SINGAPORE, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —  Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, today announced it has joined the Circle Payments Network (CPN) Managed Payments. This initiative marks a significant milestone in Thunes’ mission to achieve total interoperability across the global financial landscape, bridging the gaps between traditional banking, mobile wallets, and the digital assets ecosystem.

As part of this alliance, Thunes will enable access to CPN Managed Payments for its customers, enabling stablecoin-powered settlement capabilities while allowing them to continue operating within existing fiat-based workflows. The collaboration underscores Thunes’ ambition to make every payment system, regardless of its underlying technology, fully interoperable, allowing money to move as freely and instantly as information.

A Legacy of Innovation: Thunes and Circle Since 2024

This collaboration builds upon a robust foundation established in 2024, when Thunes and Circle first joined forces as early adopters of stablecoin-powered liquidity. Since then, the two companies have worked to integrate USDC into Thunes’ Direct Global Network, transforming how liquidity is managed across more than 140 countries.

By utilising USDC for near real-time settlement, Thunes has successfully eliminated the constraints of traditional banking hours and the need for heavy pre-funding in local “nostro” accounts. For Thunes’ Members, including banks, gig economy platforms, and money transfer operators, this has translated into:

• 24/7 Prefunding: Enabling round-the-clock liquidity management and real-time funding regardless of banking hours.
• Capital Efficiency: Freeing up millions in working capital previously trapped in dormant accounts.
• Unrivaled Reach: Seamlessly connecting 12 billion mobile and stablecoin wallets and bank accounts to the speed and transparency of blockchain rails.

Chloé Mayenobe, Deputy CEO at Thunes, said, “Joining CPN Managed Payments is the natural next step in our journey to make the world’s payment systems truly interoperable. Our goal has always been to remove the borders from money movement. By deepening our long-standing collaboration with Circle, we are ensuring that whether a customer uses a traditional bank account in Europe, a mobile wallet in Africa, or digital assets in Asia, the experience is fast, secure, and invisible. We are building the bridge between these universes to support the future of the global economy.”

Nikhil Chandhok, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Circle, said: “Thunes brings deep expertise in global payment connectivity and operational scale. Their experience operating across diverse payment ecosystems provides valuable input as we continue to develop the Circle Payments Network and expand access to stablecoin-powered settlement for financial institutions globally.”

About Thunes:

Thunes is the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world. Thunes’ proprietary Direct Global Network allows Members to make payments in real-time in over 140 countries and more than 90 currencies. Thunes’ Network connects directly to over 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets and bank accounts worldwide, as well as 15 billion cards via more than 220 different payment methods, such as GCash, M-Pesa, Airtel, MTN, Orange, JazzCash, Easypaisa, AliPay, WeChat Pay HK and many more. Thunes’ Direct Global Network differentiates itself through its worldwide reach, in-house SmartX Treasury System and Fortress Compliance Platform, ensuring Members of the Network receive unrivaled speed, control, visibility, protection, and cost efficiencies when making real-time payments, globally. Members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network include gig economy giants like Uber and Deliveroo, super-apps like Grab and WeChat, MTOs, fintechs, PSPs and banks. Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes has offices in 14 locations, including Atlanta, Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Manila, Nairobi, Paris, Riyadh, San Francisco and Shanghai. For more information, visit: https://www.thunes.com/

About Circle Internet Group (Circle)

Circle is one of the world’s leading internet financial platform companies, building the foundation of a more open, global economy through programmable blockchain infrastructure, digital assets, and payment applications.

Circle’s platform includes the world’s largest stablecoin network anchored by USDC, Circle Payments Network for global money movement, and Arc, an enterprise-grade blockchain designed to become the Economic OS for the internet. Enterprises, financial institutions, and developers use Circle to power trusted, internet-scale financial innovation. Learn more at circle.com

MILWAUKEE, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At a time when families are increasingly seeking screen-free ways to build real-world skills, global educational toy leader Hape Holding AG, in partnership with Labbox Education, announced the launch of Reactor Rescue: a board game that challenges players to build working electronic circuits to win.

Designed by sisters and computer science engineers Arta and Fiona Shehu, along with the team behind Hape, Reactor Rescue brings hands-on STEM learning out of the classroom and into the home. Drawing on their experience teaching thousands of students, the founders set out to capture the moment when learning “clicks”—not just for kids discovering circuits for the first time, but for anyone experiencing the satisfaction of building something that actually works.

Set in the futuristic floating city of Electra, Reactor Rescue puts players in the role of engineers racing to repair their damaged spacecraft after a meteoroid storm. To restore power and return to the mission, players must complete real electronic circuits under pressure—combining strategy, speed, and problem-solving.

Each round is timed, giving players just two minutes to successfully complete a working circuit, otherwise they must quickly troubleshoot and recover—adding a level of tension and excitement rarely seen in educational games.

Unlike traditional board games, Reactor Rescue uses real electronic components—including LEDs, motors, and sensors—allowing players to physically build and test circuits as part of gameplay. The experience helps develop critical thinking, resilience, and foundational engineering skills, making it engaging for families, curious beginners and even adults exploring electronics for the first time.

“With Reactor Rescue, we set out to create a learning experience that builds on what makes board games so engaging, and combines it with real, hands-on circuit building. By bringing together competition, strategy, and the thrill of winning with building and solving real circuits, players don’t just play—they experience what it’s like to be an engineer.” said co-founder Arta Shehu. “We’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when someone builds something that actually works for a mission that matters. This game brings that experience to families in a way that’s fun, competitive, and deeply rewarding.”

Designed for 1–4 players, ages 10+, Rescue Reactor includes multiple gameplay modes for different skill levels—from beginner-friendly learning scenarios to advanced challenges. With over 100 circuit challenges, no two sessions are the same.

Reactor Rescue launches on Kickstarter on April 21, 2026, with exclusive early-bird pricing and limited-edition rewards available to backers.

Media, educators, and content creators are invited to request early access, review copies, and interviews with the founders ahead of launch.

To learn more about Reactor Rescue, visit labbox.education.

About Labbox Education

Founded by sisters Arta and Fiona Shehu and the team behind jCoders Academy, Labbox Education creates hands-on tools that help learners of all ages move from consuming technology to creating it. Built on years of classroom experience teaching thousands of students, Labbox designs real electronic building blocks that make complex concepts like circuits, sensors, and logic intuitive through play.

By turning engineering into a process of experimentation, discovery, and real-world problem-solving, Labbox empowers learners to build confidence and understand the technology shaping their world. Its screen-free, tactile approach captures the moment when learning “clicks,” sparking curiosity and a lasting interest in STEM at any age.

PARIS and NEW YORK and SINGAPORE, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB), a NYSE and SGX-ST dual-listed company and a subsidiary of AMTD Group Inc., today announced that it plans to declare and distribute stock dividends by way of shares of its listed subsidiaries to shareholders and holders of American depositary shares of AMTD IDEA Group (the “Proposed Distribution”).

Since its initial public offering on the NYSE in 2019, AMTD IDEA Group has expanded its operations and businesses significantly, evolving into the parent company of various other listed entities. A key subsidiary, AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD) – a comprehensive digital solutions platform headquartered in France that provides a one-stop digital solutions platform – consummated its initial public offering on the NYSE in 2022. The Generation Essentials Group (NYSE: TGE; LSE: TGE), a subsidiary of AMTD Digital Inc., consummated its business combination with Black Spade Acquisition II Co (Nasdaq: BSII), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), in June 2025 and is currently listing its shares and warrants on the NYSE and NYSE American, respectively. The Generation Essentials Group is headquartered in France and focuses on global strategies and developments in multi-media, entertainment, and cultural affairs worldwide as well as hospitality and VIP services, comprising L’Officiel, The Art Newspaper, movie and entertainment projects. As part of its growth strategy, AMTD IDEA Group has also established an initiative to sponsor and control SPACs, with the intention that these vehicles will raise capital from public markets and subsequently acquire operating businesses through business combinations. In furtherance of this strategy, The Generation Essentials Group has acted as the sponsor of TGE Value Creative Solutions Corp, a SPAC which successfully completed its initial public offering of 15,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit on the NYSE on December 23, 2025, resulting in gross proceeds of $150,000,000.

Whether any Proposed Distribution will be made, and the record date, timing, form and amount of the Proposed Distribution, are subject to further deliberation and determination of the board of directors of AMTD IDEA Group. Factors that may be considered include, but are not limited to, the performance of AMTD IDEA Group and the relevant listed subsidiaries and the overall market conditions. The Proposed Distribution remains in an exploratory stage and is subject to uncertainties; there can be no assurance that any Proposed Distribution will be made.

About AMTD IDEA Group

AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB) represents a diversified institution and digital solutions conglomerate group, connecting companies and investors with global markets. Its comprehensive one-stop business services plus digital solutions platform addresses different clients’ diverse and inter-connected business needs and digital requirements across all phases of their life cycles. AMTD IDEA Group is uniquely positioned as an active super connector between clients, business partners, investee companies, and investors, connecting the East and the West. For more information, please visit www.amtdinc.com or follow us on X (formerly known as “Twitter”) at @AMTDGroup.

About AMTD Digital Inc.

AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD) is a comprehensive digital solutions platform headquartered in France. Its one-stop digital solutions platform operates key business lines including digital media, content and marketing services, investments as well as hospitality and VIP services. For AMTD Digital’s announcements, please visit https://ir.amtdigital.net/investor-news.

About The Generation Essentials Group

The Generation Essentials Group (NYSE: TGE; LSE: TGE), jointly established by AMTD Group, AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB) and AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD), is headquartered in France and focuses on global strategies and developments in multi-media, entertainment, and cultural affairs worldwide as well as hospitality and VIP services. TGE comprises L’Officiel, The Art Newspaper, movie and entertainment projects. Collectively, TGE is a diversified portfolio of media and entertainment businesses, and a global portfolio of premium properties. Also, TGE is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsor manager, with its first SPAC successfully raised and priced on December 18, 2025.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the beliefs, plans, and expectations of AMTD IDEA Group, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the filings of AMTD IDEA Group with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and AMTD IDEA Group does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

IR Office
AMTD IDEA Group
EMAIL: ir@amtdinc.com

Enabling end-to-end custom power semiconductor innovation from India for global markets with an $85M investment

SAN JOSE, Calif. and HYDERABAD, India, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cyient Semiconductors today announced the successful close of its USD $85 million majority‑stake investment in Kinetic Technologies, a global power semiconductor solutions provider. Kinetic Technologies joins Cyient Semiconductors as a proven, revenue‑generating global custom and Application-Specific-Standard-Product (ASSP) company, with more than 100 silicon‑proven IPs and over 250 high‑volume custom and ASSPs across power management, protection, display power, and interface solutions – adding immediate product scale, IP depth and market credibility.

This investment marks a major step in Cyient Semiconductors’ ambition to establish a scaled semiconductor platform anchored in India and serving global markets. This also reflects a broader strategic shift toward building a differentiated, custom silicon and ASSP-led semiconductor platform aligned with long-term structural demand in power and compute infrastructure, addressing a $44 billion global market opportunity.

By integrating Cyient Semiconductors’ spec‑to‑silicon engineering expertise with Kinetic Technologies’ proven power management and protection IC portfolio, the combined platform strengthens Kinetic Technologies’ ability to support global customers with broader design resources and enhanced operational capabilities, while giving Cyient Semiconductors access to Kinetic’s established customer footprint—delivering immediate commercial scale in high‑growth power semiconductor markets.

Kinetic Technologies will continue to operate under its current leadership, with strategic oversight from Cyient Semiconductors. Its engineering and customer teams will maintain continuity while leveraging the combined platform’s expanded global presence and increased investments in R&D.

On announcing the completion of the transaction, Suman Narayan, CEO of Cyient Semiconductors, said, “The completion of this majority stake investment accelerates our ambition to build a globally competitive semiconductor innovation engine from India. Kinetic Technologies’ proven leadership in power and protection ICs, combined with our custom silicon and ASSP expertise and access to world-class talent and manufacturing ecosystems, positions us to drive the next wave of intelligent power semiconductor solutions across critical markets.”

Kin Shum, CEO of Kinetic Technologies, added, “Having Cyient Semiconductors as a strategic majority investor significantly strengthens our ability to scale globally. This partnership expands our engineering capacity and manufacturing in India, accelerates our R&D roadmap, along with enhancing our ability to address increasingly complex power challenges across high‑growth end markets. Together, we are well‑positioned to drive the next phase of intelligent power innovation.”

The closing of this transaction solidifies a long‑term partnership aimed at building a modern, scalable semiconductor platform with international relevance and India‑driven operational strength. The combined strengths of Cyient Semiconductors and Kinetic Technologies will deepen innovation, extend market presence, and strengthen their capacity to deliver advanced custom power solutions, for the next wave of computing and industrial transformation while reinforcing India’s momentum under the India Semiconductor Mission to become a global hub for semiconductor innovation and high‑value chip development and manufacturing.

About Cyient Semiconductors

Cyient Semiconductors is a Hyderabad-headquartered provider of custom ASIC/ASSP solutions, with a focus on analog mixed-signal, intelligent power, and advanced semiconductor platforms. With design centers in India, Belgium, and the U.S., Cyient Semiconductors enables global customers in data centers, robotics, automotive, and industrial automation to achieve higher efficiency and faster time-to-market.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in the press release that are not based on historical facts may be forward‑looking statements within the meaning of applicable laws and regulations. Such forward‑looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, like significant changes in the economic environment in India and overseas, regulatory and tax laws, import duties, litigation, labour relations and other factors beyond the Company’s control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied.

Cyient Semiconductors undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward‑looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

About Kinetic Technologies 

Kinetic Technologies designs, develops and markets proprietary high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors across consumer, computer, communications, industrial, automotive and enterprise markets. Along with designing power products to protect, regulate, and monitor power consumption, Kinetic also produces products that switch, transform, and protect high resolution audio, video, and data signals. Applications include smartphones, tablets, notebooks and accessories, as well as serving a wide range of industrial, automotive, and enterprise solutions. Kinetic Technologies has R&D centers in Silicon Valley and Asia, with operations and logistics based in Asia and Europe. 

For more information, please visit http://www.kinet-ic.com/ 

SHANGHAI, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987, “Yum China” or the “Company”) today announced that it has published its 2025 Sustainability Report. This report outlines the achievements and ongoing progress on the Company’s sustainability commitments across the entire value chain over the past year, centered on the Company’s three long-standing priorities – Food, People, and Environment.

Key highlights from the report include:

• Food safety is the cornerstone of Yum China’s business. As the business scales and AI technologies advance, the Company is increasingly using digital and intelligent tools to strengthen its food safety and quality controls. In the supply chain, the Company deploys early-warning systems that monitor regulatory updates and even social-media trends. In restaurants, AI-powered camera systems are shifting the Company from sample-based checks to real-time operational oversight across thousands of kitchens. This has materially raised our responsiveness to new scenarios and helped maintain consistent execution across our stores.
• Yum China upheld its “One System” principle amid accelerated franchise expansion, ensuring that every restaurant – whether company-owned or franchised – operates under the same high standards in food safety and quality. The Company’s digital platforms equip franchisee partners to meet these expectations from day one, ensuring consistency and control at scale.
• Staying close to the needs of its frontline employees is fundamental to Yum China’s “People First” philosophy, and active listening is where it starts. The senior leadership team and the CEO regularly visit restaurants across the country to hear directly from Restaurant General Managers (RGMs), while the online RGM Voice platform gathers feedback year-round to help identify issues early and address them promptly.
• Yum China piloted its RGM One-Stop Service Center to integrate support services into a single interface, with each RGM request managed end-to-end by a dedicated case manager. This “keep it simple for restaurants” approach enables RGMs to focus on better serving customers and coaching their teams.
• Yum China is advancing a low-carbon and circular future. In 2025, average electricity consumption per restaurant declined about 5% year over year. The Company’s own renewable energy use rose by 84% year over year while its suppliers’ usage increased 37%.
• To further reduce value chain emissions, the Company formed the “Yum China Value Chain Green & Low-Carbon Alliance” with over 40 key suppliers and jointly committed to emissions reductions across both energy and the broader Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) domains. To enhance transparency and accountability, the Company works with major suppliers to set emission reduction targets, and will begin tracking their progress through its digital platform in 2026.
• Yum China remains dedicated to creating lasting impact in its communities with a long-term commitment. The Company’s “One Yuan Donation” program, now in its 18th year, has cumulatively raised over RMB 280 million, provided over 60 million nutritious meals, and modernized kitchen equipment in more than 1,600 rural schools.
• In 2025, Pizza Hut launched the “Little Red Hat” youth volunteer program, encouraging young people to participate in environmental and community service activities.

“As we look ahead, our focus is clear: to grow with purpose, lead with responsibility and create long-term value across our ecosystem,” said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. “Whether it is safeguarding food safety, empowering our employees, or driving decarbonization across the value chain, we strive to strengthen the connection between sustainable development and business performance. This alignment has been and will continue to be a core competitive advantage for us. We are confident in our ability to deliver meaningful and lasting impact for our stakeholders and for society.”

Yum China continued to receive external recognition for its sustainability initiatives in 2025.

• The Company was ranked industry No.1 in S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) for the sixth consecutive year.
• The Company also attained an “AA” rating in the MSCI ESG assessment.
• The Company was named a certified Top Employer by Top Employers Institute for the eighth consecutive year, ranking first in China’s restaurant industry for the fifth year in a row.

To learn more about Yum China’s ESG efforts, please visit: https://www.yumchina.com/sustainability/en/home/Index

Read the full 2025 Sustainability Report Here

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as “expect,” “expectation,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may,” “could,” “intend,” “belief,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “predict,” “project,” “likely,” “will,” “continue,” “should,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “commit” or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.

About Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company operates over 18,000 restaurants under six brands across over 2,500 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. In addition, Yum China has partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world’s most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact:
Tel: +86 21 2407 7556
IR@YumChina.com  

Media Contact:
Tel: +86 21 2407 3824
Media@YumChina.com