Bringing together 20,000 professionals from 52 countries to drive innovation, collaboration,  and sustainable water solutions

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As water security rises on national and global agendas, the  14^th edition of ASIAWATER officially opened today at the Kuala Lumpur Convention  Centre (KLCC), reinforcing its position as the region’s leading platform for water and  wastewater solutions in developing Asia.

Officiated by YAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and  Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, the event brings together  policymakers, industry leaders, utilities, and technology providers to address the region’s  most pressing water challenges.

Organised by Informa Markets Malaysia, ASIAWATER 2026 convenes the global water  community under the theme “Building Nations: Leveraging Technology-Driven Water  Services for Inclusive Growth.”

Held from 7 to 9 April 2026, the event is expected to welcome over 20,000 trade  professionals from more than 52 countries, alongside over 1,000 exhibiting brands  and companies. Spanning approximately 16,000 square metres, the exhibition  showcases end-to-end solutions across water treatment, wastewater management,  smart water technologies, and sustainable infrastructure.

In his officiating address, Fadillah underscored the urgency of water security. “Water is  the foundation upon which human civilisation is built. Reliable water supply and effective  wastewater management underpin public health, sustain industries, safeguard our  ecosystems, and enhance the resilience of our communities.”

Highlighting Malaysia’s priorities, he emphasised the need to address Non-Revenue  Water (NRW), strengthen infrastructure resilience, and advance sustainable water  management practices. Malaysia recorded a national NRW rate of 37.1% in 2023,  resulting in the loss of over 7 billion litres of treated water daily and more than RM2  billion annually, underscoring the scale of the challenge.

“Addressing NRW requires more than technical solutions alone. It calls for sustainable  financing models, effective governance, and close coordination between the Federal and  State Governments, as well as industry stakeholders,” he said.

Malaysia is working towards a revised national target of 28.8% by 2030, supported by  infrastructure upgrades, policy reforms, and enhanced implementation programmes. At  the same time, the Government continues to advance integrated river basin  management, water reuse, and circular water economy initiatives, while aligning  water transformation with the nation’s broader energy transition agenda.

In his welcome address, Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat, Chairman of Informa Markets  Malaysia, highlighted the growing complexity of water challenges. “We meet at a time  when water is no longer viewed solely as an infrastructure issue, but as a national and  strategic priority.”

He emphasised the need for coordinated, cross-sector action. “These challenges  cannot be addressed in isolation. They require coordinated action across governments,  industry, technology providers, and the research community.

Reinforcing the role of ASIAWATER, he noted that the platform continues to support  informed decision-making, accelerate the adoption of proven technologies, and  strengthen collaboration across the water ecosystem.

A defining strength of ASIAWATER 2026 lies in its comprehensive knowledge platforms,  featuring over 60 conferences, forums, and technical sessions designed to bridge  policy, innovation, and real-world implementation.

The 14^th ASIAWATER Conference convenes policymakers, utilities, and industry leaders  to address key priorities, including digital transformation, infrastructure resilience,  financing, and governance. Complementing this, the Technology Seminars deliver  practical, solution-driven insights, enabling participants to evaluate technologies based  on performance, implementation feasibility, and lifecycle value.

Specialised platforms further enhance engagement through targeted discussions,  including the Smart Water Networks Forum on digitalisation and smart monitoring  systems, the ASTRICE-IWK Seminar on wastewater management and operational  efficiency, and the Regional Water Expert Dialogue, which brings together stakeholders  for high-level regional collaboration.

The International Conference on Water and Environment for Sustainability (ICWES  2026) strengthens collaboration between academia and industry, ensuring that research  and innovation are translated into practical, real-world applications.

Fadillah emphasised the importance of such platforms in driving regional progress.  “Platforms such as ASIAWATER play an important role in positioning Malaysia as a  regional hub for water innovation, knowledge exchange, and industry collaboration.”

As Southeast Asia faces increasing pressures from climate change, urbanisation, and  rising water demand, ASIAWATER 2026 serves as a critical platform for partnership and  progress.

“By working together across governments, industries, research institutions, and  communities, we can build water systems that are more resilient, efficient, and future ready,” said Fadillah.

A key highlight of this year’s edition includes the upcoming launch of the Incubator Hub  by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), aimed at fostering innovation,  collaboration, and sustainable growth within the water and wastewater sector. 

Our industry partner, Gamuda Berhad, said: “Our priority is to strengthen water resilience for long-term economic and social progress. We provide end-to-end water solutions, spanning large-scale infrastructure and advanced treatment to distribution and urban renewal.  We enhance delivery through the Gamuda Digital Operating System (GDOS), developed in collaboration with Autodesk Construction Cloud and Building Information Modelling (BIM). By ensuring dependable, high-quality water supply, we enable socio-economic growth.

With its scale, depth, and strong alignment with national and regional priorities,  ASIAWATER 2026 continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of water  management across Asia.

ASIAWATER 2026 takes place from 7 to 9 April 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention  Centre (KLCC), Malaysia. Industry professionals are invited to be part of this leading  regional platform to explore innovations, exchange knowledge, and build strategic  partnerships shaping the future of water.

For registration, exhibition opportunities, and full event details, visit: https://www.asiawater.org/

END

Notes to Editors

About ASIAWATER Expo & Forum

ASIAWATER is Asia’s leading platform for the water and wastewater industry, serving as a  trusted marketplace and knowledge hub for developing Asia. The event brings together  policymakers, regulators, utilities, industry leaders, and solution providers to address  critical water challenges and advance sustainable, technology-driven water services.  Held biennially in Kuala Lumpur, ASIAWATER showcases the full water and wastewater  value chain, including water treatment and purification, wastewater and sludge  management, non-revenue water reduction, flood mitigation and drainage, digital water  and smart utility systems, automation, membranes, filtration, desalination, and energy efficient, low-carbon technologies. Recognised for its strong government and regulatory  engagement, high-quality conferences, and buyer-focused exhibition format,  ASIAWATER provides a neutral platform for collaboration, innovation, and business  exchange. 

About Informa Markets

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade,  innovate, and grow. Our portfolio comprises more than 450 international B2B events and brands across markets, including Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure,  Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health  & Nutrition. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to  engage, experience, and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital  content, and actionable data solutions. As the world’s leading exhibition organiser, we  bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping  them thrive 365 days a year. For more information, please visit  www.informamarkets.com.

STAMFORD, Conn., April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Harbor Point Equipment Finance (“Harbor Point”), an affiliate of AIP Capital, is an equipment finance platform specialized in providing capital to the equipment finance industry across a variety of asset types, is pleased to announce the acquisition of a seasoned loan portfolio secured by a pool of commercial transportation assets. The portfolio consisted of approximately 800 individual contracts and is valued at approximately $17 million.

“This acquisition demonstrates Harbor Point’s ability to be a flexible solutions provider for a seller of assets within a tight timeframe”, says Gary Silverhardt, CEO of Harbor Point. “We believe our strategy of acquiring seasoned assets paired with our ability to purchase portfolios across diverse asset types, credit profile and size positioned Harbor Point as a reliable counterparty” noted Josh Rothman, COO of Harbor Point.

Harbor Point is a specialty finance company providing lease and equipment financing to small and mid-cap companies with a strategy to build its organization through selective acquisitions of seasoned lease portfolios. Harbor Point is a full-service platform, with the capability to underwrite, acquire, service and manage portfolios of performing and non-performing assets.

AIP Capital (AIP) is a global alternative investment manager focused on opportunities in asset-based finance with approximately $6.25 billion of assets under management.

For further information, contact: Josh Rothman at josh.rothman@harborpointef.com or Anthony Pontonio at Anthony.pontonio@harborpointef.com

Turing Award winner Yann LeCun joins as Chief Science Advisor to the AI Alliance and Project Tapestry, a new open-source platform designed to enable globally federated development of frontier open models while preserving sovereignty, local control, and long-term independence.

NEW YORK, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today the AI Alliance, a non-profit AI research and open-source technology coalition with more than 200 member organizations, launched Project Tapestry to empower open and sovereign AI development globally. Project Tapestry will build a new open-source platform to enable distributed, globally federated training of frontier open models.

With Project Tapestry, the AI Alliance aims to create a new path for advanced AI development, one in which institutions, industries, and nations can join together to contribute to build more capable open base models, while retaining control of their data and the ability to build on the base to produce sovereign derivative models aligned to their own priorities, industries, culture, laws, and values.

Alongside Project Tapestry, the AI Alliance announced that Yann LeCun, Turing Award laureate, Chairman of AMI Labs, and one of the most influential figures in modern artificial intelligence, will join as Chief Science Advisor to the AI Alliance. In that role, LeCun will help guide the scientific direction of the AI Alliance focusing on Project Tapestry as it advances from initial architecture into technical implementation and global collaboration.

“As AI is fast becoming part of the common infrastructure, there is a need for foundation models to be open so as to enable sovereignty and cultural diversity. As a key component of our information and knowledge infrastructure, AI should not be controlled by a handful of private entities through proprietary products. Some of the most important advances in science and technology have come from open science, open-source software, and open technology platforms at a broad scale. Project Tapestry is an ambitious effort to bring that model to AI — to create the conditions for open, distributed progress on systems of real capability.” – Dr. Yann LeCun, Chairman of AMI Labs, Professor at NYU, and Chief Science Advisor to the AI Alliance

Frontier Open Models without Centralizing Data and Compute

Today, the development of the most capable AI models is increasingly concentrated within a small number of companies and regions. Open-weight models have expanded access, but core decisions about training data, model objectives, architecture, and evaluation typically remain concentrated within the institutions that originate them. At the same time, many sovereign AI model efforts face steep barriers in compute, funding, data access, and specialized talent.

Project Tapestry offers a more powerful alternative: a collaborative approach to AI model development in which participants can help build a shared open foundation without surrendering their data, strategic autonomy, or downstream control. Its long-term vision is to develop an open global model — a shared open source base foundation model that can draw on broader pools of expertise, compute, and domain knowledge than any single organization can typically assemble alone — while enabling participants to create sovereign derivative models tailored to their own societal, industrial, scientific, or mission-specific needs, and aligned to their own governance frameworks, languages, values, and priorities.

“Until now, many sovereign and sector-specific AI efforts have faced steep barriers in compute, data access, funding, and specialized talent,” said Dr. Christopher Nguyen, Chief Architect of Project Tapestry, Board Member of the AI Alliance, and CEO & Co-Founder of Aitomatic. “Project Tapestry is designed to overcome that constraint through federated collaboration. The idea is simple but powerful: build a shared global base openly, then enable each participant to extend it in ways they fully own and control.”

From Launch to Global Technical Mobilization

Over time, the Alliance expects Project Tapestry to foster a vibrant and enduring ecosystem of collaborative, sovereignty-preserving model and application development. The AI Alliance’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization will serve as the community home for Project Tapestry. It will host and support the Tapestry platform and open source technical assets including models that the AI Alliance develops with the platform. Project Tapestry will be governed by a board of representatives from major contributing organizations globally.

The AI Alliance is convening a workshop in Paris on May 7-8, bringing together technical leaders from around the world to define Project Tapestry’s architecture, roadmap and model development priorities. Additional announcements are expected over the coming months.

“The AI Alliance was founded on the principle that open innovation can produce AI that is more capable, more accountable, and more broadly beneficial,” said Dr. Anthony Annunziata, Chairman of the AI Alliance and Director of AI Open Innovation at IBM. “Project Tapestry is an ambitious step toward making that principle real in infrastructure form: a path for the world to build the most advanced and capable AI collaboratively, but without giving up sovereignty.”

Learn more: https://events.thealliance.ai/tapestry 

About the AI Alliance

The AI Alliance is a global nonprofit research and technology organization dedicated to advancing open, safe, and responsible AI through innovation, collaboration, and advocacy. Operating through both a 501(c)(3) public-benefit organization and a 501(c)(6) industry association, the Alliance brings together more than 200 collaborating organizations across 29 countries spanning industry, academia, startups, research, and government.

The Alliance supports open initiatives across AI data, models, agents, safety, and governance. Its technical projects and community collaborations provide part of the foundation on which Project Tapestry is being developed.

Yann Lecun

Project Tapestry Architecture

Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ai_alliance__logo.jpg 
Photo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ai_alliance__yann_lecun.jpg 
Photo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ai_alliance__project_tapestry_architecture.jpg

PARIS and NEW YORK and LONDON, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AMTD Group Inc. (“AMTD Group”), AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB), AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD) and The Generation Essentials Group (“TGE”, NYSE: TGE; LSE: TGE), a subsidiary of AMTD Digital Inc., are pleased to announce that Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, Chairman of AMTD Group, AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB), and The Generation Essentials Group (“TGE”, NYSE: TGE; LSE: TGE), a subsidiary of AMTD Digital Inc., has been appointed as a member of the Global Strategic Advisory Board of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)).

On March 25, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)) launched its Global Strategic Advisory Board.

The Board comprises eight distinguished leaders from higher education institutions across seven countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, and China.

Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur serves as the representative from Canada.

The Global Strategic Advisory Board is chaired by Prof. Sir Jim McDonald, Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Strathclyde.

Other members include Prof. Wei Shyy, Former President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Prof. Jacques Biot, Former President of École Polytechnique; Prof. Ningsheng Xu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Former President of Fudan University; Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, President of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; Prof. Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University; and Prof. Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland.

The Board will support HKUST(GZ) in strengthening its focus on cross-disciplinary education and cutting-edge research, while also promoting Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area as a globally influential international education hub and world-class innovation center.

During the three-day inaugural meeting, Guangzhou Mayor Zhiyang Sun met with the Board members and expressed his strong support for HKUST(GZ)’s vision to make significant contributions to the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

Dr. Hamdullahpur’s appointment underscores his global academic stature and extensive scholarly contributions, including holding several patents and publishing over 200 scientific and technical articles. It also highlights his strong track record in building global partnerships and fostering international connectivity and collaboration.

He currently serves as Chancellor of The International Business University and is a member of the International Advisory Board of King Abdulaziz University and the Strategic Advisory Board of Sorbonne University. He previously served as the Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Waterloo.

Over the course of his career, he has been widely recognized for his leadership in higher education. In 2022, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2019, he was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Palmes Académiques by the Republic of France. He was recognized as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2018 and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. Further underscoring his strong ties with China and his contributions to Sino-foreign collaboration, Dr. Hamdullahpur is also a recipient of the Friendship Award, the People’s Republic of China’s highest honor for foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country’s economic and social progress.

Under the leadership of Dr. Hamdullahpur and Dr. Timothy Tong, we established the AMTD Charity Foundation to advance education and talent development. In partnership with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, we established the AMTD FinTech Centre of PolyU Faculty of Business, the first university-industry collaborated FinTech centre in Hong Kong, and subsequently launched Asia’s first doctoral degree programme in FinTech. AMTD has also formed a long-term partnership with Xiaomi, Singapore Management University, and the National University of Singapore to establish the “Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Programme,” and collaborated with the University of Waterloo to launch the “University of Waterloo–AMTD Innovation Hub” and the “AMTD Waterloo Global Talent Postdoctoral Fellowship.” In addition, AMTD is a founding shareholder of Charterhouse School Asia, affiliated with one of the top five private schools in the UK. Across these initiatives, we remain committed to youth development and continuing education, broadening access to quality educational opportunities, and advancing positive social inclusion.

About AMTD Group

AMTD Group is a conglomerate with a core business portfolio spanning across media and entertainment, education and training, and premium assets and hospitality sectors.

About AMTD IDEA Group

AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB) represents a diversified institution and digital solutions 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, AMTD Digital and/or The Generation Essentials 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, AMTD Digital and The Generation Essentials Group with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and none of AMTD IDEA Group, AMTD Digital and The Generation Essentials Group undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

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

For AMTD Digital Inc.:
IR Office
AMTD Digital Inc.
EMAIL: ir@amtdigital.net

For The Generation Essentials Group:
IR Office
The Generation Essentials Group
EMAIL: ir@tge.media

Science-backed high-absorption health supplements for everyday nutritional support

AURORA, Colo, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Totaria, a premium American nutritional supplement brand, is introducing its full lineup of high-absorption health supplements on the occasion of World Health Day 2026 under the theme of “Together for health. Stand with science.” Backed by scientific research and advancements, Totaria’s product line is designed to support daily immunity, digestion, sleep, energy and overall wellness.

As a premium health and nutrition brand rooted in the U.S., Totaria was founded on the philosophy of integrating modern scientific principles with traditional wellness wisdom. It is dedicated to developing safe, effective, and highly absorbable nutritional solutions, strictly adhering to cGMP manufacturing standards to ensure full compliance with regulatory requirements and earn the trust of consumers worldwide.

Every Totaria product leverages advanced delivery systems and high‑quality ingredient blends to maximize bioavailability, meeting the growing global demand for science‑driven daily nutritional support. In alignment with the 2026 World Health Day theme “Together for Health, Stand with Science,” Totaria continues to advance the science of everyday nutrition, translating the latest research findings into high‑performance formulations that contribute to the holistic well‑being of people, communities, and the planet.

Whether it’s boosting immunity through seasonal shifts, supporting restful sleep, aiding digestion, or enhancing energy and emotional balance, Totaria’s full line of health supplements is designed to fit seamlessly into modern lifestyles, delivering trusted, everyday nutritional support.

“We believe that everyone should have access to quality nutrition. On this World Health Day, we reaffirm our commitment to helping people live healthier lives through thoughtfully formulated supplements,” said Dr. Vivian Reed, Clinical Nutrition Expert of Totaria.

Backed by science, Totaria’s new full-series launch features:

• 12‑in‑1 Magnesium Complex Capsules for muscle, bone, heart, and relaxation support with a unique, highly absorbable blend that contains 12 different types of magnesium to help support overall health;
• Multivitamin Gummies for Women, which are sugar- and gelatin-free, 100% natural, pectin-based, and filled with 36 key nutrients to support immunity, energy, hair, and nail health;
• Probiotic, Prebiotic & Postbiotic Capsules, acid-resistant capsules with a powerful and comprehensive formula for digestive and immune health;
• Magnesium Glycinate D3 & K2 Complex Capsules to help with stress relief, sleep support, bone strength, and energy;
• Vitamin B Complex Plus Capsules, which are gluten-free, contain 10 B vitamins and vitamins C and D3 and K2, for the nervous system, mood, and skin health.

All products are available on Amazon.com, for more information and purchase, please visit www.totaria.com and Amazon Store.

About Totaria 

Totaria, a high-end nutritional and health brand originating from the United States, has been committed to developing science-backed, high-absorption and safe nutritional supplements dedicated to providing quality daily health support for consumers worldwide.