XIAMEN, China, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, HiTHIUM completed the world’s first open-door large-scale fire test of its ∞Power 6.25MWh 4h long-duration energy storage (LDES) system equipped with kiloampere-hour (kAh) battery cells. The test was conducted under the full supervision of representatives from UL Solutions, U.S. Authorities Having Jurisdiction, and Fire Protection Engineers. The test strictly complied with the latest requirements of UL 9540A 2025 and NFPA 855-2026.

The test results demonstrate that the high-energy-density 6.25MWh energy storage system, incorporating ultra-large-capacity battery cells, exhibited stable and controllable safety performance under extreme conditions. This marks a critical breakthrough in safety validation at higher energy levels for LDES systems, further strengthening the safety foundation for large-scale industry deployment.

Extreme Real-World Scenarios: Confronting Safety Limits at Higher Energy Levels

Building on its previous open-door fire test of a 5MWh system, HiTHIUM conducted an upgraded validation focusing on the ∞Power 6.25MWh LDES system and its core ∞Cell 1175Ah, verifying system-level safety at significantly higher energy levels.

The test was conducted under the most stringent conditions: the container doors remained fully open throughout the test creating an “open-door combustion” condition to maximize oxygen supply and flame impact; adjacent containers were arranged back-to-back and side-by-side with only 15 cm spacing; the system operated at 100% state of charge; and all active fire suppression systems were disabled, relying solely on intrinsic safety design.

Three Core Safety Challenges: Comprehensive Validation of a Multi-Layer Protection System

To address the compounded risks introduced by ultra-large-capacity cells and high-energy-density systems, HiTHIUM implemented a multi-layer safety architecture spanning the cell, module, and system levels. Guided by the core technical approach of “release, protection, and resistance,” the test validated the three core safety challenges.

Release Without Explosion: Precise Management of Ultra-High Energy Release

To manage the massive energy release during thermal runaway of 1175Ah cells, HiTHIUM designed a three-dimensional airflow channel with directional venting, and the module adopted a dual pressure relief valve safety design. This structure enabled rapid and controlled gas release at the cell and module levels, preventing explosive pressure buildup. No explosions or debris ejection were observed during the test.

Combustion Without Propagation: Dual Physical Barriers Against Thermal Spread

Under the most severe conditions of open-door combustion and minimal spacing conditions, the system endured direct flame exposure and intense heat transfer. Fire-resistant module covers, reinforced steel enclosures, and insulated multi-layer container structures confined the fire to a single battery system with no thermal propagation across the containers, and temperatures of cells in adjacent containers remained below safety thresholds.

Resistance Without Structural Failure: Structural Stability Under Extreme Thermal Stress

To withstand prolonged high-temperature exposure, the ∞Power 6.25MWh system was structurally reinforced with a high-strength steel frame, stiffeners, and dual-layer partitions. After continuous combustion, the affected container remained structurally intact, with no significant deformation or collapse observed.

A Milestone Achievement: Redefining Safety Standards for LDES

This test systematically verified the overall safety performance of the ∞Power 6.25MWh LDES system equipped with kAh battery cells, representing a milestone within the global energy storage safety validation framework.

As system capacity continues to increase from 5MWh to 6.25MWh, HiTHIUM remains committed to advancing safety and reliability through rigorous design standards and extreme-condition testing.

Looking ahead, HiTHIUM will remain focused on LDES as a strategic priority, further strengthening its safety foundation and core technologies. By participating in the development of global energy storage safety frameworks to higher standards, and working closely with industry partners, HiTHIUM aims to drive LDES toward larger scale, higher reliability, and safer, more efficient deployment —supporting a steady and sustainable global energy transition.

Drivers who renew their car insurance with PolicyStreet this February stand a chance to win RM8,888 in cash, while enjoying additional festive savings through the 10+10 Promotion and Free Road Tax offers.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As Malaysians saddle up to return to their hometowns for festive reunions, PolicyStreet is encouraging drivers to stay a step ahead when it comes to protection by renewing their car insurance on time, or even early, with the launch of its Renew & Huat RM8,888 Lucky Draw.

Running from 6 to 28 February, the campaign rewards timely and early car insurance renewals during the festive period with automatic lucky draw entries. Each successful renewal on PolicyStreet’s platform earns drivers a chance to win a cash prize of RM8,888, making early renewal an even sweeter deal this Chinese New Year.

“Protection is the best kind of prosperity. As more cars take to the roads this festive season, renewing insurance early is a simple way for drivers to financially look after themselves and their loved ones. Through Renew & Huat, we’re encouraging drivers not to horse around with coverage, while giving them a chance to enjoy a little extra luck as they charge into the new year,” said Yen Ming Lee, Group Chief Executive Officer of PolicyStreet.

Beyond the Renew & Huat Lucky Draw, drivers renewing their car insurance between 1 and 24 February can enjoy additional festive savings through PolicyStreet‘s 10+10 Promotion. Available daily from 10am to 11am and 10pm to 11pm, the promotion offers an uncapped 10% discount on premiums after No-Claim Discount (NCD), along with an additional RM10 off the final bill, making it particularly attractive for drivers with higher premium amounts.

From 25 to 28 February, customers renewing their car insurance can also benefit from Free Road Tax, capped at RM90 per vehicle. The offer provides added value for drivers with lower premium amounts, helping to offset renewal costs while ensuring they remain protected on the road during the festive travel period.

For policies with premiums of RM1,000 and above, renewing during the 10+10 Promotion can unlock savings of at least RM110. Meanwhile, customers with lower premium amounts may find more value in the Free Road Tax offer, capped at RM90 per vehicle, available during the campaign period. Both campaigns are stackable with the Renew & Huat RM8,888 Lucky Draw.

With Chinese New Year often bringing higher household expenses, from festive shopping to ang pow preparations, PolicyStreet offers various Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options such as Atome, SPayLater, or Grab PayLater. Credit card users can also opt for instalment plans to stay protected on the road without the added financial stress during the holiday season.

With the Year of the Horse symbolising speed, endurance, and safe passage, PolicyStreet’s Renew & Huat campaign blends festive cheer with the unbridled joy of maximised savings and prosperity, reminding drivers that the smartest journeys begin with the right protection in place.

For more information on the Renew & Huat RM8,888 Lucky Draw or to renew car insurance, visit https://policystreet.com.my/tnc

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About PolicyStreet

PolicyStreet is a regional full-stack insurance technology (insurtech) group of companies providing cutting-edge digital insurance solutions to businesses and consumers in Southeast Asia and Australia.

PolicyStreet works directly with over 40 life, general insurers and Takaful providers globally to offer a comprehensive range of products and services, which includes but is not limited to embedded insurance, customised employee benefits, financial advisory and aggregation of insurance, as well as the development of digital solutions to make insurance purposeful and simple for businesses and consumers.

As a licensed Reinsurer, General Insurer and Takaful Operator by the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA), an approved Financial Adviser and Islamic Financial Adviser by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), and a licensee of the Australian Financial Services License by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), PolicyStreet is able to underwrite, customise policies, and provide unbiased advice to its clients and partners worldwide.

PolicyStreet is backed by the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, and serves over 10 million customers with over US$ 10 billion in sum insured. In 2024, PolicyStreet was recognised as “Fintech of the Year” at The Asset’s Triple A Digital Awards and was the winner of the Fintech Excellence Award for Financial Inclusion at the Singapore Fintech Festival, endorsed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The company was also ranked as the second-highest Malaysian company in the “High-Growth Companies in Asia Pacific 2024” list by Statista and The Financial Times.

New facility delivers 24/7 threat monitoring, rapid response and AI-driven cybersecurity for industrial operations across Asia Pacific.

SINGAPORE, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rockwell Automation, the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has launched a Security Operations Center (SOC) in Singapore, enhancing cybersecurity resilience for industrial customers across Asia Pacific.

The new facility is part of Rockwell Automation’s global network of Managed Security Services and delivers 24/7 real-time monitoring, advanced threat detection and rapid incident response through its SecureOT™ Security Monitoring and Response capabilities. Designed to address the growing convergence of IT and OT environments, the SOC helps industrial companies detect, respond to and recover from cybersecurity incidents faster and more effectively.

Located within Rockwell’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, the SOC serves as a regional hub for Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services. It integrates vendor-neutral data ingestion, contextualized threat intelligence, and risk-based prioritization, enabling industrial teams to focus on the most critical vulnerabilities across complex, multi-vendor environments while ensuring rapid response and step-by-step remediation guided by Rockwell’s cybersecurity experts.

“Cybersecurity is now inseparable from digital transformation,” said Marcelo Tarkieltaub, regional director, Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation. “Our new regional SOC hub in Singapore reflects our commitment to helping manufacturers connect, automate and protect their operations end-to-end. Having multiple capabilities under one roof allows for deeper collaboration and faster response, delivering stronger protection for our customers’ critical operations. It enables them to test and engage with our capabilities firsthand, an important step for organizations evaluating the right partners for their cybersecurity journey.”

 “The opening of our regional SOC reinforces Singapore’s role as a cybersecurity hub for the region. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with local agencies, academia and partners to strengthen industrial resilience and upskill new cybersecurity talent. In fact, we’ve recently onboarded several young professionals with cybersecurity majors, building their expertise to support global clients in the industrial security space.”

Companies in the region face growing threats such as data theft, extortion, and ransomware, in part due to Asia Pacific’s critical role in global supply chains and its position as a technology and manufacturing hub. Rockwell Automation’s 10^th Annual 2025 State of Smart Manufacturing Report found that cybersecurity has risen to the second most critical external risk for manufacturers in Asia Pacific, with nearly half of respondents planning to deploy AI and machine learning for cybersecurity use cases within the next year.

Rockwell Automation’s SOC leverages Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR), a technology platform that combines automation, AI and analytics to streamline and accelerate responses to cyber threats. This enables Rockwell’s Managed Detection and Response services to offer customers a single pane of glass view of cyber incidents and actions across multiple sites, as some global manufacturers need to monitor more than 100 locations.

Aligned with Singapore’s national ambition to build a secure digital economy, the facility complements Rockwell’s collaboration with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and industry partners to advance industrial cybersecurity maturity across the region. It will also host training workshops and customer simulations, giving participants hands-on exposure to real-world OT threat scenarios.

The new SOC builds on Rockwell’s SecureOT™ Solution Suite, which encompasses Strategic Advisory, Managed Industrial Networking and Infrastructure, Asset Management, Risk and Vulnerability Management, and Incident Response services.

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2025. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Leading retail coffee chain Luckin Coffee (“Luckin” or “the brand”, OTC:LKNCY) announced the official inauguration of its 30,000th store, the first Origin Flagship, in Shenzhen. Tied to the core theme of Global Origins, this landmark opening signifies a strategic evolution for the brand: while solidifying its industry-leading scale, Luckin is elevating its focus on professionalism and quality, global supply chain integration and sustainable development to an all-new level.

The 30,000-store milestone underscores Luckin’s extensive network, which now spans over 300 cities across China, with a growing international presence in overseas markets including Singapore, Malaysia and the United States. In recent years, Luckin has driven the mass popularization of coffee consumption in China and elevated national awareness of homegrown coffee brands, while emerging as a dynamic force in reshaping the global coffee supply chain and invigorating global coffee culture.

The opening ceremony held yesterday was graced by distinguished diplomatic representatives from Luckin’s global origin partners, including H.E. Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China; Victor Queiroz‌, General Manager of ApexBrasil in Asia and Pacific Region; and Annie Maya, Consul General of Colombia in Guangzhou, China. Also in attendance were Luckin Coffee’s core executive leadership team including Chairman Li Hui, and Co-Founder & CEO Guo Jinyi.

In his address, Chairman Li Hui remarked: “We are committed to bringing the authentic taste of premium coffee from Indonesia, Brazil, Colombia, and other renowned origins across the globe straight to every one of our customers. This is more than just savoring a cup of coffee—it is the start of a genuine journey through global coffee flavors, which represents a pivotal elevation of Luckin’s corporate vision and mission.”

Luckin has been steadily expanding its Global Origins layout and building a global supply chain based on shared values. In recent years, the brand has launched the “From Origin to You” product campaign, forging deep roots in core coffee-producing regions including Brazil, Ethiopia and Yunnan, China. It has also developed a portfolio of exclusive raw material bases, such as the “Exclusive Coconut Island” in Indonesia, a dedicated jasmine cultivation base in Hengzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, and large-scale navel orange orchards in Zigui County, Hubei Province, China. This strategic layout seamlessly links global premium flavors with China’s vast consumer market, creating a virtuous cycle where market demand drives the value enhancement of the entire supply chain.

As Luckin Coffee’s first-ever Origin Flagship, this spacious 420-square-meter two-story venue offers an immersive experience of the brand’s global supply chain value narrative and quality commitment, illustrated by the store design and exclusive premium menu. The Luckin Origin Lab features an exclusive menu of crafted specialty coffee and pour-over options, while debuting its exclusive premium single-origin bean menu, highlighted by classic SOE Americanos and lattes crafted from premium beans from Yunnan, Ethiopia and Mandheling. This store also marks Luckin’s first adoption of high-end semi-automatic coffee machines, alongside the deployment of a team of highly skilled baristas, who perfectly capture and recreate the unique flavor profiles of premium beans sourced from across the globe. In addition, the store is home to Luckin’s inaugural Master Space, designated for professional coffee salons and themed events to deepen the brand’s interaction with customers. Since its soft opening in late January, the store has quickly become a hotspot for local coffee enthusiasts, who are drawn by its exclusive and innovative signature crafted products. Luckin also served up exclusive opening-day champion beans from the 2025 “Yunnan Cup of Excellence (CoE)” Pilot Competition — a testament to its long-term support for the Yunnan coffee industry and continuous pursuit of quality.  

Upholding its commitment to sustainable development, the flagship store was constructed in strict compliance with LEED Platinum standards and meets the “Zero Carbon Space” evaluation criteria of the China Association of Building Energy Efficiency. Following the LEED Platinum certification of Luckin’s 20,000th store in Beijing’s Zhongguancun, this new flagship store sets another benchmark for green retail in the coffee industry.

Luckin’s commitment to global value co-creation is also exemplified by its strategic global footprint. Its retail network spans all across China — from Mohe in the far north to Sanya in the south, and Fuyuan in the east to Kashgar in the west — covering 94% of the country’s provincial-level administrative regions. Bolstered by its robust brand equity, ongoing product innovation and an efficient digital operating model, Luckin is making steady strides onto the global stage, boasting 118 overseas stores as of the third quarter of 2025.

Locating its 30,000th store in Shenzhen, a city of openness and entrepreneurship, echoes Luckin’s vision to build a world-class coffee brand backed by a robust global supply chain and uncompromising quality. At this major milestone, Luckin evolves from a scale leader to a global value co-creator, bringing global premium flavors to customers while fostering deeper exchange between Chinese and global coffee cultures.

A Regulator-Approved Crypto Payment Terminal and Digital Asset Payment Gateway

SYDNEY, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ByteFederal Australia, in strategic partnership with ByteFederal Inc. (USA), today announced the national launch of ByteConnect, a fully integrated, Bitcoin-enabled Payment Terminal and Online Payment Gateway leveraging blockchain technology to enable Australian merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments within a robust compliance and operational framework.

Source: Byte Federal Inc.

ByteConnect is being rolled out under ASIC’s Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox, allowing ByteFederal Australia to operate the platform in accordance with defined regulatory parameters. The solution has been developed with a strong focus on regulatory alignment, maintaining a seamless experience for merchants and customers.

“This marks a significant step forward for Australia’s digital asset ecosystem,” said Ace Gorgievski, Head of Operations at ByteFederal Australia. “ByteConnect gives merchants access to next-generation payment infrastructure that enables broader payment optionality, improved operational efficiency, and the ability to support the use of digital assets in alignment with applicable regulatory requirements.

ByteConnect supports Bitcoin payments through Bitcoin on-chain and the Lightning Network, delivering improved settlement efficiency and scalability. It’s built for real world commerce across all payment values, combining speed, reliability, and efficient transaction costs for merchants and customers alike.

While designed primarily for retail and hospitality environments, ByteConnect’s underlying infrastructure also operates as a proprietary crypto payment gateway, supporting digital asset payment use cases across sectors such as property, automotive, luxury goods, and professional services, subject to appropriate customer due diligence and risk controls.

The platform includes transaction monitoring, performance analytics, and a structured merchant onboarding framework, providing businesses with operational visibility, reporting capability, and compliance support.

Key features of ByteConnect include:

• Operation under ASIC’s Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox
• Digital asset payment acceptance supported by AML/CTF controls
• Integrated merchant dashboard with real-time reporting and analytics
• Proprietary payment gateway supporting in-store and high-value digital asset transactions

The launch of ByteConnect reinforces ByteFederal Australia’s position as a provider of regulated digital asset infrastructure, supporting responsible innovation and the practical adoption of crypto payments within Australia’s evolving regulatory environment.

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