First insurer in Asia to bring the innovative blood-based multi‑cancer screening solution to Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines

TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC     SEHK: 945

HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, and MANILA, Philippines, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Manulife today announced an exclusive partnership with Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, becoming the first insurer in Asia to offer Guardant Health’s Shield Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) test to customers in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Singapore. Under the partnership, Manulife’s customers will have exclusive access to the Shield MCD test in these three launch markets in 2026, marking the first introduction of this innovative test in Asia to Manulife customers. This collaboration underscores both companies’ shared commitment to expanding access to innovative and proven health solutions that address real, unmet health needs.

“By being the first insurer in Asia to offer the Shield MCD test, we’re empowering our customers with a credible and valued service that encourages proactive health management”, said Steve Finch, President and CEO of Manulife Asia. “This exclusive partnership demonstrates our commitment to offering innovative and differentiated solutions to improve the health outcomes of our customers.”

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Asia¹. With just a blood draw, the Shield MCD test screens for 10 of the most common cancers, many of which have high mortality rates in Asia. The test received Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2025.

This collaboration builds on the two companies’ existing relationship in Singapore to offer eligible customers access to the Guardant360 liquid biopsy test for advanced solid tumors and represents a shared vision of bringing new and advanced health solutions and expanding access to preventive care to more markets across Asia.

“We are excited to partner with Manulife to introduce the Shield MCD test to Asia for the first time,” said Simranjit Singh, CEO of Guardant Health AMEA. “Shield MCD has the potential to significantly lift screening rates across the region for the most prevalent cancers. This could significantly alleviate the burden of cancer across Asia by expanding access to cancer detection with just a blood draw. We look forward to the impact that this collaboration with Manulife will make in bringing this latest innovation in cancer screening to the Asian market.”

The Shield MCD test will be available to eligible Manulife customers beginning April 2026.

As part of this new partnership, Manulife is committed to providing underserved communities with access to the Shield MCD test. “This commitment underscores our dedication to prioritizing health and wellbeing so people can unlock life’s potential and live fuller, more prosperous lives at any age,” said Harshal Shah, Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Asia. “Empowering health, wealth, and longevity is central to Manulife’s ambition. Through our partnership with Guardant Health, we look forward to advancing this mission for our customers and the communities we serve.”

These efforts align with the Manulife Longevity Institute, a global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform that aims to advance action on helping people live longer, healthier, more financially secure lives.

Manulife has announced an exclusive partnership with Guardant Health to bring the innovative, blood-based Shield multi‑cancer detection test to customers in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Singapore—marking the test’s first introduction in Asia and driving improved health outcomes across the region. Pictured are Harshal Shah, Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Asia (left), and Simranjit Singh, CEO of Guardant Health AMEA (right).

About Manulife  

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Anchored in our ambition to be the number one choice for customers, we operate as Manulife across Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, providing financial advice, insurance and health solutions for individuals, groups and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, we offer global investment solutions, financial advice, and retirement plan services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2025, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 106,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 37 million customers with operations across 25 markets globally. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions.

For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

About Manulife Longevity Institute

The Manulife Longevity Institute is a global research, thought leadership, advocacy, and community investment platform to drive action that can help people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives. Underpinned by a $350 million signature commitment, its focus is on helping people extend their healthy years, promoting greater financial resilience for all. As a global insurer, retirement plan provider, and asset manager, Manulife is uniquely placed to help lead this change. The Institute’s work will support Manulife’s Impact Agenda strategy by investing in organizations that are growing the longevity economy, convening research collaborations with leading academic institutions and think tanks, and producing thought leadership to advance awareness and action on the issues impacting populations as they age. The Institute will be known as the John Hancock Longevity Institute in the United States. The actions of the Institute will be guided by a Steering Committee of members of Manulife’s Executive and Global Leadership Teams and in partnership with a robust ecosystem of partners and experts who champion longevity across Canada, Asia, and the US.

For more information, please visit Manulife.com/Longevity. 

Media Contacts 

Manulife Asia
Alice Li
Chief Communications Officer, Hong Kong & Macau
Email: Alice_SM_Li@manulife.com

Seasoned staffing executive to lead aggressive US growth, with expanded operations in Colombia and growing support for EMEA markets

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cloudstaff, a global leader in virtual staffing solutions, announces the appointment of Macon Albertson as General Manager, North America. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he will head Cloudstaff’s North America operations, driving strategy and building long-term client partnerships across the region.

Macon brings over 25 years of experience in the staffing and workforce solutions industry. His career includes nearly a decade at Randstad Professionals as Executive Vice President, followed by his tenure as President and CEO at Tatum, a Randstad company. Most recently, he provided advisory consulting to multiple staffing and professional services firms. His track record is defined by building scalable, high-performance organizations and delivering the strategic clarity that helps businesses grow predictably and profitably.

“North American businesses are under real pressure to build the right teams, quickly and sustainably,” Macon said. “What Cloudstaff has built, combining enterprise-grade technology with genuinely invested talent across global delivery centers, gives clients something most providers can’t offer: a team that feels like their own. That’s what I’m here to help more businesses experience.”

Cloudstaff is in an active phase of US growth, supported by its recent expansion in Colombia, which strengthens its ability to serve clients across multiple geographies. Together with delivery centers in the Philippines, India, and soon Kenya, Cloudstaff’s global infrastructure gives North American clients access to specialized professionals across more than 150 roles, drawn from a talent pool of nearly one million professionals.

“Macon’s background leading large-scale staffing operations, combined with his instinct for building trusted client partnerships, makes him exactly the right person to lead our North American expansion,” said Lloyd Ernst, CEO and Founder of Cloudstaff.

About Cloudstaff

Cloudstaff is pioneering virtual staffing solutions that combine ethical outsourcing with enterprise-grade people tech. They connect businesses embarking on remarkable growth with the world’s top talent from their pool of nearly one million professionals. With delivery centers across the Philippines, India, Colombia, and Kenya, and client operations in the US, Australia, and UK, Cloudstaff helps businesses around the globe find staff for over 150 roles. Businesses looking for remote staff can discover why 1000+ companies choose Cloudstaff at www.cloudstaff.com.

Media Contact:
Beth Woods
VP-Marketing, Cloudstaff
+1 800 730 8615
marketing-notices@cloudstaff.com
www.cloudstaff.com

BEIJING, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Kizil Caves, located in Baicheng County, Aksu Prefecture in west-central Xinjiang, are among the earliest Buddhist cave complexes in China. Over a thousand years ago, Buddhism was introduced from ancient India to the western part of China. The earliest center of Buddhism in the Western Regions (now Xinjiang) was the ancient kingdom of Qiuci, today’s Kuche (Kuqa).

Renowned for their exquisite murals, the Kizil Caves house a central collection of murals representative of the ancient Qiuci State’s Buddhist art. Of the 349 caves, 107 contain murals spanning nearly 5,000 square meters. The Kizil Caves are one of the Four Great Grottes of China, along with the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in the northwest, the Yungang Grottoes in the north and the Longmen Grottoes in central China, and were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of the murals were plundered by foreign expeditioners and scattered across the world. Zhao Li, a research fellow at the Kizil Caves Research Institute in Xinjiang, has dedicated her life to restoring them, traveling overseas to retrieve lost fragments and recreating them digitally.

Zhao spoke to Xinjiang Today about the evolution of research on the murals of Kizil Caves and international collaboration to preserve them. This is an edited excerpt of the interview:

Xinjiang Today: How did you get started on researching the murals at Kizil Caves? How has international research on them developed over the past three decades?

I started research on this back in 1998, publishing papers and securing research projects from the National Cultural Heritage Administration. I also had exchanges with international experts in the area.

Foreign scholars have conducted extensive research on the cultural relics and murals of Kizil Caves taken away by expedition teams in the early 20th century. The last such team was the German expedition team that arrived in around 1913, and they took away many murals, as well as some statues and books. They published some reports in the 1920s and their publications remain essential references for us.

In the late 1970s, Su Bai, a professor with Peking University, went to the Kizil Caves with four students. They stayed in the area for three months, dating and periodizing the caves, and Chinese scholars gradually took the lead in the research.

By the 1990s, local experts such as Huo Xuchu, a senior researcher at the Kizil Caves Research Institute, and Jia Yingyi, a research fellow at the Xinjiang Museum, also became involved in the research.

I was a visiting scholar at the Museum of Asian Art in Berlin, Germany, from 2012 to 2013. I also visited the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the Guimet Museum in Paris, France. I feel our research is backed by stronger support and more resources by our own country.

What work have you done in cultural relic surveys and in-situ verification? What challenges did you encounter?

There are 486 Kizil Cave mural fragments overseas, according to our investigation. We have conducted in-situ verification at the caves to determine which cave and specific location each mural originally was taken away from.

The verification is a laborious process. We need to determine which cluster the mural belonged to, and then pinpoint the exact cave. Large murals are easy to identify, but the location of smaller ones, especially fragments, are difficult to pinpoint. The numbering system used by the German expedition team for the caves was unscientific, and many cave records were incorrect.

For example, the German team recorded a famous mural, The Royal Couple, as from Cave 13. However, we could not find its position in Cave 13. Then based on the black-and-white photos taken by foreign expeditioners, we later found that it was actually from Cave 171 in the eastern section.

Many cave walls were dilapidated when the foreign expeditions arrived. After they removed the murals, the walls collapsed, making it hard for (later) researchers to locate their original positions.

However, some caves are intact. Despite frequent earthquakes, the central pillars in the caves are quite stable. Without this architectural design, many caves might have collapsed, and we would not have been able to see them today. By 2020, we had identified the original positions of over 420 murals and restored them (by reproducing them via digital technology and then putting them back to their original locations). The original position of about 40 fragments still cannot be identified.

What has been your experience collaborating with foreign museums and scholars on surveys and research?

The Museum of Asian Art in Berlin has the largest collection of Qiuci murals, followed by the Hermitage Museum. Eleven institutions in the United States also house several Kizil Cave murals.

Huo Xuchu, my mentor, guided me in researching overseas murals. To conduct research, you have to be thoroughly familiar with the caves. While searching for the original position of a mural, I would think about it even during meals or while sleeping. I memorized exactly which murals were removed, which have been located, and which gaps remain unfilled.

In 2022, Huo and I attended international conferences in Germany and viewed many murals collected in the museum. That strengthened my resolve to go to Berlin again for research.

It took me 10 years to gain the opportunity to study in Berlin. While I was doing mural research at the Museum of Asian Art as a visiting scholar, I helped correct errors in the recorded original positions of some murals.

The collaboration was a mutual effort for resource sharing. The curator of the Museum of Asian Art first visited the Kizil Caves in 1998. Besides mutual visits, we shared the results of digital scans. They provided us with materials we lacked, and we launched projects for their references. In 2020, my book A Study on the Restoration of the Kizil Grotto Murals was published, thanks to the exchanges.

How is digital restoration conducted? What challenges have you faced?

I once felt I had completed my work after publishing the book. But I later found that many murals were heavily damaged. Some were destroyed during the long-distance transportation back to China. Moreover, due to change of religions (from Buddhism to Islam) in Xinjiang, the Buddhist monasteries in the Kizil Caves were left unmanaged and some of the Buddha figures collapsed.

This inspired us to pursue digital restoration. The original murals were resplendent, and we wanted to restore them to their former glory. We applied for a project with the regional authorities, focusing on restoring Cave 38. Most of the cave has now been restored.

Last year, we collaborated with China’s tech giant Tencent, and they introduced the Tanyuan Plan, an initiative for cultural preservation through digital solutions. We used AI to restore the patterns in Cave 38, such as triangular hanging tent patterns and aquatic animals. The patterns are repetitive, which makes manual restoration tedious and time-consuming, whereas AI is excellent for this task.

However, AI restoration also presents challenges. Since the patterns are consistent, the AI model can restore the unclear parts drawing inference from the clear parts. However, this approach does not work for human figures, as each figure’s expression is unique. Also, when we attempted to restore the scenes in Cave 38, the results were unsatisfactory, as the restored images looked too new.

Before manual restoration, we created a small dataset for training the AI model. In 2025, I applied for a project to create a dataset for rhombus-patterned murals, laying the groundwork for model recognition.

How do you balance tourism development and cultural relic protection?

While overdevelopment of tourist sites may compromise preservation, the very purpose of protecting cultural heritage is to make it accessible to the public. Our approach seeks to balance conservation with public access. Currently, only six of the caves are open to visitors, with each guided group restricted to no more than 10 people and a total daily visitor capacity of 1,340.

We are constructing a 9,800-square-meter digital exhibition center to showcase our digital restoration work, with the primary aim of safeguarding the physical relics while enhancing visitor understanding. By offering an immersive digital experience, it will help alleviate pressure on the actual caves, addressing frequent challenges of overcrowding and ensuring long-term preservation.

Since many visitors struggle to understand the murals, digital exhibitions enable them to see the original caves and help them comprehend. This would not prevent visitors from visiting the caves. Instead, after seeing the digital exhibition, they would be even more eager to visit the caves.

We are now working on digital restoration and planning exhibitions, including overseas tours. We are organizing an exhibition that we hope to premiere in Beijing next year and later tour internationally. We are also developing digital cultural products and websites for overseas audiences.

To attract international tourists and foster cooperation, the most important thing is to let them experience it firsthand. I organized an international conference last year, before which many foreign experts asked if Xinjiang was safe. I told them Xinjiang is now one of the safest regions in the world. After they came, they saw the real Xinjiang for themselves. 

Comments to lixiaoyang@cicgamericas.com

SINGAPORE, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ZDR Investments, a Czech real estate investment firm specializing in grocery-anchored retail parks across Europe, reported a net return of 8.22% in 2025 for the EUR Growth Class of its ZDR Master Fund, available to Southeast Asian investors through the Singapore-based ZDR Investments SG VCC feeder fund.

Last year, the fund completed three acquisitions, including its largest retail property in the Czech Republic, Aventin Shopping Jihlava (26,555 sqm; €51.6 million), as well as two retail parks in Austria — EUCO Wolfsberg and Eugendorf. Active lease management led to lease extensions across the portfolio, increasing the fund’s WALE to 7.5 years. Grocery retailers, which account for about one third of lettable area, have an even longer WALE of 12.2 years.

New acquisitions

Building on a record year in the fund‘s eight-year history, ZDR Investments has entered 2026 with strong momentum, announcing the acquisition of two additional retail parks in Austria valued at approximately €70 million.

The acquisitions of Amstetten West Retail Park and the PRO Shopping Centre in Linz expand the fund’s portfolio to 46 properties valued at approximately €580 million. Over the next 12 to 18 months, ZDR Investments expects to complete more than €130 million in acquisitions, with Austria remaining a key expansion market.

Access for investors in Singapore

Through its Singapore-domiciled feeder fund structure, ZDR Investments SG VCC, managed by Euro Asia Asset Management since 2023, accredited investors in Singapore can gain exposure to the firm’s European retail park strategy and access a diversified real estate portfolio with a track record of stable returns.

“Retail parks anchored by grocery retailers and essential services have consistently demonstrated resilience during periods of inflation and economic volatility, as demand for everyday goods tends to remain stable,” said David Čubr, CEO of ZDR Investments.

Unlike multi-storey shopping malls, retail parks are typically single-storey, open-air formats with convenient highway access and free parking. Anchored by grocery retailers and other essential tenants, they benefit from steady footfall and predictable consumer demand, supporting stable occupancy and long-term rental income even during economic downturns.

“Interest is also growing from healthcare providers, fitness operators, EV charging stations and click-and-collect services,” Čubr added. “These tenants are helping transform retail parks into convenient neighbourhood hubs serving the daily needs of suburban households.”

Sustainability initiatives

As part of its 2026 operational priorities, ZDR Investments will continue advancing sustainability initiatives across its portfolio by installing photovoltaic (PV) systems, expanding EV charging infrastructure, and increasing the number of BREEAM-certified properties to improve energy efficiency and support on-site renewable energy generation.

For enquiries
Website: https://www.zdrinvestments.sg  
Email: contact@zdrinvestments.sg

BRISBANE, Australia, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Specialist public relations, stakeholder engagement and communications consultancy Urbaine has announced the acquisition of Front Communications in a merger that cements its position as the agency of choice for Australia’s property and infrastructure sectors.

Brisbane-based Urbaine, led by Managing Partners Sarah Dixon and Anita Kharbanda, has won numerous awards since it was founded in 2019 and counts some of Australia’s largest developers and asset owners as long-term clients.

Sarah Dixon said the strategic merger formed part of the agency’s long-term growth plans.

“Over the past six years Urbaine has transitioned from a boutique to mid-size agency supporting more than $20 billion in new property and infrastructure projects across Australia’s residential, commercial, health and industrial markets,” she said.

“Greg Bourke and his team at Front Communications are highly respected in our sector and bring additional bench strength to areas of the business we’d already identified as part of our growth.

“At a cultural level, their values, skills and experience complement our own and they bring blue-chip clients and decades of trusted experience to the fold.”

Anita Kharbanda said the carefully curated merger has seen the successful transition of people and clients to Urbaine.

“Urbaine operates at the heart of the industries building Australia and we support major developments and community infrastructure throughout the planning and delivery phases to strengthen reputation and relationships, and de-risk commercial objectives,” Ms Kharbanda said.

“The combined expertise of our people spans strategic advisory, stakeholder engagement, public relations and issues management, and the merger is a game changer for our clients, and our business.

“The timing couldn’t be more impactful, with the property and infrastructure sectors delivering at scale and pace across sport, health, residential, commercial and essential services – and we’re right in the thick of it.”

Front Communications founder Greg Bourke said the decision to merge with Urbaine reflected a maturing of his agency’s workbook and the desire to access a strengthened resource base. 

“This is an exciting step for us, enabling clients to draw on a larger team and expanded service offering,” Mr Bourke said.

“It’s rare to align so closely with another agency, both in terms of our specialist focus and our values, and I’m excited about the strength of our collective expertise.”

The acquisition of Front Communications caps off a busy Q1 for Urbaine, which has also seen the appointment of six new staff members including new Group Director Linda O’Sullivan, who joins the agency after more than two years as AECOM’s Transport Strategy and Growth Lead for the ANZ region.

About Urbaine

Urbaine is a multi-award-winning communications and engagement agency specialising in the property, infrastructure and corporate sectors. Founded in 2019, Urbaine’s services span strategic advisory, stakeholder engagement, public relations and issues management, with a focus on residential, commercial, health, sport and industrial markets. The agency won CPRA’s Boutique Agency of the Year Award in 2023 and 2024 and received a Highly Commended at the 2024 Comms Con Awards for its advocacy work with the Property Council of Australia (QLD). For more information visit www.urbaine.au

About Front Communications

Front Communications is a boutique agency specialising strategic advisory and stakeholder engagement in the property, energy, aviation, education, transport infrastructure, construction, defence, tourism, and sport and recreation sectors. Headquartered in Brisbane, our team has delivered projects across urban and regional Australia, NZ, Asia, and the UK. Front Communications was acquired by multi-award-winning communications and engagement agency Urbaine in February 2026.

SHANGHAI, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — USI, a global leader in electronic design and manufacturing services, will participate in the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC 2026) together with its subsidiary EugenLight Technologies Co., Ltd. (EugenLight). The event will take place March 17–19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

At the exhibition, USI will present its latest 1.6T IMDD optical transceiver solution designed for next-generation data center networking. EugenLight will also showcase a comprehensive range of advanced optical communication components, including 800G and 1.6T high-speed silicon photonics engines for data communications, ELSFP light sources supporting UHP class, coherent transmission ITLA devices for C, L, and C+L bands, telecom-grade hermetically sealed 400G LR4 and ER4 OSA components, and Fast Tunable Laser devices designed for fiber sensing applications. Visitors are welcome to explore these technologies at Booth #2319.

The 1.6T optical module showcased by USI adopts the OSFP form factor and integrates an advanced 3nm DSP. The transmitter (Tx) incorporates a silicon photonics-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC), while the receiver (Rx) integrates a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA) and PIN photodiodes. Using PAM4 modulation, the module supports DR8 and 2×DR4 architectures and also features a 2×FR4 compatible design. The transmission distance supports 500 meters to 2 kilometers, making it well suited for high-speed optical interconnects in data center environments.

Leo Tai, AVP of USI’s R&D Center, commented:”USI has industry-leading capabilities in high-speed signal integrity and power integrity (SI/PI) design, as well as advanced thermal simulation and optical simulation using Zemax. In addition, we have strong expertise in high-speed PCB design utilizing mSAP and substrate PCB technologies. USI also operates dedicated optical communication laboratories for module performance verification, including optical eye diagram measurements using high-speed sampling scopes and bit error rate testing using BERT equipment.”

Beyond its R&D strengths, USI also provides comprehensive one-stop services from design to mass production, helping customers accelerate product commercialization. USI’s manufacturing capabilities for optical modules include high-density SMT processes, KGD flip-chip, and die/wire bonding production lines with full testing and validation. The company also supports optical device assembly, covering chip-on-carrier, sub-mount integration, laser, lens, isolator, FAU, and active alignment processes, along with optical assembly and optical module testing capabilities. These end-to-end capabilities enable USI to deliver complete solutions from design and development to high-volume manufacturing.

Welcome to download detailed product information and learn more about optical interconnect technologies of USI and EugenLight.

https://videocdn.usiglobal.com/video/download/2026_OFC_eBrochure.pdf
https://videocdn.usiglobal.com/video/news/EugenLight_2026_Profile.pdf
https://videocdn.usiglobal.com/video/news/EugenLight_2026_Catalog.pdf

About USI (601231.SH)

USI, Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., is a global leader in electronic design and manufacturing as well as a leader in the field of SiP (System-in-Package) technology. Our production and service locations span four continents: Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, offering customer diversified electronic products with D(MS)² services: Design, Manufacturing, Miniaturization, Industrial software, and hardware Solutions, as well as material procurement, logistics and maintenance Services. USI is a subsidiary of ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. (TWSE: 3711, NYSE: ASX). To learn more, please visit www.usiglobal.com and engage with us on LinkedIn and YouTube.