HONG KONG, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Apple’s latest budget-friendly smartphone, the iPhone 17e, makes its debut featuring significant storage upgrades and the same trusted durability. Retailing at a starting price of $599, the device now offers 256GB of base storage—double the capacity of last year’s iPhone 16e.

The iPhone 17e features a significant upgrade in both the material and craftsmanship of its cover glass. The front cover glass is manufactured by BIEL Crystal and is made of Ceramic Shield 2. Reinforced with BIEL Crystal’s super-hard coating technology, Ceramic Shield 2 delivers three times better scratch resistance compared to the Ceramic Shield 1 used in the iPhone 16e.

It is worth noting that Apple has once again selected BIEL Crystal as the exclusive supplier of cover glass for the iPhone 17e. BIEL Crystal was also the exclusive supplier of cover glass for the iPhone 16e launched early in 2025.

About BIEL Crystal
As a global leader in exterior structure and module solutions for smart devices, BIEL Crystal serves a wide range of industries. Its advanced components are essential to consumer electronics, smart wearables, AR/VR glasses, and next-generation automotive applications. This trust is reflected in its long-standing partnerships with industry pioneers such as Apple, Samsung, Meta, and Tesla.

With more than 30 years of technological innovation and excellent management, BIEL Crystal has become a large technology innovation group with 9 advanced production bases worldwide, with a total investment of over HK$42 billion, covering a total area of about 4.3 million square meters, employing more than 100,000 people and with an annual production capacity of 2.2 billion pieces.

MEDAN, IndonesiaMarch 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In commemoration of National Women’s Day, Musim Mas reaffirms its commitment to building a more inclusive palm oil industry through women’s empowerment and gender equality. Musim Mas believes that women play a vital role in driving sustainability and progress in the industry. As such, gender equality is not only a moral responsibility, but also an important part of the company’s long-term business strategy.

This commitment is reflected through initiatives such as the Gender Committee and women’s empowerment programmes, and is further reinforced in in the Musim Mas Sustainability Roadmap 2026–2030, where Gender Equity and Women Empowerment has been identified as a priority strategy. By strengthening Gender Committees at the operational level and implementing the Women Smallholders Program (WSP) at the community level, Musim Mas continues to promote women’s participation and contributions across the palm oil supply chain.

Speaking during a webinar titled “Strengthening Business Resilience through Sustainability,” Vivi Anita, General Manager of Sustainability at Musim Mas, shared:

“Through our Women’s Empowerment programmes, we are not only conducting responsible business, but also investing in human capital to strengthen the company’s operational resilience while supporting women’s sovereignty and independence. This represents an important step toward improving overall community welfare.”

Gender Committee: Tangible Support for Women in the Workplace

Established in 2008, the Gender Committee plays an important role in creating a safe, dignified, and inclusive working environment for employees—especially women—across the company’s operational units. At the operational level, the committee supports the protection of women workers while encouraging their participation and strategic contributions.

Musim Mas also collaborates with DIWA (Dignity in Work for All), a global non-profit organisation focused on promoting workers’ rights and dignity. Through activities such as assessments, focus group discussions with workers, and training for Gender Committee members as well as plantation and mill workers, the programme supports improvements not only in company systems but also in workplace culture and mindsets.

The initiative provides a safe space for women workers to share their experiences and aspirations, while strengthening mechanisms to address sensitive issues such as discrimination, gender-based violence, and sexual harassment through a survivor-centred approach. It also aims to improve understanding of gender equality, women’s leadership, and the role of men as active allies in advancing gender equality and social change.

For Musim Mas, women’s empowerment is an integral part of its sustainability strategy. Through the Gender Committee, the company promotes equal access and opportunities for women across roles and leadership levels, while encouraging dialogue on gender equality that includes the active participation of men.

Women Smallholders Program: Strengthening Women in Plantation Communities

Beyond its operations, Musim Mas also promotes women’s empowerment at the community level through the Women Smallholders Program (WSP). The programme supports women smallholders and the wives of smallholders by strengthening their social and economic capacities so they can contribute more actively to their families, plantation businesses, and communities.

WSP addresses challenges faced by women in plantation communities through training on Family Nutrition and Health, Financial Literacy, and Business Opportunities Development. In 2023, the programme’s first phase was implemented in three regencies in Riau in collaboration with academics from the University of North Sumatra and national financial institutions.

Early results show tangible impact. More than 500 women participated in Family Nutrition and Health training, with changes in health practices monitored. 574 women joined Financial Literacy training to strengthen household economic resilience. Three women-led business groups were formed and received training and mentoring to develop essential goods retail businesses.

Today, these groups manage businesses supplying essential goods to local communities and nearby shops, achieving average assets of approximately IDR 80 million per group.

Prof. Ir. Diana Chalil, M.Si., Ph.D., an Agribusiness lecturer at the University of North Sumatra who has been involved in supporting the WSP programme, views the initiative as a strategic step.

“Independent smallholder plantations are generally managed as family enterprises, where women play an important role both as workers and as managers of household finances. Therefore, efforts to improve the performance and sustainability of smallholder oil palm plantations must actively involve and empower women.”

Moving Forward

Musim Mas will continue strengthening the capacity of its Gender Committees, integrating lessons learned into the company’s management systems, and expanding the Women Smallholders Program to additional regions. Through a collaborative and sustainable approach, Musim Mas is committed to ensuring that women are not only protected but also given opportunities to grow, have their voices heard, and be recognised as agents of change in building an inclusive and sustainable palm oil industry.

Contact:
Reza Rinaldi Mardja
Corporate Communications, Musim Mas Group
E. media@musimmas.com

SEOUL, South Korea, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Eye Level announced the successful completion of the Eye Level Math Olympiad 2025 (ELMO 2025), its global math competition designed to inspire elementary and middle school students to challenge their mathematical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Held throughout November 2025, ELMO 2025 took place across multiple countries and regions worldwide, with competitions hosted in schools, learning centers, and community venues. The event brought together students eager to test their skills in arithmetic, logical reasoning, and problem solving while experiencing the excitement of a global academic challenge.

A Global Platform for Mathematical Thinking

First launched in 2004, the Eye Level Math Olympiad has grown into a signature global event that encourages young learners to explore the power of mathematics beyond the classroom.

The competition is designed to assess students’ abilities across key areas including calculation, word problems, and logical reasoning. By presenting questions tailored to each grade level, the Olympiad offers students a meaningful opportunity to evaluate their strengths while building confidence in their learning journey.

In 2025, the Olympiad introduced further enhancements to enrich the learning experience. The test structure placed greater emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking, reflecting Eye Level’s educational philosophy that mathematics should develop reasoning and creativity, not just speed and memorization.

Participants also received detailed result reports designed to help students and parents better understand individual learning strengths, offering insights that support future academic growth.

Encouraging Every Student’s Challenge

Guided by the message “One Test. A Thousand Possibilities,” ELMO 2025 celebrated the spirit of challenge and discovery. The Olympiad emphasizes that every student who participates takes an important step toward building confidence, resilience, and curiosity in learning.

To commemorate this experience, all participants received a medal recognizing their effort and courage in taking on the challenge—turning the Olympiad into not only a competition, but also a memorable milestone in their academic journey.

Strengthening Eye Level’s Global Math Education Leadership

Through initiatives such as the Eye Level Math Olympiad, Eye Level continues to strengthen its role as a global education brand dedicated to developing strong mathematical foundations and critical thinking skills in young learners.

The official results of ELMO 2025 were announced in January 2026, with award ceremonies already held in several countries including the Philippines and Thailand. Additional ceremonies are scheduled across other participating countries in March, continuing the global celebration of students’ mathematical achievements.

About Eye Level

Eye Level is a global provider of supplemental education services in mathematics and English, serving students in numerous countries worldwide. Through its individualized learning approach, Eye Level empowers students to learn at their own pace, build strong academic foundations, and develop the confidence needed for lifelong learning.

SINGAPORE, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda’s latest ranking reveals the top destinations where travelers can enjoy a river cruise Asia, according to activities booked through Agoda between January to February 2026. Experiences are at the heart of travel, and river cruises offer travelers a unique way to experience Asia’s diverse landscapes, cultures, and cuisines, from the bustling waterways of Bangkok to the serene vistas of Halong Bay.

Here are the most popular river cruise destinations in Asia, according to Agoda:

1.      Chao Phraya, Bangkok, Thailand

The Chao Phraya dinner cruise in Bangkok offers an unforgettable evening with a buffet that blends Thai and international cuisines. Guests can dine on deck while enjoying the stunning views along the riverbank. Cruises often include live entertainment, such as a cabaret show with performers in traditional costumes, making it a popular choice for both locals and tourists.

2.      Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay’s breathtaking scenery is best experienced on a day tour where can enjoy a sunset cruise and party with tea, cakes, fresh fruit, and music, along with access to a Jacuzzi pool. Tours can also include stops to explore caves, nearby islands, and kayaking activities.

3.      Han River, Da Nang, Vietnam

A relaxing evening cruise on the Han River offers stunning views of Da Nang’s most famous attractions under the night sky. Passengers can admire the iconic Han River Bridge and Dragon Bridge while savoring fresh fruits, making it a serene escape from the city’s hustle.

4.      Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The Saigon River offers a variety of cruise options, from dinner cruises to daytime sightseeing cruises. Those seeking a romantic atmosphere can opt for a sunset luxury cruise with live music and cultural shows, while sightseeing cruises provide unique views of the city’s major landmarks. 

5.      Clarke Quay, Singapore

Cruising from Clarke Quay allows passengers to glide past iconic landmarks like Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion, taking in Singapore’s dazzling skyline. With hourly departures until 9 pm, the vibrant atmosphere of Singapore can be experienced from the water, with famous attractions such as Raffles’ Landing Site and the colorful shophouses at Boat Quay along the route.

6.      Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, SAR

Victoria Harbour offers panoramic sunset or night views of Hong Kong’s iconic skyline. Guests can indulge in snacks and drinks on a spacious open-air raft while enjoying the world-famous Symphony of Lights show. For those looking to commemorate the moment, professional photography services are available to capture breathtaking sights against the harbor backdrop.

Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda, shared, “Experiences and activities bring a destination to life. With Agoda’s extensive selection of activities, travelers can personalize their adventures to fully immerse themselves in Asia’s awe-inspiring scenery and cultural heritage. Whether it’s a serene sunset cruise along the Saigon River or a city tour with unparalleled views of Singapore’s iconic skyline, Agoda helps travelers make every journey extraordinary.” 

Travelers seeking unique river cruise adventures and other experiences can browse over 300,000 activities, along with more than 6 million holiday properties and over 130,000 flight routes, all of which can be combined in the same booking. Discover the best deals on Agoda’s mobile app or visit Agoda.com for more.

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Investment in PointFit anchors Seveno’s Hong Kong expansion and marks first deal led by new Partner Jean-Baptiste Roy

HONG KONG, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Seveno Capital has announced a strategic investment in PointFit, a company developing a skin patch wearable for non-invasive and real-time biomarker monitoring through sweat, valuing the business at US $10 million, in a move that underscores growing investor conviction in next-generation wearable technology that goes beyond existing heart-rate wearable devices.

The transaction reflects Seveno Capital’s strategy of backing globally scalable healthspan platforms emerging from Asia, while actively evaluating investment opportunities across North America and Europe.

PointFit represents a fundamental shift in health monitoring, moving the category away from devices that infer physiology through proxies such as heart rate and motion, towards direct, continuous biological measurement captured at the skin.

PointFit, a Hong Kong-based startup incubated at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has developed its first product for Continuous Lactate Monitoring (CLM), enabling users to understand fatigue, endurance and recovery in real time without invasive blood tests or time-consuming laboratory analysis. Its modular platform design supports future platform expansion beyond its initial endurance focus.

While biomarker data has long been used in elite sport and clinical research, access has historically been confined to invasive, intrusive and controlled environments. By translating laboratory-grade physiological insight into a wearable format, PointFit expands access to continuous biomarker intelligence beyond elite performance settings.

The US $10 million valuation marks a significant milestone for PointFit, validating both the pace of its technical progress and the scale of the market opportunity ahead.  While PointFit’s initial focus is endurance-biomarkers (eg: lactate, electrolytes, sweat rate) monitoring, the company is building toward a broader platform that can track multiple diagnostic biomarkers, enabling future applications across performance, metabolic health, and longevity-focused care.

Analysts project the global wearable market will double to a US$200 billion Total Addressable Market (TAM) by 2030, driven by a massive consumer shift from basic activity tracking to clinical-grade biological data.

Within this, PointFit is strategically positioned to capture a US$15 billion Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM) of tens of millions of dedicated endurance athletes seeking real-time physiological optimisation.

PointFit has successfully carried out demos with global sports federations, teams, technologies, retailers and fitness equipment manufacturers. As the company enters its commercialisation phase, Seveno Capital will supercharge PointFit’s integration with key industry stakeholders internationally, including in the United States. Recent product showcases in Indiana and participation in the Startup World Cup Finale in Silicon Valley have strengthened its engagement with North America’s sports and venture ecosystems. PointFit is also supported by Creative Destruction Lab, a global science-based accelerator, further reinforcing its international scaling trajectory.

PointFit’s international profile accelerated at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where the company received a CES Innovation Award in Digital Health, placing it among the most closely watched emerging sports technology companies in the United States.

Seveno Capital views PointFit’s progress as reflective of the evolving global fitness and wellness industry, increasingly shaped by Asian innovation and capital. A recent example of this trend is Anta Sports’ acquisition of a 29 per cent stake in iconic German sportswear brand Puma in January 2026, a transaction widely seen as a signal of cross-border consolidation driven from Asia, as global fitness, performance, and lifestyle brands seek scale, technology, and new growth platforms.

Against this backdrop, Seveno Capital believes PointFit is well-positioned to emerge as a globally relevant health-monitoring platform, leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a gateway between Asian capital, international markets, and elite performance ecosystems. 

Inaugural Investment from Seveno Capital’s Hong Kong Platform

The PointFit investment is Singapore-based Seveno Capital’s first transaction since opening a new office in Hong Kong. Hong Kong will serve as a base for sourcing, backing and scaling globally relevant technologies at the intersection of performance, prevention and longevity.

Seveno Capital is a global venture platform investing in human healthspan. The firm evaluates opportunities worldwide and supports its portfolio companies in scaling across major international markets, including Asia, Europe, the Gulf and the United States. Seveno continues to assess investment opportunities in US-based startups, reflecting the scale and strategic importance of the North American health and sports technology market.

The investment is the inaugural deal led by Jean-Baptiste Roy, who has joined Seveno Capital as Partner to expand the firm’s international scope and deepen its focus on performance-led, data-driven technologies. Roy brings extensive experience in sports technology and human performance investing, strengthening Seveno Capital’s ability to identify and scale category-defining platforms with global potential.

Allen Law, Principal at Seveno Capital, said:

“PointFit represents the next generation of health platforms, turning real-time biomarker data into everyday behavioural insight. This is where preventive health is heading – away from occasional testing and toward continuous understanding of the human body. At Seveno Capital, we back technologies that can define new global categories and help build the foundation for longer, stronger lives.”

Jean-Baptiste Roy, Partner at Seveno Capital, said:

“Seveno is building the infrastructure that makes healthspan extension real, and Hong Kong gives us a powerful base to scale globally with unique access to Asia. PointFit brings biomarker visibility that was once limited to elite laboratories into the hands of athletes and everyday users, which is exactly the kind of platform we believe can scale internationally. And I am excited to bring this innovation to everyone from amateur to professional athletes, to train safely and more accurately.”

Kenny Oktavius, Co-Founder and CEO of PointFit, said:

“Seveno’s vision of ‘adding life to years’ mirrors our belief that the future of healthcare is preventive and personalised. With Seveno’s global network across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, we can accelerate the rollout of the PF-Sweat Patch from elite sports into broader consumer adoption. Together, we are bridging wellness and clinical care so everyone can understand their body’s signals and take control of their healthspan.”

For more information:

PointFit: https://pointfittech.com/

Seveno Capital: https://seveno.capital/

Images of the partnership of Seveno Capital and PointFit can be downloaded here. 

SEOUL, South Korea, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LOTTE Biologics announced today that it will participate in DCAT Week 2026, a global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry event taking place in New York from March 23 to 26, to explore new partnership opportunities and strengthen its global presence in the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) sector.

Held annually in New York, DCAT Week is one of the industry’s most prominent global gatherings, bringing together pharmaceutical companies, CDMOs, and other life sciences stakeholders to discuss collaboration opportunities and industry trends.

During the event, LOTTE Biologics will host a series of meetings at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, where DCAT Week is held, to engage with potential partners and explore new business opportunities in the global CDMO market, including North America.

The company will highlight the synergy between its Syracuse Bio Campus in New York and the Songdo Bio Campus in Incheon, South Korea, which is scheduled for mechanical completion in August 2026 as part of LOTTE Biologics’ plan to expand its global manufacturing network. By leveraging the dual-site model across the United States and Korea, the company aims to support global partners with flexible and reliable manufacturing capabilities.

LOTTE Biologics will also emphasize the expansion of its service capabilities through strategic collaborations. In particular, through its ongoing collaboration with the U.S.-based cell line development experts Asimov, the company is able to offer end to end DNA to DS services. This collaboration allows for streamlined, unified capabilities with 8.5 month timelines from transfection to drug substance release.

“DCAT Week is an important gathering where key decision-makers across the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry come together,” said a representative from LOTTE Biologics. “Through this participation, we aim to actively explore partnership opportunities with potential clients and continue strengthening our competitiveness in the global market.”