A Swedish University crowned World’s Best, Asia ascends and UK Shines as US drops 

LONDON, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education experts, have released the 2026 edition of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability.

Lund University in Sweden has taken the top spot for the first time. University of Toronto drops to second place, followed by UCL up to third. 

This year, 2000+ universities are featured across 106 higher education systems.
The US is most represented (240 universities), followed by China (163), the UK (109), India (103) and France (76).

Ben Sowter, QS Senior VP, said, “The publication of the QS Sustainability Rankings arrives at a pivotal moment. With only 17% of the 169 global Sustainable Development Goals on track for delivery in 2030, the need for accelerated action on environmental and social challenges has never been clearer.“

Overview

• University of California, Berkeley (11^th ), remains top in the US. NYU joins the top-20.
• The UK has the most institutions in the top 10, top 50, and top 200.
• Canada has the world’s highest concentration of top-10 universities (7%)
• UNSW Sydney re-enters the top-10 (7^th). Four Australian universities are in the top-20.
• Université Paris-Saclay  (45^th) is the only French university among the top-50.
• Germany boasts 65 ranked universities, led by Universität Hamburg (46^th)
• Delft University of Technology (35^th) is the Dutch leader
• 58 Spanish universities are featured in this edition, led by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (83^rd)
• Seoul National University (37^th) becomes Asia’s top-performer, overtaking The University of Tokyo (48^th).
• China adds more institutions than any other system – 49 new entries—nearly double its closest competitor, India (+26). Fudan University is the highest ranked (140^th).
• IIT Delhi remains India’s best performing institution (205^th).
• National University of Singapore (69^th) and Nanyang Technological University (99^th) are tied in first for Environmental Research
• Universidade de São Paulo is the only Latin American university in the top-200 (90^th).
• South Africa boasts all four of Africa’s top-ranked universities. University of Cape Town leads (59^th)
• American University of Beirut retains highest rank in the Arab Region (176^th)

The complete rankings are available here. 

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) provides a daily pre-market update directly from the NYSE Trading Floor. Access today’s NYSE Pre-market update for market insights before trading begins. 

Ashley Mastronardi delivers the pre-market update on November 18th

• The Dow dropped over 1% and the S&P 500 nearly 1%, weighed down by a 2% decline in Nvidia as uncertainty around the AI trade grows.
• NYSE-listed Home Depot posted results this morning and NYSE-listed Target reports Wednesday. Fed minutes from October meeting release Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET, with rate-cut odds now near 45%, down from 95% a month ago.
• September non-farm payrolls due Thursday as government catches up on delayed reports. NYSE-listed Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a $4.3B stake in Alphabet, sending shares up more than 3%.

Opening Bell
MP Materials (NYSE: MP) celebrates its 5-year listing anniversary

Closing Bell
South Bow (NYSE: SOBO) celebrates their vision for growth and commitment to creating long-term value

Click here to download the NYSE TV App

Video – https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2826212/NYSE_Market_Update_Nov_18.mp4

• Supermicro offers complete, turnkey solutions based on NVIDIA-Certified Systems^™ with the latest-generation NVIDIA accelerated computing platforms, leveraging Supermicro Data Center Building Block Solutions^® (DCBBS) to accelerate time-to-online
• Full-stack solutions comprising Supermicro’s industry-leading portfolio of AI-optimized systems, NVIDIA software stack, and NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet, streamlining the process of AI development from concept to production at any scale
• Supermicro’s AI Factory solutions are based on NVIDIA Enterprise Reference Architectures with Supermicro single and multi-rack validation & testing to ensure seamless plug-and-play deployment

SAN JOSE, Calif. and ST. LOUIS, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Supercomputing Conference — Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI), a Total IT Solution Provider for AI/ML, HPC, Cloud, Storage, and 5G/Edge, is announcing new complete, turnkey solutions to simplify deployment and accelerate time-to-online for AI factories. Based on NVIDIA Enterprise Reference Architectures and NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, the new rack-scale clusters are fully integrated and validated by Supermicro, and delivered as full-stack solutions, complete with the NVIDIA software stack and NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet networking. Supermicro’s DCBBS can further facilitate the build-out of AI factories, providing everything needed to develop a new greenfield data center or to refurbish a traditional data center into an AI factory, reducing lead times and the need to juggle multiple vendors.

DCBBS sys 422GL-522GA–A22GA

“Supermicro has always led the industry in time-to-market for new GPU technologies at rack-scale, and we’re leveraging our expertise in delivering large-scale NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 and NVIDIA HGX B300-based AI infrastructure to enable the democratization of AI for enterprises in every industry,” said Charles Liang, president and CEO of Supermicro. “The AI factory is the foundation for transforming every company into an AI company, and in combination with our Data Center Building Block Solutions, Supermicro and NVIDIA are helping enterprises accelerate and streamline the deployment of AI factories for the industry’s shortest time-to-online (TTO).”

For more information on Supermicro AI Factory cluster solutions, please visit supermicro.com/aifactory

Supermicro offers complete AI factory solutions based on Supermicro NVIDIA-Certified Systems featuring NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, which have been optimized for maximum performance and efficiency in traditional environments where power, cooling, and physical space are common restricting factors when deploying AI infrastructure. Supermicro AI Factory solutions include Spectrum-X networking and are based on the NVIDIA Enterprise Reference Architectures for NVIDIA RTX PRO™ 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs and NVIDIA HGX™ B200.

Preconfigured as scalable units, Supermicro AI factory cluster solutions are available in small, medium, and large configurations, ranging from 4 nodes and 32 GPUs up to 32 nodes and 256 GPUs. The clusters are integrated and tested up to L12 (multi-rack cluster) at Supermicro’s global production sites—including in San Jose, CA—and include the NVIDIA software stack (NVIDIA AI Enterprise, NVIDIA Omniverse™, NVIDIA Run:ai), NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet networking, and fully integrated cabling for a complete solution that is plug-and-play and ready to start generating tokens from day one. Supermicro also offers storage solutions for all stages of the AI data pipeline, based on a comprehensive portfolio of storage-optimized systems. Together with leading data management ISVs, Supermicro can support the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design and enable AI workflows within the AI factory.

Supermicro is currently taking orders for AI factory cluster solutions in 4, 8, and 32-node configurations with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition or NVIDIA HGX B200 GPUs, optimized for AI and HPC workloads at any scale.

Universal AI, HPC, and visual computing clusters with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs – Based on Supermicro’s 4U and 5U PCIe GPU systems, with 8 GPUs per node in a 2-8-5-200 (CPU-GPU-NIC-Bandwidth) configuration, these cluster solutions are able to handle AI inference, enterprise HPC, and graphics & rendering workloads, enabling enterprises to leverage common infrastructure for multiple applications.

High performance AI and HPC clusters with NVIDIA HGX GPUs – Based on Supermicro’s 10U modular GPU platforms, each node includes NVIDIA HGX B200 8-GPU and supports NVIDIA NVLink^® for maximum GPU-GPU communication. These clusters are optimized for AI model fine-tuning and training, as well as HPC workloads.

About Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI) is a global leader in Application-Optimized Total IT Solutions. Founded and operating in San Jose, California, Supermicro is committed to delivering first to market innovation for Enterprise, Cloud, AI, and 5G Telco/Edge IT Infrastructure. We are a Total IT Solutions provider with server, AI, storage, IoT, switch systems, software, and support services. Supermicro’s motherboard, power, and chassis design expertise further enables our development and production, enabling next generation innovation from cloud to edge for our global customers. Our products are designed and manufactured in-house (in the US, Asia, and the Netherlands), leveraging global operations for scale and efficiency and optimized to improve TCO and reduce environmental impact (Green Computing). The award-winning portfolio of Server Building Block Solutions® allows customers to optimize for their exact workload and application by selecting from a broad family of systems built from our flexible and reusable building blocks that support a comprehensive set of form factors, processors, memory, GPUs, storage, networking, power, and cooling solutions (air-conditioned, free air cooling or liquid cooling).

Supermicro, Server Building Block Solutions, and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc.

All other brands, names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Photo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/supermicro_dcbbs_sys_422gl_522ga_a22ga.jpg
Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/supermicro_logo-1.jpg

Live All-In interview with co-host Jason Calacanis explores AI revolution

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)^® announces Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company and Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst, will join Jason Calcanis, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Co-Host of the  All-In podcast for a CES^® keynote. This live taping of the world’s most influential business podcast will explore how AI is redefining global strategy, investment, and innovation, offering real-world insights from three of the sharpest minds in business.

“This is CES at its best — a convergence of ideas, influence, and innovation,” said Kinsey Fabrizio, President, CTA. “Hosting a live taping of the All-In podcast with the leaders of McKinsey and General Catalyst, captures the excitement of this moment. AI isn’t just reshaping industries, it’s rewriting the rules of leadership, strategy, and opportunity. CES is where innovators show up and lead the AI revolution.”

• Sternfels leads McKinsey & Company, the world’s most influential management consultancy. Under his leadership, the firm has embraced AI in its client work as well as its own operations, with Lilli, McKinsey’s generative AI platform, powering new ways of working across the firm.
• Taneja leads General Catalyst, one of the world’s premier venture and transformation companies with more than $40B under management. He has backed era-defining companies such as Stripe, Samsara, Superhuman (formerly known as Grammarly), and Gusto.
• Calacanis is one of Silicon Valley’s most dynamic voices. As an early investor in companies like Uber, Robinhood, and Calm, he has a track record of spotting industry-changing innovation. As co-host of the All-In podcast, he has built a platform that shapes the tech, investing, and policy debates followed by millions of founders and executives.

“I’m excited to join Hemant and Jason at CES for a conversation about how top leaders in business, investing, and technology are navigating the AI revolution,” said Sternfels. “We’ll explore the potential of this technology to transform enterprises and discuss how leaders can seize the AI opportunity to reimagine their organizations and build AI-driven value.”

AI is redefining productivity, reshaping competition, and driving leaders to rethink how their organizations operate. This CES keynote will dive into the most urgent and provocative questions surrounding AI — from which industries are already being upended to how investors, CEOs, and global leaders can navigate what’s next.

Known for its unscripted style and sharp debates among leading investors and entrepreneurs, All-In reaches millions of listeners and shapes conversations in boardrooms and startups alike.

“I’m excited to bring the no-BS, full-contact All-In podcast format to CES this year… and hopefully for many years to come!” said Calacanis.

The keynote will cover where the smart money is going in AI right now and what is overvalued. Further underscoring the transformative power of tech, it will highlight the importance of strategic collaboration and investment in shaping the future of global industries.

“Tech isn’t just a force for disruption; it’s a catalyst for complete industry transformation,” said Taneja. “This keynote unites strategic vision, expansive influence, and investment power to help groundbreaking ideas become lasting enterprises. At CES, investors have a front-row seat to the future, connecting with founders worldwide, and making choices that will define the next era of innovation.”

Don’t miss this live taping of the All-In Interview at 2 PM PST on Tuesday, Jan. 6, in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian. Dr. Lisa Su of AMD, Joe Creed of Caterpillar, Yannick Bolloré of Havas and Vivendi, and Yuanqing Yang of Lenovo leaders will also keynote at CES 2026.  

Learn more about real-world adoption of physical AI and how it’s reshaping industries, work, and the future of automation during the conference session, Transforming Industries with Physical AI, presented by McKinsey.

Register for CES 2026 where innovators show up to shape the next great wave of innovation.

About CES^®:  
CES is the most powerful tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world’s biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2026 takes place Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas. Learn more at CES.tech and follow CES on social.

About Consumer Technology Association (CTA)^®:  
As North America’s largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world’s leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES® – the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech. Follow us @CTAtech.

Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company

Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst

Jason Calcanis, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Co-Host of theAll-In podcast

 Empowers Solace partners to lead real-time, event-driven transformation

OTTAWA, Canada, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Solace, the real-time data and agentic AI company, today announced a Partner Program that enables consulting, integration and technology partners to expand their high impact offerings, win new business, and lead the next wave of AI-driven transformation.

Agentic AI represents an unprecedented opportunity for enterprises to increase productivity, reduce costs and operate with greater agility by automating complex, multi-step processes.  Partners are challenged to deliver on these goals by modernizing technology infrastructures to enable real-time contextual information insights. IDC states that “by 2027, 80% of agentic AI use cases will require real-time, and ubiquitous data access, forcing a majority of G2000 to transform data models from a gatekeeper to a federated approach.” *

Solace’s new program helps partners accelerate their clients’ modernization journeys and growth by integrating data across systems and clouds, enabling intelligent decision-making and reducing time-to-value for digital transformation initiatives. Capitalizing on Solace’s market-leading real-time data and agentic AI platform, partners can guide customers with confidence as the market rapidly shifts toward agentic AI powered by events.

Available today, the Solace Partner Program now features:

• New incentives and benefits for partners based on referral, co-sell and customer impact
• Co-marketing investment opportunities, including joint campaigns and events, as well as enhanced visibility through partner case studies, Solace events and marketing program spotlights
• Skill building and enablement through up-to-date product courses, certifications, best practice blueprints and sandbox environments

“Collaborating with Solace has helped us deliver innovative solutions that drive meaningful transformation for our clients,” said Lee Mainman, Chief Marketing Officer at Bits in Glass, a global consulting firm with more than 20 years in the rapidly changing automation market. “The new Solace Partner Program strengthens that foundation, giving us even more tools, support, and go-to-market opportunities to lead the next wave of event-enabled, AI-driven innovation.”

Prospective partners can learn more at https://solace.com/partners/become-a-partner.

Over the past two decades, Solace has built a reputation for delivering real-time data solutions that are trusted by enterprises with the most demanding operational use cases. Today, Solace delivers real-time data orchestration across systems, clouds and AI agents for many of the top organizations spanning key industries, such as Bosch in manufacturing; Heineken in consumer goods; Schwarz Group in retail; RBC Capital Markets in financial services; and PSA Singapore in transportation & logistics.

“Leading enterprises rely on Solace partners to implement the real-time data and agentic AI solutions they need to transform the way they operate,” said Paul Fitzpatrick, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Solace. “The new Solace Partner Program is designed to help our partners not just deliver on that mission, but lead it. Agentic AI is unlocking new frontiers of efficiency intelligence and scale, and whether it’s building modern architectures, migrating legacy systems, or innovating high-performing solutions, Solace is committed to supporting our partner ecosystem’s success every step of the way.”

* Source: IDC FutureScape “Worldwide Data and Analytics 2026 Predictions”, doc # US53860225, Stewart Bond, October 2025

About Solace:

Solace helps organizations operate in real-time through the power of events. With its real-time data and agentic AI platform, Solace delivers proven, scalable, event-driven capabilities to bring together agents, applications and data across legacy, cloud, and AI systems. Established enterprises worldwide trust Solace to enable intelligent, time-sensitive experiences; modernize their application and integration landscape; and create seamless digital journeys for their customers, partners and employees. Learn more at solace.com.

Press Contacts

Europe & Americas
IBA International
Jamie Kightley
Jkightley@iba-international.com
+44 (0) 1572 757932

UK
Positive
Calum Mitchell
cmitchell@positivemarketing.com
+44 7793 160127

APAC
Rice, a FINN Partners Company
Trixie Wong
trixie.wong@finnpartners.com
+65 9757 7531

Kupcho surges to the top of the season-long standings showcasing exceptional resilience and clutch decision-making

NAPLES, Fla., Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, and the LPGA Tour today announced Jennifer Kupcho as the winner of the 2025 Aon Risk Reward Challenge, securing the title in dramatic fashion during the final event of the regular season. Kupcho delivered a remarkable late-season push — highlighted by a pivotal birdie and eagle on the par-5 14th at The ANNIKA — to overtake the field and claim the $1 million prize and Aon Trophy.

Kupcho’s victory is a defining moment in the seven-year history of the Challenge, underscoring the resilience, grit and strategy that have characterized her season. Entering the week trailing the leaders, Kupcho showcased extraordinary composure under pressure, adjusting her approach on the season’s final Challenge hole, attacking the green in two and executing with conviction. The result vaulted her to the top of the standings and cemented her position as the LPGA Tour’s most strategic decision maker of 2025.

“I’m honored to win the Aon Risk Reward Challenge and to be recognized for the strategy and decision-making that goes into every round,” said Kupcho. “It’s an incredible feeling to join the list of past champions and to know that my performance this season reflects the values this challenge celebrates.”

Known for her distance and precision, Kupcho has built a reputation as one of the Tour’s fiercest competitors. Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2019, she has captured multiple titles — including her breakthrough major at the Chevron Championship — and has continued to distinguish herself throughout the 2025 season. Her ability to make confident decisions under pressure allowed her to capitalize when it mattered most, culminating in a decisive performance at The ANNIKA.

“At Aon, we help clients make better decisions by championing strategic thinking and resilience — qualities that are at the heart of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge,” said Jennifer Bell, Executive Chair of North America at Aon. “Our partnership with the LPGA reflects our commitment to supporting excellence and growth, both in business and in the women’s game. Congratulations to Jennifer on this outstanding achievement. We’re proud to celebrate her success and to continue advancing the future of women’s golf together.”

Kupcho’s success this season was rooted in her consistent approach to risk and reward. She went for the green on Aon Risk Reward Challenge holes 68 percent of the time — the fifth-highest rate on the LPGA Tour — and converted those opportunities with a 33 percent success rate, the second-best mark on Tour. Her strategy was particularly strong on Challenge par 4s, where she led the LPGA in both go-for-green rate (58 percent) and success rate (33 percent), demonstrating her ability to take calculated risks and execute with precision. Supported by her 271.6-yard driving average (15th) and ranking of third in strokes gained off the tee on ARRC par 4s (+0.19 per hole), Kupcho routinely positioned herself for advantage. She paired that power with finesse around the green, ranking ninth in strokes gained around the green (+0.13 per hole), a combination that ultimately set the stage for the birdie-eagle finish that clinched her Challenge title.

“Jennifer’s finish at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican was everything this award is meant to celebrate. The eagle on 14 on Friday wasn’t just great golf — it was bold, smart, fearless decision-making in a big moment,” said LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler. “Jennifer has a long history of rising to the occasion, and seeing her step up with that kind of conviction to clinch the Aon Risk Reward title was truly special. We’re thrilled for her, and proud to recognize a player whose shot-making and strategy continue to elevate our game.”

Kupcho adds the Aon Risk Reward Challenge title to her growing list of accomplishments, joining past champions Carlota Ciganda, Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, Angel Yin and Jeeno Thitikul.

For more information on Aon’s golf partnerships across the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and the Ryder Cup, see here.  

About the Aon Risk Reward Challenge
In its sixth season, the Aon Risk Reward Challenge is a unique season-long competition on the LPGA Tour that highlights golf’s best strategic decision makers. The Challenge tabulates the two best scores from every participating event a player competes in. Players must compete in a minimum of 40 rounds throughout the season to qualify. 

The Challenge runs across 30 regular season tournaments with the Golf Channel as its official broadcast partner. Each week in broadcast, Aon provides insights specific to the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole.  

To view the final Aon Risk Reward Challenge leaderboard on the LPGA Tour and for more information, click here. 

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses. 

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s newsroom and sign up for news alerts here. 

About the LPGA
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose Members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Through the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, the LPGA Professionals, and a joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA provides female professionals the opportunity to pursue their dreams in the game of golf at the highest level. In addition to its professional tours and teaching accreditation programs, the LPGA features a fully integrated Foundation, which provides best-in-class programming for female golfers through its junior golf programming, and its LPGA Amateurs division, which offers its members playing and learning opportunities around the world. The LPGA aims to use its unique platform to inspire, transform and advance opportunities for girls and women, on and off the golf course. Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com and download its mobile apps on Apple or Google Play. Join the social conversation on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube. 

About the LPGA Tour 
The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts more than 32 annual events across 12 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $131million and reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. Follow the LPGA Tour on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel. 

Contacts: 
LPGA: 
Luke Otto, Communications Coordinator
Luke.otto@lpga.com

Aon:
mediainquiries@aon.com  
Toll-free (U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico): +1 833 751 8114  
International: +1 312 381 3024 

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues in over 120 countries provide our clients with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses. Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.