Home Blog Page 516

Chinese parents rank UK ahead of US as top destination for overseas study, According to New Research by Public First

LONDON, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New research conducted by Public First for University College London (UCL) shows the UK is ahead of the US in one of the world’s most competitive international student markets, with Chinese parents more likely to choose Britain as their preferred destination for overseas study.

The survey of 1,274 adults in China found that 36.5% of Chinese parents name the UK as their preferred overseas study destination, compared with 27% for the United States and 18% for Australia.

This matters because the global race for international students is intensifying. The UK is ahead in a market that matters and now has an opportunity to turn that lead into long-term economic and strategic advantage.

The findings also show the scale of demand. 99.4% of Chinese parents say they want their children to attend university. 85.2% say they would encourage study abroad for a degree. 87.8% believe overseas study benefits young people in China.

Commenting on the research, Jess Lister, Director and Head of Higher Education at Public First said: “China is one of the most important markets for UK higher education, and this research shows Britain currently has a clear edge over key competitors, underpinned by the strength and reputation of its education offer.

But advantages like this cannot be taken for granted. In a more competitive global market, the UK will need to work actively to sustain its appeal.

If Britain wants to maintain its lead here, ministers should treat international education not as a peripheral issue, but as a core part of both China policy and trade policy”

Commenting on the research, Dr Michael Spence, President & Provost, University College London, said: “These findings are encouraging and highlight the strong interest among Chinese students and families in high–quality international education. They reflect what I have heard during my visit to China from parents, counsellors, headteachers and prospective students. With many excellent global options available, people are making thoughtful choices about where they will be academically stimulated, supported and valued.

For those considering study overseas, academic excellence is fundamental, but so too is the experience that institutions and national systems offer. At UCL, we are proud to foster open, intellectually rigorous academic communities where students from China and around the world feel welcome, respected and able to engage confidently with different perspectives.

Universities have a vital role not only in attracting international students, but in creating inclusive environments where diverse talents can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and be stretched in ways that prepare them for global futures.”

The UK hosted 143,200 Chinese students in 2024/25, while the US hosted 265,919. Even so, Chinese parents are more likely to choose Britain. The opportunity for the UK now is to convert that preference into lasting advantage.

About the research

Public First conducted an online survey for UCL of 1,274 adults aged 18 and over living in China. Results were weighted by age and gender group, region, and education level. The full research report is available to accredited media on request.

Key findings at a glance

  • UK vs US: 36.5% of Chinese parents name the UK as a top study destination, versus 27.0% for the US.
  • Near-universal ambition: 99.4% of Chinese parents want their children to attend university.
  • Pro-international: 85.2% would encourage their children to study abroad for a degree.
  • Broad endorsement: 87.8% believe studying abroad benefits young people in China.

Sources

https://opendoorsdata.org/annual-release/international-students/
https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from

Media enquiries
Interview opportunities with Dr Michael Spence are available.

About Public First

Public First is a policy, research, and strategy consultancy. We provide data and analysis to help shape public policy and public debates.

AI for Global Civilization: China-Singapore Dialogue Held in Singapore


SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 April 2026 – AI for Global Civilization: China-Singapore Dialogue was held in Singapore on April 28. The event gathered around 100 participants, including experts, scholars, and representatives from Chinese and Singaporean academic institutions, cultural organizations, as well as technology and cultural enterprises. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on China-Singapore digital industry cooperation and how digital and intelligent technologies empower inter-civilizational mutual learning. They also jointly showcased innovative achievements and frontier practices of both sides in the integrated field of culture and technology.

Event Highlights
Event Highlights

Opening remarks were delivered by Yuan Lin, Executive Assistant to the President of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, and Wang Donghai, Associate Director of NUS Enterprise. Keynote speeches were delivered by Cai Yiyu, Professor at Nanyang Technological University; Director of the Computer-Aided Engineering Labs and The Strategic Research Program on Virtual Reality; Co-President of Association of Global Technomics Education and Exchange; Cui Kai, Director of the Digital Culture Promotion Department, Center for International Cultural Communication, China International Communications Group (CICG); and Yang Jianwei, Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore.

Yuan Lin stated that the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology has injected new momentum into China-Singapore cultural exchanges. He stressed the importance of innovating cultural expression forms empowered by digital intelligence, upholding a correct value orientation in technological application, deepening people-to-people exchanges enabled by smart technologies, and actively exploring the profound value of intelligent technologies in advancing cross-cultural understanding.

Wang Donghai pointed out that it is essential to prioritize the integration of technological applications with social needs. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence to build bridges for civilizational exchange helps enhance cross-cultural understanding, enabling technology to better serve humanity and drive social progress.

Cai Yiyu noted that Singapore is forging ahead in cutting-edge fields including semiconductors, aerospace and artificial intelligence, opening up broad prospects for bilateral cooperation between China and Singapore. He emphasized that digital and intelligent technologies can be harnessed to revitalize and inherit traditional culture via youthful, trendy formats, thereby further deepening scientific, technological and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Cui Kai stated that intelligent imaging technology is profoundly reshaping the logic of cross-cultural narrative. Digital content creation is not merely about keeping pace with technological advancement; more importantly, it should take emotional resonance as the bond to break down cultural barriers, foster in-depth empathy, mutual learning and appreciation among global civilizations, and enable more outstanding civilizational achievements to be seen, understood and respected worldwide.

Yang Jianwei noted that artificial intelligence is becoming an important vehicle for inter-civilizational mutual learning, while cultural differences remain a core obstacle to cross-cultural communication. He advocated for the innovative and rational use of artificial intelligence in the future to eliminate prejudices and enhance civilizational understanding through technological power.

In the Case Sharing Session, guest speakers included Lisa Meng, Head of Singapore of Tencent Cloud International; Koh Chin Yee, Managing Director of Singapore Eye; Bai Yu, Director and Partner of LAiPIC; Hu Chengchen, Founder & CEO of ClariPpi (Singapore); Jane Zhao, SVP and Head of Global Business at Mininglamp Technology; and Jerry Tuo, AI Technology Director of Red Fun Planet. They delivered insightful presentations on the application prospects of artificial intelligence in content production as well as inter-civilizational mutual learning and exchange.

The participating guests agreed that artificial intelligence has brought revolutionary changes to the intelligent production, targeted communication and immersive presentation of cultural content. China and Singapore boast strong complementarity in digital infrastructure and cultural resources. Going forward, the two sides may deepen cooperation in joint research and development and scenario-based application, develop benchmark cultural-technology products and integrated solutions tailored for Southeast Asia, and jointly advance the high-quality development of the digital cultural industry.

This event was jointly hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies and the Center for International Cultural Communication,CICG, with Nanyang Technological University and other cultural and business exchange institutions participating as supporting partners.

Hashtag: #ACCWS

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

Tracking the unseen: How Chinese agricultural experts tackle invisible pollution in Yangtze River protection


BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 April 2026 – Since June 2021, the central committees of China’s non-Communist political parties and non-Party personages have been entrusted by the Communist Party of China (CPC[1] ) Central Committee with a five-year democratic oversight over the environmental protection of the Yangtze River. Democratic supervision extends from the glaciers on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau to the East China Sea, covering the whole Yangtze basin. It has evolved into a practical tool for Yangtze conservation, helping to better protect the river while serving the people.

image-1.jpeg

Agricultural non-point source pollution is a globally challenging problem for Yangtze ecological protection, as it is mostly hidden from view. During an inspection trip to Jiangxi’s Poyang Lake region in 2023, Zhao Lixin, a non-party personage and honorary director of Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , precisely pinpointed the key pain point: excessive total phosphorus in the water caused by nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from nearby farmland.

The inspection team went beyond identifying frontline issues to putting their expertise into practice on site. In response to local climate conditions and farming patterns, the team integrated and advanced an optimized set of agricultural management and treatment technologies. As a result, they successfully reduced surface runoff losses of nitrogen and phosphorus from rice paddies by 40 percent.

Over the past five years, the non-Party personages have submitted five democratic oversight reports and produced nearly 20 special research reports. Many of their recommendations have been incorporated into special programs of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Hashtag: #ChinaNewsService

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

NYSE Content Update: NASA’s Jared Isaacman Celebrates Artemis II Success at NYSE

NYSE issues a pre-market daily advisory direct from the trading floor.

NEW YORK, April 30, 2026 /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. 

 

The Artemis II crew will have NYSE ‘Bell Moment.’

Kristen Scholer delivers the pre-market update on April 30th

  • Equities are higher on Thursday morning following earnings from Global X NYSE 100 ETF components Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Apple.
  • Former Fed policymaker Loretta Mester will join NYSE Live to deliver her takeaways from Wednesday’s interest rate decision.
  • NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will deliver executive remarks at the NYSE before joining NYSE Live for an interview celebrating the success of the Artemis II mission.
  • Astronauts from the Artemis II mission will join Kristen Scholer for a ‘Bell Moment’ on Friday.

Opening Bell
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman celebrates the success of the Artemis II mission

Closing Bell
RAISE Summit marks its third edition, convening global leaders and positioning Paris at the center of Europe’s AI ecosystem.

For market insights, IPO activity, and today’s opening bell, download the NYSE TV App: TV.NYSE.com

Bill Ackman at the NYSE on April 29th
Bill Ackman at the NYSE on April 29th

 

Video – https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2970233/NYSE_April_30_Market_Update.mp4 

 

Singapore’s First MINISO FRIENDS to Open at VivoCity, Launching an Immersive IP Playground with YOYO’s First Overseas Exhibition

SINGAPORE, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global lifestyle brand MINISO officially opened Singapore’s first MINISO FRIENDS on April 25 at VivoCity, marking the debut of the brand’s top-level store format in the country. Through visual upgrades, enhanced in‑store experiences and a strengthened IP portfolio, MINISO FRIENDS brings Singapore’s consumers a vibrant destination that integrates retail, experience and social interaction, quickly emerging as a new must-visit IP destination for both local consumers and tourists.

Singapore's First MINISO FRIENDS
Singapore’s First MINISO FRIENDS

Situated on Basement 1 of VivoCity—Singapore’s largest and most iconic shopping mall—MINISO FRIENDS benefits from strong transport connectivity and consistently high foot traffic, attracting a diverse mix of young consumers, families and international tourists, further reinforcing its positioning as a new lifestyle hotspot within Singapore’s key tourist district. Reflecting the brand-new store format, MINISO FRIENDS VivoCity introduces a roughly 450 square meter immersive retail environment designed to encourage exploration, interaction and shareable moments — from browsing and discovery to social hangouts with friends.  

Consumers in MINISO FRIENDS Store
Consumers in MINISO FRIENDS Store

As one of the most comprehensive immersive IP‑themed lifestyle flagships in Singapore, MINISO FRIENDS VivoCity offers over 3,200 curated SKUs across categories including collectibles, home, lifestyle, beauty and gifting. At the entrance, a large‑scale YOYO installation serves as a visual focal point, while the interior is laid out in 12 interactive IP‑themed zones. Through bold, high‑saturation design and scene‑based spatial planning, the store creates an immersive environment that fosters social interaction and engagement with younger consumer communities.

Wide-ranging IP Product
Wide-ranging IP Product

Building on this immersive retail environment, MINISO FRIENDS VivoCity presents a more wide-ranging IP product portfolio to Singapore through exciting new store‑first launches. The lineup includes widely recognized collaborations such as Monchhichi, Chiikawa and Sanrio, alongside Singapore‑exclusive Disney Mickey products featuring the Merlion design. Selected collections made their overseas debut at the store—including the Chiikawa Sakura series—alongside the launch of MINISO’s new Star Wars collaboration collection, available from the same day. MINISO’s proprietary IP, YOYO, is also introduced with the most comprehensive product lineup in Southeast Asia, including a first overseas release of Vinyl Plush Hanging Card. The collection quickly became one of the standout highlights among visitors, further reinforcing MINISO FRIENDS as a new IP playground in the city.

Exclusive Launch at MINISO FRIENDS
Exclusive Launch at MINISO FRIENDS

As part of the overall launch campaign, YOYO, MINISO’s original IP known for its gentle and comforting character rooted in the idea of companionship, made its first overseas exhibition “YOYO’s Singapore Travel Diary”, across VivoCity from April 18 to May 13, spanning the peak Labour Day holiday travel period.

Featuring 13 large-scale installations located across key indoor and outdoor areas of the mall, the exhibition incorporates local Singapore elements and a travel diary concept, extending the MINISO FRIENDS experience beyond the store into a broader, mall-wide journey.

Centered around a giant YOYO installation, the trip-themed experience includes oversized cameras, local landmark elements, creative photo frames and interactive mirror art spaces — creating a highly photogenic environment that continued to attract visitors throughout the holiday period and drive strong social sharing across platforms.

First Overseas Exhibition “YOYO’s Singapore Travel Diary”
First Overseas Exhibition “YOYO’s Singapore Travel Diary”

The successful launch of Singapore’s first MINISO FRIENDS underscores MINISO’s continued evolution from traditional lifestyle retail into a globally leading IP operation platform.

As a key Southeast Asia market, Singapore’s mix of interest-driven consumers and international visitors makes it an ideal location for MINISO’s immersive, IP-led retail concepts, as reflected in the launch of MINISO FRIENDS. The store is now emerging as a new lifestyle and social destination.

Looking ahead, MINISO will continue expanding the FRIENDS format alongside other innovative and immersive store concepts globally, building fun, social spaces that bring joy to everyday life.

About MINISO

MINISO Group is a global lifestyle brand offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products. The Company serves consumers primarily through its large network of MINISO stores, and promotes a relaxing, treasure-hunting and engaging shopping experience full of delightful surprises that appeals to all demographics. Aesthetically pleasing design, quality and affordability are at the core of every product in MINISO’s wide product portfolio, and the Company continually and frequently rolls out products with these qualities. Since the opening of its first store in China in 2013, the Company has built its flagship brand “MINISO” as a globally recognized retail brand.

 

Hashed Global Management Limited (“HGML”) Obtains Financial Services Permission from ADGM

ABU DHABI, UAE, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hashed Global Management Limited (HGML), an entity within the Hashed global venture capital group (“the Group”, “Hashed”), has obtained a Financial Services Permission (FSP) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi.

With this permission, HGML is authorized to conduct regulated financial activities in or from ADGM, including advising on investments or credits, arranging investment deals, managing assets, and collective investment funds.

ADGM recognition for its progressive regulatory framework in fintech, digital assets, and emerging financial technologies. Leveraging this, the Group plans to position ADGM as its official base for institutional operations across the UAE/GCC region, strengthening connections between its global capital network and local institutional investors.

Through ADGM, Hashed plans to strengthen its role as a strategic bridge between the UAE/GCC and innovation networks anchored in Korea and Asia. It will deepen investment connectivity, expand cross-border partnerships, and support long-term collaboration between regional capital and globally connected founders and ecosystems.

Simon Kim, CEO of Hashed,  stated, “Abu Dhabi is a city at the forefront of global digital financial infrastructure. Establishing an official business foundation under ADGM’s regulatory framework reflects Hashed’s commitment to building a trust-based business in this region for the long term.”

Seokwon Hong, Licensed Director and Senior Executive Officer at HGML , added, “This permission lays the groundwork for HGML to collaborate with Middle Eastern institutional investors within a regulated environment. Through our partnership with ADGM, we will work together to help shape both policy and the market.”

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM , said, “We congratulate HGML on receiving its FSP. This milestone underscores the growing momentum we are seeing as leading firms choose ADGM and Abu Dhabi to establish and scale their regional operations. ADGM remains committed to providing a trusted, forward-looking regulatory environment and a world-class ecosystem that supports innovation, strengthens cross-border connectivity, and enables long-term growth.”

Hashed co-hosted the “Web3 Leaders Roundtable” with ADGM during Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025, focusing on the convergence of AI and blockchain-based financial infrastructure. Discussions covered blockchain’s role as AI-native infrastructure, the tokenisation-driven transformations, and regulatory considerations for institutional investors. Participants included ADIA, DTCC, Franklin Templeton, BlackRock, Circle, Consensys, and the Solana Foundation, and the outcomes of the discussion were published as a policy report.

HNS 2026 | Huawei and Industry Organizations Launch Xinghe AI Full-Scope Security Campus Technical White Paper

CAIRO, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the Huawei Network Summit 2026 (HNS 2026) held recently in Cairo, Huawei and industry organizations officially released the Xinghe AI Full-Scope Security Campus Technical White Paper.

The white paper introduces for the first time four key pillars of campus security—connectivity, asset, spatial, and privacy security—to build a full-domain security architecture with multi-layered protection. This marks a new stage in AI campus security, evolving from single-point defense to all-domain awareness and proactive intelligent defense.

The launch ceremony of the white paper
The launch ceremony of the white paper

The white paper provides a systematic approach to building a full-scope security technology architecture and elaborates on the world’s first complete framework for campus network security.

“Security is the cornerstone of AI campuses,” said Ricky Zhu, Vice President of the Campus Network Domain, Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line. “By integrating digital and physical domains, Huawei pioneers multi-layered protection across connectivity, asset, spatial, and privacy security. This development shifts campuses from reactive defense to proactive awareness and intelligent safeguarding.”

Key highlights of the four major campus security dimensions include:

  • Connectivity security: On the wireless side, Huawei’s exclusive Wi-Fi Shield technology eliminates the risk of packet eavesdropping at the physical layer. On the wired side, end-to-end MACsec combined with Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) provides long-term security for data transmission even as quantum computing matures, protecting against data leakage.
  • Asset security: The surging number of dumb terminals in governments, finance, and other sectors has heightened the risk of network attacks. To address this, Huawei’s solution leverages clustering identification to automatically recognize dumb terminals with 95% accuracy. By combining terminal behavior anomaly detection with local inference on switches, the solution can detect traffic anomalies in seconds and proactively block them, effectively preventing network intrusions and lateral movement. The resulting benefits include terminal visibility and controllability without unauthorized access and spoofing.
  • Spatial security: Huawei’s Wi-Fi channel state information (CSI) sensing technology detects spatial security conditions through a single wireless access point (AP), preventing intrusions into sensitive areas. The technology analyzes only wireless signal disturbance patterns to safeguard spatial security while protecting personal privacy to the maximum extent.
  • Privacy security: In executive rooms, meeting rooms, hotel guest rooms, and other sensitive environments, traditional methods for detecting hidden imaging devices are often inefficient and prone to high miss rates. Huawei tackles this by launching the iGuard spycam-detecting AP, which offers three key advantages—comprehensive detection, precise detection, and 24/7 operation—to safeguard trade secrets and personal privacy in such private places.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue collaborating with customers and industry organizations to put the white paper’s core technical indicators into practice across industries. This effort will help to drive the high-quality development of secure and intelligent campuses.

For details of the white paper, visit https://e.huawei.com/en/documents/products/enterprise-network/c1d4f9aa8b514ac188db924a0cb237dd.

Wahed Launches First Shariah‑Compliant Single-Family Residential Real Estate Fund for All US Investors

NEW YORK, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wahed, a global Islamic fintech platform backed by Saudi Aramco’s Wa’ed Ventures and Qatar Development Bank, today launched the first fully Shariah-compliant real estate fund accessible to non-accredited investors in the United States.

The fund is designed to give everyday investors access to a diversified portfolio of rental properties with a minimum investment of $100 through a structure that uses zero debt financing and is 100% equity-financed, meeting Islamic finance requirements while targeting 5-7% annual net returns. It is intended to set a new standard for Shariah-compliant real estate investing in the United States, where most professionally managed real estate vehicles rely on leverage and refinancing.

Until now, US investors seeking Shariah‑compliant exposure to real estate have faced limited options, particularly in the single‑family rental segment. Most private real estate funds permit the use of leverage and are restricted to accredited investors, while retail investors have faced high minimum thresholds, limited diversification and the practical burden of sourcing, selecting and managing properties directly.

The single-family rental market continues to attract attention from both institutional and retail investors. The national median existing-home price stood at $405,400 in December 2025, according to the National Association of Realtors, up approximately 60% nationwide since 2019. Zillow estimates America’s housing shortage reached 4.7 million units in 2025, while Goldman Sachs Research projects that 3-4 million additional homes beyond normal construction need to be built to address the shortage. Rental demand remains firm in many regions and housing supply has not kept pace with population growth in several markets. At the same time, higher borrowing costs and tighter financing conditions have increased demand in real estate structures that are less sensitive to financing conditions. Wahed believes a zero-debt approach is well suited to investors who want long-term exposure to real assets without taking on leverage.

Wahed began addressing this access gap last year with the launch of its deal‑by‑deal private real estate product, which allows investors to buy fractional shares in individual US properties. Investor demand has been strong, with properties consistently filling by waitlist users before being released more broadly on the platform.

“Faith-aligned investors in the US have been waiting for a real estate solution that does not force them to compromise,” said Mohsin Siddiqui, CEO of Wahed. “This fund gives them a clear route into single‑family rentals through a structure that avoids debt, provides diversification and liquidity and reflects the standards we apply across our platform. It builds on the demand we have already seen and moves us closer to our goal of making Shariah-compliant wealth management available at scale.”

The new fund is a natural extension of that momentum and is designed for investors who prefer a portfolio approach rather than choosing properties one by one. The fund is always available and provides automatic diversification as new properties are added, allowing investors to gain exposure without having to wait for individual deals to become available. Investors can start with $100, receive rental income based on their share of the portfolio and access quarterly liquidity windows. Wahed manages acquisition, due diligence, tenant relationships and ongoing compliance through a highly experienced investment and operations team.

“Our role is to build real estate solutions that meet a clear need in the market and reflect the principles we stand for,” said Ahmar Sheikh, Head of US at Wahed. “This fund brings together rental properties that are selected and managed with care, in a structure that is less exposed to changing financing conditions and interest rate cycles, and that allows investors to participate on an ongoing basis. It is a model that makes sense for investors regardless of religious affiliation.”

The US Real Estate Fund is open to non‑accredited investors nationwide, subject to regulatory requirements.

About Wahed 

Wahed is a global Islamic fintech company committed to democratizing access to Shariah‑compliant investments. Since 2015, the company has served more than 450,000 clients across 130+ countries and is licensed in 9 jurisdictions. Wahed manages more than $1 billion in assets across its entities through a suite of Halal investment products that includes equity portfolios, venture investing and real estate. The company is backed by prominent investors including Saudi Aramco’s Wa’ed Ventures and Qatar Development Bank and maintains offices in New York, London, Abu Dhabi, India and Kuala Lumpur.

For more information about Wahed Real Estate in the US, visit www.wahed.com.

Risk Disclosures: 

This investment is speculative, illiquid and involves substantial risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. Securities are offered through Dalmore Group LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Wahed and Dalmore are not affiliates. Investors will be clients of Wahed. An offering statement has been filed with the SEC. SEC qualification does not imply approval or endorsement of the offering’s merits. Please review the full offering circular for complete terms and risks.

Investors are purchasing shares of a Fund and not the underlying asset(s) of the Fund. There is no assurance any Fund will achieve its objectives, is not listed on an exchange and may not be suitable for all investors. Distributions are subject to and are not guaranteed.

As of March 5th, this is the first Shariah-compliant investment fund in the U.S. to offer non-accredited retail investors direct, pooled exposure to a managed portfolio of single-family rental (SFR) properties. This statement reflects our understanding of currently available products and may change as new offerings emerge.