and refined energy management, continuously reduce energy consumption per unit of output, and explore new pathways for green development.In 2026, the Company’s management will proactively address external challenges and seize development opportunities with a strong sense of mission and responsibility. Regarding the situation in the Middle East which has drawn significant attention, the Company will continue to closely monitor the situation and carefully assess any potential impact, and take any necessary measures to ensure operations continue uninterrupted. By implementing the aforementioned measures, we will substantially enhance the Company's core competitiveness and core functions, striving to deliver sustained and stable value returns for all shareholders.About COSCO SHIPPING Ports (https://ports.coscoshipping.com)COSCO SHIPPING Ports Limited (Stock Code: 1199) is a leading ports logistics service provider in the world and its terminals portfolio covers the five main port regions and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South America and Africa, etc. As at 31 December 2025, COSCO SHIPPING Ports operated and managed 387 berths at 40 ports globally, of which 238 were for containers, with an annual handling capacity of approximately 133 million TEU.Building on the brand philosophy of “The Ports for ALL”, COSCO SHIPPING Ports has established its corporate mission of “Connecting Different Worlds” and is committed to maintaining a customer-centric approach to continuously improve the service and capacity of its global network and enhance the strategic positioning of key node ports and optimise logistics resource distribution. Leveraging ports as a conduit to connect global shipping services and serve global trade, the Company is dedicated to establishing a platform for mutual benefits and shared successes for all stakeholders involved with a vision of becoming “the leading global port logistics service provider with a customer-oriented focus”.Please visit the Company’s website(https://ports.coscoshipping.com）and the designated website of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited(https://www.hkexnews.hk）for 2025 Annual Results Announcement. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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HKTDC launches GreenBiz HK campaign in Bangkok
HONG KONG, Mar 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) – The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organised the GreenBiz HK campaign in Bangkok – comprising a GreenBiz HK Forum with dedicated thematic sessions, networking events and business matching meetings – alongside a Hong Kong Green Team delegation. The campaign aims to foster collaboration between Hong Kong and Thailand in the green economy. One of the highlights, the GreenBiz HK Forum, was held today at the Grande Centre Point Lumphini Hotel, attracting over 550 representatives from government and business across Thailand. Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, was the Guest of Honour and delivered opening remarks at the forum. The forum promoted exchange in green finance, green technology, supply chain and sustainable smart city development, strengthening the long-standing Hong Kong-Thai economic and business ties, while showcasing Hong Kong’s role as an international green finance and innovation hub.Anna Cheung, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “Hong Kong is well established as a superconnector and super value-adder. Its thriving ecosystem for green innovation and sustainable development combines policy support with strong finance flows, targeted R&D funding, dedicated innovation clusters and scalable solutions. To promote the city’s status as an international green finance and innovation centre, GreenBiz HK enables business leaders and experts from Hong Kong and Thailand across different fields to exchange practical insights and experiences, while exploring mutually beneficial opportunities and partnerships that align with global trends.”Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok said: “The green transition is not a challenge any city or country can address alone—it requires strong partnerships, shared vision, and collective action across the public and private sectors.”; “The GreenBiz HK Forum is an important platform connecting Hong Kong’s green strengths with Bangkok’s sustainable development ambitions through meaningful business partnerships.”Multi-faceted forums spotlight green finance and innovationIn the “Hong Kong-Thailand Partnerships for Sustainability and Innovation” plenary session, leading government and business figures from Hong Kong and Thailand explored cross-border collaboration in green finance, innovation and sustainable development. Ms Chaoni Huang, Executive Vice President of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA); ; Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance and Transition, Asia, HSBC, Dr Kang Qu, Managing Director of Sustainability Strategy at Bank of China (Hong Kong), together with Dr Kim Mak, Chairman of ATAL Engineering Group and Mr John Lo, Founder of the Asia Carbon Institute, highlighted Hong Kong’s strengths as an international green finance hub and demonstrated how innovative financing tools are accelerating corporate ESG transformation.Dr Kim Mak, Chairman of ATAL Engineering Group, discussed the latest applications of green technologies, green buildings and smart city solutions, while Mr John Lo, Founder of the Asia Carbon Institute, shared practical insights on decarbonisation and ESG strategies. Mr Huang Weiwei, Chief Strategic Development Officer of China and Senior Vice Chairman of CP China, Charoen Pokphand Group from Thailand presented the company’s experience in renewable energy and environmental technologies, noting how Hong Kong’s capital platforms, professional services and global connectivity can support Thai enterprises in advancing the Bio–Circular–Green (BCG) economic model and expanding overseas. The session underscored the potential for deeper collaboration in green finance, sustainable technology and urban innovation.Two concurrent breakout sessions further deepened Hong Kong-Thailand cooperation in sustainable technology and future city development. The “Driving a Sustainable Tomorrow through Green Technology and Integrated Design” session focused on how green technologies, sustainable architecture, landscape solutions, energy-saving systems, renewable energy and smart city applications enhance urban resilience. Speakers from the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), Henderson Land, Arup and Otherland Limited discussed integrated design and innovative technologies that support citywide decarbonisation. Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of Thailand’s National Innovation Agency, shared Thailand’s progress in smart city development and expressed interest in leveraging Hong Kong’s multi-disciplinary strengths to accelerate regional sustainability. The second session, “Building Smarter, Greener and Healthier Cities: A Collaborative Initiative Between Hong Kong and Thailand and Opportunities for the Green Supply Chain in the Region”, supported by BEAM Society Limited and the Hong Kong Green Building Council, examined green building standards, low-carbon construction and developments in the regional green supply chain.Business matching accelerates Hong Kong-Thailand collaborationThrough targeted project matching, technical sharing and discussions, participants were able to translate the forum’s dialogue into concrete partnership opportunities, supporting practical progress in green technology, urban innovation and energy transition. The sessions strengthened business ties between Hong Kong and Thailand, accelerating cross-border collaboration and enabling enterprises to jointly capture emerging opportunities in the green economy.GreenBiz HK campaign in Bangkok is one of the key events under the Economic and Trade Express (ETE), a functional platform designed to help Hong Kong SMEs and start-ups explore business opportunities in overseas markets, while bringing in more enterprises to invest in and establish businesses in Hong Kong. The campaign’s networking luncheon was supported by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Bangkok, facilitating meaningful engagement between Hong Kong and the local business community.Hong Kong Green Team delegation promotes Hong Kong as Asia’s premier hub for integrated green servicesThe HKTDC also organised a Hong Kong Green Team delegation from 17 to 20 March to explore the burgeoning green market opportunities in Thailand. The delegation, co-led by Ms Anna Cheung and Ir Dr Lo Wai Kwok, GBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the HKTDC Infrastructure Development Advisory Committee, comprised 18 delegates from Hong Kong, representing a diverse spectrum of integrated green services, including architecture, engineering, smart city development, ESG advisory, green technology and more. Meetings with industry associations and major developers, such as the Thai Green Building Institute (TGBI), The Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO), WHA Industrial Development and TPI Polene Public Company Limited, provided opportunities for Hong Kong delegates to explore partnerships with local Thai firms.GreenBiz HK brings together Hong Kong’s green service providers across green finance, ESG advisory, green building, property technology and smart city solutions, fostering cross-sector collaboration and industry advancement. The initiative encourages businesses to leverage Hong Kong’s mature capital market, financial expertise and professional services to support green and sustainable investment, certification and development and capture growth opportunities driven by the global green economy. The HKTDC will continue to use this platform to organise business missions, thematic conferences and networking activities, supporting enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Chinese Mainland in leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths in finance and innovation to expand internationally and advance sustainable development across the region.Photo download: https://bit.ly/4uQjIB4GreenBiz HK Forum was held today in Bangkok, attracting over 550 representatives from government and business sectors across Thailand. The forum brought together business leaders from Hong Kong and Thailand to explore cross-border collaboration in green finance, innovation and sustainable developmentAnna Chueng, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC, delivered welcome remarks at the forumDr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, delivered opening remarks at the forumIr Dr Lo Wai Kwok, Chairman of the HKTDC Infrastructure Development Advisory Committee, delivered welcoming remarks at the networking luncheonA one-on-one business matching session was arranged during the GreenBiz HK Forum, enabling companies and experts from both economies to connect“Hong Kong Green Team” Delegation engages with Thai industry bodies to explore cooperation opportunitiesHKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/enMedia enquiriesPlease contact HKTDC’s Communication & Public Affairs Department:Navin LawTel: (852) 2584 4525Email: navin.cm.law@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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Sunshine Insurance Delivers 2025 Results: Customer Operation System Continues to Innovate
HONG KONG, Mar 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) – Insurance is an important sector of the modern economy and plays a vital role in national economic development, people’s livelihood protection, social stability, and risk prevention and control. As a leading private insurance group in China, Sunshine Insurance (06963.HK) further advanced the implementation of its “New Sunshine Strategy” in 2025. Despite a complex market environment, the Company achieved steady progress while maintaining both quality and efficiency, demonstrating strong resilience and long-term growth potential.Value Creation Capability Continues to Rise, with Notable Progress in Business TransformationThe continued enhancement of value creation capability was a key highlight of Sunshine Insurance’s performance in 2025. During the Reporting Period, the Company’s total premium income reached RMB150.72 billion (all amounts in RMB unless otherwise stated), while net profit attributable to equity owners of the parent amounted to RMB6.31 billion, and embedded value steadily increased to RMB120.78 billion. Overall, the Company’s key performance indicators remained solid, and its operating quality continued to improve.Meanwhile, Sunshine Insurance has continuously optimized its business structure with outstanding performance in its life insurance business. It has deepened its “One Body, Two Wings” strategy and advanced the transformation of its sales team and product structure. In its individual insurance business, variable-returns products and protection-type products together accounted for more than half of the portfolio. The property and casualty insurance business also achieved sustained structural optimization: the proportion of non-automobile insurance premiums rose to 46.1%, the share of household auto premiums to the automobile insurance increased by 2.6 percentage points year-on-year, marking remarkable results from business transformation.Continuous Innovation in Customer Management System, Leading Reputation and Customer LoyaltyRefined customer management and innovative products and services form the core competitiveness of Sunshine Insurance. In 2025, adhering to the “people-centered” value orientation, the Company accurately addressed the full life-cycle needs of its customers and further consolidated its customer base.Addressing the unique needs of the silver-haired demographic, Sunshine Life Insurance launched 12 dedicated products under the “Better Life”series, delivering innovative breakthroughs in product design, eligible age, benefit payout structures and supporting services. The Company also upgraded its home-based elderly care services, which now cover 232 cities nationwide. Meanwhile, Sunshine Property & Casualty (P&C) Insurance introduced auto insurance claims service robot, enabling round-the-clock online response and full-process support throughout the claims journey. It also launched several Pro-version short-term health insurance products, effectively facilitating the conversion of single auto insurance customers into customers with comprehensive insurance coverage. The proportion of personal auto insurance customers purchasing non-auto insurance products reached 63.1%, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.3 percentage points. Additionally, the Company further advanced its “Partnership Action” risk management services, extending dedicated services to the onshore wind power sector and providing “professional + technology-enabled” risk solutions to 35,000 corporate clients. As a result, its service reputation and customer loyalty continued to lead the market.Accelerating Technological Innovation, Achieving Comprehensive Improvements in Operational EfficiencyTechnological innovation has become a new quality productivity driver for Sunshine Insurance’s high-quality development. In 2025, the Group comprehensively advanced the implementation of its “Robotics Engineering” and “Data Engineering” initiatives, with a large number of core AI applications successfully deployed. Sunshine Life independently developed an “AI Customer Management Assistant,” capable of second-level response times and quickly generating personalized customer management plans. The system has now been deployed across six major business platforms.Sunshine P&C has also launched a Claims Service Robot, leveraging a dedicated customer claims service group model to create a fully online, end-to-end service loop covering claim reporting, intelligent loss assessment, and claim payment. Customer inquiry response times have been shortened from minutes to seconds, claims inspection efficiency has improved by 20% compared with traditional models, and the customer satisfaction rate has reached 98%, significantly enhancing both service responsiveness and the overall claims experience.In terms of data engineering, Sunshine Insurance has innovatively built a siphon-style database, integrating the entire process of data collection, analysis, and application. This enables a self-driven, closed-loop operation of data, allowing data to truly become the “source of vitality” that drives business growth.Overall, the strong performance in 2025 serves as a vivid testament to Sunshine Insurance’s deepened strategic transformation and focus on high-quality development, and is also a significant result of technological innovation empowering its core insurance business. Looking ahead, the Company will remain committed to its founding mission of “bringing more sunshine to people,” further strengthening its core capabilities, deepening its engagement in people’s livelihood security, proactively aligning with national strategies, and delivering premium, more efficient and more human-centered insurance services to customers, thereby contributing Sunshine’s strength to the high-quality development of the industry. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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The ‘New Sunshine Strategy’ Gains Tangible Results, Sunshine Insurance Group Delivers a High-quality 2025 Performance Report
HONG KONG, March 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) – On March 16, Sunshine Insurance officially released its 2025 annual results report. The report shows that in 2025, amid the insurance industry’s ongoing transformation and a complex market environment, Sunshine Insurance remained firmly focused on its high-quality development goals and continued to advance the implementation of its “New Sunshine Strategy” Through prudent operations, the company achieved simultaneous improvements in quality and efficiency, delivering a strong performance marked by both depth and warmth.At the strategic level, Sunshine Insurance has, since 2023, been fully implementing its “New Sunshine Strategy” of “Technological Sunshine, Valuable Sunshine, and Caring Sunshine ”, guiding its development with strategic determination. This strategy integrates technological empowerment, value creation, and customer service throughout the entire business process, gradually building a differentiated competitive advantage.In terms of “Technological Sunshine”, Sunshine Insurance created a form of new quality productivity in insurance with distinctive Sunshine characteristics with “Robotics Engineering ” and “Data Engineering” as its core initiatives. In terms of “Robotics Engineering ”, the Company advanced the deployment of its “AI+” strategy across 12 business segments in three key areas: sales, services, and management. A large number of core AI applications have been successfully implemented, significantly optimizing user experience while improving quality, efficiency, and operational management capabilities. In terms of “Data Engineering ”, the Company innovatively established a “siphon-style database”, connecting the entire process of data collection, analysis, and application to create a self-driven closed-loop data operation system. This enables data to truly become the “source of vitality” driving business growth. The Company also focuses on unlocking data value throughout the entire customer lifecycle, promoting deep scenario-based applications and enabling the large-scale release of data value.In terms of “Valuable Sunshine”, Sunshine Life focused on profit-source management and asset-liability matching, and steadily advanced the management of the “three margins”. Adhering to coordinated development across multiple business lines, it deepened the “One Body, Two Wings” strategy, continuously optimized its product structure, and accelerated the transformation of its sales force. Sunshine Property and Casualty (P&C) continued to take the “Mortality Table Project” as a core initiative to enhance its capabilities in risk pricing, resource allocation and cost management, further strengthening the foundation for sustainable development. In terms of asset management, the Group adheres to the philosophy of long-term investment and value investment, with asset-liability coordination as the core principle. The Group continued to optimize its investment portfolio structure and steadily enhanced its capability to achieve scientific matching and dynamic coordination between assets and liabilities, striving to obtain stable returns across economic cycles. At the same time, the Group fully leverages the characteristics and advantages of insurance funds as “patient capital”, aligns closely with the strategic direction of the “15th Five-Year Plan”, and actively advances the “five priorities” in the financial sector.In terms of “Caring Sunshine”, focusing on the needs of the silver-haired demographic, Sunshine Life Insurance launched 12 dedicated products under the “Better Life” series, delivering innovative breakthroughs in product design, eligible age, benefit payout structures and supporting services. In addition, the Company comprehensively upgraded its home-based elderly care services, effectively enhancing the sense of gain, happiness, and security among senior customers. Sunshine P&C Insurance introduced auto insurance claims service robot, enabling round-the-clock online response, intelligent guidance, and full-process support throughout the claims process, significantly improving the service experience for auto insurance claims customers. The Company also continued to deepen the implementation of the “Partnership Action” risk management service, with dedicated services further expanded to cover the onshore wind power sector, thereby further enhancing the capability and quality of its risk management services.Benefiting from the ongoing implementation of the “New Sunshine Strategy” and the comprehensive development of its core capabilities, in 2025 Sunshine Insurance’s three core businesses—life insurance, property & casualty insurance, and asset management—worked in synergy, achieving comprehensive improvement in operational efficiency and effectiveness, continuously strengthening core competitiveness, and maintaining steady and robust high-quality development.Overall, guided by the “New Sunshine Strategy”, Sunshine Insurance achieved coordinated growth in scale, value and efficiency in 2025, while continuously improving the quality and effectiveness of its operations. Looking ahead, Sunshine Insurance will remain committed to the core mission of insurance, further advance the implementation of the “New Sunshine Strategy”, promote the coordinated development of its diversified businesses, and steadily embark on a new journey of high-quality development, contributing more Sunshine’s strength to the industry and society. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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FILMART and EntertainmentPulse 2026 open today
HONG KONG, Mar 17, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The 30th Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) and EntertainmentPulse, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), is taking place from March 17 to 20 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The four-day event gathers global film and entertainment industry leaders to showcase new productions and cutting-edge technologies, while fostering discussions on international market trends and opportunities.The Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, encompassing eight major entertainment events including FILMART and EntertainmentPulse, held its kick-off ceremony this afternoon at the FILMART venue. The ceremony was officiated by Chan Kwok Ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of HKSAR, Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of HKSAR, Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, Dr Peter Lam, Chairman, HKTDC Entertainment Industry Advisory Committee, Dr Wilfred Wong, Chairman, Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, Qin Zhengui, Deputy Director General of Film Bureau and Managing Director of Screenplay Planning Center of the Publicity Department of Central Committee of Communist Party of China, Yang Yong, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation (Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs), National Radio and Television Administration, and representatives from the Expo’s event organisers.The Expo is co-organised by the HKTDC and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), the Film Development Fund, and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. This year's opening ceremony celebrates both the 30th edition of FILMART and the 50th milestone of the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), reaffirming their role in driving continuous growth for the city's entertainment industry.At the kick-off ceremony of the Hong Kong Entertainment Expo cum 30th FILMART and 50th HKIFF Celebration, Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, stated: “The HKTDC celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and FILMART has been around for half of the HKTDC’s existence, making 2026 a special year for us. Over the years, FILMART has grown to become the world-recognised leading entertainment content marketplace of Asia, as well as a must-join event for the global entertainment industry. For the 30th edition, FILMART is more international than ever, presenting productions of over 790 exhibitors across a record high participation of 38 countries and regions, connecting them with 7,700 business visitors from about 50 countries and regions.”Rising international participation with exhibitors driving cross-regional film and entertainment exchangeThis year’s FILMART has attracted a record number of participating countries and regions. Exhibitors from emerging markets such as Belgium, Myanmar, Poland, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan are joining for the first time. Other participating countries and regions include the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam, bringing broader international representation and further enhancing the event’s global reach. The Mainland contingent has expanded significantly, with a number of new provinces and municipalities participating, including Chongqing, Fujian, Guizhou, Shandong and Sichuan. Various leading mainland film and entertainment companies, including Tencent Video, Bilibili, iQIYI and Youku, are exhibiting at FILMART, leveraging the platform to expand their presence in overseas markets.Major Hong Kong film and entertainment companies are also participating this year. Sil-Metropole Organisation and Mei Ah Entertainment will showcase their latest productions created using virtual reality and AI, highlighting the distinctive appeal of Hong Kong’s culture. Other local exhibitors include Media Asia, Edko Films, Golden Scene, Entertaining Power, Muse Communication, RTHK, Television Broadcasts Limited, MakerVille, i-Cable Communications, and more, will unveil upcoming projects and productions, offering new partnership and investment opportunities for industry players worldwide.A total of 40 events will take place during FILMART. Highlights include the “Forum on International Communication Cooperation and Innovation for a New Vision”, organised by the International Cooperation Department of National Radio and Television Administration of China, and the “International Short Drama Association 2026 Asian Forum”. Major mainland production companies, such as Youhug Media and Linmon Picture Media, will also hold content showcases and launch events during the market. On the business front, multiple cooperation agreements will be signed at FILMART; the Sichuan Pavilion will host a project signing ceremony covering areas such as copyright trading and strategic collaboration. International participants are also actively engaging with the global industry. Thailand’s Ministry of Culture will present the country’s latest film and television projects, while activities organised by ICEX Spain Trade & Investment will explore creative collaboration and co-production opportunities between the Asian and European markets.Producers Connect draws broad international participation to foster cross-border co-productionProducers Connect, jointly organised by the HKSAR’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the Hong Kong Film Development Council and the HKTDC, returns this year. Partnering with 10 international film institutions, including those from Chinese Mainland, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom and Vietnam, the programme brings together more than 100 producers from Hong Kong and across the globe. Through a series of small group business matching sessions, Producers Connect designed to foster cross-cultural exchange and unlock new collaboration opportunities.To further discuss emerging co-production trends, a dedicated forum themed “International Coproductions in an Evolving Film Industry Landscape” will be held tomorrow afternoon. The session will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers sharing forward-looking perspectives, including Peter Chan, renowned Hong Kong director, Janet Yang, Golden Globe-winning producer, and Singaporean Cannes-winning director Anthony Chen, alongside other industry professionals with extensive international co-production experience. Together they will share the latest developments in co-production from multiple perspectives and explore how Hong Kong and Asia’s film industries can broaden their global development horizon.In addition, the fireside chats series will focus on business opportunities across key markets, including Asia, ASEAN and Europe, as well as the market strategies and commercial value associated with intellectual property expansion and the remaking of classic IP. A series of workshops will also be organised to enable industry professionals to better grasp emerging technologies and evolving market models while enhancing flexibility and possibilities for cross-regional collaboration.AI Hub returns with upgraded scale to support mainland enterprises going globalThe AI Hub, first introduced at last year’s FILMART to wide acclaim, returns this year with an expanded presence. Organised by the HKTDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong Association of Motion Picture Post Production Professionals, the AI Hub brings together leading mainland AI and technology companies, including Alibaba Cloud, Kling AI, MiniMax, Vidu, Nanjing Xuanjia Network Technology Co., Ltd., Daogu Culture Limited, and more. These exhibitors will present their latest applications and technological breakthroughs in areas such as AI generated content (AIGC), AI-generated short dramas and AI animation. Beyond showcasing cutting-edge technologies, the upgraded AI Hub also focuses on fostering commercial collaboration, supporting mainland technology enterprises as they go global and expand into new markets. Academic institutions, including The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Lingnan University, are also actively participating, contributing to the advancement of innovation in local film and entertainment production.To further strengthen industry capabilities in AI adoption, this year’s edition also introduces the AI Academy, newly established with support from the CCIDA and the Film Development Fund. Through 18 thematic workshops, industry experts will explain practical applications and emerging trends of AI technologies across the filmmaking process, helping practitioners navigate transformation and upgrading across multiple stages—from creative development and filming to post-production and content promotion.A dedicated panel session will be held tomorrow under the theme “Human-in-the-Loop: Balancing Cinematic Craft and Generative AI”. The panel will feature leading voices from the AI technology sector, including Yuhang Cheng, COO of the Midjourney China Club; Yunan Zhang, Vice President of MiniMax; and Fu Binxing, CEO of China Huace Film & TV Co., Ltd. Together they will explore the Human-in-the-Loop model of content creation, examining how filmmakers can effectively harness AI to enhance content quality while retaining creative leadership.EntertainmentPulse explores film financing and global opportunities for short dramasHeld alongside FILMART, the fifth edition of EntertainmentPulse examines some of the most pressing issues in today’s film and entertainment market, including the global expansion of short dramas, opportunities and future directions for international co-productions, emerging models of collaboration between AI and film production, and the creation and expansion of global animation IP. Through these discussions, the forum provides the industry with in-depth and forward-looking market insights.This year’s EntertainmentPulse also includes a dedicated session on film financing and investment. Industry leaders such as Justin Deimen, Managing Partner of Goldfinch International; Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Banking at East West Bank; and Catherine Ying, President of CMC Pictures and Pearl Studio, will share insights on financing trends and strategies in the Asian film industry, examining how film projects and co-productions can enter new markets while unlocking the commercial value derived from film and television IP. As the micro-short dramas boom continues to gain global momentum, the forum also features a dedicated seminar on this fast-growing format. Speakers include Wang Xiangbin, Founder and CEO of DataEye, a Mainland Chinese big-data company specialising in content marketing analytics, and Xiaoqian Chen, Vice President of Mansen (Shenzhen) Culture Media Co., Ltd, a major short dramas platform. They will examine the latest trends in the international expansion of Chinese mainland’s short dramas and explore emerging opportunities in overseas markets. Another highlight is a panel discussion featuring the production teams behind the Hong Kong Film Awards-nominated film Ciao UFO — including Amy Chin, Patrick Leung and Kong Ho Yan — alongside the team behind Unidentified Murder, represented by Kwok Ka Hei, Fung Wai Sze and Lee Chun Kit. Moderated by veteran Hong Kong film critic Thomas Shin, the discussion will explore how Hong Kong filmmakers preserve local cultural characteristics while responding flexibly to evolving market dynamics, opening up new possibilities for the development of the city’s film industry.HKIFF Industry Project Market provides platform for industry exchangeThe 24th Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the core section of the HKIFF Industry Project Market, runs for three consecutive days from today (17–19 March 2026) within the FILMART venue. This year’s selection features 42 film projects from 22 countries and regions, representing a wide range of development stages. Among them, 13 are animation or genre projects spanning themes such as family-driven narratives, comedy, thriller, fantasy, action and science fiction, showcasing the diversity and creative vitality of Asian storytelling. All shortlisted projects will be presented alongside FILMART during the HKIFF Industry Project Market, providing opportunities for project teams to exchange ideas with industry professionals, present their latest development progress and creative direction, and foster collaboration across Asia and the wider international film community.FILMART and EntertainmentPulseDate: 17 – 20 March 2026Website:FILMART— http://www.hktdc.com/hkfilmartEntertainementPulse — https://hkfilmart.hktdc.com/conference/hkfilmart/en/programmeEntertainment ExpoDate: 15 March – 19 April 2026Spectacular events: Three founding projects - Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA); and five core events: Asian Film Awards (AFA), Digital Entertainment Summit (DES), EntertainmentPulse (EP), Hong Kong - Asia Fim Financing Forum (HAF), Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music)Photo Download: https://bit.ly/4sPaX8qThe 30th Hong Kong International Film and TV Market exhibition (FILMART) opens today, attracting over 790 exhibitors from 38 countries and regionsThe Entertainment Expo kick-off ceremony (17 Mar) officiating guests include: Chan Kwok Ki, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR (front row; center), Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of HKSAR (front row; fifth from left), Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman, HKTDC (front row; sixth from right), Dr Peter Lam, Chairman, HKTDC Entertainment Industry Advisory Committee (front row; sixth from left), Dr Wilfred Wong, Chairman, Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (front row; fifth from right), Qin Zhengui, Deputy Director General of Film Bureau and Managing Director of Screenplay Planning Center of the Publicity Department of Central Committee of Communist Party of China (front row; fourth from left), Yang Yong, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation (Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs), National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) (front row; fourth from right), and representatives from the Expo’s event organisersChan Kwok Ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR, delivers an opening speech at the Entertainment Expo kick-off ceremony cum 30th FILMART and 50th HKIFF CelebrationProf Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, delivers welcome remarks during the Entertainment Expo kick-off ceremony cum 30th FILMART and 50th HKIFF Celebration The AI Hub, first introduced at FILMART last year to strong acclaim, returns this year on a larger scale. It brings together several leading AI and technology companies from Chinese Mainland, supporting their go global expansion and helping them explore new business opportunities overseas FILMART also brings back the Producers Connect, providing a networking platform for local and international producers to connect and fostering more cross-regional co-production opportunitiesMedia Enquiries:For enquiries, please contact:Raconteur PR AgencyBetsy TseTel: (852) 9742 7338Email: betsytse@raconteur.hkMolisa LauTel: (852) 6187 7786Email: molisalau@raconteur.hkHKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department:Serena Cheung Tel: (852) 2584 4272 Email: serena.hm.cheung@hktdc.org HKTDC Mediaroom: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tcAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
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by: nicole
UK bill to decriminalize abortion up to birth labeled ‘insane’ by pro-life chief
(SeaPRwire) - EXCLUSIVE: The head of a global pro-life organization is speaking out against a bill under consideration in the UK that would shield women from criminal charges for having abortions right up to the time of birth.In an interview with Digital, Shawn Carney, CEO of 40 Days for Life, stated that British legislators are emulating the efforts of U.S. Democrats to permit abortions in such cases, a move he called "absolutely ridiculous.""They haven’t actually pushed for this," Carney noted. "Usually, Europe takes a much more conservative stance on abortion than the U.S. Most European nations limit abortion to 12 weeks. England allows it up to 16 weeks, and in some cases, late-term abortions up to 24 weeks. But now they’re aiming to allow abortions throughout all 40 weeks of pregnancy. This feels completely unexpected."Carney expressed concern that if this bill becomes law, it could "spark an undesirable trend across Europe."The Crime and Policing Bill contains Clause 208, a provision that would eliminate criminal penalties for women in England and Wales who terminate their own pregnancies at any point. The bill is currently in its final phase in the House of Lords and is set to be voted on as soon as Wednesday. Should the House of Lords approve the clause, the bill will go back to the House of Commons for any last-minute adjustments before being granted Royal Assent to become law.Under this provision, women would no longer face investigation, arrest, or prosecution for ending their pregnancies at any gestational age—even though the current standard legal limit for most abortions in England and Wales is 24 weeks.Although women terminating their pregnancies would be free from criminal responsibility, doctors and other individuals who help with an abortion after 24 weeks without a medical reason could still be charged.As legislators review Clause 208, multiple amendments have been proposed: completely removing the clause, revising it to exclude late-term abortions, and adding a requirement for in-person medical consultations to discontinue so-called "pills-by-post" services.Carney contended that the last two amendments should still be rejected, claiming the clause seems to reflect "a desire to kill.""I think this is crazy," he stated. "I understand what they’re attempting to do, but the way to fight these laws is to say we won’t allow abortions of children at 40 weeks. The left built an entire movement around the concept of viability—being able to survive outside the womb. As science and medicine advanced, viability shifted because we could provide more care for unborn babies. Initially, they said it was 24 weeks, then 22 weeks. Some claim it’s 20 weeks now, others still say 22. No one has ever said it’s 40 weeks—everyone agrees that a baby can survive outside the womb by then. This just seems like a desire to kill at 40 weeks.""I get the idea of trying to reach a legal compromise," he went on. "But this compromise would mean you all have lost your senses. You want to abort a child the day before it’s born, and there’s no medical need for it. The baby is fully viable … so that’s how I believe these bills must be defeated."Carney also noted that "people don’t want to celebrate abortion" and "definitely don’t want to boast about being able to have an abortion up to 40 weeks," adding that opponents of the UK bill are "lacking common-sense responses" to attempts to permit abortions right up to birth.He further stated that although most people aren’t "monsters" looking to have abortions at 40 weeks, eliminating legal consequences for women in such cases could make abortion more socially acceptable."I think this removes some of the stigma from abortions at 8, 10, 12, or 16 weeks," Carney explained. "Because in the U.S., when states allow abortions throughout all 40 weeks, people tend to think, ‘Well, I’m not that bad—my abortion is only at 10, 12, or 16 weeks.’""It’s not that we’ll see a lot of 40-week abortions," he continued. "It’s the mindset that abortion isn’t a serious matter—you can even do it the day before birth, so it becomes more acceptable to most people.""People aren’t monsters," he added. "The monsters are the ones writing these bills—usually very liberal White individuals who say we need to allow abortions the day before a baby’s due date. Most people would look at someone saying that and think they’re clinically insane."The left "has fully committed to this cause," Carney stated."They believe unfettered access to abortion at all times is necessary for a free and just society," Carney said. "But no one actually has a genuine medical need for that." This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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by: emer
AdsDrama Introduces Short Drama Advertising Platform Amid Growth in Digital Content Monetization
SINGAPORE, Mar 18, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - AdsDrama, a digital platform focused on short drama content and online advertising, has introduced an ecosystem designed to integrate content distribution, advertising services, and user participation. The launch comes as short-form video continues to expand globally, shaping how content is consumed and monetized across digital channels.What Is AdsDrama?AdsDrama (https://www.adsdrama.com) is a platform centered on short drama marketing and digital advertising monetization. It connects content creators, advertisers, and users through a structured system intended to support content distribution and advertising delivery.Unlike traditional content platforms where users primarily consume media, AdsDrama incorporates a participation-based model. Users can engage with certain platform functions related to content promotion and advertising processes.The platform operates through a structured framework designed to simplify user access and participation.User OnboardingNew users can register and access an introductory interface that presents the platform’s core features, including its advertising workflows and operational structure.This step is intended to provide a general understanding of how the platform functions.Participation Through Structured LevelsAfter onboarding, users may choose to access different participation levels. Each level provides access to specific platform features, which may include:Defined activity parametersAccess to advertising-related tasksSystem-based allocation of activitiesThe platform indicates that certain processes are managed through internal systems that handle distribution and performance tracking.Automated Advertising SystemAdsDrama utilizes a data-driven system to distribute short drama content across various digital channels, including:Social media platformsShort video networksOther online content distribution channelsThe platform states that it applies audience targeting and traffic allocation tools to support content visibility.Revenue ModelAccording to AdsDrama, the platform incorporates multiple revenue streams as part of its business model:Online advertising revenue derived from ad placements and traffic distributionContent monetization, including paid access to selected short drama contentBrand collaborations, such as sponsored content and integrationsIP commercialization through licensing and content expansionTechnology services related to advertising delivery and data optimizationThe company states that this diversified structure is intended to support ongoing platform development.Key Features of AdsDramaData-Driven OptimizationAdsDrama reports that it uses analytics and performance tracking tools to monitor advertising campaigns and refine delivery strategies.Structured Financial SystemThe platform describes a multi-layer account system designed to manage user balances, which may include:Available balancesProcessing stagesPending allocationsThis structure is intended to support internal accounting processes and system organization.Standardized Withdrawal MechanismAdsDrama indicates that it applies standardized procedures for withdrawals within its operational framework, aiming to streamline processing and reduce administrative complexity.Why AdsDrama Is GrowingIndustry trends may help explain the emergence of platforms such as AdsDrama:Growth of short-form content, as short video and serialized formats continue to attract broad audiencesExpansion of digital advertising, with businesses increasing spending on online channelsGradual shift toward participation-based models, where users engage beyond passive content consumptionIs AdsDrama Worth Exploring?AdsDrama may be relevant to individuals and organizations interested in:Digital advertising platformsContent distribution modelsEmerging forms of online engagementAs with any platform, users are encouraged to review publicly available information and consider potential risks before engaging.AdsDrama represents an approach that combines short-form content with digital advertising infrastructure and user-facing features. As the digital media landscape continues to evolve, platforms of this kind reflect ongoing experimentation in content distribution and monetization models.Media contactBrand: AdsDrama LTDContact: Media teamWebsite: https://www.adsdrama.com Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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by: jenn
After 29 Years, Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Lost’ Film Has Received an Incredible Upgrade
(SeaPRwire) - The narrative surrounding the 1997 horror film Mimic extends beyond just a tale of a peculiar creature feature. It chronicles Guillermo del Toro's arduous struggle against formidable opposition, a battle he largely lost. Nearly three decades ago, del Toro found himself at odds with notorious producers Bob Weinstein and (convicted sex offender) Harvey Weinstein regarding the film's tone and style. Bob Weinstein even attempted to dismiss and replace the director. Del Toro ultimately completed the movie and later assembled a director's cut, both of which are now available in a new 4K UHD edition. While Mimic remains a challenging memory for del Toro, the film serves as an early indication of the recurring obsessions and themes that would characterize his subsequent body of work.The movie features Mira Sorvino as Susan Tyler, an entomologist who engineers a new insect—a hybrid of termite and mantis—designed to eradicate cockroaches spreading a plague throughout Manhattan, a disease particularly lethal to children. The strategy proves successful, but Susan’s "Judas breed," programmed for self-destruction, instead mutates into human-sized monsters that colonize the subway system and can imitate the appearance of their human prey.Initial Reception of *Mimic* Upon ReleaseDespite the critical acclaim he received for his 1992 debut feature, Cronos, del Toro's experience with Mimic was less favorable. Its Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus (which includes both contemporary reviews and more recent assessments) registers a barely positive 67%, while audience scores were significantly lower at 37%. However, both groups often seemed to grant del Toro and the film the benefit of the doubt, viewing it as a compromised showcase for his then-developing talents.Roger Ebert was an early admirer, accurately observing in his review at the time that del Toro’s “visual sense adds a certain texture that makes everything scarier and more effective,” though he considered the plot derivative. Yet, even a positive review from Mr. Ebert couldn't sufficiently entice moviegoers to see Mimic: it grossed a meager $25.5 million against a budget of $30 million.The Significance of Revisiting Mimic TodayGuillermo del Toro at the premiere of Mimic in 1997. | New York Daily News Archive/New York Daily News/Getty ImagesAlthough it has since achieved cult classic status (and is still considered one of his finest films), Guillermo del Toro’s feature directorial debut, Cronos, only received a very limited release. Five years later, Mimic served as his first true introduction to a broader audience, though not without considerable difficulty. By all accounts, del Toro was in conflict with Miramax studio heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein from the outset, with Bob particularly opposing del Toro’s vision for the film and threatening to fire him until Mira Sorvino intervened on the director’s behalf.The Weinsteins did interfere with Mimic during post-production, resulting in a film that, while retaining some of del Toro’s visual flair (and his talent for crafting truly nightmarish creatures), lacked narrative coherence. The pacing was inconsistent, the atmosphere failed to sustain, and the editing was choppy—a stark contrast to the deliberate, stately storytelling and painterly visuals that have defined many of del Toro’s later masterpieces like The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, and the recent Frankenstein.The director’s cut, which del Toro was able to assemble in 2011, offers a marginal improvement, better emphasizing the themes he intended to convey and the mood he aimed to create. It also utilizes color filters to achieve more of the textured, detailed, rich aesthetic that permeates his subsequent films. Both versions contain elements that would long persist in his work: a fascination with insects, grotesque creatures concealed in human form, children with heightened sensibilities, the death of innocents, and winding, dark labyrinths filled with shadow and menace (in this instance, the NYC subway system, used to chilling effect).Despite these personal touches, however, it remains del Toro’s least personal film—yet it is still essential viewing for fans of his work. In a sense, the painful experience of making Mimic perhaps solidified del Toro’s resolve to never again compromise his vision—a commitment that ultimately led to one of horror and dark fantasy’s most respected and acclaimed modern filmographies.New Features and Upgrades in the 4K Blu-ray EditionMimic: The Director's Cut 3-Disc 4K SetKino Lorber - Both the theatrical cut and director’s cut of Mimic have appeared on various home video releases, but Kino Lorber’s new, three-disc 4K UHD upgrade unites them in what is intended to be the definitive edition. Del Toro has approved the 4K restoration for both versions, and fresh HD transfers of both are also provided on the included standard Blu-ray disc. The set retains del Toro’s original commentary tracks for both, while also introducing a new commentary from film experts Arne Venema and Stefan Hammond. Among the other features carried over from previous editions are deleted scenes, an introduction from the director, various featurettes, a gag reel, and animated storyboards.It’s not that Mimic is a missing piece in the del Toro puzzle (the film has never been particularly difficult to find), but it is an often-overlooked one. It is still not a great film—certainly not on par with the director’s later triumphs—yet it provides an early glimpse into the aesthetic that would become his trademark. And it also demonstrates his willingness to fight for his vision from the very beginning—even if he didn’t emerge entirely victorious from this particular battle.**** This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
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by: jenn
53 Years Later, Star Wars Is Restoring George Lucas’ Goofy Canon
Twentieth Century-FoxMuch like any well-crafted sci-fi universe, Star Wars is packed with jargon. Of course, there’s the Force, the Jedi, and the Sith, but even life’s everyday elements have their own unique names. Currency is called credits, the common tongue is Basic, and coffee goes by “Caf.” Some of these terms have entered mainstream use—we can credit Star Wars with making “droid” a household word. Yet, even within the Star Wars galaxy, there remain terms that sound odd. In the trailer for the upcoming Star Wars series Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord, one of these peculiar phrases is central to the title character. However, this seemingly out-of-place expression is actually as old as the Star Wars franchise itself. Watch the trailer below:“Our target is a syndicate leader,” the trailer starts. “He has ties to multiple criminal groups. And he’s skilled... with a laser sword.” Typically, a Star Wars character would use the term “lightsaber,” but “laser sword” is also fitting, particularly when characters aren’t well-versed in the nuances of the Jedi and Sith. For instance, in The Phantom Menace, Anakin refers to Qui-Gon Jinn’s weapon as a laser sword because he’s just a child, and his son Luke later uses the phrase in The Last Jedi as a dismissive term.However, technically, laser swords (or “lazer swords,” as they were originally spelled) actually came before lightsabers. The term first appeared in an early draft of A New Hope, and though it was later changed to “lightsaber” to better suit the sci-fi aesthetic, “laser swords” would resurface in the prequel trilogy. While it may sound more unusual than “lightsaber,” it was a near thing—Obi-Wan could have been teaching Luke about laser sword training instead.While inexperienced detectives may be on Maul’s trail, Inquisitors wielding double-bladed red lightsabers are also pursuing him. | LucasfilmIf this outdated term is only used by those unacquainted with the weapon, it reveals a great deal about the speaker. Given the Brazilian accent, the character is likely Brander Lawson, portrayed by recent Academy Award nominee Wagner Moura. Lawson is a detective during the Imperial Era but not an Inquisitor. Since Maul is a crime lord at this stage, his use of a lightsaber would come as a shock to anyone tracking him. Still, we know Inquisitors will appear eventually, so Brander will probably be corrected by someone well-versed in the weapon.Though Maul was once a Sith apprentice, the trailer highlights his shift into Star Wars’ seedy criminal underbelly. The full series will likely maintain this tone, filled with—using a term from superhero lore—street-level conflicts. While “laser sword” might seem like a mistake, it actually hints at the type of characters Shadow Lord will introduce.Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord debuts on Disney+ on April 6.
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by: grit
MHI Commends Outstanding Examples of Implementing its New Management Policy “ITO”
TOKYO, Mar 18, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) has recognized 23 initiatives that achieved outstanding results by conferring the President's Award, including exemplary cases demonstrating the implementation of its new management policy, Innovative Total Optimization (ITO).MHI Group announced its new management policy, ITO, effective May 2025. ITO constitutes a management methodology designed to maximize the potential inherent within the Group and achieve sustainable growth by pursuing group-wide optimization and scope expansion. By implementing ITO, the Group aims to create a virtuous cycle of transformation toward a high-profit structure and the reallocation of resources toward growth investments.This year's President's Award recognized outstanding achievements across all areas of the Group, including exemplary initiatives stemming from putting ITO into practice, developing and implementing products and services contributing to solving social issues, and initiatives related to enhancing productivity and innovating business processes. Of these, 15 projects are highlighted below.By conferring this President's Award, MHI aims to enhance allemployee's motivation to create new value based on its management policy. The Group is committed to achieving its mission in terms of "combining foundational technologies with cutting-edge knowledge to respond to changing societal and customer needs" while continuously striving to enhance corporate value. World's First Demonstration of 50% Hydrogen Co-Firing Operation Conducted at a Large-Scale GTCC Plant[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) Energy Systems]Plant McDonough-Atkinson(Photo courtesy of Georgia Power)At Georgia Power's Plant McDonough-Atkinson in the U.S., 50% hydrogen co-firing was successfully demonstrated at the large-scale M501GAC gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant (gas turbine output: 283MW). This represents the world's first achievement in a commercial unit of this output class. In 2024, MHI Group was awarded a contract to conduct modification design and full-scale validation for converting an existing natural gas-fired gas turbine to hydrogen co-firing. The project included replacement of the combustors and installation of a hydrogen supply system. Working together with Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc., a U.S.-based group company of MHI, it successfully completed demonstration testing in June 2025. By leveraging not only combustion technology but also comprehensive technical capabilities—including hydrogen supply systems, operations, and control systems—MHI Group achieved the world's largest hydrogen co-firing for utility-scale power generation, thereby contributing to the advancement of practical solutions for decarbonization. Successful Completion of Retrofitting for Other OEM Boilers Driving Expansion in After-Sales Services[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Energy Domain]On-site Construction CrewMHI successfully completed a turnkey project for retrofitting other OEM boilers in Indonesia. Leveraging its extensive expertise as a boiler manufacturer, MHI developed an optimal retrofit plan for this project, achieving results that significantly exceeded the guaranteed performance. Additionally for the subsequent unit, MHI completed the project ahead of schedule. This outcome was achieved through detailed on-site surveys, measurements, and proprietary analysis, all of which earned high praise from the client. Building on these results, there is strong potential for expanding similar service projects. 3D Design Service Capable of Shortening Design Lead Times and Cutting Costs for Plant Retrofitting Projects[MHI Power Engineering Co., Ltd.]AR-View of Post-Retrofitting Data superimposed onto actual sitefor Interference CheckingMHI Power Engineering developed a solution for plant retrofitting projects that shortens spatial design lead times and cuts costs by up to approximately 30%. When designing spaces for older plants lacking blueprints, 3D drawings were traditionally created using laser scanning, but this posed challenges such as lengthy data processing times and the need to dispatch specialized measurement technicians. Therefore, MHI Power Engineering developed a method to create 3D data from videos shot with inexpensive commercial cameras, and techniques to display 3D-CAD models on-site using AR (i.e. Augmented Reality technology that superimposes digital information, such as images and audio, onto the physical world to enhance reality). This contributes to shortening lead times and reducing costs, as well as improving quality in spatial design. In addition to thermal power plants, it is increasingly being adopted for spatial design in nuclear power facilities, steelmaking machinery, and naval vessels. MaiDAS®: Integrated Plant Operations System for Automated Operation and Operational Efficiency Improvement in Waste-to-Energy Plant[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Environmental & Chemical Engineering co., Ltd. (MHIEC) Engineering Division]MHIEC Remote Operations CenterMHIEC has developed the integrated plant operation system MaiDAS®, which integrates AI/IoT technology with cloud virtualization and advanced security to enable remote monitoring and operational support, including automated operation, for waste-to-energy plants. With successful operation at 20 locations worldwide, this system enables automated operation of waste incinerators where control is challenging due to the variable characteristics of the waste as fuel. The system also integrates functions that contribute to reducing maintenance and administration cost, including the flexibility to enable remote monitoring from a desk PC while maintaining a high level of security, as well as optimal maintenance recommendations based on continuously collected operational data. Furthermore, MHIEC has obtained ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System certification) and ISO 27017 (ISMS Cloud Security certification), a first in the waste-to-energy plant industry. The Company also aims to work in tandem with the "MHIEC Remote Operations Center," established in December 2025, to further enhance the efficiency of plant operations. Central Operation Cockpit (COC): Enabling Stable Plant Operation and Reduced Workload in Modern Steel Plants[Electrics & Automation and Technology & Innovation, Primetals Technologies Germany GmbH]Central Operation Cockpit (COC)Primetals Technologies has developed an innovative centralized control system, the Central Operation Cockpit (COC), designed to enable a single operator to oversee major production units of a modern steel plant. The COC utilizes multiple integrated displays to instantly present critical events occurring throughout the plant. These events are detected, e.g., by AI-powered assistant functions. They provide operators with precise operational guidance, enabling rapid corrective actions and reducing downtime.The COC has already been implemented in six plant projects, where it has contributed to more stable operation and a reduced operator's workload. With its modular design, the COC is adaptable not only to steel plant applications but also can be used in a wide range of industrial sectors, supporting enhanced competitiveness and potential market expansion. MHI Launches "Prismo," a Next-Generation Transit SystemCombining High Environmental Performance with Simplified Infrastructure[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. GX Solutions]PrismoThe new eco-friendly next-generation Transit System "Prismo" has launched in May 2025. Based on Fully Driverless operated vehicles (Level: GOA4) with extensive proven track records both domestically and abroad, it incorporates innovative energy storage module and energy management systems that eliminate the need for power rail, along with a center guidance system that allows for a slimmer track design. As an innovative new transportation system, it has attracted significant interest from both Japan and overseas, with high expectations arising from the market. Additionally, vehicle manufacturing is carried out at the Mihara Machinery Works Carbon Neutral Transition Hub Mihara (Hiroshima Prefecture), which has reduced CO2 emissions by 97.5% through solar power generation, playing a key role in MHI's MISSION NET ZERO. This also represents a strong example of business domain expansion, with expectations for enhancing the competitiveness of transit systems and driving business growth. MHIET Achieves Rated Operation of a 100% Hydrogen Engine Generation Set at Demonstration FacilityRealizing Japan's Highest Output for 100% Hydrogen[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. Engine & Energy Division]100% Hydrogen Engine Generation SetAt the demonstration facility for the 6-cylinder 100% hydrogen engine generation set installed at the Sagamihara Plant, MHIET (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd.) achieved a rated output (435 kW / 1,500 rpm) during 100% hydrogen operation, marking Japan's highest ever 100% hydrogen rated operation. Hydrogen engines are prone to unstable combustion due to their large size and high power density, but on this occasion, MHIET successfully suppressed such combustion by controlling the ignition process. Furthermore, the Company established and implemented safety guidelines and design standards to ensure the safe handling of hydrogen. Looking ahead to future societal trends, MHIET will continue working toward the practical application of these engines. MHI Launches the LXZ / KXZ3 Series of Multi-Split Air-Conditioners for BuildingsA Combination of Both Comfort and Energy Efficiency[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. Air-Conditioner Designing & Engineering Department]Multi-Split Air-Conditioners for Buildings in Japan LXZ SeriesMHI Thermal Systems has launched the new LXZ / KXZ3 Series multi-split air-conditioners for buildings, which combine both comfort and energy efficiency via structural and design innovations. This new product represents a full model change of the conventional model, more than 20 years after its initial development. The new model features a high-efficiency scroll compressor optimized for the low-GWP R32 refrigerant and variable-temperature and capacity control, enabling reductions in cooling-mode power consumption of approximately 10-21% compared to conventional models. It also supports continuous heating operation using a hot gas bypass method. Additionally, the system maintains a wide operating range of up to 52℃ during cooling and down to -25℃ during heating, ensuring adaptability to diverse environments. The model's features, designed for serviceability and ease of installation and combined with an innovative design, have been met with high regard. The LXZ series for Japan was awarded the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025, while the KXZ3 series for Europe received the international Italian design award, A'DESIGN AWARD 2025, and these accolades have further elevated the brand's value. MHI Develops Automated Warehouses and Production Processes Maximizing the Throughput of Air-Conditioning Equipment[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Mahajak Air Conditioners Co., Ltd. (MACO) Business Department]Exterior of the MACO Automated WarehouseMHI has developed fully automated warehouses and production processes that enable centralized in-house management of all processes from the production planning of air-conditioning equipment to manufacturing, storage, and shipping. Since becoming fully operational, the system has maintained stable performance, increasing throughput (the capacity for production over a given period) by 40%. It also centralizes the management of previously distributed systems and their associated information, such as orders, production plans, and inventory. This is achieved with QR code-based visualization and AS / RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) using overhead conveyors and stacker cranes, thereby reducing inventory storage and handling costs by 65% compared with conventional warehouses. Establishment and Company-Wide Rollout of Green Manufacturing Processes Combining Productivity Improvement and Energy Conservation[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Commercial Aircraft Systems]Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works Oye PlantBy leveraging digital technology and scientific approaches to conduct energy loss diagnostics and visualize factory equipment, this initiative has achieved both productivity gains and energy savings without requiring large-scale investment while still maintaining product quality. Centered on Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works Oye Plant, MHI launched its activities in FY2021. A cross-departmental team has been promoting energy conservation and streamlining of factory equipment with positive results. In FY2024, compared to FY2021, MHI achieved an 18% reduction in energy intensity and a 4,200-ton reduction in CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the Company received the "Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Commissioner's Award" at 2025 Energy Conservation Grand Prize. This scheme has been standardized and is currently being rolled out to other sites. Practical Application of "MAG Machining" to Reduce Costs and Environmental Impact Aimed at Skin Panel Manufacturing for Aircrafts[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Commercial Aircraft Systems]Skin (Bottom) and Frame (Top) Processed by MAG MachiningMHI has put their "MAG (Mitsubishi Advanced Green) Machining Method" into practical use for high-precision machining of large core aircraft structural panels (frames and skins). Conventional chemical milling, which uses large quantities of chemicals to melt aluminum, was previously required for precision machining aluminum alloy panels up to 9 meters long with tolerances in the 10-micron range, meaning that reducing chemical usage to lower costs and environmental impact was a pressing challenge. Therefore, MHI developed MAG machining that combines cutting tool capable of handling complex shapes, technology that controls machining volume while measuring plate thickness using ultrasonic waves, and technology that automatically rectifies machining paths. MHI first adopted this for skin processing in FY2017. Then, by FY2025, the Company achieved the world's first machining of frames and completed the adoption of MAG machining for all parts previously processed by chemical milling. Compared to before, costs were reduced by approximately 30% and this fundamental machining method for aircraft manufacturing - established globally only by MHI - has been highly praised by The Boeing Company in the U.S. Autonomous Mobile Collaborative Robot Platform "FCR-PF"Automation and Reduced Processing Times in Manufacturing[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Research Institute]Flexible Collaborative Robot Platform: FCR-PFMHI Group has developed and implemented an autonomous mobile robot system (FCR-PF: Flexible Collaborative Robot Platform) to enhance throughput, reduce lead times, and minimize manpower at its manufacturing sites. This collaborative robot system, which can work together with workers in existing production areas, is software-driven and can easily increase the number of tasks it can handle by installing applications and changing the hand at the tip. It is also characterized as a "multi-skilled worker " that can perform not only one task but various other tasks. In addition, it can perform difficult tasks by cooperating with multiple robots, and it is also possible to combine individually introduced robots according to the situation. The development was completed with specifications that can be operated even in harsh field environments, and the system has already started to be operated in the manufacturing sites of the group. It has contributed to freeing workers from dangerous work and simple repetitive work, shifting to high-value-added work, and robotization/mechanization of skilled skills. In the future, the autonomous mobile multi-skilled worker collaborative robot system, which can improve the capacity utilization rate and investment effect, is expected to expand automation to improve throughput and shorten lead time. MHI Has Developed Ultrasonic Testing that Significantly Reduces Inspection Lead Times[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Research Institute]MHI has developed two UT (Ultrasonic Testing) technologies that enable inspections otherwise impossible with conventional methods. The "Adaptive UT" technology estimates the surface profile and corrects wave reflection and refraction, enabling direct inspection of internal defects without modifying complex surfaces. This technology has been implemented in boilers, reducing inspection lead times by 70% during periodic boiler inspections. In steam turbines, commercial aircraft, special vehicles, and other applications, it has enabled the inspection and quality verification of areas that were previously difficult to assess, resulting in greater design flexibility and improved reliability. The "Internal Thread UT" quantitatively measures thread height to determine damage, enabling integrity assessment of threaded sections without removing any bolts. Compared to conventional inspections that required bolts to be removed, this approach significantly reduces inspection lead times by 80% for steam turbines. These UT technologies, which defy industry norms, greatly contribute to the Company's after-sales service operations and design innovations by expanding design flexibility while ensuring quality, and are also expected to help shorten manufacturing lead times through their application as in-process inspections on production lines. Maintenance Activities for Factory Infrastructure Equipment Utilizing Digital Technology in Factories[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Value Chain Headquarters]Advanced Factory Management Using Infrastructure Data AnalysisThis refers to activities to advance equipment maintenance, which tasks that tend to depend on experience and skills, by leveraging digital technology. In practice, this involves utilizing digital technologies such as IoT sensors that can be easily retrofitted to equipment and data cleansing to extract key features (numerical representations of data characteristics) from large datasets, thereby streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of infrastructure maintenance operations within MHI factories. The focus was on Hiroshima Machinery Works Kan-on Plant, which has approximately 22,000 terminal electrical systems while IoT sensors have been installed in the transformer rooms at the very top of the electrical system, establishing a mechanism to monitor the entire plant. Previously, manual inspections and meter readings were conducted at all 22,000 terminal equipment points, but now, automatic evaluation can be performed using data from just 350 substations, aiming to reduce the inspection workload by approximately 60%. This reduces the risk of leakage and curtails power outage inspection times for individual equipment inspections, which helps to prevent factory downtime. This is something that can also be deployed at other factories. MHI Rolls Out Company-Wide XR PlatformAccelerating DX in Design and Production Processes[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Digital Innovation Division]Improved Layout Marking Efficiency by Overlaying Blocking PlansMHI has promoted the company-wide deployment of XR(Note) technologies that enable the digital transformation of design and production processes by displaying digital data such as CAD in virtual spaces or on actual products, thereby preventing design rework and streamlining assembly and inspection operations. By standardizing and platformizing XR environment setup and operational procedures, the Company established a system enabling anyone to easily build and operate XR environments. As of the end of December 2025, adoption and pilot implementation have progressed accordingly across 12 departments. In aerospace systems, utilizing XR technology during the initial design phase assisted with identifying issues in product assembly and machining early on, helping to prevent rework. For commercial aircrafts and submarines, overlaying part installation positions onto the actual products has halved the time required for marking and layout work. Further company-wide implementation is expected to enhance profitability across the entire Group.(Note) XR (Cross Reality) is an umbrella term covering VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), and other related technologies.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com. Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com