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Dalai Lama Says he Will Have Successor After his Death

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama (L) attends a Long Life Prayer offering ceremony at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala on June 30, 2025. Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, gave on June 30, the strongest indication yet that the 600-year-old institution would continue after his death, at prayer celebrations for his 90th birthday. The leader, who turns 90 on July 6, is according to Tibetans the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. (Photo by Sanjay BAID / AFP)
It is a landmark decision for Tibetans, many of whom had feared a future without a leader, as well as for global supporters who see the Dalai Lama as a symbol of non-violence, compassion and the enduring struggle for Tibetan cultural identity under Chinese rule.

According to Tibetans, Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama is lauded by his followers for his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for Tibet, a vast high-altitude plateau in China about the size of South Africa.

He and thousands of other Tibetans have lived in exile in India since Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959.

The charismatic Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist had previously said the institution of Dalai Lama would continue only if there was popular demand.

He said Wednesday he had received multiple appeals over the past 14 years from Tibetan diaspora in exile, Buddhists from across the Himalayan region, Mongolia and parts of Russia and China, “earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama continue.”

“In particular, I have received messages through various channels from Tibetans in Tibet making the same appeal,” he said in a video broadcast at the start of a meeting of religious leaders in the Indian Himalayan town where he has lived for decades.

“In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,” he added, according to an official translation.

His advanced age had also sparked concern over the future of Tibetan leadership and the delicate question of his succession.

The announcement was made ahead of his 90th birthday on 6 July.

‘Historic’

While China condemns him as a rebel and separatist, the internationally recognized Dalai Lama describes himself as a “simple Buddhist monk”.

Many exiled Tibetans fear China will name its own successor to bolster control over a territory it poured troops into in 1950.

But the Dalai Lama said Wednesday that responsibility for identifying the 15th Dalai Lama “will rest exclusively” with the India-based Gaden Phodrang Trust, the office of the Dalai Lama.

“I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognize the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” he added.

Chemi Lhamo, 30, a Tibetan activist in exile, said she was convinced the continuation of the role of Dalai Lama would serve the cause of a Tibetans.

“There isn’t a doubt that the Dalai Lama institution will also continue to serve the benefit of humanity,” Lhamo said, adding the announcement sent a message to Beijing to “unequivocally reject” any role in identifying the future leader.

The Dalai Lama handed over political authority in 2011 to an exiled government chosen democratically by 130,000 Tibetans globally.

At the same time, he warned that the future of his spiritual post faced an “obvious risk of vested political interests misusing the reincarnation system.”


© Agence France-Presse

Amazon Singapore Unveils a Week of Prime Day Deals and a Special Public Maze Event for Prime Day 2025


Prime members can access exclusive deals from brands such as Neutrogena, FOREO, Resto, Cricut, Pigeon, PicassoTiles and Coca-Cola from 8 – 14 July.

Free Public event: Amazon Prime Day Maze at Suntec City on 5 – 6 July offers a hands-on way to explore the world of Amazon Prime Day

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 July 2025 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) — Amazon Singapore today revealed an exciting line-up of deals for Prime Day 2025. From 8 – 14 July, Prime members can enjoy seven days of exciting discounts from top categories, including Beauty, Health & Personal Care, PC & Electronics, and Home & Kitchen, as well as international selection from US, Japan and Germany on Amazon.sg/primeday. Anyone can participate in Amazon Prime Day by joining Prime or starting a 30-day free trial at Amazon.sg/prime.

Amazon Singapore Unveils a Week of Prime Day Deals and a Special Public Maze Event for Prime Day 2025
Amazon Singapore Unveils a Week of Prime Day Deals and a Special Public Maze Event for Prime Day 2025

In addition to exclusive deals, Prime members enjoy a wide range of benefits, including fast and free shipping on eligible items across both local and international selection* – making shopping hassle-free and convenient, and get unlimited access to Prime Video’s extensive library of movies and shows. (*T&Cs apply)

Experience Seven Days of Incredible Deals during Prime Day
Prime members can look forward to incredible savings on quality products from top local and international brands as well as small businesses that will be available during the longest Prime Day in Singapore. With this extended period, members have more time to shop and save on thousands of products.

Below is a sneak peek of the top deals available during Prime Day:

  • Toys and Babies
    o Save up to 40% off diaper from Huggies, Pampers, Merries, Mamypoko
    o Save up to 40% off selected items from Hasbro, including Transformers, Furby, Monopoly
    o Save up to 35% off selected items from PicassoTiles
    o Save up to 30% off selected items from Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher Price
    o Save up to 30% off selected items from Skillmatics Art & Craft, Board game toys
    o Save up to 25% off selected items from NinoNana
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    o Save up to 25% off selected items from Giiker
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  • Beauty, Health & Personal Care
    o Save up to 50% off selected items from FOREO
    o Save up to 50% off selected items from Neutrogena
    o Save up to 50% off selected items from Sukin
    o Save up to 49% off selected items from Dr. Scholl’s
    o Save up to 40% off selected items from Renpho
    o Save up to 35% off selected items from Waterpik
    o Save up to 30% off selected items from Kleenex and Kotex, with additional 3 for 15% off

  • PC & Electronics
    o Save up to 66% off selected items from Anker
    o Save up to 50% off selected items from Sennheiser
    o Save up to 44% off selected items from UGREEN
    o Save up to 40% off selected items from Spigen
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    o Save up to 25% off selected items from KODAK
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    o $60 off Nintendo Switch 2 Console

  • Home & Kitchen
    o Save up to $800 off Roborock Vacuum Cleaners
    o Save up to 40% off selected items from Philips
    o Save up to 40% off selected items from Tefal, SharkNinja, KitchenAid and WMF
    o Save up to 40% off selected items from SMEG, with additional Buy 2 Get 5% off
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    o Save up to 30% off selected items from Dyson
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  • Selections from Amazon Fresh & Fast
    o Save up to 50% off selected items from Tiong Lian on Amazon Fresh
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    o Buy 4, get 20% off seafood from Serve by Hai Sia on Amazon Fresh
    o Buy 4, get 20% off all 100PLUS, Ice Mountain, Coca-Cola, Authentic Tea House, FuzeTea, Sprite, Fanta, Evian Water and Volvic Water on Amazon Fresh
    o Buy 4, get 20% off Dettol, Finish, Vanish on Amazon Fresh
    o Buy 4, get 20% off Magiclean, Biore, Laurier on Amazon Fresh
    o Buy 2, get 20% off on house brand grocery items from Little Farms
    o Save up to 30% off selected wines from Little Farms
    o Buy 1, get 1 free on Vitamins & Supplements from Holistic Way, Swisse, Blackmores and Ocean Health from Watsons
    o Buy 2 at 35% off house brand beauty, haircare products from Watsons

*Terms and conditions apply to all promotions listed above.

Amazon Prime Day Maze, happening from 5-6 July with thousands of vouchers up for grabs
To celebrate its longest every Prime Day, Amazon.sg will launch the Amazon Prime Day Maze – a free public event that offers visitors a sneak peek at the incredible deals and new product launches ahead of Amazon Singapore’s week-long Prime Day. Happening on 5 and 6 July at Suntec City Atrium (Towers 3 & 4), the Maze features various interactive zones where visitors can complete missions inspired by the Amazon Prime membership, as well as the different aspects of the Amazon Prime Day experience, from shopping and streaming to digital safety and sustainability. The Amazon Prime Day Maze is free and open to the public. Visitors simply need to show the Amazon.sg app with a valid customer account to enter. For families, only one family member is required to present the app. Entry is walk-in and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visitors can also recharge at the Amazon Fresh Station, preview upcoming Prime Day offers in a dedicated display area, and enjoy hands-on fun at the LEGO Play Area designed for families and children. The Maze sessions will run hourly from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with each session lasting 45 minutes.

Amazon Prime Day Maze
Date: 5 to 6 July 2025
Time: 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM (last entry at 7:30 PM)
Venue: Suntec City Atrium (Tower 3 & 4)

Additional Prime Day Perks:

  • New to Amazon.sg?
    o First-time customers get 50% off their first order with a minimum spend of S$40. Use code PD50NEW. Valid from 8 to 14 July. T&Cs apply.
    o Prime repeat customers get S$15 off S$140. Use code PD15OFF. Valid from 8 to 14 July. T&Cs apply.
  • Amazon.sg Gift Cards: Amazon.sg Gift Cards offer an easy, simple, and convenient gifting experience, providing access to an extensive selection of products on Amazon.sg at Amazon.sg/giftcard. Purchase S$180 or more worth of Amazon.sg Gift Cards to receive additional S$15 credit from 24 June till 14 July. T&Cs apply.
  • Bank promos (Valid from 8 to 14 July. T&Cs apply):
    o HSBC cardholders can get S$12 off S$180 when they spend on Amazon.sg.
    o Citibank MasterCard cardholders can get S$15 off S$220 or more when they spend on Amazon.sg.

Maximize Your Prime Day Shopping

  • Join Prime: New customers can start a 30-day free trial and enjoy these benefits for S$4.99 a month or S$49.90 per year. Sign up at Amazon.sg/prime.
  • Enjoy convenient Delivery and Return options: Prime members can enjoy fast and free shipping on millions of eligible items across domestic selection, Amazon Fresh (min. S$60 spend) as well as Amazon International Store. Need to return an item from US, Japan or Germany? Easy – customers can now experience hassle-free and faster returns, including pick-up from your address or via a drop-off center. More information here.
  • Amazon Fresh: Free Scheduled Two-Hour Delivery (FST) for Prime members with a minimum spend of $60, available from now until the end of the year.

Shop for Good this Prime Day
This Prime Day, Amazon invites customers to make a meaningful impact while they shop through the Amazon x Shop for Good Wishlist. In addition to enjoying great deals, customers can support local non-profit organisations and their causes by purchasing items from their Amazon wishlists – items they need most. As Singapore marks its 60th year, this initiative aims to support local communities and encourage giving back.

Shop Prime Day Deals Around the World
Prime Day will kick off on July 8 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the U.S., and the UK. Prime members in Brazil, Egypt, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates can shop Prime Day deals later this summer.

Every Day Made Better with Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime was designed to make your life better every single day. Over 200 million paid members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime, including the best of shopping and entertainment. In Singapore, Prime membership offers a range of benefits including a discount of up to 10% on over a million eligible products on Amazon.sg, unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, unlimited access to video game benefits with Prime Gaming, Prime Day, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping. Prime members enjoy access to free one-day delivery on eligible domestic items, free international delivery with no minimum spending on eligible items, free delivery on selected delivery windows for orders of S$60 and above on Amazon Fresh, free 2-hour scheduled delivery for orders of S$60 and above on Watsons and Little Farms on Amazon.sg, as well as early access to deals and exclusive deals. Prime is S$4.99 per month, and S$49.90 per year. Start a 30-day free trial of Prime at Amazon.sg/prime

Hashtag: #AmazonSingapore #PrimeDaySG

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, and Kindle are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit .

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Alibaba Cloud Celebrates 10 Years in Singapore with New Data Centers and AI Global Competency Center

  • New data centers in Malaysia and the Philippines to meet growing demand for AI and cloud services
  • New center in Singapore designed to support over 5,000 businesses and 100,000 developers to accelerate enterprise AI innovation and talent development globally
  • Driving AI innovation with product upgrades and global green AI research
  • Business showcases for Qwen, Alibaba’s large language model, across Asia and the Middle East

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 July 2025 – Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, today marked a decade of operations in Singapore and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of its international headquarters in the country. To commemorate this milestone, it unveiled new infrastructure investments, a new AI competency center, advanced cloud and AI technologies, and global research findings on green AI adoption at its Global Summit, underscoring its ongoing commitment to advancing AI innovation.

Held in Singapore, the Alibaba Cloud Global Summit gathered over 500 leaders from business, technology, and the public sector worldwide to explore the future of AI, cloud computing, and sustainable digital transformation. The event also reaffirmed Singapore’s position as a strategic hub and international headquarters for Alibaba Cloud’s long-term growth in Asia-Pacific and beyond.

Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said,

“Over the past decade, Singapore has been both an innovation center and a gateway to the region’s digital economy. As we celebrate this important milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering businesses of all sizes and verticals while advancing cutting-edge AI innovations and driving sustainable digital transformation in Singapore for years to come. Together with our partners and customers, we look forward to shaping Singapore’s future as a global leader in AI and cloud innovation.”

New Data Centers in Malaysia and the Philippines

To meet the growing demand for cloud and AI services across Southeast Asia, Alibaba Cloud announced the launch of its third data center in Malaysia on July 1, 2025. It also plans to open its second data center in the Philippines in October 2025.

Those expansions build on earlier infrastructure investments in Thailand, Mexico, and South Korea, announced in the first half of 2025. This growing network ensures that Alibaba Cloud can meet the rising global demand for secure, resilient and scalable cloud services, empowering businesses, developers, and organizations to innovate and scale with confidence as AI adoption accelerates across industries.

Launch of AI Global Competency Center to Power Enterprise Innovation

During the event, Alibaba Cloud launched its first AI Global Competency Center (AIGCC) in Singapore. The move aims to accelerate AI adoption by supporting enterprises of all sizes, from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to large-scale organizations, while also addressing the growing global demand for AI talent.

The center is designed to support over 5,000 businesses and 100,000 developers, offering access to advanced AI models and powerful computing resources to accelerate experimentation and deployment. Developers and businesses will benefit from the AI Innovation Lab, which offers token credits, curated datasets and personalized support tailored to real-world scenarios and industry needs.

As a collaborative innovation hub, the AIGCC aims to bring together more than 1,000 companies and startups to co-develop next-generation AI solutions, fostering an ecosystem of applied innovation. The center will also introduce over 10 AI agents across key industries – including finance, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, retail and energy – demonstrating AI’s potential across different verticals.

To build a robust AI talent pipeline, Alibaba Cloud will partner with more than 120 universities and institutions globally, with the goal of training 100,000 AI professionals annually.

New Cloud Products for Global AI Development

Alibaba Cloud announced new offerings to international customers by upgrading Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) products and introducing new AI tools. Alibaba Cloud Data Transmission Service (DTS), a real-time data streaming service, introduced a new “One Channel For AI” capability to streamline multimodal data preparation. This feature establishes an end-to-end pipeline that automatically converts both unstructured and structured data—including documents, images, tables, audio, and video—into vector databases, enabling developers to create real-time knowledge bases and create Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) applications with just few clicks. By automating the vectorization workflow, the upgraded DTS lowers technical barriers, enabling businesses to deploy LLM-powered applications faster and more efficiently.

Alibaba Cloud’s Platform for AI (PAI) has enhanced its high-performance AI inference capabilities to better support complex models like Mixture of Experts (MoE) and large-scale deployments with two key improvements in its PAI-Elastic Algorithm Service (EAS). For MoE architectures, PAI-EAS now features Expert Parallel (EP), an advanced optimization that works with a prefill-decode disaggregation framework to boost efficiency. This combination significantly increases inference efficiency, enabling higher throughput for LLMs while optimizing resource utilization. For example, the EP distributed deployment for Qwen3 235B achieves a TPS (Tokens Per Second) performance exceeding 15k, while maintaining an average per-token latency of under 50 milliseconds.

PAI-EAS also tackles slow cold starts and inefficient scaling with its new Model Weights Service, which dramatically reduces loading times. This makes it possible to spin up instances in seconds, rather than minutes. Tests with Qwen3-8B show 89.8% faster cold starts and 97.6% quicker scaling, while Qwen3-32B achieves 91.4% faster cold starts and near-instant scaling.

In response to customer demand, the company also revealed that its 9th Generation intel-based Enterprise Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance will be available across additional global markets from July, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and the UK. Since its launch in April, nearly 10,000 businesses have adopted the upgraded instance, leveraging its industry-leading performance. This latest generation delivers 20% greater computing efficiency compared to previous iterations. By integrating elastic Remote Direct Memory Access (eRDMA) technology for ultra-fast networking, it achieves up to 50% performance gains in high-performance computing (HPC), search recommendations, and Redis database workloads.

Alibaba Cloud’s sustainability platform, Energy Expert, introduced a cutting-edge AI-driven ESG Reporting solution, empowering organizations to navigate the complexities of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures with precision and ease. Powered by Alibaba’s proprietary AI model Qwen, the innovative solution streamlines report generation through AI-powered tools – such as guided structuring, automated content creation and actionable insights – while enabling seamless collaboration via real-time task management and progress tracking.

Designed to align with global standards— including the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)—the platform ensures compliance, reduces operational costs, and strengthens audit readiness through traceable data lineage and centralized record-keeping.

New Global Study Reveals Growing Awareness of Green AI and Adoption Challenges

Also unveiled at the Global Summit were findings from a global study on the development and adoption of artificial intelligence systems that minimize energy consumption and environmental impact, known as green AI. The study was conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Alibaba in collaboration with Alibaba-NTU Global e-Sustainability CorpLab (ANGEL). Surveying over 464 business and IT leaders worldwide, including Singapore, the study reveals the growing recognition of the importance of green AI, but also highlights a significant gap between vision and execution.

The study found that while 84% of leaders who have implemented an AI sustainability vision consider green AI to be important, 69% of organizations globally are still at the beginner stage of AI adoption. Many cited persistent technical challenges as key barriers to progress – among them, the lack of sustainably sourced materials for AI hardware (80%) and the difficulty of optimizing data center energy usage (73%).

Beyond the technical hurdles, the survey also revealed widespread capability gaps. A significant number of decision-makers indicated they lacked the knowledge to define a clear green AI strategy (74%), as well as the skills needed to implement and operate it (76%).

Considering those challenges, the study recommends several key strategies to drive wider adoption of Green AI, including powering data centers with renewable energy, deploying edge computing with optimized smaller models to reduce data center loads, and developing applications with code that requires less computational power. It also highlights the importance of increased collaboration between public and private sectors on regulation and standards and leveraging open-source models to minimize pre-training and energy consumption.

International Customers Leveraging Cloud and Qwen for AI Innovation

To help drive digital transformation and accelerate AI innovation initiatives, an increasing number of international customers have selected Alibaba Cloud as its digital solutions provider for its trusted cloud computing capabilities and advanced AI technologies.

After successfully migrating GoTo Financial’s infrastructure to Alibaba Cloud, GoTo Group, the largest digital ecosystem in Indonesia, has now migrated its core business intelligence data platform to Alibaba Cloud’s MaxCompute to boost operational agility and drive cost efficiency. With MaxCompute’s fully managed architecture and automation, Alibaba Cloud delivered a seamless, six-month migration with tens of petabytes of data across GoTo’s complex system, achieving zero downtime and uninterrupted business continuity for GoTo Group throughout the process.

William Xiong, Group Chief Technology Officer of GoTo Group, said during the summit, “The migration to Alibaba Cloud’s MaxCompute has enhanced the scalability and resilience of our data platform. By delivering cost efficiency, performance parity, and operational continuity, this collaboration strengthens the technical foundation for GoTo’s ecosystem. This partnership positions us to drive innovation and deliver transformative solutions for millions of users across the ecosystem, while staying aligned with Indonesia’s data sovereignty goals.”

To enhance data management efficiency, GoTo Financial has migrated its lending workload to Alibaba Cloud’s database solutions. By leveraging cloud-native database PolarDB and in-memory database Tair, GoTo Financial’s lending systems now deliver high performance and ultra-low latency, seamlessly supporting over 500 microservices.

Many customers have also leveraged Alibaba Cloud’s flagship large language model, Qwen, to deliver innovative solutions, thanks to its robust multilingual capabilities. Qwen 3, the latest iteration of the Qwen family, supports 119 languages and has demonstrated exceptional performance in multilingual mathematical reasoning and translation, particularly in Asian languages, according to public datasets.

VisionTech, a generative AI company focused on boosting sales, enhancing customer experiences, and addressing manpower challenges in Singapore, tapped into Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure and AI technologies to fuel its business growth across Southeast Asia. With Alibaba Cloud’s services, including Elastic Compute Service (ECS) and a strong regional presence, VisionTech reduced infrastructure costs by over 25%, improved support turnaround times, and accelerated AI deployment for enterprises and SMEs. VisionTech is also incorporating Qwen, Alibaba’s flagship large language model, as one of its core large language models (LLMs) to power its solutions, enhancing its AI bots’ ability to seamlessly manage multilingual interactions.

“Our partnership with Alibaba Cloud allows us to deliver smarter, scalable, and enterprise-ready AI solutions while maintaining operational efficiency and customer satisfaction,” said Lim Hui Jie, CEO of VisionTech. “Qwen’s strong performance in handling multilingual conversational inputs and real-time translation gives us a distinct edge over other LLMs, enabling us to fast-track deployments and improve user engagement— whether it’s English, Chinese, Malay, or Japanese. By dynamically switching languages in real-time, our AI bots create a seamless experience that resonates with users in various markets, ensuring that our solutions feel native and culturally aligned.”

FLUX, a leading Japanese technology solution provider, partnered with Alibaba Cloud to accelerate AI adoption in Japan. Through this collaboration, FLUX will introduce Qwen—Alibaba’s family of large language models (LLMs)—in various sizes to Japanese enterprises, enabling GenAI integration into their critical workflows. Additionally, FLUX will leverage Qwen to develop FLUX LLM solution, a customized AI solution designed to help Japanese businesses of all sizes optimize operations and enhance service capabilities.

Alibaba Cloud and Al-Futtaim, a Dubai-based, 90-year-old, privately held and diversified business group – recognized as one of the region’s most progressive enterprises operating across 18 countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia – have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate Al-Futtaim’s digital transformation and global innovation agenda.

Under the agreement, Al-Futtaim will access Alibaba Cloud’s advanced AI capabilities, including proprietary foundation models and open-source frameworks to drive AI-powered innovation across its business units. The collaboration will also enable Al-Futtaim to leverage Alibaba’s global cloud infrastructure, broad digital ecosystem, and industry expertise to support its expansion into key international markets and scale transformative outcomes across sectors.

Hashtag: #AlibabaCloud

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Alibaba Cloud

Established in 2009, Alibaba Cloud () is the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. It offers a complete suite of cloud services to customers worldwide, including elastic computing, database, storage, network virtualization services, large-scale computing, security, big data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) services. Alibaba has been named the leading IaaS provider in Asia Pacific by revenue in U.S. dollars since 2018, according to Gartner. It has also maintained its position as one of the world’s leading public cloud IaaS service providers since 2018, according to IDC.

About the Green AI Survey

Commissioned By Alibaba and developed in collaboration with Alibaba-NTU Global e-Sustainability CorpLab (ANGEL), Forrester conducted an online survey of 464 business and IT decision-makers from high-tech companies and the public sector with responsibility over their organization’s green AI strategy to evaluate the market’s current knowledge and adoption of green AI. It collected feedback in April 2025 on green AI adoption, challenges and future plans from C-level executives, vice presidents, directors, and managers (or the equivalent of).

Respondents were located across 11 markets in Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea), Europe (France, Germany, and United Kingdom), Latin America (Mexico and Brazil), and North America (The United States).

Linyi Trade City ready to expand reach across world

LINYI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 July 2025 – From small roadside stalls to China’s largest professional market cluster, Linyi Trade City in Shandong province, has achieved leapfrog growth during the past four decades and is poised to extend its reach across the globe.

Currently, there are 136 professional wholesale markets and 63,700 shops in the trade center, as well as more than 6 million kinds of products from 27 categories. Its trading value reached 660.48 billion yuan ($91.94 billion) in 2024 and the logistics volume amounted to nearly 1.01 trillion yuan.

To accelerate the trade center’s transformation and upgrading, Linyi city authorities have introduced a package of policies and incentives, encouraging local enterprises to grow their foreign trade business and establish a presence in international markets.

The trade city has also built 59 overseas malls and warehouses so far, as well as 45 international procurement service centers and offices, as part of its efforts to raise visibility globally and develop its international trade network.

Launched in 2023 in Yongin, the Lanhua (South Korea) Overseas Mall displays a wide range of domestic products such as household goods, pet supplies, outdoor and camping equipment, and hardware tools.

While expanding abroad, the trade city has been committed to attracting global buyers and investors. During the first four months of 2025, it received 13,233 overseas business visitors, generating intent transactions of 906 million yuan.

Strong logistics infrastructure is essential to foreign trade and urban growth.

Linyi has built a multidimensional international logistics system integrating road, rail, air, and sea freight, linking itself with nine regions such as Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Currently, the city is home to 51 international road freight companies and operates nine direct international routes to 10 countries.

“Although Linyi is an inland city, we have established a maritime container depot in collaboration with Qingdao Port and Rizhao Port. Through resource integration and procedure optimization, we have helped enterprises cut logistics costs by 30 percent,” said Hua Qianli, manager of Linyi Port.

Last year, the port handled 198,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of cargo, valued at 19.2 billion yuan.

Meanwhile, the city recorded 452 China-Europe Railway freight train trips to 40 cities in 12 countries, along with 480 direct flights to Seoul, transporting 2,067 metric tons of air cargo.

Hashtag: #Linyi

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Government Officials Undergo Water Rescue Training as Rainy Season Starts

Government Officials Undergo Water Rescue Training Amid Widespread Flooding
Government officials undergo the training (photo credit: Lao News Agency)

From 30 June to 2 July, officials from key government agencies in Laos, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, participated in a specialized training on water rescue operations. 

Drug & Medical Device & Aesthetics, 肌顏態 was displayed at the CSD2025, The GeneQueens and 金因敷 launch was grandly held in Changsha


HONG KONG SAR – EQS Newswire – 2 July 2025 – On June 27, 2025, Uni-Bio Science Group Limited (the “Group”)grandly held a new medical aesthetics product launch event in Changsha, releasing the high-end series GeneQueens of 肌顏態® and the medical device brand 金因敷®. Many experts, KOLs and partners attended the event. This launch not only showcased the Group’s achievements in R&D, but also marked the comprehensive layout in the “drug, medical device and Aesthetics” field.

Photo: Group photo at the launch
Photo: Group photo at the launch

1、 High-end medical aesthetics: GeneQueens series

At the launch, the Group unveiled the high-end series of 肌顏態® -——GeneQueensTM (Human-Sequence Triple Protein Repair & Balance Ampoule). which functions on skin repair and anti-aging. By activating cell regeneration, it helps users restore their youthful and healthy skin condition.

Photo: GeneQueens product image
Photo: GeneQueens product image

GeneQueensTM sets a new standard for anti-aging and repair by adding three core ingredients in sufficient quantities. Skbrella FN, as a key ingredient for cell repair, can accelerate the healing of skin wounds and promote the adhesion and migration of new cells. III Collagen strongly fills the skin structure, significantly enhancing elasticity and firmness. XVII Collagen can strengthen the connection between the epidermis and dermis, and consolidate the youthful foundation of the skin.

In addition, GeneQueens adopts a sterile and preservative-free formula, relying on high-purity raw materials and patented technology, providing users with an “instant enjoyment” precise and efficient experience. Its unique formula and outstanding efficacy were highly recognized by many experts on the spot.

2、金因敷 showcased a variety of new products

Meanwhile, the Group also launched several new products of its medical device brand – 金因敷®, focusing on the professional repair field of medical aesthetics.

Photo: 金因敷 series product picture
Photo: 金因敷 series product picture

金因敷® complies with strict clinical trials and quality inspections to ensure its safety and effectiveness. The product adopts a high-purity non-allergenic formula, which can moisturize and accelerate wound repair. It also uses an exclusive cooling technology to relieve postoperative swelling and pain, providing a professional solution for sensitive skin and post-medical procedure care.

3、The latest research data was presented at CSD2025

It is worth mentioning that 肌顏態® also showcased the research data of “The Efficacy Study of Fibronectin in the Repair of Skin Barrier Damage for the post-medical procedure” jointly conducted with the Cosmetics Testing Center of the Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University in the poster area of the 30th Academic Conference of the Chinese Medical Association (CSD2025). This is not only an endorsement of the Group’s research capabilities, but also provides experts and scholars in the industry with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the 肌顏態® technology and products.

As an annual grand event in the field of dermatology and venereology in China, CSD2025 brings together authoritative experts and scholars in dermatology across the country, presenting multi-dimensional academic achievements and exchanges of ideas. The poster area is one of the core venues of the academic annual conference. Posters are not only an important way for researchers to showcase their scientific research achievements, but also a key link in promoting the dissemination of academic ideas and the feedback of clinical practice.

Photo: The research poster of 肌顏態 at the CSD 2025
Photo: The research poster of 肌顏態 at the CSD 2025

4、Academic speeches by several experts

Several clinical experts at the launch further recognized the significant clinical value of 肌顏態® and 金因敷®. The experts highlighted that 肌顏態®‘ s patented ingredient, Skbrella FN, demonstrates immense potential in improving damaged sensitive skin barriers, reducing inflammatory erythema, alleviating discomfort sensations such as burning, tightness and itching, as well as enhancing post-laser repair and healing.

In the clinical observations over the past few months, many patients treated with 肌顏態® have achieved remarkable therapeutic effects. The symptoms of anesthetic allergy have been rapidly relieved, the inflammatory pigmentation post-laser has significantly improved, the skin barrier has been repaired, and the patient satisfaction rate is extremely high. 金因敷® can effectively reduce redness, swelling and pain for post-medical procedures, accelerate wound healing and shorten the recovery time.

Photo 1: 肌顏態 use case sharing by Professor Shi Ge, Director of the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University; Photo 2: 肌顏態 use case sharing by Professor Ge Lan, from The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University; Photo 3: Fibronectin clinical trial results sharing by Professor Ye Li, Head of Cosmetics Testing Center at Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University; Photo 4: Mr. Du Wei, CEO of Cosmetics News & Cosmetics Business Online, analyzes cosmetics industry development trends
Photo 1: 肌顏態 use case sharing by Professor Shi Ge, Director of the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University; Photo 2: 肌顏態 use case sharing by Professor Ge Lan, from The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University; Photo 3: Fibronectin clinical trial results sharing by Professor Ye Li, Head of Cosmetics Testing Center at Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University; Photo 4: Mr. Du Wei, CEO of Cosmetics News & Cosmetics Business Online, analyzes cosmetics industry development trends

6、The signing ceremony reflects the market potential

Mr. Zhao Zhigang, CEO of Uni-Bio Science Group, emphasized: ” We have always adhered to the standards of biopharmaceuticals in creating skin care products. The release of GeneQueens and 金因敷 is an important milestone in building the “Drugs, Medical device and Aesthetics” strategy and creating a full-cycle skin care solution, aiming to meet consumers’ increasingly refined skin health needs. ”

Photo: Mr. Zhao Zhigang, CEO of Uni-Bio Science Group, addressing the launch event.
Photo: Mr. Zhao Zhigang, CEO of Uni-Bio Science Group, addressing the launch event.

Furthermore, Ms. Liu Yihua, President of Global Cosmetics Group, attended the launch as an important guest. Uni-Bio Science Group and Global Cosmetics Group have jointly established a medical research co-creation biological platform. Utilizing gene-editing biosynthesis technology, the platform has launched Skbrella FN – a highly bioactive recombinant human fibronectin known as “皮優理”.

The launch also witnessed a grand strategic signing ceremony. The Group has achieved in-depth cooperation with many well-known medical aesthetics chain institutions and well-known agents. This signing is not only a high recognition of the quality and market potential of GeneQueens and 金因敷®, but also a key step for the Group to accelerate commercialization and expand channels. Through strong alliances with leading channel partners, the Group will reach the core consumers and ensure the rapid release of huge commercial value.

Photo: Group photo of the strategic signing ceremony
Photo: Group photo of the strategic signing ceremony

The successful holding of this launch not only marks a crucial step for the Group in medical aesthetics and medical devices, but also demonstrates the Group’s in-depth layout and forward-looking vision in the “Drugs, Medical device and Aesthetics” strategy. In the future, the Group will continue to be guided by technology and oriented towards clinical value, accelerate product innovation and technological upgrading, constantly enrich pipeline, and meet the growing market demands.Hashtag: #UniBioScienceGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Trend Micro Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for CNAPP


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 July 2025 – Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, today announced it has been named as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) 2025 Vendor Assessment (doc #US53549925, June 2025).

To read the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) 2025 Vendor Assessment excerpt, please visit: https://www.trendmicro.com/explore/idc-cnapp-marketscape

Rachel Jin, Chief Enterprise Platform Officer at Trend: “For as long as our customers have been leveraging the cloud for strategic advantage, we’ve offered comprehensive protection for their hybrid environments. Those two decades of experience show in these results. Customers value our cloud security capabilities and effective risk management across the entire attack surface. Security is a true business enabler.”

The CNAPP category has evolved and expanded over the years to include everything from anti-malware and application control to configuration management, app developer tools, and coverage of virtualized datacenters alongside cloud-native apps/workloads.

Trend Vision One™ Cloud Security pushes the boundaries even further by offering enterprise customers AI-powered threat prediction, protection and response—including continuous monitoring to enhance exposure management and resilience as well as streamlined incident response. Trend offers flexible licensing that enables customers to increase or decrease their workloads dynamically. This approach ensures that customers only pay for what they use, making it a cost-effective solution that can adapt to changing business needs.

Trend Micro was positioned in the Leaders Category alongside four other worldwide vendors out of a total of 13, evaluated according to current capabilities and 3-5-year strategy, and how well these align with customer needs.

Key benefits of Trend Vision One™ Cloud Security include:

  • A comprehensive range of capabilities including cloud risk management, extended detection and response (XDR), server and workload security, container security, file security, and code security
  • Agentless capabilities for streamlined deployment/coverage
  • Strong industry partnership with major cloud players (AWS/Google/Azure/GCP etc) to maintain a cutting-edge advantage
  • Continuous, proactive monitoring of security posture, managed via a centralized dashboard
  • Zero trust architecture
  • Backing from a global network of 500 researchers, analysts and data scientists, and a Zero Day Initiative community of 18,000 external threat researchers

According to the IDC MarketScape: “The Trend Vision One™ CNAPP offers multilayered security by centralizing findings and cross-correlating data from various layers, powered by AI, ensuring robust protection against complex attacks. Features like holistic threat detection, risk assessment, and a flexible pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) billing mechanism provide a cost-effective solution that adapts to changing business needs.”Hashtag: #trendmicro #trendvisionone #visionone #cybersecurity #cloudsecurity #cnapp




The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers.

Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world.

Prudential and Prudence Foundation Provide Free Mental Health Support to Vulnerable Communities

In partnership with Intellect, the programme will be launched in Malaysia and Vietnam to make mental healthcare more accessible for vulnerable or at-risk groups


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 July 2025 – Prudential plc (“Prudential”) and Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of Prudential, are collaborating to launch Talk it Out, a mental health initiative in partnership with digital mental health service provider Intellect. Through the programme, communities in need in Malaysia and Vietnam will have access to free mental health support.

Arjan Toor, CEO, Health, Prudential plc (third from right) and Diana Guzman, Chair of Prudence Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, Prudential plc (second from right) at the launch of Talk It Out in Vietnam
Arjan Toor, CEO, Health, Prudential plc (third from right) and Diana Guzman, Chair of Prudence Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, Prudential plc (second from right) at the launch of Talk It Out in Vietnam

Talk It Out reflects Prudence Foundation’s commitment to building long-term health resilience by addressing mental well-being as a vital component of overall health, particularly as mental health emerges as a growing challenge in Southeast Asia. Around one in seven people in the region, equivalent to 260 million, live with a mental health condition[1]. Many are also plagued by daily stress, burnout, relationship problems, and sleep issues. Barriers such as limited access to services, socioeconomic challenges, and financial constraints have resulted in widening gaps in mental healthcare in the region. In some countries, the treatment gap – defined as the percentage of individuals needing care but not receiving it – reaches up to 40 per cent[2].

Through the Intellect app, users will have access to a full spectrum of mental health services, including self-guided programmes, live consultations with licensed coaches, clinical psychologists and counsellors, and a 24/7 helpline that provides professional support in their local language. Where needed, users can also be connected to local mental health professionals for one-on-one coaching or counselling sessions, ensuring both scalability and personalised care for diverse community needs. To ensure accessibility and relevance to users in Malaysia and Vietnam, the app is available in multiple local languages such as Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, Tamil, Vietnamese, French and English.

The programme will identify and engage vulnerable and at-risk groups in Malaysia and Vietnam, and work with local partners in healthcare, education, and community sectors. Talk It Out will be targeted to serve various local communities, including at-risk youth and women, low-income parents and families, marginalised and displaced communities. The programme will also be accompanied by targeted in-community workshops and awareness campaigns to help reduce stigma and equip users with essential knowledge.

Arjan Toor, CEO, Health, Prudential plc (third from right) and Diana Guzman, Chair of Prudence Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, Prudential plc (second from left) at the launch of Talk It Out in Vietnam
Arjan Toor, CEO, Health, Prudential plc (third from right) and Diana Guzman, Chair of Prudence Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, Prudential plc (second from left) at the launch of Talk It Out in Vietnam

Arjan Toor, CEO, Health, Prudential plc, said: “Our mission is to give our customers peace of mind by investing in and supporting initiatives that strengthen their ability to manage health challenges. Mental wellbeing is intrinsically linked with peace of mind, and enables people to lead resilient and meaningful lives. But there is a widening gap between the demand for mental health services and access to care, particularly within vulnerable communities. Through our collaboration with Prudence Foundation, we aim to end worry and hassle for people with a mental health condition. Launching this programme in two of our biggest health markets – Malaysia and Vietnam – is an important step forward in our commitment to helping our customers, and communities, when they need us most.”

Diana Guzman, Chair of Prudence Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, Prudential plc, said: “Our goal is to create meaningful, lasting change and build long-term health resilience. Across our markets, millions remain without health protection, not due to a lack of need, but because of affordability and access barriers. Mental health is a critical part of this equation. Without support for emotional and psychological wellbeing, individuals and families are left vulnerable to the pressures of daily life. That’s why we’re investing in targeted programmes like Talk It Out, which provide free, culturally relevant mental health support to those who need it most. By reaching vulnerable communities with accessible care, we’re not just filling a gap—we’re laying the foundation for stronger, more resilient lives.”

Theodoric Chew, CEO and Co-Founder, Intellect, said: “Our work with Prudence Foundation is a step towards building mental health resources and solutions that are universally accessible, especially for vulnerable and at-risk communities. By leveraging technology, our clinical expertise and on-the-ground networks, we are able to deliver meaningful care to those who need it most, in a way that’s scalable, localised, and sustainable.”

As a Tier 1 organisation in the 2025 CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark, Prudential continues its commitment to supporting mental health wellbeing in the workplace and the community. For organisations interested to support their community’s mental health needs through this initiative, please contact prudencefoundation@prudential.com.hk.


[1] “Transforming mental health in the WHO South-East Asia Region – Annual Report 2024” by World Health Organisation
[2] Ibid

Hashtag: #Prudential

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Prudential plc

Prudential plc provides life and health insurance and asset management in 24 markets across Asia and Africa. Prudential’s mission is to be the most trusted partner and protector for this generation and generations to come, by providing simple and accessible financial and health solutions. The business has dual primary listings on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (2378) and the London Stock Exchange (PRU). It also has a secondary listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange (K6S) and a listing on the New York Stock Exchange (PUK) in the form of American Depositary Receipts. It is a constituent of the Hang Seng Composite Index and is also included for trading in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme and the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme.

Prudential is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc. a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, nor with The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

About Prudence Foundation

Established in 2011 in Hong Kong, Prudence Foundation is the community investment and philanthropic arm of Prudential plc.

The Foundation builds financial wellbeing, and climate and health resilience for underserved Asian and African communities. We are committed to sustainable, long-term solutions that empower individuals and communities to make informed financial decisions, access affordable financial products, as well as be more prepared and protected against climate related health risks. We actively engage in public-private partnerships, collaborate with governments, NGOs, communities and other private sector entities to build collective efforts for lasting change. To date, our programmes are implemented across 16 markets in Asia and Africa, reaching millions of people.

For more information:

About Intellect

Intellect is a trusted global leader in mental health care, providing accessible, culturally-localised support through comprehensive solutions that address diverse needs at every stage of the mental health journey. Available in 120+ languages, Intellect’s comprehensive local network of providers is accessible in 100+ countries. Online and offline, it has made a difference in the lives of over 4 million users around the world.

Intellect is backed by influential investors including Tiger Global, Insignia Ventures Partners, Y Combinator, HOF Capital, MS&AD Ventures, and East Ventures, alongside prominent venture funds, family offices, big tech executives, and angel investors. In 2025,

Intellect was named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and Human Resources Online’s Best Digital Wellness Platform (Gold) in 2023.