HONG KONG, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The YK Pao Education Foundation, established to continue the philanthropic legacy of the esteemed shipping magnate and philanthropist Sir YK Pao, proudly announces the planned launch of its new international school in Hong Kong.*

This initiative builds on the success of its inaugural bilingual school, established in Shanghai in 2007. The new not-for-profit school aims to serve both non-local and local families with children aged 6 to 15, fostering global perspectives through a rich bicultural education.

Situated at 4 Rose Street, Kowloon Tong, a well-regarded educational hub in Hong Kong, the school will encompass more than 8,000 square meters of state-of-the-art facilities and green spaces, after the extensive rebuilding of a school site awarded to the Foundation by the Hong Kong SAR Education Bureau.* This includes the development of a new teaching and learning building, anticipated to be completed in 2028.

Cultivating Bicultural Thinkers for a Global Outlook

YK Pao School is known for its one-of-a-kind Putonghua-English immersive bilingual programme and whole person educational approach. The school in Shanghai has consistently been recognised as the number one bilingual school in the past six consecutive years by both the Hurun Report and Forbes China. The school’s international pathway, coupled with rigorous academic standards in both Putonghua and English, has led to a 100% bilingual International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) achievement rate. Graduating students have successfully gained admission to top universities, including Ivy League universities, Oxford, Cambridge, Caltech, and other top 30 universities worldwide.

“As we launch our new school in Hong Kong, we are excited to bring our proven educational model to nurture the next generations of pioneers. We believe that education transcends knowledge acquisition; it is about nurturing well-rounded individuals who are equipped with skills in problem solving and communication. Our innovative bilingual program aims to not only foster bicultural understanding but also inspires creativity, joy of learning, and a lifelong purposeful living,” said Anna Pao Sohmen, Founder of the YK Pao Education Foundation.

Upholding the ethos of “Learning with Joy, Living with Purpose” the school is committed to cultivating a vibrant learning community that promotes academic excellence, Chinese cultural fluency and emotional well-being. The school’s curriculum is designed to foster curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and reflection ability in young learners. YK Pao School Hong Kong is in the process of becoming an IB candidate school and plan to offer primary year program with enhanced courses in Putonghua and Mathematics.** Students will be offered the opportunity to continue their senior years at YK Pao School Shanghai’s  Boarding programme as well as other pathways to further studies in Hong Kong and overseas.

In Response to the Rising Demand for Quality Bilingual Education, YK Pao School Hong Kong is Poised to Welcome Its First Cohort in 2026*

To address the increasing demand for high-quality bilingual education, YK Pao School Hong Kong will welcome the first cohort of new students at its Kowloon East campus* , with plan to grow into Rose Street campus. Starting in September 2026, YK Pao School Hong Kong will initially offer classes for Years 1 to 3, delivering a comprehensive bilingual educational programme designed to establish a robust foundation for the young learners.*

“As we witness a remarkable surge in the demand for high-quality bilingual education, we are committed to taking this important step in Hong Kong. Our immersive bilingual programme is designed to benefit children at a formative age, equipping them with essential linguistic skills and cultural awareness to grow along the academic journeys,” said Philip Pao Sohmen, Co-Founder of the YK Pao Education Foundation.

Further details regarding the new school will be made available on the YK Pao School Hong Kong website.

The first information session is scheduled for 24 October, 2025 (Friday) at Conrad Hotel Hong Kong in Admiralty. Interested families are encouraged to register at https://forms.office.com/r/QibuVZEtBd. The Foundation eagerly anticipates to welcome students and families into the vibrant community of YK Pao School Hong Kong.

* Subject to HKSAR Education Bureau Approval and Registration
** Subject to the Approval from International Baccalaureate Organization and HKSAR Education Bureau

Website: www.ykpaoschool.hk

LONDON, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Corero Network Security (AIM: CNS) (OTCQX: DDOSF), a recognized leader in DDoS protection and champion of adaptive, real-time service availability, today announced that XLC has selected Corero to deploy on-premises DDoS protection across five new Asia-Pacific sites, reinforcing its commitment to uninterrupted service and resilient infrastructure for its high-demand customers.

XLC, known for its enterprise-grade network infrastructure and hosting solutions, supports mission-critical workloads across fintech, gaming, and media streaming. The company required a resilient, low-latency mitigation solution to complement existing clean-pipe protections and enhance visibility and responsiveness to evolving threats.

Carl Herberger, CEO at Corero Network Security, said, “We’re proud to support XLC’s growth in APAC. Eric Lo and his team are building something exceptional, and we’re honored to help protect the resilience and availability that power their customers’ businesses. This partnership reflects the strength of our long-term relationship and our shared drive for operational excellence.”

Corero’s ability to ensure real-time availability with minimal disruption was key to the selection. As a trusted long-term partner, Corero has consistently delivered proven performance and reliable support. This reinforced XLC’s confidence in the solution and highlighted the strategic value Corero brings to providers in high-growth digital markets.

“Partnering with Corero was one of the most critical decisions we’ve made for our cybersecurity posture,” said Eric Lo, CEO at XLC. “The solution has proven its worth continuously, allowing us to mitigate DDoS attacks seamlessly and with minimal intervention. Their outstanding support gives us immense confidence and truly allows us to operate with greater peace of mind.”

The deployment supports XLC’s expansion across APAC and reflects growing demand among infrastructure providers for integrated, real-time DDoS protection that safeguards customer experience and business continuity.

About Corero Network Security 

Corero Network Security is a leading provider of DDoS protection solutions, specializing in automatic detection and protection solutions with network visibility, analytics and reporting tools. Corero’s technology protects against external and internal DDoS threats in complex edge and subscriber environments, ensuring internet service availability. With operational centers in Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA, and Edinburgh, UK, Corero is headquartered in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market (ticker: CNS) and the US OTCQX Market (OTCQX: DDOSF). 

About XLC

XLC is a premium provider of enterprise-grade network infrastructure and hosting solutions with a focus on performance, reliability, and global reach, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region. Its strategically located data centers and compliance-ready infrastructure support mission-critical workloads in sectors such as fintech, gaming, and media streaming.

Firm opens offices in Tokyo and Osaka as demand grows for differentiated consulting services 

TOKYO and OSAKA, Japan, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Leading global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (“A&M”) announces its formal footprint in Japan with new offices in Tokyo and Osaka and the hiring of 14 professionals, including six Managing Directors and eight supporting staff, all hailing from the market’s largest competitor firms. A&M’s expansion into Japan (“A&M Japan”) underpins the firm’s continued build of service points in Asia’s financial hubs and reflects the growing need and resulting opportunity for challenger consultancies to offer diversified services in the Japanese market.

Building on its over 40-year heritage of premier operational, restructuring and advisory services, A&M Japan opens with M&A transaction professionals who bring deep local and cross-border expertise in financial, accounting, tax and corporate finance in Japan. This team serves as the foundation of A&M Japan and will be expanded upon with additional professionals to address the needs of the restructuring and operational performance improvement markets.

Joining A&M Japan in its opening stage is Daisaku Nonaka, Managing Director and Japan Leader for A&M’s Global Transaction Advisory Group (“Global TAG”), based in Tokyo. Most recently a Partner with Deloitte Japan and head of its private equity unit, Mr. Nonaka brings two decades of transaction-related experience advising private equity and strategic buyers in the Japanese market. Mr. Nonaka will spearhead Global TAG’s service line expansion in the country and A&M Japan’s collaboration in cross-border transactions across the firm’s Asia-Pacific region and other primed markets. Serving alongside Mr. Nonaka in Tokyo is Managing Director Teppei Matsuda, also previously a Partner of Deloitte Japan, with additional support staff based in Tokyo and Osaka who join A&M from former roles with Deloitte Japan and PwC Japan, respectively.

As the Japanese business corridor evolves and expands for both locally based multinationals and global companies, the need for tax advisory continues to rise. To help meet this demand, joining to lead A&M’s Tax practice in-country is Managing Director Ichiro Suto, formerly a Partner with EY Japan and recognized luminary in the field with 30+ years’ experience in international tax advisory with specialty in financial services. Based in Tokyo, Mr. Suto will lead a team of local tax experts, joining a growing network of A&M tax professionals across the Asia-Pacific region. The in-country build will be further supported by fellow Managing Director Yoshiaki Uno, also formerly of EY Japan, and Managing Director Koichi Hattori, a former Partner with Deloitte Japan, who will also serve as Head of Transaction Tax Services for A&M Japan.

Finally, in unison, market leader Takeshi Kon joins A&M Japan as Managing Director of its Corporate Finance practice; previously of Deloitte Japan, Mr. Kon is a 25-year veteran of Nomura Securities, with additional prior roles held at EY Japan and IR Japan.

Collectively, this founding group will extend A&M’s global business model and integrated platform to the Japanese market, with concentration on the firm’s service priorities of providing leadership, action and results for clients.

Bryan Marsal, Co-founder and Co-CEO of A&M, remarked on the significance of the entry: “The business landscape in Japan is seeing increased activity in restructuring, divestitures and cross-border M&A transactions – which demands a different type of consultancy, one that bridges global reach with hyper-local expertise and offers nuanced, value-driven solutions. A&M embodies that difference. Our entry in Japan is not simply a milestone for our firm – it signifies a shift in the market that presents a clear opportunity for challenger consultancies to offer a differentiated service. Since the beginning of A&M, we’ve followed client demand into markets where our experience can make a difference. As one of the world’s largest economies, Japan is the natural next hub within A&M’s operational build in Asia, bridging our globally integrated platform with leading local market expertise and freedom from audit conflicts to bring a diversified, results-driven approach to clients in Japan.”

Paul Aversano, Managing Director and Global Practice Leader of Global TAG, who provides oversight of A&M’s operations in Japan, stated: “With the recalibration happening in the Japanese consulting industry – the shift has crystalized the opportunity for a challenger, differentiated model like A&M’s to formalize a presence in this market and better meet client needs – both for Japanese multinationals seeking top local expertise with the backing of the A&M global network, as well as global enterprises that are active in the market. The founding team we’ve both sought-out and attracted to start A&M Japan is exemplary of our core talent investment strategy: selecting the top local market leaders with track-records of client-centric service of the highest quality, who share our entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to value creation. With this leading team – backed from day-one by our globally integrated network – we are positioned as the most formidable challenger consultancy in the Japanese market.”

Daisaku Nonaka, added: “A&M’s global network of experts fortifies our ambition to build a strong, sustainable business that reflects international best practices and Japanese market expertise. With extensive industry knowledge across multiple sectors, a legacy of operational excellence, and senior-led client engagement teams – we ensure the delivery of customized solutions that generate value. By embedding A&M’s global culture while building local depth, we aim to become the trusted advisor of choice for Japanese corporates, private equity and multinationals.”

About Alvarez & Marsal

Founded in 1983, Alvarez & Marsal is a leading global professional services firm. Renowned for its leadership, action and results, Alvarez & Marsal provides advisory, business performance improvement and turnaround management services, delivering practical solutions to address clients’ unique challenges. With a world-wide network of experienced operators, world-class consultants, former regulators and industry authorities, Alvarez & Marsal helps corporates, boards, private equity firms, law firms and government agencies drive transformation, mitigate risk and unlock value at every stage of growth.

To learn more, visit: AlvarezandMarsal.com.

Agora integrates its Conversational AI Engine with Exotel’s AgentStream across PSTN and IP Channels to enable plug-and-play AI voice bots.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Agora, Inc. (NASDAQ: API), a global leader in real-time engagement and conversational AI technology, is building on Exotel’s programmable voice streaming platform to deliver intelligent AI voice bot experiences at scale. Exotel, a leading provider of AI transformation for customer engagement and experience, powers the streaming infrastructure that enables Agora’s Conversational AI Engine to deploy seamless, human-like conversations across multiple voice and digital channels — without the complexity of managing telephony or connectivity layers.

Exotel AgentStream is a real-time voice streaming platform that connects AI bots to users across PSTN, WhatsApp, in-app, and WebRTC channels. Combined with Agora’s Conversational AI Engine, the solution empowers enterprises to deliver natural, real-time conversations at scale.

Trusted by more than 7,000 enterprises worldwide across industries such as BFSI, Logistics, Consumer Durables, E-commerce, Healthcare, and Education, Exotel handles over 25 billion annual conversations. With this collaboration, enterprises in India and the Middle East can leverage a reliable, secure, and intelligent voice AI infrastructure designed to boost customer satisfaction, streamline operations, and accelerate digital transformation.

Together, Agora and Exotel are targeting 50–100 million AI-led voice interactions annually across India and the Middle East, enabling enterprises to automate 30–40% of routine voice queries and reduce operational costs by up to 30%. These projections are informed by regional conversational-AI market growth and early enterprise pilot data, which show that voice automation can significantly lower handling times while improving customer experience.

“Enterprises today are seeking scalable and intelligent AI solutions that can deliver human-like customer experiences in real time. Our partnership with Exotel combines the strengths of Agora’s Conversational AI Engine with Exotel’s robust programmable voice infrastructure, making it easier for enterprises to deploy AI agents that enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency,” said Tony Zhao, CEO and Co-founder of Agora.

“Exotel’s programmable streaming infrastructure allows technology providers like Agora to focus on intelligence and experience, while we power the connectivity behind it,” said Sachin Bhatia, Co-founder and COO, Exotel. “This integration showcases how global AI players can build on Exotel AgentStream to bring reliable, high-quality voice interactions to market.”

This deployment marks a key milestone in advancing enterprise-ready voice AI adoption in high-growth markets like India and the Middle East, empowering organizations to unlock new levels of automation, personalization, and efficiency in customer engagement.

Agora’s conversational AI solutions are built to make AI feel less like a robotic tool and more like a trusted, knowledgeable helper. Agora’s Conversational AI Engine enables developers to build lifelike, real-time voice agents using any LLM. Powered by Agora’s real-time engagement (RTE) infrastructure, these agents can converse more naturally with ultra-low latency responses and intelligent interruption handling—even under poor network conditions and in noisy environments.

To learn more about Agora’s conversational AI solutions, visit: https://www.agora.io/en/conversational-ai/

About Agora
Agora is the global leader in real-time engagement, providing developers with simple, flexible, and powerful APIs to embed real-time conversational AI, voice, video, interactive live streaming, and chat into their applications and IoT devices. Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, Agora is trusted by over 1,700 leading organizations across the globe to power best-in-class real-time experiences from social media and live shopping to education and telehealth. For more information about Agora (NASDAQ: API), visit: www.agora.io

About Exotel
Exotel is a leading provider of AI transformation to enterprises for customer engagement and experience. With over 20 billion annual conversations across omnichannel, voice, agents, and bots, Exotel is trusted by more than 7,000 clients worldwide, spanning industries such as BFSI, Logistics, Consumer Durables, E-commerce, Healthcare, and Education. For more information about Exotel, visit: www.exotel.com

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — BLUETTI, a global leader in clean energy solutions, today announced that it has received two prestigious TIME Best Inventions of 2025 Awards. The announcement coincides with the official market launch of the groundbreaking Pioneer Na, which earned a Special Mention in the “Outdoors” category for its world-first sodium-ion battery technology designed for superior safety in extreme cold.  The Apex 300, also recognized in TIME’s “Green Energy” category, highlights BLUETTI’s versatile power solution for home, RV, and broader off-grid use.

Pioneer Na: Safer Power for Extreme Cold, Available Today

Launching today, the Pioneer Na marks a major breakthrough in alternative battery chemistries. Its advanced sodium-ion cells operate reliably in extreme cold, charging at temperatures as low as -15°C (5°F) and discharging down to -25°C (-13°F). This overcomes a critical challenge where many lithium-ion batteries can fail, making it a uniquely dependable power source for winter storm preparedness and cold-weather adventures. Its sodium-ion chemistry also ensures superior thermal stability, lowering fire risks for everyday use.

The Pioneer Na delivers 900Wh of capacity and a 1,500W output ( 2,250W peak) through 11 versatile outlets, powering everything from phones to electric kettles. Its sodium-ion chemistry offers a more sustainable and abundant alternative to lithium and cobalt, minimizing environmental impact while providing long-term value with a 10-year lifespan and just 1.5 W standby loss. It also supports rapid 0–80% charging in just 35 minutes. To prove its durability, the unit is slated to be tested during an upcoming Antarctic expedition.

Building on accolades that include the IFA Innovation Award, the Pioneer Na Portable Power Station is available now at a special introductory price of $799. As a special offer, readers can use code BLUETTI8OFF to secure an additional 8% off the award-winning power station.

Apex 300: Versatile Power for Home, RV and Off-Grid Living

Also honored by TIME, the Apex 300 is recognized for its modular design and smart scalability. It features a record-low 20 W AC idle draw, a long-lasting LiFePO₄ battery with up to a 17-year lifespan and an intuitive one-touch toggle for 120V and 240V output. Its adaptable design serves diverse needs, from emergency home battery backup, RV vanlife, to fully automated whole-home energy systems.

Following a highly successful $5.4 million Indiegogo campaign, the Apex 300 Portable Power Station is globally available now. Eligible U.S. homeowners can leverage the 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit for their investment with the program set to expire on December 31, 2025.

About BLUETTI

Since 2009, BLUETTI has been a technology pioneer in clean energy, specializing in innovative portable power stations and home battery backup for power outages. With in-house R&D and manufacturing, and a growing portfolio of patents, BLUETTI continually raises the standard for performance, safety, and sustainability in the industry, empowering over 3.5 million users across 110+ countries.

CONTACT: Ellen Lee, ellenlee@bluetti.com 

SINGAPORE, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ –The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism is organizing the Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Program in Singapore 2025, from October 14 to 19, 2025, on the occasion of ITB Asia 2025. The promotion program features a variety of vibrant and creative activities, harmoniously combining tourism promotion, product and service marketing, and the introduction of traditional culture and arts, thereby creating a strong impression of Vietnam’s tourism image.

The Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Program in Singapore introduces Vietnamese destinations, especially Ho Chi Minh City—a vibrant megacity after its merger—with its abundant and superior tourism resources, to international tourism partners, airlines, travel companies, and tourism authorities in Singapore and across Asia.

The program will also directly support and facilitate business-to-business connections for Vietnamese and Ho Chi Minh City tourism enterprises. This provides an opportunity for them to introduce the city’s distinctive and outstanding tourism products following its administrative boundary expansion, with the aim of attracting international tourists to Ho Chi Minh City. These products include MICE tourism, high-end coastal and island resort tourism, cultural and historical tourism, and culinary tourism.

The program also contributes to enhancing the capacity for organizing and promoting international tourism, thereby strengthening Ho Chi Minh City’s position on the global tourism map.

The key activities of the Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Program in Singapore 2025 include:

(1) Participating and organizing the Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City tourism booth at ITB Asia 2025 – Singapore from October 15 to 17, 2025, at Hall A, booth W25 with activities introducing outstanding destinations and tourism products; and expanding cooperation networks with international partners, featuring the participation of leading tourism enterprises from the city along with Vietnam Airlines. This allows domestic businesses to expand their networks and seek new partners. The booth also hosts traditional art performances, such as Ao Dai painting, to leave a strong cultural impression of Vietnam.

(2) Organizing meetings and working sessions with Singaporean tourism agencies and partners on October 17, 2025, to cooperate on developing new tourism products, connecting tours between Ho Chi Minh City and other destinations in the region, and expanding the Singaporean tourist market to Vietnam. This is also an important opportunity to seek strategic partners and invite high-quality buyers from the Singaporean market to participate in ITE HCMC 2026, contributing to the expansion of the international customer network.

(3) Attending conferences and seminars within the framework of ITB Asia 2025 from October 15 to 17, 2025 to update on new global tourism trends and new applications of advanced models to enhance competitiveness in the international market.

(4) Coordinating with the organizers of the “Vietnam Phở Festival” 2025 in Singapore from October 18 to 19, 2025, to introduce Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism to the Singaporean public.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the “Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Program in Singapore 2025 reinforces Ho Chi Minh City’s presence as a dynamic and attractive destination within the ASEAN region and on the global tourism map. This is also an opportunity for domestic and international tourism businesses to meet, exchange, and expand cooperation opportunities, jointly contributing to the sustainable development of the regional tourism industry, especially as Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular, are intensifying efforts and resources to enter a new era of growth and innovation.”