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DeepL launches Clarify, introducing groundbreaking interactivity for superior business translations

“Clarify” brings next-level personalization to DeepL’s Language AI platform, addressing
growing demand among its 200k+ business customers

NEW YORK, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DeepL, a leading global Language AI company, today announced the launch of Clarify, a groundbreaking feature bringing interactivity to AI translations, powered by its next-generation LLM. Clarify transforms the user experience by actively engaging throughout the translation process, serving as an interactive AI companion and language expert that resolves ambiguities and provides greater control over translations. This results in a more personalized, engaging experience that yields higher quality, nuanced translations — driving seamless cross-border communication for DeepL’s rapidly expanding network of over 200,000 business customers worldwide.

“AI is increasingly becoming an essential sparring partner in our professional lives, which is what we’re introducing with Clarify – a more personalized approach to interacting with the DeepL platform throughout the translation process. Its role is similar to that of a colleague, proactively engaging with users and helping them fine-tune translations to achieve the high quality required for business communication,” said Jarek Kutylowski, CEO and Founder, DeepL. “This powerful addition brings an added layer of personalization and accuracy to the DeepL experience, so that our customers can get even greater value out of our platform. Businesses want to trust AI for the right answers, so shifting from a static, one-way experience to more of a dialogue with the technology will become the norm.”

AI investment is booming, surpassing $184 billion in 2024, with 72% of business leaders aiming to incorporate AI into their daily operations in 2025 and 92% planning to boost their AI budgets in the next three years. Focus is now moving from excitement over the possibilities of AI to whether deployments can deliver results — driving a shift away from general models towards highly specialized solutions that can be customized and personalized to meet specific business needs. A quarter of global businesses are looking to invest in AI for specialized tasks, like translation, over the coming year. Moreover, human-AI collaboration is often considered key to the successful deployment of AI in businesses, especially for applications that require deep contextual understanding, such as translation, and in high-stakes, highly regulated environments like legal and manufacturing. For example, 51% of in-house legal teams see AI as a key tool for enhancing translations, combining AI solutions with human expertise and oversight.

While DeepL’s specialized Language AI platform is already trusted for its accurate, context-aware translations — proven to require 2-3 times fewer edits than Google Translate and ChatGPT-4 to achieve the same quality — and leverages the expertise of thousands of human translators to train its models, the launch of Clarify elevates the user experience by introducing interactive human-AI collaboration for the first time. Clarify allows professionals and knowledge workers to engage more deeply throughout the translation process, ensuring their specific context and requirements are met. The feature can also identify nuances that non-native speakers may overlook or find challenging, ensuring that translations always achieve the highest levels of accuracy and clarity essential for business-critical use cases.

How Clarify works

Once text is entered into DeepL Translator, Clarify proactively seeks to clarify context, prompting users with questions on topics such as multiple meanings, gender references, names, numbers, idioms, cultural references, abbreviations, and specialized terms. After users respond, Clarify then adapts the translations to ensure proper syntax, tense, and grammar.

Clarify knows the right questions to ask because it is designed specifically for translation use-cases, powered by DeepL’s highly specialized LLMs trained by professional language experts. And in contrast to other AI tools that rely on user-driven interaction — where users type a prompt, receive a response, and iterate until achieving a desired result — Clarify can save users time by operating in a system-driven manner, intuitively identifying the necessary context and prompting users accordingly.

“This is a tremendous milestone for our company from a technological perspective and is just the beginning of many exciting innovations we have coming to the DeepL Language AI platform to enhance its interactivity,” said Sebastian Enderlein, CTO, DeepL. “Our goal is to ensure our fast-growing network of customers – which has now surpassed 200,000 businesses worldwide – are equipped with the highest quality, most secure and cutting-edge solutions to meet their evolving language and communication needs.”

The launch of Clarify coincides with a period of significant growth for DeepL, as the company has established itself as the leading Language AI solution provider for businesses worldwide. Over the last year, DeepL’s global customer network has grown significantly, now totaling over 200,000 businesses across sectors ranging from manufacturing to legal, retail, healthcare and more — including notable brands like Softbank, Mazda, Harvard Business Publishing, The Ifo Institute, Panasonic Connect and more. This success stems from the company’s market-leading innovation, which combines exceptional quality, reliability, and security in its comprehensive Language AI platform, featuring advanced written and spoken translation tools, writing solutions, and the DeepL API.

Clarify is now available for DeepL Pro users worldwide via the DeepL Translator web interface, for English and German translations – with more languages coming in the future. The feature maintains the same enterprise-grade security and compliance standards as the rest of the DeepL Pro experience. For more information and to try out DeepL Pro for your business today, visit https://www.deepl.com/en/pro.

About DeepL

DeepL is on a mission to break down language barriers for businesses everywhere. Over 200,000 businesses and governments and millions of individuals across 228 global markets trust DeepL’s Language AI platform for human-like translation in both written and spoken formats, as well as natural, improved writing. Designed with enterprise security in mind, companies around the world leverage DeepL’s AI solutions that are specifically tuned for language to transform business communications, expand markets and improve productivity. Founded in 2017 by CEO Jaroslaw (Jarek) Kutylowski, DeepL today has over 1,000 passionate employees and is supported by world-renowned investors including Benchmark, IVP and Index Ventures.

Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/deepl_logo.jpg

Visier Launches Visier AI Lab in Singapore, Expands APAC Operations

Lab opening underscores Singapore’s ascendance as innovation hub for artificial intelligence and reflects Visier’s strong regional growth

SINGAPORE, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Visier, the globally recognised leader in workforce AI solutions, today announced the launch of its Singapore-based Visier AI Lab, a strategic initiative designed to advance the company’s leadership in Workforce AI. The new lab, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), will focus on the continued development of Visier’s generative and agentic AI solutions, including Vee, Vee Boards, and the company’s recently introduced AI Agent Platform. To support this growth, Visier plans to double its workforce in its AI Lab and its APAC regional office over the next two years. Located in Asia Square, the lab is positioned at the center of Singapore’s dynamic business district, reinforcing Visier’s belief in the region’s growth potential.

Representatives from Visier, EDB and IMDA celebrate the opening of Visier's AI Lab in Singapore.
Representatives from Visier, EDB and IMDA celebrate the opening of Visier’s AI Lab in Singapore.

“As challenging labour market dynamics and macro trends compound globally, the mandate for Workforce AI continues to expand well beyond HR, reaching every corner of the C-suite and across business functions,” said Ryan Wong, co-founder and CEO of Visier. “Our deep investments in AI are driven by recognition that every company on the planet needs to fundamentally transform their workforce productivity to survive and thrive over coming decades. The Visier AI Lab in Singapore is instrumental to accelerating Visier’s already substantial AI investments.”

The news from Visier follows Singapore’s Parliamentary 2025 Budget announcement, which supports AI and skills transformation to upskill employees and boost workforce competitiveness. For example, the Enterprise Compute Initiative avails consulting services and computing resources to empower businesses with analytics and AI, driving efficiency and productivity.

“Workforce AI is the next frontier in business transformation,” said Boon Huat Lee, Chief Growth Officer for Asia Pacific at Visier. “As leaders are expected to achieve high growth rates, they are also faced with declining employee engagement, talent shortages and plateauing productivity growth. Visier provides organisations with the ability to unify people and work data to better understand their employees, the work they’re doing, enabling every organisation to improve productivity and business impact.”

All of Visier’s AI products and innovation are built upon the company’s award-winning People Data Platform, which power organisations to connect people, work and outcomes at the speed of AI.

  • Vee Generative AI Digital Assistant: First introduced in 2023, Visier’s Vee provides the most performant, secure, and intuitive way to ask and answer any people-related question in natural language. It unlocks the power of people insights and Workforce AI for everyone from HRBPs to frontline managers and executives.
  • Vee Boards: Vee Boards combine the best of generative AI and executive dashboards, delivering people data visualisations and AI-driven narratives tailored to reveal the highest priority issues to the C-suite. Vee Boards are available out-of-the-box for CFO and CHRO personas, and customers and partners can create their own for any other executive role.
  • Visier’s AI Agentic Platform: Visier’s Agentic AI Platform promises to bring a powerful new agent-based workforce AI platform to enterprise CIOs, ISVs, and SIs to create powerful and secure agentic AI solutions. By combining people data with work data in new ways, this first-of-its-kind agent-based AI platform will give technical teams the foundation to launch their own team of AI-based analytic agents.

The launch of Visier AI Lab was celebrated at an exclusive event featuring distinguished guests from Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), AI Singapore, and customers including Micron Technology. This gathering celebrated Visier’s commitment to fostering collaboration between industry leaders, government, and academia to drive innovation in Workforce AI.

Philbert Gomez, Executive Director and Head of Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) said, “EDB welcomes Visier AI Lab, which strengthens our position as an AI innovation hub for fast growing companies to create global solutions from Singapore. It reflects the capability of our ecosystem to partner with companies that conduct AI innovation. The Visier AI Lab is aligned with the National AI Strategy 2.0 to accelerate the use of AI to uncover business value, with its AI Agent Platform demonstrating how innovations help customers better utilise their people related data to create custom workforce solutions and automate tasks.”

“With the launch of Visier AI Lab, we are excited by Visier’s commitment to foster the growth of the AI ecosystem in Singapore and beyond,” said Edwin Low, Director for Enterprise, Ecosystem Development of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore. “We believe this initiative will drive innovation in workforce analytics, and position Visier at the vanguard of AI-powered solutions, empowering organisations with insights to make smarter, data-driven decisions for their people.”

For more information about Visier, visit www.visier.com.

About Visier 

Visier gives organisations a Workforce AI Edge: A set of AI-powered capabilities that help leaders understand the relationship between people and work, elevate employee productivity, and win by adapting to change faster. The company is the global leader in AI-powered people analytics, workforce planning, and compensation allocation. All Visier technology is underpinned by its Real-time People Data Platform, which uses AI to unlock the business-transforming potential of people data, work data, and the fusion of both. Founded in 2010 by the pioneers of business intelligence, Visier has over 65,000 customers in 75 countries—including enterprises like BASF, Panasonic, Experian, Amgen, eBay, Ford Motor Company, and more. Visier is an IMDA-Accredited company. To learn more about Visier, visit www.visier.com.

Media Contact:

Adrian Tan
Head of Marketing (APAC)
adrian.tan@visier.com
+65 9852 3746

Walker Sands
VisierPR@walkersands.com

 

GHIT-backed Innovation Achieves Landmark: New Treatment Option for Schistosomiasis Reaches Preschool-Aged Children

TOKYO, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund is today announcing a significant milestone: the first administration of arpraziquantel to preschool-aged children in Uganda, in an implementation science setting. This new pediatric treatment for schistosomiasis, developed by the GHIT-funded Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, is being introduced through the Consortium’s ADOPT program, which focuses on integrating arpraziquantel into existing healthcare platforms in countries where schistosomiasis is prevalent. This achievement marks GHIT’s first supported innovation to reach people in need since its establishment in 2013.

“This isn’t just a scientific achievement,” said Osamu Kunii, CEO of the GHIT Fund. “It’s a testament to the transformative power of global collaboration. By bringing together a diverse array of partners, each steadfastly contributing their unique expertise and sustaining momentum throughout a decade-long marathon of innovation to shepherd this breakthrough (from bench to bedside), arpraziquantel’s development journey has unlocked solutions that once seemed impossible.”

Schistosomiasis, or bilharzia, affects 250 million people globally, including an estimated 50 million preschool-aged children, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Left untreated, this poverty-related parasitic disease can lead to anemia, stunted growth, and impaired learning ability, as well as chronic inflammation of the organs, which can be fatal. Until now, a child-friendly treatment specifically tailored for preschool-aged children was not available, leaving millions of preschoolers at risk.

Early treatment of schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children is a crucial investment in public health and societal wellbeing. By intervening at this critical stage, we not only aim to shield young bodies from severe complications like organ damage and cognitive impairment but also alleviate the long-term burden on healthcare systems and hopefully better livelihoods.

The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium developed arpraziquantel to address this gap. Japan’s Astellas Pharma Inc., as a founding member of the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, played a pivotal role by utilizing its proprietary technology to lead arpraziquantel’s initial formulation development, resulting in water dispersible, climate-stable, child-friendly tablets with acceptable taste. The formulation was optimized by Merck in Germany; the manufacturing process served to produce clinical trial supply from Merck and Farmanguinhos in Brazil. Current manufacturing is done by Farmanguinhos; future large-scale production by Universal Corporation Ltd. in Kenya is planned in and for Africa.

“Japanese innovation is a cornerstone of arpraziquantel’s development,” Dr. Kunii added, “embodying GHIT Fund’s core mission: harnessing the power of international partnerships to revolutionize global health.”

GHIT Fund has supported arpraziquantel’s development journey throughout the overall development program spanning over 10 years. GHIT has and continues to support the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium in developing their access plans, with a particular focus on exploring new and sustainable access mechanisms. GHIT is also co-funding, with EDCTP, implementation via the Consortium’s ADOPT Program, which is assessing different implementation platforms in three countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda and Kenya. In addition, GHIT is coordinating, together with the consortium, in-country readiness preparations for introduction of arpraziquantel in additional countries such as Senegal and Tanzania.

“Understanding what needs to be in place at country level in terms of policy framework, regulatory framework, implementation models and domestic resource mobilization is critical to the successful uptake and roll out of arpraziquantel. We hope the lessons learnt from these countries will inform other countries,” said Dr Isaac Chikwanha, Senior Director of Access at the GHIT Fund.

Arpraziquantel received European Medicines Agency’s positive scientific opinion in December 2023 and was included into the World Health Organization (WHO)’s List of Prequalified Medicines in May 2024. Inclusion in the WHO’s Essential Medicines List is expected in 2025.

1. About schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide and a very important one in terms of public health burden and economic impact. It is a poverty-related disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions where large sections of the population have no access to clean water. Flatworms transmit the disease and people become infected with the parasite through contact with freshwater, for example, while working, swimming, fishing, or washing their clothes. The minuscule larvae penetrate human skin, enter the blood vessels, and attack internal organs. The infection rate is particularly high among children. Schistosomiasis is a chronic condition and is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schistosomiasis

2. About arpraziquantel
The current standard of care treatment for schistosomiasis is praziquantel. Praziquantel is already approved, and suitable for school-aged children and adults. Extending the range of options for the treatment of schistosomiasis, arpraziquantel is tailored for preschool-aged children against Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium. Tested in clinical development, under the responsibility of Merck, arpraziquantel is a 150mg dispersible tablet. The prototype of its pediatric formulation was developed by Astellas Pharma Inc. in Japan, and further optimized by Merck in Germany. 

In developing arpraziquantel, the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium established a pediatric drug development program, divided into four major steps: preclinical development, clinical development, registration, and access. All details can be found on the Consortium website.

3. About the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium
The Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium is an international public-private partnership that aims to reduce the global disease burden of schistosomiasis and improve child health by addressing the medical needs of preschool-aged children. Its mission has been to develop, register, and provide access to a suitable pediatric drug for treating schistosomiasis in children 3 months to 6 years of age. For more information, and to see an overview of all Consortium partners, visit the Consortium website:
www.pediatricpraziquantelconsortium.org

The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership (PPP) fund that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases.
https://www.ghitfund.org/en

For more information, contact:
Katy Lenard at +1-301-280-5719 or klenard@burness.com
Eriko Mugitani at +81-36441-2032 or eriko.mugitani@ghitfund.org

Synpulse appoints Nick Wilde as Senior Advisor to Strengthen Expertise in Retail & SME Banking offerings

SINGAPORE, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Synpulse, a global professional services provider to major banking and financial institutions, is proud to announce the appointment of Nick Wilde as Senior Advisor. Nick’s expertise will help drive Synpulse’s continued progress in the ANZ region, particularly as the Synpulse enhances its focus on platform migration projects and the development of innovative propositions for retail banks and non-banks across all tiers.

Synpulse Appoints Nick Wilde
Synpulse Appoints Nick Wilde

Nick brings with him an impressive career in digital banking, fintech, and operational excellence. His unique ability to shape both business and technology propositions makes him a valuable addition as Synpulse continues its push to create transformative solutions for the banking sector. His leadership and experience in core banking modernisation will be integral to shaping the future of retail banking in the ANZ region.

Nick’s career highlights include:

  • Managing Director at Thought Machine: Nick was responsible for building Thought Machine’s brand and scaling its deployment in Asia Pacific from the company’s regional headquarters in Singapore. He was instrumental in the growth of Thought Machine Vault Core, securing over 20 clients across 10 APAC countries and expanding Thought Machine’s presence in the region.
  • Managing Director at Fiserv and Carreker: Led the establishment of Fiserv’s integrated Asia Pacific business, growing the business profitably to over USD$100m. His leadership in scaling the business played a key role in positioning Fiserv as a leader in banking technology solutions across the region, including building a banking advisory business in ANZ for Carreker.
  • Head of Fraud & ID at Experian: Spearheaded AI-driven fraud prevention solutions in over 37 countries

With over 20 years of experience in senior sales and business development roles within the banking software technology enterprises across Asia Pacific, Nick brings a wealth of international expertise in scaling and transforming banking technology.

Yves Roesti, Chief Executive Officer, Synpulse Group, said “With over two decades of experience in senior sales and business development roles across the banking software technology sector in Asia Pacific, Nick brings a wealth of international expertise in scaling and transforming banking technology. We are thrilled to welcome him as a Senior Advisor at Synpulse.”

Nick Wilde’s remarkable leadership and innovative contributions to the financial services sector in the ANZ region make him an exceptional addition to Synpulse,” said Rahul Bansal, Partner and Global Head of Retail and SME Banking, Synpulse. “His deep understanding of local markets, combined with his global expertise in neo-banking, will be instrumental in shaping transformative platform solutions that drive growth and operational excellence for both retail banks and non-banks in an increasingly digital and competitive landscape.”

“I am excited to join Synpulse and bring my passion for innovation and transformation to the ANZ market,” said Nick Wilde, Senior Advisor, Synpulse. “This region holds immense potential for financial services growth, and I look forward to working with Synpulse to create meaningful solutions that address the unique challenges and opportunities in this market.”

Building on Synpulse Australia’s recent success in retail banking migrations, Nick will collaborate with Synpulse to shape groundbreaking platform propositions for retail banks and non-banks across all tiers. His wealth of experience in neo-banking and fintech innovation uniquely positions him to deliver transformative strategies for financial institutions seeking to stay ahead in a competitive and evolving market.

About Synpulse 

Synpulse is a global professional services company and a valued partner of leading players in the financial services and related industries. We optimise the proximity to our clients and deep domain expertise to create sustainable value using technology as a business driver. Leveraging our strong network of over 100 ecosystem partners, we accompany our clients throughout their transformation journey – from strategy and development to implementation and management. With our tech powerhouse, Synpulse8, we collaborate with our clients to co-create digital experiences with innovative technologies and proprietary methods. Synpulse is powered by the passion and commitment of its more than 1000 employees from 21 offices who come from over 30 countries.

Further information www.synpulse.com

 

SK Telecom Signs MoU with Giga Computing and SK Enmove on Liquid Cooling Technology

BARCELONA, Spain, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Giga Computing, a leader in liquid cooling technology, and SK Enmove to jointly develop next-generation cooling solutions.

Under this MoU, the three companies will collaborate on extensive research and development (R&D) efforts, including validating technologies to optimize liquid cooling performance and developing artificial intelligence data center (AIDC) solutions.

Giga Computing will contribute its expertise in liquid cooling solutions, while SK Enmove will supply high-quality cooling fluids, leveraging its technological capabilities and competitiveness in the high-quality lubricants market.

The cooperation will focus on optimizing and validating all three liquid cooling methods commonly used in data centers — Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC), Immersion Liquid Cooling (ILC) and Precision Liquid Cooling (PLC). Additionally, the companies will develop a liquid cooling package solution by conducting operational verification, which houses GPU and NPU servers.

Through this global partnership, SK Telecom aims to enhance its capabilities in designing and operating next-generation cooling technologies that minimize power consumption and heat generation — key factors in AIDC operations. Furthermore, the company plans to leverage its advancements in cooling technology to strengthen the AIDC competitiveness of the SK Group as a whole.

“Our partnership will accelerate the development of liquid cooling solutions, a key next-generation technology for AIDCs,” said Yang Seung-hyun, Head of AI R&D Center at SK Telecom. “SK Telecom is committed to becoming a global leader in AIDC operations with unique capabilities through collaboration with global leading companies.”

“As a market leader in cooling fluids, SK Enmove will leverage this collaboration to drive the growth of the liquid cooling market with optimized cooling fluids that can maximize data center energy efficiency and further solidify our position as a leader in energy efficiency,” said Kim Dae-jung, Head of the Green Business Unit at SK Enmove.

“As AI and high-performance computing continue to advance, liquid cooling has become a critical technology for building sustainable data centers,” said Daniel Hou, General Manager of Giga Computing. “Through our collaboration with SK Telecom and SK Enmove, Giga Computing will leverage its expertise in liquid cooling solutions to drive energy efficiency and innovation in data center infrastructure. We look forward to jointly developing next-generation cooling technologies that enable more efficient and environmentally sustainable AIDC operations.”

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom has been leading the growth of the mobile industry since 1984. Now, it is taking customer experience to new heights by extending beyond connectivity. By placing AI at the core of its business, SK Telecom is rapidly transforming into an AI company with a strong global presence. It is focusing on driving innovations in areas of AI Infrastructure, AI Transformation (AIX) and AI Service to deliver greater value for industry, society, and life.

For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.

FANATICS AND COMPLEX PRESENT TAKASHI MURAKAMI x MLB LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION FOR 2025 MLB TOKYO SERIES WITH TOKYO POP-UP EVENT

The Collection Marks Murakami’s Most Extensive Partnership with MLB and Highlights the Los Angeles
Dodgers and Chicago Cubs

Collection Goes On Sale March 7, with Tokyo Event March 8 – 21

Images Available HERE

LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In celebration of the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series taking place March 18-19 at the Tokyo Dome between the Chicago Cubs and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Fanatics and Complex are unveiling the Takashi Murakami x MLB Tokyo Series collection.

COMPLEX PRESENTS TAKASHI MURAKAMI x MLB LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION FOR 2025 MLB TOKYO SERIES
COMPLEX PRESENTS TAKASHI MURAKAMI x MLB LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION FOR 2025 MLB TOKYO SERIES

The exclusive partnership highlights the collaboration between the renowned Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and Major League Baseball (MLB), bringing together two cultural icons to celebrate two of the league’s most storied teams for a limited-edition collection of collectibles and merchandise. The collection celebrates the deep cultural connection between America’s favorite pastime and its influence in Japan. Featuring Murakami’s iconic vibrant colors and playful motifs, the exclusive series brings a fresh, artistic perspective to MLB merchandise and memorabilia, making it a must-have for baseball fans, art enthusiasts and collectors.

The collection goes on sale March 8 at 2:00 AM JST online on the Fanatics app, Complex.com, and MLBShop.JP and will be available at the Fanatics and Complex Tokyo pop-up event March 8-21 and the MLB SHOP at Tokyo Dome Mar 14-19. The collection will also be on display at the MLB SHOP at Miyashita Park from Mar 6-23.

Complex Tokyo Pop-Up Event

An exclusive pop-up event will be held in Tokyo at 1 Chome-20-6 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001 from Saturday, March 8 – Friday, Mar 21 beginning at 11:00 AM JST. The event will showcase the limited-edition merchandise, Murakami-inspired installations, and historical MLB vignettes, offering fans a chance to engage with both the collection and Murakami’s visionary artwork.

Reservations are required and can be made at: https://t.livepocket.jp/t/l92b6.

Important Notes for Tokyo pop-up entry:

  • All visitors must reserve a 30-minute time slot on https://t.livepocket.jp/t/l92b6 before arrival. Only visitors with confirmed reservations will be allowed entry with line up for entry beginning on March 8 at 10:50 AM JST.
  • Entry Restriction Period: March 8, 2025March 21, 2025
  • Limit: One entry per person per day during the restriction period. Customers will be limited to three items total per visit.
  • Limited Stock: Items will sell out once stock runs out.
  • Sales Methods May Change: Adjustments may be made based on demand and logistics, please check website and social for updates.
  • For real-time updates, please follow @universal_music_store_harajuku
  • Visit the official website https://t.livepocket.jp/t/l92b6 for more information.

Takashi Murakami x MLB Tokyo Series Collection

The Fanatics and Complex collaboration brings together two of MLB’s most iconic teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, infusing Murakami’s signature style across an array of exclusive products from global sports platform Fanatics, including Nike MLB t-shirts and hoodies, alongside signature pieces – official Nike Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs MLB Limited jerseys. The Fanatics apparel collection, which will incorporate Murakami’s iconic floral artwork, will also be available on individual player Nike MLB Limited jerseys for Dodgers players Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and Cubs players Shota Imanaga, Seiya Suzuki, and Dansby Swanson. Fanatics Collectibles – which owns the brand Topps – will also be a part of this partnership, with a trading card set featuring Murakami’s artwork.  The chase card in that limited-offering set: a one-of-one dual-autograph card of Murakami and Ohtani, sure to be one of the most desirable and rare cards of all time.

In addition to wearable merchandise, the collection will also include New Era 59FIFTYs, knits and adjustable caps, Rawlings® baseballs, Victus bats, totes, keychains and more.

As part of the collaboration, Murakami’s Ohana Hatake, a first-of-its-kind brand led by the legendary artist, will introduce two brand new, limited-edition slides. The new release embodies Murakami’s iconic flower motif and showcases the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers logos on the inventive Surippa Ohana silhouette.

For more information on the Takashi Murakami x MLB Tokyo Series collection, please visit: the Fanatics App, Complex.com and follow MLB, Complex and Fanatics.

ABOUT FANATICS
Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet.

Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform.

Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

For additional information please visit www.fanaticsinc.com

ABOUT COMPLEX
Complex is the definitive platform for global youth culture and music lifestyle, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge content, commerce and live experiences with unparalleled scale.

Whether through video, long-form text, or social media, Complex tells stories of streetwear and style, music, sports, art and beyond. Its content engages in a dynamic conversation with the audience, reflecting and shaping the zeitgeist of convergence culture.

A powerful media juggernaut paired with a curated marketplace, Complex is redefining the way fans interact with their favorite brands and artists and reshaping the future of digital culture and commerce. Complex’s strategic partnership with Universal Music Group will deliver unparalleled experiences and exclusive collaborations to passionate music fans.

ABOUT TAKASHI MURAKAMI
The originator and proponent of Superflat theory, which reconstructs Japanese traditional paintings and the origin of Japanese contemporary art through visual premises of anime and manga. Murakami has created numerous characters including Miss Ko2 and Mr. DOB that reflect the otaku culture and presents them in the forms of intentionally kitsch sculptures and acutely two-dimensional paintings antithetical to the Western perspective techniques. Murakami’s cultural theory based on subcultures not only deconstructs the highbrow/lowbrow hierarchy but critically illustrates the post-World War II Japanese psychology, establishing a discourse unique to Japan in the increasingly globalizing art scene. The artist continues to attract a wide-ranging audience beyond contemporary art through his multifaceted activities including his collaboration with Louis Vuitton and focuses on street culture and contemporary ceramics. The final installment of his Superflat trilogy of curated exhibitions, Little Boy: The Arts of Japan’s Exploding Subculture (New York, 2005), was awarded The Best Thematic Museum Show in New York by AICA that year. His first retrospective, ©MURAKAMI (2007 – 2009) toured four cities in North America and Europe, starting with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. He has since been holding major solo exhibitions around the world, including at the Palace of Versailles (2010), Al RiwaqExhibition Hall (Doha, 2012), the Mori Art Museum (Tokyo, 2015), the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art (Moscow, 2017), Tai Kwun Contemporary (Hong Kong, 2019), The Broad (Los Angeles, 2022), Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (San Francisco, 2023), and Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (Kyoto, 2024).

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB has achieved back-to-back attendance gains for the first time in 12 years with an overall increase of +11% and 80% of Clubs welcoming more fans over the last two seasons following extensive rule changes that have improved the quality of play on the field. With the 2024 season featuring the best time of game in 40 years and the most stolen bases in 109 years, MLB viewership increased across all its national media partners, grew international viewership by +18%, set another record for MLB.TV streaming with more than 14 billion minutes watched and earned League of the Year honors from Sports Business Journal and the CLIOS.  As the league increased its marketing efforts and promotion of star players like 2024 NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and 2024 AL MVP Aaron Judge, MLB has significantly increased its younger fan base as evidenced through viewership, social media, ticket purchasing, and participation metrics.  Through its MLB Together social responsibility efforts, MLB remains committed to making a positive impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world.  With the continued success of MLB Network, MLB digital platforms and local media production and distribution, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. To learn more about MLB, please visit www.mlb.com.

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Baidu Announces Proposed Offering of CNY-denominated Senior Notes

BEIJING, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU and HKEX: 9888 (HKD Counter) and 89888 (RMB Counter)), (“Baidu” or the “Company”), a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, today announced that it proposes to offer CNY-denominated senior unsecured notes (the “Notes”) in offshore transactions outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), subject to market conditions and other factors (the “Notes Offering”). The principal amount, interest rates, maturity dates and other terms of the Notes will be determined at the time of pricing of the Notes Offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Notes Offering for general corporate purposes, including repayment of certain existing indebtedness, payment of interest and general corporate purposes.

The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. They may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefits of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

This announcement shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities, in the United States or elsewhere, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any offering of securities will be made by means of one or more offering documents, which will contain detailed material information about the Company and its operational and financial performance.

This announcement contains information about the pending Notes Offering, and there can be no assurance that the Notes Offering will be completed.

About Baidu

Founded in 2000, Baidu’s mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu is a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, trading on Nasdaq under “BIDU” and HKEX under “9888”. One Baidu ADS represents eight Class A ordinary shares.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under 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,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Baidu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Baidu’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Baidu’s growth strategies; its future business development, including development of new products and services; its ability to attract and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese Internet search and newsfeed market; competition for online marketing customers; changes in the Company’s revenues and certain cost or expense items as a percentage of its revenues; the outcome of ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of the Chinese-language Internet search and newsfeed market and the number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Internet and Internet search providers, and general economic conditions in China and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Baidu does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. Announces Share Combination

BEIJING, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: RETO) (“ReTo” or the “Company“), a manufacturer of equipment for production of eco-friendly materials in China, today announced that on February 11, 2025, its board of directors approved a combination of its Class A shares on a ten-to-one basis (the “Share Combination“). The Company’s Class A shares will begin trading on a post combination basis on March 7, 2025.

As a result of the Share Combination, each ten (10) pre-combination Class A shares of the Company will be automatically combined into one (1) Class A share without any action on the part of the holders, with par value of the Class A shares of the Company being changed from $0.1 per share to $1.0 per share, and the Company’s issued and outstanding Class A shares will be reduced from 19,352,636 to approximately 1,935,264. The Company’s Class A shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq“) under the symbol “RETO” under a new CUSIP number – G75271307. The Share Combination is intended to increase the market price per share of the Company’s Class A shares to allow the Company to maintain its Nasdaq listing.

No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the Share Combination. Shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to a fractional share because they hold a number of Class A shares not evenly divisible by ten will automatically be entitled to receive an additional share of the Company’s Class A shares.

The Share Combination will not be submitted to a vote of the Company’s shareholders as a vote is not required under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

The Company’s transfer agent, VStock Transfer, LLC, will act as the exchange agent. Adjustments made to Class A shares represented by physical stock certificates can be made upon surrender of the certificate to the transfer agent. Please contact VStock Transfer, LLC for further information at (212) 828-8436.

About ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 1999, ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc., through its operating subsidiaries in China, is engaged in the research and development, manufacture and sales of ecological environment protection equipment and intelligent equipment. The Company provides consultation, design, implementation and installation of its equipment and related parts, as well as engineering support and technical advice and services. For more information, please visit: http://en.retoeco.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. The Company’s actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties. For example, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to regain compliance and maintain its listing on Nasdaq. The reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission discuss these and other import factors and risks that may affect the Company’s business, results of operations and financial conditions. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

For more information, please contact:

ReTo Eco-Solutions, Inc.
Tel: +86-010-64827328
Email: ir@retoeco.com or 310@reit.cc