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TIER IV launches autonomous test vehicle development kit

TOKYO, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TIER IV, the pioneering force behind the world’s first open-source software for autonomous driving, is thrilled to announce the launch of a starter kit for developing autonomous technologies and vehicles. Featuring a drivable test vehicle, the DTV Kit is designed to lower the barrier to entry in the autonomous driving sector, offering a ready-to-use platform for development and validation. Developed in collaboration with Whale Dynamic, a startup specializing in unmanned delivery vehicles, the kit is compatible with Autoware*, open-source software for autonomous driving championed by TIER IV.

Training to support the development of autonomous driving technologies and vehicles is available through the TIER IV Autoware Partner Program. Developers who complete the program can put their new skills to the test in real-world environments by utilizing the DTV Kit and Web.Auto, TIER IV’s cloud-native DevOps platform. This reduces the time, effort and resources required for vehicle preparation and complex system setup, enabling partners to efficiently build and deploy development and testing environments.

This kit is also ideal for Autoware users seeking hands-on experience operating Autoware with a real vehicle, or validating autonomous driving systems built on Autoware in real-world driving environments.

Key features of the kit include:

  • Pre-synchronized ECU and sensors, eliminating the need for calibration.
  • Efficient DevOps with Autoware and Web.Auto, enabling immediate validation of simulation results in real-world conditions.
  • Reusable hardware and software, allowing for customized configurations or standalone use.
  • Hardware from TIER IV’s Edge.Auto platform, offering a direct path from prototype validation to mass production.
  • Scalable development environment, supporting modifications to the sensor configuration.

TIER IV is fueling the expansion of the Autoware ecosystem with the launch of this kit and others planned for release.  By providing the tools to transition seamlessly from simulation to real-world validation, TIER IV is driving the deployment of autonomous vehicles alongside its growing partner network.

*Autoware is a registered trademark of the Autoware Foundation.

About TIER IV

TIER IV stands at the forefront of deep tech innovation, pioneering Autoware, the world’s first open-source software for autonomous driving. Harnessing Autoware, we build scalable platforms and deliver comprehensive solutions across software development, vehicle manufacturing, and service operations. As a founding member of the Autoware Foundation, we are committed to reshaping the future of intelligent vehicles with open-source software, enabling individuals and organizations to thrive in the evolving field of autonomous driving.

Media contact
pr@tier4.jp

Sales contact
sales@tier4.jp

Singapore’s MERaLiON, Southeast Asia’s empathetic Large Language Model, Breaks New Ground with Multilingual Processing and Emotional Intelligence

  • Enhancements to MERaLiON will enable more intuitive and culturally aware AI applications in Southeast Asia and new Consortium with global partners to drive adoption
  • Advancing global conversations through the Digital Ministers Roundtable and mapping of AI Verify Testing Framework and US NIST AI Risk Management Framework
  • New sovereign healthcare agentic AI model, Enigma, sees significant results and partners with industry leaders to accelerate clinical trials and enhance patient care

SINGAPORE, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At ATxSummit 2025, the flagship event of Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG), Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information (MDDI), unveiled updates to Singapore’s Large Language Model – Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning and Learning in One Network (MERaLiON) – and launched the MERaLiON Consortium, a significant boost to Southeast Asia’s AI capabilities. She also announced new global initiatives and collaborations which strengthen Singapore’s AI ecosystem and accelerate responsible AI adoption, putting Singapore at the forefront of efforts to operationalise AI safety.

MERaLiON breaks new ground with enhancements and new Global Partnerships

MERaLiON, a large language model developed by A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I2R) and supported by IMDA, breaks new ground in regional AI capabilities with enhanced multilingual processing and emotional intelligence. The model now handles Malay, Tamil, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, and Vietnamese on top of English, Mandarin and Singlish, with advanced code-switching abilities and emotion recognition features. These improvements enable more intuitive and culturally aware AI applications in Southeast Asia, which could be applied to customer service, social service, and marketing. 

To accelerate adoption, IMDA and A*STAR I2R have launched the MERaLiON consortium, to bring together local and global industry players and research and development (R&D) institutions like HTX, MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT), NCS, National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC), SPH Media and ST Engineering with technology companies like Axiom IT Solutions, BytePlus, CommonTown, DBS, Grab and Microsoft Singapore. The consortium will focus on developing practical AI applications, from multilingual customer support to health and emotional insight detection and agentic decision-making systems.

Since its release in December 2024, MERaLiON’s first version has garnered over 90,000 downloads globally, attracting users from corporate research labs, media service providers, startups, and academics.  

Advancing global conversations for a trusted AI ecosystem 

In the area of AI safety research, Singapore was the site of global cooperation in identifying and prioritising research domains through the “The Singapore Consensus on Global AI Safety Research Priorities” (The Singapore Consensus). This Consensus is a living document that will serve as the foundation for the ATxSG Government-to-Government (G2G) Ministerial Roundtable on Digital Trust which seeks to bridge science to policy, and translate technical research into practical policies, by facilitating meaningful conversations between AI scientists and policymakers.   

Singapore’s enhanced AI Verify Testing Framework addresses both Generative AI (Gen AI) and traditional AI risks. In continued collaboration with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), we developed a crosswalk to map the enhanced Framework with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. This reaffirms the alignment between our two countries’ AI governance frameworks and reflects our shared commitment to cooperation.  

Together, these initiatives underscore Singapore’s commitment to building foundational infrastructure for AI safety development and testing that is grounded in scientific evidence to co-develop implementable, interoperable frameworks for responsible AI.

Strengthening global digital trust partnerships 

Singapore’s AI Safety Institute signed a Joint Statement with France’s AI Safety Institute to kickstart collaboration and cooperation on AI safety and cooperation on 28 May 2025. The Joint statement was signed between MDDI, Mrs Josephine Teo, and French Minister Delegate of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologues, Mrs Clara Chappaz at ATx 2025.

Singapore and US spearhead the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Certification for businesses to facilitate trusted cross border data flows, providing access to 9 economies with about 40 trillion in market size. This was developed by the Global CBPR Forum, of which Singapore serves as deputy chair. Companies can apply for the new Certification from 2 June 2025, which will allow organisations to demonstrate compliance with internationally recognised data protection standards.

Singapore’s Enigma Health partners with Roche and ST Engineering

Enigma Health, a spinoff from SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, signed two strategic partnerships on 27 May 2025, with Roche and ST Engineering’s Enterprise Digital to expand its capabilities. This was announced by Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information at the “Scaling and Sustaining Healthcare with Gen AI” symposium held at ATxSG. These two new partnerships will accelerate clinical trials, market access, insights and business intelligence to help with patients’ care and access to novel drugs and digital technologies. 

Enigma Health’s flagship product, Enigma, is Singapore’s home-grown sovereign healthcare agentic AI platform developed by a team of clinicians and AI scientists to improve workflow optimisation, streamlining data-intensive and time-consuming processes while ensuring robust data security and regulatory compliance. It has been piloted at SingHealth institutions.

Singapore-Thailand alliance strengthens ASEAN’s fight against telecom scams 

IMDA and Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combat telecommunications fraud across ASEAN.

The MOU was exchanged between Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, Chairman of the NBTC at the sidelines of ATxSG 2025.  

CONTACT: atxsg.imda@archetype.co 

International Friendship Cities Business Matchmaking Fair during “2025 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week” Held in Jinan

JINAN, China, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from Shandian News.

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On the afternoon of May 27, the International Friendship Cities Business Matchmaking fair was held in Jinan. As one of the key activities of “2025 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week”, it is hosted by Shandong Provincial People’s Government and jointly organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government, the China Council For The Promotion of International Trade Shandong Sub-council, Department of Commerce of Shandong Province, and other departments. A total of 420 attendees participated, including delegations from nearly 40 friendship cities and states across 24 countries, alongside 70 foreign enterprises and 130 Shandong-based companies. They gathered to explore new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation and development on the platform of the international friendship cities cooperation and exchange.

Through high-standard systematic screening, standardization, indexing, matching and other procedures, the meeting comprehensively collected more than 60 cooperation demands from 70 foreign enterprises, attracting more than 100 Shandong enterprises to engage in one-on-one in-depth negotiations with their foreign counterparts during the meeting, further amplifying the effect of the platform for gathering resources from friendship cities, boosting the province’s expansion of high-level opening-up and contributing to the strength of the friendship cities.

2025 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week Kicks Off in Jinan

JINAN, China, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from Shandian News.

 

The opening ceremony of the 2025 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week was held in Jinan on May 27. Hosted by Shandong Provincial People’s Government under the theme “Hand in Hand for Shared Future,” the week-long event aims to build a platform for international friendship-city exchanges, foster mutually beneficial urban partnerships, and strengthen people-to-people ties.

In recent years, the breadth and depth of Shandong’s friendship-city cooperation have kept expanding. The province’s circle of international partners continues to grow. At the opening ceremony, representatives of 19 friendship-city pairs signed cooperation agreements, and the “Jinan Initiative on International Friendship Cities Cooperation” was released. From May 26 to 30, over 20 activities will be held, including the Provincial Governors’ Dialogue, the Friendship Cities Business Matchmaking Fair, and the “Experience New Shandong” Economic and Trade Tour for Friendship Cities. These events aim to foster targeted exchanges across  all dimensions and sectors, achieve significant cooperation outcomes and expand lasting spillover effects.

From Ancient Canal to Modern Connector: Cangzhou Drives Development in Northern China

 The city’s growth strategy balances industry and livability across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region 

CANGZHOU, China, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from Xinhuanet:

As the first light of day breaks over Bohai Bay, casting long shadows across the cranes at the Port of Huanghua, and the waters of the Grand Canal reflect the passage of high-speed trains, Cangzhou is emerging as a key player in the regional cooperation efforts within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei corridor. By pursuing regional integration and connectivity, the city is driving industrial modernization, encouraging innovation, and improving quality of life—efforts that are reshaping the local economy and strengthening ties across northern China.

Over the past two years, Cangzhou has attracted 131 projects from Beijing and Tianjin, totaling 55.6 billion yuan (approximately $7.7 billion USD) in investment. These projects have sparked a wave of innovation and industrial activity. Meanwhile, 45 subsidiaries of central state-owned enterprises—mainly in the secondary and tertiary sectors—have expanded operations in the city. One prominent example is the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Cangzhou Biomedical Industrial Park, which adopted a regulatory model in which pharmaceutical firms based in Hebei are supervised by authorities in Beijing. The arrangement draws on Beijing’s research and development expertise and Hebei’s manufacturing capacity, reinforcing cross-regional synergies.

As a fast-rising hub in the broader regional framework, Cangzhou is positioning itself as a destination of choice for companies relocating from Beijing and Tianjin, offering a stable, business-friendly environment. Advanced technologies are taking root: the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System’s “Sky Eye” now monitors its regional operations center in Hebei, while a pilot demonstration project for membrane materials has been selected as one of the region’s top ten collaborative initiatives. Scheduled for inauguration in October, the Yanzhao Green Chemical Engineering Laboratory is set to become a major asset. The city recorded 7.4 billion yuan in technology-related contracts in 2024, marking a 131 percent year-on-year increase—a signal of accelerating momentum.

In partnership with the Xiong’an New Area, Cangzhou is expanding the Xiong’an Free Trade Zone and the adjoining Cangzhou Innovation Zone. The new Logistics Industry Center within the Xiong’an Innovation Zone is now operational, and the Port of Huanghua has opened a bonded warehouse as part of the Xiong’an–Huanghua Port container intermodal route. This shipping corridor operates under a unified “regional port pass” customs model, streamlining cross-border logistics and underlining Cangzhou’s alignment with national economic development plans. As the port positions itself as a key maritime hub in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the new logistics channel represents a concrete step forward in regional infrastructure integration and shared growth.

Major transportation upgrades are also reshaping the region. The reconstruction and expansion of the Rongwu Expressway have been completed, while the first phase of the Qugang Expressway and the new stretch of provincial highway S327—connecting Langfang and Xiong’an via Cangzhou—are now open to traffic. Additional projects in progress include the Handan–Huanghua Port Expressway, the Shijiazhuang–Hengshui–Cangzhou–Huanghua Port Intercity Railway, and new high-speed lines linking Xiong’an to Shangqiu and Tianjin to Weifang. Together, these routes position Cangzhou within a broader regional network—part of a government initiative to ensure that key destinations are accessible within 30 minutes by residents across the region—improving daily commutes and facilitating the free flow of people, capital, and innovation.

Industrial growth in Cangzhou is also accompanied by investments in public services. The city has established education partnerships between 206 local schools and institutions in Beijing and Tianjin. It is now home to 21 regional medical consortiums, boosting healthcare access and positioning Cangzhou as an attractive option for retirement. To date, 23,600 seniors from Beijing, Tianjin, and neighboring areas have relocated to the city. Over the recent May Day holiday, Cangzhou recorded more than 4 million tourist visits—a 21.3 percent increase from last year—with travelers from Beijing and Tianjin accounting for over 30 percent of the total.

Today, Cangzhou’s industrial clusters are thriving, its public services are expanding, and its economy is outpacing both provincial and national benchmarks. The city reported a gross domestic product of 472.28 billion yuan in 2024, reflecting a 5.5 percent increase year over year. Historically famed for its martial arts, acrobatics, and cast-iron lions, this ancient canal town is rapidly evolving into a modern coastal economic engine. By building on its heritage while looking outward, Cangzhou is cementing its role as a dynamic force in the ongoing transformation of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. 

 

Final nail in the coffin for billable hours? Alternative billing goes mainstream, new legal market report reveals

87% of top Australian law firms offer clients billing choice, including fixed or task fees

AUGUSTA, Ga., May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A clear shift away from billable hours, with widespread adoption of fixed fee and capped fee billing, has been confirmed in the Best Law Firms™ – Australia Legal Market Report, released today by Best Lawyers®.

Best Law Firms - Australia Legal Market Report
Best Law Firms – Australia Legal Market Report

The global legal network’s inaugural survey of Australia’s top 162 law firms, encompassing 13,400 employees, uncovers trends for key industry issues such as billing, client service and revenue and reveals emerging trends around diversity, ESG and pro bono work.

On billing, the Report found fixed fees are the most common alternative offering (for 9 in 10 firms) with capped (77% of firms), retainer (52%) and event or task-based (51%) fees also proving popular.

Best Lawyers Vice President of Research and Development, Elizabeth Petit, said that the report paints a picture of a legal sector that is working hard to keep up with modern client demands by moving away from traditional, default billing options.

“The days of relying on the billable hours model are numbered, with new approaches offering clients greater transparency and predictability and enabling firms to clearly articulate their value while mitigating delayed payment and client bill shock,” Ms Petit said.

“Our Report also highlights a visible shift in how and where firms are investing their resources in a challenging economy, with DEI and sustainability seeing less engagement despite remaining part of the values framework,” she said.

The report found 57% of Australian firms consider diversity a part of their recruiting program and firm ethos, but few firms have programs in place to support DEI – only 6% of firms had a full-time DEI professional, and 39% of respondents did not answer the DEI question at all.

Similarly, a low number of respondents (35%) to questions on ESG policies and committees signals a shift in the sector where some strategic line items remain important on paper but not yet in practice, Ms Petit said.

Best Lawyers CEO, Phillip Greer, said that the Report is the next evolution of Best Lawyers’ service offering in Australia.

“Australia has one of the most dynamic and resilient legal markets globally. By capturing real-time data about the state of the market through our rigorous and anonymous survey, our data helps legal professionals stay on top of domestic trends and benchmark their strategies against the top firms in the country,” Mr Greer said.

Best Law Firms – Australian Legal Market Report findings

  • 15% of the top firms think they only do an average job of providing clients “value for money and cost-effectiveness”, revealing room for improvement
  • Just under 50% of those surveyed run a pro bono program, with smaller firms reporting that number is closer to 30%. Senior lawyers are pulling their weight: 80% of firms say their partners participate in pro bono initiatives. More than a third (39%) put no limit on pro bono hours for which their lawyers can receive credit
  • Top firms with fewer than 20 lawyers reported an annual median revenue of $2.5 million, while firms with greater than 20 lawyers reported $22,950,000 per annum
  • Firms with fewer than 20 lawyers reported a median 80 active clients on their books, with that number increasing over six-fold for firms with more than 20 lawyers
  • The median tenure of a Managing Partner at the top participating firms is six and half years
  • Indigenous Australians represent 3.8% of Australia’s population1, but according to the survey results they make up just 0.12% of law professionals in total
  • Representation among LGBTQIA+ and non-binary people, plus those with a disability, is extremely low, with their combined numbers comprising less than 1% of the workforce

“Our Report spotlights where firms are actually allocating their budgets and human resources, allowing us to understand the future direction of Australian law,” Mr Greer said.

Survey responses represent the top ranked firms across the country according toThe Best Lawyers in Australia™ rankings released last month.

Further strengthening its position in the Australian legal market, Best Lawyers has also announced the 2026 Best Law Firms – Australia today.

This year’s rankings spotlight the top 5% of law firms across Australia, backed by thousands of lawyer votes, client references and in-depth interviews. The distinctions this year reflect input from more than 4,500 lawyers surveyed, nearly 160 law firm surveys, more than 2,000 client references that offered feedback on service excellence and nearly 200 practice group leader interviews. 

Read the full Best Law Firms – Australia Legal Market Report and search the 2026 Best Law Firms – Australia rankings to find firms delivering the standard of service clients trust. See which names are setting the benchmark for the profession, with results by firm name, region and/or practice area.

About Best Lawyers®

Best Lawyers® is the most established global network of legal professionals, providing elite lawyers and law firms with tools to enhance visibility, credibility and client engagement. Built on a rigorous peer-review process, Best Lawyers delivers data-driven legal recognition while offering industry insights and tech-forward marketing solutions. Powering Best Law Firms®, we simplify the law firm selection process, fostering confidence between firms and clients. Learn more at www.bestlawyers.com and www.bestlawfirms.com.

Australian Media Contacts:

Kathryn Britt

Laura Aguayo

Group Client Manager

Account Leader

BBS Communications Group

BBS Communications Group

kbritt@bbscommunications.com.au

laguayo@bbscommunications.com.au

Ph: 0414 661 616

Ph: 0433 531 074

US-based Contact:

Alliccia Odeyemi

Senior Public Relations Manager

aodeyemi@bestlawyers.com

1 Estimates and projections, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, 2011 to 2031 | Australian Bureau of Statistics

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Gastops Receives Investment from RTX for Next Generation Monitoring Technologies

Investment made possible by Canadian Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy (ITB)

OTTAWA, ON, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Gastops Ltd. is announcing a joint agreement under Canada’s Industrial and Technology Benefits (ITB) policy for a multi-million-dollar investment from RTX. The funding will support a research and development program to advance the next generation of oil debris monitoring (ODM) system technology and future technologies for oil and fuel monitoring for Pratt & Whitney military engines. Pratt & Whitney is an RTX business.

“We are extremely pleased to work with RTX on the development of next generation monitoring technologies,” said Shaun Horning, President and CEO of Gastops. “The ITB investment from RTX’s Raytheon and engineering collaboration with Pratt & Whitney are critical components to the success of this cutting-edge technology. This investment will facilitate Gastops to continue its goal of Canadian innovation and to expand our technology capabilities.”

Gastops has been enabling Pratt & Whitney’s advanced diagnostics and engine monitoring solutions with MetalSCAN ODM sensors since their introduction to the F119 engine, which powers the F-22 Raptor, in the early 1990’s. Since then, MetalSCAN technology has been included in other major Pratt & Whitney engine developments, and discussions are ongoing about expanding the collaboration to integrate Gastops’ next generation technologies into additional military engine programs.

“It’s now more important than ever to build Canada’s defence industry,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.  “This multi-million-dollar investment by RTX to Canada’s Gastops Ltd. will advance innovation within Canada’s defence sector while supporting economic growth and creating high value jobs for Canadians.”

About Gastops

Gastops is the world’s leading provider of intelligent condition monitoring solutions used in Aerospace, Defence, Energy, and Industrial applications to optimize the availability, performance, and safety of critical assets. We offer peace of mind to our customers with innovative online monitoring sensors, at-line analysis, complex modeling and simulation, world class laboratory testing, engineering, design, and MRO services that predict performance to enable proactive operating decisions. Gastops has been providing powerful insights into the condition of critical equipment since 1979.

www.Gastops.com

 

Poultry from Europe. Quality that makes it to Asian tables. New European Union campaign in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — European poultry meat – a wide range of products, palatability, nutritional value, as well as versatile culinary use. The poultry, which meets strict EU requirements, is presented to Filipino consumers as part of the “European Poultry – From Our Farms to Your Table” information and promotional campaign co-financed by the European Union.

European Poultry - From Our Farms to Your Table
European Poultry – From Our Farms to Your Table

The three-year campaign in the Philippines aims to raise awareness of the quality, safety, and sustainability of European poultry production. The European Union promotes farming that meets stringent animal welfare, environmental protection and full traceability requirements – from the field to the finished product that arrives on the table as a tasty and balanced meal.

The campaign’s activities are aimed both at importers, distributors and representatives of the food industry, as well as at informed consumers looking for certified and responsibly produced food.

The campaign includes a range of activities: presence at industry trade shows, B2B meetings, cooperation with local media and opinion leaders, branding activities on the Internet and in the press, as well as study visits to Europe for selected partners from the region.

Between 6 and 9th of August 2025, the campaign will be present at WOFEX (World Food Expo), the largest food industry event in the Philippines. A campaign press event in Manila is also planned at the same time, featuring media representatives, experts, and invited guests.

More information about the campaign: eupoultry.eu

The project is being implemented by an industry organization from Poland: The National Poultry Council – Chamber of Commerce acting on behalf of the European poultry sector.