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XPPen Strengthens Its Commitment to Animation with 2026 Annecy Festival Residency Partnership and MIFA Showcase
ANNECY, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 July 2026 – XPPen, a global leading brand in digital art innovation, continues its support for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2026 through its partnership with the Annecy Festival Residency, while showcasing its latest product lineup at MIFA 2026. Together, these initiatives reflect XPPen’s long-term commitment to empowering animation creators, from nurturing emerging talent to equipping professionals with tools for evolving production workflows.
Image credit: Emmanuel Nguyen
Supporting the Next Generation of Animation Storytellers
Building on its support for emerging animation talent through the inaugural XPPen Award for Graduation Films at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2025, XPPen deepens its commitment to the animation community through the 2026 Annecy Festival Residency. The initiative provides selected animation feature film projects with studio space, tailor-made professional mentorship and opportunities to engage with the global animation community.
This year’s residency selected three animation projects from 52 submissions across 29 countries: All the Heaven’s Doors, Condenaditos, and Todo viene del agua. These projects boldly reflect on social issues, refuse fatalism, and revisit fragments of life and history with exceptional artistic courage and creative vision. As the residency’s official partner, XPPen provides its flagship Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) drawing displays to support artists throughout the creative development process, from concept sketching and storyboarding to visual refinement.
“We contribute more than hardware, but also our deep respect for artistic souls who refuse to follow the crowd—those committed to using animation to probe the depths of human nature,” said Brian Huang, Marketing Director at XPPen. “We admire creators who challenge the world through storytelling, and we’re honored to walk alongside such creative spirits with tools they can trust throughout their journey.”
Featuring professional-grade color performance, a 27-inch 4K 120Hz display, and X-Touch technology, the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) enables artists to remain fully immersed in art creation. By seamlessly supporting technical demands, the tool fades into the background and becomes an extension of the creator, freeing artists to focus on what matters most: telling compelling stories.
Showcasing Professional Innovation at MIFA 2026
At MIFA 2026, the world’s leading animation industry marketplace held alongside the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, XPPen presented its latest creative product lineup, demonstrating how its expanding ecosystem supports creators at every stage of their creative journey.
The lineup spans entry-level standalone tablets for aspiring artists, the Magic Drawing Pad for everyday digital creation, the Artist 16 3rd portable pen display for professional creators, the flagship Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) for high-end creative production, and the newly launched Pilot Pro, a productivity-focused editing console designed to streamline editing workflows, marking XPPen’s first foray into the professional editing console category.
Image credit: Quentin Le Page
Beyond product demonstrations, XPPen invited artists to share their creative process on site. Illustrator and animator Julie Roulet demonstrated how professional pen displays can support efficient animation workflows, while 2D/3D artist Benjamin Cerbai explored hybrid digital creation using the Magic Drawing Pad, giving visitors first-hand insight into how the device supports diverse creative scenarios.
By continuing its presence at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and MIFA, XPPen reaffirms its long-term commitment to supporting creators through both technological innovation and meaningful engagement with the animation industry. Guided by its belief in empowering bold self-expression, XPPen is dedicated to developing tools that enable creators to turn ideas into reality. The company continues to build a creative ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their journey, growing alongside them from their first ideas to professional creative production.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
20x Profit in Two Years: How Reddog’s ‘K-Snack’ Model Is Scaling Fast in South East Asia
Revenue doubles for a second straight year; operating profit surges more than twentyfold to an unusually high ~20% margin
Singapore entity launched in April, first store opens in August; ASEAN’s 600-million market in sight, with an IPO under review for the first half of 2027
SINGAPORE, July 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reddog, the Korean street-food (“bunsik”) brand that has brought tteokbokki and Korean-style corn dogs to Indonesian consumers, has emerged as a standout high-growth, high-margin model for the globalisation of K-food.
The company posted group consolidated revenue of SG$20 million and operating profit of SG$4 million last year — an operating margin of roughly 20%, far above the low single digits typical of restaurant franchising. Revenue has doubled in each of the past two years, while operating profit has surged more than twentyfold.
Reddog’s revenue and operating profit growth from 2022 to 2025, showing a significant increase in both metrics with an operating margin reaching 19% in 2025
Remarkably, that growth was achieved with zero external capital. Reddog Indonesia has never raised a single round of investment, funding its expansion to more than 130 stores entirely from its own cash flow while staying consistently profitable.
“The past two years were about explosive growth while building a rock-solid foundation — quadrupling revenue and lifting operating profit more than twentyfold,” said Kim Hong-yeol, CEO of Reddog. “This year we widen the stage to ASEAN.”
In April, Reddog established a global entity in Singapore, and in August it opens its first store in a CapitaLand shopping mall — a beachhead for expansion across an ASEAN market of more than 600 million people. Capital markets are already moving: the company is reviewing an IPO in the first half of 2027, with several major Indonesian securities firms said to have made contact.
Reddog is led by founder and CEO Kim Hong-yeol, an F&B operations-systems specialist, and COO Cho I-jun, a turnaround expert focused on profitability and growth.
Contact:
Cho Ijun
ij.cho@reddog.sg (+65 8613 1011)
Chongqing Summit Seeks to Bridge Capital and Industry as City Accelerates Economic Transformation
CHONGQING, China, July 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A major financial summit was held in Chongqing on July 3 aimed at strengthening connections between capital and the city’s innovation-driven industries. The “Financial Support for High-Quality Development” conference featured deal-signing, investment pitches, panel discussions, and startup showcases, all designed to channel more private and institutional funding into local supply chains, technological innovation, and infrastructure projects. The event served as a targeted matchmaking platform—connecting companies seeking growth capital with financial institutions looking for investment opportunities in one of China’s fastest-growing urban centers.
During the conference, the city unveiled four new financing lists covering industrial, technological, infrastructure, and state-owned enterprise projects. In total, 549 projects are seeking approximately RMB419.4 billion in funding. Following multiple rounds of matchmaking, 60.66% of these projects have already secured matching investors. As of the end of the first quarter, the city’s medium- and long-term manufacturing loans reached RMB298.5 billion, while sci-tech lending hit RMB870 billion—up 13.9% and 13.1% year-on-year, respectively.
Beyond project pipelines, the conference delivered tangible outcomes: 56 contracts valued at RMB154.9 billion were signed on-site. The funds are directed toward some of China’s most dynamic industrial sectors, including connected electric vehicles and next-generation electronics manufacturing. Perhaps more telling is the diversity of financial backers—banks, securities firms, and asset managers all participated.
Zhang Zemin, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said Chongqing is cultivating a collaborative ecosystem that unites universities, research institutes, hospitals, and corporations. He called on investors to focus on early-stage, innovative companies developing hard-tech healthcare technologies. Separately, Yin Qi, chairman of Afari Technology, observed that artificial intelligence and the automotive industry are now advancing in tandem. He urged deeper integration of R&D, manufacturing, capital, and talent to foster a self-sustaining industrial environment.
Executives from three major financial institutions—Xu Siwei, chairman of state-owned China Reform Holdings Corporation; Chen Liang, chairman of China International Capital Corporation (CICC); and Li Liang, founding partner of Hillhouse—said they would continue to increase investment to drive Chongqing’s technological innovation and industrial transformation by strengthening collaboration between finance and industry.
The event, organized by the Chongqing municipal government in partnership with its finance, technology, industry, and economic planning agencies. Two off-site sessions, held in the regional hubs of Wanzhou and Yongchuan, will explore each region’s role in Chongqing’s future growth.
SK Telecom Pursues 15GW AI Data Center Buildout, Aiming to Become Asia’s AI Infrastructure Hub
- Ulsan AI Data Center to expand to GW scale; 5GW to be activated in stages from 2029, reaching 15GW in total
- SK Group brings together full-stack AI infrastructure capabilities; SKT to spearhead the overall project
- Korea’s third national infrastructure revolution following the Gyeongbu Expressway and high-speed internet
SEOUL, Korea, July 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, hereafter “SKT”) today announced that it will pursue the construction of an AI data center with a scale of up to 15GW. The goal is to become an AI infrastructure hub in Asia.
The move is intended to preemptively build domestic AI computing infrastructure at a time when demand for AI model training and inference is surging and high-performance computing infrastructure determines national competitiveness.
SKT is pursuing the project by linking it with the government’s “AI G3” strategy — the goal of becoming one of the world’s three leading AI powers alongside the U.S. and China — and the task of balanced regional development, comprehensively reviewing core infrastructure elements such as power, siting, and operations for the AI data center.
- Ulsan AI Data Center to Expand to GW Scale; 5GW to Be Activated in Stages from 2029, Reaching 15GW in Total
Due to the buildout of high-performance AI computing infrastructure and rising memory prices, constructing a typical 1GW-class AI data center may require a substantial project cost reaching approximately KRW 70 trillion. Such costs are expected to be financed not only through the company’s own investment but also through strategic partner investment, long-term customer contracts, and project financing.
The backdrop to SKT’s move into building an AI data center at this scale is a global supply shortage. Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company forecasts that global data center demand will grow 19–22% annually while supply fails to keep pace, resulting in an estimated shortfall of about 15GW in the U.S. alone by 2030.[1]
Accordingly, global big tech companies are expanding data center investment beyond the U.S. to locations around the world. In this context, Korea is drawing attention as an investment destination for global big tech companies’ AI data centers.
Korea holds strong competitiveness in core AI components such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM). It also has stable power supply conditions based on nuclear power and liquefied natural gas (LNG), along with GW-class infrastructure operating capabilities accumulated through operating semiconductor fabs, making it an attractive location for AI data centers.
Based on this solid demand and locational advantages, SKT plans to build AI data center capacity totaling 15GW.
First, starting with the AI data center currently under construction in Ulsan, SKT will build a cluster of over 2GW across the southeastern region (Gyeongsang), using it as a base to attract AI infrastructure demand from global big tech companies to Korea. It also plans to build an additional 1GW in the southwestern region (Jeolla), bringing its domestic AI data center capacity to a total of 5GW to be opened in stages starting in 2029.
To this end, SKT will pursue AI data center construction by considering various factors together — including site selection, power supply, and securing key anchor tenants — in connection with the government’s balanced regional development tasks and strategic supply plans.
- SK Group brings together full-stack AI infrastructure capabilities; SKT to spearhead the overall project as AI Infrastructure Architect
AI data center infrastructure hinges on three core elements: semiconductors, energy solutions, and data center construction and operation capabilities. SK Group already holds these core capabilities across its affiliates. This project will bring together the Group’s full-stack AI infrastructure capabilities, with each affiliate contributing its own strengths.
In particular, SKT will take on the central role of leading the design, construction, and operation of the AI data centers. SKT has already been actively pursuing the AI data center business and has continued its cooperation with global big tech companies[2].
At SK AI Summit 2025 last November, SKT President and CEO Jung Jai-hun unveiled the company’s AI infrastructure roadmap, stating that SKT would lead the evolution of AI infrastructure as the nation’s leading AI operator. He also presented a longer-term blueprint for expanding cooperation with global big tech companies and scaling up the Ulsan AI Data Center to a total of over 1GW.
More recently, SKT announced plans to operate an “AI Factory,” described as a next-generation AI data center. SKT plans to begin AI Factory operations in 2027 and expand it to GW scale going forward.
- Korea’s Third National Infrastructure Revolution Following the Gyeongbu Expressway and High-Speed Internet
The AI industry expects that AI data centers will serve not only as a new growth engine for Korea, but also as a national strategic asset. In particular, it is expected that linking AI data centers with regional industries will contribute to balanced regional development.
The construction of a 15GW-scale AI data center is expected to serve as a springboard for Korea to become an AI infrastructure hub. SKT views AI data centers as Korea’s third innovative infrastructure, following the Gyeongbu Expressway (1968) and high-speed internet (1998), and intends to take a leading role in advancing it.
“This AI data center project is aimed at preemptively preparing the computing infrastructure that the global AI ecosystem needs,” said Jung Jai-hun, President and CEO of SKT. “We will work closely with the government, industry, and local communities to help Korea grow into Asia’s core AI infrastructure hub.”
About SK Telecom
SK Telecom has been leading the growth of the mobile industry since 1984. Now, it is taking customer experience to new heights by extending beyond connectivity. By placing AI at the core of its business, SK Telecom is rapidly transforming into an AI company with a strong global presence. It is focusing on driving innovations in areas of AI Infrastructure, AI Transformation (AIX) and AI Service to deliver greater value for industry, society, and life.
For more information, please visit our newsroom at https://news.sktelecom.com/en/ or our LinkedIn page at www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.
Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: SK Telecom’s plans, objectives and expectations regarding the development, construction, financing and operation of AI data centers and AI infrastructure; the planned development of AI data center capacity, including the phased development of projects in Ulsan and other regions of Korea; anticipated project timing, financing arrangements and strategic partnerships; expectations regarding AI Factory deployment, AI infrastructure demand and Korea’s position as an AI infrastructure hub; and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different than expectations.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic and political conditions; customer demand for AI infrastructure and services; the availability and cost of financing, computing resources, semiconductors, power, networking capacity and data center infrastructure; changes in governmental policies, applicable laws and regulations; the ability to secure strategic partners and customers; technological developments and competition; supply chain disruptions; the ability of SK Telecom and its collaborators and partners to successfully implement the contemplated initiatives and realize anticipated benefits; and other factors detailed from time to time in reports filed or furnished by SK Telecom with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by applicable law, SK Telecom undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.
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[1] “AI Power: Expanding data center capacity to meet growing demand” (McKinsey & Company) |
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[2] SK Telecom and NVIDIA Build AI Infrastructure to Power Korea’s AI Innovation (June 8, 2026) https://news.sktelecom.com/en/3124 |
Anime “Kagurabachi” Takes Anime Expo by Storm!~ Taihi Kimura; “I’m so happy to absorb everyone’s passion!” Moved by the World Premiere!
Manga Editor & Anime Producer Also on Stage, Revealed Behind-the-Scenes Stories of the Voice Recording and Anime Adaptation
TOKYO, July 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Anime “Kagurabachi”, based on a next-generation flagship title from Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha), hosted a special panel at Anime Expo—one of North America’s largest anime conventions that is currently being held in Los Angeles—on Friday, July 3, 2026.
Kicking off the “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour Part 1, which features advance screenings worldwide, the event welcomed voice actor Taihi Kimura (as Chihiro Rokuhira), Takuro Imamura (Editor of “Kagurabachi” Manga), and Koichi Yasuda (Producer of “Kagurabachi” Anime) to the stage. A talk session followed the screening, where they discussed the series’ immense appeal and behind-the-scenes production stories.
“Kagurabachi” (Original Author: Takeru Hokazono), currently serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, has surpassed a cumulative circulation of 4 million copies (including digital editions).
A stellar team of creators has been assembled for the project. Production will be handled by CyberAgent group company animation studio, Cypic (Umamusume: Cinderella Gray, The Summer Hikaru Died), the anime boasts an all-star staff, including Director Tetsuya Takeuchi (Action Animation Director on Sword Art Online II, Battle Scene Storyboards/Episode Director/Animation Director on Heavenly Delusion) and Character Designer Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, The Seven Deadly Sins). The protagonist, Chihiro Rokuhira, is voiced by Taihi Kimura, winner of the Best New Actor award at the 2025 Seiyu Awards.
“Bachi Pose” commemorative photo
World Premiere of the First 20 Minutes of Episode 1! Taihi Kimura Deeply Moved by Global Fans’ Enthusiasm!
Packed with fans, the venue was filled with immense energy even before the event started. Observing the crowd, Taihi Kimura remarked, “I can feel your heat! Let’s have fun!” bringing great excitement to the room.
Following this, the first 20 minutes of Episode 1 of the anime made its world premiere.
As the screening ended, massive cheers and applause erupted from the audience, truly demonstrating the immense passion of the fans.
Taihi Kimura Shares His Thoughts on Protagonist Chihiro Rokuhira:“I go into recording feeling as though I’ve left something precious to my heart behind.”
Next, Takuro Imamura (Editor of “Kagurabachi” Manga) and Koichi Yasuda (Producer of “Kagurabachi” Anime) joined the stage for a talk session.
First, Kimura reflected on his first recording session for “Kagurabachi” anime, stating, “The very first voice in Episode 1 is the father (Kunishige / as Tomokazu Seki), and since he led the way from the first episode, it was very easy to get started.”
Regarding the recording process, he revealed, “Chihiro is difficult; if I slowly feel it in my heart, too much emotion comes out. Balancing it so that not too much comes out, while remembering that he is still an 18-year-old, is tricky. But I go into recording feeling as though I’ve left something precious to my heart behind.”
Manga Editor & Anime Producer Reveal the Behind-the-Scenes of the “Kagurabachi” Anime Adaptation
Manga Editor Imamura and Anime Producer Yasuda also shared about the behind-the-scenes production of the “Kagurabachi” anime.
Imamura shared an anecdote about the original author, Takeru Hokazono, when the anime was decided: “Hokazono-sensei was also very happy. Ever since the anime adaptation was announced, we’ve received huge expectations from everyone, and sensei is also highly motivated to make the manga “Kagurabachi” even more interesting.”
When asked if Hokazono-sensei had any specific requests for the anime, Imamura answered, “His strong feeling was simply that he wanted it to be a very cool anime,” and continued, “As everyone who watched it today could feel, I think it has turned out to be a very cool anime,” exciting the crowd.
Next, when asked about how the decision to adapt “Kagurabachi” came about, Yasuda passionately commented, “First and foremost, I was drawn to the “katana” and the action. On top of that, I wanted to face the earnest dedication of the animation studio Cypic.”
He also discussed the production concept, stating, “Our core production concept is to fully bring out the absolute best of the original work.” He continued to expand on the topic, saying, “As a producer, I also want to infuse the studio’s passion to the absolute maximum, so I am highly conscious of maintaining that perfect balance during production.”
Q&A Session
Furthermore, Q&A session’s questions were gathered from fans on official social media.
When asked about his favorite scene in Episode 1, Kimura instantly replied, “Enten”. This drew a massive cheer of agreement from the fans.
Also, when asked about behind-the-scenes production stories with Hokazono-sensei, Imamura shared an anecdote about the first time he met sensei. The venue was filled with excitement over this exclusive talk.
Next, when asked about the struggles in anime production, Yasuda prefaced with, “I think it’s exactly what you’re all expecting,” and shared, “It’s the action. The animation work is extremely difficult, so Cypic is giving it more than their all to produce this.”
Taihi Kimura Concludes with a Message to “Kagurabachi” Fans: “As a fan myself, I want to continue enjoying “Kagurabachi” more and more together with all of you from here on out.”
At the end of the event, the speakers delivered messages to the fans.
Yasuda commented, “Thank you for gathering today and watching the first episode. We are currently hard at work producing it for next year’s broadcast. This project involves not just the production studio, but many other members. It’s a work that everyone is pouring their all into, so we would be thrilled if you could continue to support us with high passion.”
Imamura added, “Thank you very much for today. Just like all of you, the original manga team and Hokazono-sensei are really looking forward to the anime broadcast. We believe it will be a supreme anime with unprecedented, amazing quality, and we are eagerly waiting for it. We look forward to the day we can all watch the broadcast together.”
Finally, Kimura said, “Thank you very much. I was so, so happy to see all of your faces and absorb your passion into my body. As a fan myself, I want to continue enjoying “Kagurabachi” more and more together with all of you from here on out, so please continue to support us!” The event concluded with a commemorative photo with the fans in the venue, striking the “Bachi Pose”.
Loud cheers and applause rang out, and “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour at “Anime Expo 2026” concluded as a massive success.
“Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour Part 1 Now Underway!
Kicking off at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, the anime “Kagurabachi” is currently hosting Part 1 of its World Tour across major anime conventions. Advance preview screenings of the first 20 minutes of Episode 1 will be held at “Japan Expo” in Paris on Thursday, July 9, at “AnimagiC” in Mannheim on Saturday, August 1, at “Otakon” in Washington D.C. on Sunday, August 2, and at “Anime NYC” in New York on Saturday, August 22. Furthermore, select events will host special panel sessions featuring guest appearances.
The anime “Kagurabachi” is scheduled to begin broadcasting and streaming in April 2027 on Crunchyroll, MUSE, and SMG HOLDINGS, among others.
We invite fans worldwide to witness the dawn of a new era as the first “stroke” of this epic saga is set into motion.
“Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour Part 1 Overview
“Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour Special Site
https://anime.kagurabachi.jp/en/worldtour/
[Anime Expo] “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour – World Premiere Screening at Anime Expo
Location: Los Angeles
Date & Time: Friday, July 3, 2026
4:45 – 6:05 PM PDT
Venue: Los Angeles Convention Center (Room: JW Marriott Diamond)
Details:
・Screening of the first 20 minutes of Episode 1
・Special appearance by anime cast and staff
Panel Session Guests:
Taihi Kimura (as Chihiro Rokuhira), Takuro Imamura (Editor of “Kagurabachi” Manga), Koichi Yasuda (Producer of “Kagurabachi” Anime) *Honorifics omitted
*Event details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Official Website: https://www.anime-expo.org
[Japan Expo] “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour – Premiere Screening at Japan Expo
Location: Paris
Date & Time: Thursday, July 9, 2026
3:30 – 4:30 PM CEST
Venue: Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte (Room: Yuzu Stage)
Details:
・Screening of the first 20 minutes of Episode 1
・Special appearance by anime staff
Panel Session Guests:
Riki Azuma (Cross-Media Producer of “Kagurabachi” Manga), Koichi Yasuda (Producer of “Kagurabachi” Anime) *Honorifics omitted
*Event details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Official Website: https://www.japan-expo-france.jp/
[AnimagiC] “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour – Premiere Screening at AnimagiC
Location: Mannheim
Date & Time: Saturday, August 1, 2026
10:30 – 11:00 PM CEST
Venue: Rosengarten Mannheim (Room: Mozart Hall)
Details:
・Screening of the first 20 minutes of Episode 1
*Event details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Official Website: https://animagic.de/
[Otakon] “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour – Premiere Screening at Otakon
Location: Washington, DC
Date & Time: Sunday, August 2, 2026 *Time TBA
Venue: Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Details:
・Screening of the first 20 minutes of Episode 1
*Event details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Official Website: https://otakon.com/
[Anime NYC 2026] “Kagurabachi” Anime World Tour – Premiere Screening at Anime NYC
Location: New York
Date & Time: Saturday, August 22, 2026
3:30 – 4:15 PM EDT
Venue: Javits Convention Center (Room: Main Stage)
Details:
・Screening of the first 20 minutes of Episode 1
・Special appearance by anime staff
Panel Session Guests:
Koichi Yasuda (Producer of “Kagurabachi” Anime), Kenta Suzuki (Producer of “Kagurabachi” Anime) *Honorifics omitted
*Event details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Official Website: https://animenyc.com/
MALAYSIA’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENT SHOULD NOT BE MISREPRESENTED
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) wishes to address recent public commentary which appears to question the validity of Malaysian universities’ global recognition in sustainability and impact-based rankings.
While public discourse on higher education is welcomed, it must be based on accurate context. The recent achievement of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) among the world’s top 10 universities refers specifically to the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, not the QS World University Rankings.
In this ranking, USM was placed 5th globally, while UKM was ranked joint 7th globally, placing Malaysia among countries with two universities in the world’s top 10. THE Sustainability Impact Ratings assess universities’ contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including sustainability, research, teaching, institutional responsibility and community impact.
Commenting on the matter, EMGS Chief Executive Officer, Novie Tajuddin, said:
“Malaysia’s achievement in the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings should not be dismissed or misrepresented simply because it is different from other global rankings. Each ranking has its own methodology and purpose. This recognition reflects how our universities are contributing to society, sustainability and global development, which are central to the true role of higher education.”
He added that Malaysia’s placement among the global top 10 is a national achievement that deserves fair recognition.
“To be listed alongside leading universities from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and other advanced higher education systems is not a small achievement. It reflects years of work by our universities in research, community engagement, sustainability and institutional responsibility. Questioning this recognition without proper context does a disservice to the efforts of our academic institutions,” he said.
EMGS also wishes to emphasise that international students, academic partners, governments and scholarship bodies refer to various credible global rankings, including THE, when evaluating universities. These rankings serve different purposes and collectively provide a broader view of institutional quality, reputation, impact and relevance.
Malaysia’s strong performance in THE Sustainability Impact Ratings reinforces the country’s position as a trusted and progressive international education destination. EMGS remains committed to promoting the Study in Malaysia brand globally and to presenting Malaysia’s higher education achievements accurately, confidently and responsibly.
EDUCATION MALAYSIA GLOBAL SERVICES (EMGS)
4 JULY 2026
About Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS)
Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is a Company Limited by Guarantee (“CLBG”) under the purview of the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. EMGS is the wing responsible for promoting Malaysia as the talent and knowledge hub and the preferred education destination among international students around the world. It is also the principal body that manages the movement of international students in Malaysia, including facilitating visa processing.
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Prepared by: EDUCATION MALAYSIA GLOBAL SERVICES (EMGS)
Strategic Collaboration | Sanyou Bio and Baiyunshan Xihe Join Forces to Advance Innovative Radiopharmaceuticals and Radiodiagnostics
SHANGHAI and GUANGZHOU, China, July 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sanyou Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Sanyou Bio”) and Guangzhou Baiyunshan Xihe Health Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Baiyunshan Xihe”) jointly announced the official signing of a strategic cooperation agreement. This partnership will focus on the co-development of novel radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostic products, aiming to integrate their respective core strengths in AI-driven innovative drug molecule discovery and the full industrial value chain of nuclear medicine. Together, the two parties seek to build an end-to-end innovation chain spanning from target molecule discovery to clinical translation of radiopharmaceuticals, delivering more transformative solutions for precision oncology diagnosis and therapy.
The development of radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostic products places extremely high demands on the precision, stability, and druggability of targeting molecules. This strategic collaboration is based on both parties’ deep insight into the nuclear medicine industry trends and strong mutual recognition of each other’s technological capabilities.
Sanyou Bio will leverage its globally leading AI-Super trillion antibody/molecule libraries (AI-STAL) and its Sanyou AI-Drug Accelerator (SAI-DA) to provide source innovation power for the discovery and optimization of high-performance antibodies and targeting molecules against specific targets. Baiyunshan Xihe will rely on its end-to-end capabilities in novel medical radionuclide production, GMP manufacturing, and clinical translation to advance partnered molecules into radiolabeling, in vitro and in vivo evaluation, and preclinical studies, thereby accelerating the industrialization of innovative radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostic products.
This strategic partnership aims to generate core value through deep integration across multiple dimensions:
1. Building an End-to-End Innovation Closed Loop:
Establish an integrated collaborative R&D model of “AI-driven molecular discovery – radionuclide labeling – clinical translation,” seamlessly connecting upstream molecular discovery capabilities with the radiopharmaceutical industrialization platform, significantly shortening the development timeline from target concept to radiopharmaceutical candidate compounds.
2. Developing a Differentiated Product Portfolio:
By combining Sanyou Bio’s extensive experience in innovative drug development and its strengths in AI-driven molecular discovery with Baiyunshan Xihe’s standardized production technologies for key medical radionuclides such as Gallium-68, Zirconium-89, Copper-64, and Rhenium-186, the two parties will jointly develop internationally competitive theranostic radiopharmaceuticals and novel radiodiagnostic products.
3. Building a New Industrial Ecosystem for Collaboration:
Both parties will integrate their deep resources in innovative drug R&D services and the nuclear medicine industry chain, jointly explore open and mutually beneficial collaboration models, enhance China’s upstream innovation capabilities in radiopharmaceuticals, and promote high-quality industry development.
Liu Hong, Chairman and General Manager of Baiyunshan Xihe, stated:
“We are very pleased to enter into this strategic collaboration with Sanyou Bio. As a leading enterprise in Guangzhou’s nuclear medicine industry chain, Baiyunshan Xihe has established a fully integrated value chain from radionuclide production to clinical services, and has developed a dual-track product portfolio featuring both self-developed nanobody-based RDCs and mature microsphere products. Sanyou Bio’s AI-STAL platform for upstream drug discovery is globally leading, with a library capacity exceeding 11 trillion and outstanding screening capabilities. This collaboration will strongly complement our capabilities in targeting molecule discovery and accelerate the layout and advancement of our theranostic radiopharmaceutical pipeline. We look forward to this deep integration of ‘discovery + translation’ to jointly develop truly clinically valuable innovative radiopharmaceutical products.”
Dr. Lang Guojun, Founder and CEO of Sanyou Bio, stated:
“This collaboration with Baiyunshan Xihe represents an important extension of Sanyou Bio’s mission—’To make it easy to develop new drugs worldwide’—into the cutting-edge field of nuclear medicine. Backed by the strong industrial resources of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings, Baiyunshan Xihe has built solid capabilities in radionuclide production and full value-chain integration. This strategic synergy is a key step in deeply connecting our AI-driven molecular discovery capabilities with a leading radiopharmaceutical industrialization platform. We believe that, through the dual engines of ‘intelligent molecular design’ and ‘precise radionuclide labeling,’ we can provide truly fundamental solutions to upstream innovation challenges in nuclear medicine, jointly empowering the technological upgrade of the global nuclear medicine industry.”
This strategic collaboration marks a solid step forward for Sanyou Bio in deepening industrial synergy and expanding into cutting-edge application areas. Starting from this partnership, both parties will continue to explore broader collaboration opportunities and strive to become a benchmark force driving upstream innovation in radiopharmaceutical development in China.
About Sanyou
Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals is a high-tech biopharmaceutical company driven by the mission of “To make it easy to develop new drugs worldwide”. The company is committed to fundamentally addressing the key challenges at the source of innovative drug development.
Powered by its AI-STAL and supported by Sanyou AI-Drug Accelerator (SAI-DA), Sanyou provides one-stop comprehensive solutions to tackle all challenges in molecular generation and innovative drug R&D.
Sanyou Bio has been dedicated to developing a world-class innovative biological drug R&D hub and to working collaboratively with partners worldwide to accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics.
Headquartered in Shanghai, China, Sanyou has established global business centers across Asia, North America, and Europe, forming an international business network. The company currently operates and has planned over 20,000 square meters of R&D and GMP facilities.
Sanyou has established strong collaborations with more than 2,000 pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide, empowering over 1,200 new drug discovery and development projects. It has completed more than 50 collaboration projects, over 10 of which have advanced to IND approval and clinical development stages.
The company has filed over 170 invention patents, with more than 30 granted. It has also obtained over 10 national and international qualifications and system certifications, including National High-Tech Enterprise, Shanghai “Specialized and Innovative” Enterprise, ISO9001, and ISO27001.
Vantage Introduces 24/7 Gold CFD Trading with XAUUSD247
Eligible clients can now trade Gold CFDs beyond the traditional trading week, including weekends, through MT5, TradingView and the Vantage App.
PORT VILA, Vanuatu, July 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vantage Markets (“Vantage”), a multi-asset CFD broker, today announced the launch of XAUUSD247. CME Group recently announced plans to expand trading of certain gold futures products to 24/7, subject to regulatory review. XAUUSD247 is a separate OTC CFD product offered by Vantage.
“XAUUSD247 provides eligible clients with access to gold CFDs beyond standard market hours, supported by transparent product mechanics and clearly defined trading controls,” said Marc Despallieres, Chief Executive Officer at Vantage.
XAUUSD247 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays, subject to scheduled platform maintenance and regional availability. The product uses a one-ounce contract size, compared with the 100-ounce contract size of Vantage’s traditional XAUUSD product. No separate trading commission applies, although spreads, financing charges and other applicable costs may apply. Tiered leverage of up to 100x may be available, subject to position size, account type and applicable trading conditions. One-sided margin calculation for eligible accounts holding both long and short positions.
XAUUSD247 also incorporates net and gross exposure limits at account level as part of its risk-management framework. When the applicable exposure threshold is reached, accounts enter close-only mode until exposure returns below the relevant limit. Applicable spreads, financing charges, leverage, exposure limits and other trading conditions may vary depending on the client’s account type, region and applicable Vantage entity.
The page will be officially launched on 6 July.
About Vantage
Vantage Markets is a multi-asset CFD broker offering access to Gold, Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, ETFs, and Bonds.
With over 17 years of experience, Vantage provides a reliable trading platform, an award-winning mobile app, and a user-friendly trading experience.
Risk Warning: CFDs are complex leveraged products and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Trading CFDs may not be suitable for all investors. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Availability of products and services described in this release is subject to jurisdictional restrictions and may not be available to residents of certain countries or regions.
